Newser Story Index from October, 2008
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
LeBron Needs Ring to Seal 'Icon' Status
Advertising Age
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Oct 20, 2008 10:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James may rake in more cash than any other NBA endorser, but he’s still not the “global icon” he set out to become 2 years ago. (His jersey is only the third-best seller in the league.) That could change if he wins a ring, writes Advertising Age . “To an extent, championships define athletes,"...
Falling Gas Prices Could Put Electric Car Back in Neutral
Washington Post
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Oct 20, 2008 10:01 AM CDT
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Car companies are revving up work on alternative energy vehicles, responding to higher oil prices that, well, don’t actually exist just now. New cars take about 5 years to roll out, meaning the auto industry can’t nimbly react to price changes: Oil, which cost $130 a barrel just 4 months ago, now hangs close to $70, creating fears that...
It's Wedding Bells for Tom and Gisele
New York Post
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Oct 20, 2008 9:48 AM CDT
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Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are planning to tie the knot, the New York Post reports. Sources say the New England Patriots quarterback and Brazilian supermodel were recently spotted at Tavern on the Green, where Brady spoke at length with Joe Namath—the spot is rumored to be the couple's pick for wedding reception venue.
Taliban Gunmen Kill Christian Aid Worker
Associated Press
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Oct 20, 2008 9:34 AM CDT
(AP) -
Taliban gunmen killed a Christian aid worker in Kabul today, and the militant group said it targeted the woman because she was spreading her religion. The dual South African-British national worked with handicapped Afghans and was shot by gunmen on a motorbike around 8 am, officials said. "This woman came to Afghanistan to teach Christianity...
Obama: Powell Would Advise Me
New York Daily News
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Oct 20, 2008 9:30 AM CDT
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Officially or otherwise, Colin Powell would have a place in a Barack Obama White House, the presidential frontrunner said yesterday. The former secretary of state “will be one of my advisers,” Obama told Today. “Whether he wants to take a formal role, whether that's a good fit for him, is something we'd have to discuss.” Powell...
Race Didn't Defeat Bradley: He Was Too Liberal
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 20, 2008 9:27 AM CDT
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If Barack Obama loses in November, the media will surely cite the Bradley Effect, the theory that voters lie to pollsters to hide racial biases. It’s named after Tom Bradley, the black mayor of Los Angeles who lost the 1982 governor’s race in California, despite huge leads in the polls. But Bradley didn’t lose because he was black,...
Cratering Dow Sinks Cramer Cred (but Doubles Ratings)
New York Times
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Oct 20, 2008 9:14 AM CDT
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Jim Cramer was long Wall Street’s most reliable cheerleader, psyching up investors on his high-octane CNBC show. He’s insisted several times this year that the worst was over—only to tell viewers this month to forsake stocks entirely. “It is harder to get it right than any time I have seen in my career,” he tells New...
Planned Ayers Talk a No-Go at U. Nebraska
Associated Press
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Oct 20, 2008 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Though the invitation went out months ago, recent protests from politicians, donors and the online community led the University of Nebraska to pull a speaking invitation to William Ayers, the former radical agitator and current Chicago academic who’s become a talking point in John McCain’s criticisms of Barack Obama. The university says...
Markets Rise as Credit Eases
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 20, 2008 8:46 AM CDT
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Stocks rose at the open today, as investors saw signs the credit markets are easing, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow rose 104 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P saw modest 1.5% and 1.2% bumps, respectively. Stocks in Europe and Asia generally rose as well. We could be “near the end of a very extreme panic,” one analyst said...
Soaring National Debt Takes Backseat to Bailout
New York Times
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Oct 20, 2008 8:45 AM CDT
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There's a strange silence in Washington these days about the federal deficit, the New York Times reports, as the immediate economic crisis trumps worries about adding hundreds of billions in debt. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are unusually sanguine about paying for the bank bailouts and another proposed stimulus package by borrowing. Rates...
Powell Makes Mac Play Defense (Again)
Politico
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Oct 20, 2008 8:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama has backed an already-defensive John McCain even further into a corner, writes Politico. Following what McClatchy Newspapers calls a “blistering critique” of McCain’s campaign by the former secretary of state, the Republican has found himself defending anew the Palin pick, the Ayers...
Victorious Max Mosley Bares All
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 20, 2008 8:12 AM CDT
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When a British tabloid exposed Max Mosley's predilection for rough sex under the headline "F1 Boss Has Sick Nazi Orgy With 5 Hookers," he surprised everyone by going to court—and winning a record $120,000 in damages. Now the head of world motorsport tells the Guardian that the press has to be reined in, and that he'll never say sorry...
AmEx Sees Red as Cardholders Struggle
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 20, 2008 7:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American Express—expected today to report earnings skidded more than 30% from the third quarter a year ago—isn't quite the industry gem it once was, reports the Wall Street Journal . The company, long a top performer who catered to affluent customers, has seen a surge in delinquencies as the economy has gone from bad to worse. It's a problem...
Obama Gets Nod From Houston, Austin Papers
Editor & Publisher
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Oct 20, 2008 7:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama has clinched endorsements from the Austin American Statesman and the Houston Chronicle , two Texas papers that once backed George W. Bush—while John McCain gained the Columbus Dispatch in crucial Ohio along with the San Diego Union Tribune . Obama now leads 105-33 in the endorsements race, according to Editor & Publisher...
Fashion's Mr. Blackwell Dead at 86
People
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Oct 20, 2008 7:29 AM CDT
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Richard Blackwell, the man who created the cheeky annual “Worst-Dressed List,” died yesterday at 86 of complications from an intestinal infection, People reports. Calling himself “Mr. Blackwell,” the designer issued wittily scathing reviews of celebs’ outfits, recently hammering Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and frequently...
US Fighter Jets Ordered to Shoot Down UFO
Reuters
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Oct 20, 2008 7:14 AM CDT
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US fighter jets were ordered to shoot down a UFO over England during the Cold War, newly released files reveal. What appeared to be a massive "aircraft carrier" in the sky hovered before darting off undamaged, said one of the military pilots, who was later threatened by a well-dressed "unnamed man" if he "ever breathed a word"...
Credit Woes Stall GM's Effort to Buy Chrysler
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 20, 2008 6:59 AM CDT
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A tight credit market and wary investors are slowing GM’s attempts to buy rival Chrysler, and experts say the companies may turn to the US government, arguing that a deal between the two is needed to save the US auto industry, reports the Wall Street Journal. But sources told the Journal a deal between the automakers remains far from done...
Candidates' Medical Records Full of Holes
New York Times
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Oct 20, 2008 6:45 AM CDT
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With just two weeks until the election, none of the four candidates has released full medical documents—and one, Sarah Palin, has released nothing at all. The nominees' refusal to disclose their medical records is a major change from recent practice, when health information about Ronald Reagan, Paul Tsongas, Bill Bradley, and Dick Cheney was...
New Regs to Prep UK Scouts for Sex
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 20, 2008 6:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain's Boy Scouts may soon be as prepared for healthy sex as they are for camping and woodworking, reports the Guardian . Counselors will discuss sexual health with Scouts, may even hand out condoms to prevent unprotected sex, and take their boys on visits to clinics under new guidelines to be issued today by the Scout Association primarily for...
Cash-Strapped Circuit City Looks to Close 150 Stores
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 20, 2008 6:15 AM CDT
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Cash-strapped Circuit City may shutter more than 10% of its nearly 1,500 stores in North America and eliminate thousands of jobs, reports the Wall Street Journal. The company is considering the plan as a way to avoid a holiday season bankruptcy filing, which could leave customers wary of the company's ability to provide warranties on big-ticket items...
Sony Recalls Video Game for 'Islam Insult'
BBC
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Oct 20, 2008 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sony has held up distribution of a top video game after the discovery that it contains quotations from the Koran in a background music track, reports the BBC. Copies of Playstation 3 game LittleBigPlanet have been recalled and Sony has apologized. A modified version will be released next month. The Koran quotes were discovered by a blogger, who warned...
Tough German Bailout Caps Bank Salaries
Associated Press
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Oct 20, 2008 4:48 AM CDT
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The German cabinet approved the terms of a $645 billion bailout plan today—which includes a salary cap for top bank managers. Banks who take part in the bailout must cap managers' salaries at about $670,000 and withhold bonuses and dividends. Some of Germany's top banks have said they might not participate in the bailout under those terms, AP...
Palin Draws Record SNL Audience
Associated Press
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Oct 20, 2008 4:23 AM CDT
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The largest audience in 14 years tuned in to Saturday Night Live to watch Sarah Palin come face-to-face with doppleganger Tina Fey, reports AP. Actually, it wasn't quite face-to-face as Fey skirted past the candidate after skewering her yet again at a faux press conference on the comedy show. The audience was estimated to be close to 14 million,...
Technology 'Keeps Families Connected'
Washington Post
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Oct 20, 2008 3:53 AM CDT
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Technology is bringing American families together in new ways rather than driving them apart, concludes a new study. Family members rely on cell phone calls, text messages, and emails to stay in touch several times a day, and watch YouTube videos together, using computers as a "virtual hearth," researchers found.
Baghdad Pup Going Home to His Sarge
CNN
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Oct 20, 2008 3:18 AM CDT
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A dog rescued from almost certain death by soldiers in Baghdad will be reunited with the US Army sergeant who adopted him. Military regulations had prevented Sgt. Gwen Beberg, 28, from sending the dog, Ratchet, to the US, but yesterday the SPCA was allowed to fly Ratchet to Kuwait on the first leg of the pooch's journey to Beberg's home in Minnesota. ...
Vegas Kidnap Case Turns to Mexican Drug Probe
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 20, 2008 2:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Investigators intensified their search yesterday for the drug-cartel kidnappers of a 6-year-old Las Vegas boy who was found safe on a city street. Detectives have distributed flyers of suspects they believe are linked to Mexican drug kingpins who likely ordered young Cole Puffenburger kidnapped to get even with his grandfather for stealing from them....
Barack Gets Heat at Barbecue Joint
McClatchy Newspapers
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Oct 20, 2008 2:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama and aides bought lunch at a North Carolina barbecue restaurant in Fayetteville yesterday in an uneasy atmosphere that illustrates how tensely divided voters are in the state just two weeks before the election. One woman yelled, "Socialist! socialist! Get out of here!" as another angry customer snapped at her: "At least he's...
Transistors May Migrate to Paper
Economist
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Oct 20, 2008 1:49 AM CDT
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The future of electronics may be etched on paper, reports the Economist . Researchers have found a cheaper, easier way to make transistors using cellulose, paper’s key ingredient. Paper could soon replace silicon as a surface on which to mount transistors, which control the flow of electric currents and power most gadgets.
Rays KO Sox, Head to Series
Associated Press
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Oct 19, 2008 11:12 PM CDT
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The worst-to-first Tampa Bay Rays completed a stunning run to their first World Series, holding off the defending champion Boston Red Sox, 3-1, last night behind Matt Garza's masterful pitching in Game 7 of the ALCS. "It's unbelievable," center fielder BJ Upton said. "We battled a lot of adversity this year. We stuck together as a team."
Powell Makes Obama Look More Like a Prez
Time
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Oct 19, 2008 8:04 PM CDT
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Colin Powell made life a lot easier for Barack Obama by endorsing him today, Mark Halperin writes in Time . He swallowed up a few days of media time; he gave Obama the support of a respected figure; and he allayed fears that Obama can't cut it as commander-in-chief. Powell's support "makes it much harder, even if there is an unexpected international...
Changeling Digs Up True LA Crime Tale
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 19, 2008 7:35 PM CDT
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Changeling is no remake of the 1980 horror flick, but it is about a child—a boy whose vanishing captivated Los Angeles in the Jazz Age, the Los Angeles Times reports. Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a mother whose lost son was replaced by police with the wrong boy. In a time when women were thought to suffer from vapors, Collins...
Painting Price Spells Gloom for Economy
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 19, 2008 7:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Lucian Freud painting expected to sell for more than $12 million at Christie’s today went for only $9.4 million, a sign that even super-rich buyers of contemporary art are cutting back in the financial crisis, the Daily Telegraph reports. The art world anxiously awaited the sale of Freud’s portrait of Francis Bacon, a potential harbinger...
Journos Will Look Dumb if Mac Wins
Washington Post
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Oct 19, 2008 6:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If John McCain pulls off a surprise victory, reporters who predicted a landslide for Barack Obama are going to look for head-space in the sand, writes Jack Shafer in the Washington Post —unless they quickly whip off one of these articles: "McCain's Michigan Miracle." When McCain pulled out of the state, Obama assumed he'd won,...
US Composer Says Feds Are After Him
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 19, 2008 6:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
One of the most famous composers in America insists that Homeland Security has targeted him for his liberal views, the Guardian reports. John Adams, who achieved fame with his Nixon in China opera 20 years ago, says airport immigration grills him whenever he comes home. "I'm perfectly aware that I, like many artists and many thoughtful people...
No Settlement Yet: Madge's Publicist
Associated Press
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Oct 19, 2008 5:50 PM CDT
(AP) -
Madonna's divorce settlement with estranged husband Guy Ritchie has yet to be finalized, the singer's publicist said today. In a brief email sent to the AP, Liz Rosenberg wrote, "I will not be commenting on the various reports regarding the divorce or of the settlement, which has not been finalized." The Sun and the Mail today reported...
Afghan Activists Push for Peace Talks
Christian Science Monitor
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Oct 19, 2008 5:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
More and more Afghan activists are pushing for a negotiated end to their country’s increasingly violent war, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Thousands have attended peace assemblies throughout Afghanistan, aimed at forcing the government to open public talks with the Taliban. "We need to pressure the Afghan government and the international...
Box Office Feels the Payne
Variety
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Oct 19, 2008 4:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Max Payne beat up Bees and a Chihuahua at the box office this weekend and grabbed the top spot, Variety reports. The Mark Wahlberg action flick raked in $18 million to Chihuahua ’s $11.2 million and The Secret Life of Bees' $11.1 million. Rounding out the top five were Oliver Stone’s George W. Bush biopic W. with $10.6...
Don't Question McCain's 'Nam Heroism
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 19, 2008 4:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
There’s plenty wrong with John McCain, but questions about his heroism in Vietnam just don’t stand up, biographer Matt Welch writes in the LA Times . McCain “gave great strength to his fellow POWs,” and “unless you think that inspiring your fellow prisoners to resist and cope with unbelievable acts of torture isn't heroic,...
Rams Shock No-Romo 'Boys
Associated Press
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Oct 19, 2008 4:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The St. Louis Rams shocked a leaderless Dallas Cowboys today, as the Green Bay Packers deflated the Indianapolis Colts and the Oakland Raiders came back to life: Even at an away game, Cowboys fans cheered for injured Tony Romo—but got 40-year-old Brad Johnson, who tossed three interceptions in a 34-14 loss to the Rams, the AP reports....
Running for Prez? How's Your Health?
Washington Post
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Oct 19, 2008 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John F. Kennedy, the standard-bearer of youthful Camelot and the picture of presidential health, suffered from a litany of ailments including osteoporosis, back pain, and Addison’s disease, Robert Dallek writes in the New York Times . But the president’s loyalists buried the secrets for 40 years, prompting Dallek to urge Barack Obama and...
How Green Is Too Green?
New York Times
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Oct 19, 2008 3:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
How far would you go to reduce your ecological footprint? Would you run your car on waste vegetable oil? Use your lawn as a bathroom to save water? Huddle for body heat? Unplug the fridge? Some 7% of the population is “dark green,” the New York Times reports, though the jury’s still out on whether the so-called "carborexics"...
Injured Ore. Hiker Survived 5 Days on Centipedes
Oregonian (Portland)
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Oct 19, 2008 3:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An injured Oregon hiker was finally found after five days surviving in the woods by drinking from mountain creeks and eating centipedes. "He's a tough bugger," said his relieved mom yesterday. Derek Mamoyac, 27, scooted part of the way down Washington's second-highest mountain last week in a bid to get back to civilization after he hurt his...
Google Goggles: Necessary
New York Times
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Oct 19, 2008 2:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With drunk-dialing evolving at the speed of technology, people need an updated version of that friend who grabs your phone and says, "Dude, don't call her." But, asks Alex Williams in a look at Google's Mail Goggles in the New York Times, "Are we becoming so tethered to our keyboards that we really need the technological equivalent...
Economy May Cripple Chicago Spire Project
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 19, 2008 2:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The sputtering economy could topple plans to erect the nation’s tallest skyscraper, reports the Chicago Tribune. Consultants on the construction of the Chicago Spire have filed liens, with celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava seeking more than $11.3 million and a Chicago-based firm demanding $4.85 million. The developer’s spokesman...
Robocalls Are Legit: McCain
Politico
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Oct 19, 2008 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain defended his use of robocalls on Fox News Sunday, arguing his attacks on Barack Obama are different from the slanderous calls that targeted him during the 2000 primaries, Politico reports. “These are legitimate and truthful and they are far different than the phone calls that were made about my family,” he said. On other talk...
Lobbyists Lavish Gifts on Lawmakers' Fave Charities
New York Times
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Oct 19, 2008 1:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
New congressional ethics rules are showing the public for the first time how much money lobbyists and companies are donating to charities and nonprofits to woo lawmakers, the New York Times reports. Companies and interest groups donated more than $13 million to such groups associated with more than 200 House and Senate members. “It’s...
Cavemen Were Stoners
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 19, 2008 12:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Prehistoric man apparently liked to get stoned in the Stone Age, scientists have discovered. Researchers found paraphernalia on a Caribbean island used to prepare hallucinogenic drugs for sniffing, dating back to prehistoric high times, reports the Telegraph . Experts believe the ceramic bowls and tubers were used to inhale cohoba, used by South...
Say it Ain't So, Joba: Pitcher Catches DUI
Associated Press
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Oct 19, 2008 12:06 PM CDT
(AP) -
New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, speeding, and having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. Nebraska State Patrol said Chamberlain was stopped for speeding near his hometown of Lincoln at about 1am yesterday. Chamberlain was taken to the Cornhusker Place Detox in Lincoln, which...
Hackers Hit Sarko's Bank Account
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 19, 2008 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Small amounts of money began disappearing from Nicolas Sarkozy's bank account in September, and prosecutors now confirm that an ongoing investigation has not yet identified the "swindlers." The hackers are thought to have obtained the French prez's account information and password, reports the Telegraph . The theft comes at an awkward time...
Clinton Housing Chief Paved the Way for Risky Loans
New York Times
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Oct 19, 2008 11:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The top housing chief of the Clinton administration helped launch a major financing wave that transformed the American dream of homeownership into reality for thousands of people—whether they could afford it or not, reports the New York Times . From his post, Henry Cisneros loosened mortgage restrictions for first-time buyers, then later joined...
