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.
GM-Chrysler Talks Pick Up Speed as Auto Sales Stall
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 17, 2008 8:58 AM CDT
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Talks of a General Motors-Chrysler merger are on the fast-track, the Wall Street Journal reports, with lenders pushing for a deal to be completed as soon as the end of the month. Amid a historically dismal month for US auto sales, GM is scrambling to shore up a bleeding balance sheet while banks see an opportunity to reduce exposure in the auto industry....
Stocks Plunge on Housing Data
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 17, 2008 8:50 AM CDT
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Stocks dropped today at the open, after a dour housing report reaffirmed market pessimism. But the day is expected to be a volatile one, the Wall Street Journal reports, after yesterday’s wild session. The Dow dropped 221 points at the bell, with the S&P and Nasdaq dropping 2.6% and 2.4% respectively. President Bush again tried to calm...
Miss. McCains Descended From Plantation Slaves
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 17, 2008 8:42 AM CDT
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The McCain family of Teoc, Miss., is watching this year's election with particular interest, the Wall Street Journal reports. The African-American clan is descended from plantation slaves owned by the family of John McCain's great-great-grandfather. The white and black McCains meet for regular family reunions, although the senator himself has never...
Hungary Gets $6.7B Loan to Avert Meltdown
New York Times
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Oct 17, 2008 8:33 AM CDT
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The Hungarian government secured a $6.7-billion loan yesterday from the European Central Bank in an attempt to stave off an Icelandic-style national meltdown. The EU newcomer's troubles derive from loans denominated in euros or Swiss francs, rather than the softer Hungarian forint. Frozen credit markets have left Hungary's government and citizens...
Calif. Teachers Drop $1M to Fight Gay Marriage Ban
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 17, 2008 8:19 AM CDT
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The California teachers union donated $1 million to the fight to defeat a gay marriage ban on the ballot next month, reports the Los Angeles Times . Opponents of the ban have been dramatically outspent by supporters, and so have lately stepped up their fundraising. “For us it’s a civil rights issue,” said the union president. “We...
Candidates Trade Barbs for Laughs
New York Times
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Oct 17, 2008 7:45 AM CDT
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Just one night after their chilly final debate, Barack Obama and John McCain spent another evening in close proximity, with much different results. They poked fun at themselves, and each other, at New York’s Al Smith Dinner, an annual political roast that raises money for charity, reports the New York Times . The candidates sat at the same table,...
From Carnage of Crisis Rises Vast Opportunity
Washington Post
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Oct 17, 2008 7:31 AM CDT
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The British plan to recapitalize world banks helped calm global markets, but Gordon Brown isn't done yet. In an op-ed for the Washington Post , the prime minister declares that we face "a defining moment for the world economy" on par with the aftermath of World War II, and that only a "new Bretton Woods"—a new system of global...
How Would Cool Hand Obama Govern?
New York Times
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Oct 17, 2008 7:08 AM CDT
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Barack Obama, like LBJ and Bill Clinton, may rise from an outsider's position to the highest echelon of American politics. But while those presidents sought power for respect or public adoration, writes David Brooks, Obama exudes an "untroubled self-confidence" in the mold of FDR and Ronald Reagan. Watching Obama's cool-as-a-cucumber...
Court Hears of Yacht Couple's Final Moments
ABC News
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Oct 17, 2008 6:52 AM CDT
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A prosecution witness has given a California court chilling details of how he and two accomplices murdered an Arizona couple at sea, ABC News reports. Alonso Machain said he, accused ringleader and former child actor Skylar Deleon, and another man forced the retired couple to sign their yacht over to them, then blindfolded them with duct...
China Cracks Down on Internet Cafes
Times (UK)
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Oct 17, 2008 6:29 AM CDT
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China has resumed a strict crackdown on Internet users less than two months after the Olympic Games, ending the more relaxed regulations that accompanied the international spotlight, reports the Times of London. All visitors to Internet cafes in Beijing will be required to have their photograph taken, reports the Times of London. All photos and...
Twitter Tries to Get Real, Trades In CEO
CNET
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Oct 17, 2008 6:05 AM CDT
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Twitter has shunted CEO Jack Dorsey into the chairman's role and given his job to current chairman and co-founder Evan Williams, CNET reports. The micro-blogging site has grown fast since launching last year and has been surrounded by plenty of buzz—but while managers say things are right on track, it still lacks a working revenue model....
Post Backs Obama: 'Right Man for Perilous Time'
Washington Post
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Oct 17, 2008 5:14 AM CDT
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Barack Obama's intelligence, grasp of complex issues, and skill at consensus-building make him the right man to take on the huge challenges that await the next president, the Washington Post writes in a ringing endorsement. The choice was made easier by John McCain's "disappointing campaign"—especially his pick of a running mate unqualified...
Husband Busted in Wife's Vacation Disappearance
ABC News
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Oct 17, 2008 4:26 AM CDT
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A husband has been arrested in the disappearance of his wife who went missing during the California couple's island vacation. Leta Lynn Cordes, 49, vanished after she left on a walk on the island of St. Maarten in January, her husband, Frank Cordes, told police. His arrest follows the discovery of new evidence, which police have refused to discuss,...
Toyota Offers Interest-Free Car Loans
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 17, 2008 4:01 AM CDT
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Toyota is moving aggressively to fight slowing sales with a $250-million advertising campaign that offers zero-percent financing on 11 vehicles. The Japanese auto giant is flush with billions of dollars in cash and plans to use it to boost its market share, just as Ford, GM and Chrysler are at their weakest, reports the Wall Street Journal. ...
Live From New York, It's Sarah Palin!
CNN
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Oct 17, 2008 3:38 AM CDT
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Viewers awaiting the next impersonation of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live may be stunned to see the real thing. Palin plans to make a cameo appearance on tomorrow's show, sources tell CNN. No word yet on whether champion Palin-impersonator Tina Fey will be joining the vice-presidential candidate for her SNL debut—or on how viewers are...
Sarkozy Sues Over Scandal Diary
BBC
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Oct 17, 2008 3:18 AM CDT
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France's president Nicolas Sarkozy is at the center of a firestorm over publication of the diaries of a former French Intelligence chief which contain information about several politicians, including details of Sarkozy's personal life, the BBC reports. Yves Bertrand's personal diaries, reported in a news magazine, contain observations about the state...
Credit Crisis Squeezes Student Loans
New York Times
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Oct 17, 2008 2:46 AM CDT
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The economic downturn is hitting college students hard, the New York Times reports. Job losses and the disappearing loan market are strangling formerly robust family plans to foot college tuition fees. Private lenders, used by many students to fill the gap between federal aid and the total cost of college, are hiking interest rates and tightening...
Oil Sinks Below $70 as Economy Tanks
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 17, 2008 2:20 AM CDT
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Dropping demand sent a barrel of oil dipping below $70 for the first time in 14 months yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reports. Prices have dropped more than 50% in three months—a sign of a deeply troubled economy, but one that could help the world recover as companies that budgeted for $100-plus oil find themselves with extra cash.
US Shuts Consulate in Mexico After More Gunfire
Reuters
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Oct 17, 2008 2:00 AM CDT
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Officials shut down the US consulate in Monterey, Mexico, yesterday after shots were fired nearby, reports Reuters. The latest incident followed an attack last weekend when gunmen opened fire and lobbed a hand grenade at the same consulate. Mexican police swarmed the area and FBI officials gathered evidence to determine if the violence was linked....
Red Sox Alive After Miracle Rally
Boston Globe
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Oct 16, 2008 11:31 PM CDT
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The Red Sox stayed alive tonight with a stunning 8-run rally over the last 3 innings, the Globe reports. Boston trailed Tampa 7-0 after 6 innings but scored 4 in the 7th and 3 in the 8th to tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th, a base hit by JD Drew brought home Kevin Youkilis with the winning run as the Fenway faithful erupted. The 8-7 win...
Florida District Endures Another Sex Scandal
Time
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Oct 16, 2008 9:33 PM CDT
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Just two years after Mark Foley resigned, Florida’s 16th district has another sex scandal on its hands, Time reports. Democratic Representative Tim Mahoney, who is fighting for reelection, has been implicated in an affair/payoff scandal, and investigators are wondering if he hushed his mistress with taxpayer dollars. Mahoney took Foley’s...
Joe the Plumber's Story Line Springs a Few Leaks
New York Times
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Oct 16, 2008 9:18 PM CDT
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Tired of Joe the Plumber? His life has been turned upside since he became an unintentional media celebrity, the New York Times notes. Among the odds and ends: He is a single father, 34, whose real name is Samuel J. Wurzelbacher. He does plumbing work for a contractor but is not a licensed plumber. Ohio doesn't require it, but Toledo...
Frog Pizza Storms London
Sun (UK)
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Oct 16, 2008 9:00 PM CDT
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London restaurant chain Eco has animal-rights activists hopping mad over its newest pizza, the Sun reports. Called “The Hopper,” the pie contains 8 frogs legs with capers and anchovies. British group Animal Aid is urging a boycott of Eco because harvesters of frogs’ legs usually cut them off while the amphibians are still alive.
FBI Opens Preliminary ACORN Probe
Associated Press
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Oct 16, 2008 8:30 PM CDT
(AP) -
The FBI is investigating whether the community activist group ACORN helped foster voter registration fraud around the nation. A senior law enforcement official says the agency is looking at results of recent raids on ACORN offices in several states for any evidence of a coordinated national scam. The group denies such a conspiracy, though it has acknowledged...
McCain, Letterman Make Up
Politico
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Oct 16, 2008 7:37 PM CDT
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John McCain finally made it back on David Letterman's show, and he promptly issued two apologies—one to Dave and one to Joe the Plumber. In an appearance taped to air tonight, McCain apologized to Letterman for canceling a September appearance at the last minute. "I screwed up," he said. He also apologized to the now-famous Ohio plumber...
Brain Offers a Clue on Why Obese People Eat More
Associated Press
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Oct 16, 2008 7:10 PM CDT
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New research takes an accepted truth about obese people and flips it upside down: They may, in fact, get less pleasure out of eating than people of normal weight, the LA Times reports. Researchers found that people who have weaker reward circuitry in the brain tend to overeat. Thus, while a person of average weight can eat one cookie and feel satisfied,...
Warmest Year Ever Threatens Arctic Wildlife
ABC News
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Oct 16, 2008 6:44 PM CDT
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The Arctic had its warmest year on record in 2007, and a new government report underscores the unsettling consequences for ice sheets and wildlife, ABC News reports. The report reiterates many of the familiar scenarios of late about the region—sea ice is vanishing at a record pace and permafrost is thawing, and these in turn set off a sort of...
In a Campaign of Joes, Jill Biden Stands Out
Vogue
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Oct 16, 2008 6:22 PM CDT
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The McCain-Palin team's affinity for Joe Six-Pack and Joe the Plumber gets the press, but the Democrats have their own champion of the average Joe (and not just because she's married to one) in Jill Biden, writes Jonathan Van Meter in Vogue . The prospective second lady—college professor; political wife who avoids the spotlight; mother of three...
'Stayin' Alive' in Rhythm With CPR
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 16, 2008 5:54 PM CDT
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Disco may be dead, but it can still help others live. So say University of Illinois researchers, who found that med students performed CPR more effectively to the beat of the Bee Gees classic “Stayin’ Alive,” notes the Health Blog of the Wall Street Journal . Seems the song has 103 beats per minute, and CPR guidelines call for 100...
Stevens Takes Stand, Denies Shady Deals
Associated Press
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Oct 16, 2008 5:39 PM CDT
(AP) -
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens took the stand today in his own defense and denied scheming to hide $250,000 in home improvements and other gifts from a corrupt businessman. When asked by his lawyer whether he thought his Senate disclosure forms were accurate when he signed them, the Alaska political patriarch replied, "Yes, sir." He then responded...
Glenn Beck Jumps to Fox News
Broadcasting & Cable
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Oct 16, 2008 5:27 PM CDT
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Conservative commentator Glenn Beck, who has gained a sizable following with his nightly show on CNN's Headline News channel, is leaving for Fox News. Beck signed a multi-year deal to host Fox's 5pm weekday program beginning in the spring, Broadcasting & Cable reports. He will also host a weekend show. Beck's CNN show has grown 200% since...
China's Great, Baffling Failure: Public Relations
The Atlantic
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Oct 16, 2008 5:00 PM CDT
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It’s no secret that China is moving into position as a global superpower, writes James Fallows in the Atlantic , and this only further highlights its leaders’ baffling inability to understand how the country is viewed from the outside—and how to change those opinions for the better. Officials just don’t understand “the...
Spanish Judge Begins Probe of Franco Crimes
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 16, 2008 4:45 PM CDT
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A Spanish judge today ordered the grave of poet and playwright Federico García Lorca dug up, and declared 114,000 political killings in the 1930s and later under former dictator General Francisco Franco crimes against humanity, the Guardian reports. The move—part of the first official inquiry into Franco-era crimes—represents a...
Eggbeater Helps Scientists Whip Disease
Discover
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Oct 16, 2008 4:30 PM CDT
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Centrifuges separate blood from plasma—but at considerable expense, in a bulky package. That leaves them beyond the reach of underfunded medical facilities that could use the help in diagnosing blood-borne ailments, such as hepatitis and other diseases. The solution, Discover reports, could be as close as the nearest kitchen. It's an eggbeater....
Wine for Breakfast? A Fan Makes His Case
Esquire
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Oct 16, 2008 4:17 PM CDT
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The eggs are scrambling, the bacon is sizzling, the toast is, well, toasting. So kick back and pour yourself a glass of red zinfandel, writes Ryan D'Agostino in Esquire. This isn't some sophomore-year-of-college attempt to undo the excesses of the night before, but rather an innovative approach to the day’s most important meal. The wine, which...
The Day After, McCain Still Savors His Cup of Joe
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 16, 2008 4:03 PM CDT
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Joe the Plumber remained a fixture of John McCain’s campaign today on the heels of his prominence in last night’s debate, the Chicago Tribune reports. “Joe's the man,” the Republican said at a rally. “He won and small businesses won across America. The American people are not going to let Sen. Obama raise their taxes...
TSA Designed Only to 'Catch Stupid Terrorists'
The Atlantic
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Oct 16, 2008 3:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Transportation Security Administration’s nearly $7 billion budget is a waste, Jeffrey Goldberg reports in the Atlantic . With the help of a security expert, Goldberg has, at various times, gotten through airport security using counterfeit passes, carrying potentially dangerous objects and liquids—not to mention a Hezbollah flag and...
Most Americans Lack Basic Political Knowledge: Survey
LiveScience
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Oct 16, 2008 3:36 PM CDT
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Only 18% of Americans can correctly name the current secretary of state, Britain’s prime minister and which party controls the US House, a LiveScience survey finds. Among the survey’s 3,612-person sample, more than half correctly said that the Democrats have a majority in the House, while 42% correctly identified Condoleezza Rice. Less...
Dow Up 401 After Seesaw Day
MarketWatch
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Oct 16, 2008 3:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks rallied late in today’s volatile session, but stopped short of recovering yesterday’s sharp losses, rollercoastering through an 800-point range, MarketWatch reports. Crude oil futures fell $4.69, to about half of their record high in July, on a report that showed US inventories increasing. The Dow rose 401.35 to 8,979.26. The Nasdaq...
UK: Web Phone Service Gives Criminals Edge
Times (UK)
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Oct 16, 2008 3:23 PM CDT
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Criminals and terrorists are using VoIP services like Skype to evade law enforcement, sources tell the Times of London, and officials are lobbying for increased access. Police often rely on phone records as evidence, but online calls often leave no trace. “Communications data forms an important element of prosecution evidence in 95% of serious...
Not the Apple-Bobbing 'Fat Boy' Had in Mind
The Cornishman (UK)
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Oct 16, 2008 3:13 PM CDT
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A horse’s hunger for apples got the better of him early yesterday when he ended up stuck in a British swimming pool, the Cornishman reports. The fittingly named “Fat Boy” and another pony broke into the garden of Sarah Penhaligon, 28, to snack on her apple trees. But while chowing down, Fat Boy stepped on a tarpaulin covering her...
Don't Get Cocky, Obama Cautions Supporters
Reuters
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Oct 16, 2008 3:00 PM CDT
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Polls show that Barack Obama has a solid lead, nationally and in several swing states, over John McCain. But the Democrat warned supporters today to be wary of overconfidence, Reuters reports. “I've been in these positions before when we were favored and the press starts getting carried away and we end up getting spanked,” Obama told a...
Stevens' Wife Denies Impropriety
Anchorage Daily News
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Oct 16, 2008 2:48 PM CDT
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Ted Stevens’ wife, testifying at the Alaska senator’s Washington corruption trial today, said she didn’t know that two men working on a home renovation were oil-company employees, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Catherine Stevens, herself a lawyer, often spoke directly to the jury as the defense pushed its case that the senator...
'Caylee's Dead' Remark Was Out of Context: Defense
Orlando Sentinel
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Oct 16, 2008 2:40 PM CDT
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Casey Anthony's defense team says comments that proclaimed the Florida woman’s missing 3-year-old daughter dead were edited “completely out of context,” the Orlando Sentinel reports. A defense spokesman who appeared on CNN last night mentioned “the loss of the life of this little girl” only in response to another guest's...
Cell Phones Also Annoy Your Skin
Reuters
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Oct 16, 2008 2:32 PM CDT
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Cell phones won’t melt your brain, but they do cause “mobile phone dermatitis,” Reuters reports. A British dermatological organization is cautioning doctors to consider allergy-causing nickel found on many phones in cases of “a rash on the cheek or ear that cannot otherwise be explained.” The condition afflicts excessive...
Teens Acting Out Ninja Turtles Get Lost in NY Sewer
New York Daily News
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Oct 16, 2008 2:18 PM CDT
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Ninja Turtles they ain’t: Three teenagers pretending to be the mutated heroes in a Queens sewer got lost and had to be rescued by firefighters yesterday, the New York Daily News reports. “These three idiots were playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and wanted to go into the sewers,” said a police source. The two boys above 16 are...
Murtha Backtracks on Pa. Racism Jab
CNN
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Oct 16, 2008 2:05 PM CDT
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Rep. John Murtha apologized for saying yesterday that “racist” western Pennsylvanians wouldn’t vote for Barack Obama, CNN reports. “While we cannot deny that race is a factor in this election, I believe we've been able to look beyond race these past few months,” the Democrat said today in a statement. “I believe...
US Attempts a Very Chinese Bailout
Washington Post
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Oct 16, 2008 1:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Wondering how the bailout will work out? Look no further than China, David Ignatius writes in the Washington Post . Beijing test-piloted exactly this kind of strategy, doling out $15.1 billion to buy up companies gashed by the 1998 Hong Kong market crash. Now, he writes, the Chinese need to move toward a more outward-facing kind of capitalism even...
Obama Ad to Delay World Series Game
CNN
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Oct 16, 2008 1:33 PM CDT
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The GOP is crying foul after Fox announced it would delay a possible World Series Game 6 to air a 30-minute Barack Obama spot, CNN reports. Obama has bought airtime from Fox, CBS, and NBC for Oct. 29. “Not only is Obama putting politics before principle, he’s putting it before our national pastime,” a spokesman said. First pitch would...
Tenn. Dad Names Baby After GOP Ticket
Times-News (Kingsport, Tenn.)
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Oct 16, 2008 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It isn’t your typical get-out-the-vote strategy, but a Tennessee man says he hopes naming his new baby after the Republican ticket will get people to the polls, the Kingsport Times-News reports. Sarah McCain Palin Ciptak was born last week to a couple who’d agreed on the name Ava Grace. “I sort of secretively went behind her back...
