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.
Howard Sparks Rout; Phillies Lead Series, 3-1
Associated Press
|
Oct 26, 2008 11:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ryan Howard homered twice and drove in five runs, and the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 10-2, in Game 4 of the World Series tonight in Philadelphia. The Fightin' Phils are one victory away from capturing the second World Series title in franchise history. They wouldn't be here without their big slugger. "We just have to stay focused and hopefully...
Hudson Offers $100K Reward for Nephew
Chicago Tribune
|
Oct 26, 2008 7:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jennifer Hudson offered a $100,000 reward today for the safe return of her missing nephew, the Chicago Tribune reports. Seven-year-old Julian King has been gone since the shooting deaths of Hudson's mother and brother in Chicago on Friday. Also today, Hudson's family received public support from Barack Obama, who said he is praying for her and looking...
How Jim Popped the Question
Washington Post
|
Oct 26, 2008 7:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jim’s proposal to Pam at a gas station rest stop may have looked spur-of-the-moment, but a top creative on The Office says it took weeks of planning and high-tech special effects. To create the 52-second scene, the production team built a replica of a rest stop on Merritt Parkway and brought in huge rain machines—for a whopping $250,000...
Love the Paranormal? That's Just Anxiety
Newsweek
|
Oct 26, 2008 7:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Not everyone believes in alien abductions, but plenty of people say they have seen ghosts or heard voices from the beyond. Poll results show that 90% of Americans have had a paranormal experience—a statistic that scientists increasingly blame on our tricky brains. Anxiety over modern society or any perceived threat, they say, turns us to beliefs...
How One Woman's Home, and Dream, Foreclosed
Sacramento Bee
|
Oct 26, 2008 6:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When a California woman bought a home 3 years ago, she had little idea that her mortgage would help drag down the nation's economy—and the world's, the Sacramento Bee reports. Erin O'Hagan and two family members pooled incomes to buy a $475,000 Sacramento home, and planned to refinance before their adjustable rate rose to 12.75%. "The...
Musical Belts Out Record Opening
Variety
|
Oct 26, 2008 6:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sweetness and gore dominated the box office this week, reports Variety . High School Musical 3 bopped off with $42 million, having the best opening ever for a musical. Runner-up Saw V , with $30.5 million, still chopped the rest of the field down to size. The box office take was up 30% from a year ago, the studios estimate, because there was little...
Madonna Gets a 10-Year Facelift
Reuters
|
Oct 26, 2008 5:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After a 10-year facelift, an Italian Renaissance landmark is finally ready for its unveiling. Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch underwent extensive renovations that included CAT scans and X-rays, Reuters reports. A Florentine lab removed coverings by early restorers who saved the work, which was smashed in a house collapse more than 460 years...
Cowboys Snap Slump in Tampa
Associated Press
|
Oct 26, 2008 5:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dallas Cowboys regained some swagger today as the New England Patriots won short-handed and the New York Giants won thanks to a bad punt snap, the AP reports: Cowboys QB Brad Johnson was sacked three times but Dallas managed to eke out a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 13-9. Kevin Faulk’s touchdown catch with 3:13 left to...
Will They Still Love Him When He's Prez?
Newsweek
|
Oct 26, 2008 4:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
What will happen to Barack Obama’s fan base if he wins? The devoted followers, who wield unusual power in the campaign and feel close to their candidate, won’t vanish after November and could be a powerful weapon for his agenda, Howard Fineman writes in Newsweek . But if Obama governs more conservatively than they like, they may turn their...
US Strike 'Serious Aggression': Syria
Associated Press
|
Oct 26, 2008 4:36 PM CDT
(AP) -
US military helicopters launched an extremely rare attack today on Syrian territory close to the border with Iraq, killing eight people in a strike the government in Damascus condemned as "serious aggression." A US military official said the raid by special forces targeted the foreign fighter network that travels through Syria into Iraq....
Animal Rights Lover Goes for the Throat
New York Times
|
Oct 26, 2008 4:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Humane Society has turned into an aggressive political player with a mainstream message, the New York Times reports. The group's head, Wayne Pacelle, just shut down a $100 million slaughterhouse in Chino, Calif., and is pushing for a ballot measure that would require a certain amount of room for farm animals. But he's also made concessions in...
You're Missing Out on a Great Series
ESPN
|
Oct 26, 2008 3:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nobody's watching the World Series, and this year, writes Gene Wojciechowski for ESPN, everybody's missing out. Both the Rays and the Phillies came from behind to get here. They’re both managed by colorful characters: One wears a Mohawk, and the other would “rather swallow a wad of chaw.” The games are full of great rookies and vets,...
Docs Stop Taking Insurance, Offer 'Boutique' Care
Baltimore Sun
|
Oct 26, 2008 3:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Increasing numbers of doctors are bagging the insurance model to offer much better service to fewer patients, at a much higher cost, the Baltimore Sun reports. Many doctors are struggling to pay their own bills, and the quality of service they offer patients is suffering. But such “boutique” care threatens to create two separate medical...
Alaska Paper Picks Obama
Anchorage Daily News
|
Oct 26, 2008 2:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin has accomplished a lot and has brought unexpected recognition to Alaska, but for the presidency, Barack Obama is "a clear choice" for the Anchorage Daily News . John McCain has abandoned his maverick positions to curry conservative favor, and the demands of the White House would "stretch the governor beyond her range,"...
Suicide Prompts Uproar Over Cyber-Insults in S. Korea
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 26, 2008 2:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The suicide of a popular actress is prompting South Korean officials to get tough with “cyber-terrorists,” the Los Angeles Times reports. Choi Jin-sil hanged herself this month after Internet rumors blamed her for the death of a fellow actor. “People who inflict cyber-terrorism must pay the appropriate price,” said one lawmaker,...
Obama's Haul Spurs Concern About Faceless Donors
Washington Post
|
Oct 26, 2008 1:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The huge success of Barack Obama’s Internet fundraising campaign has sparked concerns about the regulation of campaign finance. Some worry that the faceless system allows for easy abuse, particularly in light of donations from anonymous or clearly fake names such as "Osama bin Laden," the Washington Post reports. Dangerous or not,...
McCain Guarantees 'Close' Victory
Politico
|
Oct 26, 2008 1:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A confident John McCain “guaranteed” today that election night will be a nail-biter, but that he will win. “We're going to do well in this campaign, my friend,” McCain told Tom Brokaw on NBC’s Meet the Press . The prediction comes as polls show the GOP hopeful closing the gap with Barack Obama, Politico reports. The Republican...
OD or No, Isiah Was Miserable
New York Post
|
Oct 26, 2008 12:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The whole story surrounding Isiah Thomas' reported sleeping-pill overdose remains murky, but the factors that might be bringing him down aren't hard to spot, writes the New York Post . Thomas went from a lifetime in the spotlight to being sequestered in a back office with fans' chants of "fire Isiah" likely still ringing in his ears—it's...
John McCain, Here's How You Can Still Win This Election
FiveThirtyEight
|
Oct 26, 2008 12:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain, the polls aren’t looking good and your running mate is being accused of going “rogue,” but Nate Silver has some advice on how you can still eke out a victory. “No razzle-dazzle here,” Silver writes for FiveThirtyEight, “McCain simply has to pick which states he and Sarah Palin can do the most good in.”...
LiLo Hearts Sam, Won't Rule Out Guys
New York Daily News
|
Oct 26, 2008 11:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Lindsay Lohan isn't taking back any confessions of love for Samantha Ronson, but she's also not restricting her options, friends of the star tell the New York Daily News . Lohan "would date a guy next" if things fizzled with her DJ girlfriend, and plans to make it clear in an upcoming interview that she's not a lesbian.
Iranian Prez's Illness Nothing Serious, MP Says
CNN
|
Oct 26, 2008 11:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The irrepressible Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is suffering from exhaustion, but it won’t keep him down for long, an MP told an Iranian news agency. Rumors that the Iranian president is very sick are “psychological warfare,” “an old ploy” designed to undermine him among fundamentalists before next June’s elections, the president’s...
'Real' America's Not Racist
New York Times
|
Oct 26, 2008 10:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The media focus on the “Bradley effect" and the notion of a divided nation—"real" vs. "elite"—hyped by the McCain campaign suggests that racism among small-town whites will prove a stumbling block for Barack Obama, Frank Rich writes. But the alleged racism is nowhere near as widespread as it’s been made...
Sick of Waiting for PC to Boot Up? PC Makers Hear You
New York Times
|
Oct 26, 2008 9:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As instant communication becomes the norm, computer users are quickly getting fed up with slow start-up times—and PC makers are focused on reducing the wait, the New York Times reports. To fight Windows’ slow load time, manufacturers are turning to programs that bypass the operating system so users can get straight to surfing. Shrinking...
IMF Won't Punish Boss Over Affair
Wall Street Journal
|
Oct 26, 2008 9:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The IMF’s governing board unanimously cleared its managing director of using his position to pursue an affair with a subordinate, the Wall Street Journal reports. Dominique Strauss-Kahn didn’t engage in “harassment, favoritism, or any other abuse of authority,” but his actions were “regrettable and reflected a serious...
Spectre of Dem Landslide Sparking GOP Civil War
Telegraph (UK)
|
Oct 26, 2008 8:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As polls continue to give the election edge to Barack Obama, GOP leaders are fearing the Democrat could win in a landslide, reports the Telegraph . Second-guessing of John McCain's campaign and deep fears for the GOP are already triggering a battle among Republican faithful for control of the party's future. McCain is being pressured by some to sacrifice...
Brit Marathoners Stranded in Mountain Storm
Telegraph (UK)
|
Oct 26, 2008 7:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Dozens of British marathoners remained unaccounted for after they were hit by torrential rains and raging winds during a race in the rugged terrain of the Lake District yesterday, reports the Telegraph . Pockets of athletes sought shelter in a barn, community center and a school, while mountain rescue workers searched for others.
Six Key Misconceptions About Women Voters
MSNBC
|
Oct 26, 2008 7:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The campaigns are desperate to know what makes women voters tick, but much political thinking is still marred by gross misconceptions about the key group. MSNBC lists the most egregious: Women are a homogenous voting bloc. Not only do they not share a common geography, attitude or philosophy, but even categories like “soccer mom”...
Tigers Turn to Humans After Floods
Guardian (UK)
|
Oct 26, 2008 6:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
First came the floods, now come the tigers. A remote village in West Bengal is dealing with a soaring number of tiger attacks since the powerful predators were driven across the border from Bangladesh by flooding. Villagers report 15 attacks already this year, six of them fatal, according to the Guardian . Crab fisherman wading alone through shallow...
Denis Leary Slammed for Gay Slur
New York Post
|
Oct 26, 2008 6:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After stirring up a storm with his comments on autism, actor Denis Leary in now in trouble for defending his use of the word "fag," reports the New York Post . The Rescue Me star blamed his parents and the Catholic Church for his use of the gay slur after he was angrily challenged by an interviewer for a piece in next month's issue of...
Obama Up by 8 Points in Polls
Bloomberg
|
Oct 26, 2008 6:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As John McCain's campaign appears to be foundering, Barack Obama's lead continues to grow, reports Bloomberg. The Democratic candidate was up 8 points over McCain in an average of 16 polls released during the last week. The previous week, Obama was up about 6 points. A single new poll released today, however, found the Democrat's lead shrinking to...
Online Hookup Hopefuls Gain Mapping Aid
Wired
|
Oct 26, 2008 5:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In what may be the most opportunistic mashup ever, a web entrepreneur is putting a bold spin on the modern hookup, reports Wired . A new website scans the anything-goes "Casual Encounters" section of Craigslist, then integrates the postings with Google Maps, designating the locations of random horny strangers with tiny hearts.
Top Cars We Should Scrap
US News & World Report
|
Oct 26, 2008 4:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The possibility that one of Detroit's Big Three automakers is headed for the scrap heap left US News and World Report wondering which cars Americans could live without. Here are some top candidates: Jeep Commander: This boxy model gets 16 mpg and it shows: sales are down 55%. Dodge Durango: Even the hybrid version of this SUV hasn't...
Phillies Edge Rays 5-4 to Take Lead in Series
Associated Press
|
Oct 26, 2008 1:16 AM CDT
(AP) -
It took a while, but the Phillies finally beat Tampa Bay in the wee hours to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series. Carlos Ruiz hit an infield single—a trickler down the third-base line—with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth as Philly outlasted the Rays, 5-4. The game didn't begin until 10:06pm because of a rain delay, and it didn't...
Amy Poehler Has a Baby Boy
Huffington Post
|
Oct 26, 2008 12:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Amy Poehler missed work last night, but she had a very good excuse: The Saturday Night Live star gave birth yesterday to a baby boy named Archie, the Huffington Post reports. It's the first child for Poehler and her hubby and fellow comedian, Will Arnett. Poehler had been rehearsing for the latest SNL up to the last minute, but Archie had...
Livni Calls Off Coalition Talks, Wants Early Elections
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
|
Oct 25, 2008 10:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has given up trying to forge a political coalition and will recommend early elections when she meets with President Shimon Peres on Sunday, the Jerusalem Post reports. Elections could be held in February, and Livni faces a tough fight to become Israel's second female prime minister. Her Kadima Party trails Benjamin...
TV Anchor Dies Days After Attack
KATV (Arkansas)
|
Oct 25, 2008 9:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An Arkansas newscaster who was brutally beaten in her home earlier this week died today from her injuries, reports her home station of KATV. Anne Pressly, 26, had been sedated in intensive care since the assault and unable to communicate with police or her family. Doctors said only yesterday they were hopeful she'd recover. Police have no suspects...
Hard Times Turn Latino Voters to Obama
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 25, 2008 7:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Campaign workers walking Latino precincts in Las Vegas are finding padlocked doors, foreclosed homes, jobless residents—and more voters supporting Barack Obama, the Los Angeles Times reports. "The economy is so bad, and I am afraid McCain has the same ideas as President Bush," one man told a canvasser. And Nevada is only one of three...
Hudsons Beg for Boy's Return
Chicago Tribune
|
Oct 25, 2008 7:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jennifer Hudson's family is begging for the singer's 7-year-nephew to be returned as details emerge about a suspect in the case, the Chicago Tribune reports. “All I ask, I don’t care who you are, just let my baby go," said Jennifer's sister Julia, mother of missing Julian King. “It hurts. I don’t know what else to...
Angry Palin Aims to 'Go More Rogue'
Politico
|
Oct 25, 2008 7:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As Barack Obama holds his lead in the polls and pundits hand Sarah Palin her share of the blame, the VP candidate is getting testy with her handlers, Politico reports. "She's lost confidence in most of the people on the plane," a senior Republican said. "I think she'd like to go more rogue." Palin is accusing former Bush aides...
Top Games for Holiday Play
Forbes
|
Oct 25, 2008 6:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Are you ready to wear out your thumbs this holiday season? Looking at games slated for holiday release, Forbes thinks gamers "crave a lot of morally questionable mayhem." Here are their top choices: Gears of War 2 (Microsoft): This game promises hordes of aliens to shoot up. Guitar Hero World Tour (Activision):...
Asia, Europe Want Financial Reform Now
Washington Post
|
Oct 25, 2008 6:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Asian and European world leaders joined forces today to call for stricter regulation of world financial markets and a shakeup of the monetary system, the Washington Post reports. The declarations marked the close of a 2-day summit in Beijing attended by more than 40 heads of state. Bailouts in the West are "not enough given the current situation,...
Hate Palin? You Just Haven't Met Her
Weekly Standard
|
Oct 25, 2008 5:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Many of Sarah Palin’s critics have something in common: They haven't met her. Virtually everyone who has come into the governor’s presence leaves impressed, writes Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard. Even Alaska politicians she’s quarreled with say she’s smart and capable. “Her politics aren’t my politics,”...
Thomas Caught in Sleeping Pill OD Denial
New York Post
|
Oct 25, 2008 5:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite police and media reports to the contrary, Isiah Thomas is denying claims he was hospitalized yesterday for overdosing on sleeping pills, the New York Post reports. The NBA great says his teenage daughter was treated after a school “incident,” but an employee there said the school “knows of no incident regarding a student...
Multiple Storylines Muddle Mac's Message
New York Times
|
Oct 25, 2008 4:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush once taught a top John McCain adviser how to sell a candidate: by telling a story. The problem for Steve Schmidt, now McCain's main strategist, was finding the right tale to sell "a stubborn patriot" to voters, Robert Draper writes in the New York Times . While Obama has stuck to his "change" narrative,...
She Coos, Giggles, and Promotes Islam
Telegraph (UK)
|
Oct 25, 2008 4:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mattel’s Little Mommy Cuddle ‘n Coo doll comes complete with a rattle, pacifier, bottle, and Islamic propaganda—or so say some angry parents. Customers are barraging the toymaker with complaints that the doll says “Islam is the light," the Daily Telegraph reports. Noting “the power of suggestion,” Mattel...
Michelle Does Overtime on Trail
Washington Post
|
Oct 25, 2008 3:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With the election mere weeks away, Michelle Obama is a very busy woman, the Washington Post reports. The would-be first lady has been spending more and more time on the campaign trail, humanizing her husband and focusing on his middle-class roots. “He gets it,” she tells an Ohio crowd. “There’s something that happens to folks...
Life Giving You Lemons? Buy a White Shirt
Telegraph (UK)
|
Oct 25, 2008 3:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Seeing red in the markets and less green in their wallets, many newly unemployed businessmen are opting for white in their wardrobe, the Telegraph reports. Sales of white shirts are rising at London clothiers as consumers opt for a fresh start amidst economic turmoil. “A plain white shirt sends out the message that you are astute, professional...
Vikings Recast as Cultured Fashionistas
Telegraph (UK)
|
Oct 25, 2008 3:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vikings were just as interested in preening and handicrafts as they were in war and pillaging, the Telegraph reports. In a bid to educate youngsters who could well have Viking ancestry, British researchers are trying to change the popular view of the Norse explorers. "It seems that the Vikings may not have been as hairy and dirty as is commonly...
Hudson's Family Kept Her Grounded
Chicago Tribune
|
Oct 25, 2008 2:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Even as she rose to fame and fortune, Jennifer Hudson never forgot her family. “One reason my dreams have been able to come true is because of the people in my life,” she said last year. “They’ve always believed in me.” Now, just as her career is reaching its peak, that sustaining force has been stripped away with the...
Hawking To Retire From Cambridge Post
Telegraph (UK)
|
Oct 25, 2008 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stephen Hawking will retire from his chair at Cambridge University at the end of this academic year, the Telegraph reports. But the esteemed physicist will continue working at the college in an emeritus position. Cambridge requires profs to step down when they reach 67, and Hawking’s birthday is in January. He is the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics,...
