Newser Story Index from November, 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.
Huge LeWitt Exhibition Is Beautiful Lunacy
Boston Globe
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Nov 17, 2008 12:16 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sol LeWitt died last year, but his artwork is still being created—executed by handlers according to written instructions. This weekend marked the opening of a massive exhibition of LeWitt’s wall drawings at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, an exhibition Sebastian Smee, in the Boston Globe , calls “as wonderful as anything...
Virginity Lie Not Grounds for Annulment
BBC
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Nov 17, 2008 12:02 PM CST
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France has overturned a lower court decision annulling a Muslim couple’s marriage on grounds that the bride lied about being a virgin, the BBC reports. That means the couple is married again—whether they like it or not. Husband and wife both accepted the original decision, but it sparked a public outcry; some feminists slammed it as “a...
Prince Moves 'life 4ce' to LA
New Yorker
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Nov 17, 2008 11:54 AM CST
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Prince has found religion, and, after decades in Minneapolis, the artist has moved to LA to search for what makes its music moguls tick. “It’s all about religion. That’s what unites people here,” the Jehovah's Witness told the New Yorker during a tour of his new digs. “They all have the same religion, so I wanted to...
Iraq's Unmasked Interpreters Fear for Their Lives
Washington Post
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Nov 17, 2008 11:45 AM CST
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A change in US military policy in Iraq has endangered some of its more useful local allies: Iraqi interpreters. Since September, translators have no longer been allowed to wear masks while on the job, something they say is necessary to protect their identities from extremists who target them as traitors, the Washington Post reports.
Pirates Hijack Saudi Oil Tanker
BBC
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Nov 17, 2008 11:36 AM CST
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Pirates flying the Liberian flag hijacked a Saudi Arabian oil tanker today, the BBC reports. The Sirius Star is now bound for the port of Eyl, Somalia, a common destination for pirates to unload their booty. Currently holding its full load of 2 million barrels, the Sirius Star contains one-quarter of Saudi Arabia’s daily oil output. "It's...
Bitch vs. Ditz: '08 Campaign Was a Setback for Women
New York
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Nov 17, 2008 11:21 AM CST
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Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin shattered the glass ceiling in politics, but the broken shards sharply undercut the feminist movement. “In the grand Passion play that was this election, both Clinton and Palin came to represent—and, at times, reinforce—two of the most pernicious stereotypes that are applied to women: the bitch and...
What's Italian for 'Over-the-Top Method Acting'?
New York Daily News
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Nov 17, 2008 11:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
Daniel-Day Lewis is trapped in the persona of his latest character again . The Irish actor, who plays womanizing director Guido Contini in the big-screen musical Nine , has taken to conversing with colleagues and barking out orders with an Italian accent. “He’s always waving his arms and telling the chef to whip up some pasta,”...
Charity Pinup Book Coaxes Sarandon Into Buff
Daily Mail (UK)
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Nov 17, 2008 11:02 AM CST
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You might not expect to see 62-year-old Susan Sarandon in a group of starlets bringing the sexy back, but she, along with Kate Hudson, Denise Richards and others, is baring much for celebrated photographer Timothy White’s Hollywood Pinups , a coffee-table book recreating the risqué look of the 1940s. Sarandon is clad in only a feather...
GOP Split on How Dire the Post-Election Straits Are
Politico
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Nov 17, 2008 10:52 AM CST
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Successive election disasters have the Republican Party split over its health, Politico reports. Older figures, like Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, say it’s been worse, and the GOP just needs to hold tighter to its core principles. But up-and-comers disagree. Says Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, “The Republican Party is going to need more...
Hirst: Art Is Overpriced
Independent (UK)
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Nov 17, 2008 10:39 AM CST
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With the economic slowdown finally slamming into the art market, one of the world’s priciest living artists says art has become too costly anyway, the Independent reports. British multimillionaire Damien Hirst failed to sell a painting valued at some $3 million last week; in retrospect, he said, it “was overpriced,” adding that,...
Ex-Sen. Gramm Sticks to His Guns on Deregulation
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2008 10:29 AM CST
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While some experts argue his work contributed to the economic meltdown, former senator Phil Gramm stands by his efforts to deregulate the lending and financial sectors, the New York Times reports. “There is this idea afloat that if you had more regulation you would have fewer mistakes,” Gramm said. “I don’t see any evidence...
Champagne Loses Fizz With Economy
Advertising Age
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Nov 17, 2008 10:18 AM CST
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Champagne companies are anything but bubbly this year as they head into what’s predicted to be a “horrible” holiday season, hurt by a sagging US economy and weak dollar, reports Advertising Age . November and December are crucial for the industry, with as much as 25% of sales during those months—but shipments to the US already...
Meh, Add It to the Dictionary
Telegraph (UK)
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Nov 17, 2008 10:07 AM CST
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The 30th-anniversary edition of the authoritative Collins English Dictionary will include a new entry suggested by readers: the interjection "meh." An expression of indifference or boredom, it’s believed to have originated in North America. Its spelling was codified on an episode of The Simpsons , the Telegraph reports, in which...
Miley Cyrus Is Alive and Well
E! Online
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Nov 17, 2008 9:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
Miley Cyrus is alive, and a report of her death was the work of a hacker, E! Online reports. A video claiming Cyrus had been killed by a drunk driver went up on the teen sensation's own YouTube page over the weekend, using her new single “Goodbye” as background music and featuring a message supposedly from BFF Mandy Jiroux. Jiroux reassured...
Foreign Automakers Could Fill Detroit Vacuum
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2008 9:50 AM CST
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If Detroit’s “Big Three” do collapse, foreign-owned automakers would be able to pick up the slack, industry experts tell the New York Times. These foreign giants have a big enough US presence to swiftly take over the industry and its supplier network, but the transition would likely be painful, with hundreds of thousands losing...
Has Obama Tipped Murdoch Left?
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2008 9:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Media watchers have been tracking the post-election New York Pos t with particular interest: Instead of being dyspeptic over the Democratic presidential win, Rupert Murdoch's gleefully right-wing tabloid has treated Barack Obama to coverage ranging, as the New York Times puts it, "from warm and fuzzy to downright heroic." Which fuels speculation,...
Russian Pardon Effort Tests Medvedev
Washington Post
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Nov 17, 2008 9:22 AM CST
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A grassroots effort to pardon a convicted lawyer could allow Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to bolster the liberal image he's worked to create, but to issue the reprieve he must stand up to Vladimir Putin. Svetlana Bakhmina was arrested during one of Putin’s crackdowns on corruption at state oil company Yukos, and her case has drawn nationwide...
Fan's Suicide 'Haunting' Abdul
New York Post
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Nov 17, 2008 9:15 AM CST
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Fearing that the spirit of her suicidal stalker is haunting her Beverly Hills house, Paula Abdul has hired healers to cleanse it of ghosts, the New York Post reports. Even so, a friend says Abdul has not returned to the house. Former American Idol competitor Paula Goodspeed, found dead outside Abdul’s house last week, was a “deranged...
Taliban Mullahs Reject Karzai's Offer of Talks
Reuters
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Nov 17, 2008 9:00 AM CST
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Taliban leaders have rejected Hamid Karzai's guarantee of safe passage in exchange for beginning peace talks, reports Reuters. The militants instead reiterated demands for all foreign troops to leave Afghanistan before any negotiating begins—a condition the Afghan president rejected as unacceptable. Some analysts don't see Mullah Mohammad Omar's...
Stocks Drop on Citi, Retail Woes
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 17, 2008 8:49 AM CST
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Stocks slid at the open, as Citigroup slashed jobs and retailers reported yet more disappointing results. The Dow lost 160 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq dropped 1.8% and 1.5% respectively. Among the big drops were Target and Lowe’s, which each took a 24% hit to their third-quarter nets. Target shares dipped 3%, while Lowe's plunged 34%.
Slowdown Puts Mining Outfits in Deep Hole
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 17, 2008 8:43 AM CST
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Mining companies are shutting down production, laying off workers, and trying to sell excess product as the global economic slowdown drills into the industry’s profits, reports the Wall Street Journal . Metal prices dropped a record 35% last month, and nearly every mineral has been hit. Mining, once an economic shooting star, has fallen back...
Mexico's Drug Violence Seeps Into US
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 17, 2008 8:40 AM CST
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Mexico’s drug violence has been creeping northward into the US for the past several years, and officials now say that cartel-related crime has hit 195 American cities spanning every state except Vermont and West Virginia, the Los Angeles Times reports. Atlanta has emerged as a trafficking hub, but the kidnappings, deaths, and related violence...
Rivals' Meeting Today Could Benefit Both Men
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 17, 2008 8:38 AM CST
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Meeting today in Chicago to bury the hatchet, Barack Obama and John McCain could each be of considerable use to the other, the Wall Street Journal notes. Working together, McCain could get his maverick groove back, and Obama could get help on these key areas: Auto efficiency: McCain has worked with Obama ally John Kerry in the past on this...
Citibank to Cut 50,000 Jobs
Bloomberg
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Nov 17, 2008 8:19 AM CST
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Citigroup plans to slash more than 50,000 jobs, roughly 14% of its workforce, the company announced today, in an effort to shed expenses during the economic downturn. The cuts are in addition to the 23,000 heads that have already rolled this year, Bloomberg reports. Citi stock fell 19% last week, and is down 68% on the year. The nation's fourth-largest...
Obama Letters Promised Gov't Workers an Overhaul
Washington Post
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Nov 17, 2008 8:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
With the election fast approaching, Barack Obama sent letters to seven federal agencies, hoping to win the votes of their employees with detailed—and generally very generous—promises, the Washington Post reports. Obama promised to make departments more powerful and effective, to improve worker rights, and eliminate unpopular Bush practices....
Palin Could Bag $7M Book Deal
Times (UK)
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Nov 17, 2008 8:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin may not have earned the title of vice president, but a rumored book deal could net her as much $7 million, the Times of London reports. “She’s poised to make a ton of money,” said a top PR agent. To compare: Bill Clinton took $10 million for his post-White House tome. “There is so much curiosity surrounding her...
Mr. Franken Goes to Washington
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Nov 17, 2008 7:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Al Franken is heading to Washington while his senate race with incumbent Norm Coleman goes into recount, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune . In DC, Franken will meet with Democratic leaders to discuss the recount process, and to bone up on impending legislation. Said Franken’s spokeswoman, “If he should win this election, it would be...
To Vet Her, Obama Looks at Him
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2008 7:41 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s lawyers are looking into Bill Clinton’s international endeavors, afraid they might create conflicts of interest if Hillary lands the secretary of state job. Clinton works closely with foreign governments and officials on philanthropic projects, and more problematically, has accepted millions in speaking fees from them. “He...
Who Would Obama Pick for Supreme Court?
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 17, 2008 7:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama's election is unlikely to transform the Supreme Court, as the four justices of the conservative bloc are unlikely to retire. But if the 88-year-old John Paul Stevens departs, the new president will have an opportunity to make his mark. Court observers speculate that Obama would choose a more moderate voice over a liberal crusader, but...
Goldman Bosses Take a Pass on Bonuses
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 17, 2008 7:10 AM CST
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After an abysmal year, Goldman Sachs' top seven executives—including CEO Lloyd Blankfein—will give up their 2008 bonuses, totaling tens of million of dollars, reports the Wall Street Journal . The decision could force other execs on Wall Street to follow suit, reducing some of the pressure on investment banks that have been pilloried for...
As Belts Tighten, College Chiefs' Pay Expands
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 17, 2008 6:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Things are tough all over—except in the nation's ivory towers, where college presidents are collecting increasingly tidy sums, reports the Wall Street Journal . Presidents at 59 public universities earn more than $500,000 a year, and Ohio State's chief tops the list with a $1.3 million package. Median rates for public college presidents climbed...
Arson Suspected in Montecito Blaze
CNN
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Nov 17, 2008 6:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Officials suspect arson in one of the three major fires currently blazing in California, CNN reports. Investigators have eliminated “all accidental causes” of the fire that has charred 1,940 acres and 210 homes in the Montecito area of Santa Barbara since Thursday, which officials now believe was sparked on the grounds of the private, multi-acre...
Fugitive Thai PM Divorces
Financial Times (UK)
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Nov 17, 2008 6:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister of Thailand, has divorced his wife Potjaman—a fellow fugitive—after 32 years of marriage, reports the Financial Times . Thaksin is said to have left London for Dubai after the British government revoked their visas, citing their convictions on tax evasion and conflict of interest. Thai political...
Group Therapy Linked to Cancer Survival
Reuters
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Nov 17, 2008 5:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
Group therapy has been linked to improved survival rates among female participants with breast cancer, a new study has found. Findings appear to support the decades-old, controversial claim that psychological therapy can help cancer patients not only feel better emotionally, but survive longer and fight off recurrences of the disease, Reuters reports....
Americans Question Detroit Bailout
Reuters
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Nov 17, 2008 4:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Americans are deeply skeptical about bailing out Detroit automakers, Reuters reports. While many acknowledge that job losses will be heavy if the industry is allowed to go under, there’s a widespread belief that shoring up the manufacturers’ outdated business model would be unfair—and an enormous waste of money.
Wanda: 'I'm Gay—and Married'
E! Online
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Nov 17, 2008 4:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
Comedian Wanda Sykes has revealed she is gay—and married her girlfriend days before passage of Proposition 8 banned gay marriage in California. The 44-year-old co-star of The New Adventures of Old Christine and Curb Your Enthusiasm spoke emotionally to a cheering crowd at a rally supporting gay marriage in Las Vegas over the weekend, reports...
Basque Military Chief Nabbed in France
Times (UK)
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Nov 17, 2008 4:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
A military leader of the Basque separatist organization ETA linked to police murders and the 2006 Madrid airport bomb attack has been busted in France, reports the Times of London. The man, who goes by the nom de guerre of Txeroki, was arrested in a small town in the Pyrenees. Investigators say he has had a hand in all major ETA operations...
Obama Girds for 'Unprecedented' Economic Crisis
CBS News
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Nov 17, 2008 3:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
National security, the economy and breaking America's addiction to fossil fuels are Barack Obama's key priorities, he revealed in his first sit-down TV interview since becoming president-elect. He's focusing first on security because "transition periods are times of vulnerability to a terrorist attack," he explained on 60 Minutes yesterday....
16 Missing in Deadly China Subway Collapse
Xinhua (China)
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Nov 17, 2008 3:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Rescuers continue today to search for 16 workers missing at the site of a collapsed subway tunnel in eastern China, reports the Xinhua news agency. At least five people were killed when the construction site caved in Saturday on a Hangzhou roadway, swallowing a bus and 11 other vehicles. "There's slim chance for the trapped workers to survive,...
Japan Sinks Into Recession
Reuters
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Nov 17, 2008 2:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
The financial crisis rippling through the global economy has claimed another casualty as Japan has slipped into its first recession in seven years, Reuters reports. Third quarter statistics reveal a 0.1% contraction in Japan's Gross Domestic Product. Japanese economists warn the nation could languish in recession for an entire year and that interest...
CBS Sought to 'Mollify Right' in Rather Investigation
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2008 2:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
Former anchor Dan Rather appears to be making headway in his $70 million lawsuit against CBS for his firing, the New York Times reports. With the power of subpoena, Rather has unearthed documents showing that the network used Republican operatives to vet members of the supposedly independent panel set up to investigate the 2004 60 Minutes segment...
Gadgets Have Consumers Crying for Help
San Francisco Chronicle
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Nov 17, 2008 1:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
Digital technology plays a key role in the lives of most Americans, but it's often too complex, frustrating, and prone to failure, a study by the Pew Research Center finds. Nearly half of consumers said they regularly need help setting up a device, learning how to use it, or solving problems, reports the San Francisco Chronicle . Among researchers'...
Satirical Paper Thrives in Tough US Market
Washington Post
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Nov 16, 2008 8:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
As newspapers lay off workers and struggle to survive, the Onion is adding staff and circulating in new markets, the Washington Post reports. Riding the crest of America's love for Jon Stewart-style satirical news, the 20-year-old paper pays writers well and holds down a New York City office. "It's scary," the paper's editorial manager...
Obama Quits Senate, Thanks Ill. for Showing Him the Way
Washington Post
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Nov 16, 2008 8:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s presidential transition moved forward this weekend as he officially stepped down as senator, the Washington Post reports, ahead of a lame-duck session on a new stimulus package for the economy this week. In a letter in Illinois newspapers announcing his senate resignation, he thanked his constituents and said he was “ending...
Congo Orphan Faces Lawless World
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2008 7:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
An infant discovered in a corpse-ridden house may portend a new problem in Congo's humanitarian crisis, the AP reports. Eliya, found crying with a bullet wound, is one of 250,000 people displaced since fighting reignited in August. “Caring for orphans, that’s something new for us,” said a nurse at the hospital caring for Eliya....
Women Side Against Rape Victims: Mirren
Times (UK)
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Nov 16, 2008 7:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren caused a stir in London today by saying female jurors are unlikely to side with rape victims. “Women on a rape case would say she was asking for it,” Mirren told the London Times . “The only reason I can think of is that they’re sexually jealous.” One advocate for rape victims called...
Cellist Runs Church of Beethoven
NPR
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Nov 16, 2008 6:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
Congregants gather on Sundays at an old gas station in Albuquerque to greet friends, ponder the divine, and listen to classical music, NPR reports. Espresso-sipping members of the Church of Beethoven also listen to poetry readings and engage in group song, but don't need to have religious beliefs. Cellist Felix Wurman says he founded the church to...
What Really Happened in Astor's House
New York Post
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Nov 16, 2008 6:08 PM CST
(Newser) -
A new book about Brooke Astor portrays the New York philanthropist as a frail, paranoid 105-year-old pressured to give up her fortune. Drawing on notes from Astor's former staff, Mrs. Astor Regrets describes son Tony Marshall's alleged bilking of her millions. Astor's staff "filled 30 journals over four years with what they described as abuse,...
Salt Deficit May Make This Scary
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 16, 2008 5:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
City officials in the Midwest are struggling to prepare for another season of heavy snowfall as road salt supplies drop and prices surge, the Los Angeles Times reports. High demand and once-high gas charges have boosted salt prices, but the spike from $40 to $140 per ton seems exorbitant to some Illinois and Indiana politicos, who have demanded price-fixing...
Endeavour Anchors at Space Station
Florida Today
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Nov 16, 2008 5:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
Space shuttle Endeavour docked at the International Space Station today, Florida Today reports. Commander Christopher Ferguson flipped the shuttle 360 degrees before docking, allowing space station residents to photograph possible damage sustained during liftoff. The radar worked well despite worries about the shuttle's antenna, the AP reports....
