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.
Cops: Anthony Searched for 'Neck Breaking,' 'Chloroform'
Orlando Sentinel
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Nov 27, 2008 1:26 PM CST
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A computer in the home of the Florida woman suspected in the disappearance and likely death of her 2-year-old daughter was used to search Google for “neck breaking,” and “shovel,” the Orlando Sentinel reports. “Death,” “inhalation” and “chloroform” were also Wikipedia queries on Casey Anthony’s...
Queen Takes Lead in Royal Belt-Tightening
Telegraph (UK)
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Nov 27, 2008 1:15 PM CST
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The British, from PM Gordon Brown on down, are turning to the queen for leadership during tough economic times, the Telegraph reports. The monarch has been curbing indulgences and meeting with Britons feeling the impact of the slowdown. Princes Harry and William are falling in line, beefing up their public military schedules and scaling back social...
Ulcer Hurt 'Worse Than Childbirth'
Houston Chronicle
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Nov 27, 2008 12:50 PM CST
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Barbara Bush is making a quick recovery after surgery for a perforated ulcer that was causing pain she described as "worse than childbirth," the Houston Chronicle reports. The 83-year-old was sitting up and joking less than a day after the procedure, which her husband called "serious and scary." The former first lady won't...
Jupiter, Venus, Moon Converge in Rare Reunion
Associated Press
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Nov 27, 2008 12:25 PM CST
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Americans looking at the night sky this weekend will be able to see the three brightest celestial bodies come together for a Thanksgiving reunion, the AP reports. Jupiter and Venus will move closer and appear to be just a finger's width apart by Sunday. By Monday, the crescent moon will appear right next to them, forming a triangle of light not...
Iman Crosson for Prez... on SNL : Bloggers
ABC News
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Nov 27, 2008 12:09 PM CST
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The race to find a new comedian to impersonate president-elect Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live continues, reports ABC News, and bloggers such as Andrew Sullivan and Anovelista have the man for the job. Meet Iman Crosson, whose Obama imitations can be found on his YouTube AlphaCat channel.
Pentagon Aims for Target-Seeking Bullet
Wired
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Nov 27, 2008 11:52 AM CST
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The Pentagon wants to develop a bullet that can change course in midflight to seek its target, Wired reports. The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency yesterday committed $22 million to producing the superbullet—"an actively controlled .50 caliber projectile that uses information for real time directional flight control"—which...
Stevens Won't Rule Out Pursuing Prez Pardon
Anchorage Daily News
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Nov 27, 2008 11:44 AM CST
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Even as Ted Stevens appeals of his seven-count felony conviction, the disgraced senator isn't ruling outthe possibility of seeking a pardon from President Bush, the Anchorage Daily News reports. "If I were counsel to him, I would encourage him," says Alaska's former US attorney, a Stevens supporter. "I strongly believe President...
Twilight 's Bella Gets High
TMZ
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Nov 27, 2008 11:28 AM CST
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Twilight is a huge hit, but star Kristen Stewart hasn’t gotten the message about dodging the paparazzi: TMZ caught her toking up on her front porch this week. Stewart, who plays the chaste Bella, was seen smoking something from a pipe outside her Los Angeles home—perhaps a remedy to the panic attacks afflicting overwhelmed co-star Robert...
Gates, Obama: Different Parties, Similar Views
New York Times
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Nov 27, 2008 11:16 AM CST
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Assuming he keeps his job, Robert Gates will have a transformed set of instructions come Jan. 20: Once charged with winning the war in Iraq, the defense secretary will now have to end it. But Gates and Barack Obama have substantial agreements about the nation's military strategy, the New York Times reports, from shifting more troops to...
Pakistani Ship May Have Carried Mumbai Terrorists
Times (UK)
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Nov 27, 2008 10:59 AM CST
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The terrorists who attacked Mumbai may have entered the country by water, the Times of London reports. The Indian navy searched a cargo ship, the MV Alpha, which it said arrived recently from Karachi, Pakistan. Although the hostages taken at two luxury hotels have been freed, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, who run a Jewish outreach group...
Some Absentee Ballots Won't Be Counted: Minn. Board
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Nov 27, 2008 10:58 AM CST
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The board in charge of the recount in the Minnesota Senate race denied a request yesterday from Democrat Al Franken to include rejected absentee ballots, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The state Canvassing Board said it does not have the authority to do so, and wasn’t ruling on the merits of Franken’s argument. Franken trails incumbent...
Rice Has Nothing Left to Prove
Washington Post
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Nov 27, 2008 10:41 AM CST
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Condoleezza Rice is headed back to Stanford, ready for a new challenge and harboring no obvious regrets. "I'm an educator who took a detour," she tells Washington Post op-ed columnist David Ignatius, who hears echoes of Dean Rusk, LBJ's embattled secretary of state. "I have no desire to be shadow secretary of state."
Credit Relief Flows Slowly—When It Flows at All
New York Times
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Nov 27, 2008 10:14 AM CST
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With hundreds of billions of dollars pumping into the calcified credit markets, many struggling Americans are expecting to see some relief, but many will be disappointed, the New York Times reports. Banks continue to stiffen loan eligibility requirements even as strapped consumers face deteriorating credit scores, and whole categories of applicants...
Hills Wedding Not Legal
New York Daily News
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Nov 27, 2008 9:58 AM CST
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Publicity-loving Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt—whose love for faking it ranges from photo ops to “reality” TV—aren’t really married. The Hills couple remembered the cameras for their Cabo elopement but forgot the marriage license, the New York Daily News reports. Details are for later, Pratt says, but Los Angeles...
One Month, 50K Words: Writers Race to Finish Novels
Minnesota Public Radio
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Nov 27, 2008 9:53 AM CST
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Aspiring novelists are packing coffee shops in the Twin Cities and elsewhere as the frenzy of National Novel Writing Month heats up, Minnesota Public Radio reports. Founded roughly a decade ago, “Nanowrimo” challenges writers to conquer procrastination and get 50,000 words down during November. The emphasis, say the organizers, is on quantity,...
Suspect Arrested in Murder of Ark. News Anchor
KATV (Arkansas)
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Nov 27, 2008 9:40 AM CST
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Police in Little Rock have arrested a suspect in the murder of Anne Pressly, reports KATV, where the popular anchorwoman worked. Curtis Lavell Vance, 28, was apprehended late last night, shortly after police named him as the suspect in the October slaying, and charged with capital murder. The police chief attributed the severity of the charge to "a...
Supreme Court Fields Obama Citizenship Challenges
MSNBC
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Nov 27, 2008 9:21 AM CST
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Two lawsuits challenging Barack Obama’s right to be president on the grounds that he is not a US citizen are on the Supreme Court;s "to do" list, but the litigants' hopes of overturning the election results are slim, MSNBC reports. One alleges Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii; the other asserts the “natural born” clause...
Spammers Bounce Back After Host Shutdown
CNET
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Nov 27, 2008 8:57 AM CST
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Spammers are surging back onto the Internet again, 2 weeks after being dealt a body blow by a server shutdown, CNET News reports. Spam volumes dived 80% after the California-based McColo hosting firm was pulled offline. They remained flat until a few days ago but have now risen to around a third of their former levels as spambots reactivate.
US War on Drugs Has Failed: Report
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 27, 2008 8:42 AM CST
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America is treating the symptoms rather than the disease of drug use, and its war on drugs will continue to fail unless it changes course, a new report by an influential Washington think tank finds. The report urges the US to develop stronger ties in the Caribbean and Latin America, where drug-interdiction efforts have suffered under the Bush administration,...
Commandos Free Hostages From Mumbai Hotels
Associated Press
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Nov 27, 2008 8:31 AM CST
(AP) -
Black-clad Indian commandos moved painstakingly, room-by-room, through two massive five-star luxury hotels today in a bid to free dozens of people trapped by suspected Muslim militants who attacked at least 10 targets in India's financial capital of Mumbai, killing 104 people. Hostages and several bodies trickled out of the Taj Mahal hotel, and soldiers...
Another Casualty of Financial Crisis: Divorce
MSNBC
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Nov 27, 2008 8:28 AM CST
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With unemployment rising, salaries stagnant, and housing prices cratering, many unhappy couples are opting not to divorce, reports MSNBC. “A lot of people are deciding, 'It’s not worth it to do it (at) this time. Let’s stay together. Let’s try to work through our problems and hope that the economy will spring back,’”...
Iraq OKs US Troops for 3 More Years
Associated Press
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Nov 27, 2008 8:14 AM CST
(AP) -
Iraq's parliament today passed a security pact with the US that lets American troops stay in the country for 3 more years. The ruling coalition's Shiite and Kurdish blocs as well as the largest Sunni Arab bloc backed the "yes" vote, the AP reports. The parliament speaker said an "overwhelming majority" lawmakers present...
It's a Good Time to Have a Smart Guy in Charge: Broder
Washington Post
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Nov 27, 2008 7:49 AM CST
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The smartest people don't always make the best presidents, David Broder writes in th e Washington Post , but America's lucky it will soon have Barack Obama's brainpower at the top. We're faced with a financial crisis that stumps even the eggheads, Broder writes, admitting that he, personally, has "not a clue whether Bernanke, Paulson and Co. are...
Thai Protesters Seize Second Airport
Telegraph (UK)
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Nov 27, 2008 7:24 AM CST
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The government of Thailand is considering imposing emergency rule after protesters seized a second airport in Bangkok today, grounding all flights, reports the Telegraph . Some 3,000 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy massed at the smaller Don Mueang airport to prevent ministers from flying to Chiang Mai, where PM Somchai Wongsawat...
Feds Recover Bookmark From Hitler's Mistress
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Nov 27, 2008 6:45 AM CST
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A gold bookmark given Adolf Hitler by lover Eva Braun, stolen from a Madrid museum in 2002, has been recovered in a sting operation, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Undercover federal agents pounced on a Romanian businessman in a Seattle parking lot, where he had arranged to sell the bookmark for $100,000.
Going Global Juices Cranberry Biz
New York Times
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Nov 27, 2008 6:44 AM CST
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America's cranberry farmers have turned sour times around with a push to bring the berry to the world, the New York Times reports. Eight years ago, farmers were faced with a glut of berries, but now, with almost a third of the crop being exported to nations who have been sold on the distinctly American taste, they can barely meet demand—even...
Hostages Taken at Mumbai Jewish Center
Financial Times (UK)
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Nov 27, 2008 6:08 AM CST
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Among the targets of the ongoing terrorist attacks in Mumbai was Chabad House, an important center for Jewish visitors to Mumbai. Conflicting reports suggest that at least four armed men are holding several hostages, including a rabbi. As the Financial Times reports, the targeting of a Jewish location may suggest a foreign element to the attack,...
Terrorists Demand Release of Islamist Prisoners
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 27, 2008 5:56 AM CST
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A terrorist inside Mumbai's Oberoi hotel, in which dozens of hostages remain trapped, has demanded the release of Islamic militants imprisoned in Indian jails. The man made his call for the release of "mujahedeens" in a phone call to an Indian television station. He added that he belonged to an Indian group that sought an end to persecution...
Who Are the Mumbai Terrorists?
Reuters
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Nov 27, 2008 5:40 AM CST
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A previously unknown terror group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the Mumbai attacks, but analysts think the claim might not be genuine, Reuters reports. Witnesses said that the attackers were young, South Asian men speaking either Hindi or Urdu—meaning they are probably Indians, not foreigners. But unlike...
Obama's Inheriting Troubles Darker Than Economy
MarketWatch
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Nov 27, 2008 4:56 AM CST
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The attacks in Mumbai are a stark reminder that some things are worse than a slumping economy, David Hallaway writes in Marketwatch . Barack Obama is also inheriting some huge foreign policy challenges, and the days of the war on terror taking a backseat to the financial crisis look certain to be short-lived, Hathaway warns.
GM Considers Axing Brands to Win Aid
Detroit Free Press
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Nov 27, 2008 4:26 AM CST
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General Motors is considering eliminating some of its brands in an effort to win federal aid, sources tell the Detroit Free Press . The automaker, sent back to Detroit by Congress and told to come back with a better business plan, is said to be considering all options, including ditching its Pontiac, Saab or Saturn lines.
Kabul Blast Kills 4 Near US Embassy
Associated Press
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Nov 27, 2008 3:48 AM CST
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At least four Afghans were killed when a suicide car bomber struck 200 yards outside the American embassy in Kabul this morning, AP reports. The embassy said none of its personnel was injured in the blast, which happened as Americans and other Westerners were entering the embassy compound for a Thanksgiving fun run. The bomber was apparently targeting...
NFL Star Seeks Prez Pardon for Pot-Seller Brother
Newsday
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Nov 27, 2008 3:12 AM CST
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New York Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes is pleading with President Bush for a pardon for his pot-selling brother, who is serving a 27-year federal prison sentence in Arkansas, reports Newsday. Tynes' brother Mark, 31, was sentenced two years ago and has exhausted his appeals seeking a lighter sentence. Presidents leaving office traditionally issue...
Axl Outraged by Dr Pepper Promo Fizzle
E! Online
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Nov 27, 2008 2:33 AM CST
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Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose is furious about a nationwide soft-drink giveaway linked to the band's latest album that went bad, reports E! Online. In a promo not authorized by the band, Dr Pepper offered free 20-ounce bottles if Guns N' Roses' new album was released in 2008. But so many people demanded coupons online that the company's website crashed....
Raul Castro Offers to Meet Obama at Gitmo
Nation
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Nov 27, 2008 2:04 AM CST
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Raul Castro wants to normalize trade with the US and he's eager to meet with Barack Obama in order to do so, the Cuban leader told actor Sean Penn in an interview in the Nation . Castro said it wouldn't be fair to expect either leader to go to the other's country first, and suggested a meeting on neutral ground—like Guantanamo Bay.
Mumbai Toll Rises to 101
Times of India (India)
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Nov 26, 2008 11:06 PM CST
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The death toll in the Mumbai terror attacks rose to 101, and government troops continued to exchange gunfire with militants holed up in two posh hotels, the Times of India reports. As dawn broke over India's financial capital, it remained unclear how many—or if any—Westerners were being held hostage. Of those killed, six were foreigners,...
New Group, Familiar Tactics in Mumbai Attacks
Times (UK)
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Nov 26, 2008 8:01 PM CST
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The group claiming responsibility for today's violence in Mumbai is little known to terror experts, but the scope of the attacks suggests a well-organized and well-funded group. The coordinated attacks by the Deccan Mujahideen also fit into a newly emerging pattern of terrorists striking busy urban centers popular with tourists and wealthy Indians,...
Obama Girls Will Keep Chores: Mom
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 7:03 PM CST
(AP) -
Barack and Michelle Obama say their young daughters will still have to do chores in the White House and won't get out of doing homework just because they're the president's children. In an interview with Barbara Walters airing tonight, the Obamas said Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, will have lives as normal as possible. That means helping out around the...
Indian Army in Gunfights With Terrorists at Hotels
IBNLive.com
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Nov 26, 2008 6:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Indian army is engaged in gunfights with terrorists at two five-star hotels and a hospital in the financial hub of Mumbai, IBNLive.com reports. The fate of hostages—media reports say Americans and Britons are being held, but details are impossible to pin down—remains unclear. The city remains in chaos after 10 coordinated attacks left...
BlackBerry Storm: It's a Dud
New York Times
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Nov 26, 2008 5:45 PM CST
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BlackBerry has a knack for simple phone names, and the Storm couldn’t be more spot-on, David Pogue writes in the New York Times . Stormy it is: dark, sodden, and unpredictable. The feature-packed phone is shrouded in a “marathon of frustration”—keys that don't do anything, scrolling that’s too slow, and delays all around....
Automakers Will Get Another House Hearing
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 26, 2008 5:25 PM CST
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A House committee will hear struggling automakers out on their new ideas for federal aid Dec. 5, the Wall Street Journal reports today, with Detroit’s plan due to Congress’ Democratic leaders by Tuesday. Dems say approval of billions in federal funds hinges on making Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler “viable,” and a spokesman...
Prop 8 Reveals Churches' Fear of Strong Women
Salon
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Nov 26, 2008 5:23 PM CST
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Churches led the charge against Proposition 8 and gay marriage because of their insecurities over the breakdown of heterosexual families and the consequent rise of independent women, says gay author and devout Catholic Richard Rodriguez. Gays are scapegoats because they—like feminists—threaten "an alternative to the traditional male-structured...
Saturn's Moon Hints at Water
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 4:44 PM CST
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Plumes of gas and dust firing off one of Saturn's moons are moving at speeds “hard to do without liquids,” astronomers say, strongly suggesting the presence of water and raising the possibility of the moon supporting life. As Enceladus continues “helpfully spewing out its innards,” evidence of liquid H2O “is building,”...
History Often Forgets About This Adams
New York Post
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Nov 26, 2008 4:22 PM CST
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When people think of Samuel Adams these days, the beer, and not the Revolutionary War hero, may come to mind first. But a new book from Ira Stoll— Samuel Adams: A Life— makes the case for bringing the cousin of John Adams out of "the attic of history." Michael Moynihan's review calls Stoll's book "a compelling...
Westerners Hostage in Mumbai Chaos
IBNLive.com
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Nov 26, 2008 4:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
The gunmen who have already killed 80 in Mumbai are holed up with at least 15 hostages, including seven foreigners, inside the Taj Mahal Hotel, the Press Trust of India reports. The latest reports put the count of injured above 900. Among the dead are the chief of a police anti-terror squad, and Mumbai’s additional police commissioner.
EU Unveils $260B Stimulus Package
Der Spiegel
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Nov 26, 2008 3:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
The European Union Commission passed a $260 billion stimulus package today intended to boost its members’ economies during the next 2 years, Der Spiegel reports. The plan calls for more funds than most economists expected, but as the commission president Jose Barroso put it: “Exceptional times call for exceptional measures. The Recovery...
Dow Extends Rally, Rises 247
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 26, 2008 3:20 PM CST
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The markets extended a winning streak into a fourth session today, despite mostly dismal economic data, the Wall Street Journal reports. Consumer spending and orders for durable goods fell over the last month, but the Dow closed up 247.14 points at 8,727. The Nasdaq rose 67.4 points to close at 1,532, and the S&P 500 gained 30.28 points, settling...
Planned Parenthood Offers Gift Certificates
WISH-TV
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Nov 26, 2008 3:11 PM CST
(Newser) -
Planned Parenthood of Indiana is making gift certificates available for the holiday season, infuriating right-to-life groups, WISH-TV reports. Though the certificates can be used for abortion, a Planned Parenthood representative said “they really are intended for preventative health care,” like breast exams and STD tests. The hope is that...
Paula Will Face Dancing Judges
Radar
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Nov 26, 2008 2:55 PM CST
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Prepare to savor the sweet redemption of a judge—albeit a nice one—being judged: Paula Abdul is “very excited” to be a contestant on next season's Dancing with the Stars , Radar reports. The singer-turned- American Idol judge made no secret of the fact that she was “shopping around” for another TV gig; Abdul reportedly...
No Snow Job: Owner Wants $500K for Vail Parking Spot
Vail Daily News
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Nov 26, 2008 2:44 PM CST
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America’s economy may be going downhill, but evidently not in the ski destination of Vail, Colo., where one resident is offering a parking space close to prime slopes for $500,000, the Vail Daily reports. “There’s always somebody out there who has money to spend on a good Vail parking spot,” reasons its owner.
