Newser Story Index from December, 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.
Dozens Perish in Bangkok Club Fire
Associated Press
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Dec 31, 2008 11:05 PM CST
(AP) -
Fire swept through a high-class Bangkok nightclub jammed with several hundred New Year's revelers early yesterday, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 200, the AP reports. A number of foreigners were among the casualties from the blaze, which erupted shortly after midnight. Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation, and injuries during...
Geothermal Energy Hopes Are Booming
Christian Science Monitor
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Dec 31, 2008 9:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hot rocks beneath the Earth's surface hold much promise for the nation's energy needs, but it's going to take big money to make the science work, the Christian Science Monitor reports. With $1 billion investment over the next 15 years, experts say geothermal power could provide 10% of the nation's energy—cleanly—by 2050. Google is...
Top Films of the Year
Slate
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Dec 31, 2008 8:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
With most year-end movie lists bask in the glow of award-season contenders, Dana Stevens grudgingly runs through her unranked, alphabetized top 10 on Slate, despite being "allergic to hierarchies, lists, and ranking." A Christmas Tale : A French film about a crazed family that's "a glorious feast of a movie, with the bitter...
New Critique of Snark Misses the Point
New York
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Dec 31, 2008 8:03 PM CST
(Newser) -
Give David Denby credit for bravery: He's 65 and the movie critic at the New Yorker , so he “could have written the most concise, insightful, and expertly argued book about snark and still come off like an Internet-age Andy Rooney,” writes Adam Sternbergh of New York Magazine . His book, though, is anything but insightful. Snark: It’s...
Well Played, Blago
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 31, 2008 7:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
Roland Burris says this is his media moment, but Illinois' "circus of the politically bizarre" still belongs to Rod Blagojevich, John Kass writes in the Chicago Tribune . No hapless jester, the brazenly calculated governor has dumped Democrats back into the racial politics Obama was supposed to transcend.
Caretaker Senator? Bill Clinton, Mario Possible
Associated Press
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Dec 31, 2008 6:53 PM CST
(AP) -
Sen. Bill Clinton? Sen. Mario Cuomo? Don't rule it out. The former president and the former New York governor are among several big names being considered as possible "caretakers" for New York's Senate seat—people who would serve until the 2010 elections but wouldn't run to keep the job. Such a move could provide a way out of the Caroline...
Dumbest Gaffes on the Economy
MSNBC
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Dec 31, 2008 6:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
The men who should have been warning us about the impending financial crisis were a wee bit off the mark at times. MSNBC rounds up some of the dumbest things said: "Subprime market problems seem likely to be contained."—Ben Bernanke, March 28, 2007 "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."—John McCain,...
Cubans Mark 50 Years of Fidel
New York Times
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Dec 31, 2008 5:44 PM CST
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New Year's Day marks a sober occasion for Cuban-Americans: Fidel Castro's takeover 50 years ago and the exile and family separations that ensued. Many Cubans once hoped the dictator would bring them prosperity. Today, with their beloved island in decay and many lives lost in attempts to flee, few of the 850,000 transplants to South Florida have cause...
Confident Burris: 'I Am the Senator'
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 31, 2008 5:14 PM CST
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Roland Burris is declaring himself the junior senator from Illinois, and he's confident that Democrats will "come around" and ditch their efforts to block his appointment, the Wall Street Journal reports. If they don't, he's got a team of lawyers ready to fight, but he doesn't think it will come to that. “By what authority can Senate...
It's Time We Confront 'Not Rape'
Jezebel
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Dec 31, 2008 4:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
The definition of rape needs an update—more and more, men prey on young girls who are made to feel they are complicit in "a million male behaviors that are not so much rape as rape-ish,” and models are especially vulnerable, writes one in Jezebel. In a look at the “not rape” phenomenon, gaining press after being featured...
Just How Bad Was 2008?
Bloomberg
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Dec 31, 2008 4:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
If you're under the age of 70, 2008 was probably the worst year you've lived through, reports Bloomberg. Here's why: In housing, which started the downturn, median resale prices saw a 13% decline, the largest since the 1930s. Foreclosure rates reached 2.97%, and mortgage delinquency hit 6.99%, both records for the Mortgage Bankers Association,...
Illinois House Revives Chance of Special Election
Chicago Business
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Dec 31, 2008 4:03 PM CST
(Newser) -
Add this to the confusion over a certain Senate seat in Illinois: Democrats may try to hold a special election to fill it after all. One day after Rod Blagojevich surprised all by naming his own appointment, the Illinois House speaker quietly revived the possibility of holding an election by scheduling a committee hearing for next week. If it goes...
Get Ready for Mariah: the Musical
Daily Mirror (UK)
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Dec 31, 2008 3:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mariah Carey: The Musical may be hitting Broadway in 2009. The singer is in talks to bring her life story to the stage, confirmed a spokesman. The pop diva has certainly led a dramatic life, reports the Mirror , from her marriage to Tommy Mottola to her 2001 breakdown. The biggest question: Will she star as herself? If not, reported possibilities...
Dow Rises 108 to End Year
MarketWatch
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Dec 31, 2008 3:21 PM CST
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Stocks posted gains in the last trading session of the year, but this two-day rally will do little to erase the indices' dismal record in 2008, MarketWatch reports. Amid light trading volume ahead of New Year's Day, the Dow gained 108 points to close at 8,776. The Nasdaq closed up 26.33 points at 1,577, and the S&P 500 rose 12.61 points to settle...
People Denies Buying Bristol Palin's Baby Pix
Anchorage Daily News
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Dec 31, 2008 2:45 PM CST
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People magazine has denied it paid Bristol Palin $300,000 for the first pictures of her newborn son, the AP reports. Contrary to an MSNBC report yesterday, People ’s managing editor said that the magazine had been in talks with the Palins but that no deal had been made. "Would I like the pictures? I would love the pictures but I don't...
Avalanche Deaths Haunt Survivor
Globe and Mail
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Dec 31, 2008 2:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
One of three survivors of Sunday's devastating avalanche in British Columbia says it was a "gut-wrenching" decision to leave behind eight of his friends—whose buried bodies he since helped recover. Fearing another rush of snow, Jeff Adams left the site with two others. The experienced sledders, all close friends, knew about the weather...
Sign Spinners Toss, Twirl the Sandwich Board
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 31, 2008 2:23 PM CST
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Sidewalk sign holders in California have spun a boring job into art that's drawing attention, on the cheap, from advertising-inundated consumers. Sign spinners twirl, toss, and wheel ad boards around the body—all while ensuring the board's message displays prominently. As ad dollars dry up, the complicated showmanship is helping roadside marketing...
Obama to Market Stimulus Plan
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 31, 2008 2:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
The incoming Obama administration plans to launch a nationwide political push for a quick passage of his $775 billion economic stimulus plan, the Los Angeles Times reports. Says adviser David Axelrod: “There shouldn't be endless debate about it.” Republicans acknowledge that they can’t stop his plan, but they hope to delay and modify...
Alarmist Report on Black Murders Is Bad Math
Freakonomics Blog
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Dec 31, 2008 2:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
The widespread publication of an ominous-looking rise in black teen homicide rates has created a disturbing buzz, but the apparent spike in murderous youths may not be nearly as drastic as it sounds. The Freakonomics Blog explains why: Compared with the jump in the 1990s, this recent rise is nearly insignificant. Also, it appears only in one age group,14-...
Hollywood Shells Out for Obama's Big Day
Politico
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Dec 31, 2008 1:52 PM CST
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A blackout hit Barack Obama’s Hawaii vacation home last week, but his inauguration next month will be lit up with plenty of star power. Hollywood A-listers have been shelling out top dollar to help pay for the president-elect’s big day, Politico reports. Donors include Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Steven and Kate Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Berry...
Bloomberg: Um, Lay Off Caroline, You Know?
New York Post
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Dec 31, 2008 1:37 PM CST
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Caroline Kennedy’s speech has been, um, you know, attacked mercilessly in recent days, but Michael Bloomberg says that’s because Kennedy is unfairly scrutinized more than other, you know, candidates. “Caroline Kennedy isn’t just your average person, so people may be a little more critical,” the New York mayor said. “If...
Chinese Exec Pleads Guilty in Melamine Case
New York Times
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Dec 31, 2008 1:23 PM CST
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The former chair and general manager of China’s Sanlu group pleaded guilty to selling the tainted powdered milk that killed six children and caused a national food scare, the New York Times reports. Tian Wenhua said she knew that the firm’s milk contained dangerously high levels of the industrial chemical melamine in May but did not report...
All the World's Zune 30s Mysteriously Freeze Up
Entertainment Weekly
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Dec 31, 2008 1:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
Microsoft’s Zune has a bizarre bug: Hundreds, if not thousands of the 30G models froze up simultaneously at 12am PST, CNET reports. The MP3 players all displayed a startup status bar frozen at 100%; the timing has prompted some Zune owners to call the problem “Z2K,” after the Y2K bug.
This Year's Fashion Felonies
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 31, 2008 1:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sure, we like seeing pictures of chic, perfectly styled celebrities. But the worst-dressed fashion misses are way more fun. The Los Angeles Times ' Elizabeth Snead snarks on her least favorite looks of the year: Sarah Jessica Parker's "fashion nut case" acorn hat at the SATC premiere Janet Jackson's "blow-up robot doll"...
Iranian Suicide Bombers Want Govt's OK to Attack Israel
Associated Press
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Dec 31, 2008 1:01 PM CST
(AP) -
Hardline Iranian student groups have asked the government to authorize volunteers to carry out suicide bombings in Israel in response to the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government has not responded to the call. Five student groups and a conservative clerical group launched a registration drive on Monday and claim that more...
Hudson May Perform at Inauguration
New York Post
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Dec 31, 2008 12:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
A still-grieving Jennifer Hudson’s first performance since her family tragedy may be at Barack Obama’s inauguration, the New York Post reports. Organizers have asked Hudson to sing the national anthem, which she also performed at the Democratic National Convention. Hudson, whose mother, sister, and nephew were murdered in October, “is...
Burris: Don't Hold Blago Against Me
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 31, 2008 12:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
This should be about me, not Rod Blagojevich, Ronald Burris has been saying in TV interviews since Blago named him to fill Barack Obama’s open Senate seat yesterday. Last night, he told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, “I have nothing to do with the problems of the governor.” And Democratic senators who think otherwise? “Is it racism...
I Saw Amy Kissing Santa Claus
Sun (UK)
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Dec 31, 2008 11:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Amy Winehouse has a crush on Santa Claus—or at least, the resort worker who played Santa at her St. Lucia hotel, the Sun reports. The troubled singer, who seems to be improving the longer she stays in the Caribbean, has been “following him around like an elf,” another guest says. “Amy has gone from Blake the crackhead to Santa...
Rush Plays Race Card on Burris Pick
Chicago Sun-Times
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Dec 31, 2008 11:28 AM CST
(Newser) -
Bobby Rush thinks Rod Blagojevich’s choice for Barack Obama’s Senate seat ought to get the job despite the governor’s alleged misdeeds, for one simple reason: He’s black. Yesterday at a press conference, Rush applauded the selection of Roland Burris, and urged the press not to “hang or lynch” him; today in a CBS...
Radcliffe Sick of Being Naked
New York Post
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Dec 31, 2008 11:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
The idea of Harry Potter getting naked brought a lot of attention to Broadway’s Equus —but star Daniel Radcliffe is getting tired of stripping down with a fake horse every night, reports the New York Post . What’s next for the actor? Possibly a musical, he told his producer. But for now, producers are hoping half-naked promo posters...
Fitzgerald Asks for More Time in Blago Case
Bloomberg
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Dec 31, 2008 11:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has asked for more time to bring his indictment against Rod Blagojevich, citing the complexity of the case and holiday distractions as the reasons for the hold up. Unless he gets the extension, Fitzgerald will have to present his evidence to the grand jury on Jan. 7. Lawyers for Blagojevich have no objections to the delay,...
Arab States Cancel New Year's Festivities
Times (UK)
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Dec 31, 2008 10:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Dubai's ruler has canceled its ritzy public New Year's Eve celebrations "in solidarity with the Palestinian people" in Gaza, the Times of London reports. Festivities also were called off in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. In Dubai, residents and tourists scrambled to come up with alternative plans. "We probably won’t know what...
Still Searching for JD Salinger
New York Times
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Dec 31, 2008 10:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
JD Salinger turns 90 tomorrow, but the milestone brings no new clarity to the life of the mysterious recluse, who has maintained four decades of closely-guarded silence. The New York Times does some close reading of the literary icon's work in a search for clues. The most critical questions: Has he been writing all this time, and will he ever publish...
Burris Flap Rouses Ghosts of Obama's Past
Washington Post
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Dec 31, 2008 10:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
If Barack Obama caught Rod Blagojevich’s press conference yesterday, in which he named Roland Burris to fill the vacant Senate seat, Obama probably saw everything he doesn’t miss about Illinois. Each member of the trio on stage—Blagojevich, Burris, and Rep. Bobby Rush—claims a history with Obama, notes the Washington Post ....
Obamas to Move Into DC Hotel
New York Times
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Dec 31, 2008 10:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama, who has mostly avoided the capital since the election, will move his family into a hotel suite this weekend, aides tell the New York Times . The girls will start school Monday and Obama will begin working with the new Congress on his stimulus package. While the Times didn't disclose the mystery hotel, MSNBC reports that it's the...
Docs to Angelina: No More!
OK!
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Dec 31, 2008 10:29 AM CST
(Newser) -
All those Brangelina pregnancy rumors can be disregarded, according to the unimpeachable sources at OK! —Angelina Jolie has reportedly been warned by doctors that another pregnancy could be dangerous. “She should not get pregnant for a year after her last delivery, and it would be safer if she did not get pregnant, ever,” says an...
Blagojevich Offered Job to Davis First
Chicago Sun-Times
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Dec 31, 2008 10:25 AM CST
(Newser) -
Danny Davis wants to be a US senator, but not badly enough to accept an appointment from Rod Blagojevich. The disgraced governor’s attorney met with Davis and offered him Barack Obama’s seat last Wednesday, the US rep tells the Chicago Sun-Times. Davis had lobbied for the seat when he thought Blagojevich was dealing fairly but said after...
Argentine Diggers Find 18th-Century Galleon
Reuters
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Dec 31, 2008 10:16 AM CST
(Newser) -
Workers digging the foundations for a riverside apartment complex in Buenos Aires stumbled across the buried wreck of an 18th-century Spanish galleon, Reuters reports. Experts believe the ship is at least 300 years old and was likely driven ashore by a storm and then buried in mud. Archaeologists are combing the area for remnants of the galleon's cargo....
Cell Phone Use Linked to Heart Disease
New York Daily News
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Dec 31, 2008 10:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
Add another ill to the cell phone pile: Using one may cause heart disease and kidney stones, researchers have found. The radiation emitted by the phones causes red blood cells to leak hemoglobin, which can lead to heart and kidney problems. An earlier study reported this same radiation can also trigger Alzheimer’s. The findings come as cell phone...
Long Way Down for NYC, Boston Home Prices
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 31, 2008 10:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
New York, Boston, and Charlotte, NC, are at the center of the financial industry, but so far those cities haven’t seen home prices plummet the way they have in the rest of the country. New York’s single-family-home prices are down from their 2006 highs, roughly half the decline in the overall S&P/Case-Shiller index. But those cities...
Jamie Lynn 'Decoy' May Sue LA
TMZ
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Dec 31, 2008 10:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Turns out that Jamie Lynn Spears' airport decoy wasn’t in on the plot and may sue, TMZ reports. Lookalike Adessa Eskridge happened to be on Spears’ Sept. 11 flight when she was grabbed by cops to "help us with something," and paraded in front of the paparazzi while Spears made her getaway. Eskridge claims she felt as if she was...
Chinese Court Sentences Microsoft Pirates
New York Times
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Dec 31, 2008 9:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Chinese court has convicted 11 people of violating copyright laws and sentenced them to as much as 6 1/2 years of prison for working with a counterfeiting ring that sold fake Microsoft products around the world. Microsoft hailed the crackdown on the pirates, whose organization may have made $2 billion, the New York Times reports.
World Bids 2008 Good Riddance
Associated Press
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Dec 31, 2008 9:57 AM CST
(AP) -
Fireworks exploded over Sydney's shimmering harbor today, as the world's first major city to ring in 2009 celebrated the end of a rocky year with cheers, beers, and a sense of relief. "I'm looking forward to 2009," said a spectator. "Because it can't get much worse." Facing the end of a year that saw global markets come crashing...
Tough Times Become LinkedIn's Buddy
USA Today
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Dec 31, 2008 9:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Bad times for American workers are boosting traffic on popular business networking site LinkedIn. The site has doubled its membership this year as worried professionals step up their networking efforts. "Every individual is a small business or brand," founder and newly reinstated CEO Reid Hoffman told USA Today .
US to Expand Routes Into Afghanistan
New York Times
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Dec 31, 2008 9:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
More than four-fifths of the supplies for allied troops in Afghanistan travel via Pakistan along a treacherous route, prompting the US to plan new supply lines in the embattled region. The fragility of the current setup was laid bare after a Pakistani counter-militant offensive shut down the Khyber Pass yesterday, the New York Times reports.
Feds' Cash in Hand, GMAC Kicks Credit Into High Gear
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 31, 2008 9:22 AM CST
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Now that the Treasury Department has pumped $6 billion into GMAC, its lending arm, GM, along with its dealers, is rushing out new financing deals for credit-strapped consumers, the Wall Street Journal reports. “The minute the news hit, we began contacting customers,” said one Michigan dealer, whose employees have been emailing and calling...
Last '08 Session Starts Flat
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 31, 2008 9:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks started their final 2008 session with tepid optimism, sending the Dow up 28 points, and the Nasdaq and S&P up 0.3% and 0.2% respectively. Fueling the optimism was a stronger-than-expected employment report, which showed new jobless claims dropping by 94,000 last week. Keep an eye on Dell today, which announced management changes, and on...
Charles Barkley Busted on Suspicion of DUI
Associated Press
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Dec 31, 2008 9:00 AM CST
(AP) -
Former NBA star Charles Barkley was arrested in Arizona on suspicion of drinking and driving after running a stop sign at around 1:30 this morning, according to police. Barkley declined to submit to a breath test, but was given a blood test. The results weren't immediately available. After Barkley was processed, he was cited and released.
Burn Your Kindle, Readers Need iPhone
Businessweek
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Dec 31, 2008 8:36 AM CST
(Newser) -
They’ve only been around for a few years, but digital book readers may already be going the way of the Walkman. In increasing numbers, tech savvy bookworms are downloading their favorite titles onto smartphones like the iPhone for a fraction of the cost, BusinessWeek reports. For travelers, “bringing an extra piece of equipment loses...
Brazilian Busted in Murder of US Nun Nabbed on Slavery Charges
CNN
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Dec 31, 2008 8:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Brazilian rancher facing charges in the death of a 73-year-old American nun has been arrested again for fraud and slavery in the same Amazon region where the nun was shot three years ago, reports CNN. Evidence supporting the latest charges will be used at his murder trial. Four others have already been convicted of killing Sister Dorothy Stang, who...
