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.
Fast-Track New Stimulus: Pelosi
Washington Post
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Dec 15, 2008 5:02 PM CST
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Congressional Democrats are looking to fast-track a $600 billion economic stimulus package in the first weeks of the New Year, the Washington Post reports. Nancy Pelosi said today lawmakers are working with the Obama transition team to craft the plan, which is smaller than the $1 trillion scheme floated earlier. The stimulus will likely include $200...
Black-White Cancer Death Gap Persists
HealthDay News
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Dec 15, 2008 4:41 PM CST
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Even as instances of colorectal cancer in the US decrease, the gap between whites and blacks is growing, new research shows. Black men and women are 45% more likely to die from the disease than whites, HealthDay reports. While rates are lower for both white and black men, the difference between them has increased more than 2 percentage points since...
Physics Fuels Santa's Magic
Reuters
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Dec 15, 2008 4:15 PM CST
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New research has shed light on the amazing ability of Santa Claus to deliver presents to children around the world in a single night, Reuters reports. Santa is able to distort the space-time continuum, says a North Carolina State expert: "He understands that you can stretch time, compress space and therefore he can, in a sense, actually have six...
Obama Camp Sits On List of Blago Contacts
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 15, 2008 3:27 PM CST
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Barack Obama's transition team has completed its review of contacts with Rod Blagojevich and his staff, but the US attorney has asked that details not be released while the investigation of the disgraced governor proceeds, the Chicago Tribune reports. A rep cut to the chase: “The president-elect’s staff was not involved in inappropriate...
Financials Push Dow Off 65
MarketWatch
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Dec 15, 2008 3:24 PM CST
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Stocks lost value today as investors await tomorrow’s meeting of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate committee, and digested various bits of bad news on financial firms and manufacturing, MarketWatch reports. The Dow fell 65.15 to 8,564.53. The Nasdaq lost 32.38, closing at 1,508.34, while the S&P 500 lost 11.16 to settle at 868.57.
Siemens Will Pay $1.3B in Fines for Global Corruption
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 15, 2008 3:15 PM CST
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German engineering conglomerate Siemens pleaded guilty today to an international pay-to-play scheme and will pay the US $800 million in fines, the Wall Street Journal reports. It will also give $528 million to the German government—adding to a $275 million payout last year.
Eastwood's First Love: Jazz Piano
Vanity Fair
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Dec 15, 2008 3:09 PM CST
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Growing up, Clint Eastwood had an affinity for piano but no money for lessons. He nurtured his passion for jazz throughout his life, Nick Tosches writes in Vanity Fai r, and has written music for almost every picture he’s directed, including the theme for his recent Gran Torino . But, Eastwood says, “if I’ve had any regret in life,...
High Court Won't Hear Hatfill Suit
Bloomberg
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Dec 15, 2008 2:52 PM CST
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The US Supreme Court will not hear an appeal of Steven Hatfill’s defamation suit against the New York Times , Bloomberg reports. Hatfill, who was once suspected of masterminding the 2001 anthrax attacks, has long maintained that the paper's coverage—specifically, columns by Nicholas Kristof—damaged his reputation. But lower courts...
First Dog Releases Last Video
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2008 2:42 PM CST
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The White House released its final “Barney Cam” Christmas video today, continuing the adventures of the first dog, the AP reports. This year, the Bushes’ terrier dreams of representing America as an Olympic pole-vaulter and swimmer before clinching a US victory in the Ryder Cup. After waking, Barney decks the White House in Christmas...
Madoff Scam Puts Ponzi Back on Front Page
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2008 2:30 PM CST
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By now, we’ve all heard Bernard Madoff’s tremendous fraud operation described as a “Ponzi scheme”—which moved the New York Times to revisit history’s famous schemer. Whereas Madoff purported to trade stocks, Charles Ponzi’s con revolved around selling international stamps with outdated exchange rates. In...
Madonna Will Pay Ex $76M
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2008 2:16 PM CST
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Madonna has settled her divorce with Guy Ritchie for at least $76 million, the singer's rep said today. "I'd assume it's one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement," Liz Rosenberg told the AP. The settlement could total as much as $92 million, including the value of the couple's home in western England. Ritchie will also hang...
Out-of-Whack Body Clocks Keep Teens Sleepy: Study
CNN
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Dec 15, 2008 2:06 PM CST
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Sleepy high-school students slumped over their desks just can’t help it, CNN reports. Most school start times play havoc with teens’ circadian rhythms: Teens naturally go to bed later than adults, and need more sleep. A new study finds pushing the high-school start time from 7:30am to 8:30 increased the number of students getting 8 hours...
Kennedy Will Pursue Senate Seat
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2008 1:55 PM CST
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After weeks of mulling it over, Caroline Kennedy has decided to ask New York Gov. David Paterson to consider her for the US Senate seat Hillary Clinton is about to vacate, the New York Times reports. Kennedy, 51, an author and philanthropist, has never held elective office but has been encouraged by family members to seek the seat, which won't...
Ill. House Speaker Launches Blago Impeachment
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 15, 2008 1:44 PM CST
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The speaker of the Illinois House is starting impeachment proceedings against Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago Tribune reports. “We plan to proceed without delay,” said Mike Madigan, a longtime foe of the disgraced governor. Madigan has been considering proceedings against Blagojevich since before his recent corruption arrest, and says he...
Deep Freeze Chills Midwest as Outages Plague Northeast
USA Today
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Dec 15, 2008 1:39 PM CST
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Brutally cold temperatures are buffeting the Midwest today, and states of emergency remain in effect throughout the Northeast following a devastating ice storm that left more than 400,000 people without power, USA Today reports. Schools were closed in Massachusetts and crews from up and down the Eastern seaboard rushed to repair power lines before...
Obama's Halo Undimmed by Blago: Poll
ABC News
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Dec 15, 2008 1:27 PM CST
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The Rod Blagojevich scandal has done little to dent Barack Obama’s approval ratings, according to ABC’s polling guru: More than three-quarters of those surveyed give his handling of the transition a thumbs-up. But just 51% say Obama has done enough to explain his team’s discussions with the disgraced governor, with 34% saying he hasn’t...
Rapper Gravy Gets Another Shot at Fame, This Time as BIG
New Yorker
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Dec 15, 2008 1:18 PM CST
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His debut album was shelved, but Jamal “Gravy” Woolard still has a shot a fame, the New Yorker reports. The rapper, who notoriously took a bullet in the butt outside a radio studio in 2006, killed his music career with what was widely perceived to be a publicity stunt. But he’s since been cast to portray the even more Notorious...
Shoe-Throw Is Arab World's Heartiest Insult
BBC
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Dec 15, 2008 1:05 PM CST
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Throwing a shoe at someone is hardly a positive gesture anywhere, but in Arab and Islamic countries, footwear is viewed as ritually unclean: Even mentioning your shoes while insulting someone carries vile significance, the BBC reports. Accidentally displaying an exposed sole is also considered insulting, so yesterday’s loafer-launching aimed...
Bus Tour Too Much Sex , Too Little City
Vanity Fair
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Dec 15, 2008 12:55 PM CST
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Carrie & Co. wouldn’t be caught dead on a bus tour of Manhattan, but the half-day trek to various locations used for Sex and the City —a sex shop, the Meatpacking District, the Magnolia Bakery—has become the guilty secret of misguided fans looking to relive scenes from the HBO show and movie, A. A. Gill writes in Vanity Fair...
Afghan Unrest Idles Pakistani Truckers Supplying NATO
Times (UK)
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Dec 15, 2008 12:45 PM CST
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Last week’s attacks on American supply lines have Pakistani truck drivers refusing to drive into Afghanistan to resupply NATO troops, the Times of London reports. The route through the Khyber Pass was scheduled to reopen today, but the truckers union is holding out for a significant bump in pay. "They're on strike," said a Pakistani...
Aspirations Dashed, Mac May Actually Be Helpful
New York Observer
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Dec 15, 2008 12:34 PM CST
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Every losing presidential candidate pledges to put aside partisanship and help the new president govern, but John McCain might be the first to actually do it, writes Steve Kornacki in the New York Observer . McCain is still in office, yet, at 72, “has absolutely no illusions about ever running for president again”—making the Republican...
Beware: Antidepressants Could Kill Your Sex Life
Boston Globe
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Dec 15, 2008 12:23 PM CST
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An impaired sex drive has long been recognized as an occasional side effect of some antidepressants, but recent research suggests the drugs' libido-stifling powers might be far more widespread than doctors and patients thought. The prevalence of users experiencing numbness or fleeting arousal may be as high as 50%, and the side effects can linger even...
Stage Shrek Is Lumbering but Lovable
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2008 12:14 PM CST
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Shrek the Musical has its moments, but in the end, it contradicts its own message that substance trumps what’s on the surface, writes Ben Brantley in the New York Times . The “leaden” show presents a “cavalcade of storybook effigies” that “feels like 40 blocks’ worth of a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,”...
Christians Secretly Target Converts in North Africa
Reuters
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Dec 15, 2008 12:03 PM CST
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Islamic leaders in north Africa say they are incensed by the tactics of Christians bent on secretly converting their followers, Reuters reports. Religious authorities gripe that missionaries in Morocco and Algeria are using “unethical” methods, such as spreading false information and preying on the weak. “People respond positively...
Obama Will Train It to Inaugural
New York Daily News
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Dec 15, 2008 12:00 PM CST
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Barack Obama will follow in Abraham Lincoln's tracks by taking a train to Washington for his inauguration, the New York Daily News reports. The president-elect plans to set off from Philadelphia on January 17, stopping in Wilmington—where Joe Biden will hop aboard—and Baltimore before entering the capital by rail the same night.
Stars Dump Avery, But Can't Touch $15.5M Contract
Dallas Morning News
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Dec 15, 2008 11:53 AM CST
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Sean Avery won’t return to the Dallas Stars after his suspension, the Morning News reports. The team said it can’t continue with the volatile player, who had barely begun a 4-year contract that guarantees him $15.5 million. “It was a bad marriage and it was time to separate,” the Stars coach said. The team said the split was...
Media Woes Spread at the Speed of Twitter
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2008 11:47 AM CST
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The rapid shrinking of the media industry is generating enough news to have a Twitter feed all to itself. The "Themediaisdying" feed, started by a PR firm employee, covers hirings, layoffs, and circulation changes in 140 characters or less, the New York Times reports.
Cruise, Lauer Grip and Make Up
People
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Dec 15, 2008 11:40 AM CST
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Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer met on Today for the first time since an infamously tense 2005 interview, and this time, things were more relaxed, People reports. The pair chatted about their previous meeting. "I came across as arrogant," Cruise said, adding, "that's not the person I am." They squabbled over Scientology and Cruise’s...
More Bones Come to Light Near Caylee's House
Orlando Sentinel
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Dec 15, 2008 11:29 AM CST
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More bones were found over the weekend near the home of missing toddler Caylee Anthony, in the same area where a child’s skull and other remains were discovered earlier, a sheriff’s department source tells the Orlando Sentinel. An attorney for Casey Anthony, Caylee’s mother and alleged killer, says the defense team has been told...
Cabinet Devoid of Southerners
Politico
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Dec 15, 2008 11:21 AM CST
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President-elect Obama has named most of his Cabinet picks—yet thus far, he hasn’t chosen any Southerners, Politico reports. Every president since at least JFK has named Southerners to his cabinet, and some southern Democrats aren’t happy about what they see as “geographical snubbing.” But others say Obama’s simply...
Shoe-Thrower Is Instant Hit on Arab Street
Times (UK)
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Dec 15, 2008 11:10 AM CST
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Thousands marched across Iraq today to demand the release of Muntazer al-Zaidi, the little-known Shiite journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush yesterday. Though Bush spent last night making shoe puns—I have my assailant’s “sole,” he quipped—Iraq’s government was less amused, charging al-Zaidi with insulting...
Daschle Will Play Hardball on Health Reform
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 15, 2008 11:01 AM CST
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Tom Daschle, Barack Obama's incoming Director of Health and Human Services, has an aggressive strategy for reforming health care, and no intentions of seeing it fizzle the way the Clintons' efforts did in 1993, reports the Los Angeles Times . The key will be reeling in major health-care interest groups, along with members of Congress, and forcefully...
EPA Pick Has Toxic Record, Critics Charge
ProPublica
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Dec 15, 2008 10:51 AM CST
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Lisa Jackson, Barack Obama’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency, will bring some controversy with her, ProPublica reports. Critics say that after promising to speed efforts to clean up toxic waste sites as New Jersey’s top environmental official, Jackson failed to follow through. A defender says Jackson was handicapped by...
Spouses Put Obama's Lobbying Rules to Test
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2008 10:40 AM CST
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The spouses of some of Barack Obama’s top appointees are lobbyists, the New York Times reports, presenting a test to strict ethics policies the Democrat pushed on the campaign trail. Health Secretary-designate Tom Daschle’s wife, Linda, is one of Washington’s top aviation lobbyists, and reported energy-czar pick Carol Browner’s...
Obesity Genes Mainly Affect Your Brain
Times (UK)
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Dec 15, 2008 10:33 AM CST
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Overeating is all in your head, but you can blame that on your DNA, the Times of London reports. Of the seven gene variations connected with obesity, five affect the brain’s wiring, suggesting that an inherited tendency toward slimness has more to do with appetite and impulse control than with body processes like fat storage.
Supreme Court OKs Lawsuits Over 'Light' Cigarettes
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2008 10:22 AM CST
(AP) -
The Supreme Court ruled today that lawsuits may proceed against tobacco companies for allegedly deceptive marketing of “light” cigarettes. In a 5-4 split won by the court’s liberals, the court said smokers may use state consumer-protection laws to sue over such promotional methods. The decision was at odds with recent anti-consumer...
More Banks, Celebs Losers in Madoff Scam
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 15, 2008 10:20 AM CST
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Bernard Madoff’s alleged Ponzi scheme, which federal investigators say cost investors $50 billion, continues to claim more victims, reports the Wall Street Journal . Spain’s Grupo Santander and France’s BNP Paribas said yesterday they’re on the list, as are charities involving Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel and director Steven...
Suri Pans Dad's Santa Act
E! Online
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Dec 15, 2008 10:08 AM CST
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Tom Cruise’s acting skills got a thumbs-down from a very important fan—his daughter, E! Online reports. Cruise, who always plays the role of Santa during family Christmas celebrations, said astute tot Suri recognized him immediately last year: “I did my best Santa impression. She looked at me and said, ‘No, dada.’ This...
Special Election Gains Ground With Blago
Chicago Sun-Times
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Dec 15, 2008 9:55 AM CST
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Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, under indictment for trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat, would likely now approve a bill authorizing a special election to fill the post, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times . Blagojevich—who insiders now say has decided not to resign—wants the measure to apply to future such vacancies, taking...
Wiretap Whistleblower Reflects on Fateful Leak
Newsweek
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Dec 15, 2008 9:45 AM CST
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The government lawyer who blew the whistle on the Bush administration’s domestic wiretapping program has wrestled with the consequences of his decision, but he felt obligated to tell the truth, Newsweek reports. “I thought this (secret program) was something the other branches of the government—and the public—ought to know...
Supreme Court Grows Even Clubbier
USA Today
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Dec 15, 2008 9:40 AM CST
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The Supreme Court turns out to be the kind of bar where everybody knows your name. Over the past decade or so, a small group of lawyers with educational, professional, and social ties to the justices have staked out exclusive territory at the building known as the Marble Palace. USA Today looks at a rich web of connections—which people entangled...
Paul: I Was the Political Beatle
Times (UK)
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Dec 15, 2008 9:29 AM CST
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In a revelation that will likely befuddle longtime Beatles fans, Paul McCartney claims he was the one who turned the band onto politics, the Times reports. Though McCartney was writing pop songs while activist John Lennon penned blatantly political tunes, as McCartney tells it in a Prospect magazine interview, it was he who met with pacifist Bertrand...
Record Low Rates Leave Investors Cold
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 15, 2008 9:14 AM CST
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Tomorrow the Federal Reserve will probably cut its target interest rate to 0.5%, the lowest in decades. But, the Wall Street Journal reports, investors are unlikely to be cheered by a further slash, instead waiting to hear what further measures Fed chief Ben Bernanke is preparing now that interest rate cuts have essentially stopped working.
Naomi, Liev Welcome Son No. 2
E! Online
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Dec 15, 2008 9:10 AM CST
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Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber’s second child was born Saturday, E! Online reports. A rep for the couple confirmed they welcomed an as-yet-unnamed baby boy into their family. The livin'-in-sin couple, together since 2005, had first son Alexander Pete in 2007. Just last week, Schreiber said “I can't imagine having two. I need my sleep!”...
Inauguration Will Overwhelm DC Transport
Washington Post
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Dec 15, 2008 9:04 AM CST
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If you’re one of the 2 million to 4 million expected to converge on Washington for Barack Obama’s inauguration, be warned: Neither public transportation nor local roads will be able to handle the influx, the Washington Post reports. With road restrictions and packed subways, “it’s going to be a lot of walking, a lot of waiting,”...
Stocks Tread Water at Bell
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 15, 2008 8:53 AM CST
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Stocks jogged in place at the open as investors awaited smoke signals from the latest Fed meeting. The Dow inched up15 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P added 0.1% and 0.4% respectively, the Wall Street Journal reports. Investors are also awaiting President Bush’s auto rescue plan, the promise of which sent stocks into positive territory...
NY Guv Seeks 'Obesity Tax' on Soft Drinks
New York Post
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Dec 15, 2008 8:50 AM CST
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New Yorkers with a hankering for the “Real Thing” may be paying 15% extra if lawmakers pass Gov. David Paterson's proposal to add an “obesity tax” on non-diet soda, reports the New York Daily News . The state’s doctors said the move—which could raise $404 million—would help fight childhood obesity.
Madonna Eyes Gig in Brit's Circus
Sun (UK)
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Dec 15, 2008 8:48 AM CST
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What’s hotter than Britney Spears’ comeback tour? Madonna teaming up with Brit on said tour—and that is a distinct possibility, the Sun reports. “There has been talk of Madonna making an appearance and there’s so many places we could take that,” said Spears’ choreographer. “At this point the main...
States Running Out of Cash for Jobless Benefits
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2008 8:40 AM CST
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The ranks of the unemployed reached their highest levels since 1982 last week, and about 30 states are running out of money to fund them, the New York Times reports. Some states, including Indiana and Michigan, are already borrowing heavily from the federal government to keep up with jobless benefits, and some are alarmed. “You don’t...
New Yorkers Fight Crisis With Pills
Crain's New York Business
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Dec 15, 2008 8:24 AM CST
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At least there's one market that's booming in New York—the market for pills for your sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression, Crain’s New York Business reports. The meltdown in the financial industry has caused a surge in prescriptions: In September, as Lehman Brothers was collapsing, and AIG and Merrill Lynch were being rescued, sleep-aid...
