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.
World's Largest Dinosaur Trove Found in China
Reuters
|
Dec 30, 2008 12:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Scientists in eastern China have uncovered the largest collection of dinosaur fossils in the world, they say. They’ve pulled some 7,600 fossils from a 980-foot-long pit over the past 7 months, including what could be the biggest duck-billed hadrosaur ever discovered, at more than 65 feet long, state media said. The trove is in the Shandong province...
Pawn Shops Attract Upscale Clientele
Wall Street Journal
|
Dec 30, 2008 11:53 AM CST
(Newser) -
Pawn shops are turning from the shady realm of the lower class to a place for rich people to get loans, the Wall Street Journal reports. The typical household income of a pawn shop customer is $29,000, but new middle- and upper-class clients are surging. One such client pawned a $9,000 fur coat to buy private-school uniforms. Some pawn shop owners...
Are Your Meds Working? Gene Tests Could Tell
New York Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 11:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
The drugs you take may not actually be working. Experts say that, thanks to various genetic quirks, most drugs only work for about half the people who take them, meaning that much of the roughly $300 billion America spends on drugs each year is wasted. That’s why forward-looking doctors are fixated on the holy grail of “personalized medicine”—the...
Dad Charged After Girl Dies on Cold Walk
Associated Press
|
Dec 30, 2008 11:32 AM CST
(AP) -
The father of an 11-year-old girl who died, likely of hypothermia, after trying to walk 10 miles in the snow Christmas Day has been charged with second-degree murder. Robert Aragon banged his head on the defendant's table during the short hearing. Authorities allege the 55-year-old Idaho man let Sage Aragon and her 12-year-old brother out to walk...
Five Sisters Among 335 Gaza Deaths in Israeli Strike
Guardian (UK)
|
Dec 30, 2008 11:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
As the Gaza death toll passes 300, the conflict's devastating human cost is coming to light, reports the Guardian in a look at one Palestinian family that lost five daughters in an airstrike in their refugee camp yesterday. “If the dead here were Israelis, you would see the whole world condemning and responding," said the girls' father....
Journos, Citizens Get Inaugural Warning
Politico
|
Dec 30, 2008 11:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Despite an ailing industry, journalists have requested a record number inaugural press credentials, and many will be denied, Politico reports. “We’re going to have to be very stingy this year,” said one press gallery director. As for the millions expected to turn out for Inauguration Day, stay home, say organizers, unless "crush-level"...
Consumer Confidence Hits All-Time Low
Associated Press
|
Dec 30, 2008 10:53 AM CST
(AP) -
US consumer confidence hit an all-time low this month, dropping unexpectedly in the face of layoffs and deteriorating investment markets. The Consumer Confidence Index, expected to rise incrementally to 45, fell to 38 in December from a revised 44.7 last month. The Present Situation index, which measures how respondents feel about business prospects,...
How Much Should Your Kindergartner Be Swilling?
Independent (UK)
|
Dec 30, 2008 10:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
While most countries worry about the nutrition and development of their kids, the British government wants to make sure its wee ones aren't falling down drunk, the Independent reports. Officials in Britain, where it’s legal to drink at home from age 5, are debating whether to issue guidelines on how much kids from 5-18 can safely put down....
Israel Weighs Truce Backed by Ground Threat
Associated Press
|
Dec 30, 2008 10:31 AM CST
(AP) -
Israel is considering halting its Gaza offensive temporarily to give Hamas militants an opening to halt rocket fire, an Israeli defense official said today, but with the threat of a ground offensive if a ceasefire does not hold. Ehud Barak will raise the proposal during a meeting tomorrow of Israel's security Cabinet, which will also be asked to consider...
Ford to Offer Self-Park Cars; Kerkorian Sells Stake
Wall Street Journal
|
Dec 30, 2008 10:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Ford plans to offer two models with a self-parking function at the Detroit auto show next month, the Wall Street Journal reports, in the continuing effort to woo buyers with new technology. But the company's image among investors remains tarnished, as billionaire Kirk Kerkorian confirmed yesterday that he sold his remaining shares in the automaker....
Brit Snags Bollywood Boyfriend
Daily Mirror (UK)
|
Dec 30, 2008 10:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Britney Spears apparently has enough freedom from her dad to take a quickie trip to India—with her new love, the Mirror reports. The comeback kid, known for dating bad boys, has been seeing the choreographer of her "Womanizer" video, Bollywood dance instructor Sandip Soparrkar. The pair, who just spent 3 days together in Jodhpur,...
Housing Bust Makes Divorce Too Costly for Many Couples
New York Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 9:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Breaking up is hard to do, but in a housing bust it can be well nigh impossible. With one in six homes worth less than the mortgage owed on it, couples on the skids are finding divorce plans scuttled by an inability to sell the marital home. And with job losses and precipitous declines in investments, partners are suddenly less able to afford to live...
Yep, They're Preggo: Brad's Hometown
Gawker
|
Dec 30, 2008 9:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
First it was a girl, then twins again, then denied, but this time the Brangelina pregnancy rumors are coming from no less a source than Pitt's own Missouri hometown of Springfield, Gawker reports. See if you can keep this straight: A high school classmate of Pitt’s heard from a neighbor of Pitt’s family that the Jolie-Pitts told family...
Obama Stays Tactically Silent on Gaza
Washington Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 9:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
As the violence mounts in Gaza, the vacationing Barack Obama has remained pointedly silent, resisting calls from both Jewish and Muslim groups to take a stand on the conflict. The White House and senior Democrats like Harry Reid have been less shy, expressing strong support for Israel, but Obama doesn’t want to say anything that will tie his...
Home Prices Take Another Nose-Dive
Wall Street Journal
|
Dec 30, 2008 9:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Home prices in 20 US cities plunged 18% in October over the previous year, a record-breaking rate, Bloomberg reports. The S&P/Case-Shiller index, which has declined every month since January 2007, dropped 17.2% in September. "The bear market continues; home prices are back to their March 2004 levels," the chairman of S&P's index...
The Pride of Russia, Tanking Gazprom Seeks Bailout
New York Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 9:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
Just a year ago, Russian natural gas titan Gazprom was burning through global competition on its way to becoming the world's largest corporation. Now the state-owned darling of investors worldwide is deep in debt and flirting with a government bailout. A symbol of Russia’s resurgence as a global economic power, the company has tumbled from third...
Stocks Flat Despite Auto Help
Wall Street Journal
|
Dec 30, 2008 8:53 AM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks continued their holiday nap today, opening only modestly higher despite an expansion of the auto bailout. The Dow rose 57 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P each rose 0.6%. GM and Ford climbed11% and 2.7% respectively on news that the government would toss $6 billion to GMAC, GM’s lending arm.
Pakistani Offensive Shuts US Supply Line to Afghanistan
Associated Press
|
Dec 30, 2008 8:45 AM CST
(AP) -
Pakistan closed the main route used to ferry supplies to US and allied troops in Afghanistan today after launching a fresh offensive against militants in the area. The road through the Khyber Pass in the northwest of Pakistan has faced increasing attacks by militants seeking to squeeze Western forces fighting a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan in recent...
Hypertension Gene Found Among Amish
HealthDay News
|
Dec 30, 2008 8:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
A genetic study of Pennsylvania's reclusive Amish community has led to the discovery of a gene that may trigger high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and stroke. The gene variant, dubbed STK39, regulates sodium levels leading to greater blood volume and high blood pressure, reports Health Day.
Anglicans Open Path for First Women Bishops
Times (UK)
|
Dec 30, 2008 8:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Church of England has drafted a plan to allow the first women bishops within 3 years, the Times of London reports. But there’s a catch—to appease traditionalists, parishes that won’t tolerate a woman can have their own “complementary” bishops. Still, members of this special class of "flying" bishop would...
Why Hamas Courted Israeli Attacks
New York Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 8:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hamas has long argued that negotiating with Israel won’t help Palestine—and that belief drove its decision to end a six-month ceasefire on December 19, writes Stephen Farrell in the New York Times . While it's possible Hamas leaders underestimated the scale of the Israeli response, which has cost more than 300 Palestinian lives in the...
Opposition Leader Claims Victory in Ghana Runoff
BBC
|
Dec 30, 2008 7:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
John Atta Mills has proclaimed himself the winner of Ghana’s presidential runoff election, the BBC reports, but the ruling NPP party says the results are still too close to call. Tensions are running high over the poll—earlier today police were forced to fire warning shots at a huge crowd of Mills supporters descending on election...
Bristol Baby Pics Score $300K
MSNBC
|
Dec 30, 2008 7:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston are unwed teen parents—and about to make enough money to buy her mom’s campaign wardrobe twice over by selling the first pics of new son Tripp, MSNBC reports. Bidding among the celeb weeklies began at $100,000, with People winning out. The couple's unconfirmed net for the photos is around $300,000—boosted...
UK Dad Who Dropped TV on Girl Cleared in Her Death
Telegraph (UK)
|
Dec 30, 2008 6:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
A father accidentally dropped a television on his 4-year-old daughter's head in a horrific Christmas tragedy, reports the Daily Telegraph. The North Wales father was carrying an old television to another room to make way for a new Christmas set when he tripped over his daughter, who was playing at the bottom of a stairway. She died of massive brain...
Team Frees Snared Right Whale
Washington Post
|
Dec 30, 2008 5:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
A team of experts managed to free a right whale that became entangled in fishing lines off Florida, the Washington Post reports. Rescuers took three days to cut away hundreds of feet of line that had been trailing the young whale. Only 400 right whales are believed to remain in existence, and the federal government is about to institute new...
Minneapolis, Seattle Top List of Most Literate Cities
LiveScience
|
Dec 30, 2008 5:29 AM CST
(Newser) -
New York may be America's cultural capital, but Seattle and Minneapolis top the list as the nation's most literate cities, reports LiveScience. The rankings are based on newspaper, magazine, and online news readership, library usage, book purchases, and educational levels. The two cities also topped the list last year.
Caroline's Like, Um, No Word Whiz
New York Daily News
|
Dec 30, 2008 4:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
Caroline Kennedy needs to, you know, work on her speaking skills if she is to have a future in politics, experts tell the New York Daily News. In a recent half-hour interview with the News , Kennedy said "you know" over 200 times. Other interviews also contained scores of "you knows" and a liberal sprinkling of "ums."...
Frisco Debates Downtown Traffic Fee
Los Angeles Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 4:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
A plan to charge motorists for driving downtown in peak hours could be a step too far even for famously green San Francisco, the Los Angeles Times reports. City officials say the plan, which would be the first of its kind in the nation if it passes, would reduce traffic and pollution—but reactions so far have been mostly negative.
Swarm of Quakes Jolts Yellowstone
Associated Press
|
Dec 30, 2008 4:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
Wary scientists are keeping a close eye on developments in Yellowstone National Park after some 250 small quakes jolted the park within three days, AP reports. Yellowstone is no stranger to seismic activity but experts say the number of the quakes is hghly unusual and could signal something bigger brewing in the vast lake of magma that lies beneath...
GMAC Grabs $6B Federal Lifeline
New York Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 3:41 AM CST
(Newser) -
The federal government is dishing out a $6 billion bailout to keep auto financing giant GMAC afloat, the New York Times reports. The Treasury Department will spend $5 billion to buy a stake in the former General Motors subsidiary, and will loan GM a further billion so the company can increase its 49% stake in GMAC. The money will come from...
Israel Pounds Gaza for 4th Day
New York Times
|
Dec 30, 2008 3:09 AM CST
(Newser) -
Israeli warplanes continued bombarding the Gaza Strip for a fourth day today, pushing the death toll close to 400, reports the New York Times . Israel vowed to continue the operation until all rocket fire from Gaza has ceased and Hamas' will is broken. "There is no room for a ceasefire," says Israel's foreign minister.
Killer 'Santa' Was Out to Get His Mom
Associated Press
|
Dec 30, 2008 2:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
The man who carried out a Christmas Eve killing spree dressed as Santa Claus had planned to kill his own mother, the Los Angeles Times reports. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo was furious with his mom for siding with his ex-wife in their bitter marital dispute and knew she was invited to the California holiday party he peppered with bullets. She didn't attend...
8 Die in Avalanche Horror
Vancouver Sun
|
Dec 30, 2008 2:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
The bodies of seven Canadian snowmobilers killed in two avalanches have been recovered by a search team in British Columbia, reports the Vancouver Sun . The double tragedy occurred as survivors of a first avalanche searched desperately for their friends before they, too, were engulfed by snow. The search for an eighth victim was suspended yesterday...
Search for Missing Cruise Woman Suspended
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
|
Dec 30, 2008 1:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
The search for a woman missing from a cruise ship off Mexico since Christmas has been suspended, reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinel . Jennifer Ellis-Seitz of is believed to have gone overboard from the Norwegian Pearl near Cancun in what may have been a suicide. Her husband—arrested in April for assaulting his wife—did not report...
Jazz Icon Hubbard Dead at 70
Associated Press
|
Dec 29, 2008 9:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Grammy-winning jazz giant Freddie Hubbard died today in Sherman Oaks, Calif., a month after having a heart attack, the AP reports. He was 70. Revered among trumpet players, Hubbard collaborated with legends like John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins as he established a blazing, hard-bop style that influenced a generation. "His playing is exuberant," said...
How to Write a Hollywood Holocaust Film
Slate
|
Dec 29, 2008 8:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
New Holocaust movies arrive in time for the holidays and Academy voters every year, "but maybe new isn't quite the right word," writes Ben Crair, who sees five basic Holocaust plots. He lists them in Slate: Nice German: From Schindler's List (1993) to this year's Valkyrie , Hollywood has uncovered "tales of German...
Cate Off-Screen: She's No Diva, No Trophy
Vanity Fair
|
Dec 29, 2008 7:59 PM CST
(Newser) -
Cate Blanchett, the ethereal beauty whose penchant for risky film roles has won her a raft of awards, is as drama-free off the screen as she is compelling on it, writes Leslie Bennetts in Vanity Fair. The mother of three young boys talks about her newest film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, with a disarming lack of ego. "No diva-esque...
Madoff May Have Built Ponzi Scheme on Charities
CNN
|
Dec 29, 2008 7:38 PM CST
(Newser) -
How did Bernard Madoff keep his Ponzi scheme going for so long? The answer, if true, will inflame even more public rage: He relied on charities, Mitchell Zuckoff writes on CNNMoney. Ponzi schemes often run dry when investors withdraw en masse, but foundations are legally required to spend only 5% per year on fees and good works. Such low withdrawals...
Best in Show: 10 Canine Classics
Time
|
Dec 29, 2008 7:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
Marley & Me 's victory at the box office last weekend shows that man's best friend still fetches gold in Tinseltown. Time picks their top canine classics: Lassie Come Home (1943): In the film before the series, Lassie escapes to reunite with her original owner, braving bad weather, evil people, and British cuisine. Lady...
Cruise, Obama Top List of 2008 Viral Videos
Washington Post
|
Dec 29, 2008 6:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
In the vast, fragmented online universe, videos tend to entice some and disgust others. But every year offers a list of viral vids enjoyed by all. The Washington Post runs down 2008's best: Tom Cruise on Scientology: A rambling, fervent Cruise extols his religion, saying he's the "only one who can really help" at the scene of an...
It's a Boy! Bristol Palin Gives Birth
People
|
Dec 29, 2008 6:28 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin's teenage daughter Bristol gave birth to a 7 lb., 4 oz. baby boy in Alaska yesterday, People reports. Bristol and baby daddy Levi Johnston named the child Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, the sister of Bristol's grandmother said. "We think it's wonderful," she said. "The baby is fine and Bristol is doing well." Bristol...
House Movers Shuffle 182 Offices Over Recess
CQPolitics
|
Dec 29, 2008 6:11 PM CST
(Newser) -
Congress may be on Christmas recess, but movers are working overtime to shuffle the contents of 182 House offices to new digs for the new session beginning Jan. 6. Returning members of Congress are trading up to bigger offices, better views, or more convenient locations, CQ reports. New members of Congress are assigned offices by lottery.
Tony Blair: Part Obama, Part Bush
New York
|
Dec 29, 2008 5:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Tony Blair was both Britain's Barack Obama, promising change, and its George W. Bush, dragging his country into an unpopular war, Jennifer Senior writes in New York . But now the Middle East envoy and superstar Yale lecturer is his own man. He's excited about Obama's victory and urges the president-elect to "find an agenda that is capable of...
Bright Spots for Tech in 2008
San Jose Mercury News
|
Dec 29, 2008 5:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
2008 wasn’t a great year for tech or the economy, but some gadget-makers did invest in innovation, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Areas where tech made more than token gains: Digital cameras grow up: Not only are consumer cameras getting sharper, but some professional models can now record video. Gaming shows a feminine side:...
Brit, Aussie Actors Find US Success
Chicago Tribune
|
Dec 29, 2008 5:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
British and Australian actors are flocking to the US in search of work and finding great success in roles that challenge their mimicry skills, the Chicago Tribune reports. Whether it’s Hugh Laurie on House, Anna Friel on Pushing Daisies, or Simon Baker on The Mentalist, the thespians have found it pays to adopt a new accent.
Philly Mayor to Lease Closing Libraries
Philadelphia Inquirer
|
Dec 29, 2008 5:11 PM CST
(Newser) -
The mayor of Philadelphia has preliminary agreements with private foundations and nonprofits to manage at least five of the 11 libraries the city is closing out of budget concerns, the Inquirer reports. The new institutions, which Michael Nutter said he hopes will become “knowledge centers,” will retain collections and equipment, but...
Recession Shutters Famed Yale Club
Associated Press
|
Dec 29, 2008 4:59 PM CST
(AP) -
Mory's, a legendary Yale University eating and drinking club that traces its roots to the Civil War—and whose membership includes two presidents named Bush—is the latest victim of the recession. A list of patrons that has included the likes of Al Pacino, Tom Hanks, and Jodie Foster hasn't been enough to forestall its closing, which may...
It's Your Brain's Fault Your Family Drives You Nuts
Discovery News
|
Dec 29, 2008 4:49 PM CST
(Newser) -
If you ended your holiday visit home with frayed nerves, blame your brain, not your brother's snoring, Discovery reports. Family members prompt activity in a different part of the brain from friends and strangers, a new study shows. Researchers used MRIs to look at subjects' brains while they viewed photos of biological relatives and people who liked...
How AIG Destroyed Itself (Part I)
Washington Post
|
Dec 29, 2008 4:39 PM CST
(Newser) -
The roots of the current financial crisis can be traced back to a series of lunches and late-night dinners between two relatively unknown junk-bond traders 20 years ago. Howard Sosin and Randy Rackson had a plan to change the way the financial world did business, provided they could find a patron with a AAA credit rating to try it on. They found one...
Oldest Living Creature May Be a (Relative) Youngster
BBC
|
Dec 29, 2008 4:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
A giant tortoise widely believed to be the world's oldest living creature may be a much younger relative that earned the title through mistaken identity, the BBC reports. Jonathan, a giant tortoise said to have been living on the South Atlantic island of St. Helena when Napoleon was exiled there 193 years ago, may not have arrived on the island until...
