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.
Moviegoer Shoots Man for Talking
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Dec 27, 2008 12:52 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Philadelphia man attempting to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in peace resorted to violence, shooting the father of a family that was talking during the film, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The father survived the gunshot wound to his arm, while the attacker was charged with attempted murder, assault, and a gun violation. The screening...
Egypt Cries 'Murder' Over Gaza Attacks
AFP
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Dec 27, 2008 12:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
Egypt called Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip "murder" today as world leaders appealed for peace in the region, the AFP and Jerusalem Post report. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said he was "deeply alarmed" by the violence, and, like Russia and the European Union, called for a ceasefire. Egypt opened its border checkpoint...
RNC Hopeful Sends Out 'Barack the Magic Negro'
The Hill
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Dec 27, 2008 12:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
A candidate for chair of the Republican National Committee has included a song called “Barack the Magic Negro” in a Christmas mailing, the Hill reports. Chip Saltsman said, “RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize” that the song, written by Paul Shanklin and sung to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon,”...
Reid Steps Up for Re-Election Dogfight
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 27, 2008 12:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
He presides over the biggest Senate majority in a quarter century, but Harry Reid is still the Democrat most likely to be unseated in 2 years, the Wall Street Journal reports. A recent poll shows Reid’s approval rating at 38%, and his disapproval rating at 54%. Aware of the danger, Reid has stepped up his fundraising and began interviewing...
Israeli Strikes Kill 205 in Gaza Strip
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2008 11:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
A huge Israeli air assault on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 200 Palestinians and wounded at least 400, the AP reports. Those killed had mostly been inside police headquarters, Hamas said. Israel said the attacks were meant to end rocket and mortar attacks on Israel which had been mounting for days; Israel had pledged retaliation....
How Iceland Went From Codfish to Meltdown
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 27, 2008 11:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
How did a chilly nation of cod fishermen play a key role in the world's crumbling financial markets? Seeking to avoid the boom-and-bust of fish catch, Iceland started by privatizing banks in the mid-1990s. It built a colossal banking system on a puny currency and attracted international deposits with high returns. Then the country went on a shopping...
Blago: 'I'm on the Wrong Planet'
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2008 10:52 AM CST
(AP) -
Rod Blagojevich said yesterday that if what he's done is an impeachable offense, he's living on the "wrong planet." Speaking to a reporter outside a Chicago law office, the governor said he was hired to fight for the people of Illinois, and that's what he was doing in his wiretapped conversations about Obama's Senate seat, the AP reports....
'Sea Change' In Store for Retail
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 27, 2008 10:28 AM CST
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Shaken by a tough holiday season and bracing for more trouble, the retail scene may look very different in 2009, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some stores will be reducing inventory and cutting suppliers, which could force small manufacturers to fold. Retail bankruptcies could abound. "We will have a lot fewer stores by the middle of 2009,”...
Jail Biz Backfires for Rhode Island Town's Immigrants
New York Times
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Dec 27, 2008 10:04 AM CST
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Locking up accused criminals is big business in America, but an attempt to cash in came with a high cost for one Rhode Island town, a New York Times investigation finds. The Donald D. Wyatt Detention Center, a maximum security jail, promised to bring jobs to the largely Hispanic town of Central Falls. But residents found themselves living in fear...
Kennedy Won't Run Unless Appointed
Politico
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Dec 27, 2008 9:44 AM CST
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If Caroline Kennedy isn't appointed to Hillary Clinton’s New York Senate seat, she won’t run for it in 2 years, Kennedy told NY1 last night. If Gov. David Paterson "doesn’t select me, I would support the person that he does select,” she said. She also said she finally talked with Hillary Clinton, who initially didn’t...
Melting Santa Suit Burned Killer, Foiled Getaway
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 27, 2008 9:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
The California Santa killer, who committed suicide after massacring his ex-wife’s family, had planned an escape by plane—but he was foiled by third-degree burns as his Santa Claus suit melted onto his body, the Los Angeles Times reports. The explosion as he set fire to his ex-wife’s parents’ house left burns on his arms, and...
War on Terror Nears $1 Trillion
Time
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Dec 27, 2008 9:02 AM CST
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Washington's war on terror is about to cost $1 trillion, and even that is just the beginning, Mark Thompson writes in Time . Three recent government reports racked up the bills, showing that long-term costs like veterans health care and interest on loans are yet to come in. The trillion-dollar figure is just a “down payment on the war’s...
Feds: Today's Counterfeiters Are Poor Copies
Kansas City Star
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Dec 27, 2008 8:29 AM CST
(Newser) -
Secret Service agents are waxing nostalgic for counterfeiters of old, the Kansas City Star reports. The printers who once produced 20s, 50s, and 100s good enough to fool experts have been replaced by home office crooks who reproduce small bills on ink-jet printers. "It’s a lost art," says special agent Charles Green. He recalls a...
Lights Out for Obama in Oahu Power Outage
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2008 8:01 AM CST
(AP) -
The Hawaiian island of Oahu lost power during heavy rain and lightning last night, leaving the population of 800,000 and thousands of tourists, including vacationing President-elect Obama and his family, in the dark. Authorities advised residents to stay home and to conserve water. Hawaiian Electric Co. took an emergency generator to the compound where...
Those We Lost in 2008
New York Times
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Dec 27, 2008 8:00 AM CST
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This year saw the passing of many notable people, from Paul Newman and Michael Crichton to William F. Buckley and designer Yves St. Laurent. Here are a few that made the lists of the NY Times and LA Times : Tim Russert (b. 1950)—TV journalist and 16-year host of Meet the Press. Charlton Heston (b. 1923)—star of Ben-Hur...
Germans Slash Energy Use With 'Passive' Houses
New York Times
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Dec 27, 2008 7:36 AM CST
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A revolutionary house design from Germany keeps inhabitants warm in winter with about as much energy as it takes to run a hairdryer, the New York Times reports. The "passive house" is sealed with ultrathick insulation. A central ventilation system exchanges warm air from inside with cold air from outside with 90% efficiency, keeping the...
21 Killed in Iraq Car Bombings
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2008 7:27 AM CST
(AP) -
A bomb tore through a busy square in Baghdad at midday today, killing at least 18 people and wounding 25, the AP reports. Iraqi police said the blast in a northern Baghdad Shiite neighborhood was a parked car bomb, apparently targeting a taxi stand. Some 60 miles south of Baghdad, a car bomb exploded as an Iraqi soldier and two others were trying to...
Time Will Stand Still at Midnight New Year's Eve
LiveScience
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Dec 27, 2008 7:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
The last minute of the last hour of the last day of 2008 is getting an extension, LiveScience reports. The world's timekeepers are tacking an extra "leap second" onto the end of the year to allow super-accurate clocks to get back in synch with the planet's irregular but gradually slowing rotation. The planet has been falling behind atomic...
Pet Soup Kitchens Open in Germany
AFP
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Dec 27, 2008 6:15 AM CST
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Fearing that recession will force people to give up animals they can no longer afford to feed, a German group has opened pet soup kitchens around the country, AFP reports. A pet welfare association relies on donations from individuals and corporations; the newly unemployed are among those taking advantage, as are the elderly. “Half our customers...
Web Overtakes Papers for News
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2008 5:42 AM CST
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For the first time ever, more people are getting their news from the Internet than from newspapers, the Los Angeles Times reports. A Pew Research poll found that 40% of people cited the Internet as a main news source, compared to 35% for print. At 70%, television remains the country's favorite news source, although it’s tied with the Web among...
Asian Appetites Threaten Florida Turtles
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 27, 2008 4:16 AM CST
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Asia's insatiable appetite for turtles could be driving some US species to the brink of extinction, the Los Angeles Times reports. The region's newly affluent consumers are happy to shell out top dollar for the delicacy and with most native species already eaten, Florida's turtle exports are booming. Conservationists warn that the creatures are being...
Kennedy: 9/11, Obama Inspired Me to Seek Senate Seat
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2008 3:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
The terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and her work for Barack Obama's campaign helped push Caroline Kennedy towards a career in politics, the Senate hopeful tells the AP. Kennedy credited her mother with giving her the courage to seek the job, and said she hopes she will be able to embody some of the "sense of possibility" summoned by...
Pakistan Mourns Bhutto on Anniversary of Slaying
Reuters
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Dec 27, 2008 2:29 AM CST
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Tens of thousands of Pakistanis have traveled to Benazir Bhutto's hometowm to mark the first anniversary of her assassination, Reuters reports. The former prime minister was killed in a gun and bomb attack at an election rally a year ago today. Many questions still surround the killing and the country's new government has called for the UN to investigate....
Budget Bubbles for New Year's
Slate
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Dec 27, 2008 1:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Champagne may feel like a vestige of a world without a credit crisis, but there's no need to go without bubbly on New Year's Eve. Slate offers some moderately priced options: Cava is Spain's answer to champagne, made by the same method. A thrifty seeker of festive spirits can pick up a bottle of Cristilano Cava Brut and get change from $10....
Marley & Me Gives Jen Box Office Record
People
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Dec 26, 2008 8:10 PM CST
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Jen topped Brad at the box office yesterday but both fared well, breaking Christmas Day records, People reports. Aniston's Marley & Me , co-starring Owen Wilson, beat all Christmas Day debuts by banking $14.8 million. Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button came in No. 2 all-time with $11.8 million. Both topped expectations by about 50%,...
Like the Big 3, Detroit Is Dying
Weekly Standard
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Dec 26, 2008 7:37 PM CST
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The Big Three automakers are broke and begging for cash, but that's typical when you're from Detroit, Matt Labash writes in The Weekly Standard . He prepped for his visit to Dysfunction Junction by reading nightmarish stats: The city has 10,000 unsolved murders; its deficit is as high as $200 million; its students have thumbed the same textbooks...
Kitt's Purr Wore Down Racial Barriers
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 26, 2008 7:00 PM CST
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Eartha Kitt camped it up in Batman episodes and stirred live crowds with her crooning, but also nudged "Hollywood's color barrier several feet from the dominant crude stereotypes," Reed Johnson writes in the Los Angeles Times . The performer who danced with Katherine Dunham's troupe and acted alongside Sidney Poitier altered race relations...
SF Statue Honors Killer Zoo Tiger
San Francisco Chronicle
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Dec 26, 2008 6:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
A San Francisco artist has commemorated the tiger who fatally mauled a teenager at the city’s zoo last Christmas with a statue, the Chronicle reports. “I wanted to do something to commemorate the life and death of this beautiful creature,” Jon Engdahl, 48, said of Tatiana, who was killed by police after leaping from her enclosure...
2 Injured in Denver Plane Accident Out of Hospital
Associated Press
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Dec 26, 2008 5:55 PM CST
(AP) -
A spokeswoman says the pilot of a Continental Airlines jetliner that veered off a runway in Denver has been released from a hospital, the AP reports. Continental's Kelly Cripe said today the plane's captain and one other person were released from the University of Colorado Hospital. Cripe wouldn't discuss the pilot's injuries.
'Santa' Gunman Hid Son From Ex-Wife: Cops
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 26, 2008 5:32 PM CST
(Newser) -
Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who police say killed nine others in a Christmas Eve rampage in California, kept a child from a previous relationship secret from his ex-wife, the Los Angeles Times reports. Pardo did not support his physically handicapped 9-year-old son financially, but claimed him as a dependent for 7 years on his taxes.
Mexico Halts Shipments From Top US Meat Plants
Reuters
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Dec 26, 2008 5:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mexico has temporarily banned meat from 30 US plants run by some of the largest American meat companies, Reuters reports. The Mexican government says violations in standards of packaging, labeling, and transport conditions occasioned the ban, but many US analysts suspect Mexico is registering its dissatisfaction with an American law that could hurt...
Calif. Texting Ban Hits Jan. 1
DailyTech
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Dec 26, 2008 4:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
California is beefing up its distracted-driving laws, DailyTech reports, with a ban on adults texting while at the wheel going into effect Jan. 1. The state instituted a hands-free law in July, at the same time prohibiting teen drivers from texting and driving; the new law extends to adults, and allows police to cite drivers they believe to be reading...
A Christmas Story Raconteur Spoke to Misfit Generation
Slate
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Dec 26, 2008 4:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
Listening to Jean Shepherd, the radio raconteur whose writings inspired A Christmas Story (and who did the voice-over), “I learned about social observation and human types,” musician Donald Fagen writes for Slate. For “the true horror of helpless childhood,” and a realism that countered the feel-good, Disney bunk pushed by...
Capone's Home to Hit the Market
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 26, 2008 4:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Al Capone’s Chicago home is expected to hit the market this spring, asking price $450,000, reports the Tribune . This piece of gangster history comes with a pretty clean record: Capone used the red-brick house, registered in his mother’s and wife’s names, as a safe haven. “It’s because it’s off the beaten path that...
No PDA, Cheating in Muslim Nations, UK Warns Travelers
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 26, 2008 3:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Extra-marital sex and public displays of affection might be OK in France or Spain, but it’s a big no-no in Dubai and other Muslim nations, the British government is reminding citizens. The Foreign Office has released a list of do’s and don’ts for Britons planning a trip abroad, the Guardian reports, as figures show many will take...
Dow Gains 47 in Light Trading
MarketWatch
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Dec 26, 2008 3:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks edged higher today on very thin post-holiday trading volume, with energy firms seeing a boost from crude-oil prices that broke a 4-day losing streak, MarketWatch reports. The Dow gained 47.07 to close at 8,515.55. The Nasdaq climbed 5.34, settling at 1,530.24, and the S&P 500 added 7.38 to close at 872.80.
Amazon Has 'Best Ever' Holiday Season
MarketWatch
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Dec 26, 2008 3:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Grinch apparently didn’t sour shoppers on Amazon this year: The company said today the 2008 holiday season was its “best ever,” MarketWatch reports. Amazon sold more than 6.3 million items worldwide on Dec. 15, its peak day, amounting to “a record-breaking 72.9 items per second.” Last year it sold 5.4 million units...
Best Sports Stories of 2008
USA Today
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Dec 26, 2008 3:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Every fan has favorite storylines from the year in sports, but a few were universally intriguing, Reid Cherner and Tom Weir write in USA Today : Michael Phelps' eight golds in the 08/08/08 Olympics gave America a reason to root. Our favorite hoodied villain, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, finally got his comeuppance in Super Bowl...
I'll Have to Work Twice as Hard If Appointed: Kennedy
Associated Press
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Dec 26, 2008 2:49 PM CST
(Newser) -
Caroline Kennedy understands she will have to work to gain the respect of the public and her peers if she is appointed to the US Senate. "I came into this thinking I have to work twice as hard as anybody else," Kennedy told the AP. "I am an unconventional choice."
Older, Wiser Pitt Happy With Life's New Path
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 26, 2008 2:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
Now 45 and the father of six, Brad Pitt appears ready to shed the image of clowning heartbreaker to tackle weightier matters in life and work, writes Reed Johnson in the Los Angeles Times . Pitt’s role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , in which his character ages backward, challenged him to assess his own life, he says. “Once you...
Dems Stand to Lose Clinton's Fundraising Chops
The Hill
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Dec 26, 2008 2:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
Democrats may lose a powerful fundraiser in Hillary Clinton when she becomes secretary of state, the Hill reports. Cabinet officials usually avoid overt campaigning for other candidates, and Clinton’s fundraising prowess and network are likely to be particularly missed: HillPAC, Clinton’s leadership political action committee, has directed...
Best Overlooked Albums of '08
Spin
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Dec 26, 2008 2:15 PM CST
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Catfish Haven's Devastator tops Spin 's year-end list of overlooked albums. George Hunter's "old-soul blues exposes other rock'n'roll kings as pretenders to the crown." The top 10: Catfish Haven , Devastator: Hunter's voice is "a husky amalgam of Joe Cocker's world-weary croon and Bill Medley's baritone bombast." ...
'Santa' Shooter Had Bomb, Plane Ticket, Cash: Police
ABC News
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Dec 26, 2008 2:03 PM CST
(Newser) -
The discovery of another body in the charred wreckage of a California home brings the death toll in the Christmas Eve shooting rampage to nine, ABC News reports. Police say Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, 45, suspected of shooting his former in-laws while disguised as Santa, had $10,000 in cash and a plane ticket out of the country on him when he committed suicide...
Tiger's #1 Ranking in Danger
Reuters
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Dec 26, 2008 1:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Tiger Woods may be the most dominant golfer alive, but his place atop the world rankings is far from secure, Reuters reports. After his incredible US Open victory in June, Woods held a commanding lead over No. 2 Phil Mickelson, but he’s seen that lead dwindle as he recovers from surgery—and he won’t play again until at least February.
Blago Wants Obama Aides to Testify in Impeachment
Politico
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Dec 26, 2008 1:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s attorney wants the state’s impeachment panel to subpoena two of Barack Obama’s top aides, Politico reports. Ed Genson is not alleging that Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett did anything wrong, but rather that their testimony would help prove that Blagojevich’s taped conversations about filling...
China Milk Scandal Trials Begin
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 26, 2008 1:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
Trials began today in China for six people accused of intentionally tainting and selling the milk powder that killed six babies and sickened 300,000, the Guardian reports. The men added the toxic chemical melamine to diluted milk to help it pass quality tests in one of China’s worst food safety scares. Sentences could begin at 10 years, lawyers...
Happy Hour Could Be Toast in Iowa City
Quad City Times
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Dec 26, 2008 1:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Concerned about underage and binge drinking, Iowa City may ban happy hours at a meeting next month, the AP reports. The city council ordinance would require establishments with alcohol licenses or permits to submit to the city clerk a set schedule of prices that could not change by the day or hour. The city has also been considering a ban on price...
Black Women Getting Shorter: Study
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 26, 2008 1:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
While most of the American population is slowly gaining in height after a recent plateau, one group actually seems to be shrinking over the decades. Black women have lost about a half-inch on average compared to the previous generation, the exact opposite of the national trend, the Chicago Tribune reports, with a variety of socioeconomic factors...
iPhones Hit Wal-Mart on Sunday
Reuters
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Dec 26, 2008 1:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
Wal-Mart shoppers will notice a flashy new phone on the shelves Sunday, but the price may induce sticker shock, Reuters reports. The iPhone is making its long-awaited Wal-Mart debut, but the 8-gigabyte version comes with a $197 price tag and requires a 2-year AT&T contract. Rumors had flown that Apple would offer a smaller, cheaper model to lure...
Royal Hair: William Shows Off New Beard
Scotsman (UK)
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Dec 26, 2008 12:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
Serious stuff from England: Prince William has a beard. The 26-year-old stepped out in public with it for the first time yesterday to attend Christmas church services, the Scotsman reports. He grew it during a recent stint with the British navy in Barbados and keeps postponing a pledge to shave it off. One onlooker even gave it a kiss.
