Newser Story Index from February, 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.
Devils End Islanders Streak
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 5:36 PM CST
(Newser) -
Zach Parise and Brian Gionta helped the New Jersey Devils cool off the red-hot New York Islanders today in a 4-2 win, reports the Associated Press. Parise scored a tie-breaking goal in the third period, and Gionta added an insurance goal for the Devils, who snapped the Islanders six-game winning streak. It was the Devils first win over the Islanders...
I Know Who Sweeps Razzies
Variety
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Feb 23, 2008 5:33 PM CST
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Lindsay Lohan's little-loved horror flick I Know Who Killed Me scored a shocking eight Razzies in Santa Monica today, the biggest haul in the Golden Raspberries’ 28-year history. Lohan took home worst actress dishonor and worst supporting actress—twice. She also scored worst screen couple for the film about a small-town girl with a...
McCain's Daughter Blogs About Trail Life, Not Politics
Los Angeles Times
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Feb 23, 2008 5:25 PM CST
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Potential first daughter Meghan McCain has been blogging about life on the campaign trail, focusing on Henry Kissinger’s shoes and iTunes playlists rather then the finer points of policy, the Los Angeles Times reports. Candidates’ children are often deployed to humanize their parents—in carefully choreographed ways—but...
Clinton: 'Shame on You, Barack'
Reuters
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Feb 23, 2008 4:54 PM CST
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Hillary Clinton blasted Barack Obama today over a campaign mailer that she called “right out of Karl Rove’s play book.” “Shame on you, Barack Obama,” she said, brandishing a flier—which she says falsely accuses her of wanting to force people to buy health insurance. “Everything in those mailers is completely...
Villanova Ends No. 13 UConn's 10-Game Run
Hartford Courant (Conn.)
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Feb 23, 2008 4:45 PM CST
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Villanova ended No. 13 Connecticut's 10-game winning streak with a 67-65 Big East win over the Huskies today, reports the Hartford Courant . Scottie Reynolds led the way for the Wildcats with 15 of his 18 points in the second half. The Huskies erased a 13-point deficit with 7:42 left, but the Wildcats retook the lead moments later. In other Top 25...
Serbia Blames US as Rallies Continue
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 4:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
Thousands protested peacefully in the streets of Kosovo today, chanting “Kosovo is Serbia” as officials blamed the US for the violence that has marred earlier demonstrations. “The United States is the main culprit for all those violent acts,” said Serbia's minister for Kosovo. Meanwhile the US cleared out its embassy, inviting...
Rights Activist Carr Dies at 97
Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama)
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Feb 23, 2008 4:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Johnnie Rebecca Carr, an early leader in the civil rights movement and compatriot of Rosa Parks, has died of a stroke at age 97, the Montgomery Advertiser reports. Carr helped organize the Montgomery Improvement Association in 1955 after Parks made her famous stand on a city bus. The group's yearlong boycott caught the nation's attention. She later...
Oscars Pose a Threat to Good Movies
New York Times
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Feb 23, 2008 3:50 PM CST
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Oscar night may seem like fun, but it has quietly turned the US market for serious films into a “brutal blood sport,” critic AO Scott writes in the New York Times . The highly commercial fare of January through August is followed by an “avalanche of art” after Labor Day—and those that are released too soon "will...
Websites Spark 'Baracklash'
Washington Post
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Feb 23, 2008 3:37 PM CST
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The Internet may love Barack Obama—he leads other presidential hopefuls in online fundraising—but some new Obama sites are a tad sarcastic, the Washington Post reports. Sites like BarackObamaIsYourNewBicycle.com and SenatorObamas.com are poking fun at Obamamania even as they partake in it. “It’s a backlash with a small ‘b,’”...
Turkey Bombs Rebels in Iraqi Mountains
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 3:28 PM CST
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Fighting continued in semiautonomous Kurdistan today as Turkey’s air and artillery forces let loose a hail of bombs in the mountains of northern Iraq, the AP reports. The strikes are ratcheting up tension between Turkey and the US-backed Iraqi government: Iraq’s foreign minister today told Turkey to get out “as soon as possible.”
Police Seek Broader DNA Database
Wall Street Journal
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Feb 23, 2008 3:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
US law enforcement currently catalogs 5.6 million DNA profiles, about 2% of Americans, but hopes to expand that and the scope of their searches, the Wall Street Journal reports. A bigger database would allow "familial searches"—looking for near matches of a suspect's brother or sister, for example. Civil libertarians worry the practice...
Basra Awash in Violence as It Tests Self-Rule
New York Times
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Feb 23, 2008 2:31 PM CST
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Basra is supposed to be a shining example of Iraqi self-rule, but the city remains riven by violence five months after British forces pulled out and left local leaders in control, the New York Times reports. Dozens of Shia militias are competing for power, and murders and kidnappings of prominent city figures are common. Militants have killed more...
Girl Gangs Clash in Paris
Times (UK)
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Feb 23, 2008 2:20 PM CST
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Paris cops recently broke up a suburban street-fight between rival gangs—but this time the gangsters were girls, the Times of London reports. "They had knives, screwdrivers, sticks and teargas and they were really going for each other," one officer said. Girl violence has spiked 140% in France since 2002, but police were surprised...
Militias Shell Green Zone in Baghdad
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 1:57 PM CST
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A volley of rockets or mortar rounds hit Iraq’s Green Zone today, causing no injuries except perhaps to the credibility of a Shiite militia cease-fire extended just one day ago. The AP reports that nearly 10 explosions were heard inside the zone, which houses the American embassy, Iraqi government headquarters, and thousands of US troops. It's...
Japan Launches Super Speed Internet Satellite
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 1:33 PM CST
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Japan today launched a satellite that, if successful, will be able to sling information across Japan and remote parts of Southeast Asia at high speeds and low cost, the AP reports. The satellite, dubbed “Kizuna,” won’t be used commercially–instead, scientists will run about 100 experiments on it, including a test HDTV broadcast....
Richardson Is Out of the Race, But In Demand
New York Times
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Feb 23, 2008 1:15 PM CST
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The remaining Dem hopefuls have been pursuing Bill Richardson since he left the presidential race, the New York Times reports. In fact Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are calling the New Mexico governor daily seeking his endorsement. Obama’s approach is “a surgical bomb,” Richardson said, while “the Clintons are more like...
57 Saudi Men Arrested for Flirting
BBC
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Feb 23, 2008 1:03 PM CST
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Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested 57 young men accused of flirting with girls at shopping malls in Mecca, the BBC reports. Prosecutors say the men wore indecent clothing, played loud music, and danced to attract the girls’ attention. The arrests were prompted by Saudi’s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which...
Disgraced Meatpacker to Close Doors
Wall Street Journal
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Feb 23, 2008 12:34 PM CST
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The biggest meat recall in history will put a fork in Hallmark/Westland, the meatpacker’s general manager told the Wall Street Journal. “I don’t see any way we could reopen,” he said. The USDA has said the California company could reopen under the right conditions, but demands that it pay for the meat’s destruction and...
Cuba Takes a Swing at Golf
Wall Street Journal
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Feb 23, 2008 12:17 PM CST
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Nearly a dozen tony golf-resort projects funded by Spanish, British, and Canadian consortiums are under way in Cuba as acting President Raul Castro tries to lure foreign tourists—and their cash—back to the struggling island nation by creating a new Caribbean golf destination, reports the Wall Street Journal. Castro took over for his ailing...
Feds to Allow Guns Inside National Parks
Los Angeles Times
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Feb 23, 2008 11:57 AM CST
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The federal government is preparing to loosen a ban on bringing loaded guns into national parks, reports the Los Angeles Times . The NRA has been pushing for the ban to be eased, saying it violates the right to bear arms and puts citizens at risk of attack from savage wild animals—and humans. Others say letting guns in would spoil the park experience.
'Video Vigilante' Boasts Tar and Feathering 2.0
Los Angeles Times
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Feb 23, 2008 11:29 AM CST
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Brian Bates captures unsuspecting people on candid camera, but his subjects don’t have reason to smile: He’s the self-proclaimed Video Vigilante of Oklahoma City, capturing men consorting with prostitutes and then posting the videos online. “If you get caught by the cops, you pay a fine,” Bates said. “If you get caught...
Looking for Mr. Good (Enough) Bar
The Atlantic
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Feb 23, 2008 11:05 AM CST
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Women in their 40s waiting for Mr. Right are "almost like teenagers who believe they're invulnerable to dying in a drunk-driving accident," Lori Gottlieb writes in the Atlantic Monthly . Gottlieb (single, 40ish), thinks women who shun "Mr. Good Enough" believing it's better to be alone are kidding themselves; chuck the idealism...
Oscar Smiles on Women Writers
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 10:40 AM CST
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When the Oscars for screenplays are awarded tomorrow, chances are pretty good that women's names will be on the envelopes. Three are up for best screenplay and one for adapted screenplay, an Oscar record. Women still make up only 19% of film writers, the AP reports, but the tide may be turning. "We all feel that a victory for one of us is a victory...
Broadcaster Rebuts McCain Lobbying Denial
Washington Post
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Feb 23, 2008 10:05 AM CST
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John McCain's campaign has flatly denied that the senator met with a broadcaster or his lobbyist before writing to the FCC on his behalf in 1999. But Bud Paxson remembers the meeting; he says VIcki Iseman set it up, and may have attended, too. "Was Vicki there? Probably," Paxson tells the Washington Post . And he specificially remembers...
Insurer Owes Patient $9M for Ending Policy
Los Angeles Times
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Feb 23, 2008 9:36 AM CST
(Newser) -
A California health insurance company owes a breast cancer patient $9 million in damages after it canceled her policy in the middle of chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer, the LA Times reports. The arbitration judge called Health Net’s actions “despicable." The hefty ruling, the largest of its kind, sends a warning to other...
Pentagon, Army Captain Differ on Obama Tale
ABC News
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Feb 23, 2008 9:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
Pentagon officials moved quickly yesterday to rebut Barack Obama's tale of an Army captain whose platoon, deployed in Afghanistan, was stripped of men and so lacking in equipment that they resorted to using captured Taliban weapons. "I find that account pretty hard to imagine," an Army spokesman said of the anecdote Obama told during Thursday's...
Britney Can See Her Kids: Judge
E! Online
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Feb 23, 2008 8:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
A judge has ruled that Britney Spears can see her kids again, E! Online reports. The singer hasn't been allowed visitation with her two young sons since she barricaded herself in a bathroom with 1-year-old Jayden on Jan. 3. K-Fed's lawyer said the star would be seeing her boys "very soon," but visits would have to happen in a "therapeutic...
'Dilbert' Mocks Comic Strip Firing
Des Moines Register
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Feb 23, 2008 8:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
What came first: the comic strip mocking the office, or the office emulating the comic? Both, in the case of one Iowa casino that fired a man for posting a "Dilbert" cartoon comparing management to "drunken lemurs," the Des Moines Register reports. This week, cartoonist Scott Adams is featuring the saga, including the legal battle...
Stalling Spy Bill Hurts Intel, Admin Asserts
Talking Points Memo
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Feb 23, 2008 8:45 AM CST
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As House Dems refuse to pass the Senate’s wiretapping bill, the administration is heaping more pressure on them to change their minds, reports Muckraker . A letter to the House intelligence committee from top administration officials claims that the failure to pass the bill is causing “lost intelligence information” as private companies...
Top 10 Dating Tips for Rich Guys
TheStreet
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Feb 23, 2008 8:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
Wealth can present its own obstacles to romantic success. Here are TheStreet.com's dating tips for landing a woman who doesn't just love the money: Lose your PDA/Blackberry/etc. Whatever it is, it's not that important. Focus on the person right in front of you. Do pick up the check—it's only right. She can get the next one. ...
Renzi Should Step Down, House GOP Leader Says
Chicago Tribune
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Feb 23, 2008 8:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
House Minority Leader John Boehner is pressuring Rep. Rick Renzi, indicted yesterday for extortion, money laundering, and fraud in connection with an Arizona land deal, to step down, urging his fellow Republican "to seriously consider whether he can continue to effectively represent his constituents under these circumstances.” Boehner plans...
N. Korea Opens Nuke Plant to Foreign Media
ABC News
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Feb 23, 2008 7:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
North Korea opened its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor to the foreign media yesterday, the first time the 5-megawatt plant at the core of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and the target of international disarmament talks has been seen by journalists, ABC News reports. The visit seemed to be a sign the Communist government wants...
Michelle Obama College Thesis Muses on Race
Politico
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Feb 23, 2008 7:46 AM CST
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Michelle Obama’s 1985 Princeton thesis—whose unavailability at the university has prompted blogger suspicions—discusses the concerns of a black woman in a sphere dominated by whites. In the 96-page document, scored by Politico from the Obama campaign, Mrs. Obama writes that to white students, it seems “I will always be black...
Serb Protests Rock Kosovo
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 7:29 AM CST
(Newser) -
Mobs of Serb nationalists chanting "Kosovo is ours!" threw stones, bottles, and firecrackers at UN police yesterday as a bridge in northern Kosovo separating Serbs from ethnic Albanians became a flashpoint for conflict over the fledgling independent state. The State Dept. meanwhile ordered non-essential diplomats and all dependents of US...
Besieged Musharraf in 'Dangerous Mindset'
Guardian (UK)
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Feb 23, 2008 7:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Is Pervez Musharraf paranoid, or is everyone out to get him? After his party's hammering in this week's election, the answer seems to be both, the Guardian reports. "He's been sulking," said a senior party official of the Pakistani president. "He's retreated into a mental bunker. It's a dangerous mindset to be in at this point in time....
Pilots Safe in 1st-Ever B-2 Crash
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 6:42 AM CST
(Newser) -
A B-2 stealth bomber crashed after takeoff from a US base in Guam this morning—the first-ever failure for the $1.2 billion bat-winged craft, AP reports. Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the wreckage, one witness said. Both pilots successfully ejected and are in good condition; one has already been released.
Avs Stop Coyotes in Marathon
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 6:42 AM CST
(Newser) -
Cody McLeod put an end to a long evening for the Colorado Avalanche and the Phoenix Coyotes last night. Fortunately for him, his goal in the 12th round of a shootout sent his Avalanche home happy, reports the AP. "I just wanted to hit the net," said McLeod, who beat Mikael Tellqvist.
Dozens Dead in Turkish Ground Raid
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 6:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
Turkish forces pursued Kurdish militants in northern Iraq for a third day today, with the Turkish military reporting least 24 militants and five Turkish soldiers killed since they sent troops across the border to attack separatist strongholds Thursday night. At least 20 other Kurds died in the air assault that has accompanied the ground raid, the AP...
Flames Shut Out Red Wings
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 6:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Miikka Kiprusoff had his first shutout of the season for the Calgary Flames last night and it didn't come easy. Kiprusoff had 38 saves, including 13 in the third period, to stonewall the Detroit Red Wings 1-0, reports the AP. It was the first shutout in 64 starts for Kiprusoff, dating back to March.
Hawks Soar Past Warriors
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 6:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Atlanta Hawks ended a six-game losing streak by beating the Golden State Warriors for a fourth straight time, 117-100, last night, reports the AP. Joe Johnson led the way with 27 points for the Hawks, who moved into a tie for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It was the Hawks first win since trading for Mike Bibby last week.
Stars Show They Still Own the Oilers
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 6:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Dallas Stars own the Edmonton Oilers, and they proved it again last night as Jere Lehtinen scored twice to lead a 5-2 win, reports the AP. Dallas is now 10-2 against Edmonton over the past three years and 22-4-2 at home against the Oilers since moving to Dallas in 1993.
Ducks Keep Rolling With OT Win over Blues
Los Angeles Times
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Feb 23, 2008 6:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
For two periods, nothing much happened between the Ducks and Blues last night, besides hooking penalties and fights. Then each team scored a quick goal to start out the third period, and overtime saw Samuel Pahlsson save the Ducks' recent surge in just 32 seconds. The 2-1 victory keeps Anaheim in striking distance of division-leading Dallas, the Los...
George W. Bush Library Finds a Home in Texas
Dallas Morning News
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Feb 23, 2008 5:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
George W. Bush's presidential library will be built at Southern Methodist University, the Dallas Morning News reports. The First Lady's alma mater has had its eyes on that prize since just after Bush took office. "It took us 71 days to find a football coach, so we don't like to rush into things," joked SMU's president. SMU hopes...
'Big Three' Drop Third Straight
Boston Herald
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Feb 23, 2008 5:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
With two straight losses behind them, and the offensive heavyweight Phoenix up next, the once-unbeatable Celtics focused on defense. Boston managed to hold the Suns to just 85 points, but 39% shooting led to a season-low 77 points, and a season-first third consecutive loss. "Tonight we were bad," coach Doc Rivers told the Boston Herald .
Clippers Shock Jazz for 2nd Straight Win
Los Angeles Times
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Feb 23, 2008 5:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
For the first time since the season started, the Clippers have a win streak going. Their second victory in two games comes courtesy of a minor meltdown for Utah, as the powerful Jazz found themselves out-muscled in the paint. The 114-104 win didn't come easily for the Clippers though, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Sonics Give Blazers Tit for Tat
News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
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Feb 23, 2008 5:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
The night after a close Trail Blazers victory over the SuperSonics in Portland, the two teams moved to Seattle to battle again, and everything changed. The Sonics had little trouble dispatching the Blazers 99-87, combining 17 points from Kevin Durant with five other double-digit contributions in an all-team effort, reports the Tacoma News Tribune...
Hillary Didn't Plan for Long Haul
Christian Science Monitor
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Feb 23, 2008 5:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton invested heavily to try to lock up the Democratic presidential nomination on Super Tuesday—but that didn't happen, and her failure to plan for the long haul let Barack Obama rack up 10 straight wins since and left some doubting her management skills. Clinton's dwindling war chest also helped Obama gain momentum to raise funds:...
Kidd's Passes on the Mark in Mavericks' Win
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 12:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points on 89% shooting as three Mavericks crossed the 20-point plateau in a 98-83 win over the rebuilding Grizzlies. Jason Kidd, in his second game since being traded to Dallas, fit nicely into the offense with 15 assists. The Mavs controlled this game all the way, extending a 19-point halftime lead to 26 at one point, reports...
Pistons Put It All Together to End Loss Streak
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 12:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Milwaukee Bucks were just what the Detroit Pistons needed to fix their two-game losing streak last night, reports the Associated Press. Chauncey Billups made sure the bleeding stopped with 21 points and 12 assists in a 127-100 rout. The Pistons had stumbled after going into the All-Star break with a 10-game winning streak, including a loss in Milwaukee...
LeBron Powers Undermanned Cleveland
Associated Press
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Feb 23, 2008 12:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
After recently being touted by his coach as NBA MVP, LeBron James backed up that statement with another superb performance, leading the Cavaliers in a 90-89 nail-biter over Washington. James hit the winning free throws with 8 seconds left as part of his 33-point, 15-rebound night, while playing nearly the entire game because Cleveland dressed only...
