Newser Story Index from April, 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.
Olson Carries First-Place Orioles Past Rays 7-4
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 11:04 PM CDT
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Garrett Olson took a shutout into the seventh inning, and the Baltimore Orioles ended the Tampa Bay Rays' six-game winning streak with a 7-4 victory Tuesday night in a surprising duel for first place in the AL East. Aubrey Huff homered and Melvin Mora had two RBIs for the Orioles, who broke a tie atop the division with Tampa Bay.
Beltre Homers to Spark 5-run 9th as Mariners Rally Past Indians
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 11:02 PM CDT
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Adrian Beltre hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in Seattle's five-run ninth inning, and the Mariners beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Tuesday night. Jose Lopez singled to start the ninth off Rafael Betancourt (1-1) and took second on a soft single by Raul Ibanez. Beltre then hit an 0-1 pitch the opposite way to right for his fifth homer and a 5-2...
Cards Pound Reds in 7-2 Win
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 11:02 PM CDT
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Joel Pineiro pitched seven innings of one-hit ball and the St. Louis Cardinals jumped on rookie Johnny Cueto early in a 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. Troy Glaus and Rick Ankiel combined for four hits and five RBIs their first two at-bats for the Cardinals, who scored three runs in the first and four in the second.
Bonser Shuts Down ChiSox
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 10:59 PM CDT
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Boof Bonser picked up Minnesota's beleaguered starting rotation with the group's first win in 10 days to lead the Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. Bonser (2-4) gave up a homer to Joe Crede among six hits and struck out eight to earn the win, the first by a Twins starter since April 19.
Lester Outduels Halladay
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 10:42 PM CDT
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Kevin Youkilis lined a run-scoring single to center field in the ninth, ending a brilliant pitching duel between Roy Halladay and Jon Lester and giving the Boston Red Sox a 1-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Halladay (2-4) retired the first two batters in the inning before walking David Ortiz.
Zimmerman's 3 Hits Lead Nationals Past Braves 6-3
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 10:41 PM CDT
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Slumping Ryan Zimmerman spent some time working with Barry Larkin before the game, and then had a season-high three hits, including a homer and tiebreaking two-run double, to lead the Washington Nationals past the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Tuesday night. Zimmerman and Nick Johnson hit consecutive solo shots in the third inning off Tom Glavine.
Hamilton, Billups, Wallace Nearly Beat 76ers Alone
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 10:20 PM CDT
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The Motor City's Big Three outscored Philadelphia's entire team when it mattered. Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, Richard Hamilton had 20 and Rasheed Wallace added 19 to lift the Pistons to a 98-81 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday night and a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.
Kent Helps Dodgers Beat Marlins 7-6
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 10:19 PM CDT
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Jeff Kent's two-out single broke a ninth-inning tie, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their fourth game in a row Tuesday night by beating the Florida Marlins 7-6. Andre Ethier walked with one out against Kevin Gregg (3-1), took second on a groundout and scored on Kent's single.
Penguins Push Rangers to Brink of Elimination
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 10:18 PM CDT
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Evgeni Malkin and the perfect Pittsburgh Penguins pushed the New York Rangers to the brink of elimination. Malkin, hours after being announced as a finalist for the NHL MVP award, scored two power-play goals and added an assist to lift Pittsburgh to a 5-3 victory that stretched the Penguins' lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series to 3-0.
Austrian Father Hid Dungeon Expertly
BBC
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Apr 29, 2008 9:13 PM CDT
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Austria's Josef Fritzl hid his underground dungeon—in which he imprisoned his daughter and three of their children—so well that police couldn't find it without his hands-on help. The BBC pieces together a look at the 650-square-foot area in his cellar that Fritzl used to hide his secret family. He got into the dungeon via a 3-foot concrete...
Mental Exercises Boost Brain Power, Study Says
Scientific American
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Apr 29, 2008 8:37 PM CDT
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Psychological research has long supported the conclusion that training on cognitive tasks doesn’t result in intelligence gains that transfer to other tasks—ie, memorizing long strings of numbers doesn’t help learning long strings of letters. But researchers say they've made a long-sought breakthrough that could lead to better treatments...
Amy Singing 007's Tune?
BBC
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Apr 29, 2008 8:02 PM CDT
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Though her head-butting skills may be as valuable to 007 as her pipes, Amy Winehouse is auditioning to be the theme-song girl, not Bond girl, of the upcoming pic Quantum of Solace. Producer Mark Ronson said there are no guarantees her track will be used, though he adds, “The demo sounds like a James Bond theme.”
Chocoholics: Science Wants You
Reuters
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Apr 29, 2008 7:37 PM CDT
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A bar of chocolate a day may keep heart disease away, Reuters reports—or so goes the theory British scientists want to test by recruiting 150 postmenopausal women willing to do their part for science. Eating one bar each day for a year will help study whether a key chemical compound can curb heart disease risk for menopausal women with type 2...
Teen From Texas Sect Gives Birth
Houston Chronicle
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Apr 29, 2008 7:06 PM CDT
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One of the teens taken from a polygamist sect in Texas gave birth to a boy today as state police stood guard outside her hospital room, the Houston Chronicle reports. State officials say the mother is younger than 18 and that she will be taken to a foster care facility with her newborn to await a custody hearing, the AP notes. A sect spokesman says...
Roger Waters' Giant Inflatable Pig—Found!
The Desert Sun
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Apr 29, 2008 6:46 PM CDT
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The bus-sized, helium-filled pig unintentionally unleashed by Pink Floyd alum Roger Waters at the Coachella music festival Sunday has been found—in two pieces—at a nearby country club, reports the Desert Sun of Palm Springs. "It is entirely possible that I have at least part of your pig," a woman wrote organizers of the festival....
Grand Theft a Joy for Gamers
GameSpot
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Apr 29, 2008 6:24 PM CDT
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The latest installment in the widely acclaimed and controversial Grand Theft Auto is more than worth the wait, writes Justin Calvert in GameStop . Preserving the basic play mechanics but adding a breathtaking level of complexity and a fantastically detailed and humorous mock-up of New York City, "Grand Theft Auto IV is a game that you simply...
Media Giant Cox Buys Online Ad Startup for $300M
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 6:04 PM CDT
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Media outfit Cox is moving into the online business, buying an Internet startup that pools sites’ specialized ad needs, the AP reports. The $300 million purchase of Adify will mean competition for Web giants such as Google and Yahoo, creating an alternative for customers who might previously have relied on the big boys for ad placement.
WSJ Oversight Panel Slams Editor's Ouster
Reuters
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Apr 29, 2008 5:53 PM CDT
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A committee formed to protect the editorial independence of the Wall Street Journal from Rupert Murdoch’s influence said today the solicited resignation of managing editor Macrus Brauchli violated an agreement with Murdoch's News Corporation, Reuters reports. The committee is supposed to review all high-level hirings and firings, but, as Brauchli...
Snarl Suits Obama; Will Wright Bark Back?
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 29, 2008 5:35 PM CDT
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In throwing Jeremiah Wright “to the dogs,” Barack Obama today finally showed the anger he’s too long denied his public, Michael Tomasky sighs with relief in the Guardian —but only time can tell how hard Wright will work to sink the Democratic candidate. The even-tempered Obama—“anti-McCain, emotionally”—needed...
McCain Pitches Bigger Fed Role in Health Care
St. Petersburg Times (Russia)
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Apr 29, 2008 5:15 PM CDT
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John McCain unveiled a new health care plan today, urging a larger role for the government while denouncing universal coverage, the St. Petersburg Times reports. The presumptive GOP nominee wants state nonprofit risk pools that would help those without coverage or unable to pay for it. He said, “I won't create another entitlement program that...
Federal Mortgage Plan Not Helping the Neediest: Critics
New York Times
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Apr 29, 2008 4:57 PM CDT
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A plan to federally subsidize the refinancing of troubled mortgages has in fact helped relatively few of the most at-risk borrowers, the New York Times reports. Though Bush administration officials said FHA Secure has benefited 150,000, federal statistics show that only 1,729 of those mortgages were delinquent. “They came to us before they...
Could Seacrest Be Voted Off American Idol ?
MSNBC
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Apr 29, 2008 4:43 PM CDT
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A marketing survey into why ratings are off for this season of American Idol has some wondering if Ryan Seacrest's days as host are numbered, MSNBC reports. Many questions focused on how viewers respond to Seacrest and his interactions with judges and contestants. One source, though, says the queries “fall under the leave-no-stone-unturned...
Heparin Victims Testify on Hill
Reuters
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Apr 29, 2008 4:30 PM CDT
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Relatives of some of the 81 Americans whose deaths have been linked to tainted heparin told a Congressional subcommittee about their experiences today, Reuters reports. An Ohio man wept as he told lawmakers his wife and son, who had a genetic kidney disease, died within a month after being given heparin while undergoing dialysis. "I want to know...
Saddam Aide Begins Trial in Baghdad
New York Times
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Apr 29, 2008 4:16 PM CDT
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The trial of Saddam Hussein’s former deputy prime minister began today in Baghdad, the New York Times r eports. Tariq Aziz could get the death penalty for ordering the 1992 execution of more than 40 Iraqi merchants accused of price-gouging. The judge, however, has adjourned until May 20 because of the absence, for health reasons, of fellow defendant...
US Must Clarify Bears' Status: Judge
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 29, 2008 4:03 PM CDT
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A federal judge today ordered the US government to decide by May 15 if polar bears are endangered, the Los Angeles Times reports, a victory for environmental groups. The judge ruled the feds broke the law by missing the original Jan. 9 deadline; the government offered "no specific facts that would justify the existing delay, much less further...
Service Sector Sees First-Hand the Economy's Tipping Point
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 29, 2008 3:50 PM CDT
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Restaurants across the country have been dealing with shrinking dinner rushes as the economy slows, a trend that's hit their waitstaffs flush in the wallet. Though exact figures are tough to come by, anecdotal evidence suggests tips are falling, the Los Angeles Times reports—a big problem for the third-largest US employer, and for other service-sector...
Investors Cagey, Stocks Mixed as Fed Meets
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 29, 2008 3:36 PM CDT
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Stocks ended mixed but mostly down today as cautious investors digested bad economic news while the Fed met, presumably to discuss further rate cuts. "In many ways, the economy seems fundamentally weaker now" than during the last official recession in 2001, an economist told the Wall Street Journal . The Dow ended down 39.81 at 12,831.94,...
Dark Chocolate Fends Off Pregnancy Problems
AFP
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Apr 29, 2008 3:20 PM CDT
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Pregnant women who indulge in a daily treat of dark chocolate are cutting the risk of a serious complication, according to new research. Dark chocolate, rich in the chemical theobromine, helped prevent preeclampsia, a serious condition related to high blood pressure that affects up to 8% of pregnancies, the study found.
Dear Michelle: Let Him Light Up
The Root
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Apr 29, 2008 3:08 PM CDT
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Please, Michelle Obama, can’t Barack have just one cigarette? Your husband “looks tired, and he’s been awful on TV,” declares Paul Devlin at The Root. The “future of the free world depends on” a puff or two, as the Democratic front-runner needs to regain his cool—and quick. Devlin even notes a few side benefits...
Bush Blames Congress for Economic Sloth
New York Times
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Apr 29, 2008 2:56 PM CDT
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President Bush conceded that “it’s a very slow economy” one day ahead of possibly ugly GDP numbers, the New York Times reports, and said Congress is dragging its feet on gas prices, the mortgage crisis, farm subsidies and student loans. The Democratic-controlled legislature should be “sending me sensible and effective bills,”...
Baltimore Ready for Broadway Moment
New Yorker
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Apr 29, 2008 2:45 PM CDT
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Known as a harbor city plagued by gang violence and urban decay, Baltimore is hoping for a Broadway-style makeover—courtesy of John Waters, native son and creator of Hairspray and Cry-Baby . His gleefully trashy films are the inspiration for two cleaned-up musicals now on Broadway, and Baltimore hopes their sparkle can boost local tourism,...
Left Out of Prez Debates, New Orleans Goes Online
Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
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Apr 29, 2008 2:32 PM CDT
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Overlooked by the commission that schedules presidential debates, New Orleans has enlisted Google and YouTube in organizing its own forum, the Times-Picayune reports. The Sept. 18 event, 8 days before the first official debate, is intended to bring the political spotlight to the beleaguered city. Gov. Bobby Jindal touted it as "a discussion...
IBM Raises Dividend 25%
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 29, 2008 2:20 PM CDT
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IBM raised its quarterly dividend for the thirteenth consecutive year today after posting strong Q1 earnings two weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reports. The firm expects to pay $2.5 billion to shareholders this year after raising its dividend 25%, from 40 to 50 cents. IBM also expects to pass along another $12 billion to investors through stock...
Incest Family Members Meet for 1st Time
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 2:08 PM CDT
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Members of the family in the Austrian incest case have met for the first time and interacted with "astonishing" ease, an official at the clinic where they're being treated told the AP. Although the children who were imprisoned with their mother had never met their other siblings or grandmother, their reunion on Sunday went smoothly, the clinic...
See Jimi Get Experienced for $39.95
New York Times
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Apr 29, 2008 1:57 PM CDT
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Eleven minutes of footage showing a man having sex with two women have been packaged into a 45-minute Jimi Hendrix experience by a porn company notorious for releasing tapes of exposed celebrities. Whether it's actually the 1960s guitar hero is contested: Vivid Entertainment relies on private detectives and Hendrix acquaintances—while a girlfriend...
'Outraged' Obama Blasts Away Ties to Wright
Boston Globe
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Apr 29, 2008 1:46 PM CDT
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Barack Obama fired back at Jeremiah Wright today, calling his former pastor’s media tour a “spectacle,” and saying his “rants” give “comfort to those who prey on hate.” In all but severing ties with Wright, the Boston Globe reports, Obama said the reverend had done “great damage” to their personal...
Fewer Kids Get Needed Shots
ABC News
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Apr 29, 2008 1:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Fewer kids in the US are getting needed vaccinations, a study by the Centers for Disease Control finds. More than one in four have skipped or received mistimed doses of important immunizations, ABC News reports. "It's really important that parents understand how important it is to get their kids vaccinated on time and within the recommended guidelines,"...
Taliban Bombs Afghan Opium Task Force, Killing 18
CNN
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Apr 29, 2008 1:23 PM CDT
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A suicide bomber struck a meeting today of an Afghan poppy-eradication team, CNN reports, killing at least 18, including 11 police officers and seven civilians. Another 41 were injured in the attack in the eastern Nangarhar province; authorities said the incident was further proof of the rebel Taliban's involvement with the opium trade, believed to...
Patch Aims to Trigger Sex With Smell
MSNBC
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Apr 29, 2008 1:10 PM CDT
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A new patch is being marketed to make women think "sexy time"—but does it really work? Scentuelle’s “libido patch” claims to “turn you on” and “enhance feelings of sexuality through our sense of smell." Linda Dahlstrom of MSNBC tried it, and was surprised by the power of its lemony scent. "I...
Clinton Preparing For O'Reilly Factor Debut
Mediabistro
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Apr 29, 2008 12:58 PM CDT
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Hillary Clinton will sit down for the first time with Bill O’Reilly tomorrow, the Los Angeles Times reports. After months of a virtual Democratic boycott of Fox News, and days after Barack Obama sat down with Chris Wallace, the former first lady will face the network’s most famous anchor in an interview to air tomorrow and Thursday on...
Nepal Boots Pro-Tibet US Climber
Times of India (India)
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Apr 29, 2008 12:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nepal deported an American climber yesterday, the Times of India reports, after police at a Mount Everest base camp found a pro-Tibetan banner in his backpack. Nepal, staunchly pro-China, has enacted restrictions—and authorized security forces to use guns—to prevent protests when the Olympic torch ascends the world's tallest mountain...
Playgroups, Daycare Cut Leukemia Risk
BBC
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Apr 29, 2008 12:31 PM CDT
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Enrolling your kids in a preschool, playgroup or daycare center could reduce their risk of getting leukemia by 30-40%, a study finds. Exposing children to other youngsters at a tender age toughens their immune systems, which researchers infer helps them stave off the cancer.
Gibson to Return to Big Screen
Variety
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Apr 29, 2008 12:17 PM CDT
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Hollywood honchos said he’d never work in this town again, but Mel Gibson has managed to land his first role since his drunken anti-Semitic antics 2 years ago, Variety reports. Oddly enough, the actor, who's still on probation imposed following the July 2006 DUI incident, will play a police investigator.
No Such Thing as 'Fit but Fat'
Associated Press
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Apr 29, 2008 12:04 PM CDT
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If you’re overweight or obese, exercise alone doesn't appear to reduce risk of heart disease, according to a study that pokes a hole in the “fit but fat” theory. The study followed nearly 39,000 women over 11 years, and found even active overweight women were 54% more likely to develop heart disease. For the obese, that figure ballooned...
10 Takes on What Obama Should Do
Salon
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Apr 29, 2008 11:51 AM CDT
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Six of 10 pundits Salon asked what Barack Obama should do about the Jeremiah Wright problem say the candidate must get rid of the reverend. Andrew Sullivan calls Wright’s latest remarks “bitter and racist” and “a provocation"; he must be "clearly and irrevocably disowned." Martin Kaplan calls Wright “part...
SNL Alum's Dad Murdered in Nashville
TMZ
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Apr 29, 2008 11:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A hit-making Nashville songwriter was charged yesterday in the pocketknife murder of his producing partner, who—in a headline-grabbing twist out of an old country ballad—is the father of former Saturday Night Live comedienne Cheri Oteri, TMZ reports. Nashville police said Oteri’s father had a "significant laceration”...
Home Prices Take Record Dive
Bloomberg
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Apr 29, 2008 11:24 AM CDT
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A key measure of home prices fell fell 12.7% in February, the biggest decline in its 7 years of existence, and consumer confidence measured this month hit a 5-year low, Bloomberg reports. The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index reflects the crush of foreclosures and resultant tightening of lending standards. “There is no sign of a bottom in...
Tearful Singer: Clemens Affair Rumors True
New York Daily News
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Apr 29, 2008 11:17 AM CDT
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Country star Mindy McCready confirmed that she had a 10-year affair with Roger Clemens in a tearful interview yesterday with the New York Daily News. "I cannot refute anything in the story," McCready says. The two met in 1991, when the singer was 15, and Clemens was 28 and married, although the relationship didn't become sexual until later.
Leia & Solo's On-Set Romp
Sun (UK)
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Apr 29, 2008 11:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Princess Leia has finally 'fessed up to some off-camera laser-play with Han Solo during the filming of Star Wars , the Sun reports. "I went on the film saying ‘I’m going to have an affair,’ like it was a kiwi, an exotic fruit," Carrie Fisher tells the British show Bring Back , "because I’d never had one!" ...
UN Ready to Tackle Hunger
BBC
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Apr 29, 2008 10:52 AM CDT
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United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is putting together a task force to deal with an "unprecedented" world crisis that's left 100 million without enough food, the BBC reports. Ban also called on donors to follow through on pledges for the World Food Program, saying only 62% of the $755 million needed has been promised—and only...
