Newser Story Index from May, 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.
Bereaved Parents Question Quake School Safety
Washington Post
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May 23, 2008 1:33 PM CDT
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Nearly 7,000 schools were destroyed in the Chinese earthquake, and parents want answers. In particular, they want to know why so many nearby government buildings survived while schoolchildren died, the Washington Post reports. “This building is totally a ‘bad tofu’ project,” said one grieving mother. “We feel it is wrong...
Nuclear Sub Damage Linked to Tracing Paper
Guardian (UK)
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May 23, 2008 1:29 PM CDT
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Investigators have found the culprit behind a $10 million nuclear submarine accident: Tracing paper. HMS Trafalgar struck the seabed in 2002 because a piece of tracing paper obscured key details on a nautical chart, the Guardian reports.
No Charges for Scientology Protester
BBC
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May 23, 2008 1:10 PM CDT
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Charges against a 15-year-old who called Scientology as a ‘cult’ were dropped today, the BBC reports. The London police issued a mea culpa after a court ruled that the teen’s holding up a sign reading, "Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult," did not constitute “abusive or insulting” behavior.
US Imports its Drug-Sniffing Dogs for $4,500 Each
USA Today
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May 23, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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The US government purchases hundreds of untrained bomb- and drug-sniffing dogs from Europe every year for as much as $4,535 each, quadruple the price of American dogs, a new federal report says. Domestic breeders and spending watchdogs are angered by the government's penchant for expensive foreign purebreds. "What kind of dogs are these—gold-plated?"...
Williams In High Spirits at Cannes
People
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May 23, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
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Michelle Williams, in her first high-profile appearance since Heath Ledger’s death, seemed in high spirits at the Cannes Film Festival, People reports. She said it was "cool" to be there for the premiere of her film Wendy and Lucy and also to promote Synechdoche , in which she stars with Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Biden Backs Obama on Talking to Foes
Wall Street Journal
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May 23, 2008 12:40 PM CDT
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Joe Biden takes on Senate colleague Joe Lieberman in the Wall Street Journal today. Lieberman charged earlier this week that Democrats have lost the thread on FDR-style internationalism; Biden counters that it’s Bush who's lost it, with careless saber-rattling and a poorly targeted war on terror, both of which John McCain would perpetuate....
Cannes Agrees: Che Is ... Long
New York Times
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May 23, 2008 12:30 PM CDT
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Steven Soderbergh’s much-anticipated Che Guevara biopic debuted last night at Cannes, and critics agree on at least two points: It was really, really long, and American audiences might never get to see it. A tough sell to distributors, the 4½-hour Che focuses almost entirely on military procedure, with mirror halves depicting first the...
Wii Fit Is Great for Couch Potatoes
USA Today
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May 23, 2008 12:11 PM CDT
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Nintendo's Wii Fit is great for fitness beginners who want to shed their couch-potato ways, but more experienced athletes will want to stick with the gym, writes Jinny Gunmundsen in USA Today . The game delivers a fun and inventive way to tone muscles, improve balance, and burn calories, but hard-core athletes will likely find it to be no more than...
Indy Driver Raises Profile—on Dance Floor
USA Today
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May 23, 2008 12:00 PM CDT
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Six months ago, few beyond IndyCar fans recognized the name Helio Castroneves. Thanks to "Dancing with the Stars," however, Helio’s celebrity-status has skyrocketed. The Indy Racing League is enjoying the ride—the racer’s surge in popularity has been tremendous for the sport. "It's interesting to be in this spot...
Who's Afraid of Google Health?
The Atlantic
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May 23, 2008 11:51 AM CDT
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Google's new health record-sharing service has privacy advocates' hearts racing. But the benefits outweigh the risks, both in costs and potential lives saved, James Gibney argues in the Atlantic. Ready access to personal health records could prevent medical errors like incorrectly prescribed meds while saving billions in related costs.
Google Guru Prods FCC Over Wi-Fi
Wall Street Journal
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May 23, 2008 11:46 AM CDT
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Google co-founder Larry Page urged Congress and the FCC this week to open up access to unused television airwaves to broaden the reach of wireless Internet. Page asserted that the unused waves, called "white space," would increase Wi-Fi range in rural areas and help provide Internet capability to the entire country, reports the Wall Street...
Six Pandas Moved From Rattled Reserve
AFP
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May 23, 2008 11:36 AM CDT
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Six hungry pandas have been transferred to a new reserve in southwest China in the wake of the region's massive earthquake, AFP reports. Their shelters damaged and food scarce, the giant pandas were moved from the renowned Wolong breeding center; eight others will be sent to Beijing tomorrow ahead of their display at the Olympics. No pandas were killed...
Audit Shows Billions Unaccounted for in Iraq
New York Times
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May 23, 2008 11:20 AM CDT
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A Pentagon audit of $8.2 billion in taxpayer money spent in Iraq found that nearly all of the handouts skirted federal rules, and millions of dollars in contracts were awarded with little or no record of what they were for, reports the New York Times . Take the $320.8 million that was issued to 1,000 Iraqis for "Iraqi Salary Payment"—$320,800...
Upon Further Review, MLB Weighs Instant Replay
ESPN
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May 23, 2008 11:10 AM CDT
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Baseball may begin experimenting with instant replay, starting in the Arizona Fall League and possibly second-guessing big-league umps as soon as next season, a source tells ESPN. But a league official told the AP, "We've made no final decision as to where exactly we're going to try it out, do any test runs or anything yet."
Online Social Networks Redefine 'Friends'
Washington Post
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May 23, 2008 11:00 AM CDT
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Online social networks such as Facebook and MySpace have altered the meaning of friendship, writes Steven Levy in The Washington Post . Instead of genuine chums, people are collecting hundreds and even thousands of friends without any real-world contact. When it comes to rejecting friend requests, "it's socially awkward, and very hard to draw...
Clinton's Sexism Charges 'Insulting'
Wall Street Journal
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May 23, 2008 10:50 AM CDT
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Hillary Clinton’s claims of misogyny this week were cheap shots that history’s greatest women never would have uttered, Peggy Noonan writes in the Wall Street Journal . Suggesting that sexism is costing her the nomination is “insulting” and “manipulative”—it paints other candidates’ supporters as biased—it’s...
Baseball Finally Back to Normal
Washington Post
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May 23, 2008 10:42 AM CDT
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After over a decade of chemical-fueled insanity, baseball is back to normal, writes Thomas Boswell in the Washington Post. Home run totals are down 10.4% this spring, after an 8% drop last year. The sport is on pace to return to the century-old statistical norms ripped to shreds by the steroid era. “I think this is a good thing,” said...
Airline Business Model Won't Work With $130 Oil
Dallas Morning News
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May 23, 2008 10:40 AM CDT
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The airline industry as we know it can’t function on $130-a-barrel oil, industry analysts are saying, and cost-cutting, ticket price increases, and bag-check fees won't make it viable. The Dallas Morning News looks at how hopeless it is for airlines to come anywhere near break-even at current costs, noting that an expert said last fall it couldn't...
'Danica Rule' Is Confusing, Controversial
Indianapolis Star
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May 23, 2008 10:31 AM CDT
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Danica Patrick will carry 35 pounds of ballast in her car in this weekend's Indianapolis 500 to make up for her tiny, 100-pound body. But even those who agree that ballasting is the fair way to account for differences in racers' body sizes aren't sure the IndyCar system is entirely fair, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Madonna: Adopting as Hard as Childbirth
AFP
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May 23, 2008 10:30 AM CDT
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Madonna says her struggle to adopt a 3-year-old boy from Malawi is much like childbirth, AFP reports. “I sort of went through my own kind of birthing pains with dealing with the press on my front doorstep accusing me of kidnapping,” the singer said. “It was painful, but in the end, I rationalised that, when a woman has a child and...
Will This Be Serena's Year at French Open?
New York Sun
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May 23, 2008 10:22 AM CDT
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Justine Henin's abrupt retirement clears the way for Serena Williams to reassert herself in women's tennis, writes Tom Perrotta in the New York Sun , and there's no better place to start than this week's French Open. Last year, Henin took Williams down in all three majors, but Serena now seems to be at the top of her game mentally and phyiscally....
HBO's Recount Scathing But Fair
Salon
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May 23, 2008 10:11 AM CDT
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"Recount," HBO’s “first-rate” docudrama about the aftermath of the 2000 presidential election, takes the bold step of showing the harsh truth of the story, instead of “playing it safe,” writes Gary Kamiya for Salon. Leading players on both sides approved the script—surprising, Kamiya notes, “because...
In Poll, Californians Oppose Gay Marriage—Barely
Los Angeles Times
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May 23, 2008 10:01 AM CDT
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A majority of Californians opposes gay marriage, but the margin is very slim, according to a new LA Times poll. For the moment, gay marriage is legal in California, but voters could ban it by approving a constitutional amendment in November. Right now 54% say they support a ban. But a majority also believes that homosexuality isn’t morally...
Miami Cubans Toe Softer Line on Embargo
Time
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May 23, 2008 9:43 AM CDT
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In his speech in Miami this week, John McCain talked the familiar macho talk on Cuba, taking a hard line on the embargo and ridiculing Barack Obama for suggesting that he might open a dialogue with Raul Castro. That may still play with older exiles, Time notes, but a growing number of younger Cuban-Americans don't believe the embargo has any hope...
US Rations Silver Dollars as Investors Scoop Them Up
Wall Street Journal
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May 23, 2008 9:31 AM CDT
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Investors and coin collectors are hopping mad at the US Mint for placing quotas on purchasing silver dollars, the Wall Street Journal reports. The price of silver has more than doubled in the last three years, and investors looking to cash in on the boom—and avoid the stock and real estate markets—are snapping up this year's "silver...
Yahoo Postpones Boardroom Showdown
Forbes
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May 23, 2008 9:15 AM CDT
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Yahoo has pushed back its annual shareholder meeting for a second time, reports Forbes , delaying a showdown for control of its board. One of Yahoo's 10 directors resigned yesterday, leaving nine up for re-election at the meeting. Carl Icahn has nominated an alternate slate of directors, including himself, and will try to push through a deal with...
Mag Uses Wheat Paper for Green Issue
CBC (Canada)
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May 23, 2008 8:56 AM CDT
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A Canadian magazine is printing a special environmental issue on paper made from wheat straw, the CBC reports. Canadian Geographic' s "wheat sheets," made from harvest waste, will be a first for a North American magazine. Environmentalists say using wheat-straw pulp could save millions of trees every year and help farmers boost their incomes.
Bill Likes Idea of Hillary as VP
New York Times
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May 23, 2008 8:30 AM CDT
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Hillary Clinton has vowed to keep fighting for the nomination, but family friends say Bill Clinton is warming to the idea of an Obama-Clinton ticket, the New York Times reports. He sees it as Hillary's best chance to eventually become president and thinks her big-state victories have earned her serious consideration. Meanwhile, members of her camp...
Tainted Pet Food Firms Settle With Owners
Associated Press
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May 23, 2008 8:06 AM CDT
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Pet-food companies have agreed to a $24-million settlement with pet owners after their products were tied to the deaths of thousands of animals, the AP reports. Under the deal, pet owners can be reimbursed for financial losses, such as vet bills, burial costs, and the market value of their lost pets. Those who don’t have records of their expenses...
Scenes From an Earthquake Marriage
Associated Press
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May 23, 2008 8:02 AM CDT
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A wedding photographer shooting pictures of a bride and groom captured instead dramatic images of the catastrophic China earthquake. Photographers were shooting at a popular spot for newly married couples when the earth moved. The photos show young women in wedding attire, dusty and shaken, amid the ruins of China's deadly earthquake.
Bullets Hit LA Police Chopper, Force Landing
Los Angeles Times
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May 23, 2008 7:50 AM CDT
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Two bullets struck a Los Angeles sheriff’s helicopter and forced it to make an emergency landing, the Los Angeles Times reports. Noone was hurt. The chopper was on its way to investigate a robbery when bullets hit its belly and tail, apparently from a high-powered rifle. Several men have been detained for questioning, but no arrests have been...
Vandals Chip Away at Stonehenge
Associated Press
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May 23, 2008 7:35 AM CDT
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Vandals chipped off a coin-sized piece of Stonehenge’s central megalith last week before escaping security guards, the AP reports. Two men used a hammer to knock off the piece, then hopped a fence and drove away. Local police are investigating the attack on the ancient World Heritage site.
Medical Records Show McCain Fit, Cancer-Free
Associated Press
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May 23, 2008 7:11 AM CDT
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John McCain's campaign gave the AP the first look at 8 years of the 71-year-old senator's medical records, which show no sign of the melanoma he’s been treated for four times, although he had a lesion removed as recently as February and continues to be at risk for new skin cancers. And though he takes cholesterol medication, doctors say he scores...
To Beat Jet Lag, Skip Airline Food
Telegraph (UK)
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May 23, 2008 7:05 AM CDT
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Jet lag can be beaten—if passengers avoid airline food, new research suggests. The timing of meals has a profound effect on the body's internal rhythms, and passengers who go without for a while—keeping the body's "food-related clock" in check—can dodge much of the exhausting effects of jet lag, reports the Daily Telegraph....
Obama Pledges Support for Israel to Fla. Jews
Politico
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May 23, 2008 6:33 AM CDT
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Barack Obama sought to quell skepticism about him in the Jewish community yesterday by addressing a tough audience of older Jewish voters in a Conservative synagogue in Boca Raton, Florida. He asked the audience not to judge him by his 'funny name' or his skin color, to ignore the erroneous emails and rumors that he is a Muslim. "Judge me by what...
Burma Agrees to Accept All Aid
Bloomberg
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May 23, 2008 5:34 AM CDT
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Burma has agreed to let international disaster relief workers into the country to help with the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, Bloomberg reports. The junta's about-face came after UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who flew in yesterday, met the nation's reclusive military leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe. The UN hopes to ramp up operations in the Irrawaddy...
Polygamy Kids Could Be Back Home in 10 Days
Time
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May 23, 2008 4:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yesterday's surprise court ruling in favor of a polygamous sect has Texas authorities scrambling, Time reports. An appeals judge ruled that the state had no right to seize children suspected of being sexually abused from the Yearning for Zion ranch. Officials now must appeal the ruling or return the children within 10 days
Buy Car, Get Gun Free
BBC
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May 23, 2008 4:34 AM CDT
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Sales have shot up at a Missouri car dealership with a novel new promotion, reports the BBC. Anybody buying a new car at Max Motors before the end of the month gets a $250 gas card—or a gun. The "God, Guns and Gas" deal was inspired by Barack Obama's comments about small-towners clinging to guns and religion, according to the owner,...
Polly Wanna Get Home: Here's My Address
BBC
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May 23, 2008 4:11 AM CDT
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A vet in Japan was stumped on how to reunite a lost parrot with its owners—until the brainy bird told him his address and his owner's name. The well-trained African gray has been safely reunited with his human family, the BBC reports. The bird kept mum in police custody but got chatty when it was sent to an animal clinic, calling out greetings...
Brit Cafe Bomber 'Preyed On by Extremists'
Guardian (UK)
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May 23, 2008 3:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
British police believe a mentally ill man who tried to blow himself up in a restaurant yesterday was taken advantage of by Islamic extremists, the Guardian reports. The recent convert to Islam walked into a busy restaurant in the West Country city of Exeter and exploded a device. The only person hurt was the bomber, who suffered serious facial injuries....
Olympic Sprinter Pettigrew Admits Doping
Associated Press
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May 23, 2008 3:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew passed all his drug tests during his career—but admitted in court yesterday that he took steroids. The confession came at the trial of his former coach, Trevor Graham, who has pleaded not guilty to charges he lied to federal authorities investigating doping allegations. Pettigrew testified that Graham...
7 Minutes of Danger in Mars Quest
Christian Science Monitor
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May 23, 2008 2:52 AM CDT
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The latest NASA mission searching for signs of life on Mars comes to a heart-pounding climax Sunday as the Phoenix Lander attempts to touch down at the red planet's pole in a hunt for water. The lander must perform complex maneuvers in which the whole mission is at risk for a full 7 minutes, reports the Christian Science Monitor .
Pistons Head Home 'All-Square'
Associated Press
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May 23, 2008 2:33 AM CDT
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The Detroit Pistons proved that a visiting team can win in Boston. Now they can reach the NBA finals without having to do it again. Richard Hamilton nailed 25 points, and the Pistons beat the Celtics 103-97 last night, tying the Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece and seizing the home-court advantage that has meant everything to the Celtics.
New Election Loss Could Be Knock-Out Punch for Brown
Guardian (UK)
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May 23, 2008 2:32 AM CDT
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The crushing defeat for the Labor Party yesterday in an election in a working class district of England could spell disaster for Prime Minister Gordon Brown, reports the Guardian . The opposition Tory candidate beat the ruling party choice in a by-election to fill a death vacancy by a whopping margin in the decaying northern England industrial town...
OJ Mayo, Agent Calvin Andrews Cut Ties
Los Angeles Times
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May 23, 2008 1:50 AM CDT
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Former USC guard OJ Mayo has cut ties with agent Calvin Andrews. The decision comes less than two weeks after allegations he violated NCAA rules by accepting cash donations while in high school and college. "Due to the overwhelming intensity of recent allegations regarding the recruitment of OJ Mayo, we feel that our representation of him is a...
It's Time to Bring Back Geography to Classrooms
American
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May 22, 2008 9:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The impressive skills of 11-year-old Akshay Rajagopal—the nation's new geography bee champ—are all too rare. In fact, lots of Americans are geographically illiterate to an appalling degree, writes Evan Sparks in the American . At some point, the nation decided to leave the subject out of school curricula. Geography, for example, is the...
US Can Drive 55—and Should, Greens Say
Wired
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May 22, 2008 9:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Escalating fuel prices and fear of global warming are rekindling debate over the nation's maximum speed limit—and environmentalists are urging Congress to slow the US back down to 55 mph, Wired reports. Advocates say going back to the speed limit set during the oil crunch of the 1970s will allow cars to get better gas mileage and emit less...
McCain to Give Glimpse of Medical Files Tomorrow
Los Angeles Times
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May 22, 2008 8:20 PM CDT
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John McCain will give the media a glimpse of his medical records tomorrow, but restrictions will be tight, the Los Angeles Times reports. The campaign will allow a small group of reporters to review 400 pages of documents in 3 hours. They can take notes but can't remove the files or make photocopies. The 71-year-old senator had melanoma surgery in...
The Nation's Best Beach?
Associated Press
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May 22, 2008 7:40 PM CDT
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With its fine, white sand and relative seclusion, Florida's Caladesi Island—on the Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay—is the nation's best beach, says a Florida professor who issues annual rankings. This year's runners-up, from the AP: Hanalei Beach, Hawaii Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida Coopers Beach in Southampton,...
Feds Want to Help Cover Your Web Tracks
Washington Post
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May 22, 2008 6:57 PM CDT
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The Federal Trade Commission is considering guidelines governing how online advertisers target consumers based on their Web surfing—and some lawmakers want them to be mandatory, the Washington Post reports. Privacy advocates are pushing to limit behavioral tracking, but some Internet companies say that could mean sites won’t be able to...
