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.
NY State Gay Marriage Foes Weigh Strategies
New York Times
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May 30, 2008 4:08 PM CDT
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The surprise news that New York will recognize out-of-state gay marriages has traditionalists weighing public pressure and legal action, the New York Times reports. One Republican said a lawsuit charging Gov. David Paterson with overstepping his authority was possible; others compared the move to Eliot Spitzer’s foiled attempt to issue illegal...
Bush Mob Sets Its Sights on McClellan
New York Daily News
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May 30, 2008 3:55 PM CDT
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The Bush administration's reaction to Scott McClellan's new book should look familiar to anyone with HBO, with one important difference, writes Mike Lupica in the Daily News. "it has become clear by now that even the hoods from The Sopranos would be out of their weight class with George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Karl Rove."
Spy Scandal at German Phone Giant Grows
Der Spiegel
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May 30, 2008 3:44 PM CDT
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Deutsche Telekom apparently didn’t stop at looking through the phone records of board members and journalists in its bid to end leaks. The German phone giant also tracked their movements and may have snooped into personal bank records, Der Spiegel reports. Top executives also worked with a detective agency run by members of the former East...
Mixed Day Yields Mixed Results
MarketWatch
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May 30, 2008 3:30 PM CDT
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Stocks ended mixed after a seesaw session today, with strong performance by tech and energy shares contrasting with bad news on consumer spending and incomes, MarketWatch reports. The Dow closed down 7.90 at 12,638.32. The Nasdaq gained 14.34 to 2,522.66, while the S&P 500 ticked up 2.12, ending at 1,400.38.
Comcast Hackers: Company Dismissed Our Warning
Wired
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May 30, 2008 3:10 PM CDT
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Two teens who wrested control of Comcast’s homepage and webmail for 5 hours yesterday say they warned the company before the hijacking but were brushed off. In an interview with Wired , the two anonymous teens were triumphant about their assault on the ISP but expected to be arrested. “I wish I was a minor right now because this is going...
Feds Approve Icahn's Yahoo Stock Buys
MarketWatch
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May 30, 2008 2:52 PM CDT
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The Federal Trade Commission gave Carl Icahn approval to purchase additional chunks of Yahoo stock, part of the activist investor's plan to gain control of the company's board and perhaps force a sale, MarketWatch reports. Icahn already owns 59 million Yahoo shares and options and is reportedly seeking 93 million more (a $2.5 billion value).
Second Man Dead in NYC Crane Wreck
Associated Press
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May 30, 2008 2:31 PM CDT
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The construction crane accident in New York this morning has claimed a second life, that of a 27-year-old construction worker. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the builders were apparently up to snuff with regulations, AP reports, but added, “What has happened is unacceptable and intolerable.” The project was slapped with two stop-work orders...
Gay? Fine. How About Some Grandkids?
New America Media
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May 30, 2008 2:30 PM CDT
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Once, most gay Indian-Americans could come out with one simple sentence: “Mom, Dad, I don’t think I am going to get married,” Sandip Roy writes for New America Media. But now that California has legalized gay marriage, Roy isn’t sure how to appease his folks. Like many supposedly conservative immigrant parents, they'd probably...
Man Discovers Woman Living in His Closet
Reuters
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May 30, 2008 2:20 PM CDT
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A Japanese man was living with a woman—but he didn't know it. The Fukuoka, Japan, resident busted the squatter after noticing food disappearing from his kitchen and setting up a hidden camera, Reuters reports. He called police after the camera sent his phone pictures of the woman eating. Cops discovered a mattress and water bottles in an unused...
Bored at Work? Site Disguises Classic Lit
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 2:08 PM CDT
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Business world got you down? Want to escape into a classic poem or short story? The New Zealand Book Council has made a website to help you: ReadatWork.com. The site brings up a fake Windows desktop with folders and PowerPoint files, the Wall Street Journal reports. Click on them, and you get classic literature disguised as a business presentation.
The Strangers Not Welcome
Rotten Tomatoes
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May 30, 2008 1:50 PM CDT
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Critics agree that writer-director Bryan Bertino shows promise in his freshman film, home-invasion horror flick The Strangers , but they differ on whether the material was worthy of the talent. Jessica Reaves, writing in the Los Angeles Times , praises a “taut, spare thriller” that’s “enormously unsettling”—she...
Gay Marriage May Yet Emerge as November Wedge
Politico
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May 30, 2008 1:45 PM CDT
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Despite the relatively muted national reaction to California’s approval of gay marriage, same-sex unions still matter to Americans and may yet become a wedge issue in November on par with their decisive role in 2004, Politico reports. Last time around, the controversy grew slowly after Massachusetts' legalization in 2003. If the same holds true...
Frankenstein Betrays His Master
Washington Post
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May 30, 2008 1:35 PM CDT
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In Scott McClellan, the White House built a Frankenstein monster to regurgitate its “talking points, monotonously if not mindlessly, no matter what argument or fact stood in the way,” Dana Milbank writes in the Washington Post . Well now the monster is back, with “famous fealty to his message…as stubborn as ever”—but...
Lawsuit Gives Consumers Free Look at Credit Scores
Los Angeles Times
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May 30, 2008 1:25 PM CDT
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More than 160 million consumers will be treated to a free look at their credit score, thanks to a class-action settlement against TransUnion Corp., the LA Times reports. Everyone who had any kind of loan account between 1987 and yesterday is entitled to 6 months of free credit reporting; at its normal rate of $59.75, the deal could cost TransUnion...
Norwegian Electric Car Will Cruise US Streets
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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An electric car that can travel up to 110 miles when fully charged will hit select US cities next year, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Think City, from Norwegian automaker Think Global AS, is already on the road in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and will set American consumers back less than $25,000. The company plans to produce as well as sell...
San Francisco, Seattle Top US Fittest Cities List
USA Today
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May 30, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
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San Francisco has narrowly edged out Seattle for the distinction of being America's fittest big city, says a new study released by the American College of Sports Medicine. Judging 16 large metropolitan areas on factors ranging from exercise frequency and fruit intake to the availability of parks and public transportation, the study put Los Angeles...
Flak Denies Report of Twins' Birth
OK!
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May 30, 2008 12:41 PM CDT
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Angelina Jolie's reps are denying reports by the French media and "Entertainment Tonight" that the actress has given birth to twins. Reports that babies Isla (rhymes with Lila) Marcheline and Amelie Jane Jolie-Pitt were born Sunday in the Aix-en-Provence region had been circulating since last night, but a spokesperson tells OK!, "Angelina...
Furious Dole Calls McClellan 'Miserable Creature'
Politico
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May 30, 2008 12:28 PM CDT
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Bush turncoat Scott McClellan may have taken his hardest hit yesterday in a personal message from Bob Dole, who called the ex-press secretary a “miserable creature.” “Your type soaks up the benefits of power, revels in the limelight for years, then quits, and spurred on by greed, cashes in with a scathing critique,” the 1996...
Junta Closing Cyclone Shelters
BBC
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May 30, 2008 12:16 PM CDT
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The Burmese junta has reportedly begun closing shelters and telling cyclone victims to return to their decimated villages, a move that drew strong condemnation from a UN official, the BBC reports. Military leaders, apparently worried that the camps will become permanent aid centers, have given victims tents and bamboo poles and told them to rebuild...
Lesbian Liplock Sparks Stadium PDA Dispute
KOMOTV.com
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May 30, 2008 12:10 PM CDT
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The Seattle Mariners' response to a fan complaint has set off a dispute about gay rights and public displays of affection. A Safeco Field employee told a lesbian couple they had to either stop kissing in the stands or leave the game, KOMO TV reports. One of the women says the kiss was a peck on the lips, but security received a report of "groping...
'Lost' Delivers Mind-Blowing Finale
Chicago Tribune
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May 30, 2008 12:02 PM CDT
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The fourth season of "Lost" came to an explosive conclusion last night, and as usual it left its devotees thrilled, bewildered, and scurrying toward Wikipedia. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune found herself pausing, rewinding, and having “14 different kinds of reactions in two hours.” As promised, the finale saw the rescue...
France Eases Wine Laws to Cork Competition
Times (UK)
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May 30, 2008 11:53 AM CDT
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France is ditching some long-cherished wine rules to compete with upstart New World wines, the London Times reports. The country, which sees itself as the center of the wine world, has been steadily losing market share to wines from places like Australia and California. A new class of French wine will permit "foreign" techniques such as...
Kiss Cuddles With Condoleezza
Associated Press
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May 30, 2008 11:34 AM CDT
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In a crossing of paths fit for Madame Tussauds, ‘70s icons Kiss were staying at the same Stockholm hotel as Condoleezza Rice yesterday. Not content to be strangers passing in the Swedish night, the rockers asked if the secretary of state could stop by after dining with the country’s foreign minister, the AP reports. A photo op ensued, and...
Bridget Jones Sinking Sales of Chardonnay?
Independent (UK)
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May 30, 2008 11:28 AM CDT
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The thirtysomething neurotic character Bridget Jones is getting the blame for plummeting sales of chardonnay in the UK, the Independent reports. The fictional publishing assistant miserably pours herself a tall glass after each one of her attempts at landing a husband fails—not exactly a great marketing tool. "Chardonnay has made some...
Phonetics Reformers Buzzing at Spelling Bee
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 11:15 AM CDT
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Every year, the National Spelling Bee sparks a protest from an 800-year-old movement that aims to simplify spelling by using phonetics, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Think thru vs. through.) “We have 42 different sounds in English, and we spell them 400 different ways,” says the 102-year-old founder of the movement’s modern...
First Austrian Cellar Girl Becomes Talk Show Host
Guardian (UK)
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May 30, 2008 11:01 AM CDT
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An Austrian woman who was held captive for more than 8 years has achieved her dream of hosting a talk show, the Guardian reports. TV had been Natascha Kampusch's main source of entertainment during her years trapped in a cellar before her escape; now she’s seeing “the other side” of broadcasting. “I'm interested in people...
Pistil-Packin' Guerrilla Gardeners Strike LA
Los Angeles Times
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May 30, 2008 10:51 AM CDT
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"Guerrilla gardeners" armed with plants are stealthily greening neglected and forgotten patches of land in Los Angeles and other cities across the nation. The furtive horticulturalists have nighttime planting parties or "seed bombings" and turn corners of the city into flower or food gardens, reports the Los Angeles Times . In...
Big Brown's Trainer Makes Big Boast
USA Today
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May 30, 2008 10:41 AM CDT
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When Big Brown enters the gate for the Belmont Stakes next week, one member of the crowd won't be on pins and needles: Rick Dutrow is confident his horse will win, reports USA Today . "I feel that he will do it. It's actually a foregone conclusion for me," the trainer said yesterday of his colt's Triple Crown chances.
Piracy Police Accidentally Hit Non-Pirates
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 10:34 AM CDT
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MediaDefender’s job is to hunt down pirates. The company specializes in seeding piracy sites with fake files, or “spoofs,” frustrating would-be media thieves. There’s just one problem: Its latest victim, Revision3 Corp, isn’t actually pirating anything. An Internet TV network, Revision3 was using file sharing technology—legally—to...
Shania Pal Denies Affair With Hubby
People
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May 30, 2008 10:29 AM CDT
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Shania Twain's longtime personal assistant denies she had an affair with the country crooner’s hubby of 14 years and caused the couple’s split, People reports. "You cannot believe everything you read in the press," said Marie-Anne Thiébaud, 37, of the reports that she and music producer Robert "Mutt" Lange,...
SUV Credit Crunch Rolls Over Ford
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 10:18 AM CDT
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Ford's plans to get back in the black are being forced off the road by woes at its lending arm, the Wall Street Journal reports. The auto giant made a lot of cut-rate loans on trucks and SUVs in recent years and has been unable to recoup losses on bad loans through repossessions because of the plummeting resale value of bigger vehicles.
What's Next for the Spurs?
ESPN
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May 30, 2008 10:13 AM CDT
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With the Spurs' dreams of repeating as NBA champs foiled again, ESPN looks to the experts to explain why they couldn't go the distance, and to see what lies ahead for San Antonio. The advancing ages of Tim Duncan and most of the bench probably contributed to the loss, and Manu Ginobili's patchy play didn't help much.
Is This a Joke? Brooks Leaving Movie Biz
New York Post
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May 30, 2008 9:59 AM CDT
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Are Mel Brooks' days in Hollywood over? The comic king is quietly closing his Brooksfilms, the New York Post reports. He founded the LA-based production company in 1980 to produce more serious films such as The Elephant Man but also put out classics such as Spaceballs . Brooks, who turns 82 next month, is still considering a couple gigs on Broadway.
Spears Still Too Shaky for Court
People
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May 30, 2008 9:46 AM CDT
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Britney Spears still isn't ready to take part in the legal proceedings of her conservatorship case, a Los Angeles court commissioner has decided. The official said the singer is unable to participate "in any meaningful way" and may need more tests, People reports. Spears' affairs are currently being handled by her father and her attorney.
Great Sex for Series Fans
Rotten Tomatoes
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May 30, 2008 9:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sex and the City: The Movie will probably delight die-hard fans but disappoint others, critics say. “I am not the person to review this movie,” admits Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times—not a fan — who writes that he counted only “one line of truly witty dialogue.” Nevertheless, “this is probably the...
Which Party Has Better Primaries?
New York Times
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May 30, 2008 9:20 AM CDT
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Which system is better, the ruthless Republican winner-takes-all primary system, or the Democrats’ kindergarten-inspired everyone-gets-a-prize process? New York Times columnists David Brook and Gail Collins banter on just that point. Brooks thinks the Republicans' swift, clean process is superior, while Collins notes that it’s the results...
50 Cent Home Engulfed in 'Suspicious' Fire
Newsday
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May 30, 2008 9:08 AM CDT
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The multimillion-dollar, lawsuit-entangled New York home from which rapper 50 Cent was attempting to evict his son and baby mama went up in “definitely suspicious” flames early this morning, Newsday reports. An eyewitness told Newsday that the 32-year-old’s ex, Shaniqua Tompkins, and 10-year-old son were among six in the sprawling...
CIA Chief: Tide Turning Against Al-Qaeda
Washington Post
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May 30, 2008 8:57 AM CDT
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Al-Qaeda is "near strategic defeat" in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and the tide is turning against it elsewhere, CIA chief Michael Hayden says in a surprisingly upbeat Washington Post interview today. In contrast to a reports of an al-Qaeda resurgence a year ago, Hayden now cites “significant setbacks for al-Qaeda globally,”...
Cell Phone Market Nears Saturation
USA Today
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May 30, 2008 8:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The number of Americans signing up for cell phone service is slowing down after more than a decade of explosive growth, reports USA Today . Within a couple of years, experts say, just about everybody who wants a cell phone will have one, meaning good news for consumers as companies focus on luring each other's customers away instead of signing up...
Marine In Iraq Suspended Over Bible-Quoting Coins
CNN
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May 30, 2008 8:31 AM CDT
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A US Marine has been suspended after he reportedly distributed coins with Bible verses at an entry point in Falluja, CNN reports. One coin reportedly asked, in Arabic, “Where will you spend eternity?” Military rules forbid troops from proselytizing. A US spokesman apologized to angry Muslims and said “appropriate action” would...
NYC Crane Collapse Kills at Least 1
New York Times
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May 30, 2008 8:14 AM CDT
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A construction crane collapsed on the Upper East Side of Manhattan today, killing the cab operator and injuring several others, the New York Times reports. The collapse came at 8 am, just 24 hours after a stop-work order on the site was rescinded. The cab of the crane fell 12 stories, crashing into a high-rise condominium tower and through several...
Military's New Recruiting Tool: Ultimate Fighting
New York Times
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May 30, 2008 8:09 AM CDT
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The US military is mining an unlikely new recruiting ground: the 18- to 30-year-old devotees of mixed martial arts. MMA, which John McCain once labeled human cockfighting, has surged in popularity while instituting rules to appease lawmakers. The armed forces have begun organizing ultimate fighting championships of their own, not only to appeal to...
Feds Hunt for Scams in Crude Oil Trading
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 7:55 AM CDT
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Federal regulators are investigating whether rocketing oil prices are being driven up by speculators manipulating futures markets, reports the Wall Street Journal. The nationwide probe involves several separate investigations. Authorities suspect that a widely used price reporting system may be artificially influenced and that some oil storage facilities...
Restaurants' Used Grease Draws Thieves
New York Times
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May 30, 2008 7:40 AM CDT
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For decades restaurants have thrown away their used cooking grease without a second thought; now, they’re trying to protect it from thieves. Almost anyone can convert the yellow grease into cheap biodiesel using kits sold on the internet, and restaurant oil bins have become go-to destinations for everyone from environmentalists to thieves who...
First Contact With Amazon Tribe
BBC
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May 30, 2008 7:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One of the last remaining Amazon tribal communities yet to have contact with the outside world has been photographed from the air, reports the BBC. The photos show startled, red-painted tribesmen aiming arrows at the aircraft overhead. Members live in thatched huts near Brazil's remote Peruvian border. More than half the world's 100 uncontacted tribes...
United Drops US Airways Deal, Woos Continental
Wall Street Journal
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May 30, 2008 7:15 AM CDT
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A proposed merger between United Airlines and US Airways is on hold again, the Wall Street Journal reports. United’s CEO told his US Airways counterpart that his airline is close to a deal with Continental, a merger that would be less costly and wouldn’t face as much antitrust scrutiny as a United-US Airways deal, the Journal notes....
World Bank Offers $1.2B in Food Aid
BBC
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May 30, 2008 6:46 AM CDT
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The World Bank is offering an emergency $1.2 billion in aid to several nations in a desperate bid to stave off starvation for millions of people, reports the BBC. The money is being offered to Haiti, Liberia, Djibouti, Togo, Yemen and other nations identified as at immediate risk from rising food prices. The bank will pour another $2 billion into agricultural...
US Axes Fulbrights for 8 Palestinians
New York Times
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May 30, 2008 6:17 AM CDT
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Eight Palestinians have had their Fulbright scholarships taken away because Israel won't grant them visas to leave the Gaza Strip, reports the New York Times. Israel has isolated Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory last year. The State Department has allocated the prestigious scholarships to students the West Bank instead, to avoid losing...
Fritzl Family Will Get New Identities
Times (UK)
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May 30, 2008 5:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Austrian authorities are preparing new identities for dungeon dad Josef Fritzl’s entire family, including the daughter he imprisoned in a celler, the six children Fritzl fathered with her, her six adult siblings and her mother. The family members have been hounded by lucrative offers for media interviews, the Times reports.
Spacey Colorado Man Captures 'Alien' On Video
Denver Post
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May 30, 2008 5:05 AM CDT
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A Denver man claims to have film of an alien peering through a window, and plans to show it to the media today, the Denver Post reports. The closely encountered alien is said to be 4 feet tall and appears "innocent, benevolent, youthful" and less "wrinkly" than ET in the movie, he said. The man is pushing to convince Denver officials...
