Newser Story Index from June, 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.
Bush, Sarkozy Warn Iran Over Spurned Nuke Offer
Associated Press
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Jun 14, 2008 8:09 PM CDT
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Iran said no to an incentive offer today to stop making uranium, sparking a warning from President Bush and Nicolas Sarkozy not to build nuclear weapons, the AP reports. "Our allies understand that a nuclear-armed Iran is incredibly destabilizing," Bush said. Even before an EU official delivered the six-nation offer of economic, educational,...
Flood Recedes, But Only 1 Well Remains
CNN
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Jun 14, 2008 7:55 PM CDT
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Floodwaters receded today after 24,000 people fled Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but only one well is uncontaminated to service the city, CNN reports. Officials say it will run down if people take showers and flush toilets over the next 3 or 4 days. "Water is still our primary concern," one said. "We're still using water at a greater rate than...
Alaskan Salmon Sick of Climate Change
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 14, 2008 7:24 PM CDT
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Alaskan king salmon are getting sick, and experts have named a culprit: global warming. Marine ecologists say that a rise in "white spot disease" is tied to a 3-decade trend of higher temperatures in the Yukon River, the Los Angeles Times reports. With cold-temperature barriers melting, parasites and bacteria are moving north—and...
Who Will Replace Him?
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 14, 2008 7:00 PM CDT
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It will be hard to replace Tim Russert, who led the top-rated Meet the Press for 17 years—but insiders are already guessing who will sit in his chair, the Los Angeles Times reports. Three on-air NBC personalities are reportedly possible: Race for the White House host David Gregory, Hardball 's Chris Matthews, and Morning Joe 's Joe Scarborough.
Online Readers Have No Attention Span
Slate
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Jun 14, 2008 6:30 PM CDT
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Web readers are fidgety, so writers have to serve up the goods fast, Michael Agger writes in Slate. For example: Online readers are “ selfish, lazy, and ruthless ,” according to theorist Jakob Nielsen. They are informavores hunting for information at all costs. They like text short , scannable , and occasionally ...
Rival Calls for Musharraf's Head
New York Times
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Jun 14, 2008 5:56 PM CDT
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A political rival blasted President Pervez Musharraf today, leading a massive crowd to chant “Hang him, hang him,” the New York Times reports. In a televised address that capped off days of protest in Islamabad, Nawaz Sharif grew heated: “We asked you to quit with honor after the election but you didn’t,” he said. “Now...
Voters May Yet Warm Up to Michelle Obama
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jun 14, 2008 5:24 PM CDT
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Nicknamed "the closer," Michelle Obama is known for winning over voters—but many still have not warmed up to her, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A recent poll shows that 42% of voters have an unfavorable view of her and 25% are "very unfavorable." The first lady hopeful plans to win over women starting next week, though:...
Top Vacations Off-Limits to Americans
Foreign Policy
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Jun 14, 2008 4:53 PM CDT
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Here are top spots for an exotic foreign trip—except that Washington has labeled them off-limits or far too dangerous. Foreign Policy lists five: Mt. Kumgang is North Korea's "unspoiled spiritual retreat," but Americans will be quarantined by Pyongyang if they can even get in.
Mugabe's Horrors Transcend Race
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jun 14, 2008 4:22 PM CDT
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Once, Westerners cared about southern Africa. In the late 20th century, outraged Americans of all stripes spoke out against apartheid, an outpouring that ultimately helped liberate both South Africa and Zimbabwe. Now, Zimbabwe is under the thumb of another murderous tyrant—this time a black one—and the West remains strangely and disgracefully...
NRA Targets Obama, but Does Anyone Care?
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 14, 2008 3:51 PM CDT
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The NRA is aiming both barrels at Barack Obama, but the gun rights group is no longer a formidable GOP weapon, the LA Times reports. Congress hasn’t passed gun control laws in 14 years, and Democrats are terrified to touch the issue, scarred from old campaigns. In other words, the NRA has won—and is a victim of its own success.
Princess Caught Prancing Naked at School
Press Association
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Jun 14, 2008 3:24 PM CDT
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Princess Eugenie got a stern rebuke from school officials after prancing naked around her college campus last month. The Duke of York's daughter reportedly downed drinks with friends before dancing in the buff around the £23,000-a-year school. Their playful shrieks awoke senior staff. "It was nothing more than high jinks at the end of term,”...
Green Cars Drive Into LA Spotlight
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 14, 2008 3:00 PM CDT
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Hydrogen cars are the latest Hollywood must-have, and automakers are more than happy to see stars behind the wheel, the LA Times reports. The vehicles—which emit nothing but water—instantly speed celebrities to first place in the game of green one-upmanship. They are still years away from going on sale to the public.
Ex-CEO Revives Dreaded 'R' Word for Airlines
Portfolio
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Jun 14, 2008 2:35 PM CDT
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The man who brought frequent-flyer and hub-and-spoke to airlines has a plan to fix the industry—with the dreaded "R" word as its centerpiece, Wired reports. Yes, former American CEO Bob Crandall wants the government to re-regulate: "It's time to acknowledge that airlines are more like utilities than ordinary businesses,"...
A Call for Dads to Step Up
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 14, 2008 2:10 PM CDT
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As Father’s Day approaches, it’s important to recognize that alarming numbers of America’s youth don’t know their fathers, leaving them feeling like “throwaway people,” writes Juan Williams in the Wall Street Journal . The lack of a dad “to push them, discipline them,” can mean “they give up trying...
Rumors From Vatican: Bush May Convert
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 14, 2008 1:45 PM CDT
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President Bush visited Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican yesterday, sparking rumors that the president may convert to Catholicism, the Telegraph reports. They spoke in a garden where the pontiff prays daily, not in the library where Benedict greets most world leaders. “What an honor!” said Bush, who has been called the most “Catholic-minded”...
Cluttered? '100 Thing Challenge' Awaits
Time
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Jun 14, 2008 1:20 PM CDT
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A crusading blogger is inspiring citizens to take on a predicament of modern life: clutter. Dave Bruno launched the 100 Thing Challenge in an effort to free himself from his stuff, and he's down to just 97 belongings, Time reports. And while Bruno is a strict constructionist, some of his followers are more forgiving. “All my shoes count as...
EU Divided in Wake of Ireland's 'No' Vote
BBC
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Jun 14, 2008 12:55 PM CDT
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Irish voters' rejection of a treaty to reform the EU has left the bloc in turmoil, the BBC reports. France, Germany, and Britain say EU countries should continue to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, while the Czech president declared it dead. Fourteen of the 27 EU countries have approved the agreement, which needs unanimous support to pass; Ireland was the...
Discovery Returns to Earth
Associated Press
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Jun 14, 2008 12:30 PM CDT
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The space shuttle Discovery swooped back to Earth today after successfully expanding the International Space Station, the AP reports. The shuttle’s seven crew members delivered Kibo, the new billion-dollar Japanese science lab, and a pump to repair a broken toilet. Discovery also brought home flight engineer Garret Reisman, who’d talked...
Russert's Death Grim Reminder of Heart Risks
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 14, 2008 12:10 PM CDT
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The heart attack that claimed Tim Russert’s life yesterday was a textbook example of a one of modern medicine's blind spots. Roughly 300,000 Americans die of unexpected, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, the Wall Street Journal reports. Doctors can predict the likelihood of an incident happening in the next 10 years, but they can’t...
As Gas Prices Climb, So Do Gas Thefts
Newsweek
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Jun 14, 2008 11:50 AM CDT
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With gas prices soaring above $4 a gallon, gas thefts are up across the country, and thieves are devising ever-more-creative means of snatching the stuff, Newsweek reports. Some manage to keep the gas flowing after paying for only a few gallons; others siphon fuel from unsuspecting drivers’ SUVs. Some even use life-threatening maneuvers to...
Tech Firms to Fix Monster They Created
New York Times
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Jun 14, 2008 11:25 AM CDT
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Google, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM are partnering are on a new initiative to help workers distracted by emails and instant messages improve their productivity, the New York Times reports. The Information Overload Research Group, a nonprofit launching next month, will devise cultural and technological solutions to reduce the digital deluge that’s...
Floods Breach Des Moines Levee
Associated Press
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Jun 14, 2008 11:07 AM CDT
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Floodwaters breached a levee and a temporary barrier today near a residential neighborhood in Des Moines, forcing authorities to call for a mandatory evacuation of 270 homes, the AP reports. “There’s not anything else we can do,” said a city official. Storms throughout the region have killed nine, and officials have cut power service...
High Court's Gitmo Ruling Raises Election Issue
New York Times
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Jun 14, 2008 10:45 AM CDT
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The Supreme Court's ruling on Guantanamo detainees may put the court in the election spotlight for the first time in decades, Linda Greenhouse writes in the New York Times . The dramatic language of Antonin Scalia's dissent could be a signpost for conservatives worried about the court's course; because of the one-vote margin, liberals are just as...
Iconic Sign Is Fabulous Indeed
Las Vegas Weekly
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Jun 14, 2008 10:25 AM CDT
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It's been nearly a half-century since the iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign went up on the Strip, and Betty Willis is still as sharp as she was when she designed it, Las Vegas Weekly reports. Willis created the neon design back when the Strip still intersected dirt roads, but she never doubted "fabulous" was the best...
Mugabe: Opposition Will Never Rule, Even If It Wins
Independent (UK)
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Jun 14, 2008 10:05 AM CDT
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As an opposition leader arrested on charges of treason appeared in court in Zimbabwe today, President Robert Mugabe was declaring that his competitors in the Movement for Democratic Change would never be allowed to rule the country, even if they win the upcoming runoff presidential election, the Independent reports. "We will return to the bush...
Grain Prices Surge With Midwest Floods
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 14, 2008 9:45 AM CDT
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The floods inundating the Midwest are pushing grain prices to new highs, the Wall Street Journal reports. Corn prices jumped 10% to a record high last week as farmland flooded. The domino effects will hit the ethanol industry, hog farmers, and even owners of catfish ponds who rely on corn to feed the fish. Food prices are now forecast to keep climbing...
Mexican-Style Rodeo Riles Activists
New York Times
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Jun 14, 2008 9:25 AM CDT
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It's about equestrian skill, machismo, tradition, and, of course, sombreros: It's charreria, and it might be endangered. The centuries-old Mexican activity that mixes rodeo and fiesta is coming under fire in the US, where animal-rights activists have rallied for laws against practices like steer tailing and horse tripping. The New York Times visits...
Hollywood's Ickiest Dads
Radar
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Jun 14, 2008 8:56 AM CDT
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Father's Day is a time to thank Dad for all he's done—but what if all Dad's done is creep out the general public? Radar lists celebrity fathers who take paternal love to barely legal levels. Joe Simpson: Father to songbirds Jessica and Ashlee, Simpson famously said of his eldest, “She's got DOUBLE Ds! You can't cover those suckers...
Manson Family Member Pleads for Release
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 14, 2008 8:24 AM CDT
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A member of Charles Manson's "family" of killers is asking for compassionate release after 37 years in jail, the Los Angeles Times reports. Susan Atkins, who stabbed Sharon Tate to death while the 8-months-pregnant actress begged for mercy—and then used her blood to write "PIG" on the front door—is dying of brain cancer...
Why R. Kelly Was Acquitted
Time
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Jun 14, 2008 7:45 AM CDT
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Jurors in the R. Kelly trial say it was the lack of testimony from the alleged victim—or her parents—that swayed them towards acquittal, Time reports. One juror said he was sure it was Kelly in the sex tape at the heart of the case, but wasn't convinced of the girl's identity. And jurors said the R. Kelly mole that was the object...
Giuliani Will Stump for GOP, for a Price
New York Times
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Jun 14, 2008 7:29 AM CDT
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Rudy Giuliani has offered to appear at fundraisers for cash-strapped Republican candidates but with strings attached, the New York Times reports. The former New York mayor wants a cut of the proceeds to go towards paying off his presidential campaign's $3.6-million debt. The debt includes a $500,000 personal loan from Giuliani, who is worth an estimated...
7.2-Mag Quake Kills 6 in Northern Japan
Associated Press
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Jun 14, 2008 7:21 AM CDT
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A 7.2-magnitude earthquake jolted northern Japan today, killing at least 6 people and injuring more than 140 others, the AP reports. Landslides trapped another 100 bathers at a hot springs resort, but no tsunami warning was issued. At a nuclear power plant, 5 gallons of radioactive water splashed from two pools storing spent fuel, but officials said...
Skip the Ties and Tools: Dads Want Gadgets
ABC News
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Jun 14, 2008 7:06 AM CDT
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Lose the power tools and the landscaping implements this Father's Day, ABC News suggests. The kind of cutting edge Dad really wants can't be found at the hardware store. Among them: For dads who want media at their fingertips, the enV2 by LG hosts music and video via V CAST and sports a QWERTY keyboard for only $129, with a phone contract....
Woods Charges Back at US Open
Associated Press
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Jun 14, 2008 6:53 AM CDT
(AP) -
Tiger Woods looked like any other player trying to survive a US Open, head bowed in frustration with each shot that found trouble and kept him farther from the lead. But one hole changed everything. With his metal spikes on a cement path and a tree over his head, he fired an 8-iron around the branches and over the bunker to 18 feet for a birdie that...
Obama's Rise Sparks Affirmative Action Debate
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 14, 2008 6:52 AM CDT
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Barack Obama's ascent to the verge of the presidency has stoked the debate on affirmative action, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some wonder how far an African-American will have to rise for the playing field to be declared level, while others point to continued inequality and argue that Obama doesn't represent the experience of the average black...
1780 British Warship Found
Associated Press
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Jun 14, 2008 6:22 AM CDT
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Two intrepid explorers using sonar and a remote-controlled submersible have discovered what may be the oldest shipwreck in the Great Lakes, the AP reports. HMS Ontario, a British warship carrying as many as 130, sank in a storm in Lake Ontario in 1780. Since 1781, when six sailors’ bodies washed ashore, there had been no sign of the 80-foot...
Saudis to Boost Oil Output to Record Level
New York Times
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Jun 14, 2008 6:14 AM CDT
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Saudi Arabia aims to put the brakes on oil prices by raising output to its highest ever, the New York Times reports. The kingdom resisted calls from President Bush earlier this year to boost production, but is now concerned that record oil prices could lead to lower demand in the long term by cutting economic growth and making alternative fuels more...
Taliban Jailbreak Frees 1,200
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 11:02 PM CDT
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Taliban fighters blasted into Kandahar's main prison last night and freed about 1,200 inmates, including 350 Taliban, the New York Times reports. Prisoners, including Taliban leaders, quickly flooded the streets and scattered into nearby villages. “It is very dangerous for security," a Kandahar politician said. "They are the most...
Not Just iPhone—iRadio!
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 9:00 PM CDT
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Apple’s new iPhone will provide free, CD-quality radio from 200 stations in 25 genres—even if that does cut into iTunes' music business, Saul Hansell blogs in the New York Times . But Apple knows that it will "fare best if it makes the iPhone as useful as possible, and that means exploiting the device’s ability to stream music,...
Judge Quits Calif. Porn Obscenity Trial
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 13, 2008 8:24 PM CDT
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The California judge whose risqué website stalled an obscenity trial 3 days ago has recused himself, the Los Angeles Times reports. “In light of the public controversy surrounding my involvement in this case, I have concluded that there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial,” Alex Kozinski said. Kozinski, a judicial conservative,...
MLB Wants Instant Replay by August
USA Today
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Jun 13, 2008 7:45 PM CDT
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Major League Baseball asked its umpires today to implement instant replay by August 1, but details remain sketchy, USA Today reports. Both sides still need to bargain over who can demand replays—umpires or managers—what video feeds will be used, and who will make the final call. "It's all premature," a baseball spokesman said....
Ditch the Bag: Loose-Leaf Indulgence Is Your Cup of Tea
Times (UK)
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Jun 13, 2008 7:05 PM CDT
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Simply dropping teabags into a mug not only yields an unsatisfying, solitary brew, Tony Turnbull writes in the Times of London—it spoils the ceremony and anticipation crucial for enjoyment. A teashop visit converted the self-described “inveterate teabag user” into a fan of the “strange alchemy” that transforms dried...
Buffalo Boy Made Good
Time
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Jun 13, 2008 6:35 PM CDT
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Tim Russert, who died today at age 58, was "possibly America's most influential political journalist," James Poniewozik writes in Time . His no-nonsense style was informed by a Jesuit education in working class Buffalo—but not all appreciated his "gotcha," visceral style of questioning. Yet "his Meet the Press was...
House of Lords Fishes Where the Fish Are: YouTube
Associated Press
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Jun 13, 2008 5:46 PM CDT
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The House of Lords is vaulting into the 21st century, hosting a YouTube channel dedicated to dispelling its upper-crust image. The appointed branch of Parliament rolled out several videos today, full of legislators explaining to clueless young people how the system works, the AP reports. "We hope that they will help to combat some of the outdated...
Candidates Spar Over Debate Schedule
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 5:20 PM CDT
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Camp Obama and Camp McCain are jousting over debates, with both candidates, New York Times blogger Michael Falcone jokes, appearing to feel “a little rejected.” Obama has suggested five forums: three traditional debates and two town halls, one on the economy and another on foreign policy. A rep said he was “disappointed” that...
Don't Be So Happy to See Bush Go, Europe
Times (UK)
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Jun 13, 2008 5:00 PM CDT
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President Bush might be touring Europe to yawns and boos, but its citizens and pundits alike will miss their favorite political punching bag when he’s gone, Gerard Baker writes in the Times of London. “They'll miss, first, having a villain in the White House,” Baker explains. “It's a really convenient excuse to avoid doing...
Fla., Mexico Are Main Salmonella Sources: FDA
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 13, 2008 4:40 PM CDT
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The Food and Drug Administration is focusing Florida and Mexico as sources of the salmonella outbreak that has afflicted 228 people in 23 states, the Wall Street Journal reports. The “vast majority” of tomatoes imported at the time of outbreak appear to have come from those areas. Officials have increased sampling of tomatoes, but so...
Summer's 'Most Enchanting Debut Novel'
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 4:25 PM CDT
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The Story of Edgar Sawtelle , the debut novel from former software developer David Wroblewski, is “a great, big, mesmerizing read, audaciously envisioned as classic Americana," Janet Maslin raves in the New York Times . "Pick up this book and expect to feel very, very reluctant to put it down," she says of a coming-of-age story...
R. Kelly Not Guilty on All Counts
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 13, 2008 4:06 PM CDT
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Just over 6 years after he was originally indicted, singer R. Kelly was found not guilty today on all 14 child porn counts against him. The jury of three women and nine men deliberated for less than a day before acquitting the singer/songwriter after a 4-week trial, the Chicago Tribune reports. "This prosecution is one we have no reservations...
Tim Russert Dead at 58
MSNBC
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Jun 13, 2008 4:04 PM CDT
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Tim Russert, host of Meet the Press and longtime NBC News Washington bureau chief, died today after collapsing at work and apparently suffering cardiac arrest, MSNBC reports. He was 58. A 24-year NBC veteran, Russert was also the author of two New York Times best-sellers, Big Russ and Me and Wisdom of Our Fathers.
