Newser Story Index from July, 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.
75 Things Every Man Should Do Before He Dies
Esquire
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Jul 24, 2008 12:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
On Esquire 's 75th anniversary, the quintessential men's mag recommends 75 things every man should do before he dies. A smattering: Eat wild game you killed, dressed, and cooked yourself. Acknowledge the accomplishments of others Make an omelet Fast for three days, consuming only water Play a game of rugby
Virginia Is Not for Gilmore Lovers
Politico
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Jul 24, 2008 12:28 PM CDT
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Jim Gilmore may be a former governor, RNC chair, and presidential candidate running for Senate in a historically red state, but the Virginian has become Campaign 2008’s “laughingstock,” Politico reports. Virginia is regularly ranked first among Senate seats likely to flip this November, as Gilmore trails hugely popular ex-guv Mark...
Jindal Won't Take Veep Slot
CNN
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Jul 24, 2008 12:22 PM CDT
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Bobby Jindal issued an uncommonly strong denial that he's interested in the veep slot on the GOP ticket—especially since he's considered a top contender, CNN reports. But John McCain’s campaign could still feature the Louisiana governor. Republican sources say he’s being considered as keynote speaker at the convention. In that...
Soy-Based Foods Might Be Reducing Sperm Count
BBC
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Jul 24, 2008 12:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Soy-based foods could be the root of lower sperm counts in men, a new study finds. Men who consumed more than two portions of soy-based foods a week had, on average, 41 million fewer sperm per milliliter of semen than men who avoided such products. The cheap source of protein has become more prevalent in Western diets in recent years, the Guardian...
Reasons You're Losing Snoozes
Forbes
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Jul 24, 2008 12:01 PM CDT
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The health benefits of sleep are well-documented, but catching Zs isn't so easy in a society all about hard work and an active lifestyle. Forbes runs down some reasons Americans aren't getting enough quality time with their pillows. Marital problems: A bad marriage makes for poor shut-eye. Happy wives fell asleep easier and have a more...
Anti-Gay Rant Makes Hill Wish It Hadn't Asked
Washington Post
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Jul 24, 2008 11:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Don’t ask Elaine Donnelly what she thinks of gays in the military—she’ll tell you. Congress made that mistake yesterday, and the anti-gay activist let out what Dana Milbank of the Washington Post calls an “extraordinary exhibition of rage.” Donnelly warned the panel of the “HIV positivity,” “forcible...
Obamas Keep Girls' Feet on Ground
People
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Jul 24, 2008 11:39 AM CDT
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It can be hard enough to keep kids grounded, but Barack and Michelle Obama's task might be complicated by his quest to be the most powerful leader in the world. Not so, the Obamas tell People, in a look at how they keep it real on the campaign trail. The Democratic candidate says 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha are normal kids who make a buck...
Booming Facebook Closing Gap on MySpace
bizreport
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Jul 24, 2008 11:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Facebook may be No. 2 in the social networking industry, but its 40% growth from June 2007 to the same month this year is closing the gap between it and market leader MySpace. MySpace—which has 72% of the market—showed negative growth in visits for the year, says BizReport. Facebok users spend an average 21 minutes on site, MySpace a full...
MTV to Remake Rocky Horror
Variety
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Jul 24, 2008 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
MTV will remake the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show , Variety reports. Lou Adler, the executive producer of the original film, will stick to the original screenplay, but the new rendition may include additional songs. There’ve been no casting or directing decisions yet, but Adler wants to see it shown a year from this coming...
Yoga Helping Traders Bear Market Tumult
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 24, 2008 11:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The yoga industry is doing big business on the financial market as bankers and traders look for ways to take a step back and rise above the whirlwind, the Wall Street Journal reports. Life in the market “is the antithesis of what yoga is about in terms of inner peace,” one instructor says. “Yoga teaches you to embrace fear and cultivate...
Is Ledger's Ex Jonzin' for Love?
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jul 24, 2008 11:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Heath Ledger's ex-fiancee, Michelle Williams, may have found love again—in the arms of director Spike Jonze, Star magazine reports via the Daily Mail . Williams and Jonze, who divorced director Sofia Coppola in 2003, were spotted locking lips outside his Manhattan pad. The late actor's best friend, who has been helping Williams care for 2-year-old...
Edwards 'Love Child' Story Shows Press Double Standard
Slate
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Jul 24, 2008 11:00 AM CDT
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The press jumped all over Larry Craig’s bathroom dalliance not because he was gay, it was claimed, but because he was a hypocrite with an anti-gay voting record. But no one is piling on John Edwards, whom the National Enquirer says it caught visiting his mistress and love child this week. Jack Shafer of Slate thinks the non-coverage reveals...
Sans Budget, Arnold to Slash Calif. Workers' Pay
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jul 24, 2008 10:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Arnold Schwarzenegger is threatening to ease California's cash-flow crisis by slashing the pay of 200,000 state workers to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A draft executive order obtained by the Chronicle also ends overtime pay for all but emergency employees and lays off 22,000 temporary workers....
Free of History and Politics, Berlin Is Perfect for Obama
New Republic
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Jul 24, 2008 10:36 AM CDT
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Forget the chatter about whether Barack Obama should be stopping in Brussels or giving Germany pride of place over France and Britain. Berlin is “quite an appropriate setting” for the candidate's big European speech, Cameron Abadi writes for the New Republic . The “existential angst of the Cold War” is completely gone, and...
50 Cent Sues Taco Bell for Big Change
E! Online
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Jul 24, 2008 10:27 AM CDT
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Rapper 50 Cent is suing Taco Bell for $4 million over a guerrilla ad campaign, reports E! Online. The fast food giant wrote Fiddy, suggesting he change his name to 79, 89, or 99 Cent for a price promotion. By releasing the letter to the media, he claims Taco Bell unfairly traded on his brand, "diluting the value of his good name."
Nation Cooking on Radioactive Countertops
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 10:07 AM CDT
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Granite countertops have become exceedingly popular, but few realize the dapper slabs can be radioactive, the New York Times reports. Granite often contains uranium, and reports have been flowing in of “hot” counters giving off higher-than-recommended levels of radon gas. “It’s not that all granite is dangerous,” said...
NASCAR Fans Sneer at Toyota
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 24, 2008 9:51 AM CDT
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In an effort to curry favor with millions of American NASCAR fans, Toyota joined the league’s top circuit 2 years ago, but fans aren’t warming to the Japanese automaker, the Wall Street Journal reports. Many fans felt betrayed last year when champion racer Kyle Busch traded in his Chevy on a Toyota, and he's been met with boos and a barrage...
Lean Times Prove Taxing for State Budgets
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 24, 2008 9:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Reduced sales, income, and corporate taxes are forcing states to cut back on services and consider laying off workers as they look for ways to slash spending and balance budgets, the Wall Street Journal reports. The National Conference of State Legislatures says states face a $40 billion budget shortfall as the US economy continues to wallow.
Gas From Garbage Finally Gets Momentum
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 9:18 AM CDT
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After decades of dreaming, schemes to turn waste into fuel are finally getting traction in the US, with some 28 plants in the works and a handful even up and running, the New York Times reports. They consume everything from wood chips to garbage, as once-prohibitively expensive processes become competitive with $4-a-gallon gasoline. “American...
Ford Posts $8.7B Loss, Will Make Fewer Trucks
Associated Press
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Jul 24, 2008 9:08 AM CDT
(AP) -
Ford Motor Co. lost $8.67 billion in the second quarter and will retool two more North American truck and SUV plants to build small, fuel-efficient vehicles, the company announced today. The net loss includes $8.03 billion in writedowns due to a decline in the value of its truck and SUV inventory, as well as Ford Motor Credit Co.'s truck-heavy lease...
Man-Mom Gushes Over Baby
People
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Jul 24, 2008 8:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
“Pregnant Man” Thomas Beatie this week shows off his gender-bending miracle, Susan Juliette, in People magazine, which Gawker reports forked over $300,000 for the first pix. Since Beatie had his breasts removed, wife Nancy drew breast-feeding duty via hormonally induced lactation, they tell People .
Pickens Drills Into McCain Campaign
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 8:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The reinvention of oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens as an environmentalist represents a huge political about-face, writes Timothy Egan in the New York Times . Four years ago, Pickens bankrolled the Swift Boat campaign that derailed John Kerry's presidential bid. Now Pickens, "looking a bit like the John Huston character from Chinatown ,"...
Sudanese Leader Shows 'Soft' Side in Darfur
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 8:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president allegedly behind one of the world's worst campaigns of genocide and rape, traveled to Darfur yesterday to begin an uncharacteristic charm offensive. "We are with you, Darfur!", the president said, as he danced at a rally packed with thousands who appeared to have been forced to attend. The spectacle...
Baby Cut From Mother Released From Hospital
Associated Press
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Jul 24, 2008 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A baby who was cut from his mother's womb in a brutal murder has left a Pennsylvania hospital, reports the AP. Police say 18-year-old Kia Johnson was bound with duct tape and viciously attacked last week by 38-year-old Andrea Curry-Demus, who had a history of mental illness and obsession with infants after she herself suffered a miscarriage.
Arctic Holds 3 Years of Oil
Reuters
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Jul 24, 2008 7:24 AM CDT
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Enough oil is believed to lie under the rapidly thawing Arctic to last the world 3 years, Reuters reports. The USGS released a forecast yesterday estimating the region has 90 billion recoverable barrels of oil and vast natural gas reserves. The agency's director said the information was vital in order to weigh the potential destruction caused by drilling...
Arizona May Not Roll for McCain
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 7:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Al Gore's 2000 loss of Tennessee aside, normally a presidential candidate can expect to win his home state relatively easily. But this month John McCain, a full press retinue in tow, made a campaign stop in Arizona, shaking hands and encouraging volunteers to get out the vote. As the New York Times writes, Arizona's demographics are changing, and...
Obama Buys $5M in Olympic Ad Time
TV Week
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Jul 24, 2008 6:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Obama campaign has bought $5 million worth of network and cable television airtime to run during coverage of the Beijing Olympics, reports TV Week. It's the first major TV airtime purchase by a political candidate in 16 years. NBC and its cable channels will air 3,600 hours of Olympic coverage beginning August 8.
Mosley Wins Privacy Suit over 'Nazi' S&M Orgy
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 24, 2008 6:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Max Mosley has won his lawsuit against a British tabloid for exposing a sadomasochistic orgy he took part in and falsely claiming it had Nazi overtones, reports the Guardian . In a landmark decision, the head of world motorsport was awarded $120,000 in damages—thought to be a record in a British privacy case—from the News of the World...
Obama in Berlin Ahead of Speech
Reuters
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Jul 24, 2008 5:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama arrived in Berlin this morning, where he met Angela Merkel at the German chancellery ahead of a major speech this evening. The Europe leg of the candidate's tour followed an early-morning stop at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Obama will speak to the chancellor and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, her foreign minister and chief rival, before his...
US Swimmer 'Tests Positive for Banned Substance'
Associated Press
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Jul 24, 2008 5:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American swimmer Jessica Hardy's Olympics may already be over. The 50-meter breaststroke world record holder has tested positive for a banned stimulant, insiders told the AP. Hardy has the right to pursue appeals, but if they fail she could face a 2-year ban and Team USA will suffer a major blow to its Olympic hopes.
France Bids Adieu to 35-Hour Work Week
Reuters
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Jul 24, 2008 4:55 AM CDT
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The French parliament has passed landmark legislation eliminating the 35-hour cap on the work week, Reuters reports. President Nicolas Sarkozy has long blamed the short week for France's economic struggles. Most employees work longer, but accumulate overtime pay or vacation days for the extra hours. Tens of thousands of French workers demonstrated...
Google Unveils Wikipedia Rival
CNET
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Jul 24, 2008 4:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Could Wikipedia's assassin be lurking behind a Knol? Google opened up its online encyclopedia with articles—or "units of knowledge" Google calls "Knols"—to the public today, featuring major differences from its well-established rival. The pieces are written by experts and their names are highlighted, in marked...
Angry Pitt Threatens Suit Over Baby Pix
Reuters
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Jul 24, 2008 4:05 AM CDT
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A fuming Brad Pitt has threatened to sue anybody who publishes photos surreptitiously taken of him and his family—including the new twins. A snapper recently captured the clan at their French mansion with a powerful telephoto lens, Reuters reports. Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold the rights to the first photos of their new twosome for a reported...
China Pushes 'Hush Money' on Grieving Quake Parents
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 3:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Officials in China's Sichuan province are buying the silence of parents who lost children in May's devastating earthquake, the New York Times reports. Grieving parents are being pressured to sign agreements accepting $9,000 in compensation if they stop asking questions about why so many schools collapsed. They are told they will get nothing if they...
Obama Prays at Wailing Wall
Reuters
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Jul 24, 2008 3:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama finished his Israel trip with a pre-dawn visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall this morning, Reuters reports. The candidate, wearing a skullcap, placed a prayer he had written in the wall as a rabbi read from a psalm. A heckler shouted "Jerusalem is not for sale"—but was drowned out by chants of "O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma."
Pakistan Spends US Anti-Terror Aid on Jets
New York Times
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Jul 24, 2008 2:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A plan to spend US funds earmarked for anti-terrorism aid to upgrade Pakistan's F-16 jets is angering lawmakers who complain that it's a misuse of the money, the New York Times reports. The Bush administration says the $230 million will boost the jets' ability to strike at insurgents. Critics say Pakistan uses the aircraft to maintain its military...
Japan Quake Injures Dozens
CNN
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Jul 24, 2008 2:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A powerful earthquake jolted north-central Japan early today, injuring over 100 people, according to initial reports. The 6.8 quake collapsed 31 buildings on Japan's main Honshu island, according to CNN. Thousands of homes lost power in a blackout and landslides cut off key roads Officals have warned of aftershocks but say there is no danger of a tsunami.
Federal Alcohol Labeling Rules Don't Go Down Easy
Reason Magazine
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Jul 24, 2008 2:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Energy drink makers can give their products names like Cocaine and Speed Freak, and it's fine for a perfume to be called Opium. But when a California microbrewer from the tiny town of Weed submitted an application for a new beer to the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, he was told that his company’s slogan—“Try legal...
Army Orders Lions Rookie to Active Duty
Detroit News
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Jul 23, 2008 10:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
West Point graduate Caleb Campbell—drafted in April by the Detroit Lions—has been ordered to put his pro football career on hold and report for military duty, the Detroit News reports. The Army abruptly changed its policy and told Campbell—a day before he was to report to training camp—that he must complete two years...
Hotel Porn Gets Spanking From Religious Right
St. Petersburg Times (Russia)
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Jul 23, 2008 9:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Conservatives are pressuring Marriott to remove adult films from its pay-per-view programming, saying porn doesn't jibe with the hotel chain's commitment to families, the St. Petersburg Times reports . "It's corporate greed,'' said the head of a Christian group. Marriott contends nixing the flicks isn't so easy: It owns only a few of the 3,000...
Dolly Wallops, But Levees Hold
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 8:52 PM CDT
(AP) -
Hurricane Dolly barreled into South Texas today, lashing the coast with winds up to 100 mph and dumping heavy rain that threatened to flood low-lying areas but spared levees along the heavily populated Rio Grande Valley. "The levees are holding up just fine," said an emergency coordinator for Cameron County. "There is no indication right...
Flailing Attacks Hurt McCain More Than Intended Target
Slate
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Jul 23, 2008 8:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Attacking Barack Obama relentlessly and sloppily, John McCain has made himself an example of what voters “want change from,” John Dickerson writes in Slate. A good negative attack can be effective, but Mac is doing it “too much and indiscriminately”—making himself so untrustworthy the smart stuff doesn’t stick. He...
McCain: I Didn't Mix Up Surge Timeline
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 8:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain insists that he did, indeed, have his facts straight when he said Tuesday that the US troop surge had made the Sunni Awakening movement possible. Barack Obama’s camp was quick to point out that Sunni tribesman had begun their revolt against al-Qaeda months before Bush announced his plan to deploy 30,000 more troops, but McCain countered...
Grey Poupon Request Hardly Disarming
Salt Lake Tribune
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Jul 23, 2008 8:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Utah man got a little testy when passengers in a neighboring car, re-enacting a famous TV spot, gestured for him to roll down his window and asked if he had any Grey Poupon mustard. "Here's your Grey Poupon, roll your [expletive] windows up," said the 22-year-old, who grabbed a handgun and pointed it at them. One of the three got his license...
Cancer Researcher Warns of Cell Phone Risks
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Jul 23, 2008 7:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The chief of a cancer institute in Pittsburgh warned his staff today to take precautions with cell phones because of possible health risks, the Post-Gazette reports. The doctor advised people to keep their calls short, text whenever possible to keep phones away from the head, and limit use among children. The warning appears to be the first from...
Athletes Got Nothin' on Rock 'n Roll Drummers
Times (UK)
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Jul 23, 2008 7:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sure, the lead singer gets all the attention, but how about a little respect for the drummer? Sports scientists are taking up the cause with a new study that says the rockers are as fit as Olympic athletes, the Times of London reports. The best of them lose 2 quarts of water a night, burn about 500 calories an hour, and have a heart rate that rivals...
Muppets Spring Back to Life on YouTube
France24
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Jul 23, 2008 6:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Muppets, largely in retirement since 1981, have been pussyfooting their way back into the spotlight via YouTube, France24 notes. In the past month, Sam the Eagle, the Swedish Chef, Beaker and others have set up accounts, uploading clips on a regular basis and sharing comments like "Meep meep meep-meep meep Meeeeeep?" No word, yet, on...
Bigoted 'Don't Ask' Has No Support, Must Go Now
Time
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Jul 23, 2008 6:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
On the occasion of the first “don’t ask, don’t tell” congressional hearing in 15 years, John Cloud revisits the policy that bars gays from serving openly in the military in Time and deems it “a tissue of barely disguised bigotry.” He contends that the policy is out of touch—polls show most in the military...
Big Texas Steroid Sweep Nets 2 Students
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 6:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Texas’s $6-million program to test high school athletes for steroids found two students out of 10,117 were using the drugs, the AP reports. Supporters called the testing, the country's largest, a deterrent, but critics see it as a waste of taxpayer money. About 45,000 students will be tested over two years. The two students caught were multi-sport...
Invisible Ink, Hidden Numbers Help Fuzzy Accounting
Financial Times (UK)
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Jul 23, 2008 5:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sometimes high-stakes fraud doesn’t have to be high-tech. The former chief financial officer at a company now called Voyager Learning allegedly cooked the company's books by entering figures as white text on white background—the equivalent of invisible ink, Adam Jones notes in a Financial Times blog.
