Newser Story Index from August, 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.
The Real Loser at the Pastor Rick-Quisition: America
Washington Post
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Aug 20, 2008 1:35 PM CDT
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Discussion of whether John McCain or Barack Obama "won" Saturday’s Saddleback inquisition misses the point, Kathleen Parker writes in the Washington Post . When the presidential candidates are publicly interrogated on their beliefs by a minister, even one as exemplary as Rick Warren, the only winner is the minister—and the biggest...
Gorbachev: Blame Georgia
New York Times
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Aug 20, 2008 1:25 PM CDT
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It is important to remember that Georgia, not Russia, struck first in the conflict over South Ossetia, writes former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for the New York Times . Russian leadership is strong domestically and did not need a victory to rally support—rather, Moscow “was dragged into the fray by the recklessness of the Georgian...
McCain Forgets That Big Talk Can Cost Lives
Washington Post
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Aug 20, 2008 1:09 PM CDT
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Many in Georgia are angered over what they consider broken promises of support from the West in the confrontation with Russia. But it’s bold talk from US politicians—including hardliner John McCain—that encourages countries like Georgia to provoke Moscow, David Ignatius writes in the Washington Post , only to see lives lost when...
Mao Successor Hua Dies at 87
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 20, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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Hua Guofeng, the man who succeeded Mao Zedong as China’s second Communist leader, died today at age 87, the Daily Telegraph reports. Guofeng was most noted for arresting the “Gang of Four,” a group of radicals, led by Mao’s widow, bent on miring China in isolated class-struggle. The decisive arrests may have staved off unrest...
Shunning Won't Work: Invite Russia to Join NATO
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 20, 2008 12:53 PM CDT
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The kneejerk impulse to punish Russia for its Georgia incursion by withdrawing NATO civilities is exactly wrong, Andrew Meier writes in the Los Angeles Times. The only way the West can get leverage, given the case of nerves the Russians have over NATO’s expansion into former Soviet states, is to invite them into the club, too.
As Food Prices Rise, Lobster Treads Water
Slate
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Aug 20, 2008 12:43 PM CDT
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As global demand drives food prices to new highs, there’s one high-end food item whose price is in decline, Daniel Gross points out in Slate: lobster. In Portland, Maine, a pound of lobster costs slightly more than a gallon of gasoline, a ratio that historically was more like 4-to-1. And the prices get even lower farther upstate.
Edwards Told Rielle They'd Be Together After Wife Died: Tab
National Enquirer
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Aug 20, 2008 12:30 PM CDT
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The National Enquirer is on the John Edwards case again this week, with a story offering salacious details of the affair with Rielle Hunter (offered by "friends") and a photo of the baby the tab says is his. Edwards not only promised Hunter they’d be together after his cancer-stricken wife died, the tab claims, but he called to reiterate...
Fest Cops Ban Doherty's Band
NME
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Aug 20, 2008 12:20 PM CDT
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Police have banned Pete Doherty's band Babyshambles from headlining a UK music festival, citing the group's rowdy stage antics, NME reports. After "an analysis of what Pete Doherty and his band does," police determined they "speed up and then slow down the music" to incite violence. Moonfest organizers had their license revoked...
Fla. Man Pleads Not Guilty to Threatening Bush, Obama
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 12:19 PM CDT
(AP) -
A man who authorities said kept an arsenal of weaponry and military gear pleaded not guilty today to threatening to assassinate both President Bush and Barack Obama. Raymond Hunter Geisel, 22, spoke only his name and age as his court-appointed lawyer entered the plea. Geisel had previously been charged with threatening Obama, but the Bush charge, added...
Rocker Sinks Like a Stone
Rotten Tomatoes
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Aug 20, 2008 12:11 PM CDT
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We’ve seen The Rocker before: It was called School of Rock, and it was funnier, critics agree. “The only brazen thing about the film is how shamelessly it rips off School of Rock , recycling its flaky-educator loser-of-the-gods premise, only this time in high school,” writes Owen Gleiberman in Entertainment Weekly . Claudia...
NC Hospital Faces Heat After Man Ignored 22 Hours Dies
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 12:00 PM CDT
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Federal authorities are threatening to cut funding for a North Carolina hospital where a psychiatric patient died after being ignored for 22 hours, the AP reports. It’s still not clear what killed the 50-year-old, who at one point choked on medication, but surveillance video shows him sitting unattended while staff played cards and watched television...
Spain Crash Toll May Be 150
BBC
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Aug 20, 2008 11:53 AM CDT
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The death toll in today’s crash of a Spanair jet in Madrid is about 150, the Telegraph reports, with witnesses saying one of the aircraft’s engines exploded just after it took off, bound for the Canary Islands. Though the government is only confirming 45 dead, the Guardian says only 25 of the 173 on board survived.
Chapman Ashamed He Killed Lennon
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 11:27 AM CDT
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Mark David Chapman told the parole board that he is ashamed of killing John Lennon, according to transcripts of the hearing released yesterday. "I feel now at 53 I have grown into a deeper understanding of what a human life is. I have changed a lot," he said in his failed bid, the AP reports.
Moore to Caroline: Pick Yourself
Michaelmoore.com
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Aug 20, 2008 11:16 AM CDT
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Word is that Barack Obama will pick Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, or Tim Kaine as his running mate, but Michael Moore isn't buying. He thinks it’s time for Caroline Kennedy to “pull a Cheney.” In an open letter on his website, Moore implores JFK’s daughter, who is currently running Obama’s VP search, to just pick herself. “Obama-Kennedy,”...
Lieberman Will Speak at GOP Convention
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 11:11 AM CDT
(AP) -
Joe Lieberman will speak at the Republican National Convention after all, a party official tells the AP. The former Democratic VP candidate who's become one of John McCain's most avid supporters (and is reputed to be the person he'd really like to have as his own VP) will deliver a speech to the GOP faithful in St. Paul, Minn.
Afghans: US Intentionally Fostering Instability
Reuters
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Aug 20, 2008 10:50 AM CDT
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Many Afghans believe the US is purposely avoiding attacking Taliban strongholds in Pakistan in an effort to keep Afghanistan destabilized and justify a continued military presence, according to Anis , the country’s state-run newspaper. Such suspicions have long run through the country, but their appearance in the paper could be a sign the government...
VP Longshot Sebelius Offers Bipartisan Lure
New York Times
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Aug 20, 2008 10:47 AM CDT
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Kathleen Sebelius, the dark horse among Barack Obama's potential running mates, is the best suited to carry his postpartisan torch, writes the New York Times . A popular Democratic governor in strongly Republican Kansas, her lieutenant governor is a Republican and she even married a GOP member. But Sebelius is a longshot because she has the same gaps...
Winehouse Back to Rehab
Sun (UK)
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Aug 20, 2008 10:35 AM CDT
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Amy Winehouse has checked herself into another rehab clinic, this one just a quick drive from the English countryside prison where husband Blake Fielder-Civil is serving out the remainder of a 27-month sentence, the Sun reports. “If she can get clean and still see Blake it can only be good,” the 24-year-old singer’s dad said.
US Chooses Georgia Over Russia at Its Own Risk
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 20, 2008 10:29 AM CDT
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The US should quit blaming Russia for starting the war in Georgia, writes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Wall Street Journal , and think hard before backing Tbilisi to the detriment of relations with Moscow. Georgia's "ruthless military assault" in South Ossetia forced the hand of Russia. "When the positions of your peacekeepers...
Golden Bolt Breaks 200 Record
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 10:13 AM CDT
(AP) -
Usain Bolt of Jamaica raced to a gold medal and a world record of 19.30 seconds today in the 200 meters, becoming the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to sweep the 100 and 200 gold medals at an Olympics—and the first to ever break world records in both. Not even Lewis or Jesse Owens managed that.
US Slowdown Hits India's IT Sector Hard
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 20, 2008 10:00 AM CDT
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The credit crunch that has shifted the US economy into neutral has slowed the growth of India’s tech sector, which once boasted growth rates of 40% in the overall strong economy, the Wall Street Journal reports. The slowdown comes as the sector faces increasing competition from abroad and rising labor costs at home, and a weak dollar eating...
Obama Ads Hone Attack in Key States
New York Times
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Aug 20, 2008 9:52 AM CDT
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Barack Obama has launched a wave of hard-hitting ads attacking John McCain ads in key states, the New York Times reports. The ads, reflecting a new get-tough Obama, lambaste McCain for being out of touch with Americans' economic struggles. Some have criticized the ads for misleading voters, but Democratic strategists say it's time for Obama to strike...
Pressure Mounts for a Freddie, Fannie Bailout
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 20, 2008 9:40 AM CDT
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A federal bailout for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac looks more likely every day, both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times report, as the mortgage giants find it increasingly difficult to borrow and their stock continues to take a pounding. Freddie was able to auction $3 billion in debt yesterday, but at unusually hefty interest rates, which...
Diabetes Linked to Arsenic in Tap Water
Bloomberg
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Aug 20, 2008 9:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Arsenic in the drinking water of millions of Americans may be contributing to the diabetes epidemic, Bloomberg reports. Researchers found that people with high levels of arsenic in their urine were nearly four times more likely to have type 2 diabetes. Higher rates of diabetes occurred even with trace amounts of arsenic and levels that meet US legal...
EBay Slashes Listing Fees 75% to Lure Back Sellers
BusinessWeek
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Aug 20, 2008 9:18 AM CDT
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Looking to compete more aggressively with Amazon for users who want to sell items at a fixed cost, eBay is changing its pricing model, lowering listing fees by up to 75% and increasing its final sales commission, BusinessWeek reports. The goal is to increase inventory of items listed at a "buy-it-now" price, increasingly popular with buyers...
Biden: 'I'm Not the Guy'
New York Times
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Aug 20, 2008 9:00 AM CDT
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After a day in which the media obsessed that Joe Biden was Barack Obama's near-certain choice for a running mate, the Delaware senator appears to have dismissed his own chances, writes the New York Times 's Caucus blog. Yesterday evening as Biden got into his car, he told reporters staked out at his home, "Hey guys, I’m not the guy. See...
Pedophile Pop Star Holes Up in Airport Hotel
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 20, 2008 8:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former rock star Gary Glitter, released after 27 months in a Vietnamese prison for molesting two children, is in a Bangkok airport hotel after refusing to continue his journey to London. Glitter, whose Rock & Roll Part Two remains a rock staple, is complaining about untreated heart and hearing problems, reports the Daily Telegraph. He faces...
Poll: McCain Takes 5-Point Lead
Reuters
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Aug 20, 2008 8:35 AM CDT
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John McCain has erased Barack Obama’s 7-point July advantage to take a 46%-41% lead in the latest Reuters/Zogby poll, Reuters reports. McCain has turned around a perceived weakness on economy to now be favored by a 9% margin on the economy. The poll was taken Thursday through Saturday, as Obama was finishing a weeklong Hawaiian vacation...
Russia Blocks UN Effort to End Georgia War
BBC
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Aug 20, 2008 8:23 AM CDT
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Russia has rejected a draft Security Council resolution seeking to end the violence in Georgia, reports the BBC, by rejecting the UN body's call to return to its pre-conflict positions. Russia, which wants to keep its troops inside South Ossetia, said that the clause contradicts last week's ceasefire. Moscow holds a permanent veto.
Scientists Grow Blood From Stem Cells
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 20, 2008 8:00 AM CDT
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Scientists have manufactured human blood in a laboratory using embryonic stem cells, reports the Los Angeles Times. The project represents a major technical breakthrough in the controversial area of stem cell research. Researchers made significant quantities of several blood types, but still have a number of hurdles ahead before producing blood that...
Bhutto Widower Moves Closer to Presidency
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 7:40 AM CDT
(AP) -
A major opposition party has backed Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto's widower and the leader of the Pakistan People's Party, to succeed Pervez Musharraf as president, reports the AP. Zardari's support from the MQM, a party once loyal to Musharraf, will strengthen his hand in a struggle with coalition partner Nawaz Sharif over the presidency, as well...
Sarkozy Renews Afghan Support
BBC
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Aug 20, 2008 7:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nicolas Sarkozy reaffirmed his support of the Afghan mission today, in the wake of a Taliban ambush that killed 10 French soldiers and wounded 21 others, the BBC reports. After meeting with Hamid Karzai, Sarkozy told troops to be proud of their “indispensable” work. “We're going to make sure that the means are put in place to ensure...
Rice, Polish Counterpart Sign Missile Defense Deal
Associated Press
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Aug 20, 2008 6:56 AM CDT
(AP) -
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski signed a deal today that will put an American missile defense base in Poland, a plan that has provoked increasingly belligerent opposition from Russia. The formal signing comes 6 days after the two countries agreed to the agreement that would locate 10 US interceptor missiles...
Twin Algeria Bombings Kill 11
New York Times
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Aug 20, 2008 6:19 AM CDT
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Two car bombs killed 11 people and left 31 wounded in the Algerian city of Bouira, just a day after a suicide bombing in Algiers killed dozens more. Today's bombs targeted a hotel and a military command center, and one of the explosions occurred as a passenger bus drove past. No group has taken responsibility for any of the bombings, reports the New...
Jeffs' Bride, 14, Ordered Into Foster Care
Salt Lake Tribune
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Aug 20, 2008 5:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Texas judge has ordered a 14-year-old girl allegedly married to polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs at age 12 back into state custody, reports the Salt Lake Tribune . The judge said the parents of the girl, who was first taken into custody when the sect's compound was raided in April, had approved the marriage and refused to protect her in the future....
Boy, 8, Makes 'Terror Watch List'
CNN
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Aug 20, 2008 5:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
James Robinson, 8, shares more than a name with a pilot and a former assistant attorney general, CNN reports. All three have found themselves on the government's terrorist watch list and must verify they're not James Robinson, suspected terrorist, before they can fly. Little James was first held up at an airport at age 5. Asked if he's a terrorist,...
Feds Compile Database on Border-Crossing US Citizens
Washington Post
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Aug 20, 2008 4:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The federal government has begun tracking the border crossings of US citizens and building a huge database with the information, the Washington Post reports. The data collection, made possible by machine-readable documents, has alarmed privacy groups. The government plans to keep the information for 15 years and share it with investigators whenever...
Obama, McCain in Dead Heat
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 20, 2008 3:56 AM CDT
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The race for the White House is a statistical dead heat, indicating that weeks of attack ads from the McCain camp may be working, the Los Angeles Times reports. A Times /Bloomberg poll found Barack Obama holding a 45% lead to John McCain's 43%, which falls within the poll’s margin of error. Obama led by 12 points in the same poll in June....
Interpreter Shortage Signals Gitmo Gridlock
Washington Post
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Aug 20, 2008 3:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hundreds of cases filed by Guantanamo prisoners will be delayed by a shortage of qualified interpreters, reports the Washington Post . Lawyers are swamped with work since the Supreme Court ruled that terror suspects have the right to seek release in federal court—and they desperately need translators. Interpreters who can earn the trust of detainees,...
Are Cloned Puppies Worth the Risks?
Wired
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Aug 20, 2008 2:50 AM CDT
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Canine cloning looks set to become big business but critics warn that deformed and diseased failures could outnumber the tail-wagging successes, Wired reports. Cloning fails far more often than it succeeds, and dogs are notoriously hard to clone. A Humane Society report earlier this year charged that "serious animal suffering and disreputable...
Mayor Aims to Make Big Apple Windmill City
New York Times
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Aug 20, 2008 2:32 AM CDT
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Mayor Mike Bloomberg has unveiled a bold plan to harness alternative energy to power New York City, the New York Times reports. The mayor is calling for windmills to be built on the city's bridges and skyscrapers, and for offshore wind farms to be created that could supply 10% of the city's electricity in 10 years. Bloomberg has asked companies for...
Dave Matthews Saxophonist Dies
E! Online
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Aug 20, 2008 2:07 AM CDT
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Dave Matthews Band saxophonist LeRoi Moore, one of the group's founding members, is dead, reports E!Online. The 46-year-old musician and arranger died yesterday in a Los Angeles hospital from complications linked to injuries Moore suffered in an ATV accident on his Virginia farm nearly two months ago. Matthews announced the death during an LA concert...
MSNBC Gives Lefty Maddow Prime-Time Slot
New York Times
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Aug 19, 2008 10:04 PM CDT
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MSNBC is honing its left-leaning lineup in the “final leg” of the presidential election, swapping longtime host Dan Abrams for the more overtly partisan Rachel Maddow in its 9pm time slot. The switch has been long expected, reports the New York Times. Network execs see Maddow as a better fit with popular lefty host Keith Olbermann, whose...
Men Admit Bigfoot Hoax
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Aug 19, 2008 9:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bigfoot hunters will just have to keep looking. Two Georgia men’s story about finding Sasquatch has—surprise!—turned out to be a hoax, Cox News Service reports. Their ruse fell apart when a block of ice containing the “body” melted—leaving behind a rubber monkey suit. The men reportedly then admitted the hoax to...
A Midsummer Night's Screen: The Best Outdoor Projectors
Esquire
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Aug 19, 2008 8:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Though the drive-in movie theater has gone the way of the buffalo, Barry Sonnenfeld writes in Esquire , with the right projector you can recreate the outdoor film experience in your back yard. But take notice: A projector is only as good as the screen it’s projecting on, so make sure it’s quality. The three best for outdoor use:
Yaz OK After Triple Bypass
Boston Herald
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Aug 19, 2008 8:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski underwent heart bypass surgery today after going to the hospital for chest pains, reports the Boston Herald. The beloved Yaz, who turns 69 on Friday, had a triple bypass and "everything's fine," said spokesman at Mass General. "The operation was a success."
Fla. Bigamist Can't Stop at Just 2 Wives
Orlando Sentinel
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Aug 19, 2008 6:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Leonard Hare’s bigamy case keeps expanding, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Hare was arrested when his second wife visited a wedding chapel website and discovered pictures of her missing husband—marrying his third wife. Since Hare was arrested, three women have contacted the Sentinel about him, and one of them said she might’ve...
Baby Whale's Fate Appears Grim
The Australian
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Aug 19, 2008 6:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The humpback whale calf who mistook a yacht for its mother in the waters off Sydney is unlikely to survive the week, reports the Australian . "It has to get humpback whale milk and there is no way that that can be provided in captivity" said a government environmental official. "Unless it finds its mother or a foster mum, its chances...
Happy Days as Milwaukee Bronzes Fonz
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Aug 19, 2008 5:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
More than 500 people showed up today to celebrate the addition of Milwaukee’s newest landmark, a 5-foot-6 bronze statue of Happy Days character the Fonz, the Journal Sentinel reports. Most of the cast of the 1970s TV hit showed up for the event, presided over by comedian John McGivern. "It's a perfect symbol of optimism," he said...
Britain Bumps Medal Count on Day 11
Reuters
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Aug 19, 2008 5:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain’s Olympic team added a 16th gold medal today, a total not seen since the 1908 Games, Reuters reports. Christine Ohuruogu took first in the women’s 400 meters—the country’s first track victory in Beijing. Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi won the men’s 1,500 meters, giving the Persian Gulf nation its first ever Olympic...
