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.
Korean Bank Warned Off Lehman Bros. Buy
Financial Times (UK)
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Aug 25, 2008 2:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Korea Development Bank was warned today of rushing into a bid for Lehman Brothers by South Korea’s top banking official, the Financial Times reports. A Lehman investment may constitute too much risk for a state-owned bank, Jun Kwang-woo warned after last week’s news that, though KDB’s talks with the US investment giant hadn’t...
Makeover Rumored for Nano
PC World
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Aug 25, 2008 2:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rumors are flying about a makeover for the iPod family in the coming weeks, with the biggest changes in store for the Nano, Ian Paul writes in PC World . The baby of the clan may soon have a much larger and tapered widescreen, according to Apple-watcher Kevin Rose, who also says iTunes 8.0 is on the way, and that Apple's OSX will get Blu-ray support.
After Beijing Pageantry, London 2012 Tries ... a Bus
Guardian (UK)
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Aug 25, 2008 2:24 PM CDT
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The Beijing Olympics' closing ceremony was predictably stupendous, with thousands of acrobats and "more orthodontically screened children," writes Guardian columnist Marina Hyde. It certainly ran over the 8-minute tableau promoting the 2012 Games in London. While China spent years preparing its "deliciously understated 16-day world...
Giants Could Tempt Retired Strahan Back—for $8M
New York Daily News
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Aug 25, 2008 2:12 PM CDT
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Comebacks always have a price tag attached, and for former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, it’d take $8 million to lure him out of his 77-day retirement, a source tells the New York Daily News . "If the Giants make a sincere overture, it's a good chance that Strahan would consider coming back," the source says.
Way More Than Just Standing By Her Man
Time
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Aug 25, 2008 1:59 PM CDT
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When Barack Obama met Michelle Robinson, she was on the fast track at a prestigious Chicago law firm. As the story goes, Obama took her with him when he left to start a public life, surprising Michelle’s friends and family. But Mrs. Obama’s own entrée into not-for-profit circles and public service connected her husband to a Chicago...
Rising Seas to Swallow Reserve
Independent (UK)
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Aug 25, 2008 1:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A portion of a major UK nature reserve is being abandoned to the rising tides, the Independent reports. In the face of eroding sea defenses, Titchwell Marsh has decided to make a “managed retreat” inland, giving up much on a substantial portion of the birdwatching hotspot. “The erosion has been going on for years,” said a...
'Jewish Clause' in Will Launches Lawsuits
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 25, 2008 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Chicago courtroom is the site of a nasty tangle over a Jewish patriarch’s wishes for his family, the Chicago Tribune reports. A wealthy dentist, upset to discover that a grandson was taking a gentile to the junior prom, left a provision in his will disowning any of his offspring who marries outside the faith. Of five grandchildren, four did...
LA Cop Pulls Gun on Diddy
New York Daily News
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Aug 25, 2008 1:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy pulled a gun on Sean “Diddy” Combs during a routine traffic stop early yesterday, the New York Daily News reports. The officer “ pulled his firearm, fearing for his safety,” the department explained, when the rap mogul and six of his cohorts advanced toward him after an uncooperative member...
Madam Pleads Guilty in Spitzer Case
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2008 1:04 PM CDT
(AP) -
A woman accused of helping arrange trysts between pricey escorts and their customers has pleaded guilty in the prostitution scandal that forced Eliot Spitzer to step down as governor of New York. Thirty-six-year-old Tanya Hollander pleaded today to a charge of conspiracy to violate the travel act. It's against the law to cross state lines while furthering...
Margaret Thatcher Suffering From Dementia: Daughter
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 25, 2008 12:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain’s Iron Lady is succumbing to the effects of multiple small strokes and progressive dementia, reports the Telegraph . Margaret Thatcher's daughter, Carol, writes in a memoir to be published in September and now being serialized in a British newspaper that the former prime minister, now 82, has struggled for nearly a decade.
Google Cuts Back on Its Food Perks
Valleywag
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Aug 25, 2008 12:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Life at the Googleplex just got a little less delicious. Google is cutting back on its famously generous food benefits, taking free dinners and free snacks off the menu, Valleywag reports. It’s a surprising change, since Google has milked its cafeteria for publicity, and recently told shareholders to expect more perks for employees, not fewer.
Cheney Set to Visit Georgia
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2008 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dick Cheney will visit Georgia next week to strengthen ties with the battered US ally, the AP reports. The vice president will also visit Azerbaijan and Ukraine to emphasize the US commitment to the former Soviet republics, a White House spokesman said today in announcing the trip, which is to begin Sept. 2.
American Idol Adds Fourth Judge
New York Post
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Aug 25, 2008 12:23 PM CDT
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American Idol is getting a fourth judge this season, marking what the New York Post calls the biggest change TV’s top show has ever undergone. Songwriter Kara DioGuardi will join Simon, Paula, and Randy, in a move producers say they always intended. All of Idol’ s international counterparts feature four judges. “Having a fourth...
It's Not Race That's Holding Him Back
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 12:12 PM CDT
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Barack Obama goes into this week's convention in Denver with only the slimmest of leads—or, as some polls suggest, trailing John McCain. In a year when it's widely assumed that any Democratic candidate should be a shoo-in, many in the press have suggested that Obama's race is costing him support. Not so, writes Matt Bai in the New York Times...
Jolie-Pitt Kids Eligible for French Subsidies
Sun (UK)
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Aug 25, 2008 12:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It's no megabucks photo sale, but Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are eligible for $2,600 a month in child benefits for their six children after registering their $60 million French chateau as their primary residence, the Sun reports. The multimillion-dollar actors registered themselves so they could have access to France’s medical services, but...
Madge Sticks It to McCain, Is Sweet to Obama
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Is Madonna using her Sticky & Sweet world tour to strike back at John McCain’s celebrity ad? During a remix of “Like a Prayer,” a screen flashes images of destruction followed by shots of Hitler, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, and then McCain, reports the New York Times . Barack Obama makes a cameo in another montage including...
High Gas Prices Mean Fewer Traffic Deaths
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2008 11:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The number of traffic deaths may drop this year to their lowest since Kennedy was president—thanks in large part to higher gas prices, the AP reports. As they rose above $3.20 a gallon, fatalities plummeted 22.1% in March and 17.9% in April, a study found. The data suggest a “tipping point” in gas prices where drivers drastically...
Italian Priest Plans Nun Pageant
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2008 11:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An Italian priest and theologian is out to show the fun side of the sisterhood with “Miss Sister 2008,” an online beauty pageant for nuns. The Rev. Antonio Rungi hopes the contest, which he’ll begin on his blog next month, will fight the stereotype that nuns are universally old and dour. “Being ugly is not a requirement for...
US Will Be Out of Iraq by 2011, PM Says
Reuters
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Aug 25, 2008 11:19 AM CDT
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The US has agreed to a timeline that forces all foreign troops out of Iraq by 2011 as part of a proposed pact, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said today. "There is an agreement actually reached, reached between the two parties on a fixed date, which is the end of 2011, to end any foreign presence on Iraqi soil," Maliki told tribal leaders....
Party Quits Pakistan Coalition
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2008 11:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pakistan’s coalition government collapsed today, the Wall Street Journal reports, with the Pakistan Muslim League—led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif—breaking with the Pakistan People’s Party. Sharif said his party was quitting the alliance because it wouldn’t restore judges sacked by just-ousted president Pervez...
Obama-Clinton Tension Runs High in Denver
Politico
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Aug 25, 2008 10:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Months after Hillary Clinton announced her support for Barack Obama, tensions between the two camps have flared again, Politico reports, and behind-the-scenes sniping in Denver is intense. Bill Clinton is unhappy with his speech assignment—Wednesday night's theme, securing America's future, leaves him little room to revisit the successes of his...
China Faces Rocky Road in Keeping Up Growth
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2008 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The opulence of the Beijing Olympics highlighted just how far China has come since opening its economy 30 years ago—it soon will be the world’s third largest. But with the success comes a plethora of challenges, reports the Wall Street Journal. And chief among them is how to maintain the phenomenal growth.
Home Sales Climb, but Prices Keep Falling
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2008 10:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Existing home sales were better than expected in July, rising 3.1% to an annual rate of 5 million, the Wall Street Journal reports. But inventories continued their steady expansion anyway, driving prices further downward. The median home price for July was $212,400, down 7.1% from July 2007. The downward price trend is in turn keeping buyers on the...
Germany Is Crux of Russia Talks
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 10:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A fretful Eastern Europe is hoping Germany can play a key diplomatic role in its stare-down with Russia, the New York Times reports. Until recently, relations between Moscow and Berlin were too cozy for the Caucasus’ tastes, but East German-born Angela Merkel has distanced herself from Russia just enough to be a credible mediator, criticizing...
Officials Probe 3 Deaths, Rape at Dr. Drew's Hospital
ABC News
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Aug 25, 2008 9:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
California officials are investigating three deaths and a rape at a Pasadena hospital that's home to a rehab facility run by physician-to-the-stars "Dr. Drew" Pinsky. The deaths occurred at Aurora Las Encinas Hospital, where Pinsky is co-director of the chemical dependency program. Two of the patients died of drug overdoses in the substance...
Lefty Ticket a Boon to McCain
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2008 9:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama has taken a big risk by choosing a VP almost as liberal as he is, writes Fred Barnes in the Wall Street Journal . In the past, Democrats have found success in politically balanced tickets: centrist Jimmy Carter and lefty Walter Mondale, moderate Bill Clinton and more liberal Al Gore. Despite a slight move leftward since ’04, America...
Communist Party Basks in Olympic Afterglow
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 9:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
For nearly a decade, the Chinese Communist Party has made the Olympics the nation's first political priority, writes Jim Yardley in the New York Times . Hopes that the international spotlight would lead to democratization and human-rights reforms in China didn't materialize, as the triumph of the Games instead underscored the strength of the party....
Israel Releases 198 Palestinians
AFP
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Aug 25, 2008 9:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Israel today released 198 Palestinian prisoners in an effort to bolster Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, the AFP reports. The release, on the eve of a visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, included two prisoners held since the late 1970s who were convicted of murdering Israelis. One of them, a Fatah party member who killed an Israeli settler...
Some Blacks Think Obama Could Threaten Progress
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 8:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite being a landmark in black American history, Barack Obama’s pending nomination could stall civil rights progress, some blacks say, because his success could fuel an argument that racial divisions have been healed, the New York Times reports. The danger is “that we declare victory,” a sociologist said. “Historic as this...
Mich., Fla. Get Full Delegations
Washington Post
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Aug 25, 2008 8:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The much-contested delegations from Michigan and Florida will receive full voting rights at the Democratic National Convention tonight, the Washington Post reports. Michigan and Florida’s primaries favored Hillary Clinton, but adjustments have been made in Obama’s favor, and Clinton seems poised to release her delegates to vote as they...
Biden Ran a Tough Campaign to Land Veep Spot
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2008 8:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Joe Biden didn’t sit back and wait for Barack Obama to select him. The senator’s aides lobbied vigorously on his behalf, the Wall Street Journal reports in a look behind the scenes, accentuating his blue-collar appeal and foreign policy bona fides, while throwing elbows at other contenders. When word broke that Evan Bayh’s wife...
Serbs Erect Bob Marley Peace Statue
BBC
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Aug 25, 2008 8:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Eastern Europe may not be known for its reggae scene, but a small Serbian village has chosen iconic wailer Bob Marley as a symbol of peace for the Balkans. A statue of Marley, who died in 1981, was recently unveiled during a rock festival in Banatski Sokolac, reports the BBC. The crowd included musicians and fans from both Serbia and Croatia. Organizers...
Drilling Boom Sends Natural Gas Supplies Soaring
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 7:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The US is ramping up natural gas production in a manner not seen since the post-World War II boom—scoring a nearly 9% increase through the first five months of 2008, reports the New York Times . The drilling boom comes as new technology is able to release gas long believed to be out of reach, sparking hopes that growing domestic supplies will...
Merely Mortal, Federer Starts US Open
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 7:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The US Open starts today, and Roger Federer will defend his title at Flushing Meadows from an unfamiliar position—the No. 2 seed. Although he's won the tournament 4 years straight, a torrid 2008 has left the Swiss champion extremely vulnerable. "That twinkling star over his head has been replaced by an evil cloud," writes New York...
Search Called Off for 8 Mont Blanc Climbers
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 25, 2008 7:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The search for eight mountaineers swept away by an avalanche yesterday on Mont-Blanc du Tacul in the French Alps has been called off because of hazardous conditions on the mountain, the Telegraph reports. The five Austrians and three Swiss nationalists are presumed dead. Ten other climbers, suffering from broken bones and hypothermia, were rescued....
Online Olympics Viewing Shatters Records
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 6:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Internet played an unprecedented role in Olympics viewing this year, with NBCOlympics.com and Yahoo leading the online-coverage pack, the New York Times reports. With 1.2 billion page hits and 72 million video streams, NBC more than doubled its Web traffic from the past two Olympics combined. The Internet lets viewers “create their own...
Anxious Dems Urge Obama to Hit Hard
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2008 6:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Democratic convention opens tonight, not quite the coronation envisioned only a month ago as twitchy party grandees push Barack Obama to make his case forcefully to a still-skeptical electorate—using the spotlight to draw the strongest possible distinctions between himself and John McCain. "The stakes of this election will be made very...
Treats Banned, Komodo Dragons Get Nasty
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2008 5:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Komodo dragons in an Indonesian park are increasingly attacking humans, and villagers who share their habitat say environmentalist policies are to blame, reports the Wall Street Journal . Inhabitants of Komodo National Park have traditionally left deer and sheep for the carnivorous lizards, the largest in the world. But new laws banning the offerings...
'Rockefeller' Recalls Glorious Days with Kidnapped Snooks
Boston Globe
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Aug 25, 2008 5:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The father who still insists on calling himself Clark Rockefeller described six days on the lam with his 7-year-old kidnapped daughter—nicknamed Snooks—as "glorious," reports the Boston Globe . But he refuses to discuss his past life using several aliases. "We had such a wonderful time," he said in a jailhouse interview....
Ted Kennedy in Denver; Plans to Speak Tonight
Boston Globe
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Aug 25, 2008 4:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Democratic titan Ted Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, is in Denver and plans to address the Democratic National Convention tonight, reports the Boston Glob e. The Kennedy clan is gathering for what is certain to be an emotionally powerful and highly symbolic moment. Doctors are concerned that Kennedy's immune system may be too compromised to...
Journalist's Suspected Kidnapper Nabbed in Iraq
CNN
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Aug 25, 2008 4:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The suspected mastermind behind the 2006 abduction of US journalist Jill Carroll and a cohort have been captured by US-led military forces, CNN reports. The pair, nabbed in Baghdad, are suspected of planning numerous kidnappings and suicide bombings in the country. Their capture leaves “few remaining experienced leaders” in the Iraq al-Qaeda...
Ban-Busting Sir Paul to Play Tel Aviv
Haaretz (Israel)
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Aug 25, 2008 3:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Paul McCartney will perform in Tel Aviv 43 years after the Beatles were banned by the Israeli government because officials feared their music would corrupt Israeli youth. The only fear today is that ticket prices for the September 25 concert in Park Hayarkon will be too expensive for most Israelis, reports Ha'aretz .
Suicide Bomber Kills 25 at Iraqi Banquet
Reuters
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Aug 25, 2008 3:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
At least 25 people were killed in Abu Ghraib yesterday when a suicide bomber attacked a banquet where relatives were celebrating the release of a sheikh's son from US detention. Women, children and men from a US-supported neighborhood patrol were believed to be among the victims."The smoke was everywhere mixed with blood. I went unconscious after...
Hillary Plans Own Rally in Show of Strength
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2008 2:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton plans a demonstration of her political strength at the Democratic Convention by gathering her own delegates—and supporters—at a separate venue before formally releasing them to vote for Barack Obama. The Wednesday reception-rally at another convention center is viewed as part of Clinton's strategy for a potential run at...
China Releases, Deports US Tibet Protesters
BBC
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Aug 25, 2008 2:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Eight Americans arrested in China last week after staging a pro-Tibet protests have been freed from jail and deported following US pressure for their release, reports the BBC. The protesters faced up to 10 days in detention for unfurling a “Free Tibet” banner near an Olympic site and staging small demonstrations in support of Tibetan independence....
Cross Honors Heroes of Flight 93
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2008 1:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 14-foot-high cross forged from World Trade Center steel was dedicated yesterday in a moving ceremony near the spot where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field. The 2-ton memorial was erected next to the Shanksville firehouse on a base shaped like the Pentagon. Flight 93 went down as passengers rushed the cockpit to prevent hijackers...
Pet Adoption Hurdles Irk Would-Be Owners
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 24, 2008 9:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Animal shelters are hitting would-be pet owners with a vetting process they say puts them on a short leash, the Chicago Tribune reports. Prospective owners often face pages of queries on condo rules, finances, marital status—and even home visits. “We got a lecture about how having a dog is a big responsibility,” said one Chicagoan...
Hawaii Wins Little League Title
Associated Press
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Aug 24, 2008 8:56 PM CDT
(AP) -
Hawaii's mini-mashers got a little help from Mexico's miscues to win a fourth straight Little League World Series title for the United States. Tanner Tokunaga smacked two homers and Iolana Akau added a solo blast as the boys from Waipahu, Hawaii, defeated Matamoros, Mexico, 12-3, to take the biggest prize in youth sports.
Blake Says Mayer Was Nerdy Kid Like Him
People
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Aug 24, 2008 8:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Singer John Mayer and tennis star James Blake weren't girl-magnets in school, Blake tells People . Old pals, they spent hours during elementary and junior high years playing video games. "I don't know what he likes to tell about his high school experience," Blake said, "but I definitely didn't have girls flocking around me."
'Obamanomics': A Tough Sell in America?
New York Times
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Aug 24, 2008 7:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama will face a crippled economy if he wins in November, but what fiscal policies will he put to use? “My core economic theory is pragmatism,” says Obama, a liberal who picked up free market notions when teaching at the University of Chicago. His policies on health care, emissions caps, and Wall Street oversight convey that balance....
