Newser Story Index from January, 2009
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.
When Celebs Hit a Low Note
Independent (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 6:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
Ex-Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix kicked off a new career last week by rapping in Las Vegas—and tripping off the stage. He's not the only actor to stumble in the music business, the Independent reports. Among his peers: Bruce Willis: He died hard with a painful rendition of the Motown classic Under the Boardwalk in the mid-80s. ...
Gitmo Detainee Files a Mess
Washington Post
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Jan 25, 2009 6:12 PM CST
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The case files of many Gitmo detainees are incomplete, disorganized, or strewn around the executive branch, complicating President Barack Obama’s plan to close down the detention center, reports the Washington Post . Incoming officials discovered the chaos when given access after the inauguration. One former official says he sometimes had...
To Find the Killer Whale, Scientists Think Like One
NPR
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Jan 25, 2009 5:52 PM CST
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Killer whales spend most of their time tracking their prey, and so do the scientists who study them. Marine biologists at Scotland's St. Andrews University spent 3 months among the Shetland Islands in search of their cetacean quarry, and caught sight of whales only about 12 times. They explain to NPR what drives them to seek the elusive Orca.
Mall Cop Still Rocks Box Office
Variety
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Jan 25, 2009 5:23 PM CST
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Paul Blart: Mall Cop kept control of the box office for a second straight weekend by earning $21.5 million, Variety reports. Slumdog Millionaire, on the strength of 10 Oscar nominations, shot into fifth spot and banked $10.6 million. Filling out the top five were Underworld: Rise of the Lycans ($20.7 million), Gran Torino ($16 million),...
Details Emerge on Belgian Baby Killer
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 5:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Details of a Belgian daycare stabbing spree emerged today as thousands marched to honor three dead and 12 wounded in the attack, the Telegraph and AP report. A photo has surfaced of suspect Kim de Gelder, a loner who sniggered during police questioning and refused to cooperate. Police believe he had an "attack plan," although he said...
Israel to Back Soldiers Accused of War Crimes
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2009 4:35 PM CST
(AP) -
Special legal teams will defend Israeli soldiers against potential war crimes charges stemming from civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said today, promising the country would "fully back" those who fought in the three-week offensive. "The soldiers and commanders who were sent on missions in Gaza must know that...
Virtual Desktops Brings Work Close to Home
Miami Herald
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Jan 25, 2009 4:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
The line between work and home keeps getting blurrier. Citrix and Intel are teaming to create a system that will make it easier for people to access work files from their personal laptops or home computers, the Miami Herald reports. The files wouldn't be on the personal computer's hard drive, but users could get to them via the company's "virtual...
No Free Ride for Rumer Willis
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 3:45 PM CST
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Rumer Willis may be the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, but she’s no spoiled brat, the Daily Mail reports. She has babysat, worked at a Marc Jacobs, and earned the money for her Subaru Outback. Now, after her breakout role in The House Bunny , the 20-year-old is emerging as an actress in her own right. “I don’t have a...
Sri Lankan Army Seizes Last Big Rebel Base
AFP
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Jan 25, 2009 3:11 PM CST
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The Sri Lankan army says it has captured the last urban Tamil Tiger base in a surprise morning assault, CNN reports. Soldiers and rebels battled fiercely for the town of Mullaittivu, the latest effort in the army’s recent campaign to capture Tiger areas. The army says the rebels are now contained to a small 20-kilometer area. "The end of...
'Baby Grace' Jury Selection Set to Start
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2009 2:50 PM CST
(AP) -
Jury selection is set to begin tomorrow for the capital murder trial of 20-year-old Kimberly Dawn Trenor, accused—along with husband Royce Clyde Zeigler II—of beating her 2-year-old daughter Riley Ann Sawyers to death in July 2007. After volunteer searchers helped in the agonizing investigation, some fear that community reaction could complicate...
Vatican Blasts Obama Policy on Abortion
BBC
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Jan 25, 2009 2:24 PM CST
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The Vatican today condemned President Obama's move to give federal funding to international groups that include abortions and abortion counseling with health care, the BBC reports. A Vatican official said the policy dealt a blow to those fighting "the slaughter of the innocents." Supporters of the move say it will promote women's health...
Karzai Blames US in 16 Civilian Deaths
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2009 1:56 PM CST
(AP) -
President Hamid Karzai condemned a US operation he said killed 16 Afghan civilians today, even as his Ministry of Defense sent Washington a draft agreement that seeks to give Afghanistan more oversight over US military operations. The increased rhetoric comes as hundreds of villagers denounced the American military during an angry demonstration today. Karzai...
Bush Policies Will Blow Through Nat'l Parks for Years
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 25, 2009 1:40 PM CST
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Views of spacious skies and purple mountain majesties in US national parks may soon be interrupted by industrial roads and power lines, after years of Bush policies that pushed commerce over conservation, reports the Los Angeles Times . And unlike the many decisions that President Obama can quickly reverse, the changes looming for national parks...
Nearing 60, Streep Trumps Hollywood's Old Boys
Independent (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 1:18 PM CST
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Meryl Streep wasn't surprised when Mamma Mia! took the international box office by storm, and remained equally unfazed at the amazement of execs who hadn't expected the ABBA musical to succeed. The "fellas" who decide what films get made, Streep tells the Independent , "usually make those decisions based on what they want ...
Al-Qaeda Struggles to Rally Muslims Against Obama
Washington Post
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Jan 25, 2009 12:48 PM CST
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In George W. Bush, al-Qaeda leaders had an easy figurehead to rally against. But championing the jihadist movement with Barack Obama in the White House is a different story, the Washington Post reports. Qaeda militants are firing insults at Obama, including “hypocrite," "house Negro,” and "enemy of Muslims,” but with...
Gitmo Was Actually Humane —Until Rumsfeld Took Over
Washington Post
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Jan 25, 2009 12:12 PM CST
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If Guantanamo Bay has become a symbol of torture, a place where prisoners' screams echo in our national psyche, it wasn’t always so, writes Karen Greenberg in the Washington Post . Though told the Geneva Conventions wouldn't technically apply, the military officials who set up the camp skirted Bush administration objections and enlisted Red...
McCain: I Won't Back Stimulus as Is
Politico
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Jan 25, 2009 11:55 AM CST
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John McCain told Fox News Sunday that he wouldn’t back the stimulus bill as written by House Dems because it’s full of wasteful spending and includes little GOP input, Politico reports. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on ABC’s This Week , and Sen. Chuck Schumer, also on Fox, disagreed, saying the bill had bipartisan backing, the Hill...
Rahm Less Partisan, More Powerful
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2009 11:30 AM CST
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President Obama’s chief of staff has a reputation as a feisty, vicious partisan, but he’s trying to tone it down as he takes a central role in the White House, writes Mark Leibovich in the New York Times . Never far from his boss, Emanuel is more “chief” than “staff,” unlike his predecessors. Weighing in on countless...
Desperate Times: UK Mulls 3-Day Week
Independent (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 10:39 AM CST
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Now officially in recession amid the global downturn, the specter of a three-day work week has emerged in Britain, the Independent reports. Though officials say it’s "not imminent," the government has discussed paying firms to cut hours with public cash going toward compensating employees for the lost time. But such a move could hurt...
Cooks' Books: Can You Try This at Home?
Slate
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Jan 25, 2009 10:18 AM CST
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Restaurant cookbooks allow you to tap into a chef's genius, but rarely do they yield perfect re-creations of beloved dishes, notes food writer Lauren Shockey for Slate. Shockey tries her hand at recipes from a couple of Manhattan's renowned restaurants— Shopsin's, Carmine's, and Chantarelle—and goes on-site for a taste comparison. ...
Blago Hires Drew Peterson's PR Firm, Plans Media Blitz
Chicago Tribune
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Jan 25, 2009 10:06 AM CST
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This may not come as a big surprise, but you haven't heard the last of Rod Blagojevich. The soon-to-be-impeached Illinois governor has hired the same PR firm that represents none other than suspected wife-killer Drew Peterson, the Chicago Tribune reports. Tomorrow—the same day his Senate trial begins—Blagojevich plans appearances...
Sleepwalker Stirs Yuks Off-Broadway
Newsweek
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Jan 25, 2009 9:18 AM CST
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Fighting off an imaginary Brad Pitt and leaping from a second-story window confirmed it: Mike Birbiglia was ready to turn his sleepwalking stories into a one-man show, Newsweek reports. Launched off-Broadway in November, the comedic Sleepwalk With Me is drawing raves from reviewers and sleep researchers alike. "Mike is really de-stigmatizing...
Cops Bust Dealers Selling 'Obama Heroin'
New York Daily News
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Jan 25, 2009 8:49 AM CST
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The inauguration of a new president apparently represents very different opportunities to different people. An upstate New York drug crew has been busted for selling "Obama brand" heroin, reports the New York Daily News. Police seized marijuana and heroin packets, most of them stamped with the name "Obama" in red. "It's an...
Fighting Illness, Student Crowned Miss America
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2009 8:40 AM CST
(AP) -
Katie Stam of Indiana was crowned Miss America last night, fighting off a throat infection, laryngitis, and 51 other contestants to win the 88-year-old pageant, the AP reports. The 22-year-old University of Indianapolis student drew loud applause for her rendition of "Via Dolorosa" during the talent portion of the pageant in Las Vegas,...
BBC Refusal to Air Gaza Appeal Sparks Uproar
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 8:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
The BBC has been lambasted by politicians, religious leaders and its own staff for the network's refusal to broadcast an appeal for Gaza aid, the Guardian reports. Executives of the publicly funded network say they must adhere to a strict code of impartiality, and that airing the appeal could be seen as expressing a bias in the politically charged...
Kid Matador Kills Record 6 Bulls
BBC
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Jan 25, 2009 7:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
An 11-year-old Mexican bullfighter has broken a world record by killing six young bulls in a single bloody spectacle, reports the BBC. "I'm happy to have achieved this great victory," boasted the boy as he left the ring in Merida yesterday. The controversial bullfight exhibition won a last-minute go-ahead from officials despite international...
Obama Moves Quickly to Overhaul Finance Rules
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2009 6:58 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Obama administration aims to quickly beef up regulation of the US financial system to stave off economic implosion, the New York Times reports. Plans include tightening rules on hedge funds, credit rating agencies, and mortgage firms, and keeping a closer watch on financial instruments at the center of the current crisis, the Times notes. The...
US Navy Hunts Hamas Arms Ship
Times (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 6:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
An American naval force is on the trail of a ship believed to be carrying Iranian arms bound for Hamas, the Times of London reports. Iran is working to resupply Hamas fighters in the wake of the three-week Israeli assault on Gaza using vessels purportedly sent to fight piracy along the African coast, according to Israeli intelligence.
Prince Harry, Girlfriend Call It Quits
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 6:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
Prince Harry and his long-time girlfriend Chelsy Davy have parted ways, according to the Telegraph. Davy reportedly decided that their often long-distance romance and Harry's military lifestyle were too much of a strain. The prince is beginning a training program with an army helicopter unit that would have kept the couple apart again for months....
Knick Star's Son Sees Mom Murdered
New York Daily News
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Jan 25, 2009 5:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
The toddler son of New York Knicks center Edward Curry likely witnessed the murder of his mother and baby sister in their Chicago home, authorities revealed yesterday. The 3-year-old boy was found unharmed by his grandmother near the bodies of his sister and mom, a former girlfriend of Curry's. Police are searching for a man who knew the family, reports...
Jews Rip Pope for Reinstating Holocaust Denier
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 5:16 AM CST
(Newser) -
Jews across the globe are reacting with fury to Pope Benedict XVI's reinstatement of an excommunicated bishop who denies the Holocaust, the Guardian reports. Former British bishop Richard Williamson, excommunicated in 1988 for his membership in an extremist Catholic sect and defiance of church authority, claims that no Jews died in gas chambers....
Zsa Zsa Lost Millions to Madoff
Reuters
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Jan 25, 2009 4:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor has lost as much as $10 million to accused Ponzi scheme swindler Bernard Madoff, Reuters reports. The actress, 91, is not taking the recently discovered losses well, according to her lawyer. The Hungarian-born cinematic darling of the 1950s and '60s— who chalked up a string of rich husbands—suffered a stroke in 2005....
How Biden Got His Least-Likely Role
Esquire
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Jan 24, 2009 9:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
A self-declared "Senate man," Joe Biden admitted up-front that he might not fit the vice-presidency. The charming Democrat had spent two-thirds of his life making feisty speeches and verbal flubs—not exactly characteristic traits of a VP. So Barack Obama and Biden sat down to talk. All Biden wanted, he said, was "to be a valued...
Pilot Gets Hero's Welcome
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 24, 2009 7:57 PM CST
(Newser) -
The small town of Danville, Calif., welcomed home its resident celebrity pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the Los Angeles Times reports. Thousands filled the town green to cheer the man who landed Flight 1549 safely in the Hudson River. "I know I can speak for the entire crew when I tell you we were simply doing the jobs we were...
Lawmaker Charged in Travolta Extortion Quits
Associated Press
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Jan 24, 2009 6:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Bahamas lawmaker quit today after police charged her with trying to extort millions from John Travolta following his son's death, the AP reports. "How these innocent actions can be so misconstrued... is a mystery," said Pleasant Bridgewater, who vowed to fight the charges. Sources tell TMZ that Bridgewater and two accomplices were...
Top Celeb Power Couples
National Post (Canada)
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Jan 24, 2009 6:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
Brad and Angelina's Oscar nods have confirmed their status as Earth's top power couple, Ben Kaplan writes in the National Post . But they better watch out for these contenders: Sacha Baron Cohen & Isla Fisher: Borat’s alter-ego has a Bruno film on way, and Fisher’s red locks are gracing one movie poster after another. ...
Booming Mickey D's Plans European Surge
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 24, 2009 5:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
A rare beneficiary of the financial crisis, McDonald’s says it will build 240 new European locations and create 12,000 jobs, the Financial Times reports. The firm’s biggest expansion in 5 years will extend mainly to Spain, France, Italy, Russia, and Poland. “We’re certainly not slowing down,” said the president of McDonald’s...
Recession Dims Super Bowl Glitz
Washington Post
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Jan 24, 2009 5:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Thanks to the economy, Super Bowl week will be less extravagant and profitable than in years past, the Washington Post reports. While host city Tampa Bay is expected to attract more than $150 million from Super Bowl visitors, that’s 20% less than usual; despite hotels filled to the rafters, stays will be shorter than before. Playboy and ...
Man Sues Over Smack From Stripper's Shoe
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 24, 2009 5:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
An Ohio man is suing a strip club for $25,000 after a stripper’s shoe flew off and clocked him in the nose, the Daily Telegraph reports. A year after the incident, he says he’ll need surgery and can only breath from one nostril. “When the boot hit me in my face all I could do is drop... and just holler for about ten minutes,”...
Obama Approval Drops to 68%
Politico
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Jan 24, 2009 4:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
President Obama's poll numbers are sinking back into the stratosphere now that he's in office, Politico reports. The first Gallup poll since his inauguration gives Obama a 68% approval rating, down from 83% a week ago. Just 12% of the most recent sample disapproved of Obama. JFK holds the record for initial job approval, with 72%.
Scientists Teleport Data on Tiny Scale
LiveScience
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Jan 24, 2009 4:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
It’s not quite worthy of the Starship Enterprise, but Maryland scientists have managed to teleport data on an atomic scale, LiveScience reports. The researchers transmitted information between atoms a meter apart without the data actually crossing that space—a development that could help create speedy quantum computers and highly secure...
Mitchell to Israel Within the Week
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
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Jan 24, 2009 3:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Newly appointed Middle East special envoy George Mitchell will make his first trip to Israel next week, possibly as early as Wednesday, the Jerusalem Post reports. Mitchell is expected to meet with top Israeli officials and leaders of the Palestinian Authority. The main priority will be ensuring that the current Gaza cease-fire holds. More in-depth...
What Makes Joel the Worst Singer Ever?
Slate
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Jan 24, 2009 3:33 PM CST
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Billy Joel serves up his own brand of schlock-rock, but why is it so uniquely bad? Critic Ron Rosenbaum easily pans the piano man—"anodyne, sappy, superficial, derivative, fraudulently rebellious"—but what he hates most is the “unearned contempt" in Joel's tunes. It's usually for “the supposed phoniness”...
GOP Needs 'a Little Chaos:' Kristol
Weekly Standard
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Jan 24, 2009 3:11 PM CST
(Newser) -
Republicans clamoring for unified front should "calm down" and be careful what they wish for, William Kristol writes in the Weekly Standard . Firstly, Barack Obama is hugely popular; he'll be unassailable for months. What's more, spirited debate may serve the GOP better than blind adherence to conservative philosophy. Consider 1977-80,...
Downturn Threatens 100K Charities
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 24, 2009 2:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
The economic crisis isn’t just hurting Wall Street executives—it also spells dark times for the charities they once supported, the Wall Street Journal reports. The number of US nonprofits climbed from about 750,000 a decade ago to more than a million today, but watchers say 100,000 could drop off in the next year. And those that don’t...
Don't Tell Me I'm Not Fat
Salon
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Jan 24, 2009 2:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
People are constantly trying to tell Kate Harding she’s not fat, and it “drives me up a goddamn wall,” she writes in Salon. She is, by any reasonable definition, fat. It's simply another word that describes her. The problem is, everyone associates being fat with being lazy, stupid, ugly, etc. She's not any of those things. "I...
When It Comes to Politics, Gillibrand's a Natural
New York Times
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Jan 24, 2009 1:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Her name isn't well-known outside Albany, but associates of New York's newest senator say Kirsten Gillibrand will change that soon enough. Gillibrand is such a natural and skilled politician that her friends matter-of-factly expect the 42-year-old mother of two to run for president someday, the New York Times reports in a profile. Gillibrand is admired...
Winds Kill 13 in Spain, France
Reuters
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Jan 24, 2009 1:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
High winds in Spain and southern France today killed 13 people, crippled transportation networks, and cut power to more than 1.7 million, Reuters reports. The deaths were caused by flying debris, collapsed walls, and trees pushed over by the wind, which topped 100 mph in some areas. In Barcelona, four children ages 9 to 12 were killed when an athletic...
Facebook Stomps MySpace in Traffic (But Not Ads)
Advertising Age
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Jan 24, 2009 1:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
Facebook has taken a runaway lead in the social networking rat race, Advertising Age reports. Tied with rival MySpace as recently as June, Facebook has gone on a tear since, growing a whopping 10% a month. It now boasts 200 million unique users, roughly twice MySpace’s 100 million. But it’s lagging in one crucial area: making money.
US Airstrikes Signal Tough Approach in Pakistan
Washington Post
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Jan 24, 2009 12:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
US airstrikes on suspected terrorist camps in Pakistan yesterday signal that the Obama administration will continue the aggressive US strategy against extremists in the region, the Washington Post reports. In fact, early signs suggest a tougher approach—and less patience—with the Pakistani government. The attacks, carried out by Predator...
