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.
Blowfish Testicles Poison 7 Diners in Japan
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 4:39 PM CST
(AP) -
World travelers, take note. Blowfish testicles prepared by an unauthorized chef have sickened seven diners in northern Japan, three of whom remain hospitalized. The owner of the Tsuruoka restaurant had no license to serve blowfish and was being questioned on suspicion of professional negligence. Blowfish poison, called tetrodotoxin, is nearly 100 times...
Ay, Caramba! Bart Makes Robo-Call for Scientology
Village Voice
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Jan 27, 2009 4:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
Actress Nancy Cartwright’s affiliation with Scientology has escaped public notice for the most part, but those days could be over. Cartwright, the voice of Bart on The Simpsons , is featured on a robo-call announcing a church event, the Village Voice reports. The actress peppers the invitation to the “Mecca of technical perfection”...
AOL Explores Sale of Bebo: Sources
TechCrunch
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Jan 27, 2009 3:56 PM CST
(Newser) -
Less than a year after shelling out $850 million to acquire Bebo, AOL is looking to sell, sources tell TechCruch—though both AOL and the social-networking site are denying it. Bebo, with underwhelming numbers and buffeted by the spiraling economy, could go for $200 million.
Updike: An Author 'Hoping to Talk to America'
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 3:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
John Updike, who died today at 76, was many things: Bob Ryan, in the Boston Globe , calls him the author of the “most spellbinding essay ever written about baseball.” For Carolyn Kellogg, in the Los Angeles Times , the first line of his story A&P displays a “durability that authors can only hope for.” The bottom line:...
Crisis Brings Day Traders Back to Wall Street
New York
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Jan 27, 2009 3:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Some traders like to buy and hold positions based on rational market fundamentals. Then there’s Peter Milman, who’s constantly making—or losing—tens of thousands of dollars, perched over his computer making a furious stream of bets like an arcade pinball wizard. Day traders like Milman are having their greatest renaissance since...
Dow Up 58 On Mixed Data
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 27, 2009 3:22 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks ended higher for the third straight day today amid mixed financial news, the Finanical Times reports. Home prices sank, leading to a surge in sales, while consumer confidence remained low. A better-than-expected earnings report from AmEx led financials higher as the Dow closed up 58.70 points at 8,174.73. The Nasdaq gained 15.44 points to...
Slumdog an Evasive Fantasy
Slate
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Jan 27, 2009 3:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
Slumdog Millionaire wants to be a portrait of the “real India” and a fairy tale at the same time, but director Danny Boyle’s combination is “dissonant to the point of incoherence,” writes Dennis Lim in Slate. It portrays life in the slums in brilliant color, and “some would argue that Boyle is guilty of aestheticizing...
Bush Rejected Pardons for Milken, Other 'High Rollers'
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 27, 2009 3:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
George Bush formally denied pardons for several prominent politicians and businessmen on his last day in office, the Justice Department told the Los Angeles Times today. Among those whose pleas fell on deaf ears were Michael Milken, a businessman convicted of insider trading and stock evasion, and Randall Cunningham, a Congressman who pleaded guilty...
LA Dad Kills Wife, 5 Kids, Self
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 27, 2009 2:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Seven family members were found dead in their Los Angeles home today, apparent victims of a murder-suicide, police say. Police think a man shot and killed his wife and five children, and then turned the weapon on himself, the Los Angeles Times reports. The child victims were an 8-year-old, 5-year-old twins, and 2-year-old twins. The father contacted...
Belgian Daycare Suspect Admits Guilt to Lawyer
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 27, 2009 2:36 PM CST
(Newser) -
Belgian murder suspect Kim De Gelder has admitted guilt in the slaying of two infants and a daycare worker, the Telegraph reports. “He understands that he did something inhuman. I think that he feels regrets,” the 20-year-old’s lawyer said. “But it would be going too far to say that he repents.” He pointed to a history...
Fla. Firm Cancels Caylee Doll
Orlando Sentinel
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Jan 27, 2009 2:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Florida company has thought better of its decision to sell a doll bearing the name of slain toddler Caylee Anthony, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The “Inspirational Caylee Sunshine Doll” was to go on sale today for $29.99; it plays the song You Are My Sunshine when its belly button is pushed.
Amid Congo's Violence, a Gorilla 'Baby Boom'
Bloomberg
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Jan 27, 2009 2:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Democratic Republic of Congo has seen unspeakable violence, but one population has managed to thrive: the endangered mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park. The population of gorillas considered tame grew to 81 from 72 over the past year, Bloomberg reports. The gorilla population has boomed even as rangers entrusted with protecting them have...
House GOP Pounces on Visiting Obama
Politico
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Jan 27, 2009 2:09 PM CST
(Newser) -
President Obama’s visit with House Republicans on Capitol Hill today, intended as an olive branch, instead turned into a forum for grievances about Obama’s stimulus proposals, Politico reports. The GOP is steadfast in its push for more tax cuts, but Obama isn’t budging, either. “Feel free to whack me over the head,” he...
Both Sides Wary of Blowback Over Stimulus
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jan 27, 2009 2:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
As President Obama and congressional Republicans fight over the outline of an economic stimulus package, each side is wary of catching blame for a botched effort, reports the San Francisco Chronicle . Obama can’t guarantee the $825 billion plan will actually work and seeks public GOP buy-in; Republicans want to rein in spending while avoiding...
Hackers Breach Monster.com
Bloomberg
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Jan 27, 2009 1:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hackers have illegally accessed Monster.com and stolen personal details from an uncertain number of its 75 million users, Bloomberg reports. The hackers snatched user IDs, passwords, contact information and more, though resumes weren’t accessed. Users should be on the lookout for bogus e-mails that appear to come from employers, and may be forced...
Denied Rate Hike, State Farm to Axe Fla. Home Insurance
Miami Herald
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Jan 27, 2009 1:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Citing a “weakened financial position,” State Farm’s Florida operation is planning to completely exit the home insurance business there within 2 years, the Miami Herald reports. Such a move would need regulatory approval, and require a 180-day heads-up to affected homeowners. The move comes after the insurer, Florida’s largest...
Teen Sex: Everybody Else Isn't Doing It
New York Times
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Jan 27, 2009 1:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Kids these days, with their sex, their sex, and all their sex. Just look at Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin—it’s getting worse all the time, right? Nope. The portion of high-schoolers who’d had sex in 2007 was 47.8%, reports the New York Times —down from 54.1% in 1991. And the infamous oral sex epidemic? Only 16% of...
Hartford Mayor Arrested on Bribery Charges
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 1:19 PM CST
(AP) -
Hartford's mayor turned himself in today on charges of having a city contractor do $40,000 in work at his home and paying for it only after being confronted by investigators. Eddie Perez, a native of Puerto Rico and the first Hispanic mayor in the city's history, admitted "a lapse in judgment" but said he did not commit a crime. He pledged...
Israel Renews Attacks on Gaza
BBC
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Jan 27, 2009 1:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
In the worst violence since both sides declared ceasefires, Israel today launched new air attacks and sent tanks and bulldozers into Gaza following a border explosion that killed an Israeli soldier, the BBC reports. There has been intense fighting in the south and a Palestinian farmer was killed. Israel closed Gaza border crossings following the explosion,...
Ousted Thain Subpoenaed on Early Merrill Bonuses
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 27, 2009 12:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
New York’s attorney general issued a subpoena today to force John Thain to testify about his acceleration of bonus payments for Merrill Lynch employees last month, the Financial Times reports. A subpoena was also issued to a Bank of America executive thought to have consulted with Thain—then Merrill’s CEO—on the bonus payments...
John Updike Dies at 76
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 12:39 PM CST
(AP) -
John Updike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, prolific man of letters, and erudite chronicler of sex, divorce, and other adventures in postwar America, died today of lung cancer at age 76. A literary force who frequently appeared on best-seller lists, Updike penned novels, short stories, poems, criticism, the memoir Self-Consciousness , and even...
Wall Street Loses Sex Appeal as Big Guns Struggle
New York Times
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Jan 27, 2009 12:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
The gravitational pull of Wall Street on the nation's best and brightest students has weakened dramatically, Andrew Ross Sorkin writes in the New York Times , as ridiculous pay packages and the thrill of risk-taking give way to layoffs and anxiety. "The whole cult and ethos of Wall Street, which lured so many bright minds, is in retreat,"...
The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads
MSNBC
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Jan 27, 2009 12:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sure, the economy's in the toilet, but there’s always $3 million in the couch cushions for 30 seconds come Super Bowl time. But it remains to be seen whether this year’s crop stick to a reliable winning formula: Include “animals, potty humor, violence, celebrities, sentimentality,” or “a stupid catchphrase,” as Peter...
FBI Agent Details Blago's Misdeeds in Trial's 2nd Day
Chicago Tribune
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Jan 27, 2009 12:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Prosecutors walked FBI agent Daniel Cain through the affidavit detailing wiretapped conversations of Rod Blagojevich in the second day of the Illinois Senate’s impeachment trial against the governor, the Chicago Tribune reports. Cain confirmed comments attributed to Blagojevich taken from wiretapped conversations, including the governor’s...
Dieting Could Help Your Memory
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 27, 2009 11:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Eating less could help you remember more, a study suggests. Among volunteers with an average age of 60, the Telegraph reports, those instructed to eat 30% fewer calories improved their memory test scores by 20% compared to those asked to maintain their diets or eat 20% more. The finding fuels hope for progress combating dementia, of which memory...
Handicapping the Race for Kristol's Times Slot
Politico
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Jan 27, 2009 11:53 AM CST
(Newser) -
At the New York Times op-ed page, William Kristol is out; that leaves a spot open for another conservative to keep David Brooks company, writes Michael Calderone in Politico. Times editor Andy Rosenthal wouldn’t comment, but Calderone has guesses on a replacement: David Frum: The former Bush speechwriter and National Review contributing...
Guess Who Also Cheats at Golf
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 27, 2009 11:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Bernie Madoff’s golf buddies knew something was up. No, not the whole global Ponzi scheme thing, which many would lose fortunes in. But something did seem fishy about his golf handicap. Madoff played off a 14 or 15, says one participant from a May tournament, but it should have been 9.8, according to the Golf Handicap Information Network.
The Ignominy! No Facebook, No IM, and the Email's Down
Salon
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Jan 27, 2009 11:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s White House staff has stepped into a time warp. The tech-savviest campaigners in history, who deployed email, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, et al, brilliantly to get their guy elected, now have to settle for an email system that goes down for long periods of time—as it was most of yesterday. The equipment is obsolete and staffers...
Brangelina and Brood Do Japan
Extra
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Jan 27, 2009 11:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hollywood's golden clan touched down in Japan today for a family holiday, mixed with a little business. Brad, carrying 6-month-old Knox, is in Asia to promote his Oscar-nominated film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Click the image icon to view a slideshow of Brad, Angelina, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and the twins, Knox and Vivienne.
McMansions, Like Everything Else, Are Shrinking
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 27, 2009 11:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
Confirming what industry professionals have long suspected, builders and buyers alike are foregoing super-sized “McMansions” for smaller, more economical homes, the Wall Street Journa l reports. The average home started in 2008’s third quarter was 2,438 square feet, down from 2,629 in the second quarter. The median home size also...
Tonight Marks Reinvention for Franz Ferdinand
Esquire
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Jan 27, 2009 11:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
Franz Ferdinand’s third album, Tonight, is a “wholesale reinvention of their sound,” writes Andy Langer in Esquire . Establishing riffs rooted in bass rather than their trademark guitar sound, the quartet’s effort—out now—treads where few have dared, says Langer. “The Achilles heel of postpunk bands...
Speechwriter's Gal Has Roots in Reality TV
Gawker
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Jan 27, 2009 11:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
It’s apparently been quite the journey for Alejandra Campoverdi, the pinup girl who’s now dating hotshot White House speechwriter Jon Favreau, Gawker reports. The farm worker’s stepdaughter is now a deputy chief of staff’s assistant, having appeared in a reality TV show (oh, and that Maxim thing), played bit parts in two movies,...
Boehner Rejects Stimulus as Obama Heads to Hill
Politico
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Jan 27, 2009 11:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
President Obama is headed to the Capitol today to chat up House Republicans on the stimulus bill, but they may be tough to sway: House Republican Leader John Boehner has told them to vote against Obama’s pet package tomorrow, Politico reports. Minority whip Eric Cantor seconded the motion in the morning meeting. Boehner did, however, salute...
Comedian? Poet? Vampire? Anything but Governor
Chicago Tribune
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Jan 27, 2009 10:53 AM CST
(Newser) -
Rod Blagojevich probably didn’t help his case with his whirlwind media tour yesterday, “but he just might establish himself as an unofficial poet laureate of the criminal justice system,” Dana Milbank writes in the Washington Post . Blago quoted Tennyson and Kipling all day, proclaimed his innocence, compared himself to MLK and Ghandi....
Consumer Confidence Finds a New Low in January
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 10:43 AM CST
(AP) -
Americans' mood about the economy darkened even more in January, sending a widely watched barometer of consumer sentiment to yet another new low as people worry about their jobs and watch their retirement funds dwindle. The Conference Board said its Consumer Confidence Index edged down to 37.7 from a revised 38.6 in December, lower than the reading...
Activists Hit 'Fur-Hag' Aretha's Star
Perez Hilton
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Jan 27, 2009 10:36 AM CST
(Newser) -
January has not been kind to the queen of soul. First Aretha Franklin was mocked for her ginormous inauguration hat, and now her Walk of Fame star has been vandalized, Perez Hilton reports. Anti-fur activists scrawled “Fur Hag” across her star in Hollywood after doing the same thing to the Olsen twins' star Sunday.
Emanuel and 3 Pals Never Miss Their Morning Calls
Politico
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Jan 27, 2009 10:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel may have his hands full these days, but not too full to touch base every single morning with three longtime pals: James Carville, George Stephanopoulos, and Paul Begala, reports Politico. The four Dems never skip the chance to trade information and gossip, often in shorthand, often as early as 6am. “I refer to...
Study May Help Mastectomy Dilemma
Houston Chronicle
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Jan 27, 2009 10:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
Researchers alarmed by a spike in potentially unnecessary double mastectomies have identified three risk factors that might help breast cancer patients make better decisions about whether to have a healthy breast removed, the Houston Chronicle reports. The research was motivated by an earlier study that revealed 80% of women who had preventive double...
Judge: Knox Let Accomplice Into Cottage
Times (UK)
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Jan 27, 2009 10:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
A man later sentenced in the murder of British student Meredith Kercher was let into her cottage by Amanda Knox, the American roommate now on trial in Italy, according to the judge who sentenced Rudy Guede in the “group crime.” “Guede entered the house because he was let into it by someone else, and that someone could only be Amanda...
Ice, Snow Spread From Plains to East
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 10:08 AM CST
(AP) -
Schools closed and thousands of homes and businesses had no electricity today as a storm spread a coating of ice and snow on roads and power lines from the southern Plains to the mid-Atlantic states. At least seven deaths had been blamed on the weather. Highway department crews were out in force spreading salt and sand on the accumulating ice.
Geithner Cracks Down on Bailout Lobbyists
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 27, 2009 10:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
Timothy Geithner announced new rules cracking down on lobbyist influence over government bailout funds today, the Wall Street Journal reports. “American taxpayers deserve to know that their money is spent in the most effective way to stabilize the financial system,” the newly-minted Treasury secretary said. Contact with lobbyists will...
NBC Bans PETA Veggie Porn During Super Bowl
New York Post
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Jan 27, 2009 9:58 AM CST
(Newser) -
PETA’s latest TV ad reaches a whole new level of extreme—and has been nixed by NBC from Sunday's Super Bowl telecast, the New York Post reports. The ad—taglined “Vegetarians Have Better Sex”—features models in their skivvies getting down with vegetables. According to PETA, reasons NBC gave for rejection include...
Carter: Only a Free Palestine Can Stop Israeli 'Catastrophe'
Associated Press
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Jan 27, 2009 9:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
Israel faces "catastrophe" unless it revives the peace process and works toward the establishment of an independent Palestine, says Jimmy Carter. In an interview with the AP, the former president and Nobel laureate says the growing number of Arabs in the Holy Land means that only a two-state solution can preserve a Jewish state.
Tough Times Put Cheap Ads in Prime Time
Washington Post
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Jan 27, 2009 9:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
The recession has pushed TV advertising rates to a relative pittance, and that’s great news for tools like the PedEgg—a callous remover—and the Snuggie—a blanket with sleeves. Though it may hurt shows’ profiles, “Act Now!” infomercial-style ads have recently broken into primetime, the Washington Post reports....
Halliburton Will Pay $559M in Nigerian Bribery Fines
Reuters
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Jan 27, 2009 9:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
Halliburton will shell out $559 million in fines—the largest federal penalty ever paid by a US company for bribery—to the Justice Department and the SEC to settle claims that its former KBR unit greased the palms of Nigerian officials to help get a gas liquefaction facility built, along with other projects dating back over two decades....
Palin Ramps Up Presidential Push
New York Post
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Jan 27, 2009 9:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin is headed to Washington this weekend, for an invitation-only dinner for political stars—an event President Obama is likely to attend, the New York Post reports. It’s the latest sign the Alaska governor is eying a Republican presidential bid—she’s also launching a political action committee, speaking at a gathering...
Pfizer Deal's $22.5B in Loans Hasn't Unlocked Credit
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 27, 2009 9:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
Think Pfizer’s $68 billion deal to buy Wyeth, financed in part with $22.5 billion in loans, means credit markets have thawed? Think again, the Wall Street Journal reports. Pfizer’s lenders—including JPMorgan, Bank of America, Goldman, and Citigroup—are charging high interest (7%-9%, with loans due in a year) and can walk if...
Earnings Drive Stocks Higher
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 27, 2009 8:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
A horrible housing report couldn’t hold stocks down at the open. The Dow rose 57 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq added 0.8% and 0.7% respectively, as investors digested a host of mixed earnings reports. Texas Instruments rose 4.4% after it announced a $107 million profit dip and 3,400 layoffs, while American Express jumped 8% after reporting...
US Confused by Afghan Mercenaries
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 27, 2009 8:36 AM CST
(Newser) -
It’s becoming harder to keep gun-wielding men straight in Afghanistan. Private security firms have cropped up all over, the Wall Street Journal reports, hired to protect businesses, particularly those doing work for the US. But coalition troops often can’t tell such groups apart from militants, and have been in at least three significant...
Babies Ready to Rock at Birth
LiveScience
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Jan 27, 2009 8:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
Babies are born ready to get in the groove, a new study suggests. Researchers played repetitive rock beats for infants, and when “metrically-unimportant” aspects of the music were absent, the babies’ auditory activity didn’t change much. But if there was a shift in the rhythm—for instance, if a key beat was left out—the...
