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.
China Secretly Meets With Long-Banned Churches
Times (UK)
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Jan 26, 2009 12:49 PM CST
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Inching toward reconciliation after decades of opposition, China’s government invited leaders of the country’s banned Protestant churches to secret talks, the Times of London reports. The government is hoping to smooth relations as it celebrates its 60th year in power and aims for stability amid economic turmoil. Beijing allows Christians...
Meet Obama Speechwriter's New Squeeze
Gawker
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Jan 26, 2009 12:38 PM CST
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The legion of fans swooning over President Obama’s 27-year-old speechwriter will surely be disappointed to hear that he’s hooked up with another White House hottie, Gawker reports. Jon Favreau is said to be seeing Ali Campoverdi, an aide and former campaign intern who once appeared in her skivvies in Maxim . And sorry, Favreau-watchers,...
Citigroup Drops $50M on Fancy Corporate Jet
New York Post
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Jan 26, 2009 12:26 PM CST
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Citigroup may be going down in flames, but at least the seats will be nice. Citigroup is buying a brand-new $50 million corporate jet, the New York Post reports, headlining the sale, “JUST PLANE DESPICABLE,” on account of the $45 billion the company has received from Uncle Sam. Asked for comment, the head of CitiFlight replied, “Why...
Dems Expect Fundraising Decline
Politico
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Jan 26, 2009 12:11 PM CST
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The economic slowdown is having its expected effect on Democratic fundraising, and the added effects of “donor fatigue” and the magnetic force that draws campaign cash to Barack Obama could leave them pinched for the next election cycle, Politico reports. But things could be worse—like they are for Republicans.
Single Nerve Cell Can Hold a Memory: Study
LiveScience
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Jan 26, 2009 12:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
Individual neurons in the brain can hang on to memories for a minute or longer, a new study finds. Something like a computer’s temporary random access memory (RAM), this working memory is what allows you to keep a phone number in your head for a few seconds, then forget it entirely once dialed. The research has wide implications, reports LiveScience.
Finance Crisis Topples Iceland's Gov't
Reuters
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Jan 26, 2009 11:55 AM CST
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Iceland’s coalition government collapsed today amid financial upheaval, with PM Geir Haarde planning to resign. “I really regret that we could not continue with this coalition. I believe that that would have been the best result,” he said. The coalition had been in turmoil since October, when the financial crisis hit Iceland and its...
Ousted Thain to Repay $1.2M Spent on Office
Bloomberg
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Jan 26, 2009 11:37 AM CST
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Former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain says he’ll repay the $1.2 million he spent on office renovations last year, Bloomberg reports. “The expenses were incurred over a year ago in a very different environment,” Thain wrote in a memo to Merrill execs. “They were a mistake in the light of the world we live in today. I will therefore...
SAG Fashion Highs, Lows
Associated Press
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Jan 26, 2009 11:32 AM CST
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The SAG awards have been handed out, but there are still plenty of snickers and praise to heap upon last night's red carpet fashions. Elizabeth Snead doles out plenty of both in the Los Angeles Times. Click the image to the left and judge for yourself. Amy Poehler gets props for taking the road less traveled in white, "a very daring...
Kristol Wraps NY Times Gig
New York Times
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Jan 26, 2009 11:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
The “conservative era” in US politics is over, and so is William Kristol’s stay at the New York Times . “All good things must come to an end,” the conservative writes in today’s column, his last, calling Jan. 20 the official end of the right’s ascendancy. Of his own departure, he says nothing, save for a modest...
Just What Is an 'American' Car?
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 26, 2009 11:02 AM CST
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Lawmakers hoping to give a boost to the American economy by investing in the auto industry might get as much bang for their buck by sinking money into Honda or Toyota as they would Ford, Chrysler, or General Motors, the Wall Street Journa l notes. The auto industry has become too global to categorize as “American” or “foreign.”...
Home Prices Plunge Record 15.3%, Boosting Sales
Bloomberg
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Jan 26, 2009 10:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
US home prices took an unprecedented dive in December, Bloomberg reports, with prices of existing units dropping 15.3% over the same month last year—the biggest drop on record, and probably the biggest since the Great Depression. Sales, however, unexpectedly ticked up 6.5% in December, the National Association of Realtors announced. “I...
What to See From Sundance
Salon
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Jan 26, 2009 10:45 AM CST
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This year’s indie love-fest Sundance spawned several movies that have a shot at real commercial success, with a roster of films showcasing “more old-fashioned storytelling,” writes Andrew O’Hehir in Salon. Jury prizes went to Push and We Live in Public , but here’s a sampling of the films O’Hehir deems unmissable:...
Big Banks' Lending Drops Despite Bailout Cash
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 26, 2009 10:23 AM CST
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Lending is down at some of the biggest beneficiaries of the $148 billion the Treasury hoped would get US banks lending again, the Wall Street Journal reports. Of 13 banks to receive major government backing, 10 saw a decline in their outstanding loan balances between the third and fourth quarters of 2008. Analysts fear the decline shows the government...
Obama Lets States Tighten Fuel Standards
Associated Press
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Jan 26, 2009 10:20 AM CST
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Barack Obama announced a drastic change in the nation’s energy policy today, beginning with an executive order allowing states to raise their fuel efficiency standards. "America will not be held hostage to dwindling resources,” Obama said. “Today I announce the first steps on our journey to energy independence.” The first...
Raising Saddam's Specter, Maliki Aims to Solidify Power
New York Times
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Jan 26, 2009 9:59 AM CST
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Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki is looking to extend his reach with party gains on the provincial level in elections Saturday, the New York Times reports. But despite his assurances that “the iron centralization has ended,” many Iraqis fear a return to rule by a single leader with power focused in Baghdad—awakening echoes of Saddam Hussein.
Congress Mulls Salary Freeze
Politico
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Jan 26, 2009 9:50 AM CST
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Barack Obama’s freeze on top White House salaries has put pressure on Congress to do the same for itself, reports Politico, but as with much on the Hill, that’s a lofty idea mired in the mud of political reality. Even those who support a pay freeze are scrambling to maximize political capital gained from enacting it, reports Politico.
Nationalizing Banks Looks More and More Likely
New York Times
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Jan 26, 2009 9:35 AM CST
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Team Obama is coming closer and closer to using the N-word they've been studiously avoiding: nationalize. Already the government is the top shareholder at both Bank of America and Citigroup, and with both banks in freefall, many think buying the rest is the only option. “I would guess that sometime in the next few weeks, President Obama and Tim...
Obama Tries to Re-Plant Netroots
New York Times
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Jan 26, 2009 9:25 AM CST
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Barack Obama is determined to turn the legions of Facebook friends and Twitter subscribers that got him elected into an effective force for his administration, the New York Times reports. He’s already begun issuing his weekly addresses via YouTube video, rather than radio, and crafted a new group called Organizing for America to...
US Biz Climate Worst in Nearly 3 Decades
Reuters
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Jan 26, 2009 9:19 AM CST
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A deepening recession in the fourth quarter of 2008 has business conditions for US firms at their worst levels in 27 years, reports Reuters. A National Association of Business Economics survey also showed decreasing expectations for a turnaround in 2009, with most poll respondents expecting the recession to worsen and GDP to slump. The association...
Blago Wanted Oprah for Senate
ABC News
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Jan 26, 2009 9:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
Rod Blagojevich considered handing Barack Obama’s Senate seat to Oprah Winfrey, he told Good Morning America today in an appearance made while boycotting his impeachment trial, which starts today. "She seemed to be someone who had helped Barack Obama in a significant way to become president," Blagojevich said of Winfrey, adding that...
Congress Wants to Boost Fed's Oversight Role
Washington Post
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Jan 26, 2009 9:01 AM CST
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The Federal Reserve would become more powerful under a congressional plan to give it increased oversight of banks, investment firms, insurance companies, hedge funds, and other firms that have enough economic clout to affect the entire US financial system, reports the Washington Post . “We need to give some regulator the power to restrain risk-taking...
Stocks Shrug Off Job Losses
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 26, 2009 8:58 AM CST
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Pfizer’s massive deal to buy Wyeth helped investors shrug off the bloodbath at Caterpillar, Home Depot and Sprint-Nextel this morning, sending indexes slightly higher at the open. The Dow rose 55 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq rose 11 and 18 points respectively. Caterpillar fell 10% pre-market after announcing an 18% cut in its workforce,...
All Options on Table in Fight to Halt Foreclosure
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 26, 2009 8:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Obama administration is considering plans to stem the tide of foreclosures ranging from doubling the mortgage interest deduction to a six-month foreclosure moratorium to government-sponsored refinancing, reports the Los Angeles Times . But a strategy is still at least several weeks away and, regardless of what bandages are applied, “many...
Home Depot Hacks 7K Jobs
Associated Press
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Jan 26, 2009 8:36 AM CST
(AP) -
Home Depot says it's cutting 7,000 jobs and closing its smaller Expo chain as the recession continues to batter the nation's housing market. The nation's largest home-improvement retailer says the cuts announced this morning will affect about 2% of its workforce. Its core Home Depot stores won't be affected.
Huge Losses at ING Bring New CEO, 7K Job Cuts
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 26, 2009 8:32 AM CST
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ING posted a $2.6 billion quarterly loss today, leading the banking giant to replace its CEO, fire 7,000 employees, and seek new guarantees from the Dutch government. The request for state aid is ING’s second in three months, and the bank said it might even need a third bailout in the future, the Financial Times reports.
Sprint Nextel to Cut 8K Jobs
Associated Press
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Jan 26, 2009 8:13 AM CST
(AP) -
Sprint Nextel is eliminating about 8,000 positions in the first quarter as it seeks to cut annual costs by $1.2 billion. The third-largest US wireless provider said it will complete the layoffs, about 14% of its 56,000 employees, largely by March 31. About 850 of the reductions are voluntary and the company said it expected a first-quarter charge of...
Wary of Image, Financial A-Listers Ditch Glitzy Davos
Reuters
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Jan 26, 2009 8:01 AM CST
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The swanky Davos economic summit was once a top destination for financial and economic power players, but many are skipping the glitz this year for fear of sending the wrong message in a tanking economic climate, Reuters reports. Treasury secretary-designate Timothy Geithner is sitting out the resort event, as are other top appointees, Citigroup CEO Vikram...
Caterpillar to Slash 20K Jobs
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 26, 2009 7:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Caterpillar Inc will cut 20,000 jobs—or 18% of its workforce—after posting a 32% drop in fourth-quarter income, the Wall Street Journal reports. “We were whipsawed in the fourth quarter,” said CEO Jim Owens. “Key industries were hit by a rapidly deteriorating global economy.” The manufacturer of heavy machinery...
Does Carlos Slim Want to Buy the Times ?
Advertising Age
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Jan 26, 2009 7:28 AM CST
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Last week Carlos Slim, the world's second-richest man, lent $250 million to the New York Times Company—but why does he want 18% of a tanking media outfit? Advertising Age speculates that the Mexican tycoon is playing a long game: The loan is peanuts to Slim, but it puts him in position to buy the paper if the Sulzberger family decides to sell....
Subdued Masses Usher in Chinese New Year
BBC
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Jan 26, 2009 7:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Millions worldwide are marking the Chinese New Year with parties, firecrackers, and feasts, the BBC reports. But celebrations of the Lunar New Year, the most important Chinese holiday, were tempered by concerns about the economy in the coming Year of the Ox. In Beijing, many lit incense and prayed for a year of prosperity.
Sky News Joins BBC in Refusing to Run Gaza Appeal
Times (UK)
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Jan 26, 2009 7:00 AM CST
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Britain's Sky News has joined the BBC in its controversial decision not to run a charity advertisement appealing for aid to Gaza, reports the Times of London. Sky News executives made the announcement as public and political pressure mounted for the BBC to change its stance. BBC officials said airing the appeal film from a coalition of charities...
Lehman CEO Sells Mansion to Wife—for $100
Reuters
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Jan 26, 2009 6:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
The housing market is weak, but the $13 million mansion of fallen Lehman CEO Richard Fuld on the Florida coast fetched just $100 last November, reports Reuters. So who forked over the C-note for the seaside property? Fuld's wife Kathleen, famous for carrying her Hermès purchases in generic shopping bags. "This is the oldest trick in...
Indian Leader in ICU After Heart Surgery
Times (UK)
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Jan 26, 2009 6:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
Indian PM Manmohan Singh is in intensive care as he recovers from heart bypass surgery, reports the Times of London, highlighting the country's lack of succession law and stoking fears about its preparedness for another terrorist attack. The foreign minister is acting as leader while a special committee has control of the country's nuclear arms....
2 US Choppers Crash in Iraq, Killing 4 Troops
Associated Press
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Jan 26, 2009 6:18 AM CST
(AP) -
Two US helicopters crashed today in northern Iraq, killing four American troops, the military said. The military said the crash happened at about 2:15am local time and it "does not appear to be by enemy action." Iraqi officials said the crash site was located about 180 miles north of Baghdad. All the dead were Americans, said a US military...
Int'l Criminal Court Opens With Congo Trial
BBC
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Jan 26, 2009 6:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
The International Criminal Court in The Hague began its first trial today, as a Congolese militia leader pleaded not guilty to charges of using child soldiers. The court's prosecutor accused Thomas Lubanga of using hundreds of boys as young as nine "to kill, pillage, and rape" in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The case is the first to...
Pfizer Snaps Up Wyeth for $68B
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 26, 2009 6:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
The world’s largest drugmaker, Pfizer, is poised to become even more gargantuan after it agreed early this morning to buy rival Wyeth for $68 billion, reports the Wall Street Journal. In the first major merger to hit Wall Street in months, Pfizer will borrow $22.5 billion from four banks that received bailout money—Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan,...
Berlusconi Rape Comment Triggers Outrage
Times (UK)
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Jan 26, 2009 5:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's comment that his nation is facing increasing rapes because Italy has such "beautiful women" has sparked an uproar, reports the Times of London . He vowed to deploy more soldiers to fight crime, but said it will be impossible to protect everyone. "We could not field a big enough force. We...
Schoolkids Need Less Work, More Play
Reuters
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Jan 26, 2009 5:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
Recess isn't just for fun, according to a new study, which has found that cutting back on playtime is harming schoolchildren. The loss of a 15-minute daily recess tended to make 8- and 9-year-old students unruly and deprived them of an opportunity to exercise and socialize, reports Reuters. The study attributed recess cutbacks to the federal No Child...
Obama to Back Strict New Fuel Standards Today
New York Times
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Jan 26, 2009 4:41 AM CST
(Newser) -
In a dramatic reversal of his predecessor's policies, President Obama will ask federal regulators to approve an application from California and 13 other states to impose fuel efficiency standards stricter than those required by federal law, reports the New York Times . The measure will force the auto industry to adapt quickly to the revised standards,...
Murray Bombs Out, Serena Catches a Break
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 26, 2009 4:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Andy Murray's dream of winning a Grand Slam will have to wait, as the Scot tapped by many as the likely winner of the Australian Open went out in the fourth round. Spain's Fernando Verdasco overpowered the No. 4 seed to win 2-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Murray has been suffering from headaches and a sore throat, reports the Telegraph , and made uncharacteristic...
Portland Mayor Will Stick With Job Despite Intern Affair
Oregonian (Portland)
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Jan 26, 2009 3:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
Portland Mayor Sam Adams has decided not to step down, pending state criminal investigations, after admitting he lied about an affair with a teenage legislative intern. "I know I've screwed up and let people down," the city's first openly gay mayor told the Oregonian . "But I still think I have a positive contribution to make."
Brothels to Nevada: Tax Us, Please
New York Times
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Jan 26, 2009 3:16 AM CST
(Newser) -
Nevada's brothel owners are offering to fork over tax money to the state to help cover its debts—but legislators are reluctant to increase the state's involvement in the $50-million-a-year sex business, reports the New York Times . Nevada's 25 legal brothels pay hefty taxes to their home counties, but are currently only charged a $100 license...
Christian School Axes Hard-Driving 100-0 Coach
Dallas Morning News
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Jan 26, 2009 2:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
The coach of a Dallas high school girls basketball team that trounced a rival 100-0 has been fired, reports the Dallas Morning News . The Covenant School coach was canned after posting a message on a youth basketball internet site disagreeing with his school's apology for the cagers' massacre of a team from the Dallas Academy, whose students have...
Now Blago's Comparing Himself to King
Chicago Tribune
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Jan 26, 2009 2:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich considers himself in the same company as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi, reports the Chicago Tribune. With his impeachment trial in the Illinois state Senate set to begin today, Blagojevich, accused of plotting to sell President Obama's Senate seat, is amping up the martyr talk in an...
Phony Cop, 14, Fakes Out Police 'Co-Workers'
CBS2 Chicago
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Jan 26, 2009 1:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
A 14-year-old boy posing as a Chicago traffic cop rode in a patrol car with a partner and completed five hours of a shift before anyone realized something was wrong. The teen turned up at a South Side police precinct in full uniform and fooled everyone except a single sergeant, reports Chicago's Channel 2 News.
Streep, Penn Win SAG Honors
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2009 9:48 PM CST
(AP) -
Meryl Streep and Sean Penn took lead-acting honors tonight at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, she for Doubt and he for Milk . The prize for overall cast went to the rags-to-riches saga Slumdog Millionaire , while Heath Ledger and Kate Winslet took supporting honors for The Dark Knight and The Reader . 30 Rock swept the TV comedy honors; Tina...
Virginia Woolf Gets Silly in 'New' Play
NPR
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Jan 25, 2009 8:03 PM CST
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A satirical play by Virginia Woolf received its professional premiere today in New York, NPR reports. Featuring figures like poet Alfred Lord Tennyson and painter George Frederic Watts, Freshwater lampoons "high-falutin', oldish, long-bearded Victorians," the play's producer said. Woolf wrote the hour-long farce as a fun project for...
Sir Paul to Marry Again
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jan 25, 2009 7:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Less than a year after his acrimonious divorce with Heather Mills was finalized, Paul McCartney plans to wed New Jersey trucking heiress Nancy Shevell, the Daily Mail reports. The two are “blissfully happy together," says McCartney, who received the blessing of first wife Linda's family. Even Paul's daughter Stella, who opposed his marriage...
Yankees Call A-Rod 'A-Fraud,' Torre Claims
New York Post
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Jan 25, 2009 7:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
Former Yankees skipper Joe Torre takes aim at his old team in a new tell-all, the New York Post reports. In the 477-page book, The Yankee Years , Torre says many Yankees, prima donnas themselves, mock star slugger Alex Rodriguez as “A-Fraud" for being obsessed with Derek Jeter and asking for a personal assistant to run errands.
What Gets Women Hot to Trot?
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2009 6:54 PM CST
(Newser) -
Nearly one in three women lack sexual desire, and sexologists are trying to help, Daniel Bergner writes in the New York Times. They've hooked up female sex organs to machines and run sexy movies, showing that unlike penises, vulva are excited by a wide range of stimuli—gay men, women, and ape erections included. Which suggests that women need...
