Newser Story Index from November, 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.
US Needs to Regain Faith in the Future
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2009 4:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
America needs to overcome its "crisis of faith" caused by China's phenomenal growth, writes David Brooks. Today's China is optimistic, forward-looking, and dynamic in the way America once was and should hope to be again, he points out in the New York Times . Surveys show that 86% of Chinese believe their country is headed in the right...
Corpse Sold to Russian Kebab Shop
Reuters
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Nov 17, 2009 3:51 AM CST
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Three homeless Russian men have been arrested for killing a man, butchering his body, eating parts of it, then selling some of it to a shop selling kebabs and pies. It's not known whether any kebabs containing parts of the 25-year-old victim were eaten by customers of the shop, located in the city of Pem, east of Moscow.
13 Assassinated Outside Baghdad
Washington Post
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Nov 17, 2009 3:22 AM CST
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The killing of 13 men and boys west of Baghdad over the weekend has sparked fears of a fresh eruption in sectarian fighting. The victims, including a Sunni politician and several of his relatives, were snatched from their homes and shot by men in Iraqi army uniforms, according to authorities. Residents say the killings appear to be the work of al-Qaeda...
Sorry Playgirls, Levi Dodges Full-Frontal
Gawker
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Nov 17, 2009 2:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Gawker has tracked down the truth about Levi Johnston's Playgirl photos and there's less of the hunky Alaskan on display than promised. Though Levi's manager Tank Jones promised full-frontal nudity, Johnston tucked the object of everyone's curiosity mostly out of sight. "We're thrilled with the photos we got, and are confident people will...
Living Costs for UK Terror Suspects Top $1M
Telegraph (UK)
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Nov 17, 2009 2:30 AM CST
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Terror suspects have been paid over $1 million in living expenses in the last two years under a controversial British program that keeps them under virtual house arrest. The suspects—who security services say pose a threat, but who can't be prosecuted because evidence against them is too sensitive to disclose in court—have received funds...
Doc Busted in Death of Son, 9
CNN
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Nov 17, 2009 2:05 AM CST
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An Oklahoma City doctor is being held without bail over the first-degree murder of his 9-year-old son. The boy was found dead when police arrived at Dr. Stephen Wolf's home in response to 9/11 calls. A knife was removed from the home and the boy's mother is being treated in a local hospital for wounds investigators believe she received while trying...
Holiday Shipping Costs Get the Heave-Ho-Ho
USA Today
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Nov 17, 2009 1:42 AM CST
(Newser) -
Free shipping is quickly becoming the rule instead of a bonus as online and catalog retailers seek to lure holiday shoppers. Many shoppers searching for deals now abandon Internet shopping sites as soon as they find they must pay shipping costs, analysts are finding. Some 57% of retailers are offering no-strings-attached free shipping this holiday...
Time to Talk Mideast Truce , Not Peace
New York Times
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Nov 17, 2009 1:19 AM CST
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President Obama's early efforts have failed, and a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians now looks as distant as ever, writes Roger Cohen. It was a mistake to think the land-for-peace talks of 2000 could simply be revived despite the violence, expansion of settlements, and Israel's construction of the 250-mile separation barrier, Cohen...
Docs Separate Conjoined Twins in 25-Hour Surgery
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 10:27 PM CST
(AP) -
Twin Bangladeshi girls who were joined at the top of their heads and shared blood vessels and brain tissue were successfully separated Tuesday in Australia after 25 hours of delicate surgery, hospital officials said. It is too early to know whether the 2-year-olds, Trishna and Krishna, suffered any brain damage during the marathon operation; they will...
Paterson Rips Obama for Putting 9/11 Trials in NYC
New York Times
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Nov 16, 2009 9:41 PM CST
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New York Gov. David Paterson, already unpopular with the White House, tonight ripped the Obama administration for deciding to try five men implicated in the 9/11 terror attacks in New York City. "This is not a decision that I would have made,” Paterson said. “New York was very much the epicenter of that attack; over 2,700 lives were...
Hoffman 'Unconcedes' in NY-23
The Hill
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Nov 16, 2009 8:32 PM CST
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Though he's not even sure if he can do such a thing, the Conservative candidate in the special election in New York's 23rd Congressional District told Glenn Beck this afternoon he's "unconceding" after recounts narrowed his deficit with several thousand absentee ballots still uncounted. "If I knew this information at the election night,...
Largest US Gay Newspaper Publisher Closes
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 7:41 PM CST
(AP) -
The largest US publisher of newspapers serving the gay and lesbian community has shut down and plans to file for bankruptcy. Employees arrived at work today to find out about the sudden end to the newspapers—including Southern Voice , the Washington Blade , Houston Voice and South Florida Blade —owned by Window Media LLC.
Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Battling Cancer
Tech Flash
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Nov 16, 2009 6:55 PM CST
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Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has been given a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the immune and lymphatic systems. Allen, the 56-year-old billionaire entrepreneur who owns the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, overcame Hodgkin's disease in the 1980s—a victory his sister mentioned in...
NFL Fines Titans Owner $250K for Flipping Bird
Tennessean
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Nov 16, 2009 6:25 PM CST
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The NFL fined 86-year-old Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for "conduct detrimental to the league"—namely, flipping the bird toward the Buffalo Bills' sideline in the waning moments of yesterday's 41-17 Tennessee victory. He later repeated the display on the field, the Tennessean reports. "I need to apologize for my...
Teens Cop to Texting and Driving—But Say Dad's Worse
MSNBC
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Nov 16, 2009 5:57 PM CST
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One-third of 16- and 17-year-olds say they have written text messages while behind the wheel. Despite that, young drivers are actually more responsible than many adults: 48% of respondents aged 12 to 17 say they’ve been in the car with a driver who was texting. One boy said his dad “drives like he's drunk. His phone is just like sitting...
In Venezuela, Criminals, Police Turn to Facebook
GlobalPost
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Nov 16, 2009 5:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Update your status at your own peril in Venezuela: A pair of university students burglarized their Facebook friends' homes after collecting info on what they owned and when they wouldn't be home. Theft and other crime facilitated by social networking sites are on the rise in Venezuela, and in a country where an estimated 8,000 kidnappings took place...
Steelers Legend Cops Award for 30-Year-Old Coke Ad
KDKA-TV
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Nov 16, 2009 5:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
Already a Hall of Fame-bound football player, Joe Greene of the Steelers became an advertising legend 30 years ago with the release of the Coca-Cola commercial that ends with him tossing his jersey to a starstruck young fan. The spot won the ad industry's highest honor, but the stars had to wait till yesterday to collect their hardware. Reunited at...
Govt. Panel Recommends Fewer Mammograms
New York Times
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Nov 16, 2009 5:12 PM CST
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Most women can wait to get their first mammogram at 50 and then should get one every 2 years rather than annually, a powerful health policy group said today. New information led to the recommendations, said a member of the influential task force that reversed a 7-year-old edict urging aggressive screening for breast cancer starting at age 40. The extra...
Latest Facebook Star: 2009 Word of the Year
Oxford University Press Blog
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Nov 16, 2009 4:56 PM CST
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In a move sure to get English majors talking, the New Oxford American Dictionary has crowned “unfriend” as its Word of the Year for 2009. And yes, the verb means exactly what you think it means: "To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook." “Unfriend has real lex-appeal,”...
Courteney Cox Excited for Scream 4
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 4:44 PM CST
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Courteney Cox will return to the long-running Scream franchise with its fourth installment and says she's excited to return to horror, especially considering that she'll be working with husband David Arquette. Cox and Arquette began their relationship while filming the original Scream in 1996. Asked about a rumor the pair will be killed off just...
Hasan Sought to Turn in Patients for 'War Crimes'
ABC News
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Nov 16, 2009 4:25 PM CST
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Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan repeatedly tried to have his patients prosecuted for “war crimes,” raising the issue with Army authorities a final time on Nov. 2—just 3 days before the Fort Hood massacre. In a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality, Hasan asked superiors if he could legally pass along information he had gleaned from fellow...
Miss. Baby OK After Spin in Washing Machine
Sun Herald (Mississippi)
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Nov 16, 2009 4:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Mississippi infant is out of the hospital and on the mend after accidentally going for a terrifying ride in a washing machine. Seven-month-old Valle Hernandez wound up inside a front-loading machine—apparently with an assist from his 4-year-old brother—and his mother started the machine before noticing him, reports the Sun Herald ....
Palin Not Fit for Presidency: Poll
Chicago Tribune
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Nov 16, 2009 3:43 PM CST
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With a blockbuster memoir and national tour, Sarah Palin is again grabbing headlines. But does she have what it takes for a 2012 presidential bid? The answer is a resounding “no,” according a CNN and Opinion Research poll. Only 28% believe she’s qualified for the nation’s top job, and 70% say she isn’t. Hillary Clinton,...
Stung by Bias Charges, Twitter Will Stop Suggestions
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 3:28 PM CST
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A little bird named Biz Stone tells reporters that Twitter’s much-maligned “suggested users” list is getting kicked out of the nest. The feature, which encourages new users to follow a handful of celebrities, has been mired in controversy over the selection process. Republicans, for example, have claimed it favors Democrats in California’s...
Dow Up 137; Fed News Sparks Rally
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 16, 2009 3:12 PM CST
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Stocks rallied today on news of strong third-quarter economic growth in Japan and reassurance from Ben Bernanke that the Fed will keep interest rates low, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow rose 136.49 points to close at 10,406,96. The Nasdaq gained 29.97, settling at 2,197.85. The S&P 500 added 15.82 to close at 1,109.30.
China Censors Obama Speech
Sydney Morning Herald
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Nov 16, 2009 2:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
President Obama’s entreaty for greater personal freedoms in China did not reach most of nation’s residents, apparently because of a last-minute decision by censors. Though authorities initially agreed to broadcast the speech, which Obama hoped would be the central event of his China visit, all national transmission was cut after a few minutes....
Palin on Fey's Parody: 'I Thought It Was Me'
O Magazine
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Nov 16, 2009 2:35 PM CST
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Sarah Palin appeared on Saturday Night Live to "neutralize" the effect of Tina Fey’s scathing impression, the former Alaska governor tells Oprah Winfrey. The campaign was “apprehensive” about having her appear on the show, thinking such an appearance could be "potentially atrocious." But Palin pushed ahead: “I...
Gadhafi Hires 200 Hot Italian Women, Tries to Convert Them
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 16, 2009 2:23 PM CST
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Moammar Gadhafi hired a couple of hundred attractive Italian women for the night, headed to the Libyan ambassador's place in Rome, shepherded them into a room, and ... tried to convert them to Islam. The Libyan dictator offered $75 for the evening, causing most of the women to assume they’d be working as hostesses. Instead, after several were...
US Innovation Stagnates: Survey
Newsweek
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Nov 16, 2009 2:08 PM CST
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Most Americans are anxious about a future they believe will be fueled by innovation—innovation they are doubtful will come easily in this country without major changes to the education system. Nearly two-thirds of Americans say the recession has hobbled the country’s ability to innovate, and just 41% see the US staying ahead of China when...
Daughters Are Great, But ...
Salon
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Nov 16, 2009 1:57 PM CST
(Newser) -
Aaron Traister is thrilled to have a daughter—“I was just as excited about my daughter as I was about my son,” he writes. “And she's even better out of the belly.” But the nagging preference for male children in our society has him doubting his own emotions. “If she had come first,” he frets, “would I...
Space Shuttle Lifts Off Safely
Space.com
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Nov 16, 2009 1:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
Space shuttle Atlantis took off without a hitch this afternoon, departing Cape Canaveral, Fla., for the International Space Station. After a cloudy morning, the weather improved and the spacecraft lifted off on schedule at 2:28pm, carrying six astronauts—half of them first-timers in space—and two carriers filled with spare parts for the...
Hollywood's Least Funny Comics
Newsweek
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Nov 16, 2009 1:40 PM CST
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You rarely see Carrot Top or Gallagher anymore, but showbiz is still full of guys who just aren’t funny. Sarah Bell of Newsweek points out the worthiest tomato targets: Larry the Cable Guy: A really, really poor man’s Jeff Foxworthy, minus any actual jokes. Carlos Mencia: Makes a living mocking mentally handicapped people and...
Obama: I Don't Really Do Twitter
TechCrunch
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Nov 16, 2009 1:34 PM CST
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If you’re one of Barack Obama’s 2.6 million Twitter followers, you’ve been suckered—the president says he’s never sent a tweet in his life. In a Q&A session in Shanghai, Obama was asked what he thought of China’s restriction of Twitter. “I have never used Twitter,” replied the fake @BarackObama, “but...
NC Police Find Body of Missing Girl, 5
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 1:13 PM CST
(AP) -
Searchers found the body of a missing 5-year-old off a road today, ending a weeklong search for the girl, whose mother stands accused of offering her for sex, police said. A Fayetteville Police spokeswoman says that searchers found Shaniya Davis' body southeast of Sanford in central North Carolina. Two people have been charged in her disappearance,...
Current TV: Palin a 'TWILF'
Mashable
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Nov 16, 2009 1:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Let the Web 2.0 acronym wars commence! Al Gore’s Current TV took a swipe at multiple conservative leaders and the media in a cartoon video dubbed “Stupid Virus,” but its treatment of Sarah Palin has been singled out. In the video, Palin’s twitter handle is shown to be “Gun-Ho;” then, a graphic of her in a fake newscast...
Carrie Prejean's Sex Tapes Bare GOP Hypocrisy
Daily Beast
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Nov 16, 2009 12:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
How come conservatives are willing to overlook Carrie Prejean’s sex tapes, but won’t accept Meghan McCain’s support for gay marriage? McCain watched in disbelief as Sean Hannity recently asked Prejean if she was “in love with her boyfriend” when she made the tape. "I’m sorry, why would being in love matter when...
50 Cent Fails With Self Destruct
USA Today
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Nov 16, 2009 12:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
50 Cent, once at the forefront of rap music, returns with Before I Self Destruct —but his fourth solo effort isn’t impressing the critics. “Though packed with tough beats, dense production and 50's most ferocious delivery in years, the gloats about shootings, drugs and bloody 'hoods feel about as fresh as a Saw sequel,” writes...
Obama Bow: Right Idea, Wrong Bow
ABC
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Nov 16, 2009 11:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
A friend of ABC’s Jake Tapper would like to clear up some misconceptions about President Obama’s bow to the Japanese emperor: First, “the right is wrong about Obama’s bow.” It’s not an “unprecedented” display of subservience from an American president—Richard Nixon bowed to the emperor in 1971 (photo...
Palin Will Be the 2012 Nominee
Politics Daily
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Nov 16, 2009 11:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
She may be hugely polarizing, but Sarah Palin’s the odds-on favorite to win the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, thanks to the party’s winner-take-all primary system. The party establishment may not want Palin, but if she can maintain, say, 35% support in a multi-candidate field, she could win a few states and rack up an insurmountable...
Case of Line-Cutting Sparks Racial Firestorm
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 11:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
Trial is set to begin in a case of Wal-Mart line-cutting that has turned into a racially charged media circus. Heather Ellis was arrested almost three years ago after an incident that began when she switched checkout lines at a Missouri store—to join her cousin in a faster queue, she says. Witnesses and police say the young black woman shoved...
Inside Obama's Extended Family
New York
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Nov 16, 2009 11:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
New York takes a look at President Obama’s far-flung—and now famous—family, complete with a handy PDF diagram and nicknames to help you remember who is who. George, the youngest half-brother, is arguably the (second) most famous, thanks to a minor drug arrest followed by a memoir deal, but there are quite a few more: Maya...
Stupak Is the Last Straw—No More Caving!
Nation
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Nov 16, 2009 11:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
Painting the Stupak-Pitts amendment as a necessary evil—a concession women should make for the “greater good” of health care reform—is ridiculous, Katha Pollitt writes. Women have been consistently sidelined by the “theocrats and male chauvinists” throwing their weight around in the Democratic Party. “Why don't...
Levi Picking 'Porn' Over Baby: Palin
Politico
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Nov 16, 2009 10:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
So much for not slamming Levi Johnston during her Oprah interview: Sarah Palin told Winfrey that her daughter’s babydaddy is too busy doing “porn” to visit his child. “Some of the things that he is doing is kind of heartbreaking,” Palin said when asked about Johnston’s Playgirl shoot. “I call that porn.”...
Brangelina's Next Role: Jewelry Designer
Women's Wear Daily
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Nov 16, 2009 10:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have joined the celebrity designer ranks with a new jewelry line for Asprey inspired by—somewhere, Jennifer Aniston is chuckling—the snake. Pieces include gold and diamond rings, bracelets, pendants, earrings, silver baby spoons, tooth boxes, and picture frames; all feature serpents, an animal Jolie has considered...
5 Rockers Who Beat Drugs
Fox News
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Nov 16, 2009 10:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
In honor of a new book by Scott Weiland’s ex recalling the couple’s drug-fueled rock and roll escapades, Fox News takes a look at musicians who fought addiction and won: Slash, Guns N’ Roses: Addicted to heroin, booze, and women; was scared straight after running down the street naked.
Supreme Court Rejects Case Against Redskins Name
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 10:31 AM CST
(AP) -
The Supreme Court will not hear an appeal from a group of Native Americans who've been trying for 17 years to get the Washington Redskins to change their name. The high court today turned away an appeal from Suzan Shown Harjo, ending the latest round between the Redskins and a group that finds the name offensive. Harjo and her fellow plaintiffs won...
CNN Paid Dobbs $8M to Leave
New York Post
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Nov 16, 2009 10:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
CNN was so outraged over Lou Dobbs’ conservative reporting that they paid him $8 million just to leave, an anonymous source tells the New York Post . “They wanted him out,” the source says. Dobbs still had a year and a half left on his $12 million contract, but CNN boss Jonathan Klein objected to the show he was doing, particularly...
Atkins Will Make You Thin —but Miserable
DoubleX
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Nov 16, 2009 10:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
You may lose weight on the Atkins diet, but you’ll be a really crabby thin person, a new study finds. OK, few dieters have truly sunny dispositions, but Australian researchers have found that the problem’s especially bad for those on low-carb diets. In a recent study, they split 100 people into two groups, putting half on Atkins, and half...
Public Doesn't Want to Pay for Health Care Fix
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2009 10:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Americans are enthusiastic about health care reform, but only as long as it doesn't drive up the price of their own premiums, a new AP poll finds. Whenever questions were framed broadly, voters seemed to support Democrats’ plans, but when asked about specific trade-offs they balked. A whopping 82%, for example, favor a law requiring insurers...
Dems May Lose Obama's Old Senate Seat
Chicago Sun-Times
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Nov 16, 2009 10:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Democratic field for President Obama’s old Illinois Senate seat is anemic enough to make a GOP win a real possibility, Lynn Sweet writes. The candidates—only one of whom has run for office, ever —haven’t phased the Republican frontrunner, Rep. Mark Kirk. The statewide Dem establishment seems apathetic about the result,...
