Newser Story Index from March, 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.
Pirates Kill Brit Yachtsman
Times (UK)
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Mar 25, 2009 3:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A British yachtsman was killed off the coast of Thailand by three fisherman-pirates who locked his wife in the cabin, reports the Times of London. The body of the vacationing 64-year-old businessman was not found, but police believe he was thrown overboard after his throat was cut. His wife managed to free herself after ten hours tied in ropes and...
Thai 'Spidey' Saves Autistic Boy
BBC
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Mar 25, 2009 3:22 AM CDT
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A quick-thinking fireman in Bangkok rescued an autistic boy from a third-story window ledge this week with a little help from a superhero friend, the BBC reports. The firefighter donned a Spider Man costume he keeps handy for school drills and climbed onto the ledge with a glass of juice for the 8-year-old boy—who promptly threw himself into...
Swiss-Italian Border Moves as Glaciers Melt
Independent (UK)
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Mar 25, 2009 2:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The rapid melting of Alpine glaciers has prompted Swiss and Italian authorities to redraw the border between the two nations, the Independent reports. Authorities believe the border will need to be moved by hundreds of feet in some places as glaciers have shifted and permafrost has disappeared, changing the course of rivers that once formed natural...
Quaid, Moore to Play Clintons in HBO Movie
Variety
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Mar 25, 2009 2:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Dennis Quaid and Julianne Moore have been picked to play Bill and Hillary Clinton in a planned HBO film, Variety reports. Special Relationship will examine the often rocky relationship between Bill and Tony Blair in the late '90s. Michael Sheen and Helen McCrory are set to reprise their Queen roles as the British prime minister and his wife.
Dems Slash Obama's Budget
Washington Post
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Mar 25, 2009 2:04 AM CDT
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Democratic leaders trying to trim the federal deficit have taken a hatchet to President Obama's budget plan, reports the Washington Pos t. Congressional Democrats are expected to formally announce plans today to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from the budget over the next five years, and eliminate plans to steer more cash to bail out the financial...
Praying Pilot Gets 10 Years for Fatal Crash
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 25, 2009 1:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A pilot who appealed to Allah instead of taking emergency measures has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a crash that killed 16 people, the Guardian reports. When the plane's engines stopped, the Tunisian pilot panicked, prayed and crash-landed in the sea when he should have tried to glide to a nearby airport, the Italian court...
Jindal Rallies GOP, Razzes Himself
CNN
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Mar 24, 2009 10:02 PM CDT
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Bobby Jindal had the privilege of speaking on the same night as Barack Obama again, but this time on a smaller stage. The Louisiana governor, pilloried after delivering the Republican response to Obama's last prime-time address, told a congressional fundraising dinner for the GOP that "it's time to declare our time of introspection and navel...
Insurers Offer to Stop Charging Sick People More
New York Times
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Mar 24, 2009 8:05 PM CDT
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The push for health care reform got a significant boost today: Big insurers say they are willing to stop charging higher premiums to people with pre-existing medical conditions, the New York Times reports. In the surprise move, industry leaders say they are willing to give up the practice if Congress makes it mandatory for all Americans to have insurance....
Senate Approves Locke as Commerce Secretary
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 7:24 PM CDT
(AP) -
The Senate today confirmed former Washington Gov. Gary Locke as commerce secretary, handing President Obama an easy victory after his first two nominees for the post withdrew. Locke, 59, was America's first Chinese-American governor, serving two terms from 1997 to 2005. He has promised to focus on job creation and to closely oversee the 2010 census.
Liberty's Crown May Reopen by July 4th
Reuters
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Mar 24, 2009 7:02 PM CDT
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The Statue of Liberty's crown may be open again for visitors by July 4th, Reuters reports. The crown has been closed since the 9/11 attacks, but Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he hopes to have it open, at least to a small groups, by the nation's birthday. Given the lack of exits and its narrow stairwell, the days of allowing hundreds at a time...
Obama: Budget Is Key to Economic Recovery
Washington Post
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Mar 24, 2009 6:17 PM CDT
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President Obama took to the primetime airwaves last night to make the case that his economic recovery plan is showing "signs of progress," the Washington Post reports. "We will recover from this recession," he asserted, emphasizing repeatedly that his budget is "inseparable" from that recovery, with its emphasis on job...
Iconic Depression Setting Makes Do Amid Recession
Christian Science Monitor
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Mar 24, 2009 5:46 PM CDT
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Many have made the parallel between the current economic slump and the Great Depression. Interested in pursuing the connection, Rafael Alvarez visited Sallisaw, Okla., an icon of the troubled 1930s as the setting of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath , he writes for the Christian Science Monitor . The downturn was slower to reach Sallisaw...
FAA Issued Safety Directive on Montana Plane
ABC News
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Mar 24, 2009 5:38 PM CDT
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A new wrinkle has emerged in the investigation of the plane crash that killed 14 people in Montana Sunday, ABC News reports. Just two weeks ago, the FAA issued a directive ordering operators of the Pilatus PC-12 model to check for a potential problem with a control mechanism. The directive does not go into effect until March 30, and it's not clear...
Lilo: Back Off, 'Believe in Me'
E! Online
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Mar 24, 2009 4:51 PM CDT
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Lindsay Lohan wants people to get off her back, E! Online reports. “I move forward and I change,” the actress said. “If people would just leave my personal life alone—because it's really not that interesting—then I could land a great role. But all the sicko fans and the noise is so distracting.”
'Good Nazi' Film Awakens Ugly Ghosts
BBC
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Mar 24, 2009 4:38 PM CDT
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A new film about a hero Nazi party member is threatening to stir old tensions between China and Japan, BBC reports. John Rabe relates the true story of a German businessman who saved thousands of Chinese from a Japanese massacre during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. China is still simmering over the atrocities, which some Japanese deny even...
Specter's Shift May Doom Bill on Union Organizing
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 24, 2009 4:26 PM CDT
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Sen. Arlen Specter said today he won't support the Employee Free Choice Act, delivering a serious setback to the much-watched labor initiative, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill would allow unions to organize more easily, using card signatures instead of secret ballots. The Republican's support of the measure was crucial because his vote...
Israel's Labor Will Join Netanyahu
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 4:22 PM CDT
(AP) -
Israel's Labor Party voted today to join the incoming government of Benjamin Netanyahu, giving a centrist tone to the coalition that has looked hard-line up to now. The vote—680 in favor and 507 against—came after heated debate. "I won't be anyone's fig leaf or anyone's third wheel," said party leader Ehud Barak. "We will...
Détente? Iran Soccer Rivals Will Play on US Soil
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 24, 2009 3:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Two of Iran’s most bitter soccer rivals may soon become tools of diplomacy, the Guardian reports. Persepolis and Esteghlal Tehran are planning US tours, to culminate in a match, likely in a city with a large Iranian population. “For holding several friendly matches, including one against the Tehran Esteghlal team, Persepolis will travel...
Bishop to Skip Obama Event Over Stem Cells, Abortion
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 3:46 PM CDT
(AP) -
The Roman Catholic bishop whose diocese includes the University of Notre Dame says he will boycott President Obama's May 17 commencement speech at the school because of Obama's support for abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research. John D'Arcy said today that Obama's recent decision to fund embryonic stem-cell research brought the US government...
Prepare for Worst as Mexico Crumbles
National Review
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Mar 24, 2009 3:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mexico’s disastrous drug war, which threatens to send millions of refugees into the southern US, is a problem of our own making, Mark Krikorian writes in the National Review . But while America’s drug lust—and its burgeoning counterpart in Mexico itself—can’t be fixed, tighter border regulations could blunt the pain of...
20 Years On, Valdez Lessons Haven't Been Drilled In
Time
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Mar 24, 2009 3:25 PM CDT
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It’s been 20 years to the day since the Exxon Valdez dumped about 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound, and the area has still not recovered. Oil, particularly below the surface, persists, and marine animal populations have not recovered. Still, Time reports, the Bush administration’s push to drill...
Dow Dips After Rally, Off 115
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 24, 2009 3:11 PM CDT
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Stocks fell today as some took profits after yesterday’s impressive rally, and utilities, energy firms and financials gave back some gains, the Wall Street Journal reports. Despite falling 115.57 to close at 7,660.29, the Dow has climbed in seven of the past 10 sessions, and remains around 20% higher than its bear-market low. The Nasdaq fell...
Mother Jones Provides Model for Nonprofit News
San Francisco Chronicle
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Mar 24, 2009 3:09 PM CDT
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Mother Jones has thrived for 33 years as a nonprofit publication, and its business model is becoming of increasing interest to struggling newspapers, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Though the magazine was founded as a nonprofit because of Nixon-era fears of undue influence in journalism, Mother Jones hit its financial target in 2008—and...
Coleman Willing to Continue Minn. Election Battle
Politico
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Mar 24, 2009 2:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Norm Coleman is leaving himself the option of taking the case of Minnesota’s disputed Senate election all the way to the US Supreme Court, Politico reports. The Republican is not “at this point” expecting to go that far—after all, that’d be after the Minnesota Supreme Court and federal appellate courts—but said today...
Worm Set to Unleash Massive April Fool's Prank
CNN
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Mar 24, 2009 2:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Malware experts are racing to find the authors of the Conficker C worm and limit the damage it seems poised to do beginning April Fool’s Day, CNN reports. Conficker C, the bug’s third iteration since late 2008, has infected between 5 and 10 million computers but so far has not taken action; a piece of the code indicates the worm will activate...
Meghan McCain: I'm a New Kind of Republican
CNN
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Mar 24, 2009 2:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Meghan McCain considers herself a “progressive Republican,” she told Larry King last night on CNN—a new, younger voice for the party. McCain, who’s been in the news lately for her spat with conservatives Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter, said she was “totally daddy’s girl,” but disagrees with him on social issues....
Magna Cum Fraud: Top Schools for Scoundrels
Business Insider
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Mar 24, 2009 2:33 PM CDT
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Many of the bigwigs involved in the financial crisis went to the same few elite schools, notes Joe Weisenthal in Business Insider . Maybe, he writes, when the crisis begins to fade, we’ll think twice about having another Harvardian or MIT grad running things. Among the offending institutions: New York University: Ex-Lehman CEO Dick...
China Reportedly Blocks YouTube
BBC
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Mar 24, 2009 2:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
YouTube is suddenly inaccessible for most of China, the BBC reports. Chinese censors have reportedly blocked the site after finding videos of soldiers beating Tibetans, including monks. China wouldn’t confirm whether or not the site was blocked, saying only that it “is not afraid of the internet.” The graphic videos show uniformed...
A Strikeout In (and For) US, Classic Is World of Thrills
Sports Illustrated
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Mar 24, 2009 2:11 PM CDT
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After watching Japan best Korea in extra innings to defend its World Baseball Classic championship, Tom Verducci is excited about the tournament’s future, he writes for Sports Illustrated . In its second go-round, the tournament is a phenomenon worldwide. Most exciting though, is the way Japan won: with pragmatic fundamentals, and without “that...
White House Adds Troops to Mexico Border Drug Fight
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 2:02 PM CDT
(AP) -
The Obama administration says it is sending more agents and equipment to the southwestern US border to combat Mexican drug cartels. Speaking at the White House today, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said officials were still considering whether to deploy the National Guard to the border. She plans to meet with Texas Gov. Rick Perry to...
Coming Soon: On-Demand Video Game Service
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 24, 2009 1:57 PM CDT
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If Steve Perlman—the veteran entrepreneur behind WebTV—has his way, console gaming’s days are numbered. Today, Perlman and his partners unveiled OnLive, an on-demand video game service that offers the tantalizing prospect of playing any game, as soon as it’s released, on any computer or TV. The games would run on a remote server,...
Charles' Love Letters Show a Frisky Sailor
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 24, 2009 1:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
His personal life may now have all the sex appeal of tea in tweed, but once upon a time Prince Charles was a randy sailor writing risque letters to "exciting ladies (who) lurk behind bushes in order to pounce on unsuspecting naval officers … !" Six such letters, believed to have been written to a secretary at a British consulate...
Group Therapy Gains on Couch in Recession
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 24, 2009 1:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Increasingly, having a couch to yourself is just too pricey. Group therapy is catching on as people look for a cheaper alternative to one-on-one sessions, the Wall Street Journal reports. And despite the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest stigma it often endures, participants swear by it. “Group therapy is at least 50% less expensive,”...
George Lopez Lands TBS Talk Show
Variety
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Mar 24, 2009 1:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Comedian George Lopez will hit the late-night airwaves later this year with a TBS talk show, Variety reports. The 11pm gabfest will begin airing in November, Mondays through Thursdays. The still nameless show will follow the regular late-night mold, with celebrity guests, stand-up comedians, and musical performances. Lopez himself will be an executive...
College Towns See Lower Unemployment
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 24, 2009 12:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If you’re stymied by the tough job market, set your sights near a university: three of the six metropolitan areas with unemployment under 4% are college towns, and other academic havens boast unemployment numbers far below the 8.5% national rate. “We’re hurting for people,” an HR boss at West Virginia University, which has 260...
Hall of Famer George Kell Dead at 86
MLB.com
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Mar 24, 2009 12:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Baseball Hall of Famer and broadcaster George Kell died in his sleep this morning in Arkansas, MLB.com reports; he was 86. He batted .306 during 15 seasons in the 1940s and ‘50s, winning the American League batting crown in 1949. The 10-time All-Star, whose stops included Detroit, Boston, and Baltimore was considered one of the era’s top...
Jacko Invites Harry Potter Kids Backstage
Sun (UK)
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Mar 24, 2009 12:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In what might not be the best PR move, Michael Jackson invited the young stars of the Harry Potter films backstage for the opener of his London summer concerts, the Sun reports. “He was utterly enchanted by the magic of JK Rowling’s novels,” a source says. “He is a big admirer of the films too; he owns all the movies and...
Japanese Man, 93, Survived Both A-Bombs
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 12:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
At 93, a Japanese man has become the first certified survivor of both atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the AP reports. Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on business Aug. 6, 1945, when the US bombed the city; after a night there, he returned home to Nagasaki, bombed Aug. 9. Japan offers survivors a monthly allowance and free health checkups,...
Litvinenko Murder Suspect Halts Mayor Bid
Reuters
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Mar 24, 2009 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The UK's top suspect in the killing of Alexander Litvinenko has quit the mayoral race in the Russian city set to hold the 2014 Winter Olympics, Reuters reports. “The leadership of the party took a final decision that my candidacy would not be put forward,” Andrei Lugovoy said, adding that he would stick to Russia's parliament. Lugovoy didn’t...
Armstrong's OK for Tour: Team
ESPN
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Mar 24, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite breaking his collarbone in a crash yesterday, Lance Armstrong should be able to ride in both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, his team manager said. “A broken collarbone in the month of March does not at all compromise the start of the Tour de France or your performance in the Tour de France,” Johan Bruyneel noted, saying...
'09 Airline Losses Likely Worse Than Post-9/11
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
World airlines will lose $4.7 billion this year, and revenues will plummet $62 billion—worse than after 9/11, a top industry association said. The grim estimate is almost twice what it was in December and reflects “the rapid deterioration of the global economic conditions,” said the International Air Transport Association. But things...
Blago's New Gig: Talk Radio
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 11:37 AM CDT
(AP) -
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a new temp job—as a radio talk show host. WLS-AM program director Bob Shomper says Blagojevich will be on the air on the Chicago station tomorrow morning, taking calls from listeners, telling stories, and talking with guests. Shomper says it's a one-time deal in a slot normally filled by hosts who are...
Don't Use Budget Process for Big Reform: GOP to Obama
Politico
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Mar 24, 2009 11:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
To circumvent a likely 60-vote minimum in the Senate for big-ticket bills like health reform, President Obama is considering pursuing proposals through a budgetary tactic known as reconciliation, where just 51 votes are needed and no filibustering is allowed. But Republicans are having none of it, Politico reports. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl warns...
Why Obama's Everywhere You Look, Listen, Read
Politico
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Mar 24, 2009 11:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When it came to getting past what he called “the media filter,” President Bush’s favorite strategy was to go around it. President Obama’s style is more to go over, under, around, and through, courting both the new and mainstream media in an effort to communicate directly with the public, Politico reports. “You’ve...
Woman Tries to Keep Husband... With Handcuffs
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 11:12 AM CDT
(AP) -
Connecticut police say a woman attempting to reconcile with her husband handcuffed herself to him as he slept and then bit him on his torso and arms. Helen Sun, 37, told police she wanted to have a conversation with husband Robert Drawbough without him leaving. Police say she changed the locks on their bedroom and handcuffed herself to Drawbough while...
School Strip-Search Case Heads to Supreme Court
New York Times
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Mar 24, 2009 10:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In 2003, staff at an Arizona middle school strip-searched Savana Redding, then 13, after getting a tip that she had prescription-strength ibuprofen. They didn't find any, and Redding sued. Next month, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the school's policy violated Redding's constitutional rights, reports the New York Times . “It...
Alzheimer's Makes Care 3 Times as Costly
Associated Press
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Mar 24, 2009 10:49 AM CDT
(AP) -
The health-care costs of Alzheimer’s patients are more than triple those of other older people, and that doesn’t include billions of hours of unpaid care from family members, a new report suggests. Compared with other people aged 65 and older, those with the mind-destroying disease are much more often hospitalized and treated in skilled-nursing...
Geithner Asks Congress for Broad Takeover Powers
Reuters
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Mar 24, 2009 10:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Timothy Geithner today asked Congress for expanded power to take the helm of big, failing institutions like AIG and wind them down in an orderly fashion, Reuters reports. “AIG highlights broad failures of our financial system," Geithner said in unusually spirited testimony before the House Financial Services Committee. "We must...
Obama Needs Help Selling Economic Plans
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 24, 2009 10:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The White House economic team is great on policy, but when it comes to reassuring the public, President Obama is on his own, Peter Nicholas and Peter Wallsten write in the LA Times . "The ability to communicate with average people was not what these people were chosen for," Clinton's ex-budget director said. And that means it's up to Obama...
Jade's Funeral Date Set
BBC
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Mar 24, 2009 10:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The funeral for Jade Goody, the British reality star who died of cervical cancer, will be held April 4, the BBC reports. A funeral procession will go from her house to a nearby church. Elsewhere: Rihanna was spotted house-hunting yesterday in the Hollywood Hills, the Sun reports. Struggling-for-cash Lindsay Lohan probably ain't too happy...
