Newser Story Index from April, 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.
U2 Star Plans 5 Malibu Homes; Locals Annoyed
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 17, 2009 2:59 PM CDT
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U2’s the Edge is ruffling the feathers of some of his fellow Malibu residents with a plan to build five houses atop a hill overlooking the Pacific, the Los Angeles Times reports. Both potential neighbors and California preservation agencies charge that David Evans' project is too ambitious for the delicate ridge. They say it could result...
Something's Fishy About Kutcher's 1M Followers
Gawker
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Apr 17, 2009 2:43 PM CDT
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Ashton Kutcher’s prodigious Twitter following might have been rigged, Owen Thomas writes for Gawker. A commenter pointed out that after a user signs on to follow “the model-actor-director-wantrepreneur,” it’s impossible to undo the move. A Twitter error message suggests refreshing the page and trying again, but doing so “does...
Research on Embryonic Stem Cells to Get OK, With Caveat
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2009 2:29 PM CDT
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The Obama administration will issue new guidelines significantly expanding the scope of stem cell research in July, though some caveats leave scientists dubious, the New York Times reports. The new rules will likely allow federal funds to flow to researchers using surplus embryos created in fertility clinics, a practice the Bush administration outlawed....
Tsvangirai Crash Was No Accident: MDC
BBC
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Apr 17, 2009 2:16 PM CDT
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The car crash that killed Morgan Tsvangirai's wife last month may not have been accidental, the BBC reports, citing early reports from the investigation. Tsvangirai’s political party suspects the collision with a USAID truck was engineered to kill the Zimbabwean PM after he entered a power-sharing agreement with President Robert Mugabe in February....
Cubs Manager Shrugged Off Blago's Lineup Advice
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 17, 2009 2:07 PM CDT
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Rod Blagojevich sought to extend his influence beyond politics and media during his tenure as Illinois governor, the Chicago Tribune reports, sending Cubs manager Lou Piniella lineup suggestions in 2007. “I’ve talked to him, baseball-wise,” Piniella said of a note from Blagojevich during a rough patch. “He’s a big Cubs...
EPA's CO2 Ruling May Have Huge Impact
Forbes
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Apr 17, 2009 1:58 PM CDT
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The EPA's decision today to declare carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases dangerous pollutants could have enormous consequences for US businesses, writes Andy Stone in Forbes . The big winner: green technology. The ruling could eventually give the EPA unprecedented regulatory control over everything from power plants to oil refineries...
Army Holds Up Lighter Armor for Soldiers in Afghanistan
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2009 1:49 PM CDT
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In a sign of the Army’s careful—some say plodding—procurement process, $3 million in lightweight body armor destined for Afghanistan is still stateside pending a widened assessment, the New York Times reports. The armor would shave 20 pounds off the punishing load—up to 130 pounds—some soldiers carry on overnight patrols....
1 Believed Dead in Fort Lauderdale Plane Crash
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
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Apr 17, 2009 1:39 PM CDT
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A small plane crashed into a home in Fort Lauderdale this morning, apparently killing the pilot, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. Only the pilot was aboard, and the house was empty at the time. The Cessna 421 twin-engine prop plane had taken off from the nearby Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and was heading toward Fernandina Beach, near...
Texas Wants to Secede? That Sounds Great!
FiveThirtyEight
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Apr 17, 2009 1:31 PM CDT
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Rick Perry’s talk of seceding from the union might seem crazy, but calling the Texas governor's bluff would be a great deal for Democrats, writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com. Consider: Democrats would suddenly have a filibuster-proof majority in the 98-seat Senate. Republicans would lose eight more House members than Democrats....
Statham Cracks Skulls, Cracks Up Audiences
Slate
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Apr 17, 2009 1:23 PM CDT
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Jason Statham, the hulking British action star specializing in shoot-em-up, kick-em-down movies, owes much to Jackie Chan and Wile E. Coyote, Jody Rosen writes for Slate. After all, Statham trades in “a mix of bionic brute force and slapstick”—delivered with his Everyman charm. It may sound absurd, but audiences are buying it: Statham’s...
Baseball-Savvy Actress Explores Mets' New Park
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 17, 2009 1:15 PM CDT
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The name of the Mets' new ballpark may evoke unpleasant parallels between the crashing economy and the team's penchant for late-season collapses, but maybe Citi Field can still represent a fresh start for the Mets, writes Julia Stiles for the Wall Street Journal . The award-winning actress, an avid fan, opens with a shot at the Yankees and fondly...
Twitter King Kutcher a Madoff for 'Attention Economy'
Advertising Age
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Apr 17, 2009 1:07 PM CDT
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Remember all that talk about social networks revolutionizing media and leveling the playing field? Well, forget it, writes Simon Dumenco for Advertising Age , because Ashton Kutcher is the top twitterer in the world. “Mr. Demi Moore” became the first user to hit a million followers today, and “if this guy’s at the pinnacle...
Zombies Work in Latest Jane Austen Spinoff
Washington Post
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Apr 17, 2009 12:59 PM CDT
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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has been so well received that one must question “why these silly, campy things work so well,” Monica Hesse writes in the Washington Post . She suggests that it’s not simply because Jane Austen and vampires sell—as the author of the forthcoming Jane Bites Back , a literal title, contends—but...
Calif. Unemployment Hits Record 11.2%
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 17, 2009 12:51 PM CDT
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The unemployment rate in California rose to 11.2% in March, the Los Angeles Times reports today. A loss of 62,100 jobs puts the state at the highest jobless level since 1976, when recording started. It trails only Michigan (12.6%), Oregon (12.1%), and South Carolina (11.4%). California has lost 637,400 jobs in the past 12 months, and its jobless...
Condi Commands Same Speaking Fee as Ex-Boss
The Hill
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Apr 17, 2009 12:47 PM CDT
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Condoleezza Rice isn't playing second fiddle to George W. Bush any longer: The former secretary of state charges a $150,000 speaking fee—the same as her old boss, The Hill reports. Rice will even get a jump on the former president later this month when she addresses the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan a month before he plans to.
Volkswagen Challenges Toyota's No. 1 Ranking
Reuters
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Apr 17, 2009 12:36 PM CDT
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Volkswagen may have beaten Toyota in global sales in the first quarter, Reuters reports. Although VW sales declined overall, the company's market share increased to 11% with 1.39 million vehicles sold. Toyota has not released sales figures, but it estimated its first-quarter sales at 1.23 million. Volkswagen had aimed to become the top-selling automaker...
From Cargo to First Class: Pet-Only Airline Nears Takeoff
ZooToo
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Apr 17, 2009 12:28 PM CDT
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With Pet Airways’ summer launch, cats and dogs will get a first-class alternative to flying cargo. Passengers at major US airports will be able to drop their pets off for travel on a seat-free plane staffed with attendants, Zootoo reports. Spots on the first pets-only flight—scheduled for July 14 between New York and Los Angeles—cost...
Red Sox Owner Offers to Buy Boston Globe
Boston Herald
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Apr 17, 2009 12:20 PM CDT
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The New York Times Company might be able kill two birds with one pitch. Red Sox principle owner John Henry recently told the company that he’d be willing to buy the Times’ 17.75% stake in the team, and that, if he did, the Times Co. could throw in the Boston Globe, sources tell the crosstown rival Boston Herald. No official offers have...
Grey Gardens a Grim Retelling of Odd Duo's Life
Salon
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Apr 17, 2009 12:08 PM CDT
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The riches-to-rags story of an eccentric mother and daughter—relatives of Jackie O, no less—who gained fame for their destitute existence in a 1975 documentary gets another retelling in HBO's Grey Gardens . Critics aren't overly excited: The movie "fills in bittersweet blanks” left by the original documentary, writes...
Behind in Votes, Tedisco Asks to Be Declared Winner
Register-Star
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Apr 17, 2009 11:59 AM CDT
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James Tedisco has officially asked a New York court to declare him the winner of the 20th Congressional District race even though he’s behind in the vote count, the Register-Star of Hudson, NY, reports. With every vote tallied except challenged ballots, Scott Murphy leads Tedisco by 178 votes. But Tedisco is also asking the court to recanvass...
Spitzer Executes a Textbook Comeback
Politico
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Apr 17, 2009 11:50 AM CDT
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Six months ago—to say nothing of a year—predicting an Eliot Spitzer comeback would’ve been laughable. But the financial crisis has speeded up rehab for the disgraced former governor, giving him a chance to use his expertise as “the Sheriff of Wall Street,” writes Politico. Apologizing and disappearing for a decent interval...
Playboy Names Miami Top Party School
Playboy
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Apr 17, 2009 11:41 AM CDT
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Promising to make the ranking an annual tradition, Playboy today named its top 10 US party schools, using an algorithm weighing hot temperatures, guy-girl ratio, empty rooms available for sex, and even GPA. “Think of this as a BCS rating, but unlike the BCS we welcome your input,” the editors write—and, fittingly, the University...
Colbert Fights 'Gay Storm'
Huffington Post
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Apr 17, 2009 11:32 AM CDT
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Stephen Colbert has taken up the cause against gay marriage, the Huffington Post reports. A recent web ad from the National Organization for Marriage—which apparently was serious—featured a “rainbow coalition” of actors solemnly declaring, “A storm is coming.” That, and New York's move toward legalizing same-sex...
Palin Visits Midwest, Blasts Obama
Evansville Courier & Press
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Apr 17, 2009 11:20 AM CDT
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Amid complaints from the Alaska legislature that she's is spending more time cultivating her image than running her state, Sarah Palin gave a rousing speech before a right-to-life group in Indiana last night the Evansville Courier & Press reports. Speaking of her son Trig, whom she called "a miracle," Palin teared up. She then blasted...
Oprah Tweets, 103K Follow
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 17, 2009 11:16 AM CDT
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Still learning the ropes of microblogging, Oprah Winfrey posted her first tweet this morning, the Chicago Tribune reports. In her first tweet—“HI TWITTERS . THANK YOU FOR A WARM WELCOME. FEELING REALLY 21st CENTURY”—she committed the Twitter faux pas of writing in all caps and using the wrong term for Twitter adherents, or...
EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Dangerous
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2009 11:07 AM CDT
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Carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gasses are indeed dangers to the public health and welfare and must be regulated, the EPA has concluded. The findings could result in sweeping new powers for the EPA to regulate emissions over a wide range of industries and automobiles, the AP reports. The potential new power for the EPA could give Democrats...
New England Killer Finds Victims on Craigslist
ABC News
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Apr 17, 2009 11:03 AM CDT
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Authorities believe a man suspected in attacks that left one woman dead and two others shaken in New England hotels found his victims through Craigslist, ABC News reports. Julissa Brisman, who advertised massage-therapy services on the site, was killed in a Boston Marriott on Tuesday; women offering similar services were attacked last week in Boston...
Don't Get Excited, Crisis Isn't Over: Krugman
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2009 10:54 AM CDT
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We’re hearing about “glimmers of hope" from policymakers, but the president’s biggest lefty naysayer has a word of warning: “Don’t count your recoveries before they’re hatched,” Paul Krugman writes in the New York Times . “Premature optimism” has been disastrous during previous downturns,...
Top McCain Aide Comes Out for Gay Marriage
CNN
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Apr 17, 2009 10:45 AM CDT
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Backing what he calls "a sound conservative argument," a top McCain campaign operative is explaining his newly public personal support for gay marriage, CNN reports. Steve Schmidt will address the Log Cabin Republicans today and urge them to reverse their position. “No other exercise of one's liberty comes with greater responsibilities...
Old Days—Good and Bad—Are Back: Noonan
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 17, 2009 10:36 AM CDT
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Reading about a Michigan family that shed modern excess in favor of a self-sufficient farm life didn't strike Peggy Noonan as shocking in these economic times. Her fellow New Yorkers have already begun responding to the same forces, causing Noonan to predict the rise of "a certain authenticity chic," she writes in the Wall Street Journal...
Slumdog Makers Give $740K to Educate Poor
Times (UK)
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Apr 17, 2009 10:27 AM CDT
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To combat accusations that Oscar sensation Slumdog Millionaire is a form of “poverty porn,” the filmmakers have donated about $740,000 toward a health education initiative in Mumbai’s slums, the Times of London reports. The funds are in addition to trusts set up for the movie’s child actors. “Some but not all”...
Mass. Mom Kills Child, Unborn Baby: Cops
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2009 10:15 AM CDT
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A pregnant woman killed her 9-year-old daughter and stabbed herself in the stomach to kill her unborn child, authorities in the Boston suburb of Quincy said today. Fang Chi Xue, 38, was treated for self-inflicted stab wounds to the arms and abdomen and is expected to be arraigned on two counts of murder. She was 7½ months pregnant.
State of Play an Ink-Stained Thriller
Rotten Tomatoes
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Apr 17, 2009 10:07 AM CDT
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Is it any wonder that State of Play , a taut suspense film about politics, murder, and above all newspapers, is a hit with critics? Here’s what they’re saying: Roger Ebert calls it a “smart, ingenious thriller” with twists and turns that “genuinely fooled me a couple of times.” But it “never...
Kinsley: Cuba Policy Hasn't Just Failed—It's Backfired
Washington Post
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Apr 17, 2009 9:56 AM CDT
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It's time—actually it's way overdue—for America to admit that its Cuba policy simply hasn't worked, writes Michael Kinsley in the Washington Post . The US has been "unrelentingly hostile" to Havana, but to what end? Communism has collapsed just about everywhere else, but here it survives "unreformed and unapologetic."...
Mais Non! French Ditch the Champagne Cork
BBC
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Apr 17, 2009 9:41 AM CDT
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Fed up with imperfect corks tainting its high-end Champagne, one French winemaker is tossing tradition aside in favor of a—gasp!—aluminum cork. BBC reports. Before you faint in horror, Duval-Leroy stresses that this is no screw-top cap: the new plug will make the same pop and spray a traditional cork creates.
To Defray Debt, Clinton Can Be a GoDaddy Girl: Carville
Politico
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Apr 17, 2009 9:33 AM CDT
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Should Hillary Clinton shake her assets to repay her campaign debt? James Carville jokingly said he’d be “all for” the secretary of state appearing in one of GoDaddy.com’s famously racy commercials, Politico reports. He made the suggestion in a freewheeling online radio conversation with site founder Bob Parsons. “If Hillary...
Forget Hybrids: Just Drive Like Your Grandma
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 17, 2009 9:29 AM CDT
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Driving like a grandma can save more gas than fancy hybrid technology, Jeffrey Ball writes in the Wall Street Journal. Accelerating slowly, shifting gears early, and coasting to avoid stop-and-go driving can bump gas efficiency of even the largest gas guzzlers. The catch? "I've been honked at. I've been flipped off. I've been yelled at: 'Grandma,'"...
Mumbai Gunman Retracts 'Coerced' Confession
BBC
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Apr 17, 2009 9:14 AM CDT
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The sole surviving gunman and top suspect in the Mumbai massacre has retracted his confession, which his new lawyer says was coerced, the BBC reports. Now, the judge must decide whether the confession will count in the case, in which Pakistani Mohammed Ajmal Kasab is accused of killing 166 people and waging war on India in November. The trial got moving...
Israelis Learn to Adapt—and Argue
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American Jews are “taught to go all gooey-eyed at the thought of Israel,” writes David Brooks in the New York Times , but this isn’t the appropriate reaction. It’s not so much a sentimental place as it is “exhausting, admirable, annoying, impressive, and foreign.” After decades of struggle, everyone shares the same...
Best Buy Joining Digital Movie Biz
Variety
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Apr 17, 2009 8:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Best Buy plans to join the digital movie market this summer to offset declining DVD sales, Variety reports. The retailer is in talks with film providers such as CinemaNow—also Blockbuster's supplier—and may market TVs or Blu-ray players with built-in access to the movie library. That would put Best Buy in direct competition with...
Afghanistan Changing 'Legalized Rape' Law
CNN
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Apr 17, 2009 8:48 AM CDT
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Afghanistan will revise a law that critics say legalizes marital rape, President Hamid Karzai tells CNN. Karzai said he was unaware of the provision, part of a 270-page piece of legislation covering the country's 6 million Shiite Muslims. "Now I have instructed, in consultation with clergy of the country, that the law be revised and any article...
Stocks Mixed After Citi's Good News
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 17, 2009 8:41 AM CDT
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Better-than-expected earnings from GE and Citigroup barely produced a ripple in the broader market this morning, the Wall Street Journal reports. Stocks were mixed, with the Dow inching up 33 points, the Nasdaq slipping 6.42 points, and the S&P flat. Citi got a 9.5% boost off its surprise profit, while GE was up 2.4%. GM was up 5.2% after releasing...
Efron's Charm Helps Unoriginal 17 Again
Rotten Tomatoes
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Apr 17, 2009 8:34 AM CDT
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The doing-your-life-over-again movie 17 Again does what its many predecessors have done over and over again, say critics, but Zac Efron runs through the clichés with charismatic charm. Claudia Puig, USA Today : "Though not as clever as 13 Going on 30 or Freaky Friday , it's also not as hokey as Hannah . For a swoon-fest...
Gwyneth Goops All Over 'Frenemy'
Us Weekly
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Apr 17, 2009 8:22 AM CDT
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Don’t cross Gwyneth Paltrow or she’ll slam you in her online newsletter, Us reports. In her latest installment of Goop, Paltrow discusses an unnamed “frenemy” who was “hell-bent on taking me down.” When the mysterious frenemy had an “unfortunate and humiliating” experience, Gwyneth reacted with “deep...
Emanuel, Dean End Hostilities
The Hill
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Apr 17, 2009 8:16 AM CDT
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The feud between Howard Dean and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel seems to be at an end. The Hill reports that the two Democratic pols even had lunch recently. “I think that (tension) was always somewhat exaggerated,” says Dean, whose failure to land an administration job has been chalked up to Emanuel’s influence.
Taliban Wield Mighty New Weapon: Class Warfare
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2009 7:56 AM CDT
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Taliban militants are exploiting the deep class divisions in Pakistani society in a push to expand their power, the New York Times reports. The militants gained control of the Swat Valley in part by organizing landless peasants into gangs to force out wealthy landlords. It's a strategy that many fear will prove successful even in more populous parts...
Bush AG, CIA Chief Slam Obama on Torture Memos
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 17, 2009 7:48 AM CDT
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Barack Obama made a dangerous mistake in yesterday releasing Justice Department memos about interrogation techniques from 2005, say former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and former CIA Director Michael Hayden. By releasing the details of these methods, Obama is eliminating a crucial intelligence tool—not just for his own administration but...
Bailed-Out Banks Don't Want to Bail Out Chrysler
Washington Post
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Apr 17, 2009 7:44 AM CDT
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Auto task force Steven Rattner's request that four big banks write off their $7 billion debt to Chrysler in return for nothing met with a big no from dropped jaws, reports the Washington Post . JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs are seeking a better deal, but critics argue that the banks rescued by the government should now...
Pam's Baywatch Swimsuit Up for Auction
Sun (UK)
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Apr 17, 2009 7:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One lucky bidder can own Pamela Anderson’s red Baywatch swimsuit when it goes up for auction this month in Los Angeles, the Sun reports. Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider pistols more your style? Those are available, too. Elsewhere: Also from the Sun , Paris Hilton is as much of a diva as you’d expect. At a recent charity...
'Weighty' Torture Memo Decision Took Weeks
Politico
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Apr 17, 2009 7:32 AM CDT
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President Obama spent weeks thinking "very long and hard" about his "weighty decision" to release memos on harsh CIA interrogation techniques green-lighted by the Bush administration, senior adviser David Axelrod tells Politico. In the end, Axelrod says, the president's belief in transparency and the rule of law won out over the...
