Newser Story Index from May, 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.
RFK Son Plans Run for Obama Senate Seat
Chicago Sun-Times
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May 21, 2009 4:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Another Kennedy is taking a shot at a Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Chris Kennedy, the eighth of Robert F. Kennedy's 11 kids, plans to challenge Roland Burris in next year's election for the Illinois seat vacated by President Obama. Insiders say the Democrat decided to run after polls conducted by Obama's head pollster revealed that...
Mmm, Mmm, Good! Astros Toast With Recycled Urine
CNET
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May 21, 2009 3:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The crew of the International Space Station toasted successful testing of their new water-recycling system with sips of recycled sweat and urine yesterday, CNET reports. "The taste is great," US astronaut Michael Barratt said as his Russian colleague Gennady Zyuganov chased a floating mouthful in zero gravity. "As Gennady is...
Killing Dolla Was Self Defense: Suspect
Associated Press
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May 21, 2009 3:23 AM CDT
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The man accused of killing rapper Dolla claims the shooting was self defense, reports the Los Angeles Times . Police arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, for shooting the rapper in the head at an Los Angeles shopping center Monday. The suspect's attorney said Dolla and friends had recently attacked Berry outside an Atlanta strip club, and that he believed...
Google Drops Plans to Save Struggling Papers
Financial Times (UK)
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May 21, 2009 3:03 AM CDT
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Google has decided against throwing struggling newspapers a lifeline through acquisition or by using its charitable arm to help them gain non-profit status, CEO Eric Schmidt tells the Financial Times. Schmidt said the company considered the idea, but decided that Google didn't want to cross the line between technology and content, and...
Jersey Gang Lawyer Charged in Witness Murder
New York Times
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May 21, 2009 2:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A flamboyant, high-profile New Jersey gang lawyer has been charged with murder for his role in the death of a key witness against his clients, according to law enforcement authorities. Former prosecutor Paul Bergrin, 53, is accused of leaking the name of a confidential witness to gang members who shot him dead in the street, and of hiring a hitman...
Rihanna Steps Out With New Guy
People
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May 21, 2009 2:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rihanna may have finally rolled Chris Brown into the guttter, People reports. The singer was spotted at a New York City bowling alley with Canadian hip-hop artist Aubrey "Drake" Graham. Rihanna was "absolutely glowing" and the new pair were stealing kisses all evening until they left together at midnight, said sources.
Women Candidates Shut Out of Iran's Presidential Race
Time
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May 21, 2009 1:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran's vetting board has once again rejected every female candidate from the nation's upcoming presidential election, Time reports. Women made up almost a tenth of the 475 hopefuls who signed on. The rejection is widely blamed on the Guardian Council's interpretation of a word in Iran's constitution which they have determined allows only "religious...
Feds: Older People Safer From Swine Flu
New York Times
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May 21, 2009 1:25 AM CDT
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People born before 1957 appear to have some immunity to the H1N1 virus, the New York Times reports. Tests show that older adults have antibodies that attack the virus, probably because they've been exposed to a similar virus. Experts believe the swine flue virus, like seasonal influenzas before 1957, is related to the virus that caused the 1918 pandemic,...
FBI Arrests 4 in Plot to Bomb Synagogue, Down Plane
New York Daily News
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May 20, 2009 9:54 PM CDT
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Four men have been arrested after plotting to blow up a synagogue in New York City and shoot down a plane at an Air National Guard base, the Daily News reports. Undercover FBI agents sold the men what they thought were C-4 explosives, and they were arrested with them near the synagogue. They also bought a fake Stinger missile to shoot down an aircraft...
Judge Quotes Caddyshack , Slams Suit by Giuliani's Son
The Smoking Gun
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May 20, 2009 9:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani's son Andrew got a bad break in his lawsuit against the Duke golf team—the judge is a Caddyshack fan. The magistrate recommended that Giuliani's suit—he says he got kicked off the team unjustly—be dismissed, and he did so in a ruling filled with golf jokes and a reference to Bill Murray's legendary character in the...
Kris Allen Wins Idol
Associated Press
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May 20, 2009 9:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
And the winner is ... Kris Allen. The 23-year-old native of Conway, Ark., is the new American Idol . Allen, a married college student, defeated judges' darling Adam Lambert, reports AP. Host Ryan Seacrest said a record 100 million votes were cast after last night's singing showdown between the two. Allen receives a record contract among his goodies....
Jacko Delays London Shows
BBC
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May 20, 2009 8:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson fans, don't buy those plane tickets just yet. The first four of Jackson's big London shows are being pushed back, the BBC reports. The July 8 show will now take place July 13, and the other three July shows have been postponed until March . The move triggered rumors that Jackson is sick or suffering from exhaustion, the Daily...
First Gitmo Detainee Coming to US for Trial
Associated Press
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May 20, 2009 7:30 PM CDT
(AP) -
A top al-Qaeda suspect held at Guantanamo Bay will be sent to New York for trial, an Obama administration official said. Ahmed Ghailani would be the first Guantanamo detainee brought to the US, and the first to face trial in a civilian criminal court. Ghailani has been indicted in the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Africa that killed 224 people,...
RNC: Dems Don't Have to Change Name to Socialists
The Hill
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May 20, 2009 7:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Score one for Michael Steele. The RNC toned down a potentially embarrassing resolution today that would have urged Democrats to change their name to the Democrat Socialist Party, the Hill reports. Instead, the reworded resolution calls on Democrats to "stop pushing our country towards socialism and government control." Steele fought against...
What Lies Beneath the Ice? Maybe the Flu
Wired
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May 20, 2009 6:48 PM CDT
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Another sign of the flu's ingenuity: Two researchers say it can hide for centuries in Arctic ice and re-emerge to infect birds and humans who are no longer immune to that particular strain, reports Wired . When rising temperatures cause the ice to melt, the flu springs back to life and infects the eggs of water fowl, who carry it back to humans.
Natalie Cole Has Kidney Transplant
Entertainment Tonight
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May 20, 2009 6:05 PM CDT
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Natalie Cole received a new kidney today, reports Entertainment Tonight . The transplant reportedly went well, and Cole is resting at a Los Angeles hospital. Cole, a 10-time Grammy winner and the daughter of Nat King Cole, had been undergoing dialysis three times a week for the last 9 months. She has canceled her summer tour dates, notes the Las...
Car Bomb in Baghdad Kills 41
Associated Press
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May 20, 2009 5:53 PM CDT
(AP) -
A car bomb exploded today near several restaurants in a Shiite neighborhood of northwest Baghdad, killing 41 people and injuring more than 70. No group claimed responsibility, but the style and location of the attack suggested it was carried out by Sunni extremists, such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, in an apparent bid to rekindle sectarian warfare as the US...
Epiphany ? No. 1 Album More a Shock for Chrisette Michele
CNN
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May 20, 2009 5:40 PM CDT
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She’s already got a Grammy, but Chrisette Michele still needed time to recover from the shock of seeing her sophomore album debut atop the Billboard charts last week. Epiphany covers new ground for the singer-songwriter, who relinquished some songwriting duties this time around to R&B singer Ne-Yo. The young artist, often compared to Billie...
Wayne Allwine, Voice of Mickey, Dead at 62
Los Angeles Times
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May 20, 2009 5:09 PM CDT
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Sadly, Mickey Mouse will need a new voice. Wayne Allwine, who has voiced the character for the past three decades in movies and at Disney parks, died Monday from diabetes at age 62, the Los Angeles Times reports. Allwine is only the third person to voice Mickey, following Walt Disney himself and Jimmy Macdonald. Allwine's wife, Russi Taylor, is the...
Craigslist Sues SC AG to Stop Charges
State (Columbia, SC)
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May 20, 2009 5:00 PM CDT
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Craigslist has filed federal suit against South Carolina’s attorney general to stop him from charging company executives with breaking state prostitution and obscenity laws. AG Henry McMaster called the site’s move a victory, saying “it shows that Craigslist is taking the matter seriously for the first time,” the State reports....
Pentagon: 1 in 7 Gitmo Prisoners Rejoin Fight
New York Times
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May 20, 2009 4:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Pentagon report concludes that 74 of 534 prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay returned to militant activity—a recidivism rate of 14%, or about 1 in 7, the New York Times notes. The report, still under review, could complicate President Obama’s goal of shutting the facility by January because of concerns about where remaining prisoners...
Auto Newcomer Will Head Chrysler-Fiat
Detroit News
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May 20, 2009 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Post-bankruptcy, Chrysler head Robert Nardelli will cede his position to former Duracell chief C. Robert Kidder. Kidder will run the new Chrysler-Fiat alliance being hashed out in court, the Detroit News reports. Kidder is currently lead director on the board of Morgan Stanley—one of Chrysler’s creditors—and his auto-industry experience...
Cramer Ain't That Bad a Stock Picker, Actually
New York Times
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May 20, 2009 4:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jon Stewart, take note: Jim Cramer is not that bad at picking stocks, the New York Times reports. A study of Cramer’s televised market advice shows that the former hedge fund manager beat the market in 2005-07. The raw numbers from the fictional “Cramer portfolio” outperformed the S&P and other indices. With the addition of...
Drug Challenges Porn's Grip on Testosterone-Boosting
Newsweek
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May 20, 2009 4:15 PM CDT
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Porn might be the best way for older men to boost their testosterone levels, but don’t tell that to a drug company that peddles a cure for “low T,” Newsweek reports. Solvay Pharmaceuticals makes a “testosterone foam” that claims to combat such maladies as “lost height” and “falling asleep after dinner.”...
Limbaugh, Powell Escalate War of Words
Media Matters
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May 20, 2009 3:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The verbal war between Rush Limbaugh and Colin Powell has actually ticked up a notch. On his show today, Limbaugh resigned as “the titular head of the Republican Party” and sarcastically appointed Powell in his place, reports Media Matters. He blasted Powell as a representative of the “worn-out GOP that never won anything” and...
Gay Marriage Bill Stalls in NH
WMUR (NH)
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May 20, 2009 3:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
New Hampshire’s same-sex marriage bill is back in limbo, WMUR reports. In a surprise move, the state House rejected the measure because of an amendment proposed by the governor to protect clergy whose beliefs preclude them from marrying gays. The measure isn't dead, however. The House voted to try to negotiate a compromise with the Senate, which...
By Tarantino Standards, Basterds Indeed Inglourious
BBC
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May 20, 2009 3:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Festival fave Quentin Tarantino opened his comic-fantasy take on World War II, Inglourious Basterds , at Cannes today. The film traces Jewish-American soldiers, led by Brad Pitt, as they annihilate as many Nazis in France as three grisly hours can fit. Some early sentiment: "It's western meets war movie, with David Bowie on the soundtrack,"...
Specter Backs Pelosi in CIA Torture Flap
Politico
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May 20, 2009 3:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Arlen Specter defended Nancy Pelosi today against the CIA and former GOP colleagues he says are making a “political game” out of the interrogation debacle. “The CIA has a very bad record when it comes to honesty,” the Senate’s newest Democrat said. Specter charged that the agency repeatedly failed to inform him when he...
Fed's Fears Push Dow Off 53
Wall Street Journal
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May 20, 2009 3:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Markets fell today after the Federal Reserve warned of a more prolonged recession than it previously expected, the Wall Street Journal reports. Financials and tech contributed to the plunge, which even a 6-month high in oil prices could not stop. “We’re just dealing with a stock market that was defying gravity,” a broker said. The...
Scammer: I Forged Author Signatures
Associated Press
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May 20, 2009 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A man who made more than $300,000 by selling "autographed" first editions of books that actually contained forged signatures pleaded guilty to fraud in a Philadelphia court today. Forrest Smith's offerings on eBay included books by Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, Anne Rice, Tom Wolfe, and Tom Clancy, the Los Angeles Times reports. The...
Chili Sauce Conquers American Palate
New York Times
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May 20, 2009 2:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
From celebrity chefs to Applebees to Wal-Mart, America is in love with the Asian chili-and-garlic condiment sriracha—only it’s not that Asian, the New York Times reports. “I wanted something that I could sell to more than just the Vietnamese,” said David Tran, creator of the top-selling US version. “I know it’s...
French Vogue Editor Dismisses Labels
Guardian (UK)
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May 20, 2009 2:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Carine Roitfeld, editor of French Vogue , went through the worldwide gossip mill last year when she was rumored to be Anna Wintour's successor at the icon's US edition. But, Roitfeld tells the Guardian in a wide-ranging interview, she was never approached. And if she had been? “It’s really not me. I’m good at what I do here.”...
Ahead, the Summer of the Furlough
Fortune Magazine
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May 20, 2009 2:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Already-downsized companies seeking to cut costs further will likely increase temporary layoffs this summer, hoping the season will ease the pain of a missed paycheck, Fortune reports. A recent poll found that 44% of US companies are considering or have already implemented furloughs. But some institutions and employees are getting creative about...
Banks Raised $56B Since Tests: Geithner
Wall Street Journal
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May 20, 2009 2:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Government stress tests boosted confidence in the nation’s biggest banks and helped them raise $56 billion in needed capital, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner told Congress today. His remarks were met by bipartisan skepticism, with members noting that smaller institutions still face severe challenges, the Wall Street Journal reports. “People...
Dog Adopts Tiger Cub at German Zoo
Associated Press
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May 20, 2009 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A tiger cub rejected by its mother shortly after birth last weekend is on its second canine mom. A dachshund belonging to the zookeepers adopted the spurned cub but later died. Now the dog's daughter, Bessi, is raising the infant she "fell in love" with, a rep for Germany's Stroehen Zoo tells the Los Angeles Times.
Anti-Chemo Dad: Son, Wife Have Left US
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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May 20, 2009 2:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The father of a Minnesota 13-year-old ordered to undergo cancer treatment says his son and wife have fled the US, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. “I have an opinion where they are, but I can’t say I know,” said Anthony Hauser, noting that wife Colleen’s disappearance was likely a “spur-of-the-moment” decision,...
Glenn Beck a 'Sack of Dog Mess': Whoopi
Orlando Sentinel
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May 20, 2009 1:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Whoopi Goldberg unloaded on guest Glenn Beck on The View today over an alleged fabrication involving Amtrak and reserved seats, the Orlando Sentinel reports. “You were a lying sack of dog mess,” Goldberg told the Fox News personality. Barbara Walters said she and co-host Goldberg did not have reserved seats, and scolded Beck for saying...
House OKs Credit Card Bill; Obama Up Next
Associated Press
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May 20, 2009 1:49 PM CDT
(AP) -
Congress has sent President Obama a bill with sweeping new rules for the credit-card industry that will affect just about every American. The House approved the measure this afternoon, 361-64. The Senate OK'd it yesterday, 90-5. The new restrictions will protect debt-ridden consumers from many of the surprise charges common in the industry, like over-the-limit...
Pelosi's Stubbornness Turns CIA Smoke Into PR Fire
Time
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May 20, 2009 1:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The CIA debacle engulfing Nancy Pelosi stems from two key mistakes on the part of the House speaker, Jay Newton-Small writes in Time . Pelosi’s dangerous belief that media training is “a waste of her time” was demonstrated when she walked away from her own press conference on the subject of interrogation briefings. Her other mistake—or...
Francis Bacon's Work Relied on 'Gimmick'
New York
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May 20, 2009 1:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Francis Bacon’s paintings still have the ability to shock, but beneath that initial thrill lies a consistent, even amateur, formula that “had grown stagnant by 1965,” Jerry Saltz writes in New York in previewing a retrospective opening today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The calculated pictorial repetitiousness and lack...
If You Care About Freedom, Free the Gitmo 60
New York Daily News
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May 20, 2009 1:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
About 60 of the inmates at Guantanamo haven't committed any crime. The courts cleared them of all charges, and the military declared them not dangerous. Yet they’re entering their eighth year in custody, because Congress apparently doesn’t give a damn, Sabin Willett writes in the New York Daily News. A hysterical House has voted to bar...
Navy Copter Crash Kills 3 Near San Diego
San Diego Union-Tribune
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May 20, 2009 1:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Coast Guard is searching for two possible survivors of an early-morning Navy helicopter crash that killed three crew members off the Mexican coast near San Diego. The US and Mexican navies are assisting with the search, as is border patrol, the Union-Tribune reports. The Navy hasn’t identified those involved or commented on the accident’s...
Clinton Aims to Save Pakistan With Text Donations
Foreign Policy
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May 20, 2009 1:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton is hoping text messages can save Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The Secretary of State is asking Americans to text “swat” to 20222 to make a $5 donation to help refugees from the fighting there, Foreign Policy reports. The money would go to a UN agency, which provides food, medicine, and tents for the 1.17 million who’ve...
Mickelson's Wife Diagnosed With Cancer
Bloomberg
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May 20, 2009 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Phil Mickelson has left the PGA Tour after learning that his wife, Amy, has breast cancer. She's scheduled for major surgery within 2 weeks, Bloomberg reports. The No. 2 golfer in the world had been scheduled to start play in the Byron Nelson Championship tomorrow in Irving, Texas, and defend his title at the Colonial next week. The couple has been...
Cleveland Eyes Philly's Immigrant-Driven Renewal
Cleveland Plain Dealer
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May 20, 2009 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In 2000, Philadelphia looked a lot like Cleveland: Surging crime, empty houses, a sliding population. Since then, a tide of immigrants has spurred entrepreneurship, filled high-tech jobs, and put Philly on course for its first population increase in 60 years. Now Ohioans hope to do the same, but they must first tackle rampant immigrant hostility, the...
Bodyguard Sues Brit
Us Weekly
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May 20, 2009 1:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britney Spears’ legal battles continue—but this time it’s the pop princess who’s getting sued, by her former bodyguard, Us reports. Kerry Vine, who says he was hurt while working at Spears’ former home, is suing her for personal injury, battery, and negligence. Elsewhere: Amy Winehouse was hospitalized—for...
Fuel-Efficiency Standards May Threaten Safety
USA Today
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May 20, 2009 12:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama’s new vehicle fuel-efficiency rules have safety experts worried that automakers will comply by churning out smaller, lighter cars—the more likely to kill you with, USA Today reports. Smaller vehicles are an easy route to boost efficiency that can also mean thousands more crash fatalities, but administration deadlines “are...
Paramore: The New No Doubt
MTV
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May 20, 2009 12:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Paramore isn’t just opening for No Doubt this summer—Paramore is the new No Doubt, argues James Montgomery for MTV. The “glaring similarity” between the bands is “the dynamic, iconic frontwoman who also doubles as the media focal point”—both “pretty girls with dye jobs who are showing the guys how it's...
Predictions for 'Too Close to Call' Idol Finale
Rolling Stone
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May 20, 2009 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tonight’s American Idol showdown between glitzy Adam Lambert and down-home Kris Allen is too close to call, Rolling Stone reports. With both contenders performing ably at last night’s performance show—and a “Glamb-Slide” thus averted—it’s up to the viewers, whose wishes will be televised tonight. Ahead...
Irish Church Long Shielded Pedophiles: Report
BBC
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May 20, 2009 12:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sexual abuse was endemic in Irish Catholic institutions until the 1980s, a 9-year government inquiry has found. Over a 60-year period, 2000 children—mostly boys, now over 50—suffered physical and sexual abuses at the rigid schools, the BBC reports. Church officials encouraged beatings and shielded pedophiles in their orders, while inspectors...
