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.
Buyer Wants Belushi, Cusack, Murray In on Cubs Deal
Chicago Tribune
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May 19, 2009 10:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Would-be Cubs buyer Tom Ricketts has approached a bunch of baseball-loving celebrities, including Bill Murray, Jim Belushi, and John Cusack, about going in with him on the team, the Chicago Tribune reports. Ricketts is asking each to pitch in $25 million, say sources—who add that Ricketts doesn’t need the money to close the deal with...
Astronauts Release Hubble on Final Run
Associated Press
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May 19, 2009 10:19 AM CDT
(AP) -
Atlantis' astronauts gingerly dropped the Hubble Space Telescope overboard today, sending the restored observatory off on a new voyage of discovery and bidding it farewell on behalf of the planet, reports the AP. The shuttle and telescope had just crossed the Atlantic, and were soaring 350 miles above the coast of northwestern Africa, when astronaut...
Feds to Check Jails for Illegal Immigrants
Washington Post
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May 19, 2009 10:17 AM CDT
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The US government is ramping up a program to identify illegal immigrants being held in local jails for non-immigration crimes, and flag them for deportation, reports the Washington Post . Currently operating in 48 counties, the program will be screening every local jail by 2012. The program was started under President Bush, and jibes with President...
Good CEOs Are Boring: Brooks
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 10:07 AM CDT
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Recent studies have yielded a good picture of the ideal CEO, and the life of the party he ain’t, writes David Brooks in the New York Times . Traits like empathy, good communication skills, and team-building aren’t very important. Flamboyant visionaries rarely work out. No, those who often thrive as CEOs are “organized, dogged, anal-retentive,...
Mutual Pal Pushed Palin to Court Clintons
Politico
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May 19, 2009 10:00 AM CDT
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A Maryland lawyer who is a sometime adviser to Sarah Palin urged her to forge an alliance with Hillary Clinton, reports Politico. John Coale, aka Greta Van Susteren's hubby, suggested that Palin donate funds from her political action committee to help Clinton retire campaign debt. Palin was open to reaching out to Clinton, said an aide, but hardcore...
With Emissions Plan, Obama Swings for the Fences
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 9:44 AM CDT
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The new, strict and streamlined national fuel efficiency standard President Obama will announce today could be a victory on three fronts, the Climate Change argues in a piece running on the New York Times web site. Obama will boost his climate change cred, help floundering automakers, and resolve the federal spat with California all in one fell swoop....
Texas 2-Step: Twins Have Different Dads
Fox News
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May 19, 2009 9:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Texas mom checked with doctors when she noticed her twins didn’t look much alike—and learned they had different dads, Fox News reports. Much to the surprise of her partner, paternity tests showed two eggs had been fertilized by different sperm; the woman said she’d had an affair and had been impregnated by two men at the same time....
Missile Shield Useless Against Iran's Arsenal: Study
Washington Post
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May 19, 2009 9:20 AM CDT
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The US missile shield planned for eastern Europe wouldn’t protect the continent from threats posed by Iranian missiles, a team of American and Russian scientists found. Further, the Washington Post notes, it will be more than 5 years before Iran can build nuclear warheads and missiles to launch them, says the report, presented to top US and...
Steele: GOP Is on Rebound. Really.
Politico
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May 19, 2009 9:16 AM CDT
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Sure, we’ve fallen on hard times, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele writes in Politico. But, he insists, the GOP is straightening its priorities out. “The Republican Party will be forward-looking—it is time to stop looking backward,” Steele writes. Republicans will stand against “the most massive top-down...
Border Tribe's Land a Drug Smuggler's Paradise
NPR
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May 19, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
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Law enforcement expects to seize $1 billion worth of pot along one stretch of southern Arizona this year, and that’s just 20% of the marijuana they believe will be smuggled into the area from Mexico. But there’s little they can do about it, NPR reports; the region is rugged, sparsely populated, and, trickiest of all, it’s sovereign...
Housing Data Flatten Stocks
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2009 8:48 AM CDT
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Stocks were flat at the open today, after a disappointing housing starts report. The Dow and Nasdaq inched down 11 and 4 points respectively, while the S&P was essentially flat. Futures had pointed to a higher open, until the Commerce Department announced a greater-than-expected 12.8% dip in housing starts for April. Home Depot, meanwhile, announced...
On Gays in Military, Obama Moves Slowly
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2009 8:47 AM CDT
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On gays in the military, President Obama is stalling. During the campaign, he promised to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy instituted as a compromise early in President Clinton’s term. Now that he’s got the chance, the Wall Street Journal reports , he’s being cagey. His spokesman says he wants to...
Bubba Still a Hit With the Ladies
New York Post
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May 19, 2009 8:40 AM CDT
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Bill Clinton may be a former president, but he's still a current hit with the ladies. Bubba had a whirlwind weekend in Vienna, reports the New York Post, chatting up models at the LIFEbeat fashion show before hitting the Life Ball AIDS benefit with the likes of Pamela Anderson and Eva Longoria Parker. “He was quite the hit with the models,”...
Brit Families Can Sue Over Soldier Deaths
Times (UK)
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May 19, 2009 8:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A British court has ruled that defense heads can be sued for neglecting soldiers’ human rights—meaning decisions made on the battlefield could be subject to litigation, the Times of London reports. The ruling stemmed from an inquest into the heatstroke death of a soldier due to what the coroner called a “failure to recognize and...
'Pro-Sex' McCain Talks Sex on Colbert
Gawker
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May 19, 2009 8:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Meghan McCain likes sex—a point she made several times last night on The Colbert Report, Gawker reports. Asked by host Stephen Colbert to explain her “pro-sex” stance, she started out by saying abstinence is unrealistic—and ended with “I would never want to practice anything I didn’t preach…” It was...
Mockingbirds Know Who You Are, Will Get You Back
Guardian (UK)
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May 19, 2009 8:12 AM CDT
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Mockingbirds recognize humans who have threatened their nests and single them out to dive bomb even days later, scientists have discovered. When a population of urban birds monitored by researchers spotted a previously threatening human, they screeched and set off to harass the person with swooping dives, at times grazing the tops of their heads. The...
Sri Lanka Prez: We're 'Liberated'
BBC
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May 19, 2009 8:10 AM CDT
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Sri Lanka’s leader celebrated the country’s “liberation” from the Tamil Tigers after 26 years of war in a speech to parliament today, the BBC reports. “Today we have been able to liberate the entire country from the clutches of terrorism," said Mahinda Rajapaska. "We have been able to defeat one of the most heinous...
Three Big Banks Apply to Repay TARP Funds
Bloomberg
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May 19, 2009 7:59 AM CDT
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Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley have applied to repay a combined $45 billion of TARP funds, Bloomberg reports. The three banking giants must receive permission from the Fed before returning the money. The repayments would be the most substantial since Congress established the $700 billion program, and will allow the banks to...
US Envoy Mulls Job as Afghan 'CEO'
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 7:51 AM CDT
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George W. Bush’s ambassador to Afghanistan is considering taking a powerful, unelected position in Hamid Karzai’s government, the New York Times reports. Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born US citizen, had considered running against Karzai for president, but missed the filing deadline. Senior American and Afghan officials say Karzai...
BlackRock's Multiple Roles in Bailout Draw Scrutiny
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2009 7:46 AM CDT
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Most financial firms have suffered in recent years, but money manager BlackRock is thriving. The firm manages $1.3 trillion for hedge funds, governments, and other big clients, but it's also been tapped to help the Fed with foundering companies like AIG and Freddie Mac. Now, reports the Wall Street Journal , it may get Treasury's backing to buy...
'Funny Fuhrer' Finally Hits Berlin
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 7:26 AM CDT
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The Producers has goose-stepped its way onto a German stage 76 years after the springtime when Hitler took power, the New York Times reports. There were plenty of laughs—if sometimes uneasy ones—on opening night Sunday, but the Nazi-mocking musical and its swastika-laden ads prompted a fresh round of soul-searching in the press over...
Afghan Girls' Illness May Be Poisoning—or Hysteria
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2009 7:11 AM CDT
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Some Afghan girls have described the odor as sweet and floral, others as smoky or rotten—but in the last three weeks, about 200 schoolgirls have suffered headaches, vomiting, and even collapse after smelling something. Parents fear that the Taliban is using poison to keep the girls from school. But as the Wall Street Journal reports, some...
Biden Arrives in Bosnia
Associated Press
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May 19, 2009 7:02 AM CDT
(AP) -
Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Bosnia today, the first stop of a three-day trip aimed at demonstrating intensified US engagement in the Balkans. Biden landed in Sarajevo, where he is scheduled to meet Bosnia's three-person presidency, address parliament, and meet separately with the country's two staunchest rivals—Bosniak leader Haris Silajdzic...
UK Expenses Scandal Claims House Speaker
Guardian (UK)
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May 19, 2009 6:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The ongoing controversy surrounding British MPs' lavish expenses has claimed its biggest victim: the speaker of the House of Commons. Michael Martin, who presides over the country's main legislative body, will announce his resignation today after losing the support of party leaders, including Gordon Brown—not for cheating on his expenses, but...
'Typing Difficxult': Climber Tweets From Everest
TechCrunch
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May 19, 2009 6:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
He calls it the "highest blog in the world": Gavin Bate, an Irish mountain climber, has been scaling Mount Everest for the past month, sending 140-character updates on his progress via Twitter. Today he's expected to reach the summit, where he'll try to post several sponsored tweets to raise money for a development charity, TechCrunch reports....
Credit Card Companies Cut Perks for Good Customers
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 6:34 AM CDT
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With revenues from high-risk cardholders dwindling, credit card companies are moving to impose stiffer fees on customers who've been accustomed to preferential treatment, the New York Times reports. Expect banks to bring back annual fees and slash reward programs, say industry insiders. And card holders who pay off their entire balance on time each...
911 Tape Captures Last Pleas of Drowning Woman
Associated Press
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May 19, 2009 6:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 911 tape released yesterday reveals the last moments of a woman desperately trying to direct rescuers to her car as it submerged in floodwaters, the AP reports. The 49-year-old Oklahoma woman told operators she had her nose against the car’s roof. “Please hurry, because I'm running out of air and if I climb out of this car I'm going to...
Bruni Blasts Pope Over Condom Stance
Telegraph (UK)
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May 19, 2009 6:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Carla Bruni laid into the pope in a recent interview, saying his opposition to condoms left her feeling "profoundly secular," the Telegraph reports. The French first lady, who has campaigned against the spread of AIDS in Africa, said the disconnect between religious charities and the Vatican is frustrating. "In Africa it's often church...
Asian Leaders Condemn Suu Kyi Trial
BBC
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May 19, 2009 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The trial of Aung San Suu Kyi drew unusually strong condemnation from Asian leaders as it entered its second day today, the BBC reports. A statement from the ASEAN bloc urged Burma's ruling military junta to ensure the ailing 63-year-old was given proper medical care, repeated a call for her immediate release, and warned that the government's "honor...
First Lady Praises Arts on NYC Visit
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 5:49 AM CDT
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Michelle Obama emphasized the administration's support for the arts on a visit to New York City yesterday, the New York Times reports. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's partially reopened American wing and at the star-studded opening night of the American Ballet Theater, the first lady described the arts as vital...
SF Smokers May Have to Cough Up for Butt Cleanup
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 5:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
San Francisco's mayor believes non-smokers shouldn't have to cover the costs of cleaning up cigarette butts, the New York Times reports. Gavin Newsom has proposed a 33-cent tax on each pack of cigarettes sold, which he says will cover the $10 million a year it costs to pick up after smokers who treat the city like an ashtray—as well as helping...
Jews Rattled by Anti-Semitic Riot in Argentina
CNN
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May 19, 2009 5:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A violent attack on an Israel Day celebration in Buenos Aires has shaken Argentina's Jewish community, CNN reports. Community leaders—who warn there has been a surge in anti-Semitic incidents—say the event was attacked by an armed group of youths shouting pro-Palestinian slogans. Three Jews were injured and five attackers were arrested....
Health Group Posts Graphic YouTube Vid of Birthing Teen
Daily Mail (UK)
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May 19, 2009 4:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A British National Health Service trust posted a controversial staged video on YouTube showing a teenager giving birth amid a pack of yelling high schoolers as a way to scare girls about pregnancy, reports the Daily Mail . The video shows a teen, played by an actress, giving birth on a sports field with the help of a friend whose face is smeared with...
Rapper Dolla Shot Dead at LA Mall
Los Angeles Times
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May 19, 2009 4:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Up-and-coming Atlanta-based rapper Dolla was shot dead in the parking garage of LA's Beverly Center mall yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 21-year-old musician, shot in the head, had arrived in the city earlier that day. A suspect fled the scene in a silver Mercedes and was later arrested, still armed with a gun, in the ticketing area...
British Town Honors War Dead With Silent Farewells
New York Times
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May 19, 2009 4:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A lone man's silent salute to a military hearse grew into a tradition that now involves thousands who line the streets of a small British town, the New York Times reports. The bodies of UK troops killed in Afghanistan pass through Wootton Bassett on the way from the nearby air base to a military morgue, and the entire town falls silent to pay tribute...
Komodo Dragons Use Venom to Kill
Guardian (UK)
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May 19, 2009 3:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Australian scientists have discovered that the world’s largest lizard packs a lethal venom in its bite, the Guardian reports. MRI scans of an ailing Komodo dragon revealed venom glands in the mouth that had never before been documented. The dragons’ poison sends victims into shock by triggering a sudden drop in blood pressure, and also...
Man Shot at Harvard Dorm
Harvard Crimson
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May 19, 2009 3:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Police are hunting several suspects after a man was shot and wounded outside Harvard University's Kirkland House residence yesterday, the Harvard Crimson reports. The victim—described as a "college-age" African-American—is not a student, according to university officials. The shooting came as students were cramming for final...
Poll: GOP Support Down Across Demographic Groups
Gallup
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May 19, 2009 2:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The GOP has failed to gain followers in any demographic group since 2001, and support has shrunk among all groups except frequent churchgoers, according to the latest Gallup figures. The biggest drop in support —down 10%—was among college grads. But the percentage of respondents calling themselves Republicans was down—1%—even...
Astor Lashed Camilla for Bedding Prince
Guardian (UK)
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May 19, 2009 2:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Caustic socialite Brooke Astor lashed Camilla Parker Bowles for perpetuating the "family mistress business" by sleeping with Prince Charles even while he was married to Diana, reports the Guardian . "Your grandmother would be proud of you," snorted Astor, referring to Camilla's great-grandmother, who was believed to be one of Edward...
Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Calif. Pot Law
Los Angeles Times
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May 19, 2009 1:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The US Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to California's medical marijuana law from two holdout counties, the Los Angeles Times reports. The court, without giving a reason, declined to hear the case brought by San Diego and San Bernardo counties that argued federal anti-drug laws contradicted the state's authorization of medical marijuana...
Ex-NBA Star Grant Battles Parkinson's
ESPN
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May 19, 2009 1:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Retired NBA forward Brian Grant has gone public with his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, ESPN reports. The former player, whose career included stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Miami Heat, said tests in January confirmed he had the disease. He decided to come forward now to combat rumors and offer support...
La. Teen Fires at Teacher, Shoots Himself
HoumaToday
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May 18, 2009 8:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Louisiana teenager shot himself in the head today after firing at a middle school teacher who refused to praise Marilyn Manson, Houmatoday.com reports. The 15-year-old Larose-Cut Off Middle School student, identified as Justin Doucet, left a suicide note saying he planned to go on a shooting spree. He remains in hospital in critical but stable condition,...
Big Losses Loom at Small Banks
Wall Street Journal
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May 18, 2009 8:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Small and midsize banks across America could face $100 billion in losses from commercial real-estate loans next year, shrinking their capital in most cases to scary lows. The Wall Street Journal conducted worst-case-scenario stress tests on 900 banks and found crises looming far beyond Wall Street. Small and midsize banks "are in just much worse...
Vogue Editor Tells Oprah: Lose 20 Lbs!
Us Weekly
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May 18, 2009 7:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vogue 's editor-in-chief gave Oprah Winfrey some advice before she graced the mag's cover in 1998: Lose some weight, babe. Like 20 pounds. "It was a very gentle suggestion," said Anna Wintour in an unaired portion of her 60 Minutes segment last night, Us reports. "I said simply that you might feel more comfortable. She was...
US, China Near Secret Climate Deal
Guardian (UK)
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May 18, 2009 7:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Top US officials secretly visited China late last year to negotiate a joint climate change agreement, the Guardian reports. Hosting the talks in a hotel in the Great Wall of China, China sought cooperation on carbon capture and storage, and other green technologies. "There are these two countries that the world blames for doing nothing, and...
Judge Delays Sentencing in MySpace Suicide Case
Associated Press
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May 18, 2009 6:44 PM CDT
(AP) -
A federal judge in Los Angeles has delayed the sentencing of a Missouri woman for her role in the MySpace hoax directed at a 13-year-old neighbor who ended up committing suicide. US District Judge George Wu today rescheduled Lori Drew's sentencing for July 2. The judge says he wants to review testimony from prosecution witnesses. He did not rule...
A Drink Emerges to Calm Our Red-Bulled Nerves
Time
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May 18, 2009 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Readers too hyped up on Red Bull and Rockstar can crack open a new drink to calm down: It's called Drank, Time reports. Makers of the purple-canned "relaxation beverage" say sales are soaring and 7-Eleven has agreed to stock it nationwide. "Something like this gives you a better night's sleep," said Innovative Beverage CEO Peter...
AmEx to Ax 4K Jobs in $800M Chop
CNN
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May 18, 2009 5:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
American Express said today it plans to slash 4,000 jobs as part of an $800 million cost-cutting plan, CNNMoney reports. The cuts are in addition to 7,000 workers slated last fall to be laid off. Amex also plans to reduce operating costs and investment spending. The company "has remained solidly profitable," but is "very cautious about...
Iowa Town Wants Video Game Hall of Fame
MSNBC
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May 18, 2009 5:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Video game lovers in Ottumwa, Iowa, are ready to see the world's gaming hall of fame on their front doorstep, MSNBC reports. Forget Silicon Valley, home to Atari. And Kyoto, Japan, where Ninentdo was born. No, the town that hosted the first world championship 26 years ago “was the beginning,” Donkey Kong champion Billy Mitchell said....
12 Museums of Odd Things
Mental Floss
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May 18, 2009 5:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Trying to awake from the nightmare of history? Mental Floss' list of 12 "oddly specific" American museums may only give you bad dreams: The SPAM Museum: Complete with a wall of 5,000 SPAM tins and a scale plant where visitors can suit up in white coats and hardhats, the Austin, Minn., museum is "guaranteed...
