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.
Suu Kyi Lawyers 'Optimistic' as Trial Nears End
Press Association
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May 29, 2009 6:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers are optimistic about her case despite the fact only one defense witness has been allowed to testify, the Press Association reports. One of the lawyers for the Burmese pro-democracy leader said he was "very confident of victory if the trial is carried out according to law." Closing arguments are expected Monday and...
Iran Mosque Bombing Kills 30
Reuters
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May 29, 2009 5:47 AM CDT
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A bombing at a Shiite mosque in Iran killed at least 30 people during evening prayers yesterday, Reuters reports. At least 80 others were injured in the bombing in Zahedan city, near the Pakistan border. A Sunni group of anti-government rebels is active in the province, and government officials say they have arrested members of a terrorist group behind...
Fiat Pulls Out of German Talks to Buy GM Arm
Wall Street Journal
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May 29, 2009 5:39 AM CDT
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Fiat is boycotting talks in Germany today to acquire Opel, the European arm of General Motors, blasting GM for withholding financial information necessary for due diligence and balking at a new request for emergency funding. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has taken part in days of negotiations with GM and German officials, including Angela Merkel,...
Polly Steals a Passport
Associated Press
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May 29, 2009 4:55 AM CDT
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One of New Zealand's native parrots now has a British passport, the AP reports. The kea, one of a notoriously brazen species of alpine parrots, snatched the brightly colored bag containing the passport from the luggage compartment of a stopped tour bus and flew off into the rainforest with it. The passport's Scottish owner reported the theft and will...
Academic Scandals Hit NBA Rookie of the Year Rose
Chicago Sun-Times
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May 29, 2009 4:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two allegations of academic fraud have surfaced against the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Rose, the top draft pick of 2008, had a high school grade changed from a D to a C on transcripts sent to colleges, sources say, and the NCAA is believed to be probing allegations that a player, thought to be Rose, had a stand-in...
Maine Law Targets CFL Mercury
Boston Globe
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May 29, 2009 3:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Maine has become the first state in the nation to tackle the problem of mercury in low-energy light bulbs, the Boston Globe reports. A new state law requires manufacturers to reduce the amount of the toxic metal in the bulbs and pay for the cost of safe recycling, a measure expected to add up to a dollar to the cost of each compact fluorescent bulb....
Blue Whales Sing Near NYC Coast
Ithaca Journal
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May 29, 2009 2:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Experts have detected singing blue whales closer to the New York City coast than the endangered behemoths have ever been heard before, the Ithaca Journal reports. One of the whales was picked up by Cornell University bioacoustics experts recording just 70 miles from the city’s coastline. Scientists plan to adjust their equipment to listen for...
Berlusconi Denies Affair With Teen
BBC
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May 29, 2009 1:37 AM CDT
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Silvio Berlusconi has fiercely denied having sex with a teenage girl and says he will resign if caught lying, the BBC reports. The 72-year-old Italian prime minister's alleged relationship with model Noemi Letizia, now 18, was cited by his wife as her reason for divorcing him and the issue has been seized upon by his political opponents ahead of the...
Kindle Rival E-Cooler Not Ready for Prime Time
New York Times
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May 29, 2009 12:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
British company Interead's lighter, cheaper Kindle rival is intriguing but not ready for the big time yet, David Pogue writes in the New York Times . One huge plus is that books bought on Cool-er can be resold or shared, Pogue writes, but the device went from idea to finished product in just four and a half months, and it shows.
Kansas Girl Wins Spelling Bee With 'Laodicean'
Associated Press
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May 28, 2009 10:37 PM CDT
(AP) -
Cool and collected, Kavya Shivashankar wrote out every word on her palm and always ended with a smile. The 13-year-old Kansas girl saved the biggest smile for last, when she rattled off the letters to "Laodicean" to become the nation's spelling champion. The budding neurosurgeon outlasted 11 finalists tonight to win the Scripps National Spelling...
Sotomayor's Assertive Style Rankles Some Critics
New York Times
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May 28, 2009 9:13 PM CDT
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In the jargon of lawyers, Sonia Sotomayor runs a "hot bench." Meaning she is assertive, thorough, and unafraid to grill attorneys. Her supporters see it as a valuable quality, one that shows off her meticulous preparation and ensures she's got a handle on the case at hand, reports the New York Times . Detractors say she goes too far, even...
Nader: Dems Offered Me Money in '04 to Skip Key States
Washington Post
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May 28, 2009 8:09 PM CDT
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Ralph Nader says Democrats were so worried about him in 2004 that DNC chief Terry McAuliffe offered to give his campaign money if he steered clear of 19 battleground states, reports the Washington Post . "When you get a call like that, first of all it's inappropriate,'' Nader said. "The other thing is if you don't immediately say no,...
Why Our Health Care System Is a Mess
New Yorker
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May 28, 2009 7:35 PM CDT
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For a clear example of our warped health care system, look no further than McAllen, Texas. The border town is second only to Miami in how much it spends on health care per person—$15,000 per Medicare enrollee, twice the national average. The problem? Atul Gawande of the New Yorker finds a town entrenched in the culture of too much medicine—patients...
LAX Security Removes Obama Letter Writer
Orange County Register
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May 28, 2009 6:56 PM CDT
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A woman who insisted on trying to hand a letter to President Obama today got a special delivery courtesy of LAX airport security instead. Brenda Lee, 58, was carried away from the press area of the airport just before Air Force One touched down, reports the Orange County Register . Lee, a self-described Catholic priestess, wanted to give...
Obama Meets Abbas, Pushes Israel on Settlements
Associated Press
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May 28, 2009 6:26 PM CDT
(AP) -
Gingerly trying to advance Mideast peace, President Obama declared today that the US is a "stalwart ally" of Israel but challenged the Israelis to stop settlement construction in the West Bank. Obama delivered his message—which came on the same day Israel refused a demand to freeze all construction—after meeting with Palestinian...
1,000 Species of Bacteria Crawling on Our Skin
Los Angeles Times
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May 28, 2009 6:08 PM CDT
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We're not alone. A new study by the National Institutes of Health estimates that 1,000 different species of bacteria inhabit our skin, reports the Los Angeles Times . Some specialize in the terrain of the armpit or the belly button, while others prefer drier (and less populated) locales such as the forearm. Scientists aren't sure yet what all these...
Study Predicts Rising Seas in Northeast
LiveScience
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May 28, 2009 5:25 PM CDT
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Increases in sea level caused by climate change could be dramatically larger than the world average in the densely populated Northeast, LiveScience reports. A new study shows that the melting Greenland ice cap and ocean dynamics will push 12 to 20 more inches of water toward New England and Canada than other regions over the next century. “Major...
Saberi: I Confessed After 'Severe Mental Pressure'
NPR
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May 28, 2009 5:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Roxana Saberi tells NPR that she falsely confessed to being a spy because she was under "severe psychological and mental pressure" from Iranian authorities. Saberi says she wasn't physically tortured in prison, but she was subjected to hours of interrogation and threatened with a 20-year prison sentence or execution if she didn't confess....
Rihanna to Face Brown in Court
E! Online
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May 28, 2009 4:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rihanna will testify in court against former boyfriend and alleged attacker Chris Brown next month, E! Online reports. “The judge advised me that there will be a subpoena for Rihanna as a witness at the preliminary hearing,” said her attorney. “She will definitely comply.” Brown also is expected to attend the June 22 hearing,...
Taliban Warns Pakistan of Major Attacks
New York Times
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May 28, 2009 4:18 PM CDT
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The Taliban claimed responsibility for bombings in two more Pakistani cities today that killed at least 11 and promised that more attacks were on the way, the New York Times reports. The group also took credit for yesterday's bombing in Lahore that killed 26, calling the new wave of assaults retaliation for the government crackdown in the Swat valley....
High School Crowns Male Prom Queen
Los Angeles Times
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May 28, 2009 4:00 PM CDT
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A Southern California high school has crowned its first male prom queen, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sergio Garcia, 18 and gay, says he began his campaign as a joke. To his surprise, the stunt led to a serious discussion of gay rights and gender roles. “I will be wearing a suit,” Garcia told fellow Fairfax High students of his prom...
CIA Wants You, I-Banker
New York Post
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May 28, 2009 3:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The CIA is looking for a few good bankers to track down millionaire bad guys and stymie financial terrorism, the New York Post reports. Ads on Bloomberg Radio ask money whizzes to use their “intelligence for the work of a nation.” The $160,000 salary will probably be a pay cut for most applicants—provided they still have a job....
Gisele's Not Pregnant: Brady
Boston Herald
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May 28, 2009 3:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tom Brady is denying rumors that wife Gisele Bundchen is pregnant, saying, “One is enough.” The Patriots quarterback has a 22-month-old son with ex Bridget Moynahan, plus pet dogs. “That’s all I need,” he tells the Boston Herald . Tabloids reported last week that Bundchen had told buddies she was pregnant, and the baby-bump...
Dow Flips on T-Notes, Adds 104
Wall Street Journal
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May 28, 2009 3:14 PM CDT
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A well-received auction of Treasury notes and a jump in the price of crude oil pushed markets up today, the Wall Street Journal reports. “There was some real fear coming into this,” a strategist said of yesterday’s worries about government debt. “Clear-cut case of sell on the rumor, buy on the news.” The Dow was up 103.78...
Obama to Host G20 in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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May 28, 2009 3:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Obama administration has picked Pittsburgh to host September’s G20 summit, where leaders representing 85% of the world’s economy will measure progress since the last meeting and discuss further action to curb the global crisis, the Post-Gazette reports. Hit hard by the steel industry’s decline, the revitalized city is committed...
Kissing Fla. Priest Joins Episcopal Church
Miami Herald
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May 28, 2009 3:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Miami priest who sparked a debate on celibacy earlier this month when he was caught kissing and embracing a woman has left the Roman Catholic church to join the more liberal Episcopalians. The latter doesn’t require chastity for priests, and Alberto Cutié is expected to announce that he’ll marry his girlfriend of 2 years, the...
'Nutty Old White Men' Vex GOP With Sotomayor Slams
CQPolitics
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May 28, 2009 2:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
GOP operatives opposed to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor aren’t happy about the “help” they’re getting from Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh, CQ Politics reports. Limbaugh called the nominee a “bigot” for saying “a wise Latina woman” will often make better decisions than a white man. “We’re...
Gain Less Pregnancy Weight If Obese: Docs
HealthDay News
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May 28, 2009 2:44 PM CDT
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Obese women should gain between 11-20 pounds when pregnant, new guidelines urge; the figure is about half what’s recommended for women of normal weight, HealthDay News reports, and reflect concerns about the effect of rising obesity rates on mother and child.
Yorn Sees Bardot in Scarlett
Rolling Stone
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May 28, 2009 2:30 PM CDT
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Scarlett Johansson is the new Brigitte Bardot, says Pete Yorn, who enlisted the actress to join him on an upcoming album. A dream moved him to echo the 1960s collaborations of Serge Gainsbourg and Bardot, the singer-songwriter tells Rolling Stone . “So who is Brigitte Bardot?” Yorn says he asked himself. “And I was like, Scarlett...
Mexico Devotes $92M to Luring Back Visitors
Advertising Age
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May 28, 2009 2:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mexico’s tourism board is taking a trickle-down approach to luring vacationers back after the swine flu outbreak, Advertising Age reports. It’s kicking off a $92 million campaign by urging Mexicans to counteract the negative perceptions and show visitors “that Mexico is not only a beautiful country but is also strong and capable...
Abu Ghraib Photos Don't Show Rape: Pentagon
Reuters
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May 28, 2009 2:05 PM CDT
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The Pentagon denies a report that classified photos of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib depict rape and sexual abuse, Reuters reports. Britain’s Daily Telegraph “completely mischaracterized the images,” a spokesman said today. “None of the photos in question depict the images that are described.” The article quotes a former...
Airbrush's Bristles Get Prickly for Fashion Mags
New York Times
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May 28, 2009 1:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After years of digital enhancements that make today’s celebrities look more alien than human, a movement is under way to make fashion photography more realistic, the New York Times reports. Leading by example is photographer Peter Lindbergh, responsible for a series of un-retouched celebs on the cover of French Elle . He doubts it’s...
Sotomayor Has Wide Support: Poll
Los Angeles Times
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May 28, 2009 1:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nearly half of Americans consider Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court an "excellent" or "good" development, while just 13% judge her a "poor" choice, a Gallup poll finds. Respondents split along party lines, with 28% of Republicans and just 1% of Democrats deeming the nomination a poor call,...
11 Make It to Spelling Bee Finals
Associated Press
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May 28, 2009 1:39 PM CDT
(AP) -
Eleven youngsters have advanced to tonight's finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee after surviving today's three semifinal rounds, which began with 41 candidates. Only five were eliminated in the first round, then 20 exited in an extremely difficult second round that knocked out some returning favorites. Among the words that stumped the spellers:...
Microsoft's New Search Engine: Bing
PC World
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May 28, 2009 1:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Microsoft wants “Bing” to replace “Google” as your verb of choice for Internet search, PC World reports, with CEO Steve Ballmer unveiling the search engine today at a conference in California. Bing—already available for a test run—will be fully rolled out by Wednesday. The runner-up name was Kumo, Japanese for...
GM Will Declare Bankruptcy June 1: Insiders
Bloomberg
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May 28, 2009 1:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
General Motors will file for bankruptcy protection Monday, insiders tell Bloomberg. The company has apparently decided that it cannot make the government-mandated June 1 deadline to shed $44 billion in debt. The timeline is unclear, but bondholders' agreement today to forgive debts in exchange for a stake in the “new” post-bankruptcy GM...
5 Dead in Honduras Quake; Toll Expected to Rise
Reuters
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May 28, 2009 1:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Five deaths have been confirmed after the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that rocked Honduras and Guatemala early today. Four victims were children between 3 and 15, crushed under their collapsed home, Reuters reports. "There will be many more dead," said a Honduran official. Buildings in both Central American states suffered structural damage...
Kennedy: An Outline for Health-Care Reform
Boston Globe
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May 28, 2009 1:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The US health-care system that “shortchanges millions of Americans” is “about to change,” writes Ted Kennedy in the Boston Globe . The senator lays out five key elements of legislation he’s working on with “colleagues on both sides of the aisle”: Americans will have “better choices for health...
Obama Loses 'Empathy' Line After GOP Sullies Phrase
New York Times
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May 28, 2009 12:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
“Empathy” was a key part of President Obama’s vocabulary when he first started talking about his Supreme Court nominee, Sheryl Gay Stolberg writes in the New York Times , but the word has disappeared. “Conservatives have hijacked empathy and turned it into an epithet,” Stolberg writes. When introducing Sonia Sotomayor,...
Game, Aykroyd Bring Ghostbusters Back From Dead
New York Times
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May 28, 2009 12:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dan Aykroyd has been trying to get the Ghostbusters to cross streams again for 15 years, and now it’s finally happening—in video-game form. Unlike most movie tie-in games, Ghostbusters isn’t an afterthought—Atari’s giving it blockbuster treatment, complete with voices from Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson....
Free Cool Kids Album Worth It, Barely
Pitchfork
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May 28, 2009 12:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Cool Kids aren’t as cool as they once were—but “even when they’re on autopilot, their icy flatness has style,” writes Tom Breihan for Pitchfork . Gone Fishing , the internet phenoms’ recently released bundle of free downloadable music, “should be a major event in the group’s evolution,” but...
Lakers' Whining Won Game 5
Denver Post
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May 28, 2009 12:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The NBA fined Lakers coach Phil Jackson $50,000 for complaining about the officiating in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, but the frustrated Nuggets think it was money well spent. They got whistled 30 times in last night's Game 5, and they’re angry, reports Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post . “Every player in my locker room is frustrated,”...
Brit Still a Mess, Literally
New York Post
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May 28, 2009 12:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Don’t read if you’re easily grossed out: A source tells the New York Post that Britney Spears' recent Elle shoot was a disaster because “they dressed her in all these beautiful couture clothes—and, well, let's just say she forgot what time of the month it was. It wasn't pretty.” Elsewhere: The latest drama for...
Obama Picks Theology Prof as Vatican Envoy
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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May 28, 2009 11:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama has nominated a Minnesota theologian as his Vatican ambassador, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Miguel Diaz, 45, a Cuban-born professor who would be the first Hispanic US envoy to the Vatican, was an Obama campaign adviser. He was chosen after the Vatican reportedly rejected a series of possible nominees, including Caroline...
Freed Would-Be Ford Assassin: 'It Was Wrong'
MSNBC
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May 28, 2009 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The woman who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975 says she was “misled” and “mistaken” to do so. “I really thought that it would trigger a new revolution,” Sara Jane Moore told NBC today after serving 32 years in prison. “I think I made a serious error. I had to learn later that everyone...
Reality Judge Defends 'Sweet' Susan
Daily Mirror (UK)
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May 28, 2009 11:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan defended Susan Boyle today after reports surfaced that the seemingly sweet reality-show songbird spewed several obscenity-laden rants, the Mirror reports. The accounts have been “massively exaggerated,” he said, calling Boyle “an incredibly sweet, nice, gentle person who has been propelled...
The World's Top-Earning Models
Forbes
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May 28, 2009 11:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The downturn didn't spare the catwalk, but the world's top-earning models are still a long way from the breadline. Forbes lists the top 10 earners over the past year. Gisele Bundchen ($25 million, down $10 million from the previous year) Heidi Klum ($16 million) Kate Moss ($8.5 million)
Huffington Post Helps Left Dominate Right Online
paidContent.org
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May 28, 2009 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In the battle for the blogosphere, left-leaning sites are clobbering their conservative counterparts, thanks mostly to the Huffington Post, David Kaplan writes for paidContent. Liberal sites attracted 6.4 million unique visitors in April, to 4.8 million for conservative sites. Of those, 5.6 million were Huffington Post hits, trouncing the second-place...
'Haute Pink' Is the New Black
Wall Street Journal
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May 28, 2009 11:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As economic woes plague the country, fashionistas are turning to bright, cheery colors—most notably hot pink, the Wall Street Journal reports. Even in New York, those who once wore only black are buying fuchsia ties and designing magenta kitchens. With men who might balk at the traditionally feminine hue, one hotel exec who planned a hot-pink...
Insured Foot Bill for Uninsured Patients' Care
Bloomberg
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May 28, 2009 11:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If you have health insurance, you’re paying a “hidden tax” to care for the uninsured, says a nonprofit advocating government-backed health care. The group says insurance companies pass on the cost of treating the uninsured to their subscribers, to the tune of $1,017 per family last year, Bloomberg reports. That means everyone from...
