Newser Story Index from June, 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.

Farrah's Funeral: 'Goodbye, Sweet Girl'
People | Jun 30, 09 11:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - Farrah Fawcett’s family and friends gathered to honor the actress’ memory at her private funeral today in Los Angeles, People reports. Ryan O’Neal and son Redmond were among the 200 or so at the service, while longtime friend Alana Stewart and Fawcett's doctor, Lawrence Piro, delivered eulogies. "Farrah never felt sorry for...

Jackson Aide: He Took Drugs in Bid to Avoid London Shows
Daily Beast | Jun 30, 09 10:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - A confidante of Michael Jackson says the singer may have inadvertently triggered his own death by purposely taking an overdose of prescription drugs so he'd end up in the hospital and be excused from some of his London tour dates, reports Gerald Posner of the Daily Beast. “Like a child who doesn’t want to go to school, Michael thought he...

Wal-Mart Backs Plan to Make Employers Provide Coverage
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 9:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - President Obama has a big new supporter in his push for health-care reform: Wal-Mart. The nation's largest private employer reversed course today and told the White House it supports the idea of requiring large employers to provide health insurance to workers. Most large corporations, along with the US Chamber of Commerce, oppose an employer mandate...

Nurse: Jackson Begged for Insomnia Drug
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 9:07 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson was so distraught over persistent insomnia in recent months that he pleaded for a powerful sedative despite warnings it could be harmful, says a nutritionist who was working with the singer as he prepared his comeback bid. Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse, said she repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug, Diprivan, which is given...

Palin: I Can Beat Obama... in a Foot Race
Runner's World | Jun 30, 09 7:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Lifelong runner Sarah Palin tells Runner's World magazine that she could beat Barack Obama in a long-distance race. "I betcha I'd have more endurance," she says in response to a question. "If you ever talk to my old coaches they'd tell you, too. What I lacked in physical strength or skill I made up for in determination and endurance....

Fox Has Top 10 Cable News Shows
Mediabistro | Jun 30, 09 7:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - More evidence of Fox News' growing domination of cable TV: The network now has the top 10 programs in terms of total viewers, reports Mediabistro's TVNewser blog. Bill O'Reilly still leads the way, followed by Sean Hannity. Glenn Beck is in third, but his viewership of about 2 million is up a whopping 110% over last year, the most by far of any show....

How Fluffy Towels May Point to Economic Recovery
Time | Jun 30, 09 6:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Everyone's reading tea leaves to figure out where the economy's headed, and Time finds reason for hope in something it calls the "Bed, Bath & Beyond barometer." The retailer's profits were up in the first quarter, and same-store sales weren't as bad as expected. This is especially good news, writes Sean Gregory, because analysts...

7 Detroit Teens Shot; 3 Critically Injured
Detroit News | Jun 30, 09 5:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - "You know who we're looking for." With that, two gunmen in ski masks opened fire on a group of teenagers waiting at a bus stop in Detroit, hitting seven of them and leaving three critically injured, reports the Detroit News . Witnesses say the shooting may be the extension of an earlier argument at a nearby school for ninth-graders.

Prius Owners Sue Over Faulty Headlights
Advertising Age | Jun 30, 09 5:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - Toyota’s Prius, now in its third generation, remains the dominant hybrid car. But an increasing number of older Prius owners are finding that the autos have a potentially dangerous flaw—failing headlights. What's worse, the so-called high-intensity discharge lamps, which are optional ugrades, can cost more than $1,000 to fix. With a group...

Kristol: 'Hit Piece' on Palin Has No Credibility
Weekly Standard | Jun 30, 09 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bill Kristol comes to the defense of Sarah Palin today in the wake of the “hit piece” about her in Vanity Fair . In a blog on the Weekly Standard , Kristol says the lengthy—and negative—article by “lefty journalist” Todd Purdum “is full of dubious claims, and is dependent on self-serving stories provided...

Franken: I Can't Wait to Start Work
CNN | Jun 30, 09 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - Al Franken said he was “thrilled and honored by the faith Minnesotans placed in me” after the state Supreme Court declared him the winner of the Senate recount, CNN reports. "I'm so excited to finally be able to get to work " said Franken, who added that he got a "very gracious" phone call from Norm Coleman. In his...

Best Rock Comebacks of All Time
Independent (UK) | Jun 30, 09 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - In honor of Blur’s triumphant return Sunday at the Glastonbury Festival, the Independent compiles a list of the best rock-and-roll comebacks: Elvis Presley: The King was practically a has-been in 1968, following his army stint and a string of lackluster films. His black-leather-clad, blues-heavy appearance on an NBC Christmas show...

Easy on the Tylenol: FDA Panel
Bloomberg | Jun 30, 09 4:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - An outside panel reporting to the Food and Drug Administration recommended today that the maximum daily dosage of Tylenol be reduced and the Extra Strength variety of the painkiller be available only by prescription, Bloomberg reports. The panel of advisers, whose suggestions are nonbinding, noted acetaminophen’s effect on the liver. The panel...

At Office, Anything Beyond Handshake Can be Touchy
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - After countless bear hugs, fist bumps, elbow grips, and pats-on-the-back, Elizabeth Bernstein realized that she is her office’s “touchee”—someone co-workers know will be receptive to physical demonstrations of support, she writes for the Wall Street Journal. That got her thinking: When is such touching OK, and when does it invade...

Recession Forces Tough Choices for Smokers
MSNBC | Jun 30, 09 4:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - The recession—coupled with a historic increase in the federal tobacco tax—is hitting smokers pretty hard, MSNBC reports. “We had a light bill that needed to be paid, so we paid a third of it so we could have cigarette money,” said one who’s tried to quit numerous times. “We’ve done that a couple times. It kind...

Lawsuits Raise Stink Over Police Dogs' 'Scent Evidence'
USA Today | Jun 30, 09 3:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - Recent lawsuits are bringing the reliability of police dogs’ noses into question, USA Today reports. Since 2004, three men have been released after wrongful convictions based partially on scent evidence, and two current federal suits target a well-known Texas deputy who works with his dogs across the nation. “It’s a fraud on so...

Ad Slump KOs Vibe
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 3:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - Hip-hop magazine Vibe is ceasing operations today, the New York Times reports. The publication has been in dire financial straits, and its chief said it had sought new investors or a plan “to restructure the huge debt on our small company” to no avail. Though Vibe reported healthy circulation of 818,000 at the end of last year, it...

Confidence Sags; Dow Off 82
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 3:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - Stocks fell today on an unexpected decline in consumer confidence, the Wall Street Journal reports, after investors held steady at the open despite data that delinquencies on prime mortgages had increased. The consumer-confidence drop came after two months of positive readings. The Dow closed down 82.38 at 8,447.00. The Nasdaq fell 9.02, closing...

Vick's New Gig: Counselor at Boys & Girls Club
Virginian-Pilot | Jun 30, 09 3:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Vick has begun working at a Virginia summer camp after leaving his job as a construction worker, the Virginian-Pilot reports. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is finishing up two months of house arrest after his conviction for abetting dogfighting; he’s required to work a job. Vick began yesterday helping sports instructors at...

Coleman Concedes to Franken
Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jun 30, 09 3:16 PM CDT
(Newser) - Norm Coleman isn't going to drag out Minnesota's Senate fight any longer. Coleman conceded the race to Al Franken today, hours after the state's Supreme Court decreed that Democrat Franken was the rightful winner of November's election, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune . "Further litigation damages the unity of our state," said Coleman....

Judge Revokes Stanford Bond
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - A US district judge today revoked bond for Texas financier R. Allen Stanford, who's charged with swindling investors out of $7 billion. David Hittner approved a request by prosecutors to overturn a magistrate judge's decision to allow Stanford freed on $500,000 bond pending his trial. Prosecutors argued that Stanford's international ties make...

In '07, Jackson Worth $237M, But Cash-Poor, in Debt
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 3:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - As recently as 2007, Michael Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million, the AP reports. But his finances weren’t that simple. Most of his $567.6 million in assets were tied up in property and rights—he had just $668,215 in cash—and his debt totaled $331 million. His largest asset by far was his 50% stake in the Sony/ATV publishing...

Greenpeace: Mediterranean a 'Sea of Hell'
ANSA (Italy) | Jun 30, 09 2:51 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Mediterranean Sea is in crisis because of global warming, according to Greenpeace. The group says its latest research documents the catastrophic effect climate change is having on the environmentally crucial body of water, which it dubs a “sea of hell.” Rising temperatures have sent foreign species like poison puffer fish into the water...

Obama Will Try to Rig a Third Term: Limbaugh
Real Clear Politics | Jun 30, 09 2:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - Rush Limbaugh says President Obama condemned the military coup against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya in order to “lay a foundation for not being a hypocrite when he tries to serve beyond 2016,” RealClearPolitics reports. The army moved against Zelaya when he tried to eliminate term limits—“basically rip that country’s...

Looking for Work? Better Have a Job Already
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 2:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Finding a job when unemployment is at 9.4% is hard enough. But the recently laid-off have another hurdle to contend with: Many employers are most interested in attracting candidates who are still working, the Wall Street Journal reports. “If they’re employed in today’s economy, they have to be first string,” says a partner...

Will.i.am Reveals Jacko's Last Album: Dance Music
Daily Mirror (UK) | Jun 30, 09 2:21 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson plotted his comeback album with Will.i.am, and the Black Eyed Peas frontman now tells the Mirror it was going to be “something Michael has never done before—a dance music album.” The King of Pop kept the demos “under lock and key,” but Will.i.am heard them. “It was going to be out of this world,"...

Cancer Reunited Fawcett, Majors
Us Weekly | Jun 30, 09 2:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - Farrah Fawcett’s cancer sparked a brief but touching reunion for Farrah Fawcett and ex-husband Lee Majors, US Weekly reports. When Fawcett fell ill, Majors took to calling friends to check up on her. “He didn’t feel like he could reach out to her himself—it had just been too long,” said one source. “He would send...

Racial Profiling Still Widespread in US: ACLU
Reuters | Jun 30, 09 2:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - Racial profiling remains rampant in the US, with thousands detained yearly due to race, religion, or nationality, even though top federal officials are trying to halt the practice, the American Civil Liberties Union claims in a report to the UN. South Asian and North African immigrants are often targeted as possible Islamic militants, while Latin Americans...

Dance Legend Pina Bausch Dead at 68
Guardian (UK) | Jun 30, 09 1:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Visionary choreographer Pina Bausch died today at age 68, five days after being diagnosed with cancer, Germany’s Wuppertal Dance Theater announced today. The theater didn’t reveal the cause of death, except to call it “unexpectedly fast.” Bausch’s strange modern style of dance couldn’t be taught in a classroom, but...

Williams Sisters 1 Win From Wimbledon Final Rematch
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 1:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - Venus and Serena Williams are one round away from meeting in another Wimbledon final. Five-time champion Venus overpowered Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-2 today, and two-time winner Serena followed her into the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka. No. 3-seeded Venus will next face top-ranked Dinara Safina; No. 2 Serena will face No....

Minnesota Supremes: Franken Won Senate Race
Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jun 30, 09 1:39 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled unanimously in favor of Democrat Al Franken in the Senate election battle there, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The court decided that Republican Norm Coleman’s challenge of a lower court’s ruling did not merit reconsideration, the Pioneer Press adds. Though Coleman may bring the dispute...

Jackson's Public Viewing Set for Friday
CNN | Jun 30, 09 1:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson’s body will be taken to his Neverland Ranch on Thursday for a public viewing the next day at the California site, CNN reports. A private memorial service will follow Sunday. Where the singer will be buried remains unknown, though the mayor of Jackson’s hometown of Gary, Ind., is in touch with the family in an effort have...

EPA Bucks Bush Policy, Lets Calif. Set Own CO2 Standard
Reuters | Jun 30, 09 1:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Environmental Protection Agency today granted California the right to set its own strict emissions standards, an about-face from Bush-era policies, Reuters reports. In a sly rebuke to the previous administration, the EPA said the move rested on a “traditional legal interpretation of the Clean Air Act.” California first requested permission...

Law's Hamlet to Go From London to Broadway
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Jude Law is Broadway-bound as the prince of Denmark in a production of Hamlet exported from London, the New York Times reports. The show is set for a 12-week run on the Great White Way, with previews starting Sept. 12 and the official opening Oct. 6. Before it arrives Stateside, however, the show will stop at Denmark’s Elsinore Castle.

No Cushy 'Camp Fed' for Madoff
Bloomberg | Jun 30, 09 12:49 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bernard Madoff’s high profile and long sentence will likely land him in a medium- or high-security prison, Bloomberg reports. Though previous white-collar criminals have spent terms at federal prison “camps,” any sentence longer than 10 years makes an inmate ineligible for that cushy treatment. Insiders also say the risk to Madoff...

Sanford Admits to More Liaisons With Mistress
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 12:43 PM CDT
(Newser) - Mark Sanford met his Argentine mistress more times than he’s originally let on, he told the AP today. Sanford, who’d originally copped to only four meetings with Maria Belen Chapur during an 8-year relationship, described five in the past year alone, including two romantic getaways in New York, and a farewell meeting there also attended...

Geraldo's OK if You Kill a Child Molester
Gawker | Jun 30, 09 12:37 PM CDT
(Newser) - Geraldo Rivera wouldn’t mind if someone happened to kill David Earls. Not that he’s telling you to do it, or anything, Gawker notes. On Fox News last night, Rivera and Bill O’Reilly were grousing about the convicted child rapist who got just a 1-year sentence. O’Reilly, still smarting from the George Tiller murder, said, “If...

Flea-Ridden Resort to Winehouse: No More Dogs!
Sun (UK) | Jun 30, 09 12:27 PM CDT
(Newser) - Amy Winehouse is bringing fleas to St. Lucia. Her swanky resort quarters had to be fumigated thanks to the “five or six” stray dogs she’s adopted, a source tells the Sun , and management banned her from rescuing any more animals. Elsewhere: The latest in a series of TMI moments from Marilyn Manson, courtesy of Bang Showbiz:...

Debate Rages as Congress Mulls Ban on Horse Slaughter
Salon | Jun 30, 09 12:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - All US horse slaughterhouses have closed, but horse slaughter remains a big business. Thousands are shipped to Mexico and Canada, with sometimes-grisly results. “The treatment of these animals is absolutely unspeakable,” said one Mexico City veterinarian tells Salon. Now, Congress is considering a bill to ban both slaughter and the export...

Let's Lock Up Casual Drug Users
Guardian (UK) | Jun 30, 09 12:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - The head of the UN drug and crime office recommended last week that casual drug use be decriminalized and said users "need medical help, not criminal prosecution." We should certainly help addicts, but casual users of marijuana and cocaine belong in jail, George Monbiot of the Guardian writes. They abet a brutal regime of murder, slavery,...

Firefox 3.5 Could Upgrade the Whole Web
Slate | Jun 30, 09 11:54 AM CDT
(Newser) - Firefox, once lauded for “speed, stability, and customizability,” seemed lately to have fallen behind the competition—but with version 3.5, out today, it’s back and better than ever, writes Farhad Manjoo for Slate. The new version “adds a much-needed speed boost” alongside bug fixes. And best of all, its use of updated...

Jacko Fans Suicidal, and More Wacko News
Sky News | Jun 30, 09 11:39 AM CDT
(Newser) - Some Michael Jackson fans are reacting to his death in extreme ways. At least a dozen worldwide have committed suicide, Sky News reports. Meanwhile, websites claiming the entertainer is alive—and faked his demise to escape the pressures of fame—are cropping up, according to the Sun . Elsewhere: Jackson’s doctor admitted, through...

Fla. Burglars Get Burned in Pop-Tart Theft
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 30, 09 11:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - Pop-Tarts proved a key ingredient in the arrest of two young Florida men for burglary, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The pair asked a cop for a ride home early yesterday; the policeman said he had to search them first—finding a collection of high-tech gadgets and a pack of Pop-Tarts. A neighborhood canvass turned up a batch of nearby auto break-ins,...

Friend Tries to Unravel Jacko's Complex Sexuality
Daily Mail (UK) | Jun 30, 09 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser) - When he was accused of sexual abuse in 1993, Michael Jackson’s complex sexuality changed forever. The "virgin" superstar that Tatum O'Neal once described as "so shy he hardly says two words" now had police bearing down on Neverland, and sent maids scurrying to hide pictures of undressed young boys and the women's perfume he...

Monster Fish Becomes Hunters' Fave
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 11:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - Fish don’t get much uglier than the alligator gar, but lately the dinosaur-like monstrosity has attracted a following… of crossbow-wielding sportsmen trying to kill it, the Wall Street Journal reports. Part fishing, part monster hunting, bagging an alligator gar is a thrilling exercise, and at up to 8 feet long, they make great trophies....

How Sanford Can Get His Groove Back
Politico | Jun 30, 09 11:11 AM CDT
(Newser) - Mark Sanford has fallen from grace, but he possesses the know-how to make his way back, writes Roger Simon of Politico. What the philandering governor has going for him: "He knows how to use people. " Just look at his marriage: His wife ran his campaign in 1994, when they had two children under 2, and he paid her back “by betraying...

Beck, Drudge Blast Obama for... Opposing a Coup?
Gawker | Jun 30, 09 10:58 AM CDT
(Newser) - Glenn Beck found a new and creative way of insinuating that President Obama is a commie last night, attacking him for—of all things—opposing the military coup in Honduras. See, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro also opposed the coup, which means clearly any right-thinking non-pinko would support it. “That’s Glenn Beck logic in action...

Jackson May Be on View in Glass Coffin
Sun (UK) | Jun 30, 09 10:53 AM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson’s funeral could be as lavish as one of his concerts. His body will reportedly be transported in a horse-drawn carriage, and he could be on view in a glass coffin. “The glass casket idea would create so much public interest it would take time to organize,” a source tells the Sun . “People would make the pilgrimage...

Edwards Told Aide He'd Be 'Set for Life' in Paternity Ruse
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 10:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - John Edwards was apparently desperate for aide Andrew Young to pretend to be his baby’s daddy. In a proposal for Young’s tell-all book, leaked to the New York Times , Young says Edwards promised he’d be “taken care of for life,” if he went through with the ruse. “You know how much I love you,” Edwards said....

Rowe Not Kids' Bio-Mom: TMZ
TMZ | Jun 30, 09 10:37 AM CDT
(Newser) - Not only was Michael Jackson not the biological father of any of his children, neither was Debbie Rowe, his ex-wife, their biological mother, TMZ reports. All three children were conceived in vitro, and Debbie acted as the surrogate for the eldest two—for a fee—sources tell TMZ.