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.
Madoff Lawyer: 12 Years Is Enough
Reuters
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Jun 23, 2009 11:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bernard Madoff’s lawyer says his client shouldn’t be jailed for life for his $65 billion Ponzi scheme, Reuters reports, urging the sentencing judge in a letter not to heed calls from victims for “mob vengeance.” A 12-year sentence would be enough, though 15-20 years wouldn’t be “disproportionately punishing”...
Mormons Urge Church to Soften Gay-Marriage Stance
Salt Lake Tribune
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Jun 23, 2009 10:41 AM CDT
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A group of Mormons is campaigning to get the church to cease its aggressive activism against gay marriage, the Salt Lake Tribune reports, with the so-called Committee for Reconciliation calling for church leaders to soften their uncompromising stance on the issue. They say the church’s attitude has helped take rights away from homosexuals and...
Thank Women for Iran's Revolution
Washington Post
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Jun 23, 2009 10:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Americans like to thank Barack Obama or George Bush or even Twitter for Iran’s revolution, but the real movers and shakers are Iran’s women, writes Anne Applebaum in the Washington Post. They’ve spent years organizing and campaigning for equal rights, and their presence in the streets “could strike the deepest blow against...
Obama's Online Push Opens Debate ... to Lunatic Fringe
New York Times
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Jun 23, 2009 10:20 AM CDT
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President Obama promised to use the Internet to give Americans a greater voice in government—but in keeping that promise, he’s given America’s fringe a chance to shout at him, the New York Times reports. When the administration asked for ideas on how to make the government more transparent, it was bombarded with messages about marijuana,...
Boeing Delays Dreamliner Test—Again
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 23, 2009 10:04 AM CDT
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The wait for Boeing’s long-delayed first flight of its 787 Dreamliner became even longer today. The company announced it would miss its late June target because part of the plane needs to be reinforced, the Wall Street Journal reports. Boeing stock fell 7% on the news. The 787, Boeing's first new jet in more than a decade, was supposed to make...
Watching Whales More Lucrative Than Hunting Them
BBC
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Jun 23, 2009 9:55 AM CDT
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Whale watching generates about $2.1 billion annually, making it far more profitable than hunting the giant mammals, a new report says. Income from whale watching has doubled over the last decade, according to the report, issued by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. "Whale watching is clearly more environmentally sustainable and economically...
Obama's Approval Rating Softens
Politico
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Jun 23, 2009 9:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Concerns over the economy are weighing down President Obama’s poll numbers, which have fallen to their lowest point since his inauguration, Politico reports. Obama’s 57% approval rating in a Gallup tracking poll this weekend remains high, but a series of recent polls find his support falling among Republicans and independents—and...
LA Mayor Won't Run for Governor
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 23, 2009 9:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The mayor of Los Angeles said yesterday he will not run for governor of California next year, upending the race to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger. In an interview with the Times, Antonio Villaraigosa said he made the "agonizing" choice to stay at city hall to tackle the fiscal crisis and spiking unemployment. The announcement is a boon for...
System, Driver Error Suspected in DC Train Crash
Washington Post
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Jun 23, 2009 9:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Experts suspect yesterday’s deadly subway collision in Washington was the result of both a system failure and human error, the Washington Post reports. The city’s trains are run by onboard computers, which should, theoretically, prevent trains from colliding. The system has failed once before, in 2005, but the operators hit the emergency...
Jobs' Stand-In Is Apple's New Star
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 23, 2009 9:12 AM CDT
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Steve Jobs is slated to return to Apple this month—he’s already been sighted at the office—but in his absence Tim Cook has made a name for himself, becoming a vital commodity Apple needs to keep, the Wall Street Journal reports. “At this point, losing Tim Cook would be a bigger deal to investors than if Steve Jobs stepped...
Farrah Hospitalized Again
People
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Jun 23, 2009 8:50 AM CDT
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Farrah Fawcett has been back in the hospital for at least two weeks, and is not doing well, a source tells People . “There was a moment last week when she was supposed to be released and was going home but things changed,” the source says, while Fawcett’s publicist adds, "She is still being treated for her condition.”
Obama Invites Gay Advocates to White House
New York Times
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Jun 23, 2009 8:28 AM CDT
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President Obama has invited gay rights leaders to the White House next Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the New York protests seen as the start of gay liberation. It's unclear whether Obama will address the strong criticism he's recently faced from gay and lesbian advocates. One leader said that while he hoped...
Iconic Sidekick Ed McMahon Dead at 86
MSNBC
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Jun 23, 2009 8:11 AM CDT
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Ed McMahon died last night in Los Angeles. The former Johnny Carson sidekick, 86, had long fought cancer and was recently admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, WAPT reports. Besides his Tonight Show role, McMahon was known for hosting Star Search and appearing on commercials handing giant checks to American Family Publishers sweepstakes winners....
Death Toll in DC Crash Reduced to 7
Associated Press
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Jun 23, 2009 8:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Washington, DC, officials have reduced the fatalities in yesterday's Metro crash to seven from the nine previously reported, reports AP. Mayor Adrian Fenty said officials are "going to let the investigation run its course" and that hopefully the number will not exceed seven by the end of the day. Fenty also said that two remain in critical...
Mexican Cartels Lure US Teens to Kill
New York Times
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Jun 23, 2009 7:45 AM CDT
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The powerful cartels that control the drug trade in Mexico increasingly have help north of the border—in the form of American teenagers, some as young as 13, who work as smugglers and assassins. The New York Times profiles one boy, who was recruited by the Gulf Cartel to kill on command along the interstate that connects Laredo to Dallas. "It...
Scientology Boss Beat Staff: Defectors
St. Petersburg Times
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Jun 23, 2009 7:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The leader of the Church of Scientology routinely beat up execs who displeased him, defectors tell the St. Petersburg Times . The men—the highest-ranking Scientologists ever to leave the organization—say David Miscavige attacked and humiliated staffers on the slightest whim. Miscavige, the defectors say in this 3-part investigative series,...
Dunkin' iPhone App Ruins the Coffee Run
Christian Science Monitor
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Jun 23, 2009 7:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Dunkin’ Donuts has a new iPhone app, and it’s a dud, writes Matthew Shaer for the Christian Science Monitor . “Dunkin’ Run” users can send emails to their coworkers notifying them of an impending run; the app makes a list of orders and the “runner” heads to Dunkin’. The problem: “Someone in DD...
Neda Mourned Privately as Iran Bans Memorials
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 23, 2009 6:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Neda Agha-Soltan has become the face of the Iranian protests but friends say she was never an activist before the disputed election, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 26-year-old, a music lover who was studying for a career in tourism, was shot dead by a sniper on her way to a protest Saturday. She was aware of the danger, friends say, but felt...
Signals Detected, but Officials Deny They're Flight 447's
Associated Press
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Jun 23, 2009 6:28 AM CDT
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Rescuers are hot on the track of signals picked up deep in the Atlantic that could be from one of Air France Flight 447's black boxes, Le Monde reported today, but a French official denied that the signals could be originating from the doomed plane's flight recorder. “The black boxes have not been detected,” the official tells the AP. While...
US Cuts Deal on Central Asia Military Base
Associated Press
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Jun 23, 2009 6:05 AM CDT
(AP) -
The US has agreed to more than triple the rent it pays for use of a key air base in Kyrgyzstan to ship non-lethal military supplies to Afghanistan under a deal approved today, reports the AP. The accord over the Manas Air Base comes four months after the Central Asian nation evicted US troops. Under the new one-year deal, rent will increase to $60...
US Woes Send Asian Stocks Tumbling
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 23, 2009 5:43 AM CDT
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Stocks in Asia tumbled to their worst finish in weeks, reports the Wall Street Journal, as continued fears about the US economy led to a sell-off of resource companies and exporters. The Nikkei in Tokyo and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong both closed down about 3%, echoing a decline on Wall Street yesterday. "Any Asian companies that depend...
Mexico Busts 7 Officials in Daycare Fire
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 23, 2009 5:37 AM CDT
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Mexico has charged seven officials with negligent homicide in a fire that killed 47 babies and toddlers in a daycare center earlier this month, the Wall Street Journa l reports. The officials in Sonora state were responsible for the storage of tires, cars, and paperwork in a warehouse in the same building as the nursery, where the fire began and quickly...
Berlusconi Hooker Probe to Quiz 30 Women
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 23, 2009 5:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Italian prosecutors are preparing to question up to 30 women, including eastern European models, as part of a probe into the alleged procurement of prostitutes for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The sex scandal widened yesterday when a photo emerged of two young women in short dresses posing in what appears to be Belusconi's private home. One of...
Eat Our Steeds? Horsefeathers!
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 23, 2009 4:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
British horse owners are sputtering at a European Union directive requiring them to sign a pledge stating they won't eat their animals, the Telegraph reports. The Brits say the order—aimed at preventing veterinary drugs from entering the food supply in countries where horses are commonly eaten—has left them insulted at the very suggestion...
AWOL SC Gov Takes a Hike
Associated Press
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Jun 23, 2009 4:27 AM CDT
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South Carolina now has a rough idea where its missing governor is after several days of mystery that perplexed and infuriated lawmakers, AP reports. A spokesman said Mark Sanford—who ditched his security detail last Thursday and missed Father's Day with his family—has gone on a hike along the Appalachian Trail to "clear his head"...
Obama Razes 'No Child Schoolhouse'
Washington Post
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Jun 23, 2009 4:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A model of a little red schoolhouse used to promote the launch of the federal policy "No Child Left Behind" is no more, the Washington Post reports. In a highly symbolic move, the structure at the entrance of the Department of Education and policy logos of the Bush administration education law are being stripped from the agency as the new...
Vote Stands, Declares Iran Council
CNN
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Jun 23, 2009 3:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran's official Guardian Council has declared absolutely that the nation's controversial presidential election will stand, reports CNN. "If a major breach occurs in an election, the Guardian Council may annul the votes," said a spokesman. "Fortunately, we found no witness of major fraud or breach in the election. Therefore, there is...
GLAAD to Perez: Apologize for Calling Will.i.am Gay Slur
Associated Press
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Jun 23, 2009 3:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The manager of the Black Eyed Peas punched Perez Hilton after the gossip blogger called Will.i.am a faggot during a heated argument, reports the Los Angeles Times . Now the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is demanding that Hilton apologize for using the gay slur. "I made the split-second decision that I was gonna say what I thought...
Steve Jobs Back at Work
CNBC
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Jun 23, 2009 2:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Steve Jobs was back on the job at Apple yesterday after a six month medical leave for a liver transplant, according to CNBC. Company officials haven't been responding to phone calls and emails seeking to confirm Jobs' whereabouts, but the CEO was spotted by employees at Apple headquarters.
French Cops Bust 26 in Record Jewel Heist
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 23, 2009 1:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
French cops have busted 26 people linked to the biggest jewelry heist ever in France, reports the Guardian. Police swooped in after learning that foreign buyers were about to contact the team to purchase gems lifted late last year in a brazen daylight armed robbery in Paris. The suspects, both men and women aged 22 to 67, include a security guard...
5.4 Quake Jolts Alaska
Anchorage Daily News
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Jun 23, 2009 1:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A strong earthquake jolted southern Alaska yesterday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The epicenter of the 5.4 magnitude quake was some 60 miles north of Anchorage, where the rumbling lasted several minutes and sent people diving for cover under furniture and in doorways.
30 Dead in Fresh Wave of Iraq Violence
Associated Press
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Jun 22, 2009 8:33 PM CDT
(AP) -
Bombings and shootings killed more than 30 people across Iraq today, including high school students on their way to final exams, in a new round of violence ahead of next week's deadline for US troops to withdraw from urban areas. The attacks came two days after the year's deadliest strike, a truck bombing that killed at least 75 people near Kirkuk....
YouTube 'Alchemist' Makes Ballet Legend Dance
New Yorker
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Jun 22, 2009 7:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A YouTuber has unearthed the only footage of famed early 20th-century dancer Vaslav Nijinsky in existence, the New Yorker reports—sort of. Actually, it’s more like he created it himself. “These films are animations of photographs,” Christian Comte said. “I work as an alchemist in animated cinema.” The “animation”...
15 Great Film Careers That Ended With Flops
The Onion (A.V. Club)
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Jun 22, 2009 7:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
One well-placed stinker can mar an otherwise sterling legacy in film. The Onion AV Club gathers some of the saddest swan songs: 1.-2. Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin, Cannonball Run II (1984). The Rat Pack starred in some mediocre movies, but nothing holds a candle to this spectacular bomb, which turned Sinatra...
Six Dead, 70 Injured in DC Subway Crash
Associated Press
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Jun 22, 2009 6:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
At least six are dead and 70 others injured after two subway trains collided during rush hour this evening in Washington DC, the AP reports. The incident is “developing into a mass casualty event,” a Metro spokesman told WJLA-TV. “We’re expecting a number of injuries.” A train on the Red Line, the system’s busiest,...
Court Will Quash Key Voting Act Provision—Next Time
SCOTUSblog
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Jun 22, 2009 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Today’ non-decision by the Supreme Court on Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is actually a stern repudiation, Tom Goldstein writes for SCOTUSblog. Reading between the lines, Goldstein surmises that the court will strike down Section 5 when the next challenge comes if Congress does not significantly alter it in the meantime. The most appealing...
Jon & Kate File for Divorce
People
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Jun 22, 2009 5:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Reality-TV parents Jon and Kate Gosselin filed divorce papers today in their native Pennsylvania, People reports. The 10-year marriage, which has produced eight children and given rise to their TLC series Jon & Kate Plus Eight , has hit the high-profile skids in recent months, with rumors of infidelity on both sides.
Brown Cops to Assault, Avoids Jail
TMZ
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Jun 22, 2009 4:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
R&B star Chris Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault today and will get 5 years’ probation but no jail time, TMZ reports. Also included: Six months of labor, mandatory court visits every three months, and a restraining order keeping him 50 yards from his victim, singer Rihanna, at all times. The judge said Brown “was treated as any...
Parasitic, Tabloid HuffPo Just Pretends to Do Journalism
Advertising Age
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Jun 22, 2009 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Syracuse University’s SI Newhouse journalism school recently awarded Arianna Huffington one of their lifetime achievement awards, an honor that strikes Simon Dumenco as absurd, he writes for Advertising Age . It sounds like a brutally ironic joke: a school for training journalists honors someone who’s built a popular website on devaluing...
Black Eyed Peas: Sellouts in Post-Sellout World
Slate
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Jun 22, 2009 3:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It is still possible for a musician to “sell out” in this hyper-commercialized world, says Seth Stevenson, who hangs on to the concept partly because of the pain he feels when a favorite song is co-opted—it’s like finding out a smart, cute girl “spends her weekends turning tricks.” But mostly, he writes for Slate,...
Fehr, Head of Baseball Players Union, Will Retire
New York Times
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Jun 22, 2009 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Baseball players union chief Donald Fehr said today he’ll retire by March 31, the New York Times reports. His likely replacement as executive director will be Michael Weiner, the union’s general counsel. In Fehr’s 26 years at the helm, the average player salary rose from $289,000 to $3.24 million. But Fehr, 60, also seen his share...
Banks, Energy Fall; Dow Off 201
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 22, 2009 3:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A global rout in materials and energy stocks combined with a sell-off in financials to wreak havoc on US markets today, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow closed down 200.72 at 8,339.01. The Nasdaq lost 61.28, closing at 1,766.19, and the S&P 500 dropped 28.19 to close at 893.04. The Dow is now down 1.1% for the year, while the S&P...
How the Little Black Dress Got to Be Black, and Little
DoubleX
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Jun 22, 2009 3:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The ubiquitous little black dress can be the foundation of a recession-friendly wardrobe. But Coco Chanel—widely credited with inventing the LBD—actually just brought it from strict and severe to chic and sophisticated. Double X explores the history of this staple in women’s closets: Centuries ago, black was worn by the clergy...
Pickle Juice Joins Ranks of Odd, Cheap Sports Foods
Boston Globe
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Jun 22, 2009 2:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
During a recession, even endurance athletes have to watch their wallets. Increasingly, the Boston Globe reports, marathoners and pro athletes are turning to cheap, readily available means of replacing carbs and electrolytes—even if that means pounding pickle juice. “It’s been a hidden secret,” said the maker of Pickle Juice...
NBC, CBS At Odds on How to Survive
Advertising Age
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Jun 22, 2009 2:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
America’s oldest TV broadcasters see very different roads ahead as they navigate today’s world of splintering audiences, Advertising Age reports. NBC is carving a new path, dropping five hours of potential scripted shows a week for a nightly Jay Leno show, and banking on its cable channels. CBS, meanwhile, is committed to big broadcast...
Gorbachev Ballads Album Fetches $160K at Auction
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 22, 2009 2:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A CD of Mikhail Gorbachev singing traditional Russian ballads has sold for $164,940 at a charity auction in London, the Guardian reports. The sole copy is now in the hands of an “anonymous British philanthropist.” The benefit was held to raise money for a foundation, named after the former Soviet premier’s late wife, committed to...
Mars Volta Shows Softer Side
Huffington Post
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Jun 22, 2009 2:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With the latest release, Mars Volta has lived up to its “best prog-rockers of 2008” title, writes Mike Ragogna for the Huffington Post. Octahedron “may bang a little less, but musically competes with most classic albums of that genre.” And—good news for anyone put-off by the band’s tendency toward the obscure—it’s...
Obama Signs Smoking Crackdown
Associated Press
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Jun 22, 2009 2:15 PM CDT
(AP) -
President Barack Obama cited his own long struggle to quit the cigarettes he took up as a teenager as he signed the strongest-ever US anti-smoking bill today and praised it for providing needed protections for future generations. "It is a law that will save American lives," Obama said. "The decades-long effort to protect our children...
Blake's Alleged Babymama Evicted
Sun (UK)
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Jun 22, 2009 2:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Blake Fielder-Civil, estranged hubby of troubled Amy Winehouse, can add one more thing to his growing list of problems: Gilleen Morris, who says she’s carrying his baby, has been evicted, the Sun reports. Neighbors complained her house was being used as a drug den, and police made arrests during a raid there. Fielder-Civil is still technically...
Five Gitmo Uighurs to Palau: Thanks, but No Thanks
AFP
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Jun 22, 2009 2:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Palau’s president Johnson Toribiong today said five of the 13 Uighurs held at Guantanamo Bay and set to be resettled in his country don't want to go, AFP reports. “A handful may not come,” he said. A recent delegation from the country to Gitmo met with just eight of the Chinese Muslims, who were cleared of wrongdoing four years ago....
