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.
Sanford Emails Apologies to Constituents
WTLX
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Jun 30, 2009 10:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In an online apology to South Carolinians, Mark Sanford asks for forgiveness and explains his decision to keep his post in an effort to become “a better person,” WLTX reports. “Close friends” suggested he’d be “of more service in whatever doors God opened next in life if I stuck around to learn lessons rather than...
Son to Attend Farrah's Funeral
People
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Jun 30, 2009 10:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Redmond O’Neal was given permission to leave his California detention center for mother Farrah Fawcett’s funeral today. “That’s an absolute yes” for his attendance, his attorney tells People . The ceremony will be held in a downtown Los Angeles cathedral at 4pm, and will be closed to the public and the media, CBS adds.
Ousted Honduran Leader Plans Return
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 9:47 AM CDT
(AP) -
Honduras' ousted president, bolstered by international support, said he will return home to regain control and urged soldiers to stop cracking down on thousands of supporters who have protested his overthrow. Flanked by Latin American leaders who have vowed to help him regain power, Manuel Zelaya said yesterday he would accept an offer by the OAS secretary-general...
Progressive Morocco a Model for Arab World
Washington Post
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Jun 30, 2009 9:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sick of all the violence in Tehran? Try taking a stroll through the capital of Morocco, suggests Anne Applebaum of the Washington Post. Not long ago, Morocco was a dictatorship, plagued by arbitrary arrests, “disappearances,” and torture. But over the last decade this distinctly Arab, distinctly religious state has become a constitutional...
More Sex Makes Stronger Sperm, Cuts Infertility
BBC
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Jun 30, 2009 9:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Having sex every day improves sperm quality and can improve a couple's chances of conception, an Australian fertility specialist finds. Eight in 10 men with fertility problems showed less damaged DNA and more mobility in their sperm after 7 days, the BBC reports. The study recommended men "keep the river flowing" while their partners...
Jackson Siblings May Fill in at London Shows
Sun (UK)
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Jun 30, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As promoters determine the best way to salvage Michael Jackson’s 50-night London concert run, the possibility has emerged that his siblings will fill in, the Sun reports. “Janet has been sounded out about fronting some of the shows,” says a source. “Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon have been approached as well, with the...
Dems Put Pragmatism Before Policy
New York Times
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Jun 30, 2009 8:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Democrats learned lasting lessons from the Clinton health care battle: Let Congress, not the White House, write the bills; don’t try to fight the corporations; and avoid failure at all costs. As a consequence, writes David Brooks in the New York Times . the party has taken a “Vince Lombardi attitude” to policy, willing to tweak...
Obama Renews Promises to Dismayed Gay Leaders
Washington Post
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Jun 30, 2009 8:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama turned on the charm at a reception yesterday for gay, lesbian, and transgender activists at the White House, where he tried to dispel worries he was dragging his feet on campaign promises. "I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration" by the time it's over, he said to applause. As the Washington...
Pirate Bay Launches New YouTube Clone
Wired
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Jun 30, 2009 8:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If YouTube's limits on copyrighted material have exhausted you, the Swedish hackers who call themselves Pirate Bay have a solution: VideoBay, a new streaming video site that's utterly indifferent to intellectual property laws. The new service, rolled out just as Pirate Bay was sold to a Swedish software company that says it plans to take the site legit...
Youngster Found Alive in Indian Ocean After Yemeni Jet Crash
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 8:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rescuers have pulled one survivor the wreckage of a Yemeni airliner that went down early today in the Indian Ocean, though officials have issued conflicting details, the AP reports: one says it was a 14-year-old girl, another a 5-year-old boy. Yemenia Air Flight 626 was en route from Yemen to the island nation of Comoros with more than 150 aboard.
China Scraps Web Filter Software Mandate—for Now
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 8:15 AM CDT
(AP) -
China is postponing enforcement of a new rule mandating that all new computers be sold with filtering software. The rule was to go into effect tomorrow, but the official Xinhua News Agency said in a brief report today that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had decided to delay the plan. It did not say why or give any other details.
SJP Introduces Twins to World
Us Weekly
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Jun 30, 2009 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick introduced their week-old twin girls to the world yesterday via the first official photo, Us reports. Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick were born June 22 to a surrogate mom in Ohio, and joined the couple’s 6-year-old son James Wilkie. Parker is set to go back to work in September, filming...
Firefighter Ruling Leaves Guidelines as Muddy as Ever
New York Times
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Jun 30, 2009 7:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling in favor of a group of white firefighters looks likely to be a boon for employment lawyers instead of cities seeking clear guidance, experts tell the New York Times . The court's ruling makes it harder for employers to chuck out tests that overwhelmingly favor whites, and many are expected to instead revamp their entire...
Tale of Wailin' Whalers Nails Bad Writing Contest
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 7:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A tale of screaming seafarers has won a Washington man this year's grand prize for terrible writing, AP reports. The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest—named in honor of the British writer who coined "It was a dark and stormy night"—rewards the author who can come up with the worst beginning to an imaginary novel with a small...
In Televised Auction of Oil Contracts, Iraq Plays Hardball
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 30, 2009 7:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Iraqi oil industry has been nationalized since 1972, but today the country is awarding the first contracts in decades to private petroleum companies—live on television. So far a joint bid by British Petroleum and a Chinese firm has won the first contract, for a 17 billion-barrel field in Iraq's southeast. As the Wall Street Journal reports,...
Parade, Jubilation Follow US Pullout of Iraqi Cities
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 30, 2009 7:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq held its first full military parade since the fall of Saddam today—now known as Sovereignty Day—to celebrate the official withdrawal of US troops from cities and towns. The proceedings took place inside the Green Zone and were screened on television, but several media outlets, including the New York Times , were barred from attending...
Swedish Firm Nabs Pirate Bay for $7.7M
The Register
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Jun 30, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Swedish software company has purchased file-sharing site Pirate Bay for $7.7 million after the site was fined $3.6 million, the Register reports. “We would like to introduce models which entail that content providers and copyright owners get paid for content that is downloaded via the site,” said the CEO of Global Gaming Factory X,...
4 US Troops Killed During Iraqi City Pullout
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 6:50 AM CDT
(AP) -
Four US soldiers were killed in combat shortly before the American military completed a withdrawal from Iraq's cities last night. But prime minister Nouri al-Maliki assured Iraqis in a televised address today that government forces are in control: "Those who think that Iraqis are not able to protect their country and that the withdrawal of foreign...
Roberts Court Takes Narrow Path to the Right
USA Today
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Jun 30, 2009 6:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Supreme Court shifted further to the right in its 2008-09 term, ended yesterday, particularly on issues of civil rights and environmental protection. As USA Today reports, the conservative bloc led by John Roberts used several rulings to set tougher standards for individuals bringing suit, and it offered narrower opinions than courts past....
Kobe's Next Title: '1-Man State Department' to China
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 30, 2009 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yao Ming may be an NBA star, but the most popular basketball player in China is Kobe Bryant—he's plastered on billboards and even once had his own reality show on Chinese TV. The Lakers guard has made a deliberate push in the world's largest nation, and he's now establishing the Kobe Bryant China Fund to benefit education and health. "I...
Saudi Prince to Liberal Bro: Stop Spreading Vice
BBC
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Jun 30, 2009 5:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A conservative Saudi prince has exposed a rift in the royal family with an unprecedented attack on his liberal brother, the BBC reports. Prince Khaled called for the assets of Prince Whaled—owner of a huge media empire that includes a big stake in Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.—to be frozen. The prince said he had been forced to speak...
Bon Jovi Launches Iran Protest Video in Farsi
Reuters
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Jun 30, 2009 5:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jon Bon Jovi has released a music video in support of Iran protesters in which he sings Stand by Me in Farsi with exiled Iranian singer Andy Madadian, reports Reuters. "It's not for sale," said a producer of the video, which was first released on mydamnchannel.com. "It's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people. The...
Buckingham Palace Guards 'Ran Porn, Poker Rings'
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 30, 2009 4:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A royal bodyguard accused of running a multimillon dollar scam opened his defense yesterday by accusing his palace colleagues of running poker and porn enterprises, the Telegraph reports. Paul Page told the court that his fellow royal protection officers had an "easy life" and ran gambling operations and sold porn while on duty. Page—charged...
Lions Defend Turf Like Gangstas
BBC
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Jun 30, 2009 4:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Lion prides display the behavior of human gangs not to hunt more efficiently, but to defend their turf, researchers have discovered. The larger the prides, the more successfully lions keep out interlopers, reports the BBC. Scientists have long been stumped by why lions are singularly sociable among cats and what purpose prides serve. Experts theorized...
Toyota Rolls Out Mind-Controlled Wheelchair
Christian Science Monitor
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Jun 30, 2009 3:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Toyota has unveiled research on a mind-controlled wheelchair that can read its user's thoughts much faster and more accurately than any previous efforts, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The chair's interface reads brainwave activity and responds to imagined hand and foot movements within 125 milliseconds with up to 95% accuracy, according...
Cops Remove Drugs From Jackson Home
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 3:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Los Angeles police and officials from the county coroner's office have removed bags of prescription drugs and medical material from Michael Jackson's home, and are interviewing doctors who prescribed the medications, reports the Los Angeles Times . It's not yet known if the drugs played a role in Jackson's heart attack death last week. Results of...
Feds Confirm E. Coli in Cookie Dough
Washington Post
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Jun 30, 2009 3:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The FDA has confirmed the presence of E. coli in cookie dough from Nestle's Virginia plant, reports the Washington Post . The plant's refrigerated cookie dough was the prime suspect in an outbreak of E. coli-related illness that sickened 69 people in 29 states. But investigators remain confounded as to how the bacteria, commonly found in cow...
10 More to Be Charged in Madoff Scam
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 2:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
At least ten more people are likely to be charged as the probe into Bernard Madoff's massive fraud continues, an insider tells AP. The only other person charged so far has been Madoff's accountant. The source declined to say whether the other people likely to face federal charges are relatives or former employees of the shamed financier, who was slapped...
McCain Aides Pan Palin as 'Little Shop of Horrors'
Vanity Fair
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Jun 30, 2009 2:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Very late in the presidential campaign, staffers for Sen. John McCain came to the painful realization that it would be impossible, ever, to get Sarah Palin up to speed, reports Vanity Fair . They discovered, too late, she was a truth-shifting, self-regarding "little shop of horrors" who knew little about issues, and stubbornly refused to...
Jackson Fans to Get Refund—or Tickets
Associated Press
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Jun 30, 2009 1:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The 750,000 people in 200 countries who bought ticket vouchers for Michael Jackson's planned 50-gig comeback will be able to get full refunds, the Los Angeles Times reports. Promoters AEG Live say any fans who paid for tickets through authorized agents will have the choice of getting either their money back, including service charges—or...
EU to Get Universal Phone Chargers by 2010
CNN
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Jun 30, 2009 1:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Cell phone makers have agreed to introduce a one-size-fits-all charger in the European Union within the next six months, CNN reports. The deal is expected to reduce the tens of thousands of tons of chargers thrown away every year, and should hasten the introduction of a universal charger for the rest of the world.
6 Killed in Italy Train Explosion
Times (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 9:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A train carrying liquefied natural gas derailed in Italy tonight, causing explosions that killed at least six people and injured dozens more, the Times of London reports. The train jumped the tracks as it was leaving the station in the northern town of Viareggio, triggering the explosion of two gas-filled carriages and engulfing nearby homes in flames....
We Love Vibrators: Study
LiveScience
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Jun 29, 2009 7:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nearly half of all Americans use a vibrator, according to a new study by the maker of Trojan condoms. More than 50% of women and 45% of men in recent surveys said they’ve used one, and vibrator aficionados also rated themselves higher on sexual health indicators such as erectile function, level of desire, and frequency of genital self-exams,...
Back to the Stone Age: Teen Trades iPod for Walkman
BBC
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Jun 29, 2009 6:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In honor of the debut 30 years ago this week of the Sony Walkman, 13-year old Scott Campbell tried using the device for a week in place of his iPod. Campbell found the gadget took some getting used to, he writes for the BBC: “It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape."
Top 5 Billy Mays Infomercial Wares
Popular Mechanics
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Jun 29, 2009 6:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Many of the As Seen on TV goods hawked by the late Billy Mays were reviewed in the pages of Popular Mechanics; Harry Sawyers runs down the bellowing talent's top five infomercial products. Hercules Hook: A heavy painting and a sack of books were no match for a hollow-wall anchor that Mays touted as "super strong." Mighty...
Jackson Finished New Video Weeks Before Death
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 5:40 PM CDT
(AP) -
Michael Jackson finished an elaborate video production two weeks before he died, sources tell the AP. The five-week project filmed at Culver Studios, dubbed "Dome Project," could be the final finished video piece overseen by the King of Pop. Four sets were constructed, including a cemetery recalling Jackson's Thriller video.
Drake Album 'Compulsively Listenable'
Pitchfork
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Jun 29, 2009 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Somehow, rapper Drake recorded an album concerned mostly with “the stresses and travails of fame, even if he recorded the damn thing when he wasn’t famous in any meaningful way”—and then became famous thanks to said album, writes Tom Breihan for Pitchfork . Though he’s “not a great rapper,” Drake’s ...
S. African Wines Aim to Put Brakes on 'Burnt Rubber' Rap
New York Times
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Jun 29, 2009 4:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
South African is the ninth-largest producer of wine, with several distinctive varietals that should be poised to break into the global marketplace, the New York Times reports. But the country’s wines have been dogged by comments made in 2007 by an influential British wine critic, who said after a tasting of several South African reds that half...
Iraqis Celebrate 'Sovereignty Day' as US Pulls Back
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 4:31 PM CDT
(AP) -
Iraqi forces have assumed formal control of security in Baghdad and other cities after US combat troops withdrew from urban areas. A countdown clock broadcast on Iraqi TV ticked to zero as the midnight deadline passed for combat troops to pull back. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has declared a public holiday and proclaimed June 30 as "National...
Obama: 'Terrible Precedent' if Honduras Coup Stands
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 4:17 PM CDT
(AP) -
President Barack Obama today declared that the US still considers Manuel Zelaya to be the president of Honduras and assailed the coup that forced him into exile as "not legal." "It would be a terrible precedent if we start moving backwards into the era in which we are seeing military coups as a means of political transition rather than...
Yao Out for Season, Maybe For Good
Yahoo
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Jun 29, 2009 4:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The broken left foot that knocked center Yao Ming out of the recently concluded NBA playoffs could be career-ending, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Pins were inserted a year ago after one of the Houston Rockets star's many injuries, and the foot re-fractured during the playoffs and hasn’t been healing properly. At minimum, it...
Tossed Ruling No Rebuke to Sotomayor: Dems
Roll Call
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Jun 29, 2009 3:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Democrats are struggling to paint the Supreme Court’s rejection today of an opinion by nominee Sonia Sotomayor as proof that she is, in fact, not an “activist judge,” Roll Call reports. The high court decided to reverse Sotomayor’s 2nd Circuit ruling against white New Haven firefighters who alleged reverse discrimination....
Heath Almost Gave Up Pills
Vanity Fair
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Jun 29, 2009 3:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Heath Ledger was a complicated actor who quit using marijuana and alcohol and came close to giving up the sleeping pills that may have killed him, friends and colleagues tell Vanity Fair in a profile. Though he was leery of summer blockbusters—“He was afraid it would define him and limit his choices,” says his agent—he found...
Twitter a Delicious Marketing Tool, Restaurants Find
Boston Globe
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Jun 29, 2009 3:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Restaurants are finding Twitter a highly useful marketing tool, allowing for direct communication with customers other forms of advertising can’t provide, the Boston Globe reports. Boston’s Tupelo (@tupelo02139), for example, used a Twitter feed to post updates as the restaurant passed inspections, set the décor and decided on...
Jackson Funeral Will Hold for Autopsy No. 2: Dad
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 3:23 PM CDT
(AP) -
Michael Jackson's father, Joe, says planning for the pop star's funeral is awaiting results of a second autopsy. Joe Jackson told reporters outside the family's Southern California compound at midday today that the second autopsy is under way, and he expects results soon. The county coroner conducted an autopsy Friday but has deferred a decision on...
Giuliani 'Thinking About' 2010 Run for NY Gov
New York Daily News
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Jun 29, 2009 3:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani today got one step closer to maybe announcing a run for New York governor in 2010, the Daily News reports. The former NYC mayor and Republican presidential candidate explained his position to CNN. “I’m thinking about it,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m at the point of seriously considering it. It’s...
Oil Prices Rise; Dow Up 91
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 3:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks enjoyed modest gains today as a jump in oil prices lifted energy firms, the Wall Street Journal reports. Crude futures rose $2.33, to $71.49 a barrel; Exxon shares gained 2.39%. Financials also saw advances, led by Sallie Mae, which jumped 8.2% on new government terms for student-loan pricing contracts. The Dow closed up 90.99 at 8,529.38....
Demand for 'Must Have' Camaro Dwarfs Supply
USA Today
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Jun 29, 2009 3:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Recession be damned, desire for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro far outstrips supply—and some dealers are even charging a premium for the sporty new ride, USA Today reports. “Our current production schedule can’t meet the demand,” a General Motors spokesman said. But “that supply-demand tension is good. We don’t want...
Threat of Rising Sea Hasn't Sunk in for Florida Keys
Miami Herald
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Jun 29, 2009 2:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Florida Keys are in serious danger from rising ocean levels—and woefully unprepared to deal with the challenge, the Miami Herald reports. “South Florida is on the front line against sea-level rise in the United States, and the Florida Keys are ground zero,” a scientist said. In the best-case scenario, the Keys will lose $11...
'He-Cession' Is Death Knell for Male Dominance
Foreign Policy
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Jun 29, 2009 2:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Macho men caused this recession, and they’re going to pay the price: for the first time in history, they’ll cease to be the dominant force in society, writes Reihan Salam in Foreign Policy . Signs of the turning tide can already be seen in the US, as male-dominated industries like construction get hit hardest by the “he-cession,”...
