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.
Forget Pakistan's Claims: Taliban Is Only Hiding Out
New York Times
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Jun 27, 2009 3:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Pakistan is crowing over its victories against militants in the Swat Valley, but the Taliban has simply retreated to fight another day, Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah write in the New York Times . Pakistan, which only controls roads and urban centers, hasn't even killed one Taliban leader. "Most of the Taliban shaved their beards, and they are...
Overweight People Live Longer: Study
Globe and Mail
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Jun 27, 2009 3:19 PM CDT
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A few extra pounds can actually be good for you, the Globe and Mail reports. A recent long-term study of Canadian health records shows that people classified as overweight—with a Body Mass Index of 25 to 30—are 17% less likely to die than those with “normal” BMI, between 18.5 and 25. The study also found that extremely thin...
Jackson Clan Demands 2nd Autopsy
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 27, 2009 2:56 PM CDT
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The Rev. Jesse Jackson said today that Michael Jackson's family, suspicious over his death, have ordered a second autopsy. Among their concerns is the role played by Dr. Conrad Murray in Jackson’s final hours. "When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him?" asked the reverend. The police investigation now centers...
Top Female Boxer Turns to Politics in Argentina
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 27, 2009 2:33 PM CDT
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Marcela Acuña isn’t accustomed to losing. The 5-foot-4 Argentine boxer has won a record 32 matches, 16 by knockout, to just five losses, earning her a huge following and the nickname la Tigresa , the Tigress. Now, she’s jumped into a different kind of ring: the political one. She’s running for Congress on the Peronist ticket...
Chris Brown Returning to Stage for Jackson Show
Access Hollywood
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Jun 27, 2009 2:09 PM CDT
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Chris Brown will return to the stage for the first time since he assaulted ex Rihanna in February for a Michael Jackson tribute at the BET Awards tomorrow, Access Hollywood reports. Rihanna is also planning to attend the event. Brown lent his voice to a tribute song featuring The Game, Diddy, and Boyz II Men released yesterday. He was sentenced in...
Indians Arrange Marriages Via Reality TV
Washington Post
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Jun 27, 2009 1:43 PM CDT
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In the distant past, Indian parents arranged marriages with the help of relations and local priests. These days, they’re turning to Rupert Murdoch. News Corp’s Star TV has launched a daily reality show called Star Vivaah , or Star Weddings , a kind of video personals for prospective brides, grooms, and, of course, their parents, the ...
Jackson's Body Released to Family
Reuters
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Jun 27, 2009 1:17 PM CDT
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Michael Jackson’s body has been released to his family, Reuters reports. The family is said to be meeting at Jackson’s parents’ home to discuss funeral arrangements, but no plans have been released to the public. The body was taken to a mortuary from the morgue after an autopsy failed to provide an immediate cause of death. Coroner's...
Lunch With Buffett Sells for $1.68M
BBC
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Jun 27, 2009 1:09 PM CDT
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Lunch with Warren Buffett is a little cheaper this year. The anonymous winner of an eBay auction for a steak lunch with the Oracle of Omaha paid $1.68 million, down from last year’s record of $2.1 million. It’s still the second highest bid in the 10-year history of the charity auction, which benefits the homeless in San Francisco. Considering...
US Teen Oudin Upsets Jankovic
Associated Press
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Jun 27, 2009 12:38 PM CDT
(AP) -
American teenager Melanie Oudin pulled off the biggest upset of the first week at Wimbledon today, beating former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2. The No. 6-seeded Jankovic struggled with the heat on a sunny, 82-degree afternoon and took a 12-minute break after the first set. Meanwhile, five-time champion Venus Williams joined Oudin in the...
Ahmadinejad Blasts Obama, Again
The Hill
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Jun 27, 2009 12:33 PM CDT
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad fired back at Barack Obama yet again today, saying that he’d “made a mistake” that would threaten talks. He threatened that Western leaders who make “insulting and irrelevant comments will be put on a fair trial” by Iran at every “international gathering.” Ahmadinejad has been peeved ever...
Local Food's New Apostles: Bartenders, Er, 'Bar Chefs'
USA Today
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Jun 27, 2009 12:00 PM CDT
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The affinity for fresh, local produce in US restaurants has spilled out into the bar, USA Today reports. Many mixologists—or the new term of art, “bar chefs”—are starting their days scouting farmers markets instead of ordering syrups. “The flavor in the produce is not only better,” one bartender said, “but...
10 Essential Jackson Videos
YouTube
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Jun 27, 2009 11:22 AM CDT
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Michael Jackson videos are once again hot commodities. Here are Newser's top 10 posted on YouTube and showing up on favorites lists all over (to see them, click on "Videos" at left): His 1983 Motown TV performance, in which he shows off his moonwalk. "Thriller" "Beat It" "Scream" ...
Forget Bipartisan Backing for Health Care Reform Bill
New York Times
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Jun 27, 2009 11:14 AM CDT
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Barack Obama can keep up the bipartisan talk, but it looks like Democrat-sponsored health care reform legislation in Congress has very little chance of winning meaningful GOP support, per the New York Times . GOP lawmakers are balking en masse at the provision for a public plan to challenge private insurers, not to speak of the $1 trillion price tag....
Long (Not Hopeless) Odds for Climate Bill in Senate: Silver
FiveThirtyEight
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Jun 27, 2009 10:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The climate change bill barely squeaked through the House yesterday, and while that doesn't bode well for its passing the Senate, it's not necessarily doomed there, Nate Silver writes on FiveThirtyEight. One factor is the White House: Having been relatively mum on the House battle, President Obama “has conserved a lot of his political muscle...
China, Cuba Censor News From Iran
Washington Post
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Jun 27, 2009 10:36 AM CDT
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Authoritarian regimes around the world, including Burma, China, and Cuba, have been censoring some or all news coverage from Iran, afraid the rebellious sentiment may spread, the Washington Post reports. But news is trickling through anyway, inspiring small acts of defiance. In China, political bloggers have compared it to the Tiananmen Square protests,...
Jackson Left Behind Secret 100-Song Library
Times (UK)
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Jun 27, 2009 10:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson might have a few albums left in him. The singer left behind over a hundred recorded songs that could now be released posthumously, the Times reports. The songs were made for his children, according to Jackson biographer Ian Halperin, but because the singer also left behind about $400 million worth of debt, they’re unlikely to...
Baucus Hustles Health Industry for Savings
Politico
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Jun 27, 2009 9:39 AM CDT
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Max Baucus is “shaking people down” to pay for health care reform, one industry insider tells Politico, pressuring hospitals, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and doctors to find savings. “They’re playing hardball, and they’re serious about it,” the insider says. The drug maker trade group PhRMA has agreed to...
Inmates Stage Jackson Tribute
Associated Press
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Jun 27, 2009 9:16 AM CDT
(AP) -
The Filipino inmates who shot to fame with a video recreating the Thriller dance swayed and stomped again today in a behind-bars tribute to Michael Jackson, the AP reports. The 1,500 prisoners hit the exercise yard as soon as they heard of the singer's death, practicing almost non-stop for today's show. "Even as a kid, he was already my...
NFL Runs 'Broadcasting Boot Camp' for Aging Players
Washington Post
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Jun 27, 2009 9:07 AM CDT
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The NFL is teaching two dozen pros nearing the end of their playing days how to tackle a media career in its third annual "Broadcasting Boot Camp," the Washington Post reports. The would-be sportscasters were no strangers to the camera, but many needed extensive coaching from ex-players with media jobs to get over things they considered...
Mistress' Other Man Sent Sanford E-mails to Paper
New York Times
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Jun 27, 2009 8:38 AM CDT
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Mark Sanford’s lovey-dovey e-mails were discovered—and e-mailed to a South Carolina newspaper—by another man his mistress was dating, a former coworker tells the New York Times. He says the mistress, who’s been identified as María Belén Chapur, began dating a young Argentinean man a few months into her relationship...
How Jackson Got His Glove
Christian Science Monitor
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Jun 27, 2009 7:52 AM CDT
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Some of the mysteries that surrounded Michael Jackson may never be solved, but the glove enigma can be cleared up right now, John Kehe writes at the Christian Science Monitor . Kehe designed the video for the Jackson 5's Can You Feel It in 1980 and took Jackson on a tour of the production facilities, where the singer spotted an editor checking film—and...
Users Complain of iPhone 3GS Overheating
PC World
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Jun 27, 2009 7:35 AM CDT
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Apple's hot new handset appears to be suffering some serious overheating issues, Melissa Perenson writes for PC World . Users on a French tech site say their white iPhone 3GS handsets became discolored after overheating, Perenson notes. She was aware of some "heat issues" with her own model but nothing major until she tried using it while...
Mousavi Backers Tortured, Told to Confess Foreign Plot
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 27, 2009 7:20 AM CDT
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Iran's opposition says prominent supporters have been tortured in an effort to extract "confessions" that foreign forces in league with Mir Hossein Mousavi are plotting against the Islamic republic, the Guardian reports. Amnesty International, citing "very credible sources," says screams have been heard from reformist politicians...
Shanghai Building Collapses Intact
Reuters
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Jun 27, 2009 6:54 AM CDT
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A 13-story building under construction in Shanghai collapsed almost completely intact today, Reuters reports, killing a construction worker who entered the block of apartments to fetch his tools. The Chinese construction industry has been accused of dangerously shoddy work as the country rushes to build out its cities and infrastructure to keep up...
Jackson Finance Mess Will Take Years to Untangle
New York Times
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Jun 27, 2009 6:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson's death has left Sony execs groaning over the jumbled state of the singer's finances, the New York Times reports. Jackson was a shrewd investor and negotiator but was prone to wild spending sprees, according to some of the many financial advisers he hired and fired. Sorting out the pile of assets—and debts—Jackson left...
US to Change Tactics in Afghan Drug War
Associated Press
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Jun 27, 2009 5:29 AM CDT
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The US is changing tactics in its war against the Afghan opium trade, the AP reports. Rather than targeting crops for eradication, the US will focus on interdiction and alternative crop programs. A top administration official called eradication “a waste of money” that failed to divert “a single dollar” of the roughly $70 million...
Karzai to Taliban: Please Vote
AFP
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Jun 27, 2009 4:51 AM CDT
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The president of Afghanistan has urged members of the Taliban to vote at the polls instead of attacking them in the country’s upcoming election, AFP reports. Incumbent Hamid Karzai said in a press conference today the Taliban should "vote for the president they want" in the Aug. 20 election. The militants have not fielded any candidates...
Computer Crash May Have Doomed Air France Flight
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 27, 2009 4:15 AM CDT
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Investigators trying to piece together the fate of Air France Flight 447 in the absence of its black boxes are focusing on possible computer failures, the Wall Street Journal reports. The evidence suggests a problem with the sensors quickly snowballed into widespread computer outages, leaving the crew struggling to manage without the automated systems...
Millions of Americans May Have 'Rare' Artery Disease
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 27, 2009 3:42 AM CDT
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A disease so obscure many doctors don't know about it may actually affect up to one in twenty people, experts tell the Wall Street Journal . Fibromuscular dysplasia—FMD—affects the walls of arteries and can cause blockages. It is rarely diagnosed, or looked for, but vascular experts believe it could be responsible for many heart-related...
Jackson Drug Cocktail: 3 Painkillers, 2 Anti-Depressants
Sun (UK)
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Jun 27, 2009 3:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Sun gets the details on the potentially lethal cocktail of prescription drugs Michael Jackson was on in the months before his death . Jackson took addictive narcotic painkillers Demerol and Diluadid daily, the Sun's sources say, and had recently added Vicodin to the mix. He also took a muscle relaxant called Soma, a sedative (Xanax) and two...
Sanford Mistress Dodges Press
McClatchy Newspapers
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Jun 27, 2009 2:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Maria Belen Chapur has been successfully avoiding the horde of journalists camped outside her Buenos Aires apartment for the last few days, McClatchy reports. Chapur—who has been identified by the Argentine media as Mark Sanford's mistress—worked as a journalist and translator for TV station Canal America and went to the US to cover...
World's Most Legendary Bars
Reuters
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Jun 27, 2009 1:46 AM CDT
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Even the most enjoyable vacation can leave you in need of a drink, and bars make great, offbeat places to learn about the history of your destination. The staff of VirtualTourist.com shares its favorite legendary watering holes with Reuters: Harry’s Bar, Venice: Famed Hemingway haunt claims to have invented the Bellini, and carpaccio....
Madoff's Wife to Give Up $80M; Bernie Hit for $170B
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 26, 2009 9:11 PM CDT
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Ruth Madoff struck a deal with federal prosecutors today to forfeit nearly $80 million in assets and retain only $2.5 million in cash, the Wall Street Journal reports. The wife of swindler Bernard Madoff reached the agreement with the US attorney's office in Manhattan. Meanwhile, a US judge entered an order of forfeiture against the Ponzi schemer...
Sanford to Wife: Let Me Have This Affair
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2009 8:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Gov. Mark Sanford not only had an affair, he asked his wife to condone it, she says. In an interview that ended in tears, South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford told the AP that he had asked permission to visit his mistress after Jenny discovered the affair. "I said absolutely not. It's one thing to forgive adultery; it's another thing to condone...
Brazil Ends Hunt for Flight 447 Victims
Reuters
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Jun 26, 2009 8:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Brazil's Navy and Air Force gave up their search for Air France Flight 447 victims today, citing the difficulty of finding bodies and wreckage 25 days after the crash, Reuters reports. "It's already been nine days without seeing any bodies," a Brazilian officer said. French ships will remain, seeking black boxes that may help solve the mystery...
'Jena 6' Defendants Walk With No Jail Time
Town Talk
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Jun 26, 2009 7:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Five black students accused of beating a white classmate in Louisiana pleaded no contest to misdemeanor civil battery today, ending a trial that triggered a huge civil rights demonstration, the Alexandria Town Talk reports. Critics said that the so-called "Jena Six," originally charged with attempted murder, were treated harshly for...
Subtle Sweet Tooth May Keep Brits, French Alive
New Scientist
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Jun 26, 2009 7:03 PM CDT
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If Marie Antoinette really said "Let them eat cake," she probably knew the French wouldn't bite. Along with the British and other Europeans, the French have developed genetic variants that make them more sensitive to sweetness in food, a new study says. Africans, on the other hand, need more sugar to wake up their taste buds. As DNA researchers...
House Passes Major Climate Change Bill
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2009 6:30 PM CDT
(AP) -
In a triumph for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed sweeping legislation today calling for the nation's first-ever limits on pollution linked to global warming. The bill also aims to usher in a new era of cleaner, yet more costly energy. The vote was 219-212, capping months of negotiations and days of intense bargaining...
Family Moves Double Teen Suicide Risk
MSNBC
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Jun 26, 2009 6:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Teens forced to move often by their parents’ jobs are much more likely to attempt suicide than those who stay put, MSNBC reports. Kids between 11 and 17 who moved three or more times were twice as likely to try to kill themselves as children who grew up in the same place, Danish researchers found. If a family moved 10 times, the likelihood of...
Coroner: No Foul Play in Jackson Death
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2009 5:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner said this afternoon there is “no indication of foul play” in the death yesterday of Michael Jackson, the AP reports. The officer acknowledged that the pop star, 50, took a variety of prescription drugs but said it was too soon to know if they were a factor.
World's Fuss Over Jackson 'False Emotion'
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 26, 2009 5:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The outpouring of grief over Michael Jackson’s death really has nothing to do with the singer, Hadley Freeman writes in the Guardian . Just look at him: “For the past 15 years, ever since the first child-abuse allegations,” Freeman writes, “he has been a figure of freakishness.” So what’s going on? It’s the...
Obama Plans Indefinite Terror Detentions
Washington Post
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Jun 26, 2009 5:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a move that echoes the Bush administration’s approach to terror suspects, the Obama White House has drafted an executive order that would allow for their indefinite detention, the Washington Post reports. The move is said to be motivated by growing concerns that President Obama won’t be able to strike a deal with Congress over closing...
Sanford Says He Won't Resign, Cites Bible
State (Columbia, SC)
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Jun 26, 2009 4:39 PM CDT
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Gov. Mark Sanford apologized today to his South Carolina cabinet, the State reports, but said he wouldn’t resign and compared himself to the Biblical David. David “fell mightily, he fell in very significant ways, but was able to pick up the pieces,” said the Republican, adding that he was sorry for having misled his subordinates...
Custody Battle Over Michael's Kids Heats Up
Sun (UK)
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Jun 26, 2009 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson’s parents and Debbie Rowe, the ex-wife who’s the mother of two of Jackson’s children, are already murmuring about custody, the Sun reports. “It will be probably the start of a long battle,” the Jackson family lawyer said, adding that Michael’s mother, Katherine, wants custody. Elsewhere: ...
New Rule: No Good Songs, No Best Song Oscar
New York Times
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Jun 26, 2009 3:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Future Academy Awards may not include an Oscar for best original song, the New York Times reports. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has changed the rules for the category: Only songs that score reach 8.25 or better in its scoring system will be nominated. If only one song tops 8.25, it will compete against the next-best scorer. If...
Gigolo Comedy Pays Off for HBO
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jun 26, 2009 3:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Critics are split on Hung, HBO's new series starring Thomas Jane as a down-on-his-luck dad who becomes a gigolo. Though it's deeper than its salacious premise, the show, which makes its debut Sunday, isn't living up to its potential. Hung "represents a wonderfully positive step for HBO, which has nurtured a series that is so much more...
Moms Deserve a Break Today
New York Times
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Jun 26, 2009 3:33 PM CDT
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The maternal resentment has evidently been building up for a while, and New York Times blogger Judith Warner is letting loose. She recounts slights perpetrated against her and her friends and wonders: "Why do people so often permit themselves to dump—verbally, emotionally, with a surgically precise ability to wound viscerally—on...
Stocks Mixed; Dow Off 34
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 26, 2009 3:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks ended mixed today as worries over the continued effects of the recession trumped data showing improved consumer sentiment and personal income, the Wall Street Journal reports. Tech stocks did the best, making the Nasdaq the only index to finish in the green. The Dow fell 34.01 points to settle at 8,438.39, the Nasdaq gained 8.68 to close at...
Users Prefer Bing to Google But Won't Switch: Study
TechCrunch
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Jun 26, 2009 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine, impresses users—but not enough to make them switch from Google, TechCrunch reports. Asked to rate Bing’s features, users in a study by the Catalyst Group thought Bing beat Google in almost every category, including visual design, organization, and filtering options. The exception was search result...
No Evidence of Demerol Injection: LAPD
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2009 2:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Authorities have seen no evidence that Michael Jackson was injected with the painkiller Demerol before his death, a detective tells the Los Angeles Times . The widely reported claims “are coming from outside the investigation,” he said today. Meanwhile, Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, has returned to the city and is preparing to...
