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.
Airbus Glitches Probed on 2 New Flights
USA Today
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Jun 26, 2009 3:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Federal investigators are probing two recent incidents in which speed and altitude sensors malfunctioned on Airbus 330s, USA Today reports. The failures, one on a Northwest Airlines flight and one on Brazil's TAM Airlines, are similar to those being investigated in the crash of an Air France A330 earlier this month.
Whales and Dolphins May Deserve 'Personhood' Status
Wired
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Jun 26, 2009 2:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Whales and dolphins have highly evolved social structures and may deserve a “personhood” status similar to that being considered for members of the great ape family, Wired reports. The emotional and social areas of the cetacean brain are “enormously complex,” notes one researcher, “and in many species are “even...
Jackson Died 'After Demerol Injection'
Sun (UK)
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Jun 26, 2009 2:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson's heart attack death occurred after an injection of the powerful prescription painkiller Demerol at his home, a source at the UCLA Medical Center tells the Sun . Desperate aides and a personal physician on the scene gave the singer CPR after his collapse, and made a panic-stricken call to emergency services, according to the source....
Obamas Treat Lawmakers to White House Luau
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2009 1:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
America's first Hawaiian-born president gave the annual congressional picnic yesterday a decidedly Pacific flavor, the AP reports. Tiki torches lined the White House grounds as lawmakers and their families sipped drinks under potted palm trees. "I wish I could give you all trips to Hawaii," the president said. "But I figured since, given...
Qantas Cancels Massive Boeing Order
Bloomberg
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Jun 26, 2009 1:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Qantas Airways has dealt a heavy blow to Boeing's troubled Dreamliner project with the cancellation of a major order, Bloomberg reports. The Australian airline scrapped an order for 15 of the 787s, and deferred an order for 15 more. Qantas said the move was due to industry conditions and not delays with the aircraft, which is already two years behind...
He's In League With Sinatra, Elvis
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 25, 2009 9:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The King of Pop may have spent the latter part of his career “mutating into an ever more freakish version of himself,” writes Richard Williams in the Guardian , but for all his eccentricities and flaws, Michael Jackson was still the greatest performer of his generation. Jackson was “a musician of great creativity and acute instincts,”...
Things to Avoid on Take Your Dog to Work Day
PeoplePets
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Jun 25, 2009 8:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tomorrow being Take Your Dog to Work Day, People Pets weighs in on what NOT to do if you want bring Fido back to your cubicle next year. Don’t: ... bring a stinky dog. “Hygiene needs to be a top priority,” says a Humane Society rep. ... wander the office with your pooch. It’s an office park, not a dog park—take...
Film's Most Sinister Villains
Times (UK)
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Jun 25, 2009 7:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Movie heroes may get the girl, the fans, and the happy ending, but villains have all the fun. With the summer lineup under way, moviegoers will see evil in many forms—from a megalomaniacal robot/tank to a sinister British sorcerer. But what performances by their predecessors will they have to top? The Times of London names its 50 best movie...
Jackson Fans Mourn Legend
Associated Press
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Jun 25, 2009 7:00 PM CDT
(AP) -
Hundreds of people are converging on the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles as word spreads that Michael Jackson is dead. The tributes to his musical career, from his youth with the Jackson 5 to his solo career, are just beginning. To see photos of Jackson, click on Slideshow, at left.
10 Most Ejected Skippers
Forbes
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Jun 25, 2009 6:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Among baseball managers, 10 have perfected the theatrics of fighting umps. Forbes looks at the skippers ejected most since 2004: Bobby Cox, Atlanta Braves: Also the all-time ejection king, Cox (34 ejections since '04) was once booted over stadium lights. Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins: Fiery former player has 32 ejections. ...
Jackson's Moment: That Seminal 1983 Moonwalk
NPR
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Jun 25, 2009 6:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
"I don't think there's ever been anyone harder to write about than Michael Jackson," writes Linda Holmes of NPR. Try to balance his musical brilliance with, well, just about everything else in his life. So for her, Michael Jackson comes down to this: That moment in 1983 when he moonwalked live across the TV in a Motown special that "caught...
Sanford Will Reimburse State for Trip Last Year
State (Columbia, SC)
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Jun 25, 2009 5:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mark Sanford acknowledged today that he met with his Argentine mistress while on a state-funded trip last year and promised to reimburse South Carolina's coffers, the State reports. The state paid $8,000 for the governor to travel on business to Brazil and Argentina last June, and he met with the woman during the trip.
Woman Dies in Midair as Flight Diverts Too Late
BNO News
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Jun 25, 2009 5:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An elderly woman suffered a heart attack and died today on an AirTran flight from New York to Palm Beach, Fla., WNYW-TV reports. The plane diverted to Philadelphia in an attempt to save the 80-year-old but was too late, BNO News adds. “There was a doctor on board who began tending to the patient, but unfortunately the passenger did pass away,”...
Sorry, Blake Griffin—No. 1 NBA Picks Usually Bomb
CBS Sports
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Jun 25, 2009 4:40 PM CDT
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Power forward Blake Griffin is almost certainly the No. 1 pick in tonight’s NBA draft, and that scares the bejesus out of Griffin fan Gregg Doyel. “Superstars as the No. 1 pick are the exception to the rule,” Doyel writes on CBS Sports.com, conceding the point of LeBron James. In fact, "No. 1 overall draft picks tend to suck."...
Michael Jackson Dead at 50
TMZ
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Jun 25, 2009 4:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson died today after suffering cardiac arrest at home and arriving at the hospital in a deep coma, report TMZ and the Los Angeles Times . The King of Pop, 50, was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital this afternoon after collapsing. A police rep said he was not breathing when paramedics arrived; they performed CPR and took him to the UCLA...
Sanford Mistress: Divorced, Mom of 2, 'Beautiful Brunette'
Fox News
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Jun 25, 2009 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mark Sanford’s mistress is a 43-year-old businesswoman who works in agriculture, Argentine media is reporting. A divorcée with two kids, Maria Belen Shapur speaks English, Portuguese, and Chinese and lives in an upscale Buenos Aires apartment, Fox News reports. Witnesses described the beautiful brunette with big eyes canoodling with the...
New iPhone Boosts Mobile YouTube Uploads by 400%
Ars Technica
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Jun 25, 2009 4:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mobile video uploads to YouTube have soared 400% since the new iPhone released last week, Ars Technica reports. It's a noticeable spike, even though mobile uploads have been on the rise: They went up by 1,700% in the last six months. The iPhone lets users shoot video and upload it immediately over the Internet or the phone's 3G network.
Thune Takes Ensign's GOP Leadership Post
Associated Press
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Jun 25, 2009 3:45 PM CDT
(AP) -
Republicans today elected Sen. John Thune to the leadership post vacated by Sen. John Ensign, who stepped down after admitting last week to an extramarital affair with a campaign aide. Thune will lead the Senate Republican Policy Committee, the No. 4 position in the leadership, and play a role in shaping the Republican message and agenda on health...
Female Brokers Sue BofA for Discrimination
Reuters
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Jun 25, 2009 3:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A former Merrill Lynch broker is leading a class-action lawsuit against Bank of America for offering female workers lower retention bonuses, Reuters reports. The suit alleges that Merrill had a longtime practice of steering wealthier clients to its male brokers. Because of that, when BofA acquired the firm and offered retention bonuses based on production,...
US Hits 1M Swine Flu Cases
Associated Press
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Jun 25, 2009 3:27 PM CDT
(AP) -
Health officials estimate that as many as 1 million Americans now have the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu. The estimate, made public today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on mathematical modeling. Nearly 28,000 US cases have been reported to the CDC, accounting for roughly half the world's cases. The US count includes...
Dow Up 173 on Housing, Retail
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 25, 2009 3:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Markets rallied today on positive news from the retail and housing sectors, the Wall Street Journal reports. Major builders saw stocks go up as much as 15%, leading some to predict an end to the crisis in the housing market. In retail, meanwhile, companies such as Bed Bath and Beyond and Best Buy benefited from the bankruptcies of competitors. The...
Farrah: 'America's Ideal of Itself'
Time
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Jun 25, 2009 2:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Farrah Fawcett’s time as a superstar may have been short, but she played her entire life—and career—with grace, Richard Corliss writes in Time . And no one can forget her 1970s heyday. “If the big, bulky computers of the day could have programmed America’s ideal of itself,” Corliss writes, “shiny, confident,...
Fallon Beats Tiger at His Own Wii Game
New York Post
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Jun 25, 2009 2:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tiger's not so tough in the virtual world. Jimmy Fallon crushed the champion golfer in Tiger's own Nintendo Wii game at Times Square this morning, the New York Post reports. Woods conceded on the third and final hole, after shooting a double-bogey and a bogey. They played on the Bethpage Black course, where Woods ranked sixth during last weekend's...
Rosie Radio Hits Satellite This Fall
New York Daily News
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Jun 25, 2009 2:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rosie O’Donnell has signed on for a radio talk show on Sirius XM, joining the likes of Oprah, Martha Stewart, and Howard Stern this fall. She’ll interview celebrity guests, take calls, and blend pop culture with serious topics, the company says. Rosie Radio indicates the flagging satellite conglomerate’s determination to stay in...
Stem-Cell Researchers Can Pay Women for Eggs: NY
Washington Post
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Jun 25, 2009 2:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Counter to prevailing policies and scientific guidelines, New York has become the first state to allow publicly funded embryonic stem-cell researchers to pay women for their eggs. It lifts a huge obstacle for research, proponents say, likening it to eggs donated for in-vitro fertilization. But the $10,000 could be used to lure and exploit vulnerable...
Cap-and-Trade Bill 'Biggest Tax in US History'
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 25, 2009 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The cap-and-trade climate legislation that could come up for a House vote tomorrow makes no economic sense and “is likely to be the biggest tax in American history,” write the editors of the Wall Street Journal . Democrats are defending the bill with an incomplete Congressional Budget Office estimate that itself admits “does not...
Wall Street Aims to Give Itself a Facelift
Bloomberg
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Jun 25, 2009 2:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Wall Street’s top trade group is fighting to fix its image amid what it calls a “populist overreaction” to the financial crisis, Bloomberg reports. Top aides to former Treasury secretary Henry Paulson are leading the “city-by-city, grassroots” campaign focused on politicians and the media. The securities industry “must...
Palin Slams Blogger for Doctored Photo of Son
CNN
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Jun 25, 2009 1:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin is defending her kids again, CNN reports, this time from a liberal blogger who doctored a photo of the governor with her baby son. Linda Kellen Biegel replaced the face of year-old Trig with that of a conservative radio host who’s chummy with the Alaska governor. A Palin rep called it “a malicious desecration of a photo that...
'Gay Exorcism' at Conn. Church Draws Ire of Rights Groups
WPIX11
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Jun 25, 2009 1:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Connecticut church is under fire for performing a “gay exorcism,” WPIX-TV reports. A video posted on YouTube (since removed) by Manifested Glory Ministries shows priests commanding “homosexual demons” to leave the body of a 16-year-old boy. During the ritual the boy thrashes around, and even vomits. One advocacy group for...
Transformers ' $60.6M Is Biggest Mid-Week Debut
Variety
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Jun 25, 2009 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The new Transformers flick had a stellar start, raking in $60.6 million on opening day to make it the biggest Wednesday debut ever, Variety reports. For all-around opening days, the Michael Bay shoot-em-up lags just behind record-holder Dark Knight , which took in $67.2 million on a Friday last summer. Transformers 2 has a shot at eclipsing...
In Women's Fashion, No Irony After 50
New York Times
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Jun 25, 2009 1:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When 50-year-old Madonna showed up at the Met’s costume gala last month wearing a mini-dress and a bow shaped like rabbit ears, it begged the question: How old is too old for ironic touches like knee socks and pigtails? And more importantly, why can’t over-50 women wear certain things, writes Cathy Horyn in the New York Times. “It’s...
'High as a Kite' Wallabies Draw Circles in Poppy Fields
Livenews (Australia)
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Jun 25, 2009 1:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Crop circles popping up in Australia aren’t the work of extraterrestrial visitors, but of stoned wallabies, Livenews reports. Marsupials have been breaking into poppy fields—which supply 50% of the world’s opium to pharmaceuticals—and munching on the crops. Then, “high as a kite,” they spin in circles until they...
Sanford Visits Wife, Family
Associated Press
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Jun 25, 2009 12:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Gov. Mark Sanford is at a South Carolina beach home with his wife and four sons today, his staff tells the AP. The married couple says a reconciliation is in the works despite Sanford’s confession yesterday to a yearlong affair with an Argentinean woman. The Republican—who may also face repercussions for disappearing without transferring...
Doubling Best-Pic Nominations a Winning Move
New York
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Jun 25, 2009 12:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
We should all thank the Academy for its decision to double the number of Best Picture nominees next year, writes Lane Brown in New York . A few reasons why: More “crowd-pleasing hits” will be in the running, meaning a ratings jump—which in turn means more exposure for the lesser-known gems. Comedies will finally get...
Gore Works the Phones for Climate Bill
The Hill
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Jun 25, 2009 12:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Al Gore is engaging in phone diplomacy today as the House prepares to vote on a landmark climate bill tomorrow. Original plans called for the former VP to appear in person, but Nancy Pelosi says lawmakers are close enough to an agreement that it's not necessary. Others offer a less optimistic take, telling the Hill the vote is so close, Pelosi...
Farrah Fawcett Dead at 62
Entertainment Tonight
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Jun 25, 2009 12:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Farrah Fawcett died this morning in Los Angeles after the battle with cancer that followed her 2006 diagnosis, Entertainment Tonight reports. The Charlie’s Angels star, 62, was a 1970s fashion idol who began her career in commercials and shot to fame after posing in an iconic portrait wearing a red swimsuit. Longtime companion Ryan O’Neal...
Apple Gives Thumbs-Up to iPhone Porn
TechCrunch
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Jun 25, 2009 12:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The iPhone’s 3.0 software development kit has brought a major new feature with it: porn. Because the new gadget comes with built-in parental controls, Apple is permitting nudity in its apps, TechCrunch reports. One existing app, “Hottest Girls,” has already added topless content. It’s now sporting a new “17+” rating,...
Air France Pilot's Body Found
Reuters
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Jun 25, 2009 12:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The body of the pilot of the Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic on June 1 has been recovered, Reuters reports. A pilots union identified him as Marc Dubois, a 58-year-old Frenchman who had 21 years of experience at the airline. A male steward also was identified. More than 50 of the 228 bodies have been found so far, and all are undergoing...
As Guerrillas Flee, Bird Watchers Flock to Colombia
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 25, 2009 12:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Colombia’s guerrilla forces have suffered major setbacks in recent years, and bird lovers are singing a happy tune, the Wall Street Journal reports. Last month saw the return of Steven Hilty, the man who literally wrote the book on Colombian bird watching, after a more than 20-year absence. Another bird watching group is on pace to conduct...
Stanford Pleads Not Guilty in $7B Ponzi Scheme
Houston Chronicle
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Jun 25, 2009 12:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Financier Robert Allen Stanford and three former associates pleaded not guilty today to federal charges they operated a $7 billion Ponzi scheme out of Antigua, the Houston Chronicle reports. Prosecutors asked the judge not to release Stanford, 59, on bail, saying his wealth, international connections and prospect of a long sentence make him a flight...
Transformers From 'Da Hood' Spark Racism Charges
E! Online
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Jun 25, 2009 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Critics are comparing Transformers to Star Wars , and not in a good way, E! reports. Twin autobots Skids and Mudflap are causing an uproar over ethnic stereotypes. The new characters are from “da hood,” can’t read, and inspired one critic to describe them as—horrors!—“Jar Jar Binks in car form.” And like...
Bernanke Denies Threatening BofA Boss Over Merrill
CNN
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Jun 25, 2009 11:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
On Capitol Hill today, Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke denied he threatened the job of Bank of America’s CEO when Ken Lewis hesitated on the Merrill Lynch merger last fall, CNNMoney reports. “I did not tell Bank of America’s management that the Federal Reserve would take action against the board or management,” Bernanke said,...
When Words Fail, Send a Winehouse Card
Sun (UK)
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Jun 25, 2009 11:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Coming soon: Amy Winehouse wrapping paper. The troubled singer has signed a deal to feature her lyrics on cards as well, the Sun reports. The first tune to hit stores will be Rehab , but a source insists the line will be “classy too. You Know I’m No Good is best for heartfelt apologies and Back To Black , with an appropriate wreath,...
Lesson Learned From Sanford: He's Nuts
New York Times
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Jun 25, 2009 11:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mark Sanford’s appearance yesterday taught us something important: He’s “a complete loony,” writes Gail Collins in the New York Times . We should thank him, really, for providing us with a governor “weirder than Rod Blagojevich and less responsible than Eliot Spitzer.” Once, he was a possible 2012 presidential candidate;...
Microsoft's Windows 7 Prices Include Early-Bird Discount
CNET
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Jun 25, 2009 11:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A pre-ordered upgrade to Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system will cost US customers $49 or $99 from tomorrow until July 11, depending on version: Home premium or Professional, CNET reports. Also starting tomorrow, anyone who buys a new Vista PC will get a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it’s released in October, the AP adds. Full versions...
I Fantasize About Killing Ex: Manson
Spin
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Jun 25, 2009 11:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Marilyn Manson, that fine upstanding Goth rocker, offers his fans a little TMI in the latest issue of Spin —including the admission that, when it comes to ex Evan Rachel Wood, he fantasizes “every day about smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer.” Other highlights: On the Christmas after his break-up: “Every time...
Maliki Not Above Arresting Rivals as Iraq Election Looms
Washington Post
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Jun 25, 2009 10:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
PM Nouri al-Maliki looks a lot like a strongman these days, using every lever at his disposal to influence Iraq’s January elections, the Washington Post reports. His men have arrested or threatened political rivals in Diyala province and Basra; last month they even arrested a councilman from the Iraqi Islamic Party. “This is a message,”...
Sealed-Battery Macs Earn High Marks
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 25, 2009 10:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Removable notebook batteries are convenient in theory, but hardly anyone actually replaces them. Apple and other firms are responding with sealed-in batteries, which, Apple says, can be bigger and thus last longer. Walter Mossberg ran his “own harsh battery test” on the new MacBook Pros and found their sealed-in powerhouses “excellent,”...
Ruth Madoff Rides Subway
New York Post
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Jun 25, 2009 10:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Ruth Madoff’s life has hit a new low—literally. It's subterranean: The New York Post spotted her on the subway yesterday, seated directly underneath an ad promoting 99-cent cellphones. The disgraced financier's wife, with gray-streaked hair and distinctly unfashionable attire, was not happy with the photographer, asking, “Are...
Buckle Up for Higher Airfares
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 25, 2009 10:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If you’re planning on flying this summer, book your tickets now. After a long period of dropping fares and constant sales, prices went up earlier this month and appear likely to keep rising throughout the summer, the Wall Street Journal reports. “I think for the consumer, it’s as good as we’re going to get right now,”...
