Newser Story Index from August, 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.
How Annie Leibovitz Got Underwater
New York
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Aug 17, 2009 1:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Photographer to the stars Annie Leibovitz is in a widely reported financial pickle, but it really comes as no surprise to those close to her, New York reports. Leibovitz is now engaged in baroque legal wrangling over her catalog, but her troubles started earlier. Insiders say a suspected “contract for life” with Vanity Fair and a $250,000...
Pinched Writer Picks Up the Toilet Brush
Salon
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Aug 17, 2009 1:19 PM CDT
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Even with two degrees and a book deal, Rebecca Golden has had a tough time keeping her bank balance above zero, she writes for Salon, so she's turned to an edifying, if often terrifying, sideline: cleaning houses. “I suppose I could find other ways to make ends meet,” she writes. “But cleaning has a physical aspect I relish,”...
The Greatest Comebacks Ever
Time
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Aug 17, 2009 1:14 PM CDT
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Michael Vick isn’t the first athlete who’s had to claw his way back from the wilderness. Time takes a look at the top sports comebacks ever, including: Muhammad Ali—The self-proclaimed “greatest of all time” bounced back after losing time for refusing to fight in Vietnam, then lost his rep in his first...
White House Calls Marriage Law Unfair to Gays
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 12:58 PM CDT
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The Obama administration wants to give the Defense of Marriage Act the boot, the Justice Department said in court filings today, but that won’t stop the department from defending the law in court. The administration believes DOMA, which prevents federal recognition of gay marriage and denies gay federal employees marriage benefits, “is...
TLC Hits Back at Jon
Radar
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Aug 17, 2009 12:48 PM CDT
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TLC’s had it up to here with Jon Gosselin’s antics, insiders tell Radar, prompting a new policy: The network will blur brand logos he sports on their show—bad news for the Ed Hardy fan and father of eight as he shops for endorsement deals. “TLC feels like they are being used by Jon," says one source. "They want to...
Ga. Death Row Inmate Wins New Hearing
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 12:42 PM CDT
(AP) -
The Supreme Court says condemned inmate Troy Davis should get another chance to prove his innocence before the state of Georgia executes him. The high court today ordered a federal judge in Georgia to determine whether there is evidence that proves Davis did not kill a police officer in 1991. Davis was condemned to death for that murder, but supporters...
Fox News Set for Best Year Ever
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 12:29 PM CDT
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Conservatives may not have their preferred president, but they do have a preferred network: Fox News is on a roll, set for its best ratings year ever, the AP reports. Viewership is up 11% over last year—though the boom hasn’t come without controversy, with some critics suggesting that Fox, lead by Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Sean...
AIG Mystery Haunts Conn. Golf Course
New York Times
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Aug 17, 2009 12:10 PM CDT
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Locals rarely see anyone playing the pristine golf course that straddles the Connecticut-New York border, and no one’s quite sure who owns it—though most think it’s linked to insurance giant AIG, the New York Times reports. The mysterious Morefar Back O’Beyond course is rumored to have been built by Chinese workers and have...
Russians Find Mystery Ship, Crew Alive Onboard
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 12:00 PM CDT
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The Russian ship that mysteriously disappeared nearly three weeks ago has been found off the West African coast, with all 15 crew members aboard, Russia’s defense minister announced today. The crew is now aboard the Russian frigate that found them. The defense minister said the crew was not under armed control when found, but declined to give...
Levi: I'll Get Naked if Price Is Right Mag: OK!
Us Weekly
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Aug 17, 2009 11:47 AM CDT
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The last time we had to hear about Levi Johnston getting naked, he ended up an unwed teenage father in a soap opera-worthy feud with his babymama's clan. But he's open to repeating the experience and says he'd pose nude—provided the price is right, reports Us Weekly. And no sooner did Levi speak, reports Gawker, than Unzipped magazine whipped...
The New Science of Vintage Tees
New York
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Aug 17, 2009 11:40 AM CDT
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T-shirts were once simple sweat absorbers, then for a few decades they were "movable billboards," but in the 21st century, the "cutting-edge T-shirt is all about the T-shirt," writes Hugo Lindgren in New York magazine. Comfort, not logo or slogan, is the name of the game, and a great deal of art and science has been devoted to...
Tiger's Loss Is Good for Golf
NBC Sports
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Aug 17, 2009 11:12 AM CDT
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There wasn’t supposed to be any drama at the Hazeltine National Golf Club yesterday. Tiger Woods with a lead on Sunday “is like Kristie Alley with cheesecake on her plate,” writes Dan O’Neill of NBC. “You can bet it’s going to be put away.” Woods typically puts away the driver and goes on cruise control, daring...
Fall Fashion Mags Shed a Few Pounds
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 17, 2009 10:50 AM CDT
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Fashion magazines’ typically beefy September issues are nearly a third skinnier this year as advertisers drift away from print, the Wall Street Journal reports. Vogue, for example, boasted 840 pages in September 2007; this year, it’s just 429 pages, a 36% drop from last year. Advertisers are trying out space on the magazines’...
Tom DeLay to Dance With Stars
ABC News
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Aug 17, 2009 10:27 AM CDT
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Here's to hoping Tom DeLay is better at dancing than he is at obeying campaign finance laws. Dancing With the Stars host Tom Bergeron announced this season’s cast on Good Morning America this morning, and it included the former House majority leader. Bergeron said even he was floored when he heard that DeLay would be on the show. “I...
Faking Orgasms a 'Nightmare': Heigl
Showbiz Spy
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Aug 17, 2009 10:01 AM CDT
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Katherine Heigl spilled the ugly truth about faking orgasms—it's apparently "really exhausting"—to Showbiz Spy. The 30-year-old actress had to don a pair of vibrating panties for a scene in the Ugly Truth , and filming the climax that ensued was "a nightmare," she says. "Legs dancing under the table and all the...
1-Dog Rule Gnaws on Chinese
ABC News
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Aug 17, 2009 9:31 AM CDT
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Guangzhou residents have gotten used to the one-child rule, but they’re drawing a line in the sand when it comes to their city’s new one-dog policy, ABC News reports. Most are ignoring or evading the month-old rule. “I’ll definitely not give up on my dogs, because they’re a part of my life,” says one office worker,...
Public Option On Its Death Bed
Politico
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Aug 17, 2009 9:20 AM CDT
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The public option is looking sickly, after a weekend in which Obama and Co. seemed to be backing away from it, and liberals aren’t happy about it, Politico reports. “Public Option, Meet Underside of Bus,” read one Daily Kos headline. Over the weekend, President Obama said the proposal was “just one sliver” of the debate,...
US Nuns Dodge Specter of Sex Abuse
Salon
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Aug 17, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
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Last week the largest group of American nuns held its annual meeting, and once again they refused to let survivors of sexual abuse in Catholic schools attend. When even the bishops have acknowledged the depth and seriousness of abuse within the Church, it's strange for the nuns to bury their heads in the sand, writes Frances Kissling on Salon. "Perhaps...
Global Selloff Rocks Dow
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 17, 2009 8:51 AM CDT
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The Dow tumbled 175 points at the open today, following even bigger selloffs in overseas markets, the Wall Street Journal reports. The S&P and Nasdaq each fell 2.2%. Those drops followed a whopping 5.8% dive on China’s Shanghai Composite Index, a 3.1% drop for Japan’s Nikkei, and 2% falls for the UK’s FTSE and Germany’s...
Tax-Evader Crackdown Spreads to Hong Kong
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 17, 2009 8:40 AM CDT
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The IRS and Justice Department crackdown on UBS is widening, reports the Wall Street Journal , as new documents reveal the efforts the bank took to keep its clients' wealth away from the taxman. Two recent cases have relied on channeling millions to a Swiss account owned by a Hong Kong-based enterprise. In one instance, a UBS banker...
Fan Vid Salutes Palin With R.Kelly's 'Greatest'
Gawker
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Aug 17, 2009 8:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin’s adoring masses, convinced that she is indeed the world’s greatest something (ex-governor? Twitter user? mom?), have created a YouTube tribute to her set to R. Kelly's “The World’s Greatest.” The video, which features "the music of a man renowned for on-camera golden showers and statutory rape," notes...
Suu Kyi OK With Lifting Sanctions on Burma: Webb
Washington Post
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Aug 17, 2009 7:50 AM CDT
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Burma’s imprisoned opposition leader may be OK with a “new approach” toward the country’s oppressive military regime, Sen. Jim Webb told reporters today. Webb met with Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday, during his visit to the country. “It was my clear impression from her that she is not opposed to lifting some sanctions,”...
New Kiss Disc to Land at Wal-Mart
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 7:44 AM CDT
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The deal was sealed with a Kiss: the heavy metal band is joining the ranks of classic bands releasing their music through Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, the AP reports. Their new collection, “Sonic Boom,” comes out Oct. 6 only at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club; it contains a CD of the first new Kiss songs in 11 years, reworked...
Obamacare Isn't 'Socialist Hellhole,' It's Switzerland
New York Times
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Aug 17, 2009 7:34 AM CDT
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Investor's Business Daily made a howler when it said the British physicist Stephen Hawking "wouldn't have a chance" under the UK's health care, but for Paul Krugman, the "vile and stupid" editorial missed the point. Obamacare doesn't look like the British system, in which government runs hospitals and pays doctors. Rather,...
Pitt to Play Baddie in Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes
Daily Mirror (UK)
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Aug 17, 2009 7:12 AM CDT
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Brad Pitt will be skulking around the shadows of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, reports the Daily Mirror. Studio execs were troubled by Ritchie’s initial take, and demanded that the director resurrect Holmes’ nemesis, Moriarty. A desperate call to pal Pitt, who had some free time, turned the crisis into a coup, the Mirror notes, with...
Claudette Hits Fla. as Hurricane Bill Forms
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 7:03 AM CDT
(AP) -
Tropical Storm Claudette made landfall on the Florida Panhandle near Fort Walton Beach early this morning after dumping heavy rains on the area. The storm has been weakening as it moves farther inland, with winds at around 40mph, and forecasters said it would probably become a tropical depression later in the day. But in the Caribbean, Hurricane Bill...
Chrysler Plans to Build Fiat in Mexico
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 17, 2009 6:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Chrysler is planning to produce a Fiat-branded subcompact car at a plant in Mexico, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal . The move may anger two key shareholders of the restructured automaker—the US government and the United Auto Workers. Workers at the Toluca, Mexico, plant are represented by a Mexican union, not the UAW. "There...
Taliban Threaten to Mutilate Afghan Voters
New York Times
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Aug 17, 2009 6:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hamid Karzai's battle for reelection on Thursday is facing a significant hurdle: threats by the Taliban to mutilate anyone who shows up at the polls. Insurgents are strongest in Pashtun regions, normally a Karzai stronghold, and in one town a group of Taliban fighters told citizens anyone who votes will have his finger chopped off. "We can't vote....
Kuwait Wedding Fire Linked to Groom's Ex
Associated Press
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Aug 17, 2009 6:17 AM CDT
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The fire that engulfed a wedding tent in Kuwait and killed 43 women and children in less than 3 minutes was set by the groom's ex-wife, local media reported today. A government spokesman confirmed that the arsonist has confessed, according to the AP, but offered no further details. The incident has left the small nation reeling, and Kuwait's emir has...
Ahmadinejad Names 3 Women to Cabinet
Guardian (UK)
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Aug 17, 2009 5:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today he would nominate three women to join his cabinet, reports the Guardian , attempting to soften his image after the brutal crackdowns following his disputed re-election. The decision is significant in a country where just eight of 290 MPs are female. But the two women whose names have been announced are hardliners and...
Don't Spend Bonus Bucks Yet, Warns 'Clawback' Czar
Reuters
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Aug 17, 2009 5:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Just because top banking executives took home hefty paychecks in recent months doesn't mean they'll get to keep the money, reports Reuters. White House pay czar Kenneth Feinberg declared he has clear authority to "claw back" egregious bonuses already paid out by any bank that received federal TARP money.
Quake Rattles Taiwan as Typhoon Aid Arrives
Reuters
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Aug 17, 2009 4:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Disaster-weary Taiwanese were shaken awake this morning as a strong earthquake rattled the island still recovering from its deadly typhoon, reports Reuters. No casualties or damage was immediately reported after the 6.7 tremblor struck about 116 miles off Taiwan's east coast at 8:05 am—just hours after the first foreign Typhoon Morakot aid shipments...
Japan Says 'Sayonara' to Downturn
New York Times
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Aug 17, 2009 4:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Japan appears to be pulling out of its recession, posting its first economic growth in more than a year, reports the New York Times . The world’s second-largest economy grew by 0.9% in the last three months ending June 30—equivalent to 3.7% annualized growth. Exports grew 6.3% from the previous quarter.
Suspect Busted in Pipe Attack on Milwaukee Mayor
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Aug 17, 2009 3:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 20-year-old man has been arrested for a pipe attack on the mayor of Milwaukee as he came to the aid of the mother of the suspect's girlfriend, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Mayor Tom Barrett, 55, suffered a broken hand and head injuries when he confronted the attacker and dialed 911 on his phone. The confrontation began when the mayor...
Vick: 'I Cried So Many Nights'
CBS News
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Aug 17, 2009 3:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Disgraced football star Michael Vick spent long nights in prison "crying" over what he did to "the animals" in his dog-fighting operation, and the mess he made of his life, he said on 60 Minutes yesterday. "The first day I walked into prison, and he slammed that door, I knew the magnitude of what I allowed to happen to the...
Afghanistan Legalizes Starving Wives Who Refuse Sex
BBC
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Aug 17, 2009 3:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Afghan lawmakers have passed a new law requiring women to submit to their husbands' sexual demands or be starved, reports the BBC. The new law is an amended version of a bill that forced women to have sex with their husbands at least every four days, and completely removed a wife's right to refuse sex, essentially legalizing spousal rape. Global public...
NYC Prep Star Goofs With Swastika
New York Post
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Aug 17, 2009 2:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Internet photos of NYC Prep star Sebastian Oppenheim and a buddy joking with a black-tape Hitler mustache and swastikas have landed the 16-year-old on the New York Post 's Page Six. Sebastian's father said his partly-Jewish son was mimicking the movie "Inglourious Basterds" and didn't mean to convey any hateful sentiment.
Lighting-Fast Bolt Smashes 100-Meter Record
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 17, 2009 2:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jamaica's Usain Bolt shattered the world record for the 100-meter race today, shearing more off the previous best time—his own—than anyone in recorded history, reports the Chicago Tribune. With a 2 mph tailwind, the 22-year-old clocked in at just 9.58 seconds—0.11 seconds faster than the 9.69 record time he set at the 2008 Olympics....
N. Korea to Reopen Border With South
Reuters
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Aug 17, 2009 1:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
North Korea pledged today to reopen its borders with the south for tourism and family visits after reclusive leader Kim Jong-il met with the head of the South Korean Hyundai Group in Pyongyang, reports Reuters. Hyundai's Hyon Jong Un met the ailing Kim to secure the release of a detained worker—similar to Bill Clinton's recent visit to free two...
Fed Housing Policy Shift: Rent, Don't Own
Boston Globe
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Aug 17, 2009 1:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In a major housing policy shift, President Barack Obama will steer billions of economic stimulus dollars to create tens of thousands of federally subsidized rental units in American cities, reports the Boston Globe . The $4.25 billion initiative is a stark departure from former president George Bush's push to create an "ownership society."
Winehouse Talks Blake Into Taking Her Back
News of the World (UK)
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Aug 16, 2009 7:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Amy Winehouse has convinced rehabbing hubby Blake Fielder-Civil to rekindle their relationship, the News of the World reports. "I love her as much as ever. I know she still loves me," says Blake, who agreed to a dinner date when he gets out of rehab. "Maybe this time we can do everything properly and not mess it up." But...
Illegal Drug Farm Started Calif. Wildfire: Officials
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 16, 2009 7:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An illegal marijuana farm is responsible for a blaze that has charred more than 75,000 acres in Santa Barbara County, Calif., the Los Angeles Times reports. Authorities say a Mexican drug organization started the fire in the cooking area of a pot farm, and those behind it are likely trying to escape on foot. Dubbed the La Brea fire, it has forced...
Mexican Drug Cartels Turn Into Mafias
Associated Press
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Aug 16, 2009 7:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mexican drug cartels have evolved into mafia empires, charging protection fees to businesses and providing social services and jobs where government cannot, the AP reports. Behind it lurks the threat of violence or kidnapping, which drug lords carry out with near impunity. "Today, the traffickers have big companies, education, careers,"...
Obamas Soak Up Grand Canyon
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Aug 16, 2009 6:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama wrapped up the recreational side of his travel weekend by visiting the Grand Canyon and peppering park rangers with questions about it, the Arizona Republic reports. With Michelle, their daughters, and other members of the Obama clan, the president marveled at a view he last witnessed at age 11. Asked if it appeared the same to him,...
Yang Upsets Woods for PGA Title
NBC Sports
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Aug 16, 2009 6:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Y.E. Yang beat the odds by overcoming Tiger Woods on the final day of the PGA Championship, NBC Sports reports. The South Korean won today with an 8-under 280, topping Woods by three strokes with the help of a stunning eagle chip-in on the 14th hole. Woods was the first four-time PGA winner to lose after leading going into the final...
Sinatra Daughter Frets Over Pending Biopic
New York Post
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Aug 16, 2009 5:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tina Sinatra would prefer that Martin Scorsese direct her father’s biopic her way, the New York Post reports. "Marty wants it to be hard-hitting and showcase the violent, sexually charged, hard-drinking Frank, but Tina wants to show the softer side of her dad and let the focus be on the music," a source says. A Scorsese spokesperson...
Tropical Storm Claudette Soaks Fla. Panhandle
Pensacola News Journal
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Aug 16, 2009 5:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tropical Storm Claudette lashed the Florida Panhandle with heavy rain today and is expected to make landfall by midnight, the Pensacola News Journal reports. Moving northwest at 14 mph with maximum winds near 50 mph, the storm will likely land between Panama City and Destin. Authorities have put the area under a flash flood watch until 7pm tomorrow...
Why Gingrich Became Catholic
Time
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Aug 16, 2009 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Newt Gingrich shrugged off religious issues while in office, and was recently seen reading a novel before Mass—so why his sudden conversion to Catholicism? Some analysts say he converted this spring to position himself for the Republican nomination in 2012. Joining other high-profile conservatives on the road to Rome, he's already outpaced rivals...
How the Lolcat Empire Keeps Growing
Time
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Aug 16, 2009 4:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ben Huh knows how to fail upward, and has a rather simple explanation for the success of his Web empire: “Dude, I think it’s funny.” The former journalist, 31, is the maverick behind at least 20 smirking sites, including I Can Has Cheesburger? and FAIL Blog, which showcases photos and videos of spectacular stupidity, like the...
Rather Digs In for Legal War With CBS
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 16, 2009 4:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dan Rather is still out to prove that CBS sacrificed him to appease its corporate backers and conservative allies, the Los Angeles Times reports. In a $70-million lawsuit filed 2 years ago, Rather claimed that CBS, caving to Viacom and the Bush administration, forced him to retract a controversial story on President Bush's National Guard service....
