Newser Story Index from September, 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.
New Leno Show Numbingly (or Pleasantly) Familiar
Time
|
Sep 15, 2009 6:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Jay Leno Show won't disappoint Leno fans looking for more of the same, say critics, but the only thing new or ground-breaking about it is the 10pm time slot. James Poniewozik, Time : Leno and NBC aren't "out to win over critics who liked Letterman better. Instead, they're giving old Jay fans what they like—for far less...
Guinness Heiress In Court for Drunken Striptease on Plane
Telegraph (UK)
|
Sep 15, 2009 6:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A descendant of the Guinness brewing family got so drunk on a long flight that she "cavorted" with a male passenger, took off her skirt, and threw her son’s dirty diaper into a row of seats, observers say. A flight attendant said “she had absolutely no clue about the child and the way she was behaving was not tipsy, but drunk,”...
NYC Seeks Smoking Ban for Parks, Beaches
New York Times
|
Sep 15, 2009 5:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Smokers banished outdoors by New York City's 2003 smoking ban may soon find much of the outdoors off-limits for lighting up as well, the New York Times reports. The city's health commissioner said yesterday that he plans to push for a full smoking ban in all the city's parks and beaches, winning praise from health advocates and anti-smoking groups.
High-Profile Murders Haunt Yale
Gawker
|
Sep 15, 2009 5:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Graduate student Annie Le's murder is just the latest in a series of high-profile killings to rock Yale University in recent history, reports Gawker, which dubs the university "Murdertown of the Ivies." The Yale killings too often feature a troubling mix of race, class, and bungling by authorities, Gawker notes. Among the notorious cases:...
Hawaiian Island to Evict Over-Friendly Seal
Wall Street Journal
|
Sep 15, 2009 4:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A seal pup that loves human company is facing deportation to hundreds of miles away from his Hawaiian home, the Wall Street Journal reports. Baby monk seal KP2, who often swims with people and even climbs on boogie boards, has become a much-loved local celebrity on Molokai since he showed up in February but wildlife experts warn that as he grows...
Obama's Forcing Israel to Attack Iran
Wall Street Journal
|
Sep 15, 2009 3:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities now looks inevitable and President Obama appears to be doing his best to speed the process along, Bret Stephens writes in the Wall Street Journal . The president has accepted Iran's offer for talks—despite Iran making it clear that its nuclear program won't be up for discussion—Stephens...
Yemeni Child Bride, 12, Dies in Childbirth
CNN
|
Sep 15, 2009 3:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A pregnant 12-year-old Yemeni girl has died after three days of excruciating labor that also claimed her baby, a human rights group tells CNN. Fawziya Ammodi's poverty-stricken family forced her to drop out of school last year to marry a 24-year-old man. More than half of Yemeni girls are married off before the age of 18—many times to much older...
NFL Stars Donate Brains to Science
HealthDay News
|
Sep 15, 2009 2:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Three NFL players have agreed to donate their brains after they die to help scientists better understand sports brain injuries, HealthDay reports. Matt Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals' Sean Morey are the first active NFL players to join the brain donation registry at Boston University...
Olympics Honcho: Obama Could Make Huge Difference
Associated Press
|
Sep 15, 2009 1:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama's absence will definitely be noticed as the International Olympic Committee meets to pick the host city for the 2016 Olympics, IOC member Dick Pound tells AP. "I don't think there's an IOC member on the planet who wouldn't love to meet your president. He's a transformational figure in the world today," said Pound, a Canadian....
Toys R Us Pumped Up for Holiday Offensive
Washington Post
|
Sep 15, 2009 1:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Toys R Us is getting ready to go on the offensive in the battle for holiday sales, the Washington Post reports. The company—which snapped up the KB Toys and FAO Schwarz brands earlier this year—plans to open 80 temporary "Holiday Express" stores in malls across the country, and will open toy shops in 260 of its...
Obama: Kanye's a 'Jackass'
Huffington Post
|
Sep 14, 2009 10:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama got in on the Kanye West-bashing today, calling the rapper a “jackass” for his interruption of country star Taylor Swift during an MTV awards show Sunday. Obama made the remark in an off-the-record portion of an interview with CNBC, the Huffington Post reports, but that didn’t stop ABC correspondent Terry Moran from...
Kanye's Latest Apology Spices Up Leno Debut
Associated Press
|
Sep 14, 2009 9:57 PM CDT
(AP) -
Kanye West told Jay Leno tonight he's going to take some time off for reflection after ruining Taylor Swift's night at the MTV Video Music Awards. Appearing on Leno's new 10pm NBC show, West said he knew he was wrong as soon as he handed the microphone back to Swift, after interrupting during last night's show to argue that Beyoncé was more...
Brady, in Return, Rallies Patriots Past Bills
Boston Herald
|
Sep 14, 2009 9:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Quarterback Tom Brady, in his first game since missing almost all of last season with a knee injury, threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:06 to lead the New England Patriots to a comeback 25-24 victory over the visiting Buffalo Bills tonight, the Boston Herald reports. Brady, 32, completed 39 of 53 passes for 378 yards, the two touchdowns and...
Yale Holds Vigil for Annie Le
NECN
|
Sep 14, 2009 9:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hundreds of students and faculty members turned out tonight on the campus of Yale University, NECN reports, for a candlelight vigil in memory of Annie Le, the 24-year-old grad student found dead yesterday on the New Haven, Conn., campus. Le’s body was discovered inside a wall in a lab building; authorities have a suspect in the case.
Swayze: Not Afraid to Laugh at His Own Hunkiness
Vanity Fair
|
Sep 14, 2009 9:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Patrick Swayze, who died today at 57, wasn’t the first choice for the male lead in Dirty Dancing , the BBC notes, but “his performance earned him award nominations and a place on bedroom walls of lovelorn teenage girls around the world.” He eschewed Hollywood’s scene—preferring his ranches—and its bed-hopping—he...
House Will Vote Tomorrow on Reprimand of Joe Wilson
Politico
|
Sep 14, 2009 8:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on a “resolution of disapproval” against Joe Wilson, the South Carolina Republican who shouted “You lie!” at President Obama during his speech last week on health reform. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, also a South Carolinian, will introduce the measure, Politico reports, noting...
Del Potro Dethrones Federer
New York Times
|
Sep 14, 2009 8:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Juan Martin del Potro dethroned five-time defending US Open champ Roger Federer today, the New York Times reports, earning his first Grand Slam title with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory. Del Potro, a 20-year-old from Argentina, had never beaten Federer, the 28-year-old Swiss who has won a record 15 major crowns.
Cancer Takes Swayze, 57
TMZ
|
Sep 14, 2009 7:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Patrick Swayze died today, TMZ reports, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The actor, whose credits included Dirty Dancing and Ghost , was 57. Named People ’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1991, he was diagnosed with the deadly form of cancer in January 2008; he continued film and TV work, and was working on a memoir with his wife, Lisa...
Wells Fargo Fires Exec Who Squatted at Malibu Pad
Los Angeles Times
|
Sep 14, 2009 6:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Wells Fargo said today it has fired the executive who turned a seized California beachfront mansion into a personal playground, the Los Angeles Times reports. Neighbors say they saw Cheronda Guyton staying in the $12 million Malibu Colony property, which had been turned over to the bank by a couple who’d been victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi...
Carter Confidant, Press Secretary Powell Dead at 65
Washington Post
|
Sep 14, 2009 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Former White House press secretary Jody Powell, a longtime aide who helped engineer Jimmy Carter's run to the White House, died today after apparently suffering a heart attack at his Maryland home, the Washington Post reports. He was 65. A member of the "Georgia Mafia" that stormed the capital after the 1976 election, Powell leveraged his...
Economy Wallops Lawmakers' Fortunes
Roll Call
|
Sep 14, 2009 6:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The 50 richest members of Congress are still rich, but their personal finances show they’re not immune to the economic downturn, Roll Call reports. Together, the pols on the list have lost $275 million in personal wealth since 2007. In 2008, the legislators' combined assets of $1.3 billion fall well short of the $1.5 billion total just a year...
Jewish Engineer Designed Beetle: Historian
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
|
Sep 14, 2009 5:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Adolf Hitler took the original design for the Volkswagen Beetle from the brainchild of a Jewish engineer, the Jerusalem Post reports. Historian Paul Schilperoord claims in his forthcoming book The True History of the Beetle that a prototype Josef Ganz designed in the late '20s had many of the Beetle’s distinctive features, such as a rear-mounted...
Best Layover Mini-Vacations
Conde Nast Traveler
|
Sep 14, 2009 5:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stuck with a long layover? You don’t have to idle in the airport. Condé Nast Traveler presents its readers' best suggestions for killing an hour or 4: Honolulu: Take a 25-minute cab ride to Waikiki Beach to enjoy the sand, surf, and views of Diamond Head crater. London: Get downtown on the Heathrow Express in just 15...
Bobby Brown 'Spit on Me,' Houston Tells Oprah
ABC News
|
Sep 14, 2009 5:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Emotional abuse and drug addiction marked Whitney Houston’s marriage to Bobby Brown, the singer says. “He spit on me,” Houston recalled in the first part of a tell-all interview with Oprah, broadcast today. She described their intense drug habits: Brown a full-blown, “mean” alcoholic, and Houston mixing marijuana and cocaine....
Lather, Rinse, Disinfect the Showerhead
LiveScience
|
Sep 14, 2009 4:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The showerheads of America are crawling with bacteria that can cause pulmonary disease in people with weakened immune systems, LiveScience reports. Around 20% of showerheads tested for a new study held significant levels of Mycobacterium avium , which can be suspended in air when water flows and be inhaled deep into the lungs. Biofilms that coat...
NYC Homes Raided in Terrorism Probe
Associated Press
|
Sep 14, 2009 4:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Federal agents and New York police raided homes in Queens today as part of an investigation of a possible terrorist attack, the AP reports. Officials said the searches revealed no bombs or other weapons they would describe as “ready for use,” but said the action was based surveillance of a group of individuals who were believed to be planning...
Advice to Budding Journos: Hate Is the Hottest Beat
Advertising Age
|
Sep 14, 2009 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Who says journalism is dead? Sure, newspapers are slashing newsroom staff and shutting down bureaus, Simon Dumenco writes in Advertising Age , but there’s still one booming sector: hate. “ Everything is a hate beat these days, because everybody is consumed with hating on everybody else.” And you can specialize: Reality hate:...
Colleges Ditch Trays; Students Learn to Juggle
Los Angeles Times
|
Sep 14, 2009 3:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
College students may feel they’ve added juggling to their courseloads as the trayless cafeteria trend picks up steam, the Los Angeles Times reports. The increasingly popular measure, meant to save water and electricity, often meets with a sort of grudging acquiescence. “It's definitely difficult and a little bit inconvenient,” says...
Palin Plans Media Kiss-Off for China Talk
CNN
|
Sep 14, 2009 3:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A speech Sarah Palin plans for later this month in Hong Kong won’t leave the room, CNN reports. Not only will reporters not be allowed in, but they won’t even know what they’re missing. “We are not disclosing the topic of Sarah Palin's presentation at this point,” says a rep for the 4-day event. As for the former Alaska...
Dow Gains 21 as Industrial, Utility Sectors Rise
Wall Street Journal
|
Sep 14, 2009 3:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks swung to gains late in the session today, with industrial stocks and utilities pacing advances, the Wall Street Journal reports. Reports of the Chinese government acquiring power-plant developer AES boosted the S&P 500. AES gained 4.5%, and General Electric climbed 4.6%. The Dow rose 21.39 points to close at 9,626.80. The Nasdaq gained...
Student Named as Suspect in Yale Homicide
MSNBC
|
Sep 14, 2009 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Police have a suspect in the slaying of a Yale graduate student: another student—not necessarily enrolled at Yale—who bears defensive wounds and failed a polygraph test, MSNBC reports. An autopsy performed today confirmed that the body found yesterday is Annie Le's. Police have turned their focus to finding her assailant, the Hartford...
Williamses Quietly Take Doubles Title
Associated Press
|
Sep 14, 2009 2:51 PM CDT
(AP) -
The Williams sisters won the US Open women's doubles title this afternoon, less than 2 days after Serena's ugly exit in the singles semifinals. In an incident-free match, Serena and Venus defeated defending champions Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-2, 6-2 for their 10th career Grand Slam doubles title and first at Flushing Meadows since 1999. They are...
Court Overturns Merrill-BofA Settlement With SEC
New York Times
|
Sep 14, 2009 2:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal judge today scrapped the $33 million settlement Bank of America and the SEC agreed on as punishment for the bank's not informing shareholders of bonuses paid to Merrill Lynch executives just before the bank bought Merrill, the New York Times reports. Saying BofA "materially lied, " Jed Rakoff noted that the very shareholders...
Meet the New Media, Same as the Old Media
The Atlantic
|
Sep 14, 2009 2:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It’s become obligatory for internet philosophers to crow about how blogs have democratized the press and allowed average joes to beat big media, but it’s just not true anymore, writes Benajamin Carlson of the Atlantic . “The free-wheeling fraternal spirit of blogging has become increasingly subject to market disciplines.” Or,...
In War on STDs, NC Tries New Weapon: Bribery
MSNBC
|
Sep 14, 2009 2:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The incidence of syphilis is spiking in the economically hard-hit South, and health officials have lit on a novel preventative measure, MSNBC reports: Wal-Mart gift cards. Syphilis tends to rebound in tough times, and a program in North Carolina induces patients to submit to a test in exchange for the $10 economic incentive. The number of cases this...
Chocoholics Spurn American Cadbury
Wall Street Journal
|
Sep 14, 2009 2:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Serious chocolate fans responded warily to the news of Kraft's bid for Cadbury—especially in the US, where aficionados reject the domestic brand anyway. It’s made by Hershey, not the British firm itself, and that just won’t cut it for hardcore devotees of the British brand, the Wall Street Journal reports. "If you were to hold...
Serena Really Sorry This Time
Los Angeles Times
|
Sep 14, 2009 1:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Serena Williams, who offered no apologies in her postmatch press conference Saturday, issued a statement today on her website reversing direction, the Los Angeles Times reports. “I want to sincerely apologize FIRST to the lines woman, Kim Clijsters, the USTA, and tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst,” the statement reads. “I'm...
Bail for Garrido Set at $30M
Sacramento Bee
|
Sep 14, 2009 1:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A judge set bail at $30 million for Phillip Garrido today and ordered Nancy Garrido held without bail after deciding that the couple were likely to flee, the Sacramento Bee reports. Garrido couldn’t leave jail even if he could make bail, as he’s under a hold placed by Nevada police for violating parole by abducting Jaycee Lee Dugard....
For Spring, Optimism Is In
Los Angeles Times
|
Sep 14, 2009 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
“Optimism is the new black,” with designers “laying on the charm” for the spring 2010 season, writes Booth Moore for the Los Angeles Times . The “colors are cheerful,” fun “prints are making a comeback,” and “florals are being re-imagined in a funkier way.” The light, sometimes “cutesy”...
Ten Pre-Kanye Stage Rushes
Daily Mirror (UK)
|
Sep 14, 2009 1:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Kanye West is only the latest celebrity to invade the stage and rain on someone else’s parade. The Daily Mirror runs down 10 other notable moments, from funny to tragic: Keith Richards: Famously guitar-chopped a fan who rushed the stage. Noel Gallagher: On-stage shove left him with three broken ribs. Robbie Williams:...
BofA Cardholder Rips 'Thieving Bastards'
Huffington Post
|
Sep 14, 2009 1:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A California woman who says she kept paying her credit card bill even after she lost her job has had enough: She's pledging not to pay down her Bank of America account until the creditor lowers her interest rate, the Huffington Post reports.. It’s “the proverbial first shot fired in an American debtors' revolution against the usury...
Pick Your Poison: Swine Flu or Hand Sanitizer
Chicago Tribune
|
Sep 14, 2009 12:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Schools are loading up on hand sanitizer in an effort to fight swine flu—but the alcohol-based panacea has problems of its own, the Chicago Tribune reports. Bottles and dispensers of the stuff are ubiquitous in classrooms, and officials have belatedly realized the dangers of its 65% alcohol content. “If there's an ignition source, it...
Guys, You Lie a Lot More Than Women
Daily Mail (UK)
|
Sep 14, 2009 12:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Men aren’t nearly as good at telling the truth as the fairer sex, according to a new poll from Fox, conducted to promote its Lie To Me DVDs. Men lie six times a day according to the study, twice as much as women. Just for kicks, here are the top lies both genders tell each other:
How Neil Came Out, Made It Big
New York
|
Sep 14, 2009 12:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Neil Patrick Harris has truly exploded this year. He's slotted to host and produce the Emmys, garnered rave reviews on Broadway, plays a womanizer on TV—and he does it all while openly gay, making his success story a sort of Hollywood first. He discusses painful memories of child stardom spent in the closet, aspirations for his future—he’d...
With Race in Play, Obama's White Support Softens
Salon
|
Sep 14, 2009 12:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama’s downward opinion-poll trajectory among whites seems to be linked to the “blackening” of his image, writes Joan Walsh in Salon. It accelerated during two racially charged moments this summer: Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court, marked with debate over her “wise Latina” comment, and...
Fellow Inmates Threaten Nancy Garrido With Rape, Murder
CBS News
|
Sep 14, 2009 12:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nancy Garrido has been placed in isolation after other inmates threatened to rape and kill her, sources tell CBS News. Like her husband, Phillip, Garrido is charged with 29 felonies stemming from the kidnapping and imprisonment of Jaycee Dugard. Though she’s expected to seek bail, it’s unlikely to be granted, analysts say. Sources say Garrido...
Spitzer Hooker Now Pimping Self to Tab
New York Post
|
Sep 14, 2009 12:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Former Spitzer call girl Ashley Dupre is “deep and throaty” on her second single, writes Dan Aquilante for the ever-so-subtle New York Post . Dupre “has turned feminist riot grrl” in a tune that might be inspired by “a dumped high-school sweetheart,” or maybe “her freedom from the likes of ‘Client 9.’”...
Obama to Wall Street: Prepare for Reform
Reuters
|
Sep 14, 2009 11:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama visited Wall Street’s historic Federal Hall today, on the anniversary of Lehman Brothers' collapse, to make the case for the financial regulatory reforms wending their way through Congress. He spoke of the need for “strong rules of the road” for the financial system. “History cannot be allowed to repeat itself,”...
Cindy McCain Declares War on Migraines
New Yorker
|
Sep 14, 2009 11:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Cindy McCain has publicly survived everything from miscarriage to stroke to a painkiller addiction—but the malady she took aim at last week was one she's endured in secret: migraines. “I’ve missed part of my life,” she told an American Headache Society luncheon. “People don’t really understand, because a headache’s...
How Obama Wooed and Won the AMA: With a $228B Gift
Chicago Tribune
|
Sep 14, 2009 11:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Ever since its cries of “socialized medicine” killed Harry Truman’s attempt to reform health care 60 years ago, the AMA has been not only a vociferous enemy of reform, but a deep-pocketed one—only the Chamber of Commerce has spent more on lobbying over the past decade. But this time the AMA's throwing that financial might behind...
