Newser Story Index from December, 2010
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.
Expect $5 Gas in 2012: Former Shell Oil Chief
CNN
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Dec 28, 2010 5:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
Gasoline prices will hit $5 per gallon within the next year, the former president of Shell Oil predicts. John Hofmeister says oil demand will ramp up as developed economies approach a full recovery from the shocks of 2008 and developing economies increase their demand. "I'm predicting actually the worst outcome over the next two years which takes...
8 Young Homeless Squatters Killed in New Orleans Fire
Associated Press
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Dec 28, 2010 4:35 PM CST
(AP) -
The deadliest city blaze in decades killed eight homeless squatters who were burning debris in an abandoned warehouse to stay warm, authorities said. Firefighters said they could not tell the ages or genders of the victims, but agencies that work with the homeless said they believe some or all the victims were in their late teens or early 20s.
Teen Mom Star Pleads Not Guilty in Filmed Assault
TMZ
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Dec 28, 2010 3:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
Teen Mom star Amber Portwood has pleaded not guilty to beating baby daddy Gary Shirley. The altercation that was captured by MTV during the filming of the reality program shows Portwood slapping and hitting her then-boyfriend during a heated argument. All of it took place in front of the couple's 2-year-old daughter, Leah. Portwood, who faces felony...
Several Injured After Ski Lift Breaks; 200 Are Rescued
CNN
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Dec 28, 2010 3:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
Several people were injured when a ski lift broke at a Maine ski resort today, sending their chairs plunging about 30 feet to the ground. None of the injuries appear to be life-threatening. All 200 or so people who had been trapped on the lift at the Sugarloaf resort have been safely brought down, reports CNN . A local hospital said it received three...
Third Triplet Born 11 Years After Sisters
Daily Mail (UK)
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Dec 28, 2010 3:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
For a baby, Ryleigh Shepherd looks a whole heck of a lot like her 11-year-old sisters Megan and Bethany—which makes sense, because technically, they’re triplets. Welcome to the miracles of modern reproduction. When health problems prevented Lisa Shepherd from conceiving naturally, she and her husband went the in vitro route. They fertilized...
China Again Cuts Exports of Rare Earth Metals
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 28, 2010 2:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
China will reduce its exports of rare earth metals by 35% over the next 6 months, the Wall Street Journal reports. Having raised taxes on exports of the crucial metals earlier this month, this move will likely bring more attention to the stranglehold Beijing holds on the supply of minerals used to make everything from cell phones to tactical...
Surprise: Neanderthals Liked Their Veggies, Too
BBC
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Dec 28, 2010 2:27 PM CST
(Newser) -
Researchers have found evidence that suggests Neanderthals cooked and ate vegetables: Traces of fossilized vegetable matter were found in their teeth, and some of it appears to have been cooked. It could overturn the notion that Neanderthals were exclusive meat eaters and instead had a diet that was more sophisticated—and closer to our own—than...
West African Leaders Push Ivory Coast's Gbagbo to Leave
BBC
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Dec 28, 2010 1:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Last chance for a peaceful resolution? West African leaders met with Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo today to try to resolve the country’s post-election strife, the BBC reports. The heads of Benin, Sierra Leone, and Cape Verde met with Gbagbo, who has refused to step down despite international support for his opponent, President-elect Alassane...
Airlines' Crowded Planes Slow Storm Recovery
fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com
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Dec 28, 2010 1:38 PM CST
(Newser) -
When a blizzard the size of this week's arrives on the scene, air travel is going to suffer . But Nate Silver points out something else that's contributing to the slow recovery: airlines are flying with more passengers these days. Through September, "load factors on domestic flights—essentially the percentage of available seats that they...
Frito-Lay to Make Half Its Chips All-Natural
USA Today
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Dec 28, 2010 1:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
Frito-Lay: Health food company? Well, not exactly, but the oft-maligned snack maker is giving its line a makeover that should play well with the Whole Foods crowd. Starting in 2011, 50% of its line will be made from all-natural ingredients, USA Today reports. That means no more sodium diacetate in the Hint of Lime Tostitos, no more monosodium glutamate...
Welcome the HoBos: Homosexual Bourgeoisie
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 28, 2010 1:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
Doesn't seem that long ago that the "gay left wanted to smash the bourgeois prisons of monogamy, capitalistic enterprise, and patriotic values and bask in the warm sun of bohemian 'free love,'" writes Jonah Goldberg. Now homosexuals want to get married and serve in the military. Like a lot of once-subversive cultural movements, it's not so...
Social Security Reform Could Save Obama's Presidency
Washington Post
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Dec 28, 2010 12:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
If President Obama wants to get things done, he’ll have to keep cooperating with Republicans—and offer a “decisive” economic message. He can accomplish both of these goals, and push himself toward reelection, with Social Security reform, writes Michael Gerson in the Washington Post . Reform would a significant symbolic move,...
'Most Mysterious Man in Washington' Is ... Harry Reid?
Esquire
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Dec 28, 2010 12:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
If your image of Harry Reid is that of a dull Washington politician, a new Esquire profile is worth a read. Mark Warren makes the case that Reid is, in fact, "the most mysterious man in Washington." The Senate majority leader is a walking paradox—"an upright Mormon who defends Sin City like a hawk" and who inspires fierce...
Prince William, Kate: No Servants for Us
Telegraph (UK)
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Dec 28, 2010 12:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Prince William and Kate Middleton are determined to be just like you and me—which apparently means making their own coffee in the morning. During the weekends they'll spend together during their first three years as husband and wife—the prince will be busy finishing his RAF tour of duty during the week—they will somehow get by without...
Get a Grip: Jon Stewart Is No Murrow
CNN
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Dec 28, 2010 11:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Jon Stewart’s push for the 9/11 first responders bill has been getting him lots of praise, and drawing some lofty comparisons—the New York Times even likened him to Edward R. Murrow . But “Murrow didn’t do fart jokes,” argues Steve Krakauer of CNN . “Stewart is an extremely influential member of the media....
For a Better Relationship, Postpone Sex
LiveScience
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Dec 28, 2010 11:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
If you’re after a healthy relationship, it may be best to wait before hitting the sack. Couples who wait longer are more satisfied and stable later, research published in the Journal of Family Psycholog y suggests. “If couples become sexual too early, this very rewarding area of the relationship overwhelms good decision-making and keeps...
Iranian Man Executed as Israeli Spy
New York Times
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Dec 28, 2010 11:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
Iran today hanged Ali-Akbar Siadat after convicting him of “spreading corruption on earth,” “supporting the Zionist regime,” and “opposing the Islamic republic" as a spy for Israel. According to Iranian authorities, Siadat met with Israel repeatedly over the course of six years, traveling to such far-flung destinations...
Urban Sprawl: CityVille Tops FarmVille
TechCrunch
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Dec 28, 2010 10:58 AM CST
(Newser) -
Zynga is officially taking over the planet, having converted millions of functioning human beings into game-playing zombies in the first month of its latest release alone, reports TechCrunch . CityVille, oddly reminiscent of the Sims, has logged a whopping 72.5 million monthly unique visitors since its launch Dec. 2—eclipsing country cousin...
Apple Sued for Letting Our Apps Track Us
Bloomberg
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Dec 28, 2010 10:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Apple allows iPhone and iPad apps to send users' personal info to advertising networks without consent, according to a lawsuit filed last week. The suit says the gadgets contain identifying devices that let these networks track users' app downloads and usage, Bloomberg reports. Some apps also sell information like users' "location, age, gender,...
Pastor Denies Committing Christmas Eve Burglary
Dallas Morning News
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Dec 28, 2010 10:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
Dallas preacher Sandy McGriff says she wasn’t breaking into a congregant’s house on Christmas Eve to rob her—she did it to protect the woman from other burglars. McGriff, who was arrested when police caught her loading $10,000 worth of valuables into her car, says she stopped by to check on Serita Agnew's house when she saw two men...
Kids Curse, Oldsters Ramble: Facebook Study
Business Insider
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Dec 28, 2010 10:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
You can learn a lot when you’re listening to 550 million people. Using linguistic software, Facebook analysts investigated what people were saying in status updates, and came up with a number of interesting trends, Business Insider reports: The oldsters chatter quite a bit: Status update length was the best way to predict age. Older...
Wife Fakes Kidnapping to See if Hubby Would Pay Ransom
AFP
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Dec 28, 2010 9:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Strike this from the list of "Ways to know if my husband truly loves me": A Spanish woman has been detained after faking her own kidnapping to see if her husband would be willing to fork over the ransom money. According to police, she texted him a photo of herself in which her hands and feet were bound, along with demands that $26,000 be...
SEC Snooping Around Facebook, Twitter Trades
New York Times
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Dec 28, 2010 9:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
The SEC wants information about the surging private stock exchanges that have grown up around top social networks, the New York Times reports. Shares of Facebook, Twitter, Zynga, and LinkedIn are all sought-after commodities—though none of the companies are publicly held. As the exchanges gain popularity, Wall Street investment pools are...
Empire Strikes Back Bound for Library of Congress
Associated Press
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Dec 28, 2010 9:11 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Empire Strikes Back and Saturday Night Fever are among 25 films bound for a special Library of Congress archive this year. Some 2,100 films picked by the National Film Preservation Board and the public were nominated for preservation in the National Film Registry, the AP reports. The films aren’t necessarily considered the best in history;...
Hugh Hefner Engaged, but Not Getting Married
suntimes.com
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Dec 28, 2010 9:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hugh Hefner is engaged , but don't expect to see his fiancee walking down the aisle anytime soon. Sources tells Bill Zwecker that a wedding is unlikely, and that his union with 24-year-old Playmate Crystal Harris will remain a long-term Hollywood engagement. “Though in Hef’s case, how long can that be?” one source told the Sun-Times...
Alvin Greene Running for Office Again
The Hill
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Dec 28, 2010 8:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Everyone’s favorite mumbling unemployed Senate candidate is jumping back in the political arena, this time running for the more attainable post of South Carolina state representative. Alvin Greene has signed up to run in the special election for state Rep. Cathy Harvin’s seat, paying his $165 entry fee just minutes after registration...
More Sexy Miley Cyrus Photos Leak
PopEater
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Dec 28, 2010 8:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
Miley Cyrus keeps making news for all the wrong reasons. On the heels of her bong debacle , fresh racy photos of the 18-year-old have hit the Internet, compliments of The Superficial. Click here to see them, or spare yourself the visual—we'll do the painful looking for you. In one, a woman said to be her female assistant pretends to lick Miley's...
NASA Forced to Spend $500M on Canceled Rocket Program
Orlando Sentinel
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Dec 28, 2010 7:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Thanks to congressional inaction, NASA is being forced to spend $500 million on canceled projects—but can't begin much-needed modernization programs, reports the Orlando Sentinel . NASA's Constellation program, designed to return people to the moon, was canceled earlier this year by President Obama. But lawmakers inserted language into the...
2008 All Over Again: Obama to Base Campaign in Chicago
Politico
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Dec 28, 2010 7:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
President Obama’s reelection campaign will likely be based in Chicago, not Washington—a rare move for a sitting president, and one that his advisers hope will help him rekindle the energy of 2008, Politico notes. Usually, campaigns are kept close to the president’s DC home, where they’re easily accessible, said a Democratic...
Travelers Still Stranded as Airports Struggle With Snow
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 28, 2010 7:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Northeast struggled for the second day to dig itself out from the weekend’s blizzard today, as travelers around the country cursed the snow. Though all three major New York airports have begun accepting flights again, the three have amongst them canceled a total of almost 1,500 flights, the Wall Street Journal reports. Finding seats for...
Five Teens Found Dead in Hotel Room Accident
Miami Herald
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Dec 28, 2010 7:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
Five teens were found dead in a Florida hotel room yesterday, after apparently accidentally poisoning themselves with carbon monoxide. Juchen Martial and his friends had rented the $62 motel room Sunday night to celebrate his birthday. But they left their car running, parked below their hotel room. The fumes from its exhaust drifted up and in through...
Iraqi PM: US Troops Must Get Out by End of 2011
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 28, 2010 7:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
US troops must stand by the plan to depart Iraq at the end of 2011, Iraq's PM tells the Wall Street Journal in a lengthy interview. Despite wide expectations that nine months of post-election turmoil would extend the US presence, “the last American soldier will leave Iraq” as scheduled, he said. “This agreement is not subject...
White House: Obama 'Condemns' Vick's Crime
Huffington Post
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Dec 28, 2010 6:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
Yes, President Obama did applaud the Philadelphia Eagles’ owner for giving Michael Vick a chance—but the White House is soothing any ruffled feathers by clarifying that he “condemns” the quarterback’s crimes, a spokesman tells the Huffington Post . Obama “does think that individuals who have paid for their crimes...
Zimbabwe's PM May Face Treason in WikiLeaks Fallout
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 28, 2010 6:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
Zimbabwe’s prime minister could face treason charges over material in WikiLeaks’ cable releases, the Guardian reports. One leaked cable suggests Morgan Tsvangirai said sanctions against his country “must be kept in place.” Now the attorney general is planning an investigation. “The WikiLeaks appear to show a treasonous...
Staph Recall Sours Whole Foods' Gingerbread
NPR
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Dec 28, 2010 5:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the ... Staphylococcus man? The super-nasty bacteria Staphylococcus aureaus were found on gingerbread made by Rolf's Patisserie and sold at Whole Foods in 23 states, reports NPR , causing a recall on Christmas Eve. The bakery has been linked to four food poisoning incidents that caused about...
Elton John, Hubby Welcome Baby Boy
Us Weekly
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Dec 28, 2010 5:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
Piano man Elton John and husband David Furnish have welcomed a baby boy into their lives. Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John was born Christmas Day to a surrogate mom in California whose identity has not been released, reports Us . "We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy," said John, 62, and Furnish, 48, in a joint statement. "We...
Earliest Human Remains Discovered in Israel: Team
Associated Press
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Dec 28, 2010 4:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Modern man may have emerged from Israel, not Africa, as is commonly believed, according to a discovery by Tel Aviv University archaeologists. Researchers believe they found 400,000-year-old Homo sapiens teeth in a cave in central Israel—that's twice as old as the oldest modern human remains currently known, reports AP . "This changes the...
For Bad Border Collies, a Solution: Rented Sheep
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 28, 2010 4:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sue Foster knew just what to do when her antsy border collie Taff got naughty: Rent him some sheep. Now Foster owns a herd of sheep, some land in Washington state, and two more border collies. "I never dreamed it would go this far," Foster tells the Wall Street Journal . And she's not alone. Border collie fans are finding out fast that...
Banks Badger Whiz Who Found Credit Card PIN Flaw
Independent
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Dec 28, 2010 3:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
British banks are badgering a top Cambridge math student whose doctoral thesis exposes security flaws in bank credit card payment systems. Omar Choudary reveals how easy it is to use "chip-and-PIN" credit cards (similar to a US bank debit card) without a PIN number. Now banks are complaining that he has essentially written a how-to manual...
Navy Man Nailed With Powder Leaps to Death at Airport
Associated Press
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Dec 28, 2010 3:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Los Angeles-bound US Navy officer jumped to his death at the Manila airport after being caught at an X-ray machine with a packet of white power believed to be cocaine in his bags. Tests later showed the packet held no illegal drugs, reports AP. Filipino officials, however, confirmed to local media that the packet contained cocaine. Handcuffed...
Britain to Boost Palestinian Recognition
Independent
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Dec 28, 2010 3:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
Britain is poised to give Palestinians diplomatic recognition, despite the collapse of US-sponsored peace talks and the risk of triggering Israeli fury, reports the Independent . Britain's upgrade—which is largely symbolic and stops short of allowing the Palestinian representative to present credentials to the queen—is in response to...
Cell Phone Condoms Charm Chinese Teens
New York Daily News
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Dec 28, 2010 2:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
What's the latest little doodad Chinese teens love to attach to their cell phones? Condoms! It seems few gabbers in the Nanning region can be without the handy-dandy packaged "charm." Parents and teachers "can take this opportunity to strengthen sex education, to preach correct and scientific sex knowledge," gushed a Chinese psychologist.
Bombay Stock Exchange Offers 'Sharia Index'
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 28, 2010 2:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
In the latest sign of the times, the Bombay Stock Exchange is offering a new index of Indian stocks from companies whose practices comply with Sharia, the legal code of Islam. The BSE TASIS Sharia 50 index is based on guidelines of an Indian Sharia advisory board and includes the 50 largest and most liquid Sharia-compliant stocks of the Bombay exchange,...
Teen Mom Jailed for Felony Domestic Abuse
TMZ
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Dec 28, 2010 1:41 AM CST
(Newser) -
A star of the Teen Mom reality series is in an Indiana jail today after being busted for felony domestic abuse. Amber Portwood, 20, was videotaped in scenes for the MTV program viciously smacking and kicking the father of her toddler daughter, boyfriend Gary Shirley, as the little girl watched, reports TMZ . Portwood has been charged with two felony...
Brit Terror Suspects Targeted US Embassy, Big Ben
ABC News
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Dec 28, 2010 1:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Suspected terrorists charged yesterday in a British court were targeting the US embassy in London—as well as the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the London Stock Exchange—for a bomb attack in the days before Christmas, according to prosecutors. Reconnaissance notes for the sites and al-Qaeda propaganda leaflets were found among...
I'll Get Home Next Christmas: Thousands Still Stranded
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2010 8:13 PM CST
(AP) -
Thousands of travelers are still sitting bored and bleary-eyed in airports, stuck buses, and subways today, a day after parts of the Northeast got slammed by more than 2 feet of show. "People are exhausted. They want to get home," sighed a Tel Aviv-bound traveler who had been marooned at JFK Airport since yesterday. And some may sit for days....
NYT 's Deepwater 'Scoop' Was Regurgitated: AP Reporter
Poynter Online
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Dec 27, 2010 6:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Times ' sweeping account of the Deepwater Horizon's final hours may be compelling storytelling, but it is not news, claims AP oil spill reporter Harry Weber . Though the Times story claims to be an account built from new disclosures that "make it possible to finally piece together the Horizon’s last hours," it's...
Sarah Palin: 'Refudiate' Was Just Sloppy Typing
Huffington Post
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Dec 27, 2010 6:43 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sarah Palin used her TLC soapbox last night to repudiate, er, refute, er, whatever , that whole refudiate ruckus, explaining that it was a mere typo. "I pressed an F instead of a P and people freaked out," Palin said. "Make lemonade out of lemons." Critics, however, aren't buying, reports the Huffington Post : Palin used the term...
Sanford Leaves Office Saying, 'Never Say Never'
Associated Press
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Dec 27, 2010 6:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mark Sanford leaves the South Carolina governor's mansion next week a 50-year-old divorcee whose adultery ground his race toward political rock stardom to a screeching, sobbing halt. But though he's free to head out on the Appalachian trail for real this time, the AP notes in an exit interview that Sanford also leaves a valuable legacy: He successfully...
Why Bill Clinton Is Veganism's No. 1 Buddy
Salon
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Dec 27, 2010 5:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
Most people snickered when PETA named Bill Clinton its person of the year , but it was a genius pick, writes Mary Elizabeth Williams on Salon . Most people also know the benefits of veganism, but what it lacks is a guy who can make it "seem realistic, accessible and, frankly, pretty damn good-looking." That's what Clinton provides: In a...
