Newser Story Index from December, 2011
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.
Sudan Says Rebel Chief Killed
Associated Press
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Dec 25, 2011 7:12 AM CST
(AP) -
The Sudanese army said it killed the leader of the main Darfur rebel group in fighting today and touted his death as a key victory. The army said Khalil Ibrahim, who led the Darfur-based Justice and Equality Movement, or JEM, was killed during a military offensive in North Kordofan state to retaliate for a deadly rebel attack there yesterday. JEM is...
Christians Usher in Christmas
BBC
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Dec 25, 2011 6:53 AM CST
(Newser) -
Pope Benedict called for an end to the violence in Syria and urged Christians to "see through the superficial glitter" as he led the celebration of Christmas in his annual Urbi et Orbi address. "May the Lord bring an end to the violence in Syria, where much blood has already been shed," the pontiff said, calling for "renewed...
Funeral Bomber Kills Afghan Lawmaker, 9 Others
Associated Press
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Dec 25, 2011 6:04 AM CST
(AP) -
A suicide bomber blew himself up today during a funeral in northern Afghanistan, killing 10 people, including a member of the national parliament, a government spokesman said. The attack occurred as mourners were leaving the funeral in the town of Talaqan, said a spokesman for the governor's office in Takhar province. Fifteen people were injured...
Now UPS Man Tosses Package, Flips the Bird
Inquisitr
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Dec 24, 2011 5:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
It appears FedEx is in good company: Now UPS is catching some flak after a Long Island delivery worker was caught on video ... not just tossing a package, but also giving the middle finger to the customer's security camera, reports the Inquisitr . The incident apparently happened on Dec. 15. A UPS rep told NBC New York , "We don’t...
Actress Suing IMDb Over Age Must Reveal Her Name
Hollywood Reporter
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Dec 24, 2011 4:48 PM CST
(Newser) -
A bizarre celebrity lawsuit takes an amusing twist. The actress suing Amazon.com for $1 million because the Internet Movie Database, which Amazon owns, revealed her real age, must reveal something of her own: her name. The Hollywood Reporter explains that a US District Court judge yesterday ruled that "the injury she fears"—apparently,...
Guess How Much Obama's Hawaii Vacation Costs
Hawaii Reporter
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Dec 24, 2011 4:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama has officially arrived in Hawaii for his family’s annual Christmas getaway to the state, and what a pricey trip it is: The Hawaiian Reporter estimated the cost of the vacation at more than $4 million. The exact cost of the trip is unknown, but based on the military’s most recent estimate that Air Force One costs $181,757...
10 Christmas Movies You Absolutely Shouldn't Watch
New York Times
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Dec 24, 2011 3:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
What are the top 10 most cringe-inducing, holiday-ruining, Santa-offending Christmas movies of all time? Online ticket seller Fandango set out to find out, and polled its customers. Among the films that you probably shouldn't watch tonight: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians : a 1964 ultra-low budget fantasy flick; good luck making it...
Syrians Cheer Assad, Boo America at Mass Funeral
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 24, 2011 3:27 PM CST
(Newser) -
The big news out of Syria today: a public funeral, held for the 44 people who died in two suicide bombings yesterday. It appeared to be a pro-President Bashar al-Assad, anti-American crowd, reports the Telegraph . Among the cries during the funeral procession in Damascus, which was attended by thousands and broadcast live on state TV: "Death...
Celebs Really Want You to Drink Their Booze
NPR
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Dec 24, 2011 3:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
It’s not just rappers hawking their own lines of alcohol : NPR reports on the growing trend of any and all celebrities peddling booze (should you need a last-minute Christmas gift...): Hanson : The one-time tweenyboppers are now in the beer-making biz, and are launching the hilariously named MMMHop India pale ale next year. Yao Ming...
For One Military Family, a $20K Holiday Miracle
Fox News
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Dec 24, 2011 2:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
'Tis the season ... to report on really great stories like this one. Santa came early for one military family, who found themselves the recipient's of Home Depot's first "Give the Gift of Good" campaign—and walked away with a $20,000 gift certificate for much-needed repairs to their home. The months-long web-based contest,...
Are North Korea's Elite Defecting?
Korea Times
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Dec 24, 2011 2:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
In Kim Jong Il's death, an opportunity to escape? Maybe. Reports out of South Korea say that members of the country's elite appear to be defecting—or considering it. "Many ranking North Korean officials in China are refusing to return after being summoned to North Korea," said Do Hee-yun, secretary general of a group that works...
5 Foods That'll Be Hot in 2012
Time
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Dec 24, 2011 1:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
If your New Year's Resolution is to "be more adventurous," this is the list for you. Writing for Time , Josh Ozersky lays out the five foods that he predicts will be hot in 2012, while admitting that these forecasts are typically "about as reliable as the photos on a Latvian dating site." That's because food writers consistently...
Hey, Virginia: Gingrich Wants You to Write Him In
Roll Call
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Dec 24, 2011 1:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
When it comes to Virginia, Newt Gingrich doesn't plan to go gentle into that good night. Following the Republican Party of Virginia's early morning announcement that the candidate did not have enough valid signatures to get on the primary ballot, Gingrich's camp said, via press release, that it would run an "aggressive" campaign...
Reclusive Heiress' Estate Mess Gets Messier
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 24, 2011 1:07 PM CST
(Newser) -
Reclusive heiress Huguette Clark's life was shrouded in mystery—and now, more intrigue. A New York City judge yesterday suspended her lawyer and accountant from administering her $400 million estate —taking away the $8 million payday they'd each receive as executors. Though both deny wrongdoing, the surrogate court judge pointed...
Media Gaffe of the Year: the Obama/Osama Mixup
Poynter Online
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Dec 24, 2011 12:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
One is the president of the United States. The other was bent on destroying the United States. So you’d think Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden would be pretty easy to keep straight. But when the former announced the death of the latter, a really embarrassing number of news outlets couldn’t , and the ubiquitous "Obama bin Laden dead"...
Iran's Navy Launches War Games
Associated Press
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Dec 24, 2011 12:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Saber rattling just in time for the holidays. Iran is launching war games in international waters in the Persian Gulf today. The 10 days of exercises will likely bring warships close to US Navy vessels patrolling beyond the Strait of Hormuz, reports AP. The exercises are intended to display Iran's might, the nation's navy chief boasted on...
De Niro Is Too Old to Have a Baby
Cafe Mom
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Dec 24, 2011 11:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
If a 68-year-old woman had a baby, nearly everyone would scream. But there's not a peep about Robert De Niro's brand-new baby daughter Helen Grace with his 56-year-old wife, Grace Hightower, via surrogate, grumbles Sasha Brown-Worsham in The Stir . Let's get real: He's too old to have a baby now, she notes. He's old enough to be...
Wrapping Paper Sales on a Tear
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 24, 2011 11:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
Just how lucrative will this holiday season turn out to be for retailers? If wrapping paper sales are any indication, pretty darn good. Both shop owners and the public are awaiting holiday shopping statistics as a clue to American confidence and an economic rebound. An early sign is wrapping paper sales, which appear to be springing back to 2007 highs,...
All Suri Wants for Christmas Is ... $130K Worth of Stuff
Gawker
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Dec 24, 2011 10:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
All Suri Cruise wants for Christmas is $130,000 worth of swag. And pals of doting parents Toms Cruise and Katie Holmes say she's probably going to get it. Topping the list of the 5-year-old apple of her parents' eye are diamond earrings, a pony, and a dress that "makes her look like a fairy princess." Tom and Katie "love the...
Occupy LA Cost City $2.35M
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 24, 2011 10:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Occupy LA protesters cost the city a cool $2.35 million—at least—largely in police overtime. The price tag doesn't include the costs of repairs to the lawn during the two-month encampment and the fountain outside City Hall. Time-and-a half overtime for the regular force and General Services cops who patrol parks cost the city a total...
Arrest Warrant Issued for Faulty Breast Implant Boss
Telegraph (UK)
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Dec 24, 2011 9:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Interpol has issued an arrest warrant for the head of a French company that used industrial grade silicone in potentially dangerous breast implants for some 30,000 women. Jean-Claude Mas, 72, is wanted by Costa Rican authorities for crimes involving "life and health," and was last seen in a Latin American nation, reports the Telegraph...
O Little Town of Bethlehem, Packed With Tourists
Associated Press
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Dec 24, 2011 9:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
There wasn't any room at the inns today as thousands of faithful thronged the streets of Bethlehem to worship at Christ's biblical birthplace. Visitors snapped photos at the 50-foot-tall Christmas tree at Manger Square and received blessings from Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, the head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, as he walked in a...
Ron Paul: Ghost Writers Penned Racist Ad, Newsletters
Reuters
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Dec 24, 2011 9:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Mysterious "ghost writers" have suddenly popped up in Ron Paul's explanation for racist and anti-gay comments in an investment newsletter and a direct-mail ad that have landed him in the hottest water of his campaign. "Dr. Paul did not write" the ad—which was signed by him—promoting his newsletters, that warned of...
Kim Jong Un Now Country's 'Supreme Commander'
BBC
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Dec 24, 2011 8:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Kim Jong Un isn't just North Korea's "Outstanding Leader" —he's now also the "Supreme Commander" of its military. He was hailed as such by the ruling party newspaper, which urged Kim to lead the country to "eternal victory." "We declare from our hearts ... we will complete the task of songun (military-first)...
Moscow Protest Draws Tens of Thousands
Associated Press
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Dec 24, 2011 8:09 AM CST
(Newser) -
It looks as if 2011 will be the year of the protester until its very last moment: Tens of thousands of people poured into central Moscow today, weathering sub-zero temps to gather in a show of anger against what they say were rigged elections and clamor for a new vote. The AP reports that it's the largest protest in the Russian capital to date,...
CIA Paused Drone Attacks in Pakistan 6 Weeks Ago
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 24, 2011 7:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
In an effort to make nice with Islamabad, the CIA paused drone missile strikes against low-level militants in Pakistan nearly six weeks ago, current and former officials tell the Los Angeles Times . The suspension affects so-called signature strikes: attacks on those who were observed, via drone or another form of intelligence, to likely be supporting...
Shroud of Turin Can't Be Fake
Telegraph (UK)
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Dec 24, 2011 7:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Shroud of Turin must be real rather than a medieval forgery, an Italian study has concluded, because the markings on it could not possibly have been created with medieval technology. Scientists tried to recreate the sepia image of a crucified man that graces the shroud, and found its physical and chemical characteristics “impossible to obtain...
Cuba to Free 2,900 Prisoners
Associated Press
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Dec 24, 2011 6:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
With a nod to Pope Benedict's upcoming visit to the country, President Raul Castro yesterday announced that Cuba would pardon 2,900 prisoners, a group that includes some convicted of political crimes, many inmates over the age of 60, and a number of women. He referred to the act as "a demonstration of the generosity and strength of the revolution,"...
Flier: TSA Said My Cupcake Was a Security Threat
WCVB Boston
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Dec 24, 2011 6:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
One sign the TSA has officially gone overboard: One of its agents deemed a Massachusetts woman's cupcake a security threat. Rebecca Hains says she was moving through security at a Las Vegas airport on Wednesday when a TSA agent took her aside and explained that the cupcake's frosting was "gel-like," violating the TSA's restrictions...
Missing From Virginia Ballot: Perry, Gingrich
Associated Press
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Dec 24, 2011 6:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
Virginia Republicans will see two fewer options on their March 6 primary ballot: Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich's names will be absent, because both men failed to get the 10,000 necessary signatures. The Republican Party of Virginia noted Perry's status yesterday, and made a second announcement early this morning. "After verification, RPV...
VW: We'll Deactivate Email When Staff Not Working
Reuters
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Dec 24, 2011 5:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Some workers in Germany will no longer have to worry about getting an email from the boss during dinner. Volkswagen has agreed to loosen the digital shackles by shutting down email service on their employees' BlackBerries during non-work hours, kissing the typical 24-hour accessibility goodbye. Europe's largest car manufacturer set the new—and...
Minimum Wage to Jump in 8 States
CNNMoney
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Dec 24, 2011 5:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
It's a very merry Christmas for certain workers in eight states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington will all increase their minimum wage on Jan. 1. The jumps range from 28 cents to 37 cents per hour, and take the states' respective wages to an hourly low of $7.64 (Colorado) and an hourly high of $9.04...
Etta James Hospitalized
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 9:22 PM CST
(AP) -
Etta James' longtime manager says the terminally ill blues singer has been hospitalized after experiencing difficulty breathing. James' family is with her at a Southern California hospital where she was taken Wednesday. The singer is "in pretty bad shape" and is on a breathing apparatus, her manager says, but it remains unknown whether...
Snowstorm Hits Western US
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 9:15 PM CST
(AP) -
Heavy snow from a winter storm blanketed parts of the West today, stranding motorists throughout New Mexico and delaying holiday travelers trying to fly in and out of Albuquerque and Denver. The snow and high winds struck the region yesterday and forced dozens of drivers off Interstate 40 after severe conditions made driving in western New Mexico nearly...
Queen's Hubby Has Heart Surgery
Telegraph (UK)
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Dec 23, 2011 9:07 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Christmas holiday is off to a not-so-joyful start for the royal family: Prince Philip has undergone treatment for a blocked coronary artery, British royal officials said today. The palace refused to confirm if the queen's 90-year-old husband had suffered a heart attack, saying only that tests showed a blocked coronary artery was causing Philip's...
Santorum Ad Inspired by ... Pop Up Video
New York
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Dec 23, 2011 5:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
GOP hopeful Rick Santorum's latest campaign ad doesn't exactly scream 2012. The video is seemingly inspired by VH1's cult classic TV show Pop Up Video, which was a huge hit after it debuted in 1996 (it was resurrected in October of this year ). In the 60-second spot, the former Pennsylvania senator plays backyard sports with his kids...
More Ex-Players Sue NFL Over Brain Damage
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 4:42 PM CST
(Newser) -
Another lawsuit is being leveled against the NFL over brain damage suffered by former players. Ex-Miami Dolphins team members Patrick Surtain and Oronde Gadsden, along with 19 other players, have filed suit in Miami and are charging that the NFL deliberately omitted or concealed evidence connecting concussions to long-term neurological problems, reports...
Justice Dept. Shoots Down South Carolina Voter ID Law
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 4:27 PM CST
(AP) -
The Justice Department today rejected South Carolina's law requiring voters to show photo identification, saying the law makes it harder for minorities to vote. Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez said the law didn't meet the burden under the Voting Rights Act and tens of thousands of minorities in South Carolina might not be unable...
Ron Paul: I Didn't Write That 'Race War' Letter
2012.talkingpointsmemo.com
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Dec 23, 2011 4:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
A rep for Ron Paul would like the clear things up—or at least one thing: The candidate did not pen a 1993 direct mail letter that warns of a "coming race war in our big cities" and a "federal-homosexual cover-up on AIDS." The eight-page letter was a promotion for his newsletter (which has also come under fire ) and appeared...
'Tis the Season to ... Pinch $1.84B Worth of Stuff?
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 3:57 PM CST
(Newser) -
In the four weeks before Christmas, shoppers will steal an estimated $1.84 billion in merchandise—a 6% spike over the same timeframe last year, according to a survey of retailers around the globe. The bump in shoplifting may be explained by dipping wages and high unemployment, reports the AP . It also doesn't help that teeming, chaotic shopping...
FedEx Sorry About Thrown Package
Christian Science Monitor
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Dec 23, 2011 3:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
FedEx suffered a public embarrassment this week in the form of a YouTube video, watched by 800,000 people, which showed an employee casually tossing a computer monitor over a 6-foot fence. Now the company is doing damage control, fighting fire with fire by posting a YouTube video of its own. In the clip, titled "Absolutely, Positively Unacceptable,"...
VP: Maliki Pushing Iraq Toward Sectarian War
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 2:48 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sunni VP Tariq al-Hashemi today openly accused Nouri al-Maliki of trying to eliminate his political rivals and run Iraq like a "one-man-show," a move that Hashemi says is pushing the country toward sectarian war. The comments came during an interview with the AP, which notes that the escalating tension between the two men , along with...
Trump Ditches Republican Party
Politico
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Dec 23, 2011 2:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Donald Trump hasn't just pulled out of the Newsmax debate—he has pulled out of the Republican Party. The Donald, who was registered as a Democrat in a former life, changed his voter registration from Republican to "independent" yesterday, and his special counsel tells Politico that Trump made the switch "in order to preserve...
After Death, More Retailers Yank Formula
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 2:10 PM CST
(AP) -
Several more national retailers have joined Walmart in pulling a batch of powdered infant formula from their shelves after a Missouri newborn who consumed it apparently died of a rare bacterial infection, the companies said today. Officials at Supervalu, Walgreens, Kroger, and Safeway say they have removed 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn with...
Google Maps Advises Against Mordor Visits
Telegraph (UK)
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Dec 23, 2011 1:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
With The Hobbit trailer out , some among us may feel inspired to risk the trek to Mordor. But if you look for walking directions to it from the Shire on Google Maps, you'll be greeted with a warning: "Use caution—One does not simply walk into Mordor." The phrase echoes a line from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring...
Romney Just Keeps Making Stuff Up
New York Times
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Dec 23, 2011 1:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney doesn't seem to set great store by the truth: Lately, he's been ascribing views to President Obama that are pure fabrication, notes Paul Krugman in the New York Times . Just this week, the former governor implied that Obama sought a society in which "everyone receives the same or similar rewards, regardless of education,...
Astronaut Shoots Comet Video... From Space
Telegraph (UK)
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Dec 23, 2011 1:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
An astronaut has captured video of a comet, and it looks like it's straight out of a sci-fi flick. International Space Station Commander Dan Burbank was snapping images of lightning storms over the Pacific when Comet Lovejoy made its appearance. He didn't know what it was at first, describing it as "a long green glowing arc." He calls...
Netflix Boss' Stock Options Cut in Half
Bloomberg
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Dec 23, 2011 12:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is paying the price for the price hike / Qwikster debacle that has sent the company’s share price down 75% since July. Hastings' annual stock option allowance will be cut by 50%, bringing it to $1.5 million, the company revealed in a regulatory filing yesterday. He'll still take home a $500,000 salary in 2012....
Gay Kiss Is Milestone, but Military Must Do More
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 23, 2011 12:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
When Marissa Gaeta stepped off the USS Oak Hill after a three-month deployment and gave her girlfriend the "first kiss" , it was just one example of the "exemplary progress" the US military has made in "modernizing its culture," declares the Los Angeles Times in an editorial. But while the gay homecoming kiss is a...
In US, 77% Believe in Angels
Associated Press
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Dec 23, 2011 12:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hark! A sizable majority of Americans believe the herald angels really might be practicing their chorus. A new AP-GfK poll shows that 77% of adults think angels are real. That’s significantly lower than the 92% who professed belief in God in a May poll, but a lot higher than the 34% of people who said, in a 2007 poll, that they believe in non-religious...
