Extra! Stories

No rebuke for 'admonish,' 2009 Word of the Year

When the U.S. House admonished Rep. Joe Wilson for shouting "You lie!" at President Barack Obama during a health care speech to Congress, it not only lit up talk show lines, but also sent many people scurrying to the Internet in search of a definition. (full story)

Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go

You might call him the Mickey Mouse of video games. He's reminiscent of a doughnut, round and sweet and comforting. He's also a vessel, devoid of a real personality so you can live vicariously through him. (full story)

Archives probing Watergate notes for hidden clues

It seems history won't rest until someone fills in that 18 1/2-minute Watergate gap. (full story)

Vaccines on horizon for AIDS, Alzheimer's, herpes

Malaria. Tuberculosis. Alzheimer's disease. AIDS. Pandemic flu. Genital herpes. Urinary tract infections. Grass allergies. Traveler's diarrhea. You name it, the pharmaceutical industry is working on a vaccine to prevent it. (full story)

Russian rappers groove with Putin

Putin in da house? Da! He's tracked Siberian tigers wearing military camouflage, sat in the cockpit of a fighter jet, and shown off black-belt judo moves. Now Vladimir Putin is adding another groove to his tough guy persona: hip hop idol. (full story)

Collection of FDR papers soon to become public

The last great archives of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency may soon be available to researchers and the public - 14 boxes of handwritten notes, gifts and correspondence, including a letter from Italian dictator Benito Mussolini congratulating him on his 1933 inauguration. (full story)

Recession intensifies GenX discontent at work

They're antsy and edgy, tired of waiting for promotion opportunities at work as their elders put off retirement. A good number of them are just waiting for the economy to pick up so they can hop to the next job, find something more fulfilling and get what they think they deserve. Oh, and they want work-life balance, too. (full story)

Hawaii's famed white sandy beaches are shrinking

Jenn Boneza remembers when the white sandy beach near the boat ramp in her hometown was wide enough for people to build sand castles. (full story)

Ohio plans execution method untried on prisoners

Ohio waded into uncharted territory Friday when it announced plans to switch from the usual three-drug cocktail used to execute inmates to a one-drug method that death penalty opponents praised as a step forward - albeit one that has apparently never been tried on prisoners. (full story)

Warhol painting a hot ticket at NYC auction

A painting by Andy Warhol, "200 One Dollar Bills," brought the equivalent of 43.8 million dollar bills at auction, more than three times its highest presale estimate of $12 million. (full story)