Newser Story Index from October, 2007
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.
Archbishop 'Sorry' for Giving Communion to Gay 'Sisters'
San Francisco Chronicle
|
Oct 17, 2007 12:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The archbishop of San Francisco has apologized for giving Communion to two male members of the outlandish gay group the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The archbishop sparked a nationwide controversy when he administered Communion to the pair, dressed as nuns, from the San Francisco-based activist group that lives by the motto "go forth and sin...
Norman Mailer Back in Hospital
New York Post
|
Oct 17, 2007 12:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Norman Mailer was hospitalized yesterday in New York for respiratory ailments; his ex-wife said surgery had succeeded in removing scar tissue after a lung collapse—but she worried that he’s “not in very good shape.” It's the second recent scare for the 84-year-old literary lion, hospitalized for...
Dot-Com Bubble 2.0 Sparks Fears of Another Bust
New York Times
|
Oct 17, 2007 12:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Remember the dot-com bubble, when companies' huge price tags were based on buzz instead of revenue? Here we go again. Facebook is a prime example: It's valued at as much as $15 billion—half as much as established Yahoo, though the search giant has 32 times the revenue. “There’s definitely a lot of betting going on, and it’s...
No More Politics in Justice Dept., Mukasey Vows
Reuters
|
Oct 17, 2007 12:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Michael Mukasey-led Justice Department won’t be the White House puppet many accused it of being under Alberto Gonzalez, the Attorney General nominee promised as confirmation hearings opened today. “Legal decisions and the progress of cases are decided by facts and law, not by interests and motives,” he said, and promised to advise...
DNA Pioneer Ignites Furor Over Race and Intelligence
Independent (UK)
|
Oct 17, 2007 12:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
One of the most decorated modern scientists has ignited an explosion after telling the Independent that white people are smarter than black people—a view also reflected in his new book. James Watson, who helped discover the structure of DNA, claimed Western policies towards Africa should not assume "that their intelligence is the same...
May the Force Be on TV
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 17, 2007 11:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
C-3PO, R2-D2…and TiVo? Star Wars mastermind George Lucas has “just begun work” on a live-action series TV series set in his storied universe. But don’t expect Luke to turn to the dark side in the pilot episode: Lucas is “taking chances” by not featuring anyone named Skywalker or Solo or Vader, the Los Angeles...
Microsoft Sees Office Phone as Next Frontier
Fortune Magazine
|
Oct 17, 2007 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Microsoft is famous for ever-more-complicated programs for ever-faster computers, and now it's taking aim at an overlooked piece of hardware: the phone. Yesterday, Bill Gates launched a line of software designed for office telephones that aims to make phone tag a thing of the past. It's a multi-billion-dollar sector, Fortune writes, but one in which...
Bush: Congress Wasting Time
CNN
|
Oct 17, 2007 11:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
George Bush ripped Congress today, in a bruising opening to a press conference, saying Democrats had largely wasted their first nine months in power. “The clock is winding down,” the president said, alleging lethargy on issues like health care, education, veterans and security. He then attacked the Armenian genocide resolution that enraged...
Hacker Pranks Ann Coulter's Website
Tech.Blorge
|
Oct 17, 2007 11:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The website of vituperative talking head Ann Coulter suddenly became apologetic when visitors discovered a short letter by the columnist claiming that her entire career was a "sick joke." A few blogs and media outlets picked up on Coulter's amazing mea maxima culpa— until it turned out to be the work of a hacker.
Turkey OKs Strikes in Iraq
New York Times
|
Oct 17, 2007 10:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Turkish Parliament today authorized its prime minister to send the country's military into Iraq to combat Kurdish separatists who have been accused of raids on Turkish soil. The 526-19 vote gives year-long permission for military strikes across the border, CNN reports. With 60,000 Turkish troops amassed in the area and some shells fired into Iraq...
Acupuncture Reduces Post-Op Pain: Studies
Reuters
|
Oct 17, 2007 10:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Acupuncture before or during surgery can reduce post-operative pain, researchers have found. Patients who received the nontraditional treatment reported less pain after various surgeries, needed less pain medication and suffered fewer side effects from the medication they took, according to 15 clinical studies reviewed by the team. "The use of...
Victoria's Secret Gets Spicy CD
E! Online
|
Oct 17, 2007 10:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
What Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Baby, and Posh want—what they really, really want—is for you to head to Victoria's Secret stores or website, where they will sell their upcoming greatest-hits album exclusively. The Spice Girls join a recent trend of nontraditional music releases that includes Radiohead, Prince, Madonna, and Paul McCartney, E!...
Sen. Hutchison Eyes Run for Texas Governor
CQPolitics
|
Oct 17, 2007 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison will not seek re-election in 2012, and may end her term early to run for Texas governor, she told Texas Monthly. But Hutchison said it's "too early to be gearing up" for the 2010 gubernatorial election now because she doesn't "want to peak in 2007."
Gore Rules Out Presidential Run
Associated Press
|
Oct 17, 2007 10:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nobel or not, Al Gore still isn’t running for president. “I’m involved in a different kind of campaign," Gore told Norwegian TV in an interview broadcast today. "It’s a global campaign to change the way people think about the climate crisis.” Many hoped the award would push Gore to run, but a poll yesterday showed...
Housing Starts Plummet to 14-Year Low
Wall Street Journal
|
Oct 17, 2007 9:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New homes starts fell to their lowest level in 14 years last month, plunging 10%—to an annualized rate of 1.191 million—after expectations of a 4.2% decline. The number followed a 3.2% drop in August, the Wall Street Journal reports. A homebuilders' confidence gauge registered its lowest number since its 1985 inception. Housing continues...
Britain to Claim Antarctic Seabed
Guardian (UK)
|
Oct 17, 2007 9:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain will submit a claim to the UN for 386,000 square miles of Antarctica, its foreign office said today, joining the international race to grab a piece of the mineral- and oil-rich territory as global warming makes it more accessible. The move violates a 1959 treaty, which Britain signed, that blocks new claims other than for scientific research,...
3,000 Detained in Burma, by Junta's Count
Associated Press
|
Oct 17, 2007 9:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Burma’s military regime imprisoned roughly 3,000 people in last month’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, the state-run newspaper announced today. Over 500 are still in custody, and more are being arrested each day. “Those who should be released will be,” the paper said. Meanwhile international outrage has prompted Japan...
Dolan Deal for Cablevision Is on the Rocks
New York Times
|
Oct 17, 2007 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dolan family bid to take Cablevision private is on the verge of collapse, the New York Times reports, after James Dolan announced last night that the $10.6 billion bid won't be upped, and the company’s largest shareholder balked. ClearBridge Advisors, which owns 13.6% of shares, threatened to vote against the $36.26 a share offer next week,...
Tsongas Wins House Seat in Close Vote
Boston Globe
|
Oct 17, 2007 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Democrat Niki Tsongas, the widow of Sen. Paul Tsongas, has won a special election for a vacant Massachusetts House seat once held by her husband, reports the Boston Globe . Making the election a referendum on President Bush and the war in Iraq, she headed off a strong challenge from a Republican farmer who presented himself as a Washington outsider.
MySpace to Partner With Skype
New York Times
|
Oct 17, 2007 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Online juggernauts MySpace and Skype will team to connect users of the social networking website to the free online phone call service starting in November. Skype's CEO called the move "an obvious fit," while the New York Times notes the potential crossover—MySpace claims 110 million mostly US-based users, while Skype has 220 million...
Armenian Genocide Vote Withering in Turkish Heat
Politico
|
Oct 17, 2007 6:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Members of Congress are backing off a resolution that would classify Turkish purges of Armenians as genocide. The bill's approval by a committee last week infuriated the Turks, who called home their ambassador and have threatened to forbid US military use of Turkish airspace and bases to support Iraqi operations if the resolution passes. Turkey is...
Bank Superfund Wins Backers, Detractors
Wall Street Journal
|
Oct 17, 2007 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A planned superfund of $80 to $100 billion to alleviate the subprime lending crisis is gaining ground, though some potential investors remain skeptical. Yesterday, Wachovia Corp. came on board; Fidelity and Federated Investors have already agreed to chip in. The trio of banks leading the fund—Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America—aim...
Yahoo's Earnings Top Expectations
CNN
|
Oct 17, 2007 6:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yahoo reported better-than-expected sales and profits for the third quarter yesterday, pushing its stock up 10% in after-hours trading—despite having fallen 4% during regular market hours. The company pulled in a net income of $151 million, or 11 cents a share, slightly behind earnings for this time last year, but well ahead of the 8 cents a...
Crash Halts Indian Trading
Financial Times (UK)
|
Oct 17, 2007 5:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks in India took a spectacular dive today, forcing the suspension of trading only three minutes after the markets opened. The FT reports that a proposal by the stock exchange regulator to restrict the inflow of foreign capital through offshore derivatives triggered a massive sell-off. India's minister of finance called for calm after the Sensex...
Avalanche Douses Flames in Shootout
Denver Post
|
Oct 17, 2007 5:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Colorado Avalanche remained undefeated at home with a 5-4 shootout win last night over the Calgary Flames. Colorado recovered from a 4-0 deficit early in the second period after replacing Peter Budaj with Jose Theodore in goal. The Avalanche then scored four in a row and snuffed two Flames power plays to force overtime, reports the Denver Post....
Justice Switched Focus to Sex, Terror & Immigrants
Washington Post
|
Oct 17, 2007 5:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As the Senate Judiciary Committee today considers the nomination of Michael Mukasey as attorney general, data shows a profound shift in focus by the Justice Department over the 7 years of the Bush administration. The prosecution of mobsters, white collar criminals, environmental crimes and civil rights violations have taken a back seat to immigration,...
Probe Gets New Baseball Steroid Evidence
Associated Press
|
Oct 17, 2007 4:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A former Mets clubhouse attendant has turned over documentation allegedly detailing players' use of performance-enhancers to George Mitchell’s investigation of steroids in baseball. In April the attendant pleaded guilty to providing major leaguers with performance-enhancing drugs from 1995-2005. Now Mitchell has received the paperwork linking...
Baylor Coach Caught With His Pants Down
Waco Tribune-Herald
|
Oct 17, 2007 4:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Baylor University's offensive line and tight end coach Eric Schnupp has been cited for a misdemeanor after urinating on a bar at closing time. The team has suspended him indefinitely. The public micturation, initially denied by Schnupp, occurred at a Waco bar called Scruffy Murphy's following a 58-10 loss to Kansas.
Microchips Earning Maxi Profits
Wall Street Journal
|
Oct 17, 2007 4:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Silicon Valley giant Intel, whose microchips are an integral part of most computers, reported a 43% jump in net income to $1.86 billion for the third quarter—and forecast another increase in the current quarter. The company is firing on all cylinders, with investors driving up the stock 26% so far this year, the Wall Street Journal reports. ...
Indians Poised to Eliminate Sox
Associated Press
|
Oct 17, 2007 4:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Cleveland Indians moved to within one game of the World Series last night with a 7-3 takedown of the Red Sox, reports the AP. Cleveland's runs came in a breakout fifth inning against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield and reliever Manny Delcarmen. Despite making postseason history two innings later, the Red Sox couldn't avoid falling into a 3-1 series...
Panthers Steal Victory in Shootout
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
|
Oct 17, 2007 4:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Montreal Canadiens took first blood last night, scoring against Florida's Tomas Vokoun three minutes into the game, but the Panthers had the final say in a 2-1 win. A late third-quarter goal by Nathan Horton forced a shootout, and Vokoun denied the Canadiens another score, reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Dissing Cousins: Cheney & Obama Are Kin!
Associated Press
|
Oct 17, 2007 3:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama have an unlikely bond. They are eighth cousins, according to Cheney's wife, Lynne. She discovered the two share a common 17th Century ancestor in French Huguenot Mareen Duvall, whose son married the granddaughter of a Richard Cheney in Maryland in the 1650s, she told MSNBC.
Ellen Breaks Down Over Botched Dog Adoption
People
|
Oct 17, 2007 3:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres broke down in tears on her program yesterday as she described a doggie adoption flub. She and her partner adopted a pup named Iggy from an agency, but when the dog didn't get along with the couple's cats, Ellen gave it to her hairdresser. That violated her adoption agreement, and the agency repo'ed Iggy from the...
Egypt on Board for Peace Talks
Reuters
|
Oct 17, 2007 2:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has restored Egypt's confidence in the US commitment to the Mideast peace process and won official support for peace talks this year, Reuters reports. The process is floundering for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the Bush administration has only a year left in office. Egypt is key to bringing other...
Chargers Add Chambers
San Diego Union-Tribune
|
Oct 17, 2007 2:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
San Diego has made a gutsy mid-season trade to help its passing offense, picking up Miami playmaker Chris Chambers in exchange for a second-round pick. Chambers replaces rookie Buster Davis, who in turn was filling in for injured starter Eric Parker. He leaves a floundering 0-6 Dolphins team for a trendy pre-season Super Bowl pick.
Struggling Kings Tame the Wild
Minneapolis Star Tribune
|
Oct 17, 2007 2:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Wild, undefeated and hot off a big win against Anaheim, fell hard against the struggling Kings last night. The Wild's uncharacteristically undisciplined play handed the Kings eight power plays. The Kings then chalked up shootout goals from all three shooters to take the game 4-3, saving them from dropping six straight.
Philly Flyers Thrash Thrashers
Philadelphia Inquirer
|
Oct 17, 2007 2:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Last season the Flyers finished last in their division; the Thrashers first. But you wouldn't have known it at last night's game when Philly dominated Atlanta on the way to a 4-0 victory. The win left the Flyers at 4-1-0 and the Thrashers reeling at 0-6.
Drug-Proof Superbug Turns Deadly
Washington Post
|
Oct 16, 2007 11:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An antibiotic-resistant strain of staph kills more Americans each year than HIV, accounting for almost 19,000 deaths annually, the first national stats on the superbug reveal. The super-staph is treatable but can quickly lead to dangerous "flesh-eating" infections. "We really need to be on guard against these emerging organisms,"...
Burma's Blood Rubies Lift Junta
Der Spiegel
|
Oct 16, 2007 9:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Precious Burmese rubies account for 90% of the world's supply, and fund that nation's brutal military junta, according to Der Spiegel. Though some dealers maintain that ruby sales support the opposition, the German paper reports that profits instead go straight to the junta's coffers. Not only that, but gem miners (including children) work under...
Resource-Rich Greenland Looks to Break Free
Christian Science Monitor
|
Oct 16, 2007 8:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Global warming has put Greenland’s mineral and oil deposits within reach, raising the volume on long-simmering chatter about independence. Denmark supplies much of the island's budget—including a substantial welfare system—but the self-sufficiency offered by melting ice means Greenlanders may no longer need the Danes at all, reports...
Toyota Loses Quality Grade
Wall Street Journal
|
Oct 16, 2007 8:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey won't rubber stamp Toyotas with a high grade anymore, the Wall Street Journal reports. Recent low marks for the Camry V-6 and Tundra V-8 have robbed the carmaker of its automatic okay, while Ford and other US firms are closing the reliability gap. Toyota's other recent problems include a rash of defections...
Can 1987's Black Monday Happen Again?
MSNBC
|
Oct 16, 2007 7:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Twenty years ago, Black Monday—now, the credit crunch. Haven’t we learned a thing? Yes and no, says MSNBC: Today, "circuit breakers" make a 1987-style sell-off unlikely by cutting off trading at certain limits. And new, tighter mortgage standards will keep credit under control. But greed and fear will again find ways to rock the...
Outsider Beats Big Names for Booker Prize
Times (UK)
|
Oct 16, 2007 7:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Chalk up one for the little guy (or girl): Relative newcomer Anne Enright won this year's coveted Man Booker prize for best novel, fending off big names like Ian McEwan and Lloyd Jones. Prize chairman Sir Howard Davies blasted book reviewers at the event, saying they treat known authors with "kid gloves" while ignoring fresh talent.
Iraqi Doc: Blackwater Murdered my Wife and Son
CNN
|
Oct 16, 2007 6:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An Iraqi doctor whose wife and 20-year-old son were the first of 17 civilians killed by Blackwater guards on Sept. 16 talks to CNN about his loss, saying a storm of bullets blew apart his loved ones—his wife, a doctor, and his son, a medical student. They were going to pick him up at a hospital when the shooting began at al-Nisoor Square in Baghdad.
Middle-Class Squeeze Is No Illusion
MSNBC
|
Oct 16, 2007 6:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The proliferation of Starbucks and designer jeans is a red herring—today's middle class has less spending money than ever, says a Harvard law professor. People can buy more stuff because prices are down, but that provides a skewed picture. "These are things you don't see at the mall: housing, health care, child care, saving and saving...
Last-Minute Stay Spares Nev. Murderer
BBC
|
Oct 16, 2007 5:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nevada stayed a convicted killer's execution today, 90 minutes before he was to receive lethal injection, BBC reports. William Castillo's stay is the latest in a series of postponements by states awaiting a US Supreme Court ruling on lethal injection. The ACLU, which appealed Castillo's case, calls the method "cruel and unusual punishment"...
Republicans Reeling From Rash of Retirements
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 16, 2007 5:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It’s retirement season in Congress, and droves of Republicans are cutting and running. So far 16 Republican lawmakers are on the way out, a result, the LA Times says, of the party’s recent troubles. “I don’t like being in the minority,” one departing congressman admitted. “It’s not that much fun, and the...
Bush Meets Dalai Lama, but Quietly
Reuters
|
Oct 16, 2007 4:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush ignored China's fury today and met with the Dalai Lama, who will pick up a Congressional Gold Medal tomorrow, Reuters reports. "If the Dalai Lama can receive such an award, there must be no justice or good people in the world," said a Tibetan Communist Party boss. But the Dalai Lama shrugged off China's rage, saying, "That...
Apple Slashes Price of DRM free iTunes
CNET
|
Oct 16, 2007 4:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Apple has dropped the price of its Digital Rights Management (DRM)-free iTunes Plus songs from $1.29 to 99 cents, the same price at which it offers its copy-protected songs, news.com reports. The move looks like a response to the September 25th launch of Amazon's mp3 store, which offers DRM-free music for 89-99 cents a song.
Getting the Word Out on Digital TV
Associated Press
|
Oct 16, 2007 4:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
What's on TV? Soon, it will be an unprecedented $697 million campaign to get the word out on the upcoming switch to digital broadcasting. Starting February 18, 2009, viewers without a digital set or special converter box won't be able to watch TV. The upcoming educational campaign "may be the largest volunteer effort in the history of television,"...
