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.
Young's Latest Wanders
Boston Globe
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Oct 16, 2007 4:27 PM CDT
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The tracks on Neil Young’s new Chrome Dreams II alternate between “bursts of earnest declarations” and “epic, slow-burn rockers”—including the 18-minute “Ordinary People,” says the Boston Globe . Some show the bravado of last year’s barnstormer, Living With War , but Shakey sometimes ends up...
Clinton Foes to Hype '92 Phone Tap
The Hill
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Oct 16, 2007 4:05 PM CDT
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GOP rivals have found their latest Clinton attack material, a report the Dem frontrunner listened to an illegal tape of a cellphone conversation in 1992—and they're asking how that squares with her stance on government surveillance. A book released in June alleges Hillary heard opponents discussing a Bill mistress, and her camp hasn’t denied...
Iraq to Blackwater: Get Out
CNN
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Oct 16, 2007 3:43 PM CDT
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The Iraqi government has determined that last month's shooting of civilians by Blackwater guards was unprovoked and random, and the government is "insisting" the company leave the country, CNN reports. An adviser to Nouri al-Maliki said today the PM asked the US to withdraw the contractors. The FBI and State Department are still investigating,...
Quality Sperm Demand More Sex
BBC
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Oct 16, 2007 3:41 PM CDT
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Conventional wisdom says daily sex reduces the chance of success for couples trying to conceive, but conventional wisdom may be very wrong. A small Sydney University study found men with damaged sperm actually improved its quality by producing it on a daily basis for a week. Abstaining does increase quantity, the BBC reports, but in some men quality...
Stocks Slide for a Second Day
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 16, 2007 3:39 PM CDT
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Stocks slid today for a second consecutive session following an ambiguous speech by Ben Bernanke and record-busting oil prices that topped $88. The Fed chairman offered a so-so assessment of the markets but no clues about rate cuts. The Dow fell 71.86 to 13,912.94, the S&P dropped 10.18 to 1,538.53, and the Nasdaq lost 16.14 to close at 2,763.91.
Scaling the Great Firewall of China
Ars Technica
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Oct 16, 2007 3:09 PM CDT
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Citizen’s Lab is coming to the rescue of righteous Iranian bloggers and Korean porn seekers alike, with “Everyone’s Guide to Internet Censorship,” a free PDF detailing dozens of ways laypeople can get around online censorship. More than 25 countries censor sites, says Ars Technica, from China’s draconian firewall to the...
Critics Cool to Frisky FBN
Reuters
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Oct 16, 2007 2:27 PM CDT
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The market was down but Fox Business Network was aggressively upbeat in its debut yesterday, reviewers noted. The New York Times' Alessandra Stanley made fun of the network's "giggly" mood and said it comes off as "a blend of CNBC and a fifth hour of the 'Today' show." Time 's Justin Fox called it "politically slanted"...
Dems to Grill AG Nominee on Bush's Meddling
Christian Science Monitor
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Oct 16, 2007 2:05 PM CDT
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Michael Mukasey's confirmation hearings kick off tomorrow, and the focus of senators' questions for the AG nominee is already clear, the Christian Science Monitor reports: Democrats want assurances he’ll be more independent than Alberto Gonzales. Pat Leahy, for one, is looking for agreement that “federal law enforcement should not be...
Apple's Leopard Debuts Oct. 26
Apple Insider
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Oct 16, 2007 1:38 PM CDT
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Apple's highly anticipated new operating system Leopard will premiere on October 26. The delayed OS has over 300 new features, including Stacks, which piles together similar folders, documents, or applications—and then can fan their contents into an arc for browsing, AppleInsider reports. Using his favorite superlative, Apple boss Steve Jobs...
Book Details How a Curveball Spun Into a War
Salon
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Oct 16, 2007 1:05 PM CDT
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An Iraqi defector codenamed Curveball, a primary source behind the WMD intelligence that inspired the invasion, is the subject of a new book that bears his handle, but the CIA is the most guilty party in author Bob Drogin's account. Analysts “twisted” and “magnified” the low-level engineer's stories beyond recognition,...
Paulson: Economy in Danger
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 16, 2007 12:40 PM CDT
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The ongoing housing implosion poses “a significant risk” to the economy, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in a speech at Georgetown University today, in a sobering about-face from earlier attempts to downplay the crisis. “The ongoing housing correction is not ending as quickly as it appeared,” he said. “It will continue...
Diabetes Research Shows Role of Bones, Brain
New York Times
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Oct 16, 2007 12:23 PM CDT
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The New York Times surveys what it calls an "explosion" of recent breakthroughs in diabetes research, painting a much more complex portrait of how the body balances sugar in the bloodstream, and offering radically different possibilities for treatment. One of the most surprising discoveries is that bones produce a hormone that influences...
Russia Loves the Golden Arches
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 16, 2007 12:08 PM CDT
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Russians can’t get enough of McDonald’s, which is a good but frustrating situation for the fast-food giant. The company could easily open 100 new restaurants, executives tell the Journal, save for two things: their new corporate philosophy, which values quality over growth, and Russia’s rampant bureaucracy.
Sims Designer Named BAFTA Fellow
CNET
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Oct 16, 2007 12:04 PM CDT
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The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has awarded a fellowship to video game designer Will Wright, creator of The Sims, the best-selling computer game franchise in history. The award has been interpreted as a nod to the growing creativity of computer and video games. Previous recipients include Charlie Chaplin, Steven Spielberg and...
UK Liberal Chief Forced Out In 'Brutal' Purge
Independent (UK)
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Oct 16, 2007 11:33 AM CDT
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British politics got a jolt yesterday with the sudden resignation of Sir Menzies Campbell, leader of the Liberal Democrats. The 66-year-old leader of the UK's third party, languishing in the polls, was forced out by party apparatchiks in what other politicians are calling a brutal, ageist coup. "Merciless," screams the cover of today's Independent...
Ticketmaster Suit Halts Scalpers
Reuters
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Oct 16, 2007 11:13 AM CDT
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Fans frustrated in their pursuit of instantly sold-out online tickets caught a break yesterday when a federal judge halted the use of scalper software on Ticketmaster. RMG Technologies' software let prospectors buy out concerts and resell tickets at inflated prices, Reuters reports. "They're cheating consumers, and we're not going to stand...
Verizon Gave Up Hundreds of Phone Records
Washington Post
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Oct 16, 2007 10:47 AM CDT
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Verizon gave consumer phone records to the feds without court orders more than 700 times in the past 2 years, the telecom giant has told House investigators. In response to emergency requests, the company also passed along IP addresses, shedding light on the scope of telecom companies' cooperation with federal investigators whether or not they had...
Clinton Leads in Primary Cash
Associated Press
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Oct 16, 2007 10:25 AM CDT
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The $35 million Hillary Clinton has on hand for her primary campaign edges out the $32 million in Barack Obama’s coffers, according to financial reports acquired by the AP. But both have almost three times the money of any other campaign—Rudy Giuliani leads Republicans with just $11.6 million, less than third-place Democrat John Edwards.
Second Crony Will Testify Against OJ
New York Daily News
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Oct 16, 2007 10:04 AM CDT
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A second man charged along with OJ Simpson in a Vegas armed robbery has copped a plea and will testify against the football great, who could now face life in prison if convicted of the felony charges. Walter Alexander joins Charles Cashmore in agreeing to testify, reports the New York Daily News, and Cashmore plans to testify that guns were involved...
Chinese Art Booms at London Sales
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 16, 2007 9:40 AM CDT
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Could turmoil in the financial world trigger an art market crash? That was the question on everyone's mind in London over the weekend during the Frieze Art Fair and the first major sales at Christie's and Sotheby's since the credit crisis. Though the fairs and auctions had all the energy of past years, prices for Western art were clearly shaky.
Interpol IDs Serial Pedophile in Scrambled Web Photos
Reuters
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Oct 16, 2007 9:30 AM CDT
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Interpol has identified a suspected serial pedophile who posted altered photos of himself with as many as 12 boys he apparently molested in Vietnam and Cambodia, reports Reuters. Agents identified Christopher Paul Neil, a Canadian English teacher who has taught at Asian schools, after Interpol released digitally unscrambled photos from the internet...
Spears Turns Herself in for Hit and Run
Associated Press
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Oct 16, 2007 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britney Spears walked into an LA cop shop last night, got photographed and fingerprinted, and left, the AP reports. "She was fine, cooperative. She did her business and came out," said an officer. Britney will face hit and run charges in court on October 25; an August video shows her slamming into a parked car, assessing damage to her own...
Dark Car Spotted in Diana Crash
CNN
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Oct 16, 2007 8:56 AM CDT
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A second, dark car may have been involved in the 1997 Paris car crash that killed Princess Diana and boyfriend Dodi Fayed, according to testimony at the inquest into the collision yesterday. Two witnesses who were walking outside the tunnel where the accident occurred also testified that they heard two crashes, the second louder than the first, reports...
Turkey's Threats Send Oil to Record High Near $88
Bloomberg
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Oct 16, 2007 8:32 AM CDT
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Crude oil hit yet another record today, trading near $88 a barrel over fears that a looming Turkish attack on Northern Iraq would disrupt pipelines in the world’s third-largest oil producer. Turkey’s PM said he expected parliament to approve an incursion to root out PKK militants in the Kurdish region, through which Iraq ships most of its...
Top Air Force Official Found Dead
Washington Post
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Oct 16, 2007 8:20 AM CDT
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The Air Force's second-ranked procurement official was found dead in an apparent suicide Sunday night, the Washington Post reports. Charles Riechers was under investigation for pay he received from a private consulting firm for which he apparently did no work, as well as a potential conflict of interest in a $1.2-billion contract he awarded to Boeing.
$100B Bank Fund Shows Paulson's Touch
New York Times
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Oct 16, 2007 7:29 AM CDT
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This weekend's bank deal to establish a $100-billion "superconduit" fund to buy back shaky mortgage securities showed the hand—and the strategy—of Hank Paulson, the New York Times reports. Though the treasury secretary has said for months he's confident investors can handle the mortgage credit crisis themselves,...
Google Bares Tool to Hunt & Zap Copyrighted Videos
MarketWatch
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Oct 16, 2007 6:54 AM CDT
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Google yesterday unveiled new technology to seek out copyright-protected material on its YouTube site, which the company hopes will head off Viacom's $1 billion lawsuit. The software scans videos, breaks them down into data points and analyzes them so that any matching versions can be flagged and removed "in a matter of minutes," said a YouTube...
Putin on War With Iran: Don't Even Think About It
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 16, 2007 6:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Tehran continued yesterday with a regional summit and a not-so-veiled warning against American action in Iran. A day after dismissing reports of an assassination plot against him during the trip, Putin met with leaders from Iran and other nations on the Caspian Sea. "We should not even think of making...
Housing Still a Drag: Fed Chief
Bloomberg
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Oct 16, 2007 5:38 AM CDT
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The real estate slump will continue to be a "significant drag" on US economic growth well into next year, said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in his first speech on the economy since August. Recovery from the credit crisis will take time, and setbacks are likely, Bernanke told the Economic Club of New York, Bloomberg reports.
Writers' Strike Might Keep You out of 'The Office'
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 16, 2007 5:01 AM CDT
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Get ready for what might be a big dose of reality. Contract negotiations between Hollywood and writers aren't going well, and a strike could mean prime-time schedules would soon be dominated by such unscripted series as "American Idol." The sides remain divided on issues like splitting revenue from new media and whether reality shows should...
French Prez & First Lady to Split
AFP
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Oct 16, 2007 4:46 AM CDT
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his controversial first lady are on the brink of divorce, according to French media. Cécilia Sarkozy will not accompany her husband on a state visit to Morocco, and some reports say the fiercely independent 49-year-old former model is already living in Switzerland. She hasn't made an official appearance with...
Giants Trample Bedraggled Falcons 31-10
Newsday
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Oct 16, 2007 4:32 AM CDT
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The Atlanta Falcons scored first last night before dropping the ball (literally and figuratively) in a disheartening 31-10 loss to the New York Giants. The Falcons held a 10-7 lead for three minutes in the first quarter, but dropped passes and sacks kept them off the board from then on. The Giants offense was hot and cold as usual, Newsday reports...
Ex-Sallie Mae Suitor Tries to Dodge Breakup Fee in Court
MarketWatch
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Oct 16, 2007 4:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The group that offered to buy out educational lender Sallie Mae for $25 billion is now seeking court approval to back out and avoid paying a $900 million break-up fee. The investor group, including Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, is arguing that recent legislation will reduce the student loan corporation's profits, which investors see as "material...
Turkey Weighs Iraq Strikes
Times (UK)
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Oct 16, 2007 4:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite intense diplomatic opposition from the US, the Turkish prime minister has set in motion the parliamentary process to deploy troops to Northern Iraq. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a motion yesterday authorizing military action in response to attacks across the border by Kurdish rebels, the Times of London reports. The motion is expected...
Indians Roll Dice For Series Lead
Providence Journal
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Oct 16, 2007 3:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Daisuke Matsuzaka's second postseason outing for Boston last night went much like his first: he gave up four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Unlike his last appearance, Matsuzaka got the loss, as Cleveland's Jake Westbrook reigned in the Red Sox for a 4-2 defeat. The Indians now have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, reports the Providence...
Drew Carey's 'Price' Debut on the Money
Washington Post
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Oct 16, 2007 3:36 AM CDT
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Comedian Drew Carey's first day as host of "The Price is Right" was a surprisingly normal episode of the classic CBS game show, writes Tom Shales for the Washington Post . Despite all the hype surrounding Carey stepping into Bob Barker's 35-year-old post, the comic's "subdued start" proves that the program is in "respectful,...
Jury Adds Punitive $99M in Hormone Cancer Suit
Reuters
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Oct 16, 2007 3:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Nevada jury has tacked on an additional $99 million in punitive damages against the Wyeth pharmaceutical company after ruling in favor of three women who argued that the drug maker's hormone replacement therapy caused their breast cancer. That amount, added to compensatory damages determined last week, makes the total finding against the drug manufacturer...
Struggle to Ratify Chrysler Deal
Detroit Free Press
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Oct 16, 2007 3:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The proposed contract between Chrysler and the United Auto Workers has caused some division within the union and may not be ratified as quickly as the deal with General Motors, reports the Detroit Free Press . The council of local leaders who voted to approve it yesterday in Detroit were not not unanimous; some are unhappy that the it...
Rockies Sweep to World Series
Rocky Mountain News
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Oct 16, 2007 2:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Apparently having forgotten how to lose a game, the Colorado Rockies completed their sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks last night with a 6-4 win. The team that was only four games above .500 a month ago is now headed to its first World Series after going 21-1 so far to end a Cinderella season, reports the Rocky Mountain News.
This Week's Top Games Are...
GamePro.com
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Oct 16, 2007 12:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Want great games for your console? Here are this week's winners, as awarded by GamePro.com: Tony Hawk's Proving Ground , the skateboard legend's latest for all major platforms except PC Avatar: the Last Airbender—The Burning Earth , a multiplatformer sequel to the Nickolodeon-inspired original
HP-Owned Mercury Settles Backdating Suit
San Jose Mercury News
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Oct 15, 2007 11:53 PM CDT
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In the largest settlement yet for a class action lawsuit concerning stock options backdating, Mercury Interactive will pay out $117.5 million to pension fund investors, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Mercury's counsel was quick to say that the company was not admitting liability despite agreeing to the settlement. Hewlett-Packard acquired Mercury...
Nebraska Sacks Athletic Director
Omaha World-Herald
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Oct 15, 2007 11:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After two thirty-point football losses, Nebraska's athletic director Steve Pederson has been relieved of duty—but chancellor Harvey Perlman says he had made up his mind before the second laugher, a 45-14 homecoming debacle against Oklahoma State. Perlman announced that Pederson's faulty leadership, more than the win-loss record, troubled...
Angels GM Who Built 2002 Series Winner Steps Down
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 15, 2007 11:08 PM CDT
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The Angels will announce tomorrow that general manager Bill Stoneman will leave his post while staying with the team as a consultant, reports the Los Angeles Times. Stoneman gave instant credibility to a team that had only seen the playoffs three times in its previous four decades. Their only World Series win came in his third year on the job.
P2P Pirate Mom Seeks New Trial
CNET
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Oct 15, 2007 10:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A single mom recently hit with a $220,000 penalty for P2P file-sharing of copyrighted music online is asking for a new trial, or a reduction of damages to between$0 and $150. News.com reports that attorneys for Jammie Thomas, the first person ever brought to trial for file-sharing, plan to argue that damages awarded to the recording industry are excessive.
McKellen Eager to Play Gandalf in The Hobbit
Reuters
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Oct 15, 2007 9:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ian McKellen wants to play Gandalf again if The Hobbit film ever gets greenlit, the Los Angeles Times reports. A bitter royalties battle with New Line Cinema may stop director Peter Jackson from directing the flick, but no matter: He told McKellen to "play Gandalf whether I direct or not." The film is is "looking more and more likely"...
Wire's Architect Begins His Final Chapter
New Yorker
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Oct 15, 2007 8:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The final season of HBO critical darling The Wire lands in January, and will revolve around the newsroom—the last unscripted setting from creator David Simon’s own experience. The show has tackled drug runners, cops, dockworkers, and inner-city schoolchildren “with sociological precision,” reports New Yorker ’s Margaret...
Roberts U. President and Wife Face New Allegations
CNN
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Oct 15, 2007 7:58 PM CDT
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In an updated lawsuit, three ex-profs accuse the president of Oral Roberts University and his wife of improper behavior ranging from dalliances with an underage male to document shredding, CNN reports. The suit , which earlier accused the couple of misusing university funds, now accuses Richard Roberts' wife LIndsay of spending the night at a guest...
Germany Paid Dearly for Hostage Release
Der Spiegel
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Oct 15, 2007 7:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
On one hand, the German government successfully negotiated the release of a German engineer held hostage in Afghanistan; on the other, the deal cost the Germans a hefty ransom, the release of five prisoners, and its hard line against granting terrorist demands, reports Der Spiegel. "I have purchased a herd of sheep," gloated the kidnapper.
Condi to Stanford Profs: Lay Off Rummy
Politico
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Oct 15, 2007 7:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Condi wants Stanford profs to lay off Don Rumsfeld and welcome “all views” at the university, Politico reports. She stopped short of praising her old colleague—“I know Don Rumsfeld, he is going to be a challenging presence”—but scolded faculty for doubting Rummy’s appointment as “distinguished visiting...
Chlamydia Makes Men Infertile
BBC
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Oct 15, 2007 7:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Chlamydia makes men infertile too, a new study finds. Spanish scientists say that infected sperm has three times more damage, or DNA fragmentation, as healthy sperm. Its density, shape and swimming ability also decline. But an antibiotics treatment repaired the damage by 36% over 4 months, and almost 90% of couples were able to conceive after the study.
