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.
Have You Heard the Latest on Pet Peeves?
Reuters
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Oct 30, 2007 2:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
"MYOB" is great advice, say office workers who blame poor manners for making cubicle life so bad. Gossip was the biggest annoyance for 60% of people surveyed in a new Harris Interactive poll. More than half complained of co-workers misusing work time with personal calls and web surfing, and 45% said untidiness gets under their skin, Reuters...
Product Safety Boss Balks at Beefing Up Penalties
New York Times
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Oct 30, 2007 2:29 PM CDT
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The chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn't like a Senate bill that would give her agency more clout, the Times reports. Nancy Nord opposes a measure that would amp up penalties for violators, smooth the public reporting of tainted products, protect whistleblowers, and ease prosecution. It would also double her agency's budget...
Leopard Outpaces Tiger— in Sales to Mac OS X Users
Apple Insider
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Oct 30, 2007 2:09 PM CDT
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Apple has moved 2 million copies of Mac OS X Leopard since the long-awaited operating system dropped Friday. The figure is Apple’s biggest for a new OS, far outpacing the sales of its predecessor Tiger, which took 6 weeks to break the same mark in 2005, AppleInsider reports. Steve Jobs crowed, “Leopard will be a huge hit with consumers.”
NBC: Leno Still Out in 2009
Associated Press
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Oct 30, 2007 1:50 PM CDT
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Reports of Jay Leno's cold feet notwithstanding, "Conan O'Brien will take over 'The Tonight Show' in 2009," NBC chief Jeff Zucker said yesterday. Reports that Leno was reconsidering retirement from the late-night throne sparked speculation that the network might keep the comedian onboard. Nope, said the exec, adding, "I'm hopeful that...
Japan Backs Off Support of Afghan War
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 30, 2007 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Japan's PM is being forced to withdraw the country's support for coalition forces in Afghanistan because the opposition party refuses to back the mission without UN support. Yasuo Fukuda's party could swing the votes for an override, but doing so would probably lead to an early election—which Fukuda might well lose, reports the Guardian.
Consumer Confidence Falls to Post-Katrina Levels
Bloomberg
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Oct 30, 2007 1:10 PM CDT
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Consumer confidence plummeted in September to its lowest reading since October 2005, fueling worries that housing’s downturn could affect consumer spending, which makes up two-thirds of the economy. Home prices, meanwhile, suffered their biggest drop in at least 6 years. “There is really no positive news in today's report,” an economist...
Rudy Would Outdo W on Power Grab
Washington Monthly
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Oct 30, 2007 12:51 PM CDT
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Rudy Giuliani’s record in New York shows a leadership philosophy built on overlooking rules, says Washington Monthly ’s Rachel Morris. Should the GOP frontrunner end up in the Oval Office, he would seize even more executive power than his assertive predecessor, Morris predicts.
Ghosts and Ghouls Invade Virtual Worlds
Wired
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Oct 30, 2007 12:26 PM CDT
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Take a break from scarfing candy to join in silly spookiness online. Wired gives you the inside scoop on special events and areas in your favorite virtual worlds dedicated to the holiday: Halo 3: A seasonal addition to the matchmaking playlist should keep players entertained for the 27 hours surrounding Halloween. Lord of the Rings...
US Pursues Hijacked Ship in Somali Waters
CNN
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Oct 30, 2007 12:00 PM CDT
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A US warship is hot on the trail of a Japanese cargo vessel hijacked by pirates off Somalia. USS Porter sank pirate skiffs that had been tied to the Golden Mori when it sent distress signals Sunday. But after the bombardment, authorities learned that the Panamanian-flagged Mori contains benzene, a highly flammable, carcinogenic substance used to make...
Scientology and Seinfeld: What's the Deal?
Access Hollywood
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Oct 30, 2007 11:34 AM CDT
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After raising a ruckus by acknowledging that he dabbled in Scientology, Jerry Seinfeld has cleared the record: “It is not my complete wacko resume. It’s just one aspect!” Seinfeld said he spent his younger days exploring “self-help things” —meditation, Aikido, yoga, and karate. Of Scientology, he told "Access...
Hot Sauce Could Be the New Morphine
Associated Press
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Oct 30, 2007 11:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Doctors think they have a hot lead on an alternative to opioid pain killers like morphine: chili peppers. California-based researchers are dripping what is essentially a sterile version of hot sauce—containing capsaicin, the chemical that gives peppers their bite—directly into open wounds during surgery. Just like biting into a pepper,...
After Gaffes, Queen Hopes to Placate Saudis
Times (UK)
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Oct 30, 2007 11:00 AM CDT
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Queen Elizabeth will have to put on a brave face when she welcomes Saudi King Abdullah today, following yesterday's gaffe-filled beginning to his London visit. Abdullah's widely reported outburst over the 7/7 attacks left Downing Street open-mouthed, writes the Times of London, but then Britain's foreign secretary skipped a meeting with his Saudi...
India Inspires Geeks to do Good
New York Times
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Oct 30, 2007 10:58 AM CDT
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Tech workers in India are turning their expertise to innovative ways to combat the poverty that surrounds them, the New York Times reports. One example is a site called Babajob.com, started by former Microsoft worker Sean Blagsvedt, which allows Indian laborers to use social networking to land jobs.
IBM Scrapes Silicon Scraps
CNET
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Oct 30, 2007 10:55 AM CDT
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IBM has developed an eco-friendly way of recycling silicon for eco-friendly solar panels. Semiconductor chipmakers often sell used silicon too thin for computing to solar panel manufacturers. Until now, they’ve used abrasive chemicals or a spray of glass beads to erase circuits from the chips. IBM plans to share the technique with other chipmakers,...
Apple Draws Criticism From One of Its Own
Laptop Magazine
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Oct 30, 2007 10:53 AM CDT
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Apple has taken heat for its decision to lock its iPhone and prevent third parties from developing software, but now the company is facing criticism from one of its own. Laptop Magazine spoke to Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs in the 1970s and who had some cutting words for the company's recent decisions: he had hoped the iPhone...
It's Official: O'Neal Out
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 30, 2007 10:42 AM CDT
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Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O’Neal is retiring effective immediately, the company announced today, shocking no one. Merrill characterized the ouster as a mutual decision, but massive subprime losses and takeover indiscretions clearly marked O’Neal for the chopping block. Terms of the exit package were not disclosed, but it's expected to total...
Court Hears of Mafia Help on FBI Probe
New York Post
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Oct 30, 2007 10:15 AM CDT
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Jurors heard shocking testimony yesterday in the trial of an ex-FBI agent charged with helping a Mafia informant complete four hits. The onetime girlfriend of a hit man known as the "Grim Reaper" testified that Gregory Scarpa was on the FBI's payroll, traveled to Mississippi, and provided the bureau with information about the notorious "Mississippi...
Spring Ahead, Fall Back; Repeat
MarketWatch
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Oct 30, 2007 9:50 AM CDT
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Spring ahead, fall back. And fall back again, for many whose clocks wrongly reset themselves last weekend—1 week ahead of the schedule Congress set when it extended Daylight Saving Time. Most cell phones and computers, which get time and date information from networks, weren't affected, but many alarm clocks and PDAs that predated 2005 jumped...
Chinese Pension Fund Considers US Private Equity Deals
Financial Times (UK)
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Oct 30, 2007 9:25 AM CDT
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China, suffering buyer’s remorse after investing in US private equity firm Blackstone, is taking its time before diving back into that end of the financial pool, reports the Financial Times . The Big Three of US equity firms, Carlyle, KKR, and TPG, are each seeking a minority investment from China’s Social Security Fund, which has some...
Your First Friend Lied About His Age
Newsweek
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Oct 30, 2007 9:00 AM CDT
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He was your first friend. And now Tom Anderson, MySpace’s co-founder, is a liar, Newsweek reports. Tom's profile says he's 32, and he claims to have been 27 when he launched the social networking site. But public records reveal he'll be 37 next month. Could Tom have made the same fortune sans the kiddie cred?
UBS Reports $712M Q3 Loss, $4.4B in Writedowns
Bloomberg
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Oct 30, 2007 8:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The subprime mortgage mess claimed another casualty today: Zurich-based UBS reported its first quarterly loss in nearly five years, a $712 million hit that drove down share prices as much as 1.9%, reports Bloomberg. UBS reported $4.4 billion in losses and writedowns on mortgage securities. And more writedowns may be to come in the fourth quarter, the...
6 Charged in Darfur 'Kidnapping'
Associated Press
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Oct 30, 2007 8:12 AM CDT
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Six French nationals who attempted to fly children from Chad to France for adoption have been charged with kidnapping. The Chad government also detained 11 other alleged accomplices, including the flight crew, reports the AP. Charity group L'Arche de Zoe had arranged French host families for 103 children they called orphans of the Darfur conflict.
Tearful Oprah Apologizes for Alleged Abuse at SA School
Independent (UK)
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Oct 30, 2007 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A tearful Oprah Winfrey apologized today to students and parents amid abuse allegations at her exclusive $40 million South African school for girls, the Independent reports. "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry," the talk show host said. A school matron stands accused of grabbing one girl by the throat and fondling another, while Winfrey...
Church Prays for Britney's Soul
E! Online
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Oct 30, 2007 7:34 AM CDT
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Thousands of parishioners of a Kentucky church are praying for pop princess Britney Spears and sending her notes expressing support, encouragement and love, reports E! Online. "Love Britney the way Jesus loves her: no preaching, no criticizing," the senior pastor of Lexington's Southland Christian Church instructed his 8,000-strong congregation.
Fed Doesn't Want Rate Cut— But Markets Do
Bloomberg
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Oct 30, 2007 7:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Ben Bernanke and the rest of the Fed are meeting today to decide whether to cut interest rates again after September's surprise half-point reduction. Bernanke has made it clear that he'd rather not drop rates again. But, as Bloomberg writes, he might not have much of a choice: with home values falling and oil skyrocketing, the markets are desperate...
Torre May Go to Dodgers
MLB.com
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Oct 30, 2007 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Joe Torre, who turned down a one-year deal to continue as Yankees coach two weeks ago, could be heading to Los Angeles. MLB.com is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers are seeking to dismiss Grady Little and hire Torre, although the Dodgers won't confirm the story. Last night Torre told David Letterman that "the Dodgers have a contract, I mean,...
Lib Label Belies Solidly Right Views
Washington Post
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Oct 30, 2007 6:30 AM CDT
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Pundits call Rudy too “liberal” to win the GOP nom, but his views on free speech, religion, and government secrecy say otherwise, writes David Greenberg of the Washington Post. Even Rudy's takes on guns, gays, and abortion—allegedly left—are far from it. “As any New Yorker can tell you, the last word anyone in the 1990s...
Suicide Attack Kills 7 in Pakistan
Associated Press
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Oct 30, 2007 6:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A suicide bomber blew himself up in Pakistan today near the office of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, killing seven people and injuring 11 more, the AP reports. The blast took place at a checkpoint in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the army's headquarters where Musharraf works. No organization has claimed responsibility for the blast, but officials are...
Can NY Bag Plastic Habit?
New York Times
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Oct 30, 2007 5:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Now that conservation is chic, is it time for New York City to launch an East Coast trend? City Council members have introduced a bill that would require grocery stores to collect and recycle plastic bags that would be printed with the message: “Please return this bag to a participating store for recycling," reports the New York Times.
Blackwater Guards Handed Immunity in Probe Blunder
Associated Press
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Oct 30, 2007 4:59 AM CDT
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State Department investigators have jeopardized the Blackwater criminal probe by promising immunity to guards involved in the controversial shooting last month that killed 17 Iraqis, the AP discovered. The investigators, from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, offered the guards limited-use immunity or "garrity" protection, which prohibits...
O'Neal Exit Package Is All That's Left
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 30, 2007 4:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
CEO Stan O’Neal has leaped from the flames of Merrill Lynch after its $8.4 billion write-down last week, but nobody yet knows the size of his golden parachute, writes the Wall Street Journal . Teams of lawyers are negotiating an exit package that may exceed $160 million, reflecting 21 years of service, including five as CEO, say spokesmen.
Could Bin Laden's New Video Be Fake?
MSNBC
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Oct 30, 2007 4:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden's latest video may have been faked, according to recent analysis. A computer scientist points out that the video freezes whenever bin Laden mentions current events and that the footage is nearly identical to a video released in 2004. It's likely the "new" tape is mostly re-cut video from a previous session...
NBC's Zucker Snaps at Apple
Apple Insider
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Oct 30, 2007 4:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
NBC chief Jeff Zucker has launched an extraordinary attack on Apple, accusing the digital download service iTunes of destroying revenue in the music industry, reports Apple Insider.com. "Apple has destroyed the music business—in terms of pricing—and if we don’t take control, they’ll do the same thing on the video...
AIDS Came to US From Haiti Years Before It Was ID'd: Study
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 30, 2007 4:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The AIDS virus reached America through Haiti, not directly from Africa, and far earlier than has been suspected—the 1960's, not the early 1980's, researchers have discovered. Scientists analyzed 25-year-old blood samples and used what they know of the virus' mutations to construct a rough timeline of the progression of the disease, according...
Canada Hails Dalai, China Rages
Globe and Mail
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Oct 30, 2007 3:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper rolled out the red carpet for the Dalai Lama yesterday, provoking the wrath of the Chinese government. The two men exchanged traditional white Tibetan silk scarves, with Harper's gift to his guest embroidered with the Canadian maple leaf. The Chinese are furious over the attention that has been paid recently to...
Fake FEMA Briefing Costs Official New Job
Reuters
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Oct 30, 2007 3:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The FEMA official whose department staged a fake news conference with workers from the federal agency posing as reporters has been axed from a new job before he even begins, Reuters reports. FEMA external affairs director John Philbin was to start this week as media chief of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, but that's off. Another...
In Bad Week for Denver, It's Packers in OT
Denver Post
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Oct 30, 2007 2:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One day after Denver saw their World Series dreams obliterated by Boston, the Green Bay Packers outlasted the Broncos at home with an overtime win in a contradictory game dominated by Brett Favre. Together, the teams put up 680 yards in regulation, making 40 of their 60 combined passes, yet only scored 13 points each, reports the Denver Post.
Rangers Rally to Beat Lightning
New York Daily News
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Oct 30, 2007 12:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The New York Rangers offense didn’t exactly light it up against the Tampa Bay Lightning but they did enough to win, 3-1. Jaromir Jagr’s third period power play goal broke a 1-1 tie and Brendan Shanahan added some insurance with a power play goal of his own less than three minutes later, according to the New York Daily News .
Icahn: BEA Will Sell, or I Will Oust the Board
Associated Press
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Oct 30, 2007 12:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Having held out on a time-sensitive $6.7 billion offer from Oracle, BEA Systems management now faces a charge to oust them by billionaire shareholder Carl Icahn, who wields a massive 13.2% stake in the company, the AP reports. BEA says it will not entertain any offer that values it at less than $21 per share -- Oracle offered $17 per share —...
Another Home Game, Another Loss for Leafs
Globe and Mail
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Oct 29, 2007 11:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Home has been anything but sweet for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs, who were loudly booed by the home crowd, dropped their fourth game in five chances at the Air Canada Centre with an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Washington. Goalie Vesa Toskala was pulled in the first after allowing four goals on 13 shots, reports The Globe and Mail .
Braves Trade Renteria for Prospects
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Oct 29, 2007 11:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Tigers have signaled that the future is now; with the window closing on last year's AL champions, Detroit has traded two stellar prospects for the veteran bat and glove of Edgar Renteria. Atlanta will receive righty fireballer Jair Jurrjens, 21, and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, 20, who hit .293 and stole 54 bases with Class A last year.
Agent Says 'Sorry' for A-Rod Timing
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 10:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Alex Rodriguez's agent Scott Boras apologized today for the distraction caused by his announcement during the World Series that A-Rod would opt out of his Yankee contract, Responding to criticism from baseball officials angered at the move, Boras said in a statement that, "The unfortunate result was not my intent, but is solely my fault....
Cowboys Pony Up for Romo
Fox News
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Oct 29, 2007 9:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Through the first half of the season, Dallas is the class of the NFC, and the likable gunslinger who got them there has just been given a juicy contract extension, FOXSports.com reports. Tony Romo has agreed to a six-year, $67.5 million deal with over $30 million guaranteed—not bad for an undrafted free agent.
Houston, MoMA Tops in Arts $$$
Bloomberg
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Oct 29, 2007 9:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A surge in private arts funding boosted the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston last year with $185.8 million, making it the top US recipient of private arts donations. Runners-up were New York's MoMA, with $133.5 million; the Smithsonian, with $131.2 million; and Boston's MFA, with $130.4 million. Arts organization support from private sources spiked...
Yanks Want Girardi to Succeed Torre
New York Times
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Oct 29, 2007 8:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Yankees have picked a successor to Joe Torre's managerial throne: Joe Girardi, the former Marlins manager and Yankee coach who was a catcher on three New York title teams in the '90s and worked for them this year as a TV analyst. The New York Times reports that though fired in Florida, he was a popular candidate for other jobs, having been courted...
Huffington Is Made for the Web
CNN
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Oct 29, 2007 8:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Since 2005, Arianna Huffington has built her huffingtonpost site into an Internet media fixture with about 3 million monthly viewers. The site has also reversed Huffington's image, from that of oft-derided social climber to semi-mystic web guru. Fortune argues that her extensive networking, and the army of celebrity bloggers she's culled from it,...
Raptors Really Ran in Packs —in China
New Scientist
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Oct 29, 2007 8:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The dinos depicted in Jurassic Park really were big and nasty and hunted in packs, and fossilized footprints show where they did it: in China, about 100 millions ago. Standing 1.2 meters tall at the hip, the dromeosaurs ran in packs of six and held up big killing claws—just like in the movie. They weighed about 200 pounds, experts say, like...
Obama Looks for Gospel Lift
Washington Post
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Oct 29, 2007 7:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama's three-city South Carolina gospel tour kicked off over the weekend, with hopes that a little soul would lift his swooning numbers along with spirits. If the goal was, as one local supporter put it, to "get these young folks re-fired up," it wasn't happening at the first two concerts, the Washington Post reports, because the...
Don't Say I'm 'Bloodthirsty' for Wanting Tony Dead
New York
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Oct 29, 2007 7:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
"Eat me:" choice words from New York's David Edelstein to Sopranos creator David Chase, who recently called fans "bloodthirsty" for caring more about Tony Soprano's foggy fate than real-world troubles. "There is nothing bloodthirsty about hoping for a little closure at the end of a much-loved work of art," Edelstein...
Progress in Sudan Has Eluded Prez
Washington Post
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Oct 29, 2007 7:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush has such a personal passion for Darfur that he’s been nicknamed the “Sudan desk officer”, but his zeal hasn't translated to results, reports the Washington Post . He’s insisted on consequences for genocide both publicly and among his aides, but has been unable to mobilize support in his own government or in the...
