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.
Tropical Storm Noel Kills 20
CNN
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Oct 29, 2007 6:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tropical Storm Noel slammed into the Dominican Republic today with torrential rain and mudslides, leaving 20 people dead and another 20 missing. Noel was expected to drop as much as 20 inches of rain on Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, before heading northwest toward the Bahamas and Cuba, CNN reports.
Supremes Will Rule on Exxon Valdez Appeal
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Supreme Court will end more than a decade of legal battles over the Exxon Valdez oil spill and review a ruling that awarded a record $2.5 billion in punitive damages in the case. Exxon is hoping the court will throw out or reduce the amount awarded in the wake of the worst spill in US history, Reuters reports.
eBay Launches Microfinance Loan Site
Fortune Magazine
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Oct 29, 2007 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
EBay's newly launched MicroPlace lets users make loans through PayPal or a bank account to needy entrepreneurs worldwide. The idea? Even small sums can help poor people build businesses to raise themselves out of poverty. The site's founder remembers one Bangladeshi woman who bought a handloom, thus earning enough to repay the loan and school her children,...
Bomb Wounds Highest Ranking Officer Injured in Iraq
CNN
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Oct 29, 2007 5:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A roadside bomb blew shrapnel today into the highest-ranking US commander yet injured in Iraq, CNN reports. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Dorko, who had taken command October 10, was evacuated to Germany after the bomb detonated by his vehicle in Baghdad. His injuries were not life-threatening and he remained in stable condition, Reuters reports.
Defendant in Teen-Sex Case 'Not Bitter'
MSNBC
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Oct 29, 2007 5:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Genarlow Wilson is home and, far from being bitter, making plans to help others learn from his mistakes. "I feel I have a testimony to share," he said on this morning's "Today" show. Wilson, 21, was freed Friday after serving 2 years of a 10-year term for having consensual oral sex with another minor when he was 17.
3rd Defendant in OJ Robbery Case Cops Plea
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 5:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A third man accused in the OJ Simpson robbery case agreed today to plead guilty to reduced charges and testify against Simpson and two others. Michael McClinton says he brought two guns to a Las Vegas hotel room at the Juice's request and acted like a cop while wielding one. He faces up to 11 years in prison, the AP reports.
UK Provider Unveils Skype Mobile Phone
BBC
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Oct 29, 2007 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
British mobile phone provider "3" is unveiling a handset which lets users make free calls over the Net using Skype. The phone won't let you use Skype to make cheap calls to any phone number, like you could over the Internet, but still represents a new level of availability for the service. "Skype has now taken a giant step forward in...
The 100 Biggest Brains in the World
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 29, 2007 4:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Daily Telegraph jumps to point out that a quarter of its list of 100 living geniuses are British, and that that's one living genius per 2.5 million people—a higher proportion than for any other country. Americans still dominate the list, though, with a hefty 43 geniuses. Albert Hoffman, Swiss, chemist Tim Berners-Lee, British,...
Scientists Make It Easier Being Green
BBC
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Oct 29, 2007 4:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists have stumbled on a cure for the deadly fungus that is decimating the world's amphibian population. New Zealand researchers say an antibiotic used as an eye ointment for humans kills the fungus, which is blamed for the extinction of 40 species since 1980. Researchers dunked frogs in a solution of the cheap chemical and had near-miraculous...
Exxon Gives Markets a Boost
Bloomberg
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Oct 29, 2007 3:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks rose again today as Exxon Mobil rode record crude prices to its greatest gains in 3 weeks, Bloomberg reports. The Dow was up 63.56 to 13,870.26, the Nasdaq 13.25 to 2,817.44, and the S&P 500 5.70 to 1,540.98. Continuing hopes of a Fed rate cut and news of Merrill Lynch's ouster of Stan O'Neal also drove the rally, the Journal reports.
'Croc Hunter' Knew He'd Die Young, Widow Says
Reuters
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Oct 29, 2007 3:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Plucky Australian crocodile hunter Steve Irwin always had premonitions of an early death, his widow Terri says, adding that her husband “had a real sixth sense." She's writing a book about her life with the daredevil naturalist, who died at age 44 when a stingray’s barb pierced his heart in September 2006, Reuters reports.
French Sour on Wine Warnings
Washington Post
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Oct 29, 2007 3:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
France's new wine label warning pregnant women of alcohol's dangers has vintners coming uncorked, the Washington Post reports. The spreading European penchant for aggressive advisories has led to pictorial warnings that are seen as sacrilege from Champagne to Burgundy. Part of the problem is that, until recently, French doctors didn’t advise...
Romney Rules Iowa Poll; Clinton and Obama Tied
Des Moines Register
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Oct 29, 2007 3:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney continues to build a massive lead in Iowa, where his only vulnerability seems to comes from the Christian conservative dash to Mike Huckabee; Romney is up 8.4% since August to a total of 36.2% in a University of Iowa poll out today, while Huckabee has spiked 11% to 12.8%, the Des Moines Register reports.
Google to Blow Minds With Facebook Rival ‘Maka-Maka’
TechCrunch
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Oct 29, 2007 2:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Google is set to launch its hush-hush rival to Facebook next month. Code-named “Maka-Maka,” the watershed social networking service will introduce a completely open source platform and a slew of new applications. Details are scarce, but the vision is a social layer that combines all of Google’s existing services—think GoogleChat,...
Astronauts Wrestle With Solar Panel
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 2:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Astronauts continued work on the space station today, using a robot arm to move a huge 17.5-ton solar panel into position for installation during a spacewalk tomorrow—to some musical accompaniment. "It's a heck of a lot more fun flying the arm with some Huey Lewis in the background," radioed one astronaut.
Pediatricians Urge More Autism Screening
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 2:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Children should be screened twice for autism by the time they are 2 years old, says a leading pediatricians group. Although there is no cure for autism, early therapy can help lessen symptoms, the American Academy of Pediatrics says in two reports released today. The group lists warning signs parents can watch for, including not babbling and not pointing...
Saudi King: Britain Lax on Terror
BBC
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Oct 29, 2007 1:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain needs to do more to fight international terrorism, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah says. Speaking on the eve of the first official visit to the UK by a Saudi ruler in 20 years, the monarch said his government passed along intelligence that could have averted the 7/7 bombings "but unfortunately no action was taken," the BBC reports.
Don't Let Facebook De-Face You
MarketWatch
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Oct 29, 2007 1:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Social-networking sites make it easier to connect with friends and make new ones, but they also let casual acquaintances like co-workers—or your boss—look you up on a whim. Protect your privacy with these six steps from MarketWatch : Look for tools that allow you to restrict access to your profile, like the "private"...
Net Co-Inventor Leaving Domain Name Agency
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 1:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vint Cerf, who helped develop the technological underpinnings of the Internet, is stepping down as head of its oversight board, the AP reports. Many predicted the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers was doomed when Cerf took over in 1999, but he steered it through international criticism for 7 years. “My sentence is up,”...
Sox Fans Sit Pretty After Sweep
Boston Herald
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Oct 29, 2007 12:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When the Red Sox won the World Series last night, some fans rioted. Others relaxed in suddenly free furniture. Roughly 30,000 took advantage of a local retailer's spring promotion, which promised rebates if the Sox won it all. Don’t worry about the company's bottom line, the Herald says—an insurance policy will cover the bill.
Fires Largely Under Control, SoCal Moves On, Cautiously
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 29, 2007 12:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Firefighters have contained most of Southern California's ferocious wildfires, and shelters emptied rapidly as evacuation orders were lifted and residents began pondering the next step. The fires had destroyed 2,813 structures and more than a half-million acres as of last night, reports the LA Times, and will go down as among the most destructive...
Pakistani Cleric Calls Ceasefire
Al Jazeera
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Oct 29, 2007 12:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Supporters of an extremist cleric who had declared a jihad against Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire today after fierce fighting this weekend claimed between 50 and 60 of their number, Al Jazeera reports. Pakistan had sent 2,500 paramilitary troops to Swat to head off Maulana Fazlullah, who wants to establish a Taliban-style state governed by Islamic...
Canadians Invade US as Loonie Climbs
National Post (Canada)
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Oct 29, 2007 11:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The commodity-heavy Canadian loonie rose above US$1.04 this morning—just short of its 1957 all-time high of $1.06—on news that Mexico would cut oil production 20%, reports the National Post. Now that the currency tables have turned, Canadian shoppers and vacationers couldn't be happier, the Guardian reports. "Everything is just...
Ford: Clinton Was a Sex Addict, Cheney a Liability
CNN
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Oct 29, 2007 11:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Gerald Ford respected Bill Clinton’s prodigious political skills but thought he needed therapy for sex addiction, according to a new book of interviews the ex-president gave for posthumous publication. Ford also said Dick Cheney was a GOP liability in 2004 and recommended replacing him with Rudy Giuliani, though he refused to help oust his onetime...
'Candidates' Spar Over SC Credentials
Politico
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Oct 29, 2007 10:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With Stephen Colbert kicking off his presidential campaign spoof in South Carolina yesterday, things got a little heated between the Comedy Central star and John Edwards, the state's other favorite-son contender. Colbert accused Edwards of having abandoned the Palmetto State at the age of 1; the Edwards folks shot back that their man learned to talk...
Seriously Spooky Hotels
Tripso.com
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Oct 29, 2007 10:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
These hotels are known for more than complimentary breakfast. Tripso.com gets in the Halloween spirit with its rundown of haunted accommodations: The Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, La.: An abused slave poisoned her master with oleander cake; a host of ghosties now appear at guests' bedsides. Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans: Doors...
With New US Sanctions, Iran Looks East
Washington Post
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Oct 29, 2007 10:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As Iran is increasingly squeezed by new US sanctions and pressure from the UN, the country looks east for new economic alliances. China is about to overtake Germany as Iran's largest trading partner, and with oil prices skyrocketing, it looks as though Iran will be able to weather the storm of American sanctions, the Washington Post reports.
Opry Star Wagoner Dead at 80
Tennessean
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Oct 29, 2007 9:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Grand Ole Opry star Porter Wagoner died of lung cancer in Nashville last night, just as the Country Music Hall of Fame—which enshrined him in 2003—gathered to induct new members. He was 80. Wagoner will be remembered as a rhinestone-clad innovator who pioneered the country concept album and introduced the world to longtime collaborator...
If Turks Cross Border, It's War: Kurdish Prez
Times (UK)
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Oct 29, 2007 9:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Kurdish President Massoud Barzani has warned the Turkish government that any move into his territory will be considered a declaration of war. The warning came yesterday as Turkish troops attacked separatist PKK guerrillas inside Turkey, killing 20, reports the London Times . Turkish officials have charged that the largely autonomous Kurdish region...
Online Video Site Hulu Launches
NewTeeVee
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Oct 29, 2007 8:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The beta version of Hulu, a new online video venture between NBC and News Corp., launches this week. Challenging YouTube, the service allows users to embed and share existing video, but won’t support user-generated content. Instead, Hulu will focus on distributing ad-supported versions of movies and 90 NBC and Fox TV shows through deals with...
Suicide Bomber on Bicycle Kills 28 Iraqi Policemen
Reuters
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Oct 29, 2007 8:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A suicide bomber rode a bicycle into an Iraqi police compound in Baquba today, killing 28 officers and wounding 20 others, including a woman and a child, in the bloodiest attack on security forces in months. Authorities suspect al Qaeda, which has vowed increased attacks on security forces and Sunni tribal leaders who have allied themselves with the...
Iowa Dems Will Caucus Jan. 3
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 7:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iowa Democrats voted yesterday to move their caucuses up from Jan. 14 to Jan. 3, following state Republicans who picked the date earlier this month in an effort to counter pressure from states trying to elbow in on their traditional early-primary status. Campaign officials welcomed the announcement, saying they “build backwards from the caucus...
Olmert Has Prostate Cancer
Reuters
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Oct 29, 2007 7:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has prostate cancer, he announced today, and will undergo minor surgery to treat it. He said his medical condition is not life-threatening and would not affect his ability to govern. “From what my doctors have told me, this is a microscopic growth that can be removed with a brief surgical intervention,” he said.
Oil Rises to Record High, Again
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 6:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Oil prices topped $93 today, breaking another record on news that Mexican production would drop by 20% due to a storm. "This is on top of what has already been simmering,” said an analyst in Singapore. Prices have been breaking records for a week due to US-Iran tensions and Turkish-Kurdish border skirmishes. Experts also cite the weak American...
Scranton Throws 'Office' Party
USA Today
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Oct 29, 2007 6:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
"It's as if we had been reading the Oz books and then actually visited the Emerald City," the executive producer of "The Office" quipped about visiting Scranton, Pa., the fictional setting for the hit show, for an "Office" party this weekend. Thousands of fans turned out for improv performances by some of the cast,...
Sarko in Snit Walks Out on '60 Minutes' Interview
Reuters
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Oct 29, 2007 5:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In a "60 Minutes" interview aired last night, surly French President Nicolas Sarkozy called his press secretary an "imbecile," dismissed the interview as "stupid," and abruptly ended the conversation when asked about his estranged wife, Cécilia, Reuters reports. "If I had something to say about Cécilia,...
Bar Association Seeks to Halt Executions
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 29, 2007 5:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After a three-year study of the death penalty in eight states, the American Bar Association is calling for a nationwide moratorium on executions until prevalent problems in the system are rectified. Defense attorneys nationwide are under-qualified and underfunded, cases are plagued by sloppy evidence gathering, and race influences sentencing,...
A-Rod Calls Bombers' Bluff and Opts Out
Sports Illustrated
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Oct 29, 2007 4:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Superstar third baseman Alex Rodriguez is no longer a New York Yankee, Sports Illustrated reports. His agent tells the magazine that he notified the club that A-Rod is opting out of his $252 million deal to seek an even bigger one on the open market. The Yankees, who were reportedly planning to offer the two-time MVP an extension, have said repeatedly...
Colbert Nation Rules Facebook
New York Times
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Oct 29, 2007 4:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Facebook group "1,000,000 Strong for Stephen T. Colbert" reached a million members in just over a week, making the organization devoted to the comedian's phony presidential campaign the fastest-growing political group in the four-year history of the social networking site.
Anti-Franco Fights Erupt at Vatican Ceremony
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 29, 2007 4:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Old wounds were ripped open and fights erupted yesterday as the Vatican beatified 498 priests and nuns killed in the Spanish Civil War. Scuffles between Catholics and leftists broke out near the Vatican's largest-ever beatification ceremony in St. Peter's Square. The Vatican, which supported dictator Francisco Franco during the war, considers the clergy,...
Argentina Elects 'New Evita'
Reuters
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Oct 29, 2007 4:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Argentine first lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has become the country's first elected female leader after trouncing 13 rivals in the presidential election yesterday, Reuters reports. A glamorous 54-year-old lawyer and center-left senator, she will take over from husband President Nestor Kirchner in December. Kirchner is credited with leading Argentina's...
FCC to Strike Down Exclusive Cable Deals
New York Times
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Oct 29, 2007 4:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Federal Communications Commission is set to strike down thousands of exclusive contracts between cable companies and apartment buildings this week, a move officials say will drive down prices as it increases competition. Consumer groups have lobbied hard for the change as have companies such as Verizon and AT&T who want to move in to offer...
Red Sox Champions—Again!
Associated Press
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Oct 29, 2007 2:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
They didn't wait 86 years for this one: three years removed from their first World Series title in nearly a century, the Red Sox won their second in four years, doing it again as they did in 2004 with a four-game sweep, this time over the Colorado Rockies. Series MVP Mike Lowell scored one run and drove in another in the 4-3 victory with a solo HR....
Oracle Drops $6.7B Offer for BEA Buyout
Financial Times (UK)
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Oct 28, 2007 11:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Software mogul Oracle made good today on its threat to drop a $6.7 billion offer to buy BEA systems, after the latter failed to meet the October 28 deadline. Oracle said BEA shareholders should "not assume" it will renew the offer, though it did not rule out the possibility, either, if shareholders were to force the company's hand, the ...
7 College Students Die in North Carolina Fire
Myrtle Beach Sun News
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Oct 28, 2007 10:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Seven college students perished in an Ocean Beach, NC, house fire this morning, six of them from the University of Southern Carolina, one from Clemson University. There were 13 college students in the house when the fire broke out. Six were hospitalized, including one who jumped from the house, which was raised on stilts, into a waterway, according...
New York Wins Ugly in London
New York Times
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Oct 28, 2007 10:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In typical wet London weather, the NFL put on an equally typical slugfest in its first-ever regular season game played outside North America, with hapless Miami putting up a fight against New York before plummeting to its eighth straight loss. Over 80,000 spectators were mostly enthused by the sloppy play, especially the seven fumbles (three lost)...
Colts, Pats Stay Perfect as Matchup Looms
Associated Press
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Oct 28, 2007 10:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
New England and Indianapolis guaranteed a rare Week 9 clash of unbeatens, as the two best teams in the NFL routed their opponents. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw two scores; his second gave him 288 for his Colts career, breaking Johnny Unitas's record. Patriots signal-caller Tom Brady tossed three and ran for an uncharacteristic two more.
ITU Head Wants Broadband Net Help for Africa
BBC
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Oct 28, 2007 10:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Fewer than four per cent of Africans use the Internet and less than one per cent have broadband access, helping to keep Africa behind in education, medicine and business, the BBC reports. Dr Hamadoun Toure, head of the International Telecommunication Union, is asking world organizations to make sure a third of Africa has broadband Internet access by...
Sofitel to Go (Even More) Upscale
Financial Times (UK)
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Oct 28, 2007 10:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Add Sofitel to Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Hermès—France's most luxurious brands. At least that is what its owner, Accor, wants to do. Accor plans to take the best of its 182 Sofitels up market, dumping 35 of the less felicitious Sofitels into a new brand called Pullman. With some polish and what the Financial Times calls...
Will Costly Options Hurt Facebook?
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 28, 2007 10:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Microsoft's recently purchased stake in Facebook may make it harder for the social networking site to hire talented employees, reports the Wall Street Journal . By selling a 1.6% stake for $240 million, Facebook increased its valuation to $15 billion, in turn radically increasing the cost of stock options, which are a vital part of many Silicon Valley...
