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.
Mob Nearly Iced Rudy in '80s
New York Post
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Oct 25, 2007 1:52 PM CDT
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Rudy Giuliani could’ve slept with the fishes but for a 3-2 vote among New York’s five Mafia bosses not to put a contract on the then-federal prosecutor in the mid-'80s. Among the two younger hotheads who wanted to whack the GOP's current presidential frontrunner was none other than John Gotti, the Post reports.
Fake-speare: Scholar Says Bard Portrait Is a Phony
Times (UK)
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Oct 25, 2007 1:34 PM CDT
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A famous portrait of Shakespeare owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company is a fake—a 19th-century imitation that replaced the older original sometime in the past decade, a German scholar claimed yesterday. “Where is the priceless 400-year-old original 'Flower' portrait?” she asks, saying that the painting appears different this year...
Discovery Docks at Space Station
Reuters
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Oct 25, 2007 1:29 PM CDT
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The shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station this morning, after a two-day journey from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Station commander Peggy Whitson rang a ship's bell to welcome the shuttle crew, which will over the next 10 days prepare the station for European and Japanese researchers, Reuters reports.
Scientists Find Eternal Sunshine Spot in Your Mind
Associated Press
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Oct 25, 2007 1:04 PM CDT
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If you think the glass is half empty, you’re a pessimist—but if you think it’s half full, you have strong activity in your rostral anterior cingulate cortex. That’s the section of the brain, located right behind the eyes, that controls optimism, according to a new study that pulls together new research and confirms old theories...
Watson Retires Amid Race Furor
New York Times
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Oct 25, 2007 12:39 PM CDT
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Amid outrage over recent racial remarks, Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson is retiring as chancellor of Long Island’s Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the New York Times reports. Watson, 79, said his departure was overdue but admitted this wasn’t how he’d wanted to leave. The lab suspended Watson after he said that black...
US New-Home Sales Rebound in September
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 25, 2007 12:25 PM CDT
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In the face of dismal August numbers, sales of new homes in September increased 4.8%, driven by demand in the western US, the Wall Street Journal reports. Despite the unexpected bump, the updated August figures, which reflect an 11-year low, are fueling worries the economy will remain pinned under the weight of the sagging housing market.
Rock N' Roll's Worst Lyricists
Blender
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Oct 25, 2007 11:57 AM CDT
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Just because you can play a guitar doesn't mean you know how to string a sentence together. Blender looks back at rock's cringe-worthy lyricists: Sting Neal Peart, Rush Scott Stapp, Creed
2 Bodies Found as Planes Begin to Fight Fires
CNN
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Oct 25, 2007 11:27 AM CDT
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Firefighters found two bodies in a burned-out San Diego County home even as dying winds today allowed airplanes to take up the fight against California wildfires, and some evacuees began trickling back. A fire captain called the drone of the aircraft "the sound of joy," reports CNN. "Their drops are hitting their mark because the wind...
Clinton, Pelosi May Divide Dems
Politico
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Oct 25, 2007 11:16 AM CDT
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They may have a lot in common on the surface, but Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi differ vastly when it comes to foreign policy, Politico says. With votes to authorize the Iraq war and designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorists, Clinton is an honest-to-goodness, unapologetic hawk, while Pelosi is devoutly dovish. If Hillary wins Democratic...
Air Traffic Control to Get a Makeover
Wired
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Oct 25, 2007 11:10 AM CDT
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The FAA has unveiled a plan to relieve projected air traffic gridlock: a new tracking system called NextGen. The new system will take advantage of slicker GPS technology, which will gradually replace the current radar system, which is subject to delays in data and large margins of error that require extra space between aircraft, Wired reports.
Flames Heat Up, Embarrass Wild
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Oct 25, 2007 11:07 AM CDT
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The Wild, off to their best start in franchise history, seemed to be cruising toward victory against the Flames: Nine minutes into the game they led 3-0, but the Flames battled back, scoring 3 times during a 5-minute stretch in the second period to tie it up. Calgary would score twice more in the third in what the Star Tribune calls the Wild's "most...
'Tectonic Time Bomb' Ticks Along SF Bay
San Francisco Chronicle
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Oct 25, 2007 10:46 AM CDT
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With 2 million people living directly on top of it, and a major rupture due at any moment, seismologists are calling the Haywood Fault the "single most dangerous fault in the entire Bay Area," and a "tectonic time bomb," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A high magnitude quake would leave thousands homeless and leave an estimated...
Phones Goose Transit Gropers
Associated Press
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Oct 25, 2007 10:24 AM CDT
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Commuters tired of being groped on Japan's crowded trains are fighting back with their cell phones. The popular application flashes increasingly angry messages on the phone's screen for the offending feeler-upper. Messages range from "Excuse me, did you just grope me?" to "Shall we head to the police?" The idea is to shoo wandering...
Compulsive Shopping Linked to Mental Woes
Psychiatric Times
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Oct 25, 2007 10:13 AM CDT
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Nearly 6% of the population suffers from compulsive buying, which is often linked to other problems with control and mood disorders, according to research in the American Journal of Psychiatry . About the same percentage of women and men are shopaholics, and addicts are likely to be young, near the limit on their credit cards, and making less than...
Suu Kyi Meets With Junta Liaison
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 25, 2007 9:27 AM CDT
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Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi today met with the military junta minister in charge of opposition group relations, a day after marking her twelfth year under house arrest, the Guardian reports. Former general Aung Kyi was appointed earlier this month in an apparent concession to international pressure, and spent an hour with Suu Kyi...
Intel Opens Huge Plant for Tiny Chips
Reuters
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Oct 25, 2007 9:00 AM CDT
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Production begins today at Intel's new $3-billion plant in Arizona, where the tech giant will produce new chips only 45 nanometers wide—a third smaller than current versions. The design of the new Penryn chip incorporates a transistor that scientists celebrated as the most significant breakthrough in microchips in decades. The new production...
A380's First Flight 'Phenomenal'
BBC
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Oct 25, 2007 8:24 AM CDT
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The Airbus A380 touched down in Sydney this morning, completing the festive maiden voyage of the world's largest jet. After a 2-year delay, passengers who boarded in Singapore say the champagne-fueled, 7-hour trip was worth the wait. “It's going to make everything else after this simply awful,” one told the BBC. The jet, dubbed the Superjumbo,...
Push to Put Private Guards Under Military
Associated Press
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Oct 25, 2007 7:56 AM CDT
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Despite reluctance from Condoleezza Rice, Congress is pushing to bring all private security guards operating in Iraq under US military control. The Senate included military oversight of private contractors in its 2008 defense bill, and the House is likely to follow, the AP reports. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Carl Levin, is confident it will be approved...
Where Do the Hotties Live?
Travel Leisure
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Oct 25, 2007 7:15 AM CDT
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If you want to see the most beautiful people in America, head to Miami or San Diego. That's what Travel & Leisure 's readers think. Here are the 10 cities with the most head-turners: Miami San Diego Charleston, S.C.
Steinbrenners Face 'Tough Decision'
New York Daily News
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Oct 25, 2007 6:48 AM CDT
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Yankee officials have now interviewed all three of Joe Torre's potential successors, and so far team owner George Steinbrenner and sons Hank and Hal are "impressed" with all of them—and concede they've got a "tough decision" to make. Whoever the "slight favorite" is, he'll take the helm of a team "in transition"...
Rice, Paulson Roll Out New Iran Sanctions
Associated Press
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Oct 25, 2007 6:45 AM CDT
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Condoleezza Rice and Hank Paulson will roll out a new package of US sanctions against Iran today, targeting the Revolutionary Guard Corps and its covert foreign-operations wing, the Quds Force, which the US accuses of aiding insurgents in Iraq and elsewhere. It will be the broadest set of punitive measures imposed on Tehran since 1979, the Washington...
California Dreaming at Fire Refugee Shelter
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 25, 2007 5:42 AM CDT
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As California burns, 9,000 residents have evacuated to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. But for those who remember the horror of the New Orleans Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, this refuge is stunningly well-appointed, and very California. Benefits include Starbucks coffee, free massages and acupuncture, and a constant stream of emergency...
Russia Stiff Arms International Vote Monitors
New York Times
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Oct 25, 2007 5:11 AM CDT
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Russia may be headed for another showdown with the US and the European Union over its proposals to severely limit the authority of international election monitors. The Kremlin wants to cut the number of observers and ban their reports from publication until after elections. The move comes just months before the country’s parliamentary and presidential...
Is US Preparing Iran Air Strikes?
ABC News
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Oct 25, 2007 5:09 AM CDT
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A recent White House funding request has heightened speculation that the US is preparing air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, reports ABC News. The Bush administration has asked for $88 million in emergency funds to modify B-2 stealth bombers so they can carry 30,000 "bunker buster" bombs to fulfill "an urgent operational need from...
Shake-up Rocks I-Banking Unit After Deep Losses
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 25, 2007 4:45 AM CDT
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After last week’s dismal report card for its investment arm, Bank of America replaced that unit’s president and announced a slate of reforms to recharge the business. Gene Taylor abruptly retired and will be replaced by Brian Moynihan, the bank’s president of Global Wealth and Investment Management, and an architect of its FleetBoston...
Blackwater Shield of Silence Crumbling Amid Probe
New York Times
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Oct 25, 2007 4:13 AM CDT
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A flood of federal investigators are beginning to pierce the armor of silence surrounding Blackwater guards at their Baghdad encampment, with some seriously questioning the justification of last month's shooting deaths of 17 Iraqis. “Some guys are thinking it was not a good shoot," one guard told the New York Times . "I think it was...
Brits Plotting Battle of Bulge on Plumpies
Christian Science Monitor
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Oct 25, 2007 3:49 AM CDT
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Two sobering reports have frantic Brits casting about for ways to combat their obesity epidemic, reports the Christian Science Monitor . England is the fattest country in Europe and half of its population could be obese by 2050, the reports warn. Now the country is looking into everything from regulating junk food to requiring workplaces to provide...
OK on Chrysler Pact ThisClose
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 25, 2007 3:38 AM CDT
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Auto workers at four Chrysler plants voted by significant margins to approve a new labor contract yesterday, increasing the likelihood of final ratification by the company's 45,000 workers, despite rejection at several plants. The last vote, at a small-car plant in Illinois that employs 3,000 workers, is scheduled for tomorrow.
Child Immigrant Amnesty Bill Dies in Senate
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 25, 2007 2:42 AM CDT
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The Senate couldn't muster needed votes to debate the "Dream Act," a measure that would have established a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants brought to the US as children. Criticized as just "another amnesty bill" by Senate Republicans, the measure had been included in the comprehensive immigration reform that failed to...
Sox Offense Rocks Colorado
Associated Press
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Oct 25, 2007 1:26 AM CDT
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Josh Beckett struck out the first four batters he faced, and Dustin Pedroia belted Colorado starter Jeff Francis's second pitch of the game over the Green Monster to give Boston a surge of momentum the team would never relinquish, beating the Rockies 13-1 in Game 1 of the World Series. Beckett continued his stellar post season, allowing only...
Federal Court Gives Porn Biz a Break
Wired
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Oct 25, 2007 12:53 AM CDT
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A federal appeals court threw a wrench today into the government’s efforts to stop child porn. The Cincinnati-based court struck down a 1998 law requiring porn producers to keep records of people depicted in their materials. The Justice Department argued the law helped authorities clamp down on kiddie porn, but the appeals judges ruled 2-1 that...
Microsoft Deal Overshadows Google's Analyst Day
CNET
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Oct 25, 2007 12:30 AM CDT
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Google made some noteworthy announcements at its Google Analyst Day yesterday, but they were overshadowed by Microsoft's announcement earlier in the day that it was acquiring a $240 million stake in Facebook, a prize for which the two companies had reportedly engaged in a heated bidding war. Among Google's news: the early success of its Apps business.
Caps Skate Through Lightning
Washington Post
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Oct 25, 2007 12:22 AM CDT
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It's become clear in his third NHL season Alexander Ovechkin is an elite goal scorer, but what isn’t so obvious is how his presence improves the players around him. Capitals captain Chris Clark hadn’t scored all year until he was moved back to Ovechkin’s line, and he ended up netting two in a 5-3 Washington win over the Tampa Bay...
Jokinen's Historic Night Lifts Panthers Over Flyers
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Oct 25, 2007 12:10 AM CDT
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With two early goals last night, Olli Jokinen earned the title of all-time points and goals leader for the Florida Panthers en route to handing the Flyers a 4-3 defeat. The loss ended Philly's five-game winning streak as the team began an eight-game road trip. The Flyers also lost wing Simone Gagne to dizziness after a first shift hit. Both of Jokinen's...
BlackBerry To Grow in China
Reuters
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Oct 24, 2007 11:39 PM CDT
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BlackBerry developer Research in Motion is pushing its smartphone into the huge Chinese market for personal communications devices, with major multinationals its first market target. Reuters reports RIM's Chinese partner, China Mobile, already has a two-thirds market share, but the Blackberry is expected to face tough opposition from a low-cost local...
Wings Surge Past Canucks
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 11:21 PM CDT
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Tomas Holmstrom had two goals to carry the Red Wings past the floundering Canucks last night by a score of 3-2. Matt Ellis started the scoring for the Wings in the first. With Holmstrom's two in the second, Detroit never relinquished the lead, though the Canucks closed the gap to one with an early goal in the third, reports the AP.
Marathoner Who Died Was Hauled to Wrong ER
Chicago Sun-Times
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Oct 24, 2007 11:05 PM CDT
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Earlier this month at the sweltering Chicago Marathon, the ambulance transporting the runner who died got lost, had to get directions from another ambulance, and eventually ended up in the wrong emergency room. The man was in full cardiac arrest when the ambulance arrived on the scene and was, according to one official, unresponsive the entire time,...
$10 Million Added to NFL Retirees Fund
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 10:26 PM CDT
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The medical fund the NFL established in July for its retired players will receive a $10 million boost. The money will be added to the $7 million already in the fund and be used for joint replacement surgery, cardiovascular screening and assisted living. “We're continuing to work on the other needs of retired players,” said commissioner...
Israel Will Cut Gaza's Electricity
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 24, 2007 10:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Israel will begin cutting off electricity and fuel to the Gaza Strip in an attempt to stop rocket attacks from the Hamas-controlled territory, the Guardian reports. "We will dramatically reduce the flow of electricity from Israel over several weeks," said the deputy defense minister, who formulated the plan. Defense minister Ehud Barak...
Minnesota, Miami Swap Head Cases
Miami Herald
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Oct 24, 2007 9:48 PM CDT
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The Antoine Walker Era in Miami is over; the Heat have traded the swaggering forward and spare parts in exchange for troubled but talented swingman Ricky Davis and willowy center Mark Blount. Walker's shooting from the bench helped Miami win the NBA title in 2006, but he clashed often with coach Pat Riley over his conditioning, or lack thereof.
Vilma's Season in Doubt
New York Daily News
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Oct 24, 2007 9:15 PM CDT
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Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma may be out for the season with a knee injury, reports the New York Daily News; the extent and source of the injury are still shrouded in mystery. The signal-caller of the defense was uncharacteristically removed from several plays in New York's loss to Cincinnati over the weekend.
Detective Quits Bhutto Bomb Case
BBC
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Oct 24, 2007 8:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The detective probing last week's bomb attack on Bhutto quit today, after the two-time PM accused him of bias, the BBC reports. Bhutto claimed that Manzur Mughal attended her husband's torture eight years ago, and Pakistan did not deny it. “The investigation team will be formed anew,” an official said, "in view of the objections raised...
Sprouting Eyes in Petri Dishes
LiveScience
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Oct 24, 2007 8:04 PM CDT
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A lab fluke that resulted in tadpoles growing third eyeballs could be a major boon for human sight, leading to replacement optic parts or even whole eyes grown in petri dishes. A recent research project accidentally happened upon a trigger for eye formation in frogs—a nitrogen-bearing molecule—that may be a missing link in stem cell science,...
McCanns Give Teary Talk
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 24, 2007 7:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Maddy's mom cried on Spanish TV today as she pleaded for public help and announced a 24-hour line to find her daughter. "Somebody knows something" about Maddy's whereabouts, Kate McCann said alongside her husband. "I think she is possibly being held by someone in their house." It was the McCanns' first televised talk since being...
France Will Offer Free Museums
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 7:22 PM CDT
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Wandering leisurely through one French museum after another—priceless, right? Exactly, as of January 1, when the French culture ministry opens 14 of the country's museums to visitors free of charge. The pilot program, a campaign plank for Nicolas Sarkozy, is being greeted skeptically as columnists debate whether the policy draws broader audiences...
TJX Data Breach Exposed 94M Credit Cards
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 7:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Cyber thieves have pinched 94 million credit cards from a discount retailer—double the last estimate—and spent up to $83 million as far as Hong Kong and Sweden, the AP reports. Banks are now suing the retailer, TJX Cos., to recover their losses. But those losses keep growing: "You know, these [card numbers] are going to be sold off...
Firefighters Taming Blazes
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 24, 2007 6:45 PM CDT
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Diminishing winds today allowed firefighters to make broad progress against the California wildfires that have chased a million people from their homes, while police shot to death one arson suspect and detained another. Major fires still burned, mainly in Orange and San Diego counties, but firefighters' optimism was growing, the Los Angeles Times...
Making Money: Patent Pending
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 6:43 PM CDT
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Big Blue is seeing green in a recent patent filing. IBM, which holds more patents than any company in the world and reaps more than $1 billion in royalties annually, says it wants to make it easier for small companies to license its ideas on a “floating privilege basis.” So it's seeking a patent on a method of granting access to patent...
41% Can't Name a GOP Hopeful
Salon
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Oct 24, 2007 6:14 PM CDT
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At least the GOP presidential candidates can rest assured some voters haven’t heard about abortion rights flip-flops or serial divorces: A new Pew poll found only 59% of Americans can even name a Republican hopeful. But unfortunately for Norman Hsu and expensive haircuts, fully 81% of Americans could remember a Democratic name, Salon reports.
White House Scrubbed CDC's Climate Speech
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 5:41 PM CDT
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The White House halved prepared testimony the CDC director gave to a Senate committee this week, zapping sections about diseases that might result from global warming. A Bush spokeswoman said the speech was not “watered down,” the AP reports, but sentences such as “scientific evidence supports the view that the earth’s climate...
