Newser Story Index from November, 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.
Beatles Works Set for 2008 Online Debut
Reuters
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Nov 16, 2007 12:54 PM CST
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The long and winding road leads to your computer: The Beatles' catalogue should finally arrive online in 2008, says Paul McCartney. The release has been expected since February’s settlement in the trademark dispute between record label Apple and iTunes-provider Apple. The Beatles' work is among the most high-profile still unavailable in digital...
Katrina Death Toll: 320M Trees
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 16, 2007 12:53 PM CST
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Hurricane Katrina killed 320 million trees in Mississippi and Louisiana, and the die-off is affecting the atmosphere as well as the landscape. Decaying trees will release about 367 million tons of carbon dioxide, equal to the amount released in a whole season of US forest fires, the LA Times reports. "In some areas, it was 100% damage,"...
Banner Ads Get Nasty
Wired
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Nov 16, 2007 12:47 PM CST
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Some banner ads on legit sites can hack into your PC—even if you don't click on them. The new ads, which have been seen on sites like the Economist's and MLB.com, try to scan your hard drive and download malicious software, Wired reports. DoubleClick, which hosts the ads through its DART progam, says it is working on shutting them down.
950 Years Later, 2 Churches May Reunify
Times (UK)
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Nov 16, 2007 12:26 PM CST
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Nearly a millennium after they split, the Catholic and Orthodox churches have published a joint document outlining first steps towards reunification. The Ravenna Document imagines a reunified church with the Pope at its head and proposes a new council composed of Catholic and Orthodox bishops that could formally end the schism of 1054, the London ...
Take the Turkey Escape Route
Forbes Traveler
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Nov 16, 2007 12:09 PM CST
(Newser) -
If a day of cooking, arbitrating between warring family members, and washing dishes doesn't sound like a holiday to you, make it a vacation for the whole family by getting out of town. Forbes Traveler recommends Blackberry Farms in Tennessee, a farmhouse resort whose Thanksgiving festivities include a turkey fry, gingerbread house workshop, and bonfires...
GOP Senators Kill Dem Iraq Withdrawal Bill
Reuters
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Nov 16, 2007 11:50 AM CST
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Senate Republicans today blocked a bill that would have funded the Iraq war and set a withdrawal deadline of December 15, 2008. The legislation cleared the House but received only 53 of 60 needed votes in the Senate. "It's telling our soldiers, you're losers, when they're winners. So we're going to defeat it, now and forever," said Lindsey...
Bush's Japan Policy Lost in Translation
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 16, 2007 11:33 AM CST
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As President Bush welcomes the third Japanese prime minister in 3 years to Washington today, a former Tokyo correspondent writes in the Los Angeles Times that current difficulties with arguably our most important ally stem from a fundamental Bush misunderstanding. W has confused Japan with the US's other "special relationship," he writes,...
LA Will Certify Eateries as Trans Fat-Free
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 16, 2007 11:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Los Angeles County will begin certifying trans-fat-free restaurants and rewarding those that pass muster with a decal in a voluntary campaign rolled out yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reports. Restaurants that pay a $204 application fee will get a surprise visit from inspectors to confirm that their kitchens are free of the heart-damaging fats....
Peterson Threatened My Life: 2nd Wife
Chicago Tribune
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Nov 16, 2007 11:10 AM CST
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Drew Peterson's second wife says the ex-cop under suspicion in the disappearance of his current wife threatened to kill her and make it look like an accident, the Chicago Tribune reports. Vicki Connolly says of suspicions that Drew Peterson might have killed his foutth wife, Stacy Peterson, "He has the experience, the knowledge, the means,...
Goldman Sees $2T Credit Shortfall, Major Slowdown
Bloomberg
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Nov 16, 2007 10:44 AM CST
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The subprime mortgage crisis that has cost financial companies $400 billion and triggered what one banker is calling the worst housing market since the Great Depression will force a $2 trillion credit squeeze that could set off a “substantial recession” in the US, reports Bloomberg. Goldman Sachs said the economy could grow a sluggish 1.9%...
The Geat Is Good, Not Great
Metacritic
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Nov 16, 2007 10:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
Reviewers of the new animated Beowulf generally agree the tech—including 3-D and motion-captured performances—is awesome, while the rest of the movie is just "pretty good." The film "springs so many pow 3-D surprises you'll think Beowulf is your own private fun house," writes Peter Travers in Rolling Stone...
Stripper Sues de la Hoya for Coercion
Reuters
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Nov 16, 2007 9:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Russian stripper is suing Oscar de la Hoya for $100 million, claiming he coerced her to say embarrassing photos of the married boxer cavorting with her in drag were fakes. Milana Dravnel, who said she met the Golden Boy at Scores and saw him a couple of times a month for a year, had sold photos she said showed de la Hoya in women’s fishnet...
You'd Better Silence That Spray Paint
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 16, 2007 9:11 AM CST
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If you’re going out to tag in Montebello, Calif., consider using a paintbrush. The Los Angeles neighborhood has spent $1 million on an anti-graffiti system that can hear aerosol cans up to 80 feet away. The 25 “tagger traps” employ sound sensors to catch graffiti artists red-(or blue- or green-) handed the moment they deface public...
Study Traces Europe's Bets on Civil War
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 16, 2007 8:44 AM CST
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Studying sales of Confederacy bonds in Amsterdam during the US Civil War, two economists say they're able to judge how European traders saw the South's chances of victory, the Wall Street Journal reports. Investors pegged the rebels' odds at 42% early on, but their 1863 defeat at Gettysburg sank bond prices.
Rove Joins Newsweek to 'Stir the Pot'
Politico
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Nov 16, 2007 8:16 AM CST
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Only a few months after leaving the White House, former President Bush operative Karl Rove has found a new gig as a Newsweek columnist. Rove's addition to Newsweek comes just days after the magazine hired popular liberal political blogger Markos Moulitsas of the internet's Daily Kos who, like Rove, will write opinion for both print and online...
BEA Posts 59% Jump in Profit
San Jose Mercury News
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Nov 16, 2007 8:14 AM CST
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BEA Systems reported earnings up 59% in the third quarter yesterday, in the first audited quarterly statements released in over a year. The San Jose-based company's financials have been held up by a reporting dispute with the SEC. BEA hopes the higher-than-expected results will boost its case that the company is worth more than the Oracle bid of $17...
Congress Torn on Telecom Immunity
ZDNet
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Nov 16, 2007 7:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
Congress is conflicted over proposed immunity laws that would retroactively protect telecoms from suits alleging they illegally handed the government information on calls. The Senate Intelligence Committee endorsed immunity 13-2 last month, but the Judiciary Committee left the immunity section out of the document it approved yesterday. The House passed...
Our Vote for Brit Motto: Yanks Who Missed the Boat
Christian Science Monitor
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Nov 16, 2007 7:14 AM CST
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British leaders are on the hunt for a national motto to stir the civic soul, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The government plans to survey 1,000 Brits to find a phrase that speaks to national pride. "At least we're not French," "Americans who missed the boat" and "Once Great: Britain," were among the more cynical...
Arizona Upsets No. 2 Oregon; Dixon Injured
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2007 6:04 AM CST
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Oregon became the fifth No. 2 team to lose this season after Arizona upset them 34-24 last night. Oregon starting QB and Heisman hopeful Dennis Dixon was lost in the first quarter to a knee injury and Oregon was never able to get back on track. Arizona took advantage, scoring on an interception return and a punt return.
Strikes Hit German Commuters
Telegraph (UK)
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Nov 16, 2007 6:00 AM CST
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France isn't the only country suffering a railway strike this week. In Germany, millions of commuters are stranded as a dispute over pay hikes enters its third day. The strike, which began on freight services, has now expanded to commuter trains, reports the Telegraph . It's the most serious strike in Germany's history and comes at a critical moment...
Google's Grand Plan for National Cell Phone Network
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 16, 2007 5:50 AM CST
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Internet giant Google wants to reshape the wireless world, and its plans reach far beyond the cell phone software the company introduced last week. At a Federal Communications Commission auction in January, the company may make a $4.6 billion solo bid to buy airwaves to run its own national mobile phone and internet wireless network, the Wall Street...
Mavericks Handle Spurs
Dallas Morning News
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Nov 16, 2007 5:42 AM CST
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Anchored by superb point guard play from Devin Harris the Mavericks beat the Spurs 105-92 last night. Harris had 18 points and 5 assists and held All-Star Tony Parker to 1-11 shooting.
500 Dead in Bangladesh Cyclone
BBC
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Nov 16, 2007 5:38 AM CST
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At least 500 people were killed and villages ripped apart over night when Cyclone Sidr slammed into the southern shores of Bangladesh, CNN reports. Officials expect the death toll to rise as workers re-establish communication and transport links. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated this week; food for at least 400,000 is on its way, and...
Bush Domestic Spending Veto Stands
Washington Post
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Nov 16, 2007 5:29 AM CST
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President Bush's veto of a major domestic spending bill yesterday withstood a challenge by the House after it failed by just two votes to muster a two-thirds majority to override it. The $606 billion labor, health and education measure is the largest of 12 spending bills that have pit Congress and the White House against each other in a showdown over...
House Votes to Tighten Controls on Lenders
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 16, 2007 4:29 AM CST
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The House has passed a bill intended to protect mortgage borrowers by imposing stricter regulations on lenders. But it's unlikely it will become law before the new year, given the Senate's problem passing a less controversial bill that also aims to mitigate the subprime lending crisis. The House measure bars lenders from steering people into expensive...
Smithsonian Fudged Global Warming Facts 'for Politics'
Washington Post
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Nov 16, 2007 4:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
Government scientists claim officials at the Smithsonian National Museum downplayed global warming for political reasons in a 2006 exhibit on climate change in the Arctic. The museum's director insisted statements about the "scientific uncertainty" of climate change be included in the exhibit, reports the Washington Post . The director is...
'Bring Down' Hamas in Gaza: Palestinian Prez
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 16, 2007 4:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday called for the overthrow of the Hamas government in Gaza for "abusing" people. "We have to bring down this bunch, which took over Gaza with armed force," he said in his most inflammatory remarks since Hamas took over in June. Abbas' angry attack closely followed Hamas' violent suppression...
New LA Buildings Going Green
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 16, 2007 3:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Los Angeles Planning Commission has approved an ambitious package of rules that would require new buildings to cut energy use by 15%. Measures include wiring buildings for solar energy, installing water-saving appliances, and using recycled materials in construction, the Los Angeles Times reports. The regulations would reduce energy use in large...
Africa: Let There Be Light
Christian Science Monitor
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Nov 16, 2007 2:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Even after decades of development, most African communities have no electrical power and still go dark when the sun goes down. Only 5% of Ugandans, 6% of the Congolese population and 15% of Kenyans have electricity. Now the World Bank has launched an initiative to light the homes of 250 million Africans by 2025.
Long-Necked Dinosaur Grazed Like a Cow
National Geographic
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Nov 16, 2007 2:44 AM CST
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The long-necked plant-eating dinosaur Nigersaurus ate its meals off the ground rather than reaching into trees, National Geographic reports. Fossils of the 30-foot-long creature reveal that the animal probably nibbled on plants such as ferns and horsetails. “We have seen nothing like this dinosaur,” said a paleontologist at the University...
A-Rod Stays, Thanks to Wall St.
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 16, 2007 2:19 AM CST
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Alex Rodriguez will be the New York Yankees' third baseman next season. One of Wall Street's power elite convinced A-Rod to sign a new contract as early as today, reports the Wall Street Journal . Gerry Cardinale, an executive at Goldman Sachs, which owns a big stake in the Yankees' television network, YES, negotiated the deal.
Korea Chiefs to Launch Border-Busting Railway
Associated Press
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Nov 16, 2007 2:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
In their latest step toward closer ties, the leaders of North and South Korea have agreed to establish a cross-border train system to strengthen economic connections. Beginning in December freight trains will follow a 16-mile track through the heavily patrolled border frontier to a joint industrial complex in North Korea's Kaesong. Two dozen South...
Rangers Deal Flyers First Home Defeat
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Nov 15, 2007 10:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Philadelphia fell to 6-1 at home after their first shootout of the season, which was won by New York's Brendan Shanahan. The game was a wild one, with ties at 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3. Rookie Denis Tulpeko snuck one under Rangers netminder Henrik Lundquist halfway through the third period for the final equalizer.
#5 Georgetown Spanks Michigan 74-52
Associated Press
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Nov 15, 2007 10:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
College basketball's #5 Georgetown delivered an eyepopping first half against Michigan, posting the game's first 12 points and 11 rebounds; the halftime score was 43-19. The Hoyas shot the lights out (6 of their first 8 on three-pointers) and strangled the Wolverines with signature stingy defense. In other college hoops rout action:
Amazon Tries Something Novel With E-book Reader
CNET
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Nov 15, 2007 9:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
Online retail giant Amazon.com will unveil its highly anticipated electronic-book reader on Monday in New York, an industry source tells CNET. In the works for more than a year, the Kindle is equipped with a Wi-Fi connection that taps into an Amazon e-book store, which users can access to buy new electronic books.
Starbucks Reports First Dip in Customers
Bloomberg
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Nov 15, 2007 9:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Starbucks reported its first-ever decline in US customer visits today, reports Bloomberg. The coffee juggernaut lowered its profit and sales forecast, and shares of its stock fell 8.3%. The profit revision suggests that Starbucks is losing customers to McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, where a cup of coffee may cost $1 or less.
US Won’t Force Diplomats to Serve in Iraq
Associated Press
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Nov 15, 2007 9:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
The State Department won’t have to assign diplomats to open posts in Iraq because enough staff members have volunteered for the spots, the AP reports. The department planned to require foreign service officers to serve at the US embassy in Baghdad and in nearby provinces if there weren’t enough volunteers, a decision that drew widespread...
Price Cut Lifts PlayStation Sales
Associated Press
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Nov 15, 2007 9:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Long lagging behind the Nintendo Wii and without a 'Halo 3' to rescue it, Sony's PlayStation 3 is finally seeing sales pick up in the weeks after a $100 price cut and introduction of a lower-end model. Sony said it sold 100,000 consoles last week, compared to sales of 30,000-40,000 a week before the Oct. 18 price cut.
Clinton Strikes Back at Rivals
Associated Press
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Nov 15, 2007 8:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton accused her main Democratic rivals of twisting her words and slinging mud during a testy debate in Las Vegas tonight. "When somebody starts throwing mud, at least we can hope it's accurate and not right out of the Republican playbook," she said at one point. Barack Obama and John Edwards, meanwhile, continued to complain that...
$25K Sundae Comes With Mice, Roaches
CBS News
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Nov 15, 2007 8:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
An upscale dessert shop on New York's Upper East Side that serves $25,000 ice cream sundaes has been shut down for egregious health-code violations, including a dysfunctional sewage system, mounds of mouse droppings, and a thriving cockroach population, CBS reports. The shop, Serendipity 3, introduced the extravagant sundae, which comes with a golden...
Pakistan Ends Bhutto Detention
Reuters
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Nov 15, 2007 7:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Benazir Bhutto has been released from house arrest and her detention orders withdrawn just hours before Pakistan's President Perzez Musharraf swears in an interim government of his choosing and a US diplomat arrives for talks, Reuters reports. "She is free to move wherever she likes," said a police official. Bhutto had been detained—again—since...
Lethal Strain of Cold Virus Spreads in US
Reuters
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Nov 15, 2007 6:59 PM CST
(Newser) -
A virulent strain of adenovirus, a prevalent cause of the common cold and other respiratory infections, has been identified in parts of the US, including New York, Oregon, Washington state, and Texas, Reuters reports. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the new strain—adenovirus 14—has killed 10 people, including two infants,...
Letterman Opens Wallet for Staff
Deadline
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Nov 15, 2007 6:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
David Letterman will open his own pocketbook to pay non-writer employees of two late-night shows his company produces, Deadline Hollywood Daily reports. With Letterman's own show and another hosted by Craig Ferguson idled by the writers' strike, Worldwide Pants confirmed today it will cover all or part of staff salaries through year's end.
Court Orders Stricter Fuel Economy Rules
San Francisco Chronicle
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Nov 15, 2007 6:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Environmentalist groups rejoiced today after a federal appeals court struck down upcoming fuel-economy standards for some SUVs, minivans, and small trucks, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The court ruled that regulators refused to treat carbon dioxide emissions as a serious threat to global warming and ordered the government to review the standards,...
Oops! She Hit it Again: Britney Drives Over 3rd Foot in a Month
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 15, 2007 5:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Britney Spears caught another photographer flat-footed last night, the Los Angeles Times reports, driving over a paparazzo's paw as she left a Beverly Hills hotel. It's the third such incident in the past month—another photographer and a sheriff's deputy were previous victims—and the LAPD has told Spears she must provide a statement or...
Sexiest Men: Salon Adds Steak to Sizzle
Salon
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Nov 15, 2007 4:56 PM CST
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With only the the briefest nod to that other Sexiest Men Alive list, Salon offers its second annual alternative compilation of hot guys—proving that it all depends on what the meaning of hot is. Jon Hamm, Ira Glass, Jacques Pepin, Judd Apatow, and 22 others make the cut. And except for a few obvious throwaways (Matt Damon, Owen Wilson, Britt...
Bonds Indicted on Perjury
Associated Press
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Nov 15, 2007 4:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
A grand jury today accused Barry Bonds of lying under oath when he denied taking steroids, the AP reports. Baseball's home-run king was indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice and faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. He will be arraigned on Dec. 7. "This is a sad day for baseball," said a White House spokesman.
Techno Savvy Teens Turn Backs on Email
Slate
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Nov 15, 2007 4:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
If snail mail is going the way of the dodo, then it looks like, among teenagers, email is going the way of, well, the snail: half of all teens prefer instant messaging to old-fashioned emails; and while overall use increased six percent last year, e-missives among the "Facebook generation" dropped by eight percent, Slate reports.
Supreme Court Stops Another Execution
Miami Herald
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Nov 15, 2007 3:56 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Supreme Court today halted the execution of Florida man convicted of killing a child in 1991—another sign the court wants executions halted as it considers the constitutionality of lethal injection. Mark Dean Schwab was scheduled to die at 6 p.m., but he will now wait until the court decides whether lethal injections constitute cruel and...
Thanksgiving Travel to Increase
Reuters
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Nov 15, 2007 3:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Some 38.7 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving, despite a spike in gas prices of 90 cents over last year, travel group AAA announced today. Of those hitting the road to visit friends and family, 31.2 million will drive, a 1.5% increase from last year.
