Newser Story Index from December, 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.
In Gaza, 150,000 Cheer Hamas
BBC
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Dec 15, 2007 1:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Crowds filled Gaza City streets today, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hamas in what BBC analysts are calling a critical test of public support. At least 150,000 rallied amid waving flags and banners as Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya preached “resistance and jihad,” blasting his moderate Fatah counterpart for assuming a mandate...
Go Green on Christmas, Tree Huggers Say
Smithsonian
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Dec 15, 2007 12:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
You can be eco-friendly this holiday season without turning into Scrooge, the Smithsonian reports. For those considering Christmas trees, environmentalists claim real trees are actually better for the environment than the plastic variety, which emit harmful dioxins when created or when on fire.
White House Urges Judge Not to Probe CIA Tapes
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 11:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Bush administration has asked a federal judge—who issued a 2005 order demanding the safeguarding of evidence on detainees—not to investigate the CIA's destruction of interrogation videotapes, the AP reports. White House lawyers, addressing the tapes issue for the first time in court, say that if Judge Henry Kennedy orders a hearing,...
Ethiopia Forces Untrained Civilians Into War
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2007 11:08 AM CST
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Ethiopa's overstretched army is forcing untrained civilians into the bush to fight guerrillas, the New York Times reports. Office clerks, teachers, and other white-collar workers face imprisonment or torture if they refuse to comply, but many have been killed in battle, say aid workers. “We don’t know how to operate guns, but the government...
Overlooked Christmas Movies
Slate
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Dec 15, 2007 10:28 AM CST
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Slate has come up with a list of overlooked Christmas movies to watch out for. Remember, the Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza is more naughty than nice. Die Hard (1988) Yogi's First Christmas (1984) All That Heaven Allows (1954) The Ice Harvest (2005)
Holiday E-Commerce Still Suffers Growing Pains
Wired
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Dec 15, 2007 10:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
As online retailers post record sales this year, holiday e-commerce meltdowns show that stores still don't have the kinks ironed out of their sites. Despite increased capacity on retail sites, crashes such as Sears.com's eight-hour Black Friday crash and Yahoo Shopping's 10-hour Cyber Monday outage continue to plague holiday online shopping, Wired...
Judge: Cops Can't Force Defendant to Tell Password
CNET
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Dec 15, 2007 9:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
In what could turn out to be a landmark decision on computer privacy and Fifth Amendment rights against self incrimination, a federal judge in Vermont has ruled that a man accused of transporting child pornography across the US border with Canada can’t be forced to turn over his laptop password to prosecutors, reports CNET.
Pilots Can Now Fly Until Age 65
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 15, 2007 9:23 AM CST
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US pilots can now fly until they're 65 instead of being of being forced to retire at age 60. A bill signed into law yesterday raises the mandatory retirement age to reflect the greater physical fitness of today's 60-year-olds, the Chicago Tribune reports. The new law puts an end to a half-century of industry debate and brings the US in line with...
Wait a Second! Sub Watch Raises More Questions
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 8:59 AM CST
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Scientists had hoped that the watch belonging to the commander of the HL Hunley would give them some clues as to why the Confederate submarine sank in 1864. But they've been left only with more questions, AP reports. The watch stopped quickly rather than winding down—possibly because of an explosion, but it may have been broken sooner or lost...
Caribbean Storm's Toll at 38
BBC
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Dec 15, 2007 8:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
The death toll from a violent storm that ripped through the Caribbean earlier this week has risen to 38 as flood waters recede and rescuers comb through the wreckage, the BBC reports. All but three of the deaths from Tropical Storm Olga were in the Dominican Republic, where tens of thousands are homeless and crops have been devastated. Survivors say...
Huckabee Charms South Carolina
Reuters
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Dec 15, 2007 8:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
GOP contender Mike Huckabee has grabbed the top spot among Republican candidates in South Carolina because voters find him the most "believable," according to a poll released yesterday. "Huckabee has come on because he has a more personable or pastoral appeal to a lot of voters," a political science professor noted. Huckabee, whose...
Yemeni Inmate Claims Months of Abuse in CIA Cells
Salon
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Dec 15, 2007 7:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Yemeni man claims he was held for 19 months in secret CIA prisons, shackled in tiny cells with no idea why he was there or if he would ever be free again, bombarded by rap music or white noise around the clock. Mohamed Farag Ahmad Bashmilah says he was picked up as an al-Qaeda suspect in 2003 and held at the the agency's infamous "black sites"...
Desperate Cancer Victims Turn to Do-it-Yourself Cures
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 15, 2007 7:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
Desperate for a cure, and fed up with waiting for a federal Food and Drug Administration they say takes too long to approve drugs, some ill Americans are concocting cancer medicine "cocktails"—many of which haven’t been approved or tested—they hope will save their lives, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Musharraf Lifts Emergency Rule
Reuters
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Dec 15, 2007 7:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf today lifted the state of emergency he imposed in his nation, sending crowds into the street to celebrate the change and protest Musharraf's administration. Critics say media curbs and an altered judiciary, with some judges and lawyers under house arrest, will remain in place and that Musharraf can still manipulate ...
Felon Became Top Exec for Wikipedia
The Register
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Dec 15, 2007 6:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
Wikipedia had a convicted felon in one of its highest executive positions for over six months this year, The Register reports. Carolyn Bothwell Doran was on probation for a DUI that caused a death when she became the charitable foundation's chief operating officer in January, says the UK-based web site. She left the Wikimedia Foundation in...
NASA to Boost Brits to the Moon
BBC
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Dec 15, 2007 6:20 AM CST
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NASA is likely to help Britain send a probe to the moon by 2012, reports the BBC. A study found that the British "Moonlite" proposal fit a gap in NASA's plans. The project will fire darts from an unmanned probe into the moon's surface to discover what lies beneath. The Indian Space Agency may also get involved.
Last-Minute US Compromise Saves Bali Talks
Reuters
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Dec 15, 2007 6:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Bali climate summit averted failure at the eleventh hour today when the US capitulated under sharp criticism and agreed to further talks to forge a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol in 2009 that will include the US and developing nations. The deal came after the US dropped opposition to a proposal that wealthy nations help developing countries...
Clinton Rejects Staffs' Attacks on Obama
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 5:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton yesterday rejected and distanced herself from an official in her campaign who suggested that Barack Obama's teenage drug use could be used against him if he becomes the Democratic nominee. The official's statement "was in no way condoned," Clinton said. "I didn't know about it, and he stepped down."
3 in a Row for Appalachian State
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 5:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
Appalachian State made history last night by sealing their third straight Division I-AA championship with a 49-21 victory over Delaware, AP reports. The defending champions controlled the pulse of the game from the outset, getting lucky calls and making skillful plays to keep the No. 13 Fightin' Blue Hens from ever threatening to take the lead.
'Rape of Nanking' Fresh, 70 Years Later
Der Spiegel
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Dec 15, 2007 5:19 AM CST
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Seventy years have passed since the "Rape of Nanking," when Japanese soldiers brutally massacred as many as 300,000 Chinese civilians, but the effects of the trauma are still very much present in China and its relations with Japan. Memorializing the event plays a major role in cementing China's sense of its own history, Der Spiegel reports.
Curry Comes Up Empty as Bulls Drop Knicks
Chicago Sun-Times
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Dec 15, 2007 5:06 AM CST
(Newser) -
Eddy Curry found himself benched for the final half hour in his current team's loss to his former Chicago Bulls, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Zach Randolph filled Curry's void for the Knicks with 27 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to get past the Bulls, who won 101-96. Elsewhere in the NBA:
Carter's Nets Run Past LeBron's Cavs
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2007 4:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
New Jersey caught a break when it last played Cleveland, as star LeBron James missed the game. This time James was in the lineup and scored 29 points but the result was the same as New Jersey won, this time 105-97, reports The New York Times . Said Nets star Vince Carter, "We needed this...to get back on track." Elsewhere:
A Perfect 12 at Home for Boston
Associated Press
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Dec 14, 2007 11:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
The last time the Celtics started this hot at home, they went to the NBA Finals in 1985. Boston hopes to continue that trend after improving to 12-0 at the "new" Garden with a 22 point win over Milwaukee, reports the AP. Paul Pierce had 32 points to help overcome the absence of the injured Ray Allen. Elsewhere in hoops:
Flames Douse Host Hurricanes in Tight One
Calgary Herald
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Dec 14, 2007 10:57 PM CST
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Not exactly geographic rivals, Calgary and Carolina played a tight game more suited to familiar enemies tonight, and it was won by Calgary, 4-3, on Dion Phaneuf's goal with eight minutes remaining. During their fourth straight win on a six-game road trip the Flames also got goals from captain Jarome Iginla, Dustin Boyd, and Kristian Huselius. That's...
A's Deal Their Ace to Arizona
San Francisco Chronicle
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Dec 14, 2007 10:47 PM CST
(Newser) -
Athletics GM Billy Beane, never one to shy away from an aggressive deal, today traded his team's top pitcher, Dan Haren, to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a slew of prospects, reports the Chronicle. Beane made the move with an eye on long-term building - apparently not convinced about his club's chances in 2008. The A's also traded minor league pitcher...
Giving Goes Both Ways for Huckabee
Politico
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Dec 14, 2007 8:23 PM CST
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For Mike Huckabee, the season of giving lasts all year long, Politico reports. An analysis of records from Huckabee's tenure as Arkansas governor showed that he accepted more than 90 gifts from 21 Arkansans he later appointed to state posts. And those people kept giving: they contributed more than $161,000 to the Huckabee campaign, Politico finds....
Chefs Dish on Fave Cookbooks
Slate
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Dec 14, 2007 7:42 PM CST
(Newser) -
What to get the foodie or chef who already has all the classic cookbooks? Slate compiles offbeat favorites recommended by Mollie Katzen, James Oseland and other standout chefs, food editors, and more. Ethan Becker: Cookwise— Less a cookbook than a bible of general cooking knowledge. Dan Barber: The River Cottage Meat Book—...
Traditional Trumps Trendy for Indian 'Idol'
Time
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Dec 14, 2007 6:58 PM CST
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The winner of "Voice of India," the country's equivalent of "American Idol," is an icon of both music and style, but he prefers tradition to trends. Ishmeet Singh, 18, has gained national recognition as a keshdari Sikh, or one who wears a turban, in an era when the head covering is disappearing among young Sikhs, Time reports....
Guaranteed Wii ... Come January
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 14, 2007 6:25 PM CST
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Kids hoping to score a Nintendo Wii this Christmas might have to settle for a skimpy rain check instead, the Los Angeles Times reports. Nintendo has completely sold out of its popular video-game console and won't be shipping any new units until January. Instead, buyers can reserve systems with full-price "Wii Certificates" available Dec....
Being a Tech CEO Means Having to Say You're Sorry
Forbes
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Dec 14, 2007 6:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Saying "sorry" has become a necessary skill for tech execs, Forbes reports—from AMD's CEO, who apologized yesterday for delaying its latest chip launch, to Facebook's founder, who begged forgiveness after an advertising program violated users' privacy. The frequency of technology leaders' public contrition testifies to the power of...
Congress Approves War Funds
Reuters
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Dec 14, 2007 5:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Senate today authorized a defense bill providing $506.9 billion for Pentagon programs and $189.4 billion in funding for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars—but no timetables on troop withdrawals, which brought vetoes on earlier efforts. The bill, approved 90-3 by the Senate, expands the army by 13,000 and enhances veterans care programs, with special...
Discovery Will Go Public
Washington Post
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Dec 14, 2007 5:38 PM CST
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Discovery Communications will go public, upping the media company’s ability to make deals while opening it to shareholder and Wall Street opinion. The “MythBusters” and “LA Ink” broadcaster will be able to spend more on new programming and acquire other businesses more readily. Analysts expect shares to trade in the $30...
Kite Runner Doesn't Quite Soar
Metacritic
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Dec 14, 2007 5:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Kite Runner, adapted from Khaled Hosseini’s acclaimed novel about two boys’ journey through the tumultuous recent history of Afghanistan, fails to match the book’s critical raves. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times loves it, praising the compelling narrative and the “natural, convincing and powerful" child stars'...
Yahoo VPs Dropping Like Flies
All Things Digital
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Dec 14, 2007 5:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
"This slimming down is a good idea, given Yahoo’s VP obesity," writes Kara Swisher in All Things Digital . She says it's not clear who's behind the departures of numerous execs from the notoriously top-heavy company, nor who jumped and who was pushed out. But a source called the moves "streamlining," and said, "there...
Active Player Proved He Was Clean, Escaped Mitchell Report
New York Times
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Dec 14, 2007 5:10 PM CST
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An unnamed player who was found to have purchased anabolic steroids managed to keep his name out of George Mitchell's scathing 400-page report on drug abuse in baseball, the New York Times reports after interviewing the former senator. Contacted by Mitchell's investigative team, the player and his lawyer provided evidence that, though he'd purchased...
Mars Draws Near, Shines Bright
Space.com
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Dec 14, 2007 4:56 PM CST
(Newser) -
Astronomers of all abilities—and children scanning the night sky for Santa Claus—should be able to see a gleaming Mars as the red planet draws close enough, and into the right position, to outshine Sirius as the brightest evening star. Practically brushing shoulders with Earth—a mere 54,783,381 miles off—our neighbor won't be...
Senate Votes to Aid At-Risk Homeowners
Associated Press
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Dec 14, 2007 4:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
In an attempt to quell the ongoing housing crisis, the Senate approved a bill today that would allow the Federal Housing Administration to back refinanced loans for the thousands in danger of defaulting on mortgages. The bill, which passed 93-1, also repositions the FHA as an attractive alternative to subprime lenders by lowering minimum down payments...
Google Takes On Wikipedia
CNET
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Dec 14, 2007 4:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
The company is developing a collaborative online encyclopedia, called the "knol project," that will allow contributors to earn money by including Google ads on their pages. Google won't edit content, but will give high search ranking to entries it considers high quality, reports CNET. Users will also be able to rate and review articles.
China Faces Baby Boomlet
Times (UK)
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Dec 14, 2007 4:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
China is bracing for a bumper crop of babies as kids born after the relaxation of the strict one-child policy in 1984 start their own families, the London Times reports. Strict penalties still apply to couples with more than one child, but tradition-bound and wealthy Chinese can afford to pay the price to have a son.
Border Strife Escalating in Tijuana
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 14, 2007 4:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
Areas of Tijuana that abut the American border have turned into battlegrounds, as Mexican smugglers lob rocks from rooftops at US Border Patrol agents, who have begun retaliating by firing pepper spray and tear gas into densely populated neighborhoods, the Los Angeles Times reports. The tactics have caused evacuations and sent both residents and...
Iran Prez: US Hurts World Peace
Newsweek
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Dec 14, 2007 4:03 PM CST
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Writing in Newsweek , Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the US has forsaken its “proper role in eliminating tyranny and violence” in the international arena, instead acting unilaterally to disrupt a peaceful world. Ahmadinejad says Iran has every right to develop nuclear fuel “for peaceful purposes,” and the US is...
Not-So-Sporty Spice Sprains Ankle at Show
BBC
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Dec 14, 2007 3:54 PM CST
(Newser) -
Emma Bunton sprained her ankle when she took a spill during the Las Vegas leg of the Spice Girls' world tour, and the group has bowed out of a TV performance scheduled to air Sunday. "I'm seeing David Beckham's doctor, so I'm praying I'll be fine," Baby Spice told the BBC.
Amazon Unveiled as $4M Buyer of Rowling Fairy Tales
Bloomberg
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Dec 14, 2007 3:54 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Internet giant of book sales revealed today that it was behind the purchase of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" in auction yesterday. Amazon paid $3.98 million for the handwritten manuscript -- a record for a children's book and for any modern literary manuscript, not to mention JK Rowling herself, reports Bloomberg . The money will...
Stocks Plunge to End Off Week
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 14, 2007 3:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Dow dived 178.11 points today to 13,339.85 after a 0.8% spike in the consumer price index, the biggest since September 2005, sparked concern that the era of rate cuts might be over. Inflation was “the 800-pound gorilla in the room,” one strategist told the Journal. The Nasdaq slid 32.75 to 2,635.74, and the S&P 500 fell 20.46...
Mukasey Tells Congress to Back Off CIA Tapes Inquiry
Washington Post
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Dec 14, 2007 3:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
Michael Mukasey isn't about to open up to Democratic lawmakers who want details of the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into the CIA’s destruction of interrogation tapes, the Washington Post reports. In letters sent today, the new AG also restated his objections to appointing a special prosecutor to investigate, as Joe Biden...
UK Bans Samurai Swords
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 14, 2007 3:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
British authorities are cracking down on a deadly, if unconventional, weapon—the samurai sword. The government banned the sale of the Japanese blades this week following at least 80 serious attacks, including five deaths, in the last few years, the Guardian reports. Collectors and martial arts practitioners will not be affected, just those...
Sweet <3, It's Not U, It's Me
Reuters
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Dec 14, 2007 3:27 PM CST
(Newser) -
Emails and text messages are becoming the dumping grounds for a new generation of lovers, with one in seven people saying they've been broken up with digitally. Moreover, survey results out today reveal that while face-to-face showdowns still beat Facebook as the preferred method for breakups, 1% of respondents would use online social networks to part...
Chinese Translation Ours, Company Tells Google
Associated Press
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Dec 14, 2007 3:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Beijing company has sued Google over the search engine’s Chinese name, insisting it registered “Guge” first—and that the Californians should pick a new Far East handle. Beijing Guge Sci-Tech says it claimed the name in April 2006, while its nominal American competition didn’t make its Chinese presence official until...
Britain Tops US in Funding for World Bank
New York Times
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Dec 14, 2007 3:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Great Britain has supplanted the United States as the largest contributor to the World Bank, pledging $4.2 billion of the total $25.1 billion raised for the world's poorest nations, a record high. The shift in power reflects both the dollar's waning dominance as well as an end to US-Europe tensions following Paul Wolfowitz's resignation, the Times...
The Skinny on Weight Loss —in Song
San Jose Mercury News
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Dec 14, 2007 3:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
One of Silicon Valley's best-known female venture capitalists is producing songs geared to help women lose weight. One-time Apple exec Heidi Roizen is leaving her job as managing director of Mobius Venture Capital to devote her full energies to the CD, which include numbers like Skinny Jeans and I'm a Hottie Now , and lyrics such as: "There's...
