Newser Story Index from July, 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.
Chappelle Treated for Exhaustion
Associated Press
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Jul 18, 2007 6:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dave Chappelle, the sketch comedian who's famous for finding success stressful, was hospitalized for exhaustion over the weekend. His publicist suggested the comedian’s travel schedule was the reason for an emergency room visit Saturday. In May 2005, Chappelle caused a media uproar when he abruptly walked away from his highly rated Comedy Central...
How Did the Fox Dow Do Today, Dear?
TheStreet
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Jul 18, 2007 6:04 PM CDT
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Get ready for the Fox Dow. If Rupert Murdoch is willing to pay $6B for a company that produced $105M in income last year, he must be seeing hidden opportunities, argues Brett Arends in the street.com. Dow Jones controls the name of the financial index—and if the sale goes through, Murdoch could change it to whatever he pleases.
EU Court Protects File Sharers
Ars Technica
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Jul 18, 2007 5:53 PM CDT
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European ISPs cannot be forced to hand over identities of illegally-downloading subscribers in copyright infringement suits, an advocate general for the EU's top court ruled today. Such information could only be procured in criminal, rather than civil, proceedings. The court most often sides with such opinions, though they are not legally binding.
The Top 10 Investors
BusinessWeek
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Jul 18, 2007 5:16 PM CDT
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Not only are these investors sitting on mountains of doubloons—a sure sign of financial savvy—but they have also changed the way people think about money and investing. John Bogle, founder, the Vanguard Group. Now president, Bogle Financial Markets Research Center. Warren Buffett, CEO and chairman, Berkshire Hathaway. ...
Did Drug Officials Boost GOP Reps?
Washington Post
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Jul 18, 2007 5:16 PM CDT
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Public appearances by top guns in the Office of National Drug Control Policy may have been used to support vulnerable GOP Congressman in the run-up to the '06 elections, a Democratic lawmaker charged yesterday. Henry Waxman, chair of the House Oversight Committee, said it was part of a larger White House scheme to politicize federal agencies.
Text Messaging Steers Teens Into Trouble
ABC News
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Jul 18, 2007 4:47 PM CDT
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Text messaging is growing into a serious hazard for young people, ABC reports. A new study showed that teens are texting at rates that border on addiction—some sending thousands of messages a month. Most alarmingly, however, a full 28% of teens admitted to texting while driving, a dangerous practice that distracts inexperienced motorists.
Border Patrol: OK to Shoot Fleeing Subjects?
CNN
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Jul 18, 2007 4:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Now that the president is in the business of commuting sentences, some lawmakers would like to see him turn his attention to two border patrol agents who drew more than 10 years in prison for shooting a fleeing, unarmed drug trafficker in the back. By federal law, agents are allowed to fire their weapon only if they are in danger.
Stocks Drop on Fed Chief's Mixed Report
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 18, 2007 3:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
US markets sank today after two Bear Stearns hedge funds were revealed to be worthless and the Fed Chairman expressed concerns about the stability of the economy. Testifying before the House, Ben Bernanke said he expects growth next year, but stressed that the sinking housing market continues to saddle the economy. After four straight record closes,...
Darfur Hopes Lie in Hidden Lake
BBC
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Jul 18, 2007 3:34 PM CDT
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A giant lake discovered beneath Darfur could lead to resolution of the conflict in the region, where genocide has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Darfuris and 2 million people have been left homeless since 2003, the BBC reports. Radar revealed the ancient body of water, comparable in size to Lake Erie, which could supply 1,000 wells, researchers...
Eco-Vandals Trash Hummer
Washington Post
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Jul 18, 2007 2:46 PM CDT
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A 32-year-old man in Northwest DC woke to find his dream car—a $38,000 Hummer—with slashed tires, smashed windows, and a message carved into its body: "FOR THE ENVIRON." In a green-friendly neighborhood dominated by hybrids, two masked eco-extremists decided to punish Gareth Groves by mutilating his favorite possession.
Ouch! Player Sports Tooth in Forehead
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 18, 2007 2:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An Australian rugby player visited his doctor last week, but his ailment was a job for a dentist—someone else's dentist. Nearly 4 months after colliding with an opponent during a game, Ben Czislowski learned that he had a tooth lodged under the skin of his forehead. He says he's thankful his head only looked “uglier than it does normally.”
Bin Laden's Envoy in Iraq Captured
Associated Press
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Jul 18, 2007 1:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
US Forces have captured a leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq they say was an envoy to central al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. Khaled al-Mashhadani was captured on July 4th in Mosul, and is believed to be the most senior Iraqi in the organization which has been at the forefront of the Baghdad insurgency.
Democrats Lose Withdrawal Vote
New York Times
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Jul 18, 2007 1:04 PM CDT
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Senate Democrats failed to collect enough votes this morning to pass a bill that would force President Bush to begin pulling troops out of Iraq within 120 days. After a spirited all-night debate, 52 voted in favor of the measure and 47 against, but rules require 60 "yes" votes to avert a Republican filibuster.
Brits Embrace Facebook, Pay the Price
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 18, 2007 12:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Miss New Jersey may never be mistaken for a Rhodes Scholar, but unlike some British university students, she knows how to make sure her Facebook profile is private. The social-networking site that nearly brought down the beauty queen is wreaking havoc across the Atlantic, with Oxford students facing disciplinary action and fines for behavior captured...
7 Best New Wine Lists of 2007
Food & Wine
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Jul 18, 2007 11:48 AM CDT
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Food & Wine magazine names its favorite new restaurant wine lists from around the country. Catalan, Houston, TX Addison, San Diego, CA Perbacco, San Francisco, CA Craftsteak, New York, NY Osteria di Tramonto, Wheeling, IL
Bear Stearns Funds Nearly Wiped Out
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 18, 2007 11:08 AM CDT
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Bear Stearns told clients yesterday that two of its hedge funds backed heavily by subprime mortgages were close to valueless. The investment bank is putting up $1.6 billion in rescue financing, as Wall Street looks to dump other bonds that have been hit by the subprime downturn as quickly as possible.
Brazil Crash Death Toll Nears 200
Reuters
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Jul 18, 2007 10:12 AM CDT
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The death toll in last night's plane crash at the Sao Paulo airport is expected to near 200, making it the worst in Brazil's history, officials said today as rescuers continued pulling bodies from the rubble. The Airbus 320 had 186 people onboard, and more died on the ground when the aircraft skidded into a building and exploded.
Bush's Failures Are Kristol Clear
Washington Post
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Jul 18, 2007 9:22 AM CDT
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Nation editor David Corn does a double take in today's WaPo at neocon infantryman Bill Kristol's Sunday column there, which predicted the Bush presidency would go down as a success. In a blazing review of the scandals, misadventures and outright failures that have plagued the White House for the last seven years, Corn argues that Kristol's cheerleading...
Letter Reveals Rift in Chinese Establishment
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 18, 2007 8:43 AM CDT
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China's leaders are "going down an evil road" and betraying Marxist ideals, says an open letter signed by former Communist Party officials and academics. The letter, which calls for restoring party control of China's increasingly capitalist economy, is unusual in that its hard-line authors come from within the party elite, the LA Times ...
Recovery Docs Mount Equine Campaign
Washington Post
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Jul 18, 2007 8:11 AM CDT
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Physical therapists are increasingly turning to horses to help patients with serious injuries, cerebral palsy, muscle disorders and developmental delays. The complex act of maintaining balance on a moving horse bolsters damaged or underdeveloped muscle groups and can have psychological benefits. Horses' movements mimic a human gait, making the...
Team China, Milwaukee Tussle Over Yi
Sports Illustrated
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Jul 18, 2007 7:51 AM CDT
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The coach of the Chinese national hoops team has a new reason for Yi Jianlian not to go to the Bucks, who recently drafted him 6th overall: the team's abundance of young frontcourt players would retard his growth as a player. Yi's agent had formerly cited Milwaukee's tiny Chinese-American community as a reason for the 19-year-old to play elsewhere.
Extra Fruits, Veggies Don't Stall Breast Cancer
Associated Press
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Jul 18, 2007 7:33 AM CDT
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Loading up on fruits and vegetables doesn't stop breast cancer from returning, a 7-year study shows, causing researchers to mull switching focus to exercise and weight. The 3,000-woman study found no benefit to those who scarfed down extra servings of fruits and veggies—a relief to women who worry that they're not doing enough, says a study author.
Dolphins Drop Culpepper
Miami Herald
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Jul 18, 2007 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Miami severed ties with QB Daunte Culpepper yesterday, terminating his contract without arbitration after a decidedly unspectacular year with the Dolphins. Culpepper was sidelined for most of last season, and only threw for 64.2 percent in his occasional play. Yesterday's move was not unexpected, however: Miami recently nabbed QB Trent Green from Kansas...
Brewers Place Sheets on DL
MLB.com
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Jul 18, 2007 7:16 AM CDT
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The Milwaukee Brewers have placed right-handed ace Ben Sheets on the disabled list for at least 4 weeks, citing a torn tendon in his throwing hand. The Brewers, currently battling Chicago for first place in the NL Central, will sit their All-Star for two weeks before sketching a rehab schedule. Sheets is 10-4 this year with a 3.39 ERA.
Salmonella Taste Toll Rises Again — to 636
Chicago Tribune
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Jul 18, 2007 7:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Investigators say the cucumber hummus at the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth at Taste of Chicago was the culprit in a salmonella outbreak that has now hit 636 people who patronized the festival. Fifty cases are confirmed; 25 have been hospitalized.
Yanks Down Jays in 10 Innings
New York Times
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Jul 18, 2007 6:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Yankees downed the Jays last night in the Bronx, taking an oddball outing, 3-2, in 10 innings. After Toronto's Jeremy Accardo balked in the tying run in the 9th, reliever Casey Johnson beaned A-Rod in the 10th, then sent him to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Robinson Cano singled to left, scoring Rodriquez.
States Say No to Abstinence Programs
New York Times
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Jul 18, 2007 6:27 AM CDT
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School sex education programs that concentrate on abstinence are under threat despite years of federal funding for organizations like Virginity Rules, the New York Times reports. Eleven states have rejected abstinence education in the last year and Congress cut program funding for the first time since 2001. A study of abstinence education found no...
Whole Foods CEO Sorry for Web Subterfuge
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 18, 2007 6:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The CEO of Whole Foods apologized yesterday for boosting his company and posting snide comments about a rival supermarket chain in Internet forums and said he "had fun doing it." John Mackey's actions over the last 8 years have already triggered an SEC investigation, and the company's board said yesterday it will launch its probe, the Wall...
Contractor Armies Thrive in Iraq
Christian Science Monitor
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Jul 18, 2007 5:49 AM CDT
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A private army of occupation in Iraq—mechanics, construction workers, translators, bodyguards, and other civilian contractors—is increasing in numbers keeping pace with the troop surge, the Christian Science Monitor reports. As many as 180,000 private contractors in Iraq, most of them not US nationals, currently work in legal limbo, with...
Killer Wrestler on Steroids, Family Sedated
Associated Press
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Jul 18, 2007 5:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Wrestling star Chris Benoit's testosterone level was 10 times the normal level when he killed his wife, his young son and himself last month, a Georgia medical examiner has determined. Benoit's wife and son were also apparently sedated with prescription medication. Benoit had taken a cocktail of anabolic steroids, the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the...
Quake Triggers Wave of Nuke Plant Fears
BBC
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Jul 18, 2007 5:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New fears about the safety of nuclear power are rattling Japan after radioactive material leaked from a reactor damaged in this week's magnitude 6.8 earthquake. Plants must be built to withstand a 6.5, but stronger quakes are common on the Pacific Rim, and this year all 12 of the nation's power companies admitted to shirking safety regulations, the...
Stars Collide as Oprah Backs Obama
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 18, 2007 5:32 AM CDT
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In a first-ever move for Oprah Winfrey, the multimedia powerhouse will throw her impressive public muscle behind a presidential candidate—Barack Obama. She's opening her Southern California mansion for a megabucks fundraiser for her fellow Chicagoan on September 8. Tickets start at $2,300, the LA Times reports, and dinner goes for $50,00.
Atlanta QB Vick Indicted on Dogfighting Charges
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jul 18, 2007 5:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal grand jury formally accused Falcons star Michael Vick of sponsoring and governing a Virginia-based dogfighting ring, along with three other Virginia men. The operation was based on Vick's Surry County property, and the QB is alleged to have attended fights and personally overseen the execution of underachieving pit bulls by brutal means—including...
Potter Pages Leaked in Web Hocus Pocus
Boston Globe
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Jul 18, 2007 5:24 AM CDT
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The world's favorite boy wizard flies onto bookshelves for the final time Saturday, but scanned pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows —some real, some phony—have already landed on the Internet. Photographs of what seem to be every page of the 784-page tome have been posted on several file-sharing sites, despite enormous security...
Brits Win Little EU Support For Russian Battle
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 18, 2007 5:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain turned to its European allies for support in its diplomatic battle with Russia over a sensational radiation murder in London, but the response has been tepid, the Guardian reports. Only the French expressed support yesterday, as Germany, with powerful economic ties to Russia, suggested that the UK had overreacted, and the Portuguese characterized...
Dow Jones Approves $5B Murdoch Deal
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 18, 2007 5:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Publisher Rupert Murdoch took a critical step towards control of the Wall Street Journal last night, as the Dow Jones board voted to approve a $5 billion sale of the company to the media magnate. Whether the majority-owning Bancroft family will also approve the deal is too close to call, the Journal reports.
Jet Crashes, Explodes in Brazil
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 10:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A plane with up to 178 passengers and crew skidded off a Brazilian runway in heavy rain, careered across a traffic-snarled road, slammed into a gas station and exploded in a huge ball of fire. The accident happened as a Tam Airlines Airbus was landing in Sao Paolo after a flight from Porto Alegre last night.
Plane With 170 Aboard Crashes in Brazil
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 8:56 PM CDT
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"SAO PAULO, Brazil - A plane with as many as 170 people aboard crashed and burst into flames in Sao Paulo on Tuesday after skidding off a runway that has been criticized as being too short in a driving rain, the nation's airport authority said. -- From AP
'SNL' Alum Wallops Weirdo
New York Post
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Jul 17, 2007 6:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jon Lovitz is no stranger to killing at LA's Laugh Factory, but last week he nearly took out fellow funnyman Andy Dick in a scuffle there, according to the Post . Lovitz grabbed the renowned face-licker by the head and, the club's owner says, "smashed him into the bar four or five times, and blood started pouring out of his nose."
Train Derails in Ukraine, Releasing Toxic Cloud
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 6:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A freight train derailed in western Ukraine, releasing a toxic cloud of yellow phosphorus and igniting fears of another Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the AP reports. Twenty people were poisoned and hospitalized, and more than 800 were evacuated from their homes. Rescuers had to extinguish a fire that created a gas cloud over 14 villages in a 35-square-mile...
Libya Spares Lives of Nurses, Doc in HIV Case
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 6:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Libyan government today spared the lives of the foreign medical workers sentenced to die for infecting hundreds of children with HIV. Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor had their sentences commuted to life in prison after the families of the infected children each accepted $1 million and withdrew their demand for execution, the AP reports.
Suicide Bomber Slays 13 in Islamabad
Reuters
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Jul 17, 2007 4:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Thirteen people died and at least 40 were wounded in an apparent suicide bombing today in Islamabad. The attack, which occurred just before Pakistan's suspended chief justice was scheduled to speak at an outdoor rally, was the latest incident in a wave of violence that has followed last week's military takeover of the Red Mosque compound, Reuters reports.
Heaven Can Wait, and So Must Research
BBC
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Jul 17, 2007 4:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite rumblings from anxious researchers, the Vatican Library has closed its doors for at least 3 years to undergo renovations after an inspection this year revealed that the structure couldn’t support the weight of its books. Reading rooms were unusually full last week, the BBC reports, as researchers got in as much work as possible with time...
GOP Voters Undecided, Unhappy
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 4:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani has the support of 21% of Republicans in a new poll—down from 27% in June, which is bad enough, and second to the most popular option: none of the above. John McCain stands fourth, a notch below undeclared candidate Fred Thompson, in the most recent AP-Ipsos poll, out today, and Hillary Clinton continues to dominate the Democrats.
Military Offers $1M Prize for Lighter Battery Packs
CNN
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Jul 17, 2007 4:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Department of Defense will pay $1 million to the person or team who can come up with a way to lighten the load of US troops. On a 4-day mission, soldiers now lug battery packs that weigh up to 40 pounds—often more than their ammunition. The batteries power such high-tech items as GPS systems and night goggles.
Best Places to Call Home 2007
CNN
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Jul 17, 2007 4:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Some places have it all: affordable, good schools, job opportunities, family friendly, and plenty of stuff to do. Money magazine is out with its annual list of the best places to live in America. The top 10: Middleton, Wisc. Hanover, NH Louisville, Colo. Lake Mary, Fla. Claremont, Calif.
Sun Editor Reveals Bright Side of Black
New York Sun
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Jul 17, 2007 3:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a speech to the staff of the New York Sun, editor-in-chief Seth Lipsky paints a different picture of former media baron Conrad Black than a US District Court in Chicago did last week. Lipsky heaps laud on the disgraced mogul for helping seed the paper, as well as the "greatest of the London broadsheets," the Telegraph .
Dow Breaks 14K, Briefly
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 17, 2007 3:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dow shattered the 14,000 mark for the first time in its history today, floating 22 points above the milestone but dipping just before the bell to close at 13,971.55—still a 20.57-point gain. A projection of relatively docile inflation, combined with continued encouraging earnings reports from retail and technology, boosted the market broadly.
Head of Veterans Affairs Quits
Washington Post
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Jul 17, 2007 3:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The secretary of Veterans Affairs, the head of the second-biggest federal department, is stepping down and will be replaced by October 1, reports the Washington Post . For 2½ turbulent years, Jim Nicholson, a decorated Vietnam vet and former RNC chair, presided over a department beset by criticism and overwhelmed by the flood of service members...
Russians Flock to New Religions
Washington Post
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Jul 17, 2007 3:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Is a former traffic cop named Sergei Tropov really the reincarnation of Jesus? Five thousand devoted followers of the Church of the Last Testament believe so, and they've relocated to a remote corner of the Siberian wilderness, where they are constructing a new town founded on the 18-year-old religion. The Washington Post pays a call.
