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.
7 New Wonders Wear Crown
Reuters
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Jul 7, 2007 6:26 PM CDT
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The largest online poll ever conducted wrapped up yesterday, and today the results became official. The seven wonders of the modern world, which were announced in Portugal, include an Asian engineering triumph and a South American religious monument, but not the Great Pyramid of Giza—the Egyptian government refused to cooperate with the competition.
Commutation Decision Marks Serious Shift
New York Times
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Jul 7, 2007 6:15 PM CDT
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In six years as governor of Texas, George W. Bush issued 20 pardons and commuted one death sentence. As president, he seemed to be hewing to the same standard, granting 113 pardons (against more than 1,000 appeals) and commuting just four sentences. The fourth commutation sends the Times in search of the reasoning that led to Scooter Libby's new...
Pope Gives Go-Ahead to Latin Mass
Time
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Jul 7, 2007 5:53 PM CDT
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Four decades after sweeping reforms intended to make the Catholic Church more accessible, Pope Benedict backed off the best-known change today, lifting restrictions on the Tridentine rite, better known as the Latin Mass. The move is already controversial, Time reports, because it's perceived as a sop to traditionalists—and because the Good...
Rowling Finds Last Hurrah Bittersweet
BBC
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Jul 7, 2007 4:40 PM CDT
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Fans aren't the only ones who will mourn the end of the Harry Potter series. Author JK Rowling "absolutely howled" as she wrote one of the concluding chapters of the final volume of the wildly successful seven-book series, the BBC reports. But she was also elated that Harry's adventures are finally over.
China Opens Giant Public Loo
Associated Press
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Jul 7, 2007 4:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Time for tourists to ditch the Great Wall and head for the city of Chongqing in southwest China, which recently opened a startling new attraction: a sprawling public restroom. The free facilities lie behind an Egyptian facade that conceals 1,000 toilets spread over four stories and almost 33,000 square feet. "We are spreading toilet culture,"...
UK Charges 1st Bomb-Plot Suspect
Reuters
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Jul 7, 2007 4:19 PM CDT
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The first of the eight suspects in the failed car-bomb attacks on Glasgow and London appeared in court today to answer to a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions. Bilal Abdullah, 27, a native of Britain who trained as a doctor in Iraq, confirmed his name and address but otherwise did not speak and was returned to custody, Reuters reports.
Venus Ascends at Wimbledon
Associated Press
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Jul 7, 2007 2:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Venus Williams joined a couple of exclusive clubs when she won her fourth Wimbledon title today, becoming the lowest-ranked player to capture the crown and just the fourth woman to do so four times. The 23 seed's 6-4, 6-1 victory over 18th-seeded Marion Bartoli was technically an upset, and the excitement left Williams giggling as she embraced her...
Live Earth From The Bottom of the Earth - Nunatak Wails
ABC News
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Jul 7, 2007 2:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
You've probably been wondering about the Live Earth Concert performance that is coming from Antarctica. How many bands? Can I get a front row seat? The answers are: one band, called Nunatak, consisting of 5 British scientists stationed at Rothera and all 17 seats are sold out. But you can watch them live on TV or...
10 Un-PC Truths About Human Nature
Psychology Today
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Jul 7, 2007 12:59 PM CDT
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Men like blond bombshells (and women want to look like them) Humans are naturally polygamous Most women benefit from polygamy, while most men benefit from monogamy Most suicide bombers are Muslim Having sons reduces the likelihood of divorce
'Eco-Kosher' Eating Joins Religion, Ethics
Washington Post
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Jul 7, 2007 11:56 AM CDT
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Ancient Jewish dietary laws meet contemporary concerns about how food is produced in what the Washington Post calls the "eco-kosher" movement. American Jews are increasingly concerned about labor standards, treatment of animals, and ecological impact of what goes on their table, even if they don't keep kosher, and religious leaders...
Bomb Kills at Least 105 in Iraq
CNN
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Jul 7, 2007 11:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A truck carrying 2 tons of explosives detonated in a northern Iraqi outdoor market today, killing at least 105 and wounding another 250, CNN reports. The blast also leveled many surrounding buildings, trapping dead and wounded under rubble. The truck was disguised as a military vehicle; the village, Amerli, is populated largely by Shiite Turkmens and...
Thompson Disavows Pro-Choice Lobbying
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 7, 2007 10:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Fred Thompson camp vehemently denied a claim today by an abortion-rights advocacy group that he worked as a lobbyist for them in 1991, the Los Angeles Times reports. The group claims Thompson contacted White House officials as part of an attempt to ease restrictions on abortion counseling at federally funded clinics.
Japanese Airline Bans Bulldogs
BBC
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Jul 7, 2007 10:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Japanese airline JAL has imposed a ban on bulldogs after heat-related deaths, the BBC reports. The problem isn't in the cargo hold, where they ride in climate-controlled baskets, but sitting on the toasty tarmac, or in baggage handling areas that aren't air conditioned. All other dog breeds, 60,000 of which flew JAL last year, will continue to be allowed...
100 Years of Kisses
Cedar City Review
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Jul 7, 2007 8:59 AM CDT
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Today the Hershey's Kiss will turn 100 and The Hershey Company is pulling out all the stops. What do you get the candy that has everything? A U.S. postage stamp? A 15,026 pound bigger-than-life-size version of itself? A party? Yes.
Live Earth Fights Warming, Skepticism
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 7, 2007 8:29 AM CDT
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Today's concert in Sydney kicks off the 24-hour Live Earth series, which puts over 100 acts on stages on seven continents to fight climate change. Along with raising awareness, the concerts are raising eyebrows at the hypocrisy of using jet-setting rockers as role models for reducing greenhouse gases, and questions about how much environmental...
Boeing 787 Debuts 7/08/07
Washington Post
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Jul 7, 2007 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Boeing will unveil its first new plane in 13 years tomorrow, the fuel-efficient, wide-bodied 787 Dreamliner, which pioneers the use of composite materials made of carbon fibers and promises increased passenger comfort. The 787 has already scored a record-breaking 640 orders, representing a comeback for the company, plagued in recent years by scandals...
AK-47 Turns 60
Associated Press
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Jul 7, 2007 7:39 AM CDT
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In 1941, while hospitalized for wounds received fighting the Nazis, Russian soldier Mikhail Kalashnikov designed a rifle that combined the best of the American M1 and the German StG44. The "Avtomat Kalashnikov," first produced in 1947, became known as the AK-47. It is prized by warriors of many stripes for its reliability...
Best of the Blogosphere: 10 to Read
PC World
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Jul 7, 2007 6:44 AM CDT
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PC World chooses the best blogs in 10 categories: Technology News: Slashdot (slashdot.org) Specialty Tech Site: John Battele's Searchblog (battellemedia.com) Company Watcher: Microsoft Watch (microsoft-watch.com) Corporate Blog: The Official Google Blog (googleblog.blogspot.com) Politics and Business: Policybeta...
Condom Testers Needed Down Under
Sydney Morning Herald
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Jul 6, 2007 9:16 PM CDT
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One of the world's largest manufacturers of condoms has posted what the Sydney Morning Herald calls the world's best job - condom tester. There is a catch, well actually several. You must be Australian, there is no pay, and you have to state your, er..., qualifications in a written application.
CenTex Floods Worst in 50 Years
Austin American-Statesman
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Jul 6, 2007 5:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Texas has Noah beat, with 44 days of near continuous rain. For the first time in 50 years all five major rivers – the Brazos, Colorado, Nueces, Red, and Trinity are at flood stage. State and federal governments are at the ready. And they now have the heavy hitters – Wal-Mart and Home Depot – to help them.
Appeals Court Won't Rule on Domestic Spying
New York Times
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Jul 6, 2007 5:27 PM CDT
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Although it raises a "cascade of serious questions," a federal appeals court will not hear a case about the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program because the plaintiffs can't prove they've suffered direct harm. In a 2-1 decision, the Sixth Circuit court dismissed the case, brought by the ACLU and several other parties, without addressing...
Man Opens Fire in Vegas Casino, Wounds Four
Associated Press
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Jul 6, 2007 4:49 PM CDT
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A man opened fire at random in Las Vegas's New York-New York casino early this morning, wounding four guests on the floor below him. None of the injuries were fatal, and officers and patrons managed to bring him down before he wreaked further havoc. Another woman was injured in the ensuing chaos, but the casino floor never shut down.
Polluted Fish Swamp Great Lakes
Globe and Mail
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Jul 6, 2007 4:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Industrial chemicals contaminate many species of fish that populate the Great Lakes, making them too hazardous for safe human consumption, says a Canadian conservation group. "The lakes continue to be polluted to such an extent that human health is threatened," says a report released yesterday that lists industrial pollutants such as dioxins,...
Henin Drops Shocker to Bartoli
BBC
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Jul 6, 2007 4:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
France's Marion Bartoli trounced world #1 Justine Henin in the third set of their Wimbledon semifinal to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history. Bartoli, ranked 19 in the world, dropped the first set to the Belgian serve-and-volleyer 1-6, but won a tense tiebreaker 7-6 in the second, and came back with a roaring backhand to...
McCain's Slim Chances Dwindle Further
New Republic
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Jul 6, 2007 3:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Pitiful second-quarter fundraising foretells financing troubles that will likely put the Republican nomination beyond John McCain's grasp, and grave strategic errors have cut the senator off from voters who once appeared to be his natural base. The New Republic’s John B. Judis looks at a onetime maverick frontrunner whose campaign seems to be...
Snake Venom Accusation Dogs Horse Trainer
New York Post
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Jul 6, 2007 3:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Doping scandals in horse racing usually concern diuretics and other performance-enhancing drugs, but a controversy currently brewing in Kentucky and New York involves a substance with a far longer history: cobra venom. Authorities searched a barn at Keeneland last month and turned up evidence that has sparked an investigation of noted trainer Patrick...
Mars Rover Crater Descent Delayed by Dust Storm
Fox News
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Jul 6, 2007 3:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mars Opportunity Rover has been perched on the edge of Victoria Crater on Mars for nine months waiting to descend and explore the crater. Then, this week, when scientists were to send it down, a dust storm thousands of miles wide partially blocked the sunlight Opportunity needs to recharge its batteries. Until the dust abates the mission is on hold.
UK Bomb Plot Doctors Tried to Come to US
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Jul 6, 2007 2:46 PM CDT
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Two of the suspects in last week's failed UK bomb plot attempted to come to the US, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The FBI says Mohammed Jamil Asha and another, unspecified member of the gang of eight doctors and medical students arrested last week began applications to US medical schools through a Philly-based organization.
Afghan Deaths Mount in Western Strikes
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 6, 2007 1:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Of the 500 Afghan civilians killed in the first half of 2007, more were victims of US and NATO strikes than of Taliban insurgents, the LA Times reports. Among the main causes of collateral human damage are Western air attacks on walled compounds and "jittery troops" shooting civilians in the wake of car bombings.
Governments Spurn Foreign Investment
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 6, 2007 12:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Governments all over the globe are increasing restrictions on foreign investments, raising worries in the US that new limits will check international economic growth. The motivations for the newly imposed and impending limits are complex, mixing worries over national security, backlash against rampant globalization, and perhaps a measure of retaliation...
Murdoch May Have Dow Jones
The Business
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Jul 6, 2007 12:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rupert Murdoch has succeeded in his bid to take over Dow Jones, according to a report in a British financial magazine . The Wall Street Journal publisher is denying the report, although The Business cites inside sources who say the $5 billion deal will be formally announced next week.
Death Threats Sent to Goldman Sachs
Newsday
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Jul 6, 2007 12:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Investment powerhouse Goldman Sachs has been the subject of menacing letters sent to newspapers across the country, prompting an investigation by the FBI. "Hundreds will die," warn the letters that have been traced back to Queens, New York. "We are inside. You cannot stop us."
Top 10 Video Games to Play With Your Date
Nerve
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Jul 6, 2007 12:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Who says you're too old for play dates? Movies are too long, dinner can be awkward and drinks are expensive. Lucky & Wild: Two player game—sharp driver, rakish gunman—that could set the tone of your relationship for years to come. Samba de Amigo: Shake maracas in time to a psychedelic monkey; laugh your heads...
Higher Flying Lowers Comfort
WebMD
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Jul 6, 2007 10:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Airline passengers routinely suffer from altitude sickness, and aircraft cabins are insufficiently pressurized to prevent it, a new study concludes. Altitudes of 8,000 feet above sea level result in 4% lower oxygen saturation in the blood, researchers found; cabins are often pressurized at the equivalent of 8,000 feet.
Unexpected Allies Emerge in Diyala
New York Times
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Jul 6, 2007 10:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Unexpected cooperation from frustrated residents has led US troops in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, into an unlikely arrangement. Local Sunnis' default reaction to the Americans has long been uncooperative at best, but a group called Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia has so escalated violence that residents are seeking help from the troops they once...
Hillary Can Be Blacker Than Barack
Washington Post
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Jul 6, 2007 9:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With Barack Obama determined not to be a Jesse or an Al, Hillary Clinton has emerged as the candidate most comfortable targeting the concerns of the black community, a Washington Post op-ed argues. Last week’s debate at the Howard University showcased Hillary in the role “forefeited” by Barack Obama, says Amina Luqman.
Rio Reverses Live Earth Ban
Reuters
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Jul 6, 2007 8:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Rio incarnation of Live Earth, the ecofriendly concert extravaganza scheduled for tomorrow on all seven continents, is back on. Security concerns led a judge to put the kibosh on the event, which is expected to draw up to a million would-be environmentalists to Copacabana beach, but organizers have lined up enough security to allay her worries,...
Mayor Mike Threatens to Upstage Rudy
Washington Post
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Jul 6, 2007 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Speculation about a Michael Bloomberg run for president is casting a shadow on the other New York mayor, as Rudy Giuliani’s bona fides are scrutinized more carefully in comparison, the Washington Post reports. The shorter, richer man has sustained New York City’s progress in cutting crime and curbing other urban hazards, without Rudy’s...
Red Mosque Holdouts Vow to Die
BBC
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Jul 6, 2007 7:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The militant cleric in Islamabad's besieged Red Mosque who yesterday suggested a negotiated surrender today said he and his followers would martyr themselves, after the government refused to negotiate. Nineteen people have been killed since the stand-off began four days ago; several hundred students are estimated to remain inside the mosque.
Kidnappers Threaten Toddler's Life
Reuters
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Jul 6, 2007 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Kidnappers in Nigeria have threatened to kill a 3-year-old girl unless her father takes her place, and negotiations for her release have begun. Margaret Hill's mother interrupted an interview today to join officials in bargaining for her safe return, Reuters reports, after recounting a chilling conversation in which an abductor said he "doesn't...
Garden State Beauty Queen Claims Blackmail
Star-Ledger
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Jul 6, 2007 7:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The reigning Miss New Jersey says an uncongenial blackmailer is trying to muscle her out of her tiara with untoward photos, the Star Ledger reports. Amy Polumbo, 22, received as many as 12 pictures in the mail last month with a letter demanding she surrender her title to the runner-up. The photos were apparently lifted from a private Facebook page.
Aussie Cops Quiz 5 More Docs in Bomb Probe
AFP
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Jul 6, 2007 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Australian police questioned five more foreign doctors and raided two hospitals in the ongoing probe into last week's car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow, authorities said yesterday. Four Indian physicians who had worked for the British health system were questioned in Perth and Kalgoorlie, and a fifth Indian doctor was reportedly interrogated in...
Sonics Tap Carlesimo
Associated Press
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Jul 6, 2007 6:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Supersonics turned to the San Antonio bench for their new head coach, hiring P.J. Carlesimo yesterday, 8 years after he last held a top job. Carlesimo, best known for a 1997 altercation with Latrell Sprewell while both were with Golden State, will once again be trusted with fresh talent, this time in draft picks Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.
Record Highs Scorch West
CNN
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Jul 6, 2007 5:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A searing heat wave is likely to continue barbecuing the western U.S. today after record temperatures soared to 127 in Death Valley, 125 in nearby Baker and 116 in Phoenix yesterday. Las Vegas sizzled at 116 degrees with humidity in the single digits, and even northeastern Oregon cracked 107 degrees.
Tigers Pounce on Sabathia
Associated Press
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Jul 6, 2007 5:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Tigers shelled baseball's winningest pitcher last night, earning 7 runs off Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia in only 4 innings. Justin Verlander was dominant for Detroit, fanning seven on their way to a 12-3 rout and his 10th win of the season. Homers from Gary Sheffield, Placido Polanco, and Carlos Guillen helped hand the Indians their worst loss of...
Microsoft Will Drop $1B on Xbox Warranties
USA Today
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Jul 6, 2007 5:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Microsoft will respond to complaints from around the world by extending the warranty on its faulty Xbox 360 gaming console, at a potential cost to the company of over $1 billion, USAToday reports . The company will extend warranty coverage from 1 year to 3 in response to buyer reports that hardware defects are causing their consoles' spontaneous...
Stereotype That Women Out-Blab Men Is Blather
Time
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Jul 6, 2007 5:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Women do not talk more than men, despite widely accepted stereotypes in popular culture of strong silent guys and chattering females, reports Time . Both men and women use about 16,000 words a day, with women typically employing a statistically insignificant 500 extra words daily, according to the new research.
LA Mayor's Anchor Lover Suspended
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 6, 2007 5:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Telemundo officials yesterday suspended Mirthala Salinas, the Los Angeles TV reporter and anchor who covered of the break-up of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's marriage even while she was having an affair with him. Salinas was placed on a leave of absence while the Spanish-language broadcaster investigates whether she breached journalistic ethics, the...
Who Knew a Prius Was a Hot Rod?
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 6, 2007 5:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As the exhaust clears following Al Gore III's joy-ride drug bust, an astonished public has zeroed in, not on the former veep's son, but on his little-Prius-that-could. Clocked at over 100mph before he was pulled over, Gore shattered the assumption that the Toyota hybrid sacrifices speed for fuel efficiency, the LA Times reports.
Accounting Degrees Add Up
Washington Post
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Jul 6, 2007 5:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Accounting majors have become the most in-demand kids on campus, and prospective employers are wooing them with lavish parties, free vacations, and promises of handsome signing bonuses. Colleges aren't turning out enough number-crunchers to meet the growing demand, which has skyrocketed in the wake of stricter controls required by Sarbanes-Oxley, the...
