Newser Story Index from August, 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.
Wal-Mart Moves to Take a Bite Out of Apple
The Motley Fool
|
Aug 21, 2007 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Seeking to wrest control of the market from Apple, Wal-Mart today launched an online music store that undercuts iTunes by 5 cents per song. More important, the retail behemoth has dropped DRM copyright protection, which means customers can burn as many CDs as they like and play songs on any MP3 player, the Motley Fool reports.
Bloomberg Denies Oval Office Bid
Reuters
|
Aug 21, 2007 5:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bloomberg’s billions aren’t going to propel him on a bid for president in 2008, Reuters reports. The New York City mayor told Dan Rather that "The answer is 'no.’ If somebody asks me where I stand, I tell them. And that's not a way to get elected generally.” Bloomberg’s politics have bounced him from the Dems to the...
Become an Insomniac!
Newsweek
|
Aug 21, 2007 5:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sleeping too well? Waking up with excessive energy and vigor? Embrace these common errors cataloged by Newsweek, and you'll be back to counting sheep in no time. Go to bed too early. Load up on electronics in the bedroom.
Picky Eating May Be in Their Genes
Reuters
|
Aug 21, 2007 4:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Don't chide your kids for their picky eating habits—they may be as much your fault as the length of their noses. In a study of identical and fraternal twins, UK researchers found children inherited nearly 80% of their “food neophobia,” hinting that that tongue-out reaction to unfamiliar eats might be in the genes.
Reality Bites Wall Street Whiz Kids
Washington Post
|
Aug 21, 2007 4:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The eggheads who run Wall Street's "quant funds," using complex algorithms to play the markets but neglecting the human element, screwed up as badly as everyone else during the Dow's recent dive. "They are very smart in front of a textbook but not smart enough to understand very elementary things in reality," one critic tells the...
West Virginia U. Ranks 1st—in Fun
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 4:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Students are knocking back celebratory shots and administrators are tearing their hair over the Princeton Review's annual list of the top 20 party schools. The full list appears in the 2008 edition of The Best 366 Colleges, on sale today. West Virginia University University of Mississippi University of Texas, Austin
Sleight of Hand Gets the Academic Treatment
New York Times
|
Aug 21, 2007 4:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Magicians got in on the act at this summer’s Magic of Consciousness conference, hobnobbing with—and even tricking—cognitive scientists as they helped dissect their own profession. The New York Times visits Las Vegas, where master illusionists were welcomed for what one scientist calls "their specific interest in the cognitive...
Buffett Turns Wall Street's Frown Upside Down
Wall Street Journal
|
Aug 21, 2007 3:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Wall Street may be seeing red after weeks of volatility and losses, but Warren Buffett is seeing green as he goes bargain-hunting for the same kind of junk bonds and stocks that have netted him nearly $50 billion, the Journal reports. Downtrodden deal-makers are hoping the star investor will use his Midas touch to buffer their bottom lines.
Jittery Market Stays Put; Oil Slides Below $70
Wall Street Journal
|
Aug 21, 2007 3:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Major indexes hovered cautiously around their starting points, as a Washington meeting between Ben Bernanke, Chris Dodd and Hank Paulson allayed traders' concerns that an academic Fed is callous to Wall Street's ongoing credit crunch. Winners outnumbered losers 3 to 2, but the Dow was off 30.49 to close at 13,090.86.
Endeavour Returns Home
CNN
|
Aug 21, 2007 3:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Endeavour landed safely in Florida this afternoon, a day earlier than planned. Damage sustained during launch didn't affect the space shuttle's return from its 13-day mission, and neither did Hurricane Dean, CNN reports. "Welcome back. You give new meaning to the term 'higher education,' " Mission Control told the crew, which included the...
Arrest Marks TJX Hack Case Breakthrough
Boston Globe
|
Aug 21, 2007 2:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Ukrainian-born man believed to have helped arrange the sale of credit card numbers stolen from TJX is in custody, investigators say, and his arrest may help crack the largest case of corporate data theft on record. He was selling thousands of stolen numbers, the Boston Globe reports, but it's unclear how directly he was involved in the original...
Tenet Just Didn't Get It
New York Times
|
Aug 21, 2007 2:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
George Tenet’s CIA failed to stifle the al-Qaeda threat in the months leading up to 9/11, an internal report found by the agency's Inspector General found. A summary released today found the former director’s attention to methodology eclipsed his focus on strategy, the Times reports, in a rebuke of his management style.
Nuclear Screw-Ups Hushed Up
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 2:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In the name of national security, the NRC has held back from reporting serious violations at a Tennessee nuclear plant, including a 9-gallon uranium spill for which the facility was not fined. In balancing public safety against counterterrorism measures, an agency exec tells the AP, "The pendulum maybe swung too far."
Shareholders OK Tribune Takeover
Bloomberg
|
Aug 21, 2007 1:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Tribune Co.’s shareholders approved Sam Zell's $8.2 billion takeover today, nudging the publisher one step closer to private ownership. But some analysts remain skeptical that the deal will go through as planned—the company’s declining profitability since the April announcement has triggered speculation that the 26% premium Zell...
Blogger Claims Thompson Must Declare
ABC News
|
Aug 21, 2007 1:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Fred Thompson’s continued undeclared status—even while headlining GOP dinners and glad-handing at the Iowa state fair—is beginning to raise hackles. Federal election law says non-candidates can't spend more than $5,000 on campaign activities; liberal blogger Lane Hudson has filed a complaint that charges the former senator is over...
25 Biggest Scientific Discoveries
USA Today
|
Aug 21, 2007 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The invention of the wheel was pretty good. Fire, even better. But what has science done for us lately? USA Today lists the top 25 scientific discoveries; here are the top 10: Accelerating universe Human genome Climate accord
Spanish TV Channel Nixes Live Bullfights
Guardian (UK)
|
Aug 21, 2007 12:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Spanish state television will not show any live bullfights this year, bowing to restrictions on gore on daytime TV but disrupting a time-honored tradition. Televised bullfights had been a viewer magnet for public-TV station TVE, and fans are seeing red, the Guardian reports. "It is obvious that watching bullfights on the television does not...
New Hampshire Could Give McCain a Jolt
Boston Globe
|
Aug 21, 2007 12:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain’s candidacy may be getting dragged through the mud lately, but the presidential hopeful might have an ace up his electoral sleeve—New Hampshire. The Granite State has a history of rescuing listless frontrunners, the Boston Globe reports, and the straight talker understands the state’s importance better than anyone.
Nazi 'Mascot' Tells His Story
BBC
|
Aug 21, 2007 11:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A new book details the secret history of a Jewish boy who became a mascot for the Nazi SS. After fleeing a Belarus village on the day his family was massacred, the 5-year-old was rescued by a Nazi soldier who gave him a new name—Alex Kurzem— and identity as a Russian orphan, the BBC reports. He then became an entertainer for soldiers, and...
Dean Lashes Mexican Coast
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 11:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tearing into history as the most intense Atlantic storm to make landfall in two decades, Hurricane Dean today pounded the Yucatan peninsula, battering Mayan ruins and swinging toward oil rigs, the AP reports. Pummeling homes and trees in sparsely populated, mostly evacuated areas, the fierce Category 5 storm shrunk to a Category 3, and left no immediate...
Obama Would Ease Cuba Travel Limits
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 11:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama says that as president, he would reverse the Bush administration's increased restrictions on travel to Cuba, the AP reports. Visiting or sending money to relatives on the Communist-controlled island became more difficult in 2004, a policy change the candidate calls "strategically blundering" in an op-ed published in today's ...
Countrywide Cuts 500 Jobs
Los Angeles Times
|
Aug 21, 2007 10:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The nation's top home lender is cutting 500 jobs in its subprime mortgage units in response to the high-risk-lending mess. Before the cuts announced yesterday, Countrywide was actively hiring workers who had been fired from other companies, the LA Times reports. Meanwhile, Capital One said it will close the unit that made jumbo loans to borrowers...
iPod Users Can Grin and Hear It
AFP
|
Aug 21, 2007 10:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New computerized headgear developed in Japan will allow commuters and other users who have their hands full to control their iPods by clenching their teeth. The infrared sensors are sensitive enough to distinguish gum-chewing and speech from the second-long clenches intended to skip a track or pause a song, AFP reports.
American Scholar to See Release From Iranian Prison
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 9:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One of two Iranian-American scholars jailed in Iran on charges of conspiring with the US government to foment revolution will be freed from prison today if bail is posted. Held in Teheran’s infamous Evin prison since May, Haleh Esfandiari will be released on a $333,000 bail, the AP reports.
Paramount Drops Blu-Ray for HD DVD
Los Angeles Times
|
Aug 21, 2007 9:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The face-off between two standards for high-definition DVDs took a new turn yesterday as Paramount Pictures and its subsidiary DreamWorks dropped support of Sony's Blu-ray format. Starting this week, the studios will distribute new discs exclusively in the HD DVD format, which is supported by Toshiba and functions on less expensive players, the LA...
China's Africa Aid Has a Price
New York Times
|
Aug 21, 2007 8:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As China increases its economic investment in Africa, locals are finding that the benefits of increased trade with the East comes at a price. In the third of a series of articles in the New York Times , workers at a Zambian factory describe how Chinese imports have undercut their market and driven them out of business.
Common Virus Linked to Obesity
Guardian (UK)
|
Aug 21, 2007 8:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A virus that causes sore throats and eye infections may also contribute to obesity, new research suggests. leaving infected people with more and larger fat cells than uninfected people have. The discovery could lead to the development of anti-obesity vaccines and may help explain why some obese people have healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels,...
As Ice Shrinks, Islands Emerge
Reuters
|
Aug 21, 2007 7:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The melting of ice in the Arctic Ocean has revealed previously undiscovered islands, one approximately the size of a basketball court. Reuters reports that the formerly submerged islands are unclaimed by any government but lie near Svalbard, the Norwegian territory north of the Arctic Circle. The discoveries raise fears that scientists have underestimated...
Court Stalls Whole Foods Merger
Bloomberg
|
Aug 21, 2007 7:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal court issued a temporary injunction yesterday preventing Whole Foods from buying Wild Oats—at least today. The three-judge panel wants extra time to consider the FTC's argument that combining the nation's two largest organic food retailers would destroy competition. The companies will file additional briefs by tomorrow, and the FTC...
Mine Owner: They're Probably Dead
Salt Lake Tribune
|
Aug 21, 2007 7:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The trapped Utah miners are most likely dead, and their bodies may never be recovered, mine owner Robert Murray acknowledged to bereaved family members last night. Following the death of three rescuers—and a report from mining experts concluding that further attempts would be an unacceptable risk—underground rescue efforts have been suspended...
Hurricane Dean Hastens 'Three Amigos' Summit
Globe and Mail
|
Aug 21, 2007 6:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush met with his counterparts from north and south yesterday at a Canadian summit overshadowed by Hurricane Dean and greeted with violent protests. The so-called "Three Amigos" met in a Quebec château ringed by a huge security wall, outside which police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters. The summit continues...
Dogfight Case Bares Vick's Profound 'Flaws'
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
|
Aug 21, 2007 5:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Quarterback Michael Vick's involvement in a dogfighting ring is symptomatic of a twisted character, says Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz. Though "as wonderful an athlete as we've ever seen," the Falcons player is "deeply flawed," "arrogant," and "just plain stupid," Schultz insists.
Fantasy War Game Models Global Pandemic
Times (UK)
|
Aug 21, 2007 5:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A programming error in an online fantasy game gave researchers a profound insight into how a deadly epidemic spreads and how to combat the crisis. The London Times reports a glitch occurred in World of Warcraft, which has millions of online players. A disease aimed at a handful of characters spontaneously spun out of control to infect thousands.
Obama Girl's Crush Is Unrequited
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 5:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama has no love for sexy fan "Obama Girl." The hot YouTube video featuring the aspiring model crushing on the candidate is confusing his 6-year-old daughter and he says he finds it hard to take. She said, "Daddy, already has a wife," he told the AP. "You wish people would think about what impact their actions have...
Dean Makes Landfall in Mexico
Miami Herald
|
Aug 21, 2007 4:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The ferocious Hurricane Dean struck Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula early this morning as it moved west from Jamaica. Winds of over 160mph, above the threshold for a Category 5 storm, are expected to batter seaside towns and tourist destinations on the Maya Riviera. Mexican officials have evacuated local residents, oil production has ceased, and...
Girls Think Pink, Naturally, Study Finds
Telegraph (UK)
|
Aug 21, 2007 3:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Shocking news: Girls love pink. That love might not just be cultural—but linked to evolutionary development, researchers in a new study have concluded. Pink may have helped ancient women recognize ripe fruit and healthy men with ruddy faces, while both genders yearned for the blue of open skies and clear water, the Telegraph reports.
Final Bridge Victim Found
Associated Press
|
Aug 21, 2007 2:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The body of the 13th victim and last person missing since the Minneapolis bridge collapse nearly three weeks ago has been recovered, AP reports. Gregory Jolstad, 45, was a member of the 18-person construction crew working on the doomed structure when it plunged into the Mississippi river. The other 17 survived.
Strahan to Rejoin Giants
Newsday
|
Aug 21, 2007 2:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Defensive end Michael Strahan will likely return to the Giants soon, possibly in time for their preseason match-up against the Jets this Saturday, according to a Newsday source. Strahan, who racked up over $300,000 in fines for skipping training camp to mull retirement, reportedly told his squad through an agent that he's ready to play without restructuring...
Maliki Must Go: Senator
Washington Post
|
Aug 21, 2007 1:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki must go, says Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin, who yesterday called on the nation's parliament to replace him with a "more unifying" leader if Maliki can't quickly forge political peace among rival factions. Maliki's current talks with Iraqi leaders is the "last chance" to...
'Daily Show' Invades Iraq
Hollywood Reporter
|
Aug 21, 2007 1:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The scene might not be quite so funny this week on spoof news program "The Daily Show" as comedy correspondent Rob Riggle returns with actual on-the-scene reports from an actual week in Iraq. Beginning last night the show aired footage shot by Riggle's crew with hand-held cameras while he was entertaining troops with the USO ....
Nasdaq Gives Up Bid to Control London Exchange
Wall Street Journal
|
Aug 21, 2007 12:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nasdaq is giving up its bid to buy control of the London Stock Exchange and will sell its $1.58 billion stake in the blue-chip listing venue, reports the Wall Street Journal . Owning almost a third of the shares in the London exchange gave Nasdaq little control over operations, and efforts to buy a bigger stake were rebuffed by London management and...
Wakefield, Sox Blank Rays
Associated Press
|
Aug 20, 2007 11:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield surrendered only four hits in a seven-inning outing last night, leading Boston past the Devil Rays 6-0. Wakefield, whose 15 wins tie him for the most in Major League Baseball this year, got some big offense from his teammates. Though slugger David Ortiz sat out, Mike Lowell smashed a 3-run homer and Manny Ramirez posted...
Reds Deal Conine to Mets
Cincinnati Enquirer
|
Aug 20, 2007 11:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Cincinnati Reds traded outfielder Jeff Conine to the New York Mets for two minor leaguers yesterday. While Conine says he's thrilled with the chance to take part in a pennant race with the leaders of the National League East, the struggling Reds continue their efforts to build a winning squad with young prospects. The deal hands Cincinnati shortstop...
Cheney Admits He Has Secret Wiretap Documents
Washington Post
|
Aug 20, 2007 11:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vice President Dick Cheney will resist efforts by Congress to force him to produce dozens of documents relating to a warrantless wiretapping program conducted by the National Security Agency, the Washington Post reports. Cheney's counsel acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the vice president's office has documents relating to the controversial...
Sex Is Most Common Cause of HIV in China
BBC
|
Aug 20, 2007 8:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Unsafe sex has become the most common means of transmission of HIV in China, edging out IV-drug use and blood transfusions, the BBC reports. That points to the need to focus prevention efforts on mainstream sexual practices—not just those of high-risk groups—which poses a daunting challenge in a country with conservative attitudes about...
Pro-Democracy Campaign Falters
Washington Post
|
Aug 20, 2007 6:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush has announced his intention to end "tyranny in our world," but promoting democracy is proving as unpopular among Republicans as Democrats. His plans have met internal opposition, even from Dick Cheney, but a more formidable roadblock is the plan's close association with the unpopular chief executive, the Washington Post reports.
Germany Wakes Up to Mafia Problem
Der Spiegel
|
Aug 20, 2007 6:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Germany is finding its mafia problem harder to ignore after the murder of six men outside an Italian restaurant in Duisburg last week. The killings were part of a feud between two warring mafia clans, both of which have established major footholds in Germany, Der Spiegel reports. Police are now trying to crack down after years of lax enforcement.
Trump Wants to Hire Britney, Lindsay, Paris
New York Post
|
Aug 20, 2007 5:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Donald Trump is not one to mince words. "She's a [bleep]ing mess," Trump says of Britney Spears. And he thinks he's just the man who can help the twice-divorced, thrice-rehabbed pop princess get her career back on track. The host of the upcoming "Celebrity Apprentice" has invited Britney onto his show, the New York Post ...
Bedbugs Make Bloodthirsty Comeback
Times (UK)
|
Aug 20, 2007 5:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite admonitions about not letting the bedbugs bite, Americans are doing just that, and infestations are being reported across the country. Once thought wiped out by the now-banned pesticide DDT, the insects have been found in hospitals, schools, and even high-end residences, the Times of London reports. "Saturday Night Live" star Maya...
Hurricane Dean Heads for Mexico
Reuters
|
Aug 20, 2007 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Mayan Riviera emptied today as tens of thousands fled before Hurricane Dean, which has already killed nine and will likely be a Category 5 by the time it hits the Yucatan Peninsula tomorrow. Tourist destinations in the area are still recovering from 2005’s Hurricane Wilma, and beach resorts could see even worse damage this time, Reuters reports.
