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.
'Barbie Bandit' Fesses Up in Court
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 5:25 PM CDT
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Saying she wants to take responsibility for her actions, one of the so-called Barbie Bandits entered a tearful guilty plea today despite not having worked out a deal with prosecutors. In February, 19-year-old Heather Johnston and a fellow stripper robbed a Georgia bank of $11,000, using only sunglasses as disguises. They were arrested 2 days later.
After Two Years, Merkel's Still Honeymooning
Der Spiegel
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Aug 22, 2007 5:12 PM CDT
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Better than halfway through her first term as Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel is more popular than ever, Der Spiegel reports, with an impressive 76% approval rating. Her hardworking image has gotten boosts from solid diplomacy and good domestic luck, with reforms put in place by the previous government now paying dividends and keeping political...
No Moss, but Rolling Stones May Gather Fine
Times (UK)
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Aug 22, 2007 5:01 PM CDT
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Threat of fines appear unlikely to keep the Rolling Stones from smoking onstage, the Times reports. Guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood lit up during a show yesterday in London despite frantic warnings from venue staff. "You might say that Keith and Ronnie lighting up while they swap licks is part of the Stones performance," one source...
Pet Owners Come in on Little Cat Feet
Reuters
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Aug 22, 2007 4:51 PM CDT
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Cat lovers have a new way to understand the feline mind: by training at the touring “Acatemy.” Students can partake in “cat-isthenics” to exercise like their favorite four-legged friends, noodle around with an oversized ball of yarn, or “cat-nap” on a bean bag. Animal behaviorists say the 6-day program promotes interspecies...
Arm Wrestling Game Breaks Japanese Arms
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 4:37 PM CDT
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Atlus Co. will remove all 150 of its "Arm Spirit" arm wrestling games from Japanese arcades after three broken arms have been reported. The company claims the recall is only a precaution, insisting that the machine isn't really that strong. "Even women should be able to beat it," says a spokeswoman.
Bush Uses Vietnam to Argue Against Iraq Pullout
CNN
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Aug 22, 2007 3:57 PM CDT
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In a speech today before a veterans' group, President Bush said the lessons of America's withdrawal from Vietnam argue against a rapid pullout from Iraq, CNN reports. "Millions of innocent citizens" paid the price after the US left Vietnam in 1975, Bush said, referring to "'re-education camps' and 'killing fields.' "
Docs Often Miss High Blood Pressure in Kids
WebMD
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Aug 22, 2007 3:43 PM CDT
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High blood pressure in kids is increasing, but it is often missed by doctors, a new study shows. Researchers examined the electronic records of thousands of children and teens enrolled in an Ohio health plan; they found 500 with high blood pressure readings, and only a quarter had been previously diagnosed. "High blood pressure isn't necessarily...
Online Brokers Play 'Let's Make a Deal'
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2007 3:34 PM CDT
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Though past merger talks were never consummated, online stockbrokers E*Trade and TD Ameritrade are again in "serious discussions" over a union, the Wall Street Journal reports. A consolidation would create a dominant player in online trading, reducing competition and perhaps ratcheting up costs for consumers. One source estimates the company...
US Tour? Winehouse Says 'No, No, No.'
BBC
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Aug 22, 2007 2:51 PM CDT
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Another overseas import has been held up due to a high level of suspicious substances -- Amy Winehouse has canceled her U.S. tour to address her "health problems." A publicist's statement made no mention of rehab, but said the chanteuse was advised by doctors to shelve her tour, and that her affliction was caused by "the rigours involved...
5 Last-Ditch Plans to Save Earth
Popular Science
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Aug 22, 2007 2:25 PM CDT
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If reducing emissions was Plan A to save the earth from global warming, these plans from Popular Science would be more like Plan ... Z: Make more Arctic ice—out of saltwater. Cool the oceans, which feed storms with warm water, by sucking up cold water from the ocean floor with giant floating tubes.
Dubai Betting $5B on Vegas Casino Giant
Bloomberg
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Aug 22, 2007 2:01 PM CDT
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Dubai World—a company owned by the government of the oil-rich Persian Gulf state—plans to invest up to $5.1 billion in MGM Mirage, the world's second-largest casino company, Bloomberg reports. The move would give Dubai a presence in booming Las Vegas and free up assets for MGM Mirage to diversify its holdings.
Talented Ex-NBA Player Meets Tragic End
Houston Chronicle
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Aug 22, 2007 1:40 PM CDT
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Several days after a fiery car wreck in Houston, the man in an SUV hit by a train was identified yesterday as Eddie Griffin, a former first-round NBA draft pick whose career was short-circuited by alcohol. The Houston Chronicle reports Griffin's body was so badly burned that dental records were needed to confirm his identity.
Dark Chocolate Gets Sweeter Every Day
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 22, 2007 1:10 PM CDT
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Overall chocolate sales are down, but Americans are increasingly indulging their sweet tooth with dark chocolate. The bitter, coffee-flavored treat is on the rise: Last year, dark chocolate sales surged 15% while sales of more popular milk chocolate dipped 5.5%. And boosted by claims of health benefits, dark chocolate accounted for 63% of all new chocolate...
Owners Mull Reopening Mine
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2007 12:49 PM CDT
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Days after three more deaths ended efforts to rescue trapped miners, Crandall Canyon’s operators are talking about reopening the Utah mine—to mixed reaction from families and townspeople, according to the Times. Some wonder how the area is safe for mining but not for continuing recovery operations; others point to the mine's crucial place...
Google Takes Map Program to the Stars
BBC
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Aug 22, 2007 12:28 PM CDT
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Launching off of the success of Google Earth, Google launched a new program today allowing armchair astronomers to chuck the telescope and gaze at the heavens from their monitors. Google Sky will harness Hubble photos along with a database of information, and feature more than one million stars and 200 million galaxies, the BBC reports.
Vick Can’t Play in Canada, Either
Toronto Star (Canada)
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Aug 22, 2007 11:57 AM CDT
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If Michael Vick is suspended from the NFL as expected, he shouldn’t expect to find asylum in Canada. The CFL recently amended its rules to forbid signing a player under suspension in another league, the Toronto Star reports—a reaction to the Ricky Williams flap, not Vick's case. The Falcons QB will plead guilty to federal dogfighting...
Congress' Only Iraq War Vet Backs Obama
New York Daily News
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Aug 22, 2007 11:14 AM CDT
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The only Iraq War combat vet in Congress endorsed Barack Obama yesterday, saying, "I'm inspired by his call to action to change how business is done in Washington." Pennsylvania's Patrick Murphy, who served as a paratrooper in Baghdad in 2003 and 2004, has worked with Hillary Clinton on legislation; the move is seen as a snub, the Daily...
Weight-Loss Surgery Can End Diabetes
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2007 10:52 AM CDT
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Surgery that shrinks stomachs and reroutes intestines can make diabetes disappear—but some worry the procedure is the wrong one for the disease. More than three of four diabetics who undergo bariatric surgery are left with no symptoms, and can even live without insulin. But docs are concerned about complications like nutritional deficiency—and...
Wal-Mart Owns Up to Melamine in Dog Treats
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 10:20 AM CDT
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Two Chinese brands of dog treats sold at Wal-Mart contain a toxic chemical, the discount giant confirms. Customer complaints about the products prompted the company to quietly pull them from its shelves last month as it waited for further tests. The results confirmed the presence of melamine, the chemical at the center of another recall in March.
10 Gourmet Restaurant Swindles
Independent (UK)
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Aug 22, 2007 9:51 AM CDT
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As the price of food goes up, what cost-cutting measures at restaurants might end up on your plate? The Independent lists 10 shortcuts, swindles and downright lies you should be wary of. Lookalike fish species Supermarket-bought salads Instant powdered eggs and potatoes
US Envoy Visits Libya; Rice May Be Next
BBC
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Aug 22, 2007 9:36 AM CDT
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A leading State Department official has arrived in Libya, laying the groundwork for a probable visit by Condoleezza Rice later in the year. The envoy, David Welch, will discuss improvements to US-Libyan relations and compensation for victims of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, the BBC reports. Since 2003, when the Gaddafi regime accepted responsibility...
Dean to Make Last Stand
Miami Herald
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Aug 22, 2007 9:16 AM CDT
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Hurricane Dean gathered serious strength in preparation for its final landfall in the Mexican city of Tuxpan later today, and its 90mph winds may increase further before touchdown. The storm smashed the Yucatan yesterday, then moved across the Bay of Campeche and its oil rigs, which were evacuated ahead of the storm, the Miami Herald reports.
New Delta CEO Raises Questions
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2007 8:48 AM CDT
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Delta's choice for its new CEO—an outsider who won the job over two internal candidates—is raising questions, the Journal reports. Newly emerged from 19 months of wrangling in bankruptcy court, the airline appointed former Northwest CEO Richard Anderson yesterday, sparking speculation about a future merger with Northwest and a possible...
Bush to Cite Vietnam as Lesson for Iraq
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 22, 2007 8:22 AM CDT
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President Bush will tell a convention of veterans today that the Vietnam War was, in the long view, a success that has lessons for Iraq, the Los Angeles Times reports. In excerpts released by the White House, Bush argues that the war contributed to bringing peace and prosperity to the area. "In Asia, we saw freedom triumph over violent ideologies...
And Now, a Word From YouTube's Sponsor(s)
Times (UK)
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Aug 22, 2007 8:15 AM CDT
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As it struggles to turn a profit, YouTube will begin to show ads overlaid on some videos, the Times of London reports. The spots will consist of a semitransparent strip covering 20% of the screen appearing 20 seconds into the video.They'll appear only on content from 1,000 "partners," ranging from established organizations such as Warner...
KC Signs Johnson To 5-Year Extension
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 7:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Running back Larry Johnson has ended his preseason holdout by signing a 5-year extension with the Chiefs. Johnson's teammates had good reason to cheer when he showed up for practice yesterday: He racked up an NFL-record 416 carries last season with 1,789 rushing yards.
France Eyes Diplomatic Role in Iraq
International Herald Tribune
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Aug 22, 2007 7:50 AM CDT
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"Everyone knows the Americans will not be able to get this country out of difficulty alone," the new French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, told a French radio station on his way out of Iraq yesterday. Kouchner 's 3-day visit confirmed that the French see a role for themselves in mediating a political resolution in Iraq. One possibility...
Brain Implant Shows Promise for Stroke Victims
Newsweek
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Aug 22, 2007 7:19 AM CDT
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Stroke patients have shown lasting, "extremely promising" results, even years after suffering a brain hemorrhage, from an experimental therapy that electrically stimulates the brain. The currents help the organ rewire itself to take over for stroke-damaged sections, Newsweek reports, and study participants have improved significantly beyond...
Racing T-Rex? You'll Need a Head Start
BBC
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Aug 22, 2007 6:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If a professional soccer player raced a T-Rex, chances are the athlete would wind up a dino snack, according to a new computer model projection. The simulation, which is the first to rely mainly on data from fossils rather than modern descendants of prehistoric beasts, showed the 6-ton carnivore steaming to a top speed of 18mph, the BBC reports.
If He Did It, They Won't Push It
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 6:24 AM CDT
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Barnes & Noble won't put the new edition of O.J. Simpson's controversial near-confessional If I Did It on bookstore shelves, but it will make the book available by special order and online. Rival Borders will stock the book but won't promote it. The divergent decisions reflect the publishing industry's ambivalence about the book, the AP reports.
Helicopter Goes Down, Killing 14
CNN
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Aug 22, 2007 5:56 AM CDT
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An American helicopter crashed in northern Iraq today, killing all 14 soldiers aboard, reports CNN. The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was one of two performing a night operation when it went down in the area around Tikrit, north of Baghdad, the US military said in a statement.
Monthly Foreclosures Climb Again
Forbes
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Aug 22, 2007 2:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Foreclosure numbers were up big again in July, rising 9% from June’s figures and a whopping 93% from a year ago, an unwelcome sign for already reeling credit markets. Foreclosures rose in 43 states, but California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Georgia accounted for over half of the the activity, Forbes reports.
Identity Theft Ring Uses Job Ads
InformationWeek
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Aug 22, 2007 2:03 AM CDT
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Fraudulent job ads on Monster.com and other websites have been used to obtain personal information to steal thousands of identities, reports Information Week. Researchers at security company Symantec uncovered a major database containing 1.6 million pieces of personal information on an undisclosed number of people who clicked on the ads. The ads infect...
Bonds Ball Hits Internet Auction Block
San Diego Union-Tribune
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Aug 22, 2007 1:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New home run king Barry Bonds has driven No. 756 all the way to the Internet auction block. Mets fan Matt Murphy, who caught the record-busting ball, will sell it in an online auction running from Tuesday through Sept. 15, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The ball could fetch at least $500,000, according to organizer SCP Auctions.
Consumer Comfort Crumbles
Washington Post
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Aug 22, 2007 1:50 AM CDT
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Unrest in the financial markets and housing sector has consumers on edge, a new survey says. The Washington Post /ABC News "consumer comfort index" nosedived this week, displaying the biggest 1-week plunge in the poll's 22-year history, the newspaper reports. The current reading nearly matches the lows reached after Katrina struck 2 years...
Busch Wins in Michigan
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 1:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Racer Kurt Busch took the checkered flag at the 3M Performance 400 in Michigan yesterday after rain delays bumped the race from its usual Sunday spot. The afternoon had no shortage of oddities, starting with a half-hour fog delay and ending with a two-lap overtime sprint due to Greg Biffle's spin out near the finish.
Putin Vows to Boost Production of Military Aircraft
Guardian (UK)
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Aug 22, 2007 1:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Russian Premier Vladimir Putin has announced ambitious new plans to revive Russia's military aircraft production, which could include new nuclear bombers for "strategic deterrence," according to a US aide. Appearing at the largest air show in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, Putin vowed to make his nation the world's leading producer...
Death Toll Hits 22 in Midwest Floods
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 1:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
At least 22 people have been killed in the floods inundating the Midwest, AP reports. As the two storm systems responsible moved into Ohio yesterday, officials in Wisconsin and Minnesota tallied damage assessments in the tens of millions of dollars. An estimated 4,200 homes were affected in Minnesota alone.
Tigers' Jurrjens Aces Indians
Detroit Free Press
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Aug 22, 2007 12:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Detroit's Jair Jurrjens posted a masterful one-hit performance last night as the Tigers bested Cleveland 2-1. In only his second Major League Baseball performance, Jurrjens threw a no-hitter into the sixth before Jhonny Peralta's homer gave the Indians their sole run. Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen smashed back-to back dingers to pull Detroit within...
Wall Street Bonuses To Sink
Bloomberg
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Aug 22, 2007 12:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The credit crisis, which has surged across the global financial infrastructure like a tsunami, washing away millions of share prices, is about to hit one of Wall Street's most hallowed traditions —the fat bonus. The extra pay for all but an elite few may be cut for the first time in five years, Bloomberg reports.
Major League Steroid Pusher Names Names
Sports Illustrated
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Aug 21, 2007 11:59 PM CDT
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A former assistant to the Mets who sold steroids to "dozens" of major league baseball players has provided investigators with a list of users, including some shocking names, reports SI.com. The list "is going to blow your mind," promised a source. The information, provided at a meeting with chief investigator George Mitchell, is...
Families, Critics Question Safety of Utah Mine
Associated Press
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Aug 21, 2007 9:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A friend of a missing miner insulted the mining company CEO at a funeral yesterday as critics around the country pointed fingers. They say a safety organization has gone too easy on Bob Murray, letting him engage in dangerous “retreat mining” even though his mines are prone to “bumps,” or sudden earth shake-ups. Defenders say...
How 1st-Year Students See the World
Beloit College
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Aug 21, 2007 8:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Humvees are always a mere down payment away, and it's only natural to see stadiums named after big corporations. Your source of info on '60s icons is Oliver Stone movies and anything else you need to know comes right from "The Daily Show." Don't worry; you’re not suffering from a amnesia—you're a typical student entering college...
Can You Spare a Gou of Sugar, Neighbor?
Wired
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Aug 21, 2007 7:11 PM CDT
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Everyone knows about inches, minutes and grams, but what about smoots, gous and twips? Now hipsters can turn even more esoteric with these odd measurement units from Wired . The 5-foot, 7-inch "smoot" was born one night when MIT pranksters used a fairly short frat pledge to measure the Harvard Bridge. "Pack years" is how you could...
Supreme Court Slays Patent Trolls
MIT Technology Review
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Aug 21, 2007 6:38 PM CDT
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Technology Review looks at three recent Supreme Court decisions—taken together, "historic"—that crack down on "patent trolls," unscrupulous companies that file thousands of patents and just as many lawsuits, aggressively hunting for license fees. The new rulings make it harder to launch these licensing campaigns, and...
Drilling Hits Norway's Conscience
Washington Post
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Aug 21, 2007 6:33 PM CDT
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A friendly little nation is facing the ethics of new economic power, as Norway asks itself whether to drill for 73 billion barrels of Arctic oil or leave it for others to uncover. The tiny country is the world's fifth largest exporter of oil, third largest of gas - and may have the world's biggest national conscience, too, the Washington Post reports....
The Life and Times of Crystal Meth
Salon
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Aug 21, 2007 6:28 PM CDT
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Even when it has the word "crystal" in front of it, meth is a downmarket drug, which summons up images of makeshift drug labs in run-down trailer parks. But meth, Salon notes in an essay on Frank Owen's new book, "No Speed Limit," has a rich history going back 90 years, spanning the whole socioeconomic gamut. Meth has traveled...
Dylan Flick Coming Soon to (1 or 2) Screens Near You
New York Times
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Aug 21, 2007 5:55 PM CDT
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A little movie looking for a crowd will open on only 4 screens this fall, but its distributor boasts that “I’m going to play every major city in the United States with this movie.” With Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett taking star turns in a Bob Dylan bio pic, the confidence is understandable. Each will portray the...
Sarkozy: Short, Hyper, and Still Very European
New Yorker
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Aug 21, 2007 5:45 PM CDT
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A New Yorker profile compares Nicolas Sarkozy to Napoleon: He's not just short, but he's both more Euro-centric and less of a reactionary than most Americans think. In fact, Adam Gopnik, who dubs the brazen, mercurial Sarko a "human bomb," writes than the nouveau regime may signal "the beginning of the post-America era."
Liberals Read More than Conservatives
Associated Press
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Aug 21, 2007 5:36 PM CDT
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Liberals are more avid readers than conservatives, a new AP-Ipsos poll has discovered. Thirty-four percent of conservatives said they hadn’t read a book in a year, compared with 22% of liberals. A publishing exec and former congressman said that while liberals “can’t say anything in less than paragraphs,” conservatives gravitate...
