Newser Story Index from September, 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.
Khmer Rouge Leader Nabbed
BBC
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Sep 19, 2007 6:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The highest ranking Khmer Rouge official still alive was arrested early today in Cambodia as part of a UN-led genocide investigation. Nuon Chea, 82, was second only to Pol Pot in the regime that killed over a million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979. Chea has been living openly for decades in the former jungle headquarters of the Khmer Rouge, BBC reports.
Pens, Sabres Will Play Outside
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Sep 19, 2007 6:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The NHL has scheduled its first outdoor game since 2003, with Pittsburgh visiting Buffalo in the 73,000-seat Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Years Day, 2008. The current NHL attendance record is 57,167, when Montreal visited Edmonton; this is poised to be shattered, as tickets for Buffalo-Pittsburgh sold out within half an hour.
Red Sox Still Slipping as Jays Come Back 4-3
Toronto Star (Canada)
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Sep 19, 2007 5:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Red Sox starter Jon Lester gave up only one run in six innings, but a late Blue Jays rally gave the win to A.J. Burnett, who was one batter away from a complete game. The loss, along with a blown save, was handed to Eric Gagne, who walked in the tying run and gave up the go-ahead double in the 8th, reports the Toronto Star .
Brewers Back in First After Slamming Astros
Associated Press
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Sep 19, 2007 5:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Brewers ace Ben Sheets left the game with a sore hamstring after facing only four batters in the first inning, but Milwaukee still beat the struggling Astros to regain the National League Central lead, reports AP. Four Brewers homered in the 9-1 rout, including Johnny Estrada, who hit his second career grand slam in the 4th off Astros rookie Felipe...
Wig Out! Brit Courts Could Ditch The Hairpieces
Der Spiegel
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Sep 19, 2007 5:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Judges and barristers in England and Wales have been wearing horse-hair wigs and black gowns to court since the 1600s, but that could all change depending on the results of an official survey seeking opinions from those who sport the hairpieces. The Lord Chief Justice will make a final decision. A change is only being considered for civil and family...
Airline to Offer Internet Access
Associated Press
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Sep 19, 2007 5:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Alaska Airlines will become the first US carrier to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi internet access to passengers, reports AP. The airline will install the wireless service on one 737 jet next spring with a view to outfitting the entire 114-plane fleet. American Airlines announced plans for internet access on some of its Boeing 767s, using an air-to-ground...
Hamas Trade Restrictions Cripple Gaza Economy
New York Times
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Sep 19, 2007 5:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Since Hamas captured Gaza last June, nearly all trade has been cut off, suffocating both legitimate businesses and those that operate outside the law, the New York Times reports. An estimated 85% of factories are shut or operating at less than 20%. Both a clothing manufacturer and a gun smuggler told the Times they had to lay off most of their...
Police Who Tasered Student Placed on Leave
CNN
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Sep 19, 2007 5:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two University of Florida police officers who used a stun gun on a 21-year-old student at a campus forum with John Kerry have been placed on paid leave pending an investigation, CNN reports. Disturbing video of the incident, in which the student pleaded with police not to taser him, has been viewed around the world.
Mum's Almost The Word for Endangered Languages
Yahoo
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Sep 19, 2007 5:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A language dies about every two weeks and thousands are at risk, warned linguists, who yesterday identified five global hotspots where languages are most endangered. Several native American languages are dying out in the Southwest and regions including British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Indigenous communication is also vanishing in rural Australia,...
Asia Stocks Surge After Fed Cut
Bloomberg
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Sep 19, 2007 5:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Asian stocks rebounded after the US Federal Reserve announced a half point cut in its key lending rate in a bid to bolster growth and avoid a consumer spending slowdown. Toyota, Samsung Electronics and Honda, among those companies with the most to lose from a loss of consumer confidence, led the gains, reports Bloomberg.
Judge Orders Drug Tests for Abuser Britney
People
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Sep 19, 2007 4:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pop star Britney Spears is a "habitual, frequent and continuous" user of "controlled substances" and alcohol and must submit to random biweekly drug tests, the judge in her child custody case has ruled, reports People magazine. Spears was also ordered to use a "parenting coach," who will file a report before...
Stem Cells Show Promise for Sick Lungs
Reuters
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Sep 19, 2007 4:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists have successfully implanted stem cells into the lungs of mice in breakthrough research that could one day be used to develop new treatments for cancer patients or those suffering from major respiratory ailments. It's the first time stem cell research has focused on lungs because of the complex nature of the tissue, the BBC reports.
Falcons Sign New QB Leftwich
Associated Press
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Sep 19, 2007 4:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Atlanta Falcons have signed former Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich in an effort to sew up the spot left vacant by Michael Vick, who was suspended indefinitely after pleading guilty to dogfighting. Joey Harrington has run the offense for the first two games of the season, both losses, but coach Bobby Petrino has been unhappy with his...
Cops Head to England With Questions for McCanns
Times (UK)
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Sep 19, 2007 4:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Portuguese investigators headed to England to question Madeleine McCann's parents just hours after the couple announced they have "perfectly innocent" explanations for how their missing daughter's DNA wound up in the trunk of their rental car. The detectives are expected to hand a list of 40 questions to British police, but probably won't...
Russia and China Spying at Cold War Levels, Top Spy Warns
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 18, 2007 9:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
China and Russia are spying on the US at nearly cold war levels, the nation's top spy told lawmakers today. Vice Admiral McConnell defended the Patriot Act as necessary for US defense and asked Congress to give intelligence agencies even greater eavesdropping powers. His testimony comes weeks after an alleged strike by Chinese hackers on the...
'Super Typhoon' Strikes China
BBC
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Sep 18, 2007 8:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
What China is calling a "super typhoon" struck its east coast today as huge waves pounded the shore and soldiers evacuated residents in heavy rain. Winds of up to 150 feet per second roared through Zhejiang province, whipping up the 36-foot-high waves and suspending ferry and boat services. Earlier rains shut down schools and flooded Shanghai....
Recruiters Pick Top 10 Biz Schools
Wall Street Journal
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Sep 18, 2007 8:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ivy Leaguers and Mormons round out this year's eclectic list of top MBA programs. To come up with the rankings WSJ and Harris Interactive asked 4,430 recruiters to rank M.B.A. programs on 21 attributes, including leadership potential, and communication skills. National Rankings: Dartmouth College (Tuck) University of...
The Right’s Beef With Mukasey? The Left Doesn’t Hate Him
Slate
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Sep 18, 2007 7:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The GOP is uneasy with Bush’s choice for attorney general, but only because liberals don't despise him, says Slate ’s Dahlia Lithwick. Unlike Roberts and Alito, Michael Mukasey doesn’t know “all 17 twists in the Federalist Society's secret handshake”—leaving open the chance that he might be (gasp!) an independent...
OJ Hit With Robbery, Kidnapping Charges
CNN
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Sep 18, 2007 7:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nevada prosecutors have filed 11 felony counts against OJ and his alleged cohorts for stealing memorabilia in Las Vegas last week, CNN reports. Charges include robbery with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and first-degree kidnapping. Simpson, who is being held without bail, will face his first court appearance tomorrow morning.
Blackwater Ban Puts US Military in a Bind
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 7:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Iraqi crackdown on Blackwater, the private security firm implicated in Sunday’s killing of 8 civilians in Baghdad, draws attention to the lack of control the US military exerts over the 20,000 contractors who work for them in the country. Blackwater guards are the most feared of the contractors, the Los Angeles Times reports, with...
Mozilla Invests Millions to Amp Up Thunderbird
CNET
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Sep 18, 2007 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The makers of Firefox are spending $3 million to amp up their old email program, Thunderbird, CNET reports. Mozilla Foundation hopes to repeat the success it had with Firefox, a browser that nabbed a notable market share. Yet Thunderbird may have a tough flight ahead of it: Many users prefer web-based email, and will need convincing to download a stand-alone...
Mukasey Courts the Hill
Bloomberg
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Sep 18, 2007 5:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mukasey mingled today with the Dems who will make or break his chance at becoming the next attorney general. If they're worried about him taking on the job, none showed it, Bloomberg reports. Even Senator Leahy, who wants the White House to fork over documents on its surveillance program before a new AG is approved, signaled support for the conservative...
Father Upset by Rape Scene in Kite Runner
BBC
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Sep 18, 2007 5:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The father of an actor in a film adaptation of The Kite Runner is worried about a pivotal rape scene and wants it nixed, the BBC reports. The production features Afghans in many roles, and the boy actor's father, Ahmad Jaan, is concerned that the movie could unleash sectarian anger in Afghanistan—even violence against his family.
LA Still Leads in Traffic Delays
Los Angeles Times
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Sep 18, 2007 5:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Los Angeles and Orange counties are still tied for No. 1 in the nation in traffic delays, a study published today by the Texas Transportation Institute concludes. Motorists in either county lost an average of 72 hours in rush hour traffic in 2005—almost 2 work weeks. LA and Orange have lead the competition 23 out of the last 24 years.
Jury in Spector Case Deadlocks
Court TV
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Sep 18, 2007 5:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The jury in the murder trial of legendary music producer Phil Spector declared itself deadlocked this afternoon after 7 days of deliberation. The jurors said they're split 7-5, but not which verdict they favor. The judge said he may send the panel back to the drawing board to rule on the lesser charge of manslaughter, Court TV reports.
Craig Is Back on the Job
Chicago Tribune
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Sep 18, 2007 5:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Larry Craig returned to the Senate today, 2 weeks after he announced his resignation and 3 weeks after news broke that he was caught up in a sex sting in an airport restroom. The Idaho conservative cast two votes and had lunch with some Republican colleagues, but others—including John McCain—gave him the cold shoulder, the Chicago Tribune...
Murdoch May Eliminate WSJ Online Fees
Los Angeles Times
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Sep 18, 2007 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rupert Murdoch said today he would probably eliminate the Wall Street Journal's online subscription fee when News Corp. completes its purchase of the paper in a few months. The media mogul believes that dropping the subscription fee will attract more readers to the site, thereby increasing advertising revenues, the LA Times reports.
Student Tasered at Kerry Speech
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 4:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Police Tasered and arrested a University of Florida student after his belligerent questioning of John Kerry during a campus event last night. Andrew Meyer, who has a history of recording his own pranks, spent the night in jail after pressing Kerry beyond his allotted time, the AP reports. Officers removed him as he struggled and screamed, "What...
A Fad Won't Fix Your Fat Butt
MSNBC
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Sep 18, 2007 3:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Losing weight isn't a race, and getting to the finish line isn't as important as staying there. "Today" show nutritionist Joy Bauer recommends giving a wide berth to these six fads: Diets that promote or promise drastic weight loss. Diets that rely on supplements or lotions. Diets that radically change the way you eat....
Stocks Soar on Fed Surprise
Wall Street Journal
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Sep 18, 2007 3:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The markets responded with a roar to the Fed’s surprisingly deep rate cut today, with financial shares enjoying the biggest spike. The Dow climbed a whopping 324.10 points to 13,727.52, the Nasdaq rose 64.38 to 2,646.23, and the S&P closed at 1518.21, up 41.56. "The stock market is surging," a top economist told the Journal. "Everyone...
Hybrid Lizards Muscle Out Mom and Dad
Science
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Sep 18, 2007 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The offspring of California tiger salamanders and barred tiger salamanders are living proof that not all hybrids are mule-style genetic dead ends: They’re breeding their parents out of house and home. In a watershed instance of "hybrid vigor" among animals, Science reports, the progeny of two species for the first time have a higher...
1.8M Chinese Flee Typhoon
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 2:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Chinese government is evacuating 1.8 million people ahead of what is expected to be one of the most powerful typhoons to strike the mainland in years. Typhoon Wipha is bearing down on the densely populated coast with wind gusts at 165 mph and waves up to 36 feet high. Wipha is predicted to make landfall south of Shanghai early tomorrow.
Exercise Combo Helps Control Diabetes
USA Today
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Sep 18, 2007 2:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can provide enormous benefits for people with Type 2 diabetes, new research shows. Although both types of activity helped control blood sugar in patients with adult-onset diabetes, combining them led to almost twice as much improvement as either did alone. Previously, some scientists thought...
Fed Slashes Benchmark Rate
Bloomberg
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Sep 18, 2007 2:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Federal Reserve aggressively cut its benchmark rate today, dropping the federal funds rate a half-point to 4.75%. The larger-than-expected cut was “intended to help forestall” the ballooning credit crisis, the central bank said in a statement. The cut in the key interest rate, the first in 4 years, was double the quarter-point drop...
Fossett Search Drastically Reduced
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Searchers are dramatically scaling back efforts to find missing adventurer Steve Fossett as the rescue mission enters its third week and tips dry up. At one point, 45 aircraft plied the skies looking for wreckage, but the Nevada Civil Air Patrol is suspending its efforts, limiting searchers to five National Guard helicopters and two CAP planes on standby,...
Saudi Women Want to Drive
BBC
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Sep 18, 2007 1:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A group of Saudi women is trying to regain a “stolen right”: driving. The group will deliver a petition to King Abdullah this week demanding the right to get behind the wheel. But prospects for lifting the world's only ban on female drivers are cloudy, the BBC reports, because of concerns about women mixing freely with men.
It Wasn’t Fred's Truck
Politico
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Sep 18, 2007 12:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Banish the legend of Fred Thompson as the down-home, Chevvy-driving election slayer, says a journalist who covered Thompson's 1994 Tennessee Senate race. Much is made of his come-from-behind victory over Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper, who led by 21 points nine months before Voting Day. But it's bogus, says Politico ’s Aaron Gould Sheinin.
British Bank Rebounds as Panic Wears Off
Telegraph (UK)
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Sep 18, 2007 12:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As the lines of people waiting to make withdrawals from Northern Rock bank dwindled today, the British lender’s stock rose, bringing with it other hard-hit British financials. Northern Rock's huge losses in the mortgage market sparked a sell-off, drawing emergency funds from the Bank of England. But the government's move yesterday to guarantee...
Home Foreclosures Hit Record
Bloomberg
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Sep 18, 2007 12:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Another 108,716 American homeowners received foreclosure notices in August, a record total more than double last year’s figure. And this is only the beginning, say analysts, who expect even more subprime borrowers to default over the next 2 years. That will further depress housing prices, which are expected to drop 2.1% this year and 3.1% in...
Friend Says Simpson Was Set Up
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 11:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The audiotape that surfaced yesterday of OJ Simpson’s alleged burglary was recorded by the same man who tipped Simpson off about his stolen property’s whereabouts, which has one Simpson friend and co-defendant crying foul. “It seemed like a setup to me,” Walter Alexander told "Good Morning America" today.
Iraq Considers Expelling Security Firms
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 11:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Private security firms have never been popular in Iraq, but after Blackwater USA’s fatal shooting of civilians Sunday, national rage may be strong enough to drive them from the country. The Iraqi government announced today that it would review the status of all private security companies, and explore rescinding a law exempting them from Iraqi...
Korea Denies Secret Nuclear Pact with Syria
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 10:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
North Korea and Syria each strongly denied a secret nuclear alliance today, after an Israeli raid in Syria, rumored to be aimed at a nuclear installation, raised suspicions. North Korea called the pact a fabrication designed to stall progress in its multi-national nuclear negotiations, while a state-run Syrian newspaper said it was a “flagrant...
10 Girls With Major Magic
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 18, 2007 10:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Chocolat author Joanne Harris will soon publish her first children's book, Runemarks, which follows an adolescent heroine with magical powers. At the Guardian 's request, she recommends 10 children's books that feature strong female protagonists: The Ruby in the Smoke, Philip Pullman The Black Tattoo, Sam Enthoven Marianne...
Pakistani Parliament Vows to Quit
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 18, 2007 9:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Gen. Perez Musharraf’s promise to resign his military post only if he is re-elected president in October drew howls of protest today from Pakistani opposition parties, who threatened a mass resignation in Parliament. “He is blackmailing,” one leader told the AP. “We reject this conditional offer and reaffirm our resolve that...
Indians Outlast Tigers, 6-5
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 9:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With one swing, Casey Blake secured the Indians an 11th-inning win over the Detroit Tigers, and reduced Cleveland's magic number to seven. Blake's walk-off homer could end up being a key step on the way to the Indian's first playoff berth in six seasons, especially if they can take the rest of this series from the Tigers, reports the AP.
Danger! Crocs on the Escalator!
Associated Press
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Sep 18, 2007 9:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
At rail stations, department stores and shopping malls from Washington to Tokyo, kids wearing Crocs shoes or similar footwear are getting their toes caught in escalators with painful and occasionally bloody results. The accidents have become so commonplace that the Washington Metro has posted ads—featuring a crocodile—calling for caution...
Mets Keep Making Costly Mistakes
New York Daily News
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Sep 18, 2007 8:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Mets muddled through their fifth-straight error-plagued game last night, dropping 12-4 to the Nationals and watching their lead in the NL East division race dwindle to 2 1/2 games. The team with the best record in the National League—for now, at least—continued to play extremely sloppy baseball, reports the New York Daily News.
Flip-Floppers See Light—Or Just Want Job
Time
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Sep 18, 2007 8:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Maybe Mitt Romney and John Kerry should hold their flip-flopping heads high: Changes of mind have furthered the causes of abolition and civil rights over the centuries. Ronald Reagan defiantly claimed his biggest reversal—promising feet “in concrete” about raising taxes, then singing “the sound of concrete cracking” when...
Britney's Manager, Lawyer Quit
People
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Sep 18, 2007 7:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britney Spears' manager announced yesterday he'll no longer work with the pop star—just hours after the singer's lawyer in the K-Fed child custody battle also quit, People reports. A statement from the former management company cited "current circumstances" as the reason for the split, and offered no other details.
Fate of Ball No. 756 Put to Vote
MSNBC
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Sep 18, 2007 6:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Designer and prankster Marc Ecko successfully bid over $750,000 for Barry Bonds' record-breaking home-run ball. Now he's ready to get rid of it, and told Today 's Matt Lauer that America will decide how: donate it to the Baseball Hall of Fame, give it to the Hall of Fame with an asterisk burnt into it, or launch it into space.
