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.
6 Ark. Nuns Excommunicated
Associated Press
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Sep 27, 2007 11:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Six Arkansas nuns have been booted from the Catholic Church for refusing to renounce the Army of Mary, a sect the Vatican deems heretical for its founder’s claim to be the reincarnation of the virgin. “We know we are doing the right thing,” said an 82-year-old nun. “We pray that the church will open their eyes before it is too...
After Early Stumble, Polish Twins on Track for a Win
Macleans
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Sep 27, 2007 10:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Maclean's travels to Warsaw, where the ruling Kaczynski brothers are seeing a revival in fortunes ahead of Poland's Oct. 21 parliamentary elections. The twin brothers who have ruled Poland since 2005, pushing a hard-right agenda and enraging Europe along the way, seemed certain to lose power only weeks ago. But a disorganized opposition had missed...
NASA Launches Asteroid Rocket
Associated Press
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Sep 27, 2007 10:30 AM CDT
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This morning NASA launched a spacecraft that's headed to the asteroid belt, where it will get a close-up look at the belt's largest bodies, asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. It's NASA’s first multi-target mission, and Dawn, which one engineer called “the first real interplanetary spaceship,” could tell scientists much...
Blackwater 'Cowboys' Faster on Trigger
New York Times
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Sep 27, 2007 10:12 AM CDT
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The US security firm being investigated in an Iraqi operation earlier this month that killed at least 11 civilians has been involved in twice as many shootings as other companies providing protection to American officials in Iraq, the New York Times reports. Guards working for Blackwater killed 10 and wounded 15 in six other shootings, which are...
$25B Sallie Mae Buyout on the Rocks
Wall Street Journal
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Sep 27, 2007 9:52 AM CDT
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Sallie Mae doesn’t look like such a bargain at $25 billion anymore, and J.C. Flowers & Co. is trying to renegotiate—or escape—its deal to acquire the student lender, citing the credit market implosion and legislation to reform student loan practices. It’s the kind of deal once considered unbreakable, the Wall Street Journal...
Sarko's First Budget Offers No Big Shakeups
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 27, 2007 9:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nicolas Sarkozy presented his first budget to the French national assembly yesterday, but tax cuts have largely replaced the overhaul of the public sector he promised during his election campaign. Super-Sarko's plans to shake up the French economy have run aground, the Guardian reports: huge public debt, ballooning social security deficits, and a...
Anorexic Ads Spark Furor
Times (UK)
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Sep 27, 2007 8:29 AM CDT
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Gruesome photos of a naked anorexic actress on billboards across Italy are sparking controversy among health experts. The shots of French actress Isabelle Caro, taken by provocative photographer Oliviero Toscani, are featured in ads for Italian fashion label Nolita with a text that reads: "No Anorexia." The campaign was timed to coincide...
Feds Prepare for Cyberwar
ABC News
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Sep 27, 2007 7:57 AM CDT
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Readying for a new cyber doomsday in which Americans wake to find the power off, cell phones dead, and no access to cash, the Bush administration is considering creating an agency to protect critical public and private computers. Experts say that any attack, which would likely originate in China, would find the US woefully easy to take down, ABC reports.
Clinton Summit Pulls in Billions
Reuters
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Sep 27, 2007 7:19 AM CDT
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Over 1,000 philanthropists pledged billions of dollars at this year's Clinton Global Initiative, where the ex-president annually brings together world leaders, corporate biggies and change-minded celebs. Angelina Jolie plans to educate 1 million children in conflicted areas; Brad Pitt pledged $5 million to build homes in New Orleans, and Norway and...
Dems Stonewall on Pullout Deadline
Washington Post
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Sep 27, 2007 6:51 AM CDT
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None of the three leading Democratic White House contenders were willing last night to guarantee that they would get US troops out of Iraq by 2013. During a Democratic debate at Dartmouth College, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards—who all support a timetable for troop withdrawal—each declined to commit to an exit deadline,...
Fed Judge Rules Against Patriot Act
Associated Press
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Sep 27, 2007 6:07 AM CDT
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Key provisions of the Patriot Act allowing secret searches have been ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. In the case of Portland lawyer Brandon Mayfield, whose home and office were secretly raided after he was mistakenly linked to bombings in Madrid, a US District judge found that search warrants were issued without probable cause, violating...
Bonds Bids Farewell to Giant Ovations
San Francisco Chronicle
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Sep 27, 2007 5:42 AM CDT
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It was the end of an era last night in San Francisco as super slugger Barry Bonds played his last game in a Giants uniform. The all-time home run king finished the night 0-3, but that didn't stop a sold-out crowd from giving him standing ovations throughout the evening. There were few other opportunities for cheers, as Bonds' last-place team struggled...
Matrix to Become a Laker?
Sporting News
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Sep 27, 2007 5:40 AM CDT
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Shawn Marion, having agitated for a trade out of Phoenix, is being considered by Los Angeles; he would replace Lamar Odom as Kobe's sidekick, a move meant in part to placate the disgruntled Lakers superstar. SportingNews.com reports that both Kobe and Marion are amenable to the deal—the sticking point is an extension for Marion.
Cubs Lose, But Brewers Can't Capitalize
Associated Press
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Sep 27, 2007 5:05 AM CDT
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The ongoing drama that is the National League Central pennant race continued to play out last night as the Cubs lost 7-4 to the Florida Marlins then, hours later, the Brewers failed to capitalize with a win against the Cardinals. The Cubs magic number is now down to three with four games left to play.
Burmese Junta Rounds Up 200 Monks in Midnight Raids
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 27, 2007 5:03 AM CDT
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The Burmese military junta has once again opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Rangoon and rounded up hundreds of monks in midnight raids on monasteries, the Guardian reports. It was not immediately known if anyone was injured. As many as 200 police officers and soldiers later marched through the streets with loudspeakers warning anyone who...
GM Pact Marks Health Care Upheaval
Wall Street Journal
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Sep 27, 2007 4:40 AM CDT
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The agreement that ended the GM strike this week marks a major turning point for American industrial workers, as the fiscal management of retiree health care is shifted from employer to union. The move is part of a trend as companies seeking to be competitive "offload" health care obligations to leave unions or individual workers struggling...
Rudy, Mitt in Dead Heat in NH
CNN
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Sep 27, 2007 4:37 AM CDT
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Mitt Romney's early lead in the GOP race for New Hampshire has evaporated; Rudy Giuliani is now in a dead heat with the former Massachusetts governor in a new CNN-University of New Hampshire poll. Though Giuliani has been the nationwide frontrunner, Romney had a 14-point lead in NH in July. Now, 25% of likely Granite State voters say they're...
Verizon Bans Abortion Rights Text Service
New York Times
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Sep 27, 2007 4:18 AM CDT
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Verizon Wireless has rejected a bid from an abortion rights organization to establish a text-message information system for supporters who sign up for the service. Verizon invoked its right to block "controversial or unsavory" messages in refusing the program by Naral Pro-Choice America, reports the New York Times . Verizon's competitors...
Yankees Clinch Playoff Spot
ESPN
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Sep 27, 2007 3:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Yankees yesterday clinched a playoff berth for the 13th straight season, with a 12-4 battering of the Devil Rays. With the win, the 15th in their last 20 games, New York has eliminated defending AL champs Detroit from the playoffs. They will likely face off against the Indians in the ALDS.
Mugabe to Foreign Firms: We Own You
BBC
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Sep 27, 2007 3:00 AM CDT
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A bill backed by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe requiring foreign companies to turn over majority control to black Zimbabweans has passed the country's parliament, reports the BBC. The goal of the bill is to give economic power to anyone "disadvantaged by unfair discrimination on race grounds," but it is likely to discourage foreign firms...
NL Wild Card Race Stays Tight
Associated Press
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Sep 27, 2007 2:34 AM CDT
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The positioning didn't change yesterday in the three-team race for the wild card in the National League. But now a fourth team needs to be added to the mix. With the Padres, Phillies and Rockies all winning, San Diego remained one game ahead of the other squads. But the Mets' loss left them with the same record as the Padres, only a game up in both...
Pitching Fails Mets Again
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 11:55 PM CDT
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The Mets squandered an early 5-0 lead against a plucky Nationals club and lost, 9-6, due this time to poor pitching from rookies instead of veterans. In his first MLB start, Philip Humber gave up five runs in four-plus innings, two inherited by rookie reliever Joe Smith. The Mets' division lead is down to one game after another Phillies win.
eBay Identity Thefts Raise Fears
PC World
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Sep 26, 2007 11:45 PM CDT
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A sinister incident in which confidential information of 1,200 eBay users was posted on a discussion forum is raising questions about the security of the world's biggest online marketplace. PC World reports that a person eBay called "a malicious fraudster" posted the personal data, visible for an hour on Tuesday before eBay shut the forum...
US Swaps Goalies For Cup Game
Washington Post
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Sep 26, 2007 11:38 PM CDT
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Brianna Scurry, not Hope Solo, will be in goal for the U.S. Women's team in today's semifinal World Cup match against Brazil. The decision was announced yesterday by coach Greg Ryan, citing tactical concerns for his last minute switch. To counter the Brazilian style of play "I think Bri is the best goalkeeper in the world," Ryan...
Craig to Stay in Senate 'for Now'
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 8:25 PM CDT
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GOP leaders listened in icy silence as Larry Craig vowed today to stay a senator while trying to change his guilty plea, the AP reports. A Minnesota judge says he will decide the matter sometime next month. "Today was a major step in the legal effort to clear my name," Craig said. But his lawyer admits that the effort to withdraw his plea...
5 Fly Jobs That Serve Up a Change of Scene
CNN
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Sep 26, 2007 7:09 PM CDT
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You don't have to be the CEO of an international corporation to go abroad. These jobs will get you there even if you're just out of college: Teacher: Go abroad, and you may make even more than back home. Chef: Are you an established chef? Some hotels will pay you to grace their kitchens plus room and board.
Spector Walks After Mistrial
BBC
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Sep 26, 2007 7:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jurors announced a 10 to 2 deadlock in the Phil Spector trial today after more than 2 weeks of deliberations, sparking the judge to declare a mistrial. The jury was split more evenly a week ago, and did not reveal the position of its 2 holdouts. As Spector went home, prosecutors vowed to seek a new trial in the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson,...
'Halo 3' Sells Record $170M in First Day
Wall Street Journal
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Sep 26, 2007 6:36 PM CDT
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Microsoft's "Halo 3" lived up the hype, the Wall Street Journa l reported today, bringing in an estimated $170 million on its first day of release to shatter the record set by its predecessor, "Halo 2." Analysts say the first-person shooter game should be a boon for sales of the Microsoft's Xbox 360, the only console compatible...
Umpire Joins Bradley on Shelf
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 6:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Umpire Mike Winters was suspended for the rest of the season today for his part in a confrontation that left San Diego outfielder Milton Bradley with a season-ending knee injury. A Major League Baseball official said Winters directed profanity at Bradley during Sunday's brouhaha; the Padres claim Winters baited Bradley, who has a history of such run-ins.
How To Hack VoIP Companies
InformationWeek
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Sep 26, 2007 5:59 PM CDT
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Robert Moore, a 23-year old facing a two-year prison sentence for hacking Internet phone service companies, tells Information Week that getting illegitimate access to the phone services was "so easy a caveman could do it". Moore said that sloppy systems administration left obvious security holes, such as the use of default passwords, in place...
Flemish Recycling Runs to Chicken Feed
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 26, 2007 5:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Belgian region of Flanders is attracting international attention with novel recycling schemes that include reuse centers, pay-per-bag garbage collection, and omnivorous chickens. The Russians, the Chinese and the British have come calling to see how Flanders has managed to hold its total waste generation steady even as its population and economy...
Buzz: Apple to Unveil PDA in First Half of '08
Apple Insider
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Sep 26, 2007 5:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Early-'90s techies who used a Newton MessagePad can break out the champagne; though that device was killed in 1998, Apple plans to give the PDA a 21st-century go. AppleInsider reports that the company has spent the past 18 months chipping away at a brand-new device, built on Apple's signature multi-touch technology—albeit with plenty of iPhone-related...
US Oil Program Troubled: Report
New York Times
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Sep 26, 2007 4:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An Interior Department report has found that the internal program responsible for collecting $10 billion per year from companies that drill on US land is plagued by unethical practices and mismanagement. The report cited “profound failure,” and said the agency—which is years behind in its billing—wasn’t sufficiently independent...
Gates Boosts War Request to Nearly $190B
Reuters
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Sep 26, 2007 4:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked Congress today for an extra $42 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, driving the tab for the next fiscal year up to nearly $190 billion, Reuters reports. The extra money is primarily for training and specialized equipment for the wars such as new armored vehicles designed to withstand blasts from improvised...
Parents Fret but Won't Curb Kids' Web Surfing
Reuters
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Sep 26, 2007 4:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A new study of parents with children who use the Internet finds that 71% had at least one incident involving inappropriate content in the last year. But with most saying the web helps their children in school, and only 30% citing problems with overuse, parents are stepping up monitoring efforts instead of keeping their kids away, Reuters reports.
Microsoft Plots to Dent Google Ad Lead
New York Times
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Sep 26, 2007 4:05 PM CDT
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Microsoft wants to reinvent online advertising, replacing the dominant search engine model with a tracking system that would tell advertisers precisely which ads consumers had viewed before visiting their sites. The new model is the product of aQuantive, an internet ad firm purchased by Microsoft last month, whose main competitor is DoubleClick,...
Stocks Rise on Buffett Rumor
Bloomberg
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Sep 26, 2007 3:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dow climbed 99.5 points today on the strength of the GM settlement and speculation that billionaire Warren Buffett might buy 20% of beleaguered Bear Stearns. The brokerage helped spur the biggest gain in a week, jumping 7.7% after the Buffett story circulated. Said a trader, “You can’t go wrong with a guy like that behind you.”...
Court Says Past Travels Not Private
ComputerWorld
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Sep 26, 2007 3:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal court has ruled that one’s historic whereabouts are not protected by the Fourth Amendment, and that the government doesn't need to show probable cause to access old cell phone records. Authorities only have to claim the information is “relevant to an ongoing investigation,” Computerworld reports, a reversal of an earlier...
Top Places to Retire in Style
US News & World Report
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Sep 26, 2007 3:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The best places to retire aren't all what you'd expect. U.S. News assembles a list of 1,000 top choices and zeroes in on 10 to get you started. In alphabetical order, they are: Bozeman, Mont. Concord, NH Fayetteville, Ark.
Unhealthy Habits Could Hurt Your Pay Check
Chicago Tribune
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Sep 26, 2007 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Unhealthy living is getting more expensive, the Chicago Tribune reports, with employees facing fines or even firing for not satisfying company health requirements. Michigan's Weyco fines workers $50 per paycheck if they or their spouses smoke. Indianapolis' Clarian takes away $5 for each blood-pressure, body-mass, or other health-based benchmark...
Vick Tests Positive for Pot
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Sep 26, 2007 2:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The hits—of the self-inflicted variety—just keep coming for Michael Vick, who tested positive for marijuana in a sample submitted two weeks after entering a plea deal on felony dog-fighting charges. The suspended NFL quarterback will be confined to his home from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., wear a monitoring device, and undergo counseling, the Atlanta...
Small Donors Put Dems at Top of Money Heap
Politico
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Sep 26, 2007 2:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Small donations have a crucial role in the presidential race, and could give the eventual Democratic nominee a serious advantage, Politico reports. So-called baby bundlers—those who convince others to give, on a small scale—are leading the surge; Barack Obama's campaign, whose 75,000 new third-quarter donors match the GOP’s entire...
Search for Fossett Will Resume
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 2:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Air Force experts analyzing satellite images say they've found what may be signs of adventurer Steve Fossett's track in the rugged terrain near Death Valley in Nevada. This weekend planes and ground crews will comb an area stretching 100 miles southeast of the airstrip Fossett took off from Sept. 3, reports the AP.
'Scars' of Iraq Evident in Britain: Minister
Times (UK)
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Sep 26, 2007 2:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain's new foreign secretary has proposed a break with Blair-era policy and admitted his country was "scarred" by failures of the Iraq war. In his address yesterday to the annual Labour Party conference, David Miliband dismissed the idea of a "military 'solution'" to the world's problems. But at this year's conference, policy...
Aging Brain, Not Racism, Explains Elderly Gaffes
Newsweek
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Sep 26, 2007 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Grandma’s verbal faux pas might signal not that she’s more prejudiced than younger relatives, but rather that she’s unable to disguise or overcome stereotypes, a study shows. Anecdotal evidence suggests, and earlier studies confirmed, that older Americans are more racist, but new research shows age-related brain shrinkage may be behind...
Where to Find Housing Bargains
BusinessWeek
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Sep 26, 2007 1:48 PM CDT
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Taking into account current affordability, projected growth, and employment opportunities, BusinessWeek pick the best and worst prospects for bargains in the US housing market. The best, in alphabetical order: Austin-Round Rock, Texas Baton Rouge, La. Birmingham-Hoover, Ala.
World's Fastest Computer on the Fast Track
McClatchy Newspapers
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Sep 26, 2007 1:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
IBM is set to begin work on a computer capable of a quadrillion calculations per second, more power than a mile-high tower of laptops. McClatchy Newspapers reports the system will use 884,736 processors—six times the current best—to analyze problems on a dizzying scale. “We're on a path to a time when computers will be smarter than...
Chavez Slams Quinceañera Implants
Reuters
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Sep 26, 2007 1:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hugo Chavez has aimed his anti-consumerist wrath at one of Venezuela’s bustiest trends. In a record eight-hour TV address Sunday, the barn-storming president assaulted his countrymen for giving breast implants as presents to girls celebrating their quinceañeras , the traditional 15th-birthday coming-of-age party.
South Carolina Black Women Key for Dems
Los Angeles Times
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Sep 26, 2007 12:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Jan. 29 Democratic primary in South Carolina might come down to black women, the Los Angeles Times reports. Half of Democratic voters in the state are African American, and most of those are female—40% of whom have yet to pick a horse. That decision may hinge largely on whether gender or race is more important to those voters.
Morocco Lead Is False Alarm in Maddy Search
Sky News
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Sep 26, 2007 12:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The resemblance between missing 4-year-old Madeleine McCann and the girl in a photograph taken by vacationers in Morocco is just that: a resemblance. Journalist Rashid Razaq flew to Morocco and tracked down the girl, Sky News reports. “She has got a resemblance to Madeleine," Razaq said, “but when you see her properly, it is obvious...
