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Technology: Dog houses reduce noise
Japanese engineers have developed a high-tech dog house that dampens barking and howling sounds by 30 decibels to about one-eighth of the original noise, Kawai Musical Instruments said yesterday. The fiberglass-coated dog house will cost between 250,000 and 850,000 yen (US$2,100 to US$7,100) and is intended for hospitals, hotels and other places where dogs usually are not allowed. The more luxurious models can be equipped with a camera to allow dog owners to watch their beloved pet on their mobile phones while away.

WorldCom scandal: Plea bargain expected
Former WorldCom Inc Controller David Myers, charged with hiding billions of dollars in company expenses, is still negotiating for a deal to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for leniency, court papers say. Last week, the government signaled that it was close to an agreement on plea bargains with Myers and two other WorldCom executives, Betty Vinson and Troy Normand. A federal judge gave prosecutors a 30-day postponement of a previously scheduled hearing, effectively extending the deadline to indict Myers or reach an agreement on a plea until Oct. 3. "The negotiations have not been completed and we plan to continue our discussions," Assistant U.S. Attorney David Anders said in court papers. The filing confirms that talks between Myers, 44, and the government are moving ahead. Myers' boss, ex-chief financial officer Scott D. Sullivan, was indicted last week after negotiations with the US attorney's office broke down.

Internet: Napster sale blocked
Napster Inc's sale to Bertelsmann AG was blocked by a bankruptcy judge, increasing the risk of extinction for the service that once hosted 13 million users and popularized song sharing on the Web. US Bankruptcy Judge Peter Walsh refused to approve the sale, saying conflicts of interest by Napster Chief Executive Konrad Hilbers, had "tainted" the transaction. Walsh said his decision would "probably mean liquidation" for Napster. The ruling ends an effort started by former Bertelsmann Chief Executive Thomas Middelhoff, who resigned this year in a dispute with board members who want to return Germany's largest media company to its main businesses such as publishing. "Napster has been pronounced dead about eight other times, but this looks real," said P.J. McNealy, research director at GartnerG2. Redwood City, California-based Napster, the first file-sharing service convenient enough to attract millions of users, was criticized and sued by record labels and established musicians such as Metallica.

Food: Hershey sale protested
The Pennsylvania attorney general's office urged a judge to block a possible sale of Hershey Foods Corp, saying it may cause job losses and harm to the community of Hershey, Pennsylvania. A sale of the biggest US chocolate-candy maker would cause "irreparable harm" to the community, Deputy Attorney General Jerry Pappert told a judge during a hearing. "Can this court take the chance that the people can sell the company beneath our feet" before officials can evaluate the matter, Pappert said. "The answer is simple. It cannot.

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