News In Brief

IT IS NOT. IS TOO! is NOT...

Once again, economists have jumped into a presidential campaign fray. Some 360 of them have signed a statement attacking the $1.3 trillion Bush tax cut as "economically and socially irresponsible." Not to be outdone, the Bush campaign announced last week that the Texas governor's plan has the support of even more economists - 503. Ah, but opponents note that nine Nobel Prize winners are in their ranks versus only six on the pro-Bush list. Whether such lists impress voters is debatable. This does, however, confirm an old joke about the First Law of Economics: "For every economist there's an equal and opposite economist."

LEAVE US OUT OF THIS

In the Malaysian state of Selangor, police are angry at the very people they're sworn to protect and serve. Why? Because last weekend bystanders clapped and cheered as thieves fled a goldsmith's shop, clutching stolen jewelry. "They act," complained a commander, "as though fighting crime is only the police's job."

Thriller 'Final Destination' tops chart of DVD rentals

Since digital video disc players went on the market almost four years ago, 10 million have been shipped, the industry-funded DVD Entertainment Group reported recently. That number, says the Los Angeles-based nonprofit, was achieved faster than any other consumer electronics product to date, including CD players and VCRs. Fueling the growth is the support of movie studios and also record labels, which are releasing more than 250 new DVD-video titles monthly. Following are the top DVD rentals for the week ended Oct. 8, as compiled by Video Software Dealers Association:

1. Final Destination

2. Mission to Mars

3. Any Given Sunday

4. 28 Days

5. High Fidelity

6. Erin Brockovich

7. Reindeer Games

8. American Psycho

9. Snow Day

10. The Whole Nine Yards

- Entertainment Wire

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