Raw sewage trickled from a broken pipe down the street, and the 37-year-old insurance agent scolded his two sons for playing nearby.

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Gov. David Dewhurst said the problem appeared be inadequate winterization and that the trouble centered on two new coal-fired plants owned by Luminant ( a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU) which suffered a broken pipe and a frozen pipe.

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The landslide has been blamed on a broken drainage pipe which has become damaged and fallen away.

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Since then, at least 5, 000 barrels of oil per day have erupted from the broken well pipe which is 5, 000 feet under water, 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana.

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About three in 10 men aged over 50 are affected by the condition, which "compresses the water pipe" and can cause broken sleep and bleeding.

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