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13 Feb 2009 07:18

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U.S.: A major plane crash – with a major toll – near Buffalo

  • 49 people, including 4 crew, died in last night’s fiery crash source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 11:06

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Music, World: Is M.I.A. an apologist for the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka?

  • She’s unknown at home Despite her massive critical acclaim, the ubiquity of her hit “Paper Planes” and her recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, she remains fairly unknown in her homeland, Sri Lanka. Those who do know her claim she’s an apologist for the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group which has fought a lengthy civil war for independence. source
  • She’s unknown at home Despite her massive critical acclaim, the ubiquity of her hit “Paper Planes” and her recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, she remains fairly unknown in her homeland, Sri Lanka. Those who do know her claim she’s an apologist for the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group which has fought a lengthy civil war for independence.
  • In her words M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam, recently commented on the crisis in an interview on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show. “Being the only Tamil in the Western media, I have a really great opportunity to sort of bring forward what’s going on in Sri Lanka,” she said “There’s a genocide going on.” source
  • She’s unknown at home Despite her massive critical acclaim, the ubiquity of her hit “Paper Planes” and her recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, she remains fairly unknown in her homeland, Sri Lanka. Those who do know her claim she’s an apologist for the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group which has fought a lengthy civil war for independence.
  • In her words M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam, recently commented on the crisis in an interview on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show. “Being the only Tamil in the Western media, I have a really great opportunity to sort of bring forward what’s going on in Sri Lanka,” she said “There’s a genocide going on.”
  • Fighting art with art Many Sri Lankans who have seen M.I.A.’s videos claim that her imagery either glorifies or supports the cause. M.I.A. says she doesn’t support terrorism, but at least one rapper has taken her head-on: DeLon, a Sinhalese rapper based in L.A., put up a video remix which directly attacks the singer’s stance. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 10:49

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Offbeat: Tip: If you commit arson, don’t sing about it

  • She’s singing a different tune now. Amanda Gessner, 19, set off a bunch of trash fires in a Philadelphia suburb, and was spotted in a convenience store singing a little ditty about her deed. A sample verse: “The fire department is going to be mad at me.” Idiot. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 10:42

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Biz, U.S.: Today’s scary number: Homes hit a 30-year low in value

  • -12.4% fall in home prices during 2008 source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 10:39

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Culture: Joaquin Phoenix must be on some good drugs

David Letterman: “What can you tell us about your days with the Unabomber?” LOL. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 10:36

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Offbeat, U.S.: Las Vegas mayor: Obama owes us an apology

  • That’s outrageous… He owes us a retraction. What’s a better place, as I say, than for them to come here? And to change their mind and to go someplace else and to cancel and at the suggestion of the president of the United States — that’s outrageous.
  • Oscar Goodman • Democratic mayor of Las Vegas, on a recent comment by Barack Obama regarding banks using bailout money to take corporate trips to the city • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 10:19

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Tech: Breaking down the Facebook “25 things” phenomenon

Slate put way too much time into analyzing the viral nature of this fad. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink
 

12 Feb 2009 10:13

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Tech: In the court of public opinion, Darwin’s wrong

  • 39% of people believe in evolution, according to a new Gallup poll. There’s a lot of indifference: 36% don’t have an opinion on Darwin. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 10:02

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Biz, U.S.: Timothy Geithner brushes himself off and plans to try again

  • If that means that there is going to be disappointment with the level of details until we get it right, I will live with that disappointment because it is better than the alternative.
  • Timothy Geithner • Treasury secretary, who shrugged off the negative reaction to his bailout plan, which he announced Tuesday. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Feb 2009 22:47

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U.S.: Just awful: Man dragged under car nearly 20 miles, dies.

  • It happened in Queens, N.Y. The man, unidentified but between his mid-20s and 30s, was hit by one car whose driver went back to the scene of the crime and couldn’t find him. That’s because he was then hit by another driver who didn’t see him. That driver dragged him under the carriage of his van for 19.8 miles. The injuries, we won’t even begin to describe. But just imagine the worst – the article uses the phrase “torn-up corpse.” We wish his family condolences in the wake of this sad news. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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