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22 Apr 2009 14:55

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Biz, U.S.: Speaking of layoffs, taking a bullet won’t even save your job

  • He got shot during a story last year. Todd Smith, a reporter for the St. Louis Suburban Journals, was at a Kirkwood, Mo. City Council meeting last year when Cookie Thornton, who had a lawsuit against the city, shot and killed five people, then himself. Smith was shot in the hand. The coverage of the shootings made the St. Louis Post Dispatch – the Suburban Journals’ parent paper – a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize. Smith was laid off last Wednesday along with a bunch of other people. So no, taking a bullet won’t save your job. There goes our contingency plan. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 14:20

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Biz: The Chicago Tribune axes a ton of people in the newsroom

  • 53 journalists got canned today, a ton, but less than expected source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 10:28

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Politics, U.S.: The New York Times won a Pulitzer for a blacklisted story

  • The outright refusal of any of these ‘news organizations’ even to mention what Barstow uncovered about the Pentagon’s propaganda program and the way it infected their coverage is one of the most illuminating events revealing how they operate.
  • Glenn Greenwald • Discussing the media’s ignoring of a major investigative journalism piece by NYT reporter David Barstow on the television media’s use of talking heads to disseminate propaganda in favor of the military on cable news networks. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 10:18

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U.S., World: The U.S. doesn’t deal with pirate prosecutions very often

  • 1885 the time the last major case was tried source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 10:14

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U.S., World: So, how bad is this captured pirate, anyway?

  • Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse may have been tough on the high seas, but he seemed very scared in the courtroom yesterday. source
  • His lawyer, Deirdre von Dornum, said, “As you can tell, he’s extremely young, injured and terrified.” So why was he smiling initially? source
  • His mom said he’s 16 and deserved a fair verdict. She pleaded with the judges “not to commit an injustice against Abdiwali.” source
  • The FBI’s account, however, portrays him as the ringleader of the Maersk Alabama attack who shot at Capt. Richard Phillips. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 10:00

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Biz, U.S.: Why it sucks to be Morgan Stanley right now

  • $177 million The amount the financial company lost this quarter, which was unexpectedly large source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 09:50

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Culture: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may make a “Terminator” cameo yet

  • Despite lack of time, he’s willing “if they get the technology together.” The governator of California has a lot on his plate, such as a budget crisis, but he’s still willing to make time for a cameo in the movie that made him a big enough star to become governor of a state. Next month’s “Terminator: Salvation,” starring Christian Bale and already sporting killer trailers, may feature the original Terminator in a cameo role. We sure hope so, because that would rule. He agrees. “I think it’s cool to continue on with the franchise,” he said. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

22 Apr 2009 09:39

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U.S.: One of the Craiglist killer’s victims survived by “not fighting back”

  • I just complied with everything he wanted me to do. I didn’t resist him in any way and that’s why.
  • Trisha Leffler • One of the Craigslist killer’s apparent victims. She was bound and robbed of $800. She claims that she recognized Philip Markoff, the man accused of the attacks, from the surveillance stills released by police prior to his arrest. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 09:26

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Offbeat: “Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg” mispelled

You would think to quadruple-check this lake’s name, but it was apparently misspelled on this sign. *forehead slap* source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 09:10

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Biz, U.S.: Freddie Mac’s acting CFO found dead in an apparent suicide

  • The circumstances David Kellermann, a 41-year-old Freddie Mac executive who lived in the D.C. metro area, was found dead early this morning at his home in an apparent suicide. Kellermann had long been an executive with the company in various roles, but only became acting Chief Financial Officer last year at the peak of the financial crisis. source
  • The circumstances David Kellermann, a 41-year-old Freddie Mac executive who lived in the D.C. metro area, was found dead early this morning at his home in an apparent suicide. Kellermann had long been an executive with the company in various roles, but only became acting Chief Financial Officer last year at the peak of the financial crisis.
  • Not a fun job Freddie Mac was one of the early victims of the financial crisis. After housing’s freefall hit them hard, the company was taken over by the government in September. They then became a quasi-governmental agency that took on big parts of Obama’s recovery plan. Kellermann became acting CFO around this time. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink
 
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