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02 May 2009 12:42

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U.S.: Justice David Souter’s former clerks have nice things to say

  • Although he’s someone who doesn’t like to spend a lot of time out in high society, he is a really warm and engaging person, and in fact quite a talented story teller and sort of off-the-cuff speaker.
  • Meir Feder • One of Souter’s former clerks in 1990, on her former boss, who was famously not into high society. Obama plans to replace Souter on the court with a similarly independent-minded thinker. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2009 12:35

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Biz, U.S.: Renters in foreclosed homes get screwed, too

  • 30% of homes foreclosed this year are being rented out source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2009 12:18

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Biz, Offbeat: Got your goats: Google tries avoiding mowing the hard way

30 goats hang out around the Google headquarters for a week, eat, fertilize and go away. Sounds like a great job! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2009 12:03

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World: Mexico’s swine flu outbreak isn’t looking quite so bad

  • Apparently the rate of infection is not as widespread as we might have thought.
  • Mexico health minister José Ángel Córdova • On the swine flu (OK, H1N1) outbreak in Mexico. Despite claims that the virus affected over 900 people in Mexico, just 397 of them actually happened to have the virus. As noted previously, Mexican officials remain cautiously optimistic that the outbreak is slowing in their country. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

02 May 2009 11:49

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Culture: Claws out: “Wolverine” had a pretty killer Friday box office

  • $35 million opening day for Hugh Jackman’s claim to fame source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2009 11:26

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Sports, U.S.: The Bowl Championship Series is serious politics. Seriously.

  • BCS or BS? Yesterday, representatives for NCAA college football went to congress to argue their reasons for keeping the Bowl Championship Series the bizarre non-playoff-based entity it currently is. BCS coordinator John Swofford claims that changing the format to a playoff would threaten to kill the bowls as well as their sponsorships and TV revenue. source
  • BCS or BS? Yesterday, representatives for NCAA college football went to congress to argue their reasons for keeping the Bowl Championship Series the bizarre non-playoff-based entity it currently is. BCS coordinator John Swofford claims that changing the format to a playoff would threaten to kill the bowls as well as their sponsorships and TV revenue.
  • Barton’s bill Rep. Joe Barton of Texas apparently has had enough, specifically, as he’s introduced a bill which would prevent the NCAA from labeling something a national championship if it wasn’t the result of a playoff. Because this is clearly the biggest problem facing our country right now. (On a side note, Obama favors a playoff.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2009 10:48

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Biz, U.S.: Warren Buffett hasn’t seen the economic revcovery yet

  • There’s no signs of any real bounce at all in anything to do with housing, retailing, all that sort of thing. You never know for sure, even if there’s a leveling off, which way the next move will be.
  • Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett • On the housing market’s lack of improvement since the recession took hold. Berkshire Hathaway, by the way, has suffered pretty heavily, too in the wake of the economic meltdown. • source
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02 May 2009 10:22

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Music: ShortFormBlog Saturday Mixtape: Five killer new songs

  • 1. Welcome back, Kate Bush! Seriously, though, Bat For Lashes’ latest album has been showered with crazy praise, and “Daniel” sounds like the best single of 1987.

    2. The second we heard The Cool Kids make references to the Bad Boy-era Detroit Pistons, we were enamored with “Pennies.” It sounds like the best single of 1989.

    3. Eddie Argos makes recovering from a bad hangover sound like the funniest thing ever on “Alcoholics Unanimous.” Bring me tea! Bring me coffee! The ending kills, BTW.

    4. The trend towards fuzzy continues with Woods, who sound like Crazy Horse-era Neil Young on “Rain On,” except with dissonant noise giving it a layer of intrigue.

    5. In the fuzzy vein, Times New Viking’s recorded-through-a-telephone, cheery cover of the Arcade Fire’s “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” is as interesting as the original.source

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