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07 Jun 2009 23:37

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Culture, U.S.: The first lady’s favorite perk so far? Getting on “Sesame Street”

  • I’m on a high. I never thought I’d be on Sesame Street with Elmo and Big Bird.
  • First Lady Michelle Obama • Who noted that “it’s probably the best thing I’ve done so far in the White House.” Some would say that this is incredibly shallow, but think about it – this show (beyond its marketing juggernaut status) has been one of the greatest icons of American education and entertainment since it first hit the airwaves 40 years ago. And, as kids of that era, both Barack and Michelle were among the first beneficiaries of the show. Cookie Monster is much deeper than he looks. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 23:06

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Offbeat: Infomercial junk: The Wearable Towel snuggies into your life

  • Not content with blankets with sleeves, America now has a new option: A towel with arm openings that begs for levels of parody not yet seen in our society. You can wear it like at toga! How can you not love this freaking towel? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 4 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 22:56

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U.S.: A car LOADED with illegal immigrants crashes; many die

  • 22 undocumented immigrants were crammed into an SUV driving in Arizona
  • 10 died when the vehicle crashed in a remote area; the other 12 were injured, too source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 22:45

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U.S., World: Perhaps NOLA mayor Ray Nagin shouldn’t have gone to China

Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 22:28

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Biz: Sam Zell may have his exit card out of Tribune: Big banks

  • one Sam Zell, a real estate guy who knows very little about the newspaper industry, bought Tribune in 2007 largely using loans and debt. He regrets it.
  • two The company went bankrupt last year, and in the process of radical rethinking, laid off tons of people – both in Chicago and nationwide.
  • three Now, it sounds like Zell might have an out – bankers and investors could forgive his debt in exchange for the company. Wow. That’s … wow. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 22:04

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Biz, Politics: The newspaper industry doesn’t know what it’s doing. Duh.

  • As someone who still loves newspapers and the possibilities of thriving local news organizations, I find the thinking of this industry group depressing. What does it say that these API white papers may represent the best ideas of the industry’s business leaders?
  • Former Rocky Mountain News editor John Temple • Discussing the nature of a recent closed-door summit of newspaper publishers as well as a whitepaper by the American Press Institute, both of which leaned on with all sorts of great ideas such as charging for news online, attacking copyright violators like the RIAA and taking market share from Craigslist. (Disclosure: We worked on a solution a couple months ago.) Temple (who, as the editor of a shuttered newspaper, has better insight than most) has a solid key point worth repeating: “How is the newspaper industry going to attract any of the best and brightest into its ranks if its ideas are stale, at best?” Smart stuff. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 21:47

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Biz, Tech: Why do some corporate web sites look like giant clusterducks?

americanairlines0607
  • After graphic designer Dustin Curtis took American Airlines to task for having a terribly-designed site, an interface designer for the airline claimed it wasn’t his fault, but a horrendously broken corporate structure. (And yes, we used “clusterducks” in the headline on purpose.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

07 Jun 2009 21:31

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Music, Politics: Iggy Pop has a huge problem with wannabe-brainy bands

  • I took great pains not to think first, because the thing I can’t stand is a rock star who thinks he’s got brains. They’re always so damned dull!
  • Rock god Iggy Pop • In a video where he bashes “crappy music” by “idiot thugs with guitars.” He was talking, specifically, about modern rock acts like Smashing Pumpkins and (uh) Limp Bizkit. Pop, by the way, is going a completely different direction with his latest album, “Preliminaires,” which is jazz-influenced and probably a better idea than that Stooges album which critics hated back in 2007. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 21:16

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World: It was purple thumb … err, election day in Lebanon

And good news for powerful Western political types: The supported anti-Syrian, anti-Iranian party won! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2009 21:05

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Culture: “Up” still up top, “Land of the Lost” bombs, “The Hangover” hangs

  • $44.2 million The second-week take for Pixar’s “Up,” which was followed right behind by “The Hangover,” which earned $43.3 million.
  • $19.5 million The box-office take for Will Ferrell’s “Land of the Lost,” which cost over $100 million to make and got godawful reviews. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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