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16 Jun 2009 10:57

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U.S.: Obama’s not mentioning who’s visiting the White House

  • A nonpartisan watchdog group asked for a list. Obama said no way. Wondering who’s coming a-knockin’ for influence calls at the White House? Well, the Obama administration is tight-lipped. This is despite the administration’s promises of transparency. And despite court rulings that say they need to. So, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (or CREW) will file a lawsuit today, saying they’re deeply disappointed that they’re following the same path as Bush. (We kinda are, too.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 10:42

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Culture: The author of the unsanctioned “Catcher in the Rye” sequel responds!

  • The backstory J.D. Salinger wrote this book called “Catcher in the Rye” that’s required reading for high schoolers and became a recluse. Then, he came out of hiding to file a lawsuit against some guy writing a new book about the book’s protagonist, 60 years later.
  • The defense Saying “I am not a pirate,” the author, Fredrik Colting, claims in a court brief that he’s not ripping off the author but critically analyzing his work – specifically, the relationship between Holden Caulfield and the reclusive author who inspired him. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 10:31

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Biz: Lots of new houses were being built in May. A FREAKING TON.

  • +17.2% increase in housing starts in May; that’s a massive leap
  • +7.0% the amount investors expected housing starts to increase source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 10:24

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U.S., World: John McCain: Obama needs to be more forceful about Iran

  • He should speak out that this is a corrupt, fraud, sham of an election. The Iranian people have been deprived of their rights.
  • Sen. John McCain • Who coulda been in the position Obama is currently in, but instead is watching from the Senate. He feels that Obama is being too careful with his words and needs to outwardly support the Iranian people. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 10:18

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World: A few quick answers to some pressing Iran election questions

  • Where’s the oversight? This is why things are so complicated right now. There’s no independent monitoring of the results – the Guardian Council is in charge of this, and they’re closely tied to the government. Plus, everything’s counted by hand.
  • Was it rigged? Probably. Current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does have large-scale support in Iran, especially in rural areas, but not to the degree that his 63% vote tally suggested. And they sure counted those votes quickly.
  • How is the U.S. affected?That’s still up in the air. But in some ways, the results might help them gain footing in Iran. Having Ahmadinejad in power for an election widely perceived stolen could boost their leverage against a nuclear power. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 10:05

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World: Iran’s getting a recount. But it likely won’t change things.

  • It’s only a partial recount. And even then, just of disputed votes. Iran’s Guardian Council, who is in charge of the results for the disputed Iranian election, partially caved in on the dispute, by agreeing to recount in heavily contested areas. According to the opposition, millions of votes have turned up missing. This isn’t as far as some would like, though: Some moderate candidates want the election completely thrown out. That’s not looking like it will happen. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 01:58

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World: The supremacy of Iran’s Supreme Leader is getting challenged

The fact that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allowed for an presidential election investigation is a huge sign of weakness for the leader. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

16 Jun 2009 01:33

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Tech: Jesus Christ, a lot of people use Facebook Chat

  • 1 billion messages sent per day, mostly between us and our S.O. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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