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06 Jun 2009 13:53

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Culture, Sports: Hilarious “Leroy Smith” ads: Charlie Murphy working again

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  • You have to dig deep in the source code of getyourbasketballon.com to find out who made this spot-on parody of “Archrivals”-era hoops (we’ll let you do that), but let’s just say Charlie Murphy hasn’t been this funny since his “Chapelle Show” days. Maybe longer.source

06 Jun 2009 13:39

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U.S.: A teen injected with HIV (by his dad!) as a baby defies the odds

  • I expect to break the barriers between what people think this virus is, and what it really is. I hope to eliminate a lot of ignorance and change people’s minds.
  • Brryan Jackson • On redefining what AIDS is to the average person. Jackson is graduating high school today, but he was not expected to live nearly this long. The 18-year-old went through a harrowing experience as a baby: His father, Brian Stewart, who initially denied paternity, did not want to pay child support and worked in a hospital where he pulled blood from patients, injected his then-11-month-old son with HIV-tainted blood. Which is why he’s currently serving life in prison. Jackson’s done well, considering what his dad did to him. • source

06 Jun 2009 13:20

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World: Bodies have been found from the Brazilian plane crash. Sigh.

  • Also found: A seat and suitcase from the Air France jet. Sigh. We knew this was coming, but man, seeing the phrase “bodies” running across a CNN Breaking News Alert is pretty tough to stomach. But at least we’ve confirmed finding something from the crash. source

06 Jun 2009 12:43

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Music: We pulled five songs out of a hat for this week’s Saturday Mixtape

  • 1. YACHT is the digital-leaning indie act most likely to make a breakthrough this year, and “Psychic City,” with its instinctive catchiness, will probably be the reason why.

    2. After years of hearing the album was an unheralded classic, we finally grabbed a copy of American Music Club’s 1991 platter “Everclear,” and the simmering fury of emotive, personal AIDS hymnal “Sick of Food” confirmed this was a good purchase.

    3. Rootsy acoustic stompers Hoots and Hellmouth are perhaps one of the hardest-touring bands on the East Coast, and new album “The Holy Open Secret,” along with pretty track “Three Penny Charm,” shows their continued improvement as both musicians and dust-kickers.

    4. One of the best things that came out of Wes Anderson’s 2004 movie “The Life Aquatic” – the film itself was just OK – was the novel way it exposed American audiences to Brazilian singer Seu Jorge via David Bowie covers. “Suffragette City” is one of the best.

    5. You would not believe this song is from a 22-year-old Scottish dude who’s on the way to becoming one of the U.K.’s biggest pop stars. Paolo Nutini sounds like Louis Prima doing ska on “10/10,” and it sounds very timeless.source

06 Jun 2009 12:08

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U.S., World: Obama heads to Normandy for his D-day remembrances

  • For as we face down the hardships and struggles of our time, and arrive at that hour for which we were born, we cannot help but draw strength from those moments in history when the best among us were somehow able to swallow their fears and secure a beachhead on an unforgiving shore.
  • President Barack Obama • Speaking on the beaches of Normandy, France, the sight of the the D-day invasion which began the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II – a major offensive that eventually led to the defeat of Nazi Germany. Thousands died in the attack, which happened 65 years ago today. • source

06 Jun 2009 11:18

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Biz, Tech: Steve Jobs could pump Apple’s stock up by returning early

  • Dude’s been recovering from illness. WWDC is Monday. Hmm. Steve Jobs, who sent shockwaves through the industry by taking medical leave in January, could find himself in a position of boosting his own stock if, as reported this week, he appears at the Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday rather than returning at the end of June. A new iPhone launch is expected, and possibly more. We’re excited already. :D source

06 Jun 2009 11:03

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Biz: Companies aren’t feeling so optimistic about hiring right now

  • 10% of companies expect to hire more people than they did last year, down from 33% in November source
 

06 Jun 2009 10:49

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Tech: Weird! Everyone forgot to camp out for the Palm Pre launch!

This line of 12 in New York City was far more the exception than the rule – Sprint stores nationwide were hype-free. This ain’t an iPhone launch. source

06 Jun 2009 10:19

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Music, Offbeat: A born-again hooker weds a born-again rocker. Hey, why not?

  • Former Las Vegas prostitute Annie Lobért founded the organization Hookers for Jesus, which tries to convince prostitutes that there’s a better way to live. source
  • Oz Fox, guitarist with the Christian hair metal band Stryper, best known for albums “To Hell With the Devil” and “In God We Trust,” married Lobért last night. source

06 Jun 2009 10:05

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Tech, U.S.: Lots of people STILL aren’t ready for the digital TV switch

  • this Friday Or June 12, the day that the final stages of the digital TV conversion will take place source