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19 Jul 2009 11:42

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Politics, U.S.: Is NASA just a major financial boondoggle for the U.S.?

  • We know what we got from the interstate highway system—fast, easy transportation, the creation of the suburbs, an entire transformation of our way of life. What did we get economically from the space program, especially the manned portion? Much, much less.
  • BusinessWeek chief economist Michael Mandel • Pointing out the very low cost-benefit ratio of our space program. We’re not sure if financial benefit should be the only consideration of something like NASA, but points out that, with inflation considered, we spent $176 billion on NASA during the height of the space race era, 1962-1972. Comparatively, we spent $220 billion on highways during that same period. Like we said, not sure we agree, but something to consider. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2009 11:31

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Culture: “Harry Potter” did great, but not “Transformers” great

  • $159.4 million amount that the latest “Harry Potter” flick made in the U.S. alone in its first five days source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

19 Jul 2009 11:21

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World: Still a major sticking point in Honduras: Zelaya’s return to power

One side will only agree to putting Jose Manuel Zelaya back in power. The other side will agree to anything but that. Ah, impasses. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2009 11:10

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World: Astronauts now have a place to drink lemonade, whittle time away

  • That’s right, the ISS has a porch now. The International Space Station attached an exposed porch, the last part of the Japanese Kibo laboratory, yesterday. The Kibo project, which cost $1 billion, is the station’s largest lab and the addition of the porch gives the many people on board a spot to chill and perform experiments. Kibo deputy project manager Tetsuro Yokoyama noted that “this was a proud moment,” talking about the porch like a brand-spankin’ new grill ready for a BBQ. We’d be that proud, too, Tetsuro. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2009 10:58

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U.S.: None died, many hurt in yesterday’s San Francisco rail crash

  • 48 number of people who had to go to the hospital after the light rail crash source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2009 10:52

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U.S., World: The identity of the captured soldier in Afghanistan, confirmed

23-year-old Bowe R. Bergdahl, of Ketchum, Idaho, is scared he won’t be able to go home after being captured by the Taliban. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2009 10:40

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World: A civilian helicopter in Afghanistan crashed during takeoff

  • 16 dead in the helicopter crash; all were civilians source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

19 Jul 2009 00:03

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World: Bono dodges a hug from Bush…and gets congrats from Obama?

  • Bono stiffed Bush out of a hug. Well, that’s what he told the BBC anyway. According to the rockstar, he was at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2006 when the president swooped in for an embrace. Bono said he wasn’t feeling it (or Bush’s policies) and dodged the hug by hopping behind a podium. No one seemed to notice, but when he sat back down, Obama, a senator at the time, whispered, “Nice work with the hug dodge.” source
Posted by Nathalie Heiberg • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2009 23:41

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Tech, U.S.: President Obama’s peeps really dig this whole tweeting thing

  • It is on our White House Twitter, so yes, I can confirm.
  • A White House aide • On whether there was an upcoming presidential news conference scheduled. The White House Press Corps didn’t receive a direct official confirmation until two hours after the @whitehouse tweet – which kinda peeved them off. Reporter Julie Mason said, “If the administration wants to have a twitter conference, then Twitter is the way to go. For a press conference? Notify the press.” ZING!  • source
Posted by Nathalie Heiberg • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2009 19:01

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Music: Our Saturday Mixtape mixes cheesy, classic, well-worn and hazy

  • 1. Lots of good memories come from this song – and from the Jayhawks. They’re an iconic band that never got huge, which is too bad. “Blue” is one of the ’90s best acoustic singles.
    2. We’re convinced that Max Tundra has no clue what cheesy is. He sounds like Michael Jackson on acid on “Which Song.”
    3. Ah, the preprogrammed hi-hat – Daedelus stretches and bastardizes it heavily on “Get off Your Hi-Hats,” which is interesting because you don’t know where he’ll take it next.
    4. Kath Bloom is one of those forgotten-era songwriters appreciated by songwriters, none moreso than Red House Painter Mark Kozelek, who breathes new life into “Finally.”
    5. You can feel the tension bleeding through the shoegazey aura of Cass McCombs’ “You Saved My Life,” which begs to be your new favorite love song. (It’s ours for sure.)source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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