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28 Jul 2009 12:36

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World: Hamid Karzai’s peeps say one thing, the Taliban another

  • The government is pleased A mouthpiece for Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai said a ceasefire has been negotiated in northwestern Badghis province for the election. It’s a first, and they’re calling it a model for maintaining the peace across the country. Score! source
  • The government is pleased A mouthpiece for Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai said a ceasefire has been negotiated in northwestern Badghis province for the election. It’s a first, and they’re calling it a model for maintaining the peace across the country. Score!
  • The Taliban is coy Afghan journos talked with a local militant, and he confirmed it all. The catch: one of the Taliban’s main spokesmen, Yousuf Ahmadi, vehemently denied the truce, saying, “With the government, we have no ceasefire.” That’s awkward. source
  • The government is pleased A mouthpiece for Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai said a ceasefire has been negotiated in northwestern Badghis province for the election. It’s a first, and they’re calling it a model for maintaining the peace across the country. Score!
  • The Taliban is coy Afghan journos talked with a local militant, and he confirmed it all. The catch: one of the Taliban’s main spokesmen, Yousuf Ahmadi, vehemently denied the truce, saying, “With the government, we have no ceasefire.” That’s awkward.
  • The election is happening This leaves us with an election that is still happening August 20 and may or may not involve some sort of deal with the Taliban. Maybe. If it did, that would be sweet. If not, then some polling stations might be havin’ some major issues. source
Posted by Nathalie Heiberg • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 11:21

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Biz, U.S.: Home prices are on the rise for the first time since 2006

  • 0.5% increase in home prices from last month source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 11:10

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Culture: Sarah Palin’s resignation speech, as interpreted by William Shatner

  • Wow, who knew Sarah Palin was really a beat poet in need of a better interpreter? Fortunately, our man William Shatner is up to the job. Thanks Conan!source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 11:02

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Biz: The evolution of two soda company icons, in logo form

On the left: A constantly-changing icon that wins a lot of taste tests. On the right: A stable, consistent brand. (Minus the New Coke thing.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 10:52

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Biz, U.S.: The history of the auto industry, lost with the bankruptcies?

  • Chrysler’s already scattered their archives. Much of the history of GM and Chrysler is well-embedded into American history. Which is why it’s a damn shame that one of Chrysler’s pre-bankruptcy owners, Cerberus, decided to close off the engineering library at the Chrysler Technical Center. They later gave large chunks of it away to whomever. The Truth About Cars’ Bob Elton makes an impassioned plea for auto companies to remember their history – the good and bad – and keep that information safe and available to the public. Especially in the wake of the fact that, you know, the American public owns huge chunks of it now. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 10:39

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Tech: Old scanning hotness: Barcode. New scanning hotness: Bokode?

They’re smaller and can be detected from long distances. The easier to tag things with. Just don’t tell the Cuecat about this. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 10:26

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Politics, Sports: Is the NFL kicking Michael Vick when he’s down?

  • A man just spent two years in a federal penitentiary, but for Goodell — the commissioner of a sport in which a grown man runs around with a ball until someone else tackles him to the ground — doing real, hard time wasn’t enough.
  • ESPN.com columnist Howard Bryant • In a scathing criticism of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of the Michael Vick saga. As opposed to just letting the man play after years of suspension and two years of jail, Goodell tacked another suspension on top of that. Regarding the possibility that Goodell could actually extend the suspension, Bryant says, “There is something childish and vindictive and personal about this, and that is the secondary, more sinister element in the ruling.” • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink
 

28 Jul 2009 10:18

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U.S.: OMG. Texting when driving is incredibly dangerous, guys

  • 23.2 times the risk of getting in a crash when you’re texting source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 10:12

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Offbeat: Japan’s men give up on dating, Part II: The “herbivore” movement

  • “Herbivore” = We’re living our lives as boring as possible. Shunning the ideals of corporate success, relationships and sex, many men in Japan (on top of the ones who date Anime characters) describe themselves as “herbivorous.” Basically, rather than force themselves up the corporate ladder, they say screw it and work at Japan’s equivalent of a truck stop their entire lives. “I don’t think my parents’ way of life is for me,” said boring hotel worker Roshinante. “I still struggle between the traditional notion of how men should be and how I am.” Jesus, women of Japan, what makes you so scary that dudes go out of their way not to date you? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jul 2009 10:02

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Biz: AT&T doesn’t understand the idea of a discount very well

  • Go in and the man at the desk goes about setting me up. Then he says this ‘There is an activation fee of $36 to add this discount to your account.’
  • Consumerist reader “ValentineHumphrey” • Describing the process during which she found out her company was getting charged a $36 fee for getting a 25% discount from AT&T. Man, and we thought our logic didn’t make much sense. They got the fee reversed but that’s just cruddy service in the first place. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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