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01 Aug 2009 22:53

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U.S.: Is Sarah Palin getting divorced? Bloggers say yes, her camp sez no

01 Aug 2009 20:55

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World: Corazon Aquino’s son: She respected the rights of everyone equally

  • She really put into practice defending not only the rights of her friends but even those who would oppose you, relinquishing her power as fast as possible with adoption of the 1987 constitution. And, then, I can go on and on.
  • Filipino Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III • On his mother, former president Corazon Aquino, who died Saturday after a long bout with colon cancer. Aquino’s role in a quiet revolution that overtook the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos was considered one of the most impressive political feats of the 20th century. • source

01 Aug 2009 19:51

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U.S.: Check it out: The best damn Air Force One flyover pics EVER!

  • THESE PHOTOS ARE AMAZING! There’s Obama’s plane! And the Statue of Liberty! And off-camera, thousands of pissed off New Yorkers scared out of their wits by a plane flying in the middle of the city! source

01 Aug 2009 19:25

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World: “This was a hate crime”: A club for gay teens in Israel attacked

  • three number of people killed in the attack in Tel Aviv
  • 11 were injured in the attack by a single gunman source

01 Aug 2009 19:02

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Music: Saturday mixtape: Considering musical activism, post-Obama



Activism needs a direction. As music fans, we've noticed a severe decline in politically-inclined tunes in recent months. Barack Obama's election drew huge support from the indie rock community, but with him in office, it's in need of a reboot. We have some thoughts, in mixtape form.
  • 1. Looking outward: A few years ago, Ted Leo pulled off a neat trick with “The Ballad of the Sin Eater,” turning in solid commentary of America’s place in the world during the height of the Bush era. With the Iranian election still fresh, it’s a line of thought in need of reevaluation.
    3. Questioning the spiritual: Fucked Up’s “The Chemistry Of Common Life ” was an amazing, vitriolic statement on spirituality, with “Twice Born” playing centerpiece. From Sufjan Stevens to The Thermals, religion plays a huge role on both sides of this debate.
    3. From the outside in: M.I.A.’s done more to bring radical politics to the mainstream than any other modern musician – especially the Sri Lanka conflict. Songs like “Sunshowers” excel at exposing audiences to political opinions outside of guy-with-a-guitar rhetoric.
    4. Indifference: Not having an opinion is still an opinion. Cass McCombs analyzes the nature of indifference with “Don’t Vote,” which plays like a modern “Okie from Muskogee.”
    5. Going conservative: If you look around the internet for the phrase “republican indie rock,” you’ll be surprised at how little shows up. Cold War Kids may be the best example of a well-known indie band whose lyrical politics lean towards conservatism. As Obama’s poll numbers decline, could we see more of this? source

01 Aug 2009 14:22

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Biz, Tech: AT&T: Don’t blame us for Google Voice. Blame Apple.

  • AT&T does not manage or approve applications for the App Store. We have received the letter and will, of course, respond to it.
  • AT&T • In a statement to Mashable regarding the controversy circling the Google Voice iPhone app. While AT&T themselves may not have forced the hand of Apple, agreements put in place may have directly influenced it.  • source

01 Aug 2009 14:21

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Biz, Tech: Irony continues to ensue with Amazon’s “1984” Kindle removal

  • one In an attempt to avoid a lawsuit over rights, Amazon decided to delete already-purchased copies of George Orwell’s most famous novels – “1984” and “Animal Farm.”
  • two People loudly complained, saying that it was unfair to consumers and that the deletions set a pretty sad-slash-hilarious example, considering the books’ context.
  • three A ticked-off high school student sued Amazon, saying that he had his notes on the book for school ruined because of Amazon’s, well, Orwellian way of handling things. source
 

01 Aug 2009 14:04

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U.S., World: A bunch of Americans got on the wrong side of Iran’s border

  • 3 backpackers were arrested trying to cross Iran’s border today source

01 Aug 2009 13:15

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Biz, U.S.: What happens to the vehicles clunked for cash?

  • It’s kind of backwards because we’re used to fixing them. But it’s kind of fun to destroy them at the same time.
  • Auto technician John Eichorn • Describing what he does with the gas-guzzler vehicles exchanged in the Cash-for-Clunkers program. Eichorn has to put a special chemical in the motor that freezes it, preventing it from running (the vehicle gets a special stamp noting this), but other parts of the vehicle can be re-used once it’s brought to a salvage yard. “Some of it is a shame because they are good running vehicles,” he says, “but the program wouldn’t be effective if the car wasn’t destroyed because it can’t be on the road anymore.” • source

01 Aug 2009 13:08

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Culture: Remember SNL alum Chris Kattan? Now he’s gone Bollywood

The guy known for the stupid characters that don’t talk on “Saturday Night Live” is on IFC playing an actor who gambles his career on Bollywood. source