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13 Aug 2009 23:36

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Music: The Verve is good at two things: Playing music and breaking up

  • 3 breakups for them; it’s a “Bittersweet Symphony,” this band source

13 Aug 2009 23:26

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Politics, Sports: PETA should have leveraged Michael Vick, but they didn’t

  • For all the good they’ve done, PETA has a way of alienating itself from the general public. And there is no group of people that is more ‘general public’ than football fans.
  • 24SevenCities blogger Jesse Scaccia • Discussing PETA’s current role in the Michael Vick saga. Rather than be willing to forgive and leverage Vick’s role in what happened, they released this cutting quote: “PETA and millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed that the Eagles decided to sign a guy who hung dogs from trees. He electrocuted them with jumper cables and held them under water.” We’re with Jesse: Longtime vegetarian, in favor of many of the beliefs they espouse. But they could have leveraged Vick as a huge media opportunity. • source

13 Aug 2009 23:08

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Culture: Critics have a massively huge nerdgasm over “District 9”

13 Aug 2009 22:55

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U.S.: Just when you thought big tobacco judgments were dead …

  • $1.9 million for the husband of a lifelong smoker in Florida source

13 Aug 2009 22:48

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13 Aug 2009 22:43

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Sports: The Eagles have landed … Michael Vick. Wait, what?

  • Is Donovan McNabb not doing it anymore? The Philadelphia Eagles were the winners of the nab-Michael-Vick contest, which is surprising because they already have a really good quarterback in the thrower spot already. The Eagles gave the suspended Vick a two-year contract, although Vick won’t be able to help them until Roger Goodell gives the OK to let him play in a regular-season game. That won’t come until at least October, if at all. Either way, look for him to play in the final two games of the preseason. source

13 Aug 2009 11:40

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Offbeat, Tech: This YouTube laptop-catching video cracks us up

  • We’re convinced this is fake, but the marketing person at MSI that came up with this bizarre idea for a laptop commercial deserves a gold star and a cookie.source
 

13 Aug 2009 11:24

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World: Could climate change be causing more hurricanes?

  • We average about 17 hurricanes and tropical storms each year – a fairly high level. source
  • We haven’t reached an activity level this unusually high over the last thousand years. source

13 Aug 2009 11:16

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Culture, World: Don’t laugh: “Muppet diplomacy” useful diplomatic tool

  • Muppets give children, and the parents who watch the show with them, a chance to explore other cultures from the safety of their living room, where no one will criticize them for being curious.
  • Sesame Workshop President and CEO Gary Knell • Describing the use of the various versions of “Sesame Street” to teach friendly lessons that various countries, often militant, may not be teaching children. Daoud Kuttab, who executive produces “Shara’a Simsim,” a localized version of “Sesame Street” for Palestinian children, agrees: “I would say 3-, 4-, 5-year olds — if we don’t catch them at that early age, we do risk losing them to all kinds of propaganda, whether it’s conservative, religious or fundamentalist.” The world needs more Cookie Monster. • source

13 Aug 2009 11:06

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Biz, World: Europe’s recession appears to be slowing down, too

  • -2.5% the decline in Europe’s gross domestic product in the first quarter; the recession hit hard source