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19 Aug 2009 23:23

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U.S., World: Know that secret CIA operation? Blackwater was helping out

  • The goal: Kill al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq. Blackwater (now called Xe), which had a huge role in the Iraq conflict for years only to see it fall under the weight of criticism, apparently was involved in that secret CIA operation which freaked out Leon Panetta. The reason Panetta reacted the way he did was due to the fact that private company was involved. That’s right, the CIA had an agreement with American citizens (with no military ties) to find and kill al-Qaeda leadership. We had to write it out to make sure we understood the ramifications of that statement. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 22:26

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Music: *BREAKING NEWS* Liam and Noel Gallagher hate each other!

  • He doesn’t like me and I don’t like him, that’s it. He hasn’t told me what he thinks of anything this year. We’ve got nothing to say to each other at the moment. … The only time I see him is onstage and we’re a little bit busy (at) that time to be (#&(ing scratching each other.
  • Oasis singer Liam Gallagher • Discussing the hate-hate relationship between the two creative beacons of Britpop’s greatest icons (if not the ones with the strongest legacy). And really, we’d be sad if they weren’t fighting. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 22:07

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Offbeat: These ostriches make you hungry, don’t they?

Ostrich farming
  • Ostrich farming, currently catching on in South Africa, has a lot of benefits: The meat is healthier and less fatty, there’s a higher percentage of it on a single ostrich than cattle or chicken, and they only take about a year to be ready for consumption. So why aren’t you eating an ostrich burger already?source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 5 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 21:49

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U.S.: A judge who blocked a death-row appeal shows no remorse

  • Sharon Keller closed her office early, stood by her decision. The Texas judge, currently on trial for misconduct, prevented lawyers from appealing the execution of Michael Richard. She closed her office at 5 p.m., refusing to let the lawyers, fighting against a 6 p.m. execution deadline (and computer problems), have more time. Richard died as a result. Her argument: Another judge was on duty that night and they could have handed the appeal to them. Keller could be removed from the bench for the five counts of judicial misconduct. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 21:34

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U.S., World: North Korea: We gave you back your women. Now talk to us.

  • They feel, the North Koreans, that by giving us the two American journalists, that they’ve made an important gesture. And now they’re saying the ball’s in our court.
  • New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson • Talking about the current diplomatic situation with North Korea. They want bilateral talks (a.k.a. just the U.S. and North Korea), but the U.S. remains committed to having those talks as part of a larger group of countries. It just confirms what we knew all along: Euna Lee and Laura Ling were pawns for North Korea. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 21:19

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U.S.: This report says we’re gonna live longer than ever. Awesome!

  • 78 the U.S. life expectancy, according to the CDC; don’t die early source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 20:49

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Tech: We have an invite to Typekit. Here’s a sneak peek.

Here it is in action. It's not cheap. But it sure looks neat, doesn't it, guys?
Here's a lineup of costs:

Trial: Free (but you only get to use two fonts out of a mediocre collection, lame icon in the bottom corner – see below)
Personal: $7/month, $24.99 launch special (bigger collection, up to five fonts)
Professional: $17/month, $49.99/year launch special (bigger collection, unlimited fonts)
Corporate: $49.99/month (pretty much the whole kit and kaboodle)

Did they pull it off?:

They did their homework. The prices are fairly reasonable for web developers. The interface doesn't suck. The rendering, while good, isn't perfect (but that's more a Web browser problem than anything). And the DRM doesn't seem so overwhelming that you can't enjoy the technology for what it is. Good for them. Source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

19 Aug 2009 20:43

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Culture: District Attorney: Conrad Murray charges “totally false”

  • Fox News reported it first. Blame them. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has weighed in on Fox News’ report that Conrad Murray will get charged with manslaughter in the Michael Jackson case. They say it’s baloney. And not the kind that is from obscure pig parts, either. Fox News has yet to take down their report, though. Interesting. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 11:23

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Offbeat: Nearly as good as Barney Frank: Monkey washes bear on Japanese TV

  • No Nazi accusations pop up in this video. We promise. Just a cute monkey trying to wash bears with a hose, complete with laugh track.source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Aug 2009 11:13

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Music: Weezer finally completes its conversion into The All-American Rejects

Pitchfork nudged us towards Weezer’s new single, “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To,” from their new album “Raditude.” It sucks. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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