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26 Aug 2009 10:29

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Biz: Manufacturers of durable goods are building more of them

  • 4.9% increase in durable goods in July; that’s a huge leap source

26 Aug 2009 10:23

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U.S.: Barack Obama remembers Ted Kennedy as a “great leader”

  • An important chapter in our history has come to an end. Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time.
  • President Barack Obama • In a speech regarding the death of Ted Kennedy. Obama was close to Kennedy, even when the Senator was quickly declining in health. “Even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness,” he said, “I’ve profited as president from his encouragement and wisdom.” Kennedy’s endorsement of the president was seen as a turning point in last year’s campaign, even if it came at a cost of damaging longstanding relationships with former president Bill Clinton. • source

26 Aug 2009 10:12

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Sports: Yo, Isiah Thomas: Coach your team before you start whining

  • “B … but … *sob* We wanted to play Ohio State!” New Florida International University coach Isiah Thomas, looking to recover from a rep essentially decimated by years of crappy decisions for the New York Knicks, is off to a bad start. This morning, it was reported that Thomas was threatening to pull his team out of an early season game against North Carolina – no spring chicken, for sure – because the school had their heart set on playing Ohio State. When you earn the right to whine, Isiah, you can. For now, accept the fact that you’ve been called back to single-A and you no longer call the shots. source

26 Aug 2009 10:00

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U.S.: The national SAT results sure aren’t making anyone look smarter

  • The average SAT reading score, down a point from a year ago. source
  • The average SAT writing score, also down a point from last year. source
  • The average SAT math score, steady but still down from 2005. source

26 Aug 2009 03:06

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U.S.: Ted Kennedy’s death creates a scramble for his seat

  • It has a profound impact on Massachusetts politics and elected office. Everything’s going to fall down because everyone will start moving around either jockeying for his seat or for the other positions that could open up.
  • Boston University statehouse program director Fred Bayles • Discussing the “domino effect” Kennedy’s death will have on politics in Massachusetts. Kennedy’s death leaves a reliable Democratic Senate seat open at the peak of the health care debate. While Kennedy had recently pushed for finding a replacement, he made the announcement just days before his death, leaving the state with little time to come up with a suitable replacement. We’re guessing the two-thirds majority stays put. • source

26 Aug 2009 02:53

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U.S.: Why Ted Kennedy was truly a significant political force

tedkennedy0826
  • A Kennedy first Ted Kennedy outlived John. Ted Kennedy outlived Robert. He never became president, but he arguably had just as big a political legacy. He came from a lineage that began with their father, Joe and continued through his son, Patrick (who’s currently a Congressman). The line doesn’t go away with Ted, but it loses its brightest strand with his passing. source
  • A Kennedy first Ted Kennedy outlived John. Ted Kennedy outlived Robert. He never became president, but he arguably had just as big a political legacy. He came from a lineage that began with their father, Joe and continued through his son, Patrick (who’s currently a Congressman). The line doesn’t go away with Ted, but it loses its brightest strand with his passing.
  • A liberal second Ted Kennedy was the liberal to end all liberals. He wore that chain around his neck with no shame, despite the connotations that the phrase has earned through years of erosion in the press, on talk shows, and through Fox News. He frequently got vilified for it, much like Nancy Pelosi does now, but it never prevented him from fighting for them. source
  • A Kennedy first Ted Kennedy outlived John. Ted Kennedy outlived Robert. He never became president, but he arguably had just as big a political legacy. He came from a lineage that began with their father, Joe and continued through his son, Patrick (who’s currently a Congressman). The line doesn’t go away with Ted, but it loses its brightest strand with his passing.
  • A liberal second Ted Kennedy was the liberal to end all liberals. He wore that chain around his neck with no shame, despite the connotations that the phrase has earned through years of erosion in the press, on talk shows, and through Fox News. He frequently got vilified for it, much like Nancy Pelosi does now, but it never prevented him from fighting for them.
  • A leader third Fate intervened from making Ted president – in 1969, a car crash in which his passenger died made a run verboten. But over five decades in the Senate, he shaped the political landscape through countless issues, and was well-loved on both sides of the aisle. He was that rare kind of elder statesman that comes along once in a century. source

26 Aug 2009 02:10

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U.S.: Ted Kennedy, dead at 77; one of our nation’s greatest Senators

  • The political icon was 77. Ted Kennedy, the leader of one of the nation’s most iconic political families, had been suffering from brain cancer in the last few years. “We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever,” a statement from his family said. Just a few weeks ago, he lost his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. source
 

26 Aug 2009 01:48

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26 Aug 2009 01:35

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Tech: Poll: Wikipedia’s about to limit edits to the site. Should they?

  • It’s for the common good or something. The New York Times reported yesterday that that big, crazy experiment in knowledge, Wikipedia, is about to make some big changes to its policy. Within a few weeks, the user-edited encyclopedia will have an extra layer of editing for articles on living people – a volunteer with a lot of time on their hands will approve each edit. It’s not too unlike what they do for really popular articles like Britney Spears or Barack Obama, except expanded to EVERY living person. What do you think – is this a road they should go down? Vote above. source

25 Aug 2009 21:34

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Offbeat: The KFC Double Down: Did the cost of bread go up?

KFC Double Down
  • Chicken as buns. Why, KFC? Why? There’s nothing separating the KFC Double Down’s meat from your body. No extra layer of bread. No lettuce. No tomato. And the cheese and “Colonel’s Special Sauce” (the visual images that conjures up … shudder) only help you digest the chicken (the “buns”) and bacon faster. It’s an Atkins dieter’s dream food. To top it off, make sure you order it with a hearty glass of KFC Bacon Grease. source