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06 Jan 2010 11:24

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U.S.: Reverse carpetbagging? Harold Ford considers N.Y. Senate run

Like Hillary Clinton nearly a decade ago, Ford, a former Tennessee Democratic Rep., moved north and is now considering taking on Kirsten Gillibrand. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 11:16

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Offbeat: Perhaps this class shirt that goes to 11 should be reconsidered

  • That’s not offensive at all! Students at Edsel Ford High in Dearborn, Mich. (which is largely made of Arab-American students) thought that this shirt portrayed a brave face, a show of strength. Instead, it drew instant scorn from school officials and just about everyone else. We can’t quite pinpoint what it is, but we think it has something to do with the bird. Let’s just put this in the “nice try” bin and go back to the drawing board, OK? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 10:59

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U.S.: The saga of “Drunk Bus Driver” leads to jail time. With video!

  • When the students on the bus seem to have more control than the driver, you know you probably shouldn’t be a bus driver. In this tense video, a New York bus driver, Martha Thompson, left students at her mercy, believing she was fine. She blew a .15 on the breathalyzer. She’ll now be spending the next 12 weekends in jail after pleading guilty to 37 child endagerment counts. The video alone is worth the wild ride. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 10:48

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U.S.: Mom of nine gets sterilized without consent, sues, gets trashed on

  • I’m shocked at the virulence. It’s borderline bigotry against somebody that is on public assistance, against somebody that has more than 2.1 children, against somebody that doesn’t have a college degree.
  • Lawyer Max Borten • On the criticism his client, Tessa Savicki, has gotten after an article was released discussing her situation. Savicki, who is on public assistance, had surgery in 2006 to get a reversible form of birth control. Instead, doctors sterilized her without her written consent. Savicki, 35, has nine kids already – including children as old as 21 and as young as 3. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 10:34

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U.S.: Democrats droppin’ like flies: Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. drops out

  • His drop-out completely fragments the race. Colorado’s first-term governor, who won on the strength of his own party and the fragmentation of the other guys in 2006, found himself in a different situation in 2010. Among other things, his decisions sometimes ran counter to his party’s, especially the appointment of Michael Bennet to the Senate. And, learning from their mistakes, the Republicans got behind a strong candidate, former Congressman Scott McInnis, early. It’s drop-out day, guys! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 10:21

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Tech: Former Apple marketing guy: They used controlled info leaks

  • The way it works is that a senior exec will come in and say, ‘We need to release this specific information. John, do you have a trusted friend at a major outlet? If so, call him/her and have a conversation. Idly mention this information and suggest that if it were published, that would be nice. No e-mails!’
  • Former Apple Senior Marketing Manager John Martellaro • Regarding how Apple lets information about its products – like a certain slate-type thing that a bunch of people are freaking about – leak to the press. Essentially, it won’t leak on its own, but the leaks are controlled and totally part of the plan to build hype around the product. And if you haven’t noticed, it largely works like a charm. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 10:12

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Biz: Cable TV is going to eat up larger amounts of your money over time

  • $75 average cost of digital cable for subscribers each month
  • 5% average increase in cable prices each painful, depressing year
  • $95 the expected average cost of digital cable in five years; blech source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

06 Jan 2010 10:03

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U.S.: Chris Dodd’s drop-out might have an effect on financial regulation

  • Obama’s big plan for 2010: Financial industry regulation. Unfortunately for Obama, Chris Dodd has been having trouble working with ranking Republican Sen. Richard Shelby on the plan. While the lack of electoral pressures might make it easier for Dodd to focus on it, it also makes it just as easy for the Republicans to stall until next year, when a more moderate Democrat (or based on how things go, a Republican) might chair the Senate Banking Committee. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jan 2010 09:52

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U.S.: Chris Dodd tight-lipped about leaving the Senate; let’s speculate!

  • Financial industry ties Dodd, a five-term senator, is chair of the powerful Senate Banking Committee. Some feel he’s used these ties in interest-conflicting ways, including receiving a nice mortgage from the now-disgraced Countrywide Financial Corp.
  • Weak poll numbers Dodd, despite being a longstanding member of the Senate and once being seen as a presidential candidate, hasn’t been polling well in his home state lately, leading to fears he might lose in the election. Dude probably got scared.
  • What’s next? Let’s just say that Dems can’t like knowing that two senators have dropped out their races within 12 hours of each other. Especially Dodd, who was a health care plan architect. It may help the seat stay Democratic, though. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Jan 2010 22:35

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Music: One-word album reviews: Catching up with 2009’s overlooked

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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