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14 Aug 2010 23:13

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Music: One-word album reviews: Guess we’ve hit the August doldrums

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 18:46

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Culture: “Auto-tune the News” dudes turn an attempted rape into a TV pilot

  • The Gregory Brothers (and sister-in-law) have been turning autotuned news reports into gold for over a year now, and as “Bedroom Intruder” proves, they’re only getting better at their mad viral video skillz. More than the original clip itself, it turned Antoine Dodson into a star (and the attempted rape behind the video into the most-publicized attempted rape on record). So, it was only a matter of time until they turned their skills into a deal with a TV network – and a behind-the-scenes-focused pilot with Comedy Central is in the cards. Sometimes the internet is awesome. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 17:56

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World: How many wildfires are currently blazing along in Russia?

  • 368 a satellite said so; blame the worst drought in years source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 15:39

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Politics: Here comes the backtrack: Obama clarifies mosque comment

  • Again, it’s freaking Manhattan. Manhattan. Despite the fact that his comments about the Ground Zero mosque weren’t really all that controversial, the president put a qualifier on what he said last night. “I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there,” he notes. Come on. Stand behind it or don’t stand behind it. Don’t waffle. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 8 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 15:33

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Music: Bon Iver and Kanye West apparently work really well together

  • I was literally in the back room rolling a spliff with Rick Ross talking about what to do on the next part of a song. It was astonishing.
  • Justin “Bon Iver” Vernon • Discussing the surreal experience of working on Kanye West’s new album. One of the tracks, “Lost in the World” (which samples Vernon’s auto-tuned cathedral “Woods”) seems likely to be Kanye’s next single. Which is just insane. Is Vernon about to become a next-tier pop star? It’d be pretty awesome. Bon Iver is one of our favorite bands. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 15:02

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U.S.: Google Earth stakeout: Because illegal swimming pools are bad

  • See any pools down here, guys? They’re kinda like handing out parking tickets for Riverhead, N.Y., which forces pools to have inspections. But since not everyone does it, they’ve resorted to using Google Maps to find out who’s breaking the rules. It’s netted them $75,000 so far. Not a bad way to nickel-and-dime your residents. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 14:14

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Politics: Obama’s latest tactic: Vilifying the GOP’s Social Security intentions

  • I’ll fight with everything I’ve got to stop those who would gamble your Social Security on Wall Street. Because you shouldn’t be worried that a sudden downturn in the stock market will put all you’ve worked so hard for — all you’ve earned — at risk.
  • Barack Obama • Making a bold claim that the GOP wants to destroy Social Security by privatizing it – and that they’ll have the ammo to do so if you vote for them in 2010. It’s part of a Democratic campaign started by DNC chair Tim Kaine with ties around the 75th anniversary of the venerable American institution. Is he right? Is he wrong? Who knows. All we know is that it’s an interesting tactic. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink
 

14 Aug 2010 13:41

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U.S.: Want to roll in the dough? Get a job with the federal government

  • $123,049 the amount federal civil servants earned on average in 2009
  • $61,051 the amount similar private workers earned on average source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 13:19

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U.S.: The system works: Judge-threatening shock jock Hal Turner convicted

  • thenUltra-bat@(&(@-insane radio shock jock Hal Turner threw this nugget out there after a ruling against a (now-overturned) handgun ban in Chicago: “Let me be the first to say this plainly: These judges deserve to be killed.” (!!!)
  • nowTurner was then arrested, and now he’s been convicted for the incendiary speech. “There is no place in society for threatening federal judges with violence. Period,” said U.S. attorney Patrick J.Fitzgerald. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Aug 2010 13:01

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World: UN: Aid for Pakistan flooding victims slow to come for many

  • 6 million are trying to row without a paddle, if you get our drift source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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