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27 Aug 2010 11:31

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Biz: Depressing numbers: Economic growth slows to a freaking crawl

  • 5% the size of economic growth (at an annual rate) in the last three months of 2009
  • 3.7% the growth in the economy (at an annual rate) in 2010’s first quarter
  • 1.6% the growth in the most recent quarter, which is a huge sign of economic slowdown source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 20:27

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Tech: Diaspora to launch September 15th, crush under its own hype

  • We are spending a good chunk of time concentrating on building clear, contextual sharing. That means an intuitive way for users to decide, and not notice deciding, what content goes to their coworkers and what goes to their drinking buddies.
  • The dudes from the Diaspora project • Giving an end-of-Summer update on their well-funded project. While some of the more technical things won’t make the launch, they plan to have a working version ready to go by September 15, which means we get do decide then whether or not these guys are full of crap or actually have the goods. To celebrate, we’re going to set our Facebook settings to the loosest available. We don’t need it anymore; we have the goodness that is Diaspora. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 20:13

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Biz: American Airlines could pay huge fine for sucking at fixing wires

  • $24.2 million the size of the fine American Airlines faces for safety violations that led to the grounding of planes in 2008
  • 14,278 flights the number of flights 286 Boeing MD-80s made in violation of a 2006 directive regarding faulty wiring source
  • » Will American Airlines pay the full fine? Probably not. See, a similar fine involving Southwest Airlines was cut from $10.2 million to $7.5 million after the airline and the FAA butted heads. That was the biggest fine in airline history until this one.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 18:58

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World: Khuram Sher: Terror suspect previously terrorized “Canadian Idol”

  • This guy right here? Terror suspect. No, really. Khuram Sher, who was arrested early Thursday in Ottawa, may have thought a little differently about Western culture a couple of years ago. The self-proclaimed Hilary Duff fan sang Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” for the bemused judges, who also learned that Sher also likes “hockey, music, and acting.” What they didn’t learn is that he might have ties to al-Qaeda. Count your blessings that he didn’t win. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 18:43

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Politics: Alan Simpson compares Social Security to a really big milking cow

  • We’ve reached a point now where it’s like a milk cow with 310 million tits! Call when you get honest work!
  • Former Sen. Alan Simpson • In a letter to Ashley B. Carson, the executive director of the National Older Women’s League, or OWL, on Social Security. Simpson, a member of Obama’s fiscal commission, is facing a lot of calls for resignation over the comment, which is probably the dumbest thing one could say politically, considering that it’s kinda sexist. Simpson, by the way, is on the front lines trying to protect Social Security’s long-term solvency, so it’s probably good to note that this shouldn’t be taken out of context. But still. Wow. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 18:42

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World: Saudis violently punish overworked maid for complaining

  • 24 nails hammered into the maid who dared complain source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 12:56

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Tech: Facebook thinks you shouldn’t use “-book” in your company’s name

  • We’ve been sitting here scratching our heads for the last couple of days. We’re trying to understand how Facebook, a multibillion-dollar company, feels this small enterprise in Chicago is any type of threat.
  • Teachbook managing director Greg Shrader • In disbelief that Facebook would bother to sue its company. Facebook, which is 84 percent owned by some guy who sells wood pellets, is suing the teaching management resource company because that’s what Facebook does. Any sympathy about the 84 percent lawsuit or the coke-stained movie just went out the window, kids. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

26 Aug 2010 12:30

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Culture: Could Michael Eisner bring some Disney magic to Tribune Corp.?

  • Why he’s a good choiceRemember, this is the company owned by Sam Zell, who immediately ran it into bankruptcy after buying it and came up with a series of terrible business decisions – dramatic redesigns followed by dramatic layoffs. Hard to be much worse than that.

    Why he’s a terrible choiceThis. Is. The. Guy. Who. Nearly. Rebuffed. Pixar. When. They. Were. Disney’s. Biggest. Cash. Cow. That’s probably worse than that. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 11:19

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World: Not harsh enough? HIV-infected singer Nadja Benaissa sentenced

  • How harsh should the punishment be for an HIV-positive person who knowingly has unprotected sex with their victims? In Germany, apparently relatively light. Nadja Benaissa, a singer in the German girl group No Angels, was sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence and 200 hours of community service for her actions, which infected at least one of the people she slept with. Was the court right here? Or do they need to reconsider? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

26 Aug 2010 11:06

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Politics: Ken Mehlman: Former RNC chairman says he’s gay

  • Next up: Current RNC chairman says he’s an idiot. Ken Mehlman, who was the campaign manager behind George W. Bush’s re-election, revealed the fact to family and friends, according to The Atlantic’s Mark Ambinder. Mehlman, who only recently came to that realization, admits that he was in a place to actually do something to encourage gay marriage in his former role, and regrets that he didn’t. But it doesn’t mean that he can’t encourage it in his private life. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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