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27 Nov 2010 23:38

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Offbeat, World: Peruvian president blames low approval ratings on Peruvians

  • We are what we are: sad, distrustful … We have a natural lack of trust.
  • Peruvian President Alan Garcia • Suggesting he has a low approval rating (34 percent approve, 62 percent disapprove) because Peruvians are naturally unhappy. He suggests nearby countries, like Brazil, are happier. Way to flip the message. Are the people saying “BOO” or “BOO-urns”?  source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 23:28

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Biz: Black Friday final tally: More hype, more people, slightly more sales

  • 2.2% the increase in Black Friday foot traffic
  • $10.7B the total sales tallied on Black Friday
  • 0.3% the increase in sales from last year source
  • » How it compares: It’s roughly the same increase in sales as last year, but then again, retail stores have been offering sales for weeks before Black Friday, which may have cannibalized the overall effect of the day. On the plus side, at least that collapsed Salvation Army building in Colorado didn’t fall on anyone.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 19:06

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World: We’re very glad not to be in this fiery inferno in Pakistan

This insanely dramatic scene was caused by a cargo plane crashing into a residential neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan. At least eight people on the plane died. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 13:37

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Tech: The Incredible Apple Monster in process of eating Cupertino

  • 57 number of buildings Apple will be taking over from HP, who’s moving their campus elsewhere
  • 98 number of acres Apple will gain in the sale; with the purchase, they’re now Cupertino’s biggest landowner source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 13:10

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Biz, World: Angry Irish people take to streets to protest tough austerity plan

  • We’ve seen this song and dance before. First in Greece, then Belgium, then France, then in Britain, but it’s still not any more frustrating to watch – especially in Ireland’s case. The Irish had a solid decade of economic growth, only to see the economy go into freefall and be forced to take upon tons of bailout money in the span of about two years. So that’s why these people are protesting in Dublin today. They’re angry because of the insane cuts they’ll be forced to swallow – the worst of any European nation so far. (Photo by Marcus Swan) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 12:08

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World: Portugal smacked by debt crisis, high unemployment, brain drain

  • I will get out as soon as I graduate next year, to Brazil. It has a growing economy and people like me can do well there.
  • Portuguese college student Alexandria Silva • Explaining her long-term plan for surviving in this economy. That’s right. She plans to leave Portugal, which is about to get smacked with some debt crisis drama, to go to South America. There are some other issues, too – due to insane job-security (especially in the public sector), older Portuguese people already have a stranglehold on the good jobs, and worse, there’s an 11 percent unemployment rate. So, now, some of the country’s best and brightest are leaving. Sad, really. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 11:58

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Tech: Laptop-buyers clearly preferring MacBooks over everything else

  • 36% of laptop buyers want a MacBook in the next 90 days, a jump of 11 percent from last month
  • 19% of laptop buyers are looking to buy a Dell laptop, down four percent from last month
  • 22% of laptop buyers want an HP laptop, also down four percent from last month source
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27 Nov 2010 11:43

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Biz: General Motors officially crosses the “biggest IPO ever” mark

  • $23.1
    billion     the size of GM’s IPO, officially the biggest global IPO on record
  • $49.5
    billion     the amount they owe the government for their bailout source
  • » What’s needed next? If the government hopes to break even on its huge investment in GM, the stock needs to hit around $50 a share. It’s currently at $33.80, but if, say, the Chevy Volt is a huge success on the market, it could definitely hit that mark.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 11:33

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Tech, U.S.: The U.S. government gets bolder with its anti-piracy actions

  • 70+ illegal torrent sites shut down by the Feds; single tear source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 11:19

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U.S.: Portland tree-lighting bomb suspect had been plotting for months

  • You know there’s going to be a lot of children there? You know there are gonna be a lot of children there?
  • An FBI operative working undercover • Talking to Portland, Oregon tree-lighting bombing suspect Mohamed Osman Mohamud back in August, months before the incident took place. Portland police stopped Mohamud a mere 18 minutes before the ceremony began, which is kind of amazing. They say, though, that the the device wasn’t in any shape to actually explode (because the FBI supplied it to him, even though he tried to detonate it) and that the public was never in any danger. Whew. source
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