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06 Dec 2010 23:21

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Politics: Reddit’s grassroots political efforts ready for their close-up

  • You know what’s cool? When friggin’ Reddit fights for what it believes in. We posted about this phenomenon a month ago when it was tentatively called RPAC, and from there, they’ve kept it up. The Open Source Democracy Foundation (a 501(c)(4), not a PAC) is ready for its close-up, and their first order of business is net neutrality. “Regardless of peoples’ ideologies and political persuasions,” says the organization’s founder, Eddie Geller, “we find it hard to believe anyone wants the Internet to be less free or less open.” With the the SavetheInternet.com Coalition, they’re working on a letter-writing campaign to the FCC. But lest you think they’ve outgrown their roots, they’re still on Reddit, collectively plotting their next steps. Keep an eye on these guys. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 21:52

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Tech, U.S.: Consumer Reports tells us what we already knew about cell phones

  • AT&T is the worst cell phone provider, says CR source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 21:47

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U.S.: Write a threatening poem, go straight to jail

  • cause In 2007, Johnny Logan Spencer wrote and posted online a poem depicting the (obviously fictional) assassination of Barack Obama.
  • effectSpencer has since been sentenced to three years in prison. Yeah, he shouldn’t have done what he did, but really, three years? source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 21:30

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Politics, U.S.: Ezra Klein: Tax cut deal a net positive, but not by much

  • This is not the government making a major new commitment to the recovery. It’s the government not getting in the way, and maybe doing a bit to help, the horribly slow recovery that’s happening anyway.
  • Policy wonk Ezra Klein • Regarding the tax cut deal struck today by The White House and the GOP. Klein likes the thirteen-month extension of unemployment benefits; on the bad side, he cites the effect the deal will have on the deficit. “It’s a lot better than I would’ve told you the White House was going to get if you’d asked me a week ago,” he admits, but still not quite enough to substantially stimulate the economy.  source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 21:23

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Offbeat: Posted without comment: Bad photo juxtaposition of the day

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 21:05

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Culture: Elizabeth Edwards somehow upbeat despite sobering prognosis

  • I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful.
  • Elizabeth Edwards • In a Facebook post where she talks about the spread of her cancer. She reportedly only has weeks to live. So, to remind you guys, this lady spent like a decade propping up John Edwards’ political career only to get dumped when she had cancer so the former vice presidential candidate to shack up with the mother of his out-of-wedlock baby? And now she’s going to die soon? How unkind is this world? The fact that she has a single positive bone left in her body, let alone the sincere heart shown here, is amazing. And John Edwards is a crappy human being who doesn’t deserve any of the success he’s had. (Sorry, we were angry. And now we’re very sad. We have a lot of respect for Elizabeth Edwards. You should too.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 20:48

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World: Julian Assange works with authorities, keeps them at arm’s length

  • yeah … Julian Assange, currently in the U.K., agreed to meet with British police about his legal situation in Sweden, which wants to extradite him. He has not been arrested and his people are the moment cooperating with the authorities.
  • … but Our boy’s lawyers have been fighting tooth-and-nail for him, trying to get him as sweetheart a deal as they possibly can. It might be hard with rape charges, though. (His lawyers deny that Sweden has actually charged him.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

06 Dec 2010 20:20

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Politics: Three things Obama conceded to push through the Bush tax cuts

  • two number of years the Bush tax cuts were extended for everyone – not just the middle class
  • 4.2% the Social Security payroll tax next year – that’s down two full percentage points, BTW
  • 35% the maximum estate tax rate; there will also be an exemption of $5 million per person source
  • » Will Democrats go for it? Maybe not; it seems that many congressional Democrats are upset about the estate tax thing in particular, and the overall deal got a weak reception from Democrats in particular. But the GOP likes it. When was the last time Obama pleased the GOP?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 20:06

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U.S.: Ninth Circuit leaning towards Prop. 8 repeal – and a narrow decision

  • Do we have to reach that point?
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt • Suggesting that the court may not decide the Prop. 8 case with a broad brush, and may choose a more narrow route instead. It seems that the court in general is favoring gay-marriage supporters, with the court’s most conservative judge, N. Randy Smith, noting that the blockage of marriage seems arbitrary, considering that gays have equal rights in almost every other point of Californian life. “What is the rational basis for that?,” he asked. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2010 11:05

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Offbeat: Third Eye (not) Blind: Guy installs camera in back of his head

If anything tops this NYU professor Wafaa Bilal’s new accessory as the day’s weirdest story, we’ll buy each of our readers a Coke. All three of you. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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