Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on TwitterBe a Facebook FanTumble us!

27 Jan 2011 13:36

tags

World: Italian PM Berlusconi accused of another underage prostitute liaison

  • Another day, another sex scandal: The water continues to heat up on Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, as the police have alleged a second liaison with a seventeen-year-old prostitute. While prostitution is not illegal in Italy, and the age of legal consent is fourteen, it is illegal to hire a prostitute under the age of eighteen. (photo via europeanpeoplesparty) source

27 Jan 2011 13:21

tags

Politics: Jerry Brown’s tax pitch to Californians may pay off

  • 54% of California likely voters are okay with raising taxes source
  • » New polling from the California Public Policy Institute: A surprising and heartening result, in light of Governor Brown’s rhetoric about tough choices and shared sacrifice. Staring down a state in dire fiscal crisis, Brown has proposed broad, painful spending cuts, as well as a special election to seek voter approval on a package of new taxes and fees. Say what you will about the strategy, but Brown’s candor and honesty about his cuts have been impressive, and it seems voters may reward him with that rarest of the rare: a voter approved tax increase.

27 Jan 2011 12:54

tags

Politics: Montel Williams implores Delaware to approve medical marijuana

  • Marijuana may not work for everyone, but what it has done for me is it’s given me my life back.
  • Former talk show host Montel Williams • Speaking to Delaware lawmakers, Williams made an emotional and full-throated appeal for medicinal marijuana legalization. He claims that nothing else still works to ease his severe neuropathic pain from multiple sclerosis, with which he was diagnosed in 1999. source

27 Jan 2011 12:38

tags

World: Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato beaten, killed in home

  • A sad day for human rights: Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato was found beaten to death in his home yesterday. His picture recently appeared on a Ugandan magazine next to the words “hang them,” a byproduct of a violent, anti-gay political climate fostered by David Bahati’s disgusting homosexuality legislation, which prescribes the death penalty for “serial offenders.” Bahati is a member of the potent U.S. Evangelical group “The Family,” home to many American politicos, so don’t expect this story to go away too easily. We hope like hell it won’t. source

27 Jan 2011 12:24

tags

Politics: Ex-McCain staffer Mark Salter behind anonymous Obama book “O”

Step One: Write an anonymous novel about your ex-boss’ former opponent. Name it “O” Step Two: ??? Step Three: Profit! source

27 Jan 2011 11:14

tags

Tech: Protip: Turn Facebook’s “Secure Browsing” on. Immediately.

  • A word of advice: Turn this “HTTPS” thing on. Trust us. Make it harder for people to hack into your Gibson when you’re sitting in an Atlanta Bread Co. looking at the latest update about that girl who broke your heart when you were in the seventh grade and now long for like a total creepbag. Snoop on your friends without having to worry about others snooping on you. Turn this on. Trust us. You’ll feel better about it in the morning. source

27 Jan 2011 11:04

tags

Biz: Something else to blame on the snow: Crappy job numbers

  • 51,000 the increase in new jobless claims last week, blamed partly on snow
  • 454,000 last week’s jobless claims level – the highest it’s been since October source
 

27 Jan 2011 10:54

tags

World: Mohamed ElBaradei: Need a leader, Egyptian protesters? I’m here

  • ElBaradei: ready to take up power for a transitional period if the street demanded it.
  • A message that popped up on Arabic satellite channel Al Arabiya • Informing Egyptians that  Mohamed ElBaradei, a key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, was up for the job of leader if they needed someone to rally behind. He’s returning to the country today after a long time away. So far,  the protests against President Hosni Mubarak have been strong, but not focused. A figurehead like ElBaradei might strengthen the movement with a rallying point. “He has served the country for 30 years and it is about time for him to retire,” ElBaradei said. Will this be the corner-turning the protesters need? source

27 Jan 2011 10:44

tags

World: Yemen gets in on the mass-revolt bandwagon; good for them

Today in the Arab world’s collective realization that they don’t have to put up with this *#(& anymore: Yemen. Hotbed of al-Qaeda. Coldbed of jobs. Home of fresh protests. source

27 Jan 2011 10:32

tags

U.S.: By the way, New Yorkers, DC-area residents feel your pain, too

  • 422,000 without power (but not us) source
  • » We’re going to work today, but … many federal employees are going into work late, if at all in the wake of the wet, slushy mess which crimped our collective commutes home last night. We’d complain more, but we have power and were able to make it to Panera this morning.