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01 Feb 2011 22:59

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Biz, Music: Citigroup owns EMI: Will they start selling CDs at bank branches?

  • 2007 In one of the most un-rock-‘n’-roll moves a major label has ever done, private equity firm Terra Firma, led by financier Guy Hands, buys EMI for $6.7 billion, $4.3 billion of which was loaned to Terra Firma by Citigroup in a deal which looks really stupid in retrospect.
  • 2011 A few years after the financial crisis made that deal look like a really stupid idea, the musical home of Radiohead, Blur and The Beatles was just taken over by Citigroup. Which means that the company that runs your ATM also sells the Beastie Boys’ catalogue. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 22:38

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World: Egyptian protesters planning another protest Friday. Will they return?

  • I was angry, but now I am enraged. … Only one thing will make the anger go away: His immediate withdrawal. He must leave. That is the only thing that will make these people go back to their homes.
  • Egyptian protester Abdullah Rawaq • Expressing anger about President Hosni Mubarak’s speech today, where he revealed he would not run for re-election this year – which was far less than protesters were hoping for. People were chanting such things as “He must go! We will not go!” and “Get out! Get out!” And in case he’s wondering whether he’s going to get away from today’s protests scot-free, now’s a good time to note that more huge protests are scheduled for Friday. The hard part about all this, of course, is not starting the protests, but keeping them going. Will the huge crowds return on Friday? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 22:23

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U.S.: Can anyone make out the United States on this map?

  • We think this is the United States. It looks like it has the outline of the U.S. But for some reason, there’s all this weird white stuff on top of it clouding out most of the details. Can anyone figure out what’s going on here? (thanks identitymisplaced) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 22:05

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Tech: Worst party idea ever: Let’s celebrate “World IPv6 Day,” internet!

  • 06/08 the date of “World IPv6 Day,” when  the interwebs test a move from IPv4 to IPv6, as IPv4 space runs out
  • 0.05% of the interwebs may be negatively affected by the switch that day (half a million people!) source
  • » Our big quibble? If you’re going to make a big deal about switching the infrastructure of the Internet, why do it on that day when there’s an obvious date with instant branding possibilities? If they had done this on April 6 instead of June 8, it would be way easier to promote. But let’s face it. Nerds don’t think about stupid things like promotion. (By the way, go here if you wanna test your readiness.)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 21:42

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Politics: Obama on Mubarak: Barack is still speaking in code about Egypt

  • An orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful, and it must begin now.
  • President Obama • Speaking tonight about Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s plan to not run for re-election this year, a decision that his administration pushed – to the point where a diplomat reportedly came to visit Mubarak in Egypt. Obama also had this to say about the country’s forthcoming election process: “Furthermore, the process must include a broad spectrum of Egyptian voices and opposition parties. It should lead to elections that are free and fair. And it should result in a government that’s not only grounded in democratic principles but is also responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people.” A little clearer than he has been recently regarding Egypt, but our boy’s still speaking in code a little. Criticize the guy if you mean to criticize him! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 15:48

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U.S.: Colleen LaRose pleads guilty to terrorism conspiracy

  • YES Colleen LaRose conspired with terrorist groups source
  • » Jihad Jane fesses up: The 47-year-old Michigan woman widely known as “Jihad Jane” plead guilty today.  She was charged with contacting an Islamic terrorist group and pledging to aid them in murdering Danish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who suffered attempts on his life after penning a newspaper comic featuring the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 14:44

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World: Obama to Mubarak: Don’t run for reelection this fall

  • finally! The Obama Administration seems to have officially given up on Egypt’s current regime, as the President indicated via diplomat that he doesn’t want Mubarak to run for reelection this fall.
  • but… While Mubarak is expected to announce he won’t seek another term, it seems crazy to think he’ll be able to continue governing even that long. Is a transitional government in play? source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

01 Feb 2011 14:20

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World: This week in horror: Swiss therapist arrested for molestation

  • 122 disabled adults, children molested by therapist source
  • » The disgustingly evil are unabated: A 54-year-old man, name hitherto unknown, admitted to Swiss authorities that he had sexually abused over 100 people in the course of his career as a therapist to disabled adults and children. The police say they’ve identified 122 of the victims, and that the youngest was 1-year-old at the time of the abuse. Stories like these make everyday life harder and harder to stomach. Anybody know how to build an evil detector?
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 13:55

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U.S.: NY Mayor Bloomberg launched “gun show sting” in Arizona

  • impetus Jared Loughner, a man of rather apparent mental illness, buys a gun and commits a massacre, badly wounding Rep. Gabby Giffords and killing six others.
  • action NY Mayor Bloomberg sends cops out of state on a “sting,” buying arms at an AZ gun show while telling the seller they likely couldn’t pass a background check.
  • response AZ Governor Brewer admits she hadn’t seen the video of the sting, but maintains the just nature of her state’s gun laws, some of the most lax in the U.S. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2011 13:17

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Politics: Barbara Bush (Dubya’s daughter) joins campaign for gay marriage

  • It seems like only yesterday: It was 2004, and George W. Bush proposed a constitutional gay marriage ban in all fifty states as a reelection issue, under the supervision of his campaign manager Ken Mehlman. Now Mehlman is openly gay, Bush has said he has no interest in politics, and his daughter is cutting commercials for New Yorkers for Marriage Equality. Maybe things do have a way of working out in the end? source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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