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02 Feb 2011 23:44

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World: Anonymous targeting Yemeni government; Yemenis won’t notice

  • 5% of Yemeni people use the internet on a regular basis source
  • » But that’s not stopping Anonymous: At least two Yemeni government sites have possibly been attacked by the nebulous, anonymous organization, including the Yemeni Ministry of Information and the site of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. And they even have a list of sites to target and stuff, which means that those five percent of Yemenis with internet access are going to have a hard time with the interwebs for the next little bit.

02 Feb 2011 22:43

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World: U.S. State Department: Plan to leave Egypt tomorrow, Americans

  • before The U.S. started offering Americans in Egypt an opportunity to get out of the increasingly-volatile country. Many took them up on it.
  • now The U.S. is telling Americans to go to the airport ASAP if they plan to go, because it’s unlikely they’ll fly out after Thursday. source

02 Feb 2011 22:34

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World: “The sun can’t come up fast enough”: Egypt violence by the numbers

  • 3+ number of people killed in today’s violence in Cairo (at least)
  • 600+ number of people injured, according to a report by MSNBC
  • 1,500+ people injured, says one nurse who talked to Reuters source

02 Feb 2011 22:08

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World: Did the Egyptian military use indifference as a power grab?

  • Let the military take over and protect you and Egypt. … We have confirmed reports that there are radical elements heading to cause internal strife. They have balls of fire and they want to start fire in the Tahrir (Liberation) Square.
  • A quote from Egyptian state television • Calling the protesters out at Tahrir Square “radicals.” The phrasing suggests that the tactic used against Egyptian protesters today (involving a bunch of pro-Mubarak supporters attacking the protesters that have been out all week, with the military standing idly by) was a ploy designed to give the military leverage over the situation. “The military’s refusal to act is a highly political act which shows that it is allowing the Egyptian regime to reconstitute itself at the top and is highly, utterly against the protesters,” says Kent State professor Joshua Stacher, who happens to be an expert on Egypt. The military is powerful; did they use that power to screw over the Egyptians? source

02 Feb 2011 14:50

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World: Pro-Mubarak surge looks unsurprisingly manufactured

  • So, just who are these pro-mubarak folks? The CNN Wire Staff suggests you’d be right to guess this isn’t such an organic movement. Pro-Mubarak protesters who’ve been captured in the wild melee have fearfully proclaimed that they were paid by the government to show up, while some in plain clothes have been seen to have police identification. Some national petrochemical staff, as well, said that they were ordered to head out to the streets for Mubarak. The bad news here is that these protests have turned violent after avoiding widespread combat for so long. The good news is that if Mubarak’s bold endgame is sending out paid muscle to start fights, it may not last much longer. source

02 Feb 2011 14:16

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Politics: Why Barack Obama may not be so happy just now

  • By disclosing information about corruption, human rights abuses and war crimes, WikiLeaks is a natural contender for the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Norwegian MP Snorre Valen • As all members of national parliaments can make nominations for the Peace Prize winner, Valen bestowed this honor upon the WikiLeaks organization. The Nobel committee has declined to offer further comment. The news is likely to the intense chagrin of former winner Barack Obama. source

02 Feb 2011 14:05

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Music: The White Stripes break up, 1997-2011

Venerable musical duo The White Stripes officially broke up today, issuing a statement suggesting that “The White Stripes now belong to you.” Aw, shucks! source
 

02 Feb 2011 13:30

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U.S.: EPA seeks new regulatory limits on perchlorate in drinking water

  • 26 states had the toxic rocket fuel chemical in their tap water source

02 Feb 2011 13:16

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World: A glimpse into the mayhem, violence on the streets of Cairo

  • Things are heating up: Here’s some video showing the scene in Cairo, where its been reported pro-government factions have begun attacking and inciting violence in the crowds. Hopefully this is the Mubarak regime’s last gasp. source

02 Feb 2011 13:07

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Politics: Taco Bell responds to ground beef lawsuit, insists it’s mostly beef

  • 88% ground beef in our tacos, says Taco Bell source
  • » So now we have a number on record: You may remember when we commented on Taco Bell’s impending lawsuit over the “proprietary blend” that they sell in their beef tacos. The company has since begun mounting their defense, claiming their meatish mixture is in fact 88% ground beef, 12% secret recipe. This is a big distance from the lawsuit’s allegation, which places the real beef figure at 35%. We’re waiting with baited breath on this one.