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03 Feb 2011 22:11

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Politics: Redskins owner Dan Snyder learns about Streisand Effect

  • After another losing season in which your recently acquired $78 million over-the-hill quarterback got benched and your corpulent $100 million defensive lineman simply refused to play, it is heartening to see you focusing your resources on trying to punish a newspaper. Yes, it may be a dreadfully arrogant and stupid thing to do. But the point is, you seem to want to do it. And believe me, what makes you happy makes me happy.
  • Washington Post columnist (and supergenius) Gene Weingarten • Writing about Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder’s decision to sue the Washington City Paper for publishing this article about him. The piece, a mostly-hilarious thing that suggests severe mismanagement of a beloved franchise, angered Snyder so much that he fought for the firing of the person who wrote the article about him. So… just to be clear, guys, Snyder just sued an alt-weekly for writing an article about him nobody outside of DC would’ve seen, or anyone inside of DC would have remembered, had he just taken it for what it was – an attempt to poke fun at an unpopular sports personality. Streisand effect, 1, Dan Snyder, 0.  source

03 Feb 2011 21:49

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World: Dueling rallies set stage for conflict in Yemen today

See this shot here? It’s from the anti-government rally held today in Yemen. There was also a pro-government rally across town. We’re guessing less duct tape was involved. source

03 Feb 2011 21:33

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World: Obama administration eyeing exit strategy for Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak

  • last week The Obama administration, despite protests, was showing that it continued to favor Hosni Mubarak as Egyptian leader.
  • this week After huge protests, shows of violence and growing discontent, the Obama administration is now trying to push him out. source
  • » But he doesn’t wanna go: In his interview with Christiane Amanpour today, he said this key phrase to Obama regarding his possible exit: “You don’t understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now.” Does it matter that this his how he feels? If Mubarak were to leave, his newly-appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman, would likely take over.

03 Feb 2011 14:58

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U.S.: Senate report criticizes govt. agencies over Ft. Hood shootings

  • YES the FBI, DoD should’ve discharged Nidal Hasan source
  • » Specific and systemic failures: So says a new Senate report investigating the FBI and Department of Defense’s handling of former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, prior to his executing the Ft. Hood shootings in 2009. The report, authored by Sens. Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins, accuses the agencies of failing to link the information they had between them, and of being negligent of Hasan’s transition to violent Islamic extremism, which they say was “on full display to his superiors and colleagues during his military medical training.”

03 Feb 2011 14:27

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World: Egyptian pro-government forces try to intimidate foreign press

  • The Egyptian strategy is employing a strategy of eliminating witnesses to their actions.
  • Middle East Director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, Mohamed Abdel Dayem • Speaking on the increasingly apparent targeting of journalists by pro-government forces (CNN’s Andersen Cooper reports being attacked for the second time in two days), the director suggests a broad strategy by the Mubarak regime to minimize the media’s ability to bear witness to what’s happening in Cairo. source

03 Feb 2011 13:38

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World: Egypt’s economy hit hard by internet shutdown

  • six
    days
    amount of time the internet was offline during Egypt’s huge protests
  • $90
    million
    in losses the forced lock-down cost Egypt’s economy source

03 Feb 2011 13:14

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Politics: Rep. Frank puts 2012 retirement rumors to rest

  • YES Barney Frank wants two more years source
 

03 Feb 2011 13:02

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U.S.: Obama gives speech to the National Prayer Breakfast… but why?

  • event The National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event in Washington D.C. boasting thousands of attendees, some foreign dignitaries and officials. The NPB is organized by “The Family,” also known as “The Fellowship.”
  • reality “The Family” is a Christian group with U.S. politicians as members, and included Ugandan MP David Bahati while he authored religion-inspired legislation to execute or imprison “serial” homosexuals.
  • awkwardPresident Obama gave a speech today to a group that considered David Bahati a friend, and hasn’t publicly or vehemently denounced his proposed law, which legalizes grave crimes against humanity.  source

03 Feb 2011 11:18

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World: United Nations: We’re moving staffers from Egypt temporarily

  • yeah … “Essential staff will remain in Egypt to serve their functions,” according to a statement by the UN.
  • … but Nonessential UN staffers are being shuttled out of Egypt to Cyprus on a temporary basis. source

03 Feb 2011 11:08

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World: Gabrielle Giffords’ husband talks fate, his wife’s recovery

  • Maybe it was fate. I hadn’t been a big believer in fate until recently.
  • Gabrielle Giffords’ husband, Mark Kelly • Offering up an explanation at today’s National Prayer Breakfast for why Gabrielle Giffords survived her assassination attempt last month. According to Kelly, while this “has been the hardest time of my life, and the hardest time of my family’s life,” Giffords “gets a little better every day.” Obama praised Kelly and offered this sentiment to rally around: “We are with them for the long haul. God is with them for the long haul.” Warm feelings abound. source