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02 Mar 2011 23:11

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Politics: Wisconsin Democrats attempt coup-by-recall

  • yes Wisconsin Democrats have filed papers to recall several GOP State Senators, hoping to flip control of the chamber to the Democrats and block Governor Walker’s union-busting bill
  • eight Republicans in Wisconsin’s upper chamber are now at risk of losing their jobs (Wisconsin law states that officials must serve for a year before being eligible for a recall) source
  • » This just in: The Democratic Party has grown a spine. At least the Wisconsin Democratic Party, that is: They’re supporting a grassroots effort to recall eight (!) GOP State Senators. If at least three of them are recalled and replaced by Democrats, control of the State Senate will flip, and Scott Walker won’t have the votes for his anti-union bill. The gambit might work, too, as several of the Republicans in question won election by very narrow margins, and would by no means be guaranteed survival in a recall. Union powerhouse SEIU has thrown their weight behind the effort, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the AFL-CIO does, too. This already-big story is getting huge.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 22:17

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Politics: New Jersey’s Chris Christie: The King of Modesty

  • I already know I could win. That’s not the issue.
  • NJ Governor Chris Christie • On what is (or isn’t) holding him back from running for President. He’s been hounded by the Republican establishment to run for prez in 2012, but has steadfastly refused to, claiming that he’s not ready for the job. For a politician to admit that they’re not ready to be President – whether or not they think they could win – is a very modest thing indeed. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 22:10

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Culture, World: More Wikileaks: Steven Spielberg scores the movie rights

  • And Wikileaks is very unhappy about this. The mega-director, known as much for his Hollywood films as his historical pieces, has secured the rights to a book about Wikileaks, “WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War on Secrecy.” (It’s written by two journalists for The Guardian, who have kind of been on the front lines of all this.) Now, Spielberg has done great work before, but he is not a man known for keeping his films 100 percent accurate. For example, “Catch Me if You Can” was based on a real guy who pretended to be a pilot, but Tom Hanks’ character didn’t exist in real life. (Frank Abagnale is OK with this.) It’s understandable, then, that Wikileaks would say, in response to this, that “this is how bull#(&@ ends up being history.” Your move, Spielberg. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 21:45

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U.S.: Fresh Wikileaks charges: Did Bradley Manning “aid the enemy”?

  • 22 number of new charges against Wikileaking suspect Pfc. Bradley Manning, on top of two initial charges
  • yes Manning could face the death penalty over letting all this information get in the hands of Wikileaks source
  • » Soooooooo … The charges include the vague “aiding the enemy” as well as a number of computer-based and security-based theft thingy thangs. Some of the files, according to the charges were worth more than $1,000, according to the government. (Were they also bigger than a breadbox?) Do we really need to say anything here? Do the charges speak for themselves?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 20:32

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Tech: If you have eyes, you may want to read about this new laptop

  • Sure, we’re all salivating over the new iPad 2 today, but in case you’re a Winboi in need of saliva-worthy exploits, check out this laptop right here. See that giant lump on the back of it? No, it’s not a Windows tumor, Macbois. Actually, it’s a device that tracks your eyesight so you can surf the Web without having to screw with a mouse. Reports suggest this eye-tracking device is very accurate (even if you’re wearing glasses), though it has to be calibrated for each user. There’s also a currently-unsightly camera below the display, though if given some time, it could go away. Would you use your eyes to Web-surf, or would you blink? And what happens if you’re a pirate? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 16:01

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World: Libyan rebels continue to wage fervent struggle against tall odds

  • It doesn’t matter that I don’t have a gun, because some of my friends do. I will just stand here with my people and die with my people.
  • Mohamed Abdrurrazeg, a Libyan rebel • On the desperate struggle between rebels and pro-Gaddafi forces taking place in Ajdabiya and Benghazi, and to varying extents, across the nation. Rebel leadership is reported as hoping for international military intervention against the brutal regime. Whether that desire will be met remains to be seen, but this much seems certain – the international community has rendered Gaddafi basically impotent as a functioning ruler through the condemnations that have been issued. If his forces begin to decisively put down the rebels, could the risk of his continued presence will spur military action? source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 15:29

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World: Disgraced fashion designer John Galliano will stand trial

  • It was a social crime … In a highly-publicized incident, fashion designer John Galliano was captured on film saying “I love Hitler,” an anti-Jewish sentiment that cost him his job with Christian Dior and drew the public ire of none less than their Oscar-winning spokeswoman Natalie Portman. Galliano has apologized for the incident, but the damage has already been done.
  • … but is it a legal crime? Galliano will be forced to stand trial in Paris over his remarks. French law designates that incitement of racial hatred is a crime, and Galliano could face six months in prison. Obviously racism is abhorrent and deleterious to society, but the idea of going to prison for what Galliano did seems like a pretty good illustration of the First Amendment’s beauty. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

02 Mar 2011 14:42

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Tech: Apple’s iPad 2 unveiled: Thinner, faster, with sweet cases

  • The tale of the tech, complete with Steve Jobs! Jobs, who has been on medical leave (he’s been plagued by a number of health problems the past few years, and underwent a liver transplant in 2009), is a monolithic figure in the American technology business, and given his notorious work ethic and zeal for his products you’d imagine he wouldn’t want to miss this. source
  • Throwing down the gauntlet Jobs antagonized the competition, highlighting successes over Google, and iPad competition such as Tablet PC, which he said “crashed and burned.” iPad 2 also features a dual-core processor, equaling that of Motorola’s designs.
  • The nitty-gritty In addition to the new dual-core processor, the iPad 2 features a gyroscope (a familiar function for any iPhone user), cameras on both the front and back, 1080p support, an HDMI out line, and comes in 16, 32, and 64 gigabyte models.
  • » So, all in all, a successful debut. It’s easy to say this with some confidence because, frankly, Apple never really has unsuccessful debuts – even after the original iPad unveiling, which was probably the most hand-wringing seen over one of their new products, the thing took off like a damn rocket. And considering iPad 2 is basically the iPad on steroids, assuming the market isn’t over-saturated, we expect this to follow suit. This newest iteration will be selling for the same price as its forerunner, $499, and begins shipping domestically (U.S.) March 11th, internationally March 25th-26th. So, what y’all think? Will you be the first in line to snag one of these bad boys, or is this a luxury toy you simply don’t need?
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 13:42

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World: U.S. airmen fired upon outside Frankfurt airport, motive unknown

  • Attack on American airmen in Frankfurt: A gunman, reported by the U.K.’s Guardian as believed to be from Kosovo, opened fire on a military bus at the Frankfurt airport, killing two U.S. airmen and badly wounding two others. While no potential motive has been ascribed, the German authorities arrested a suspect inside the airport shortly after the attack, who they’ve identified as Arif Uka, a twenty-one year old. The Pentagon has not yet offered comment. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Mar 2011 12:46

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U.S.: Nearly 43 years later, Sirhan Sirhan mounts a Manchurian defense

  • 6/4/68 Following a win in the California Democratic primary, Robert Kennedy was shot three times by Sirhan Sirhan, wounds that would kill him. Sirhan admitted to the shooting and claimed “twenty years of malice aforethought” went into the crime. He also claimed to have done it for his country, which suggests that Kennedy’s support for Israel likely played a role in the native Palestinian’s crime.
  • 3/2/11 A Sirhan lawyer, William F. Pepper, is taking a peculiar and pretty provocative case before the parole board, the 14th time Sirhan has appeared for parole since the shooting. Pepper plans to argue for both the possibility of a second gunman, and that Sirhan had been “hypno-programmed” into the murder. Moreover, Pepper claims he thinks he knows who did it, but declined to tell the press. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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