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10 Apr 2011 11:13

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U.S.: VIDEO: Mapleton, Iowa introduced to violent, barn-razing tornado

  • The tornado that destroyed half a town: While nobody was seriously injured in last night’s twister in Mapleton, Iowa, if buildings were considered people, it’d be a much different story. See, this tornado flattened a grain elevator. It also tore the roof off a high school and tipped a giant motor home in its side. And the hundreds-of-years-old trees that the town was named for? They were ripped out of the ground and forced into homes and cars, emphasizing the “ton” part of the name just as much as the “maple” part. “It was huge, just huge,” said local attorney Thomas Mohrhauser. “It just kept getting bigger and bigger.” source
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10 Apr 2011 10:41

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Biz, World: How the Japan quake and tsunami has affected the auto industry

  • parts Many auto manufacturers — especially in Japan — are struggling to return to their normal level of production after last month’s earthquake hurt numerous key factories in Japan.
  • labor Manufacturers at Toyota, Nissan and Honda plan to get their workers back on the job very soon — but only at half-time. Toyota’s U.S. factory workers also haven’t had as much work lately.
  • colors Ford, which isn’t Japanese, has its own problems — see, a key metallic pigment they use comes from a factory near Fukushima. Good luck getting a “tuxedo black” car. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Apr 2011 10:24

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World: Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara reelected despite epic gaffe

This dude’s thanking his lucky stars today. See, he suggested that the tsunami was “divine punishment” for the people of Japan. (Ouch!) He still got re-elected. Shockingly. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Apr 2011 10:14

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Politics: Budget deal: White House negotiation approach proves effective

  • Nope, zero. John, this is it.
  • Barack Obama, according to a senior official • Informing House Speaker John Boehner that he wouldn’t be budging on Planned Parenthood — despite the fact that Boehner had fought tooth-and-nail for the policy in a White House meeting for over an hour. The meeting itself proved to be something of a watershed moment for negotiations — proving that when they need to work together, they can pull it off. As much as it hurts. “Things got heated,” said senior White House adviser David Plouffe. “The president’s approach was to try and engage all the parties to come together. Going forward this can be a model.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Apr 2011 17:11

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U.S.: What’s next in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election dramarama?

  • state Despite the much-wider difference in vote count after Waukesha County’s tally suddenly jumped, it’s still close enough that a statewide recount could take place.
  • county Another option, which would cost JoAnne Kloppenburg money, would be a recount in Waukesha County alone. Incumbent Justice David Prosser is open to this.
  • federal And some, including U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, want Attorney General Eric Holder to scrutinize Waukesha County’s results. Which would be fun. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Apr 2011 11:18

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Culture: RIP Sidney Lumet: Legendary Hollywood director dies at 86

“I’m mad as hell and can’t take it anymore.” Know that movie (“Network”)? This was the guy who made it. He also made many other great ones. No Oscars though (what)? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Apr 2011 20:28

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U.S.: Government shutdown deal: National Journal says we’re closer

  • Here’s what the National Journal says is happening: It looks like the latest numbers on Obama’s desk are a lot closer and show actual compromise. WIll it be enough to prevent a government shutdown? Well, we’ll see. The deal the National Journal has suggests a temporary extension to get through the weekend while details are hashed out at the beginning of the week. “While leadership staff insist there is no deal yet,” they write, “that caution belies significant progress in narrowing long-standing differences and the widening assumption in both parties that a shutdown will be averted and all that remains unknown is the precise procedural steps that will walk everyone back from the abyss.” Here are some quick hard numbers from their report:
  • $39B the size of the planned standard budget cuts from fiscal 2010
  • $550B the size of the defense budget through the end of 2011
  • nothe cuts to the EPA and Planned Parenthood aren’t in the deal source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

08 Apr 2011 13:25

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Politics: GRAPHIC: People split on potential Planned Parenthood cuts

  • And this, friends, is why Chartwell is awesome and just earned our $40. We were able to make this graphic in less than 20 minutes. And fortunately, our timing couldn’t be better. See, our boy Harry Reid says that the budget crisis is basically down to Planned Parenthood’s federal funding at this point. Here’s a poll from last week explaining how most people feel about the funding issue. When you break it down to likely voters, though, it starts to get messier — with 39 percent supporting the cuts, 29 percent opposed and a whopping 32 percent uncertain. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Apr 2011 12:10

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World: News of the World hacks their way into journalism scandal history

  • You know, bad journalism is bad journalism. But occasionally, someone manages to open up a new tier of bad journalism, one that not even Jayson Blair or Stephen Glass could even imagine. Such is the case of News of the World, Rupert Murdoch’s downmarket British tabloid, best-known in the States for revealing that Michael Phelps likes doing bong hits at college parties. The paper just admitted, after days of denials, that it is responsible for a scheme wher a bunch of its reporters hacked the mobile phones of many potential sources — including members of the Royal Family, actresses, politicians and sports stars. The scandal has already cost a member of David Cameron’s staff his job, and now News of the World is finally admitting their reporters screwed up. Stephen Glass looks professional in comparison. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Apr 2011 11:48

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World: NATO talks about airstrikes like one would discuss a bill collector

  • This is a very unfortunate incident. I strongly regret the loss of life. I can assure you that we do our utmost to avoid civilian casualties.
  • NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen • Expressing regret over an airstrike that likely killed Libyan rebels. That’s not an apology, by the way, but a statement of regret. See, it’s things like this that get those in need of assistance frustrated with NATO. Dudes! They’re on your side! Stop talking about them like they’re an anonymous neutral party. It just pisses them off. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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