Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

05 Apr 2011 13:50

tags

World: Ai Weiwei’s arrest may signal dire sea change in China

  • Western capitals are failing to understand the magnitude of what is happening now. The Chinese authorities are actively seeking to try to redefine the boundaries of which opinions are tolerable, and which are not.
  • Nicholas Bequelin, researcher for Human Rights Watch in China • Speaking on the grim state of Chinese affairs, in the wake of the arrest of famed artist and dissident Ai Weiwei. He argues that the Chinese’s tightening grip over the citizenry indicates a meaningful shift towards more abject totalitarianism. Bequelin added: “We know for certain that there are lawyers who haven’t been arrested, but have been clearly threatened. They’ve been told ‘the gloves are off, we can do anything we like now’. One was informed that ‘the party has special ways to deal with people like you’.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Apr 2011 13:37

tags

World: NATO: Airstrikes decimate large chunk of Gaddafi’s prowess

  • 30%of Gaddafi military capacity destroyed by airstrikes source
  • » That’s what NATO says, at least. NATO Brigadier General Mark van Uhm made the claim to a bunch of reporters in Brussels. That said, though, some of Gaddafi’s tactics have made it harder for NATO to attack. “The operational tempo remains, but we have seen a change of tactics (from Gaddafi),” van Uhm said. “When human beings are used as shields we don’t engage.”
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Apr 2011 12:23

tags

U.S.: Southwest Airlines: Our Boeing 737s not all they’re cracked up to be

In an inspection of their fleet of 737s following a plane’s emergency landing last week, the airline says that five of their planes had fuselage cracks in them. Kevin Smith’s PR flub no longer looks so bad. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Apr 2011 10:36

tags

World: French Prime Minister: Ivory Coast presidential crisis nearing end

  • As we speak we are speaking to two generals to negotiate President Gbagbo’s surrender.
  • French Prime Minister Francois Fillon • Explaining what’s currently happening in the Ivory Coast, after days of increasingly violent fighting between forces loyal to presidential stickler Laurent Gbagbo and forces who favored Alassane Ouattara, the man who won November’s election but was held from office by Gbagbo. Months later, the fighting got extremely violent, and the UN and France eventually got involved. Now, it appears, Gbagbo is close to surrendering the leadership he long fought to keep. “We are in a situation where everything could be resolved in the next few hours,” said French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Apr 2011 01:12

tags

U.S.: Alleged 9/11 mastermind will face military tribunal, not civilian trial

  • NO Khalid Sheikh Mohammed won’t be tried in NYC court source
  • » Why the change? In November of 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder angered a lot of people (mostly Republicans) by announcing that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others implicated in masterminding the 9/11 attacks would be tried in civilian court, as opposed to military tribunals. Now, Holder has changed course. He blames the change of plans on Congress, which passed legislation barring federal funds from being used to transfer GITMO detainees to the US. However, President Obama signed that legislation, so the White House can’t cry foul too loudly here without being just a tad hypocritical.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Apr 2011 23:26

tags

Offbeat: Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight; instead, bring a screwdriver

  • plan In Sarasota, Florida, a man armed with a handgun walked into a gas station and told the clerk to empty the register. A fool-proof plan!
  • problem The would-be thief fled before taking any cash when the clerk brandished …a screwdriver. Talk about calling someone’s bluff. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Apr 2011 23:12

tags

Politics: Chuck Schumer okay with Tea Party-pandering as long as budget passes

  • We take it for granted that because of the intense political pressure being applied by the Tea Party, [John Boehner] needs to play an outside game as well as an inside game. As long as he continues to negotiate, it’s OK by us if he needs to strike a different pose publicly. Since last week, the two sides have made steady progress on a package of $33 billion in cuts.
  • Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer • Calling out John Boehner, who’s insisting that no deal has been reached with the Democrats, and that $33 billion in cuts just isn’t enough. Who’s fibbing? We’ll find out by Friday, when either a budget will pass, or the government will shut down. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

04 Apr 2011 22:51

tags

Politics: Scott Walker: Wisconsin is broke, but if your dad supports my campaign, you won’t be!

  • who Meet Brian Deschane, a 27 year-old from Wisconsin with no college degree, little political experience, and two drunk-driving convictions.
  • what Deschane earns $81,000 a year working a plum job for controversial Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, overseeing various regulatory and environmental matters.
  • why Deschane’s father is a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Builder’s Association, which gave over $120,000 to Walker’s election campaign. source
  • » After just two months on the job, Deschane received a raise of 25%, or $16,500 a year. This wasn’t too long ago; it was around the time Walker said that Wisconsin was “broke,” and has “been broke for years.” If that’s what it’s like to be broke, we don’t wanna be rich!
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Apr 2011 22:07

tags

World: Libyan rebels: NATO forces falling short of expectations

  • There’s a delay in reacting and lack of response to what’s going on on the ground, and many civilians have died and [NATO] couldn’t react to protect them.
  • Ali al-Essawi, foreign policy director of the National Transitional Council • On how things have been going since NATO took control of the no-fly zone. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Apr 2011 21:59

tags

Culture: Sheen’s live show improves in Chicago after disastrous opening

  • detroit The premier of Charlie Sheen’s one-man show did not go well. After, amongst other things, setting fire to a shirt and insulting the city in which he was performing, Sheen was booed off the stage.
  • chicago Sheen shook things up the show’s second night, opting for a talk show-esque format instead of…well, whatever the hell it was he did the first night. Apparently it worked; this time, Sheen received a standing ovation. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>