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10 May 2011 10:13

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U.S.: Human rights group: Hundreds killed, thousands jailed in Syria

  • 757+ number of civilians the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria says have died in the country’s current crisis
  • 9,000+ number of civilians the group, led by Ammar Qurabi, believes are still in custody as a result of the military crackdown on protests source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2011 10:01

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U.S.: Memphis floodwaters crest, fall short of record numbers

  • 47.85′ the Mississippi’s crest in Memphis source
  • » The good news? It’s not a record: But, considering it’s within a foot of the record, that’s of little solace to the people whose homes have been damaged by the flooding. Still, if something happens and it gets worse, the city is ready. “We will be prepared even if it goes beyond [48 feet],” said Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. “We have acted all along as if it were right at 49 or 50 feet.” One last note: Major landmarks like Sun Studio, Beale Street and Graceland are safe.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2011 09:43

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Politics: The sad tale of CUNY, Israel, and an unlucky playwright

  • what A prominent Pulitzer-winning playwright, Tony Kushner, was denied an honorary degree from the City University of New York last week.
  • why Apparently, one of the members of the board thought he wasn’t pro-Israel enough for his taste, which led to the bizarre decision.
  • redo After an outcry in which noted alums returned their degrees to the school in protest, Kushner got the decision reversed. Ouch. source
  • » The lesson: Don’t have someone on your board who uses “support of Israel” as a litmus test for playwrights who few even know for their foreign policy views.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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