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

23 May 2011 09:59

tags

U.S.: By the numbers: The Joplin, Missouri tornado’s trail of destruction

  • 89+ people have been killed by the tornado that hit Joplin on Sunday
  • 200 the reported speed of the tornado, in miles per hour; it was a mile wide
  • 25%+ of the town of Joplin has been destroyed, authorities say source
  • » President Obama, reporting from Ireland: After the massive storm ravaged the Missouri town, the president, heading to Ireland to play diplomat, called Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and coordinated the FEMA response from Air Force One. Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the Missouri National Guard in response the the storm, which devastated a town of 49,000.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2011 00:33

tags

U.S.: Joplin, Missouri slammed by massive, devastating tornado

  • “I would say 75% of the town is virtually gone.” Those are the words of Kathy Dennis of the American Red Cross worker currently in Joplin, Missouri, a town slammed by a tornado this evening. Throughout the Midwest this evening, a number of large storms have left a huge trail of destruction, flattening buildings and leaving Twitter loaded with many scary scenes like the one above taken by Twitter user @CarmenSeda (thanks to @ProducerMatthew for that). Greatly-damaged buildings (including crushed Wal-Marts) are all around the area, and the death toll is reportedly high, but CNN won’t even list an actual number. Scary. We’re going to give you guys a few more updates as the night goes on. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2011 22:12

tags

Politics: Minnesota State Rep. Tony Cornish trolling gay rights advocates?

  • I’m not in his district. But I DO live in Minnesota and a statewide policy regarding marriage equality effects EVERYONE living in our state.
  • Minnesota resident Annie Modesitt • Discussing her anger over receiving a fairly rude e-mail from Minnesota State Rep. Tony Cornish that seemed to trivialize her emotion on the gay rights issue. She was one of a number of people who took part in a Human Rights Campaign petition against Cornish, who voted in favor of a proposed state constitutional amendment on gay marriage. Cornish has sent a number of these, including one where he reportedly wrote, “Try writing your own letter without forwarding someone else’s anger and resentment. Get an idea of your own.” Hey Tony, we would like to share our own idea: If this is true, you’re a moron because you respond to form letter e-mails and turn small potatoes into big stories. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2011 15:36

tags

Culture: Latest “Pirates of the Carribean”: Big in the U.S., bigger worldwide

  • $90 million opening for Johnny Depp’s latest meal ticket
  • $46M the amount the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” made in its opening weekend
  • $135M the amount “Dead Man’s Chest” opened at — the most successful of the franchise
  • $114M the amount “At World’s’ End” opened at; it had a bigger foreign gross than the first two source
  • » Look beyond the U.S.: While it wasn’t a super-impressive opening weekend compared to other “Pirates of the Carrribean” movies, worldwide it’s a juggernaut — earning over $256 million this weekend alone, which is the largest foreign weekend ever. Also of note: It’s still the largest domestic opening weekend of the year so far, which we credit to Michael Bolton being a major cinephile.
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2011 12:15

tags

Culture, World: Here’s a picture of Vladimir Putin doing manly things

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2011 11:46

tags

U.S.: Harold Camping: Still hasn’t shown his face since the “rapture”

  • It’s important to mock the prophets. It’s important to mock those that think they know what they are talking about.
  • Family Church of Laughs leader Ed Holmes • Regarding his satirical group’s protest outside of the Family Radio headquarters in Oakland, California last night, where they filled human-shaped balloons full of helium and sent them to heaven. Harold Camping still hasn’t shown his face since his prophecy failed to come true. We don’t think we can say it better than the Christian Post does with this headline: “Harold Camping Should Publicly Repent, Says Faith Leader.” He should publicly repent. Where is he? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2011 11:28

tags

Politics: Herman Cain: National security’s off my agenda … until I’m elected

  • Herman Cain doesn’t want to talk national security. At least not until after he’s elected. “The right approach is that the day I’m elected, I would start on that plan. I think it is disingenuous to tell the American people what I would do,” he told Fox News Sunday this morning. OK … so, we understand that he might not be privy to the documents that Obama has at his disposal, but seriously? National security isn’t something you, as a presidential candidate, are allowed to ignore. This is one of the reasons people will want to vote for you. Waiting to explain your national security plan until after people have put you into office — forcing people to go in blind on one of the key things a president does — is a dangerous stance that will not fly with mainstream voters, Herman. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

22 May 2011 11:12

tags

Culture: The incestuous, pay-for-play world of celebrity gossip sites

  • There’s this unbelievable hunger for a constant flow of information about these people. So everybody has to feed this machine all the time.
  • Lindsay Lohan’s lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley • Offering an explanation for why her client is always in the news. Essentially, the $3 billion entertainment gossip industry — specifically, sites like TMZ, Perez Hilton and Radar Online — needs her. The New York Times’ sprawling piece on celebrity gossip sites, which includes interviews with Michael Lohan (along with an explanation of how he made a bunch of money off Jon Gosselin) and an explanation of how the Los Angeles Coroner’s Department has had to fend off gossip reporters climbing over walls in an attempt to catch a photo of a deceased celebrity. (They’ve had two major leaks — death certificates of Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy.) All in the hunt for hits, guys. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2011 02:14

tags

U.S.: GOP field narrows further: Mitch Daniels won’t run for president

Another high-profile contender in 2012 is out — because his family said no. “Simply put, I find myself caught between two duties,” the Indiana governor said. “I love my country; I love my family more.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 May 2011 18:29

tags

World: Apple, Foxconn pick up pieces after iPad factory explosion

  • We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Foxconn’s plant in Chengdu, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are working closely with Foxconn to understand what caused this terrible event.
  • A statement from Apple • Expressing remorse for yesterday’s explosion at a Foxconn factory in China. The explosion, which took place in Chengdu, China, killed at least two and injured 16. The factory, which produces iPads, suspended production after the accident, according to Foxconn. “The safety of our employees is our highest priority and we will do whatever is required to determine and address the cause of this tragic accident,” they wrote in a statement to The Wall Street Journal’s All Things D. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>