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08 Aug 2011 08:29

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World: King Abdullah, somewhat hypocritically, speaks out against Syrian violence

  • Any sane Arab, Muslim or anyone else knows that this has nothing to do with religion, or ethics or morals; spilling the blood of the innocent for any reasons or pretext leads to no path to…hope.
  • Saudi King Abdullah • Denouncing the Syrian government’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests. Abdullah’s denunciation is politically significant, given his significance in the Arab world, and it comes on the heels of a similar condemnation from the Arab League. However, it’s worth noting that last March, Abdullah provided military support to the Bahrainian government to help it suppress on its own anti-government protests, so for him to now suddenly condemn counter-revolutionary government crackdowns seems just a tad insincere. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Aug 2011 04:51

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World: Arab League, Saudi King denounce Syrian violence

  • 200 Syrian tanks rolled into the city of Deir el-Zour on Sunday, accompanied by soldiers and armored cars
  • 50+ people were killed in the assault, which took place during the dawn call to prayer  source
  • » For the first time, the Arab League has condemned the al-Assad regime’s violent assaults on the protesters, and Saudi Arabia has withdrawn its ambassador to Syria. Saudi King Abdullah strongly denounced the violence, calling for “an end to the death machine and bloodshed.”
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Aug 2011 21:37

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Politics: So much for leaving; Timmy Boy Geithner sticking around for a while

While there was word on the street that he was going to depart after the brutal debt ceiling crisis, Obama wanted him to stick around instead. This sounds like an aneurysm waiting to happen. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Aug 2011 11:52

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World: Syria: Bashar al-Assad defends violent, deadly crackdown on opposition

  • Dealing with the outlaws who block the roads and the cities and terrorize the people is the duty of the state.
  • Syrian President Bashar al-Assad • Validating his country’s stance against opposition in Syria, in the wake of violence that killed dozens yesterday alone. Question: What happens when the “outlaws who block the roads and the cities and terrorize the people” and “the state” are one in the same? Because in Syria, they are. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Aug 2011 11:39

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Biz: Verizon: “Can you hear me now?” Workers: “No, because we’re on strike!”

  • 45,000 Verizon workers are now on strike source
  • » Verizon’s tough stance led to strike: In the first strike the company has faced in 11 years, many of the company’s field technicians and customer service workers were fending off a tough stance the company took in negotiations — they were hoping to make it easier to fire workers and also wanted to change the method they decided on raises. Verizon’s push is indicative of the evolution away from the more-profitable landline business and towards wireless.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Aug 2011 11:04

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World: Officials call for calm after fiery Tottenham riots engulf parts of London

  • This was appalling and unacceptable violence which put people’s lives and safety at risk and must not be tolerated. An independent investigation into the shooting of Mark Duggan had already begun last week, and that is the right way to respond.
  • Shadow Home Office Minister Shabana Mahmood • Reacting to anger in the Tottenham region of London over the fatal shooting of resident Mark Duggan at the hands of police. Buildings were set ablaze, buses were reduced to their frame, looters posted pictures of themselves stealing stuff on Twitter and dozens of police officers were injured overnight. At least 42 people were arrested for violent disorder, theft or burglary. To put it simply, it was not a particularly good night for the region. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Aug 2011 10:41

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Culture: School district bans Kurt Vonnegut book at request of home-schooling dad

  • cause In the small Missouri town of Republic, some douchenozzle named Wesley Scroggins led a campaign to stop the distribution of a handful of books, including Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five,” in the local school district. He was actually successful, by the way. The kicker? While the dude has kids, he home schools them.
  • reaction While Sarah Ockler, the author of fellow banned book “Twenty Boy Summer,” wrote a harshly-worded response, the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library plans to offer up over 150 copies of the book to students for free. And yes, they’re taking donations. Take that, Scroggins, and take that, school district that bowed to him. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

06 Aug 2011 16:22

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World: Is al-Shabab losing ground in Somalia and Mogadishu, or just regrouping?

  • We have abandoned Mogadishu but we remain in other towns. We aren’t leaving you. We have changed our tactics. Every one of you will feel the change in every corner and every street in Mogadishu. We will defend you and continue the fighting.
  • Al-Shabab spokesperson Ali Mohamoud Rage • Regarding the al-Qaeda group’s decision to leave Mogadishu, the capitol of Somalia, a country that has been struggling with a major humanitarian crisis of late. Is it a tactical change, as the spokesperson suggests, or a real corner turned? Somalia’s president, Sheikh Shairf Sheikh Ahmed, seems to suggest the latter. “It is time to harvest the fruits of peace,” he said. “I call on the Somali people to help and to support their soldiers and point out any Shabab member hiding in homes.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Aug 2011 13:02

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U.S., World: SEAL Team Six members reportedly killed in Afghanistan

  • 20+ Navy SEALS reportedly killed in Afghanistan plane crash source
  • » And they weren’t just any Navy SEALS, either: These are some of the guys who took out Osama bin Laden in Pakistan back in May. (Edit: There are conflicting reports.) This is horribly sad, and we’ll keep you posted as we learn more. The AP has received word of this but nothing official has been noted due to the fact that families are still being notified. (h/t ProducerMatthew)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Aug 2011 12:49

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Politics: 2012 candidates’ takes on the S&P credit rating downgrade

  • Mitt romney “Standard & Poor’s rating downgrade is a deeply troubling indicator of our country’s decline under President Obama. His failed policies have led to high unemployment, skyrocketing deficits, and now, the unprece­dented loss of our nation’s prized AAA credit rating. Today, President Obama promised that ‘things will get better.’ But it has become increasingly clear that the only way things will get better is with new leadership in the White House.”
  • Jon Huntsman “Out-of-control spending and a lack of leadership in Washington have resulted in President Obama presiding over the first downgrade of the United States credit rating in our history. For far too long we have let reckless government spending go unchecked and the cancerous debt afflicting our nation has spread. We need new leadership in Washington committed to fiscal responsibility, a balanced budget, and job-friendly policies to get America working again.”
  • Michele Bachmann “This President has destroyed the credit rating of the United States through his failed economic policies and his inability to control government spending by raising the debt ceiling. … President Obama is destroying the foundations of the U.S. economy one beam at a time. I call on the President to seek the immediate resignation of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and to submit a plan with a list of cuts to balance the budget this year, turn our economy around and put Americans back to work.” source
  • » One note on the Bachmann one: You’ll note that if you read the full document, it specifically blames Republican policies — largely their unwillingness to raise revenue by raising taxes — for the downgrade. Yes, there is too much debt. Yes, it needs to be dealt with. But if the GOP can’t give an inch on taxes, then these words don’t hold water.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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