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24 Aug 2011 00:37

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Culture: “Girls Gone Wild” founder accused of assault (again)

  • Noted sleazeball Joe Francis is in trouble with the law again. This time, the “Girls Gone Wild” founder and accused rapist is charged with false imprisonment and assault, and could serve five years in jail if convicted (it wouldn’t be his first time). The allegation: Three women entered Francis’ limo, believing he was giving them a ride to their car. When it became clear that they were actually headed to Francis’ home, they tried to get out, but Francis’ bodyguard, posing as a sheriff, prevented them from leaving. Once they arrived at the gated compound, Francis tried to pull one women away from her friends; when she resisted, he grabbed her by the throat and started slamming her head against a tile floor. This seems to be Francis’ modus operandi; two years ago, he was caught on video grabbing a woman by the hair and dragging her through a night club after she accidentally spilled a drink on him. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)  source

23 Aug 2011 22:20

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U.S.: Libyan rebel nabs Gaddafi’s hat

  • This rebel made out like a bandit, scoring Muammar Gaddafi’s hat during a raid of the likely-soon-to-be-deposed leader’s compound. A pretty good memento, if you ask us. The interview gets bittersweet midway through, when the rebel starts recounting the deaths of his friends. The whole thing is worth watching, if only to hear a first-hand account of the rebel experience.  source

23 Aug 2011 21:39

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Tech: The LA Times’ latest headline scares the crap out of us

  • Despite the relatively benign story, everything about this–the headline, the positioning of the robot’s arms, the fact that the robot has its own Twitter account–has us doubting humankind’s continued reign of dominance on Earth. “I’m semi-autonomous,” Robonaut 2 (or “R2”) tweeted. “I require ground control, but I can also respond to my environment within controlled specifications.” Yeah, well, you say “controlled specifications,” we hear “I, Robot.” source

23 Aug 2011 16:32

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World: Video shows rebels storming Gaddafi compound

  • Breaching the walls: Scenes from Tripoli earlier today, as rebel forces successfully breached the compound of Muammar Gaddafi. source

23 Aug 2011 15:56

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U.S.: Unlikely dual earthquakes strike Colorado, Virginia

  • west A 5.3 quake struck the state of Colorado late Monday, the southern part of the state hit by the rumbling. This is unusual, as Colorado generally doesn’t see high levels of seismic activity.
  • east Today, a 5.9 earthquake struck in Virginia, and sent shock-waves through the northeast — clear to New England, New York, and DC. The USGS says they can’t trace this quake to a specific fault. source

23 Aug 2011 15:26

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World: As New York DSK charges fall apart, Tristane Banon presses on

  • over The rape charges against former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn were dismissed in New York today, when the prosecution admitted their case couldn’t hold up due to “credibility issues” surrounding his accuser, Nafissatou Diallo.
  • not over Strauss-Kahn is not without legal concerns, however. French writer Tristane Banon has said she’ll continue pressing her charges (in French courts) that Strauss-Kahn attempted to rape her during an interview in 2003. source

23 Aug 2011 10:24

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World: Tripoli rebel siege: Don’t expect this to be an overnight thing, guys.

  • The tensions are far from being over. The situation is dynamic and complex.
  • NATO Col. Roland Lavoie • Emphasizing that the situation in Tripoli is far from over. You know, just in case you had any questions about it. A key sign of this was the reappearance of Saif al-Islam, a symbolic flash point that suggested to many that this wasn’t going to be an overnight change. Regarding the explanation on his sudden reappearance, rebel spokesperson Dia Alhutmany explained off earlier reports that he helped circulate about al-Islam’s reappearance: “Anyway, whether he is arrested or still free, the regime is no longer (ruling) the country, and very soon he and his father will be captured.” Either way, the fighting is still on. Much more to do. source
 

22 Aug 2011 23:28

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U.S., World: Never fear, Captain Biden is here, and he’s a Big #(&@(&% Deal!

  • When in Mongolia…: Vice President Joe Biden visited Mongolia as his latest stop on his Asian tour. Mongolia is expected to open its natural resources to foreign investors soon. While we’re not sure if Biden makes the best diplomat, he’s definitely the one we trust the most with a bow and arrow. (You might’ve heard that the guy who preceded him in the job had some trouble handling weapons properly.) On his trip, he was also presented with a horse, which Biden named “Celtic”. Can you say “live-action ‘Mulan’ remake”? source

22 Aug 2011 23:02

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U.S.: In tonight’s episode of “WHERE WERE THEIR PARENTS?!”:

  • 5,200 U.S. kids fall out of windows each year source
  • » On the plus side, that number’s falling: Between 1990 and 2008, roughly 7.3 children and teens per 100,000 fell out of windows each year, which is actually down — especially in areas that have pushed safety campaigns to prevent this from happening. However, it’s not the case in every city. In New York and Boston, previous studies have shown 96 percent declines. In this study, that level is much lower.

22 Aug 2011 22:28

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Culture: Celebrities are just like us: You know, heroes!

  • winslet Actress Kate Winslet stayed at Richard Branson’s (founder of the Virgin Group) this past weekend. While she was there, a fire broke out on the Caribbean compound. Winslet carried his 90-year-old mother to safety. What a woman!
  • gosling While walking down a New York City street, Ryan Gosling happened upon a squabble. Men were fighting over a painting; naturally, Gosling stepped in to break it up. Be sure to watch the video to watch the men in action. source