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

01 Sep 2011 21:48

tags

Politics: New York Times: Obama’s scheduling fight with Boehner embarrassing

  • The contemptuous reaction from the House speaker, John Boehner, to the president’s request to address a joint session next Wednesday — the day Congress returns from its summer recess — was appalling. No matter how he feels about Mr. Obama personally or politically, there can be no excuse for his lack of respect for the office, to which he is second in the line of succession. And it was distressing to watch President Obama fail, once again, to stand up to an opposition that won’t brook the smallest compromise.
  • The New York Times Editorial Board • In a piece titled “Oh, Grow Up,” on the infighting between Obama and Boehner over the timing of the president’s speech on jobs. To put it simply, we’re with them. Especially on this particular point: “Worse, the vital importance of the speech — and the need for Congress to take its full responsibility for creating jobs and reviving the economy — was upstaged by yet another Washington soap opera.” God, it’s like Washington breaks a little more with each passing day. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 17:21

tags

World: Libya: Animals at Tripoli Zoo neglected amidst fighting

  • Languishing in cages: A video from CNN highlighting the plight of the animals still locked in the Tripoli Zoo, where their care and basic necessities have been both neglected by many, and made generally unavailable. The images of visibly undernourished tigers and lions are unpleasant to see, as it is to reflect on the fate these animals could face unless they get help — presumably a slow death by hunger and dehydration. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 17:04

tags

U.S.: Insomnia in the American workforce carries a high price tag

  • $63 billion in U.S. economic loss because of insomnia source
  • » Sleep, important to everything: Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the University of Michigan have determined that the combined cost in loss of productivity as a result of insomnia in the American workforce is, well, that startling number you see above. Frankly, having had a few sleepless nights as a direct result of the dire economy ourselves, isn’t turnabout fair play? Seriously, though, the health findings on insufficient sleep are resounding enough that we should aspire to find solutions to this, regardless of the level of economic drag.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 16:42

tags

Politics: Stephen Colbert more popular with SC independent voters than Obama?

  • 12% Stephen Colbert’s poll numbers for a hypothetical presidential run in his home state of South Carolina — in a three-way against Perry and Obama
  • 24% Colbert’s level of support amongst “independent” South Carolinians, just behind Perry at 27%, and actually besting Obama at 22% source
  • » And obviously, there are other horses in the race. The surprise takeaway of this poll, the endlessly amusing inclusion of Colbert-related polling values aside, is the divergence in the state primary and national prospects of Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. Despite being favored to beat Romney in a primary, Romney polls much stronger in a South Carolina general election against Obama than Perry does. The key may be those “independent” voters again — Romney leads Obama by 16% amongst independents, while Perry only leads Obama by 3%.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 16:07

tags

World: New Wikileaks cable suggests UN peacekeepers dealt food for sex

  • Sex exploitation by UN peacekeepers: A 2010 UN embassy cable released by Wikileaks indicates that U.N. peacekeepers traded food and basic supplies (mobile phones, as well) for sex with destitute underage girls in the Ivory Coast. The cable concerns the actions of Beninese peacekeepers in the town of Toulepleu, sixteen of whom a UN spokesman has now acknowledged were barred from UN service following a year-long investigation. Said a protection officer with Save The Children: “…sexual exploitation and abuse problem among (United Nations) personnel is more extensive than is recognized.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 11:11

tags

World: Syrian political official steps down via YouTube video

  • Adnan Muhammad al-Bakkour, the Attorney General of the Syrian province of Hama, resigned in protest of the bloodshed being perpetrated by the Assad government. Via YouTube. He’s a translation of his video. He’s the highest-ranking official to resign amidst the crackdown. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 11:00

tags

World: Libya: Muammar Gaddafi drops sexist call to arms in statement

  • We will not give up. We are not women. We will continue fighting.
  • Muammar Gaddafi • Dropping a suitably sexist statement in regards to his losing battle against the Libyan rebels, during a message aired on Al Arabiya television. We don’t even know where to start with this. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

01 Sep 2011 10:54

tags

Politics: BURN: College student schools Rick Santorum on gay parenting

  • This is officially our new favorite video. In it, Rick Santorum (speaking to a group of students at Penn State on Tuesday night) makes a strong argument why he’s not a bigot for thinking gay marriage is wrong, and a student tears into him, basically shutting down his argument. This is arguably more damaging than his Piers Morgan interview, where the bigotry charge came up. Rick Santorum, you just got shut down by a college student. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 10:40

tags

World: War casualties: Iraq War hits historic low, Afghan War hits historic high

  • 4,464 number of U.S. troops that have died in the Iraq War since fighting began in mid-2003; combat operations ended last year, but training and support staff remain
  • zero number of U.S. troops that died in the country in August; the shocking part is that this is literally the first month without a casualty since the start of the war source
  • » Afghan War in sharp contrast: Part of the reason for the lack of troop deaths in Iraq is that the war in Afghanistan has picked up. There, it was a record month where 66 Americans died — a total which was much higher than it would’ve been due to the deadly Chinook helicopter crash that killed 30 highly-specialized troops.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2011 10:27

tags

World: Australian outlaw Ned Kelly’s remains discovered via DNA testing

  • So that’s where that Heath Ledger movie came from. The headless remains of notorious bucket-clad Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, whose plight was the subject of the first feature-length film ever made, were discovered in a former Melbourne prison and — get this — confirmed via DNA testing. Officials were impressed. “To think a group of scientists could identify the body of a man who was executed more than 130 years ago, moved and buried in a haphazard fashion among 33 other prisoners, most of whom are not identified, is amazing,” said Victoria Attorney General Robert Clark. Next challenge: Figuring out if he and Buckethead are distant relatives. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
top tags