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13 Sep 2011 16:30

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World: Libya’s Mustafa Abdel Jalil responds to Amnesty International

  • Libyan leader pledges respect for human rights: On Monday, Amnesty International released a report on Libya’s past six months of warfare. It found that while pro-Gaddafi forces committed widespread war crimes, there were also incidences of such crimes within the Libyan rebellion – torture, disappearances, and the mass killing of prisoners among them. The leader of Libya’s interim council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, has responded by vowing the new government will respect human rights (though it won’t be a secular one, as he says Libya will remain a moderate Islamic nation), and pledged to investigate claims of war crimes committed by his own fighters. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 15:42

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Politics: Elizabeth Warren will run for Senate in Massachusetts, taking on Scott Brown

  • then President Obama decided that Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren wouldn’t head up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Despite the CFPB being Warren’s brainchild, it was clear the GOP would not vote for her confirmation in any measure.
  • now Warren’s set her sights on a job for which she doesn’t need Republican approval — she just needs to beat them. Warren is expected to announce her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts tomorrow, running against GOP Sen. Scott Brown. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 15:20

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Politics: Four more executions in Texas scheduled over next eight days

  • Rick Perry’s Execution problem: Though it’s beginning to look like an asset in a deep-red GOP primary process, the brouhaha over Rick Perry’s stewardship of the Texas death penalty continues – four more inmates are slated to die over the next eight days. In one case, a man named Duane Buck who shot and killed two people was subject to prejudicial testimony when a psychologist claimed his race (Buck is black) increased the likelihood of future dangerous acts. Another, Steven Woods, is to be executed for a murder that an accomplice has since claimed he carried out. Whatever your political stripe, these issues demand intense scrutiny from a responsible society (as this exemplary article illustrates, the odds that Texas has executed an innocent person seem gallingly high). source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 14:50

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Politics: GOP begins rhetorical push-back on Obama jobs bill

  • What the president’s proposed so far is not serious. And it’s not a jobs plan.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell • Ramping up his criticism of President Obama’s jobs bill. The plan’s starting point is, as many of the President’s negotiating postures throughout his term have been, pretty generous; more than 50% of its value goes to tax cuts, ostensibly a cherished Republican ideal. Obama’s tact in discussing the bill has been unique from past initiatives, too – whereas on health care and financial reform he deliberately distanced himself from the process, deferring to congress, he’s said in no uncertain terms that this is his plan, and he wants it passed swiftly. Faced with a more assertive adversary, the GOP seems happy to stick to the playbook, and why not? It’s been very successful for them so far, if at the risk of looking obstinate. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 11:08

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World: Miss Universe Leila Lopes, from Angola, plans to work to fight HIV

  • As Miss Angola I’ve already done a lot to help my people. I’ve worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs … I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more.
  • The new Miss Universe, Leila Lopes • Describing what she plans to do to help as the new Miss Universe. The current Miss Angola is a bit of a trailblazer as far as beauty pageant winners go — she’s one of the few black women to win the Miss Universe title, and she had harsh words for anyone that might have a problem with that: “Any racist needs to seek help.” Not that we’re particularly huge fans of Miss Anything pageants, but considering her social stances, we can totally get behind this winner. Africa has a huge HIV problem, and needs any help it can get. Now it has a high-profile ambassador. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 10:49

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U.S.: U.S. poverty rate: Nearly one in seven people live in poverty

  • 15.1% the poverty rate in the U.S. back in 1993 — the highest level in 20 years
  • 11.3% the poverty rate in 2000 — the lowest it’s been in the modern era
  • 15.1% the poverty rate in 2010 — MATCHING the 1993 high source
  • » What these numbers mean: The current poverty line in the U.S. is $22,314 a year for a family of four and $11,139 for an individual, so anyone making less than that falls into these numbers. To put this into hard numbers, that means 46.2 million people are living below the poverty line. As for the middle class, their median income is $49,445 — actually down just a little bit from the year before. (Editor’s note: We just clarified the poverty line numbers.)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 00:50

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Culture: Anderson Cooper goes full-Oprah with talk show debut

  • Daytime’s new icon? Anderson Cooper brought his silvery hair and serious demeanor to daytime television today, just in time for a TV landscape lacking a new Oprah. Why the change? Well, according to Business Insider, Anderson Cooper’s primetime ratings on CNN have severely fallen over the last two years; they say that his new daytime talk show could help save his career. A few clips from his first show are already online; some of his first guests were members of Amy Winehouse’s family (not a bad get, by the way, Anderson!). In this clip, they say that her death was not caused by illegal drugs. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

13 Sep 2011 00:43

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Culture: Angry Birds: Educational? Uh, sure, why the heck not?

  • That’s why it’s only natural that today’s more tech-savvy educators are recognising the potential of using games as a teaching device in their classrooms.
  • Ntombezinhle Modiselle, a South African teacher • Defending the use of technology in the classroom.  This teacher is trying to recognize the fact that “today’s learners are the gamer generation.” We kinda think that the Atlanta teacher using “Angry Birds” to teach velocity and acceleration might be taking it a little far, though. What’s next, urban planning through “SimCity”? (OK, OK, you’re right, that’s actually a good idea) World War II history through “Call of Duty”? Statistics through one of the “Final Fantasy” games? source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Sep 2011 00:29

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Culture: Let’s change the subject, for kicks: J. Lo and Bradley Cooper eat DINNER.

  • Can celebrities just be friends? Apparently not. Jennifer Lopez and Bradley Cooper were seen having dinner together this weekend in Toronto. Sparks were flying and chemistry abounded. This could be some sort of PR stunt. It could be the start of a relationship, maybe. She could be Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper. Or, it could just be pretty people enjoying each other’s friendship. Who are we to judge? And how do we manage to transition from a night filled with politics to celebrity gossip? We don’t know how we do it. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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