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12 Nov 2011 17:14

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U.S.: Some quick numbers from Saturday’s Penn State football game

  • 107,903 the number of people that paid to see the game, the largest crowd at Beaver Stadium this year
  • $22,000 the amount raised during the game by charity groups that support the prevention of child abuse source
  • » “Therapy” for a battered school: Why did the game, the team’s first in 46 years without Joe Paterno, draw such huge crowds? Simply put, it was a bit of a release after a trying week, despite the discomfort around the game. “It’s therapy,” said one fan, Dave Young. “I love Penn State football, always will love Penn State football. Tough week, cried in my office a couple times when I had moments to myself. But now it’s time to release and watch the football game and enjoy it.” Penn State lost to Nebraska, 17-14, which, despite a late rally, was not to be.

12 Nov 2011 16:45

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Politics: Herman Cain: God told me to run for president

  • You da man, Herman. You da man!
  • God • Telling Herman Cain he should run for president — at least according to Herman Cain. In an Associated Press article released on Saturday, Cain said God encouraged him to run for president. God also told Michele Bachmann to run for president back in July and God also apparently supported Tim Pawlenty’s run for president back in April. We’re not entirely sure the above is what God directly said to Cain — if He said anything at all — but we’re pretty sure it’s close. source

12 Nov 2011 16:37

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World: More on Silvio Berlusconi’s exit as Italian Prime Minister

The long-controversial Italian PM exits as the two chambers of Parliament passed a tough austerity plan. The Senate passed it Friday; the lower house passed it today with a resounding 380-26 vote. source

12 Nov 2011 14:38

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Biz: MF Global announces layoffs as gracefully as it handled bankruptcy

  • 1,066 MF Global employees getting the boot source
  • » Some found out via media reports: You know what sucks more than getting laid off from your job because your boss (Jon Corzine, who stepped down from the troubled company last week) made a stupid bet on the Euro zone debt crisis and lost, badly? Finding out that you’re getting laid off via news story, rather than through your own company. “We were well into the process of notifying employees and were attempting to personally reach as many employees as possible when the release went out,” noted Kent Jarrell, a spokesperson for James Giddens, the trustee charged with liquidating the company. A number of MF Global employees — none speaking publicly — reported finding out this way.

12 Nov 2011 13:33

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U.S.: Venezuelan MLB player Wilson Ramos describes kidnapping

  • I was super scared, and even though they did not hurt me physically, it was something that was very painful. I didn’t think I was ever going to see my family again, and that hurt me so much. But now, I am with them again and it feels tremendous to be back.
  • Washington Nationals player Wilson Ramos • Discussing his kidnapping ordeal, which ended last night amidst a storm of gunfire. Ramos claims that, despite his kidnapping, his kidnappers treated him well. “They wanted money and they said they were not going to hurt me if they got their money,” he said. “They actually treated me well. They never hurt me. They fed me. They knew who I was and said it was not about hurting me. It was about money.” Ramos, who is from Venezuela, is the first known MLB player to be captured in this way, though it’s happened before with players’ relatives. source

12 Nov 2011 13:12

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World: Ten days after peace agreement, Arab League boots Syria out

  • Nov. 2 Syria, facing mounting criticism over its conduct in the wake of the Arab Spring protests, agrees to an Arab League plan to end the violence against protesters in the region. Despite this, little actually changes in the country.
  • Nov. 12 The Arab League suspends Syria from the organization after the violence against protesters continues despite the agreement. The country will remain out of the Arab League until it makes changes that respect the opposition. source