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09 Jun 2011 14:04

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World: Viagra possibly being used for some horrific stuff in Libya

  • Disturbing allegations An International Criminal Court prosecutor has claimed that Gaddafi is buying a “Viagra-like” drug for his troops to help them commit sexual assaults. The prosecutor is trying to prove that the Gaddafi regime is using sexual assault as a weapon of war. The prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, has been working on this case for some time and is serious about taking Gaddafi down.
  • Denials on both sides Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, says they haven’t shipped any of their drugs to Libya since the sanctions started back in February. The report says “Viagra-like,” but it’s possible Gaddafi’s troops are getting the real thing from the black market. Libyan spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim also denies the charges, calling them the “same old nonsense.” Either way, this whole thing is disgusting. source

09 Jun 2011 13:22

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Tech: HP’s TouchPad: Similar style, similar price to the iPad

  • $499.99 the cost of the new HP TouchPad’s 16GB model
  • $599.99 the cost of the TouchPad’s 32GB model; sound familiar? source
  • » Openly gunning for Apple’s market: The TouchPad, coming out on July 1, doesn’t just share the same cost as the iPad; it’s also the same size, and has many other striking similarities as well. However, what does set it apart is WebOS, which will also make its way to HP laptops eventually. It will be interesting to see how this feature-for-feature cage match pans out.

08 Jun 2011 14:31

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Biz: Double-dip fuels fear of another Great Depression

  • 48% of people think another depression is coming source
  • » That’s the highest level ever. While the poll question (from a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll) had a slight majority — 51 percent — saying we probably won’t have one, a possible double-dip recession has many folks a little concerned. Obama promises that’s not going to happen. He better hope he’s right — 51 percent of people also said that the economy is extremely important in determining who they’ll vote for.

08 Jun 2011 13:17

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Tech: Nintendo – promising more than they can deliver?

  • excited Yesterday Nintendo announced a new console, and it seemed pretty awesome. From the touch screen controller to the HD graphics, the Wii U was proving itself to be a console that could compete. It was exciting seeing Nintendo stepping up to be a real competitor.
  • disappointed It seems that Nintendo used some footage from the competition during their press conference. Some of the games they showed weren’t from their new console, but from the current-gen Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Which is kind of embarrassing.  source

07 Jun 2011 14:31

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Tech: Nintendo’s new console steps up to compete, finally

  • The Wii U takes the controller a step further: The new Nintendo console will remind you a bit of their handheld DS. It has a touch screen in the controller, which will add a bit to gameplay. In addition, the Wii U will be the first Nintendo system to feature HD graphics. The controller can also be used to make voice calls and run old Nintendo games, which is pretty awesome. It’s going to come out next year, but there hasn’t been a price announced yet. Expect that controller to be pretty expensive, though. source

07 Jun 2011 14:01

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U.S.: Women’s rights debate moves to a billboard controversy

  • This Would Have Been A Picture Of My 2-Month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To Not KILL Our Child!
  • A billboard purchased by Greg Fultz • Expressing his frustration with what he says was his ex-girlfriend’s choice to abort her pregnancy, denying him a chance to become a father. What’s problematic is that the woman’s friends say it wasn’t an abortion at all, but a miscarriage. A court has recommended these billboards be taken down, but Fultz’s lawyer says that violates his client’s free speech rights, citing the Supreme Court case dealing with Westboro Baptist Church earlier this year. Seems like one big mess to us. source

07 Jun 2011 13:27

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U.S.: Arizona wildfire forces evacuations and shuts down airports

  • Arizona’s struggling with the third-largest wildfire in its history, which has already consumed over 230,000 acres of land. Low humidity and high winds aren’t making it easy for fire crews fighting the blaze, either (wind has carried burning embers up to three miles). The fires have forced people from their homes, the smoke has closed airports, and the Apache National Forest has shuttered in the wake of the blaze. On the bright side, the wildfires have only destroyed four summer rental cabins. Best wishes to those in Arizona affected by the fire, and hope for the safety of the firefighters out there. source
 

07 Jun 2011 12:53

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U.S.: Dancing at the Jefferson Memorial sparks new national holiday

  • banned Last Saturday, there was a flashmob at the Jefferson Memorial in DC to protest a dancing ban at the national icon. About 200 people showed up to party like it’s 1999 after a court said in May that the landmark isn’t a dancefloor. There was a similar happening closer to the court ruling, but people were roughed up and arrested.
  • rebellion Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes wants to declare July 30th “National Dancing Day” and move the dancing flashmob to the National mall in response to the court ruling. Norton said this whole thing was a wake up call, and DC should do more with the National Mall — like throw an awesome dance party on it. Good show. source

05 Jun 2011 13:16

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U.S.: Breast cancer trial: At-risk patients helped by new drug

  • 65% decreased risk after taking hormone-blocking pill source
  • » A huge step forward: The study, which involved 4,500 people, represents progress towards a safe-to-take drug that prevents breast cancer in at-risk patients. While anti-estrogen drugs already exist on the market, they’ve had pretty horrific side effects that discourage their use. So far, aromatase inhibitors don’t have any of these side effects — but it’s important to note that there haven’t been long-term studies with this, either. (This is the first time researchers tested an aromatase inhibitor tested clinically.) However, it’s still encouraging and worth keeping an eye on.

05 Jun 2011 12:54

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Politics: Sarah Palin apologizes for hogging Mitt Romney’s spotlight

 

  • I apologize if I stepped on any of that PR that Mitt Romney needed or wanted that day.
  • Sarah Palin on “Fox News Sunday” • Suggesting that she sort of stole Romney’s thunder because her bus tour stopped in a town near to where Romney was announcing his candidacy — on a farm in New Hampshire. She’s also said that her much-publicized bus tour hasn’t moved her any closer to a decision on whether she’s running for president. Here’s a tip, Sarah — until you make up your mind, don’t screw over the people from your party. source