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04 Jul 2010 11:29

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U.S.: Going green: Obama throws a bunch of money at solar jobs

  • $1.85
    billion     the amount Obama is setting aside for solar energy
  • 5,000
    jobs     the amount of work that’ll add to the labor force source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

04 Jul 2010 10:52

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U.S.: David Petraeus jumps into Afghanistan just in time for the Fourth

  • We are in this to win. We have arrived at a critical moment.
  • Gen. David Petraeus • Speaking to his Afghan troops on the Fourth of July (of all days), his first official day of service in the region. It’s been a difficult month in the region, with more coalition casualties in June than at any period since the war began. Petraeus reflected that in his speech. “As you and our Afghan partners on the ground get into tough situations, we must employ all assets to ensure your safety,” he said, “keeping in mind, again, the importance of avoiding civilian casualties.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Jul 2010 14:12

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U.S.: Thomas Jefferson’s eraser no match for modern technology

  • citizens How the Declaration of Independence refers to people who live in the United States of America. A pretty good description.
  • subjects What Jefferson originally wrote – something which he tried to erase but historians figured out earlier this year. Oops. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Jul 2010 11:37

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U.S.: Snaps: The Democratic Republic of Congo oil blast, underplayed?

  • We needed a new feature, and we think we have a pretty good one. Basically, we’re going to take a big story and see how it’s being covered on the front page of major news sites. Is it getting underplayed? Overplayed? This time around, We’re tackling the horrific oil tanker blast in Congo, which is new enough that a lot of people haven’t heard about it (it broke in the middle of the night in the U.S.). Otherwise, it’s a slow news day. On the downside, though, the story has no art, which might hurt its play. Let’s compare:
  • BBC: Top of the pageAs might be expected, considering the nature of the very deadly incident, BBC gave it top-of-the-front-page treatment.
  • CNN: Secondary lead storyWhile it was CNN’s top news story for a while (and worthy of an alert), it was replaced by a story about slain cops.

 

  • New York Times: BuriedThe New York Times, on the other hand, didn’t even bother to give it display play, instead putting it in their wire-stories-only slot.
  • Google News: right at the topGoogle News, which chooses its stories by computer algorithms, gave it much nicer coverage, just above Serena Williams.

 

  • MSNBC: Huge headlineMSNBC.com made the story their main news item with a huge headline, while giving Serena Williams art play off to the side.
  • Fox News: BuriedFox News buried the story even further than the New York Times did, preferring instead to lead with Joe Biden’s visit to Iraq.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Jul 2010 02:45

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U.S.: Well, duh: Robert Gates wants no repeats of McChrystal’s Folly

  • Gates’ staff wrote up some new marching orders for dealing with media. Just in time! As members of the media, we would agree that the level of access Rolling Stone got with Stanley McChrystal was shocking, given the nature of his job. Now, leaders have to notify the Defense Department’s assistant secretary for public affairs prior to high-profile or high-impact interviews. Which means, in layman’s turns, they have to call the military’s PR department and ask if it’s a good idea. It was being worked on prior to the article, surprisingly. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Jul 2010 21:55

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U.S.: Chicago’s new gun law: As much like the old one as possible

  • four number of days ago that the Supreme Court struck down the city’s ban on firearms
  • one number of operable guns a new law allows residents to own (inoperable ones are OK)
  • zero number of city council members who voted against the new law, passed today source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Jul 2010 21:18

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U.S.: Did an appeals court support Ah-nold’s minimum wage scheme?

  • YES though the California state controller is fighting it source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

02 Jul 2010 21:12

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U.S.: Obama’s eulogy for Robert Byrd was pretty darn touching

  • He said: ‘There are things I regretted in my youth; you may – you may know that.’ And I said: ‘None of us are absent some regrets, senator. That’s why we enjoy and seek the grace of God.’
  • President Barack Obama • Giving the eulogy at Sen. Robert Byrd’s funeral in Charleston, West Virginia on Friday. He further noted that his indiscretions were made up for over time. “As I reflect on the full sweep of his 92 years, it seems to me that his life bent towards justice,” he said. Bill Clinton also spoke a little too, noting his KKK affiliation directly – he was the only speaker that did. But then again, a black president spoke at his funeral. So that’s definitely something to be said about the power of redemption. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Jul 2010 11:18

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U.S., World: Anna Chapman’s husband: The spy who loved me ditched me

The former husband of Anna Chapman, left, says that she went from carefree to materialistic and met with a lot of Russian dudes. It was weird. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Jul 2010 11:01

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U.S.: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sticks it to state workers

  • Nearly all of them are gonna be making minimum wage until a budget’s set. The governor is basing the move on a 2003 state Supreme Court decision, White v. Davis, which says that employees without a budget that sets aside an allocation for salaries will get minimum wage until said budget is set, at which point they’ll get the back salary covered. At $7.25 an hour – in California – this seems a tad cruel. Look, we know that California politics are tough, but there’s no reason to use state employees as pawns in a political game. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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