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05 Feb 2010 20:18

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Offbeat, U.S.: Obama respects the snow that D.C.’s getting THIS TIME

  • Even a transplanted Hawaiian to Chicago has sufficient respect for a forecast of nearly two feet of snow.
  • White House press secretary Robert Gibbs • Regarding the snowpocalypse currently taking over D.C. Why does Gibbs have to say this? Simple. Obama was pissed last year, when schools would close after a light dusting. D.C. is a different beast than Chicago, sure, but the city has been known to overreact a little about snow. Obama was right to trash them a year ago, just like he’s right to stay quiet now.. In other news, the D.C. area might get thundersnow tonight. SNOWPOCALYPSE WHAT WHAT? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2010 13:32

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U.S.: Ex-John Edwards aide Andrew Young better give back that sex tape

  • Young was put in contempt of court today. Andrew Young, Edwards’ right-hand man in the midst of the politician’s sex scandal, has a sex tape that Reille Hunter, the other woman, wants. While Hunter had a temporary restraining order against Young, he wouldn’t give the tape back. Now he’s in contempt of court, but was not jailed, just reprimanded. If he gives the tape back by Wednesday, he’ll be golden. Will he? We’ll see. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2010 12:09

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Politics, U.S.: Richard Shelby turns the Senate into his personal gridlock

  • 70 Obama nominees blocked over an Air Force tanker deal source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2010 10:48

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U.S.: The East Coast, D.C. in particular, is freaking out about snow


  • We’re trying something new with our Twitter tags, and switching to embeds from HootSuite. Like it? Don’t like? Let us know.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 4 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2010 10:19

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Biz, U.S.: Why the drop in unemployment is less impressive than it seems

  • 9.7% the current jobless rate, a five-month low source
  • Why this seems good After months of hovering over the 10% mark, it seems like (on the surface) we’re finally cutting into the economy’s debilitating factor. Obama has been feeling pressure on this for months now.
  • Why it really isn’t Payrolls still cut by 20,000 despite unemployment, which suggests that some people have stopped looking and are no longer counted. Also, some major industries are struggling, including construction.
  • Some promising signs Despite the job market’s mixed signals, there are signs the worst is over. Workweeks are longer, overtime is going up, more temps are getting work, and average earnings are up too.  source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Feb 2010 23:47

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U.S.: Blago has a few more charges to answer to over that Senate thing

  • 16 number of charges Rod Blagojevich was indicted for last April
  • 24 number of charges Blago faces in an expanded inquiry
  • Why the change? Blago’s former charges had a lot to do with what’s referred to as “honest services fraud,” a statute that allows lawyers to nail corrupt politicians who get a few too many perks for white collar crimes. This law, passed by Congress in the ’80s and responsible for nailing Conrad Black, Jack Abramoff and fellow former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, is likely to get struck down by the Supreme Court in a few months, so they needed something else to nail him on. The eight new charges don’t rely on the law. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Feb 2010 10:10

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Biz, U.S.: Many homeowners choosing to give up on their worthless mortgages

  • Since the beginning of December, I’ve advised 60 people to walk away. Everyone has lost hope. They don’t qualify for modifications, and being on the hamster wheel of paying for a property that is not worth it gets so old.
  • Scottsdale, Ariz.-based mortgage broker Steve Walsh • Regarding the depressing, sad state for many homeowners – many who giving up on their homes due to mortgages that cost more than the homes are actually worth. 4.5 million homeowners have homes that are worth just 25% or less than the cost they paid. Many are choosing to foreclose rather than stay stuck in a property they don’t want. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

03 Feb 2010 22:08

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U.S.: Don’t not sweat it: Self-help guru charged in sweat lodge deaths

  • helpful James Ray is a world-reknowned self-help expert who’s shown up on TV shows, including “Larry King Live” and “Oprah.”
  • harmful During a sweat-lodge meetup Ray organized in New Mexico last year, three people died and 20 people got sick as a result of the bad idea.
  • helpless Ray was charged today on three counts of manslaughter in the wake of the sweat lodge deaths. He says it was an accident. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

03 Feb 2010 21:19

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U.S.: Michigan Governor: We aren’t just about cars anymore

  • Where the old Michigan economy was all about autos and manufacturing…the new Michigan economy is much broader: clean energy, life sciences — like bio-economy and medical devices — homeland security and defense, advanced manufacturing, film and tourism.
  • Micigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm • In her final State of the State address before being term-limited out of office. The state, which has felt the worst effects of the recession, needs a change in mentality. Granholm says she plans to help the state leapfrog the auto industry in its entirety, while not quitting it entirely. With less than a year left, can she pull it off? With the economy in such dire straits, she needs to. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Feb 2010 09:59

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U.S.: In California’s governor race, the spending’s already HUUUGE

  • $39M the amount former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has spent out of her own personal fortune, which is just insane, BTW
  • $19M the amount her Republican primary competitor, Steve Poizner, has spent out of his personal fortune
  • $370k the amount presumptive Democratic candidate Jerry Brown – who hasn’t declared – has spent so far source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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