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21 Oct 2009 23:03

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U.S.: Father doesn’t know best: Iraq-born man attacks “Westernized” daughter

  • Classy, buddy. Police are looking for 48-year-old Arizona resident Faleh Hassan Almaleki after he allegedly ran over his daughter, Noor Faleh Almaleki, along with a friend. His apparent reason? He was angry that she had strayed from her traditional Iraqi values and “had become too ‘Westernized.'” Which is a classy way of responding to the situation, especially since Noor is suffering from life-threatening injuries. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2009 22:45

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U.S.: Democrats shot off some major health-insurer antitrust salvo today

  • We can open up our health insurance markets to real competition and make an important contribution to the health reform efforts under way in both houses of Congress.
  • Democratic Congressman John Conyers • On the House Judiciary Committee’s decision to strip health insurers of their antitrust exemption. This is a BIG DEAL, because it means that big insurers can’t collude or price fix or do willy-nilly like they’ve been doing in the past. It means that the insurers will be subject to state AND federal regulation. They’ve had their antitrust exemption since 1945, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid calls “antiquated” and “an accident of American history.” The legislation will be included as part of the broader health-care legislation.  • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2009 22:30

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U.S.: That sound you hear is the the EPIC FAIL of health care’s dry run

  • The Senate couldn’t push through a Medicare payment bill. An attempt to prevent the 21% reduction of doctors’ Medicare fees couldn’t get through the Senate tonight, with both Republicans and centrist Democrats suggesting the $250 billion price tag was too much. They needed 60 votes to get the bill, supported by the American Medical Association, onto the Senate floor. They got 47. This may be a harbinger of things to come. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is suggesting that much. Have we called him a toolbag lately? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2009 09:58

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U.S.: Study: Chicago’s the most stressful city – but Miami’s pretty chill

  • Just think how stressed out the hurdle-jumpers would be. It nearly won the Olympics a month ago, but perhaps The Windy City didn’t need it, considering how stressed out it is. Other stressed cities include Boston, Los Angeles and San Diego (stay classy). The cities which aren’t stressful include Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, Cincinnati and Minneapolis.source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Oct 2009 22:32

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U.S.: Nancy Pelosi’s got the House health care bill under $900 billion

  • The preliminary estimates we’ve seen from the CBO enable us to make our choices knowing that whatever choice we make will reduce the deficit and will pay for the bill.
  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi • On reining in the cost of the health care bill while paying back the defecit. Currently, there are three separate bills that need to be merged together, but after the Congressional Budget Office took a look at the bills, they now feel they can reasonably combine them into something ready for a vote on the House floor. Hopefully, the Senate can get their stuff together, too. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Oct 2009 10:23

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Sports, U.S.: Steve McNair, a mistress, and a series of desperate texts

  • Baby I might have a break down im so stressed. baby i might need to go to the hospital. baby whats wrong w[ith] me i can hardly breath[e].
  • Sahel Kazemi • In a text exchange between her and former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair the day before they were both found dead in a murder-suicide. Kazemi sounded increasingly desperate in the messages, while McNair was getting annoyed by the constant contact due to the fact that he was with his children. McNair, who was married with children, was seeing a second girl on top of Kazemi. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

20 Oct 2009 09:41

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U.S.: Bailed-out firms in no rush to help the party behind the bailout

  • Having had their hides saved by the Democratic party, it might be suggested that bailed-out firms might try to pat their backs in return in future elections. source
  • However, largely out of fear of further hurting their public image, many bailed-out firms are staying away from a Democratic fundraiser near Wall Street. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

20 Oct 2009 09:09

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U.S., World: Most Americans think Iran’s nuclear program is suspect

  • 88% of Americans think Iran is in it for the weapons source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Oct 2009 20:08

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U.S., World: Spies! Israel! Scientists! Moon water! Stings! Arrests! Secrets!

  • We needed a feel-good story to make us forget about Balloon Boy. Thanks to 52-year-old Stewart Nozette, we have it. Nozette, a top U.S. scientist who found that there was a polar icecap on the moon, was arrested today for attempting to sell state secrets to who he thought was the Israelis, but was really the FBI. We hope he got what he wanted out of this – he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Oct 2009 10:37

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U.S.: Daily Poll: Toking on Obama’s lax medical marijuana policy

  • The Obama administration does not plan to go after medical marijuana users not breaking state laws. This is a big deal for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that Tommy Chong could probably restart his mail-order bong business. It’s a big reversal from the Bush administration. But is it what the country needed? Vote above. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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