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16 Oct 2009 11:44

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U.S.: An interracial couple was denied the right to marry. In 2009.

  • He’s an elected public official and one of his duties is to marry people. He doesn’t have the right to say he doesn’t believe in it.
  • Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, NAACP branch president Patricia Morris • Regarding Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell, who would not issue a marriage license to an interracial couple last week. He claimed he wasn’t being racist, but simply thinking of the children. Likely story. Anyway, Bardwell, an elected official, legally is to perform weddings without bias or prejudice, neither of which he did in this situation. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

16 Oct 2009 10:39

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U.S.: A former co-worker of balloon dad says the story is full of hot air

  • I just thought he was beginning to push them into some things that were ethically on the edge. … I knew at some point he would create a situation that would bring attention like he’s having right now. I didn’t want to be a part of that.
  • Scott Stevens • A former colleague of “baloon dad” Richard Henne who had a falling out with the storm-chaser over how much he was getting his kids into. Many are strongly convinced that this is a hoax, but Richard Henne stands by his claim that it wasn’t. “We were holding on to every second, hoping that he’s OK,” he said. “I’m not selling anything. This is what we do all the time. I don’t have a can of beans I’m trying to promote.”  • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Oct 2009 22:12

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U.S.: Obama can’t get his federal judges in; is it because he’s not trying?

  • 90 federal judges, or 10% of the total judge posts, are needed; caseloads are starting to back up source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Oct 2009 21:03

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U.S.: We bestow a blue ribbon on the Balloon Boy story. A modern classic.

Faux news
Simply put, you had it all. Between the incredibly random nature of your occurrence, the wall-to-wall media coverage, the likelihood of danger, the kid angle (must be emphasized), the reality TV angle, the waste of public resources, the rapt attention you gathered from the public, and the painless resolution that followed hours of panic, Balloon Boy story, you may be the best non-story in the history of news. Way to go, 24-hour news cycle, for giving us hilarity at the cost of actual news. You should be proud. SOURCE
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Oct 2009 22:59

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U.S.: Obama to seniors and veterans: Here’s some extra money

  • $250 each in a possible Social Security stimulus source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

14 Oct 2009 11:10

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U.S.: Standardized math scores suck: Children left behind en masse

  • 39% of fourth-graders scored proficiently on a national math test source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Oct 2009 10:07

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U.S., World: Abortions not done in a doctors’ care are often deadly

  • 70,000 killed by unsafe abortions yearly source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

13 Oct 2009 20:03

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U.S.: So, what’s next on the health-care roadmap? More meetings

  • The Finance Committee’s bill will be combined with a bill passed in July by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. source
  • After that, the Congressional Budget Office and Senate Democrats will do vetting of the combined bill to make sure it passes muster. source
  • Finally, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promises, the bill will be voted on by the full Senate by the end of the month. Then the House gets it. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Oct 2009 19:54

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U.S.: The Senate Finance Committee lets go of the health care hot potato

  • $829 billion the size of the Senate Finance Committee bill source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Oct 2009 11:28

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U.S.: What’s it like to be married to the D.C. sniper? It’s pretty scary.

  • When I met John, he was very charming and thoughtful. He would give you the shirt off your back. He was that kind of person, before he went to the Gulf War. When he returned in 1991 he was a different man.
  • Mildred Muhammad • Wife of D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad, describing his personality changes which led to the 2002 shootings. John, who kept the District gripped in fear for weeks due to the random nature of the shootings, will be executed next month for the crime. Mildred has a new memoir on the experience, “Scared Silent,” out this week. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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