Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on TwitterBe a Facebook FanTumble us!

25 Jul 2009 22:35

tags

U.S.: A reporter on Texas’ death row executes his job consistently

  • 315 executions in Texas seen by a single reporter source

25 Jul 2009 22:27

tags

U.S.: It’s official: We can settle our racial differences over beer

  • The president, a scholar and a cop walk into a bar … Henry Louis Gates Jr. confirmed today that he accepted a chance to have a beer with not only the white Cambridge police officer who arrested him, but President Barack Obama, whose spare comments on Gates’ arrest got him in the middle of a bunch of drama we’re sure he didn’t want. They won’t be drinking at some corner bar outside of Harvard, though – they’ll be drinking at the White House, which we’re sure is well-stocked with some quality brew. source

25 Jul 2009 09:20

tags

U.S.: George W. Bush military targets: Afghanistan, Iraq, Buffalo … ?

  • Bush nearly pulled the Buffalo trigger in 2002. Imagine this scene. You’re living in Buffalo in 2002, probably sitting in a restaurant eating some wings or a garbage plate or something like that. All of a sudden, you see soldiers running through the street, attempting to arrest some terrorists. You’d be freaked out, right? Well, the Bush Administration was considering doing just this in 2002 in an attempt to arrest the terrorists who later became known as the Lackawanna Six. Guess who was pushing for this approach? That’s right. Dick Cheney. source

24 Jul 2009 20:57

tags

U.S.: Alaskans aren’t happy with departing governor Sarah Palin

  • She has single-handedly and unnecessarily created both expensive issues.
  • Anchorage resident Jeanne Ashcraft • Describing her dual frustration with Sarah Palin’s departure on Sunday – for forcing an unnecessary day in session to both swear in the lieutenant governor and to decide whether to override Palin’s veto against energy stimulus funds. Ashcraft isn’t alone in her criticism – bloggers, legislators and others have also complained about the added costs. • source

24 Jul 2009 17:28

tags

U.S.: Renowned author E. Lynn Harris dies in Beverly Hills at the age of 54

Harris, who saw 10 of his 11 novels appear on The New York Times best-seller list, died yesterday. He is best known for his work covering the black LGBT community. source

24 Jul 2009 17:12

tags

U.S.: Obama sez he jumped the gun on those Cambridge arrest comments

  • I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt. Crowley specifically, and I could have calibrated those words differently.
  • President Barack Obama • In a statement where he sorta took back lots of the stuff he said about the arrest of scholar Henry Louis Gates in Cambridge, Massachusetts. If you forgot, Obama said the police “acted stupidly” and pointed out that minorities are stopped more often by police, which kinda stirred a lot of s*** up and managed to overshadow that entire prime-time health care press conference.  • source

24 Jul 2009 15:56

tags

U.S.: A giant supply of pot plants in California goes up in smoke

  • $1.2 billion in pot plants seized from illegal pot gardens source
 

24 Jul 2009 11:40

tags

U.S.: Whoa. Most-wanted fugitive Edward Eugene Harper, then and now

Before: What looks to be a reasonably normal human being. After: Charged with child molestation, he lived the life of a nomad for 15 years. Yikes. source

24 Jul 2009 10:41

tags

Biz, U.S.: The big question with minimum wage: Is now really the time?

  • Arguments for Much as with any wage increase, the biggest argument for is workers whose wage hasn’t kept up with the economic climate. The thinking, of course, is that if they get higher wages, they can afford a better lifestyle. source
  • Arguments for Much as with any wage increase, the biggest argument for is workers whose wage hasn’t kept up with the economic climate. The thinking, of course, is that if they get higher wages, they can afford a better lifestyle.
  • Arguments against Much as with any wage increase, the biggest argument against is the fact that the economy – specifically employers can’t support the wage increase. With high unemployment nationwide, this rings truer now than ever. source
  • Arguments for Much as with any wage increase, the biggest argument for is workers whose wage hasn’t kept up with the economic climate. The thinking, of course, is that if they get higher wages, they can afford a better lifestyle.
  • Arguments against Much as with any wage increase, the biggest argument against is the fact that the economy – specifically employers can’t support the wage increase. With high unemployment nationwide, this rings truer now than ever.
  • Who the law forgot The tip slave – whose livelihood is largely based on how much you jerks tip her for your Monte Cristo and fries – still only makes $2.13 an hour before tips. Now, tips can be a nice racket, but that’s a damn shame. source

24 Jul 2009 10:29

tags

Biz, U.S.: Other notable numbers from the minimum-wage hike

  • 70¢ size of the increase in the national minimum wage – which is actually big enough to be felt source