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11 May 2009 08:25

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Sports, U.S.: Detroit’s mayor a former Piston: Dave Bing to be sworn in

  • The NBA legend is the city’s third mayor in eight months. Bing, pretty much the Pistons’ biggest star before the Chuck Daly era, will be sworn in today after winning a special runoff election over incumbent Ken Cockrel Jr. Both men were vying to finish out the waning months of the second term of Kwame Kilpatrick, who was brought down in a very public scandal. Bing hopes to run for a full term next year. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 May 2009 03:11

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U.S., World: A former U.S. soldier pays for his crimes in Iraq in civilian court

  • The crime In 2006, U.S. soldier Steven Green and two fellow soldiers allegedly went into an Iraqi family’s home. Prosecutors say two soldiers raped a 14-year-old girl, while Green herded other family members into another room and killed them, then later joined his fellow soldiers. The girl was also killed. source
  • The crime In 2006, U.S. soldier Steven Green and two fellow soldiers allegedly went into an Iraqi family’s home. Prosecutors say two soldiers raped a 14-year-old girl, while Green herded other family members into another room and killed them, then later joined his fellow soldiers. The girl was also killed.
  • The controversy After the crimes became public, the Iraqi public became enraged at the brutality of the crimes. The U.S. promised that they would find those soldiers responsible and bring them to justice. Green, who was discharged by then, was arrested after visiting his grandmother in North Carolina. He expected it. source
  • The crime In 2006, U.S. soldier Steven Green and two fellow soldiers allegedly went into an Iraqi family’s home. Prosecutors say two soldiers raped a 14-year-old girl, while Green herded other family members into another room and killed them, then later joined his fellow soldiers. The girl was also killed.
  • The controversy After the crimes became public, the Iraqi public became enraged at the brutality of the crimes. The U.S. promised that they would find those soldiers responsible and bring them to justice. Green, who was discharged by then, was arrested after visiting his grandmother in North Carolina. He expected it.
  • The conviction Steven Green was found guilty on all charges on Thursday. He could face the death penalty. Green’s case is different from many in that he was arrested as a civilian, meaning he could be the first ex-U.S. soldier to face the death penalty in a civilian court for war crimes committed during combat. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2009 22:39

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Biz, U.S.: The Wall Street Journal plans to charge using micropayments

  • It’s a payments system – once we have your details we will be able to charge you according to what you read, in particular, a high price for specialist material.
  • Wall Street Journal Managing Editor Robert Thomson • On his company’s eventual move to a micropayments system online. It’s a system that’s been heavily fought against by readers but makes sense for the WSJ, as they have a history of charging for their content. And since they have Rupert Murdoch as owner, they have a better reason to do it than most. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2009 22:32

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U.S.: Tomorrow, the postage rate screws over millions

  • 44¢ to mail a standard one-ounce letter starting Monday source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2009 22:00

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Politics, U.S.: Dick Cheney once again gets himself in the GOP’s chatter

  • If I had to choose in terms of being a Republican, I’d go with Rush Limbaugh. My take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn’t know he was still a Republican.
  • Dick Cheney • Discussing the verbal to-do between Colin Powell and Rush Limbaugh. Cheney and Powell have worked closely together over the years but have become more estranged since the first George W. Bush administration, a point accented by Powell’s support of Obama in the last election. Cheney’s had a recent history of this, by the way. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2009 14:18

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Politics, U.S.: Key line from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

  • I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker but he was just so strung out on OxyContin he missed his flight. He needs a good waterboarding – that’s what he needs.
  • Wanda Sykes • Who managed to bring back some of the edge of Stephen Colbert’s routine a couple of years ago to the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. She took jabs at everyone, Obama included. No offense to Rush Limbaugh, but we’d rather hear rips on him than see awful Bush impersonators. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2009 13:02

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U.S.: Congress wants to encourage you to live healthy

  • Prevention and wellness should be a centerpiece of health care reform.
  • Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa • Who is taking the lead with legislation that encourages employers to implement wellness and prevention programs, a program supported by tons of other senators as well as President Barack Obama. Harkin, by the way, is the example-setter – he regularly climbs up the stairs to his seventh-floor office. Way to be a show-off, dude. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

09 May 2009 21:50

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Politics, U.S.: How did New England become a mecca of gay marriage?

  • Clearly, attitudes about gay people have changed in New England. I mean, they must have, right? Or was the region always more accepting in general despite my personal experiences?
  • PlanetOut columnist Carter Todd • Discussing what, to him, is a bizarre evolution of the gay marriage debate. Todd grew up in New England and did not believe the region to be particularly gay-friendly nor particularly open about its sexuality, and in fact found Boston to be not gay-friendly at all. So he raised the question to his readers: Why New England? • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 May 2009 21:31

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U.S.: Justice was totally not served for this guy who skipped jury duty

  • 83 days in jail for skipping jury duty in ’03. WTF, justice system? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 May 2009 21:20

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Biz, U.S.: The recession reminded people to actually save money

  • -2.7% the savings rate in 2005 – in other words, people were spending more than they earned. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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