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22 Apr 2009 10:14

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U.S., World: So, how bad is this captured pirate, anyway?

  • Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse may have been tough on the high seas, but he seemed very scared in the courtroom yesterday. source
  • His lawyer, Deirdre von Dornum, said, “As you can tell, he’s extremely young, injured and terrified.” So why was he smiling initially? source
  • His mom said he’s 16 and deserved a fair verdict. She pleaded with the judges “not to commit an injustice against Abdiwali.” source
  • The FBI’s account, however, portrays him as the ringleader of the Maersk Alabama attack who shot at Capt. Richard Phillips. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 10:00

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Biz, U.S.: Why it sucks to be Morgan Stanley right now

  • $177 million The amount the financial company lost this quarter, which was unexpectedly large source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 09:39

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U.S.: One of the Craiglist killer’s victims survived by “not fighting back”

  • I just complied with everything he wanted me to do. I didn’t resist him in any way and that’s why.
  • Trisha Leffler • One of the Craigslist killer’s apparent victims. She was bound and robbed of $800. She claims that she recognized Philip Markoff, the man accused of the attacks, from the surveillance stills released by police prior to his arrest. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2009 09:10

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Biz, U.S.: Freddie Mac’s acting CFO found dead in an apparent suicide

  • The circumstances David Kellermann, a 41-year-old Freddie Mac executive who lived in the D.C. metro area, was found dead early this morning at his home in an apparent suicide. Kellermann had long been an executive with the company in various roles, but only became acting Chief Financial Officer last year at the peak of the financial crisis. source
  • The circumstances David Kellermann, a 41-year-old Freddie Mac executive who lived in the D.C. metro area, was found dead early this morning at his home in an apparent suicide. Kellermann had long been an executive with the company in various roles, but only became acting Chief Financial Officer last year at the peak of the financial crisis.
  • Not a fun job Freddie Mac was one of the early victims of the financial crisis. After housing’s freefall hit them hard, the company was taken over by the government in September. They then became a quasi-governmental agency that took on big parts of Obama’s recovery plan. Kellermann became acting CFO around this time. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2009 23:54

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Biz, U.S.: Great! The bailout program could be a huge target for fraud.

  • The sheer size of the program … is so large and the leverage being provided to the private equity participants so beneficial, that the taxpayer risk is many times that of the private parties, thereby potentially skewing the economic incentives.
  • Inspector General Neil Barofksy • In a massive quarterly report on the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Sound like fun? It totally is. We hope, if the banks defraud us taxpayers, they do it in really cool ways, like buying themselves gold houses and rocket cars. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2009 23:44

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U.S.: Massive debt leads to a family’s murder-suicide tragedy

  • $460,000 Amount Christopher Wood of Middletown, Md. owed on credit card debt and mortgages source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2009 23:12

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Tech, U.S.: Gavin Newsom is assisting in Twitter jumping the shark even more

  • It’s official – running for Gov of CA. Wanted you to be the first to know. Need your help.
  • San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom • Who announced his candidacy for California governor today. It’s not nearly as lame as John McCain talking to George Stephanopoulos in a Tweeterview, but it’s still a crass political move at this point in the game. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 4 Comments • Permalink
 

21 Apr 2009 22:20

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Culture, U.S.: Sad news, everyone! Blago can’t travel to be on a reality show. :(

  • He’s on trial for a bunch of bad, bad things. Rod Blagojevich, the impeached Illinois governor who’s slowly evolved into a walking punchline, attempted to cash in on his notoriety by preliminarily joining the cast of “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” Unfortunately for Blago, the judge thinks it’s too soon for him to leave the country and go to Costa Rica to embarrass himself. “I don’t think this defendant in all honesty…fully understands the position he finds himself in,” commented U.S. District Judge James Zagel. You weren’t supposed to let him do it for him, James. You were supposed to let him do it for us! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2009 19:01

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U.S.: “Craigslist killer” so unexpected, his fiancée is in blind denial

  • Unfortunately, you were given wrong information as was the public. All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly!
  • Megan McAllister • Fiancée of Philip Markoff, the Boston University grad student accused of being the “Craigslist killer.” Apparently, his reputation was such that nobody expected anything like this from him among his friends and family. Markoff and McAllister were supposed to get married on the Jersey Shore in August. That won’t be happening, most likely; he’s in jail without bail. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2009 15:15

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U.S., World: Why is this Somalian pirate smiling?

We’re not sure, but he sure seems happy to be in New York facing a court halfway around the world. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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