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20 Apr 2011 11:10

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U.S.: Federal rules: If the airlines screw you, they have to reimburse you

  • We want Ray LaHood to say stuff like this all the time: “It’s just common sense that if an airline loses your bag or you get bumped from a flight because it was oversold, you should be reimbursed.” The U.S. transportation secretary said that when talking about a bunch of new rules his organization is putting in place. The rules would force airlines to advertise prices that include taxes and fees; to pay more for “bumping” passengers; to limit passenger waits on runways to under four hours; and (this is the key one) force airlines to reimburse you for checked bag fees in the cae of lost luggage. If luggage is delayed, though, no refund. Still, though, as long as they can keep their air-traffic controllers awake, we’re all for this. (photo by ToastyKen on Flickr) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Apr 2011 21:25

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U.S.: The only successful hand transplant video we’ll probably post today

  • Meet Emily Fennell. Five years ago, doctors amputated her hand after it was crushed in a very scary car accident that involved an open sunroof, a raised arm and a rolling vehicle. Six and a half weeks ago, a completely different set of doctors gave her a completely different hand. Here’s a clip of the 26-year-old getting used to her new hand as she goes through rehab. She’s very optimistic about her future with the new appendage. “That’s my goal — to just be able to function with it and not be able to think about it,” she said. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Apr 2011 15:45

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U.S.: AZ Gov. Jan Brewer surprises gun-rights front with veto

  • AZ Gov. Brewer vetoes campus gun carry bill: In a move much to the chagrin of the gun rights movement, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed a bill that would have allowed firearms on school campuses. Brewer complained the bill was “poorly written,” and that while it’s said to only affect colleges, the exact language refers to them only as “educational institutions,” which speaking literally would include K-12 schools, violating most state and federal laws. With a Republican governor, in a state with some of the loosest gun laws in the nation — they probably thought this was a slam dunk going in. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Apr 2011 10:51

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U.S.: Obama’s declining book sales = 70% drop in income in 2010

  • $1.7M the amount the Obamas made in 2010, according to their tax return, released Monday
  • $454k the amount in taxes the First Family paid, roughly 27 percent of their total income
  • $5.5M the amount the Obamas made last year, when Barack’s books sold better source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Apr 2011 00:06

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U.S.: Gas Rising: Six states in the US pay at least $4.00 per gallon

  • $4.48 average cost per gallon for gas in Hawaii, the most expensive in the nation
  • $3.54 cost per gallon in Montana, the state with the cheapest gas
  • 26 days straight; that’s how long gas prices in the US have been rising source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Apr 2011 23:07

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U.S.: Artist paints anti-gay church leader in compromising position with Satan

  • Well, this is awesome: The delightful Westboro Baptist Church, best known for protesting the funerals of soldiers and screaming “God Hates Fags” at anyone who will listen, just got a taste of its own medicine. The man pictured above is New York artist Scott LoBaido. LoBaido traveled to the church’s headquarters in Topeka, Kansas last weekend, set up shop across the street, and proceded to paint the above work of art. In case you can’t tell, it’s an image of WBC founder Fred Phelps, wearing nothing but a pair of purple underwear, lovingly embracing the Devil, as his daughter (the equally-charming Shirley Phelps-Roper) gazes on in anticipation. The police tried to stop LoBaido, but as his creation clearly qualifies as art, the anti-picketing laws afforded to the church didn’t apply. LoBaido is a traveling artist who paints patriotic imagery around the United States. He blasted Lady Gaga while making this masterpiece (which he plans to auction off for charity on eBay), earning him a police citation for violating anti-noise laws. We think it was well-worth it. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Apr 2011 21:44

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U.S.: Obama wants cooler high-tech gizmos in the White House

  • I always thought I was going to have really cool phones and stuff. I’m like, c’mon guys, I’m the President of the United States. Where’s the fancy buttons and stuff and the big screen comes up? It doesn’t happen.
  • President Obama • At a private fundraising event in Chicago. This is the sort of quote that will endear those who already like Obama and disgust those who hate him. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

18 Apr 2011 21:12

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Biz, U.S.: Question: What company wants to hire a lot of people, stat?

  • 50,000 new jobs, but there’s a catch source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Apr 2011 14:54

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U.S.: GOP Rep. McKinley not so sure about Paul Ryan’s Medicare

  • The Congressional Budget Office determined that some of the out-of-pocket costs could double for seniors and that sent up a red flag for me… I think we can do it another way and now I’m going to be curious to see what the Senate does. I want to be an independent voice here.
  • GOP Rep. Dave MicKinley • Speaking on Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposed “Path to Prosperity,” which eliminates the traditional Medicare program (essentially, guaranteed health coverage) in favor of a voucher/privatized system. Quotes like these often strike us as noteworthy, specifically because it’s rather rare to hear Republican politicians break ranks around big policy proposals, especially when compared to Democrats. On the Democratic side, whether it’s Joe Manchin, Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Bart Stupak (now retired), the list goes on — the conservative wing of the party last Congress provided a palpable thorn in President Obama’s side on a lot of his big initiatives. The GOP, on the other hand, always seems like an on-message, political machine — so to that end, we laud Rep. McKinley for speaking his mind on the hottest topic in Washington today. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Apr 2011 14:32

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U.S.: MI Gov. Rick Snyder’s “emergency manager” law in full swing

  • NO Benton Harbor, MI’s elected government has no power source
  • » A plan comes to fruition: Governor Rick Snyder supported and signed into law a bill authorizing him to appoint “emergency financial managers” for towns, cities and school districts. This manager would have broad power to strip the power of elected officials, and dissolve whole cities; Benton Harbor, a chronically impoverished city with a black population well over 90%, now knows this disgrace all too well, in the person of their new emergency manager, Joseph Harris. Over the weekend, Harris decided that the city’s elected officials don’t get to govern anymore. No vote, no decision making, nothing but holding meetings and approving the minutes of said meetings. This is the sort of thing, frankly, that should outrage any American regardless of their political stripe. Here’s hoping principled conservatives will join in on decrying this.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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