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20 Jun 2011 11:08

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World: Tunisia’s Ben Ali: I didn’t really leave! My plane ditched me!

  • He boarded the plane with his family after ordering the crew to wait for him in Jeddah. But after his arrival in Jeddah, the plane returned to Tunisia, without waiting for him, contrary to his orders. He did not leave his post as president of the republic and hasn’t fled Tunisia as he was falsely accused of doing.
  • A statement by Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s lawyers • Claiming he didn’t actually leave Tunisia amid protests as was reported by just about everyone. Instead, he claims he was basically ditched. Seems like a fascinating thing to say … six months after the fact. A Tunisian court is trying Ben Ali in absentia for a series of crimes, including theft and illegal possession of firearms and other things he probably shouldn’t have had. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Jun 2011 10:33

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Biz, U.S.: Supreme Court: Walmart’s massive sex bias lawsuit won’t go forward

  • 9-0 Walmart won’t face a massive class-action lawsuit source
  • » So, what’s next? Well, the 1.3 million women who claimed a role in the discrimination lawsuit can pursue their claims individually, but that probably won’t happen. The stakes are also lower as the scope has been lowered. Walmart also faces less pressure to settle such cases. The decision reverses a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case that favored the employees in the class-action lawsuit, and would’ve been a huge deal had it been decided the other way.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Jun 2011 10:25

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World: Syria’s Assad makes baby steps towards reform in major speech

  • We meet today in a defining moment in the history of our country, a moment we wish to be a turning point from a yesterday when innocent blood was shed to a tomorrow when we restore the picture of serenity, freedom, integrity and solidarity. We have seen many grave hours; we have paid a grave price.
  • Syrian President Bashar Assad • During a somewhat rambling 70-minute speech — his first in two months —where he promised to allow for political parties in the country, but offered none of the concrete reforms that many hoped for. The speech was occasionally conspiratorial in nature, but less so than many of the president’s previous speeches. Large protests reportedly followed the speech in cities throughout the country. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 23:47

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Biz: Home foreclosure backlogs laughably long in some states

  • 62 year backlog for foreclosures in New York state (no really) source
  • » And they’re far from alone: Nearby New Jersey has a backlog stretching back a solid 49 years, and noted foreclosure mecca Florida has a decade-long backlog. A big reason? The courts are overworked on this issue and can only handle so many cases. But even in the 27 states where courts aren’t involved, the wait is often still significant — at least a year in many cases. Beyond the courts, the entire system is overworked — and lenders seem to be in no rush to add any more repossessed houses to their balance sheet.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 23:20

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Politics: John McCain blames Arizona wildfires on unsecured borders

  • There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally. The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border.
  • Arizona Sen. John McCain • Pointing the finger at an unlikely target for the wildfires currently causing significant problems in the state. Now, we’re not experts here, but this seems like a fairly questionable leap of judgment — and the claim met significant criticism from Latino groups — especially since the “substantial evidence” McCain claims hasn’t actually been substantiated. Whether or not the border needs securing, bringing xenophobia into the mix of an unrelated disaster seems like a terrible idea.  source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 22:56

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Biz, Tech: Skype’s rewarding executives for Microsoft merger by firing them

  • cause A little while back, Microsoft agreed to buy out Skype — an $8 billion agreement, the largest in the tech titan’s history by far. The deal, a surprising one by any stretch, just passed regulatory scrutiny.
  • effectBefore the company’s merger with Microsoft goes final, the comany is reportedly firing a bunch of top executives — timing it so that the workers don’t get full paydays for the merger. Lamesauce. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 22:24

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Tech: That guy who claims he owns Facebook passed a lie detector test

  • Paul Ceglia, 1. Lie detector, 0. Despite the fact that, you know, courts routinely ignore evidence from lie detectors and the Supreme Court doesn’t require the admission of polygraph evidence in court cases, the guy who claims that he owns most of Facebook says that he isn’t lying about his claims — and has the lie detector test results to prove it. “I respectfully suggest that Mark Zuckerberg undergo the same polygraph examination I have in order to expose who is really telling the truth,” says Paul Ceglia, who took the test June 11. Facebook’s lawyers want Ceglia to release the original copy of the contract immediately for testing — which Ceglia’s lawyers don’t want to do unless Zuckerberg’s boys come up with some evidence of their own. Do you guys think a lie detector test should be allowable evidence in this case? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 21:53

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World: Libyan government uses botched NATO strikes as propaganda

  • We have seen who is attacking civilians. They are targeting houses and flats. Tomorrow they will target schools and hospitals.
  • Libya Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kaim • Claiming that NATO’s accidental bombing of a civilian home in Tripoli was a sign that the group was actively going after Libyan civilians. Which is, of course, false. Instead, they’re actually going after Kaim’s boss, Muammar Gaddafi. Kaim is simply trying to misinform others about what happened in hopes that it’ll turn the tide against NATO. Unfortunately for NATO, the recent accidental strikes don’t look good, no matter how much Kaim is trying to misinform libyans. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 12:24

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U.S.: Massive Arizona wildfires could expand significantly today

  • 3.1M number of acres affected by wildfires this year as of May 31st, according to the National Interagency Fire Center
  • 3.2M number of acres affected through the entirety of 2010, the group’s annual report notes; see what we’re getting at?
  • seven number of states that could face the effects of two Arizona wildfires today; conditions are very bad source
  • » The first fire’s only 27 percent contained: Our friends in Arizona and neighboring states have a lot to deal with right now, and with a second, fast-growing blaze promising more danger, things aren’t looking to get any better soon. With high heat, low humidity and strong winds — the worst conditions possible for a wildfire — both blazes could expand significantly today. Let’s hope it doesn’t, guys.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 12:07

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World: Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed resigns

Mohamed, who had his supporters, stepped out of the way “as a sacrifice for the interest of the Somali public” after the president made an agreement to build a new government. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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