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16 Dec 2011 14:23

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Politics: Three major cuts in the shutdown-avoiding omnibus spending bill

  • one In the biggest change, the popular Pell Grant program for low-income students could run dry for as many as 100,000 students, as eligibility standards tighten.
  • two Foreign aid will decline, with a 17 percent drop in the operating budget coming to USAID. It’s part of a larger $6 billion cut coming to the State Department.
  • three The GOP won a health care victory, blocking the IRS’ ability to implement the Affordable Care Act’s provisions in 2012. The individual mandate hits in 2014. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2011 13:42

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U.S.: Penn State witness Mike McQueary describes his handling of incident

  • There’s no question in my mind that I conveyed to (university officials) that I saw Jerry with a boy in the shower and that it was severe sexual acts going on and that it was wrong and over the line.
  • Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary • Describing his handling of the alleged sexual abuse incident involving Jerry Sandusky back in 2002. McQueary made the statements while speaking at the pre-trial hearing for Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, two former Penn State officials charged with covering up Sandusky’s crimes by not acting upon McQueary’s evidence. The assistant coach, currently on leave, emphasized that when he went to the officials, he expected something to be done: “In my mind, that is the police. I want to make that clear.” In regards to the controversy around his handling of the incident, McQueary, who was “shocked” and “horrified” by what happened, said he wasn’t thinking straight in the direct aftermath of seeing Sandusky, but he was sure that the incident was over at the point he left. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2011 12:04

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Offbeat: Bell ringers test society’s collective patience for a good cause

  • 36 hours straight — the record for Salvation Army bell ringing source
  • » And ringers are trying to break it. Bell ringers, such as San Francisco-based Salvation Army Capt. Marcelino “Butch” Soriano, are currently attempting to break the record. He aims to ring his donation bell for 48 hours. Why? “If you’re going to go for a record,” Soriano said, “you might as well shatter it.” Tip to Mr. Soriano: Wear earplugs. Tip to people who pass by Mr. Soriano: Donate generously — you can afford it. You’re going to Macy’s, guys. Drop a couple bucks in.
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2011 11:58

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Tech: A poorly-tended farm? Zynga IPO flops in first day of trading

  • Yet another reason we wish the internet was the real world. Remember when Facebook announced that it might, maybe, potentially, could see itself having an IPO in 2012? Well, Zynga, perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the Facebook ecosystem, has beaten them to the punch. The popular social gaming company’s shares are now available for the public to purchase. The “Farmville” company’s stock, listed as “ZNGA” and priced at $10 a share by the company, hasn’t had a particularly good morning, falling below its IPO price at one point. Currently, it sits at just over $10. Will the stock begin to lean in Groupon’s downward direction, or will it aim for Facebook status? source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Dec 2011 20:43

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Politics: Three things we’re watching for during tonight’s debate

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Dec 2011 20:20

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U.S.: Howard Stern will be on NBC primetime. Get ready for plenty of #%&@s.

  • I am going to tell you your kiddie has no talent…this nonsense of Howie and Sharon putting through less than talented people has got to stop. Under my administration, there will be no Frank Sinatra impersonators winning.
  • Howard Stern • On his new job as judge on “America’s got Talent,” replacing Piers Morgan, who’s going to focus on his popular CNN show. Some people are not on board with the new addition to the show, while others are ready for the honesty he’ll bring to the table. Especially Stern. “I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but feelings are going to be hurt,” Stern said. Will this discourage some of the softer competitors from trying out or force a tougher crowd? Who knows. We’re just excited to see what names Stern plans to call little children. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Dec 2011 11:39

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U.S.: Death penalty: Statistics show significant decline in support, enactment

  • 78 number of death sentences handed out in 2011, which is way down from last year
  • 43 number of executions that happened nationwide this year; that’s down by three
  • 13 number of executions in Texas, the state with the most; they were also down from 2010 source
  • » A decline in the overall numbers: According to the Death Penalty Information Center, the death sentence number is the smallest since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. And public support is starting to fade: According to stats from Gallup, support for the death penalty is at its lowest level in nearly 40 years. Opposition is at its highest level since 1972. Keep this in mind when Rick Perry leads a crowd to cheers during a discussion about the death penalty. Or when cases like Troy Davis‘ widely-contested execution build support against the death penalty.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Dec 2011 11:16

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Biz: Christmas miracle? New unemployment claims hit 3.5-year low

  • 366,000 the number of people who filed for unemployment benefits last week — a number that’s been on the decline for months
  • 365,000 the number of people who filed during a week in May 2008, the last time that the jobless benefits numbers were quite this low source
  • » However: Don’t get too excited, guys. While the heavily-fluctuating number is certainly better than it’s been in a long time (and the unemployment number is at its lowest level in a long time), the comeback is far from here. Example: During the financial crisis, the U.S. lost roughly 8.8 million jobs; less than a third of those jobs have returned. On top of this, many are still unemployed, and their benefits could run out soon if Congress does not act on the extension for unemployment benefits. Yeah, sorry we have to be such downers, but let’s look in perspective here.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Dec 2011 11:01

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Politics: Tea Party groups gain increasing sophistication ahead of election

  • The Tea Party movement is more organized, more focused and more potent. What happened in 2010 was not the end. It was just the beginning.
  • Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) • Discussing the growing sophistication of the Tea Party, which has helped him personally. As an example, the leader of the Myrtle Beach, S.C.-area Tea Party, Joe Dugan, has been statistically tracking each vote politicians have been making, and based on those numbers, his group will choose to support or turn their back on a candidate. It worked very effectively in South Carolina, where each of the ten candidates Dugan’s group supported won their elections — from dog catcher on up. Dugan’s group is far from the exception, Reuters found that Tea Party groups are increasingly becoming far more sophisticated in their approaches to supporting candidates, which could prove important in 2012. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Dec 2011 10:44

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World: Ex-French president Jacques Chirac found guilty of corruption

In a victory for French anti-corruption activists, the ex-president was convicted Thursday. He won’t go to jail, but will receive a two-year suspended sentence which will show up on his criminal record. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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