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14 Nov 2011 10:49

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World: Judge: Norway mass-shooting suspect not insane, fit for trial

  • Anders Behring Breivik wasn’t allowed to speak at a hearing Monday, the first public hearing since the July bombing and mass shooting that killed 77 people. The hearing drew more than 500 people. The judge, Torkjel Nesheim, was quick to decide on his sanity (and also noted that he most assuredly acted alone), but would not let him recite a prepared statement for the hearing. “This was not the main trial where he gets to explain himself,” the judge said. “I did not want to give him the opportunity to use this hearing as a platform for him to express his views.” (Check our Tumbl-Zine for more background on this story.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Nov 2011 10:05

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Tech: Wikipedia co-founder mistaken for Julian Assange by immigration agent

  • No, no, no. Different guy. Not wanted in Sweden.
  • Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales • Revealing, under embarrassing circumstances, that he had been mistaken for Wikileaks’ Julian Assange by an immigration official in Britain. This despite the fact that Wales runs one of the most popular sites on the Internet. And he likes using this power to stare at you. Wales used the point to emphasize, despite his site’s massive growth, he’s managed to remain mostly anonymous. Good work, son. You proved Julian Assange has more influence than you. Time to update your Wikipedia page. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Nov 2011 11:44

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Culture: RIP Evelyn Lauder: Cosmetics executive, cancer awareness hero

  • 1992 Estee Lauder cosmetics company executive Evelyn Lauder worked on a project to raise awareness of breast cancer among women. It started small — with little pink ribbons handed out at department store makeup conters — before eventually moving into fundraising.
  • 2011 Lauder died Saturday at age 75, but not before that little project grew into something massive. With October designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the campaign has raised $330 million in less than 20 years. Lauder’s little idea made a huge mark. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Nov 2011 11:26

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World: Brazil raids notorious Rio de Janeiro slum ahead of World Cup, Olympics

  • An attempt to clean up a big problem: Tanks rolled through Rio’s Rocinha neighborhood early Sunday morning, in an effort to show some authority in the region, which is a hotbed for the country’s drug trade. “We’re taking back this territory for the 100,000 citizens of Rocinha, people who have needed peace,” said Sergio Cabral, the governor of the Rio de Janeiro state. But there’s also a bigger goal happening — officials want to clean up the region ahead of two major events heading to the city in the next few years — 2014’s World Cup and 2016’s Olympics. Roughly a third of the city’s six million residents live in slums — of which Rocinha is the largest one. (Photo by Silvia Izquierdo/AP) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 17:14

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U.S.: Some quick numbers from Saturday’s Penn State football game

  • 107,903 the number of people that paid to see the game, the largest crowd at Beaver Stadium this year
  • $22,000 the amount raised during the game by charity groups that support the prevention of child abuse source
  • » “Therapy” for a battered school: Why did the game, the team’s first in 46 years without Joe Paterno, draw such huge crowds? Simply put, it was a bit of a release after a trying week, despite the discomfort around the game. “It’s therapy,” said one fan, Dave Young. “I love Penn State football, always will love Penn State football. Tough week, cried in my office a couple times when I had moments to myself. But now it’s time to release and watch the football game and enjoy it.” Penn State lost to Nebraska, 17-14, which, despite a late rally, was not to be.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 16:45

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Politics: Herman Cain: God told me to run for president

  • You da man, Herman. You da man!
  • God • Telling Herman Cain he should run for president — at least according to Herman Cain. In an Associated Press article released on Saturday, Cain said God encouraged him to run for president. God also told Michele Bachmann to run for president back in July and God also apparently supported Tim Pawlenty’s run for president back in April. We’re not entirely sure the above is what God directly said to Cain — if He said anything at all — but we’re pretty sure it’s close. source
Posted by Matthew Keys • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 16:37

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World: More on Silvio Berlusconi’s exit as Italian Prime Minister

The long-controversial Italian PM exits as the two chambers of Parliament passed a tough austerity plan. The Senate passed it Friday; the lower house passed it today with a resounding 380-26 vote. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 14:38

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Biz: MF Global announces layoffs as gracefully as it handled bankruptcy

  • 1,066 MF Global employees getting the boot source
  • » Some found out via media reports: You know what sucks more than getting laid off from your job because your boss (Jon Corzine, who stepped down from the troubled company last week) made a stupid bet on the Euro zone debt crisis and lost, badly? Finding out that you’re getting laid off via news story, rather than through your own company. “We were well into the process of notifying employees and were attempting to personally reach as many employees as possible when the release went out,” noted Kent Jarrell, a spokesperson for James Giddens, the trustee charged with liquidating the company. A number of MF Global employees — none speaking publicly — reported finding out this way.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 13:33

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U.S.: Venezuelan MLB player Wilson Ramos describes kidnapping

  • I was super scared, and even though they did not hurt me physically, it was something that was very painful. I didn’t think I was ever going to see my family again, and that hurt me so much. But now, I am with them again and it feels tremendous to be back.
  • Washington Nationals player Wilson Ramos • Discussing his kidnapping ordeal, which ended last night amidst a storm of gunfire. Ramos claims that, despite his kidnapping, his kidnappers treated him well. “They wanted money and they said they were not going to hurt me if they got their money,” he said. “They actually treated me well. They never hurt me. They fed me. They knew who I was and said it was not about hurting me. It was about money.” Ramos, who is from Venezuela, is the first known MLB player to be captured in this way, though it’s happened before with players’ relatives. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 13:12

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World: Ten days after peace agreement, Arab League boots Syria out

  • Nov. 2 Syria, facing mounting criticism over its conduct in the wake of the Arab Spring protests, agrees to an Arab League plan to end the violence against protesters in the region. Despite this, little actually changes in the country.
  • Nov. 12 The Arab League suspends Syria from the organization after the violence against protesters continues despite the agreement. The country will remain out of the Arab League until it makes changes that respect the opposition. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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