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31 Oct 2009 10:52

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U.S.: Did you know HIV-positive people couldn’t enter the U.S. for 22 years?

  • If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it.
  • Barack Obama • Describing his decision to turn over a 22-year-old ban on HIV-positive people entering the country. Just a dozen countries had the ban, which sounds like it was put in place at the height of misinformation and hysteria about the disease. While we’re glad it’s getting overturned, it’s a sad statement on our country that the ban existed in the first place. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Oct 2009 10:47

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Music: Garth Brooks the new Wayne Newton? He’s heading to Vegas!

  • Great for him! We needed more populism in Vegas. And more mascara. (He’s coming back as Chris Gaines, right?) Either way, good for him! And for America! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Aug 2009 10:56

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U.S., World: Laura Ling and Euna Lee barely even crossed into North Korea

  • 30 seconds in North Korea led to a world of hurt for the journos source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

06 Jul 2009 11:08

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World: Manuel Zelaya didn’t get in Honduras yesterday, so he’ll try today

  • As you’ll see in this video, Jose Manuel Zelaya attempted to get in the country but instead found himself circling the bowl. Which isn’t really helping out the country’s volatility, by the way. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Jun 2009 18:39

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Music: Saturday Mixtape: Bizarre WTF covers of Michael Jackson songs

  • Michael Jackson is the most pervasive artist of our generation, and to prove it, we looked to see what sort of crazy covers of his songs we could find. And boy, we weren’t disappointed.

    1. Our first interpretation is “Beat It” by Inactive Messiah, a Greek melodic death metal band. The intro is very graceful, but our favorite part is when singer Xristos starts growling.

    2. It’s too easy for us to put Alien Ant Farm’s cover of “Smooth Criminal” here. So we put this loose electronica-by-way-of-jazz interpretation by J.Viewz (remixed by S.T.Louder) here instead.

    3. Willie Nelson has a history of bizarre cover choices, unrivaled by any country crooner except Johnny Cash. But did Cash ever cover Michael Jackson’s “She’s Out of My Life”? We think not. (Nelson’s version still makes us cry. :( )

    4. Only Michael Jackson could be covered sensibly in both death metal and Bossanova-leaning smooth jazz styles. The guy guilty of this “Man in the Mirror” cover is Brazilian crooner Paulinho Loureiro.

    5. We totally saved the best/worst for last. Five words: “Black or White,” polka-style. Blame Texingtal Musikanten. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

17 Jun 2009 08:44

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Culture, Music: Must-see video of the day: Taylor Swift + T-Pain, “Thug Story”

  • Usually, we wait a little while before posting our first video of the day. But this Taylor Swift-goes-hardcore bit from last night’s CMT Music Awards is too good to wait for. BTW, Swift killed at last night’s awards. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 5 Comments • Permalink

01 May 2009 12:23

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Music: It’s like the Warped Tour, with less punk and more twang

  • OK, this isn’t punk-rock, dudes. Kevin Lyman, the co-founder of the Vans Warped Tour, is working on a similarly-formatted show based around country music acts. The tour will likely hit the stages in Summer 2010. We realize that the Warped Tour is filled with a lot of commercial punk along with the real kind, but is it about to jump the shark? Hrm. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

05 Apr 2009 10:54

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U.S., World: Cuba might finally get a bit of a break from the U.S.

  • Restrictions loosened? Cuba, long a political hot potato, could see some loosened restrictions on the U.S.’ end, including Obama lifting a limitation on family travel to the country. The infamous trade embargo, which has been around for-freaking-ever, probably won’t go, but it could be the first step to easing relations with the communist nation.
  • Cuban-Americans want action It’s a bit of a carrot and stick situation for the country; they want Cuba to change along with their mood. “The Cuban-American community doesn’t want to give up everything for nothing in return,” said Andy S. Gomez, a senior fellow at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

31 Mar 2009 10:09

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U.S.: More people think the U.S. is headed in the right direction

  • 15% number of respondents who in December said yes to a Washington Post survey about whether they think the country’s headed in the right direction.
  • 42% number of respondents who said the same thing in March – surprisingly, the highest percentage of yes responses that question has seen in five years. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Mar 2009 10:29

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Music: Speaking of Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle’s got a tribute in the can

  • This may be one of the best records I’ve ever made. That hurts a singer-songwriter’s feelings.
  • Steve Earle • On his Townes Van Zandt tribute album, “Townes,” which will be out in May. Earle, who named his son Justin Townes Earle in honor of his hero and contemporary, has said many nice things about Townes before. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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