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17 Feb 2012 16:06

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U.S.: Three things you should know about the U.S. Capitol bombing suspect

  • one Amine el-Khalifi, a 29-year-old originally from Morocco, has lived in the U.S. since he was 16 and has long outstayed his visa, meaning he’s living in the U.S. illegally.
  • two Khalifi was captured in a year-long sting, thinking he was being assisted by al-Qaeda, when he was actually being helped by FBI. Sound familiar? It’s happened before.
  • three Though Khalifi was arrested near the U.S. Capitol, officials say that “at no time was the public or congressional community in any danger.” Whew. source
  • » A couple quick thoughts: We’ve seen a number of these “honeypot”-style terror schemes in the past year or two, and the end result always makes us wonder — were they actual threats, or were they simply tricked into looking threatening? If it’s the former, then perhaps this was a good idea. If it’s the latter … the tactics seem questionable. As journalists, we of course have to take them seriously whenever they crop up. But second-guessing is certainly fair. (Note: We’ll post updates on this topic here.)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Aug 2011 20:25

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U.S.: Hurricane Irene’s costs — both in human and monetary form

  • 19 deaths reported so far from Hurricane Irene source
  • » And damages in “the tens of billions”: With the storm largely past U.S. shores, now begins the tallying of damages. You’ve seen some examples of this already. But while it’s too soon to predict exactly what the final tally will be, in New Jersey, Chris Christie is already throwing a price tag on things. “I’ve got to imagine that the damage estimates are going to be in the billions of dollars, if not in the tens of billions of dollars,” he told “Meet the Press” this morning. These costs will largely be eaten by the federal government. The loss of human life, however, won’t be. Click the source link above. It’s a blow by blow of saddening proportions.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Aug 2011 10:51

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U.S.: Hurricane Irene: It’s not all good news, but things are looking up

  • good Hurricane Irene is no longer a hurricane, but a tropical storm. It’s also passed by most of NYC, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and DC. It’s mostly on land at this point and is moving much quicker than it was yesterday, so it will lose strength quickly. Whew, guys.
  • bad However, it left some bad stuff in its wake — flooding, millions without power, 11 deaths in four different states, and lots of small inconveniences that built up into one pretty big one. In the end, though, it’s less bad than it could’ve been. Fortunately. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Aug 2011 13:50

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U.S.: Update: Hurricane Irene, by the numbers (so far)

  • » The eye of the storm first hit land at 7:30 a.m. EST: With the storm still maintaining speed as it stays just of fthe coast, Irene could cause severe damage up and down the coast. Though a Category 1, it’s expected to remain a hurricane as it passes through the mid-Atlantic states and up to New England between now and Sunday.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Aug 2011 12:38

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U.S.: Obama: Take precautions now, don’t wait for Hurricane Irene to show up

  • I cannot stress this highly enough. If you are in the projected path of this hurricane, you have to take precautions now. Don’t wait. Don’t delay.
  • President Barack Obama • Warning people about the danger of Hurricane Irene, which is likely to be the strongest hurricane the Northeast has seen in a few years. For what it’s worth, the storm — currently a Category 2 — will likely be a Category 1 when it hits the Northeast, so it won’t be a super-strong hurricane. Just a really big, slow-moving one that will remain strong hundreds of miles from the center. Amongst major metropolitan areas, it looks like the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area is about to face a strong hit from the storm. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

24 Aug 2011 11:03

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U.S.: Hurricane Irene possibly about to ruin your weekend, East Coasters

  • Yeah, that’s possibly heading for DC, too: Days after the U.S. capitol felt an earthquake for probably the first time ever, they may just have to deal with a Category 2 hurricane. Hurricane Irene, which has been picking up steam for a few weeks days, looks most certain to hit North Carolina as a Category 3, and will likely go up the coast, possibly hitting such hurricane-prone locales as DC, NYC and Boston along the way. Hoping it’s just a brush, kids. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2011 12:53

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U.S.: Dancing at the Jefferson Memorial sparks new national holiday

  • banned Last Saturday, there was a flashmob at the Jefferson Memorial in DC to protest a dancing ban at the national icon. About 200 people showed up to party like it’s 1999 after a court said in May that the landmark isn’t a dancefloor. There was a similar happening closer to the court ruling, but people were roughed up and arrested.
  • rebellion Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes wants to declare July 30th “National Dancing Day” and move the dancing flashmob to the National mall in response to the court ruling. Norton said this whole thing was a wake up call, and DC should do more with the National Mall — like throw an awesome dance party on it. Good show. source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

17 Mar 2011 23:34

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U.S.: Elementary student brings a little coke to show and tell. Oops.

  • It is unusual to have elementary school students using cocaine. However, it’s not that unusual for young students to try substances.
  • National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse spokesperson Susan E. Foster • Discussing the wonderful incident in DC’s public school system today. See, some elementary student brought cocaine with him to class to share with his classmates. They tried it and got so sick that they had to be hospitalized. Meanwhile, DC’s unshakable reputation of having the worst school system in the country continues unabated. WHERE ARE YOU MICHELLE RHEE? *single tear* source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Feb 2011 10:23

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U.S.: Chandra Levy’s mom not 100% sure Ingmar Guandique killed her

  • To be honest, I always have that 5 percent of not being sure.
  • Susan Levy • Expressing doubts about the conviction of Ingmar Guandique – whether he was the dude who killed her daughter, Chandra Levy, a decade ago. This didn’t stop the elder Levy from calling Guandique “lower than a cockroach” and a “hideous creature” the other day, mind you. We understand Levy’s pain, and while we hope, for both their sakes, the right man was convicted, we can understand her doubts. This case has been a freaking mess ever since the name “Gary Condit” was tied to it all those years ago. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Feb 2011 12:36

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U.S.: Chandra Levy’s convicted killer sentenced, didn’t get life in prison

  • 60 years in prison for convicted killer Ingmar Guandique source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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