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02 Oct 2009 11:16

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U.S., World: Reppin’ Chicago: Obama lays on the charm thick at the IOC

  • I’ve come here today to urge you to choose Chicago for the same reason I chose Chicago nearly twenty-five years ago, the reason I fell in love with the city I still call home.
  • President Barack Obama • Making a pitch to the International Olympic Committee to bring the 2016 games to his hometown. He also uses his wife to push them, too: “It’s not only because it’s where I met the woman you just heard from, though after getting to know her this week I’m sure you will all agree that she’s a pretty big selling point for the city.” The IOC is currently voting; it’s expected to go three rounds, with Chicago likely facing off against Rio de Janeiro. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Oct 2009 20:53

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Politics: The White House refutes Glenn Beck on its website. Why?

  • In the past, hosting the Olympics has been a source of pride and unity for the country, but once again Fox News’ Glenn Beck program has shown that nothing is worthy of respect if it can be used as part of a partisan attack to boost ratings.
  • White House blogger Jesse Le • Refuting a point that Glenn Beck made saying that Vancouver lost a lot of money on the Olympics. (Protip: Vancouver is hosting the Olympics in 2010, which means that Glenn Beck is an idiot.) But we’re sorry, this is not the White House’s place to refute. The reason why Obama was voted in is because he’s above this garbage. Refuting it puts him at the same level, even if the points are sound. We got this one, Jesse. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Oct 2009 20:33

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Offbeat: A row of hipsters got arrested for an anti-Chicago-Olympic protest

A row of hipsters
  • Here’s the lineup: Jeff Tweedy’s hippie clone, Jeff Tweedy’s other hippie clone, the sixth member of TV on the Radio, the star of the direct-to-video sequel to “Juno,” the drummer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Vanilla Ice’s stand-in. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

01 Oct 2009 09:46

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U.S., World: The 2016 Olympics are not a lock for Chicago, guys

  • This is a very, very close race between four outstanding bids. Because the bids are so good and because it is so close the last few hours are going to be even more exciting than usual.
  • Sir Craig Reedie • A British International Olympic Committee representative, describing the competition between Chicago, which is slightly favored, and the three other bids: Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. Chicago is a world-class city, but so are the other three. But Chicago has Obama coming in to rep, and everybody (not on the right) loooooooooooooooves Obama. They’ll name the winner on Friday. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Oct 2009 00:54

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Sports: Chicago’s willing to spend a lot of money on the Olympics

  • $3.8 billion for the chance to host an aging Michael Phelps source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Mar 2009 22:46

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Culture: Really, who wouldn’t want to stalk Olympian Shawn Johnson?

  • creepy Johnson, who’s 17, a gymnast, and kind of hot, got a creepy visitor at work – “Dancing With the Stars” – recently. A guy 17 years her senior apparently showed up to say haaaaaay.
  • creepier The man, Robert O’Ryan, was stopped by security. He had two loaded guns in his car and now has a brand-new restraining order against him. We imagine Woz gets this all the time, you know. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Mar 2009 21:18

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Offbeat, U.S.: A Special Olympian just dared Obama. It’s on now!

  • He bowled a 129. I bowl a 300. I could beat that score easily.
  • Kolan McConiughey • One of the top Special Olympian bowlers in the world. Dude’s bowled five perfect games since 2005, which totally puts Obama (and most of the rest of us) to shame. Obama’s first major verbal slip-up of his presidency doesn’t even make sense when talking about this dude. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink
 

13 Mar 2009 12:29

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Sports: Michael Phelps: I guess I shouldn’t have done that

  • I mean, we were just celebrating, honestly. There was probably two or three people there I didn’t know. It was a very small group.
  • Michael Phelps • In an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer, on the bong-smoking incident that lost him endorsement deals and tarnished his image. He said the endorsement deals weren’t that big a deal to him. He sidestepped the “Was it pot?” question, by the way. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2009 15:21

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Sports: Michael Phelps + a bong = a great photo & a big problem

  • The deal with the Olympian 14-time gold medalist Michael Phelps is a number of things (guy with broad shoulders, dude who swims a lot, least-qualified SNL host ever), but the one that everybody forgets about is the most important: He’s still a dude in his early 20s, he’s not far removed from college, and he probably likes to party. He’s been in trouble with the law before (a DUI + probation) as a result of this, by the way.
  • High endorsements, high times? Phelps, caught using a bong in a photo later printed in cheapo U.K. tabloid News of the World, has apologized for his actions: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment.” No word on what was in the bong (possibly pot, maybe hashish?), but the guy has an image to worry about. He makes millions in endorsements, and it could be a problem for him down the road. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink
 
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