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24 Mar 2011 15:02

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Politics: Prop. 8: Plea to lift stay on California gay marriage rejected

  • It is decidedly unjust and unreasonable to expect California’s gay and lesbian couples to put their lives on hold and suffer daily discrimination as second-class citizens while their U.S. District Court victory comes to its final conclusion.
  • Chad Griffin, chairman of The American Foundation For Civil Rights • Speaking on the rejected plea to lift the stay on the Proposition 8 ruling. The proposition, which was approved by voters in the 2008 election, was ruled unconstitutional by Judge Vaughn Walker last year, but a stay was put on his ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. This was broadly thought to be a delay on the resumption of gay marriage in the state so that if/when a higher court examined the issue, the marriages wouldn’t again have to be halted if Walker’s verdict was overturned. Gay rights advocates are understandably unhappy, as the stay could conceivably last a year, and if civil rights are infringed, we suspect that’s not the expedient remedy most people would feel entitled to. source

21 Jun 2010 20:34

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U.S.: Faisal Shahzad’s guilty plea has a little extra for conspiracy kooks

  • It’s a war. I am part of the answer to the US terrorizing the Muslim nations and the Muslim people.
  • Wannabe Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad • Using fighting words during his guilty plea, which he verified 100 times over. He said that if the U.S. didn’t leave Iraq and Afghanistan, “we will be attacking US.” So put that in your pipe and smoke it. The dude can’t even build a proper car bomb! (In other news, we’ve had an open-and-shut terror attempt in the time that the oil spill has been spewing.) source

12 Nov 2009 09:55

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Culture: For the kids: Balloon Boy’s parents are gonna plea guilty

  • It is supremely ironic that law enforcement has expressed such grave concern over the welfare of the children, but it was ultimately the threat of taking the children’s mother from the family and deporting her to Japan which fueled this deal.
  • A statement by Richard Heene’s attorney • Describing why the couple behind one of the stupidest hoaxes in recent memory has chosen not to subject the American public to a long, drawn-out trial. Simply put, Mayumi Heene is a Japanese citizen, and if she had not taken the plea, she would’ve been deported. But we will say this much: The sniping in this attorney’s statement? Not necessary, )@!hole attorney. • source

20 Jul 2009 09:29

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World: The lone surviving suspect in the Mumbai attacks confesses

  • He unexpectedly pled guilty in court today. Mohammed Ajmal Kasab was the only suspect in last year’s attack on India’s financial capital to survive. All the other gunmen were shot and killed in the attacks, which killed over 160, including many foreign nationals. Kasab has ties to Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Tayyiba terrorist group, which has been banned from India since 2002. Despite his plea, prosecutors are skeptical and plan to further analyze his statement. source

11 Jul 2009 17:28

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U.S., World: Obama to G8 summit: Help out the hungry! G8 summit: OK!

  • $20 billion to help the hungry, after Obama’s pleas source

05 May 2009 21:58

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Politics, Sports: Dear Brett Favre: Stay retired, you old whiny dude. OK?

  • Please. Brett. We love you. You’re awesome. You had a great career with the Green Bay Packers. You got to date Mary back in 1997. But you don’t know the definition of the word retirement. You created the greatest dramabomb ever when you un-retired, then left for the New York Jets, then flopped. source
  • Please. Brett. We love you. You’re awesome. You had a great career with the Green Bay Packers. You got to date Mary back in 1997. But you don’t know the definition of the word retirement. You created the greatest dramabomb ever when you un-retired, then left for the New York Jets, then flopped.
  • Pretty please? Now we hear word that you’re talking to the Minnesota Vikings about a QB position. Why? Did Mississippi get a little old and tired for you? Stay at home. Mow the lawn. Cook some burgers on the grill. Run for school board president. Anything, ANYTHING, but play again. PLEEEEAAAASSEE? source

12 Mar 2009 21:07

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Biz, U.S.: Bernie Madoff: A man compelled to have killer returns. (Huh?)

  • While I never promised a specific rate of return to any client, I felt compelled to satisfy my clients’ expectations, at any cost.
  • Bernard Madoff • Explaining why he created his Ponzi scheme during a courtroom monologue while pleading guilty. According to him, he wanted to keep giving out continually good rates of return because he wanted his investors to love him. (No word on how he felt about his penthouse.) • source
 

10 Mar 2009 21:33

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Biz: What was Bernie Madoff trying to do when he stole all that money?

  • There’s a good question to ask. Dude stole $50 billion in a fraudulent ponzi scheme and apparently hired people to make fake accounting documents for some stupid reason. As Madoff faces up to 150 years in jail on 11 federal charges, which he’ll likely plead guilty to on Thursday, his investors hope that the guy finally explains what his motive was. source

07 Feb 2009 09:08

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World: Red Cross to Sri Lanka rebels: Get us out of the crossfire

  • What happened? Sri Lanka is in the midst of a lengthy (30-year-plus), dangerous and bloody civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels in northern Sri Lanka. The Tigers are fighting to create their own sovereign nation, but appear to be close to defeated in this latest offensive. On Friday, Sri Lanka claimed that they killed 14 rebels, including two leaders. source
  • What happened? Sri Lanka is in the midst of a lengthy (30-year-plus), dangerous and bloody civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels in northern Sri Lanka. The Tigers are fighting to create their own sovereign nation, but appear to be close to defeated in this latest offensive. On Friday, Sri Lanka claimed that they killed 14 rebels, including two leaders.
  • In the middle In the midst of this conflict are a number of civilians, many of whom are hospitalized. 250,000 total people are trapped inside the rebel territory. After rebels started firing shells at a hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu, the war zone’s last hospital, patients were moved to a makeshift medical facility in Puttumatalan village. source
  • What happened? Sri Lanka is in the midst of a lengthy (30-year-plus), dangerous and bloody civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels in northern Sri Lanka. The Tigers are fighting to create their own sovereign nation, but appear to be close to defeated in this latest offensive. On Friday, Sri Lanka claimed that they killed 14 rebels, including two leaders.
  • In the middle In the midst of this conflict are a number of civilians, many of whom are hospitalized. 250,000 total people are trapped inside the rebel territory. After rebels started firing shells at a hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu, the war zone’s last hospital, patients were moved to a makeshift medical facility in Puttumatalan village.
  • A plea for help The Red Cross says there are nearly 400 people at this medical facility, many lying on the floor because it’s so overcrowded or forced to receive medical attention at unequipped schools or community centers. The international organization wants the rebels to allow them to move these patients without worry of getting in the crossfire. source

02 Jan 2009 18:33

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Culture: A plea from the peanut gallery

  • Yo, Michael Cera. Loved you in Superbad. Thought you were amazing in Juno. And though I didn’t see Nick and Norah’s, I wanted to. Because of you. You’ve never steered me wrong. So, please, tell me: Why are you holding out on the Arrested Development movie? If it’s really so wrong to say yes, we don’t want you to be right. That is all. source