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20 Nov 2009 12:03

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U.S.: How big budget cuts screwed over the California university system

  • Dismantling this institution, which is a huge economic driver for the state, is a stupendously stupid thing to do, but that’s the path the Legislature has embarked on. When you pull resources from an institution like this, faculty leave, the best grad students don’t come, and the discoveries go down.
  • University of California-Berkeley dean of the College of Chemistry Richard A. Mathies • Describing how a $813 million budget cut has decimated the system, forced tuition hikes and created huge protests at universities throughout the University of California system. We’d straight-up say the budget cut was a terrible idea, but we just want to point out the level of gridlock getting ANY budget passed in California this year. The state’s jumbled constitution and laws have had the effect of screwing the state. Simple as that. • source

05 Nov 2009 22:23

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Politics: The tea party continues. Couldn’t they call it the “McRib tour” instead?

  • If the Fort Hood shooting didn’t happen, this probably would’ve been the day’s big story. A bunch of right-leaners met up at the Capitol today to stir up some )#&@ with Congress, in an effort to break the health care bill. Mark Levin is kind of a leader of the movement. Here’s a video of him speaking today. At the link is a transcript of the other person involved, Michelle Bachmann, talking on Glenn Beck. Enjoy!source

04 Nov 2009 10:21

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World: In more ways than one, memories of #iranelection stoked in Iran

  • It may be months on from #iranelection, but the spirit is definitely still kicking among its people as this protest on the 30th anniversary of Iran taking over the U.S. Embassy proves. Sadly, however, it goes both ways. Many were beaten by military in the largest protest in Tehran in six weeks.source

03 Oct 2009 22:07

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World: Is Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi on a mission to suppress the press?

  • We ask the prime minister to stop the campaign of accusations against journalists and to tell the truth.
  • Italian Press Federation head Franco Siddi • On the lawsuits Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been filing against major newspapers in Italy. The PM, who either owns or is related to the owners of many major Italian media outlets, has been suing newspapers covering the major sex scandals against him. Silvio Berlusconi says the protests are a joke. • source

26 Sep 2009 12:27

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24 Sep 2009 20:30

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U.S.: The G20 in Pittsburgh: It’s all fun and games until there’s tear gas

  • It’s a short video, but it does a good job of capturing the vibe of the anti-capitalism protests outside the G20 summit. About a dozen people were arrested and a bunch of windows were smashed in.source

13 Sep 2009 23:22

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Politics: Max Headroom: How did our political discourse turn into mush?

  • ACORN scam artists? The two people behind the ACORN prostitution video make themselves sound like the biggest douchebags ever, based on this Fox News video. Even if ACORN screwed up, these guys were TRYING to get them to screw up.

  • ACORN scam artists? The two people behind the ACORN prostitution video make themselves sound like the biggest douchebags ever, based on this Fox News video. Even if ACORN screwed up, these guys were TRYING to get them to screw up.

  • Tea party insanity Now, we’re not saying that all conservative activists are like those shown in this video, but the first two minutes of this video are really eye opening as to how far on the fringe many of these activists really are. Yikes.

  • ACORN scam artists? The two people behind the ACORN prostitution video make themselves sound like the biggest douchebags ever, based on this Fox News video. Even if ACORN screwed up, these guys were TRYING to get them to screw up.

  • Tea party insanity Now, we’re not saying that all conservative activists are like those shown in this video, but the first two minutes of this video are really eye opening as to how far on the fringe many of these activists really are. Yikes.

  • Axelrod: They’re wrong Top Obama adviser David Axelrod says flatly that these conservative activists overtaking Washington are simply “wrong” on the health care debate. We wouldn’t go that far. Their voices should be a part of this debate, too.

 

24 Aug 2009 10:36

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Politics: The founder of Frommer’s Travel Guides attacks Arizona gun crazies

  • I will cancel any plans to vacation or otherwise visit in Arizona until I learn more. And I will begin thinking about whether tourists should safeguard themselves by avoiding stays in Arizona.
  • Frommer’s Travel Guides namesake Arthur Frommer • Discussing his displeasure with town hall protesters who carried loaded guns to events in Arizona. There’s no reason they can’t. It’s legal. And that’s Frommer’s problem. He feels that it sets a bad standard for travelers in the state for reasons beyond political. “I not only believe such practices are a threat to the future of our democracy, but I am firmly convinced that they would also endanger my own personal safety there.” • source

12 Aug 2009 11:16

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Politics: Ooh, burn: Congressman compares town hall protesters to the KKK

  • Well, the last time I had to confront something like this was when I voted for the civil rights bill and my opponent voted against it. At that time, we had a lot of Ku Klux Klan folks and white supremacists and folks in white sheets and other things running around causing trouble.
  • Democratic Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives • Talking about the protests that have cropped up at town halls across the country, including in his own district. One man notably said to Dingell, “your healthcare plan is going to take healthcare away from my son and kill him!” Whew. Can’t we all just get along? As much as Dingell has a point, he’s clouding that point by saying something designed to anger the other side. • source

03 Aug 2009 10:42

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World: Ahamadinejad: Sure, Supreme Leader, I’ll be Iranian president!

It’s official. Ahmadinejad is president of Iran again. All those protests and stuff couldn’t stop it. source