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21 Oct 2010 10:27

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U.S.: U.S., Saudi Arabia: Let’s make a (massive ongoing weapons) deal!

  • $60
    million     the size of the weapons contract the U.S. plans to sign with the Saudi government
  • 20
    years     the length of said contract; the U.S. is signing it to help protect its security and economic interests source
  • Will Congress object to the deal? If Congress has any issues with the deal (which includes upgrading older equipment, along with new F-15s and helicopters) they have 30 days to raise them. A senate panel has already been given the tip-off.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Sep 2010 20:27

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World: Three crazy things Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at the UN today

  • one9/11 took place in part “to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order to save the Zionist regime.”
  • twoAhmadinejad says “The majority of the American people as well as most nations and politicians around the world agree with this view.”
  • three“It was carried out by a terrorist group but that the American government supported and took advantage of the situation.” source
  • » The craziest part?: Ahmadinejad said these things one right after the other, in succession. For understandable reasons, the U.S. and a few other countries walked out on him. What a tactless scumbag, what with his conspiracy theories and all.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

18 Sep 2010 12:03

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World: Iran hostages: Ahmadinejad wants the U.S. to scratch his back

  • From a moral viewpoint, there is an expectation that the US takes a step … There is an expectation in public opinion to release some of them.
  • Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Suggesting that he might let the other two hikers go if the U.S. lets go some of the Iranian hostages they’re holding. At last count, Iran said that 11 hostages were in U.S. custody. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had a pretty good response to Ahmadinejad’s request, regarding the other two hikers still being held: “It would be a very significant humanitarian gesture for the Iranians to release them as well,” she said. Oh, come on! Nobody expects it to be that easy! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Sep 2010 11:12

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U.S.: Poverty rate numbers: Not unexpected, but still very high

  • 14.3% the poverty rate in the U.S. in 2009 – the highest level since 1994
  • 43.6M the number of Americans currently in need of some sort of help
  • oneethnic group – Asians – didn’t see their poverty levels rise source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Aug 2010 12:37

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World: Big day for Iran: They’ve opened their first nuclear power plant

  • It only took them 36 years, with the help of Russia. But don’t think the plant is entirely in Iran’s hands right now. In part to appease the rest of the world, Russian technicians will be joint-operating (and playing the role of safeguard) of the plant for the next two to three years. The U.S. is concerned about anything with the words “Iran” and “nuclear” in it, but they have no qualms with the plant itself, because it could bring them under compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency regulations. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Aug 2010 19:59

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U.S., World: So, the last combat troops have left Iraq. Twitter takes it all in



Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Aug 2010 21:42

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World: The U.S. may be ready to put a little more trust in Afghan troops

  • With more Afghan forces, we can be on a path to transition in more places around the country. The success with the [Afghan] army in particular, I think, bodes well for in fact beginning to have some transitions maybe as early as this spring, but certainly beginning in the summer.
  • Defense Secretary Robert Gates • On whether the U.S. and NATO might be willing to let Afghan security forces take on securing more stable parts of the country. Gates says they could be ready as soon as early next year – a promising sign, considering how long this war has dragged on. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink
 

15 Aug 2010 21:31

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Biz: It’s official: China’s economy is bigger than Japan’s, way behind U.S.

  • $1.28B the GDP of China’s newly 2nd-place economy in the second quarter of 2010
  • $1.22B the GDP of Japan’s economy in 2nd quarter 2010, which fell behind China for the first time
  • $14B the GDP of the U.S. economy throughout 2009, which is way out in front source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

14 Jul 2010 21:49

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U.S.: Iroquois lacrosse players find nebulous space without passports

  • Somehow, a tribe that recognizes lacrosse as a sport doesn’t recognize passports. Members of the Iroquois lacrosse team, who had gotten a one-time waiver from the U.S. government, couldn’t get the same from the British government. The tribe uses their own non-standard passports, not American ones, creating a weird area even beyond the realm of exception. (Oh yeah: In case you’re wondering: Lacrosse originated with the Iroquois and Huron tribes, not douchey high school students.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

02 Jun 2010 10:52

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U.S.: How much cancer can your smokes cause? Depends on the country

  • Americans have more; the U.K., Canada and Australia have less. Ah, nothing like a story about cigarettes to make you feel more alive. Researchers did a test of cigarette butts to see what sort of chemicals and toxins the cigarettes have. Apparently, different countries use different formulas and as a result, different countries have more dangerous smokes. And by different countries, we really mean “the U.S.” (Scary, right?) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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