April 2011
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AMC, Matt Weiner agree to new deal
$30 million for Mad Men creator Matt Weiner in new deal source
» Patching things up: Weiner and AMC had been butting heads over some rather unglamorous specifics of the award-winning show, the sorts of arguments that chill the blood of television fans. AMC had wanted to reduce the production budget by shaving two minutes off the running time of each episode, as well as killing off characters to...
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“These are real thugs. They’re really people who shoot first and ask...”
– Tyler Hicks, one of the reporters kidnapped by the Libyan military • Reflecting on the nature of his captors. Hicks and three others were held for six days by Gaddafi’s forces before being released. source (via • follow)
March 2011
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“The word “Governator” combined two worlds: the world of politics ...”
– Arnold Schwarzenegger • Speaking about “The Governator,” an upcoming project he’s doing with comic book icon Stan Lee. Slated for release next year, you’ll be able to both buy “The Governator” comic book, and watch “The Governator” cartoon show. The...
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Florida Gov slashes disabilities services, then...
afternoon Florida Gov. Rick Scott is expected to announce a 15% pay cut for workers who aid developmentally-disabled Floridians.
eveningAs a sort of consolation prize to those whose services will be cut, Scott will then attend a photo-op for the Special Olympics. source
» Why the 15% cut? Florida’s Agency for Persons with Disabilities is facing a $170 million deficit, and Scott claims...
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France may not wait for IAEA on nuclear safety
France may preempt IAEA summit: President Nicolas Sarkozy wants G20 nuclear industry officials to come to Paris in May to discuss safety issues. This might rankle the United Nations, as such an event would preempt the IAEA’s summit in Vienna, planned for June. The IAEA lacks the power to force action on its recommendations, which is why nations like France may not want to wait for the U.N....
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Wisconsin GOP Rep complains about his $174,000... →
world-shaker:
With video.
The Wisconsin GOP is now demanding this video be removed from the internet via a misleading copyright claim (sorry, public officials talking in public is not copyrighted work, it’s public record).
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British officials say no deal struck with Moussa...
NOMoussa Koussa was not offered immunity to defect source
» So say British officials: Koussa, the former Libyan Foreign Minister who defected yesterday, had been a cornerstone of the Gaddafi regime dating back to the 1969 revolution. As such, it wasn’t unreasonable upon learning of his defection to wonder just how dirty his hands were. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court...
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Orly Taitz endorses Trump for President
really? Donald Trump has employed a daring, if unscrupulous political strategy in courting the birther movement. Basically, he’s trading in whatever mainstream credibility he has to corner the market on a vociferous, single-issue base.
Orly! Orly Taitz, birther maven and former California Secretary of State candidate, endorsed Trump on her blog, calling him “THE PRESIDENT WE OUGHT TO...
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Biden: Republicans and Democrats nearing deal in...
$33 billion in cuts in the latest, tentative budget proposal source
» Still not a sure thing: Joe Biden, who has been negotiating a budget with the Republicans, says that he and Republicans are now “working off the same number” in their talks. However, John Boehner’s spokesman made it clear that “there is no deal until everything is settled.” If this budget passes,...
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Ivory Coast: Opposition takes administrative...
yes under the leadership of Alassane Ouattara, opposition forces in Ivory Coast now control the country’s administrative capital
“hours” resignation deadline given to Laurent Gbagbo, who has so far refused to step down as President, by Ouattara’s Prime Minister source
» Quick recap: Gbagbo lost November’s presidential elections, but has refused to cede power to...
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Former US intelligence officer: CIA is currently...
are cia operatives on the ground in libya? Yes, according to an anonymous American official and former US intelligence officer. It’s unclear, however, what type of operatives they are, and what exactly they’re doing. Details are sketchy at this point, but they apparently helped rescue one of the American soldiers who had to eject from his F-15 on day one of the engagement. We’re...
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More GOP union-busting fun, this time at the...
goal Continuing full-steam ahead with their party’s attack on worker’s unions, House Republicans will vote on legislation making it more difficult for rail and aviation workers to unionize.
obstacle The White House, via the Office of Management in Budget, released a statement today threatening—though not explicitly pledging—to veto any bill that contained such changes. source
»...
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Hillary Clinton's second-in-command at the State... →
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South Carolina wants to legalize handguns in...
concerning The state legislature in South Carolina is currently considering a law that would allow for guns to be carried in day-care centers, churches, and restaurants.
crazy The state’s pro-gun lobby oppose the bill for not going far enough, and has called the bill “unconstitutional” in its restrictions. source
» Restrictions? What restrictions? As explained in an open letter, the gun lobby...
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Secret authorization grants aid to Libyan rebels
Was Libyan military aid authorized? It’s being reported that President Obama signed an order, called a “finding,” which is effectively a secret authorization to militarily support the Libyan rebellion. The process is said to generally be used for secret CIA authorizations. The administration has gone to staggering lengths to avoid the perception that the Libyan intervention was...
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THE TELEGRAPH: The extraordinary courage of the... →
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Ohio House passes anti-union bill, abortion next...
labor war The Republican-led Ohio House approved their much publicized anti-public union bill, adding payments for health care and pensions, and restricting collective bargaining for 360,000 or so people. The bill will now head to the Senate.
culture war The Ohio “heartbeat” bill heads to the House. It would make abortion illegal if a fetal heartbeat is detected (normally about six...
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President Obama argues for less imported oil
25% the percentage of global oil production that’s consumed by the U.S.
2% the percentage of global oil reserves under the control of the U.S.
1/3rd the reduction in fuel imports Obama wants for the next decade source
» So, how do we get there? The nitty-gritty policy proposals President Obama spoke on seemed hauntingly familiar, with emissions standards, electric car production, (safety...
“Asking whether large solar power plants are appropriate in the Mojave desert is...”
– Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger lays out a case for putting solar farms in the Mojave as part of a policy based on improving public health, boosting the economy, and avoiding the risks of the fossil economy.
Read more at The Atlantic
(via theatlantic)
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“[San Francisco] deserves a neighborhood named after a delicious cruelty-free...”
– PETA’s Tracy Reiman • Regarding the city’s notorious Tenderloin district. The TL, as some call it, is a notoriously rough area near San Francisco’s financial district; according to local lore, it’s named after the preferred cut of meat for neighborhood cops overflowing with...
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First presidential debate postponed due to lack of...
thenLast Year, Politico and NBC News announced plans to host a Republican presidential debate on May 2nd of this year. It was to be the first debate of election season.
nowBecause so few candidates have declared their candidacy, NBC and Politico are postponing the debate until September. Now, Fox’s May 5th debate will be the first. source
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Bad day at Breja as Libyan rebels retreat
Ground gained by Gaddafi: The Libyan rebellion is retreating in the face of heavy artillery and tank fire, as Muammar Gaddafi’s forces have retaken Breja. The rebels are heading back to Ajdabiya, which was where they were situated before the start of the NATO air strikes. As the international community mulls whether to actively provide arms to the rebel movement, Gaddafi’s ground...
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“He’s now using his thugs to try to stay in power and intimidate the...”
– President Barack Obama • On the continued grip on power by Laurent Gbagbo, the Ivory Coast strongman who was electorally defeated by Alassane Ouattara last November. As power-hungry, unscrupulous leaders are prone to do, Gbagbo didn’t relinquish power to Ouattara, instead orchestrating a...
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Beghjet Pacolli, president of Kosovo, resigns...
OUT The President of Kosovo has resigned source
» Why? Behgjet Pacolli was elected by parliament a month ago. Today, a constitutional court ruled this ascension in violation of the country’s constitution, and in respect of their decision, Pacolli stepped down. But down though he is, he’s not yet out: Pacolli has announced his intent to run for President in the next election, which has...
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WHOO: We just got featured in Mediaite! We're... →
Thanks to Jaclyn Schiff for the interview.
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“This is State Represenative Bobby Franklin. Thank you for calling to give me...”
– Best Lawmaker Voicemail Ever (via nickbaumann)
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Virginia Tech nailed for poor handling of 2007...
$55,000 fine for blowing the response source
» Why the fine? SImple explanation. Despite the fact that the university knew about the slayings of two students in a dorm room, it took them 2 hours and 15 minutes to warn people what was going on — a requirement under the Clery Act. Shooter Seung-Hui Cho attacked a lecture hall 2 hours and 30 minutes after the initial killings — attacks which were...
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On Obama's apparent contradictions in his Libya...
Last night, we got a friendly message from nhaler about the contradictions in the messages we’re hearing on Libya: ”What’re your thoughts on the plain contradictions that are being repeated by the mass media regarding Obama’s claims that USA ‘led the charge’ against Gaddafi?” Good question. In many ways we saw clear leadership from France before reports...
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Wisconsin: Judge blocks collective bargaining law...
then Wisconsin-based Judge Maryann Sumi ruled a couple of weeks ago that the just-passed anti-collective bargaining law couldn’t be implemented for procedural reasons. Scott Walker continued to implement it anyway.
now Judge Maryann Sumi has ruled again, saying that Secretary of State Doug La Follette can’t do anything to allow the law to take effect. Walker’s folks tried to...
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“At this point, in addition to maintaining a no-fly zone protecting civilian...”
– President Barack Obama • Offering a follow-up to the sentiments he made last night about the American military action in Libya. While Obama says he was reluctant to start another military campaign, here we are — Obama emphasizing that we could “save a lot of lives” in Libya....
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Yep, Radiohead Screwed Over Nearly 30 Fans
washingtoncitypaper:
As predicted, nearly 30 Radiohead fanatics showed up to a Brightwood location and there were no “Universal Sigh” papers to be found. Photo by Benjamin R. Freed.
Dear Radiohead: You suck. Sincerely, DC.
