That guy there, with the face tattoo … he could be the next president of the Czech Republic. Seriously. Do yourself a favor, read this.
Moving to Eastern Europe just so I can vote for this guy.
Saudi Arabia’s king appoints women to advisory council for 1st time
Bloomberg News: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has appointed female members to the Consultative Council for the first time, naming 30 women to the 150-member advisory body.
The appointments, reported by the official Saudi Press Agency, came after Abdullah issued a decree requiring at least 20 percent of members should be women. It says they must observe Islamic law and be properly covered, and will enjoy full rights in the council, have a separate entrance to the chamber and sit in a special section apart from men.Photo: King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia (Hassan Ammar / AP, file)
This is a huge step for that region. Curious to see where things go from here.
- Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
- Alan Arkin, Argo
- Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
- Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
More coverage: http://usat.ly/ZL8rRo
Christoph Waltz + Tarantino = Instant Oscar. Who do you think is gonna get snubbed?
Recently, Public Policy Polling sought to discover just how low the public’s opinion of Congress had fallen, testing the popularity of the U.S. Congress against twenty-six different, typically unpopular things. We all know that the American people have a less-than-favorable opinion of Congress (9% favorable and 85% unfavorable), but damn. The results weren’t pretty.
Here’s the outcome of PPP’s survey, in a handy illustrated form, from most to least popular thing:
#1:
vs.
When presented with a choice between Congress or Brussels sprouts, respondents gave a higher favorable rating to Brussels sprouts (69%) versus Congress (23%). [more]
Be sure to check out Meg’s full list, which is freaking awesome.
While Twitter’s Turks will help bring much-needed context to the platform, they’re not journalists who verify whether something is true. As we’ve seen with the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut and Superstorm Sandy, Twitter rumors ran rampant. Some rumors turned out to be true, but many were inaccurate or even malicious. Some were important, others were trivial. At Breaking News, we rely on experienced journalists (that’s one of them, Stephanie Clary, above) to verify real-time reports and prioritize their importance. We also add context, associating reports with ongoing stories, topics and locations. But accuracy and importance — along with speed — are the essence of breaking news for any news organization.The Breaking News team to Twitter: Your Mechanical Turk team can’t compete with our actual journalists.
BREAKING: NEW YORK (WABC) — A commuter ferry had a hard landing when it pulled into a Lower Manhattan pier, injuring at least 53 people Wednesday morning.
The Seastreak ferry hit the dock pulling into Pier 11 of the South Street Seaport just before 9 a.m., opening a large gash on the starboard side of the bow.
At least 53 people were being treated, including one person with a head injury. Seven of the injuries were considered serious, and 25 victims are listed in stable condition. Officials say 21 suffered minor injuries.
Passenger Chris Avore estimates that there were hundreds of passengers on board at the time. The ferry carries as many as 400.
“Nothing seemed like it was going to be out of the ordinary,” he said. “There was once or twice where I was talking with a colleague where we actually thought it was coming in a little hot near Brooklyn, where we’re not used to seeing it. Then the next thing we knew, you feel the jolt and then everybody goes flying.”
None of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening, but several people could be seen being taken from the ferry on stretchers. It was believed they were being taken to New York Downtown Hospital for treatment. Dozens of passengers, as many as 60, were being evaluated on the dock in a makeshift triage area and on the ferry.
“Once you basically pass the Statue of Liberty, you pretty much know that you’re going to be there soon, so a lot of people start standing up, milling around, getting their coats and everything like that,” Avore said. “Anybody who was standing went to the ground.”
Most of the injuries were on the upper level, where the people were standing while waiting to disembark. The man who suffered the head injury apparently fell down the stairs, possibly cracking the window.
The ferry was the 8 a.m. from the Conner’s Pier in Highlands, New Jersey, to the Wall Street area. It was scheduled to arrive at Pier 11 at 8:45 a.m.
LINK: PHOTOS FROM THE SCENE
Holy wow. We’ll be keeping an eye on this one, guys.
Edit: Paypal account has been corrected.
Donations can be made via paypal to melissa-harmeyer@uiowa.edu! If asked, please mark the purpose as being a donation or other to stop your donation from being taxed on Melissa’s end. The other option is gofundme, however, its fees include a few dollars from every donation which is why paypal is preferred.
Octavius Lamb was the student of Melissawrites. When she learned the news of Octavius’ death she wrote this post. Her school recently learned that there would be no funeral or proper burial, and Melissa has asked me to get Tumblr’s help:
Hi PPT,
I hate to reach out to you especially under these circumstances, however I don’t know anyone with a stronger voice.
As you read, one of my students was killed on New Year’s Day.
This is a student who was a leader in JROTC and student government at school. When I student taught at the school I am currently now employed at he started a petition to help get me hired. He once reported that someone stole a pop from a fundraiser to me. He was a good and honest young man.
His family cannot afford to give him a funeral. His mother is homeless, his sister (another former student of mine) just had a baby at 17 and is living with her boyfriend, his other brother (and yet another former student) is locked up for the next 15 years. This young man was his family’s only hope, as mentioned on my blog he had a full-ride to school and turned it down to take a job (as a dishwasher of all things) to help provide for his family. He was not gang affiliated.
As a school we are attempting to provide a funeral for him, because if we don’t, no one else will. If the funds are not raised in time he will be given as what’s known as a pauper’s funeral in Chicago which leave him with an unmarked grave and no service. He doesn’t deserve this.
I’m turning to you to see if you can help me put out a blast to raise the funds for this incredibly sad event. I know that you do so much in the Tumblr world, however I don’t have nearly the followers that you do. I hate having to turn and beg for something like this, but if you could help in any other way, it would really mean the world to me.
Thanks so much,
Melissa
Melissa, there’s no need to beg. This is how a community helps one another.
Melissa is under a very, very tight timeline. Her principal meets with the family on Monday. The cost of the funeral and burial is $5,000. Melissa’s goal to raise is $1,000 before Monday morning. I am hoping we can exceed it.
Donations can be made via paypal to melissa-harmeyer@uiowa.edu!. If asked, please mark the purpose as being a donation or other to stop your donation from being taxed on Melissa’s end. The other option is gofundme, however, its fees include a few dollars from every donation which is why paypal is preferred. Melissa realizes this means asking for a considerable amount of trust, but I can vouch for her honesty.
Even the smallest of donations will help. Octavius Lamb deserve a fair-well worthy of the life he lived. I believe that the magic and love of Tumblr can help accomplish this. Please show Melissa the same love and support you’ve shown me over the years. Spread the word, reblog (and reblog again) — using the text post so it shows all the info), post it on facebook, tweet it, and tell your mother.
Thank you.
Here’s a signal boost for this, all.
digg:
A Connecticut newspaper ran an ad for a gun show next to a story about Sandy Hook today.
As a former newspaper guy, let me emphasize that in situations like these, you can generally check the ad stacks and change things to avoid situations like this.
A lot of people have been complaining about President Obama’s recent executive order, which will raise salaries of members of Congress by a pretty small amount next year. Technically, it’s probably better not to think of it as a pay raise but rather an end to a pay freeze for federal employees that has been in effect since 2010. (Members of Congress actually haven’t seen a raise since 2009.) And so it isn’t simply a pay raise for Congress; it also impacts all federal employees and that was seemingly the main motivation for the executive order.
Was it a not-so-subtle gambit in the fiscal cliff negotiations? Perhaps. Did it fail to make any difference? Perhaps.
This is, of course, the least productive Congress since the 1940s so I’d be happier if they actually had to start paying us instead of the other way around. But one way to deal with such historically bad legislating is to vote them out of office next time you have an opportunity rather than to keep voting for people who claim obstructionism as their primary legislative goal.
HT: Anonymous Question Asker
FWIW, $900 a year is $17 a week, before taxes. With the federal pay freeze lifted, Obama gave members of Congress enough money for a weekly meal at Chipotle. (Biden’s salary increase was a bit more dramatic, obviously.) For most people, that’s a cost of living increase. Members of Congress probably don’t care too much. Federal workers might, though. — Ernie @ SFB
From Reuters:
FLASH: Secretary Clinton suffered blood clot between brain and skull, behind right ear, doctors say. Clinton did not suffer stroke or neurological damage according to doctors.
From a million idiots all over the country:
So, then, when is she going to testify about Benghazi? #tcot #faker #conspiracy #foxnews
First we had truthers. Then we had birthers. Now we have clotters.
(Source: reuters)
In her last days, my mother occasionally became confused....
”The reporter...
I can’t add much to what’s already been (and will be) ...
One of the perks of being an early employee...
Over the last 90 days, the Digg...
#FMMDI (at 30 Rockefeller Plaza)
The State Department made a “grievous mistake” in keeping the U.S. mission in Benghazi open despite inadequate security and increasingly alarming threat assessments in the weeks before a deadly attack by militants, a Senate committee said on Monday.
A report from the Senate Homeland Security Committee on the September 11 attacks on the U.S. mission and a nearby CIA annex, in which the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans died, faulted intelligence agencies for not focusing tightly enough on Libyan extremists.
It also faulted the State Department for waiting for specific warnings instead of improving security.
READ ON: Senate report finds State Dept made “grievous mistake” over Benghazi
What lessons can be applied here that weren’t in Benghazi?
“I believe that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is suffering from a concussion. She has never shied away from a fight (assuming the testimony would even amount to that), she has never declined to testify before in her decades of public service … and very significantly she has agreed to testify in January so they will hear from her. If the Republicans wanted to hear from her earlier, why didn’t they just call her to testify earlier? and if she had said no, subpoena her? It is simple to do. The Republicans are in the Majority in the House of Representatives and had the power and could have summoned her / subpoenaed her to testify if they had wanted to. Frankly, I do want to hear what she says about Benghazi — she is important to hear from on this serious matter – but I want to hear from her when she is in good health. There are many, many unanswered and very serious questions in my mind, and as the Secretary of State, it is her job to answer them. I would have liked to have had her testify weeks ago and answered the questions — but now that she is sick — the right thing to do is to wait until she is better. I don’t agree with being snarky about someone’s health.”
—
Fox “News” host GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, writing in her blog on Dec. 19.
Far be it from her Fox “News” colleagues to not be a bunch of asswads about this matter.
In reference to the prior post.
I just had a good and constructive discussion here at the White House with Senate and House leadership about how to prevent this tax hike on the middle class. And I’m optimistic we may still be able to reach an agreement that could pass both houses (of Congress) on time; Senators Reid and Connell are working on such an agreement as we speak. But if an agreement isn’t reached in time between Senator Reid and Senator McConnell, then I will urge Senator Reid to bring, to the floor, a basic package for an up-or-down vote — one that protects the middle class from an income tax hike; extends the vital lifeline of unemployment insurance to two million Americans looking for a job; and lays the groundwork for future cooperation on more economic growth and deficit reduction.PRESIDENT OBAMA, updating the nation on the fiscal cliff talks. (via inothernews)
It’s no secret that I don’t like guns. But neither am I someone who thinks gun owners are all wingnuts who are stockpiling guns to protect themselves against the government (which is why I frequently lampoon those who are doing this) or to murder their neighbors. If you want to think seriously about ways to put a brake on gun deaths in our country — apart from arming everyone, which is the NRA position — simply publishing a list of (some) (potential) gun owners isn’t going to help.Ari Kohen • Offering an effective bit of commentary regarding the gun registry map put online by a New York-based newspaper. What benefit does posting public information about people who have guns offer? Not a lot, honestly. It doesn’t add much to the gun control debate, it shames and endangers people who don’t necessarily deserve either shaming or endangerment, and it gets away from the actual issue at hand. Yes, it’s public data. No, it doesn’t really shine a light on anything, other than that this is a really effective way of pissing people off.
Copyright 2009-2013 Ernie Smith • Ask us stuff! • E-mail us • Follow us on Twitter • Follow us on Facebook
