Corruption in New Jersey: 44 Arrested, Including 2 Assemblymen, 3 Mayors, and a Few Rabbis to Complete the Joke

July 24, 2009

Feds launch money laundering “charges against two N.J. assemblyman and mayors of Hoboken, Secaucus and Ridgefield. The FBI and IRS investigation also ensnared rabbis from the Syrian Jewish communities in Deal and Brooklyn.” One thing to keep an eye on in this otherwise solid coverage from the Star-Ledger: classic disappearing party affiliation effect.

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Obama Won't Back Down From Criticizing Cambridge Police Arrest of Gates

July 24, 2009

After it initially looked as if the White House was walking back POTUS’s off-hand criticism that the arresting officer in Cambridge acted “stupidly,” he now tells Nightline: “I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement, because I think it was a pretty straightforward commentary…” Yes, but you’re the President.

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Senate Won't Hit August Deadline on Health Care, Obama Grits Teeth and Says He's Okay With That

July 24, 2009

Rahm meets with Blue Dogs, POTUS meets with industry. “Ms. Pelosi said leaders are close to working out their disagreements, and she shrugged off concerns about delays. ‘I am not afraid of August,’ she said. ‘It is a month.’” A month, full of time to dig into this bill, is all its opponents may need.

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Mark Buehrle Throws 18th Perfect Game in History of Baseball, Preserved by Amazing Catch

July 24, 2009

In every no hitter, there’s one amazing defensive play: “This time it was Wise, who made what is inarguably the best catch of the season and arguably one of the best in baseball history when he kept the perfect game intact by snaring a long drive off the bat of Tampa Bay’s Gabe Kapler.”

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Eternal Questions: Why Does Soda or Beer Taste Different in a Bottle Than a Can?

July 24, 2009

Explainer answers: “Manufacturers dissolve the same volume of carbon dioxide into their plastic- and aluminum-bound products, but polyethylene terephthalate plastic is somewhat more CO2-permeable than aluminum. That means the fizz will leak out of a plastic bottle of Coke at a higher rate than it would from a can.”

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Osama Bin Laden's Son Reportedly Killed in Pakistan

July 23, 2009

Saad bin Laden was reportedly killed by Hellfire missiles fired from a U.S. Predator drone. “A senior U.S. counterterrorism official tells NPR that without a body to conduct DNA tests on, it’s hard to be completely sure. But he characterized U.S. spy agencies as being “80 to 85 percent” certain” they got him.

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Podcast: Urbaniak and Domenech on Comic Con 2009 and More

July 22, 2009

Special guest James Urbaniak — the mellifluously voiced star of stage, screen, and The Venture Bros — joins Ben Domenech for a podcast sequel, with a discussion on San Diego’s Comic Con 2009, life in Hollywood, character actors, and The Venture Bros.

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UCLA's Ed O'Bannon Sues NCAA Over Use of Image, Rights to Sell Video Games

July 22, 2009

“In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, Ed O’Bannon says the NCAA illegally has athletes sign away their rights to the commercial use of their images and does not share any of the proceeds from their use with former athletes.” Basically, you can play the archived “statistical likeness” of Ed O’Bannon any time you want.

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Signing Statements? We Don't Need No Stinking Signing Statements! (Wait, Yes We Do)

July 22, 2009

Another promised change bites the dust for POTUS, the latest example regarding funding for the World Bank and IMF. “President Barack Obama has irked close allies in Congress by declaring he has the right to ignore legislation on constitutional grounds after having criticized George W. Bush for doing the same.” New boss, old boss, etc.

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Do Fewer F-22s Really Make America Less Safe?

July 22, 2009

Wired blogger David Axe smartly criticizes Michael Goldfarb’s defense of the now-canceled F-22 (the real reason to keep it being keeping smart aerospace people employed). Unfortunately, he also says: “And even if China were building Raptor-level fighters, there’s no reason to assume Beijing has designs on the U.S. interests.” Just remember to breathe between laughs.

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