Possibly the only thing worse than Belgians on the Congo
pO157.
Posted to SciTech on Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 07:44:56 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
The World Health Organization has confirmed the start of a new Ebola virus outbreak in the Congo.
Ebola virus has plagued Africa since 1976. With a mortality rate of up to 89% (overall kill rate of 69.3%), the highly contagious disease is one of the few in the world that scares the jeepers out of scientists and physicians. Thankfully it has been relatively confined to the third world for the few outbreaks that have occurred since its discovery.
(15 comments, 248 words in story) Full Story
Breaking News: The Russian / Ukraine Natural Gas Crisis
port1080.
Posted to Politics on Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 06:15:16 AM EST (promoted by wetkarma). RSS.
Russia and the Ukraine have been having an ongoing dispute about Russian natural gas sales to the Ukraine since the Ukrainian "Orange Revolution" of 2005. Russian had been providing gas at steep subsidies to the Ukraine, which it considered within its sphere of influence, but after the repudiation of its favored presidential candidate, Russia began to turn the screws and jack up natural gas prices to the Ukraine. Normally, such a dispute would be of local interest, but little more. The Russian / Ukraine dispute has one big catch, however - most of Russia's pipelines to the European Union (to whom Russia sells most of its gas) run through the Ukraine - and when Russia and the Ukraine have a dispute gas supplies to the rest of Europe are severely disrupted.
(10 comments, 471 words in story) Full Story
US Economy, 2009 Edition: FAIL, or a New Hope?
port1080.
Posted to Business on Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 01:58:03 PM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.
With the new Congress coming into session, and President-elect Obama about to take office and move on a massive economic stimulus plan, expectations are high that after a disastrous year in 2008, the US economy will get back on track in 2009. Even the conservative Weekly Standard (which has no reason to be optimistic about an Obama-managed economy) is somewhat hopeful that the new year will see an upturn. Not so fast, says Reason.com's Jeff Taylor.
(9 comments, 319 words in story) Full Story
Take Some Time Off And Don't Come Back Till You Look Glamorous Again
MayorBob.
Posted to Legal on Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 06:48:54 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Suppose you work for a company without a sick leave policy. Say you were beaten black and blue by your domestic partner to the point where you were admitted unconscious to the hospital. Both you and the employer agree you shouldn't be working until you finally mend your wounds. You'd certainly qualify for unemployment benefits, right? Not according to one company which holds to a certain standard for its employees - they have to look glamorous. Thanks to one administrative law judge in Iowa that situation has been corrected ... for now.
(17 comments, 508 words in story) Full Story
Breaking News: Bill Richardson Withdraws From Commerce Bid
port1080.
Posted to Politics on Mon Jan 05, 2009 at 01:29:09 PM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.
New Mexico Governor (and former Presidential candidate) Bill Richardson has withdrawn his name from consideration for the post of Commerce Secretary. His withdrawal comes as a grand jury continues to investigate whether Richardson awarded juicy state contracts to well-connected donors in an illegal manner.
(5 comments, 126 words in story) Full Story
2008 -> 2009: The TNT Deathpool Thread
logan.
Posted to Etcetera on Mon Jan 05, 2009 at 07:32:15 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
It's that time again! Our hangovers have faded, the December VISA bill is on the way, the Christmas lights are either stowed away or we're gonna leave the damn things up, we're already checking to see if we get MLK Day off of work and it's time to do the Annual Trees and Things Deathpool!
(11 comments, 556 words in story) Full Story
Breaking News: Israeli Ground Assault Begins in Gaza
pO157.
Posted to Politics on Sun Jan 04, 2009 at 06:10:32 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
After a week long aerial campaign into Gaza the Israeli Defense Forces began a ground invasion of the disputed region yesterday.
(30 comments, 253 words in story) Full Story
You Have The Right To An Attorney ... When We Get Good And Ready To Provide One
MayorBob.
Posted to Legal on Sun Jan 04, 2009 at 07:35:20 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Back in 1963 the the US Supreme Court determined criminal suspects are entitled to be represented by a lawyer. And, if they can't pay for one, the state has to provide one to them. It's also a right that someone accused of a crime receive a speedy and fair trial. As the machinery of the state grinds on, gathering evidence and preparing its case against those accused, we expect the accused will have a lawyer appointed to help prepare the case for them -- especially if they're staring at the prospect of the death penalty. The state of Georgia doesn't think so and it's about to be taken to court to find out why a person facing the death penalty has been sitting in prison for over eight months while the state prepares its case against him.
(12 comments, 575 words in story) Full Story
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors. This One Needs A Really, Really High One.
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Sat Jan 03, 2009 at 07:39:30 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
In fact, 88-year-old Edna Jester of Blue Ash, Ohio might need a fence high enough so her next door neighbors can't toss stuff onto her back yard. After a blow up with the Tanis family last October, which resulted in her arrest for petty theft and subsequent dropping of those charges, you might have thought this oddball story had come to a quick end. However, 2009 finds us considering the plight of Jester and her neighbors yet again. Either the oddball story has reached a higher level of inanity or karma has come home to roost for the football-flinging Tanis family.
(7 comments, 461 words in story) Full Story
For Your Eyes Only, So Turn Those Cameras Off
MayorBob.
Posted to Legal on Fri Jan 02, 2009 at 10:35:09 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
This may be a wake up call to all those guys (and they're mostly guys) who want to memorialize a moment of bliss by putting it on film. Even if you don't show it to anyone else or post any of it on xtube or pornotube, you can still end up in trouble. Especially if you don't get the consent of your partner and especially in Wisconsin, where doing something like that has been determined to be a felony.
(11 comments, 461 words in story) Full Story
What Was The Nation Buzzing About In 2008?
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Thu Jan 01, 2009 at 07:43:37 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
They come to light innocently enough and end up lodged in peoples' noggins. Then they come into regular usage over the water cooler or on the internet. Then they become ubiquitous and it seems like everyone is using them. They are buzz phrases and one of the places which keeps track of such things is the New York Times which recently published its list of 2008's most popular buzz phrases.
(5 comments, 349 words in story) Full Story
The Year Of The Grinch
MayorBob.
Posted to Business on Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 12:16:07 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
The sales figures are final and, as many worried, the holiday shopping season was a bust. As a matter of fact, it was a 38-year record bust. The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the voice of brick and mortar stores everywhere, blamed the downturn on the recession, excessive discounting and bad weather. Mastercard, one of the main ways of paying for all those holiday buys, seconded what the ICSC had to say observing that credit card sales had fallen off 8% percent from last year during the month of December.
(2 comments, 456 words in story) Full Story
