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    ‘Joe Biden’


    By: Caitlin Maguire

    News Round-Up: Friday, March 8th, 2013

    Friday, March 8th, 2013

    February’s jobs numbers has unemployment at a 4-year-low; North Korea ends its peace treaty with South Korea; Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law is arraigned in New York City; flight attendants and pilots resist a new TSA policy that would allow small knives on planes; political leaders head to Venezuela for Hugo Chavez’s funeral; John Brennan has been confirmed as CIA Director; the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill that would impose stricter laws on gun trafficking; and Information Week tells us the five coolest changes to Facebook’s news feed. Meanwhile, Justin Bieber is making headlines after being hospitalized AND attacking a paparazzo; Joy Behar will leave ‘The View’; and Kelly Osborne suffers a seizure on-set.

    Caitlin

    CRUCIAL:

    After Sanctions Vote, 2 Koreas Ratchet Up Attack Threats, http://rtvote.com/Zx5SP3
    In response to new UN Security Council sanctions, North Korea has ended its peace treaty with South Korea. The country has threatened nuclear attacks on the United States, saying it will send Washington into a “sea of fire.” A top general has confirmed that Pyongyang has nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles that are ready to be fired at any time. South Korea has warned North Korea about its nuclear ambitions, saying that if the country does attack then Kim Jong-un’s regime “will be erased from the earth.”

    Homeland Chair: Osama bin Laden’s Son-in-Law ‘Cooperating’, http://rtvote.com/Y0ixe9
    Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, has been indicted and will be arraigned in New York City on Friday. Abu Ghaith has appeared in al Qaeda videos after 9/11 and is being charged with conspiring to kill Americans. He is one of the highest ranked al Qaeda officials to stand trial in New York.

    NEW TSA POLICY ON KNIVES, BATS SPARKS BACKLASH, http://rtvote.com/Zx7JDH
    The Flight Attendants Union Coalition, which is made up of five unions and 90,000 flight attendants, has created a petition demanding to reverse the TSA’s new policy that small knives, golf clubs, and baseball bats be allowed on planes. “Our nation’s aviation system is the safest in the world thanks to multilayered security measures that include prohibition on many items that could pose a threat to the integrity of the aircraft cabin,” said the coalition. The pilots association has also denounced the measures, saying terrorism is still a “real threat.” If the policy is not overturned it will go into effect on April 25th.

    (via The New York Times) Unemployment at 4-Year-Low as U.S. Hiring Gains Steam,http://rtvote.com/XXRDVf
    Bolstered by a healthier private sector, the United States economy gained 236,000 jobs in February, well above what had been expected, while the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, its lowest level since December 2008. The gains were broad-based, the Labor Department said Friday, with sectors ranging from manufacturing to business services turning in healthy results. Construction was especially strong, adding 48,000 jobs, a sign that the recovery in the housing market is beginning to translate into new jobs.

    A FUNERAL, AND A SWEARING IN, FOR VENEZUELA, http://rtvote.com/Y0hquU
    At least 30 political leaders have traveled to Venezuela for Hugo Chavez’s funeral. Cuban President Raul Castro, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, former Massachusetts congressman William Delahunt, and many others will be in attendance as Chavez’s week of mourning continues. Vice President Nicolas Maduro, whom Chavez chose as a replacement, will be sworn in today as well.

    (via The Washington Post) With Brennan as CIA chief, Obama puts in place 3rd key member of his national security team, http://rtvote.com/Y0p60h
    John Brennan took over Friday as director of the CIA, the finishing touch on President Barack Obama’s national security team for his second term.The White House said Vice President Joe Biden swore Brennan in during a private ceremony in the Roosevelt Room, the morning after he won Senate confirmation amid a contentious debate. Republicans had blocked his nomination but lifted their delay after the administration bowed to their requests for clarification about the president’s power in using drones.

    (via Information Week) Facebook News Feed: 5 Coolest Changes, http://rtvote.com/XXS2ah

    CULTURAL:

    JUSTIN BIEBER COLLAPSES IN LONDON, HOSPITALIZED, http://rtvote.com/Zx9EI9

    Joy Behar Departing ‘The View’, http://rtvote.com/Y0pCeV

    Justin Bieber Lunges at Paparazzi, Gets Restrained by His Own Bodyguard, http://rtvote.com/XXSeX5

    Kelly Osbourne recovering after on-set seizure, http://rtvote.com/XXShSH

     

    Caitlin Maguire
    Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
    @caitlinmagu
    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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    By: Liza Dee

    Last Night’s State of the Union Address

    Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

    John Boehner’s attempts to look enthused, the many faces of Joe Biden, and a plethora of awkward bipartisan interactions were not the only highlights from last night’s State of the Union. President Obama took a more aggressive stance than usual in his annual address. He asserted that the public had voted in favor of his agenda and hinted that he would not be as willing to compromise in his second term.

    The president promised to wind down – by next year — a conflict that has defined my generation. He announced an end to the war in Afghanistan as his headline issue. This spring, he promised, American forces would draw back into a support role and allow Afghan security teams to take over the brunt of the effort. “Beyond 2014, America’s commitment to a unified and sovereign Afghanistan will endure, but the nature of our commitment will change,” the president said. Beyond the war’s end, he claimed, the administration will work with the Afghan government to train its forces, as well as to allow Americans to proceed with counterterrorist efforts focused on al Qaeda.

    As was to be expected, the president allotted much of the hour to speaking about his economic agenda. Most notably, he addressed the subject of minimum wage, an issue frequently neglected over the past few years.  You may see a little extra cash in your pocket at your summer job, as the president plans to advocate for raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour “so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on”.

    As a college sophomore, I am all too familiar with the seemingly unreasonable price tag stuck on a university education and was glad to hear the president address the importance of bringing down higher education costs. Obama highlighted how his administration had used tax credits, grants, and better loans to make college affordable, but noted that taxpayers could no longer bear the burden of “subsidizing higher and higher costs for higher education.” He called upon Congress to improve the Higher Education Act, altering it to account for college affordability and value. Universities would then receive federal aid based on their ratio of affordability to value.

    The president also found time to touch briefly upon reforms that could ease your voting experience come the next election. He announced the creation of a non-partisan presidential Voting Commission designated to improve the American voting process. The Commission would be chaired by top attorneys from both the Obama and Romney campaigns. “When any Americans–no matter where they live or what their party—are denied that right simply because they can’t wait for five, six, seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying out ideals,” Obama said on the right to vote.

    Liza Dee
    Bio:

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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    Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »


    By: Liza Dee

    News Round-Up: Friday, January 18, 2013

    Friday, January 18th, 2013

    Algerian special forces have freed 650 of the hostages seized by Islamists; Lance Armstrong admits to doping in an interview with Oprah; and speculation surrounds Notre Dame football star Manti Te’O and his fake girlfriend. Meanwhile, the Onion will release an “autobiography” on Vice President Biden, and Michelle Obama debuts a new haircut.

    Caitlin + Liza

    CRUCIAL: 

    650 hostages freed by Algerian special forces, http://bit.ly/Xhf5In
    Algerian special forces have freed 650 hostages taken by Islamists after attacking a gas field in eastern Algeria on Wednesday. Over half of the 132 foreign workers taken hostage have been freed. 10 to 20 Americans are being evacuated, while some remain unaccounted for. U.S. officials have not specified the exact number of Americans involved in the attack. “This incident will be resolved–we hope–with a minimum loss of life. But when you deal with these relentless terrorists, life is not in any way precious to them,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

    Lance Armstrong Confession: Cyclist Admits Doping During Oprah Interview, http://huff.to/13Kj8CW
    Lance Armstrong opened up about doping Thursday night in the first installment of a two-part interview with Oprah Winfrey. Armstrong openly admitted to using banned substances in all seven of his Tour de France victories. Earlier on Thursday, he was stripped of his bronze medal from the 2000 Olympics. Armstrong noted that he was committed to restoring his reputation. “I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to earn back trust and trying to apologize to people…for the rest of my life,” he said.

    Behind Manti Te’O hoax about girlfriend lies a deep desire to believe, http://wapo.st/XinJqA
    Following a Deadspin.com report published Wednesday, questions are circulating about the dead girlfriend of Manti Te’O, the star linebacker and Heisman Trophy runner-up who helped lead Notre Dame to the BCS Champion Bowl. Te’O's supposed girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, who was said to have died of leukemia, was a media fixation central to his personal story. Te’O claims the pair carried out their relationship online, and now says he was the victim of an online prank. However, controversy remains over whether the fake girlfriend may have been a publicity stunt created by Te’O himself.

    ‘Obama for America’ to morph into ‘Organizing for Action’, http://bit.ly/13LRSFd
    President Obama’s “Obama for America” re-election campaign will be relaunched as “Organizing for Action”, a non-profit organization with a mission to advocate for his second-term agenda. Organizing for Action will push for agreements on the president’s priority issues by using powerful tools from the re-election campaign including grassroots organization, social media outreach, and a large voter database. Jim Messina, who directed the 2012 campaign, will chair Organizing for Action.

    One to beam up: NASA uses a laser to send Mona Lisa to the moon, http://nbcnews.to/XimYxX
    NASA will use a laser-tracking system to make the Mona Lisa the first digital image to be transmitted via laser to the moon. NASA has previously sent laser pulses and strings of numbers to its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the laser-tracking system that has been circling the moon for the past three and a half years, but this is the first time they will transmit a far more visual painting. NASA said this type of laser communication could serve in the future as a backup for the radio communication currently used by satellites, potentially allowing higher data rates of communication.

    CULTURAL 

    Biden Getting an Autobiography From the Onion (Whether He Wants It or Not), http://nyti.ms/WL5Tfh

    New ‘Do Alert: Michelle Obama Debuts Bangs, http://bit.ly/XeucCi

    Selena Gomez Talks Justin Bieber Pre-Split and Taylor Swift Friendship, http://eonli.ne/XjhJ0j

    “Django Unchained” Slave Toys Discontinued, http://tmz.me/VOHz0m

    Jennifer Lawrence: I Should Have Been in “Zero Dark Thirty”!, http://eonli.ne/SJmBAC 

     

     

    Liza Dee
    Bio:

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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    By: Caitlin Maguire

    News Round-Up: Friday, January 11th, 2013

    Friday, January 11th, 2013

    The U.S. orders a review of Boeing 787s;  the student that opened fire at CA’s Taft Union High Schol had intended targets; President Obama and President Hamid Karzai will meet to discuss troop levels in Afghanistan; campaign staffers report that Michele Bachmann still has not paid them; and the NYPD will review 800 rape cases due to mishandling of DNA evidence. Meanwhile, Iran will respond to ‘Argo’ with its own film; Justin Bieber’s former bodyguard sues him; and Justin Timberlake is ready to make new music.

    Caitlin

    CRUCIAL:

    Dreamliner investigation: U.S. orders review of Boeing 787s, http://trib.in/VrJlV3
    The FAA will conduct an investigation of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after two separate incidents on aircrafts in Japan. The Dreamliner gained a great deal of attention when it was first introduced for its sophistication and technology; however, it has been plagued with mishaps and production delays.

    Taft Union school shooting: Boy had ‘intended targets,’ police say, http://lat.ms/XSPDQ3
    Kern County, CA police say the 16-year-old student who fired a shotgun in a Taft Union High School classroom Thursday had “intended targets.” The suspect burst into the class he was supposed to be attending and shot one student two to four times before trying to shoot another. A teacher and school supervisor talked the student into putting the gun down and evacuated the rest of the classroom safely. “They did a great job of protecting the kids,” said Ed Whiting, the chief of the Taft Police Department. “We can’t thank them enough for what they did today.” One victim is in critical condition while the teacher suffered a minor pellet wound to his head.

    Plea decision looms in James Holmes’ Aurora theater shooting case, http://bit.ly/VSApVM
    Colorado Judge William B. Sylvester ruled Thursday that there is enough evidence to try James Holmes for the shooting that killed 12 people and wounded 70 in an Aurora, CO movie theater.  The ruling ties Homes to 166 counts of murder, attempted murder, and other weapons charges. As a result, Holmes will be held without bail and arraigned Friday. Defense lawyers have said that they are not ready to plea and will most likely ask for a delay. Holmes’ lawyers have said that he is mentally ill, causing some to believe that he will plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

    Afghan troop levels top agenda for Obama-Karzai talks, http://reut.rs/VqqsBH
    President Obama will meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai Friday to discuss withdrawing U.S. troops from the country by 2014. The White House has been considering removing all troops with some suggesting that this “zero option” will be an important bargaining chip in Obama’s discussion with Karzai. White House aides say that it’s not likely any decisions will be made during Friday’s talk, and that it could be months before Obama decides how many troops to remove from Afghanistan. Chuck Hagel, Obama’s nomination for Defense Secretary, will most likely support removing as many troops as possible.

    Bachmann still hasn’t paid presidential campaign staffers, http://bit.ly/WxBn8N
    Peter Waldon, the former national field coordinator for Michele Bachmann’s presidential campaign, has said that Bachmann has refused to pay five staffers. Waldon claims that the staffers are owed $5,000 and that Bachmann has $2,000,000 towards her campaign. Bachmann allegedly will not pay the owed funds until the staffers sign a nondisclosure agreement saying they will not tell members of the media about any “unethical, immoral, or criminal activity” witnessed on the campaign trail.

    New York Examines Over 800 Rape Cases for Possible Mishandling of Evidence, http://nyti.ms/USKQgr
    The NYPD said Friday that it will review 843 cases of rape where a lab technician overlooked or mishandled DNA evidence. According to the medical examiner’s office, supervisors have found 26 cases where the technician did not find biological evidence when it did actually exist. The director of forensic biology at the examiner’s office said that these errors are false negatives instead of false positives and that “nobody was wrongfully convicted” due to the mistakes. The cases in review span from 2001 to 2011, when the technician worked in the examiner’s office.

    BIDEN SEEKS VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY INPUT ON GUNS, http://bit.ly/WHJgYS
    Vice President Biden will meet with representatives from the videogame industry Friday to gauge videogames’ influence on violent behavior. On Thursday, Biden and his gun control task force met with heads of the NRA for more than 90 minutes. The meeting has been described as an open and frank discussion, but neither side came out of it showing signs of negotiating. Biden is set to present his ideas regarding gun laws to President Obama early next week.

    CULTURAL:

    Film to Present Iran’s View of ‘Argo’ Events, http://nyti.ms/VMPqbY

    JUSTIN BIEBER Sued By Ex-Bodyguard: He Punched & Berated Me!, http://tmz.me/10iQhrE

    Inside the Critics Choice Movie Awards: What You Didn’t See on TV, http://bit.ly/WJ8kPi

    Sharon Osbourne Slams Lady Gaga After Kelly Critique, Calls Her “Hypocrite” and “Bully”, http://eonli.ne/ZQ6qn0

    Justin Timberlake is “ready” for new project, http://bit.ly/ZCfN55

    Caitlin Maguire
    Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
    @caitlinmagu
    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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    By: Caitlin Maguire

    News Round-Up: Thursday, January 10th, 2013

    Thursday, January 10th, 2013

    The NIH reveals Junior Seau suffered a brain disease; Jerry Sandusky appeals his sentence in court; 5 Kurdish activists are murdered in Paris; VA Gov. Bob McDonnell calls for the restoration of felons’ voting rights; 44 states report widespread flu outbreaks; and a new study shows that half of the world’s flue is ‘just thrown away.’ Meanwhile, this year’s Oscar nominations are announced; ‘The Hunger Games’ wins big at the People Choice Awards; and Britney Spears is leaving ‘The X-Factor.’

    Caitlin

    CRUCIAL:

    NFL PLAYER JUNIOR SEAU HAD BRAIN DISEASE CTE, http://bit.ly/ZvZTJvAccording to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, former NFL player Junior Seau had been suffering from the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he committed suicide last May. NIH has found that Seau’s brain had damages similar to those found in autopsies of people “with repetitive head injuries.” Seau’s family had requested his brain be analyzed after his suicide, noting that he was exhibiting strange behavior before his death. “I don’t think any of us were aware of the side effects that could be going on with head trauma when he passed away,” said Seau’s son.

    Delhi gang rape suspects ‘tortured to force confession’, http://bbc.in/UXN5we
    Manohar Lal Sharma, a lawyer expected to represent three of the New Dehli gang-rape suspects, says the men confessed to the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman because they were “tortured.” The court ruled Thursday that the charges against the five suspects needed further investigation and that the case will not be fast-tracked to a trial. A sixth suspect in the case is a minor and will be tried separately.

    SANDUSKY ARRIVES FOR HEARING ON FAIRNESS OF TRIAL, http://bit.ly/13iO0v3
    Former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky will appear in court Thursday in order to appeal his conviction for 45 charges of sexual abuse of young boys. He has been sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for abusing 10 boys over 15 years. Sandusky will allege that his lawyers were not given sufficient time to prepare for the trial. The prosecution has responded that Sandusky and his lawyers knew as early as 2008 that he had been accused of sexual abuse.

    5-Female Kurdish activists including former guerrilla shot in Paris, http://reut.rs/VjWaAy
    Five Kurdish women were found shot to death in Paris Thursday morning. The bodies were discovered at the Information Center of Kurdistan. Police are launching a murder investigation and say the crime were politically motivated. One of the victims was a founding member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) while another was the Paris representative of the Kurdistan National Congress. The PKK has been recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S., Turkey, and the European Union, and has been involved in a 28-year war for independence from Turkey.

    (via Daily Press) McDonnell calls for automatic restoration of voting rights for felons, http://bit.ly/10gIdHF
    Gov. Bob McDonnell used his annual State of the Commonwealth Wednesday to tout his transportation funding package, unveil additional education reform proposals, and call for the automatic restoration of voting rights for nonviolent felons. McDonnell said he supports proposed legislation for a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore civil rights, such as voting rights, to felons convicted of nonviolent offenses who have served their time. Currently applications for rights restoration must be made directly to the governor who then decides whether to restore rights on an individual basis.

    Biden, NRA set to meet, http://cbsn.ws/WuUBf9
    Vice President Biden, as leader of the president’s gun task force, will meet with the NRA, Comcast, other broadcasters, and movie-theater owners Thursday. The meeting is meant to discuss the enforcement of stricter gun laws and the use of gun violence for entertainment value. On Wednesday, Biden said that “executive action” will most likely circumvent Congress in order to take action on guns. NRA president David Keene has called the White House’s task force “disingenuous,” adding that it’s “going after the Second Amendment.”

    National flu outbreak widens, http://cbsn.ws/WB7zI6
    A total of 44 states are reporting widespread flu outbreaks. On Wednesday, Boston issued a public health emergency after 18 people were killed and 700 more were affected by the virus. At this time last year, only 70 cases of the flu had been reported. According to the Center for Diseases Control, the number of people admitted to the hospital with the virus has doubled in the past month. Officials strongly recommend flu vaccinations for everyone 6-months or older.

    Half of the world’s food ‘is just thrown away’, http://ind.pn/VR015h
    According to a new study, half of the world’s food, up to 2 billion tons, is “just thrown away.” Between 30 and 50 percent of food is not eaten due to poor infrastructure and storage facilities, expiration dates, “buy one get one free” offers, and pickiness from consumers. The study also states that the demand for water for food production could reach 10 to 13 million cubic meters a year by 2050 – more than triple the amount of fresh water humans use today.

    CULTURAL:

    OSCAR NOMINATIONS 2013: ‘ARGO,’ ‘LINCOLN’ & MORE (PHOTOS), http://thebea.st/RI1T2k

    Rapper Freddy E tweets final moments before shooting himself, http://on.today.com/10g3u4j

    People’s Choice Awards 2013: ‘The Hunger Games’ Takes Home 5 Awards, http://abcn.ws/VMaNwf

    Queen Elizabeth: William & Kate’s Daughter Will Be Called ‘Princess’, http://bit.ly/13kUJnl

    Britney Spears Leaving Simon Cowell’s The X Factor, http://eonli.ne/UNzs1y

    Caitlin Maguire
    Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
    @caitlinmagu
    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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