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Obama on Muslim Rumors: 'The Facts Are the Facts, Right?'
President Barack Hussein Obama is keeping it real, dismissing rumors that just won’t quit about his religious practices. In an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams in New Orleans, where he was marking the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, President Obama said, “The facts are the facts, right?” when discussing the persistent rumors that he is Muslim.…
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Teen Motorcyclist Killed in Crash at Indy Speedway
A 13-year-old, 4-foot-11, 81-pound boy was killed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the weekend. Peter Lenz of Vancouver, Wash., fell off his bike during the warmup lap for the day’s first race at Indianapolis and was run over by another motorcycle, driven by a 12-year-old. The youngest rider ever to die in the history…
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Emmy Awards: Hollywood Blackout
Watching the Emmy Awards last night was like taking a sedative. The snooze fest was full of glitz and glamour, and the usual suspects were there: Mad Men, Jon Hamm, Nurse Jackie, Edie Falco, Kyra Sedwick and all things HBO, except for Entourage, but that’s another rant. What was missing was people of color. We…
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Eugene Robinson: Even Beck Can't Mar King's Legacy
Glenn Beck is out of line, holding a Restoring Honor march at the same place where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech on the anniversary of said speech. Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson tells it like it is about Beck’s absurd event that will take place this weekend.…
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Girl-Band Member Avoids Jail Time Over HIV Infection
Nadja Benaissa must have an angel somewhere around her. The member of popular German girl group No Angels, who confessed to knowingly exposing two men to the risk of HIV after finding out she had the virus herself, was convicted by a court on Thursday of grievous bodily harm. Benaissa, who faced up to 10…
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Mississippi Middle School Separates Class-Officer Positions Based on Race
Just in the nick of time for the start of school, Nettleton Middle School in Mississippi is holding elections for class officers. The problem is that the offices are divided by race in terms of who can run for them. The Smoking Gun got the memo, which was given out to all sixth-, seventh- and…
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Jimmy Carter Wins Release of American Prisoner Aijalon Gomes
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has done it again. Carter headed home from North Korea today after securing a pardon for an American teacher jailed there since January. Carter and Aijalon Gomes boarded a plane at Pyongyang’s airport and are expected to arrive in Boston this afternoon. The former president landed in North Korea on…
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John Amaechi: Outing Pro Athletes Won't Change Much
The NBA’s first professional athlete to come out does not believe that outing professional athletes will help win equal rights for members of the LGBT community. John Amaechi, who is British, says that there seems to be greater acceptance of LGBT professional athletes (soccer players) in the U.K. because the U.K. is invested in eradicating…
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Kenya Adopts American-Style Constitution
Kenya has adopted a constitution that models itself after the U.S. Constitution. Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki signed a new constitution into law Friday that institutes a U.S.-style system of checks and balances, which has been lauded as the most significant political event since Kenya’s independence nearly 50 years ago. Kenya’s new constitution is part of…
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Chris Brown Gets Pat on the Back From Judge
Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg says Chris Brown is doing a “great job” completing the terms of his probation after pleading guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown appeared Thursday for a brief hearing in Los Angeles. The judge also noted Brown had received positive reports from domestic violence counselors and the Richmond, Va., police chief…