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When I announced Current firing Keith Olbermann, I described my disappointment and what I planned on doing about it.
I'm disappointed but not terribly surprised. I've been a fan of Keith's since he was the sports anchor for KTLA TV 5 in Los Angeles almost 25 years ago, which means I remember when the station fired him after less than a year. Therefore, his being let go from Current is just par for the course, although I'd been hoping he'd last longer than he did. As for what this means to me, my wife and I switched from cable to Direct TV just so we could watch Current. Now that Olbermann is no longer working for the station, we have no reason to renew our contract. After it expires, we will go back to the cable company.
Something happened this week that might just mean we'll keep Direct TV; a new Al Jazeera America will take over Current's slot.
Building on the international success of Al Jazeera network and its international channel Al Jazeera English - the purchase of Current TV opens the way for the new Al Jazeera America. It's expected that the channel will be available in more than 40 million homes across the US. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reports from Washington, DC.
As for what this might mean, I'll let PBS explain.
In an attempt to reach a larger American audience, Al Jazeera English announced plans to purchase cable channel Current TV, first started by former Vice President Al Gore. Ray Suarez talks to Al Jazeera executive producer Robert Wheelock about the Qatar government-owned news organization's move and challenges going forward.
I'm looking forward to watching Al Jazeera America, if nothing else than for the same reason I used to watch CBC before I got cable/satellite, listen to the BBC World Service on NPR. and subscribe to Al Jazeera English, BBC, and RT America on YouTube--news from a different perspective than what I get in from the U.S. services.
I also have another reason to look forward to Al Jazeera America, one that has much more basis in hope than in fact--the return of Keith Olbermann to my TV screen. That's not impossible, as Forbes reported last October that Keith very much wants to work again.
Think Keith Olbermann has burned his last bridge in the television business? He doesn’t think so.
Seven months after he got dismissed by Current TV, the temperamental host is aggressively job-shopping, and he’s not being too picky about it.
In recent weeks, Olbermann has reached out to executives at a slew of different networks to communicate his desire for a new on-air role, according to people with knowledge of those conversations. Those include both cable outlets and at least one broadcast network.
Over at the New York Magazine entry on the topic, a bunch of the readers left their suggestions for what Keith could do, including me.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Al Jazeera English or, better yet, Russia Today America. RT America loves troublemakers.
This might be the perfect opportunity for both Al Jazeera America and Keith Olbermann. For Al Jazeera, it would get a broadcaster with instant name recognition. For Keith, not only would he be working again for a channel that would be a lightning rod for attention, it would also give him an opportunity to have a good laugh at his old employers, who he mocked serverely just after he was shown the door.
I can see three flies in the ointment that might prevent this happening. The first is Keith's notorious reputation as a prima donna; Al Jazeera might not want that. The second is whether Keith would be interested in working for a TV channel owned by a foreign government; it's why I think he'd have even worse trouble with RT America, even though I think the channel would be a good fit for him otherwise. Can you imagine how much of a temptation Keith would have to twit Vladimir Putin, the most interesting man in the world? I don't think he could resist. Finally, I don't know if Al Jazeera became a party to the lawsuit, too, and I don't have time to find out tonight, either. If they did, then they might have inherited the bad blood, too. On the other hand, it might be a good way to settle it. We'll see.
Here's to hoping!When I announced Current firing Keith Olbermann, I described my disappointment and... more
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punman
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4 months ago
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America has the most incarcerated citizens of any country in the world. But our recidivism rates prove that our system punishes criminals without rehabilitating them or addressing any of the problems that lead them to commit a crime in the first place.
(Watch: Tune in to 'Vanguard: Prison Gangs' Sunday morning at 9E/6P to learn more about how prisoners live in maximum-security facilities)
Some say the punishment fits the crime: people who break the law don't deserve to have tax dollars spent on them beyond feeding and housing them. Others say we need to address the roots of these crimes and treat prisoners humanely in order to prevent the cycle from repeating itself.
How could we reform America's prison system?
America has the most incarcerated citizens of any country in the world. But our... more
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In Texas, the government has sanctioned hunting wild hogs from helicopters to reduce numbers in some parts of the state. This new series premiering this Sunday shows the hunting Apocalypse Now Style along with Ted Nugent on board.In Texas, the government has sanctioned hunting wild hogs from helicopters to reduce... more
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punman
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9 months ago
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A New York man known for his unusually large penis was patted down by airport security at San Francisco International last week after they questioned him about the bulge in his pants, he said.
Jonah Falcon, 41, who has been featured in several documentaries about the world’s biggest penises, was returning from a trip in San Francisco on July 9 when he was stopped at security by TSA agents who spotted something out of the ordinary hanging to the left in his pants, he said.
“They wanted to know if I had something in my pockets, and when I said no, they asked if I had some sort of growth,” he said.
When he replied that it was just his penis, they “checked the area around it” but didn’t frisk him too severely, he said. They also wiped his hands to check for explosive powder.
Falcon said the delay was mostly amusing to him and only delayed him for about 5 minutes. He said it was the first time his penis had caused a security concern.
“I”ve gone through the (airport scanner) before, and I wasn’t worried,” he said. “What was the worst that was going to happen — I was going to have to whip it out for them? I’m used to that. Sometimes when people ask me about it, if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll just show them.”
Falcon’s penis has been reported as 9.5 inches when flaccid and 13.5 inches when erect, according to Rolling Stone. He has been featured in documentaries on HBO and overseas and has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He works as a video game journalist and as an actor with small roles in movies and television shows, according to his Internet Movie Database profile.
A spokesman for the TSA at SFO was not immediately available for comment. Falcon said the agents were “professional” about the security check.
“It was probably harder on them than it was on me,” Falcon said.A New York man known for his unusually large penis was patted down by airport security... more
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punman
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10 months ago
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Republican Senator From Utah Not Very Happy With It Either.
Thursday, the US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Obamacare be upheld, and for 40,000 Utah residents this means that they will receive rebates from their insurance company in August.
The Supreme Court ruled that the requirement to have insurance is a tax, and it is constitutional. By 2014, those who do not have the required health insurance will be taxed.
Senator Hatch from Utah was present at the ruling and CNN reported that Hatch rolled his head and eyes back as the ruling was announced and his face fell in disappointment.
26 states (Utah was one of those states) requested that the Supreme Court overturn Obamacare on the grounds that the federal government should not interfere with individual states authority. But the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the law.
The Department of Health and Human Services was tasked with following the various parts of Obamacare and they stated that the rebates would be due to consumers by August 1 and approximately 12.8 million individuals and employers would receive the rebates. And average of $152 would be issued to each family, but in 10 state states that amount may exceed $500.
About 1.5 million Texans will receive nearly $167 million in health insurance rebates, an average of $187 each, by Aug. 1 from insurance companies.
Texas is receiving the highest total amount in rebates in the nation, roughly 15 percent of the total. The state has about 8 percent of the nation's population, according to U.S. Census estimates.
Under the federal law, insurers must spend at least 80 percent of premium revenues on medical costs or quality improvements; the remainder can go toward administrative costs, sales commissions and profits. If companies set premiums too high, rebates in the form of checks or discounts off future premiums are due consumers and businesses by Aug. 1.
Nationally, an estimated 3.4 million people who bought their own coverage are projected to receive rebates this year from 215 insurance plans, according to the study. The biggest dollar amounts are expected to go to consumers in Alaska, where per person rebates are expected to average $305, Maryland, $294, Pennsylvania, $243 and Idaho, $241. Insurers hit the spending targets for policies sold directly to consumers in several states, including Hawaii, Maine and the District of Columbia, so no rebates are expected for individual consumers there.Republican Senator From Utah Not Very Happy With It Either.
Thursday, the US... more
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by Matt Standal
Besides this story I found on the web, there is no other story of this Simplot cover-up on the ABC, NBC, ABC affiliates in Idaho.
NWCN.com
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Updated today at 1:02 PM
BOISE -- The fallout from a recent Comedy Central television episode criticizing Idaho's historic J.R. Simplot Co. could hurt both the company and the state of Idaho, according to local public relations experts.
Part of that episode, which appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart Thursday, was titled "A Simple Plot." The clip featured a fake news report by comedian Asif Maandvi as he "investigated" alleged environmental damages to Idaho's rivers caused by Simplot and overlooked by the EPA and various Idaho politicians.
The Daily Show is one of Comedy Central's top-rated offerings, reaching millions of viewers across the world. What's more, the particular clip is now widely circulating on social media throughout the Treasure Valley and beyond.
At least one local public relations professional told KTVB that while the Simplot clip might be funny, its message could cause big problems for both Simplot and the state of Idaho.
Leigh Ann Dufurrena is an account manager at Boise-based Red Sky Public Relations. Duferrena said her firm does not represent Simplot, and her opinions don't reflect her company's stance on the issue.
However, she said those in Boise's public relations community are well aware of the clip.
"I hope they have a crisis communication plan in place," Duferrena said, reffering to Simplot. "As a huge corporation, I assume they do."
Dufferena says a crisis communication plan is typically a public relations tactic where a company will use a top official as a mouth-piece to deflect bad publicity.
Dufferena also told KTVB she believes the video clip could damage the reputation of Idaho's natural and political landscape as well, saying that those at the Idaho Governor's office, and EPA should also be aware of the implications.
KTVB reached out to both the J.R. Simplot Co. and the Boise EPA office, whose officials were both panned in the show.
A spokesman at the Simplot Company told KTVB that Simplot declined to comment further on the issue. Officials at the Boise EPA office were not available for comment.by Matt Standal
Besides this story I found on the web, there is no other story of... more
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punman
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11 months ago
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In an exclusive report from the Niger Delta, in the deep south of west Africa, Tracy McVeigh hears the extraordinary stories of children who have been ostracised by their families and communities, and visits the parents who have abandoned and abused their own children because they believe they are witches.In an exclusive report from the Niger Delta, in the deep south of west Africa, Tracy... more
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BALDWIN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Long Island’s so-called “hot dog hooker” returned to selling hot dogs again, fresh off pleading guilty to prostitution.
Back in her bikini top, Cathy Scalia briefly reclaimed her post on Sunrise Highway in Baldwin Wednesday morning.
Customers were flocking and the horns were honking as the 45-year-old East Rockaway woman fought through the pouring rain to reopen her hot dog truck after spending five days behind bars.
“Get some wiggle with your wieners,” she shouted to customers.
However, she ran into some problem and had to pack it up. Scalia was chased from her post on Sunrise Highway by police for parking on private property and for not having a peddlers permit.
“They chased me off the property,” Scalia told CBS 2′s Carolyn Gusoff. “I thought it was an abandoned piece of property.”
WEB EXTRA: Watch Scalia’s 6-Minute Rant To Reporters
Scalia was charged with prostitution after she says an undercover cop bought a hot dog with a lap dance on the side and then asked her to perform a sex act.
“They have no tape about a sexual act. They have no evidence,” she told CBS 2′s Jessica Schneider. “I think they should just throw it out of court and drop it. I’ll go on with my life, sell my hot dogs, take care of my kids and move on.”
Take Our Poll
Scalia insists she did nothing illegal. She says she is just selling hot dogs and snacks and then offers up her services as a stripper to anyone who is interested.
“She’s just doing her job,” said Greg Packer of Huntington.
While Scalia has found support from some new customers, she’s received disdain from others.
“Everyone has an opinion and my opinion is she should stay quiet, stay down south and stay away from little kids,” said neighbor David Sternberg.
“I don’t like. It has to go,” said Gessenia Mendez, a member of the Baldwin Civic Association. “She has to go. It just looks horrible for Baldwin.”
The mother of four pleaded guilty to prostitution in court, but maintains she is only guilty of stripping, which isn’t a crime.
“I’m going to strip until I die,” she said. “I do it for fun. The judge is not going to stop me, the psychologist is not going to stop me.”
Her kids began living with their grandparents back in 2005 after she was arrested for prostitution the first time.
Scalia doesn’t apologize for spicing up her sales and plans to continue hawking hot dogs in what she says is her bid to make Freeport more like Florida, complete with bikini-clad food vendors.
Scalia said she’ll get that peddlers permit tomorrow, but it may not be as easy as she thinks. Hempstead Town said it requires a criminal background search, and with her recent guilty plea to prostitution, that could make her ineligible, Gusoff reported.BALDWIN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Long Island’s so-called “hot dog... more
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punman
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1 year ago
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The Long Island hot dog vender, who says she maintains a stripping business on the side, pleaded guilty to one count of prostitution, and plans to be back to work at her food stand Wednesday instead of in a courtroom.
"I'll be out there in my bikini top selling my hot dogs," Catherine Scalia said after she sauntered out of a Nassau County Jail, flashing a few obscene gestures to reporters.
Scalia, 45, got into hot water after authorities say she agreed to pleasure an undercover police officer for $50 after he purchased a hot dog, the New York Post reported. Despite her plea, Scalia denies allegations that she's a prostitute.
"Why should I get arrested for prostitution if I'm going to show my cleavage in a bikini and sell hot dogs," the mother of four told MyFoxNy.com. "I'm not pleading guilty to prostitution, I'm pleading guilty to being a stripper."
Authorities say Scalia sold hot dogs out of a trailer and offered sex acts to customers on the side at her East Rockaway home.
"I gave my business card to an undercover officer. He called me up and said, 'You want to come to my house?' He came to mine," she said. "I start doing my dance. The next thing you know, the cuffs were on me, I was charged with prostitution."
Scalia was arrested on prostitution charges eight years ago. Still, she said she plans to keep selling hot dogs -- and stripping.
"Come to the hot dog truck tomorrow, I'll have a bikini on, a nice hot pink one," she said. "And we'll take pictures in the hot dog truck."
Scalia's next court date is June 18, 2012. The judge told her if she fails to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before then she could face up to 60 days behind bars.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/09/new-york-hot-dog-hooker-ready-to-get-back-to-work/#ixzz1uQxttJlhThe Long Island hot dog vender, who says she maintains a stripping business on the... more
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punman
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1 year ago
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Nadya Suleman was more than a little nervous when she arrived on the set of her first adult-film shoot last week. But after chatting with a seasoned porn star and getting comfortable with the location and crew, Octomom performed like a pro.
"My first shoot was amazing," Nadya tells me. "Such a learning experience for me in so many ways. I don't think I could have asked for a better crew to work with. They were so patient and willing to teach me. I owe a lot to Wicked Pictures contract star Jessica Drake; she opened my eyes to a whole different world of self-pleasure that I could have never imagined. They made me look so glamorous, and for the first time in my life, I felt beautiful and sexy. I'm very excited for it to come out!"
The video, directed by adult film star Brad Armstrong, is scheduled to be released in mid-June by a major online adult entertainment company. At the shoot, Nadya also posed for a set of photographs in which she's seated at the head of a long table, her body covered with SpaghettiOs.
“For the pictures, we had her topless with a thick sparkly red choker with a big red heart in front and red and white polka dot panties ... like 1950s style," an insider tells me. "SpaghettiOs were all over her body and she's even throwing the SpaghettiOs toward the camera. The label on the can was changed from SpaghettiOs to say 'Saucy Octos.'"
So how will Nadya put the money from her hard day of work to good use? She plans to buy her large family a new, safe home.Nadya Suleman was more than a little nervous when she arrived on the set of her first... more
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punman
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1 year ago
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PHOENIX, May 3, 2012- In a series of memos released this week by the Pentagon, it is revealed that an American-born advisor to Al-Qaeda used to believe that the far-left network, MSNBC, was good and neutral until the firing of fringe host, Keith Olbermann.
"I used to think that MSNBC channel may be good and neutral a bit, but is has lately fired two of the most famous journalists – Keith Olbermann and Octavia Nasr the Lebanese," wrote Al-Qaida spokesman and advisor Adam Gadahn.
Nasr was fired from CNN, not MSNBC, after posting to twitter a mourning tweet of the death of a cleric linked to the terrorist group, Hezbollah.
Olbermann was fired from MSNBC, for donating three times to Democrat candidates in 2010.
Be that as it may, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the terrorist group liked Keith Olbermann ‘s tenure at the most liberal leaning “news” channel broadcasted today.
Back in September 2009, the former MSNBC host said, “Al Qaeda really hurt us, but not as much as Rupert Murdoch has hurt us, particularly in the case of Fox News. Fox News is worse than Al Qaeda - worse for our society. It's as dangerous as the Ku Klux Klan ever was.”
Keith Olbermann’s claims that “Fox News is worse than Al-Qaeda,” were completely disgusting, illusive, and outright immoral. Fox News never killed anyone, Osama Bin Laden and the terrorists associated with Al-Qaeda have and continue to.
Nonetheless, Olbermanns’ claims evidently scored big points among Osama Bin Laden.
In that same memo released by the Pentagon, Al Qaeda also praises the liberal-leaning CBS for, "close to being unbiased".
They also give accolades to ABC News saying, “ABC channel is all right; actually it could be one of the best channels, as far as we are concerned.”
When it came to the dominating Fox News, the memo read, “let her die in her anger.PHOENIX, May 3, 2012- In a series of memos released this week by the Pentagon, it is... more
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punman
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1 year ago
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She loves those dirty dogs!
A Long Island hooker sold more than just sausage at her roadside hot-dog truck — using the truck to peddle her own flesh even though she’d been busted on the same rap eight years ago, cops said yesterday.
Catherine Scalia, 45, was arrested Thursday night when she offered the off-menu special to an undercover cop and took him back to her East Rockaway pad for some home cooking.
The mother of four pleaded not guilty to a prostitution charge and was held on $2,000 bail.
It’s the second time Scalia’s been busted for mixing sex and Sabretts. She and a pal were nailed in December 2004 for running a similar operation out of the hot-dog truck.
Cops recently discovered she was back in business after disgusted residents near her Baldwin stand complained she was handing out suggestive business cards alongside steaming kielbasa.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/extra_relish_on_her_wieners_65pJQk8padvNlt2nuh3aEI#ixzz1u0fIxwXSShe loves those dirty dogs!
A Long Island hooker sold more than just sausage at her... more
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punman
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1 year ago
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Actress Kathryn Joosten, a lung cancer survivor, recently suggested that Mad Men producers should be including a disclaimer on the show saying that smoking is hazardous to your health. Aside from smoking, there are plenty of other ill-advised decisions made by the characters on the show. Should we include warnings for those as well? Perhaps one against false identities or cheating on your wife? In this day and age, is the fact that smoking causes cancer something that we need to be reminded of? Or should we assume viewers recognize that the behavior depicted in the show is a reflection of a different time and place, where we didn’t have the information we do now?Actress Kathryn Joosten, a lung cancer survivor, recently suggested that Mad Men... more
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Who hasn’t Googled their name to see what turns up in a search? Between social networks, blogs, photo sharing, and geolocation, just to name a few, we’re all living more and more of our lives online. But what are the consequences? In a recent interview, Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt predicted that every young person will one day be automatically entitled to change his or her name upon reaching adulthood, in order to escape the youthful hijinks documented on social media.
Is Schmidt’s prediction accurate? Will the myriad social media sites around now even be in existence in 20 years, or will those embarrassing Facebook photos be collecting digital dust on a server somewhere? Assuming for the moment that your college days are documented online for all the world, is changing your name really the solution? With new technologies emerging, including facial recognition, is that even a guarantee? Even if you do change your name, who among us doesn’t have a few youthful indiscretions? Rather than changing your name, should we instead recognize that everyone makes mistakes growing up? Does a photo of you doing a keg stand at a college party mean you can’t also grow up to be a responsible adult? Furthermore, who decides what the cut-off age is—are the things you did before you were 18 that ones that don’t matter? Or 21? Older? What about the gray areas—is drinking necessarily a bad thing? What about nudity—or does it make a difference if that topless photo is from a Pride parade? And what about getting arrested when protesting an unjust law?What do you think? Should we look forward to a future where changing your identity is a new rite of passage? Or should we accept that youthful antics are a part of life?Who hasn’t Googled their name to see what turns up in a search? Between social... more
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The recent recall of eggs suspected of causing salmonella has resulted in the recall of over half a billion eggs. The CDC began investigating the salmonella outbreak in May 2010, and have tracked the salmonella cases over the next few months, leading to the voluntary recall of eggs from Wright County Egg.
Some have suggested that this most recent recall is a sign that we need stricter food safety laws, pointing to the current system of voluntary compliance and legislation that ties the hands of the FDA. S.510, a bill that would give the FDA additional authority and resources over food safety, passed in the House one year ago but has been tied up in the Senate.
Others have suggested that we need to re-examine our entire food production system. Americans currently enjoy some of the cheapest food prices in history, partially as the result of intensive farming technqiues like concentrated animal feeding operations. Some suggest that salmonella outbreaks such as this are the price we pay for a $0.13 egg.
What about you? Do you think we need tougher food safety laws, or is it time to start re-examining the system of food production in the US?
The recent recall of eggs suspected of causing salmonella has resulted in the recall... more
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Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been the subject of media attention as she reluctantly testified at the war crimes tribunal for Charles Taylor, and offered claims that she had no idea what a blood diamond was. Although they may capture the attention of the media, blood diamonds are not the only conflict commodities—tin ore, used extensively in consumer electronics, is also mined in war-torn regions.Do blood diamonds capture too much of the media attention? What other conflict zone commodities should we be paying closer attention to?Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been the subject of media attention as she reluctantly... more
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Greenwich Mean Time has been the standard reference point for navigation and time zones for centuries. But is it time for a change?Saudi Arabia thinks so. A new clock that dwarfs Big Ben is being built in Mecca. It's being referred to as the largest clock in the world, constructed atop the world's second largest skyscraper and will be visible over 16 miles away. A test of the clock's precision began yesterday with the start of Ramadan.
Is it time for Mecca time? Or should Greenwich Mean Time continue as the standard? What do you think?Greenwich Mean Time has been the standard reference point for navigation and time... more
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