as of just now 46 blocs
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Twelve Years a Slave >Americans, do not let this film go down as one of the best pictures never seen. Story, acting, and cinematography are undeniably first class. This film should be seen soon while it is still available on the big screen. It is to >Americans shame that the domestic gross for the Best Picture of 2013 should fall at number 69.
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Well this goat head in Prospect Park is totally disgusting. Come on, New Yorkers! Let's keep it classy-ish!
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>Pittsburghers mourn the passing of Porky Chedwick, the Daddio of the Raddio. We celebrate the life of the most loved DJ of all time of any American city, bar none. Porky originated the “old sound” in the 1950’s and played the very best of the rare oldies. He sincerely loved and respected his fans. Rest in peace Porky! One of Porky's big sounds from the early '60's, Swingin' Little Chicky by the Belltones: http://www.youtu
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Hooray for Lupita Nyong'o! Well-deserved recognition and a heartfelt acceptance.
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Putin's aggression against >Ukrainians continues to undermine his oft-repeated claim that >Russians play by the international rules. Which just validates our own sidestepping of treaty and protocol. All of which concerns us because it may be setting the region up for a destructive confrontation. Hopefully Ukrainians can find a middle ground between Western and Russian alignment.
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'12 Years A Slave' wins Best Picture! The Oscar Academy got it right!
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We are heartened by the rain. And it is not the typical light sprinkles that puts the local networks on “Storm Watch.” It’s a bonafide winter storm from the Pacific. On Friday it dropped 2 1/4 inches on downtown Los Angeles and more in the foothills. The storm generated warnings of flash floods and mudslides and created 12 foot waves at some beaches. Last night some San Gabriel Valley residents were awakened by two reverse 911 calls; the first warning of a tornado (“…take shelter now…”) and the second warning of flash floods. Despite our elation over the rain experts say it will do little to relieve the drought. Nevertheless it’s better than nothing. And we love it.
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DJ Cavem is a real OG (Organic Gardener), who is “teachin' HIP HOP history and how to grow gr...
originalWe agree that using music to connect to the youth about environmental responsibility is a great idea. We're interested to know of artists in other musical genres that have this environmental focus. Perhaps the >soundcrowd can enlighten us...
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Good job, kids! Keep it up!
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As >Americans "We love writing, and we love trains, and we love them both together."
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Sorry, Raymond, we don't think that gun is gonna help the Knicks shoot any better.
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We thank you, Harold Ramis. Through Egon Spengler, you ushered in an era of geek heroism.
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Programming languages are not foreign languages, just as mathematics, sheet music, and art are not foreign languages. Specifically, programming languages don't have anywhere near the expressive power of natural languages, nor are they formed by thousands of years of cultural history. Kids need to become computer literate, no question about that. But this shouldn't come at the expense of exposure to foreign cultures. In fact, we need to ensure our kids are getting more exposure to other cultures, as the globe becomes smaller and smaller.
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We must not ignore the >North-Koreans. Nothing on Earth compares to the horrifying scale of inhumanity there, and the extent of oppression and despair that render them incapable of revolution. We must not mistake their inaction for satisfaction with their condition. As free people in the most powerful country on Earth, it is *our* duty to come to their aid. Michael Kirby of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in DPRK, summed up the imperative: "At the end of the second world war, so many people said, 'If only we had known. If only we had known the wrongs that were done...' Well now, the international community does know. There will be no excusing a failure of action." For starters, let's pressure our government to hold the >Chinese accountable for abetting this regime. Let's support NGOs, such as LibertyInNorthKo
rea.org, that help refugees. Let's talk with friends about this, and about our responsibility for the weakest and most abused of our fellow human beings. But let's not ignore the North Korean people. -
A look at what might be! It's just a map, but it's enough to awaken our imagination and focus our hope for better public transportation!
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Jimmy Fallon’s debut as host of “The Tonight Show.” We love his energy. His talent comes from the heart. What an opening night! Congratulations Jimmy!
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We >ENVIRONMENTALISTS aren't the radicals. It is those who try to industrialize everything, who are radically changing life on this planet.
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This show just makes you want to fast forward to the end of the week to watch a new episode. Sunday nights are never boring.
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House of Cards keeps getting better. Smart, thrilling, takes no shortcuts--or prisioners! Thanks for the binge, Netflix.
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Plant milkweed; save the monarch. Monarch butterflies have one food source: milkweed. American farmers are destroying milkweed in their rush to plant genetically modified corn and soybeans. First through the use of herbicides that kill all plant life (save the modified corn and soybeans) and second by increased planting of corn and soybeans on acreage that historically grew milkweed. The winter migrations of monarch butterflies used to blanket over 16 acres of forests in western Mexico. This year they were recorded on only 1.7 acres; a 90% decrease. Our elected officials must take the lead in restoring milkweed. One easy to implement recommendation is to plant milkweed on the sides and medians of US roads along the butterflies’ migratory route. In the meantime each of us can act by planting milkweed around our homes and neighborhoods. Seeds are available for the cost of postage (copy/paste URL in your browser) https://www.live
monarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds... The disappearance of the monarch would be an ecological tragedy and we can prevent it. Act now. -
"We are, after all, connected."
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40° + sun = a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
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We stand behind LA’s Republique restaurant and their decision to add health care for their 85 full-time employees. The money to do so comes from a three percent surcharge added to each customer’s bill. Very reasonable; especially when you consider how many restaurants treat their employees, especially the wait staff. Republique’s method surprised some patrons and actually offended others (notably whining Yelpers). Sure they could have simply raised their prices by 3% but we agree with the statement they are making and the trust they are seeking from their customers
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We're dismayed by Justin Cater's prosecution. It's another example of disproportionate prosecution of online activity in the tradition of Aaron Schwartz as well as online bullies who face no consequences whatsoever. Sure his remarks were crude when taken out of context, but that's not a requirement of the First Amendment. DA's need to familiarize themselves with digital rights and culture to properly calibrate their charges, or we'll be voting them out of office!
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We wholeheartedly support this day of action against NSA surveillance. https://thedaywe
fightback.org makes it very easy to express your dissatisfaction to your Congressional representatives. Only through the legislature can we rollback the laws that permit these egregious government acts! -
We're not holding our breath for Lebron to do the dunk contest. Boring dunks in practice are easy. Dunking with style in competition is not.
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NBC, keep The Michael J Fox Show on the air! It has a great mix of comedy, from the smart and subtle to the wacky and offbeat, while also managing to endear. It's worth taking a chance on and is so much better than that spastic caricature-driven melo-comedy on other networks.
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We never knew, but The Black Panther Party had a funk band called 'The Lumpen'... now that's some new history for >African-Americans
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It was an impressively beautiful opening ceremony, projecting the high culture and artistry of Russia more than their international power (risked life of 11-year-old notwithstanding). On a stage like this, it's understandable that they presented Soviet-era brutality in very abstract terms. But even in those terms, some of the scenes were very utilitarian, cold and almost unhuman, making them some of the darkest in recent Olympics opening ceremony performances. Overall, fine job, >Russians.
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Ah. More snow. Remember, New Yorkers: "More snow now = less bugs later."
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We find the treatment of gays in Russia horrifying. (See attached video.) This is not a civil society. This is a backward-looking society that refuses to accept reality of any kind. It doesn't look like this will change anytime soon. The struggle for equality continues in America, and the gains currently achieved were hard-won. But with proactive government opposition, it seems the struggle will be much harder in Russia. The only recourse may unfortunately be to wait for the culture of the >Russians that champions conformity and nationalism to reach some self-destructive extreme, after which the pendulum of civility can swing back the other way.
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It was great having the rain around! ...The associated traffic, not so much. But what's new?
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Farewell (again) to Jay Leno! We'll remember him fondly as somewhat conniving and somewhat funny. Until next time (we say farewell) Jay!
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As >tv-commercial-connoisseurs, we love how far this small-town lawyer pushed the envelope. It's got suspense, intrigue, crooks, name-calling. Calling out the local judge breaks down the fourth wall of TV commercials (which prevent them from making any references to reality) with a wall-breaking righteousness not seen since Berlin! However, as decent people, we feel that using the death of one's family members to peddle your legal services is a low point for commercials. For shame. That's just bad.
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We >hackers are very interested in what bitcoin, as a platform, has to offer for the future of our e-conomy. The interview from Vice (linked) is a great introduction to what the current state of the crypto-currency is and what types of disruptions it can cause.
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Wowzers! Way to go, CVS!
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This is going to be one *interesting* Olympics.
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We call for Coca-Cola, General Electric, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Samsung and Visa, all sponsors of the International Olympic Committee, to take a stand against Russian anti-LGBT law that bans “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.” We praise AT&T for acknowledging that "Russia’s law is harmful to LGBT individuals and families, and it’s harmful to a diverse society."
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Passion dictates action. We work hard for what we want, but we shouldn't work ourselves to death. We believe that one can work hard and be healthy! Measure your own success and keep your body, and mind, in mind.
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Start of the 3rd and the only interesting, exciting thing so far has been Bruno Mars and RHCP def...
originalThe game itself was lopsided. The halftime show might have saved the whole event after all.
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RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. "I think you should be serious about what you do because this is it. This is the only life you've got."
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We're a day away from the greatest event in sports. This is going to be one of those match up...
original
Start of the 3rd and the only interesting, exciting thing so far has been Bruno Mars and RHCP defibrillating the heck out of the place!
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And those who don't vaccinate are freeloaders! They selfishly benefit from the effort of othe...
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Non-vaccinators should pay an annual penalty. This issue should be treated the same way healthcare coverage is treated. When individuals choose not to buy healthcare coverage, the odds increase that the public will have to pick up the tab for any healthcare costs they incur (e.g. ER visits) which are usually much higher than if they had preventative care. (This accountability principle was upheld by the right-leaning SCOTUS, so let's not devolve this vox into a conversation about Obamacare.) Along those lines, parents who opt-out of child vaccination would be required to pay a hefty annual penalty approximately equal to the healthcare costs they place on the public. It's only fair and responsible.
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Huge tech companies are unimaginative and clueless when it comes to being good community citizens. One would expect, at the least, their marketing departments to recognize the importance of maintaining a positive image for the neighborhoods wherein their employees reside. But then again, Apple has proven short-sighted in their brand development, on the one hand assuming a creative, individualistic brand while on the other aggressively sheltering profits from taxes and putting punishing demands on factory workers. It seems these companies will continue to ignore the dignity of outside individuals. It's up to them to be unignorable. But it would be great if these companies seized this critical moment, acknowledged that their operations displace people, and earnestly forged respectful problem-solving relationship with them.
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We agree with this pediatrician, childhood vaccinations are "one of the most unambiguously helpful interventions in the history of modern medicine."
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We support Dylan Farrow. If the courts won't bring Woody Allen to justice, at least we as a society can remove him from the ranks of film royalty and remember him only with scorn.
Reference - ◀Follow up onImage
We agree with this pediatrician, childhood vaccinations are "one of the most unambiguously h...
originalAnd those who don't vaccinate are freeloaders! They selfishly benefit from the effort of others while giving nothing in return. Moreover, they unnecessarily increase the risk of illness for those whose health is too weak to permit being vaccinated. Lastly, they put their own children at unnecessary risk. While it's arguable that parents have the right not to vaccinate their children, because this involves the health of the greater public, we think it's an area that should be addressed more directly by public policy.
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We're a day away from the greatest event in sports. This is going to be one of those match ups that could go down in Super Bowl history. The Broncos' high scoring offense vs. the Seahawks' top rated defense. Throw in a little Peyton Manning and Richard Seymour in the mix. All this hype and hoopla sandwiched between a Bruno Mars halftime show. Really? C'mon man!
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We wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year! Whether or not you're one of the 1.3 billion >Chinese in the world, may your year be filled with good luck all the same! 恭喜发财!
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The Keystone XL impact report is a farce! Anything that keeps us hooked on fossil fuels will have a significant, negative impact on the environment in the long term. The government is the only entity capable of impeding this project for the public good, since corporations can be relied on to fight tirelessly and solely for their own profit. Further, the main corporate beneficiary (TransCanada) is not even an American entity! >Americans are selling out their kids for Canada's sake?! (No offense, >Canadians.)
