We’re getting many reports that Beastie Boys member Adam Yaucht has died of cancer. He was only 47 years old.
We’re currently working on a proper obituary, but, for now, we’re spinning Paul’s Boutique on repeat, and listening a Beastie Boys interview with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross.
Photo: Kristian Dowling/Getty Images
FTW. Socialist party candidate Francois Hollande has defeated incumbent Nicolas Sarkoky in today’s French Presidential election, Reuters reports. Pollsters predict Hollande received 51.9% of the vote to 48.1% for Sarkozy. Sarkozy conceded defeat within 20 minutes of polls closing.
(Via Reuters)
Paris, 8pm: OFFICIAL - FRANCOIS HOLLANDE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
Becomes first Socialist President since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1988.
Incroyable.
(Source: waitingonoblivion)
Flip Socialism: Even before the allegations of rape against former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Francois Hollande was moving himself in to become the next Socialist presidential candidate, according to one French commentator. “Some say that he knew, like actually many others in the part, that DSK was doomed: His colorful private life was always bound to prevent his running for president,” journalist Agnes Poirier said. [Photos: Reuters]
CNN: How Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s fall led to Hollande’s rise
(Source: matthewkeys)
A plot similar to previous Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula bombing attempted attacks using a redesigned underwear bomb for use on aircraft was thwarted and no airline was ever at risk, two U.S. counter-terrorism officials said on Monday.
“This device has the hallmarks of previous AQAP bombing attempts,” one official said on condition of anonymity. “The plot was disrupted well before it threatened American or U.S. allies and no airlines were ever at risk from this device.”
The anti-corruption systems in Portugal need some repair, especially in the wake of European austerity measures, a new report found.
Portugal’s local affiliate of global-anti-corruption group Transparency International examined 13 institutions that make up the country’s anti-corruption framework, and found gaps between legislation and implementation.
“The results show there’s a big gap between the legal infrastructure that’s in place and the way institutions conduct themselves in practice,” said Luís de Sousa, president of the Portuguese chapter of Transparency International who led the survey, in a statement.
“The legal mechanisms are generally satisfactory, but the authorities’ effectiveness is hindered by the lack of a comprehensive and coherent prevention and enforcement strategy. The urgency of fighting corruption has made its way to the political discourse, but our leaders are not backing their words with action,” he said.
(Source: rubenfeld)
The White House will have a statement shortly, according to NBC News.
EDIT: South Korea also confirms the launch, according to AP.
EDIT 2: ABC News reporting that the rocket appears to have failed, according to U.S. officials.
Life in Vermont continues apace.
Shumlin says he ran out barefoot in an attempt to rescue his birdfeeders. He says one of the bears charged him on the porch.
Shumlin tells the Valley News editorial board that Vermont “almost lost the governor.” He says he was within “three feet of getting `arrrh.’”
He ran outside?
Attn: Android users. We’re incredibly excited to announce the launch of the new Tumblr app!
Apart from a totally new, beautiful interface, updates include:
- More responsive, faster-loading dashboard and blogs
- Better photo browsing and animated gif support when you tap an image
- Notifications for multiple blogs live in one place
- Tumblr Radar!
If your phone isn’t set to auto-update the app, be sure to download the update in the Google Play market.
(Source: haseman)
