[Illustration by ALEX FINE] Here’s the deal: We have it on good authority that just one or two more signatures (one million so far!) on this petition will totally push this thing over, China will free Tibet and everyone will live happily ever after! But, no pressure. It’s up to you. After decades of repression, Tibetans are crying out to the world for change. China’s leaders are right now making a crucial choice between escalating brutality or dialogue that could determine the future of Tibet, and China. We can affect this historic choice — China does care about its international […]
RAT FUCKING: State Department Fires Two For Unauthorized Snooping On Obama’s Passport File
MSNBC: Two contract employees of the State Department were fired and a third person was disciplined for inappropriately looking at Democratic Sen. Barack Obama’s passport file. Spokesman Sean McCormack Thursday night confirmed instances of what he called “imprudent curiosity” by the State Department employees. McCormack said the department itself detected the breaches, which occurred which occurred separately on Jan. 9, Feb. 21 and March 14. The three people who had access to Obama’s passport records were contract employees of the department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, NBC News reported. A senior official told NBC News there was “no political motivation” to […]
I, POLLSTER: Phawker’s Hilariously Un-Scientific Pennsyltucky Primary Keystoned Cell Phone Poll
BY JONATHAN VALANIA A long time ago, in a Clinton campaign far, far away, James Carville famously declared that Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and Alabama in between. Aw, yeah: Pennsyltucky. We know thee well. It’s sort of like watching the Dukes Of Hazzard after smoking too much kielbasa. Like sweat socks with a Sunday suit. Like the Deer Hunter costumed by Wal-Mart. It’s the long dark Chicken Dance of the national soul. Lord help us all. Anyway, with the national press are already converging on the Keystone state to get some local color on their laptops, we feel an […]
All Of This Happened While You Were Sleeping
Tomorrow’s Radio, The Barbary, Last Night [Photos by TIFFANY YOON/CLICK TO ENLARGE]
INSTA-REVIEW: Gnarls Barkley The Odd Couple
Now playing on Phawker Radio! Why? Because we love you! BY ED KING ROCK EXPERT Break open a bag of Funyuns! There’s a new Gnarls Barkley record! The dynamic duo of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo kicks off their new album with “Blind Mary,” a “cute” number about stalking a blind girl named Mary. How sweet! This one has that digital approximation of the ’60s Ed Sullivan sound, which seems to be this band’s bread and butter when not doing the Night at the Roxbury party music. I’m really feeling nostalgic for that “Groove Is in the Heart” band, Lisa Stansfield, […]
RASMUSSEN POLL: No Country For Old Men?
RASMUSSEN: The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows John McCain’s lead growing against both potential Democratic opponents. McCain currently leads Barack Obama 49% to 42% and Hillary Clinton 51% to 41% margin (see recent daily results). African-American support for Clinton has collapsed, falling to 55% in the general election match-up. Obama, on the other hand, earns solid support from African-American voters but attracts only 36% of white voters in a match-up with McCain. Over the past month, McCain has gained ground in Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. Both Democrats continue to lead in New York, […]
JUST IN: Flaming Lips To Headline ‘Jam On The River’
[Photo by JONATHAN VALANIA] INQUIRER: This year, The Jam is presenting two days of psychedelic sounds on the Delaware River with three nights of after-party concerts at area venues. Flaming Lips — the nation’s reigning weirdy-beardies — top the May 24 lineup at the Great Plaza on the waterfront. Also on the Saturday billet are Josh Ritter, RJD2 and Bassnectar. Disco Biscuits — Philadelphia’s celebrated noodles-with-jam band — top the May 25 music menu, which also includes Deadmau5, Avett Brothers, Lotus, and American Babies. MORE
NEW YORK TIMES: With Florida And Michigan Off The Table, Clinton Nomination Becomes ‘A Longshot’ At Best
NEW YORK TIMES: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton needs three breaks to wrest the Democratic presidential nomination from Senator Barack Obama in the view of her advisers. She has to defeat Mr. Obama soundly in Pennsylvania next month to buttress her argument that she holds an advantage in big general election states. She needs to lead in the total popular vote after the primaries end in June. And Mrs. Clinton is looking for some development to shake confidence in Mr. Obama so that superdelegates, Democratic Party leaders and elected officials who are free to decide which candidate to support overturn his […]
FREE TIBET: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
At least not in China. This footage is AMAZING. Never in my lifetime have I had cause to use the words “cathartic” and “orgy of destruction” in the same sentence. Until now. BUSINESS WEEK: Since riots broke out in Tibet last week, authorities have imposed martial law and tried to control the flow of information into and out of the region. The government has banned journalists and tourists from entering Tibet. And officials have imposed strict controls over the Internet in an effort to spin what happened in Tibet and neighboring provinces to conform with Beijing’s version of events.That’s resulted […]
VADER: Cheney Celebrates Five Long Years Of Making Beautiful War Fishing Off Sultan Of Oman’s Yacht
ASSOCIATED PRESS: The vice president’s visit to Oman, part of a 10-day trip to the Mideast, fueled speculation that the United States was ratcheting up military pressure on Iran over its nuclear program. As a quiet U.S. military ally, Oman allows the United States to use four air bases — including one just 50 miles from Iran — for refueling, logistics and storage of pre-positioned military supplies. Cheney denied that he’d stepped up his opposition to Iran’s nuclear policy. “I’ve been pretty consistent over time about Iran,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ratcheted up the rhetoric. I felt strongly […]
MEDIA: Kia Gregory Is Movin’ On Up!
INQUIRER: We’re very pleased to announce that Kia Gregory, a columnist and reporter for the Philadelphia Weekly, will be joining The Inquirer as a City Desk reporter on April 4. Kia grew up in Philadelphia, graduated from Dobbins Vocational Technical High School, at 22nd and Lehigh, and worked for seven years as an accountant before the journalism addiction got her as a night student at Temple University. There, Kia’s gift for writing and her dedication to the craft became immediately apparent to all who came in contact with her. One of her professors, our own Howie Shapiro, remembers giving Kia […]