The News reader from Sicilian.Net

Slate Magazine
Slate--the Internet's informed look at news, politics, and culture. Slate separates the facts from the spin with thought-provoking stories, irreverent humor, and delicious reads.

Slate V: How I Ran an Ad on Fox News
18 Mar 2010 at 7:18am
Slate ad critic Seth Stevenson tries out a Google service that allows you to run your own commercial on national TV for as little as $100.
The GOP's risky plan to run against health care reform.
by William Saletan
22 Mar 2010 at 4:26pm
How badly will health care reform hurt Democrats in November? That's the question being raised in headlines around the country. "Democrats could pay a price," warns the Washington Post. "A Major Victory, but at What Cost?" asks the New York Times. "After healthcare vote, Democrats turn to damage control," says the Los Angeles Times. Politico says "congressional Democrats, who face a potentially devastating backlash in the midterms, won't enjoy the benefits of Obama's historic win."

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Health care - New York Times - Washington Post - Democratic - Republican
Student loan reform's lessons for health care reform.
by Timothy Noah
22 Mar 2010 at 3:03pm
The conservative meme about final passage of the health care reform bill is that it's Pearl Harbor all over again. Fred Barnes said it; Glenn Beck said it; Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said it. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had gotten House Democrats "all liquored up on sake and you know, they're making a suicide run here," which is just about saying it. The Pearl Harbor comparison breaks down when you consider that the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, killed more than 2,000 Americans, whereas the health care reform bill that just passed the House,�219-212,�will likely save the lives of tens of thousands of Americans annually.

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Pearl Harbor - Glenn Beck - Fred Barnes - Lindsey Graham - Health care
Why young women are showing off their shopping sprees in online videos called...
by Marisa Meltzer
22 Mar 2010 at 3:02pm
Somewhere in America's suburbs, 16-year-old Blair sits in her pink-walled bedroom and shows off a slew of recent purchases from the fast-fashion chain Forever 21. She bought a black blouse, a slouchy cardigan, and $6.99 jeans. "OK, so normally it would bother me if my jeans didn't have any detail on the rear end," Blair says. "But I was actually reading and they say that if there is not any design on the back pocket on your jeans ? somehow it makes your butt look smaller. So way to go for these jeans!" I know this because Blair (aka Juicystar07) taped it via webcam and posted it to YouTube. She's not just posting it for her clique at school?her video has nearly 600,000 views to date.

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YouTube - United States - Blair - Fashion - Tony Blair
The Slatest: Morning Edition
22 Mar 2010 at 2:23pm
House passes landmark health care reform bill; Afghanistan insurgency group agrees to peace talks; Hong Kong air pollution climbs to record levels.

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Scenes from the Capitol in the final showdown over health care reform.
by Christopher Beam
22 Mar 2010 at 9:19am
12:32 p.m.?Barely a minute had passed after the final vote on health care reform before members of Congress started streaming out of the Capitol. Republicans mostly kept their heads down. But a few Democrats dallied?partly to gloat, partly to pre-empt the�electoral doomsayers.

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Health care - United States - United States Capitol - Politics - Health Care Reform
Obama and Democrats gamble on health care.
by John Dickerson
22 Mar 2010 at 7:55am
President Obama has just completed the most arduous act of community organizing of his career. Two hundred and nineteen of his neighbors down the street joined together in the House of Representatives to pass historic health care legislation. Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it happen, but Obama worked harder and more intensely than he has on any other issue of his presidency. He made 92 direct pitches to Democratic members of the House, according to a White House tally. Last week he gave three speeches, culminating in an appeal to fellow Democrats more personal and philosophical than any he's given since taking office.

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Barack Obama - Nancy Pelosi - Democratic - United States House of Representatives - United States
Slate's Whipometer: After 14 months, the Democrats pass their flagship legisl...
by Timothy Noah and Chris Wilson
22 Mar 2010 at 7:55am
After 14 months, the Democrats pass their flagship legislation.

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Slate - White House - Health care - United States - Politics
Can Congress punish the member who shouted "baby killer" at Bark Stupak?
by Christopher Beam
22 Mar 2010 at 7:51am
As anti-abortion Democrat Bart Stupak was speaking in support of health care legislation on the floor of the House of Representatives Sunday night, a Republican member reportedly shouted the phrase "baby killer." Talking Points Memo quotes pro-life Democrat Dale Kildee of Michigan as saying, "No one knows who it was but the person should be censured. This all started when someone yelled, 'You lie' at the president." After Rep. Joe Wilson's infamous interjection during the State of the Union address, Slate explained when and how the House can reprimand or punish member. The article is reprinted below.

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Bart Stupak - Michigan - Health care - Pro-life movement - Joe Wilson
Why did Bart Stupak hold out for a meaningless executive order?
by Timothy Noah
22 Mar 2010 at 2:56am
Click here for a guide to following the health care reform story online.

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Bart Stupak - Health care - Executive order - Politics - United States
Bill Clinton stands in for President Obama at the Gridiron dinner.
by John Dickerson
22 Mar 2010 at 1:30am
The relationship between President Obama and former President Bill Clinton gained some amusing new contours last night. Clinton stood in for Obama at the Gridiron Club's annual dinner. He was in his best form, folksy, earnest and making a good amount of fun of himself?his vanity, his advanced age, and his legacy. Perhaps his best line came when he outlined the prospects for health care reform. "It may not happen in my lifetime, or Dick Cheney's, but hopefully by Easter," he said referring to their respective heart troubles.

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Bill Clinton - Barack Obama - Gridiron Club - Dick Cheney - Health care
Advertisement:
22 Mar 2010 at 1:30am
Can I plant some vegetables in the vacant lot nearby?
by Sandy Stonesifer
21 Mar 2010 at 3:36pm
Spring is upon us, which means it's time for the green-thumbed to get out in their gardens and start digging. Fortunately, one person's talent for tending the earth can benefit a whole neighborhood. In an August 2009 My Goodness column, Sandy Stonesifer offered tips on how to start a community garden. The original article is reprinted below.

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Garden - Community Garden - Home - Vegetable - Community
Israel and liberal Jews are moving apart.
by Jacob Weisberg
20 Mar 2010 at 4:03pm
Right after it happened, Israel's ambassador to the United States described Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "insult" to Vice President Joe Biden as the worst crisis to hit relations between the two countries in three decades. A week later, the blowup had largely blown over. Both sides realized what they usually realize when irritated with each other, which is that it serves the interests of neither to quarrel in public. Netanyahu, who is no fool, would be a big one if he antagonized his country's most powerful ally, especially while calling for a posse to hunt down Iran's nuclear program. President Obama, who was already unpopular in Israel, needs Jewish support to win re-election. All parties regret expressing their true feelings.

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Joe Biden - United States - Israel - Benjamin Netanyahu - Prime minister
Let's trade with Iran. After all, Iranians love to shop, and Americans love t...
by Jason Rezaian
20 Mar 2010 at 4:00pm
A year ago, President Barack Obama issued a message to the people of Iran on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Since then, the United States' diplomatic options have dwindled dramatically. This Nowruz, there is only one way to shift gears: America needs to start selling cars to Iran.

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United States - Iran - Barack Obama - Nowruz - President

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