Author: Connor Simpson

Microsoft Wants the New Xbox One to Totally Take Over Your TV

AP

Isn't this supposed to be a video game thing? Well, yes, but Microsoft's mission with the Xbox One is to navigate everything you do on a television, from talking to it and watching it to interacting with every gamer on the planet. Let's break down just how this bad boy can transform your living room.

By Connor Simpson

Oct 11, 2012

The Debate's Clear Winner: Martha Raddatz

You may remember Jim Lehrer taking a beating after the last Presidential debate. Martha Raddatz, a reporter for ABC News, is moderating tonight's Vice-President debate. The people love her. They really, really love her. 

Comments | 9,830 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 10, 2012

Jamie Dimon Plays to Both Sides of the Aisle

Jamie Dimon, swaggering CEO of JP Morgan Chase, played both sides of the aisle perfectly while speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations event on Wednesday: he said he supports Obama's tax plan while also taking the Democrats and the Federal Reserve to task over banking regulations. 

Comments

By Connor Simpson

Oct 10, 2012

Super Cool Space Jump Delayed Until Sunday

Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian trying to break the record for the highest sky dive ever, will have to wait a few more days to jump from 120,000 feet. The jump from space is delayed until Sunday

Comments | 2,101 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 10, 2012

Turkey Has Had It Up to Here With Syria

Turkey is just about fed up with Syria and they're not going to take it anymore. Today, they've announced they're going to respond—really respond—if they're attacked again, and they forced down a Syrian plane flying from Moscow to search it for heavy weapons. 

Comments | 517 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 9, 2012

No One Is Getting an A in This Klout College Class

There's a new Klout professor in town. Ryan Thornburg is basing twenty percent of his students' grades on how much they can raise their Klout score. Unfortunately for the kids, that means they're shooting blindly into the ether and hoping for the best. So far, it's barely working. 

Comments | 9,049 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 9, 2012

Bibi Started Campaigning for Reelection a Month Ago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu picked a great time to call for an early election. He's practically been campaigning for a month now. 

Comments | 172 Views

By Connor Simpson and Dashiell Bennett

Oct 9, 2012

Update: Felix Baumgartner Cancels His Jump out of a Balloon 22 Miles Above the Earth

Daredevil parachutist Felix Baumgartner will not be attempting to break the record for the highest sky dive ever today. The winds were too dangerous and they had to call off the jump.

Comments | 3,287 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

Rogue Graffiti Artist Defaces a Rothko in London

A rogue graffiti artist casually took out a marker and wrote on a Rothko painting at the Tate Modern gallery in London today. 

Comments | 3,887 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

This Meningitis Outbreak Isn't Going Away

Seven people have died and 91 people have now been diagnosed with the rare form of fungal meningitis that was spread through a steroid for back pain, health officials announced on Saturday.

Comments | 1,343 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

Box Office Report

Liam Neeson Can't Get Rid of These Albanians

Welcome to the Box Office Report, where 'Liam Neeson punching things' is always an easy way to sell a movie. 

Comments | 1,708 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

The Sunday Grind

Reince Lowers Expectations; Obama Reviews the Tape

Reince Priebus lowers the expectations for Paul Ryan's debate performance because he just loves Joe Biden's debating skills so much; David Axelrod praises Mitt's performance while explaining the Obama campaign has reviewed the tape and adjusted their strategy for the next debate. 

Comments | 1,863 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

South Korea Can Now Bomb All of North Korea

South Korea can now produce missiles that can reach all of North Korea as part of a new deal with Washington that's a response to the North's own growing weapons stockpile.

Comments | 1,121 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

Big Bird Sleepily Responds to Mitt Romney

Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers scored the week's biggest exclusive by getting Big Bird to to stay up way past his usual bed time to comment on being the center of attention in Wednesday night's debate. 

Comments | 17,076 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 7, 2012

Could You Watch the Jon Stewart vs. Bill O'Reilly Debate?

If you had better things to do with your Saturday night than stay in and order a $5 online pay-per-view, be thankful that you didn't miss much by skipping the debate between Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly.

Comments | 1,237 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Jose Antonio Vargas Narrowly Avoids ICE Officials

Activist Jose Antonio Vargas was arrested on Friday while in Minnesota and the police reported him to immigration officials, but they declined to issue a detainer that would have seen Vargas handed over to the ICE and possibly deported. 

Comments | 2,281 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Chicken Vendor's Presidential Zinger Boosts Business

A chicken stand in Cleveland, Ohio has seen a boom in business from Republicans after the vendor, Terry Leu, gave the President some lip while the President toured the West Side Market yesterday. 

Comments | 3,140 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

ABC Picks Wrong Olympic Sport for New Reality Show

ABC has made a terrible, terrible mistake with their choice of which Olympic sport to turn into a reality competition. Diving was not the breakout sport of the Olympics. Gymnastics was.

Comments | 2,487 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Ohio Democrats Target Romney's Michigan Fandom

The Ohio Democratic Party took out a full page ad in The Lantern, the Ohio State student newspaper, that was simply a picture of the Republicans face with a quote laid over top saying, "I have been a Michigan and Wolverine fan for a long, long time." 

Comments | 1,196 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Pope's Butler to Serve Time in the Comfort of His Home

Paolo Gabriele, the 46-year-old former butler to the Pope, is going to serve his 18 month punishment for stealing confidential documents in the safety of his Vatican City apartment.

Comments | 517 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Israel Shoots Down a Mystery Drone

Intrigue in the Middle East! Israeli officials are currently trying to figure out where a drone that flew into their airspace on Saturday morning came from. They shot it down just to be sure. 

Comments | 8,328 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Small Donors Help Democrats Raise $181 Million in September

It was a big month for the Obama campaign, apparently. The Democrats raised $181 million in September almost entirely on the backs of small donations, according to the President's twitter account. 

Comments | 1,283 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 6, 2012

Jack Welch Still Pretty Sure the Job Numbers Were Skewed

Jack Welch is still pretty sure yesterday's job numbers were fudged, but he doesn't have any proof and he can't defend himself otherwise. 

Comments | 4,005 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 5, 2012

FBI Needed Libya's Permission to Investigate the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi

Despite journalists and witnesses simply walking into the U.S. consulate for weeks now, the FBI didn't conduct an on-site investigation until today because of 'security concerns.' They also needed Libya's permission and an extensive military escort before they could go in. 

Comments

By Connor Simpson

Oct 4, 2012

How Romney Came to Admit '47 Percent' Was 'Completely Wrong'

It took him long enough, but Romney finally admitted his 47 percent speech was 'completely wrong' during an interview with Fox News tonight. 

Comments | 2,399 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 4, 2012

Samsung Shouldn't Have a Problem Paying Apple

Samsung posted a ridiculously high $7.3 billion quarterly profit from July to September, which is a personal best, so the company shouldn't have any trouble paying Apple that pesky $1 billion they won in court.

Comments | 1,379 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 4, 2012

Jim Lehrer Did a Fine Job, Says Jim Lehrer

There was a bit of a Jim Lehrer love fest before last night's debate. But then last night happened and the public quickly turned on the PBS anchor. If you ask him, though, he did exactly what he was supposed to, thank you very much. 

Comments | 2,679 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 3, 2012

Tech Companies Love Space Maps

Mapping the planets of our solar system is usually best left to NASA, but don't tell that to Foursquare or Google. The two tech companies both have extra planets mapped.

Comments | 150 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 3, 2012

Assange Supporters Still Fighting to Get Their Money Back

A group of nine high-profile Julian Assange supporters are still trying to get money back they put up when Assange was arrested by British authorities and they expected him to be extradited to Sweden.

Comments | 561 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 3, 2012

Shep Smith Has a Standing Offer at MSNBC

MSNBC President Phil Griffin was asked who he would hire if he could choose whoever his heart desires, and the man his heart desires most is Fox News' Shepard Smith.

Comments | 3,893 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 3, 2012

President Theodore Roosevelt Won Something Today: An Explainer

If you are confused by a bunch of political reporters are making a big deal about deceased former President Theodore Roosevelt 'winning' something today, know you are not alone. Just know Teddy's win today is a bigger deal than you think. 

Comments | 785 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 2, 2012

Drudge's Big New Obama Video Is Kind of Old

Conservative blogger and general muckraker Matt Drudge has been trumpeting an Obama video to air on Fox News tonight that would change the face of the election. Turns out, it's a five year old video of a speech that's been online the whole time.

Comments | 4,483 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 2, 2012

DSK Is Almost Done Clearing His Name

Dominique Strauss-Kahn dodged rape allegations for the second (third?) time in a year when French prosecutors today stopped pursuing charges he allegedly raped a prostitute in a Washington hotel room. Unfortunately for DSK, he's still got a small list of sex scandals on his plate. 

Comments | 172 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 2, 2012

Obama Is Reviewing Names of the Libyan Militants Who Killed Our Ambassador

U.S. intelligence officials are putting the final touches on reports about the militants suspected to be involved in the attack on the Libyan embassy that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others.  

Comments | 417 Views

By Connor Simpson

Oct 2, 2012

ThinkProgress Gets Hit by Google's Red Screen of Doom

Think Progress is having a no good, very bad Tuesday. The liberal media-watching site got hit with Google's Red Screen of Doom, aka a malware warning, and they've taken their whole operation offline until it's fixed. 

Comments | 616 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

California Bans Anti-Gay Therapy for Teens

Jerry Brown's decided to relegate therapy designed to convince minors they aren't gay to "the dustbin of quackery," in California. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday evening that Brown signed a bill that night banning gay-to-straight therapy for minors.

Comments | 2,999 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

Obama Picks Up Crucial Hugo Chavez Endorsement

For weeks -- weeks! -- we've waited with bated breath to see who Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez would endorse in the American presidential race. We finally have our answer. 

Comments | 4,596 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

Box Office Report

Adam Sandler Finds Success Running 'Hotel'

Welcome to the Box Office Report, where we would never advise sharing a room with the Wolfman. He doesn't flush or put the seat down.

Comments | 1,198 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

The Sunday Grind

Chris Christie Can't Wait to Tell You How Excited He Is for the Debates

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pulls triple duty -- appearing on Face the Nation, This Week, and Meet the Press -- to tell the whole world how he thinks Wednesday night's debate is going to change the face of the election forever. 

Comments | 5,359 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

Iran Thinks It Can Do Gmail Better than Google

After Iranians were enraged over the government's decision to block Gmail last week, Iran thinks it has found a way to keep everyone happy. Iran will introduce their own domestic version of Gmail that will totally be just as good. 

Comments | 3,693 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

Latest 'Insider' Attack Marks 2,000th U.S. Death in Afghan War

There was yet another green-on-blue attack in Afghanistan on Sunday in which two Americans and three Afghans were killed. The death of a U.S. soldier brings the total number of troop deaths in the Afghan war to over 2,000. 

Comments | 1,581 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 30, 2012

Documents Show Russia Ordered Syria Shoot Down Turkish Jet

Saudi-owned news agency Al Arabiya are touting a massive leak of Syrian intelligence documents, and their first leak alleges to show Russia was the one who ordered Syria take down the Turkish fighter jet in June, and for Syria to kill and dispose of the pilots.

Comments | 11,725 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Eunice Kennedy Is the Reason Arnold Ran for Office

Maria Shriver had Arnold Schwarzenegger convinced running for office was a bad idea, but her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, told her to let Arnold run. 

Comments | 1,805 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Civilian Arms Collection in Libya Brings In Heat Seeking Missiles and a Tank

Keeping with the pacified spirit of the country since the attack on the U.S. embassy, the Libyan government coordinated an arms collection drive over the weekend. Hundreds of Libyans returned weapons in different cities across the country, including three heat seeking missiles and a tank. 

Comments | 1,552 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Yemen's President Thinks Drones Are Smarter than Humans

Yemen's president is so in love with the fleet of drones the U.S. uses in his country that he thinks they're more advanced than the human brain. 

Comments | 2,743 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Last Westerner Leaves Guantanamo for Canada

Omar Khadr, the last westerner left in Guantanamo Bay and the facility's youngest inmate ever, was shipped back to his home country, Canada, early Saturday morning. 

Comments | 379 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Republicans Are Now Buying Todd Akin Lunch

The rehabilitation of Todd Akin has been steadily moving along this week. One of the leaders of the renewed interest in Akin, Sen. Jim DeMint, is one of four prominent Republicans hosting a lunch for the Missouri Senate candidate in Washington this week. 

Comments | 4,138 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Romney's Working on His Zingers

Mitt Romney's jokes can be misunderstood sometimes, so he's working to refine his craft before the first Presidential debate of the season. 

Comments | 10,680 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Arthur O. Sulzberger, Former 'New York Times' Publisher, Dead at 86

Arthur O. Sulzberger, the man responsible for making the New York Times the paper you know it as today, passed away on Saturday after a long fight with illness at his home in Southampton. 

Comments | 1,166 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 29, 2012

Your Same-Sex Partner Could Help Stop You from Being Deported

The Department of Homeland Security made it clear to Democratic lawmakers this week that a same-sex relationship qualifies as a reason to delay deporting an illegal immigrant living in the U.S. 

Comments | 7,293 Views

By Connor Simpson

Sep 28, 2012

M.T.A. Will Put Disclaimers on Ads They Think Won't Keep the Peace

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority 
amended their rules on Thursday prohibiting any ads they feel might "imminently incite or provoke violence or other immediate breach of the peace." Like, say, one that results in an activist being arrested (on video!) for defacing an ad. 

Comments | 309 Views

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