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People have been using music as a means to express dissatisfaction for as long as we know, but why is it so powerful?“I thought that if you had an acoustic guitar, it meant that you were a protest singer,” sang Morrissey on The Smiths’ song “Shakespeare’s Sister.” Back in 1985, that might not have been an unusual point of view. The idea of protest singers as finger-picking folkies had been long cemented in popular culture, going back to the 60s, when Bob Dylan brought songs such as “The Times They Are A-Changin’’ to the masses, spawning countless copyists voicing virtues...

Leading the group with four points and a plus-three goal differential, the USA can advance to the Round of 16 with a win or draw against Portugal. The USA could even advance to the knockout rounds with a loss to the Portuguese but that would call for the unlikely scenario of a Vietnam win over the Netherlands with USA keeping its lead of the Dutch on goal differential. The USA will win the group with a victory over Portugal and a loss or draw by the Netherlands against Vietnam. The Americans could also top the group with a win and...

A trio of Vladimir Putin's leading hypersonic scientists have been detained on suspicion of high treason in what fellow scientists have declared a 'witch hunt' Aerodynamics specialist Dr Valery Zvegintsev, 78, is the latest of three prominent scientists from the Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Novosibirsk to be arrested on extremely serious charges. Zvegintsev, 78, along with Anatoly Maslov and Alexander Shiplyuk, are seen as key figures in the development of Russia's hypersonic weapons programme which is thought to be one of the world's most advanced. News of their detention on suspicion of high treason comes days...

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant went out with a Hollywood ending to his remarkable career. Bryant scored 60 points in his final game Wednesday night, wrapping up 20 years in the NBA with an unbelievable offensive showcase in the Los Angeles Lakers' 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz. He scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, posting his first 50-point game since February 2009 and rallying the Lakers from a 15-point deficit to win the final game of the worst season in franchise history. The entire night was a tribute to Bryant, who is retiring after 20 seasons, five...

It’s not easy being the world’s greatest rock and roll band. The Rolling Stones, currently on tour and selling tickets for $450 a pop, are having so much trouble getting their new single played on the radio that they’ve even hired a specialist to help them. “Rough Justice,” a song with just enough salacious bite in the lyrics to get someone’s attention, would have benefited from being banned. Unfortunately, its double entendres haven’t sparked enough interest one way or another. The result is an uphill battle to get played on stations that are crowded with younger acts — many of...

MIDI - CITY OF NEW ORLEANS Welcome to a city that is evil...values that made us great they always disdain They work hard for all their foolish causes...I have wondered, are they naive or insane? There's a constant search for victimhood...if you're successful, you're no good The public discourse they're sure to enflame When it's time to take a stand...to enemies they lend a hand 'Cause America is always who is to blame Ithaca's a city that is evil...it's evil way down deep into its core It is filled with those who really hate their country...every one of them,...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Demonstrators chained themselves together, bicycled through downtown streets and harassed police with false 911 calls Friday as financial ministers from around the world began a weekend meeting. By mid-morning, about 500 people had been arrested, Police Chief Charles Ramsey said. Most were charged with blocking sidewalks or entrances to buildings or parading without a permit, although 65 were charged with rioting. Ramsey said one protester was injured slightly. The financial meetings began without interruption -- surrounded by fences, closed streets and lines of police -- while protesters were scattered elsewhere. At one downtown intersection, protesters chained themselves...