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Barbara and Bowser: CBS News: “Barbara Garcia lost everything in this week’s devastating tornado. But amid the rubble, Barbara … found and rescued her beloved dog Bowser. The story of their reunion touched many of our viewers who wanted to help. So how are Garcia and Bowser doing now? Garcia has some bruises, her home and possessions are gone, but she has the thing she wanted most [her dog]. … ‘All of the other things … you know, one by one they can be replaced. A lot of it wasn’t even important, but I couldn’t replace him.’ … After Garcia and Bowser’s story aired on CBS News, it went viral. The CBS News clip been viewed more than 3 million times. … Erin DeRuggiero set up an account to raise money on a site called GoFundMe.com. DeRuggiero said, ‘I was just so moved by Barbara. I was really just compelled, personally, to do something.’ In 24 hours, she says, the site gathered more than $1,500 in donations. For Garcia, who had no homeowner’s insurance, it’s all almost too much. Garcia said, ‘I didn’t know I was that important. I really and truly didn’t. I just thank everybody.’” Slatest Flashback: Tornado Survivor Finds Her Missing Dog in the Rubble of Her Home During a TV Interview
It’s Friday! Hooray, you made it; we all did. Welcome to The Slatest PM, follow your afternoon host on Twitter at @JoshVoorhees and the whole team at @slatest.
The Slatest: With Fate of Video in Question, Toronto Mayor Denies Smoking Crack
Furlough Friday: Associated Press: “No one answered the tax-help hotline at the IRS on Friday. And you could forget about getting advice on avoiding foreclosures at the 80 Housing and Urban Development field offices nationwide. It was ‘furlough Friday.’ Roughly 5 percent of the federal workforce - 115,000 people at six major agencies - were told not to show up as the government dealt with the continuing effects of the sequester spending cuts. The good news for many federal workers: a four-day Memorial Day weekend. The bad news: no pay for the day.”
The Slatest: The Prime Minister of Japan Wants Everyone to Know He’s Not Afraid of Ghosts
China Talks Tough to North Korea: New York Times: “The Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, bluntly told a North Korean envoy Friday that his country should return to diplomatic talks designed to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons, according to a state-run Chinese news agency. … Vice Marshal Choe, who has been in Beijing for three days on a mission to repair the prickly relationship between North Korea and China, handed Mr. Xi a letter from Mr. Kim. The contents were not disclosed. In telling the North it should return to the negotiating table, Mr. Xi appeared to strike a stern tone, saying, ‘The Chinese position is very clear: no matter how the situation changes, relevant parties should all adhere to the goal of denuclearization of the peninsula, persist in safeguarding its peace and stability, and stick to solving problems through dialogue and consultation.’”
Crime: Dumb Criminals of the Week: The Three Guys Who Accidentally Butt-Dialed 911 Mid-Crime
Obama Warns Cadets About Sexual Assault: Washington Post: “President Obama on Friday used the issue of sexual assault in the military to illustrate to U.S. Naval Academy graduates the importance of trust and honor, at a time when the public has grown weary of missteps by public servants. ‘It only takes the misconduct of a few to further erode people’s trust in their government,’ Obama told the graduates at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. … A Pentagon survey this month estimated that 26,000 military service members experienced “unwanted sexual contact” last year, but only a small fraction filed sexual-assault reports.”
Weigel: Come On, We’ve Got to Find Some Way to Tie Obama to the IRS Scandal
Two Arrested on International Flight: Reuters: “British fighter jets escorted a Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane to Stansted Airport near London on Friday, where police went on board and arrested two men on suspicion of endangering an aircraft. Passengers were leaving the plane and no one was hurt in the incident, a spokesman for the airport said. Flight PK709 from Lahore in Pakistan had been due to land at Manchester in northern England with 297 passengers on board, but was diverted shortly before arrival.”
Crime: New Study Tries, Fails to Show Marijuana Use Is Linked to Crime
Trayvon’s Texts: Associated Press: “Data released Thursday by the defense from slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin’s cellphone includes texts with a friend about fighting, smoking pot and being forced to move out of his mother’s house because of trouble at school, as well as photos of a gun and what looks to be a potted marijuana plant. A hearing next week will decide if the information can be used at the trial for George Zimmerman, who is charged with fatally shooting the unarmed 17-year-old last year during a confrontation at a gated community in Sanford. Prosecutors want the negative evidence omitted, but Zimmerman’s defense attorney said if they try to portray his client as the antagonist and Martin as the victim, he wants to show the jury that Martin has talked about fighting before.”
A Few More Quick Hits From Slate’s blogs—
- TNC: Someone Just Paid $1.5 Million to Go to Space With Leonardo DiCaprio (VIDEO)
- XX Factor: Julianne Moore Bashes Celebrity Profiles About Aging, Motherhood, and Men
- Future Tense: This 23-Ton Star Wars X-Wing Is the Largest LEGO Model Ever Built
- Moneybox: Why Lobbyists Write Bills and Why You Shouldn’t Worry Too Much About It
- Weigel: The Secret History of Max Baucus’ “Train Wreck” Quote
See you back here Tuesday after the long weekend. Until then, tell your friends to subscribe, or simply forward the newsletter on and let them make up their own minds.
