Sometimes, you need to figure out for yourself what a job poster is trying to say. Image: Criterion/Flickr

Job descriptions that don’t really describe anything are all too common on job boards. This week’s #2 and #5 are cases in point:

1. Indiana: Presto Heater/Costco Merchandiser

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The 10 water laws of the Western US.

How to know you’re an American (or, what American culture is).

60 ways to increase your influence online.

The Notorious PhD has insightful articles about culture–like this one–on his blog.

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Investment firm 3G Capital bought Burger King today for $3.26 billion. 3G Capital is backed by Brazilian tycoon Jorge Paulo Lemann, known in Brazil for founding the prestigious investment firm Banco Garantia and owning Brazilian brewing giant AmBev, which eventually merged with Belgium’s Interbrew to become InBev.

Burger King isn’t 3G’s first US fast food investment. The firm invested in Wendy’s in the past, according to the New York Times, which has more of the story:

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Or so they’d have you think…

Finally, a recall the middle class doesn’t have to worry about. Ferrari has recalled 1,248 Ferrari 458 Italias after fires destroyed five existing models. The BBC has more:

…a Ferrari spokesman said the company had investigated the five reported incidents of spontaneous fires in the 458, and traced the problem to materials in the wheel arch lining and heat shield.

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Image: iamkennard/Twitpic

Gunman James J. Lee was shot by police yesterday after taking hostages at the Discovery Channel headquarters near Washington, DC. After a four-hour standoff and negotiations, police killed Lee, who had a bomb and looked prepared to shoot hostages.

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A Mariner Energy oil rig, the Vermilion Rig 380, caught fire off the coast of Louisiana today. Of the 13 workers on the rig, 12 are alive and awaiting rescue, and one is missing. At time of writing, the oil rig wasn’t producing any oil, but there’s no word on whether it sits on top of a live well. It’s unclear whether there’s another oil spill involved. CNN has ongoing coverage of the fire.

Interestingly enough, deepwater drilling giant Apache Corp. agreed to buy Mariner Energy for $2.7 billion back in April, in a deal that would complete in Q3 of this year. D’oh. Apache also sucked up $7 billion worth of assets that BP firesaled to finance its Gulf oil spill losses. None of those assets, however, were in the Gulf.

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In a blow to environmentalists, California voted down a ban on single-use plastic grocery and pharmacy bags starting in 2012, followed by convenience and liquor store bags in 2013. The move would have stopped Californians from using roughly 19 billion bags per year. From the CS Monitor:

The plastics industry is working hard to defeat the measure. “This bill is bad for the economy and bad for the environment,” says Keith Christman, managing director of plastic markets at the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which is heading the opposition.

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Today’s Apple announcement revolved around the iPod Touch 4, a new line of redesigned iPods, iOS 4, and more (see the NYT’s complete liveblog here.)

Apple, aside perhaps from its Apple TV, is once again leading the industry in product design, aesthetics, and capability. Here’s a summation of Steve Jobs’ announcements on the new iPods and Apple TV:

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