News – Government Abstinence Only Not Cutting It

A little reformatting, slicing up the news into regions rather than individual countries. Better? Not? Also extra Wiki-link enhanced.

North America

The Washington Post reports that federally funded abstinence only education programs frequently pass inaccurate or misleading information to students. According to a congressional staff analysis, some say that touching the genitals of another can lead to pregnancy, abortion can lead to sterility and suicide, included misconceptions such as a 43-day-old fetus is a “thinking person,” HIV can be spread through tears and sweat, condoms failed to prevent HIV transmission in 31 percent of the time in heterosexual intercourse, and half the gay male teenagers in the United States have tested positive for the AIDS virus. The report reviewed the curricula of more than a dozen projects aimed at preventing teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease and found eleven of the thirteen most commonly used curricula contained unproved claims, subjective conclusions or outright falsehoods regarding reproductive health. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I don’t pay taxes for the government to be pulling this bullshit.

Bush pushes Canada on cooperation with his plan for ballistic missile defense. The last thing I want to see is Canada dropping billions on this dead end project like we are. 9 billion so far for a system that’s set up despite the fact that it doesn’t even close to work.

Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, calls for Kofi Annan’s resignation over the Oil for Food debacle. The UN’s chief spokesman has noted voices calling for said resignation are few and no member state has made the same call. Might be time for the US to do so if they back the senators view, which I doubt they don’t. I’d have to study Kofi’s overall record before I decide.

Lawyers representing Lynndie England want her earlier statements and the photos of her at Abu Ghraib thrown out as evidence in her court martial. They wish the remarks thrown out because they say they were given under duress, the photos because not admitted because England posed for them at the request of higher-ranking officers who chose her to soften up detainees for questioning. If their claim for the remarks pans out, fine but I don’t’ see why England posed for the photos as being a reason to toss them out. They’re clear evidence of her misconduct. If there is greater context to them, the defense should bring it up and illustrate it.

Middle East

A new benchmark coming in Iraq, the total number of US troops there set to top 150k this month, to provide security for the coming elections.

A recent conflict between militants and Iraqi security forces is reported to have left ten militants dead, two captured and two Iraqi police wounded. One of the better outcomes when it has come to Iraqi forces on the frontlines.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he rejects talks with Syria while they’re hosting Palestinian militant groups.

Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life terms in an Israeli prison, has broken with is previous determination to not run in the upcoming Palestinian elections, presenting a new problem for peace, as Sharon is facing the collapse of his government over broken political alliances.

There’s a certain secret military site in Iran that UN inspectors would like to visit, but they don’t have the legal authority to go there. It is believed by some that Iran is doing naughty things there.

Africa

Rwanda has signaled previously it was ready to invade the Democratic Republic of Congo, to hunt Hutu militants. With observers in the area reporting signs of Rwandan troops today, the UN is holding urgent talks on the subject. A Rwandan incursion hasn’t been fully confirmed yet, however.

South America

Columbian rebels deny they had a plan to take out Bush. The FARC called the charge “false and reckless” and the “product of minds driven insane by pride.”

General

World of Warcraft is the latest MMORPG, created by skilled game maker Blizzard(one of my personal favorites when it comes to the game industry). Challenging Everquest’s hardcore stance, WoW is more forgiving and refined. I, someone who has never played MMORPGs, plans to buy into it some time next year, hopefully after they solve the current load issues they’re having with their servers. Ren wonders what sort of critter and class DarkRen should be. Undead? Orc? Night Elf? Plain ole Human?

Genes exert strong influence over our demeanors, but so too does upbringing.

Robert Ballard, the explorer who discovered it in 1985, says the wreck of the Titanic is doomed, due to the abundance of visits by salvagers, scientists and tourists.

Tofu, which is de-fatted soybean curds, could act like a polymer to help mend teethand broken bones. Not only would it mend, it would also encourage new bone growth as it biodegrades and releases natural anti-inflammatory agents.

Use of Cannabis in adolescence and early adulthood gives a moderate increase in the risk of developing psychotic symptoms, this risk even greater in those predisposed to psychosis. What is hard to determine is if cannabis really triggers psychotic symptoms – such as hearing voices and paranoia – or whether people with mental health problems are more likely to “self medicate” and use cannabis.

A guide to Bush’s first tax hike. Well, by his lingo anyway, since he and his have constantly attributed the term to letting a tax break expire.

Dissecting Tom Brokaw.

Today’s Papers has the opposing sides in the Ukraine hashing out a deal, the UN telling Iran they want access to two secret sites, Thailand’s PM planning to quell revolution and more in the one page news.

Amusements

TV networks lengthening shows by one to two minutes, in order to screw up viewers’ TiVo recordings

You might be a redneck: If you shoot mechanical deer from your truck, realize they ain’t real, haul ’em away and stash ’em in a public park

Equal sues Splenda, saying their motto “Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar” should read “Made from dextrose, maltodextrin and 4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha, D-Galactopyranosyl-1, 6-dichloro-1, 6-dideoxy-beta, D-fructofuranoside”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: That’s probably not a good idea…

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this Kentucky-fried dude somewhere in Beijing

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this snail