News – The Palestinian Plan
Middle East
Palestinians present their Gaza deployment plan to Israel. “We are ready to deploy at any time and are awaiting Israel’s response to the plan saying we can take up specified positions,” a senior Palestinian security source said. This is a VERY good idea in my opinion. It makes sure Isael knows where Palestinian forces will be and makes sure they have less room to bitch if things don’t go perfectly. After all, they have to sign off on it.
There is good news, with Israel lifting the bar on talks with Palestine.
Peter Hansen, the Palestinian refugee chief for the UN has been forced out by US and Israeli pressures. He’s accused of being an ‘Israel hater’. I don’t see it, but in the end if someone gets forced enough, they have to back down.
Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Sudeis, the state-appointed preacher at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, tells Muslim pilgrims to resist the call of some wage war in the name of Islam.
The UK denies allegations that they’re pushing the US for a timetable on troop pullout.
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami voices what lots of people think. There won’t be a US attack on Iran because our forces are pinned to other operations and can’t commit strength enough to assault them. That might change in the future, but for the time being US threats are less than stinging.
Shias are still mobilizing pretty well in regard to the coming Iraqi election. It’s good to see and hopefully it will pan out will when the day comes. Here are a bevy of election related pictures from both inside and outside of Iraq.
Asia
The US military will start shifting military aid work they’re doing to international aid agencies and host governments, despite the hopes of some that US forces would stay on in the immediate. They plan to have them all shifted by the end of February.
The ultimate toll of the tsunami has lifted over 226,500 after Indonesia’s government confirms tens of thousands dead who were previously noted as missing.
North America
Well, it’s inauguration day. I think I’ll limit my commentary to say that the next four years will be, if nothing else, interesting. Worries are high among other countries and likely some will be elated by being feared. Personally I prefer being loved. When you’re feared, you’re only feared until you grow weak and complacent in that fear. When you’re loved, you’re loved even in decline.
The cases of seven Guantanimo detainees, challenging the lawfulness of their continued imprisonment, are dismissed by a federal judge. “To the extent that these non-resident detainees have rights, they are subject to both the military review process already in place and the laws Congress has passed defining the appropriate scope of military conduct toward the detainees,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said on his decision.
The FB I is seeking four Chinese Nationals for questioning amid unconfirmed reports that they’re headed to Boston as part of a dirty bomb plot. This would, if true, bring up a new angle on things, I think. Why would Chinese nationals be doing something like this?
Condi acknowledges some bad decisions on Iraq, though in the most vague of terms.
Bush’s campaign manager takes over as head of the Republican National Convention.
Bush has said that no taxpayer money would go toward his $40 million dollar inauguration parties. It seems that corporate America will be picking up the tab for him.
Michael Newdow, well known atheist, has lost his bid to get prayers pulled from the inauguration.
US teens are hornier than most think. IF they knew, cases of statutory rape would be on a major rise, I’m sure.
General
Making encrypted email easier to use.
Explainer gives details on how wind chill is measured.
If you hadn’t heard already, Microsoft recently sold off Slate to the Washington Post. Jack Shafer, who write the Press box column, muses his new position as Washington Post employee, but assures us he won’t give the Post a free ride.
Today’s Papers has a count of Alberto Gonzales’ written evasions, note that elderly woman who have a drink a day keep their minds sharper than others, an investigation on if an American contractor and his coworker gunned down last month in Iraq were killed because one of them blew the whistle on corruption in the Iraq defense ministry and more in the one page news.
Amusements
It’s so cold in Ottawa that the buildings there are making cracking sounds and residents are reporting it as gunfire
<A HREF="http://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/01/19/command.html”>Want to display the Ten Commandments at your courhouse, but that pesky Constitution keeps getting in the way? Just sell the space to a “private” entity
If the article says “Tremendous amounts of Vaseline covering his entire body and the interior of his vehicle,” it’s gotta be funny
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop Duct-Tape Man
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Airboat to be announced. Photoshop most desired new plane features
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Make a Fark cereal. Difficulty: No pickles