News – Judgment Passing

North America

Bob Woodward tells the story of how he and Mark Felt grew close after a chance meeting. Odd how a chance meeting can lead to such great things. It’s amusing the vehement growls that come from some people about this man. While I don’t really see him as a ‘hero'(I’m careful with wielding that word, as when one isn’t, it loses all meaning), he isn’t necessarily a villain. It’s amusing to see the hypocritical rage some cling to, even all these years later. Some conspiracies will never die. Slate’s Fray disseminates quite a few interesting opinions and observations.

Middle East

Iraqi led Operation Lightning is aimed at flushing militants from Baghdad and securing caches of weapons, but thus far has seen only limited success.

Rummy warns Iraq’s neighbors to not provide medical attention to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and responds to Amnesty International’s report on Guantanimo.

General Moshe Yaalon, the outgoing head of Israel’s military, says that bloodshed is inevitable if a Palestinian state is established. Hopefully his views are unfounded.

Looks like attacks on Iraqi troops could also include poison.

Europe

Uzbekistan resists a probe into the civilian deaths from the violence last month. So I suppose now Bush will just shrug his shoulders and look the other way, as he does with other ‘allies’ to the US.

The Dutch join the French in voting no against the EU’s new constitution. Now’s not the time for panic over there, it’s time for some cool leadership to be shown in addressing concerns and getting things going.

South America

Bush gets criticized by Venezuela for meddling by meeting with Maria Corina Machado, an opponent of Hugo Chavez, at the White House.

General

Fighting fire with fog.

Right now corn rules as a source for ethanol, but it could come that new tech makes plant debris in general a cheaper source.

Kofi Annan sacks Joseph Stephanides for “serious misconduct” in the oil-for-food scandal.

Explainer details how space pictures get so pretty.

Today’s Papers has Bush meeting with South African President Thabo Mbeki, a hormone that appears to increase people’s trust, experimental vaccine that seems to cut both the incidence and severity of shingles in half and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Neurotically Yours: Foamy Fan Mail VII

Mark Fiore: Democracy Lite

Hundreds of cases involving breath-alcohol tests tossed because test’s manufacturer will not disclose how the machines work

Mental health officials see increase of “storm stress syndrome” this hurricane season. In other news, non-stop media coverage predicts this could be the worst year ever

Serial impersonator, who’s served jail time for being a cop, a paramedic, a firefighter, & a mortician, has been busted again,this time for trying to be an appliance repairman

No more free magazines for Northwest passengers. Instead, the pilot will purchase one magazine that the stewardess will read out loud to everyone

Elderly patients needing heart surgery were kicked out of their beds in order to make an entire hospital wing available for Kylie Minogue during her cancer treatment

Man has fight with his wife over money, ends arguments by setting fire to $670,000 on the front lawn. No word on how they plan to solve child custody issues

Pluto the Poodle gaining popularity for ability to stand on hind legs and walk for over half-mile (photo)

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: You know it’s time to move when…

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Fun with rope

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this man walking past a youthful advertisement