News – To Drill or Not to Drill

North America

Republicans in the House suspend pursuing drilling in ANWR, as it’s attachment to a big budget bill threatens passage of the bill. This is yet another show of why we need to stop bundling legislation like this. We need to have them break some of this fat legislation up into tighter categories so that unpopular legislation has to stand on its own and legislators have to own up to what in particular they’re voting for when it comes to a mass of unrelated bits and pieces.

Senate Democrats peer at Alito’s role in a 2002 case involving Vanguard mutual funds, after he promised in 1990 to recuse himself from cases involving Vanguard mutual funds, because he had personal investments through the company.

More baseball analogies from Capitol Hill. American pastime and focus of analogy?

Chalabi rides the carousel still. First he was down, then he was up, then he was down and now he’s back up. Guess you can’t keep a good bastard down. If you couldn’t tell, I still don’t trust him.

Middle East

AlQueda claims a bombing on a Jordan luxury hotel, which killed 57 people and an attack on a Baghdad restaurant that killed 35.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says that he’ll cooperate with the UN in its investigation of Rafik al-Hariri’s assassination, but added that Syria won’t sacrifice its national interest in the process.

Saddam’s lawyers again stop working after the killing of one of their own. The trial could go ahead without a defense team, but you can be sure it won’t be as well received.

The European commission and European Investment Bank will be working on a loan agreement for Gaza, to help start small businesses. This is good. Pity the US didn’t think of and enact it first. Especially with Bush’s hard on for small businesses. The US needs to do something to make the common folk in the country feel that they care.

Europe

Looks like a curfew helps, the level of violent unrest diminishing further in France. Though now a fresh row could be rising as Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy tells parliament that about 120 foreigners convicted of participating in the unrest would be expelled, even if they had residence permits.

General

A new Microsoft tool that might make the BSoD more uncommon.

The Blogs look at recent democratic victories and the lingering debate over evolution and intelligent design.

Today’s Papers has Judith Miller out of the NYT, Bush’s numbers sinking a bit more, the US and Europe agreed on Iran at last and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Man loses murder trial after defending himself. Jury refused to believe his allegation that murders were committed by: A gang of Samoans, their girlfriends, two white guys, two black guys, a Native American and a transsexual

One square inch of land for sale: $1,500. To be sold for world’s skinniest house

Bad: You’re robbed at gunpoint. Worse: The robber makes you put a sex toy in your bum. Worst: It’s all caught on tape. Bonus points: You’re Joe Francis, creator of “Girls Gone Wild”

Convenience store clerk falls asleep while packaging marijuana during his shift. Jailarity ensues

Homeless man caught with $350,000 worth of marijuana, says he’s not homeless he just can’t remember where he lives

Cleveland resident calls police to say he’s found a Taser in his backyard. Police tell resident that, um, yeah, it’s one of theirs and they’ll be right over

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this “friendly” rugby exchange

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop Drew Curtis

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: What cartoon characters do in their free time