News – Election Eve

Middle East

Iraq locks down ahead of the coming election. I doubt there will be heavy attacks, in part because it would be more costly overall to really let lose with all the security.

Notes on the mood in Iraq from Salem Pax.

The head of Iraq’s border guard denies reports from police that a tanker truck stuffed with forged ballots was seized crossing into Iraq from Iran. Hmmm..

Israel approves 200 more homes in a West Bank settlement. Note, another violation of the peace roadmap that they say they support. Another note of how little Israel’s government cares for peace before their own personal interests.

Meanwhile turmoil continues to roil in Palestine, further setting back hope for peace.

Asia

North Korea says that Alexander Vershbow, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea. Is the worst ambassador ever and should be recalled. Considering he came right out and called North Korea a “criminal regime”, I’m inclined to agree. Not because I don’t think North Korea is that, but because ambassadors have no place making such inflammatory public statements. It’s counterproductive to diplomacy. Recall his tactless ass, put someone with more finesse in there.

North America

Blasting the ‘ticking bomb’ argument for torture. Laws need to be made to work on the overall, not based on the rare oddball circumstance. This link has a very interesting dissection of the ‘terrorist has info on a bomb, will we torture him or let a million people die’ argument against banning torture. Taking the high road ain’t easy.

Just to make things more difficult, the Army makes a classified addendum to the interrogation rules in the Army field manual. Why they didn’t coordinate this with the Executive and Legislative I don’t know.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s inspector general finds no note of Rove influence in the hiring of the group’s new leader, when it comes to correspondence.

Air Marshals are gong to join land security on various forms of mass transit to test a new surveillance program this starting week.

Explainer notes why executions occur upon the witching hour.

General

Explainer notes how you start a gang.

Today’s Papers has Condi backing away from her reassuring words on torture by saying “We should be prepared to do anything that is legal to prevent another terrorist attack.”(as it stands, torture is not fully illegal in the US), a wide, detailed poll that suggests Iraqis are pretty positive and pretty sure they want us out of their country overall, optimistic outlooks on Sunni turnout in the vote and more in the one page news.

Amusements

If your lawyer describes his testicles in closing arguments to jury, you just might get a new trial

Bad: You’re a bigamist in hiding from two wives. Worse: The two wives meet and go on the Dr. Phil show together. Worst: The sister of your future third wife recognizes your picture and turns you in

Gross: Dating someone you don’t know on the internet. Grosser: Finding out it is your mom

Santa arrested for exposing his toy sack

War on Christmas takes left turn into bizarro world as man decorates home with blood-spattered Santa holding a severed head as statement against commercialization and secularization of Christmas

When all at once there arose such a clatter / a trooper pulled up to see what was the matter / the driver was nervous and certainly drunk / and had a live deer stashed away in his trunk

The cemetaries are almost full, so what is the most logical thing to do? Make dying illegal, of course

Westchester limits teens at tanning salons, because they’re tired of pretty young girls with faces like a catcher’s mit

If you encounter Hayden Christensen in the street, don’t yell “you ruined the Star Wars movies” at him unless you’re a fast runner

British police force considers having Santa offed by drunk driver as part of holiday ad campaign

500lb man arrested after scamming fast-food restaurants out of large amounts of tacos and milkshakes (w mugshot)

Police hunting for a man who fled a hospital with traction apparatus, his skull in a “halo”, and both arms in casts. He must be enjoying some serious pain killers

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: The Domino Effect

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Today’s iron photoshop ingredient: Monkeys

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Take me to your leader