News – Trouble Starts Small

Middle East

A third child from the same family dies of Bird Flu, with at least 20 others, mostly children, being treated for suspected Bird Flu. Nope, not epidemic yet, but concerning.

Looking back at Sharon’s career, as his existence potentially nears an end.

Former Syrian vice president Abdel-Halim Khaddam is looking to rally support for an overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Asia

China is in the news today, simultaneously bashing on Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian in the same moment as offering a peace token of two pandas and is set to hold informal talks with Japan on their relations. They’re not doing that well in the relations department.

Heavy snows and miniscule temperatures are also causing considerable problems in western China.

North America

Republicans muse if Delay’s ties to Abramoff will make him too much a liability next election cycle. His hopes to return to majority leader status in the House may well be DoA no matter what happens with the case against him.

Bush hits up another recess appointment, Benjamin Powell placed as general counsel to U.S. intelligence chief John Negroponte.

Jose Padilla, once an accused dirty bomber, is now in Florida, facing charges of conspiracy to murder and of aiding terrorists abroad. The level of security they had for this was amusing. You’d think he was OBL himself. Of course, no mention is made now of his supposed plot to dirty bomb or to blow up an apartment building, charges previously used as justification to detain him.

Residents of Louisiana’s ninth ward are concerned with the presence of heavy equipment in their area, fearing it might be used to demolish their homes without permission. Officials say the demolition workers are just there to clear debris. Of course, the question is, what will be done with most of these homes, which may be unlivable now. Surely the water soaked into the foundations and all would make mold a serious concern.

No terrorists suspects located on the south border yet, two years after the US started to photograph and fingerprint visitors. I’d suspect that any such terrorists would make sure they don’t run into the border patrol at all.

Bush says Arabic TV gives a false impression of the US and we need to do better at communicating our ideals. I disagree. What we need to do is to stop giving detractors ammunition to use against us. Every mistaken bombing and improper captive we take goes against any effort to improve PR. Then, maybe we could work on our image.

Before reforming, we need to understand out lobbyists work.

General

The Blogs look at Sharon’s future, the latest bombings in Iraq and Texas’ defeat of USC.

Today’s Papers has an anonymous administration spokesperson saying the president is bound by the new torture ban.. except when he decides he’s not, Florida’s Supreme Court invalidating a state program that gave private-school vouchers for kids at subpar public schools, nice reactions from Iraqis to the recent bombings and more in the one page news.

Amusements

If Pat Robertson’s new year resolution was to not make an ass of himself, he didn’t do so well

What’s more delusional? Thinking someone like Tara Reid will hear your calls for help and actually show up, or thinking Tara Reid is capable of accomplishing anything?

Point: “I was set up, I was only preaching to that male prostitute.” Counterpoint: “Reverend Latham, you asked me to have sex with you”

Paris Hilton facing slander and harassment lawsuit, meaning there’s not only someone who listens to what she says, but also cares

Things you don’t want to hear from some guy as you’re out for your evening run: “Mind if I jog with you in the nude?”

In a move that is sure not to backfire, Microsoft unveils its new music service “Urge,” which will not be compatible with iPods

Nothing like spending four years carefully preparing for 21,630-kilometer trip and crashing into islands 21,600 kilometers short of your goal

Tree assassin poisons park trees to improve her condo’s view of the water

Collectors expected to go bananas for $20 bill misprinted with fruit sticker

Police find bank robber after witnesses point out his license plate said ‘FINDME’

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