News – Watching the Watchers?

North America

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin says the FCC won’t investigate complaints about the NSA stockpiling American call information because the info is classified. So there you have it. All the IS government has to do to hide information is to declare it classified. Then no one can touch it and if any reporters report on it, they can get jailed. Just how are we the people to keep an eye on our government now?

Now the suck ass US anti-missile system is going international. A site is going to be set up in Europe, to protect against Iran. Not to protect Europeans, but to protect the US. As if Iran will suddenly come across some ICBMs that can cross the European continent and lay waste to Alaska, rather than those that can hit closer, more accessible targets. Assuming, of course, they’re stupid enough to do something like that, which all but guarantees war will come to their doorstep. More of our taxpayer money, sliding down the military sinkhole.

Trial begins for David Safavian, the former chief of staff at the General Services Administration and a former White House budget official. He’s being tried in connection with the influence-peddling scandal of lobbyist Jack Abramoff., the first to be tried under such charges.

Both Republican and Democratic congressional leaders are speaking out against the raid of Democratic Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson’s congressional office last weekend. They believe that the FBI overstepped constitutional boundaries designed to protect Congress with the raid, performed as part of a bribery investigation. Raiding his home was fine, just not the office.

Middle East

Deadly violence continues to flare in Gaza. With nary a word from the US to try and stop it. Why would they, when this is exactly what they aimed for with their total shut off of Gaza? They want Hamas to be ravaged from within by its rivals, weak because they’ve been cut off from any resources whatsoever. Of course, people will die in the resultant chaos and strife, but all for the betterment of democracy, eh? Only, history suggests that this is unlikely to go as they want.

Best thing to do(in my opinion, anyway) is to reward Hamas for the 17 months they adhered to the ceasfire with Israel(Remember, they have been restrained in action, even if their rhetoric hasn’t changed). Give them the funds they require for running their government. Let them become occupied with the day to day management of their territories. Let those activities turn their attention away from armed resistance. Israel should stay out to not draw their attention from this. Let Hamas deal with rivals among the other militant groups in Gaza and the West Bank. There are far worse choices than them and if the Palestine people are allowed to slide deep into the pit, its likely some of those worse, more radical choices will rise and add their own mayhem to the chaos.

At the very least, Bush is suggesting that Israel hold off on annexing land unilaterally. And Olmert says he wants to resume diplomacy with Abbas, but we’ll see what his will for peace is when he exerts it.

Asia

Though Bird Flu continues to peek out here and there, it has yet to mutate to a strain that passes with more ease between humans. A good, good thing, as we still have a long way to go before we’re ready, just in case.

Africa

Clashes in Sudan force Medecins Sans Frontieres(Doctors without borders) to evacuate staff from some of southern Sudan, despite a signed peace deal. David Lochhead, a researcher who recently returned from Akobo town on the border with Ethiopia, blamed the fighting on militias who had not yet signed up to the peace deal, tribal clashes and the forced disarmament of the civilian population by the former rebel SPLA who now govern south Sudan.

General

Yet another study that suggests doctors should play more video games. In this case, they should play Super Monkey Ball just before a laparoscopic surgical procedure. After the warm up, surgeons performed drills faster and with fewer errors. Video games help you develop better hand eye coordination, reaction time and visual skills, I think there are enough studies to make this an agreed upon fact. Of course, like anything too much of a good thing can be harmful.

Need a new tech gadget? Need a new pair of shoes? Sate both of your new appetites with iPod compatible sneakers! You know you want em. It even has a wireless pedometer that gives a runner feedback.

Explainer details why broken legs are a more serious injury for horses, compared to humans. All I have to say is that horses are ever so fragile when it comes to their legs. On the lighter side, Explainer looks into the origin of CGI characters.

The blogs look at reaction to an article on the Clinton Marriage and Saudi Arabia paying lip service to educational reform.

Stephen King’s Desperation, in TV movie form. I’m still reading the book right now(Read the companion novel, The Regulators, a little while ago) and one thing I’ll tell you.. the book is the R rated version of the story. Very visceral in many places. Sadly, I was occupied this evening so I couldn’t focus on it last night, but I hope it comes out on DvD so I can buy it. I’ve never failed to enjoy a movie based off of one of King’s books.

Today’s Papers has Israel’s top military commander noting that cutting the cash off from Hamas isn’t making the people turn against them(the people aren’t stupid, they can see who is telling people to stop giving), the Senate Intelligence Committee approving of Hayden to head the CIA, tough legislation against sex offenders as the latest legislative fad and more in the one page news.

Amusements

<A HREF="http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2006/05/22/latest_news/doc447216ced53ea898107543.txt”>If you’re on a college baseball team, it probably isn’t cool to let photos surface of the entire team standing there naked with baseball hats on their jimmys

Residents oppose new state-of-the art, full-service police precinct, fearing it will bring more crime to the neighborhood. Wait… what?

Sure sign of summer: Warmer weather, tourists, lovebugs mating over highways. “You get more splat from a female than from a male. Of course, you get the most splat when you hit a pair”

Man flies to six airports in three countries in a 30-hour period attempting to fly from Manchester to France

You’d think the “Son of Sam” lawyer would have heard of the “Son of Sam Law,” but apparently he was too busy writing a book

Scrawling “Young girls wanted for sex, aged eight to 13. Text this number only” on a commuter train will land you in PYITA prison every time

Budget airline boss vows to walk naked through airport terminal if competing airline drops the fuel surcharge on its tickets

The annual waste-of-space report from AAA telling us that lots of people will be on the road this Memorial Day is here

The results are in, and it’s official: Just over 60 percent of students from everyone’s favorite wang can read

A lengthy explanation of the seven forms of lightsaber combat. No explanation given for lengthy presence in Mom’s basement

Redneck civilization evolving more rapidly than previously thought as yokels conduct demolition derby with gigantic grain harvesters

Dumbass burgler tries to kick in family’s front door, then tries to smash the window in with a bicycle. By the time he got in 15-year-old son had loaded Dad’s gun and had a few surprises waiting for him

Bible college student uses roommate’s debit card to run up $2350 in phone sex charges. It’s so hot when it’s so forbidden

Late-for-work excuse #3219: Got stuck in traffic while alligator crossed turnpike

Clergyman busted for extorting money from illegal immigrants so they could stay in the country. Plans to use the “hey, at least I wasn’t with children” defense

Having solved all other problems, Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management has banned the use of gold fish as freshwater bait

Fark Photoshop Challenge: This soup needs some more ingredients

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this NFL rookie

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Now that Mattel has introduced pinup Barbies, ‘shop some inappropriate ones. Difficulty: SFW