News – Line Item Vetos
North America
A line-item veto for Bush faces some resistance in the House. Despite my distrust for Bush, I would back a power that lets him peel out individual items amongst the fat mass that is congressional legislation and send it back to congress to be voted on separately. That way the approval or denial of an item isn’t specifically in his hands, thus keeping power in the hands of congress, while allowing pork to be exposed to the light of day. Rather than hiding behind hurricane relief money or cash for the troops.
The Pentagon’s latest fat check gets passed. More money to waste on generally unneeded weapons systems, more forms of militaristic overkill and so forth, rather than shaving off a few billions to reroute to more long term goals than finding a new way to shatter the human body.
David Safavian, former chief of staff at the General Services Administration, is convicted on four of five counts of lying and obstructing justice in the first trial to be held in connection with the Abramoff influence-peddling scandal.
Middle East
The two missing soldiers have been found.. sadly they were found dead in a field near an electrical plant in Yusufiya, showing signs of torture.
More unilateral action by Israel. Another Israeli missile strike kills Palestinian children. At this rate, both sides will make themselves extinct as children get caught in the crossfire. Of course, neither side takes responsibility for their carelessness when it comes to the deaths of the innocent.
There is some evidence of a growing feeling of disenchantment with Israel among some Jews in diaspora. I can’t say I’m surprised to hear this. Israel has been compromising their morals in many ways, in my opinion, through their actions. While I do believe that their leaders start with an honest desire to preserve themselves, it has mutated into a vicious paranoia that corrupts their society from within.
Another of Saddam’s layers is killed after being abducted from his home by men dressed as security officials and police. My paranoia asks the question of if these men were really what they appeared to be or if they were militants in costume. Either way, it does not bode well. Unless the authorities can stop these play actors from mimicking them, it may shatter confidence in them.
Three US soldiers are charged with murdering Iraqi prisoners and threatening to kill a fellow soldier who wanted to report the incident. Things like this will keep popping up so long as we’re there. Though the majority of our troops are doing well, some are either bad seeds or are starting to bend under the pressure of staying in an area that dangerous.
British Lieutenant General Nick Houghton warns of increasing violence in Basra. Perhaps enough to cause a delay in the coming provincial elections.
Japan will be pulling out their troops from Iraq.
General
Kofi Annan says the world is ‘sleepwalking’ toward nuclear proliferation. Except, in my opinion, for the US who has been briskly walking toward it with their India deals and general inconsistency when it comes to enforcing the tenets of the non-proliferation treaty. Though perhaps Congress will sink this bad idea of a deal before it goes through.
Scientists are having small success with growing ‘test tube meat’. It may well find its way to your plate soon. I wonder if it really will smell and taste the same as the real deal.
So what’s wrong with Slate? And some more that’s wrong with Slate. And more. And even more.
Do teen ‘Pharm parties’ really exist? It sounds too fanciful to be real.. yet there is that niggling wonder..
The Blogs look at the discovery of the two captured US soldiers, bid Dan Rather farewell and discuss Jason Leopold’s discredited “scoop” in the Valerie Plame case.
Arguing against the rising expense of Hurricane damage is the fact that as time goes on, there is more and more expensive property for the storms to wreck. Strictly noting the property damage cost doesn’t equate to stronger hurricanes.
Today’s Papers has the US running out of options with North Korea, the state of immigration in the congress, details on the two soldiers found dead and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Tampa port spends millions to install 200 closed-circuit cameras monitoring for suspicious activity. Does not hire anyone to watch monitors
Beagle saves her owner by speed dialing 911 after he has a diabetic seizure and collapses. Dog to get sugar-free steak
Pentagon lists homosexuality as mental “disorder,” as if men running around yelling “Hooya” wasn’t crazy enough
U.S. intelligence agencies seek experienced fluent Arabic speakersÂ… but only if you never lived in any Middle Eastern countries and learned the colloquial Arabic of various countries or have relative still there. Intelligence surrenders
Today’s “man breaks into trailer, fixes a sandwich, watches TV, takes a shower, has a nap, then leaves his wallet behind” story brought to you by Panama City, FL
Pair of idiot English soccer fans can’t find car after parking it on “Einbahnstrasse” and carefully writing name down. Hilarity ensues when police translate the name for them
Husband: “Honey, do you think we should get rid of all these bats in our house?” Wife: “The government won’t let us.” Husband: “Oh. Okay”
NYC socialite upset to learn she accidentally funded porn movie, “Trust Fund Sluts”
One of America’s 10 most wanted criminals needs police to pull enraged, barefoot 51-year-old purse-snatching victim off him. “The officers were telling me, ‘You can let go of him, ma’am,'” she recalls
Naked burglary suspect nabbed in neighboring yard. Police are currently investigating this as a WTF incident
Farting can save your life …if you’re a herring
Dumb: Stealing a car. Dumber: Stealing a judge’s car. Fark.com: Stealing a judge’s car with personalized plates that the cops have memorized
When robbing a house in the middle of the day you a) Have a get-away car b) Don’t draw attention to yourself c) Strip as you walk away from the crime scene
Enter the “Bad Boss” contest. First prize? A week vacation. Second prize is a set of steak knives. Anyone know what third prize is? Third prize is You’re Fired
Incredibly insightful tips at scaring away coyotes, forgets to mention waving an Acme catalog at them
If you find a checkbook in a bar and decide to pay your tab with it, make sure the name on the checks doesn’t match the name of the guy serving you drinks
Perps in baggy pants get tripped up, sometimes dropping trou and thereby amusing cops and victims
Dear Florida: We accidentally sent you 22 billion gallons of water. Can we have it back? Thanks Yours truly, Georgia
Commissioner wants the selling of coral in the Florida Keys banned. Most of the coral sold in the Keys comes from the Pacific Ocean
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Make soccer acceptable to Americans
Fark Photoshop Challenge: I saw a duck
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Bad babysitting techniques