News – Relics Aren’t Proof

Middle East

Snatorum thinks he found the smoking gun when it comes to WMD. Quoted: Congressman Hoekstra and I are here today to say that we have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons. … Since 2003, coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent. Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq’s pre-Gulf War chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to still exist.

Mind you, these contain degraded chemicals in them. Which means, they’re old as dirt. Which suggests that it has been a while since Saddam tried to make anything, if he made anything past what we gave him so long ago. This is hardly a smoking gun when it comes to evidence for going to war with Iraq. It just proves that, at some point, he had WMD, which we already know because of the mentioned reason above. We gave them to him. Until they find something more current or some real facilities that were used to make the stuff, this remains a war started under false pretenses. Whether or not you believe they were intentionally or unintentionally false is up to you, but false they were.

Sorry Rick, take your dipping numbers like a man. More info, more info, more info and even more info. Those are the first few hits when searching for ‘santorum WMD 2006’ on Yahoo.

Iraq’s PM unveils his reconciliation plan. It’s vague on details, however. Like how will he decide which militants are guilty of killing US forces and which aren’t for amnesty?

Hope for a little peace to come and then things escalate again. Should have known better than to get my hopes up. Heck, we might even go back to the occupation of Gaza. How’s that for getting retro? Seems some Israeli soldiers got captured by militants and the IDF is ready to go in and look for them. Some other soldiers will kill in the incident. Looks like Israel is in the revenge business too. Sure, ok, the two sides can revenge themselves right into extinction.

Asia

South Korea’s government gets antsy about the potential test launch of a long range missile by North Korea. Of course, that’s just what North Korea wants. Everyone and their mother freaking out about their missiles.

Since Japan is freaking out, we’re sending over some Patriot missiles to put them under the protection of our missile defense shield.

Africa

The AU is in Darfur and doing what they can well. But more is needed.

North America

After all the hubbub, looks like Bush may allow a secret federal court to review that warrentless wiretapping. Took him long enough to cave.

Now some Republicans are urging the Bush administration to prosecute the New York Times for reporting on a secret program to monitor the financial transactions of thousands of Americans. What about the people who told the NYT about it? No frantic calls for them to be rooted out and prosecuted? Pretty bad that the White House can’t seem to keep any of its secrets a secret.

We got some serious rain here in the mid-Atlantic. I saw a few roads closed, think because of flooding or the possibility of mud slides or something. It was wild stuff.

Warren Buffett, second richest guy in the US, gives 80% of his billions to Bill Gates for his charitable foundation. He’s assured his place in the record books with that one, surely.

Gas prices dip somewhat. Yet they never stray too far from the $3 mark.

How the US lost the World Cup before even getting to Germany.

General

The blogs look at an editorial calling for a preemptive strike on North Korea and the recent National Academy of Sciences’ study on global warming.

Toyota’s strange, violent new commercials.

Today’s Papers has the return of the flag burning debate, school enrollment up in Iraq, that things aren’t so bad for boys in US education and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Man writes ‘Bad Drivers Handbook: Hundreds of Simple Maneuvers to Frustrate, Annoy and Endanger Those Around You’

Berlin has a wee problem — biologists have warned that trees are in danger of dying because of male fans urinating in the bushes

Thief steals man’s shoes and knifepoint, leaves him money. Gotta be the shoes

Mystery of Clearwater Beach Monster that terrorized town in 1940s has been solved. No answer yet for Scientologists swarming town in 2006

The goths go baroque taking over Disneyland for a weekend every August. After viewing the pictures from last year’s event apparently the undead still eat

Honey, the brochure said “unrivaled beauties, performances every hour”. How the hell was I supposed to know?

Escaped porcupine on the run in England in what authorities are calling a prickly situation

Prominent civil rights attorney arrested after not tolerating cameraman making film about tolerance

<A HREF="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5615212328010933613″>Paris Hilton’s new music video. Oh …. dear …. god

Newly revealed list of banned rock groups in USSR includes The Clash for punk and violence, Julio Iglesias for neo-fascism, and Pink Floyd for distortion of Soviet foreign policy

France is the number one source of Muslim virgins

Pupils told by teachers not to take Latin classes because it will make their precious little brains hurt

London opens giant eco-friendly tree sculpture offering peaceful “people pods” to temporarily escape death skewers (w/ pic)

Milford, Connecticut unable to locate 1639 deed that proves the Paugussett Indian tribe sold the land to settlers. Casino construction to begin in 3…2…1

Secret government hotline gets so many telemarketers calling they added the number to the Do Not Call registry

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these bigass wire sculptures

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this ghost town cactus

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this fighter pilot