News – Doing the Time Warp Again

Middle East

Israel is on the offensive in Gaza once more. They estimate the militants have more guns and have overreacted as per their norm. Likely so, since they knew that it wouldn’t be long until Israel came in again. Interestingly, as they look for their captured soldiers, they’re bombing bridges and power stations. What the hell does bombing Gaza back further into the stone age have to do with finding their missing men? Will promoting further ire from the common Palestinian be of great help to Israel? Making Palestine further unable to lift itself from the poverty and misery that helps guide angry young men into terrorism is good for Israel somehow? Sure, look for your people, but what the hell is with the wanton destruction?

At the very least, it seems Hamas is finally caving to the two-state solution. Of course, with the latest ruckus, will such a caving in be useful? We’ll see.

Iraq’s new government blames alQaeda for a February attack on a Shiite shrine.

Iraq’s PM confirms that they’ll not give amnesty to militants that have killed US soldiers. Of course, how will they determine this?

Maurice Motamed, the only Jewish MP in Iran’s government. That’s got to be a rough job. Though it is interesting to hear him say that he thinks Iran has been relatively tolerant of its Jewish minority.

Condi Rice goes to Afghanistan to heap praise upon President Hamid Karzai. I’m sure he’d much rather have some plans from the US to aid in turning his country into something other than an opium factory peppered with Taliban fighters. He needs more than Condi’s flirting to shore up his claim to power. He needs results.

An interesting general question: Where were the doctors and nurses in Abu Ghraib and Bagram when the infamous abuses were going on? A battered prisoner will eventually require medical attention. Why are these healers not taking issue with and reporting the abuses? It should be part of their oath.

Asia

Is North Korea’s missile test an inroad to diplomatic confrontation? Also, proof of why this test should hardly be a surprise to the Bush administration.

North America

California’s legislature narrowly rejects a bill that would have allowed terminally ill patients to enlist the aid of doctors in committing suicide.

The push to outlaw flag burning fails by one vote. “Is this the most important thing the Senate could be doing at this time? I can tell you: You’re darned right it is,” said Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch.

I disagree with Mr. Hatch. The Senate would be better spending it’s time trimming fat out of the budget, stifling legislative corruption, drafting long term plans to deepen our use of renewable and ‘green’ sources of energy, seeking diplomatic inroads to fostering peace in the various hot spots around the world, crafting plans to deal with poverty in the US and any number of other pursuits that are of much greater importance than a scrap of symbolic fabric or generating brownie points for the next election.

Now the Army and the Marines are whining about how much it will cost to repair all their beat up weapons. You sucks have over $400 billion dollars! Plus all of those supplemental wads of cash. How can you not deal with a little $17 billion dollar repair bill? Put the next gen weapon system on hold for a year or two while you finish your business in Iraq. THe last thing the armed forces should be complaining about is money. They got that.

The myth of the hands-off conservative judge is just that. As much as conservatives say they favor ‘non-activist’ judges, it only seems to apply when the activism isn’t in their favor.

Warren Buffet is giving away his cash the same way he made it. Smartly.

General

As you might have noticed, Slate redid their site. That’s discussed here.

The blogs look at reports that the Bush administration has been spying on US bank accounts, Warren Buffet and news on prewar intelligence getting worse. They also examine the Palestinian/Israeli situation, the implications of Hillary Clinton hiring a blogger and Rush Limbaugh’s latest prescription drug issues.

Today’s Papers has a report from the Surgeon-General that states there is no safe level of exposure to second hand smoke, acknowledgement that the recent crackdowns in Iraq haven’t much effected the rate of insurgent attack, tough new rules on welfare that may come out today and more in the one page news.

Amusements

If you get a ticket to the football match because you pretend to be disabled, avoid jumping up and down repeatedly

Parking fine: $10. Contempt of court charge for writing “BULLSHIAT MONEY GRAB” on payment check? Priceless

Massachusetts police force wants town official who referred to officers as “testosterone gushers” to resign. Official argues she was just stating the obvious. “I mean, they’ve got biceps 10 inches around. My God”

Officers believe that the car crash was related to the naked man they were arresting, who was embarrassed after he flashed some women and they laughed at him

Gaint beetle unknown in Britain for 300 years discovered by workers tearing apart furniture, almost sent to Bughalla by worker with a two-pound hammer (with pic)

Thugs rob Brinks truck, successfully escape with a sack of deposit slips

Problem: Boss won’t give woman back wages owed. Solution: Topless public protest. (With SFW pic)

Company introduces silicone based “artificial human sex companion”. Says it will “take the air out” of old-fashioned inflatable dolls

Axl Rose arrested for biting security guard on the leg. May face additional charges for still using stupid, pretentious misspelled celebrity name

Orlando pedophile sting nets Disney World, Universal employees

Not news: Woman gets a restraining order against her boyfriend. Still not news: The boyfriend finds her and gives her the finger. Fark.com: Literally

Maine state legislator, charged with drunk driving, claims to have a clean driving record. Unless you count the nine tickets

Chrysler, having had no luck selling current ugly-ass cars, plan to begin offering mega fuel-efficient ugly-ass subcompact cars. (with pic of 2007 Chrysler Whatthefarkisthat)

If you’re the clown who threw a sneaker into the Dougherty County Courthouse eternal flame, you’ll be happy to know it was shut off for the first time since 1973 to remove it

England’s World Cup fans are drinking Germany dry, and breweries say they might run out if team makes the finals. “Never have I seen so many drink so much in such little time,” says one astonished bartender

Phony firefighter abducts woman, drives her to bank to withdraw money. Woman escapes, calls police, gets busted for cocaine trafficking

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this photo that is trying a bit too hard to be serious

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this falcon in training

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Baby’s First Bible, Baby’s First Spa Set, even a “Baby’s First” cable channel. Photoshop some rejected “Baby’s First” products.