News – Asian Disagreements

Asia

China condemns a Japan sponsored proposal to the UN that would hit North Korea with sanctions over its missile tests. They think it goes too far and will just aggravate the situation. Personally, I doubt it will do much at all either way.

Also, China prods Japan on the slow rate of disposal of decades-old chemical weapons dug up by experts from both countries. Meanwhile Bush hopes that the two countries will have improved relations.

Middle East

Iran rebuffs Western pressure for a quick answer on a package of incentives for them to suspend their uranium enrichment before a coming negotiation with the EU.

Further sectarian violence as gunmen ambush a minibus carrying Shiite mourners home from a funeral.

Israel continue to perform military strikes in Gaza. Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh says so long as they go on, they ensure Israel will have no peace. An obviously true statement, which extended to all of Israel’s incursions into Gaza.

For what it’s worth, Hamas says the captured Israeli soldier that sparked the current action is still alive. Meanwhile the UN points out how much damage Israel is doing to the common people of Palestine with their strikes.

Rummy goes to Afghanistan.

Four more US troops have been charged in the rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and her family..

Bush hopes that Italy will maintain a military presence in Afghanistan. We’ll see, won’t we?

North America

Negroponte observes that leaks of secret US intelligence programs make it harder for the Bush administration to collaborate with private businesses in said programs. Of course, since the participation of private business in this usually involved handing over customer info. And lots of people don’t want to do business with someone that’s informing the government of their actions. And as such, smart businesses don’t want said cooperation to be known.

The battle over gay marriage continues in Massachusetts.

General

The Cult of Leia’s Metal Bikini

How to headbutt like a pro. Surely everyone needs to know something like that.

The Blogs look at Zinedine Zidane’s head butt in the World Cup final, Japan’s desire for pre-emptive strikes against North Korea and the demise of Chechen terror leader Shamil Basayev.

Today’s Papers has the blast that destroyed a townhouse on the Upper East Side New York, a federal judge’s decision that the FBI had every darn right to grab documents from the office of scandal-ridden Rep. William Jefferson, some rethinking on how the US pursues the War on Terror and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Mark Fiore: The United Stats of Incarceration

When getting pulled over for speeding, don’t try to hide your child porn flash drive by swallowing it

Bad: Robbing a salvage yard for $20 street-value junk. Worse: An airbag deploys and launches a tire in your face. Worst: While out cold with a tread tattoo, your associates run to get help, who calls the cops on you

KS political party stripped of right to hold fund raiser at nude beach

Pixels big as hams

While gambling is legal on Seminole Indian reservations, openingly masturbating in Hard Rock casino isn’t

Police now looking for pants-less robber after convenience-store customers chase him into cornfield. “We’re hoping he had briefs on under them”

Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but you’ve got a recovering alcoholic working in an ethanol factory and one day he shows up for work to find a swimming pool full of 190-proof alcohol from a spill

As Fidel Castro turns 80, Havana and U.S. wonder: What happens next? It’s 81, dumbasses

Xenu invades Christian small town. Jesus prepares for battle

You know it’s a good obituary when the deceased’s family fondly recalled how Fred never peed in the shower — on purpose

Old and busted: Having sex with your students. New fad: Linking porn sites on student resource section of school site

In a sex survey by The Portland Mercury, 6 percent of people reported they “had sex with fruit” and 10 percent got it on with a vegetable

Registered sex offenders file suit in an effort to overturn law that prevents them from living near places where children gather, such as schools and parks

<A HREF="http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-theft08.html”>Airline mechanic fired and busted his first day on the job … for looting an aircraft’s medical kit … he figured it was okay because it was a different airline

World’s first 3-D crop circle appears in English field. Experts stunned by advanced alien technology

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: It’s con season — photoshop these cosplayers at their day jobs

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this spent shell casing

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this three-keg scooter delivery