News – How Long to Wait?

Middle East

Olmert remains firm on blockading Labanon, saying it will only be lifted when terms of the ceasefire were fully implemented despite calls for it to end sooner. So again Israel starves a country just recently smashed by it’s war machine. I wouldn’t be so critical if Israel’s government made efforts to soften the effect of it’s actions on the innocent people, yet they don’t do so unless forced to by the weight of outside opinion. Content to torment the innocent with the guilty. Mind, Olmert included the release of the two captured Israelis as part of this full fulfillment. The resolution also calls for the disarming of all armed groups in the country. If that must be done before Israel ends the blockade, it will never end.

Olmert starts up two limited investigations into the conduct of the military and political sides of the Lebanon conflict. Now the Israeli people themselves get a nice, close view of their government’s unwillingness to admit wrong and fess up to it.

Ghazi Hamad, chief spokesman for the Hamas government, says that Palestinians need to stop blaming Israel for all their problems. Yup, you heard right. A Hamas guy saying that.

Iraqi troops have been fighting in gun battles with Shia militia in the southern town of Diwaniya. It is said that these men are a breakaway portion of the Mehdi Army who don’t want to deal with Iraq’s political peace process.

An explosion at an oil pipeline carrying byproducts kills 34 people. The cause of the explosion is, as of yet, unknown, but it is said that locals had punctured the pipe to siphon off fuel after Saddam got kicked out.

Researchers say that a lack of water makes long-term recovery of Iraq’s wetlands an uncertain thing.

Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi architect, was forces to remove a shirt that read “We will not be silent” in Arabic before being allowed to board a plane in New York. Again, it was at the request of those worried people, unsure what the shirt said. Those paranoid, frightened little people who get jumpy whenever they see something Arabic. Those sort of people who make me sick.

Europe

A report by Unicef says that Europe isn’t doing enough to prevent the trafficking of the young in south eastern Europe.

Investigations of the Beslan school tragedy suggest that it might have been grenades fired by surrounding Russian forces that sparked the deaths that ended the standoff.

Families from France and Israel, the US, Belgium and Canada are seeking millions of Euros in damages from France’s state rail company for its role in transporting Jews to Nazi death camps during WW2. I’d be careful about allowing something like this, seeking current damages for wrongs long since passed, performed by people who are likely dead and retired and thus not made to pay for what they did is damaging to those who, in the present, have done nothing wrong.

Asia

China is to spend $60 billion over the next five years tackling industrial safety measures, primarily in the coal mining industry.

China is also waking to the issue of Human Trafficking. Slowly and reluctantly, but it’s happening.

Africa

Zimbabwe is criticized for doing little to help the 700k homeless who lost their livelihoods because of demolitions last year, as part of Operation Murambatsvina, purported as a bid to clean up cities.

The Somali banking company al-Barakat notes it has been taken off the US terror list. A good thing, considering that means they’ve been on that list for 5 years. Another innocent held in limbo by the US.

North America

The cause of the recent crash of a plane on takeoff happened because the air control at the airport was understaffed, with only one body on duty and he wasn’t paying attention.

The charges against John Mark Karr in the JonBenet Ramsey case have been dropped as forensic tests have found his DNA doesn’t match that found at the crime scene.

Yet again, a lighthearted sketch on TV draws criticism because, for some, it too much hearkens to a recent tragedy in real life. Even though it was made to parody a TV show, not reality. People need to step back and calm down.

General

Experts in the UK think there should be a ban keeping obese and underweight women from taking fertility treatments until they’ve dealt with their weight issues. The weight of the mother can cause issues with the health of both her and the baby. I believe it should be encouraged for women at such risk to be encouraged to wait, but a flat out ban? Not so sure.

Hackers steal customer data from AT&T. Something that is becoming more and more common, sadly.

How to verify the age of the world’s oldest women.

The Blogs look at first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, John Kerry’s newly found skepticism about the 2004 election results and the dropping of the prosecution’s case against John Mark Karr.

Today’s Papers has a Las Vegas hotel magnate who is hoping to build an orbiting B&B, the United States’ desire to see China play a larger role in setting the policies of the International Monetary Fund, word that scores on the reading—formerly “verbal”—section of the SAT fell dramatically this year after the introduction of a new essay section and more in the one page news.

Amusements

For those of you who haven’t yet received the memo, try to avoid buying too much Sudafed at one time

Today’s school district that didn’t get the “public school teachers leading students in prayer is unconstitutional” memo brought to you by Missouri

Teen being sought by police after stealing one of their cruisers. Police keeping two cells ready: One for the suspect and another forhis balls

Hanging a sausage out of your pants and chasing a female employee is generally not considered good workplace etiquette

The Naked Tickler is back in Volusia County

Stupid: Commit crime. Stupider: Run from police. FARK: Bust in and try to hide in a cop’s home

Drunk and shirtless brothers arrested after starting four separate brawls in the same afternoon

Plans to fight wildfires with unmanned drones held back because of unspecified fears of terrorism

Politician uses fake name online to say good things about himself

“Bong Hits 4 Jesus” going to “high” court

Man steals penis pump from sex store. Owner catches the guy on video and posts picture of him in window with sign, “When will he pay for the penis pump he stole?” The world eagerly awaits

Would be bank robber wears mask that obstructs his view, wears cape that entangles his weapon and causes him to drop it and parks getaway vehicle where it could get blocked in. Then, it just got silly

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this tree before the storm

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this cop and pedestrian

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this hazy path