News – Thank Goodness It’s Friday
Middle East
The UN believes Gaza to be at the breaking point as far as living conditions. Because the US wants to stick it to Hamas and back Israel, whatever progress the Palestinians have made is slipping through their fingers. And you know who they will blame for it. The US and Israel. Not Hamas, because Hamas is who they voted for in a fair, legal election. Which could have been blunted, perhaps even avoided if the US and Israel went about this in a smarter way. Sadly, smarts are in short supply during this ‘War on Terror’.
An Israeli spokeswoman quoted by the Associated Press news agency said the international community must urge Palestinians “to stop terror and to recognize Israel”. Ironically, Israel’s own actions as of late, in trying to bully Palestinians to do what they want them to, that is what causes this goal to be as far from fruition as it is. You don’t play nice to people who don’t play nice with you, yeah? An Israeli Human Rights group says that half the people killed between the capture of the Israeli soldier by Hamas and August were not involved in aggression against Israel, 46 of which were minors. Innocent people being killed and Israel expects the rest to play nice with them? Until Israel effects some radical changes in their method of operation, we’re going to stay right where we are.
Sure, Israel kills some militants. Of course, that slow trickle of deaths is easily dealt with by recruiting more from those angered at Israel’s misconduct. For example, the 16 year old boy who was killed in one attack.
Violence in Baghdad is not going down. This is the lingering failure of our policy in Iraq. As I have said before and will continue to say, all the positive programs in the world won’t mean jack if the country continues to be plagued with constant violence in its capital.
The TV station Al-Arabiya has been forcibly closed by the Iraqi government for a month without much notice or reason given. An editor suspects that it has something to do with their recent live interview with Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, who got pissed off on air after being questioned as to why he wouldn’t appear with an opposition leader. I don’t think this is the sort of thing that is done in a democracy.
Now the Iraq navy, air force and 8th division of the army are in Iraqi hands fully. Other divisions, they say, will be handed over in the coming months. US politicians are calling it, as usual, a milestone. We’ll see just what it’s a milestone for. Personally, I don’t think they’re ready to deal with this. This will be a test to see. It won’t be a success until we can draw down our own troops. Take off the training wheels, so to speak.
Israel lifts the air blockade from Lebanon, but leaves the naval blockade. It has allowed two airlines to use Beirut’s national airport on the condition that their flights stop over in Jordan.
The toll of Israel’s fight in Lebanon continues to rise. Two Lebanese soldiers were killed, another wounded while trying to defuse one of the thousands of unexploded Israeli cluster bomb munitions left over from Israel’s questionable use of the much reviled armament.
Nabil Jaaoura opened fire on tourists in Jordan, killing one and wounding six others. According to his confession, he did the deed to avenge two brothers killed during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982. That he waited until his children had grown before carrying out the attack.
AlQueda releases a tape showing Bin Laden meeting with the 9/11 hijackers shortly before the attack.
Hundreds of Palestinians sign an advert in the paper saying Blair isn’t welcome in Ramallah ahead of a vist.
According to a book recently published, more than a year before the invasion of Iraq the CIA devised a plan, codenamed Anabasis, to use Iraqi exile fighters to seize an air base and declare a revolt against Saddam Hussein in the hope that his response would create a pretext for war. That would be bad, if true. Very bad.
Europe
After Bush’s admission that detainees are being held in secret prisons, the head of Europe’s human rights watchdog group wants CIA agents monitored as they work in Europe and to be subject to the same rules as British agents working for MI5 and MI6.
Natascha Kampusch, now 18, who survived eight years in captivity relives her ordeal in a TV interview. I’ve heard bits and pieces. Apparently, this guy kept her in a small basement room and only let her out occasionally, six months after her captivity started. The guy kept her close obsessively, as if afraid to lose her. Likely so, since he committed suicide soon after she escaped. Obviously a disturbed guy. Good thing that’s over for her.. though now she has to adjust to a normal way of living.
Belgium police raid army barracks and soldiers’ homes across the country, holding 17 over an alleged plot by extreme-right elements within the military plotting destabilization of the country’s institutions. Those arrested were mainly “soldiers and people with an extreme-right ideology who clearly express themselves through racism, xenophobia, Holocaust denial, anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism”, the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement. Wow, nasty stuff.
Pyramids have been discovered in the Ukraine, it is claimed. The claims are disputed and experts are being sent over to dig and see what’s there.
Asia
Australia urges citizens to wear khaki today in memory of Steve Irwin. I wonder if that would be ok for dress down Friday in the business world.
Hinting at dissatisfaction amongst the people of Taiwan, Shih Ming-the’s campaign to unseat president Chen Shui-bian gets one million signed up in six working days. The organization is seeking to keep clear of all the mainstream political parties, which is a good way to stay neutral and avoid the appearance of bias.
Africa
Homosexuality is banned in Uganda. The decision of a local paper to publish a list of names of alleged homosexual men is being criticized by Human Rights Watch. Indeed it is a bad move. One wonders if the government or some hate gang will be the first to take advantage of such a list. And is the list even right?
Under orders of the president, all of Guinea’s government ministers have lost their luxury four-wheel drive cars.
North America
To mark the coming fifth anniversary of 9/11, Slate asks novelists, artists, journalists and other thoughtful types what work of art or literature has helped them make sense of the attacks and the world in the wake of the dire event.
A photo recollection of that there day.
Coulter’s brand of venomous ranting is, sadly, spreading amongst some on the right. While such venom might sell books, I think that those republicans that embrace it will find it doesn’t fly in politics more often than not.
General
A virtually untreatable form of TB has been discovered. Dr Paul Nunn of the WHO says a failure in correctly implementing treatment strategies is to blame.
Explainer notes how many cell phones you can fit up your backside.
The Blogs look at the disputed new ABC miniseries, The Path to 9/11, Bush’s speech on Guantanamo detainees and Tom Cruise’s new baby.
Today’s Papers has the mystery of Lonelygirl15, the latest development in the investigation into whether some of Hewlett-Packard’s board members hired private investigators to spy on other board members, that Richard Armitage confirmed he was the main source of the Valerie Plame leak and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Neurotically Yours: Hatta’s Rant 2
Mark Fiore: A Nation Remembers
Trio of dumbasses decide to try and mug a kick-boxing and karate champion for his cell phone. Hospitalarity ensues
A look at how modern movie monster Halloween costumes stack up to the real thing
Bad: You get arrested for stealing $7M from your company for your gambling. Good: Your wife comes to bail you out. Fark: So does your girlfiend
He’s a good kid,” his sister said. “He just has a problem with stealing cars”
Cemetary worker finds culprit behind rash of stolen American flags: A squirrel was using them to make its nest. Why do squirrels hate America?
If you’re the maintenance guy at an old age home, and you let yourself in to old folks’ apartments so you can chug down their pills, make sure none of them have put in a video camera. With mug shot hilarity
Illinois firefighter jailed for refusing to pay ticket for not wearing seatbelt, arguing to a judge that “he’s had to cut too many people out of them.” Because seatbelts are the leading cause of death in car crashes
As long as there are morons using Wal-Mart washrooms and unsure of how to safely handle the Glocks they’re carrying while they’re in there, Fark will never run short of material
Women goes to the pound to adopt a dog, is not happy to learn she has to pay adoption fees. And by not happy, I mean she punches a cop in the face, kicks a deputy in the ribs, and after being tasered, pulls out the prongs and grabs another deputy
Michigan residents use ample free time exploring fun new ways to burn down their houses. This guy did it while roasting a bear
The worst analogies ever written in a high school essay
When taking your car in for repairs, remember to remove your stash of crack from beneath the dashboard
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this pile of trash
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop the Holland Tunnel ventilation shaft
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these subway seats