News – The Latest Scandal

Americas

Now we have a probe to investigate the doings of Foley while he was in Congress and who knew what and when. Mind, according to remarks I heard on the radio this morning, it seems the ethics committee can’t touch Foley now that he’s quit the Congress. So unless he actually did stick it to one of the pages or one of the families finds and uses a means to sue him, he gets off free and clear, save for the ridicule.

Legislation for a 700 mile fence on our border with Mexico is signed into law. What good will it do? I suppose we’ll see.

Bush and friends can continue to wiretap at will while its appeal against a ban on the practice is heard. Oh goody. Fortunately for me, I rarely use land lines.

Middle East

Condi visits with Kurdish leaders in Iraq, on her tour of uselessness. What Condi needs to do, if she’s to do anything at all, is to get into some solid diplomatic negotiating and hands on assisting of the peace process, rather than parroting talking points from the US and occasionally flying over to those trouble regions to schmooze and look like she’s actually doing something.

Israel’s highest court calls on the government to explain why it won’t set up a state commission to investigate its handling of the Lebanon conflict. So far, all that the cabinet has approved are government-named teams to examine whether mistakes were made during the 34-day conflict.

Israeli Maj Gen Yiftah Ron-Tal gets fired because he publicly criticized the conduct of the Israeli military in the Lebanon conflict.

Another aspect of the US ‘liberation’ of Iraq. A Christian exodus from the resulting and lingering violence.

As much as Bush and friends like to pimp the resurgence of schools as well, Iraqi schools and universities aren’t doing as well as one would hope. That Exodus thing again, away from the lingering, deadly violence. The stress of exams and the stress of mortal danger don’t make for cozy bedfellows. Nor the danger mixed with slogging through grading said exams.

Africa

The UN Security Council condemns a missive sent by Sudan, warning African and Arab nations not to send peacekeepers to Darfur. Question is, what to do in response?

Europe

The US and EU reach a deal when it comes to the passing of European passenger data to the US for security purposes. The deal is temporary, however and will expire by July 2007. One key difference in this deal is that the US will only have data ‘pushed’ to them as needed, rather than having access to pull data themselves, giving the EU better control over what the US gets.

The tensions between Russia and Georgia continue to rise, with Russia deporting a planeload of Georgians on immigration offenses. One might be able to pass that off, but Russia has also begun a crackdown on Georgian-owned businesses and instituted tighter visa measures for Georgians.

Shadows of the past loom forth again. They like to do that.

Jack Straw perfectly shows how to make a simple comment that is sure to draw ire.

General

Researchers warn that nursery school kids need an hour of activity a day to help prevent obesity. For most kids, that shouldn’t be hard at all.

The Blogs try to determine who knew what about Foley, discuss the publication of excerpts from former Hewlett-Packard head Carly Fiorina’s forthcoming memoir and analyze last night’s season premiere of Lost.

Posing as a Physicist and getting away with it.

Explainer looks into getting your own satellite radio show.

Today’s Papers has a disagreement between Condi Rice and Republican Sen. John Warner on Iraqi progress, the burial of four of the five victims in the horrific Amish schoolhouse attack, more details on the Foley scandal and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Neurotically Yours: Ounce You Go Black

Mark Fiore: Profiteering

Half of all Americans admit to “regifting.” You submitted this same headline earlier, but the admins didn’t want it

Church to erect 200-foot-tall cross (with pic)

Thrift store calls in the bomb squad after it finds microwave timer next to empty gas can

Man fights alimony payments after his ex-wife becomes a man. “If you can’t be married to a man legally, how can you legally pay alimony to a man?”

Not news: Woman flees store after being busted for shoplifting. News: She bangs on car windows in the middle of traffic to bum a ride. Fark.com: Yep, them’s her boobies you see flopping around

A man kidnapped two women, was tasered by police, taken to the hospital where he stole a cop’s gun, carjacked a van, ditched it before finally escaping in a car he offered a woman $20 to ride in. Ta da!

Man hires $500/hour attorney to defend charge he refused to pay for $15.99 shrimpy seafood entree

Note to future criminals: If your cunning plan to escape the police involves a trap door under your trailer, make sure your fat ass can actually get out the escape before attempting it when police show up

Police: “Your children’s teacher has admitted to having a fetish for ‘young boys, slavery and cannibalism.'” Parents: “Eh, that’s okay”

<A HREF="http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/county_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2423_5044119,00.html”>Teen playing hackey sack outside given ticket for $250 for “releasing projectiles”

Malaysia takes “grammar police” to new level

Grandmother arrested, booked and forced to give a DNA sample after some kid kicks his soccer ball onto her lawn

Starbucks to double North American stores, presumably by stacking new stores on top of existing ones

Having solved all other crimes, Icelandic police called to defend man against the Washing Machine From Hell

Man calls in bomb threat to pub after bouncers eject son from premises by the face

Vancouver to boy: Get $3,500 worth of permits or tear down your tree house

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this strange-looking kid banging on his drum

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Future technology you can’t live without today

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this spandex-clad jazz hander into some more exciting situations