News – The Verdict

Middle East

Saddam Hussein is found guilty of crimes against humanity in one of the cases against him and is sentenced to death by hanging. Baghdad is, of course, now under a curfew as the expected reactions ripple though the country.

Opinion time. Some have eyed the timing of the verdict and mused if it were hurried to take place just before US midterms. What do you all think of that? Personally, it’s another thing that wouldn’t surprise me if true, though I don’t know much about the pacing of the trial to make a solid determination. I’ve heard opinion that Saddam’s execution could be delayed for some time, since he’s going into an automatic appeal process. Yet the article notes that the sentence against him must he carried out within 30 days. How long might it be before we find out if Saddam will be put to death or not? And.. of course, one wonders if, after the curfew is lifted, this will help fuel the violence in the country. It’s hard to dismiss the possibility, seeing the polar reaction between the majority of Sunnis and the majority of Shiites.

A US government agency that has been auditing Iraqi reconstruction projects and has uncovered bits of corruption will be closed in 2007 because of an obscure clause in a military spending bill. Because hiding the truth is what this administration aspires to greatness in.

Olmert presses on with his offensive in Gaza, seeking to decrease rocket fire into Israel. Yet this has been done again and again and it has yet to have real impact. One wonders how many times they must smack their face into a wall before realizing this method won’t move the wall. Indeed, the more innocents that die as collateral damage, the stronger said wall becomes.

Africa

Sudan denies accusations that they aided militants in a raid that killed 60 innocents.

Asia/Pacific

Suspected Muslim insurgents have burned down three schools in Thailand and shot a teacher.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ignores a North Korean demand his negotiators stay away from the next round of six-party talks.

Europe

Europe has a new shift in the rules and restrictions on taking liquids onto a plane. Personally, I hope this hysteria is gone soon. I’d like to bring a soda on the plane without having to take extraordinary measures to prove it’s just a freaking soda.

Ultra-nationalists and far-right Russian demonstrators march in Moscow despite a ban by the city mayor.

Interesting. Children selected by Adolph Hitler with the aim of creating a master Aryan race meet openly as adults. Many were taken from their real families and have formed a group to help each other find their real roots.

The real Kazakhstan.

Americas

Transparency International marks Haiti as top of the heap when it comes to corruption. We’re somewhere in the middle and haven’t improved, according to them.

Ted Haggard, head of the New Life church, steps down over sexual misconduct.

In other religious news, Katharine Jefferts Schori is now presiding bishop and primate of the US Episcopal Church. Yup, a female bishop.

Bush and friends face more and more criticism. Not just from liberals.

The Worst of the Worst in 2006 campaign ads. And a few comparisons of republican/democrat ads. All good fun.

General

UK kids with diabetes are being recruited to test out an artificial pancreas. A good way to help give them more control over their lives, without constant testing.

A new kind of airliner could help make the world a little cleaner. Considering how much we use planes, this would be a big help.

Virus writers are targeting Wikipedia now, so take care with external links.

Left Behind: Eternal Forces, the game based off the books, based off the bible. Interesting thing is.. it’s actually not too bad a game.

Explainer shows how arson investigations work.

The Blogs look at documents from prewar Iraq that give detailed instructions about manufacturing nuclear weapons publicly posted and bloggers give kudos to Borat for splitting sides and flexing gray matter.

Today’s Papers has info on how China has quietly turned the economic screws on North Korea, more on Saddam of course, various bits about the midterms and more in the one page news.

Amusements

That’ll be 65 cents and put your fingerprint right here: New school lunch plan requires elementary kids to give up the prints

Man blames virus for uploading child porn pics on computer: Also forced him to pose as 13 year old girl online. Oh, those clever virus writers

Doctor in Kansas who performs abortions wants investigation of Bill O’Reilly for reporting information from his patients’ records

Attention robbers: Try not to pick a building loaded with the world’s top fighters trained in boxing, kickboxing, judo, ninjutsu, tae kwon do, kung fu, and muay thai

NZ rugby player embarrased about posters showing his tackle. Yes, that tackle

Man solves age-old problem of what to do if you have to pee while riding in a school bus full of children

Three-month old charged with robbery, extortion and banditry

Not News: Suspicious package found at bus stop. News: Street closed, citizens evacuated as cops dispose of briefcase. Fark: Full of poo

Pizza company includes condoms with ‘meatlovers’ pizza promotion, annoys christian groups. Bonus: Company is called “Hell Pizza”

Company that touts the purity of its 2,900-year-old bottled spring water may have to downwardly revise claim by 2,875 years

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these sleek samovars

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this hungry leaping lad

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this Vatican City sculpture