News – Military Issues
Americas
General Peter Schoomaker is concerned about our military breaking unless it gets thousands more combat troops and is able to make greater use of reserve forces. I suppose this has been a true test of our military, if nothing else. An extended insertion in a country where the environment is hostile to our tech toys and the people are slow to come to the point where their country is self sustaining. A bit humbling to see how it’s slowly been grinded down. Perhaps we need to focus more on reliable toys and policies rather than this tech stuff.
New Jersey’s state legislature legalizes gay unions, but says they can’t be called marriages. But they key is there, giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights as heterosexuals.
The US and Venezuela making progress in increasing ties? That would be nice.
Bush won’t be rushed into making a decision on Iraq changes. All well and good, but he’s had five years to evaluate the situation as it develops. He should have more info than anyone would ever need to decide on a proper course of action. Provided he and his people have been analyzing things as they occur.. big if there.
McCain wants more boots on the ground. I think McCain is wrong because greater troop strength won’t solve this without the policy on the ground to use that strength with ruthless efficiency. Which would cause PR issues.
Looking over Tom DeLay’s blog. Though it seems only one article was actually penned by him.
Middle East
Hamas accuses a prominent Fatah member of orchestrating an assassination attempt against Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. This and things like it need to be stopped. But I doubt the US will do a thing to try and calm down the situation.. indeed, I’m sure they’re hoping this will lead to the downfall of the current, lawfully elected government.
An Israeli court decides that Israel’s security is not outweighed by the livelihoods of Palestinians in the village of al-Ram. This there is a new cluster of people who hate Israel due to the harm done to them. What could have been done? If you must have the wall, aid these people(who are likely innocent of wrongdoing against Israel) to find new work and ways to support their families. That would have been better than simply cutting them off.
Novelist John Berger becomes the latest to prompt a boycott of Israel, this one a ‘cultural boycott’. Critics think this will be counterproductive. Hard to say, really.
Africa
The Union of Islamic Courts denies US claims that their leadership is dominated by alQueda. Personally, I don’t doubt they’re extremist to a degree(how much I don’t know), but one can’t assume they’re in league with alQueda without proof.
Sudan’s government scoffs at threads of ‘tough action’ from the US and UK if they continue to block deployment of a UN peacekeeping force.
Asia/Pacific
Japan starts to upgrade its military status. Some of its neighbors are concerned, but I think it’s about time to let the past be past and allow Japan to be like everyone else. They have too much invested in the world to go militaristic as they once did. Though, this is not to say we shouldn’t keep a watchful eye on them. That’s a given, but to deny out of hand is hardly fair.
The world’s tallest man saves a pair of dolphins by reaching into their stomachs to pull out shards of plastic they’d swallowed. Now that’s interesting.
Europe
The EU is signaling that it will be more selective when it comes to new member states. A good idea, but one that they should have had from the start.
Serbia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Montenegro enter into NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. That’s what they call the path to membership with the organization. It’s a good step, hopefully the process will be smooth.
General
Nintendo recalls the broken straps on it’s Wii controllers. Also, new Wii’s should have better straps included with them.
Hobbyists and Hackers have at the Wiimote, using Nintendo’s latest creation to do some interesting things.
The game Left Behind: Eternal Forces is being protested by some that say it is training for religious warfare. This is no truer than any other game is training for anything else. Of course, games can affect impressionable people and no doubt some people will see and use it as such. In fact, the review of the game on GameSpy notes that the content is pretty watered down when it comes to the biblical aspects. No lakes of blood, no horrific demons. Pretty tame and a poorly made game to boot.
The perils of buying a new HDTV. Too many choices with no clear winners.
Explainer tells you how to get experimental drugs.
The Blogs look at new research on circumcision and the risk of HIV transmission, the potential war between Somalia and Ethiopia and the Golden Globes.
Today’s Papers has Condi flatly denying looking to Syria and Iran for help on Iraq(she says they’ll do it anyway if they care about stability in Iraq – Sure, sez Ren, after the US has broken its back trying to do it – I think they’re content to watch us bang our heads against a wall for the time being), researchers saying that a reduction in breast cancer rates could be due to the fact that millions of women stopped taking hormone treatments, Sen. Johnson and his condition and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Neurotically Yours: Letter to Santa
Mark Fiore: Outsourcing Victory
Eastern Pennsylvania 911 center inundated with phone calls after 2.5 earthquake causes no actual damage. San Franciscans heard scoffing “amatuers”
<A HREF="http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-12-13T230241Z_01_N13128631_RTRIDST_0_TECH-USA-CRIME-HACKER-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=NewsLanding-C7-Tech-2&rpc=92″>What’s worse than being caught planting a logic bomb on your company’s network so you’d get rich when its stock plunges? Getting fired? Going to jail? Losing $23,000 of your own money because you can’t code? We have a winner
Man not allowed to board flight because he was wearing a “Bush = Terrorist” t-shirt. Fears that other passengers suddenly might decide to become jihadis after seeing the message reasonable and rational
Meet the two-year-old with a red belt in karate. Go ahead — try to take candy from her (pic)
B-52 bomber drops its bombs in Kansas lake by accident, causing skiers and fishermen to drop bombs in their britches by accident
Residents of Fjuckby, Sweden, demand a name change for their village. Anusviken, Arslet and Dicken residents watching with interest
Members of Congress made significant achievements in federal lawmaking: Naming post offices
You need precious fapping time, but your wife interferes. Do you: A) Ask your wife for privacy politely? B) Fap at work? Or C) Booby trap the bedroom doorknob?
School district requires choir groups to perform three secular holiday songs for every religious Christmas carol they sing
Officer honored for giving out most DUI tickes receives DUI ticket
Sword-wielding intruder: “There can be only one.” Homeowner: “Your shoelaces are untied.” Someone ends up out on the lawn looking stupid in this one
Not news: Man brings carry-on into plane. Not news again: Man’s carry-on’s zipper breaks open at 25,000 feet. Fark: Man’s carry-on contains 80 live rats. Hilarity ensues
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: The last photo I ever took
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this wind tunnel
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Today’s Iron Photoshop ingredient: Chuck Norris