News – Funding Debacles
Middle East
An unused camp for police trainers with an Olympic sized swimming pool. One of the many ways your money is being squandered in Iraq. As well, there is budgeted cash that remains unspent, while Bush prods Congress for even more. Why is he asking for more when what he has already remains? Just one of the many questions all should ask each time Bush comes back to dip his hand in the pot again. After all, this is our money he’s wasting and tossing to the winds.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for reconstruction. But I get a bit testy when too much of the money goes to waste(I’m realistic about matters of corruption and the like).
The violence doesn’t stop for the holidays. I’d suspect that some Sunni troublemakers would want to strike on a day like this, just to add insult to injury. Not that I doubt Shia instigators have been at work too.
To the north, our Kurdish allies are stirring up trouble as PKK fighters based in Iraq do cross border raids into Turkey. Turkey wants to send some troops into Northern Iraq to deal with the situation. Obviously this would be troublesome for our efforts there.
Two US A-10 planes attack a British military patrol near Basra. Strange thing, the two pilots had apparently switched frequency to talk to each other so the forward air control couldn’t get into contact with them to stop them. The convoy even put out smoke flares to declare themselves friendly, but that didn’t stop a second attack. Whoever they are, they need to be punished. Hard.
Africa
Nigerian officials are squandering their oil riches, rather than improving the lot of Nigerians. Not surprising, though disheartening.
Liberia gets an all women troop of 100+ UN peacekeepers. Interesting indeed. One wonders what sort of social impact such a force would have on a country like that.
The AU hasn’t been able to get the numbers they hoped for to form a force for Somalia. Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi have ponied up half of the 8k desired, but no one else has stepped up to the plate.
Europe
The EU is still iffy on sending airline and banking data to the US for their terror profiling system. I don’t blame them.
Turkey and Cyprus go at it again over oil. Cyprus deals with Lebanon, which Turkey doesn’t like.
Americas
Admiral William Fallon, Bush’s new pick to head forces in Iraq, seems to be a relatively realistic guy. Whether or not that works for him over there remains to be seen.
So, has the Bush administration been tampering with research on climate change? I wouldn’t be surprised, they seem the sort to massage data that doesn’t go the way they want it, when they have the opportunity to get away with it.
I will give Bush a note of credit for moving on raising the federal mileage standards for cars. Long overdue, but good that it gets done.
Obama takes a bold, if unwise move by introducing a bill that caps troop levels at 130k and would see US troops leaving Iraq by the spring of next year, the withdrawal starting this May. It won’t get approved, but it will no doubt come back during the 2008 campaign. Whether it helps or hinders will have to be seen.
Honda’s profits take a hit because they simply can’t make cars fast enough to meet US consumer demand. I bet GM and Ford wish they had this problem.
Cuban TV shows a stronger Fidel. Of course, if need be, one can be strong for a half hour or so to stand in front of the cameras and so forth. So it’s unlikely to convince the real skeptics that Castro will be back.
The US government continues to throw charges at Jose Padilla until one sticks. At least, that’s what it seems like to me. Regardless, even if he’s ever acquitted of these charges I doubt he’ll be able to make a life for himself in the US. After all this mess, who would hire him? A question I’d put to any who might scoff at the profound effects this can have on someone’s life, would you hire him?
Doesn’t have to be like that, sometimes they do it right.
Wolves are no longer endangered in several states and are being removed from the endangered species list within them. That means people will be allowed to hunt them again. Though, hopefully, not to the point of putting them back on the list.
Introducing the Obama Messiah Watch, which will periodically highlight gratuitously adoring biographical details that appear in newspaper, television, and magazine profiles of this otherworldly presence in our midst. Slate always knows how to bring a smile to my face.
The spitting myth. Personally, I’ve never thought much about the claims that spitting on Vietnam vets was rampant, but considering that noted research says there is a dearth of actual reporting on it, one could assume that it wasn’t quite as rampant as some would say it was. Did it actually happen? Could have, hard to completely disprove something like that, but there will always be people who take things too far.
General
A series of videos on Windows Vista. In case some of you plan to deal with it soon, perhaps one of them will help you in dealing with it.
Already the security expert types are calling Gates out on his claims that Vista is more secure. A review that is positive for office 2007, but still refers to it as annoying.
The Blogs look at Bush’s new move to increase oversight in federal agencies, Barbaro’s death and profiting from YouTube.
Today’s Papers has the testimony of former NYT reporter Judith Miller at the Libby trial, word that the Air Force’s role in Iraq could increase, that German investigators have recommended arrest warrants be issued for 13 American intelligence operatives who were involved with the “extraordinary rendition” of a German citizen and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Iranian president Ahmadinejad might fall out of power if the U.S. doesn’t do something stupid soon
Chinese man has to have contact lenses surgically removed after not removing them for a year. And we’re not talking just one pair here, either
Radiation Detected! Dirty bomb alert, everyone take cover! Oh wait, never mind. Just another cancer patient
If your boyfriend does your exams and papers for you via MSN, don’t dump him until AFTER you use the ensuing degree to get permanent residency
Courtney Love might replace Paula Abdul on American Idol. This makes it better how?
Teen steals snowmobile from storefront. Teen brings snowmobile in for repairs two days later… to the same store he stole it from
Woman writes a book called Peanut Butter Boogers so her kids would get interested in reading
Today’s defendant drunk driving to court to face drunk driving charge brought to you by Brisbane, Australia. Bonus points: they crashed into cars outside the courthouse
Student, who lives in his mom’s basement, wants to “rent” a girlfriend to prove he can get one. This would make a great teen movie…but John Cusack is too old now…and not Chinese
Do you have Restless Leg Syndrome? How about insomnia? Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Depression? Come on. You’ve got to have something wrong with you. Why else would the pharmaceutical companies spend so much on advertising?
Crack Swedish troops pull machine guns and bayonets on three year old girl tobogganing near palace. Princess Madeleine unharmed
Having banned nearly everything else possible, California seeks to ban incandescent lightbulbs
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Childhood games gone wrong
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this surprised trader
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Things not expected in an office environment