News – Command and Control

Middle East

The US admits something went wrong during the firefight in which Blackwater security contractors killed 11 Iraqis. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte says that in the 2,000 missions Blackwater carried out this year, that in 56 they had to use their weapons. If he thinks that’s a defense of them, it isn’t. It just shows that Blackwater security forces aren’t often placed in situations where weapons are needed. Which is good. Question is, how do they handle those 56 missions that require weapons fire. A Congressional investigation, for instance, says that personnel from the firm triggered the month long US battle in Falluja.

Africa

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki rejects a law that would have grandfathered financial crimes committed by public officials before 2003. A promising step, that.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe condemns the West for what he says is a campaign to destabilize and vilify his country. He also criticized the US human rights record and policies on Iraq. As predicted, our adventure in Iraq has given ‘foes’ a clear point at which to poke.

Asia/Pacific

Burma’s police forces and soldiers continue to pursue a stopping of further protests in the country, blocking off monasteries and dispersing gathering protestors. Their also looking to suppress media coverage of protests. What they don’t seem to gather is that this won’t remove the unease in their country. It will only force it below the surface to simmer and will likely blow up eventually. Nor do they get much love from the international community.

Attempts to relocate crocs in Australia ends up with said crocs homing in on their old stomping grounds, returning from hundreds of miles away.

Europe

It will take decades to recover from the environmental damage done by recent fires in Greece. It’s too early to determine the damage done to native species.

Georgia accuses Russia of leading ‘terror’ missions within the country. Given the man who leads Russia, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Americas

Robert Gates wants another $190 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. What else need I say? The cost of this conflict has been ridiculous.

The Senate pass an expansion on a child health care bill, raising tobacco taxes to help insure more children. Bush plans to veto it, saying that this adjustment takes it beyond its original purpose.

Interesting how many Hillary haters are out there.

General

Apple’s warning proves true, those who modded their iPhones find Apple’s latest software update breaks them.

User demand keeps XP on the shelves months after Microsoft planned to can it. Will the demand linger after the new cut off date of June 30, 2008?

Slate works on a ‘State of the Sexual Union’. As one might predict there are quite a few interesting topics involved.

The Blogs look at the latest Democratic debate, a leaked post-war transcript of a talk between Bush and a former Spanish PM and Bill O’Reilly’s dinner in Harlem.

Today’s Papers has the Senate voteing to approve a federal expansion of the federal hate-crime law to cover gay men and lesbians then packing it into the latest military authorization bill, a new report by the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general that says the Food and Drug Administration does little to ensure the safety of people who participate in clinical trials, news that Mychal Bell has been released on bail and won’t be tried as an adult and more in the one page news.

Amusements

A series of flash animations from Newgrounds will do it this day, I think.

Newgrounds: Madness Day 2007 – Madness was a series of flash aminations made by a single artist some time ago. Caught on and has had a lot of imitators. Here is a nice collection of them. They tend to be ultra violent and low on plot, so be warned.

Newgrounds: Kite Plight (Cute)

Newgrounds: Awesome Compilation 1 – Full of profanity and awesome

Newgrounds: Awesome Compilation 2 – A bit more profanity, about the same awesome

Newgrounds: An Awesome Halloween – You know what to expect by now, right?

Newgrounds: The Real Legend