News Watch what you Eat
Asia/Pacific
Conservationist groups want the Australian government to protect the Coral Sea by declaring it a marine park. Sounds fine to me. Shark hunters have been thinning out the species far too much for the culinary enjoyment of the rich. Makes me grumpy to consider how many of them have been captured, had their dorsal fins shorn off only to be tossed back into the sea to die slowly. Without their dorsal fins, sharks can’t swim. In order to move water through their gills, they have to keep moving constantly, thus they suffocate slowly. Not unlike drowning, I suppose, which is darkly ironic. Think about that next time you have a little shark fin soup.
On a side note, I don’t mind finning shards that are already dead. If some do that for their soup needs, I don’t really have anything to say about that. But the process described above, which happens far too much(at all being far too much) is abhorrent to my sensibilities. Those species we use for sustenance should be used in total, with minimal pain and suffering on their part and not abused to the point of endangerment or extinction of the species.
Australia’s navy is questioned by the opposition Labor party over the need for female sailors to be given breast enlargements with public money. Apparently this is a psychological issue. I dunno, if a female in the military is more concerned with her chest size than doing her job, maybe she’s in the wrong line of work. Besides which, I doubt a bountiful chest would be more conducive to efficient military operations. Considering issues such as back problems and center of gravity, depending on just how bountiful. Then again, not having some of my own, I wouldn’t know the precise science behind how they effect the overall movement efficiency of the body.
Middle East
Officials must investigate after a report that at least eight Iraqi civilians were killed by private US security contractors in a shooting incident. Independent contractors have ever been an issue in my opinion. Too incident prone and lacking in checks and balances like the military. Nor are they as well trained as our military tends to be.
Iraqi Sunnis vow revenge for the death of Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, who was a focus of opposition to alQueda forces in Iraq. The group has claimed responsibility for the killing and likely only solidified forces arrayed against them by the act.
The political movement loyal to Moqtada Sadr has withdrawn from the governing Shia alliance in Iraq’s government. This five months after Sadr pulled his ministers from the cabinet. The group complains that Maliki has not consulted them over decisions as well as other grievances.
Defense Sec Robert Gates hints at a larger troop pull out from Iraq than mentioned before. On the order of 60k troops out of Iraq by the end of next year. Dependant, of course, on the ‘success of the mission’.
Four Egyptian newspaper editors are jailed for libel against President Hosni Mubarak and his ruling National Democratic Party. According to court papers, they were sentenced to one year and given hefty fines for ‘publishing false information with the aim of undermining national security’. Personally, I doubt what they printed was quite that bad. Egypt isn’t known for being a great democratic state with full respect for freedom of speech.
General Pervez Musharraf, current Prez of Pakistan, says he’ll step down as leader of the military to remove a key objection to his serving of a second term. I for one don’t believe he’ll really give up control of the military. I’m sure he can devise a cosmetic means of making it appear he has while maintaining a strong influence over the organization.
Israel enforces a news blackout over a recent air raid, obscuring what their target was. The targer is believed to have been a Syrian nuclear installation.
Africa
The UN has approved a ten year plan to tackle desertification, but has hit a snag when it comes to finding that plan.
Severe flooding is impacting a swathe of 17 African countries. 250 have died already, but the real danger is the potential for major outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.
Europe
Microsoft loses its anti-trust appeal against $690 million in fines imposed by the European Commission. This spawning from a 2004 probe that concluded that Microsoft was using its dominant position to freeze out rivals in server software and products like media players. However the court did throw out part of the Comission’s ruling that would have established an independent monitoring trustee to supervise Microsoft.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner believes the word shouldn’t be gearing up to go to war over Iran’s nuclear program.
Americas
OJ Simpson is arrested in Las Vegas for alleged armed robbery. Apparently he claims that he was trying to retrieve stolen property when he took part in a raid on a sports memorabilia dealer at a hotel room in the Palace Station Casino. If that were the case, he would have gone to the police, wouldn’t he?
Tourists start to check out the stall where Larry Craig was arrested for allegedly soliciting gay sex. Just goes to show you can declare just about anything a tourist attraction.
Making a test to see if your political views make you smarter is kinda dumb.
General
Kids with a lazy eye don’t have to wear an eye patch all day to correct their vision. Three to four hours a day for 12 weeks seems to be enough to help. Since wearing the patch causes distress, it should be worn as little as possible, some opine. And I would agree. Some kids will tease and taunt about just about anything, better to give them as little reason as possible.
Internet crime is becoming big business. This being expected, since any new media makes for a new way to cheat and swindle.
The Blogs consider Iraqi oil law as the final indicator that political reconciliation in Iraq is impossible, the usual look into Bush’s latest speech and a Led Zeppelin reunion.
<A HREF="http://www.slate.com/id/2174045/”>Today’s Papers has Alan Greenspan has been making the rounds, American military officials say they have captured a suspect in the killing of a U.S.-allied Sunni tribal leader, Bush’s decision to nominate Michael Mukasey, a former federal judge from New York, as his next attorney general and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Peeping Tom caught looking through the ceiling tile at a sporting good store. Ceiling cat is unamused For those that don’t know who Ceiling cat is.
Woman fakes death to avoid being sent to prison, is caught by a bail bondsman at her home. No word on how many “Fail Bonds” she got for the stunt
85-year-old former track star (pic) chases down punk who stole her purse. This guy’s gonna do real well in prison
Judge forces noise ordinance violators to sit in a room and listen to Barry Manilow (with video)
Death’s Head Terror can seesaw the booy. No, that does not make sense and this is why cheap Halloween novelty items from Taiwan can be so amazingly awesome
A sure sign Fall is here? The first story about parents and teachers freaking out about high-school kids having sex at school dances has appeared. And by having sex I mean dancing.
Man causes 3 car pile-up on highway. The fact that he was eating a bowl of cereal while driving might be relevant
Man with high-pitched voice files sex-discrimination case against his bank after they refuse to give him his account activity over the phone because they thought he was a woman (pic)
If you are going to stage robbery, make sure your victim has something valuable and that your get away vehicle actually runs
Man chokes on gold tooth inside Mars bar; sympathetic company responds by demanding copies of his dental records (pic)
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these two men and what they’re moving
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this ninja mantis
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop theme: Create a Fark flag