News – All Volunteer Military?

North America

Six US teens are suing Rummy over the extensive recruiting database that the Pentagon keeps on our young people. Those database is chock full of grades and Social Security numbers and other such info. It’s defended as vital to the success of our all volunteer military. Question I have is, how is a database of people to harass vital to those who want to serve stepping forward and volunteering. They shouldn’t need to keep a list of people to cajole, if all we needed were volunteers. The truth is, they have to aggressively recruit now, since the Iraq War makes people wary to get into the military.

Tyler Drumheller, who was once the highest-ranking CIA officer in Europe, says that the White House deliberately ignored intelligence that showed that there were no weapons of mass destruction in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

The details of the noted lawsuit charge that the Pentagon improperly collected data on people as young as 16 and kept it beyond a three-year limit, and said that the law does not allow for keeping records on race, ethnicity, gender or social security numbers. I suppose we’ll see how right or wrong these charges are.

BP whines that taxes could scuttle the $20 billion agreement on the Alaska Pipeline. Considering how many handouts the oil industry gets, I doubt it.

The FDA states, without obvious evidence or studies, that marijuana has no medical benefit. Never mind that there is evidence out there, by respected, nonpartisan researchers, that says different.

Middle East

Looks like Iraq’s political paralysis might be ending, with the arrival of Jawad al-Maliki, replacing Jalal Talabani.

Iraq’s inspector general of the oil ministry notes that oil smuggling is currently the greatest threat to the country’s economy. Some suspect government collusion in these matters.

Bombers strike at a resort in Egypt, three near simultaneous bombs killing 23.

I wonder what will happen if Abbas decides to ‘remove the Hamas government from power’. Could he? Would they listen? If not, how would he enforce this?

Just to add some more gas to the inferno, the Israeli government calls Iran the biggest threat to Jews since the Nazi Holocaust. As if Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad weren’t causing enough trouble with his bag, foul mouth. Israel always has to challenge its enemies when it comes to rocking the boat. One wonders often why they don’t just keep quiet and go on about their business while letting Iran hang itself out to dry. It would do the people of Israel better than having their government have a public panic attack every other week.

Israel will be launching a new spy satellite, with which to peer down at Iran and other such countries.

Europe

The Legacy of Chernobyl A flash photo essay that is not for the faint of heart.

A rally of hundreds of thousands is held in Nepal after their king vows to reinstate the Parliament. Yet there are many who still call for him to leave the country. Fortunately, the gathered were not violent. The Nepal opposition is responding positively, by calling off protests.

Some greeks meet Condi’s visit to their country with violent protest. That does not bode well at all.

General

The Blogs look at a new CIA scandal, the racial politics of New Orleans’ post-Katrina primaries and decoding the newest Osama Bin Laden tape.

Today’s Papers has the screwed up way that an Iraq oil pipleline was to be ewbuilt(and failed), the heat rising in Kirkuk, more prisoners released from Gitmo and more in the one page news.

Today’s “RIAA lawsuit against a family that doesn’t even own a computer” story brought to you by Rockmart, GA

Record for world’s largest pillow fight now stands at 3,659 people (with pic)

1980: CEOs made $10 to average worker’s dollar. 2006: CEOs make $430 to average worker’s dollar

Dumb: Teen tries to steal drugs. Dumber: They were fake drugs in a locked display case. Fark: At a police expo

Man “accidentally” spends $28,000 that the bank accidentally put in his account

Deputy tries to seduce neighbor by sitting naked on her picnic table. Woman says she will never be able to eat hot dogs again

Just when you thought political bickering couldn’t get any sillier, Republican teams pull out of the Congressional Softball League because the Democrats run the league like socialists. (Second story down)

Feds arrest 183 illegal immigrants, 130 of which were already ordered to be deported but were released. Plan to arrest the same people sometime next week

Man arrested by police for drunk driving ruefully admits that he’s done it many times before and asks to be put in same cell as “the biggest man named Bubba in the jail” (third item)

Larry Bird’s new wine fittingly described as: “overrated for a white.”

Angry parents describe dancing at Spring Prom as “sex with clothes on”. Jermaine Stewart nods approvingly

Get ye flask, finally and graphically

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Rejected Transformers

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this paperweight

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this army guy and bikini bunny