News – Animated Amusements

Amusements

All flash today. 😉

Jib Jab: What We Call the News

Jib Jab: Nuking Futs!

Jib Jab: Do I Creep You Out(Weird Al Song)

Neurotically Yours: Friendly Messages 2

Mark Fiore: Be Careful What you Fish For

Youtube: Will Ferrell as Mr. Tarkanian

Youtube: Madtv Spoof Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

HIgh five, Roker, high five!

Middle East

Israeli officials get bent out of shape over the release of transcripts, even though they can censor any parts that they think harm national security.

More targeted killing in Baghdad. Why do I have a feeling that, in a year, I could likely post about the same thing?

Israeli riot police move out settlers trying to reclaim land that was once a settlement. They vow to return again and again.

Iran airs apologies from some of the 15 captured sailors they’re holding. I have little doubt they’re coerced.

Saudi Arabia links with other Arab powers to jointly appeal to Israel to accept the offer of a peace plan. It’s one that calls for a return to 1964 borders and right of return for refugees. Personally, I think Israel would be more likely to accept it if they lose the second part of it. As it stands, I don’t see Israel ever accepting right of return. Everything about how the government runs the country speaks to that.

Asia/Pacific

Japan deploys Patriot missiles as a defense against potential North Korean nukes. Does that system have the range to negate a nuclear strike? Seems that wherever it intercepts, that region will still get peppered with nuclear fallout.

A Chinese newspaper accuses the state of trying to cover up an accident in a Beijing subway tunnel that’s left six workers missing. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Europe

Russia is joining China in a joint mission to Mars.

Germany is a hard place for Muslims to feel a part of without losing their own cultural identity. The insane need for a state to make everyone the same baffles me. One can be a loyal member of a society while not becoming yet another whitewashed cog. Xenophobia is bad.

Americas

The Senate also passes a bill calling for a withdrawal date for US troops, challenging Bush’s veto threat. Not exactly helpful since it’s tied into money headed to Iraq. But then, likely most of the money sent to Iraq will be squandered anyway.

Looking realistically at the bills and what they mean if vetoed. As much as people say it, it won’t leave the troops in the lurch or end current military activities. Due in part to the fact that the coffer won’t go dry until June and that the Def Sec has many ways to allocate additional finds if need be. So the spinmeisters can stow it.

Bisher al-Rawi, an Iraqi national held in Gitmo, is finally to be released after nearly 5 years of captivity. He’ll be allowed to return to the UK, where he’s lived for some 20 years. Yet another knock to the point of view that everyone in Gitmo is a terrorist. One wonders why they needed to hold him for five years before just letting him go. As well, there are some concerns about the UK having a role in his arrest, which Amnesty International would like to look into.

Kyle Sampson, former aide to Alberto Gonzalez, contradicts his claims that he didn’t know about the firing of nine federal prosecutors. Ren’s take on this whole thing: The firings are fine, since it’s all that pleasure of the president crap. What is wrong is the lying. If you’re going to fire someone, don’t lie about why. Or, as Alberto might have, lie that you even knew about it.

So tell me.. what’s offensive about a chocolate depiction of Jesus? Is it cause this is a nudie sculpture?

The Marines are outlawing some tattoos. The new rules state: “Tattoos or brands that are prejudicial to good order, discipline and morale, or are of a nature to bring discredit upon the Marine Corps are also prohibited.” Many Marines are heading to the tattoo parlor to quickly get their art before the rules go gold, so they can be grandfathered. As well, unit commanders will be taking snapshots of current tattoos that would violate the rules to make sure they’re not touched up. Very amusing.

Rudy’s first campaign ad.

General

Preliminary research suggests Green Tea might help keep HIV at bay. It has substances inside that link up with immune cells, crowding out HIV if it gets there first, to break it down simply. So it could be an additional step to help those currently infected.

A study in Africa says that exclusively breastfeeding a baby until they’re six months old cuts down the risk of mother to child HIV transmission. Here we have better methods, but in the developing world breastfeeding is a good option that is open to all.

The bigger the house, the worse the CEO? Interesting.

The Blogs look at the congressional showdown over U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, a new version of the old Equal Rights Amendment and MC Rove. On MC Rove: I don’t’ see why people are so cranky about it. Personally, I have no love for Rove, but I have to give it to him, he went along with the jokes pretty well. At least he’s human on some level. 😉 I LoLed and I’d do it again. People need to lighten up once in a while. They’ll live longer.

Today’s Papers has Ryan C. Crocker sworn in as the new US Ambassador to Iraq, Bush inviting the entire House GOP caucus to the White House for the first time in his presidency, a resurgence of sectarian evictions in Iraq and more in the one page news.