News – Between Gloom and Glimmer

Middle East

Rummy says that the insurgency could last a decade. That it could, which makes assertions of us being ‘near the end’ are unfounded. The simple fact that I recognize is none of our leaders knows when the effort in Iraq will be done from a US standpoint. While I don’t think we’re in a quagmire, as described by some, we don’t yet see a light at the end of the tunnel either. We’re in the thick of things, without sight of where we came in or where we’re going. Saying it’s otherwise won’t make it so.

Rightist Jews opposed to the pullout from Gaza have set up an outpost where Israeli soldiers and settlers clashed while they were razing buildings to prepare for withdrawal.

Lebanon’s main parliamentary blocs are backing the re-election of pro-Syrian Nabih Berri as parliament speaker.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the new president-elect of Iran, faces much concern from the West, as he’s described as a hardliner. Rummy flat out calls him ‘no friend of democracy’. And comments like that won’t help either. Let the man sink or swim on his own, without encouraging it with such unhelpful commentary.

Israel apologizes to New Zealand for the activities of two alleged spies in the country. Now relations between them can thaw. Good. Israel has also canceled it’s arms deal with China.

Jordan bans Saddam’s latest novel.

Europe

An Italian judge has ordered the arrest of 13 people linked to the CIA for “kidnapping” an Egyptian terrorism suspect in Milan and flying him to Egypt where he said he was tortured. Interesting.

North America

What’s next in the US fight against nuclear proliferation? Targeting assets of anyone doing business with North Korean, Iranian and Syrian firms suspected of working on weapons programs. So we do more to punish suspected offenders rather than working harder on making sure those poorly secured nuggets of nuclear goodness in the space that was once taken up by Russia. Personally, I think it more likely terrorists will secure some freebies from there, rather than pay through the nose for something Iran or North Korea is selling. Seems proof of wrongdoing is a thing of the past. That worries me.

Bush says the US is dedicated to the end of torture worldwide. Easy enough to say, but I have my doubts. After all, torture can be useful, especially when it’s done by other people. Anyway, if Bush is so dedicated, he’s not really showing it with those allies that still conduct it.

The White House maintains that Rove was going after MoveOn.org and Michael Moore with his comments. Perhaps, though if hr was, he should have used their names in specific rather than using a term such as ‘liberal’. Rove just needs to own up to being the latest public figure to make a boneheaded comment, rather than one more thoughtful and focused. He shouldn’t feel embarrassed, he’ll be in good company from folk on both sides of the aisle.

General

The ongoing struggle between Scientologists and Psychologists.

Today’s Papers has Rev. Billy Graham finishing his last American crusade, warning that the end of his life—along with the end of the world—was near, government plants manufacturing the first plutonium 238 since the Cold War for matters of national security, Rumsfeld’s acknowledgement that U.S. forces have been holding meetings with insurgency leaders in Iraq and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Nearly one third of Canadians believe that there are descendants of Christ still alive today and that a secret society exists to keep this a secret. If that’s the case, they aren’t doing a very good job of it

The big list of RPG plots

Handing out bloody socks seems like a bad idea for a ballpark promotion, so team gives out “Bobble Ankle,” a Curt Schilling doll with a flimsy ankle instead of a bobbing head

Briefs inspired by the Wonderbra are for men who like tight pants. Richard Simmons rejoices

Disney consulted feng shui experts before building Hong Kong Disneyland, agreeing that “harmonious energy and therefore better fortune can be achieved by the correct positioning of furniture and other objects”

Political correctness comes to the spyware industry… er, I mean, “sponsorware”

Madonna gives eight-year-old daughter, Lourdes, a $10,000 credit card to teach her to “appreciate the value of money”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop ideas for a Fark board game. Winning ideas may get used in actual Flash game.

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: If the world were more like a cartoon…

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: What if it gets loose?