News – Generic News

Nothing stands out(for me), to be highlighted with a silly name, so the news is presented as compiled.

Iraq

IAEA inspectors are ready to return to Iraq to start looking for gear that could be used to create atomic weapons, which was recently noted as missing.

Saddam underwent a hernia operation within a US-run hospital in Baghdad’s green zone. So that means he’s still there and receiving at least some of what international law dictates that he should be given. Good. The fewer problems we have along that line, the better.

Another note of how tech failed in the invasion of Iraq. I think this new tech they keep coming up with needs to have some better vetting.

At the same time that James Baker is working for the US in trying to forgive Iraq’s debt, he’s also working for his Carlyle Group in trying to get $27 billion on behalf of Kuwait, one of Iraq’s biggest creditors, by using high-level political influence. Seems like a conflict of interest situation to me.

Another of those open letters is signed by 650 foreign affairs experts, including the usual round of US and UK folk, condemning Bush’s Iraq policies. Nit that it will matter, unfortunately.

Israel/Palestine

Israeli forces capture Imad al-Kawasme, Hamas’s commander in the West Bank city of Hebron, and kill a militant today. They also critically wound an 11 year old Palestinian girl in her classroom at a UN school in Khan Younis refugee camp.

Sderot, a previous target of militant rockets, has a new early warning system that proved capable of providing residents time to take cover. Good.

Is Arafat at the end of his road? We can only hope he is. It’s time for him to give it up.

Afghanistan

The US is looking to get NATO involved deeper in Afghanistan, including shifting full responsibility to them was early as next year. But the 26 nation alliance might have trouble footing that sort of frontline role.

US

Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton has decided to close his offices in the U.S. Capitol complex until after the election, citing security concerns risen from a classified intelligence briefing. He’ll be setting up shop in Minnesota until then. There has been no call for this and, as Senate Sergeant at Arms Bill Pickle, Dayton’s exercising caution of his own accord. I’m curious, though.. just what was in that meeting to prompt such an abrupt move?

Chiron Corp is under investigation by a grand jury after failing to deliver on its vaccine promises. The subject of the investigation being, did Chiron executives made false public statements about the prospects for being able to market the vaccine in the United States? If so, that would be securities fraud.

Michael Jackson is angry over a demeaning and insensitive” new music video from Eminem that makes light of the child molestation charges against him. Eminem’s “Just Lose It” video shows the rapper, dressed as Jackson, sitting on the edge of a bed as young boys bounce behind him. At another point his nose falls off, a reference to rumors that Jackson has had extensive plastic surgery. That is pretty mean.

The FCC is fining 169 Fox stations $7k each for airing an episode of “Married by America” in which sexually explicit and graphic scenes were shown at a time when kids were likely watching. I knew it was only a matter of time before Fox started getting slapped for that tripe. “The material is gratuitous, vulgar, and clearly intended to pander to and titillate,” the FCC said. Which is right on cause that’s how half of Fox’s programming works. It’s sad.

The Supreme Court upholds a lower court decision that the recording industry can’t force internet service providers to turn over the names of users trading music files online.

An interesting note of why the ‘have mores’ are less likely to support Bush.

Explainer details how the poverty level is determined. It’s all about the grub, bub.

General

Maui X-Stream says they’ve created an emulator that will allow Apple’s OSX to run on Windows PC hardware. Currently it requires windows, but they’re working on a version, they say, that will take Windows out of the equation. This could be big.. provided it works. And provided Apple’s lawyers will let it happen. Which I doubt they will if they have any legal recourse through which to squish this.

Women hold liquor better than men? Seems so, since Kentucky University researches noted that the loss of inhibitions at the same blood alcohol level was three times in men what it was in women.

The next in line after the Segway human transporter.. the Centaur.

Today’s Papers has Germany open to the possibility of sending troops to Iraq if unstated conditions were met, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urging get out the vote drives for all Iraqis, interim Prime Minister Allawi pushing to allow more former Baathists back into the Iraqi government despite opposition by Kurdish and Shiite leaders and more in the one page news.

Amusements

The seven emails you don’t ever want to send from work

Man pours coffee on little girl after her soda can accidentally sprays him

Child saved from lifetime of teasing when ruling says he can’t be named “@”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this C-17 Globemaster III making art out of the clouds

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this volcano in a pre-historic setting

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these Russian actors