News – Keeping Secrets

Americas

The latest election season scandal is this. Congressman Mark Foley, apparently, sent inappropriate(sexually suggestive) emails to some young staff. This happened a bit ago and, after the fact, senior republicans knew about it and said nothing. Of course, such a thing brings out the calls of cover up and calls for those who knew but did nothing to step down.

A new breakout on the ‘Did Bush lie about Iraq’ front as Bob Woodward releases a new book on that very subject. This one not only looks at misleading of the American public, but the withholding of important information from the Brits.

The disclosures so far have been devastating. The book paints the administration as clueless, dishonest, and dysfunctional. The behind-the-scenes anecdotes are irresistible. Laura Bush telling her husband he should fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Vice President Cheney pushing aides to call the chief weapons inspector in the middle of the night with coordinates for a site in Syria that might have those elusive weapons. Secret White House visits by Henry Kissinger. Bush having to tell Rumsfeld to return Condoleezza Rice’s calls. Memos describing Rumsfeld’s “rubber glove syndrome”—he didn’t want to leave fingerprints on decisions.

Retired Archbishop Terence Finlay gets reprimanded for officiating in the marriage of a lesbian couple.

Just to show how iconic phrases can be taken far, a little row over Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon.

The latest of many explanations as to why kids get fat.

More stupid means of cost cutting from companies.

Is the fight over abortion shifting to the fight over contraception?

Middle East

The continuing lack of fully paid wages spawns unrest, which leads Hamas to close government offices after one was stormed by protestors. The base of the unrest remains rooted between the Fatah and Hamas factions in the government, a divide which needs to be closed to bring stability. Otherwise, we might have a civil war breaking out there at worse. At best, the same heap of nothing.

A letter uncovered after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says that alQueda is based in Waziristan, Pakistan. I wonder what Musharraf has to say about that.

Condi does a new Middle East tour to revive the peace process. How this will revive the peace process is beyond me. Chatting and having meals with world leaders isn’t going to get them to move past the deep set divisions that prevent peace. How long until Condi gets down to some real work on peace?

Africa

The Arab League and European Commission hold talks over Darfur, seeking a means to increase security in the region.

Asia/Pacific

Retired Gen Surayud Chulanont is the new PM appointed by the Thai military in the wake of it’s successful coup. They’ve also unveiled an interim constitution. All of this is, according to the military, interim until elections in 2007 and the crafting of a longer term constitution.

Europe

Talks between the US and EU on airline passenger info sharing breakdown. This leaves airlines to decide what to do in the meantime. Not giving the info to the US could lose them landing rights on US soil. Giving it up could get them in sticky legal trouble at home. What’s to be done?

Russia and Georgia remain in a tense standoff over the imprisonment of four Russian officers, arrested for spying.

Italian towns will be allowed to put a tax on tourists, native or non.

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany resists calls to step down in the face of steady defeats for his party in regional elections.

General

Virus software company McAfee takes out an ad saying that Microsoft is risking security leaks with their new Vista operating system. How? By locking out third-party software firms from its in-built security system for Vista. Will non-cooperation with third party security firms increase Microsoft’s security or decrease it? One good point is made. With only one type of security for all, if it fails every computer with it fails. With multiple types, that’s less likely to happen.

Looks like high levels of testosterone in the blood kills off brain cells, which explains why steroids lead to a condition called ‘roid rage’. So add that to your reasons to not bulk up the artificial way.

Cloning possible without stem cells? Yup. Good to see science finding a better way to study things.

A survey of teachers and students says that computer games have a role in school. Basically, means of making learning fun have a place in school. Fun makes kids more interested in the subject, opening their minds to actually retaining the facts and so forth tossed at them by teachers.

The Blogs look at the Senate-passed detainee bill, a new poll that says most Iraqis want U.S. troops out of the country ASAP and Richard Branson’s Virgin “spaceship.”

Today’s Papers has excerpts from Bob Woodward’s new book, State of Denial, the problem of Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, the FBI’s announcement that it is investigating “sick” e-mails sent by Mark Foley and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Just keep your pixels on

Residents living near new bar known as “That F King Place” demand its name be changed for some reason

Mom lets son grow pot because “it’s a nice looking plant”

As if cell phones didn’t make enough noise, new cell phone emits high-pitched screech when stolen

Old and busted: Stealing signs. New hotness: Stealing stairwells

Parentsof 650 children that were flunking reading and math for third straight year are notified that their children are eligible for free tutoring under federal law. Number of takers? Zero

The Constitution of the United states Version 2.0

Sean Penn on advice he gives guys dating his daughter: “I tell them that whatever they do to my daughter that night, they better be prepared to come home and do it to me, too”(Bottom of the page)

Radical Muslim who interrupted childrens’ Christmas choir by jumping up and screaming “Who is your God? Why are you saying Jesus and Jesus Christ? God is not your God – it is Allah” made school inspector in Britain

Isn’t it cute when pet dogs and cats bring home gifts like birds, rabbits, human skulls?

US library ban on JK Rowling

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this chillin’ Con carny

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this duck

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this square lighthouse