News – Less Laws, More Parenting

Americas

The 1998 Child Online Protection Act is overturned by a US federal judge, his reasoning being that the law was too vague, was never enforced and that software filters were a better option. Best option: surfing with your kids. Seriously, if I want to go online and look at something dirty and untoward, I should be allowed. Don’t want your kids looking at the same stuff? Raise em right and keep track of what they do. It’s what parents are for. Or: don’t let them surf if you’re not there. We adults don’t need our rights trampled because parents can’t control their kids. Same issue with the game industry and all the crusaders wanting to ban violent games. Same with various disliked forms of music and movies and TV and all other media.

Amnesty International wants other countries to refuse to cooperate with the US and its secret tribunals for Gitmo detainees. Some might, but others will support the US no matter what.

John Bolton admits that the US intentionally resisted calls for a ceasefire during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and only got in on the truce work after it was clear Israel was screwing up. Which, to me, was readily obvious from the beginning, but then I seem to have more foresight than the US government most times.

Middle East

The medical profession is an easy target for militias and the resulting lack of doctors is hard on the country as a whole. Apparently, the militants are somehow getting into the health ministry as well. Another weakness in the current government.

The US decides, cause they’re scared the money will go to Hamas, they’ll cut the money they were sending to Palestinian president Abbas for his security forces. Yeah.. that’ll surely help Abbas. Eventually, they’ll have to get off the fence and go one way or the other. Sadly, I’m sure they’ll go the way of shunning, resulting in little help for the region to reach peace.

Besides the physical damage being caused in Iraq, there is a good deal of mental damage as well.

A fresh note of how poorly run US reconstruction in Iraq is.

Getting away with murder in Iraq.. almost. It’s amazing that these men would go to these lengths to do this sort of thing.

Might Turkey be prepping to enter Northern Iraq, thus adding another spark to the fire? Lets hope not.

Its always the kids that get it worse.

Asia/Pacific

The US urges China to be more open about its military. Sure, right after the US is more open about it’s military, cause we all know what the answer would be if such a demand were made of the US. I swear, these people are crazy, thinking they can demand this sort of stuff out of any nation.

The success of two sniffer dogs in ferreting out pirated DvDs has been so good, the pirates now have a price out on their head, forcing the dogs into hiding. For serious.

Europe

PS3 mania hits Europe, with buyers in London getting a free HD TV and a taxi home. I might have hit up that just for the TV. Sadly, I don’t have the stomach for waiting 3 days outside a store for that crap.

General

NBC Universal and Fox plan to make an online portal with their shows to rival YouTube. Unless they allow people to post up their own stuff, they’ll never be a rival for YouTube. But cute that they think they can be.

A 3D scanner that can determine if you’re truly obese? Good stuff.

The Blogs look at the pork packed Iraq war supplemental, Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer and the abandoned polar bear cub.

Today’s Papers has the once-endangered grizzly bear making a comeback, note that Defense Secretary Robert Gates apparently pushed to close down the prison at Guantanamo Bay shortly after taking up his post and more in the one page news.

Amusements

German thief snapped his credit card in two while prying open a lock, inadvertently leaving behind his name and account details for police. Can we get an Amusing Dumbass tag ?

Good fences sometimes make good neighbors, other times make crazy neighbors insane

Top 15 unintentionally funny comic books panels

Twenty signs that Gordon Brown is turning into Stalin. Never heard of Gordon Brown? You will, tovaritch

Not news: Man sells rings at pawnshop. News: Rings turn out to be stolen. Fark: Rings are worth $3,000, he sold them for $25

Loss prevention officer at a department store tells shoplifting 16-year-old girl she faces felony charges unless she has sex with him. Somehow his brilliant plan backfired

School bans students from having MySpace accounts. Thank goodness kids have never heard of Facebook, Friendster, etc

The plan was simple: steal a monkey from the zoo. What the thief didn’t realize is that if you take on one monkey, you take on all of them

Dumb: printing your own money. Dumber: spending it at a store that knows you. Fark: Setting the remaining bills on fire as the cops come in, ignoring the rising smoke from the burning mattress you’re sitting on

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this Irish guy for St. Patrick’s Day

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this girl sculpture

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this eclipse