News – Message Delivered
Middle East
Iraq’s Parliament building has been bombed. Inside the building, not outside nearby it. The MPs turned out after to have a ‘session in defiance’. That makes me chuckle because it’s such a hollow gesture in the wake of an attack like this. The insurgents have proved that they can reach out and touch the government at one of it’s cores. Yet another show of how weak security is in the country.
Egypt rejects criticism on it’s torture record. Well, when they open their operations up to being scrutinized, they can get indignant when they’ve proved the reports wrong. Until then, people are going to draw what conclusions they can.
Turkish General Gen Yasar Buyukanit thinks his country should perform an op in northern Iraq to attack Kurdish militias there. One can only hope that he doesn’t get his way. The last thing that Iraq needs is another force blasting their way in. Might be good if the US tried to stay the PKK for a time, but what influence do they have over the Kurdish militia?
Asia/Pacific
The Australian government is planning to censor books that advocate terrorism. Critics say that this will lead to the censorship of materials helpful to those trying to understand radical Islam. Currently they already restrict the publication or dissemination of materials which promote, incite or instruct people to carry out terrorist acts, now they’ll outlaw books and films deemed to speak out in favor of terrorist violence.
Public safety overrides free speech in Australia, where you don’t need to understand what the government says they’re protecting you from. After all, the less you know, the easier it is to convince you that what the government says is right. Be vigilant, my American brethren, for any such acts coming up in the US.
North Korea won’t begin to dismantle their main nuclear reactor until they have access to the unfrozen funds that have been a sticking point.
Europe
Exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky(who lives in London) mouths off about ousting Putin, thus leading Russia to put him on trial.
Americas
McCain defends his support of the Iraq War, calling it necessary and just. McCain’s biggest problem is he’s been trying too hard to please everyone, such that you can no longer be sure just what he’s for and what he’s against. Though maybe he’s making it clear now. I used to consider him someone I might vote for, now I don’t know.
No one wants to be Bush’s war czar. That should tell you something.
The 12 month tour of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will now be raised to 15 months.
Ohio man Christopher Paul has been accused of joining alQueda and plotting to bomb targets at home and overseas.
The Governator thinks that the environmental movement needs to become ‘hip and sexy’ to succeed. Perhaps, but what sort of things might make it that?
General
Guess who’s screwing up? Good ole Wolfie, who currently heads the World Bank. He admits he helped a friend get a promotion within the World Bank. Now there are calls for his ousting.
Scientists make immature sperm cells from bone marrow. Considering the various reproductive debates, one wonders how the more religious will respond to this sort of tech advancement. If you can create life from bone marrow, what does that mean for bone marrow?
No more Windows XP preloaded on PCs by 2008.
Pope Benedict tries to roll evolution together with creationism.
The Blogs look at mourn Kurt Vonnegut and look at the bombing in Iraq’s parliament building.
Today’s Papers has note that Gonzales is preparing intensely for his time before the Senate, the deletion of incriminating emails, a growing conflict within the Federal Aviation Administration because of an air-traffic procedure that allows arriving planes at several airpots to fly directly over other aircraft that are landing on a nearby runway and more in the one page news.
Amusements
This just in: Katie Couric will read anything that comes across the teleprompter. So go f*ck yourself, San Diego
Watching this video of Tampa cops and firefighters compete in a chicken-wing-eating contest will pretty much ensure that you will never eat chicken wings again
Amazon would like to apologize for all the unsolicited dildo offers
School locked down after mother sees man with sword near the campus. Lockdown status was rescinded, however, when police discovered he was a martial-arts student on his way to class with a ceremonial sword
Award-winning book, vetted and approved by parent/teacher committee a year and a half ago, pulled from students’ hands halfway through studying it. Why? One “I’m offended” email plus one moralizing superintendent
Bad Engrish: Beijing prepares for 2008 Olympics by correcting over 6,500 traffic signs to avoid past embarrassments such as menu item “fried crap” or venue dedicated to ethnic minorities named “Racist Park”
Priest jailed for cocaine possession after he goes to Columbia, buys a pound of blow, and mails it to himself
Two stabbed after fight breaks out between rival factions. Crips vs. Bloods? No, priests and nuns in a power struggle at a convent
Record numbers of Americans are finding out what being shot with a nailgun feels like
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this massive telescope
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this well-balanced couple
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this, uh, critter