News – News for a New Year

Welcome to 2008. Not that much has changed, sadly.

Middle East

Israel and Palestine remain an issue. The militants continue to make a problem of themselves and Israel continues to do whatever it wants, despite what it does to the potential for peace and hwo ineffective what they do is on the overall. And, of course, no one of influence does anything about it.

Bombings are still commonplace in Iraq. Sure, the violence level might have gone down, but until such attacks don’t happen every day of the week(or pretty close to that if not that), a sense of normalcy is absent.

Lebanon remains an issue, but at least the Arab league has a plan. Michel Sulaiman, the man to be placed as president until the rest of the plan can be enacted, is interesting. He sounds pretty good on the overall for such a position.

Africa

The leader of Kenya’s opposition calls off nationwide protests in favor of international mediation. A good idea. Seek to quietly solve the issue before resorting to louder, more volatile means.

US Diplomatic security and FBI agents will be sent to Sudan to investigate the death of US diplomat John Granville and his driver.

China will be sending 5,000 tons of food aid to Zimbabwe, where empty store shelves are still a common sight.

Asia/Pacific

US envoy Christopher Hill says North Korea should be given some slack after they miss a deadline in declaring their nuclear plans. Indeed, we shouldn’t get too draconian too soon. Diplomacy is all about careful compromise and constructive relationships mixed with vigilance. Doesn’t help that they haven’t’ given an explanation why, but to freak out too soon could scuttle the deal prematurely.

Looks like the Asian market is down with us while Europe’s is going upward.

Europe

Analyst Oxford Economics believes that the average person in Britain will have a greater income than their US counterpart this year. Which would only reinforce the view that America is a place of greater prosperity for the upper crust rather than the common man.

Georgia’s election commission says that Mikhail Saakashvili carries the majority of the recent vote and will be reelected. The opposition already protests, saying it was rigged. OSCE and Council of Europe monitors, however, say the vote was democratic and should be respected.

Americas

The candidates for 2008 push hard on this last day before the primary in New Hampshire. Ren continues to watch them with more idle curiosity than real interest. Most of my leanings when it comes to candidates stem from curiosity rather than a real belief in what they stand for. Will Clinton make a comeback? What might happen with America if either she or Obama were elected, breaking a new sector of humanity into the top seat in the US.

Apparently Britney freaked out over her kids and was sent to the hospital over it. Seems she’s out. One wonders why, if she has such a strong attachment to her children, why she won’t clean herself up so she can have more contact with them. It can’t be from lack of resources, which can make up for lack of personal will. She can hire all manner of people and buy all manner of products to clean herself up. Thus she has no excuse for her behavior. One reason why people such as her get little sympathy from the likes of me.

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is an idiot. Nuff said.

Comparing the candidates to stocks. An amusing diversion.

The Gabfest on the Iowa caucuses.

General

I don’t find it surprising that cosmetic clinics play down the risks involved during sales pitches. People should be aware of the risks in what they get themselves into, even if the risks are slight.

Sony gets some good sales numbers over Xmas. Though it is a bit telling that they have to wait for the holidays to get more positive numbers. Considering the Wii became a bit scarce this holiday season due to overwhelming demand, I think Nintendo has won this recent round in terms of the console wars. Perhaps next year Sony will look more to innovation rather than the same old tired formula that ends up with massive price increases.

Questions from 2007 that Explainer was unequipped or unwilling to answer. And the one readers thought was most deserving of a response.

The Blogs look at the winners of the Iowa Caucuses and what they mean.

Today’s Papers has how the number of prisoners at the Bagram detention center in Afghanistan keeps on increasing, how anti-abortion activists are trying to “dramatically expand the message” by enlisting men who say they’ve suffered trauma as a result of an abortion, that TV viewers now definitely can’t escape the effects of the writers’ strike as they suddenly find their nighttime viewing options being reduced to a barrage of reality programming and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Neurotically Yours: Hammers and Floodlights

Just clicking this link causes 50 acres of rainforest to burn

Today’s frivolous lawsuit brought to you by woman who got hit by golf ball on a golf course, claims the course has a “design flaw” if that could happen

Former prisoners attempt to rob banks to raise bail money for another inmate. Stunningly brilliant plan works out about as well as you’d expect from these rocket scientists

Toronto’s smallest house is on the market. For only $172,000 or so, this 300 sq. ft. dream home is yours

<A HREF="http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080106_tnt_badhairday.165bd6e6.html”>Bad: You accidentally dye your hair pink. Really Bad: Your mom comes along and dyes it again, making it pink AND orange. Fark: Your school threatens to punish you for your bad hair day

If you’re pissed off at your neighbor for always stealing your parking space, just be glad he waits until you leave first. Unlike this guy

If you’re going to impersonate police officers and pull over speeders, it’s probably not best to do it in front of a real police officer

Three teens try to stuff twenty-six bottles of cough suppressant down their pants at Wal-Mart. No Tussin party for them tonight

With no other crime to solve, Nanny State police swoop down on a pub on a Friday night and after administering sidewalk sobriety tests, find that yes, many of the patrons are drunk

Not news: man attempts to rob gas station. Fark: with a fire extinguisher

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this gigantic featureless rabbit

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this tri-pronged light

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this bridge to nowhere

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