News – Not so Scary in Reality
North America
Jose Padilla, downgraded from dirty bomber to apartment bomber. Hype has been a big problem with this administration. After so much hype initially over this guy, it melts down to him being a tiny little fish. Like many of those who the government has touted as big, important captures. We need less hype, more realism.
Congress urges Bush to sit down and give out some details on the Iraq war. I’d like to see that, but I know that if it does happen, it’ll end up just being the same old thing. The same general, generic talking points with nothing new. That’s all that Bush gives.
Case in point for this administration’s common follies is Murtha. Initial official response was harsh on him, only to be cooled down by Bush after they noted this wasn’t the guy to bash with various insulting one liners.
The Holiday shopping system starts off modest. One wonders what we’ll see when the holiday season is done in terms of numbers.
Middle East
Shimon Peres may leave Israel’s Labor Party to join up with Sharon’s new centrist party. Would such a move win Sharon points or subtract them?
As ground troops diminish, US airpower might increase in Iraq. Considering some questionable incidents of airpower use in Iraq after the initial war phase, that may or may not be a smart idea.
Saddam continues to be quite the aggressive character in his trial. Here’s a mess of commentary on it.
The Palestinian elections run into some considerable trouble. I’d say they need a bit of help with this. And it behooves us to offer that help.
Hosam Taher Hosam, a Syrian who said he had worked with Syrian and Lebanese intelligence during Syria’s military presence in Lebanon, has said Lebanese officials forced him to testify falsely to a UN inquiry through an elaborate scheme of torture, threats and bribery. That’s a bit much to believe.
Diplomats hunt for a lost group of American, British and Canadian aid workers reported kidnapped, without a clue as to who did the napping.
A vehicle carrying three US congressmen in Iraq turned over on Saturday, Ike Skelton of Missouri and Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania injured and flown to Germany to be seen to.
Europe
An election yesterday in Chechnya was the latest attempt by Russia’s government to quiet the region.
General
How do you defeat a sellers cartel? Form a buyers cartel. Meeting OPEC one to one would reduce their bargaining chips.
Mapquest, king of internet trip cartography, is seeing some heat from competitors. Good, that’ll force Mapquest to tighten up and expand their base.
Scientists find a means to program E.coli bacteria to form pictures. Very interesting stuff.
Xbox 360 customers complain about glitches in their machines, MS brushing them off as rare malfunctions. If they’re so rare, then MS wouldn’t have a problem replacing those machines that are going loopy, right? Since there are so few of them.
The next in sex tech? Liquid condoms?
Today’s Papers has Iran hit by a 6.1 earthquake, a foiled assassination plot on the chief investigating judge in the trial of Saddam Hussein, the effects of battle on soldiers’ psyches and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Today’s Cartoons – The latest in scribbled satire.
Mark Fiore: Stay the Course Man
Underwater hockey: The obscure sport where the most important tactic is, “Do I want to score a goal or breathe?” Oh, and apparently it has a world championships and 48 teams play in 20 states (with pic)
Depeche Mode singer forced to remove ring piercing from his taint after one of his kids quizzed him about it
Federal agents embarrassed that labels inside their U.S. Border Patrol uniforms read: “Made in Mexico.”
Robbery suspects attempt getaway in donkey cart, wind up making asses of themselves
What better way to show your inclusiveness and tolerance for all than to mandate all state license plates say “God Bless America”?
Scientists on the road to discovering why ketchup gushes out of the bottle. Cancer spotted playing golf, searching for real killer
The Phallic Logo Awards – Avoid If squeamish of dirty words.
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Something doesn’t belong here
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this shadowy hallway
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this dirty old man