News – Past Mistakes Revealed

Middle East

The Washington Times reports that three Americans held hostage in the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran say that ultra-conservative President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a key player in the event. Two who were involved in the incident deny such allegations.

Lebanon’s parliament has chosen Fouad Siniora, anti-Syrian former finance minister, to be the Prime Minister of the country’s first Syria-free government.

Israel is starting to move to cut off rightist Israelis from executing their planned resistances to the pullout from Gaza. Likely a good idea, to keep any.. unfortunate incidents from occurring.

Africa

Somali gunmen hijack a ship transporting 850 tons of World Food Program rice for Somali tsunami survivors. They’re demanding $500,000 ransom for the ten-person crew.

North America

The Senate votes against easing travel restrictions for Americans to Cuba. They also approve $1.5 billion in emergency funds for veteran health care, to pay for the rising cost of Iraq war injuries and illnesses of aging veterans from past wars. Aaaand.. they cut $1.25 billion from Bush’s Millennium Challenge Account.

Another plane slip into restricted airspace, causing.. what, the third false alarm this year? I guess those flashing lights aren’t working.

Focus remains on erecting that Freedom Tower. I maintain that there are better uses for the land, including a memorial for those who desire such a thing.

Nielson Media Research says that Bush’s latest speech drew the lowest audience in his career. Likely because most(as I did) expected he wouldn’t say anything new.

General

New research questions the Vitamin C myth.

Which internet phone service is best?

The difficulty of erasing data from a computer.

Today’s Papaers has increasing instability in Afghanistan, more power for John Negroponte, new census figures showing growth in many big cities hit the skids after the boom-boom ’90s and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Neurotically Yours: Pancake Madness

Mark Fiore: But First-ocracy

Taiwan researchers make multi-colored rice without dye or food coloring to compete with Big Macs & fries (pic)

Pennsylvania House session halted for an hour after a black member called a white member a “cracker.” Reportedly also referred to a Hispanic member as a “tortilla chip” and Lindsay Lohan as a “Wheat Thin”

Having solved Iraq, health care, Social Security and all our other problems, the leaders of both parties unite to vote themselves another pay raise

Asshat woman lets her dog take a dump on the subway, tells passengers to F-off when they tell her to clean it up. Never say F-off to people with cam phones and blogs. You’ll lose every time

Republican Party, the party of small government, threatens to yank MLB’s antitrust exemption if Bush critic Soros wins bid for Nationals (story halfway down)

Good news: If you see “Cinderella Man” at an AMC theater and don’t like it, you’ll get your money back. Bad news: Russell Crowe will be outside waiting to kick your ass

Old and busted: Runaway Bride making profit. New hotness: Runaway Bride feeding the homeless

Descendant of British Admiral Horatio Nelson scoffs at “politically correct” re-enactment of famous sea battle: “I am sure the French and Spanish are adult enough to appreciate we did win that battle”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Today’s Iron Photoshop ingredient: Temptation

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Fish out of water

Fark Photoshop Challenge: “Blind as a bat.” “Hungry as a bear.” The old similies and metaphors are tired. Photoshop some new ones