News – Political Shift

Middle East

Sharon takes a big chance on both an early election in Israel and breaking for Likud to run with a new centrist party. This should be interesting.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s family disowns him and washes their hands of his acts.

Iraqi asylum seekers were removed from Britain Sunday.

Witnesses say that Iraqi police and US soldiers opened fire on a crowded minibus north of Baghdad, killing four members of the same family, including two children. The US military says they’re looking into it.

Looking at US marine Matthew Bogdanos, a Greek-American classics scholar and a New York prosecutor, the man who, over two years, hunted down many a stolen treasure from the Baghdad Museum. He has a book as well, with the proceeds going back into the museum.

Asia

China is hosting Manfred Nowak, the U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on Torture, after a series of trials where people were falsely convicted after forced confessions. Which is another little proof of the lack of reliability in torture/force.

North America

Porter Goss defends the CIA’s ‘unique’ methods of gaining vital information, saying they aren’t torture. If that is so, the CIA should detail its methods to Congress, so that they can validate that.

Rep. John Murtha, who has recently started up a good deal of ruckus by calling for troop withdrawal in the near future(note: I don’t think he once said immediate withdrawal, as many assert constantly), predicts that troops will leave Iraq before the next congressional elections. Personally, I think we should consider Murtha’s suggestions more closely. Though I don’t know if six months is an appropriate time, but overall we definitely need to define our plan better than it is now. As far as I see it, we’ll be in there until an arbitrary decision is made that the Iraqis are ‘ready’ to defend themselves.

Mexican President Vicente Fox becomes the latest world leader to get in close with Bush and see little gain in return.

Explainer notes the qualities of a Senior Administration Official.

Cheney fights back against critics of the Administration with the very same foibles he criticizes. It makes it impossible to take him seriously.

General

A new, massive telescope is in the works, to peer deep, deep into space.

Looking at the lack of indignation on some violent games. Have these anti-violent game conservatives ever complained about Call of Duty? SOCOM? The various Tom Clancy first person shooters? Nope. Guess it’s ok to blow a guy away virtually if you’re an authority figure in the game.

The Blogs look at Murtha’s statements, the protracted House fights over spending and speculate about the recent revelation that Bob Woodward figures in the first act of the CIA leak scandal.

Today’s Papers has a rising demand for goat meat on the plate, post-Katrina donor fatigue, the lacking strength in Bush’s push against China and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Bush thwarted by the door-handle enemy of freedom (with pic)

Having solved all oher problems, two Senators sponsor bill naming two federal buildings after themselves

British government bans torches at Christmas torchlight parade. Town buys 500 glow sticks instead, warns marchers they have to provide their own ecstasy and jello shots

British candy bars target market niche of boys who love football and are afraid of athletic girls. Willie Wonka outdone again.

10-year-olds make up a large portion of Florida’s problem gamblers: “Winning is fun. I like getting stuff from winning”

Get the blue ball to the portal

New Hampshire named the cheapest state when it comes to generousity

400-pound concrete buck shown what it means to be a real man

New British reality show aims to fool contestants that they have been launched into space. China signs up

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Create your version of the latest in Hillbilly Hardware.

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop the Bruiser

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: What would life be like if spam offers were legitimate? Difficulty: Big weeners are too obvious