News – Relative Strength
Americas
Bush says alQueda isn’t as strong now as when 9/11 happened. Personally, I think he pulled such an observation out of his ass. I doubt that the US knows the full strength of alQueda now, not just in terms of manpower but in terms of resources, contacts and ability to act compared to the same factors prior to 9/11. Nor would he tell us alQueda has become stronger even if he knew of such a fact.
But it is amusing how he points at intelligence when it meshes with his agenda and calls it false when it doesn’t. Lends credence to claims that he likes to cherry pick to suit his needs.
The House of Reps votes for the US military to start pulling out of Iraq within four months. Bush will veto it without a doubt, should they come to an understanding with the Senate on the legislation. Personally, I don’t have a lot of opinion on the subject. Damned it we do by ineptitude, damned if we don’t.
Bush stated his conclusion about how well Iraq’s been doing on benchmarks and this article refutes his conclusion. Really, if this is ‘satisfactory progress’, the whole operation is doomed to failure.
US investigators posing has businessmen were easily able to obtain a license to buy enough nuclear material to build a small dirty bomb. You’d think that would be tightened up by now, but it seems not.
Why our kids get summer vacation from school.
Middle East
Iran agrees to allow an IAEA inspection of the Arak heavy water reactor currently being built. Perhaps it will settle t his mess. Likely it won’t.
Monitoring the effects of the Surge in Iraq. Results are mixed, by the look.
Some vets from Iraq recall positive things. Some recall negative things.
Iranian Jews can’t be paid to emigrate to Israel. They’re quite loyal to Iran, by the looks, which is interesting.
Olmert takes leave of his senses and claims the Lebanon Conflict was a success. But I suppose you can say anything you want and pretend you know what you’re talking about when you lead a country. Sadly for him, I doubt many Israelis will share his view.
Africa
Militants in Nigeria are holding talks with the government. Might they end violence in the Niger Delta? Never hurts to try.
US teachers think they have it bad? Try teaching in Sudan. Too many people forget how nice we have it. They need to look around more to appreciate what they have.
Asia/Pacific
North Korea’s military wants to talk to the US about ‘peace and security on the Korean peninsula’. One wonders just how much the US might agree to when it comes to giving North Korea security guarantees. Wouldn’t they go against our role as liberator of the oppressed masses?
After the scares when it comes to Chinese products, China’s military is paying more attention to what food is given to their soldiers. After all, nasty food would reduce fighting capacity.
Europe
Spanish Civil Guard has taken into custody a boat belonging to Odyssey Marine Exploration, a company currently in conflict with the Spanish government over treasures found within a sunken ship. The treasure, thought by Spain to be from a Spanish ship or to have been within Spain’s waters, has already been flown back to the US and Odyssey claims Spain illegally boarded their boat in international waters.
General
Etch A Sketch art. That takes some fortitude and talent.
The Blogs look at the ‘progress report’ from Iraq, the failure of Sara Taylor’s memory during her Senate testimony and the life of Lady Bird Johnson.
Today’s Papers has dubious Bush statements, the U.S. military’s efforts to build “an unprecedented” database of Iraqis by taking fingerprints and eye scans of thousands of men, expensive cat poo coffee and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Neurotically Yours: Tech Support 4
Mark Fiore: Kamp Kanwinit
How well can you tell the difference between commercials and porn? Safe for work
Even if you are Annie Leibovitz, it’s never a good idea to ask the Queen to remove her crown for a portrait. With pic of the hot-tempered highness losing her cool
“9-1-1, what is the nature of your emergency? . . . You’re reporting what? . . . Ha ha ha ha ha ha” *click*
Today’s pointless study: What your choice in pizza toppings says about your personality
Man who apparently watched too many “Family Guy” reruns attacks man in bird suit
Farmer fined for paying foreign workers MORE than Americans
Is that a jellyfish on your hat or are you just happy to see me?
When announcing the name to your water park, be sure to register the domain name beforehand
“When the police would arrive, right away they would put out a wiener and a marshmallow and they would say it was for recreational purposes”
Father Of The Year candidate hits daily double at the mall by losing his son, then getting busted for shoplifting (with mugshot)
Schools want to cover playgrounds because children must be protected from “the sun” and “outside”
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these people crossing the river
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this nature photographer
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop the Fresno Grizzlies’ “The Price is Right Night”