News – Science Finds a Way

General

Science is a lot like nature. Close a door and they try yo jimmy open a window. Scientists are looking into ways to make a human egg cell act as if it were fertilized without it actually being fertilized, for a more ethical means of creating ’embryonic’ stem cells. Since there is no union of male and female cells, there is no baby to be concerned with. Not only this, but researchers say the enzyme that prompts the egg to divide could also be used to help couples unable to have children because the man’s sperm has too little of this key protein – called PLC-zeta.

Britain, Germany, France, Russia, and China have backed Kofi Annan, while Bush hasn’t explicitly endorsed him. I’m mildly surprised Bush hasn’t decided to just say what he really thinks, because I don’t think waffling on the topic is what he really thinks. Or perhaps the sting of jumping to conclusions previously has left a mark on hoe Bush does business, since the line is that they won’t make a decision on that until a full investigation of Oil-for-Food is done.

The Wired geek shopping list, packed with 129 of the best screens, cams, phones, games and gadgets of the year, from Wired magazine. Consider it my Christmas wish list. 😉

Today’s Papers has a note of a government lawyer saying military tribunals can accept evidence gained through torture as he was arguing against a lawsuit brought by Gitmo detainees, Bush’s chief economic adviser advising the young to not expect the same level of benefits in social security given today, newly released documents showing that the CIA knew of a 2002 coup plot against Venezuala’s President Hugo Chavez and more in the one page news.

Middle East

I think it a good sign that, young Palestinian men are showing more interest in Mahmoud Abbas, not Marwan Barghouti. And explainer notes that it’s uncommon for leaders to win elections while still in prison, but it has happened.

Baghdad violence has left 25 Iraqis dead(some put the total at 30 with five more police dead), 14 when a suicide bomber drove into a Shi’ite mosque during morning prayers and eleven policemen when gunmen shelled a police station with mortars, then attacked directly.

Bush thinks Iraq elections shouldn’t be postponed. I agree. Unless, however, proper security cannot be provided or a significant portion of the population is unable to participate for whatever reason. Poor elections, in my opinion, are not better than delayed elections.

The Marines have changed their policy again on the reporting of deaths in action in Iraq. They will report them again. “We changed our policy in mid-October, deciding not to issue press releases on a casualty because we did not want to aid the enemy in determining the success of their actions,” Col. Jenny Holbert, a spokeswoman with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq, said by e-mail. It’s been reported that 71 US troops died in the fighting in Falluja. A number that seems to be mobile still as I’ve not heard of a full halt to attacks in the city.

Asia

Week long flooding in the wake of a typhoon in the Philippines has left many cut off from aid and raised the risk of disease, sure to add to the 550 already killed.

Henry Hyde, the chairman of the House of Representatives International Relations Committee, has accused China of being an impediment to progress in resolving the world’s most pressing conflicts, such as the nuclear disputes with North Korea and Iran.

Meanwhile North Korea is saying the US has no right to unilaterally set limits on Pyongyang’s nuclear activities, referring to the ‘red-line’, a term used informally by diplomats to refer to actions North Korea might take that could trigger a breakdown in talks.

Africa

Diplomatic sources say that Rwanda pushed into Congo early this week to fight Hutu rebels, but has since pulled out.

Europe

Vladimir Putin has now thrown his weight behind a full, brand spanking new election in Ukraine, rather than the EU plan of a quick repeat of the fraud-ridden runoff vote. On the face of it, I’m inclined to agree.

South America

Columbia will be freeing 23 jailed rebels to encourage Marxist guerrillas to free 72 hostages, including three Americans. Hopefully they will follow suit, though they haven’t responded yet.

North America

Bush has picked Bernard Kerik to replace Tom Ridge at the Department of Homeland Security. He had a stint as NYC Police Chief and was there through 9/11 and trained police forces in Iraq(As the article notes, whether he did a good job of it or not remains debatable). Will he actually do something useful with the Departmentof Homeland security? I suppose we’ll see if he gets through the approval process. Here’s more info on the man.

Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is satisfied now with the intelligence reform bill. This satisfaction brought, I hope, without diluting the changes to irrelevancy.

John Danforth(More info), US envoy to the UN, has resigned after only six months on the job. Colleagues say he’s been frustrated with his lack of independence, but that was mentioned nowhere in his resignation letter.

Judge Col. Stephen Henley has ruled a potentially damaging statement as inadmissible in the case of Lynndie England, but has allowed the prosecution to use two other sworn statements made by England, which the defense was trying to get thrown out. No ruling has been made on the photos yet.

The ACLU has accused the FBI of spying on political and faith-based groups and has formally asked the government for information on any such FBI surveillance. “The FBI is wasting its time and our tax dollars spying on groups that criticize the government, like the Quakers in Colorado or Catholic Peace Ministries in Iowa,” said ACLU associate legal director Ann Beeson. “Do Americans really want to return to the days when peaceful critics become the subject of government investigations?” The FBI has denied using task forces to spy on innocent individuals. In its FOIA request, the ACLU asked for information on procedures used by the task forces for monitoring people based on their race, religious affiliation, organizational membership or participation in protest activities.

There are allegations of TSA screeners at Regan National Airport, where those being screened are asked to remove clothing and expose private parts in violation of TSA’s internal guidelines, some asked to duck walk in such a condition to ‘see if something would fall out’. TSA employees say that after they complained, the private screenings were moved into a managers office where unsuspecting passengers were either taped or monitored on close circuit TV. I would think these allegations deserve a frank investigation. This is simply improper. Anyone doing such things should be sacked immediately.

New ways of protecting US soldiers from RPGs, biological weapons and more are shown off at a military science conference. Amusingly, there is even a morphine substitute that emerged from the rave scene.

A lesbian Methodist minister was defrocked yesterday for violating a church law that bars its clergy from being practicing homosexuals.

A big anti-nuclear rally is being planned for New York City. Organizes from United for Peace and Justice and Abolition Now are planning it for May 1st in Central Park, before a United Nations meeting to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Personally, I’m of that basic belief as well. I think nuclear weapons need to be universally banned. Unfortunately, the doing is much harder than the saying.

Gay rights groups are peevish with CBS and NBC’s decision to bar the ads from a church, welcoming homosexuals, from airing because they were too controversial. Robert Chase, director of communications for the United Church of Christ, was surprised because he ran in six test markets last spring in predominantly Republican states and drew no complaints. It seems a bit off because the adds aren’t saying homosexuality is ok, they’re only welcoming homosexuals to attend his particular church, which is a pretty generic message.

Watching the President’s Council on Bioethics. Not the most stimulating time to be spent, which is sad, since they discuss issues of great importance to our present and future.

Do you think Republicans are the new Democrats? Do you think Democrats will be come the new Republicans?

Amusements

Spongebob sniper on the loose

Police pull over man for driving without headlights, discover he’s wearing only a hoodie and panties (w/pics)

California man has 1,497 valid credit cards

Two escaped convicts are no match for 88-year-old granny with cane

Drunk man with kitten in pocket leads cops on low-speed tractor chase ending in telephone pole

Man steals golf course. Slowly

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this hovering Joint Strike Fighter

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this tug-o-war

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this turkey-packaging plant