News – The Ick Factor

General

It seems that some husbands, when in the delivery room with their wives, find themselves losing desire for their wives afterward. Many bloggers show much scorn for these men, who seem traumatized by witnessing the birth. Certainly this is a problem, though some seem to take a total black and white argument that such men are 100% wrong and despicable for their feelings, where there should be a room to debate and consider where sexuality, biology and the mind clash. Squeamishness is not something we can control. I’m sure many of my readers can think back and find a place where they are totally and irreversibly reserved to respond with ‘Ick!’, yes? Something to consider before lambasting in total.

UN officials say human trafficking is on the rise worldwide.

32 UN ambassadors begin a week of crisis talks on the much-amended draft document made for a summit to address extreme poverty, human rights, terrorism, proliferation and U.N. management reforms. Hopefully it will be salvaged despite the ill-timed additions.

How about chicken eggs used to produce human anti-bodies? An interesting concept.

You can even get your religious fix with podcasts, though I don’t know that all would go for gospel on the go, to turn a phrase.

Don’t expect the self driving car too soon, troubles plague it despite advances toward the goal.

Explainer notes how you measure sea level and how New Orleans got down there in the first place.

Today’s Papers has county director of emergency management saying the White House’s “preoccupation with terrorism” is giving short shrift to natural-disaster preparedness and sticking a knife in FEMA, Katrina’s destructive power exacerbated by the human-caused erosion of the coastline, one of the few dispatches from what seems to have been ground zero: Gulfport, Miss and more in the one page news.

Middle East

Iran says, via state TV, that it has made a breakthrough in using biotechnology to extract larger and cheaper quantities of uranium concentrate from its mines.

Sunnis are split on Iraq’s draft constitution, with some demonstrating against it while some moderates hint they might support it in the referendum.

Might Nicaragua and South Africa be better models for Iraq’s constitution drafting than the US?

Lebanese police hold three former pro-Syrian officials for questioning by U.N. investigators probing the killing of ex-Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Iraq insurgents kill a security official in Iraq’s North Oil Company and a companion traveling with him in a car.

North America

Hurricane Katrina has been wreaking havoc along the Gulf Coast, with heavy flooding and at least fifty people killed thus far. Fortunately New Orleans didn’t get a full on hit, but there was enough to flood low-lying areas. Rescuers are already on the scene, having prepared the days before.

Bunny Greenhouse, the Army Corps of Engineers’ top contracting official who blew the whistle on Haliburton’s contracts in Iraq sues the army after being demoted. Question is, was the demotion a factor of poor performance or retaliation.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt defends the FDA’s delayed ruling on over-the-counter access for a “morning-after” pill, saying officials never guaranteed a “yes or no” decision by this week.

Venezuela plans to sell as much as 66,000 barrels per day of heating fuel from its U.S. Citgo refinery to poor communities in the United States.

Iraq war supporters and protestors follow Bush around.

A little over half of US workers say their pay is falling behind the rising cost of gas and health care and seventy percent say employers aren’t giving them raises to keep up with the higher costs according to a survey released on Tuesday by the AFL-CIO.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Christians Caring for Creation have teamed up to sue the Bush administration over the endangered arroyo toad, because of a decision previously made by Supreme Court candidate Roberts.

Anime is becoming bigger and bigger in the US, with many stations banking on imports this fall.

Amusements

Police surmise man, who wrapped himself in black plastic bag, then robbed convenience store at drill-bit point, may have been influenced by watching too many TV crime shows

Kentucky Governor pardons everybody who might be charged with crimes in connection to his administration

Man successfully holds his own against Disney World by placing giant plastic tyrannosaurus rex next to interstate

Jellyfish shut down nuclear reactor. White House considering massive jellyfish airdrop over site of Iranian nuclear power plant

The hundred rudest town names in Britain. Swallow Passage in London only makes it to No. 23

Man flees when armed robbers break into his home. Calls police to report crime, but grudgingly admits that they might find a marijuana grow-op farm when they arrive

Thousands of runners braved 102-degree heat in tutus, lime-green inner tubes, fairy wings, capes and tiaras. Event included rest stops for bacon, donuts and beer, and winners were pelted with Jello

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Express your blatant disregard for civilization on this empty road

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this prince o’ rhythm. Difficulty: No Prince

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Create a new version of Monopoly, including pieces and cards, more aptly suited to today’s times