News – Third Strike.. Who’s Out?

US

Well, we had the last of the Presidential Debates last night. They both seemed to do well. Bush acted less like a maniacal jack in the box(my general assessment of the town hall debate) and Kerry was pretty much steady, like the prior two debates. Were minds changed? Mine wasn’t, really, but it would take action from Bush to change my mind, not talk. I’ve heard enough of his talk over the last four years. They both talked a lot about faith at one point, not a topic that I particularly care about. I’d vote in a Satanist if he or she has good policies. Here are some quotes from the debate. Polls give Bush a slight lead in this debate. In general election cycle coverage, we see Arab American support for bush down in some states and cross accusations of vote improprieties from both sides of the field. I’m sure charges from both sides have some weight. This has been a dirty election cycle. Florida’s Supreme Court will be ruling on a request to nullify election rules that bar voters from casting votes outside of their own precincts. Given the many displaced by hurricanes these last few months, I think it’s a good idea. For this year at least.

The 9/11 Commission Report has been nominated to receive the National Book Award’s nonfiction prize.

Note: Any note of coins being made from silver found at Ground Zero are hoaxes. Don’t buy into them.

Bill O’Reilly is suing one of his associate produces and her lawyer for allegedly threatening him with a sexual harassment suit unless he and Fox pay out $60 million in hush money.

Forget terrorism, the Justice Department’s number one fight now is piracy.

TSA funding choice: cheese displays or anti-terrorism? Cheese. Huge bonuses or anti-terrorism? Bonuses (for the executives, of course). Your local terrorist wants TSA cheese – Just shameful.

The Supreme Court is musing the topic of the death penalty and minors. Should those under 18 who kill be killed themselves?

Iraq

A fresh turn in the Carlyle Group/Baker allegations. Seems the Carlyle Group never disclosed their little deal with Kuwait to use it’s influence, through Baker, to get the small nation $27bn in reparations.

A look at the Territorial Guard in southern Iraq, their new form of weekend warriors. Two parter.

The Green Zone gets hit, two explosions killing at least eight people.

The UK is joining efforts to freeze the assets of Iraq’s Tawhid wal Jihad group, the ones who killed British hostage Ken Bigley. It’s part of a a UN initiative and other nations are expected to join in.

Hundreds of Kurds in a mass grave. More evidence that’ll come back to bite Saddam in the ass. I surely hope they televise his trial, I want to hear what he has to say for himself.

Israel/Palestine

The death toll from Israel’s offensive in Gaza has risen to 100 since the 16 day operation started. The latest dead being two militants, an elderly man and a wounded woman. Thirty more homes were destroyed as well.

Israel and Europe could be headed for a political collision and sanctions if the conflict in the region isn’t solved. Though it likely won’t matter as I’m sure the US will pick up the economic slack.

The officer charged with pumping bullets into a Palestinian girl who was already shot has been suspended. He was suspended, in part, because several soldiers threatened to refuse to serve under him.

Iran

Russia says it has finished building Iran’s nuclear plant, with the only thing left to do is finish working out an agreement on sending spent fuel back to Russia to allay US fears of Iran using it for nuclear weapons. The plant won’t be started up until that deal is made.

Afghanistan

Confusion remains a part of the first Afghanistan election. Five days after the actual vote, it’s not clear if the eight regional counting centers have begun to tally the ballots. Some say they have, others say they haven’t.

What do you think of coverage of this election? Some think the US press is doing poorly. Since I don’t look at the papers that are cited, I haven’t seen anything but appropriate mention of what’s going on, such as the above link from Reuters, with reporters keeping an eye on the situation. If they’re fucking around with news on the election, they need to get over it. Election = good. Hopefully the count will go well and then we can get to solving some of the problems remaining in Afghanistan, such as the reliance on opium production.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s parliament has passed a bill that will allow President Pervez Musharraf to remain army chief, even though he previously promised to give up that role. All, it seems, so he can better fight terrorism. Sure.

General

Research is ongoing in determining if sexual preference is truly hardwired or not. Some theories suggest the ‘gay gene’ is passed from mother to son.

A global map of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere gives the most precise view of where our pollution hot spots are.

Today’s Papers has Cheney’s 2001 energy policy report promoting a type of oil drilling that benefits Halliburton, FDA approval of implantable medical IDs, word that none of the detainees has been able to challenge their detention despite Supreme Court justification that they can and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Vibrating sponge duck banned in Tennessee as a sex toy

Easy Bake Oven championships taking place in NYC today. No matter who wins, the judges lose

Republican congressman — who condemned Janet Jackson for her boob display at Super Bowl — is featured in a 1974 newspaper article showing him streaking

School gives student fake gun for Civil War reenactment. Student takes gun. School has student arrested for possession of fake gun

Neurotically Yours: The Jiggly Butt – The title matches the content gratuitously. You have been warned. 😉

Mark Fiore: Opposite Land

: Photoshop these archaeologists staging their dig

: Photoshop this kid on her tractor

: Farker pepper99’s wife is in the hospital recovering from surgery. Photoshop ways for her husband to pass the hours at her bedside. Difficulty: Medical equipment