News – Tooting One’s Own Horn

North America

Bush calls his Medicare prescription drug benefit “the greatest advance” in health care for the elderly since the creation of Medicare itself. I wouldn’t agree with that. And even if it were, it hasn’t been in effect long enough to declare such a thing.

The Senate Ethics Committee has ended its investigation of Sen. Richard Shelby over allegations he was the source of a media leak about how the National Security Agency handled messages before the September 11 attacks.

A security alert is given, warning Americans they could face danger in clubs, restaurants and schools in southern China.

John McCain offers Bush some advice. Stay the rosy view on Iraq and tell the simple truth in all of it’s nastiness and beauty. When it’s good, say it is, when it’s bad, say it is.

Middle East

Sajida al-Rishawi, a fourth unsuccessful bomber, part of the prior triple blast that hit Jordan, talks about her role.

Condi Rice says that an agreement on Palestine’s border is ‘in sight’. Of course, that is likely to be gone should a bomb go off, because we know the first thing Israel does when an attack occurs is draw into itself like a clam and cut off whatever diplomacy was going on at the time. I maintain that Palestine’s borders are no longer its affair. They need to focus on their own borders.

Bill Clinton urges Israel to get back into diplomacy for solving regional problems rather than forcing things with unilateral efforts. There is hope, if we can all stop looking back and look forward.

Iraqi Insurgents have started going abroad to strike, where might their next target be? International Papers muse the event and possibilities.

Tony Blair says British forces might start pulling out in 2006 if local forces are strong enough to keep the peace.

Asia

During the last set of talks, North Korea offered to note test nuclear arms, first of five steps in a roadmap they created, during the last phase of talks. But the US has denied anything sort of immediate and irreversible dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear programs before it will offer compensation.

Bird Flu remains a problem in China. An uncontrolled one if you believe what comes from the government.

Bush goes on a tour through Asia. Don’t worry, Bush, your problems will still be here when you get back.

Europe

The French government is backing up extension of emergency powers for three months to curb the extended violent unrest.

Britain’s Territorial Army is in dire straights, with Iraq being a significant reason for low troop strength.

General

An EKG to go. For those that can afford it, as with all new tech it is quite spendy.

Bloggers look at Bush’s contentious Veteran’s Day speech and a radical set of policy proposals put forth in the Weekly Standard for the future of the Republican party.

Today’s Papers has the next step that liberal groups will take in campaigning against Alito won’t involve abortion, the pervasiveness of secret police in the Middle East(even in nations we laud as allies), the amount of Charitable giving for Hurricane Katrina victims soon to surmount that given for 9/11 victims and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Desperate mom tries to get kid out of house publishes full-page article in local paper titled “Who wants to date my daughter?”

“Four people were treated at a hospital for minor injuries, and five others were treated at the mall” due to a frenzy over a boy band you’ve never heard of playing at a suburban mall

When driving a truck with 600 pounds of marijuana across the George Washington Bridge, it’s really important to remember to stay in the truck lanes

Amazon patents product reviews, search engines, internet shopping, Christmas

Developer slaps stay-at-home mom with $2 million defamation suit after she blogs about lousy quality of construction in her subdivision

You find an officer writing you a parking ticket. Do you a) Accept it ruefully as you were in the wrong; b) Take the ticket but vow to fight it; or c) Curse out the officer, punch him in the chest and stuff the ticket back into his pocket?

Girl accused of using stolen credit card sends her twin sister to stand in for her at court. Jailarity ensues. Jailarity ensues

Man who wrongly predicted five US cities would be destroyed on Friday has been fired, considers it a “resignation”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Veteran’s Day is one of the least commercialized U.S. holidays there is. Fix this

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these excited folk who act as if they’ve never seen an ice lake before

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop theme: Unlikely parade balloons

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop what the news organizations would say if they didn’t have to worry about being politically correct