News – Tort Reform Needed?

North America

A Texas study, showing that claims that medical costs were soaring because of too many malpractice lawsuits were not true. I think this merits a pause in attempts to pass tort reform until other states can be looked at for the true reason that medical costs are soaring. I think we’re doing the same with many things, taking measures to solve a problem before we truly understand it. As always, that’s a prime way to make the wrong decisions.

Government Accountability Office Comptroller General David Walker warns that in time U.S. tax revenues may barely cover interest payments on the federal debt if we keep going down our current fiscal path. I wouldn’t be surprised if it did happen. Americans have forgotten the real meaning of belt tightening in our modern age.

Efforts to adjust the bankruptcy bill, including softening the impact of families with children and closing a loophole for the wealthy, were rejected by the US senate.

Florida’s lawmakers are entering the right to die arena again, with legislation that would prevent the withholding of food from terminally ill patients.

The Whote House threatens to veto the Highway bill if it exceeds a proposed spending cap of $284 billion over six years.

The Pentagon says it’s policies didn’t cause the prisoner abuse in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanimo, though now it looks more like negligence on the pentagon’s part could be at issue.

Fifty two international media giants have banded together to overturn an Ontario court ruling in a libel case, which they say threatens free speech and development of the Internet.

There are fewer and fewer women in the IT field as of late, with an unfortunate reason being that they still cary the bulk of the domestic burden in our society.

WWTV, a CBS affiliate based in Cadillac, Michigan got so many complaints about the upcoming Dan Rather: A Reporter Remembers special that they put it to a vote as to whether they’d carry it or not. There was a report that 63% of the 1000 who responded to the poll on their site voted against it. However the poll was later pulled and replaced with an apology from the stations general manager and a promise to show the special.

Middle East

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud reappointed pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karami, which is sure to get the anti-Syrian opposition hot and bothered in a bad way. Will Karami’s new cabinet be packed with pro-Syrian types? Likely so.

According to an official report, the Israel I government is guilty of systematic fraud, “institutional lawbreaking” and the theft of private Palestinian land to secretly build Israeli settlements which are illegal by current regs. I wouldn’t be surprised if every accusation were true. And they’ll reap what they’ve sewn in that regard. Sad that it is. And not just from angry reaction from others, but by the double standard they’ve shown the settlers, a very reactionary and radical group by some accounts.

The Israeli soldier who is responsible for the death of a British Journalist on the Gaza strip will receive only minor punishment. Again, I’m far from surprised.

Insurgents, posing a police men, killed a Baghdad police chief today. The latest in a series of attacks targeting Iraqi police.

Abu Ghraib prison will be turned over to Iraqi control, along with three other detention facilities.

Israeli soldiers conduct a raid, killing a n Islamic Jihad militant. Things, it seems, are slowly reverting back toward what they once were.

Pakistan reveals that Abdul Qadeer Khan, disgraced scientist dubbed the father of Pakistan’s atomic bomb, gave Iran centrifuges that could be used to purify uranium for use in weapons. Of course, that brings up the question of what else they could be used for.

Explainer details the Martyrs’ Square.

Europe

Chechen separatists Chechen separatists have selected a new, as of yet unnamed leader(prudent), but have made it clear that Shamil Basayev(Mastermind of the disastrous school hostage taking) isn’t the one. Though I think they should, it would get Russia to take his sorry ass out of the picture.

General

A new material that mimics sharkskin could prevent barnacles and other matter from attaching to the hulls of ships. From nature we learn many a lesson.

Researchers identify the protein that is critical for achieving pregnancy. This could lead to non-hormonal contraception or male infertility treatments.

Today’s Papers has continued trouble for Bush’s ‘Clear Skys’ legislation, leaked details from the military’s classified Church report on prisoner abuse, anonymous administration officials acknowledging that they reluctantly recognize that they must accept Hezbollah as a legitimate political player in any vision of an independent Lebanon(interesting) and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Neurotically Yours: <A HREF="http://www.illwillpress.com/medz.html”>Medicated Baby Heads (Quite wrong)

Mark Fiore: Travels with Bush

Over-eager attorney accidentally sues himself. If he wins, he might take himself for everything he’s got

Five-year-old summoned for jury duty three times in five years, argues unsuccessfully that the boss is gonna bust his ‘nads if he doesn’t make his shifts

Robot loses to teenage girl in arm-wrestling contest. Skynet goes back to the drawing board

Fred Durst seeking more than $70 million over sex video, may be enough to cover beer-gut liposuction

Child-support workers caught in stairwell of state building with their pants down. “We were just talking”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop TFer CuddleButt’s caterpillar photo

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this guy drinking in traffic

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this angry-looking koala