News – Truth in Embassy

Middle East

Some C student at Berger Devine Yaeger, the firm contracted to design the US embassy in Iraq, makes 3D images of the new building available online after the actual plans made it to the net as well. They’ve since been removed, but I’m sure they’ve been copied by someone. By the looks of it, the embassy is going to equate to a small, enclosed city with its own schools, shopping, emergency facilities, infrastructure and recreation. Now.. it might be me, but that doesn’t paint a very rosy picture of how the US views the future of Iraq. Anyone else get that vibe?

A video of BBC reporter Alan Johnston shows up on the internet. This being the first sign of him since his capture in March. On it he says the usual, that he’s fine and his captors treat him well, then he goes on what is likely a prepared speech denouncing the current situation in Palestine. Of course, who knows when this was recorded.

Iran muddies up the waters of national relations once more by imprisoning several Iranian-Americas in the country based on spying charges.

Heavy fighting resumes in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

Africa

Public sector workers in South Africa are marching for more pay with an indefinite strike. Well and good, but when some of the health workers start to actively try and keep people from entering a hospital.. that I don’t agree with, no matter how bad the state is being about pay.

World renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs believes that US sanctions on Sudan won’t do a thing to help Darfur. He says the root causes lie with a squeeze on natural resources and economic development will be what brings long term peace.

Asia/Pacific

Agreement continues to come slow between North and South Korea, but at least they’re keeping at it.

Europe

The EU has a new law requiring that companies take up the burden of proof to prove their chemicals are safe for use and will require the safety testing of tens of thousands of chemicals in current use.

Putin says that recent Russian missile tests are a response to the US missile defense shield being placed in central Europe. Personally, I think Putin is a paranoid lunatic to think the US wants to start a new arms race. The sooner Russia gets rid of him, the better off they’ll be.

Americas

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against a subsidiary of Boeing(Jeppesen) for its alleged role in the White House’s extraordinary renditions.

Once again showing his ineptitude at playing the salesman game, Bush compares Iraq to Korea now. Because Americas will back someone that sees US troops staying in Iraq at some level for the next 50 years. That ignoring the obvious differences between the Korean war and the Iraq war that make such an analog flimsy at best.

Jack Kevorkian gets out of jail. He says he’ll no longer counsel people to suicide, but will fight for the right to euthanasia.

Robert Soloway, dubbed the ‘spam king’ is arrested and indicted for his spamming ways.

Looks like they’ve drafted Fred Thompson, as he intents to run for prez in 2008.

Monica Goodling testifies to ‘vote caging’ by by Arkansas’ soon to be ex-interim, never-confirmed U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin. I didn’t know what vote caging was before reading this, but it sounds pretty shady.

General

A new wrinkle in those DRM free tracks from Apple’s iTunes. Looks like they store data within themselves about who bought them. The big question is.. what does Apple plan to do with said info? The most obvious possibility is they might use it, when the track shows up on a file sharing site, to trace it back to who bought it.

Use of cell phones with built in cameras at medical facilities is becoming a serious issue when it comes to privacy concerns.

Blizzard is suing gold spammers who flood the online game with whispered ads for their illegal(though as of yet untested in court) businesses. For those that play or have played, I can tell you that their recent foray into squishing the in game spam has gone swimmingly. Whispered adverts are almost gone entirely. Of course, the spammers have shifted tactics. They’ve started sending out random group invites, presumably to spam the person in party when they accept(I dunno, I’ve not accepted one yet) and occasionally station level 1 throw away chars at the Auction House to spam adds in say.

Looking at the history of pun laden church signs.

The Blogs look at the traveler who came down with and may have spread a nasty strain of TB, the latest accusations over the death of Alexander Litvinenko and a new Harry Potter theme park.

Today’s Papers has Eric Jackson’s quest to publish children’s books that have a conservative message, note that the man who is infected with a dangerous strain of tuberculosis was allowed to enter the United States from Canada even though his passport immediately generated a warning to the border-control agent, Bush’s call for a new set of meetings to discuss ways to cut greenhouse-gas emissions globally and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Dragon Force: Operation Ground and Pound – A little something different to add in. I dunno why, but I just love thrash/speed metal like this. And the creative video to go with it only adds to the sweetness.

Neurotically Yours: Squirrel Songs IV

Man arrested for shoplifting gets cuffed and thrown into cop car. He slips the cuffs and steals the car. Sirens blaring, he drives away and crashes into a Buick. He runs, is attacked by a K-9, jumps to his feet and says, The Aristocrats

Not News: Man was speeding while drunk. News: He gets busted by the cops. Fark.com: He had been driving in reverse for several miles

Funny: wild turkeys running rampant. Funnier: at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Funniest: this reporter’s God-awful attempts at rudimentary humor

Student’s class history project triggers lockdown of two schools. EVERYBODY PANIC

Safety Nazis force fire department to buy special reclining chairs for firefighters working nights to sleep in, ban firefighters from using them until they get special training, then file charges when firefighters nap on the floor instead

Kansas City woman wants to serve Paris Hilton’s sentence

Not news: Kids denied high school diplomas because of graduation behavior. News: Claim it is because they’re black. Fark: Hold news conference at the adult bookstore

89-year old British woman doesn’t want to endure airport hassles, takes taxi to Greece

If a state agency randomly sends you a check for $2.5 million, should you: a) Call and inform them of their mistake,b) Throw the check away, or c) Immediately spend all the money on cars and electronics

Woman to navy: “Somebody set us up the bomb”. Navy: “Uuhhh, could you call back tommorow?”

New York wants to make it a felony to sell games with depraved violence and indecent images to minors. Parental responsibility surrenders, new wave of Hollywood horror film makers light cigars and laugh

Authorities seize 46 toy guns from Walmart for looking “too realistic.”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this seaside attack

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these itty-bitty frogs

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop what happens next