News – We’re Not Safer

Americas

According to an intelligence report, Al-Queda is stepping up efforts focused toward the US. Hopefully our intelligence community can dig up something more substantial. Another note is how this report seems to completely destroy Bush’s “fight tem over there so we don’t have to here” argument. If his plans were working, there shouldn’t be an increased risk to the home front.

The Senate camps out as they pursue marathon talks on Iraq.

The US military is prepping for the potential of laser warfare.

Lots of people have plans for Iraq, but are any of them good?

Middle East

Israel up and sets a list of 250 Palestinian prisoners to be released as a show of support for Abbas and Fatah. 85% of said prisoners are members of Fatah. Interesting how Israel can just release a bevy of these folks suddenly when it suits their political interests. You’d think they had no real reason to he holding these people in the first place if they’re so easily released. Yeah, I know, kinda out of the blue. But really, does no one else get that impression? When have you heard of Israel actually releasing a cluster of their prisoners before?

Looks like the NATO forces ion Afghanistan are having problems. Makes the argument that we should have stayed in there until we’d truly finished with clearing out the Taliban and making Afghanistan stable before dealing with Iraq in any major way.

Africa

Could a recently found underground lake help quell the Darfur conflict?

Asia/Pacific

North Korea closes all five facilities at its Yongbyon nuclear site. So far so good.

Upset amongst civial and leagal rights groups rises over the detention of Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef in Australia. Despite being granted bail, authorities continue to detain him and a leaked transcript of a police interview with him muddies the case.

Europe

Spain releases the Ocean Alert, a ship owned by Odyssey Marine Exploration. I hardly expect the row over the treasure is finished, however.

A hoax show on Dutch TV sparks a flood of folk registering as organ donors. The show, called the ‘Big Donor Show’ featured a competition between patience they kidney of a donor. All of it was faked, however.

Poland wants part of the US missile defense shield in their country, despite Russia’s upset over the issue.

General

Explainer notes how stick figures get pregnant.

The Blogs look at the clergy-abuse settlement in Los Angeles, the new National Intelligence Estimate and Bush’s new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.

Today’s Papers has the potential leak of the new Harry Potter book online days before its weekend release, word that officials from the Office of National Drug Control Policy were enlisted by the administration to help campaign for vulnerable Republicans before the 2006 midterm elections, word that Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with lawmakers yesterday to try to figure out a way to shift around $1.3 billion so that Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles could be delivered more quickly to troops in Iraq and more in the one page news.

Amusements

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070716/ap_on_go_co/vitter_senate_8

Man in bar calls 911 because A) bartender shortchanged him on bar tab, B) it’s nearly closing time and the girls aren’t looking like movie stars yet, or C) he’s surrounded by police

Florida gets Floridier every day as Ghostbusters-type franchise opens, compete with a UFO team leader — I don’t want to believe, I just want to leave

Canada Border Services asks that you please stop mailing bazookas to Canada. Thanks

Judge cancels father’s visitation rights after asshat dad took his 10-year-old son running with the bulls

Indian condom wins taste test. Yeah, but you should see the bubbles you can make

California court rules that NFL can do pat-down searches of fans attending games. Lawsuits can be expensive, but freedom is still just a buck oh five

Rush hour traffic on St Louis bridge treated to free street theater when car smashes into several stopped vehicles, followed by bloody man exiting vehicle being chased by very angry stripper with no pants on

Man misinterprets sign language of deaf man as some sort of “disrespect,” but after responding aggressively has no problem interpreting the universal language of a good old fashion country whooping

Tennessee sheriff’s deputies charged with taking deer out of season. Fark: While on-duty, in a public park, with a spotlight, and after posing for pics with dead deer in patrol car

Bumbling armed robbers told off by pensioner, then get trapped in their getaway car

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this dude and his … thing

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this nocturnal mammal of the Procyonidae family taking a walk

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Now that Transformers has made it to the big screen, Photoshop some other movie adaptations of classic toys