News – Will Baathist Trials be Credible?
Middle East
Human Rights Watch has described the Iraqi Special Tribunal, set up to gather info on and try Saddam and his cronies, as having “serious human rights shortcomings” and lacking “fair-trial protections.” Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice Program at HRW says in a stateement, “Trying former Iraqi officials under the current rules could mean a wasted opportunity to put Saddam and his henchmen on trial in a manner that has credibility in the eyes of the world.”
Five Afghani prison guards and two prisoners were killed in an attempted jail break by alQueda militants in Kabul. Prison and police officials speculate that the alQueda prisoners may have planned to kill the three Americans imprisoned on the same cell block. Those Americans being the vigilantes Jonathan “Jack” Idema, Brent Bennett and award-winning documentary film maker Edward Caraballo.
Insurgents attack a car in Mosul, killing what seems three foreigners and their Iraqi driver, one of the victims having his head cut off. Details in the article.
Another Israeli raid in Gaza kills five Palestinians, done in response to a mortar attack by militants. At least five others were trapped in a collapsed smuggling tunnel as it was being dug under an army-controlled security strip between the Gaza town of Rafah and nearby Egypt.
Sharon backs Blair’s plan for a Middle East conference to come early next year. Good. Now let’s see if it manifests and if so what comes of it.
An article warning Shimon, head of the opposition Labor party that peace won’t be found by backing Sharon</A..
Asia
China is going to introduce anti-secession legislation soon, thought by some to be aimed at mandating the eventual reunification with Taiwan.
Europe
The EU and Turkey move closer to an agreement on letting Turkey in after the EU softens its demands on Cyprus.
The UN says a bugging device was found at its headquarters at Geneva, the device appearing to be of Russian or Eastern European origin and three to four years old by it’s size. No real note of if anyone finds this odd or distressing, which seems odd to me. But then, I’ve always been leery of such clandestine surveillance.
US
Opponents are lining up to fight his plans to privatize social security. Should all go well, we should get a descent sense of what Bush plans and if it will work. If all goes well.
A survey of FDA scientists show twenty percent say they were pressured to approve or recommend approval of a medicine despite their reservations about the drug’s risks or effectiveness. Is it just me or is anyone else feeling their faith in the FDA slip some?
The FCC gets flooded by opposition to lifting the ban on use of cell phones on commercial flights. A spokesperson said, “We’ve received a couple hundred e-mails from the public, most of whom believe that use of devices that don’t involve talking are fine, but are not looking forward to the possibility of hearing more conversations than they do now.”
Will revelations and headlines spawned by Bernard Kerik’s recent withdrawal from DHS head nomination stain those who pushed for him, such as Rudolph Giuliani?
Millions of Americans have given up on getting a flu shot this year. Tales of long lines and discouraging failed attempts to get them are attributed.
An Illinois governor wants to ban the sale and rental of violent and sexually explicit video games for children under 18. Personally, I don’t have a problem with that in general, though I’d prefer the stores and parents police their kids. Especially since the youngster can still be exposed to it if an older friend buys it.
Universal Pictures is planning to make The Battle for Falluja, a film to star Harrison Ford. It will be based on a yet-to-be-finished book, No True Glory: The Battle for Falluja by Bing West, a former marine, politician and now war correspondent. Is this a good idea? I couldn’t tell you.
The Real Gilligan’s Island. What’s the point of that? Personally, I’d rather watch old episodes of the actual series.
A lesson in avoidance from the Bush economic conference. I listened to some, but not all of that on Cspan, so didn’t get a real feel for what was being said.
How much are we going to spend before we realize missile defense doesn’t work? With Bush, lots more than the billions we’ve already sunk into that pit.
General
Wired wants you to send them nominees for their annual Vaporware Awards.
Through the magic of computer graphics Marlon Brando will reprise his rile as Don Vito Corleone in the EA video game based off of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather and the original novel by Mario Puzo. I wonder how they’ll do the voice work. Clips? Voice imitator?
Today’s Papers has Muammar Qaddafi asserting his giving up weapons got Bush elected, the NYT’s Paul Krugman suggesting looking at other nations and how they did with privatizing social security, the low effect of reconstruction projects on helping the people in Sadr city and more in the one page news.
Amusements
Sometimes avoiding service in Iraq isn’t as easy as having your cousin shoot you in the leg. Sometimes you have to screw up your story
Punta Gorda building inspectors surprised to discover their own Public Safety building not up to code
“Jennifer stood there, quiety ovulating,” and other hideously bad opening lines. The winners are…
Cops use taser to stop 300-pound man from stealing soda
Fark Photoshop Challenge: This dog is taking donations. Photoshop it
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this flying horse and its pilot
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop theme: Traditional garb for ancient people of Farkistan