News – Today’s New Logic
Middle East
The White House justifiably fears that if they end up cutting off aid, well things will get ugly in Palestine. So rather than seeking to make sure they won’t have to cut off aid, they try to convince other Arab states to fund Palestine if we cut it off. So we won’t fund a ‘terrorist state’, but we’ll encourage other Arab states to do it? What sort of screwed up logic is that?
Israel expects to suspend monthly tax payments during a policy review. This would be customs revenue collected on behalf of the Palestinians. I would agree that this amounts to stealing Palestinian money. If Israel wants to cleanly wash it’s hands of dealing with Palestine because of Hamas, they should stop collecting the customs money. Not keep collecting and keep the average of $50 million a month.
The five permanent members of the UN want to have the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions heard before the Security Council. Iran says this will kill of diplomatic efforts to solve the situation.
Europe
Some question Russia’s involvement in the G8, what with their questionable commitment to democracy and human rights. Putin defends his mation being in the G8, saying no one wants it to become a gathering of ‘fat cats’. Uhh.. and how exactly does Russia’s participation make it anything but? Russia is hardly a poor, unfortunate, third world nation.
North America
Despite Bush’s big peace agenda, he won’t be pushing for big reforms in Iran, it seems. Mind you, I don’t see this as all bad. The last thing we need at this precise moment is to start ragging on Iran for something else. As the Afghanistan/Iraq thing shows, it’s much better to fight one battle at a time when you have the luxury of choosing. Otherwise, you complicate matters needlessly.
Officials from six major gas companies refuse to testify at a Senate hearing looking into whether oil industry mergers in recent years have made gasoline more expensive at the pump. I guess they don’t want to tell their side of the story.
A lack of new blood in primary care could lead the system to collapse. Primary care being the basic medical services received when you, say, go in for a check up and physical and so forth.
State of the Union watch parties. You won’t catch me at one of them.
General
The Blogs look at a study opining that Republicans are more likely to harbor racist feelings toward blacks, Bob Woodruff’s injuries and a proposal to ban protesters at funerals.
Today’s Papers has note that aft he end of 2007 most of the multinational forces in Iraq will be gone, more big profits for the oil companies, Ayman al-Zawahiri popping up in a video to taunt the US and more in the one page news.
Amusements
“I’ve got some technology beneath my pants right now”
Tiffany’s buys 200 items of its own jewelry from Ebay, discovers 75 percent are fake. Sues Ebay for facilitating the sale of counterfeit jewelry
Man given ticket after letting his dog crap on sidewalk, then charged with littering after ripping up the ticket
Zürich police storm Credit Suisse branch after seven-hour standoff, find gunman had already left
Monument, Oregon’s new mayor first order of business seems to be racking up DUI’s and fleeing accident scenes (with sweet mugshot)
One GOP State of the Union house party boasts inclusion of a Jesse Jackson piñata. Who could possibly be offended by this?
Idiot, hoping to sell counterfeit shirts at Super Bowl, buys them in New York and figures it would be quicker to cut through Canada to get to Detroit with his load, unaware of the concept of “border guards”
The money’s still gone, but the mystery of where Enron’s big Es went has been solved. You can even drop by this guy’s place to see for yourself
Pilot — who tore off the door of his ditched plane, then used it as a surfboard to reach land — now has to explain why the whole plane is at a shipping company, in a box addressed to himself
Cricket players chase down and take down thief who tried robbing their cars during a game. “He squealed like a little girl when I hit him,” said winning batsman
Canada’s human rights commission to investigate whether stewardesses should be paid same as airline pilots and mechanics
Magazine editor fields death threats after controversial article. He didn’t take sides on abortion or make fun of Allah, he criticized Howard Stern
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop Wile E. Coyote inventions into real-life situations
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Disney is buying Pixar. Photoshop what wonderful and/or horrific combinations will result
Fark Photoshop Challenge: Make up a mythical combo-beast. Come up with a clever name for it. LGT oldie but goodie