What Caught My Eye Today

Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez said he would push for a constitutional revision that would allow him to remain in office beyond his scheduled departure in 2012. After the change's near certain approval by parliament, it will face a national referendum. Critics say the reform will move Venezuela closer to a Cuban-style dictatorship. Chavez already has virtual control over the judiciary, and his supporters control all seats in the national legislature. Closer to Cuba, huh? Seems to me Venezuela is already there.

Iraq - Emergency workers and grieving relatives uncovered dozens of bodies in the wreckage of clay houses in northwest Iraq, sending the death toll from suicide truck bombings of a small Kurdish sect to at least 250 — the war's deadliest attack on a single area. A U.S. general said the nearly simultaneous strikes against the Yazidis — who have been attacked by Muslim extremists who consider them infidels — was an act of "ethnic cleansing." An American military spokesman blamed the attack on al-Qaida. The carnage dealt a serious blow to U.S. efforts to pacify the country, with just weeks before top U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker are to deliver a pivotal report to Congress amid a fierce debate over whether to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. U.S. officials believe extremists are attempting to regroup across northern Iraq after being driven from strongholds in and around Baghdad, and commanders have warned they expected Sunni insurgents to step up attacks in a bid to upstage the report.

And speaking of the highly anticipated progress report...

Gen. David Petraeus said he was preparing recommendations on troop cuts before he returns to Washington next month for a report to Congress, and believes the U.S. footprint in Iraq will have to be "a good bit smaller" by next summer. But he cautioned against a quick or significant U.S. withdrawal that could surrender "the gains we have fought so hard to achieve." He went on to say, "We know that the surge has to come to an end, there's no question about that. I think everyone understands that by about a year or so from now we've got to be a good bit smaller than we are right now." It's hard to gauge how successful the troop surge has been base solely on media reports (which, frankly, don't paint that great of a picture), bu tone has to admire Petraeus for acknowledging the reality that this war has almost no public support anymore.

Afghanistan - Hundreds of U.S.-led troops have launched an offensive against al-Qaida and Taliban militants in an area of eastern Afghanistan where Osama bin Laden once hid. I point this out, if for no other reason, wondering why this is particularly newsworthy. Wasn't going after these guys the reason why we went to Afghanistan in the first place? If we aren't launching offensives against the enemy, why else would we be there?

Utah - To make a long story short, the rescue attempt is going on 9 days with no signs of life reported from the mine. That can't be good.

Government - A new poll has been published confirming what most of us already know. The President and Congress rank somewhere below terminal diseases in terms of favorability. The poll shows Bush's approval ratings at 35%, and Congress' even lower, 25%. Only 27%of those polled said the country is headed in the right direction, and 39% said they support the Iraq war, with 58% opposed. Of the 74%expressing congressional disapproval, 22% said lawmakers generally aren't doing their jobs. Another 20% cited a specific issue for their unhappiness. 12% said they disapprove of Congress because lawmakers care only about themselves and their party, while 10% cited backstabbing and infighting. So let's see here--ineptitude, inability to problem solve, selfishness and politics as usual--I'd say that just about covers the main flaws in our government.

Fashion - Esquire magazine released its 2007 list Best Dressed Men in the World. Here are the top 10:

1. Tom Brady, NFL Quarterback -- There's something wrong with a best dressed list when a pro football player grabs the top spot.
2. Jay-Z, Record Executive -- According to Esquire, he's also been given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Previous winners include Lyle Lovett, Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
3. Daniel Craig, Actor -- I guess this shouldn't come as much of a surprise. He is James Bond, after all.
4. Barack Obama, Presidential Candidate -- Yeah, this should give him a boost in the polls.
5. Andre Balazs, Hotelier -- I got nothing; never heard of the guy.
6. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France -- If you think this is weird, check out who got the 10 spot.
7. Hidetoshi Nakata, Former Soccer Player -- Goose eggs, again; don't know him.
8. Ryan Gosling, Actor -- Is it just me or does Gosling with a beard bare a striking resemblance to David Arquette?
9. Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, President of Ferrari -- Dude runs Ferrari. Of course he's going to dress well.
10. Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan -- I'm truly at a loss for words on this one.