What Caught My Eye Today

Turkey - U.S. officials promised that they would convey to Iraq Turkey's unease over Kurdish rebels in the north but they also expressed concern over the possibility of a Turkish military offensive in the region. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations after a House committee's approval of a resolution which would label the World War I-era killing of Armenians by Turks a genocide and warned of serious repercussions if Congress passes the resolution. U.S. officials said there are about 60,000 Turkish troops massed along the country's southern border with Iraq. But the U.S. military has not seen activity to suggest an imminent offensive against Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq who have been crossing the border to attack Turkish forces. Turkey's parliament was expected to approve a government request to authorize an Iraq campaign as early as next week. The U.S. is concerned a Turkish incursion into northern Iraq would disrupt one of the country's few relatively stable areas. Turkey's military preparations come amid concern in Washington that the genocide resolution could jeopardize supply routes the American military has used to move armored vehicles to troops in Iraq. About 70 percent of U.S. air cargo headed for Iraq goes through Turkey, as does about one-third of the fuel used by the U.S. military there. U.S. bases also get water and other supplies overland by Turkish truckers who cross into Iraq's north. At issue in the resolution is the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Turkey denies that the World War I-era deaths constituted genocide and says the toll has been inflated. Turkey also contends the dead were victims of civil war and unrest that killed Muslims as well as the overwhelmingly Christian Armenians.

Having had a bit more time to digest the story, I'll say this. If in fact the historical accounts of Turkey's actions during World War I are correct, then so be it. However, one has to question the timing of this resolution. Why now after so many attempts does the resolution have a chance of making it through Congress? I can only hope that Congress is doing this because it truly believes this is the right thing to do, rather than doing this because Congress has finally found something it can do with or without Bush's approval.

Israel - Israel's air strike inside Syria last month was directed at a site judged by Israeli and U.S. intelligence analysts to be a partly constructed nuclear reactor. The reactor was apparently modeled on one in North Korea used for stockpiling nuclear weapons fuel. The targeted Syrian facility appeared to have been much further from completion than an Iraqi reactor the Israelis destroyed in 1981. Some officials said the facility was years away from being used to produce spent nuclear fuel that could eventually be used for weapons-grade plutonium. It remains unclear how far Syria had gotten with the plant before the attack, what role North Korea might have played and whether a case could be made it was intended to produce electricity. Every time I read about something like this, I wonder how many other countries are trying to do the same thing and just haven't been caught yet? I also can't stop the little conspiracy theorist in me from speculating that maybe the reason we are such staunch allies of Israel is that they can act in ways that the U.S. cannot. I bet you they launched the strike using firepower provided by Uncle Sam.

British Royals - Paparazzi on motorbikes chased Prince William's car through the streets of London last week, trying to get the first photos of him and his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, since the couple reunited this summer. The pursuit took place just as the government began its inquiry into the death of William's mother, Princess Diana, who died when paparazzi were chasing her in Paris 10 years ago. Most of the U.K. tabloids declined to run the pictures after the Press Complaints Commission called the paparazzi's methods dangerous and unethical. Okay so where to begin on this one. The obvious observation is what an eerie deja vu. And how about cutting the guy a little slack, you vultures. Secondly, I notice that most tabloids declined to run the photos--not all. If the rags that decided to run the pictures see an increase in readership, don't expect the paparazzi to stop anytime soon. And lastly, the Press Complaints Commission? What is that all about?

Steroids - Slugger Barry Bonds, sprinter Tim Montgomery, and now Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones have admitted to taking a powerful anabolic steroid known as 'the clear' and they all claim that they thought they were taking flaxseed oil. According to the head of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, "You'd have to be a moron to confuse flaxseed oil with an anabolic steroid." Derived from crushed flax-plant seeds, flaxseed oil is primarily used as an over-the-counter nutritional supplement that helps with heart disease and menopausal symptoms. It's also a common wood finish. There is no evidence that it leads to performance benefits. I have to say based on all this, I'm convinced...These athletes are absolutely morons.

Travel - There is a small but growing band of tourists who prefer to skip traditional hot spots and visit squalor instead. The trips are all part of an educational new travel niche dubbed 'poorism.' Private operators in Soweto, South Africa; Mumbai, India; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; and New York all offer similar tours. They're usually thrifty walking journeys that last a few hours during which clients visit commercial districts, schools and medical facilities. Guides are typically natives and they lace their tours with vivid stories about their own impoverished roots. Some critics worry that 'poorism' can be exploitative? Exploitative, you say? No kidding, Sherlock. Look at the name coined for it. As for the brilliant minds that are thinking of taking such an excursion, here's a thought. Why don't you take a drive through your own neighborhood and you'd be surprised how close to home the poor really are.

Boxing - The once-great Evander Holyfield failed in his quest to regain a piece of the world heavyweight title, losing a unanimous decision to Russian Sultan Ibragimov who remains WBO world champion. Holyfield, hoping to make history a week shy of his 45th birthday by reclaiming a world title for a record fifth time, was unable to inflict any real damage on his opponent before running out of gas himself. He did manage to defy predictions he would be knocked out in the first few rounds by the Russian southpaw 13 years his younger, managing to hold his ground in the center of the ring and prevent his opponent from landing too many serious blows. His defensive fighting was not enough though and the judges unanimously awarded the fight to Ibragimov with scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111. All true, I suppose, but the payday sure must have been nice all the same. Now, Evander, I say this with your best intentions in mind when I say give it up, bro' before you go out and really hurt yourself.