What Caught My Eye Today

Sudan - Thousands of Sudanese, many armed with clubs and knives, rallied in a central square and demanded the execution of a British teacher convicted of insulting Islam for allowing her students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad." In response to the demonstration, the teacher was moved from the women's prison near Khartoum to a secret location for her safety. They called for Gibbons' execution, saying, "No tolerance: Execution," and "Kill her, kill her by firing squad." Many protesters carried clubs, knives and axes — but not automatic weapons, which some have brandished at past government-condoned demonstrations. That suggested Friday's rally was not organized by the government. Am I to understand that armed rioters are an indication of a government-supported demonstration? Good Lord. I may be missing something here, but it seems rather obvious to me that the series of events being communicated to the Sudanese people is vastly different from what the rest of the world is receiving. I wonder why that is?

Iran - The European Union said it was disappointed after talks with Iran seen as a last chance to avert U.S. pressure for tougher international sanctions over Tehran's disputed atomic program. The absence of a breakthrough at the London talks means six world powers meeting in Paris will try to agree new penalties to propose to the United Nations, despite differences in their approach to halting Iran's nuclear program. Taking a hard line, Iran's chief negotiator told reporters after the meeting it was "unacceptable" to demand Iran halt its uranium enrichment program and that any new U.N. sanctions would fail to prevent Tehran from pursuing its atomic work. The West says the program is aimed at building atom bombs and wants Iran to freeze its enrichment of uranium. Iran, a major oil exporter, says enrichment efforts are meant only to produce electricity which it says is an inalienable right. What draws my attention to this is that an a coalition of countries--rather than just the United States--has failed to make any progress with Iran. On one hand, I guess that bolsters our claim that Iran is being stubborn. On the other hand, it would have been better for all concerned, if these negotiations had proved more fruitful than previous attempts made by the U.S. alone.

Middle East - In an about face, the United States withdrew a U.N. resolution endorsing this week's agreement by Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try to reach a Mideast peace settlement by the end of 2008, apparently after Israel objected. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said he needed to consult with the Israelis and Palestinians overnight on the text of the resolution to ensure it was what they wanted. The State Department said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had decided such a resolution was unnecessary. U.S. officials said there were several concerns about the resolution, including the failure to consult the Israelis and Palestinians on the language and the possibility that some on the Security Council might try to add anti-Israeli language to it. One would think that we would have checked with the Israelis and Palestinians about the wording of the resolution before we submitted it to the U.N. Given the importance that President bush has placed on this, you'd think that the State Department would have kept much closer tabs on what was being presented at the U.N.

Russia - Former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, was released from jail after serving a five-day sentence for leading a protest against Vladimir Putin. Kasparov predicted the upcoming election season will force the secretive Putin to reveal his strategy in the nail-biting political game gripping the country as Putin's time in the Kremlin runs out. With Putin leading the ticket of the main pro-Kremlin party, United Russia, government authorities have made an all-out effort to secure an overwhelming victory. Putin has cast the election as a crucial vote for continuity — and suggested that a convincing United Russia win would give him a popular mandate to retain influence after the presidential vote, in which he is barred from seeking a third term. Kasparov labeled the upcoming vote a farce that will push the country toward dictatorship. Even if Kasparov is right, does anyone think that his protests are going to make much of a difference? He's been trying to drum up resistance to Putin for more than a year and what does he have to show for it. Last time I checked, Putin was enjoying an approval rate of around 80%. One could argue that Putin is controlling those numbers with strong-arm tactics, but it would be pretty hard to maintain that much control for as long as he has. My guess is that Putin enjoys a pretty decent amount of public support.

2008 Presidential Race - A man claiming to have a bomb strapped to his chest took two hostages at a New Hampshire campaign office for Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton. Clinton was scheduled to give an address at a Democratic National Committee meeting Virginia, but DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced that Clinton would not speak. Authorities were sending a tactical bomb unit to assist local police, and the area was evacuated, Workers for Sen. Barack Obama's campaign office also evacuated, a campaign spokesman said. The office is four doors away from Clinton's. Staffers in John Edwards' office, a few buildings away, evacuated as well. Clearly this campaign is striking a chord with a lot of folks who have impassioned feelings about the future direction of the country, but this is taking things way too far.

What Caught My Eye Today

Sudan - A Sudanese court convicted a British teacher Thursday of insulting Islam for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad and sentenced her to 15 days in prison, avoiding a heavier punishment of 40 lashes. The teacher wept in court, insisting she never meant to offend. The case began with a classroom project on animals in September at the private school, which has 750 students from elementary to high school levels, most from wealthy Sudanese Muslim families. The teacher had one of her 7-year-old students bring in a teddy bear, then asked the class to name it and they chose the name Muhammad. Each student then took the teddy bear home to write a diary entry about it, and the entries were compiled into a book with the bear's picture on the cover, titled "My Name is Muhammad." An office assistant at the school, Sara Khawad, complained to the Ministry of Education that the teacher had insulted the prophet. Comparing the Prophet Muhammad — Islam's most revered figure — to an animal or a toy could be insulting to Muslims. Influential Muslim hard-liners sought to raise outrage over the case. They compared her action to the prophet cartoons run in European papers and to Salman Rushdie, the British author who was accused of blasphemy for his 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses." I like to consider myself rather open minded when it comes to respecting the views of others when it comes to religion. Let's face it, religion can tend to be a rather touchy subject with a lot of folks. With that in mind, you have to wonder why the teacher got herself into this in the first place. Even if the intention was harmless--and you have to believe it was--she should have explained to the children what Muhammad was not an appropriate name to choose. However, the reaction to this momentary lapse in judgment is ridiculous. Locking up a teacher because of what her students chose to name a teddy bear? Come on. It's stunts like this that perpetuate the stereotypes that Westerns have about Muslims and vice versa.

Afghanistan - Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden called on Europeans to stop helping the United States in the war in Afghanistan. Bin Laden said it was unjust for the United States to have invaded Afghanistan for sheltering him after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, saying he was the "only one responsible" for the deadly assaults on New York and Washington. The message appeared to be another attempt by bin Laden to influence public opinion in the West. In 2004, he offered Europeans a truce if they stopped attacking Muslims, then later spoke of a truce with the U.S. In both cases, al-Qaida then denounced those areas for not accepting its offer. Al-Qaida has dramatically stepped up its messages — a pace seen as a sign of its increasing technical sophistication and the relative security felt by its leadership. Bin Laden is believed to be hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan frontier. Well let's see here. The United States has been hunting for this dude for the better part of 6 years without success. I'd feel rather secure too, if I were him. What I don't get is what bin Laden hopes to accomplish with this so-called strategy. Is he attempting to isolate the United States in the court of public opinion? Clearly, the past few years have shown that we don't give a flip about what other countries think of us.

2008 Presidential Race - With the final round of a yearlong campaign approaching, the Republican presidential race grew remarkably bitter as the top contenders jockeyed for the upper hand — and sought it by tearing down one another. The most fierce exchanges came from the candidates with the most at stake five weeks before the voting begins; the frequent pot shots from Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson in particular underscored the extraordinary volatile state of the race in which any candidate seemingly has a chance to win. A testy exchange on immigration, a heated issue that divides the GOP field, opened the debate and set the tone. The responses showed who was willing to throw the sharpest elbows — and who was receiving the most.

Here are some of my favorite soundbites:

In biting comments, Giuliani accused Romney of running a "sanctuary mansion" that employed illegal immigrants as gardeners and called him "holier than thou." Equally as sharp-tongued, Romney scolded Giuliani, saying "Mayor, you know better than that" and argued that it would "not be American" to check the papers of workers employed by a contractor simply because they have a "funny accent." 'Funny accent,' Governor? I'm not sure the folks that you are supposedly defending would not appreciate your characterization of their accents as funny.

Fred Thompson argued that Romney supported President Bush's unpopular comprehensive immigration reform plan and sarcastically added: "Now, he's taken another position, surprisingly." In a not-so-subtle dig at Giuliani's disgraced former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, Thompson also slyly said: "We've all had people probably that we have hired that in retrospect probably is a bad decision." So Senator, is it fair to say that you've never flip-flopped on anything or hired someone that didn't work out so well? You know what they say--let he who is without guilt cast the first stone.

As the others engaged in spats, John McCain played the part of an adult during the debate, explaining in even tones why the country must first secure its borders but then address other issues arising because of a failed immigration policy. He lamented "rhetoric that unfortunately contributes nothing to the national dialogue." Is it just me or does that sound bite sound suspiciously like rhetoric?

Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister who also supports the death penalty was asked, "What would Jesus do" about the death penalty, Huckabee responded: "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office." Sure, he dodged the question, but his response was easily the best of the night.

Oil - A fire at a pipeline from Canada that feeds oil to the United States killed two people and sent oil prices soaring before burning out. Two workers fixing the underground pipeline were killed when fumes apparently escaped and ignited the blaze in Clearbrook, about 215 miles northwest of Minneapolis. The 34-inch pipeline carries crude oil from Saskatchewan to the Chicago area. The pipe had leaked a few weeks ago and was being repaired.The crude oil is used to make several kinds of fuel, such as gasoline and heating oil for homes. An average of 1.5 million barrels of oil passes through the pipeline each day. We just cannot cut a break on oil. We luck out for a second year in a row with practically no hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, but now we've got leaky pipes in the North. I'd like to ask what could go wrong next, but I won't. I don't want to jinx things any worse than they already are.

What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - President Bush told the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian territories he is personally committed to their mission of peace, urging them to stick with it and not lose sight of their goal. Bush met separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the White House, and then with the two men jointly before the trio emerged for a presidential sendoff. The Bush administration pronounced itself pleased with the outcome of the conference. It drew 44 nations, including neighboring Arab states whose support is considered vital to any peace agreement. A joint understanding between the Israelis and Palestinians, in doubt until the last minute, was salvaged. And Abbas and Olmert reiterated their desire to reach a peace settlement by the end of next year.

Good news, folks. I managed to sneak a snippet of some of the chatter that went on as these guys said goodbye to each other.

Bush: So we're all in the page here, right Elmer? You too, Mohammed?
Abbas: It's Mahmoud, Mr. President.
Olmert: Let it go, Mahmoud. It's not worth the trouble. Yes, Mr President. We are in agreement. Let me say on behalf of the Israeli people, that we thank you for your hospitality, and...
Bush: Ain't nothing, Elmer. Got to do what you got to do to build that legacy, I mean keep the peace. Now don't you forget what we talked about. You get that peace deal done by November, see?
Abbas: Excuse me, Mr. President, why November?
Olmert: That's when the U.S. will elect it's next president. I'm sure President Bush would like to announce the peace settlement at a time when it will most benefit his political party.
Bush: Heck no. I don't care about that. I want that Nobel Peace Prize do-hickey. You don't know what a bug in my butt it's been having to listen to that Al Gore go on about how he finally beat me.

Iraq - Nearly 6,000 Sunni Arab residents joined a security pact with American forces in what U.S. officers described as a critical step in plugging the remaining escape routes for extremists flushed from former strongholds. For about $275 a month — nearly the salary for the typical Iraqi policeman — the tribesmen will man about 200 security checkpoints beginning Dec. 7, supplementing hundreds of Iraqi forces already in the area. About 77,000 Iraqis nationwide, mostly Sunnis, have broken with the insurgents and joined U.S.-backed self-defense groups. Those groups have played a major role in the lull in violence: 648 Iraqi civilians have been killed or found dead in November to date, compared with 2,155 in May. U.S. troop deaths in Iraq have also dropped sharply. So far this month, the military has reported 34 deaths, compared with 38 in October. In June, 101 U.S. soldiers died in Iraq. This has all the markings of General Petraeus's handiwork. I'd say let's make him the next President, but he's far too valuable to be wasted on that job. Though perhaps we can show the man our appreciation by putting him on the $50 bill. If that's a bit extreme, how about a national holiday? Wouldn't you agree that it's kind of a long stretch between Presidents Day and Memorial Day?

Venezuela - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he was cutting off all contacts with the Colombian government, but left it unclear whether he was announcing an end to diplomatic relations between the two countries. Chavez's announcement came after a series of sharp exchanges with President Alvaro Uribe set off when the Colombian leader last week abruptly ended the Venezuelan's mediation between Colombia's government and leftist rebels. Uribe, Washington's closest ally in South America, removed Chavez and a Colombian senator from talks with the FARC rebels a week ago, saying the Venezuelan leader had violated the conditions of his involvement by speaking directly to the head of Colombia's army. Chavez said he was putting relations with Colombia "in the freezer," calling Uribe a "liar" and accusing him of "not wanting peace." Lemme see here,Colombia has pissed off Chavez, huh? Call me crazy, but I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a big increase in U.S. aid to Columbia in the next year. Call it positive reinforcement of desired behavior.

Stock Market - Wall Street barreled higher for the second day in a row, giving the Dow Jones industrial average its biggest two-day point gain in five years after a Federal Reserve official hinted that the central bank may lower interest rates again. The market was clearly optimistic that at least some of the damage from the months-long credit crisis was finally being mitigated. However, Wall Street has been fickle in recent months, with the Dow often rising and falling by triple digits. The Dow soared 331.01, or 2.55 percent, to 13,289.45, adding to the blue chip index's 215 point gain on Tuesday. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 40.79, or 2.86 percent, to 1,469.02 and the Nasdaq composite index shot up 82.11, or 3.18 percent, to 2,662.91. The Dow remains more than 6 percent below its Oct. 9 record close over 14,000 Tune in tomorrow for highlights of the massive sell off that will wipe away all of today's gains.

Literacy - U.S. fourth-graders have lost ground in reading ability compared with kids around the world, according to results of a global reading test. Test results showed U.S. students, who took the test last year, scored about the same as they did in 2001. The average U.S. score was above the average score in 22 countries or jurisdictions and about the same as the score in 12 others. The U.S. average fell toward the high end of a level called "intermediate." At that level, a student can identify central events, plot sequences and relevant story details in texts. The student also can make straightforward inferences from what is read and begin to make connections across parts of the text. You can't lay all the blame on these poor fourth graders. Honestly, have you seen those slackers in grades two and three? They have no ambition at all. All they care about is recess and lunch.

Motherhood - We haven't heard from our friend, Christina Aguilera, in quite some time. But we'll sure be seeing a lot of her in the coming days. Christina Aguilera flaunts her pregnancy in an upcoming issue of Marie Claire magazine. The 26-year-old singer is shown wearing a cropped jacket, hoop earrings and a ring on the cover of the January issue. The singer says she learned she was pregnant while on her recent "Back to Basics" tour. "We were planning on starting to try after the tour. And so, I had gone off the Pill to prepare my body, because I didn't know how much time it would take. You've heard it takes some time — except with Power Egg and Super Sperm here." This would be a bit more noteworthy if Demi Moore had not been there and done that in Vanity Fair close to a decade ago. And what's all this about 'power egg' and 'super sperm'. Don't tell me that girlfriend is hitting the flax seed oil.

What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to immediately resume long-stalled peace talks toward creating an independent Palestinian state by the end of next year, using the U.S.-arranged Mideast peace conference to launch the first serious and substantive negotiations in seven years. The Bush administration has been buffeted by skepticism over prospects that the Annapolis Conference can set the stage for the creation of a Palestinian state by the end of Bush's second term in early 2009. Because of this, administration officials from the president on down have sought to minimize expectations for any major breakthrough here. Regardless of the skeptics--and I certainly fall into that category--the fact that these peace talks have resumed has to be viewed as a positive development. Frankly, I don't care if Bush is trying to secure his legacy or not. If that's what was needed to get this dialogue started, so be it. Plus, let's be honest. Even if he manages to pull this off, does anyone think that this will make up for all of Bush's other missteps?

Russia - With the Kremlin determined to see a high turnout in the upcoming election, many Russians say they are being pressured to vote at work under the watchful eyes of their bosses or risk losing their jobs. They say they also are being told to provide lists of relatives and friends who will vote for United Russia, the party of President Vladimir Putin. United Russia is expected to win handily. But Putin has turned the parliamentary elections into a plebiscite on his rule, and the Kremlin appears to be pushing for nothing short of a landslide. The constitution requires Putin to step down as president in May, but with the support of the majority of Russians he could claim a popular mandate to retain power. Its always nice to see democracy in action, though there are a couple of things that have me scratching my head on this one. First off, I recall that United Russia is the only major party appearing on the ballot. Secondly, isn't the whole point of free elections is allowing people to decide whether or not they choose to vote? And even if they do show up to the polls, its not like voters have an awful lot to choose from. This whole deal seems like a sham. I don't see what Putin doesn't just change the rules in order to stay in power? Seems like he's going to get his way one way or the other. With this election shaping up the way it is, I'm not sure the international community is going to put much credence in the results anyway.

Pakistan - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf bade farewell to the military today, a day before he steps down as army chief and restores Pakistan to civilian rule in an effort to ease the country's political crisis. Relinquishing the post of army chief has been a key demand of an increasingly adamant opposition to Musharraf both at home and abroad. Musharraf, who has dominated Pakistan for nearly eight years, has faced growing opposition since March, when he tried unsuccessfully to fire the country's top judge. The turmoil intensified when he declared emergency rule earlier this month and launched a crackdown on critics in the opposition and the media. The general has purged the courts and quickly obtained a Supreme Court ruling validating his victory in a disputed presidential election last month. The United States and its allies are backing opposition calls for Musharraf to restore the constitution and ensure a fair election, which they hope will produce a moderate government willing to keep fighting Islamic extremism. This doesn't solve all the problems in Pakistan, but it certainly appears to be a step in the right direction. President Bush, must be pinching himself to remind him that all this positive momentum both here and with the Middle East peace talks is actually happening. Whether or not it lasts beyond today, is another story. But so far, it has been a pretty good week for the President.

Kosovo - The future of Kosovo cannot be decided unilaterally by its Albanian majority and their Western backers but rests with the United Nations alone, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said. There has been no glimmer of compromise between Serbia and the Kosovo Albanians since international mediation began in earnest in 2006. Kosovo is getting ready to declare independence and has the promise of Western recognition. The United States and European Union say the mediation ends with a report to the United Nations by December 10. But Serbia's ally Russia has already blocked independence in the Security Council and says it will "insist" on further negotiation. Serbia says its resistance to Kosovo independence is also intended to preserve peace in the fragile Balkans. I'm telling you with all the activity going on with the Middle East, you tend to forget that there are a lot of other regions of the world, like Kosovo, that deserve the attention of the international community. So much has been invested and so many lives lost, that it would be a crime not to see this thing through.

Iceland - Y'all must know that this next item had to be good for me to bring up Iceland.

Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to U.N. Human Development Index that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom. Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year. The index ranks 175 U.N. member countries plus Hong Kong and the Palestinian territories. It does not include 17 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, because of inadequate data. Norway had held top spot for six years but was edged into second place by Iceland this year because of new life expectancy estimates and updated figures for gross domestic product, or GDP. The United States scores high on real per capita GDP, which at $41,890 is second only to that of Luxembourg ($60,228), but less well on life expectancy -- joint last in the top 26 countries, along with Denmark and South Korea, at 77.9 years. Maybe I need to break out the old tour book again and see what it is that I'm missing about Iceland. No disrespect intended, but this is Iceland we're talking about, right?

Television - Celebrity chef, Emeril Lagasse's Emeril Live, which has been on the air for 10 years, will cease production Dec. 11, Food Network announced. Asked why the show was canceled, a Food Netwook spokesperson said, "The only reason would be that it hit a ton of television milestones and, you know, all good things come to an end." Another television institution coming to an end--what is the world coming to? While I will admit that I was drawn to Food Network by the original Iron Chef series (another culinary classic), it was Emeril's BAM that made me a fan. All I can say is this--Giada, please stay. With Emeril gone, you are all I have left to look forward to. If you've ever seen Everyday Italian or Giada's Weekend Getaways, then you know what I'm talking about...otherwise, nevermind.

What Caught My Eye Today

Global Warming - The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said that global warming is "unequivocal" and will bring "irreversible changes" without immediate action. The IPCC said that even if carbon emissions could be stopped cold, the greenhouses gases already in the atmosphere would warm the planet by more than 3.5 degrees, imperiling millions of people and putting 30% of all plant and animal species at risk of extinction. If the emissions continue to rise beyond 2015, much of the developing world wold be ravaged by hunger and disease, and up to 70% of all species could go extinct. While I am firmly in the camp with those that believe humankind has contributed to global warming, I question whether or not the planet is going through a larger climatic cycle. There is ample evidence that climate change has led to widespread extinctions in the past. I'm not suggesting that we should do nothing to curb our carbon emissions--no need to bring on Armageddon any sooner than necessary--but I'm not sure such dire predictions do much to solve the problem. Inciting global panic about anything is rarely productive.

Healthcare - The Concierge Medicine clinic in Los Angeles offers what it considers the ultimate in medical care, 'The Presidential Physical.' The two day examination includes a battery of tests based on the regimen that White House physicians administer to the President annually. The lure of 'concierge medicine'--the concept behind dozens of practices that have sprung up in the past few years--is that such programs make the patient feel like the most important person in the world. The presidential program goes further, making each patient feel like the leader of the free world. The price of a Presidential Physical starts at $1,400 and more than 600 people have had one. Does it come as much of a surprise that this trend started in Los Angeles? I'm not passing judgment one way or the other, but we are talking about the epicenter of cosmetic medicine. I'm not sure you'd find a practice like this popping up in Nebraska.

Alternative Lifestyles - According to a study conducted by the UCLA Law School, the gay population is booming in Alabama and Utah. Alabama treats homosexual conduct as a crime while Utah is home to a large and conservative Mormon community. In the past 17 years. Utah's gay population has shot form 38th in the nation to 14th and the South's gay tally has outpaced any other region. Growing acceptance of homosexuality is a big factor, according to the study, but so is money. Gay and lesbian travel accounts for $55 billion each year and the bigger the community, the more gay tourists will flock. See I think this is great. Here are two examples of rather conservative regions that conveniently look the other way when money is involved. Rather than being viewed as sanctimonious hypocrites by folks like me, why don't you folks just allow people to be who they want to be? Being the good Christian boy that I am, I still remember a little thing called the Golden Rule--treat others as you would have them treat you.

Education - A primary school in a suburb of Nottingham has jumped from the bottom 25% of British schools to the top 25% by transforming itself into Hogwarts from the Harry Potter books. For the past 3 years, students have been allowed to choose a theme for their classes, and this year they chose Harry Potter. They dress as witches and wizards, call out spells when doing math problems, and compete as members of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Hey, as long as the children are learning, who are we to criticize the method. Although, I'd like to know how Lord Voldemort fits into all this?

Death - Disneyland is facing an epidemic of people scattering family members' ashes on their favorite rides. The latest incident occurred when a woman was caught sprinkling a powdery substance into the water at the Pirates of the Caribbean. Last month, several piles of ashes were found along the tracks at the Haunted Mansion ride. Disney officials will not confirm the finding of any human remains, but insiders say that ash-scattering is now so common that custodians have been issued special vacuums to remove suspicious piles. So like when I suggested this was how I wanted to go when my time was up, I had no idea that this idea was so popular. You know, if Disney wanted to make a few extra bucks (and you know they do) they could come up with a special 'package' to ensure a tasteful send off for your loved ones. After all, who wouldn't want to spend eternity in the 'Happiest Place on Earth?'

What Caught My Eye Today

California - A fast-moving wildfire pushed by Santa Ana winds raced through the canyons and mountains of this wealthy enclave for the second time in little more than a month today, destroying more than 30 homes and forcing as many as 14,000 residents to flee. The fire erupted shortly before 3:30 a.m. after the long-predicted Santa Anas finally returned, and it quickly grew to 2,200 acres, or about 3.5 square miles, before the winds died down. Fifteen helicopters and 15 airplanes, including a retardant-dropping DC-10 jumbo jet, attacked from the air while 1,700 firefighters battled flames on the ground. Hundreds of firefighters and equipment from throughout the state had been positioned in Southern California for most of the week because of the predicted winds, which had been expected to blow most of the week but didn't arrive until late yesterday. No one wants to see another fire in this scorched region, but at least the firefighters' patience paid off and they were able to contain the fire before it could cause more damage than it did.

Lebanon - Prime Minister Fuad Saniora assured his country that the military was in control of the streets while lawmakers struggled to overcome a political crisis that has left the country without a president. After months of trying, the two rival camps were unable to agree on a compromise candidate to succeed pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud who stepped down last night, leaving a political vacuum. The departure of Lahoud, a staunch ally of Syria during his nine years in office, was a long-sought goal of the government installed by parliament's anti-Syria majority. The government has been trying to put one of its own in the post and seal the end of Syrian dominance of Lebanon. Hezbollah and its opposition allies have been able to stymie the government's hopes by repeatedly boycotting parliamentary votes for a new president, as they did Friday afternoon, leaving it without the required quorum. The fight has put Lebanon into dangerous and unknown territory. Both sides are locked in bitter recriminations, accusing the other of breaking the constitution, and they are nowhere near a compromise candidate. So far, the 56,000-member military has successfully kept this tiny, fractious country together. In the past two years, the army has emerged as a neutral force, protecting and separating pro- and anti-Syrian groups and maintaining order during angry protests and funerals. I'm amazed at two items in this story. First, it's mind boggling that the government cannot elect a President. Hell, if we can do it here in the United States, anyone can. It's not like you have to win the popular vote to get elected. Secondly, with all that you hear about the dangers of having the military in charge of the government, here we have 'the little army that could' holding together a nation against tremendous odds. You have to tip your cap to these folks. Seems like they are the only thing between this country remaining a democracy and slipping into total chaos.

Australia - Conservative Prime Minister John Howard, one of the Bush administration's staunchest allies, suffered a humiliating election defeat today at the hands of an opposition leader who has vowed to pull troops out of Iraq. Labor leader Kevin Rudd, a Chinese-speaking former diplomat, has also promised to sign the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, leaving the U.S. as the only industrialized country not to have joined it. Howard, who reshaped his country's image abroad with unwavering support for the war in Iraq, dominated Australian politics for more than a decade but failed to read the signs that voters had grown tired of his rule. Adding to the sting of his party's decisive defeat, official results showed Howard was likely to lose his parliamentary seat altogether. Only one other sitting prime minister has lost his district in the 106-year history of Australia's federal government. Well, the recent string of Western leaders singing the praises of President Bush wasn't going to last forever. I'm curious as to which policy is going to sting the U.S. worse, the withdrawal of Austalian troops from Iraq or Australia's plan to sign onto the Kyoto Protocol. My guess is the latter, though in the giant scheme of things neither will probably bother the Bush Administration very much. Bush has never had a problem going it alone. Frankly, I think he finds it easier that way.

Space Station - A pair of spacewalking astronauts wired the international space station's newest room today, crossing the last major task off their to-do list before the next shuttle mission early next month. The astronauts hooked up more electrical and fluid connections linking the space station and the Harmony compartment that was delivered by the shuttle Discovery last month. Harmony will serve as a docking port for a new European laboratory named Columbus. The shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to deliver the lab in two weeks. A Japanese lab set to be delivered early next year also will dock to the school bus-sized module. I sure hope the paint dries before the contractors arrive with the next compartment. Again, this is probably the space geek in me, but don't you think this construction job is a marvel to witness?

Air Travel - I preface this next item by saying wouldn't it be nice if all of us poor slobs who routinely get stuffed into steerage had this problem. Shortly after 9/11, the White House decided that the president needed a new helicopter. the current Marine One fleet was more than 30 years old and needed upgrades to its in-flight protection and communications gear. The project to replace the fleet began in January, 2005, but 3 years later, major tinkering has left the new Lockheed Martin VH-71 aircraft 2,000 pounds overweight. The Navy's goal was to blying a flying Oval Office with communications rivaling those in Air Force One. The Navy also demanded state-of-the-art missile defenses and protection against a nuclear blast, along with a 14-person cabin and an executive bathroom (these are just a sampling of the more than 800 design changes demanded by the Navy). Cramming all the new features into a craft that's about 65 feet long has proved challenging. No kidding. So like is it just me, or would any sane person take their chances surviving a nuclear bomb explosion in an airborne helicopter? I'm all for throwing some extra bling into Marine One--after all being the leader of the free world should have some perks--but how about throwing a little dose of reality into the equation?

Tennis - Pete Sampras fired off his trademark powerful serve in a shock upset of world number one Roger Federer in Macau on Saturday to post his first win in their three-game Asian exhibition series. The former US world champion came back strongly after defeats in Seoul and Kuala Lumpur, forcing the first break of the match in the ninth game of the second set and serving out for victory to win 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 in 70 minutes. Their clash in the packed arena at Macau's Venetian resort was their third match in just five days, following the meetings in Seoul and Malaysia. Federer won the first match in Seoul on Tuesday 6-4, 6-3 in 61 minutes. The second clash, in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, was a closer affair over 90 minutes, with Federer emerging victorious after winning both sets on tie-breaks. The 26-year-old Federer praised his opponents serve, saying he still could compete at the top five level in the world. Based on these results, who would want to argue with that? Though, I'd still like to see how Sampras holds up over a grueling two week Grand Slam event before I am completely sold on his comeback. Still, anyone who manages to beat Federer clearly has some game.

What Caught My Eye Today

Energy - In an article appearing in the December issue of Esquire magazine, energy-independence advocate, Gal Luft has a rather straightforward 4 step plan to solve America's energy crisis.

1. Make gasoline-only cars illegal. Mandate that every vehicle sold in the U.S. is flex-fuel compatible so that it can run on just about any blend of hydrocarbon-based fuel. The technology already exists and the process is cheap, about a hundred dollars per vehicle. So if the auto industry doesn't get hurt by this, who's getting shortchanged by this deal?


2. Kill the Iowa caucuses. The ethanol lobby has managed to place huge tariffs on ethanol produced abroad. It portrays itself as the domestic solution to our reliance on foreign oil, but it really just protects a tiny number of Midwestern corn farmers. Even if every single kernel of corn grown in America were converted to ethanol, it would only replace about 12% of America's gasoline requirement. What is it with Iowa? They control the national political scene for months ahead of every Presidential election and now I hear about this ethanol lobby? People, this is flippin' Iowa we're talking about? What gives?


3. Think of the world in terms of sugarcane. Many of the United States closest allies in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia grow sugarcane, from which you can make ethanol at half the cost of making it from corn. Too bad, these countries don't get to vote for President of the United States.


4. Revolutionize waste. 65% of our garbage is biomass which can be converted to methanol. The process has been around for 200 years and methanol is twice as efficient as cellulosic ethanol. The same logic applies to America's vast coal reserves and recyclables. Coal can be converted to clean burning methanol as can black liquor--a toxic by-product of the paper industry. Doing so would generate 9 billion tons of methanol a year--almost twice the ethanol now produced from corn. And here I am thinking that coal and trash are fouling up the environment. Shame on me.

Literature - Amazon.com CEO, Jeff Bezos has release the Amazon Kindle, an electronic device that he hopes will leapfrog over previous attempts at e-readers and become the turning point in a transformation toward Book 2.0--shorthand for a revolution that will change the way readers read, writers write and publishers publish. Call me old-fashioned (I've been called worse) but too me part of the satisfaction of reading a 700 or 800 page book is being able to look at the heaping tome and say to yourself, "I like totally read that!"

Tourism - According to the Commerce Department, the United State is the only major country in the world to which travel has declined in the midst of a global tourism boom. Here are two examples. The number of Japanese visiting the U.S. declined from 5 million in 2000 to 3.6 million in 2006. For tourists from Great Britain, the United States is cheaper than ever, with the pound worth about $2. Between 200 and 2006, the number of Britons visiting America dropped 11%. At the same time, tourism to India went up 102%, to New Zealand, 106%, to Turkey, 82% and to the Caribbean, 31%. So let's see here. What is different between 2000 and now? Well, Bush became President and there is that whole war on terrorism that that's been going on since 2001. And you cannot deny that none of those other place listed above are governed by Bush or actively involved in the war on terrorism. But hey, I'm sure those are just coincidences.

Death-care - I swear that I am not making this up. I read about this in Newsweek. According to Service Corp. International (SCI), the Houston-based company with 2000 funeral homes, the number of funeral services fell 4% last year. And revenue per funeral barely kept pace with inflation, rising just 2.7%. In theory, death care should be immune from short-term economic swings...as death is one of only two sure things in life. Admit it, you're chuckling aren't you? But costs for raw materials are rising will the flow of customers has slowed. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the U.S. death rate fell from 8.8 per 1,000 in 1999 to 8.5 per 1,000 in 2005. Customers are also opting for a cheaper option to the traditional casket. This next line is from the author, though I wish I could take credit for it. Cremation is, well, on fire. The cremation rate rose from about 15% in 1985 to about one-third in 2006. Cremation has a lot going for it. It's cheaper by almost half than a traditional casket funeral, it has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church since 1963 (Let's face it, who cares what the other denominations think?), more Americans no longer feel the need to be interred in a particular spot (I have to disagree on this one. I'm definitely going to Disneyland.) and cremation frees up space that would otherwise have to be used for cemeteries. I could go on, but the fear of haven't you laugh yourselves to death, is more than my conscience can bear.

What Caught My Eye Today - Thanksgiving Edition

In observance of Thanksgiving, my daily rants are being replaced by those things for which I am thankful...

I'm thankful for my dogs. I refer, of course to those cherubs that I shamelessly flaunt in the 'Meet The Kids' bin along side here.

I'm thankful for the missus. If you only knew what she put up with, not to mention the small fortune I've spent drugging her all these years.

I'm thankful that I'm not traveling this holiday...Dude, seriously between the airport delays and gas prices, who needs the aggravation. Speaking of which, rumor has it the weather is going to blow chow on Sunday. If you are traveling, good luck.

I'm thankful that I like where I live. Good thing, too. What with the dollar being at historic lows, I couldn't really afford to live anyplace else.

I'm thankful that I don't live in Detroit. I hear it's a rather dangerous place to live. (Sorry, guys. I let you off the hook the first time, but I couldn't restrain myself a second time.)

I'm thankful that I don't live in Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Bangledesh, or Somalia, or Sudan, or...oh you get the idea.

I'm thankful that we only elect a President every four years. Though it seems to me that election season starts earlier and earlier every year.

I'm thankful that I have a low fixed rate mortgage for 2 and a half more years. Honestly, who wouldn't be?

I'm thankful that I don't make enough to have a stock portfolio. Otherwise this whole downturn in the stock market might really depress me.

I'm thankful for Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton without whom we wouldn't be able to say, 'things may be bad, but at least I'm not <insert celebrity idiot name here>."

I'm thankful that I'm not an English soccer fan. At least not this year. For the first time, in like forever, England has not qualified for the 2008 Euro Cup. To give you some perspective, that's like the U.S. National Basketball team not qualifying for the Olympics.

I'm thankful that I have have only a fleeting interest in the America's Cup yacht race. As of today, the next race has been postponed indefinitely.

I'm thankful that I like college football. Let's face it, if you don't, your television choices this weekend will be really limited.

I'm thankful for Amazon.com. This is not an endorsement, but rather an acknowledgment of gratitude to a company that will permit me to sleep in on Black Friday (otherwise known as the day after Thanksgiving) while the rest of the lunatic shopping public wakes up at 3:00 in the morning to get a $5 gift card for being one of the first 100 shoppers to walk through the door. You people have got to get yourselves lives.

I'm thankful for Google, for without which this blog would not be possible...unless of course I went out and found some out free blog web site--but that kind of ruins the sentiment, don't you think?

And finally, I'm thankful for the wonderful people that I am proud to call my family and friends. I'm truly blessed to have you in my life.

What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - The United States will try to close an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal before President Bush's term expires, giving the administration a little over a year to help the two sides craft a resolution to one of the world's longest and most intractable conflicts. The United States is hosting Israeli and Palestinian leaders Nov. 26-28 for talks in Washington and Annapolis at which senior officials and diplomats from 46 other nations and groups are also expected to attend and endorse the resumption of direct negotiations. The Bush administration believes the Annapolis session will be an important launchpad for talks to settle the conflict over land, nationhood and rights that underlies Israel's other problems with Arab neighbors. I applaud President Bush for his uncharacteristic choice of diplomacy over 'shock and awe' and hope he is successful in brokering a deal that everyone can live with. Unfortunately, his track record in nation building isn't that stellar. But, hey, maybe this time will be different...We're doomed! Doomed, I tell you! Doomed!

Pakistan - The government freed more jailed political activists today and a senior official said President Gen. Pervez Musharraf might step down as army chief this weekend, moves that could blunt opposition threats to boycott parliamentary elections. It remained unclear, however, when Musharraf might lift a state of emergency that has worsened Pakistan's political turmoil just as the government confronts rising Islamic militancy. The United States and other Western nations are pressuring him to end emergency rule if he hopes to repair his bruised credentials as a democrat and a reliable ally in the fight against international terrorism. Call me crazy, but I just don't trust the guy. Dude claims that freely contested elections will be conducted in January. How freely contested could they possibly be with most media outlets basically under 'house arrest'? And what's all this talk about Musharraf's bruised credentials as a democrat. Boyfriend is in charge of the friggin' military. Where I come from, if the head of state happens to be the ranking military general, we have a different term for it, and it isn't democrat.

2008 Presidential Race - New Hampshire set its earliest-ever presidential primary on Wednesday, deciding on Jan. 8 and claiming its traditional spot as the nation's first in a nomination season pushed almost to New Year's Day of the election year. The decision ends months of speculation, including the possibility that the state might actually move its primary into December to keep its spot at the head of the line. Iowa, which chooses delegates with a caucus system, begins five days earlier on Jan. 3. New Hampshire primaries often have shaped presidential contests — sometimes dramatically — for nearly a century. Next year's early date, less than seven weeks from now, resulted from states around the country scheduling their own early primaries and caucuses to attract candidates before the major party nominees are chosen. As a result, both the Democratic and Republican nominees are likely to be effectively known by Feb. 5, when 22 states vote, if not earlier. Frankly, I could care a less at this point. I'm already a casualty of voter fatigue. At least, we're finally going to get on with primary season in just a matter of weeks. Maybe if we're lucky the nominations will be known by early February. Maybe, just maybe we'll get a momentarily breather from all the campaigning before the big tamale starts. Aw hell, who am I kidding? Let's crank up the volume on those campaign machines.

Economy - A new survey finds that higher prices for gifts and rising energy costs are expected to put a damper on the holiday shopping season. Some 35 percent of consumers said they plan to spend less than they did last year.

Yeah, no kidding. Like we need a survey to point out the obvious. But why stop here? How about some more good news...

Wall Street resumed its slide today as unease about the wilting mortgage market and the broader economy triggered selling ahead of the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. The Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Dow Jones industrial average each fell by more than 1.5 percent, with the Dow giving up more than 210 points. The decline in the S&P 500 left the index in negative territory for the year. The stock market has been thrashing about recently as investors attempt to gauge how companies will fare amid a further slowdown in the U.S. housing market, a deterioration of credit and record oil prices that crested above $99 a barrel ahead of today's session. Including today, stocks have fallen in eight of the 11 last sessions.

Well, maybe the Federal Reserve can figure out this mess...

The Fed's minutes from its last meeting called its last rate reduction a "close call," but the central bank's economic forecast seemed to imply it is willing to keep lowering rates. Wall Street is fairly confident the Fed will lower rates at its Dec. 11 meeting to keep the tight credit markets liquid, but it is uncertain about the health of the economy

Well, apparently not. Well, Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. At least we have tomorrow to give thanks for all the things that really matter...you know, like football.

What Caught My Eye Today

First things first. Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008 Presidential Campaign - The Associated Press and Yahoo! News conducted an in-depth survey of more than 2,000 people asking which presidential candidate is the most likable? On the Republican side, Giuliani gets the nod, both from GOP voters and among voters overall. None of the Democratic candidates has a clear advantage among Democratic voters, with Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards running about even. But in a sheer popularity contest, pitting the most likable Democrat vs. the best-liked Republican, it would be Obama over Giuliani, 54 percent to 46 percent. Overall, the poll finds, Democrats are weighing personal traits more heavily than policy positions this election season; Republicans are putting greater emphasis on policy. Here are some select results to the question, 'How well does each word describe these candidates:

• Decisive - Clinton: 72% Obama: 55% Edwards: 54% Giulani: 67% Thompson: 38% McCain: 57% They all seem a bit pig-headed to me


• Strong - Clinton: 78% Obama: 61% Edwards: 56% Giulani: 69% Thompson: 43% McCain: 62% They mean mentally strong, right?


• Honest - Clinton: 65% Obama: 64% Edwards: 58% Giulani: 58% Thompson: 46% McCain: 59% Are we sure the respondents understood the question?


• Experienced - Clinton: 76% Obama: 35% Edwards: 57% Giulani: 71% Thompson: 38% McCain: 69% Experienced at what, is my question?


• Ethical - Clinton: 67% Obama: 65% Edwards: 59% Giulani: 54% Thompson: 45% McCain:59% Umm...no comment.

This is all well and good and, frankly, a bit more interesting than most polls that I have seen, but I'm not sure that it means much, after all, the first primaries are still a month and a half away. Although it is a bit surprising that Hilary managed a clean sweep. Here's a survey question I'd like to see--how many voters think the build up to primary season is way too flippin' long?

Space Station - Two spacewalking astronauts wired up the international space station's newest room, Harmony, and kept the next shuttle visit on track for early December. NASA cannot launch another space shuttle until the school bus-size Harmony is all hooked up, inside and out. Atlantis is supposed to blast off Dec. 6 with a European laboratory that will dock to Harmony. One of Harmony's other parking spaces is reserved for a Japanese lab. Click here if you are interested in more information about the International Space Station. This stuff doesn't make the nightly news very often, which I think is a bit of a shame. In this day and age where the headlines are dominated by international strife, it is nice to see at least one international collaboration making some positive progress.

France - Schools closed, flights were delayed, trains again weren't running, and newspapers weren't printed as civil servants joined transport workers in strikes to challenge President Nicolas Sarkozy's program of sweeping reform for France. A defiant Sarkozy said voters gave him a mandate for reform when they elected him in May, adding: "We will not surrender and we will not retreat." Sarkozy was elected on promises to reform France — from its courts to its creaking university system, its army of civil servants to rail workers whose special retirement privileges he vowed to eliminate. I'm a bit confused on this one. On one hand, it sounds like the voters are getting exactly what they asked for. On the other had, it doesn't sound like Sarkozy did a very good job of selling his reforms to the general population. I guess it's just another example of the old cliche, 'Be careful what you ask for. You might just get it."

Iran and Venezuela - Venezuela's outspoken president Hugo Chavez joined with Iran's leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in boasting that they are "united like a single fist" in challenging American influence, saying the fall of the dollar is a sign that "the U.S. empire is coming down." Making his fourth trip to Tehran in two years, Chavez has built a strong bond with Ahmadinejad that has produced a string of business agreements as well as a torrent of rhetoric presenting their two countries as an example of how smaller nations can stand up to the U.S. Chavez has strongly supported Iran's right to have a civilian nuclear program, backing the position of Tehran that its atomic activities are intended solely for the peaceful production of electricity. Chavez has recently said that Venezuela also aims to start a peaceful nuclear energy program. Ahmadinejad backed his "dear brother" Chavez in their joint fight with the Bush administration. Since 2001, the two countries have signed more than 180 trade agreements, worth more than $20 billion in potential investment, according to official reports. Iran has partnered with Venezuela on several industrial projects in the South American nation, including the production of cars, tractors and plastic goods. You know, in a lot of ways, these two are a match made in heaven. Besides, who else wants the headache of dealing with either one of these guys? I'm not sure that this burgeoning friendship should be cause for much concern though. It's hard to say just how well this relationship will hold up if either side starts feeling short changed by the other. After all, it's not like Chavez or Ahmadinejad are the most stable personalities.

Cambodia - The head of the Khmer Rouge's largest and most notorious torture center appeared in court Tuesday in the first public session of the long-delayed U.N.-backed tribunal probing the regime's reign of terror in the 1970s. The 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime was blamed for the deaths of some 1.7 million people from starvation, disease, overwork and execution. Many have said they feared the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders might die before being brought to justice. The movement's notorious leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998. Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, is charged with crimes against humanity for his role as the head of the regime's infamous Tuol Sleng prison, also called S-21, in Phnom Penh. Up to 16,000 men, women and children were tortured there from 1975-79 and later taken away to be executed at a site outside the capital known as "the killing fields." Only 14 people are thought to have survived. I try to keep abreast of what's going on around the world, but must confess that this whole deal is new to me. It never ceases to amaze me the extent of evil that man is capable of.

Tennis - The world's former number one tennis player was no match for the current champion when they met on court Tuesday for only the second time. In an exhibition match in the South Korean capital, Roger Federer beat Pete Sampras 6-4, 6-3 in a match lasting just 61 minutes. The Swiss ace is at the peak of his powers, lifting his fourth Masters Cup title on Sunday, whereas Sampras retired from the professional game in 2002. Federer admitted he was "tensed up a bit" because he was facing one of his heroes. But once he found his rhythm, the Swiss was off and running. "It was a little tricky situation. I'd been playing well and Pete's been retired for five years," Federer said. "I expected myself to win tonight. Dude, I should hope so. Pete's no slouch, but come on, he's been out of the game for 5 years. I have to assume the motivation for this match up has to do with some major dollar signs for both Federer and Sampras.

And saving the most eagerly anticipated news story of the day for last...

Yachting - The 33rd America's Cup, initially set for 2009 in Spain, could be postponed until 2011. U.S. challenger Oracle have taken Alinghi to court in New York, arguing the Swiss defender set rules for the next edition of sailing's most prestigious race which are unfairly weighted in Alinghi's favor. Holding the event in 2010 would be difficult as it would compete for television air time with the fooball World Cup in South Africa so 2011 would become the most viable year to stage the next race. If the court rules against Alinghi, the Swiss syndicate will not appeal the decision and will accept racing in the catamaran proposed by Oracle. But if Alinghi wins, Oracle is expected to appeal, creating a period of uncertainty for a further one or two years. Alinghi won the 32nd America's Cup, which featured 11 challengers, defeating Emirates Team New Zealand 5-2 in Valencia in a best-of-nine series. Last week Alinghi rejected a compromise solution aimed at ended the dispute that was presented by Oracle and three of the five challengers. The five challengers who have so far signed up for the 33rd edition are: Team Origin of Britain; Team New Zealand; South African syndicate Shosholoza; Desafio Espanol of Spain and United Team Germany. So like is anyone still reading this?

What Caught My Eye Today

I started this blog in late January and began tracking unique visits in mid-July. Yesterday, we got our 100th unique visitor (along with visitors #101 and, #102 ). While my opinions on the news items that I post may not necessarily viewed positively by everyone be assured that no offense is ever intended. I hope you draw some enjoyment from my musings. Whatever your reason for doing so, thanks for reading.

Japan - A Japanese whaling fleet sailing toward waters off Antarctica to kill protected humpback whales was itself the target of a hunt by environmental activists who vowed to disrupt the expedition. Greenpeace said its protest ship Esperanza was searching for the fleet south of Japanese territorial waters and would shadow the ships to the South Pacific to try to reduce their catch. The Japanese fleet was embarking on the country's largest whaling expedition, targeting protected humpbacks for the first time since the 1960s. The whalers plan to kill up to 50 humpbacks in what is believed to be the first large-scale hunt for the once nearly extinct species since a 1963 moratorium in the Southern Pacific put the giant marine mammals under international protection. The mission also aims to take as many as 935 minke whales and up to 50 fin whales in what Japan's Fisheries Agency says is its largest-ever scientific whale hunt. The expedition lasts through April. Japan says it needs to kill the animals in order to conduct research on their reproductive and feeding patterns. While scientific whale hunts are allowed by the International Whaling Commission, critics say Japan is simply using science as a cover for commercial whaling. While this clearly is not winning Japan any friends in the environmentalist community, I don't see any laws being broken. That being said, I have some thoughts to their claims that this is 'scientific research'. First of all, isn't 50 specimens of humpback whales a bit excessive for studying reproductive and feeding patterns (to say nothing of the almost 1000 other specimens that the expedition plans to haul in)? Secondly, couldn't you just tag the whales and watch them from a distance? Surely you can learn more from whales in their natural habitat than you can serving them up as delicacies in the local sushi bar?

Wall Street - Wall Street resumed its slide as Wall Street absorbed a gloomy outlook for the banking sector as well as bleak news from the National Association of Homebuilders. The major stock market indexes each fell more than 1.5 percent, with the Dow Jones industrial average giving up more than 200 points. Concerns about the banking sector dominated the session. Other sectors suffered big hits during the session, including airlines and automakers. Housing stocks also suffered. Don't pull the trigger yet, I'm not finished yet... Broader stock indicators also declined. The S&P 500 index fell 25.47, or 1.75 percent, to 1,433.27, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 43.86, or 1.66 percent, to 2,593.38. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 19.15, or 2.49 percent, to 750.35. The pullback left the Russell firmly in negative territory for the year, with a decline of 4.74 percent. Almost there... The dollar fell against other major currencies, while gold fell. Crude oil futures rose 80 cents to settle at $94.64 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. And finally... Stock markets overseas also slumped. In European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 closed down 2.71 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 1.32 percent, and France's CAC-40 slid 1.65 percent. In Asian trading, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.74 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index decreased 0.56 percent. On the bright side, it's a short trading week. We only have 2 more trading days before Thanksgiving. Yippee.

Air Travel - The weather has been causing delays at several of the nation's airports, creating a rough start to one of the year's busiest air travel weeks. Fog this morning in Atlanta has delayed flights by as much as 30 minutes, while wet weather and wind have been cited for delays in Newark, N.J. and in Philadelphia. The FAA says flights bound for New York's LaGuardia International Airport and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport were experiencing delays of more than an hour. The National Weather Service says steady rain in New York could turn to snow. And meteorologists in the Midwest have been watching weather fronts that could bring an onslaught of snow and cold that could snarl air traffic at O'Hare. To hell with that. Take to the open roads, my friends.

Well, maybe not...

Automotive Travel - According to Bankrate.com, here's a list of some of the biggest budget busters on the market, including tank size and how much it costs to fill an empty tank at $3.50 a gallon (Make and model / Tank size / Cost):

• Chrysler Aspen SUV / 27 gallons / $94.50


• Ford Expedition SUV / 28 gallons / $98.00


• Infiniti QX56 SUV / 28 gallons / $98.00


• Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV / 31 gallons /$108.50


• Chevrolet Suburban SUV / 31 gallons / $108.50


• Chevrolet Avalanche SUV / 31 gallons / $108.50


• Hummer H2 SUV / 32 gallons / $112.00


• Ford Expedition EL SUV / 33.5 gallons / $117.25


• Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD pickup / 34 gallons / $119.00


• Dodge Ram 2500 pickup / 35 gallons / $122.50


• Nissan Titan pickup / 37 gallons / $129.50


• Ford F250 Super Duty pickup / 38 gallons / $133.00

Of course, as the price of gasoline rises, owners of more economical vehicles like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry will also get wallet shock. Both cars come with 18.5-gallon gas tanks that would cost $64.75 for a fill-up. Not much that I can add to this, except maybe...DAMN!!! Oh yes, and one other thing--Mom and Dad, I hope you like the card I'll be sending home for the holidays.

What Caught My Eye Today

Bangladesh - The death toll from Bangladesh's most devastating storm in a decade climbed to at least 2,300 and relief officials warned the figure could jump sharply as rescuers reach more isolated areas. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, the Islamic equivalent of the Red Cross, said that it believed the toll could hit 10,000 once rescuers reach islands off the coast of the low-lying river delta nation. Thanks to an effective early warning system, at least 1.5 million coastal villagers fled to shelters before the storm. Every year, storms batter Bangladesh, a country of 150 million, often killing large numbers of people. The most deadly recent storm was a tornado that leveled 80 villages in northern Bangladesh in 1996, killing 621 people. It's hard to say whether this is a good news or bad news story. On one hand you have such a heartbreaking loss of life, and what's worse, it's seemingly becoming a recurring story year in and year out. On the other hand, you cannot overlook the positive steps made to institute an early warning system that helped move 1.5 million people out of harm's way. Any way you look at it, things could have been a lot worse.

Ukraine - A methane blast ripped through a coal mine in eastern Ukraine early Sunday, killing at least 63 miners in the ex-Soviet nation's worst mining accident in years, emergency officials said. More than 360 miners were rescued but 37 others remained trapped inside the mine — one of Ukraine's largest and deepest — with a raging fire hampering efforts to save them. The accident — the worst in Ukraine in seven years — highlighted the lack of attention to safety in a country with some of the world's most dangerous mines. Experts say Ukraine's mines are dangerous largely because they are so deep, typically running more than 3,280 feet underground. In comparison, most European coal beds lie at a depth of 1,640 to 1,970 feet. Methane is a natural byproduct of mining, and its concentration increases with depth. More than 75 percent of Ukraine's some 200 coal mines are classified as dangerous due to high methane concentrations. Mines must be ventilated to prevent explosions, but some rely on outdated ventilation equipment. Safety violations and negligence add to the problem. It seems like a lifetime ago, but just a few short months ago, the U.S. had its own string of mining incidents. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't seem to recall the government doing anything to address the working conditions of miners in this country. Kind of a dangerous game of chance that's being played here.

Crime - In another blow to the Motor City's tarnished image, Detroit pushed past St. Louis to become the nation's most dangerous city, according to The 14th annual "City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America". The report looked at 378 cities with at least 75,000 people based on per-capita rates for homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and auto theft. Each crime category was considered separately and weighted based on its seriousness. Last year's crime leader, St. Louis, fell to No. 2. Another Michigan city, Flint, ranked third, followed by Oakland Calif.; Camden, N.J.; Birmingham, Ala.; North Charleston, S.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Richmond, Calif.; and Cleveland. The study ranked Mission Viejo, Calif., as the safest U.S. city, followed by Clarkstown, N.Y.; Brick Township, N.J.; Amherst, N.Y.; and Sugar Land, Texas. The study assigns a crime score to each city, with zero representing the national average. Detroit got a score of 407, while St. Louis followed at 406. The score for Mission Viejo, in affluent Orange County, was minus 82. Critics also complain that numbers don't tell the whole story because of differences among cities and the FBI posted a statement on its Web site criticizing such use of its statistics. I'm not going to diss on Detroit...they've got enough problems as it is. Seriously, how much more lousy news do these poor slobs have to endure? That said, what's up with you people in Mission Viejo? You all still have heartbeats, don't you? I applaud you for the low crime rate, but minus 82? Go out and live a little.

U.S. Dollar - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that OPEC's members have expressed interest in converting their cash reserves into a currency other than the depreciating U.S. dollar, which he called a "worthless piece of paper." His comments at the end of a rare summit of OPEC heads of state exposed fissures within the 13-member cartel — especially after U.S. ally Saudi Arabia was reluctant to mention concerns about the falling dollar in the summit's final declaration. Oil is priced in U.S. dollars on the world market, and the currency's depreciation has concerned oil producers because it has contributed to rising crude prices and has eroded the value of their dollar reserves. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez echoed this sentiment on the sidelines of the summit, saying "the empire of the dollar has to end." Iran and Venezuela have proposed trading oil in a basket of currencies to replace the historic link to the dollar, but they had not been able to generate support from enough fellow OPEC members — many of whom, including Saudi Arabia, are staunch U.S. allies. Well, I for one am just shocked, shocked I tell you, that Iran and Venezuela are speaking so ill of the United States. Okay, Ahmadinejad so we're threatening you with annihilation if you continue to pursue a nuclear program, but dude, no hard feelings. Now how about playing nice-nice and no more dissing the greenback, okay. As for you Hugo, what up, dawg? It's not like we told you to shut up or anything. How about showing us a little love, boyfriend?

Sports - Okay, so it's been way too long since my last sports update. Here we go, then...

NASCAR - Matt Kennseth won the final race of the year, and Jeff Gordon finished ahead of Jimmie Johnson, but Johnson clinched his second Nextel Cup championship in a row. Gordon came into the season-ending Ford 400 essentially needing a miracle Sunday to overtake teammate Jimmie Johnson for the Nextel Cup title, and one simply wasn't forthcoming. So Gordon settled for second, 77 points shy of a fifth championship. Gordon topped the NASCAR standings in top-10 finishes by a wide margin, won more poles than anyone else, had more lead-lap finishes than anyone on the circuit, the best average place finish and had a mammoth points lead after the regular season -- leading the standings for 21 straight races along the way. And dude still came in second because his teammate was just a little bit better down the stretch--that and winning four races in a row during the Chase. This is why NASCAR is the best motor sports series in the world. Sorry, Formula One.

Soccer - Houston Dynamo wins the MLS Cup 2-1 over New England. It's Houston's second title in a row. And yet I wonder how many us know that the U.S. has a professional soccer league, much less, giving a flying fig over who won the championship.

Football - Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers to improve to 9 and 1. Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins are 0 and 10 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. Though the game hasn't been played as of this posting, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that New England will walk out of Buffalo with a 10 and 0 later this evening. Lastly, being a Bay Area native, I have just one question--can the 49ers and Raiders be any worse--with the possible exception of Miami?

College Football - It's like the season where being ranked #1 or #2 is the kiss of death. Kansas was #2 in The Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday behind top-ranked LSU. The Jayhawks moved up two spots this week and Tigers jumped three places after Oregon and Oklahoma both picked up their second losses of the season. Missouri at #3 has its highest ranking since being ranked #1 in 1960. Oregon fell from #2 to #9 after losing 34-24 at unranked Arizona on Thursday night. Oklahoma dropped from #3 to #10 after losing 34-27 Saturday night at unranked Texas Tech. Eleven times this season a top-five team has lost to an unranked opponent. #6 Georgia, #7 Arizona State and #8 Virginia Tech join Oregon and Oklahoma in the top 10. Arizona State (9-1) now controls the Pac-10 race and plays #11 Southern California on Thanksgiving. Unbeaten Hawaii dropped a spot to #14 after a 28-26 victory at Nevada without star quarterback Colt Brennan. The Warriors face #17 Boise State at home Friday night in a game that'll determine the Western Athletic Conference champion and maybe a BCS bid. Did you get all that? Not to worry. Just grab a cold one, the remote and park yourself on the sofa for a great end of the season run.

What Caught My Eye Today

Congress - The House passed landmark legislation banning employment discrimination against homosexuals. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, passed on a 235-184 volte, wold be the first federal law protecting gays, lesbians and bisexuals against employee discrimination. However, the billl's prospects in the Senate are dim, and President Bush has vowed to veto it if it passes, citing concerns that the bill could spawn extensive litigation and that it tacitly endorses same-sex marriages. Dude, if you are going to veto a bill, be honest about the reason for doing so. It's pretty far-fetched to claim a law protecting against employment discrimination also endorses same sex marriages. Vetoing a bill to placate your Conservation voter base--now that's a lot more believable.

FBI - The FBI has concluded that Blackwater security guards shot and killed 14 Iraqis "without justification" during a September incident in which 17 Iraqis died. The FBI report found that at least 5 Blackwater guards opend fire on a crowd with automatic weapons during a traffic stop in Baghdad. Investigators found no evidence that Iraqi civilians fired at the guards. The findings pose a dilemma for new Attorney General Michael Mukasey, because U.S. law may not cover the actions of private security contractors overseas, making prosecution problematic. I guess, I'm a bit slow, because I don't see the dilemma. During his confirmation hearings, Mukasey made it clear that he would enforce whatever the law told him to. No law, no enforcement. Seems pretty cut and dry to me. Wrong, but cut and dry.

Spain - King Juan Carlos of Spain received a round of applause from Latin Americna leaders this week for telling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to "shut up." Chavez had annoyed just about everyone at a Madrid summit with his repeated interruptions of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero. Chavez kept insisting that Zapatero's predecesor was a fascist. King Carlos apparently found Chavez's rudeness and grasp of history tedious. "Why don't you shut up?" he snapped at the leftist Venezuelan leader. Chavez later compare the incident to the persecution of Jesus Christ. Oh yeah, I can so totally see his point. I saw a video of the incident where right after Carlos' remarks, Chavez was nailed to a cross. What a putz. And how about a shout out to King Carlos for showing some moxie. I bet you'd never seen Queen Elizabeth exhibit such a display (but boy, wouldn't that be a sight).

Finland - The Finnish government announced that it would raise the minimum age for buying guns from 15 to 18, in response to a school shooting last week that left 9 people dead. Finland has extrememly loose gun regulation and the third-highest concentraton of fireamrs in the world, after the U.S. and Yemen--but it has little gun crime. Initially the part of this story that got me was that in Finland you could own a gun before you could drive, but that was quickly replace but that little statistic at the end. I love it--the United States, with all of its gun control laws ranks second only to Yemen for firearms. You have to hand it to the gun lobby. Clearly they're doing something right.

Time Management - Payscale.com just launched a new widget called Meeting Mizer to calculate the cost of attending meetings. Using its database of 10 million income profiles from 4,000 companies, it estimates meeting participants' salaries. A user enters the attendees' job titles and the company's regional location, and the electronic meter calculates the cost per second. As it ticks, the meter can also be projected alongside PowerPoint slides.

As a courtesy to my faithful audience, I gave this a trial run. Here's the results from a recent meeting.

Mr Tibbons, the pinhead (department head) - $15/min
Chris, the kiss-ass (eager intern) - $0/min (hey, interns don't get paid)
Gloria, the whiner (project lead) - $10/min
Hank, the pessimist (poor slob doing the work) - $5/min
Chet, the player (jerk supposed to be doing the work) - $5/min
Luis, the disinterested onlooker (janitor) - $.15/min (dude has a schedule to keep; those trash cans don't empty themselves, you know)
Clare, the savior (hot pizza delivery chick) - who knows, but whatever she makes--it's not enough

Meeting duration: 60 minutes
Meeting cost: $2109
Analysis: Given the probability that nothing was actually accomplished in that hour, hopefully the pizza was good.

What Caught My Eye Today

U.S. Military - Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. The Army defines a deserter as someone who has been absent without leave for longer than 30 days. The soldier is then discharged as a deserter. According to the Army, about nine in every 1,000 soldiers deserted in fiscal year 2007, which ended Sept. 30, compared to nearly seven per 1,000 a year earlier. Overall, 4,698 soldiers deserted this year, compared to 3,301 last year. The increase comes as the Army continues to bear the brunt of the war demands with many soldiers serving repeated, lengthy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military leaders have acknowledged that the Army has been stretched nearly to the breaking point by the combat. Efforts are under way to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps to lessen the burden and give troops more time off between deployments. In military jargon, I'm guessing that 'discharged' pretty much means the same thing as 'fired.' Call me crazy but if I went to work every day and got shot at, getting fired wouldn't seem so bad. Talk about a hostile work environment. I'm kind of surprised the desertion rate isn't higher.

In a related story, we have that juggernaut of efficiency, otherwise known as Congress, trying to solve the nation's problems...

Congress - Senate Republicans blocked a $50 billion bill by Democrats that would have paid for several months of combat but also would have ordered troop withdrawals from Iraq to begin within 30 days. The measure, narrowly passed this week by the House, also would have set a goal of ending combat in December 2008. The 53-45 vote was seven votes short of the 60 needed to advance. It came minutes after the Senate rejected a Republican proposal to pay for the Iraq war with no strings attached. Nearly a year after anti-war voters put them in power, congressional Democrats remain unable to pass legislation ordering troops home from Iraq. Frustrated by Republican roadblocks, Democrats now plan to sit on President Bush's $196 billion request for war spending until next year — pushing the Pentagon toward an accounting nightmare and deepening their conflict with the White House on the war. "We're going to continue to do the right thing for the American people by having limited accountability for the president and not a blank check," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Here's how the Democratic Leadership came up with this latest strategy...

Harry Reid (HR): It's just not fair. We have the majority, but those puss wads [Republicans] won't let us do anything.
Nancy Pelosi (NP): There, there, little man...I mean, Harry. It's not as bad as you make it sound.
HR: Yes it is (whimper-whimper). I'm the majority leader but I don't get to do anything because of those stupid fart heads.
NP: Oh dear. So here's what you're going to do. We all know that the war mongers...I mean Republicans, cannot carry out their little ware without money. We just won't give it to them.
HR: (sniff-sniff) But we tried that. Bush has vetoed every bill that we sent him. He's a poo-poo face.
NP: Harry, listen to me (you little twit), he cannot veto a bill if we don't send him one.
HR: I don't get it.
NP: Harry, dear. If we don't send the President a bill, then no money goes to the Pentagon. No more money, no more war. Get it?
HR: (long pause)
HR: Oh, I get it. If we take the money away, they can't play war anymore.
NP: Something like that, yes.

Pakistan - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf faces a stern warning from Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte: end emergency rule or wreck landmark elections and risk undermining vital U.S. support. Musharraf made concessions ahead of Negroponte's visit allowing independent TV news back on the air and freeing opposition leaders and a respected U.N. rights expert. But he also pushed ahead with plans for parliamentary elections in January. Under domestic pressure for relying too heavily on Musharraf, Washington appears increasingly exasperated with a man that President Bush has long defended as a stalwart ally against international terrorism. U.S. officials are keen to avoid the embarrassment of dropping a man whose authoritarian rule they have long defended because of his help in Afghanistan and against al-Qaida, but also had to be seen to stand up for democracy. Yes sir, Mr. President, way to pick a head of state that stands for the same values that we do. If I get this straight, we've been supporting Musharraf because he is a valued ally in the war on terror. Just out of curiosity, any sign of Osama bin Laden?

Baseball - Even in the off-season, baseball is in the news. Though nothing new, really. Let's see here. The Yankees are getting ready to sign A-Rod to another obscene contract--$275 million over 10 years. And Barry Bonds, still indicted...still looking guilt as hell...still not caring what anyone thinks.

What Caught My Eye Today

Iran - A report from the U.N nuclear watchdog agency found Iran to be generally truthful about key aspects of its nuclear history, but it warned that its knowledge of Tehran's present atomic work was shrinking. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) focused on the history of Iran's black-market procurements and past development of its enrichment technology — and the agency appeared to be giving Tehran a pass on that issue, repeatedly saying it concludes that "Iran's statements are consistent with ... information available to the agency." The IAEA report also confirmed that Tehran continued to defy the U.N. Security Council by ignoring its repeated demands to freeze uranium enrichment, a potential pathway to nuclear arms. So here's what we have in a nutshell. The agency has concluded that Iran is 'generally' telling the truth about the small amount of information it has to disclose, but that Iran continues to enriched uranium. Gee, what an enlightening summary of that which we already know.

Pakistan - Police said they lifted the house arrest of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, hours before the arrival of a senior U.S. envoy who was expected to urge the country's military leader to end emergency rule. Despite Bhutto's call, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has given no sign he will hand over power. He has named his own interim prime minister and is expected to announce a caretaker Cabinet to oversee parliamentary elections promised by Jan. 9. This just in...Tomorrow, Bhutto will be placed under house arrest again to align with the government's plan to release her the following day.

Bangladesh - Thousands of coastal homes have been levelled and trees uprooted as a powerful cyclone batters Bangladesh. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated or sought safe shelter before the storm hit the coast, but there are fears for those left behind. The cyclone is packing winds of up to 150mph and driving rain. The cyclone made landfall in an area of mangrove forests known as the Sundarbans - a world heritage site and home to rare royal Bengal tigers. The hope was that the trees there would absorb most of the storm's strength but communities along the whole coast, including several large cities. So they based their hopes on a bunch of trees to absorb the brunt of a cyclone? Yeah, maybe that wasn't such a good plan.

Baseball - Baseball home-run king Barry Bonds used steroids to fuel his success and then lied about it, prosecutors said in charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice. "During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing substances for Bonds and other professional athletes," the indictment said. The all-time Major League baseball home run king has long been under federal probe over suspicion that he lied to the BALCO grand jury in 2003 when he told them he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. Despite his huge success on the field, his abrasive personality and the lingering doubts about steroid use, kept him from gaining widespread personal popularity, especially outside San Francisco. Is this the part where we are supposed to act all shocked and surprised? I'm not saying what the dude allegedly did was right, but how many of those critics out there weren't glued to the TV screen when Bonds broke the single season home run record or when he eclipsed Hank Aaron's all-time home run record? Barry gave the people what they wanted. Sure he did it by taking illegal steroids, but now we're just splitting hairs.

Lindsay Lohan - Actress Lindsay Lohan checked in and out of jail today, spending just 84 minutes behind bars for a drunken driving and cocaine-possession conviction. Lohan, 21, had been sentenced in August to one day in jail after admitting guilt to drink and drug charges and was told by the court to serve her time before January. Lohan was also sentenced to 10 days of community service, three years probation and 18 months of an alcohol-education program.

If you think this sounds like a familiar pattern among Hollywood's elite starlets, you would be correct.

Jail sentences for minor crimes are often cut short by Los Angeles sheriffs, who manage the county jails, because of overcrowding. In August actress Nicole Richie of "The Simple Life" spent one hour, 20 minutes in jail for what was a four-day sentence for driving under the influence of drugs. In July, a media frenzy surrounded socialite Paris Hilton's three-week stint behind bars for a driving violation. Hilton had been sentenced to 45 days, was released after three days, and then sent back after an outcry over perceived preferential treatment.

Let's see. With Paris off saving the elephants in Africa, Britney losing her mind and custody of her kids, and now Lindsay having been 'scared straight' by hard time, I guess it's time for Nicole Richie to do something stupid again. Though, for my money, I'm going with Britney--she's on sort of a roll.

Obesity - I heard about this last item in a related story on NPR. The fat acceptance movement, also the fat liberation movement, is a grassroots effort to change societal attitudes towards individuals who are fat. The movement consists today of a diverse group of people, who have different beliefs about how best to address the perceived widespread prejudice and discrimination against fat people in contemporary Western societies.

Wait there's more...

Fat activism covers several fronts but generally can be described as attempting to change societal, internal, and medical attitudes about fat people. The movement argues that fat people are targets of hatred and discrimination, with fat women in particular subject to more social pressure. Hatred is seen in multiple places including media outlets, where fat people are often ridiculed or held up as objects of pity. Discrimination comes in the form of lack of equal accessibility to transportation and employment. There's even an association dedicated to the cause... The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, or NAAFA, was founded in 1969 by William Fabrey in New York. It is the most active and best-known fat liberation organization in the United States. Any group is entitled to form a special interest group to advocate its cause, so I say, have at it. Though here's a group that I wouldn't mind seeing formed. It's called the, "International Coalition of Can't We All Just Get Along So We Don't Have To Create All These Stupid Special Interest Groups."

What Caught My Eye Today

Chile - A major earthquake crushed cars, damaged hundreds of houses and terrified people for hundreds of miles around. Authorities reported at least two deaths and more than 100 injuries. The quake shook the Chilean capital 780 miles to the south of the epicenter, and was felt as far away as the other side of the continent — in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1,400 miles to the east. The U.S. Geological Survey calculated the magnitude at 7.7. It was followed by several aftershocks, including three larger than magnitude 5. The quake occurred in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, where the Nazca tectonic plate is shoving itself beneath the South American plate. Scientists in Chile and the United States were trying to determine why such an intense quake apparently did not cause more damage. Honestly, guys how about you thank your lucky stars that it wasn't worse. My goodness.

Congress - House Democrats defiantly pushed ahead with a $50 billion war spending bill that calls for troops to leave Iraq, despite concerns raised by some party members and a veto threat issued by the White House. The bill would require that the U.S. initiate troop withdrawals within 30 days of its passage and agree to the goal of bringing home most soldiers and Marines by Dec. 15, 2008. It is largely a symbolic jab at President Bush, who already has ordered some troop withdrawals from Iraq in coming weeks but opposes a Congressionally mandated timetable. Yes, yes, I know. How about some Congressional news that we haven't heard before. I'm coming to that part. Similar legislation has passed repeatedly along party lines in the House only to sink in the Senate, where Democrats hold a razor-thin majority and 60 votes are needed to overcome procedural hurdles. Wait for it...Wait for it...Okay here it is... It is expected that if the measure fails in the Senate, Democrats will not consider Bush's war spending request until next year. Democrats say the military won't need the money until early next year. Until then, the Pentagon can transfer money from less urgent accounts or fourth quarter spending to cover costs, they say. The Pentagon says moving money around is a bureaucratic nightmare that costs more in the long run. And if taken to the extreme, the military would eventually have to freeze contracts or lay off civilian workers to ensure troops in combat have what they need. Okay, so now we finally have Congress messing with the Pentagon's purse strings without technically withholding money for the troops. For this Congress, that is rather clever. Let's see if it forces Bush's hand.

2008 Presidential Campaign - Barack Obama, who's been scolding Hillary Rodham Clinton for not hastening the release of records from her time as first lady, says he can't step up and produce his own records from his days in the Illinois state Senate. He says he hasn't got any. "I don't have — I don't maintain — a file of eight years of work in the state Senate because I didn't have the resources available to maintain those kinds of records," he said. Obama's statement that he has no papers from his time in the Illinois statehouse — he left in 2004 — stands in stark contrast to the massive Clinton file stored at the National Archives: an estimated 78 million pages of documents, plus 20 million e-mail messages, packed into 36,000 boxes. While any file from Obama's time in the state Senate would be far smaller, the idea that no papers exist at all is questioned by some historians. No you all aren't imagining anything. I, too, can smell the load of crap Obama is shoveling. If I didn't know better I'd say that Obama's strategy to blast Clinton's reluctance to disclose records is about to blow up in his face.

Catholic Bishops - Roman Catholic voters and lawmakers must heed church teaching on issues ranging from racism to abortion or risk their eternal salvation, U.S. Conference of Bishops said. The bishops didn't recommend specific policies or candidates in the 2008 election, and emphasized that "principled debate" is needed to decide what bests promotes the common good. But they warned Catholics that their votes for politicians and laws affect more than just civic life. "Political choices faced by citizens have an impact on general peace and prosperity and also may affect the individual's salvation," the bishops said. The bishops said that voting for a candidate specifically because he or she supports "an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism" amounts to "formal cooperation in grave evil." Any they wonder why there is a decline in Catholics in the United States. Let me ask you something, your Excellencies (I checked, this is the proper etiquette)? Does the concept of 'separation between church and state' mean that little to you that you've stooped to damning us Catholics to hell if we vote our consciences rather than how Catholic doctrine tells us to vote. This is why I'm one of those disenfranchised Catholics that Church is wondering how to bring back into the fold.

And finally...

Television - TV Icons - Here are the the top 20 TV icons as determined by TV Land and Entertainment Weekly magazine (along with select commentary from yours truly):

20. CARROLL O'CONNOR - One of the all time most beloved bigots--Archie Bunker. You da man
19. ANDY GRIFFITH - One assume this is for his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor...not Matlock
18. WILLIAM SHATNER - This has got to be for his role as TJ Hooker. That Star Trek role was nothing.
17. BOB NEWHART - Good actor, great comedian.
16. DAVID LETTERMAN
15. NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME PLAYERS - Dude, pick a character not the whole flipping cast.
14. ED SULLIVAN - Anyone imitated as much as him, has to be good.
13. JACKIE GLEASON
12. DICK VAN DYKE
11. ROSEANNE BARR - Good actor, horrible everything else.
10. DICK CLARK - New Years Eve wouldn't be the same without him.
9. HOMER SIMPSON
8. JERRY SEINFELD
7. MARY TYLER MOORE
6. CAROL BURNETT
5. WALTER CRONKITE - And that's the way it is...
4. BILL COSBY - Double kudos for Fat Albert and the Huxtables. But dude, those sweaters--what up with that?
3. OPRAH WINFREY
2. LUCILLE BALL
1. JOHNNY CARSON - No argument from me.