What Caught My Eye Today

Afghanistan - Six U.S. troops were killed when insurgents ambushed their foot patrol in the high mountains of eastern Afghanistan. The attack, the most lethal against American forces this year, made 2007 the deadliest for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion. The six deaths brings the total number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan this year to at least 101, according to a count by the AP. That makes this year the deadliest for Americans here since the 2001 invasion, a war initially launched to oust Taliban and al-Qaida fighters after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, but one that has evolved into an increasingly bloody counterinsurgency campaign. It is a bit eerie that on the eve of Veteran's day, the casualty counts in both Iraq and Afghanistan have hit annual highs. Just another reminder of the sacrifices that our armed forces continue to make on a daily basis to protect those of us at home. Regardless of your opinion of the politics involved, take a moment this weekend to reflect upon the valiant efforts of our troops both at home and abroad. Stay safe, guys and gals.

Nuclear Weapons - Members of Congress have warned about the dangers of suitcase nuclear weapons. Hollywood has made television shows and movies about them. Even the Federal Emergency Management Agency has alerted Americans to a threat — information the White House includes on its Web site. But government experts and intelligence officials say such a threat gets vastly more attention than it deserves. These officials said a true suitcase nuke would be highly complex to produce, require significant upkeep and cost a small fortune. Why don't the assurances of 'government experts and intelligence officials' make me feel any safer? I'm sure they said the same thing about the possibility of someone crashing a commercial aircraft into a skyscraper. Look how that turned out.

Economy - Full disclosure: I ripped this one off from The Onion (published earlier this week). These guys are hysterical.

While speaking to a group of White House reporters, President Bush fended off questions about the weak state of the dollar, the expected long-term deficit caused by Social Security and Medicare payments, and a faltering housing market by assuring reporters that the U.S. economy's ability to have such a widespread negative impact on the world only further proves it is "easily the best."

"Our recent credit crisis alone has been enough to depress share prices in Japan, Rome, China, and Brazil," a smirking Bush said during a press conference Thursday.

"Sounds to me like our economy is still pretty powerful." Bush later added that he was equally proud of the impact U.S. foreign policy has had over the past six years, adding that only a truly great president could be capable of fostering so much hatred across the globe.

What makes this so funny is that there's a good chance that Bush could have made these sorts of remarks. Thankfully, this time around, it was just a really good satire from the comically gifted minds who publish The Onion.

India - Here's another entry from the 'so bizarre it must be true' file...

Delhi's Deputy Mayor fell to his death last week after being attacked by monkeys. The Indian capital is suffering from a plague of Rhesus macaques, whose natural habitat has been shrinking as urban sprawl claims the nearby forests. The 'monkey menace' is particularly hard to combat because many Hindus, who believe monkeys to be the manifestations of the monkey god Hanuman, feed the animals; that encourages them to hang around urban areas and beg. Some become aggressive, but they can't be killed because of their religious significance. Nor has relocating monkeys to rural areas or wildlife sanctuaries been successful, as they tend to find their way back. As is so often the case, with stories like this, I again find myself at a loss for words. I wonder if the U.S. State Department plans to issue a travel advisory to would-be American visitors to Delhi.

Cars - This is an obituary of sorts for a car that I never would have thought would achieve icon status. Clearly, I'm wrong.

The Ford Crown Victoria is an American institution: a big, comfortable, gas-guzzling sedan that has become the workhorse for major urban police departments and cab companies. But with retail sales down 90% since 2000, the Crown Vic--a favorite of car buffs--might soon become a nostalgia piece. Ford will stop selling it to the public next year, and pretty soon it might vanish from the street altogether. The automaker expects to sell 50,000 units to the government this year, mostly for use in law enforcement, but the Police Interceptor model has been losing market share in the last few years to the Chevy Impala and Dodge Charger; both of which are faster than the Crown Vic. The car's future as a cab is also grim. Of the 4,000 units sold to cab companies, 3,500 end up in New York City. However, cities are increasingly moving to hybrid fleets to cut air pollution. Truth be told, I don't know that I've ever been in a Crown Vic. So far, I have successfully evaded law enforcement officials, and most of my recent cab rides have been in minivans or Impalas. Maybe Ford needs to license a John Mellencamp song to promote the Crown Vic.