What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race - Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton kicked off their final debate before Super Tuesday contests on a cordial note, and reached out to backers of former rival John Edwards in their chase for delegates. Facing only each other in a debate for the first time, both candidates acknowledged policy differences but also sought to ratchet back what had become increasingly personal attacks. I guess my problem with this attempt at being cordial, is that neither of these candidates probably mean it. They know that the big prize is in November and, rightly so, neither wants to do something stupid to screw up their shot at it. But do Barack and Hillary really like each other? I doubt it.

Meanwhile, while the Democrats are taking a breather on personal attacks, the Republicans are picking up the slack. Mitt Romney accused his rival John McCain of adopting underhanded tactics from Richard Nixon, the GOP president who resigned in disgrace. Romney said in his most pointed rebuttal yet to front-runner McCain's claim that the former Massachusetts governor favors a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq. Romney denies this charge and most media analyses have concluded that Romney wasn't using `timetable' in the same way Democratic candidates have. McCain's decision to level the timetable charge this week without leaving Romney time to rebut it before Florida Republicans voted in their primary "was reminiscent of the Nixon era," Romney said. McCain ended up winning the Florida contest Tuesday. Okay sure, McCain's tactics may not have been nice, but it sure looks like they worked. When was the last time you saw Miss Congeniality win a beauty pageant? Before Romney gets on his high horse maybe he should consider what he would have done if the roles were reversed. Maybe McCain struck a low blow and maybe he didn't. Given the same opportunity, would Romney have acted any differently?

Al-Qaeda - A senior Al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan, described by Western authorities as one of Osama bin Laden's top six lieutenants, has been killed. An Al-Qaeda linked web site reported Abu Laith al-Libi had been killed in Pakistan, suggesting he may have died in a suspected U.S. missile strike that killed up to 13 foreign militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan border area this week. Al-Libi is believed to have been responsible for a brazen bomb attack during a visit last year by Vice President Dick Cheney to Afghanistan. The killing of such a major al-Qaeda figure is likely to embarrass Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who has repeatedly said he would not sanction U.S. military action against al-Qaeda members believed to be regrouping in the wild borderlands near Afghanistan. Well golly, I guess we should have checked with him first, shouldn't we? I mean, really. The last thing the United States would want to do is step on the toes of a stauch ally in the war against terror. Especially, one like Musharraf who has demonstrated that he has a firm grasp on the situation in Pakistan. Embarrassment? Dude, that is the least of this idiot's problems.

Greenland - I'd have to check the archives on this, but I'm pretty sure this is my first posting on Greenland. Denmark plans to investigate claims that the CIA secretly used an airport on the Nordic country's remote Arctic territory of Greenland to transport prisoners in the U.S. war on terror. Denmark, like many other European countries, began investigating reports in 2005 that the U.S. intelligence agency quietly touched down on their territory as part of the CIA's so-called "extraordinary rendition" program. Human rights groups have criticized the practice, in which suspects are transported for interrogation to countries outside the U.S. for interrogation. In 2005, the government confirmed that at least 14 flights by aircraft suspected of being used in the CIA program entered Danish airspace since 2001, but said it was not clear who was on board. A February 2007 report by the European Parliament said at least 1,245 undeclared flights operated by the CIA flew into European airspace or stopped over at European airfields, including in Denmark, after the September 11 terror attacks of 2001. I'm probably missing the point here, but if I were going to look for an out of the way place to make a pitstop out of public view, I have to say that Greenland would be pretty high on my list. On another note, it's not like any improprieties actually took place on Danish soil, so what's the big deal? Our guys waited until wheels up before beating the living daylights...Let me try that again. Our guys waited until wheels up before interrogating any terrorist suspects. (If it isn't obvious, please trust that my commentary is dripping in sarcasm).

Rwanda - Yep, I think this is another first time shout out as well, this time to my peeps in Rwanda. The central bank of Rwanda has launched its own securities exchange in the country's capital, Kigali. The hope is that the exchange will aid the economy, which has yet to bounce back after the 1994 genocide. More than 800,000 people were killed and the country's infrastructure was destroyed in the civil war. The securities exchange is being seen as a source of cheaper financing than that offered by commercial banks. The central bank's governor said that at first the stock exchange would only be open to Rwandan companies. Good for them, though I'm not sure that they needed restrict the exchange only to domestic companies. Call me a skeptic, but I don't see the likes of Wal-Mart or Microsoft tripping over themselves to get listed on the Rwandan stock exchange.

Golf - Not that this should come as much of a surprise, but Tiger Woods shot a 7-under par 65 in the first round of the Dubai Classic to open up a two stroke advantage over the rest of the field. The funny thing about this is that he's probably pocketing more in appearance fees than he will if he wins the tournament.

What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race - Candidates are dropping like flies now. First up a report on the GOP. Rudy Giuliani bowed out of the Republican presidential contest today and endorsed front-runner and longtime friend John McCain. Once the front-runner himself, Giuliani decided to abandon the race after a dismal performance in Tuesday's Florida primary, a contest on which he had bet his political fortune. Instead, McCain won and Giuliani came in a distant third. Mike Huckabee is still formally in the Republican race but his lack of campaign money and limited appeal beyond Christian conservatives has left him trailing far behind. Somewhere along the way I guess I missed the fact that Duncan Hunter dropped out back on January 21. The lucky beneficiary of his endorsement--Mike Huckabee. Way to pick a winner there, Duncan.

Over on the Democrat side, it's now a two horse race. The withdrawal of John Edwards means Democrats will field a history-making ticket. Regardless of whether Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, it will be the first time a black or a woman has headed a major U.S. party's presidential slate. Edwards did not immediately endorse either of his rivals. I exaggerated a bit. It's not exactly a two-horse race. After all, we still have Mike Gravel in the mix. Who, you ask? My point exactly (He's the former governor of Alaska).

I have to say I'm not exactly surprised by the way the Democratic race is turning out, though it would have been nice if these drop outs had stuck it out a bit longer--at least until Super Tuesday. I'm completely confounded by the GOP race. Before the Iowa caucuses, Guiliani was being crowned as the nation's savior while McCain was scrounging for survival. My, but how the tides have turned. By the way, how are all of you absentee voters feeling now that a bunch of your votes probably don't matter any more?

Economy - The U.S. Senate Finance Committee approved a $157 billion economic stimulus package that offers smaller tax rebates to more people than a plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. President Bush wants the Senate to accept the $146 billion package passed Tuesday by the House. The Finance Committee bill would give a flat $500 rebate to individuals, $1,000 for couples, plus $300 per child to all tax filers reporting at least $3,000 of income, including Social Security and disability benefits. The House bill provides for a $300 rebate for low-income workers, $600 for families who reported at least $3,000 in income in 2007 and paid no income taxes. Those families would also get the $300 child benefit. I'm just wondering if it is worth threatening a delay of a stimulus package over what amounts to an $11 billion dollar difference and a couple of hundred dollars in the pockets of most Americans. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but $1000 versus $600 for the average family isn't going to make much of a difference. This barely covers a car payment for most of us.

Meanwhile, the Fed appears to be doing what it can to delay...I mean prevent stop the downward spiral that our economy is stuck in. The Federal Reserve cut U.S. interest rates by a hefty half-percentage point today, lowering the federal funds rate to 3%, the lowest since June 2005. This comes just eight days after the central bank slashed rates by three-quarters of a point. The cumulative 1.25 percentage point reduction in the interbank overnight rate in less than two weeks ranks among the most abrupt rate-cutting sprees in the modern history of the U.S. central bank. The Fed's action came on the heels of a government report showing that the economy grew at a weak 0.6% annual pace in the last three months of 2007 as consumers curbed spending and homebuilding plunged. Growth of 2.2% for all of 2007 marked the economy's weakest expansion in five years. As nice as it must be for Congress to pass out candy--which they are issuing promisory notes to foreign interests to pay for--it's difficult to see how this so-called economic stimulus package is going to stimulate much of anything.

Climate Change - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that global warming could cost the world up to $20 trillion over two decades for cleaner energy sources and do the most harm to people who can least afford to adapt. Ban, who has repeatedly said that his No. 1 priority is persuading the world to agree to new controls on global warming gases before the end of 2009, warned that global warming would probably affect women more than men. You know how we sometimes use the analogy of the 'third rail' to describe domestic issues too volatile for politicians to act upon, like Social Security and immigration? I think we have a contender for 'third rail' on the global stage.

Australia - Aborigines--450,000 among Australia's population of 21 million--are the country's poorest ethnic group and are most likely to be jailed, unemployed and illiterate. Their life expectancy is 17 years shorter than other Australians. From 1910 until 1970, some 100,000 mostly mixed-blood Aboriginal children were taken from their parents under state and federal laws that argued the race was doomed and that integrating the children was a humane alternative. An inquiry concluded in 1997 that many stolen generation children suffered long-term psychological effects stemming from their loss of family and culture. It recommended that state and federal authorities apologize and pay compensation to those who were removed. All state governments have apologized, but the question of compensation was left to the federal government. Australia's government announced today it would formally apologize to the so-called "stolen generations" as the first item of business of the new Parliament. The issue has divided Australians for decades, and an apology would be a crucial step toward righting injustices many blame for the marginalized existence of Australia's original inhabitants. Sounds similar to the type of treatment our indigenous population has gotten over the years. You know, instead of apologizing, maybe Australia could do the same thing we did here--legalize Indian gaming. Nothing like a little cash to undo generations of unfair persecution.

There's a little build up on this last item. Don't worry, the payoff will be worth it.

Middle East - A rare snowstorm swept the Middle East, blanketing parts of the Holy Land in white, shutting schools and sending excited children into the streets for snowball fights. In Amman, Jordan, where a foot of snow fell, children used inflatable tubes as sleds. Some roads were temporarily closed. Snow covered most mountain villages and blocked roads in Lebanon. The storm disrupted power supplies in most Lebanese towns and villages, exacerbating existing power cuts. Parts of the Beirut-Damascus highway were closed. Temperatures in Syria dipped below freezing and snow blanketed the hills overlooking the capital, Damascus. Maybe peace does have a chance after all. You know what the skeptics have said...'not a snowball's chance in hell'. Well it's snowing now.

Yeah, you're probably right, it wasn't worth it.

What Caught My Eye Today

Economy - The House, seizing a rare moment of bipartisanship to respond to the economy's slump, overwhelmingly passed a $146 billion aid package. The plan, approved 385-35 after little debate, would send at least some rebate to anyone with at least $3,000 in income, with more going to families with children and less going to wealthier taxpayers. Sounds promising doesn't it? But don't get too excited. The plan faces a murky future in the Senate, where Democrats and Republicans backed a larger package that adds billions of dollars for senior citizens and the unemployed, and shrinks the rebate to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples. That plan would deliver checks even to the richest taxpayers, who are disqualified under the House-passed measure. The House and Senate work in the same building don't they? Is it too much to expect that these guys--especially seeing as both chambers are controlled by the Democrats--would check with each other to make sure that every one is on the same page with respect to this stimulus package? Apparently, the answer is yes. I can understand a lack of communication between Congress and the President, but between the House and Senate--that's just too much. No wonder Congress has an approval rating below 20%. I'm surprised it's that high.

Haiti - With food prices rising, Haiti's poorest can't afford even a daily plate of rice, and some take desperate measures to fill their bellies. Families have come to rely on a traditional Haitian remedy for hunger pangs: cookies made of dried yellow dirt from the country's central plateau. The mud has long been prized by pregnant women and children here as an antacid and source of calcium. Cookies made of dirt, salt and vegetable shortening have become a regular meal. Food prices around the world have spiked because of higher oil prices, needed for fertilizer, irrigation and transportation. Prices for basic ingredients such as corn and wheat are also up sharply, and the increasing global demand for biofuels is pressuring food markets as well. The problem is particularly dire in the Caribbean, where island nations depend on imports and food prices are up 40% in places. I'm not suggesting that Haiti's problems are in any way the fault of the United States, but I sometimes question the logic employed by our government for investing money and capital in far away countries, when we have neighboring countries whose populations are attempting to fight starvation by eating dirt.

Of course, things can always be worse...

Somalia - The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees reported that high levels of malnutrition and the difficulties of delivering aid make Somalia the world's most pressing humanitarian crisis. More than 1 million people have fled their homes in Somalia, which is convulsed by fighting between Ethiopian-backed government forces, Islamist insurgents and an assortment of warlords. "The situation is very severe. It is the most pressing humanitarian emergency in the world today -- even worse than Darfur," he said, referring to the war in western Sudan, which has driven 2.5 million from their homes. I don't want to even attempt to fathom the conditions that must exist in Somalia to make it rank worse than Darfur. Reports like this really make you stop and ponder just how civilized our world has become. Depending on where you live, not much.

Aging - Middle age is truly miserable, according to a study using data from 80 countries showing that depression is most common among men and women in their forties. They needed a study to prove this? Researchers found that happiness for people follows a U-shaped curve where life begins cheerful before turning tough during middle age and then returning to the joys of youth in the golden years. One possibility may be that people realize they won't achieve many of their aspirations at middle age. Reality bites, don't it? The good news is that if people make it to aged 70 and are still physically fit, they are on average as happy and mentally healthy as a 20-year old. Nothing like a little survival of the fittest to put the pep back in your step. I can see it now...'I may be old, decrepit and having to take a pee every 15 minutes, but at least I still can. Take that, you dead stiffs!'

Horse Racing - I noticed this item, because it touches upon a headline that I mentioned in my first post a year ago. Barbaro, the powerful bay colt crushed a 19 horse field in the 2006 Kentucky Derby and whose courage after a breakdown at the Preakness two weeks later made him an icon will be honored at Churchill Downs. When it came time to decide how best to honor the horse, who was euthanized on Jan. 29, 2007 from complications of the breakdown, there was only one place Barbaro's owners felt he would feel at home: a short gallop from the site of his greatest triumph. Barbaro's ashes and a bronze statue will be placed in front of an entrance gate at Churchill Downs sometime in 2009. Seems only fitting for a horse that gave so much to this sport in his short lifetime should have a tribute like this to keep his memory alive. Finally a sports story that we can all be proud of.

What Caught My Eye Today

Editor's Note: Today marks the end of a year's worth of observation, musings, whining, ranting, what have you. I'd like to thank the world at large (and beyond for that matter) for giving me some much to talk about...267 postings and counting. And to the 280 folks from 24 countries that took the time to read some of my stuff (sorry, there a few wasted minutes you're never going to get back), I hope you enjoyed. I also want to extend my well-wishes to a long time friend. Get well soon, Bob.

Kenya - Thousands of machete-wielding youths hunted down members of President Mwai Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe today in western Kenya's Rift Valley, torching homes and buses, clashing with police, and blocking roads with burning tires. Kibaki has said he is open to direct talks with opposition leader Raila Odinga, who is from the Luo tribe, but that his position as president is not negotiable. Odinga says Kibaki must step down and only new elections will bring peace. The death toll has soared over 800. The bloodshed has transformed this once-stable African country, pitting longtime neighbors against one another and turning tourist towns into no-go zones. Kibaki and Odinga blame each other for the violence, trading accusations of "ethnic cleansing." Human rights groups and officials charge it has become organized. This sort of violence puts into perspective just how lucky we have things in the United States where the greatest controversy to hit our presidential elections were 'hanging chads'. More disturbing is the fact that both sides of this issue are acknowledging that "ethnic cleansing" is being perpetrated, yet neither seems willing to compromise in order to stop the violence.

2008 Presidential Race - Senator Edward Kennedy led two generations of the First Family of Democratic politics today in endorsing Barack Obama for the White House. Rhode Island Representative, Patrick Kennedy, and Caroline Kennedy also voiced their endorsement of Obama. Kennedy's endorsement was ardently sought by all three of the remaining Democratic presidential contenders, and he delivered it at a pivotal time in the race. A liberal lion in his fifth decade in the Senate, the Massachusetts senator is in a position to help Obama court voting groups who so far have tilted Clinton's way. These include Hispanics, rank-and-file union workers and lower-income, older voters. Momentum can be a fickle beast. Not too long ago, Hillary was being written off for dead in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary. Then she goes and gets all human on us and seizes a surprise victory over Obama. She then proceeds to follow that up with having her husband rip into Obama in a state that is 50% black, which predictably ended up with her running to Tennessee with her tail between her legs before the polls in South Carolina even closed. No, wait a minute. This isn't momentum; it's just plain stupidity.

Surely, the Republicans are capable of maintaining a greater level of competence. Mitt Romney and John McCain accused each other of being liberals, a charge tantamount to blasphemy in the caustic campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. One day before the crucial Florida primary, Romney lambasted the Arizona senator for a host of "liberal answers" to the country's problems. McCain accused Romney of "wholesale deception of voters" and of flip-flopping on the issues. Or perhaps not. Did these guys not pay attention to all the damage the Democrats inflicted on themselves last week by getting into personal attacks over race? Honestly, it's like this year's election will be won by the candidate that does the least amount of dumb things.

Canada - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announce that his country will extend its military mission in Afghanistan only if another NATO country puts more soldiers in the dangerous south. Harper is under pressure to withdraw its 2,500 troops from Kandahar province, the former Taliban stronghold, after the deaths of 78 soldiers and a diplomat. European allies' refusal to deploy to Afghanistan's dangerous south and east has opened a rift with Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and others which, along with the United States, have borne the brunt of Taliban violence. You cannot exactly criticize Canada for its frustration. It's funny how the international community stands firm in its resolve that Afghanistan needs to be rid of the Taliban and other Islamic extremists, but when action is called for so many seem to lose their voices. NATO is a military alliance isn't it. Maybe the some of the member nations forgot what that actually means.

Great Britain - The British government is giving McDonald's the right to award credits toward a high school diploma to employees who complete on-the-job training programs. The plan is part of a push to improve skills among young people and offer even workers who dropped out of school years ago a chance to gain official qualifications. It's the first time commercial companies have been allowed to award nationally recognized academic credits for their own workplace training plans. Experts and business leaders had a mixed reaction to the plan, already being dubbed "McQualifications." Call me a skeptic, but what sort of education does "Would you like fries with you order" fall under? Of course, one could argue that some on-the-job training is better than none and if young people are learning stuff on the job that they couldn't in school, where is the harm in that. After all, I do usually end up getting fries with my order, so they must be doing something right.

What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race - Barack Obama routed Hillary Rodham Clinton in the racially charged South Carolina primary Saturday night, regaining campaign momentum in the prelude to the February 5 competition for more than 1,600 Democratic National Convention delegates after rolling up 55% of the vote in a three-way race. About half the voters were black, according to polling place interviews, and four out of five of them supported Obama. Black women turned out in particularly large numbers. Obama got about a quarter of the white vote while Clinton and John Edwards split the rest. Edwards finished a distant third, a sharp setback in the state where he was born and scored a primary victory in his first presidential campaign four years ago. The South Carolina primary marked the end of the first phase of the campaign for the Democratic nomination, a series of single-state contests that winnowed the field, conferred co-front-runner status on Clinton and Obama but had relatively few delegates at stake. That all changes on February 5, when New York, Illinois and California are among the 15 states holding primaries in a virtual nationwide primary. Another seven states and American Samoa will hold Democratic caucuses on the same day. Another way to put Super Tuesday into context would be this..."Game on." And another thing, I was watching the early results come in last night and with 0% of precincts reporting in, the AP had already determined that the rout was on. I'm not saying that 55% to 27% isn't exactly close, but how about letting the some of the results be tabulated before calling a race?

Brazil - A huge natural gas field has been discovered off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The find, almost 17,000 feet below the ocean surface, may rival the isze of the nearby Tupi oil field, a 5 billion to 8 billion bareel deposit discovered last November. State oil company Petrobras, regarded as a world leader in deep water drilling technology, could parly the discoveries into a role as a dominant global energy supplier. Does anyone know how good the relations are between Brazil and the U.S.? I'm just wondering if these recent events are going to be a good thing--as in a new source of energy not in the Middle East that could help satisfy growing global energy demands--or a bad thing--as in time to start planning another 'shock and awe' campaign to make sure there is a U.S friendly regime in place to make sure the U.S. gets its fair share.

Air Pollution - Here's a candidate for the "No S--t, Sherlock" story of the year. According to a recently published Johns Hopkins University study, air pollution isn't just bad for our lungs, but the toxins found in factory funes and car exhaust can reduce the quality of male sperm and perhaps lead to birth defects. Yes, and it could kill you too. In a test of two groups of mice, the group that breathed polluted air for several weeks had 60% more mutations in sperm samples, including some in germ line cells, the precursors to sperm. This means that mutations caused by pollution could be passed down for generations. Let me begin by saying the job of collecting mice sperm better pay one heck of a lot of money. How exactly do you describe that work experience on a resume? Don't tell me, I don't want to know. Seriously, though. I fail to see how any of this comes as any great surprise. A hundred years ago the HIV virus didn't exist, but look at the epidemic we have now. What makes us think that there weren't going to be some sort of side effects from all the pollution we've generated over the past few centuries?

Dieting - Let me just say this before I go on. I'll believe it when I see it. Rapper Eminem is being courted by the makers of SlimFast to be their new spokesperson. The hard-core rapper has been out of the public eye in recent years, during which time he has apparently ballooned up to around 210 pounds. A company spokesman said, "Slim-Fast would love to offer Eminem product and assistance to help him become a potential S-F success story." Don't do it, Slim Shady. There are more important things in life than a slim waistline and endorsement deals. You know what I'm talking about. That's right, a little thing called R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

War Veterans - Last week the New York Times ran an article that found at least 121 veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan had committed murder since returning from combat. The piece linked the vets' violence to the ravages of post-traumatic stress disorder. That doesn't seem like too much of a stretch. Frankly, I would have thought the number might be a lot higher. However, the Times omitted some crucial context. Uh-oh. Do I sense a bit of sensationalism here? Through 2007, the Pentagon discharged 749,932 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. That translates in a 'homicide offending rate of 16.1 per 100,000. The national average among males ages 18-24 is 20 per 100,000. Ah, well there you have it. Seems like a perfectly harmless oversight if you ask me. After all, who would want to read a story about war vets being less violent than the general population.

Sports - Just a couple of entries to conclude on a couple of events that I watched last week and over this weekend.

Tennis - First the short and sweet version of the women's and men's singles titles at the Australian Open. #5 Maria Sharapova won a snoozer over #3 Ana Ivanovic (7-5, 6-3) whicle #3 Novak Djokovic won a rather entertaining 4 set match over unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6). Besides not one of my picks making it out of the semi-finals in either draw, two items from the first grand slam of the year. First, half of the contenders for the championships came from Serbia. Not bad for a country that has been around since what, last week? Secondly, not one American advanced out of the quarterfinals in any event--including aany the doubles events. Thank goodness we have the French Open to look forward to. I don't have to tell all you tennis aficiandos how well we do on clay.

Golf - This guy just makes it look way too easy. In his most dominant start to a season, Tiger Woods built an 11-shot lead in the final round of the Buick Invitation, until a run of three straight bogieshis game on the back nine. A birdie on the last hole gave him a 1-under 71 and an eight-shot victory, giving him 62 for his career to tie Arnold Palmer on the PGA Tour list. Woods finished at 19-under 269 to win the Buick Invitational for the fourth consecutive year, tying a PGA Tour record for consecutive wins in a single tournament. Woods is the only player to own such a streak at two events, having also won four in a row at Bay Hill. The Buick Invitational is the third PGA Tour event Woods has won six times. The others are the Bridgestone Invitational and the CA Championship, both World Golf Championship events. I could probably go on, but you get the general idea.

One last item today--a sad and tragic end to a rather remarkable young actor's life.

Film - Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger was found dead this week in his New York apartment. Preliminary indications were that he died of a drug overdose. Ledger was found unconscious in a bedroom, with a bottle of prescription pills nearby. Foul play is not suspected. Ledger plays the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight. Rest in peace, Heath. To borrow from an Australian phrase, "Good on ya, mate."

What Caught My Eye Today

Egypt - Hamas-backed militants driving bulldozers knocked down more fortifications Friday along the Gaza-Egypt border — a brazen challenge to Egyptian riot police, who abandoned their positions after attempting to reseal the frontier using human chains, dogs and water cannons. Thousands of Palestinians flooded into Egypt, pushing through several openings as Egyptian troops retreated to their bases on the other side of the border. Palestinians positioned cranes next to the border and lifted crates of supplies into Gaza, including camels and cows. That must have been quite a spectacle to behold. Hamas, after blasting open the border wall earlier in the week, offered further proof that it simply cannot be ignored. The day's events also underscored a great dilemma faced by Egypt: if it acts forcefully against the Gazans, it could anger its own people, who are sympathetic to the Palestinians' plight. But if it does nothing, it risks infiltration by Islamic militants. Wrong place, wrong time. Yeah, that sucks. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. You almost feel sorry for the predicament the Egyptian government finds itself in. Especially, seeing as Egypt did nothing to encourage this situation.

Venezuela - I want to preface this item with a note of thanks to President Hugo Chavez. Thanks for making my job of mocking world leaders just a little be bit easier. President Hugo Chavez accused Colombia and the United States of plotting a military "aggression" against Venezuela. "I accuse the government of Colombia of devising a conspiracy, acting as a pawn of the U.S. empire, of devising a military provocation against Venezuela," Chavez said. Chavez did not offer evidence to support his claim. Gee, there's a big surprise. He has repeatedly accused the United States of plotting to oust him or kill him, though it was the first time he has accused Colombia's U.S.-allied government in such strident terms. Well, I guess it was bound to happen at some point. With Cuban leader Fidel Castro in declining health, somebody had to pick up the mantle being the Western Hemisphere's thorn in the side of the evil American empire. Still, I wonder what set off the lunatic this time?

Colombia - Wait just a second. Maybe this has something to do with the bee in Chavez's bonnet. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Colombia as part of a coordinated campaign by Colombia and the White House to win over skeptical Democrats and revive the trade pact, which was first signed in 2006 but has not yet been passed by Congress. Colombia is the world's most dangerous country for labor organizing. Rice and nine Democratic lawmakers met with union leaders who oppose the deal to hear complaints that President Alvaro Uribe has failed to stamp out the violence, including murder. Rice said that failing to pass the trade deal would hurt the U.S. image in Latin America, many of whose leaders — cheered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez — have grown weary of the pro-market reforms favored by Washington. Well there you have it. If this is something that the Americans think is a good idea, naturally it must be a bad deal for the Colombians. The fact that a similar agreement was reached with Peru last year is irrelevant. It's not like they have anything we want like Colombia does. No, not oil. I'm talking about the stuff that really keeps Americans happy--like coffee and drugs.

Iran - Iran's foreign minister urged the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to "correct their past mistakes" and draw up a a resolution ending council involvement in his country's nuclear affairs. He also said that — while it makes sense to talk with Washington over common interests such as Iraq — he could not imagine substantially improved ties with the United States even after a change in U.S. administrations. I didn't see this one coming--some common ground that both Iran and the U.S. can agree on. I don't imagine many folks in Washington envision better relations with Iran either.

Golf - Stop me if you've heard this one before. Tiger Woods made short work of the North Course on Friday with a 7-under 65, giving him a four-shot lead as he tries to win the Buick Invitational for the fourth straight year. Paired up with him for the third round is rookie Kevin Streelman, currently #1,354 in world ranking. I think Tiger said it best when asked about his playing partner, "I think he might be going up."

Tennis - #1 seed Roger Federer lost to #3 seed Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (5) Friday in the Australian Open semifinals, leaving the top-ranked Swiss one match short of making an 11th consecutive Grand Slam final. Djokovic will now play unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday, setting up one unlikely title match. The women settle their championship Saturday when Maria Sharapova faces Ana Ivanovic. Okay, my picks are shot to hell, but who doesn't want to see that men's final on Sunday. As for the women's final, I'm going with the first half of an all-Serb sweep. Gimme Ivanovic in straight sets.

What Caught My Eye Today

Italy - Italian Premier Romano Prodi resigned today after his center-left coalition lost a Senate confidence vote, a humiliating end to a 20-month-old government plagued by infighting. Can you imagine the state of the U.S. government if the dude in charge had to submit to confidence votes? We'd have a new government every other day. Elected in April 2006, Prodi has had a shaky government from nearly the start. It lurched toward collapse this week after a small Christian Democrat party, whose votes were vital to his Senate majority, yanked its support in the latest coalition spat. Former Premier Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire media magnate who lost to Prodi in 2006 and is eager to return to office, said Napolitano should call early elections. Although decades of revolving-door politics has produced 61 governments since World War II, Italy's political climate had stabilized in recent years, with Berlusconi's government lasting for a full five-year term starting in 2001. So if my calculations are correct, that would be 61 governments in just over 62 years. That's some serious turnover. I barely get my teeth cleaned as frequently as Italy changes governments.

2008 Presidential Campaign - Democrat Dennis Kucinich is abandoning his second, long-shot bid for the White House as he faces a tough fight to hold onto his other job — U.S. congressman. That and his crusade to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Good luck with that, bro'. Kucinich has received little support in his presidential bid; he got 1%of the vote in the New Hampshire primary and was shut out in the Iowa caucuses. Kucinich said he will not endorse another Democrat in the primary. Oh yeah, I'm sure that'll hurt the feelings of the remaining candidates. Dude was averaging less than 1% in the primaries that he actually managed to get his name on the ballot.

Switzerland - Fears of world recession briefly took a back seat today at the World Economic Forum, where leaders from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq focused on how to establish security in their volatile regions. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said poverty — especially when paired with illiteracy — was the key breeding ground for suicide bombers. The deputy prime minister of Iraq, described terrorism in his country as "efforts by extremists to hijack my religion." Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whose country has recently seen an upsurge in suicide bombings, said the practice "isn't religious, it's criminal." On Wednesday, the opening day of the annual meeting, the focus was the global economy and roiling stock markets as fears grew that the U.S. economic downturn would spread around the world. I suppose on the bright side, there seems to be consensus that the suicide bombings in the Middle East are reflective of a very small number of misguided individuals rather than the boarder population who consider themselves Muslim. Too bad, other than some nice sounding political rhetoric, no one seems to have a plan for addressing the problem.

Brazil - The clearing of Brazil's Amazon rain forest jumped dramatically in the final months of 2007, spurred by heavy market demand for corn, soy and cattle, the government and environmentalists. Government officials estimate as much as 2,703 square miles of rain forest was cleared from August through December, meaning that Brazil could lose 5,791 square miles of jungle by August of this year if the rate continues. That would be a 34% increase from the 4,334 square miles that was cut down and burned from August 2006 through July of last year. Jungle is typically cleared in the Amazon to provide pasture for cattle, then soy farmers move in later and cultivate their crops. Brazil also has a booming beef export industry, and cattle ranchers have been expanding operations in the Amazon. Corn is increasingly being grown in the Amazon because of high international prices brought on by U.S. President George W. Bush's decision to promote use of corn-based ethanol. Brazil has some of the strictest environmental laws on the planet, but enforcement is traditionally spotty. Yes, let's all blame the deforestation in Brazil on ethanol and those rat fink lobbyists who convinced Washington that ethanol was the solution to everything. Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with a country trying to make a buck (We do it all the time in the U.S.), but don't go pinning this increase in deforestation in Brazil on the Americans. We're guilty of a lot when it comes to the environment, but this particular issue is all on the Brazilian government.

China - In a blast of harsh rhetoric, China lashed out at the Dalai Lama and critics of Beijing's support for Sudan, saying attempts to link political issues to the Beijing Summer Olympics betrayed the spirit of the games. Beijing's tough approach illustrates its extreme sensitivity toward anything that might tarnish its staging of the Aug. 8-24 Olympic Games. Beijing has invested billions of dollars and national prestige in what it hopes will be a glorious showcase of China's rapid development from impoverished agrarian nation to rising industrial power. China has sold weapons to the Sudanese government and defended it in the U.N. Security Council. Resource-hungry China buys two-thirds of Sudan's oil exports and observers say Sudan's military receives up to 70% of oil royalties. China says it plays a constructive role in seeking to resolve the Darfur conflict, where more than 200,000 people have died since 2003, when local rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated Sudanese government. You can't fault China for trying to protect its investment in the Olympics, but at the same time, what did the Chinese government expect the reaction would be regarding its support of the Sudanese government? Of course, it is a little difficult to criticize China's choice of nations to support. It's not like the U.S. has a stellar track record.

Tennis - Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won over the crowds with a contagious smile and a go-for-broke style, claimed his biggest victim yet today, dominating second-ranked Nadal in a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 victory that carried Tsonga to his first Grand Slam final. Tsonga, who beat three top 12 players earlier in the tournament, had never gone beyond the fourth round in his four previous Grand Slams. Now, he will play the winner of Friday's semifinal between top-ranked Roger Federer and No. 3 Novak Djokovic. On the women's side, fourth-ranked Ana Ivanovic staged a dramatic comeback, losing the first eight games before ousting No. 9 Daniela Hantuchova 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach her second Grand Slam final. She will meet No. 5 Maria Sharapova, who overwhelmed Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 6-1. First off, the women's semifinals were, frankly, a big letdown. Admittedly, Jelena Jankovic is nursing an injury, but that match was little more than a practice session for Sharapova. As for the second women's semi, I was optimistic that Hantuchova might close the deal, what with winning the first 8 games, but then she imploded. Here's hoping the men can pick up the slack in the second men's semifinal. If you've following the tournament, how entertaining would it be to watch Tsonga duke it out against Novak Djokovic in the final?

What Caught My Eye Today

Economy - Pushing deficit concerns aside, Democratic and Republican leaders appeared close to agreement with the White House on emergency tax cuts and benefit increases to jolt the economy out of its slump. Democrats said greater GOP flexibility over giving income tax relief to poor families with children had moved the talks forward. Dare I say that these guys managed to find a middle ground on something? Lawmakers learned during the day that the government's deficit already would swell to $250 billion this year because of falling corporate tax revenues — then they signaled they were willing to balloon it higher by more than $100 billion with a stimulus package. Pish-posh. What's a mere $100 billion here or there? Nothing a strong economy won't be able to fix. Plus it isn't like this massive deficit is going to come back to haunt this particular Congress anytime soon. Nope we'll leave that to future generations.

And then there was the stock market. If you like roller coasters, you'll love today's action. It started with another stomach-turning drop at the open, and a loss of more than 300 points by midday. Then stocks changed course, raced higher and closed with a dramatic gain of nearly 300. Amid tumbling housing prices, an ongoing credit crisis and growing fears of a recession, turbulence has become a hallmark of Wall Street in recent weeks. The Dow Jones industrial average finished the day up 298.98 at 12,270.17. It had been down 323.29 at its low point. The swing from negative to positive territory of 631.86 points was the largest point move since July, 2002. At its lowest point yesterday, the Dow was 17.9% below its October closing high, meaning that the stock market has come perilously close to the 20% threshold that defines a bear market. Call me a pessimist but the fact that we missed an official bear market by 2% doesn't may me feel any better about the beating my retirement plan has taken in 2008.

Gaza - If you all think that the U.S. has issues with securing its borders, just remember this--it could always be worse. To prove my point, I give you this next item. Tens of thousands of Gazans flooded into Egypt today through a border fence blown up by militants — puncturing a gaping hole in Israel's airtight closure of the Gaza Strip and giving a boost to Hamas. In a shopping spree that was both festive and frenzied, Gazans cleared out stores in an Egyptian border town, buying up everything from TV sets to soft drinks to cigarettes. The chaotic scenes came almost a week after Israel imposed a tight closure on Gaza, backed by Egypt, in response to a spike in Gaza rocket attacks on Israeli towns. The breach, though likely temporary, seemed certain to strengthen Hamas in its showdown with Israel, the West and its Fatah rivals — relieving some of the pain of an international blockade of the Gaza Strip following Hamas' violent takeover of the coastal territory in June. It also raised Israeli fears of an influx of weapons and militants to Gaza and threatened to undermine crucial Egyptian participation in a Mideast peace push by President Bush. The United States expressed concern about the border breach. Israel demanded that Egypt take control of its border. Hamas called on its rivals to help come up with new arrangements for Gaza's crossings. Egypt's leader said he had no choice but to let in the beleaguered Palestinians. But Arab and U.S. officials in Washington said the Egyptian government assured the United States the border would be closed quickly. Hmm. So I wonder how those peace talks are going that President Bush is so keen to close on before the end of his presidency.

NASA - I sort of wish that my first entry of 2008 for these guys would have been a bit more promising. Unfortunately, they seem hell-bent on making themselves fodder for the late-night talk show hosts. NASA said that a survey of astronauts and flight surgeons found no evidence of launch day drinking by crew members, despite a report last year of two cases of drunkenness. I'm sorry, but they needed to conduct a survey to confirm this? The allegations of drunken astronauts arose last July. NASA established a panel of aerospace medicine experts to look into astronaut mental health. Experts, citing unidentified sources, reported heavy drinking by two astronauts right before their respective launches, one from Cape Canaveral and one from Kazakhstan. Doctors' concerns about the astronauts' inebriated state were supposedly overruled by management. Perhaps I'm looking at this from the wrong perspective, but if I'm getting ready to fly into the great beyond on a space craft that everyone agrees is well past its prime (I'm talking about the space shuttle. Don't get me started on those flying relics the Russian send up.) I'm thinking a drink or two is in order.

Thrift - Being thrifty in uncertain economic times is never a bad idea, but this item takes things to the extreme. A women in Shreveport, Louisiana has been saving her pennies for almost 19 years and she was making plans this week to cash them in at a bank — all 55,000 of them. She knows the $550 won't make her rich, but says the symbolism reinforced frugal spending habits. I'm probably going to get flack for saying this, but why do stories like this always seem to occur in places like Louisiana or Alabama. Do they put something in the water that the rest of us know nothing about?

Baseball - All-time U.S. baseball home run king Barry Bonds asked a federal court to dismiss criminal charges that he lied to a grand jury about past steroid use. "The indictment in this case falls woefully short of meeting the pleading requirements the Constitution imposes," Bonds' lawyers said. "Some portions of the indictment are so vague that it is simply impossible to be certain what untruths Mr. Bonds is alleged to have uttered." The motion alleges that the government is unfairly making overly broad allegations against the former San Francisco Giant. Notice that the motion says nothing about Bonds not lying, just that the allegations are unfair or vague. You have to hand it to the legal profession for coming up with these elaborate ways to to screw with the law.

Golf - Tiger Woods, who will be bidding for a fourth successive victory at this week's Buick Invitational, described his chances of completing a calendar grand slam as "possible." Although Woods became the first professional to hold all four majors at the same time by winning the 2001 U.S. Masters, he would dearly love to repeat the feat in a single season. Technically, a calendar grand slam is possible for anyone in the PGA right now. It's only January. That said, I wouldn't put it past Tiger to pull it off. He's got some motivation you know. Jack Nicklaus, never did it.

What Caught My Eye Today

Economy - Wall Street struggled to steady itself today, climbing back from an early plunge after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to restore stability to a faltering U.S. economy. The Dow Jones industrials, down 465 points at the start of the session, recovered to a loss of about 200 points. The U.S. markets joined a global sell off amid growing fears that a U.S. recession could send economies around the world into a downturn. Though stocks regained ground as investors digested the Fed's move to cut the key interest rate by 0.75 percentage point and bargain-hunters entered the market, trading remained volatile and the major indexes fluctuated sharply, at times approaching the break-even point before heading down again. The Fed's decision came a week before the central bank's regularly scheduled meeting, a sign that it acknowledges that the world's financial situation is serious. Well I'm glad to see that the Fed agrees with the rest of the world that the global economy is on life support. All kidding aside, given that the Fed usually moves about as quickly as a slug stuck in a pool of molasses, the fact that they announced this rate cut a week early and a 75 basis point cut at that, brings into clear focus just how precarious a position we are in. Thank goodness, we have some of the brightest minds guiding us through these treacherous time. (Note to self: Call broker and sell everything).

2008 Presidential Race - Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama engaged in a bitter crossfire yesterday as their U.S. presidential campaign took an ugly personal turn on the Martin Luther King holiday. Obama's complaints about former President Bill Clinton's attacks on him on behalf of his wife's campaign boiled over at a rancorous debate. Hillary Clinton flayed Obama for his praise of the late President Ronald Reagan, a Republican icon reviled by many Democrats. In the televised debate, Clinton accused Obama of praising ideas from the opposition party over the past 10-15 years after Obama said last week that Reagan "changed the trajectory of America." Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, shot back that he was in no way praising Republican ideas, but simply saying that Reagan had been able to bring political rivals together. Here's the exchange that I liked the best: When Clinton interrupted to say she had not mentioned Reagan, Obama said, "Your husband did." "I'm here, he's not," she tossed back. "Well I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes," Obama replied, a sign of his increasing exasperation at the attack role Bill Clinton is playing in her campaign. The back-and-forth was so fierce that John Edwards, running a distant third in the Democratic race, accused them of squabbling and often had trouble getting a word in edgewise. I'll get to Edwards in a moment. But, see, this is what I'm talking about in getting the spotlight back on the Democrats. Oh sure, Clinton and Obama are probably cannibalizing their respective campaigns with all these personal attacks, but at least it's interesting to watch. As for John Edwards, son, all I can say is this just ain't your year. Maybe the third time will be a charm. See you in 2012.

And this just in... Republican Fred Thompson quit the race for the White House on Tuesday after a string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states. Thompson's fate was sealed last Saturday in the South Carolina primary, when he finished third in a state that he had said he needed to win. So now we have our first GOP casualty. I'm thinking there will be a few more drop outs before Super Tuesday, and it's looking more and more like we'll have our top 2 or 3 in both races but February 6th or 7th.

Sierra Leone - This story should put into perspective an issue that the world should be ashamed of itself for not acting upon with more vigor. It should, but probably won't. A newborn in Sierra Leone has the lowest chance in the world of surviving until age 5, and the prospects are almost as bad for children in Angola and Afghanistan, according to a U.N. report released today. In 2006, nearly 9.7 million children died worldwide before their fifth birthdays, mostly from preventable causes such as diarrhea, malaria or malnutrition. More than 26,000 children under 5 die each day on average. Sierra Leone had the highest child mortality rate, with 270 deaths per 1,000 births. Angola was second with 260 deaths, followed by Afghanistan with 257. The rate worldwide in 2006, in contrast, was 72 deaths per 1,000 births. The average rate in industrialized countries was six deaths per 1,000 births. Sierra Leone, where a civil war raged from 1991 to 2002, is unable to offer sufficient health services to its citizens, like many war-torn countries such as Angola and Afghanistan, the report said. Sub-Saharan Africa, where the rate has dropped only 14 percent since 1990, is the region of greatest concern. It is home to 28 of the 30 countries with the highest child mortality rates.

Iraq - Meeting the demands of Iraq's Kurdish minority, Iraq's parliament passed a law to change the Saddam Hussein-era flag. The measure was approved by 110 lawmakers of 165 present voting in favor of removing the three stars and changing the calligraphy of the words "Allahu Akbar" in a symbolic break with the past. The Iraqi flag's three green stars are thought to symbolize Saddam's now-dissolved Baath Party, which had three stated objectives: unity, freedom and socialism. They are to be removed under the new law. The Arabic words "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Great," were added after Saddam's army invaded Kuwait in 1990. The Arab-Kurdish differences go to the heart of a wider debate over the future shape of Iraq. A constitution adopted in a nationwide referendum in 2005 recognizes Kurdish self-rule and provides a legal mechanism for other areas to govern themselves. But an overwhelming majority of Sunni Arabs voted against the document and now demand that it be amended. Kurdish authorities have signed several deals with foreign oil companies without the involvement of Baghdad, which says it doesn't recognize the deals. It never ceases to amaze me the power of symbolism that a nation's flag wields. One could make the argument that perhaps the Iraqi government should spend its time on more pressing matters that what it's flag looks like, but without some sort of nationwide symbol that all provinces can get behind, those issues will likely remain unresolved for quite some time.

Cuba - The new parliament chosen by Cuban voters could ultimately send ailing 81-year-old Fidel Castro into permanent retirement. There was no doubt that voters in Castro's home district had re-elected him to the National Assembly, where he must hold a seat to be eligible to stay on as chief of the island's governing body. But it was less clear whether the assembly would choose Castro as council president when it convenes for the first time in February, or whether Castro would step down after nearly 50 years at Cuba's helm. On Sunday, more than 8.2 million people cast ballots — more than 95% of registered voters. They were voting for 614 candidates, all of whom ran unopposed for the rubber-stamp parliament, and all of whom were elected. Cuba maintains that its balloting is more democratic than that of other countries because the candidates are chosen by municipal leaders nominated at neighborhood gatherings. So explain to me how a balloting process is considered democratic when there is only one name on the ballot to choose from?

Sports - Here's belated wrap up of some of the sports headlines that caught my attention...

Skiing - U.S. skier, Bode Miller won the combined title for the slalom and Saturday's downhill at the Hahnenkamm World Cup races in Kitbuehel, Austria, which means he is now the most successful American skier ever with 28 World Cup wins, overtaking Phil Mahre. Through 23 events in the 2007-2008 World Cup Ski circuit, Miller stands in second place, 31 points behind Austrian, Benjamin Raich. When the boy isn't singing the virtues of being anti-establishment, he turns in some pretty good results on the slopes. Nice going.

Tennis - I jinxed myself when I bragged about how well my picks were doing at the Australian Open. Recapping the latest quarterfinal results. #3 seed Jelena Jankovic blew past #7 seed Serena Williams, who was physically present, but who knows what planet her mind was on. Meanwhile, #5 Maria Sharapova smacked #1 Justine Henin 6-4, 6-0, to claim her spot in the semi-finals. #8 Venus Williams is the sole remaining American in the draw and faces #4 Ana Ivanovic in quarterfinal action today. I'm faring a bit better in the men's draw. #2 Rafael Nadal dispatched #24 Jarkko Nieminen in his quarterfinal match and is set to play unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinals. My boy Roger Federer plays his quarterfinal tonight against #12 James Blake, the last remaining American man. I gotta be honest. If Blake somehow manages to pull this off, I won't be that heartbroken.

Football - You may have heard that the Superbowl is in two week (12 days actually) and the teams are set. Predictably, the New England Patriots are in with a 21-12 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Conference Championships. This despite one of Tom Brady's worst performances ever. Representing the NFC, we have the New York Giants, who straight up outplayed the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay to win in overtime, 23-20. Early odds, have the Patriots as 13 favorites over the Giants. I'm not so sure I'd take that bet.

What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race - Republican John McCain said his South Carolina win gives him momentum heading into the next big battle in Florida. McCain bested Mike Huckabee in a South Carolina fight that focused on the economy. Mitt Romney cruised to victory in the little-contested GOP Nevada caucuses. Democrat Hillary Clinton claimed the Nevada vote as a victory. She captured the popular vote, but Barack Obama edged her out for national convention delegates at stake, taking 13 to her 12. John Edwards, who finished a distant third, said his campaign will continue. "I got my butt kick is what happened in Nevada." Well the GOP is still a crap shoot, but on the Democratic side, one has to believe that we're down to a two horse race at this point (sorry, John). And is it just me, or do there some sort of conspiracy against the Democrat how gets the popular vote but still manages to lose? What is all this nonsense about Clinton winning the popular vote, but Obama winning more delegates. Didn't we go through the same sort of deal back in 2004 in Florida?

Britain - For the first time since 1885, Britain's standard of living, measured by per capita gross domestic product, is poised to overtake that of the U.S. The pound's strength against the dollar accounts for about 75% of Britain's gain. Looser rules on hiring and firing workers, the creation of an independent central bank and lower corporate taxes have also helped close the gap in the past decade. The U.S. still tops Britain when it comes to purchasing power. If you all were wondering why the U.S. has such a large trade deficit its to prop up that purchasing power ranking. Seeing as the dollar is in the crapper, we have to rely on cheap imports to maintain our position on the purchasing power rankings. Nothing like a little smoke and mirrors to show how prosperous the U.S. economy is.

Pakistan - The United Nation's nuclear chief said that he was 'worried' that Pakistan's nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of extremists, given the uncertainty over that country's upcoming elections. Two former Pakistani military intelligence officials said that President Pervez Musharraf does not have control of the militants and that Pakistani intelligence has lost influence over the Islamist militants that it propped up during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Now hold on here just one cotton-picking minute. Pakistan cannot do this to the U.S. We need to focus our attention on Iran which, despite being several years away for developing a nuclear weapon, represents a far more dangerous situation than Pakistan does with the 100 or so nuclear bombs it already has. Didn't Musharraf get the memo?

Mercury - Just as a point of clarification, I'm referring to the planet, not the chemical that contaminates most of the fish that we consume. Also, I don't have anything witty to say about this item. I just happen to think this stuff is fascinating. You can move on to the next item if you like. The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging probe (or MESSENGER for short) is a NASA spacecraft, launched August 3, 2004 to study the characteristics and environment of Mercury. This week the probe passed within 125 miles of Mercury's surface. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are terrestrial (rocky) planets. Among these, Mercury is an extreme: the smallest, the densest (after correcting for self-compression), the one with the oldest surface, the one with the largest daily variations in surface temperature, and the least explored.

Crime - A catalytic converter is an anti-pollution device located on the exhaust system of every car and truck. For small-time thieves, 'cat cons' are becoming a quick and easy payday. Police are reporting a surge in cat-con thefts, because each one contains a few grams of platinum, which has skyrocketed in price from $500 an ounce in 200 to more than $1500 today. Criminals need only a minute to slip under a vehicle, remove the bulky part with wrenches or saws and disappear. They then sell the cat cons to salvage yards for between $25 and $200. You do have to give the criminal population some props for continually coming up with ways to make a buck. You know, maybe if we employed a couple of these enterprising individuals in the federal government we could avoid the economic downturn that appears to be looming. Clearly, the 'crooks' that are currently in Washington don't seem to be capable of doing anything.

Ethanol - Critics say the federal government is foolishly subsidizing the ethanol industry, since studies show that corn ethanol actually takes more energy to make and deliver than it produces. According to a new University of Nebraska study, ethanol could be a useful alternative fuel if it was made from prairie grass instead of corn. Biofuel made from prairie grass and wood chips is called cellulosic ethanol and has many advantages over corn ethanol, including that it emits less greenhouse gas when it is burned and that it doesn't raise corn prices to the developing world. The biggest obstacle is that there are no biorefineries built to process cellulosic material. How much do you want to bet that Nebraska has a surplus of prairie grass that it wants to cash in on. Too bad these guys didn't hire the same lobbyists that the Iowan corn farmers did. Seriously though, if cellulosic ethanol has as much upside as researchers claim, we should do something about it. You know, like move up the Nebraska primary to January 2 in the presidential election in 2012.

Tennis - I spoke too soon about my success. Not 10 minutes after I bragged about how my picks were still alive at the Australian Open, Svetlana Kuznetsova crashed and burned in the third round. However, I still have at least 2 picks into the quarterfinals (Justine Henin and Serena Williams). Over on the men's side, Rafael Nadal has already booked himself into the quarters. But the real story was an epic matchup between #15 Marcos Baghdatis and #19 Lleyton Hewitt. The home favorite beat Baghdatis in a titanic 5-set battle that did not end until 4.33am local time on Sunday, the latest finish in a grand-slam event. Also in the men's draw, James Blake and Roger Federer both survives their own 5-set tests to make it into the fourth round.

Football - The conference championships take place later today. My picks are rather boring. I've got the New England Patriots over the San Diego Chargers in the AFC title game and the Green Bay Packers over the New York Giants in the NFC title game. In my defense, who wouldn't want to see Brett Favre take on the Patriots in the Superbowl?

What Caught My Eye Today

Kenya - Clashes between rival tribes armed with machetes and bows and arrows marked the third, the bloodiest and what the government hopes is the last day of opposition protests over Kenya's disputed presidential election. With more than 20 people killed since Wednesday, the opposition announced a new strategy of economic boycotts and strikes to ratchet up pressure. President Mwai Kibaki insists he won the election, but international and local observers say the vote count was rigged. Kibaki's power has become more entrenched and he appears unlikely to accede to demands he step down. The opposition's best hope may rest in wrangling a power-sharing agreement that might make Odinga prime minister or vice president. Kenya has the biggest economy in East Africa and its ports and roads serve landlocked neighbors. The United States and other donors consider Kenya a vital partner in the war on terrorism and a regional economic and military powerhouse whose stability has stood in stark contrast to war-ravaged neighbors such as Sudan and Somalia, where Islamic extremism is rife. First of all, let's hope something can be done to re-establish peace and order for the citizenry. Secondly, I'm thinking that countries should start thinking twice about signing on as allies of the U.S. in the war against terrorism. First Pakistan, now Kenya is in the throes of political chaos. And both countries are touted as by the U.S. as key allies in the war on terrorism. Coincidence?

Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that President Bush sent a "message of confrontation" during his recent Mideast trip. "President George Bush sent a message to the Iranian people and all the nations worldwide. This message reflects his own conceptions and it is a message of rift, a message of sowing the seeds of division. It is a message of confrontation demeaning the dignity of mankind." Let's be fair, Mr. President. Bush wasn't demeaning the dignity of mankind, just you. The Iranian president said Bush's statements were made for domestic political reasons. "They are in need of these statements for their presidential race," said Ahmadinejad. I'm not so sure about that, sparkplug. See, President Bush isn't running for re-election. I'm pretty sure he's saying these things just out of spite. Ahmadinejad also lashed out at Israel, a key U.S. ally in the Mideast, saying the country was "rapidly doomed to collapse." "All these nations believe they (the Israelis) are a murderous group carrying arms and trying through threats to change their image," he said. See, to me these are constitute 'messages of confrontation.' Maybe Ahmadinejad should apply the same standards that he applies to Bush to himself.

Canada - A training manual for Canadian diplomats lists the United States as a country where prisoners risk torture and abuse, citing interrogation techniques such as stripping prisoners, blindfolding and sleep deprivation. That's not going to go over very well with the dudes in Washington. The Foreign Affairs Department document singled out the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay. It also names Israel, Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Syria as places where inmates could face torture. Nice company to be associated with, especially by an ally. The listing drew a sharp response from the U.S., a key NATO ally and trading partner, which asked to removed from the manual. Imagine that. Canada said the manual is for training, and does not amount to official government policy. Oh come on. You guys can come up with a better excuse than that, can't you? The government inadvertently released the manual to lawyers for Amnesty International who are working on a lawsuit involving alleged abuse of Afghan detainees by local Afghan authorities, after the detainees were handed over by Canadian troops. Just out of curiosity, what rocket scientist in the government managed to overlook the fact that these lawyers represented Amnesty International?

Peace - Omar Osama bin Laden, one of bin Laden's 19 children, says he and his wife want to be advocates for peace and are planning a 3,000-mile horse race across North Africa to draw attention to the cause of peace. Good for you, Omar. I bet you are the pride of the family, aren't ya? Omar lived with the al-Qaida leader in Sudan, then moved with him to Afghanistan in 1996. There, Omar says he trained at an al-Qaida camp but in 2000 he decided there must be another way and he left his father, returning to his homeland of Saudi Arabia. Although there is no way to confirm the details he describes of his childhood and upbringing, the strong family resemblance and Omar's knowledge of Osama's family life have convinced many of his lineage. Omar doesn't criticize his father and says Osama bin Laden is just trying to defend the Islamic world. Okay, so maybe Hitler wasn't such a bad guy either. He was just trying to defend the Aryan race. This guy is a piece of work. Omar is convinced a truce between the West and al-Qaida is possible. "My father is asking for a truce but I don't think there is any government (that) respects him. At the same time they do not respect him, why everywhere in the world, they want to fight him? There is a contradiction." Good point, Omar. Why should the U.S. hold a grudge against the dude who claimed responsibility for the September 11 attacks? They should let go of the past and look to the future. Maybe they should even apologize to Osama for putting a price on his head, right Omar? Seriously, I just don't see this cat being a beacon of peace. Good luck with that horse race, though.

Chess - Bobby Fischer, the reclusive chess genius who became a Cold War hero by dethroning the Soviet world champion in 1972 and later renounced his American citizenship, died of kidney failure at the age of 64. As a champion, he used his eccentricities to unsettle opponents, but Fischer's reputation as a genius of chess was soon eclipsed, in the eyes of many, by his idiosyncrasies. Fischer faced criminal charges in the United States for playing a 1992 rematch against Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia in defiance of international sanctions. Fischer vanished after the 1992 match and occasionally re-emerged to give interviews on a radio station in the Philippines. During one interview, Fischer praised the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying America should be "wiped out," and described Jews as "thieving, lying bastards." Well, yes, I can see how some of those idiosyncrasies could have rubbed some people the wrong way. Lucky for me, that I'm somewhat of a simpleton. No genius genes in me. I can only blame my jaded perspective on the world at large for all of my outbursts.

Tennis - Here's a quick recap of the early round action at the Australian Open. The top women's seeds advanced to the Australian Open fourth round in contrasting styles Friday but former champion Amelie Mauresmo was dumped from the tournament she won just two years ago. Mauresmo became one of the highest-profile casualties so far as defending champion Serena Williams and fifth seed Maria Sharapova outgunned their opponents and world number one Justine Henin endured a tough workout. A listless Jelena Jankovic battled through another draining three setter but the Serbian third seed managed to claw her way into the final 16. Andy Roddick crashed out of the Australian Open in a dramatic five-setter as other leading seeds Rafael Nadal and Nikolay Davydenko won their way into the fourth round of the Australian Open. American Mardy Fish also lost in the third round. I have to say that I'm a little surprised that all my picks are still alive (on the women's side, Henin, Kuznetsova and the Williams sisters and on the men's side, Federer and Nadal). Mid-way through the third round we still have 3 American men left (#12 James Blake, Sam Querrey, and Vincent Spadea) and 2 women (Serena and Venus). To put into perspective the U.S. contingent's performance, consider that in the men's draw, France still has 5 contenders and in the women's draw, Russia has 7 players still in it and Poland has the same number as the U.S.

What Caught My Eye Today

Economy - Where to begin? The doom and gloom is coming in from all over the place. How about the stock market first? Wall Street extended its 2008 plunge after a regional Federal Reserve report showed a sharp decline in manufacturing activity and as investors feared that downgrades of key bond insurers could trigger further trouble with souring debt. Stocks opened higher but quickly gave up their gains after the Philadelphia Federal Reserve said its survey of regional manufacturing activity registered a negative 20.9 from a revised reading of negative 1.6 in December. The Dow Jones industrial average lost more than 300 points, or nearly 2.5 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500, fell nearly 3 percent and the NASDAQ fell 47.69, or 1.99 percent. For those of you who just can't look away from a train wreck as it is happening, the Dow is down 8.33% for the year, the S&P 500 is off 9.2% and the NASDAQ--first among losers--has lost 11.51%.

Meanwhile, government officials are gathering to figure out how to jump start the economy...Lucky, us. President Bush told congressional leaders he favors personal income tax rebates and tax breaks for businesses to help avert a recession. Bush did not push for a permanent extension of his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, many of which are due to expire in 2010. That would eliminate a potential stumbling block to swift action by Congress, since most Democrats oppose making the tax cuts permanent. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke voiced support for a stimulus package in an appearance before the House Budget Committee, but said it had to be quick and temporary.

Guess what? Yeah, that's right, I got an off-the-record conversation between Bush and Bernanke on how to fix the economy...

Bush: Alright, Ben. The economy is in trouble and needs our help. I'm an idea man. Gimme some good ideas. The economy is your deal,right? Gimme some good ideas.
Bernanke: Of course Mr. President. Putting money into the hands of households and firms that would spend it in the near term, but it has to be quick and temporary.
Bush: Good, good. So what do you have in mind?
Bernanke: Such a plan should be aimed at quickly getting cash into the hands of people, especially those with low and moderate incomes, preferably one that would act quickly, and not have a long-term adverse impact on the deficit. The design and implementation of the fiscal program are critically important.
Bush: No kidding, Sherlock. So what should the plan be?
Bernanke: Getting money to people quickly is good, and getting money to low and moderate-income people is good, in the sense of getting bang for buck because they tend to spend it quickly. Temporary expensing and depreciation provisions for businesses also could spur spending, which would help the economy. Congress might want to consider a diversified mix of elements.
Bush: Specifics, Ben. Gimme some specifics.
Bernanke: I think I've said all that I can on this subject. The rest is up to you and Congress.
Bush: God, you're useless!
Bernanke: Look who's talking.

Border Security - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said new border-crossing rules that take effect in two weeks will mean longer lines and stiffer demands for positive ID, including for Americans returning to the U.S. A driver's license won't be good enough to get you past a checkpoint at the Canadian border, Chertoff said. That will be a surprise to many people who routinely cross the border, but Chertoff bristled at criticism that such extra security would be inconvenient. "It's time to grow up and recognize that if we're serious about this threat, we've got to take reasonable, measured but nevertheless determined steps to getting better security," There's an old saying, "Those of us who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Here's an idea, Mr. Secretary. Why don't you sit in one of these security lines at the airport while trying to catch that connecting flight--you know, the one that is already oversold and if you don't get on that plane, you'll be stranded for days--then come back and tell us how reasonable and measured this plan is.

2008 Presidential Race - If you read yesterday's post, I mentioned that the Democrats should figure out some way to grab back some of the political spotlight that the Republicans have had all to themselves in the run up to the Michigan primary. This isn't exactly what I had in mind. A federal judge allowed Nevada Democrats to hold presidential voting in casino hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, potentially helping Barack Obama in the next round of the campaign this Saturday. For the first time, Nevada Democrats planned to set up nine locations for Saturday's vote so casino shift workers, who are largely represented by a union that endorsed Obama, could attend caucuses and vote for a presidential candidate. A teachers' group filed a lawsuit saying the fact that only workers around the casinos could vote at their workplaces was unfair. So here's the deal. The lawsuit was brought by a teachers union--which endorses Hillary Clinton--against a casino workers union--which backs Obama. That's right, Democrats filing suit against Democrats. And get this. The issue they're arguing over is a ruling that makes it easier for more people to participate in the caucuses. Maybe you all could pick something else to focus your energies on.

Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert Gates denied reports of discontent between Washington and NATO allies over Afghanistan, a day after a newspaper quoted him criticizing NATO's counterinsurgency skills. Gates projected an image of unity among Western nations involved in Afghanistan during a Pentagon news briefing. "I mention this because there have been several recent media reports of discontent in the United States and among other NATO members about operations in Afghanistan," he said. "This does not reflect reality or, I believe, the views of our governments." But Gates, who had struggled in vain for months to convince other states to send more troops, also reiterated his comments about inadequate NATO training for counterinsurgency operations. Gates also said he had reluctantly asked President George W. Bush to approve the additional troops because it was clear European nations would not boost their force levels in Afghanistan. Here's what I want to know. What poor slob had to tell Gates that he had to apologize for the comments that he made on Wednesday? It's always the little guy delivering the bad news that gets fired over stuff like this.

China - China became the world's largest gold producer last year. China produced 276 metric tons of gold last year, equal to about 9.7 million ounces. That's up 12% from the year-ago and represented just over one-tenth of the world's supply. The ranking pushes South Africa into second place, the first time the gold giant has lost its top ranking since 1905. The title of top gold producer adds to a list of raw materials China can claim to produce more than any other country, including aluminum and steel. South Africa, which was producing as much as 1,000 tons of gold in 1970, has seen its mining production decline for five straight years. Accelerating a drop in output last year, the country's mining authorities started a crackdown on unsafe mines after 3,200 workers were trapped at Harmony Gold Mining Ltd.'s Eldestrand mine in October. Following an order by President Thabo Mbeki, the mining commission in the last three months started to requiring gold mines that suffer a fatal accident to suspend operations while a safety audit takes place. So that explains it. China could care a less about mining accidents. I'm also guessing that the added production of gold will probably push China up on another list as well--greenhouse gas emissions. If it does, at least the U.S. won't be the worst offender anymore.

What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race - Republican presidential hopefuls Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson tussled over who's the true conservative while the Democratic contest in Nevada indicated the truce called over racially sensitive matters does not extend to other points of dispute.

We'll start with the Democrats today... Candidates pressed for advantage in Nevada's caucuses Saturday after a toned-down TV debate in which top rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pledged to tamp down arguments between their camps over race. Clinton won the Democratic primary in Michigan, but her victory was essentially meaningless since the contest was held in violation of party rules and major Democratic candidates did not campaign there. I got nothing today. Nothing but a yawn. I'm sure its a temporary lull, but I'm not so sure the Democrats want to give this much of the political spotlight to the Republicans for very long.

Now to the GOP... Not even two weeks into voting, three candidates each have one major win thanks to three different constituencies, a reflection of a deeply divided GOP and the absence of an obvious successor to President Bush. Mike Huckabee prevailed in the Iowa caucuses with the support of fellow evangelicals. John McCain repeated his 2000 victory in New Hampshire with the overwhelming support of independents. And Mitt Romney, rallied Republican loyalists to post his first major win in Michigan; he also won barely contested Wyoming. Today, the three set their sights on South Carolina, where rival Fred Thompson has been camping out with hopes of a surprise upset that would upend the race yet again. Such an extraordinarily fractured field plays right into the strategy of Rudy Giuliani, who is on the brink of irrelevancy after badly losing the first four contests. Giuliani has planted himself in Florida in hopes of winning its primary Jan. 29, grabbing its winner-take-all 57 delegates and emerging as the GOP leader heading into Feb. 5 when some two dozen states vote. See what I mean? Look at all these plot lines compared to the Democrats. We've got us a good ol' shoot out, while over there the excitement ranks up there with watching paint dry.

Afghanistan - Tension among allies over the war in Afghanistan spilled into the open on Wednesday as NATO rejected U.S. criticism that some of its troops did not know how to fight a guerrilla insurgency. In rare comments publicly faulting allied operations on the ground, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates questioned whether NATO forces and advisers had the training to tackle Taliban and other insurgents behind rising bloodshed in south Afghanistan. Aside from the United States, NATO allies operating in south Afghanistan include Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia and Romania. Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay said that Gates had called him to say the quotes had been taken out of context and he had been talking generally about training to fight a counter-insurgency. A spokesman for the Dutch Defense Ministry said it was satisfied with the U.S. explanation. "We now understand he (Gates) was misquoted and that the U.S. is very happy with the situation with regards to the Dutch, Canadian and the UK in the southern part of Afghanistan, so we accept that explanation." So I guess that pretty much leaves Estonia and Romania. Call me a skeptic, but I have a hard time believing either of these two countries are that critical to this mission as to be responsible for the failure of ground operations. I'm guessing that Gates' concerns are probably well-founded. Unfortunately, he probably should have voiced his concerns behind closed doors as opposed to sharing them with the L.A. Times.

Pakistan - In an embarrassing battlefield defeat for Pakistan's army, Islamic extremists attacked and seized a small fort near the Afghan border, leaving at least 27 soldiers dead or missing. The militants did not gain significant ground, but they did further erode confidence in the U.S.-allied government's ability to control the frontier area where the Taliban and al-Qaida flourish. Attacks on security forces are rising in the volatile tribal region, and Pakistan is reeling from a series of suicide attacks that killed former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and hundreds more, chipping away at President Pervez Musharraf's prestige before February 18 parliamentary elections. A U.S. intelligence estimate last year said a Musharraf peace pact in 2006 with Taliban militants had allowed al-Qaida to regroup in Pakistan's tribal belt, a possible hiding place of Osama bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri. In Florida, the head of the U.S. military's Central Command said the rise in violence was pushing Pakistan to be more open to suggestions that American troops train and advise Pakistani forces. I hate to sound like a broken record on this subject, but what exactly is it about Musharraf does Washington consider to be so valuable an ally in the war on terror? Based on these recent news reports, it would appear that Musharraf has pretty much lost his grip on the country. Heck at this point, I question his grip on reality.

New York - I want to preface this next story by warning my gentlemen readers that what follows contains some disturbing content... A construction worker claimed in a lawsuit that when he went to a hospital after being hit on the forehead by a falling wooden beam, emergency room staffers forcibly gave him a rectal examination. The alleged victim says in court papers that after he denied a request by emergency room employees to examine his rectum, he was "assaulted, battered and falsely imprisoned." emergency room staffers insisted on examining his rectum and held him down while he begged, "Please don't do that." He then hit a doctor while flailing around and staffers gave him an injection, which knocked him out, and performed the rectal exam. He woke up handcuffed to a bed and with an oxygen tube down his throat and spent three days in a detention center. He later learned the exam was one way of determining whether he had suffered spinal damage in the accident. That might have been useful information to share with the patient before he went off on his hissy-fit. And even if they had did explain the procedure, what give the hospital the right to force treatment on someone who has clearly refused. From what I could tell, it wasn't like the dude was mentally incapacitated, at least not until the hospital drugged him into unconsciousness.

Dogs - For the first time in 72 years, the bulldog has muscled its way back into the Top 10 most popular breeds in the nation. The top dog for the 17th consecutive year was the Labrador retriever, the American Kennel Club said. Other purebreds that made the most popular dogs list were the Yorkshire terrier at #2, followed by #3 German shepherd, #4 golden retriever, #5 beagle (the only breed that has been consistently included on the Top 10 since 1915), #6 boxer, #7 dachshund, #8 poodle, #9 Shih Tzu, and #10 bulldog. With the ascent of the bulldog, the miniature Schnauzer dropped off the list. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the bulldog being included on this list, but the fact that no spaniel breed made the list suggests to me that there was some serious tampering going on with the survey results.

What Caught My Eye Today

I'm not forgetting about the Michigan primary. It's just that the polls don't close for another 4 hours and I've got to get ready for the season premiere of American Idol tonight. I'll have a recap for you next time.

Kenya - Kenya's parliament narrowly elected the opposition party's choice as speaker setting up a new showdown between a president and the rivals who accuse him of rigging his re-election — allegations that have led to weeks of deadly violence. The session was the first time President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga were in the same room since Odinga accused Kibaki of stealing the Dec. 27 vote. While the opposition had the most seats in parliament, neither party had had the two-thirds majority needed to elect the speaker in a first round vote, meaning both had to court legislators from minority parties during the first parliament session since the Dec. 27 general election. Marende was elected on the third vote. A week of violence after the vote killed at least 612 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, a government commission said. The crisis has crippled the country's billion-dollar tourist industry.

Here's a related news items that shows just how extreme the violence has been... For two terrifying hours, the woman crouched inside her shop, watching as a gang attacked five men in the street, pulled down their trousers and sliced their genitals with rusty machetes. In the violence that has followed Kenya's disputed presidential election, a notorious gang has been mutilating the genitals of both men and women in the name of circumcision — inflicting a brutal punishment on members of a rival tribe that does not traditionally circumcise. Many of the mutilation victims belong to the Luo tribe of opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga, say witnesses and even a recruiter for the gang itself. The gang, called the Mungiki, draws mostly from President Mwai Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe, which has long dominated politics and business in this East African country. It's hard to fathom how that sort of violence can come from a closely contested election. Honestly, how many of us could conceive of the Democrats and Republicans coming to blows like this after the 2004 U.S. presidential election debacle?

Guatemala - Alvaro Colom was sworn in as Guatemala's first leftist president in more than 50 years, promising to fight poverty in a nation where half the people live on less than $1 a day. Colom, who led Guatemala's efforts to coax thousands of refugees back home after its civil war ended, took office in a ceremony attended by world leaders including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Colombia's Alvaro Uribe, who recently clashed over a hostage mission. Despite his ideology, Guatemala's new leader said he doesn't want to be identified with other leftist governments in Latin America, including that of Chavez. In recent years, left-of-center leaders have been elected in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela. So a leftist leader invites a bunch of his leftist brethren to his inauguration, but says he doesn't want to be identified with them. So like maybe if Colom didn't invite them to his inauguration as dignitaries, he wouldn't have this perception of being associated with them. He's not the sharpest tools in the shed, is he?

Japan - Japanese whalers detained two activists accused of throwing acid at and illegally boarding their vessel in Antarctica. An official denied claims the men were assaulted and tied to the mast. An Australian and Briton from the environmental group Sea Shepherd — which has been tailing ships involved in Japan's annual whale hunt — forcibly boarded the Yushin Maru No. 2 and were being held in the ship's office, Japan's government-backed Institute for Cetacean Research said in a statement. Commercial whaling has been banned worldwide since 1966 but Japan conducts its annual whale hunts under a program it insists is for scientific purposes. Critics call it commercial whaling in disguise. In fairness to the whaling ships, if they were boarded illegally, then I think they had every right to detain the trespassers. One can only hope that the accusations of tying the trespassers to the ship mast are unfounded. Besides, I'm thinking these are rather large vessels. Do they even have masts on these things? Of course, Japan's assertion that it must kill whales to study them still has me scratching my head. How much studying can you possibly do on a whale? You'd think that after all these years, Japan could have figured out all it need to know about whales.

Minnesota - Undersized gusset plates in the Interstate 35-W bridge in Minneapolis were "the critical factor" in the bridge collapse last year that killed 13 people and injured 100, the National Transportation Safety Board said. the plates, which connected steel beams, were roughly half the thickness they should have been because of a design error. Once they made it into the completed bridge, there was little chance they would be noticed by inspectors. The Minneapolis bridge was deemed "structurally deficient" by the federal government as far back as 1990, and the state's maintenance of the structure has been questioned. But the NTSB investigation has found no evidence that cracking, corrosion or other wear "played any role in the collapse of the bridge." So with the facts now it the books, it remains to be seen how this information will be acted upon. Based on the current state of our nation's infrastructure, it appears that a lot of hard decisions will need to be made by state and federal government officials. Neither one exactly inspire much confidence, do they?

Economy - Consumer spending, the critical bulwark that has kept the country out of a recession, is showing signs of cracking. Retail sales plunged by 0.4 percent last month as consumers battered by a sinking housing market, rising unemployment and the credit crunch, handed retailers their worst Christmas in five years. Analysts said the worry is that all the problems weighing on the economy could prompt consumers — who account for two-thirds of economic activity — to sharply limit or even stop shopping. Already, consumer confidence has slipped significantly amid the oil price spiral and the continuing housing slump. At the same time, some of the nation's biggest financial institutions have reported billions of dollars in losses stemming from a meltdown in the mortgage market. Oh and by the way, that sucking sound you hear in the distance is the life being sucked out of the stock market, which lost another 281 points today on the Dow and almost 61 points on the NASDAQ exchange. In the 9 days of trading so far this year the Dow is down 5.76% and the NASDAQ is down 8.85%. But don't get me wrong. There's no indication that we're headed toward recession.

Austria - Okay folks, here is our first contender of 2008 for the "So bizarre, it must be true" title... Austria's Supreme Court has dashed hopes by animal rights activists to have a chimpanzee, named Matthew Hiasl Pan, declared a person. The court's decision follows in the footsteps of a similar ruling last fall. In September, a provincial judge dismissed the case, ruling the Association Against Animal Factories has no legal standing to argue on the chimp's behalf. The legal back and forth began in February, when the animal shelter where Pan and another chimp, Rosi, have lived for 25 years filed for bankruptcy protection. Activists want to ensure the apes don't wind up homeless. Both were captured as babies in Sierra Leone in 1982 and smuggled to Austria for use in pharmaceutical experiments. Customs officers intercepted the shipment and turned the chimps over to the shelter. Donors have offered to help with the upkeep costs, but under Austrian law, only a person can receive personal gifts. Organizers could set up a foundation to collect cash for Pan, whose life expectancy in captivity is about 60 years. But they argue only personhood will ensure he isn't sold to someone outside Austria, where he's protected by strict animal cruelty laws. First, don't get me started on why anyone in their right mind would name a chimp, Matthew Hiasl Pan. Seriously, what up with that? Secondly, one would think that there is a more sensible way that the welfare of these two chimps could be dealt with other than sending the case to the Supreme Court. Don't you folks have anything more important to deal with?