What Caught My Eye Today

Myanmar - Every time I look at the headlines, this story gets worse. Myanmar's military regime allowed in the first major international aid shipment today, but it snubbed a U.S. offer to help cyclone victims struggling to recover from a tragedy of unimaginable scale. Yeah, that'll show us who's boss. Forget the fact that the U.S. has the resources to help the Burmese people. After all, this is about saving face, isn't it? Five days after the storm, the junta continued to stall on visas for U.N. teams and other foreign aid workers anxious to deliver food, water and medicine to survivors amid fears the death toll could hit 100,000. More than 20,000 are known dead and tens of thousands more are listed as missing, and the U.N. estimates more than 1 million people are homeless. The U.S. military sent more humanitarian supplies and equipment to a staging area in Thailand on Thursday. A C-17 transport plane brought in water and food, joining the two C-130s already in place. Another C-130 loaded with supplies was on its way. The U.S. Navy also has three ships participating in an exercise in the Gulf of Thailand that could help in a relief effort, including an amphibious assault ship with 23 helicopters. China, Myanmar's closest ally, urged the junta to work with the international community. Well, that's awfully big of the Chinese. Thanks for the sign of support guys. Your Olympics are still going to tank, but the gesture is welcome, nevertheless. And speaking of the Olympics...

Olympic Torch - Cheering mountaineers raised the Olympic torch at the summit of the world's highest peak today, producing the triumphant image that China has longed for in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics. The final ascent along Mount Everest's icy ridge was broadcast live and provided organizers with a dramatic counterpoint to the pro-Tibet protests that marked parts of the torch's international relay. I'll be you that there were many protesters either...not at this elevation. The 19-member team, dressed in red parkas emblazoned with Olympic logos, broke camp at 27,390 feet before dawn and reached the top of the 29,035-foot mountain a little more than six hours later. The flame was passed up a line of five torchbearers to a Tibetan woman named Cering Wangmo on the summit. The other team members unfurled Chinese and Olympic flags as a Tibetan prayer flag lined the path and fluttered in the wind. Say what you will about the politics surrounding these games (heaven knows, I have), but you cannot take away from the spectacle that these mountaineers accomplished. Getting the torch to the top of Mount Everest (and televising the moment--let's not forget about that) certainly speaks volumes about what the human spirit can accomplish.

2008 Presidential Race - In my defense, the results from Tuesday's primary in Indiana weren't in when we went to press. So when I said there was nothing new to report, I didn't have the benefit of knowing what the final results would be. Mea culpa. Barack Obama did not rule out selecting rival Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential running mate if he ultimately defeats her in a race in which he has an almost insurmountable lead. Some Democrats are saying Obama and Clinton would be a formidable team against Republican John McCain in the race to the November election. Obama's thumping win Tuesday in North Carolina (56% to 42%), and his narrow defeat by Clinton in Indiana (51% to 49%), has rewritten the narrative of this gripping Democratic contest and triggered the chorus of calls for her to bow out. Not long after the polls close in the May 20 Kentucky and Oregon primaries, Barack Obama plans to declare victory in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. The Obama campaign agrees with the Democratic National Committee, which pegs a winning majority at 2,025 pledged delegates and superdelegates--a figure that excludes the penalized Florida and Michigan delegations. The Clinton campaign, on the other hand, insists the winner will need 2,209 to cinch the nomination--a tally that includes Florida and Michigan. Obama will not reach the 2,025 magic number on May 20. Rather, on that date he is all but certain to hit a different threshold--1,627 pledged delegates, which would constitute a winning majority among the 3,253 total pledged delegates if Florida and Michigan are not included. Okay, so if all that is a bit much to digest, here's the layman's version of what was said. Obama is following the DNC rules when it comes to delegates (probably because they work in his favor), and after the May 20th primaries, it will be mathematically impossible for Clinton to catch up to him. Clinton on the other hand, is arguing that the rules aren't fair (probably because they work in Obama's favor). The problem with her logic is that no one disputes the fact that Florida and Michigan broke the rules (including Florida and Michigan). I'm not saying that it's a great idea for the DNC to alienate the electorates of two states that the Democrats need to win in November, but strictly speaking, Clinton's argument is feeble at best.

Russia - When Boris Yeltsin left the Kremlin eight years ago, he gave Vladimir Putin the pen he had used to sign important documents and decrees, a gesture symbolizing the transfer of power to Russia's new president. When Putin left the Kremlin, he took the pen with him. Surely, that was merely an oversight. I'm not sure we should read too much into that. Putin, who became prime minister today, has signaled that he intends to remain Russia's principal leader, at least in the short term — and possibly much longer. Then again... He is keeping the trappings of his presidency and many of its powers as well. Well, I don't know about you, but I'm shocked. Shocked I tell you. It was not always meant to be this way. Right. Putin initially said he intended to hand the full powers of the presidency to his chosen successor and step aside. But as the time drew near, he clearly changed his mind as infighting between rival Kremlin factions spilled into the open, threatening to undermine political stability. Yes, and I'm sure he had nothing to do with that infighting either. No, he's staying in power as a reluctant patriot, doing what's best for Mother Russia. I'm sure obsession with power has nothing to do with Putin's actions today.

Dirt - On the off chance that you thought there were enough problems with the world food supply, here's one more you can add to the list. Soils around the world are deteriorating with about one-fifth of the world's cropland considered degraded in some manner. The poor quality has cut production by about one-sixth, according to a World Resources Institute study. Some scientists consider it a slow-motion disaster. The cause of the current global food crisis is mostly based on market forces, speculation and hoarding, experts say. But beyond the economics lie droughts and floods, plant diseases and pests, and all too often, poor soil. I think this last bit sums the situation up nicely. Fixing soil just isn't "sexy" enough to interest governments or charities. So here's my plan. We get those chicks from the Victoria Secret fashion shows to take part in a charity gig. We'll call it "Angels for Dirt." And to top it off, we'll get Brad Pitt to host the show...in a thong. Presto. Problem solved. I'll take that Nobel Prize now.

American Idol - A relieved Jason Castro attributed his exit from "American Idol" to inexperience and the pressure of trying to learn two new songs every week for the hit television talent show. Dude has a point. The dreadlocked, guitar-playing Castro dismissed the notion that he had given up trying in the past couple of weeks. That would mean that he sang like crap based on sheer talent...yeah, that sounds about right. The show narrowed the competition to three finalists: David Cook, David Archuleta and Syesha Mercado. Okay this may sound strange, but I'm kind of pulled for Mercado at this point. I want Cook to win because, straight up, the dude can sing and he has range. Archuleta, I don't get. He's a one trick pony as far as I can see. It's a really good trick, but still just one. So here's how I see this going down. The Davids split the popular vote and cancel each other out leaving girlfriend, Syesha, as your next American Idol.