What Caught My Eye Today

Illinois - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was thrown out of office without a single lawmaker coming to his defense, brought down by a government-for-sale scandal that stretched from Chicago to Capitol Hill and turned the foul-mouthed politician into a national punchline. That's a bit harsh, but pretty much right on the money.Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, becomes the first U.S. governor in more than 20 years to be removed by impeachment. After a four-day trial, the Illinois Senate voted 59-0 to convict him of abuse of power, automatically ousting the second-term Democrat. Honestly, who in their right mind would side with the dude. Talk about political suicide. In a second, identical vote, lawmakers further barred Blagojevich from ever holding public office in the state again. Yeah, I'm okay with that. It's not like he's going to be begging for his next meal. I bet before the year is out, Blagojevich is making himself a rather tidy living on the speaking circuit.

Arctic - NATO will need a military presence in the Arctic as global warming melts frozen sea routes and major powers rush to lay claim to lucrative energy reserves. Sort of takes you back to grade school doesn't it? "Me first, me first." The opening up of Arctic sea routes once navigable only by icebreakers threatens to complicate delicate relations between countries with competing claims to Arctic territory — particularly as exploration for oil and natural gas becomes possible in once inaccessible areas. The United States, Russia and Canada are among the countries attempting to claim jurisdiction over Arctic territory alongside Nordic nations. I've always thought that those Fins, and Swedes and Norwegians were trouble makers. And don't even get me started on those hooligans from Greenland and Iceland.Analysts say China is also likely to join a rush to capture energy reserves. Russia and Canada have already traded verbal shots over each other's intentions in the Arctic, and Canada has beefed up its military presence in the region, announcing plans to build a new army training center and a deep-water port in contested Arctic waters. Norway, the U.S. and Denmark also have claims in the vast region, while Russian President Dmitry Medvedev seeks to lay claim to Arctic territory the size of France. This is promising. What with things going so smoothly in the rest of the world, it's about time we had a new territorial dispute to stir things up a bit.

Zimbabwe - Dude, I know things are bad and I should be sympathizing with these folks, but the deal with the Zimbabwean currency continues to break new ground in the realm of absurdity. Zimbabwe's government admitted defeat in a fight against dizzying inflation, allowing business to be done in U.S. dollars and bank notes of neighboring countries. Zimbabwe has the world's highest official inflation, with its currency now printed in the trillions of dollars. Here comes the money shot. This month, the central bank introduced a new 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollar note. For those of you who cannot count that high, that is a 1 followed by 17 zeroes. How can you not laugh at the ridiculousness of that number? Zimbabwe has been nearly paralyzed by the crisis precipitated by disputed presidential elections last year. Politicians agreed to a coalition government in September but for months have been unable to agree how to share Cabinet posts. The impasse has stranded Zimbabweans in a prolonged economic crisis, with hospitals, schools and sanitation infrastructure left to collapse. It is situations like this where you can come to appreciate that not everyone in the world finds that democracy is that answer to all that ails them. Look where democracy has gotten the Zimbabwean people so far. Though in fairness, I'm not sure democracy had Robert Mugabe in mind.

France - Here's something new...the French are on strike...again. France's largest general strike in three years hobbled transportation, school, hospital and mail services as unions demanded that President Nicolas Sarkozy's better protect jobs and consumers during the global economic crisis. That's right, darn it. You should demand that the government protect your 35 hour work week. God forbid that you have to put in 40 hours like those stupid Americans do.More than 1 million protesters took part, with tens of thousands of youths, retirees and unemployed people marching across towns and cities. Economic growth in 2009 is expected to be close to zero in France, with unemployment rising at the fastest rate in 15 years. So what? Join the club. It's not like any of the rest of us are doing any better. Quit your whining and go do something more productive with your time. Perhaps a nice glass of Burgundy or Bourdeax.

Tennis - One last Australian Open update before the champions are crowned this weekend. I got out of two right. Serena Williams (#2) will play for her fourth Australian Open title (and tenth Grand Slam title) against against Russian Dinara Safina (#3). And while she's at it, Serena may take the doubles title with sister Venus--she made the finals in that too. On the men's side, Andy Murray (#4) crashed out in the fourth round, but my sentimental choice, Roger Federer (#2) is in the big dance, as he attempts to tie Pete Sampras with the most Grand Slam titles (14). His opponent will definitely be a Spaniard--Rafael Nadal (#1) goes up against countryman Fernando Verdasco (#14) for the other spot in the men's final. I'm thinking we're going to see another #1 - #2 matchup in the final. You go, Roger.

What Caught My Eye Today - The 500th Edition

Fred's Note: Dear God, I'm still at this? Almost 2 years ago to the day, I posted my first blog entry (click here) thinking that this would just be a fleeting diversion and that soon I would find much more productive uses for my time. All evidence to the contrary. The blog has expanded over time to include a photo gallery of the kids--Chloe and Teddy; a running tally on my futile attempt to run virtually around the country (at the rate I'm going I might hit my 100th birthday before I finish); a weekly trivia question (as if you weren't wasting enough time by coming to my blog in the first place), a sampling of the new vernacular that has sprouted from the 'Net (here I was thinking ebonics was out there), and my latest addition, "Let Me Count the Days" counting down (or up) the number of days to some rather amusing milestones.

I've had one or two folks ask me what my motivation is for some of the content that has appeared on the blog. The short answer is curiosity.

Of course, that curiosity has manifested itself in many ways--hence the longer winded version of the answer. In terms of the news items that I've mentioned, curiosity about the world we in which we live was and continues to be my muse. One would think that at some point you would tire of all the happenings in the world. You have to admit there's a lot to keep track of, and most of it tends to be rather gloomy new. Why is that, anyway? Is it that watching a train wreck is more interesting that just watching it pass harmlessly by? But I digress. Much to my surprise, I found myself captivated by not just local events or national events, but news taking place all over the world? As riveting as the exploits of the U.S. government can be, glimpses into the issues facing the rest of the world can put the challenges we face into proper perspective. Sure I was pissed about $4 a gallon gas, but then again I didn't have to go to the local ATM machine to withdraw a couple of $10 billion bank notes to pay for a loaf of bread either.

Aside from the news, I drew most of my fluff content from a variety of sources. Here are a few examples. "Question of the Week" was inspired from the Public Radio International's "The World" broadcast. At the end of every program, there is a segment called geo-quiz. I decided to create my own take on that in the blog. "Run Fred Run", besides being a blatant rip off of the classic "Forrest Gump" catchphrase, is more of a self help tool than anything else. I need something to keep getting me back onto the elliptical trainer. Apparently, good health just isn't enough. "Meet the Kids"? Seriously, who doesn't like to see pictures of cute puppies. As for "Let Me Count the Days", well I wish I could tell you that I had a better motivation, but the sad truth is that I was trying to learn a bit about JavaScript and I found this snippet of code on the Internet...and the rest is history.

As readers of this blog may have noticed, I have an inexplicable fascination with statistics (along with trivia and countless other bits of useless knowledge), so with the help of Google Analytics I give you some trivia about my blog. Obviously, you can tell that it took me two years and a day to get to 500 postings. In that time:

• There have been 1,715 visits to the blog, from...
• 697 unique visitors, who...
• live in 51 different countries. Of that number...
• 91% (1,560 visits) originated in the United States. Canada comes in a close second with 2% (36 visits)

As for what brought the majority of visitors to the blog, it would appear that word of mouth is the primary reason, along with some shameless plugging by yours truly to friends, family and coworkers.

Though that wasn't always the case for the longest time, the most used keyword that landed people on my blog was "inez sainz". Let me try to explain. When I first kicked off my blog, Super Bowl XLI was just around the corner. I was watching coverage of media day and several news outlets reported that a rather attractive female reporter from a Spanish language television station was making quite the impression on players. To make a long story short, a bunch of pervs thought I might have some nude photos of Ms. Sainz on my blog. Nice huh?

Anyway, we're 500 entries into this little venture and I hope you have gotten some measure of entertainment--and dare one hope a bit of knowledge--out of my blog. If not, that's okay too. I didn't really expect to be doing this for as long as I have, so it's all gravy at this point. Next stop--1,000.

Back with more headlines tomorrow.

What Caught My Eye Today

Television - The Senate voted unanimously to postpone the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting by four months to June 12. The vote is a big victory for the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress, who have been pushing for a delay amid growing concerns that too many Americans won't be ready for the currently scheduled February 17 changeover. This they call a victory? Good heavens. Talk about setting the bar low. The Nielsen Co. estimates that more than 6.5 million U.S. households that rely on analog television sets to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals could see their TV sets go dark next month if the transition is not postponed. Realistically, how bad would that really be. Have you turned on your television, recently? The programming ain't nothing to write home about. In 2005, Congress required broadcasters to switch from analog to digital signals, which are more efficient, to free up valuable chunks of wireless spectrum to be used for commercial wireless services and interoperable emergency-response networks. Republicans in both the House and Senate have raised concerns that a delay would confuse consumers, burden wireless companies and public safety agencies waiting for the airwaves that will be vacated and create added costs for television stations that would have to continue broadcasting both analog and digital signals. Maybe I'm missing something here, but wouldn't television stations lose a lot more money if 6.5 million people can't see those annoying commercials at all? I don't know about you, but I have my own form of back up entertainment already lined up. It's called a book.

Iraq - Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he believes the U.S. will withdraw its troops more quickly than the three-year timeline set down in a U.S.-Iraq security agreement. Wouldn't that be nice? The Shiite-led government pushed for a faster U.S. pullout during last year's negotiations on the security agreement, overcoming longtime Bush administration opposition to a fixed withdrawal schedule.
Al-Maliki has been campaigning actively on behalf of his allies for next weekend's provincial elections, promoting his image as the leader who restored stability and ended what many Iraqis see as a U.S. military occupation. Whatever, dude. I don't what you campaign on, so long as our troops can come home. However, political posturing aside, you don't realistically think that you could have achieved the stability you now enjoy without the assistance of the United States do you, President Al-Maliki? If that's the case, can we have our $600 billion back? At the same time, however, U.S. officials in Iraq have cautioned that a hasty departure of the 142,000 U.S. troops could reverse the decline in violence and undermine Iraq's efforts to establish a stable government. Not if we are to believe, Al-Maliki. If you take his word for it, we're just getting in the way at this stage of the game.

Iran - President Barack Obama's administration will engage in "direct diplomacy" with Iran, according to the newly installed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. Yeah, I'd say there's a new sheriff in Washington, wouldn't you. I doubt you would ever here the words "diplomacy" and "Iran" used in the same sentence by anyone in the former Bush administration. She warned that Iran must meet U.N. Security Council demands to suspend uranium enrichment before any talks on its nuclear program. Iran still considers the U.S. the "Great Satan," but a day after Obama was sworn in, said it was "ready for new approaches by the United States." I guess that's progress. Besides, we've been called much worse names than "Great Satan." Plus, if you think about it, Iran is technically acknowledging that we are great. What more could you as for from a country that really, really doesn't like you?

Iceland - Iceland's ruling coalition collapsed under pressure from sometimes violent demonstrations, the first government to fall as a direct result of the global economic crisis. I'm betting it won't be the last. The global financial crisis hit Iceland in October, ending a decade of rising prosperity in a matter of days by triggering a collapse in the currency and financial system. Iceland was forced to seek an IMF-led bailout and economic output is expected to shrink as much as 10% this year, resulting in thousands of lost jobs. So much for Bjork's economic rescue plan (click here).

Japan - Some stories just leave you scratching your head. This is one of those. Overwhelmed by a growing number of misbehaving tourists, Tokyo fishmongers banned all visitors from one of the city's most popular tourist destinations — the pre-dawn tuna auctions at the world's largest seafood market. One of the more notorious recent cases was that of a tipsy British tourist — caught on tape by a Japanese TV crew — who licked the head of a frozen tuna and patted its gill. I sure hope the dude was plastered. I'd hate to think that you'd swap spit with a dead fish while you were sober. Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood. The market handles 480 kinds of seafood, attracting around 40,000 buyers and sellers daily. The value of its seafood trade amounts to $20 million per day on average, making it the heart of the national seafood distribution system and the biggest fish wholesale market in the world. It's the kind of place the Japanese take for granted. But it has become a big hit with foreigners because of the colorful way the fish are auctioned off by men in rubber boots and baseball hats using arcane hand signals and the sheer volume and variety of fish available every day. I must be missing something here. You spend all this money flying thousands of miles to visit Japan, and when you get there, you skip out on the Imperial Palace and Mt. Fuji--how boring--and instead hang out at the fish market watching a bunch of smelly men waving frantically at each other. Yeah, that sounds like loads of fun. Where do I sign up?

What Caught My Eye Today

Economy - The White House warned that the country could face a long and painful financial recovery, even with major government intervention to stimulate the economy and save financial institutions. At the end of the Obama administration's first week, Democrats sought to lower expectations for a quick fix despite legislation expected to pass by next month that would pump billions of dollars into the economy. Speaking strictly for myself, I'm not sure my expectations for a quick economic recovery could be much lower. I've been digging for days now, and I still have gotten to them. Congress is working on an $825 billion economic recovery package that dedicates about two-thirds to new government spending and the rest to tax cuts. The goal is to infuse money directly into the economy in the hope of bringing the nation out of recession, while creating 3 million to 4 million jobs. It would be largest economic recovery package ever enacted; the White House says the scope rivals the construction of the interstate highway system after World War II. The irony here is that much of that recovery package will probably be spent on fixing that same highway system, much of which hasn't seen any attention since it was first built nearly 60 years ago. Republicans want the recovery package tilted more toward tax cuts and have questioned whether government spending programs will revive the economy in the short-term. This is another interesting angle to this story and illustrates a fundamental divide in how people view government. Is it best to leave taxpayers to their own devices and trust the markets to do what needs to be done--which is what most Republicans believe--or is the concept of free markets basically a myth at this point, and is giving more control to government the only way to dig out of this economic downturn--essentially the position of Democrats. One might argue that the Democrat plan effectively changes a nation that has thrived on capitalism into a socialist state. Perhaps, but in the same vein, we're no more of a capitalist society than we are a democratic one. Seriously, if we were truly democratic than little things like the Electoral College and the notion of having two Senators per state, regardless of population, would never have come into existence in the first place.

Pope - Pope Benedict's rehabilitation of four traditionalist bishops may heal one festering Catholic wound at the expense of opening a wider one with Jews because one of the prelates is a Holocaust denier. The four bishops re-admitted to the Church over the weekend lead the far-right Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), which has about 600,000 members and rejects modernizations of Roman Catholic worship and doctrine. One of the four, the British-born Richard Williamson, has made statements denying the full extent of the Nazi Holocaust of European Jews, as accepted by mainstream historians. In comments to a Swedish television broadcast and widely available on the Internet, Williamson said "I believe there were no gas chambers" and only up to 300,000 Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps, instead of 6 million. "I believe that the historical evidence is hugely against 6 million having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers as a deliberate policy of Adolf Hitler," he said. Yeah, I can see how the Jewish community might not react very favorably to statements like that. Just out of curiosity, what version of history is this guy referring to where he procured this so-called 'historical evidence'? The Society of Saint Pius X leader, Bishop Bernard Fellay, said, "Catholics attached to tradition throughout the world will no longer be unjustly stigmatized." But Fellay made it clear they still had "some reservations" about the teachings of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), which modernized the Church and is accepted by most of its 1.1 billion members, as opposed to the 600,000 traditionalists. I'm a numbers guys, and while I would freely concede the point that you cannot boil matters of religious faith down to a bunch of numbers, I have to question the decision to alienate the entire Jewish population in order to bring 600,000 traditionalists back into the fold--traditionalists who are pissed off about practices that the other 99.95% of Catholics have come to terms with. I'm just not seeing how this works out well for the Vatican or all us Catholics that the Vatican represents.

Football -Superbowl week is upon us, yet again. So how many of you had the Pittsburgh Steelers facing the Arizona Cardinals in Superbowl XLIII? Yeah, right. me too. No one has picked the Cardinals to win any of the playoff games so far, and neither will I. Give me the Steelers by at least a touchdown.

Tennis - Let me begin by saying, Roger Federer is slowly but surely rising above the ranks of mere mortals and transcending into the realm of...wait for it...LEGENDARY. World number two Roger Federer fought back from two sets down to seal a dramatic 4-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory against Tomas Berdych, retaining his hopes of winning a 14th grand slam title at the Australian Open. While not on par with the Wimbledon showdown against Rafael Nadal, this was still an epic match. And remember what I said about there not being much of a chance for a dark horse winner? While that still holds true for the men--the top 9 seeds are still alive, including two Americans, James Blake (#9) and Andy Roddick (#7)--on the women's side of the draw, things are a complete mess. Only five of the top 10 seeds will have moved on to the second week. #2 Serena Williams is to highest remaining seed and last American women still alive. It's also worth mentioning that while Venus Williams lost in the third round, she's into the quarterfinals of the women's doubles with sister, Serena.

Cycling - Australia’s Allan Davis won the Tour Down Under finishing in the main pack in the final stage of the event highlighted by seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong’s comeback. Davis won three of the race’s five previous stages to open a 25-second lead entering the 56-mile final leg. He’s the only rider to have contested all 11 editions of the race and finished second place twice before his breakthrough win. Armstrong finished 29th overall in the Tour Down Under, 49 seconds behind. Props to Davis for a dominating performance, but to be fair, the 144,000 spectators who turned out for the final stage, were probably more interested in Armstrong's performance.

Next up for Armstrong is the Tour of California in mid February. Dude rides through my 'hood on my birthday. How cool is that? And guess how else will be starting his comeback in Cali? None other than our good friend, Floyd Landis. His two year suspension is done, and Floyd is back in the saddle. While we're on the subject of comebacks, anyone seen Tyler Hamilton?

What Caught My Eye Today

President Obama - I don't know about you, but my first day on the job was nowhere near as busy as President Obama's (has a nice ring to it, don't you think?) After dancing at inaugural balls with first lady Michelle Obama past midnight, Obama entered the Oval Office for the first time as president in early morning. He read a good luck note left behind by President George W. Bush, then began breaking cleanly with his predecessor's policies. What, no hangover? Aides circulated a draft of an executive order that would close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year and halt all war crimes trials in the meantime. Amen to that. He presided over the White House meeting on the economy as the House Appropriations Committee moved toward approval of $358 billion in new spending, part of the economic stimulus package making its way to his desk. That is in addition to the $350 billion that Obama got from the leftover financial industry bailout fund. Obama also had phone conversations with Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders to consolidate the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He also imposed a pay freeze for about 100 White House aides who earn $100,000 or more. Nice. "Come work for me and we'll change the direction of the country. Oh, by the way. I'm instituting a pay freeze. Now let's get to work." In addition to all that, Obama and the missus started off the day at the National Cathedral for a prayer service and held an open house. By comparison, I spent my first day on the job getting my ID badge and trying to get my computer login to work.

Inauguration - Turns out this little misstep was slightly bigger than first thought. After the flub heard around the world, President Barack Obama has taken the oath of office. Again. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the oath to Obama on Wednesday night at the White House — a rare do-over. The surprise moment came in response to Tuesday's much-noticed stumble, when Roberts got the words of the oath a little off, which prompted Obama to do so, too. It happened when Obama interrupted Roberts midway through the opening line, in which the president repeats his name and solemnly swears. Next in the oath is the phrase " ... that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States." But Roberts rearranged the order of the words, not saying "faithfully" until after "president of the United States." Dear God! Say it ain't so. That appeared to throw Obama off. He stopped abruptly at the word "execute." Oh, the humanity! Recognizing something was off, Roberts then repeated the phrase, putting "faithfully" in the right place but without repeating "execute." But Obama then repeated Roberts' original, incorrect version: "... the office of president of the United States faithfully." Doh! Obama, you fool. I thought you were a professor of Constitutional law before you got into the politics game. What happened, dawg? The Constitution is clear about the exact wording of the oath and as a result, some constitutional experts have said that a do-over probably wasn't necessary but also couldn't hurt. Two other previous presidents have repeated the oath because of similar issues, Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur. Whew. I'm glad we got that sorted out. Otherwise, this whole epic historical moment might have ended before it got started.

Antarctica - Antarctica, the only place that had oddly seemed immune from climate change, is warming after all, according to a new study. For years, Antarctica was an enigma to scientists who track the effects of global warming. Temperatures on much of the continent at the bottom of the world were staying the same or slightly cooling. Apparently, Antarctica isn't much of an enigma anymore. The new study went back further than earlier work and filled in a massive gap in data with satellite information to find that Antarctica too is getting warmer, like the Earth's other six continents. The research found that since 1957, the annual temperature for the entire continent of Antarctica has warmed by about 1 degree Fahrenheit, but still is 50 degrees below zero. West Antarctica, which is about 20 degrees warmer than the east, has warmed nearly twice as fast. The study has major ramifications for sea level rise. Most major sea level rise projections for the future counted on a cooling — not warming — Antarctica. This will make sea level rise much worse. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm certain someone will), but 50 degrees below zero, even 20 below, is a lot colder than 32 degrees--last time I checked. So even if Antarctica is thawing a bit, it's still freezing, right? So where do the rising sea level projections come in?

Sarah Palin - I'm not sure I can recall a former vice presidential nominee ever getting this much press. Then again, this is Sarah Palin we're talking about. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is going on the offensive against news organizations and bloggers she says are perpetuating malicious gossip about her and her children. But political observers say the former Republican vice presidential candidate can't have it both ways: trotting out the children to showcase her family values, then trying to shield them from scrutiny. Palin's criticism also raises questions about her motivations because she has said she is open to a presidential run in 2012. One can only hope. We'll need someone like her to surpass the entertainment value of the 2008 election. The governor said she is speaking out to set the record straight, not because of any political aspirations. Of course you are, Governor. I find it rather hard to sympathize with Palin on this one. I'm reserving my condolences for her poor children. Media scrutiny aside--I'm pretty sure, none of the Palin kids asked for it--you have to feel for them. Their mother is nuts.

Cycling - Here's your daily Lance Armstrong update. In day two of the Tour Down Under, Lance decided to mix it up with a couple of breakaways. While he did not win the stage, he improved his overall position from 120th to 45th. Not bad considering he spent the past three and a half years "drinking beer."

What Caught My Eye Today - Inauguration Day Edition

Fred's Note: I suppose if you are not much of a fan of history making -- some might even say transformational -- events, it was a rather slow news day, unless of course, you are into the sports scene down under.

Inauguration - Unless you have been tooling about in some third world country without access to the Internet or any other form of communication, the United States has elected itself a new President. And oh by the way, he happens to be African American. Before a jubilant crowd of more than a million, Barack Obama claimed his place in history as America's first black president. It was a scene watched in fascination by many millions — perhaps billions — around the world. Sadly, I was not one of them; I had to listen to it on the radio. Of course, on the bright side, I found myself in this predicament because, thankful, I still have a job. In one of the new administration's first acts, Obama ordered federal agencies to halt all pending regulations until further review. And this surprises, who? Obama thanked George Bush for his service as president and never directly criticized him. He's one of the few who hasn't. Lest you think that everything is rosy; it ain't. In the Oval Office awaits the workaday, hard-nosed business of the daily governance of a nation of 304 million. And while Washington celebrated, events kept moving: Wall Street slid, news surfaced that U.S. carmaker Chrysler could be purchased in part by Italian auto giant Fiat This is a joke right? The "Fix It Again, Tony" guys are going to buy Chrysler? Who in their right mind would want to do that?), and prosecutors at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, sought to suspend all war-crimes trials pending Obama's guidance. Good luck with that, Mr. President. For what it's worth, we're all pulling for you...for now.

President Bush - Say what you will about the guy--Lord knows, I have--but George Bush managed to run this country for 8 years. I'd say the guy deserves a little R&R. Leaving the White House for the last time, President George W. Bush blew a kiss out the window of his presidential limousine, a gesture that capped an eight-year administration marked by two wars, recession and the biggest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Bush's exit was bittersweet. He left office with low approval ratings, but he remained upbeat, smiling and joining in the celebration of President Barack Obama's ascent to rock-star status. After the inauguration ceremony, many in the crowd at the Capitol cheered loudly and waved goodbye at Bush's helicopter as it flew over throngs of people gathered on the Mall to witness history. But not everyone was respectful. Weary of Bush, some people in the crowd chanted "Na-na-na-nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye" when they heard a television broadcaster announce, "George Bush is no longer president of the United States." I'm far from being a Bush fan, but that just ain't right. Show a little class, people. Your guy won for crying out loud. Citizen Bush lingered only two hours in Washington. From the Capitol, Bush and his family flew to Andrews Air Force Base where he made private remarks to supporters inside a hangar. The Bush family, including former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush, then took a flight to Midland, Texas, riding one last time on the familiar blue-and-white presidential aircraft. It was called Special Air Mission 28000 instead of Air Force One since Bush no longer was president. A crowd of nearly 20,000 people welcomed the Bushes at Centennial Plaza in Bush's childhood home of Midland — the same place he stopped on his way to the nation's capital for his own inauguration in 2001. The president's plane flew low over the plaza, prompting the crowd to wave red-white-and-blue W's. I cannot say that I will miss you, Mr. Bush. My mother didn't raise me to lie. But I will say this. Despite the fact that I disagree with pretty much all of your policy decisions, I have never for one moment questioned your love of country and what I assume to be your best effort to keep the United States free from harm. So for that, I thank you. Good luck to you and the missus.

Cycling - Riding in 103-degree heat and in wind that felt like a blast furnace, Lance Armstrong returned to professional cycling finishing 120th of 133 riders in the first stage of the six-day Tour Down Under, his first road stage in three years. The stage was nothing more than two short hill climbs and a pedal through undulating hill country on the fringe of the wine-growing Barossa Valley outside Adelaide. But the searing heat tested even the fittest riders, almost all of them younger than the 37-year-old Armstrong. Not that 120th place is anything to write home about, but this last bit might reveal a lot more about just how ready Armstrong is in his return to professional racing. Armstrong coasted to the finish near the back of the pack. Unfazed by the heat and the day’s exertion, the Texan spent 20 minutes talking with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Nice, huh?

Tennis - Tennis' first Grand Slam, the Australian Open is under way. Here are some of the headlines that I'll be following.

• Will Roger Federer (#2) win his 14th Grand Slam? -- I'd like to think so, but boyfriend has some serious competition to face, like Rafael Nadal.
• Will there be an upset winner? -- Early signs suggest not. Going into the second round only 7 seeded women are out (the highest seed being #9) and on the men's side, only 3 seeded men crashed and burned (the highest seed being #27)
• Will an American win? -- If one does, her last name will probably be Williams, as in Serena (#2) or Venus (#6). Here's an interesting little statistic. Only 5 U.S. women qualified for the Australian Open. The men did a tad bit better with 12, though only 4 advanced to the second round, including Andy Roddick (#7), James Blake (#9) and Mardy Fish (#23)
• So who's going to win? -- On the men's side, while I'm pulling for Roger, I think British stud, Andy Murray (#4) wins his first Slam. For the ladies, I'm going with Serena. Turns out she's won this particular event the last three odd-numbered years.

What Caught My Eye Today

Armageddon - You may have noticed that I have more than a passing fascination with the end of the world. It's not that I'm a pessimist or anything like that. But if the end is near, I'm going to think twice about making my next mortgage payment on time. New Year's Eve 1999 was filled with lots of apocalyptic anxiety. That was nothing. The real doomsday jitters will arrive in 2012. No, it's not the next Presidential election. On December 21, 2012, the 5,125-year cycle that makes up the Mayan calendar system officially comes to a close. Some have predicted that an enormous comet or meteor will destroy the Earth during that fateful year. Coincidentally, the next peak in the sunspot cycle is due in 2012 and is expected to set records for the number and intensity of solar storms pummeling the Earth with radiation and igniting natural calamities such as earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes. The precise time the Mayan calendar comes to its conclusion is December 21, 2012 at 11:11p.m. Universal Time. So consider yourselves warned. Mental note to self--open that really good bottle of wine on December 20, 2012; it might not get to age much more after that.

Divorce - A New York man is suing his wife for the return of his kidney. Say what? The man was happy to donate the organ to his wife back in 2001 when she needed a transplant, but now that they are in the midst of an ugly divorce he would like it back (that seems a bit harsh) or its cash equivalent, which he estimates at $1.5 million (ah, now I see where this nut job is going with this). Medical ethicists predict that the lawsuit is unlikely to succeed as his donation of the kidney was clearly a gift. I don't know about that. As far as I know medical ethicists don't hold much sway in the legal system. Now if there was a legal ethicist then...I'm sorry. It just occurred to me how far-fetched that last statement was. Legal ethicist? Yeah, right.

Fund Raising - A high school math teacher has been raising funds by selling ad space on his test papers. Really? I wonder who he got as sponsors. The ads have helped cover the cost of printing tests--which often comes out of teachers' own pockets. That's just plain sad. As if teachers don't have enough to worry about. Now they have to reach into their own pockets in order to teach.

Potpourri - Sound bites continue to be dominated by depressing economic news, with one notably exception.

• Over the eight years of the Bush Administration, the number of jobs in the nation increase by 2%--the weakest job growth in the seven decades this statistic has been compiled
  Somebody has to be at the bottom, right? And Bush does seem to have a knack at hitting low percentages.
• The U.S. spends twice the percentage of its gross domestic product, 16%, as virtually every other developed country. It also spends roughly double the amount of those same countries on higher education.
  And what do we get for all that investment? Twice as many people without health insurance and students half as smart as their international counterparts. Money well-spent, wouldn't you say?
• The size of new homes is shrinking for the first time in over a decade. The average size of new homes built in the third quarter of 2008 was 2,438 square feet, down from 2,629 in the second quarter.
  Any chance that signals a possible shrinking in the waistline of the average American? If so, then maybe those narrower hallways will hardly be noticeable.
• For the first time since commercial aviation became popular, not a single passenger has died in a crash of a U.S. airliner for two consecutive years (2007 and 2008).
  And thanks to Sully, 2009 is off to a pretty good start as well.

What Caught My Eye Today

Fred's Note: Today's edition begins on a rather sad note. We had a death in the family. Family cat and beloved pet, Daisy passed on to the "Rainbow Bridge" today after 10 years keeping a watchful eye over Mom and Dad. We'll miss you, Daisy.

Iran - Remember all that stuff I said yesterday about Mamhoud Ahmadinejad and the Nobel Peace Prize (click here)? Yeah, well it would appear that I spoke a bit too soon. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the fighting in Gaza has been "a great lesson for all," saying it shows "the absolute defeat and desperation of this (Israeli) regime." He said that "even for the supporters of the occupying regime and its leaders, it has become clear that the continuation of the Zionist regime's life in the region is not feasible." Dude, what up with that? I thought you had turned over a new leaf. Meanwhile, Israeli troops pushed deeper into densely populated Gaza City on the 20th day of the offensive to rout out Hamas militants. The Israeli push ratcheted up pressure on Hamas to accept a proposed cease-fire. Egypt's proposal has centered on a temporary 10-day halt in fighting that would leave Israeli troops in place in Gaza while security arrangements are negotiated for border crossings to prevent weapons smuggling. Once that is done, Israeli troops would withdraw and the borders would be opened. Isn't it amazing how when you are beating the piss out of the other side, a truce becomes much more appealing to the "pissee"?

President Bush - Unpopular but unbowed, President George W. Bush defended his tumultuous two terms in a farewell address to the nation, claiming a hard-won record of achievement. I'm guessing his definition of achievement might vary a bit from the tradition one that you would find in a dictionary. Reaching back to the September 11 attacks, when the public rallied behind him, Bush declared the United States will "never tire, never falter and never fail." I will grant the guy this. Since that day, we haven't seen another terrorist attack on American soil under Bush's watch. Leaving office with the highest disapproval rating since Richard Nixon, Bush said, "You may not agree with some of the tough decisions I have made, but I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions." Again, I concede that point to the President. But I think that's precisely why Bush isn't very popular with anyone. See, making tough decisions doesn't necessarily mean those decisions were right. I don't think anyone would argue that Bush was guilty of not doing anything, but rather the courses of action that he took were somewhat ill-conceived...or flat out wrong, depending on whose opinion you ask.

Air Travel - Have you heard of Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger? Me neither until today. Sully is the latest "Greatest American Hero". Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger maneuvered his crippled jetliner over New York City and ditched it in the frigid Hudson River on Thursday, and all 155 on board were pulled to safety as the plane slowly sank. The US Airways Airbus A320 bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, struck a flock of birds just after takeoff minutes earlier at LaGuardia Airport, apparently disabling the engines. Damn birds! Seriously, how awesome is this guy? A plane suffers catastrophic engine failure, and the pilot manages not only to ditch the plane in one piece, but then he gets all 150 passengers safely evacuated from the plane in just 90 seconds. The drinks are on me, Sully. Well done my friend. And let's not forget about all those folks on the Hudson River that rushed to the aid of the passengers. The water temperature at the time of the crash was a bone chilling 41 degrees.

Interrogation Techniques - CIA Director Michael Hayden strenuously defended the effectiveness of the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques, only moments after Attorney General-designate Eric Holder said the use of waterboarding was torture. Usually you only see irony like this in the movies. Though U.S. officials say interrogators have not engaged in waterboarding in the past five years, Hayden said the coercive techniques and other harsh tactics were useful in the war on terror. Which is exactly why you won't be running the CIA anymore, Mr. Hayden. Just because something is useful doesn't mean you should do it. Most of us learn that lesson in kindergarten, you dumbass. According to Hayden, the CIA held and interrogated fewer than 100 detainees at secret detention sites. Of those, a third were subjected to harsh techniques. Three of them, he acknowledged, were waterboarded. It was just one of the CIA's so-called enhanced interrogation techniques approved by the White House and Justice Department after the September 11, 2001, attacks for questioning alleged terrorists who the administration feared were plotting a follow-up attack. What you have here is a classic example of a euphemism. "Enhanced interrogation technique"--also known as "torture". I wonder what "alleged terrorist" was meant to signify--"anyone we don't like"?

What Caught My Eye Today

China - China's economy grew to the world's third-largest in 2007, another milestone in the country's stunning ascent in the global pecking order that puts it behind only Japan and the United States. Not a bad way to start of the Year of the Ox, wouldn't you say? China has grown tenfold in the past 30 years, and the revised data leapfrogged it ahead of Germany. The new estimate raised gross domestic product to 25.7 trillion yuan, or $3.5 trillion at 2007 exchange rates, the statistics bureau said. That would be ahead of Germany's 2007 GDP of 2.4 trillion euros, or $3.3 trillion. So what exactly does being the world's third largest economy get you these days? Turns out, not much. The status is symbolic — China's 1.3 billion people are, on average, among the world's poorest. The United States is the world's biggest economy at $13.8 trillion in 2007, followed by Japan at $4.4 trillion. Germany's 85 million people were still far ahead of China in GDP per person in 2007 at $38,800. China's per capita GDP was $2,800 in 2007. Still, China's accomplishment is quite remarkable. Just 30 years ago, China's GDP was $300 billion, one tenth what it is now. That's right, boys and girls, if you investing in China in 1979, you would have realized a 1000% return on your investment.

Vatican - One of the Vatican's most secrecy shrouded tribunals, which handles confessions of sins so grave only the pope can grant absolution, is giving the faithful a peek into its workings for the first time in its 830-year history. Stay with me on this one. I'll get to my point in moment, but context is important here. The Vatican has long lamented that fewer and fewer Catholics are going to confession, the sacrament in which the faithful can receive forgiveness if they sincerely confess their sins to a priest. By lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding the tribunal's work, the Vatican hopes to emphasize the fundamental role the sacrament plays in saving souls. Almost there... Confessions of even the most heinous of crimes and sins — such as genocide or mass murder — are handled at the local level by priests and their bishops and are not heard by the tribunal. Its work involves those sins that are reserved for the pope — considered so serious that a local priest or bishop is not qualified to grant absolution. These include defiling the Eucharist, a priest breaking the seal of the confessional by revealing the nature of the sin and the person who sought penance, or a priest who has sex with someone and then offered forgiveness for the act, or someone who directly caused an abortion — such as by paying for it — who then seeks to become a priest or deacon. So let me see if I've got this straight. You can go out and attempt to wipe out an entire race and have your confession heard by the local priest, but if you help someone get an abortion, you have to appeal to the Pope himself or risk eternal damnation. Is it just me or does this seem a bit out of whack? Has the Vatican heard of the concept of "letting the punishment fit the crime"? I gotta tell you, I'm not sure this gesture is going to have me banging down the door at the local confessional.

Iran - This next story cinches it for me. I say Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a lock for the Nobel Peace Prize. Iran's president urged Arab leaders to cut all contacts with Israel and use their political and economic influence to pressure the Israelis to halt their offensive in Gaza. Iranian authorities issued an order banning international companies from working in Iran if they have shares owned by Israelis. The Iranian government also said it plans to impose sanctions on foreign companies in Iran who also deal with Israel. It is unclear how or when the ban might be carried out, and no details were given regarding the sanctions. Of course not. Come to think of it, that would be quite a trick given that Iran doesn't recognize the existence of Israel in the first place. Still, I think this represents remarkable progress for the peace-loving Ahmadinejad. Why, it seems like just yesterday, boyfriend was advocating the use of arms to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.

Medicine - I'm a big believer in the K.I.S.S. principle ("Keep It Simple, Stupid"), but this next story, scares the bejeezes out of me. Scrawl on the patient with a permanent marker to show where the surgeon should cut. Ask the person's name to make sure you have the right patient. Count sponges to make sure you didn't leave any inside the body. Doctors worldwide who followed a checklist of steps like these cut the death rate from surgery almost in half and complications by more than a third in a large international study of how to avoid blatant operating room mistakes. The checklist was developed by the World Health Organization and includes measures such as these:

• Before the patient is given anesthesia, make sure the part of the body to be operated on is marked, and make sure everyone on the surgical team knows if the patient has an allergy.
  One would think that this was a no-brainer. Apparently not.
• Before the surgeons cut, make sure everyone in the operating room knows one another and what their roles will be during the operation, and confirm that all the needed X-rays and scan images are in the room
  Maybe they can all wear name tags or huddle up before the procedure to get to know each other.
• After surgery, check that all the needles, sponges and instruments are accounted for.
  What a novel idea.

The researchers estimated that implementing the checklist in all U.S. operating rooms would save at least $15 billion a year. So the dude I'm allowing to gut me like a fish needs a checklist to remember what most simpletons like you and me would refer to as common sense? Next time I need surgery, perhaps I'll just take my chances with death. I'm thinking my odds cannot be much worse.

What Caught My Eye Today

Presidential Ambitions - You might want to consider another family name to add to the ranks of the Roosevelt's and Kennedy's. I give you the Bush family.. (that's Bush #41) touted another son, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, as a future president. Admitting that "right now is probably a bad time to make that suggestion (do you think?)," Jeb Bush did not completely rule out the scenario saying he left open the possibility of future campaigns. "While the opportunity to serve my country during these turbulent times is compelling, now is not the right time to return to elected office," Bush said. Yeah, I'm thinking 2012 would be a much better time to give it a go. If dude somehow manages to wind up in the White House at some point--and stranger things have happened--the Bush family would be the first in U.S. History to have three members of the same family elected to the Presidency. Now there would be some serious bragging rights.

Bolivia - Props to the ingenuity of this next downtrodden soul. A Brazilian woman was sent home from Bolivia after she stripped naked at the foot of a statue of Jesus in a town square. The woman was hoping to be deported because she had run out of money to pay her way back home. Pretty creative thinking wouldn't you say. She had stripped once before and was detained and released, so she returned to the monument a second time, this time causing a traffic jam. Immigration officials drove her to the Brazilian border, and the Brazilian Consulate gave her money to catch a bus home. Wow. Clever, persistent, an exhibitionist and Brazilian. This broad sounds like quite the catch.

China - China warned Google and several other popular Web portals that they must do more to block pornographic material from reaching Chinese users. Authorities said a Google search in China turned up "a large number of links to porn websites," and that Google had failed to take any effective steps to block the content. A government spokesperson said "immediate action is needed to purify the Internet environment." Okay, here's my problem with this story. How is it Google's fault that the general Chinese population is chock full of a bunch of sex-starved horn dogs? What do the authorities expect a search engine to return when someone does a query on "hot naked booty"? Maybe if the government did have such a proverbial stick up its butt, the people wouldn't be turning to the Internet for a bit of an escape.

Iceland - How bad is the global economy? Just look who's trying to lend a hand to help Iceland recovery from its economic woes. Although Iceland is still reeling from its virtual national bankruptcy, its best known musician thinks it is a great policy to invest. Bjork announced that she was teaming up with a Reykjavik venture capital firm to launch "a fund that will invest in companies that are socially and environmentally responsible and will help restore Iceland's battered economy. First of all, if you are limiting your options to companies that are both "socially and environmentally responsible" good luck with that--because you are likely to find rather slim pickings. Secondly, who in their right mind would take financial advice from a chick who goes to awards shows dressed up like a duck?

What Caught My Eye Today

Fred's Note: Yeah, yeah. I know it's been almost a week since my last post. What can I say...gotta pay the bill, my friends.

Senate - And then there were 99. Senate Democrats accepted Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's Senate successor and said they expect to swear in the new Illinois senator this week. The development prevented the impasse that has plagued Democrats from dragging on into Obama's inauguration festivities that begin this weekend. Lord knows we cannot have a little thing like this putting a damper on what's sure to be one hell of a block party next week. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled last week that under state law, Burris' appointment paperwork was valid and that it was up to the Senate to decide whether to seat him. But Reid and other Democrats had contended that it violated Senate rules unless the appointment was signed by both the governor and the Illinois secretary of state. Who, oh, by the way, still hasn't signed off on Burris' appointment.

So that's 99. What's the deal with numero 100? Democrat Al Franken was quickly turned down Monday when he asked Minnesota's governor and secretary of state to issue an election certificate that would let him take office in the Senate. That's a shame. Franken led Republican Norm Coleman by 225 votes after a statewide recount that was completed January 5. Coleman is suing over the result, claiming there were irregularities on Election Day and during the recount. Minnesota law prevents officials from issuing an election certificate until legal matters are resolved. Don't you just hate when the law gets in the way of claiming a Senate seat that you may or may not have actually won in an election that basically ended in a statistical dead heat.

Gaza - Israeli troops advanced into Gaza suburbs for the first time today. Hamas showed no signs of wavering, however, with its leader saying the militants were "closer to victory." One wonders exactly how Hamas defines victory. The fighting began Dec. 27 and has killed more than 900 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, according to Palestinian medical officials. Thirteen Israelis, including 10 soldiers, have been killed. Israel has sent reserve units into Gaza to help thousands of ground forces already in the territory, and fighting has persisted despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire. What's this. A nation ignoring a directive--probably, nonbinding--from the United Nations? Inconceivably. Egypt has assumed a role as mediator between Israel and Hamas. Didn't the role of mediator used to be played by Uncle Sam? As many 88% of Gaza's residents now require food aid. As bad as that sounds, believe it or not, this isn't that much of an increase. Turns out that 80% of Gazans were received aid before the hostilities began 3 weeks ago.

Russia - I'll preface this story by saying I'm pretty sure this guy is serious about this prediction. The United States, which is at the epicenter of the global financial tsunami, will suffer the most damage in 2009. In a worst-case scenario that has a roughly 50% chance of coming true, the dollar and the entire U.S. economy will crash by November. Which means, there's at least a 50% chance that this dude is blowing smoke. As a result, the country's dire political and economic problems could lead to fierce competition between the states in which wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and threaten secession and civil war. I don't know about you, but I keep telling my Congressman that I wouldn't mind seeing New Jersey secede. This in turn could lead to disintegration of the country into six parts by the summer of 2010 as the leading foreign powers take their pieces of the fallen giant. Here's my favorite part. Under this scenario, California and six western states would fall under Chinese influence An extremely remote possibility, but plausible; Alaska would go to Russia I can see it. After all, most Alaskans can see Russia "from their backyards" anyway; Hawaii would go to Japan or China Well, they own half the islands already, so that's not much of a stretch; 15 states in the Midwest and Great Plains would be under Canadian influence Okay, now I'm getting just a tad suspicious; Texas and eight other southern states would be under Mexican influence Well now, that would solve some of our immigration issues, wouldn't it; and the eastern seaboard states might join the European Union. Oh sure, why not. So who is this wizard of prognostication? Why none other than Igor Panarin, former analyst with the KGB, is dean of the international relations department at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy. Call me a skeptic, but I'll believe this nut job when I see the folks in North Dakota memorizing the words to the Canadian national anthem.

Japan - Japanese are taking their noses global with a Web site that describes different odors around the world and pinpoints where they can be found on a map. Umm. Let me see here. Oh yeah, here's the question I was searching for...why? Launched in December, the "Nioi-bu," or Smell Club, has registered more than 160 scents around the world, ranging from "steam coming out of a rice cooker" to "used socks in the summer," and pinpointed their locations on a Google map. Nearly 200 members, called "smellists," have joined the Japanese-language only site. I guess unemployment must be on the rise there too. One can only hope that an increase in free time is the reason that these 200 "smellists" have the time to engage in this sort of activity. Not all reports are of stenches, with others including mouth-watering dishes, fresh laundry, greenery and scented soap. From Paris, there is a "scent of verbena soap near a monastery," and from Thailand's ancient capital Ayuthaya, a mix of incense, grass, dirt and wild dogs. I hate to get hung up on this point, but again I have to ask...why?

Zimbabwe - Nothing special to report. Things still suck. Need proof. Remember when we reported that Zimbabwe's central bank rolled out a $10 billion note? Peanuts. Zimbabwe's central bank released a new $50 billion note. The new note was worth 1.25 U.S. dollars at Monday's black market exchange rate. A week ago, $50 billion was worth $2.20. Two weeks ago it was worth 3.30 U.S. dollars. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe unveiled new $20 billion and $50 billion notes saying the notes were being introduced "for your convenience." How about a raise for the guy in the PR department who came up with that line? In December, the bank printed new $10 billion notes. Zimbabweans are reeling from the inflation. The largest note ever in the country was $100 billion in August, when the before the bank struck 10 zeros from the currency. This is the sort of story that tugs at the emotions--you don't know whether to laugh or cry at the plight of these poor bastards.

What Caught My Eye Today

Congress (Part I) - The Capitol rang loud with vows to fix the crisis-ridden economy as Congress opened for business at the dawn of a new Democratic era. God help us all. "We need action and we need action now," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Republicans agreed, and pledged cooperation in Congress as well as with President-elect Barack Obama. Yeah right. I'll believe it when I see it. And even then I'll probably still be skeptical. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a veteran of numerous battles with President George W. Bush, made plain how glad he was the old administration was winding down. "We are ready to answer the call of the American people by putting the past eight years behind us and delivering the change that our country desperately needs," he said on the Senate floor. We are grateful to begin anew with a far more robust Democratic majority." You realize, Senator, that with this new found majority you may actually be held accountable for accomplishing something now.

Congress (Part II) - Naturally, the Senate was full of opening day theatrics to amuse avid fans of C-SPAN...and you all know who you are.. In a scripted bit of political theater, Democrat Roland Burris of Illinois was informed he would not be seated because his paperwork was not in order. He pledged a lawsuit, the latest twist in a political drama that began when he was named to Obama's Senate seat by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has been charged with having attempted to sell the appointment. One other Senate seat was in limbo. Democrat Al Franken holds a 225-vote lead over former Sen. Norm Coleman in Minnesota, a result certified on Monday by the state Canvassing Board. He has not yet received a certificate of election, and with Republicans threatening to protest, Democrats made no attempt to seat him. You gutless cowards! Why don't you take that 58 seat majority out for a spin and see what it can do? Assuming all this nonsense gets sorted out and some point--and the government decides to do its job--the Senate will be divided 59 to 41 in favor of the Democrats and the House of Representatives will be 257 to 178 in favor of the Democrats.

Gaza - France and Egypt announced an initiative to stop the fighting in Gaza hours after Israeli mortar shells exploded near a U.N. school sheltering hundreds of people displaced by the onslaught on Hamas militants. At least 30 Palestinians died, staining streets with blood. They said they were awaiting a response from Israel. Israeli officials in Jerusalem declined immediate comment on the announcement, which came amid diplomatic efforts by the U.S. and other nations to resolve a conflict that has seen 600 people killed in 11 days. This next part is particularly fascinating. Some 15,000 Palestinians have packed the U.N.'s 23 Gaza schools because their homes were destroyed or to flee the violence. The U.N. provided the Israeli military with GPS coordinates for all of them. Presumably, the U.N. did this as an attempt to avoid having these shelters accidentally bombed by the Israelis. What appears to have happened, what that the U.N. basically gave pinpoint accurate bombing coordinates to the Israeli Air Force. You know what they say--"No good deed goes unpunished." And how about a shout out to the Egyptians (and yes, the French) for attempting to broker a truce to put a stop to the mounting casualties. Not so long ago, the United States would have been the likely peacemaker.

Natural Wonders - The Grand Canyon, Mount Everest and Loch Ness will vie with more than 200 other spectacular places in the next phase of the global competition for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The 261 nominees from 222 countries include some of the most famous mountain peaks, lakes, and other attractions, such as the Great Barrier Reef and Niagara Falls (click here for the full list). Over a billion people are expected to join in Internet voting that will nominate 77 semifinalists for the top natural wonders, which will share in the glory already enjoyed by the seven man-made wonders chosen 18 months ago. Take that American Idol. Choosing world wonders has been a continuing fascination over the centuries. UNESCO keeps updating its list of World Heritage Sites, which now totals 878 places. I'm all in favor of anything that will lead to a greater appreciation for the natural wonders that exist all over the world. Plus, who doesn't like a good a good election? Though I have to question. what's so special about the Mississippi River? Dude, it's a river. And in some spots its barely that.

What Caught My Eye Today

Presidential Transition - I suppose it wasn't reasonable to think that Barack Obama would have completely smooth sailing heading into Inauguration Day, but still, this one has to sting a little bit. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation into how some of his political donors won a lucrative state contract. A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a New Mexico transportation contract worth more than $1 million. Richardson said the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly. That may be true, but unfortunately that doesn't help his cause--or Obama's. In the court of public opinion, sometimes you are guilty until proven innocent, and even then you might still be screwed.

Gaza - Thousands of Israeli troops backed by tanks and helicopter gunships pushed deeper into Gaza, fighting militants at close range and surrounding the coastal territory's largest city in the first full day of an overwhelming ground offensive. Israel said it has inflicted a heavy blow against Hamas as it expands a week long offensive meant to stop rocket fire on southern Israel. But spiraling civilian casualties fueled an international outcry, even as the U.S. blocked approval of a U.N. Security Council statement Saturday night calling for an immediate cease-fire. Gimme a second while I pick myself up off the floor. Imagine that. The U.S. blocking a statement calling for a cease-fire. Why on earth would we want to stop the ass-whooping that Israel is laying down on Hamas. So a few civilians are getting caught in the crossfire. Big deal. Israeli soldiers continued to fight primarily in open areas in the launching zones used by Gaza's militants to send rockets raining down on Israeli cities. Israel's military chief said Hamas fighters were trying to draw soldiers deeper into Gaza's sprawling, densely packed urban areas, where the military said Hamas was shielding itself behind civilians.The ground invasion risks turning into intense urban combat, with house-to-house fighting, sniper fire and booby-traps. Hamas is believed to have some 20,000 gunmen and has had time to prepare. The death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to at least 512 since hostilities began on December 27. I have no problem with the Israelis and Hamas duking it out with each out to sort out their differences. Heaven knows both sides are far from being without fault. But seriously, if the cause is so honorable (regardless of which side of the conflict you happen to be on), do what is honorable and leave the civilian populations out of it. This is your fight not theirs. Man up and do the right thing.

Indonesia - Is it just me or does Mother Nature sometimes behave like a broken record? A series of powerful earthquakes killed at least four people and injured dozens in remote eastern Indonesia Sunday and briefly triggered fears of another tsunami in a country still recovering from 2004's deadly waves. One of the quakes — a 7.3-magnitude tremor — was felt as far away as Australia and sent small tsunamis into Japan's southeastern coast. 'Small tsunamis?' Sounds like the classic definition of an oxymoron. Japan reported tsunamis between 4 inches and 16 inches high hitting its shores following the temblors. Well that certainly qualifies as small. So how exactly does one distinguish between a 4 inch regular wave and a 4 inch tsunami?

Ghana - This next item is noteworthy primarily for its lack of news. Ghana's largely peaceful and credible presidential election was a rare example of a functioning democracy in Africa and should be a model for the continent. Opposition candidate John Atta Mills was declared the winner after the closely fought election was settled by a run-off. While some violence was reported, international observers say the vote was mostly peaceful, in contrast with many other African countries. More than 1,000 people were killed in post-election violence in Kenya last year and in Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have been deadlocked for months over a power-sharing agreement after disputed elections. Mauritania's first freely elected leader was overthrown in a military coup in August and army officers in Guinea took power after the death of President Lansana Conte in December. South Africa, is likely to go to the polls in March in what analysts expect will be its most tense vote since the end of apartheid in 1994, after a power struggle split the ruling African National Congress last year. The Ivory Coast again postponed presidential elections last year and analysts say they are unlikely to be held before the end of 2009 due to delays in disarmament and voter registration. I gather you get the general idea. So let's take pause and give a shout out to the Ghanaian people, who somehow manage to elect themselves a new leader without starting a bloodbath. You go, Ghana.

Love - Believe it or not, love still exists. Skeptical? Well fear not, now we have scientific proof showing that true love can last a lifetime. Using brain scans, researchers at Stony Brook University in New York have discovered a small number of couples respond with as much passion after 20 years together as most people only do during the early throes of romance. About 10% of the mature couples had the same chemical reactions when shown photographs of their loved ones as those just starting out. Previous research has suggested that the first stages of romantic love fade within 15 months and after 10 years it has gone completely. That is welcome news. Just think, one in ten couples has a chance at everlasting love. That almost brings a tear to my eye. Of course, it the fate of the other 90% of us that really gets my tear ducts kicked into overdrive, but perhaps we'll just focus on that fortunate 10%. Glass half full, you know...or a tenth at any rate.

What Caught My Eye Today

Ukraine - Not the biggest story of the day, but certainly the best headline. You have to love the BBC's sense of humor. "Ukraine warns EU of gas 'problem' " That's rather decent of them. Usually when I break wind, I point the finger at whoever is sitting next to me. Ukraine has warned that there could be serious problems with gas supplies for European Union countries if its dispute with Russia is not settled soon. Oh, they meant a different type of gas. You could see how one could have confused the two based on the headline. Romania, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria said the pressure in their pipelines fell after Russian gas giant Gazprom cut off Ukraine's supply. Gazprom says it can no longer count on Ukraine as a transit route to EU countries and is seeking alternatives. And why is that, you might ask? Well if you believe Gazprom, it is because Ukraine is stealing from it. Ukraine's state gas company, Naftogaz, denied illegally siphoning Russian gas, saying it was diverting gas from its own reserves to try to maintain export supplies. Of course it did. Boy, I'm sure glad the U.S. is caught up in all this. We had the good sense to get our oil from much more reliable sources.

Gaza - Now this next item I would consider to be the biggest headline of the day. This time, the BBC doesn't leave much to the imagination. "Israeli troops enter Gaza Strip" Israel has sent ground forces into the Gaza Strip after a week of air strikes to try to halt rocket attacks by Palestinian militants. Israeli troops were reported to be engaged in heavy clashes with Hamas fighters in northern Gaza. As you might imagine, there were some predictable reactions from the international community. France has strongly criticized the Israeli land campaign. Of course they did. As I have said time and time again, the French hate everyone who isn't French. The British Foreign Secretary said the escalation of the conflict would cause alarm and dismay. No kidding? And you figured this all out on your own? The U.S. said it had told Israel's government that military action must be "mindful of the potential consequences to civilians." Yeah, we're ones for giving advice on limiting civilian casualties while engaging in military action. Why don't we ask the Afghan or Pakistani people how successfully we've been on that. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appealed for an immediate halt to Israel's ground operation. The security council is meeting in closed session to discuss the escalating crisis. I hate to be a cynic (really I do), but if the U.N. wasn't able to stop the invasion in the first place, what makes it think that it can get Israel to pick up its toys and go back home?

Mars - You know how most stories about NASA usually involve ridiculous amounts of money to conduct some science project that may or may not provide material benefit? This, shockingly, is not one of those stories. NASA's Mars rovers are celebrating their fifth birthday on the Red Planet, exceeding their original life span by four years and nine months, with no end in sight to their history-making work. You have to admit, that's rather impressive. The rover Spirit landed January 3, 2004, with Opportunity touching down 21 days later. They had returned 250,000 images, covered more than 21 kilometers (13 miles), climbed a mountain, descended into craters, struggled with sand traps and ageing hardware and survived dust storms. Thirteen miles in five years? You'd think these things would have covered a bit more ground than that. NASA plans to move Spirit to two new sites: a mound and a house-sized pit called Goddard, which officials believe to be a volcanic explosion crater as opposed to the more typical impact crater. Okay I see the interest in the crater, but a mound? What's so interesting about a mound? Opportunity, meanwhile, is to be moved to Endeavour Crater. So like, if NASA already has 250,000 pictures of craters already, what does it expect to learn by taking pictures of another crater? You know, I'm thinking that they're just dreaming up stuff to take pictures of simply because they still can. At any rate, Happy Birthday, Spirit and Opportunity. May you have many more.

Cycling - What with Lance Armstrong rejoining the ranks of competitive road racing, you just knew that I'd be all over cycling this year. So what up with our boy, Lance? Well, first off, dude is going to be a daddy again. Armstrong and his girlfriend are expecting a baby in June. Word on the street is that the baby was conceived naturally. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be particularly newsworthy, but bear in mind that Armstrong is a survivor of testicular cancer. You go, dawg! Next, Lance is set to ride in his first race of the season on January 20 at Australia's Tour Down Under. Australian rider Stuart O'Grady, apparently quite good at grasping the obvious, was quoted as saying while he did not think Armstrong would be a favorite, he would attract a lot of interest. And finally, how cool is this? My boy Lance will be trolling through my 'hood in February during the second stage of the Tour of California. So homeboy, are we going to party or what? But this time how about you kicking in a little coin for the keg? I covered you last time, bro'.

What Caught My Eye Today

Gaza - While most of us were taking some desperately needed time off to recover from the year that was (2008...what a mess), Israel spent the holidays shelling the living snot out of the Gaza Strip. Israel allowed several hundred Palestinians with foreign passports to flee Gaza as its warplanes bombed a mosque it said was used to store weapons and destroyed homes of more than a dozen Hamas operatives. The evacuees told of crippling shortages of water, electricity and medicine, echoing a U.N. warning of a deepening humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip in the seven-day-old Israeli campaign. The U.N. estimates at least a quarter of the 400 Palestinians killed by Israeli airstrikes on Hamas militants were civilians. In military jargon, that loss of life is called collateral damage. Yeah, that sounds much better, don't it? Israel began its campaign to try to halt weeks of intensifying Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza. The offensive has dealt a heavy blow to Hamas but has not stopped the rockets, which continue to strike deeper and deeper into Israel. Three Israeli civilians and one soldier have been killed in the rocket attacks. President George W. Bush branded the Hamas rocket attacks an "act of terror," while Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Hamas' leaders of holding the people of Gaza hostage. Oh, I'm sure those comments were well received. No offense, Mr. President, but you've got like what, 15 more minutes left in office? Israel appears to be open to the intense diplomatic efforts by Arab and European leaders, saying it would consider stopping its punishing aerial assaults if international monitors were brought in to track compliance with any truce with Hamas. This just proves my point. Israel is more interested in what the Arab world has to say about this mess than its staunchest ally. Bear in mind that many in the Arab world don't think very much of our Israeli friends. And yet, Israel is paying more attention to them than to President Bush. Speaking of Bush, how's that Middle East peace process deal working out for you? I guess you'll have to come up with a different theme for that particular wing of your Presidential library.

Gasoline - Two days into 2009, and we have our first entry for the "You Have Got To Be Kidding Me" file. Motorists are driving less and buying less gasoline, which means fuel taxes aren't raising enough money to keep pace with the cost of road, bridge and transit programs. A federal commission created by Congress to find a way to make up the growing revenue shortfall in the program that funds highway repairs and construction is talking about increasing federal gas and diesel taxes. A roughly 50% increase in gasoline and diesel fuel taxes is being urged by the commission until the government devises another way for motorists to pay for using public roads. I read another article where Oregon is exploring the feasibility of taxing drivers on the number of miles they drive. Dude, I appreciate the financial realities associated with the upkeeping of our nation's roadways, but is this the only way. For years we've been badgered to drive less and to buy more fuel efficient cars in the name of the environment and patriotism (yeah I know, "patriotism"?). Well now that we're finally doing what we've been asked to do for so many years, how are we going to be rewarded for our efforts? With more taxes, of course. Memo to self: Send letter to Congress asking if the concept of "positive reinforcement" is completely foreign to the policymakers in Washington.

Economy - President-elect Barack Obama is back from what will likely be the last vacation he's likely to enjoy for the next 4 to 8 years. Obama's transition team is putting the finishing touches on an economic recovery plan that could run from $675 billion to $775 billion. Congressional aides briefed on the measure say it's likely to blend tax cuts of $500 to $1,000 for middle-class individuals and couples with about $200 billion to help revenue-starved states with their Medicaid programs and other operating costs. Hmm. $500 you say. That should just about cover that 50% increase in the gas tax. How convenient. A large portion of the measure will go toward infrastructure projects, blending old-fashioned brick and mortar programs like road and bridge repairs and water projects with new programs such as research and development on energy efficiency and an expensive rebuilding of the information technology system for health care. I'm all for energy efficiency, I really am. I'm just not sure I'm going to be able to afford it. Democrats had hoped to get the recovery plan set for Obama's signature as close to Inauguration Day as possible, but it's plain that the schedule is slipping. The hell you say. Mr. President-elect, you don't know me from Adam, but here's some free advice anyway. With Congress, it's best to set the bar low, real low. I've found that the only expectations that you can count on when dealing with Congress are the expectations that Congress will fail to live up to any of them.

Suicide - At least 33 people who chose to end their lives last year in a national park. The number is higher than recent years, although the National Park Service hasn't consistently tracked suicides. Not exactly the sort of thing that you want to boast about in tour brochures. Park officials estimate people made more than 274 million visits to the country's 391 national park units last year. The vast majority are intent on seeing breathtaking vistas, wildlife in its natural habitat or places where history was made, such as the Gettysburg battlefield. A troubled few came to end their lives. 33 out of 274 million? I'm not sure we're on the verge of an epidemic just yet. In 2007, there were 26 suicides or probable suicides in the parks. Park Service search-and-rescue records show 18 suicides in 2006, 18 in 2005 and 16 in 2004. Then again, maybe I spoke to hastily. I mean really, a nearly 27% increase in suicides is no joking matter. Gimme a break. I bet more people drop dead waking up in the morning. Here's an idea. Maybe Congress should authorize the Park Service to issue permits for those interested in this particular exit strategy. If we get enough takers, maybe that gas tax won't be necessary after all.

What Caught My Eye Today - Happy Year 2009 Edition

Fred's Note: There are two things that we can all count on at the end of one year and the beginning of a new year. First there is the recap of all that went on in the year that was and, second, predictions for the year to come. We've already recapped 2008 (click here) which leaves us with prognastications for 2009. I decided to go with the experts on this one. Given how lousy 2008 was, I didn't want to leave anything to chance. So without further delay, I give you world predictions from those who should know...that's right, psychics and fortunetellers.

• There will be an assassination attempt on Barack Obama.
  Sadly, I'd be surprised if there is only one. Though I am an optimist; I predict Obama will still be president this time next year.
• There will be serious tensions within Europe as the Euro free falls with both France and Germany threatening to leave the European Union.
  I'm not sure that would be a huge surprise. Germany is the largest economy in the EU by far, and I cannot say that I would blame it one bit for looking after its own self interests given that latest economic conditions. As for France, well they hate everyone who isn't French, so no, I wouldn't say this come as much of a shock either.
• There is a world wide rekindling of socialist ideals and a major swing back towards communism in Russia.
  I'm not sure about the communism thing, but I think it pretty obvious that socialism is experiencing a renaissance. And you don't have to look very far to find it either. Seriously, does universal health care sound very capitalistic to you?
• There will be a major terrorist attack in Dubai.
  Yeah, I can see that. Let us not forget that the United Arab Emirates are right smack dab in the middle of the Arab world and just a stone's throw from Mecca. You cannot tell me that all those Westerners living it up in those 5 star ultra resorts in Dubai wouldn't make an awfully attractive target to a band of extreme radicals.
• There will be a knife attack on a top celebrity.
  Now this is an interesting one. Not necessarily a new concept (remember Monica Seles?), but fascinating nonetheless. Here are my three "celebrity picks" for what I hope will be a prediction that fails to come true: 1) Bill Clinton, 2) Paris Hilton, 3) Rafael Nadal.
• Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal will continue to be unstable nations with corrupt governments.
  Way to go out on a limb.

So this prediction business seems pretty simple. Let me see if I can give it a go. Here are my Top Ten Predictions for 2009:

1. The New York Stock Exchange will close the year above 10500.
2. Lindsay Lohan will become pregnant--thereby completely her transition as the next Britney Spears.
3. Prince Charles will not become the King of England...again. Elizabeth II has just 5 more years before she ties Victoria for the longest reign in British history. Do you really think she'd give up on that?
4. An industrial accident will claim thousands of lives in China; this in addition to the inevitable natural disasters that the Chinese people will need to cope with.
5. One of the ex-Presidents will die--my money is on George Bush Sr.
6. The world will miraculously make it through another year without a "dirty bomb" being detonated. Don't ask me how.
7. The Chicago Cubs will not win the World Series...again.
8. Tiger Woods will win at least one major in 2009--I'm guessing two.
9. Lance Armstrong will finish in the top 3 in this year's Tour De France.
10. And finally, Osama bin Liden will celebrate yet another year as a fugitive rather than behind bars.