What Caught My Eye Today

Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted to close the only U.S. air base in Central Asia, removing one of the U.S. military's supply routes into Afghanistan as it prepares to send more troops. Kyrgyzstan's decision to close the U.S. air base undermined its plans to diversify supply routes into Afghanistan after supply convoys were attacked by militants in Pakistan. Kyrgyzstan has accused Washington of refusing to pay a higher rent for using the base. This comes shortly after Russia announced it was giving $2 billion in aid to Kyrgyzstan. I'm sure the timing purely coincidental. They probably would have thrown us out even it Russia didn't provide any aid--yeah, right. The closure underlined the challenges Washington faces in enlisting Russian support for its campaign in Afghanistan. Russia says it is willing to help with the shipment of supplies through former Soviet Central Asian states, but is suspicious of any attempt by Washington to build a permanent military presence there. I can see where the Russians are coming from. Think about it, how would we react if Russia tried to establish a military outpost in Canada?

Canada - Speaking of Canada... President Barack Obama courted warmer relations with America's snowy northern neighbor, declining to ask war-weary Canada to do more in Afghanistan, promising he won't allow a protectionist creep into U.S. trade policy and talking reassuringly around thorny energy issues. There are some sharp differences between the U.S. and its largest trading partner and biggest supplier of oil. Canada is the largest foreign supplier of oil to the U.S.? I did not know that. On several topics, where Obama came armed with reassurances, Harper offered mini-lectures, albeit gently delivered. Obama repeatedly took a non-confrontational approach. What a pansy. Is this how it's going to be from now on. The United States is going to play nice with the rest of the world? What good is it being the world's only superpower, if you cannot use it to bully your neighbors? I'm not sure I like this new attitude at all.

Junk - What we have here is a problem of galactic proportions, at least according to the experts. With a recent satellite collision still fresh on minds, participants at a meeting in the Austrian capital this week are discussing ways to deal with space debris — junk that is clogging up the orbit around the Earth. The informal discussions on the sidelines of a meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, arose from concern about the collision of a derelict Russian spacecraft and a working U.S. Iridium commercial satellite. The United Nations has a committee for "uses of outer space"? Who knew. NASA's chief scientist for orbital debris, said about 19,000 objects are present in the low and high orbit around the Earth — including about 900 satellites, but much of it is just plain junk. There's a chief scientist for orbital debris? Wow, that must be a plum assignment at NASA. The European Space Agency has begun a program of monitoring space debris and setting up uniform standards to prevent future collisions far above the planet. Launched in January, the program — dubbed Space Situational Awareness — aims to increase information for scientists on the ground about the estimated 13,000 satellites and other man-made bodies orbiting the planet. Oh, good gracious. See that's the problem with rocket scientists--they think too hard. From where I see there is a pretty simple solution to avoid adding more space junk. Include a self destruct mechanism in every satellite that you launch. When the sucker dies, push the red button, and vaporize it. No more problem.

Cycling - Stage 5 of the Tour of California is in the books. Britain's Mark Cavendish of Columbia won the fifth stage of the Tour of California on Thursday, his second straight sprint finish triumph in the race. As he did in the fourth stage finish at Clovis, Cavendish edged Belgian Quick Step rider Tom Boonen. Two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer retained the overall leader's yellow jersey. His Astana teammate Lance Armstrong remained fourth overall, 30 seconds off the lead. While this was the longest stage of the race, it was probably the most boring, other than the final sprint. The Stage 6 individual time trial will likely have much more impact on the leader board, though I imagine, Levi will remain on top of the standings.

Golf - Guess who's making his return to competitive golf at next week's Match Play championship in Tucson? I'll give you a hint. He won last year's U.S. Open playing with a bum knee and a double stress fracture in his left leg.