What Caught My Eye Today

India - The largest democracy on Earth has itself a new toy. India joined an elite club of six nations last week with the launch of its own nuclear-powered submarine. INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies) begins trials this week with its builders slating 2015 as the date for the commissioning of the 6,000-tonne vessel with a 85-megawatt nuclear reactor. The Arihant is a key part of a highly ambitious military modernization program by India, which hiked its military budget in the current financial year by 24% to 28.4 billion dollars. While Pakistan was the first to react, many analysts feel development of the Arihant is aimed more at countering the threat from the region's undisputed naval power, China. Okay, let's take this one point at a time. First off, the other five nations is this little fraternity are: United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France and China. Next, "Destroyer of Enemies"--that's a little provocative for the name of a nuclear-armed submarine, don't you think? Commissioning in 2015? I don't know a lot about nuclear submarines, but that seems like an awfully long time to be tested a sub isn't exactly new (India bought an existing sub from Russia and basically modified it). And lastly, I don't see why Pakistan is all bent out of shape over this. India launching a sub that might be seaworthy in 6 years hardly seems like the most pressing issue that Pakistani government needs to worry about right now.

Economy - This just in. The global economic meltdown shows little signs of recovery, and the queen is wants some answers. Seriously. A group of eminent economists have apologized to Queen Elizabeth II for failing to predict the financial crisis after she demanded, during a visit to the London School of Economics last November, to know why nobody had anticipated the credit crunch. the letter says that says "financial wizards" who believed that their plans to manage risky debts and protect the financial system were infallible were guilty of "wishful thinking combined with hubris." Huh? Maybe the rest of the letter makes more sense. "In summary, your majesty, the failure to foresee the timing, extent and severity of the crisis and to head it off, while it had many causes, was principally a failure of the collective imagination of many bright people, both in this country and internationally, to understand the risks to the system as a whole." Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the correspondence. I can see why. It hardly seems worth it to respond to a 3 page letter that basically says, "I don't know". Still, I challenge anyone to say that the Queen of England doesn't wield at least some measure of power in this day and age. I bet you, she was just wondering out loud about the failure to predict this mess, and look what she got in response. That's pretty impressive in my book. A complete waste of time, but impressive, nonetheless.

Cricket - I want to give a shout out my main man Rod for attempting to explain some of the finer points of this most fascinating sport. I still don't really get it, but that isn't Rod fault. At any rate, I'm pretty sure that the third Test of the biennial Ashes competition between England and Australia got underway today, and if I'm not mistaken, Australia opened up a can of whoop-ass on the English squad. Australia made a confident start in the third Ashes Test against England leading 126 for 1 on a rain-disrupted first day. Australia is looking to level the series following their 115-run defeat in the last Test. Sounds like a whoop-assing to me. Rod--if you are out there--can I get a ruling on this?

Cycling - Yes, yes. I'm painfully aware that the Tour de France ended this past Sunday, but I have the sneaking suspicion that most folks reading this may not be the avid grand cycling tour fan that I am, so this will probably be new to you anyway. Astana rider Alberto Contador won the Tour de France in convincing fashion by more than 4 minutes over his closest rival. My boy, Lance Armstrong took third place almost 5 and a half minutes behind his teammate. Of course the real news (sadly) was the snick that these guys got into after the race was concluded. Armstrong also announced that he was launching a team US-based team sponsored by RadioShack and that he will be riding for RadioShack in the 2010 Tour de France. Shockingly, no invitation was extended by Armstrong to Contador to join the new team. And that concludes this year's coverage of the Tour de France. Next up, the Vuelta de Espana in September. I can barely contain my excitement.

What Caught My Eye Today

Swine Flu - According to the World Health Organization, the swine flu virus has reached 160 countries and could infect two billion people within the next two years. For those of you keeping count, that's almost one in three people. Crickey. The virus is thought to have killed almost 800 people in recent months. I've been mocking the mortality rate of this virus for several weeks. 800 out of 2 billion doesn't even come close to a statistical anomaly. What I've left out, is the fact that influenza viruses tend to mutate and do so rather rapidly. So while this particular strain may not be particularly lethal just yet, it could be. The majority of cases appear to be occurring in young people, around the ages of 12 to 17, although some reports suggest it is mainly older people who have required hospital treatment. The organization also said there was accumulating evidence suggesting pregnant women are at higher risk of more severe disease, but "certainly has no recommendations on whether women should try to have children now". If the day ever comes that the WHO contemplates making such a recommendation, I pity the fool who has to deliver that announcement to the world.

Iran - I try to keep an open mind about most things especially when it comes to politics and religion. These tend to be rather sensitive subjects that reflect cultural beliefs that I do not fully understand or appreciate. That being said when it comes to the Iranian political leadership I am quickly coming to the conclusion that the guys in charge are a few cards short of a full deck. Iran's top authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to dismiss a senior official who had said Iran was friendly with everyone, even the people of its sworn foe Israel. Khamenei apparently is not one to mince his words. "The appointment of ... Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie as vice president is against your interest and the interests of the government and will cause division among your supporters." the Ayatollah said."It is necessary to announce the cancellation of this appointment." See what I mean. Analysts have said that the decision by Ahmadinejad to appoint Mashaie, to whom he is related by marriage, suggested the president had only a small entourage of people he trusted. Ahmadinejad was re-elected in a presidential vote which stirred the largest display of internal unrest in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution and exposed deep rifts in its ruling elite. On the off chance that you have not been following the Iranian political scene--I'm sure there are one or two of you out there--let me break it down for you. Back in June, Ahmadinejad was proclaimed the victor of a rather dubious presidential election by the aforementioned Ayatollah. This pretty much validated that Ahmadinejad was the Ayatollah's anointed one--and how convenient was it that the electorate agreed with him; even if they didn't know they did. One would assume that this would be the end of the story, but clearly not. Ahmadinejad in his infinite wisdom picks as his first vice president (apparently there are a whole bunch of vice president) a dude that no one, including the Ayatollah, likes. Given that the Ayatollah basically handed the presidency to Ahmadinejad, you would think that the dude would pick someone a bit more palatable for such a prestigious post. Of course, what I really want to know is what the Supreme Leader of Iran saw in this whack job in the first place.

Nepal - I'm not sure why, but Nepal is just a hotbed of news this week. A remote region of Nepal is hoping to improve local sanitation by asking everyone who applies for a citizenship card or passport whether they have a toilet at home. They say there is a lack of awareness of the health risks related to open defecation, and are hoping the proposed scheme will help to eradicate the practice. Maybe it is a cultural thing. What sort of awareness is the government looking for? People are taking dumps in the middle of the street. Is that not obvious enough? The proposal comes as Nepal is struggling to deal with a diarrhea outbreak that has reportedly killed around 150 people in a remote western region. Disease outbreaks are common during the monsoon, when floods mean water sources can easily become contaminated. The government has promised to eradicate open defecation by 2017, but officials say they are well behind schedule on the building of new toilets. It's stories like this that remind you no matter how bad things might seem, they are most assuredly worse someplace else. Though in the case of the Nepalese people, I'm not sure I can think of a "someplace else" that tops their predicament.

Cricket - I think I'm starting to get the hang of this sport (yeah, right). The third test of the bi-annual tournament between the national teams of England and Australia got underway yesterday. I'm pretty sure that the Aussies are leading, which is certainly good news for them after the English won the second test. At any rate, I have plenty of more time to pick up on the nuances of the sport. As close as I can figure, they are contesting one test a week. And seeing as this tournament consists of 5 tests, I've got two more weeks. Yeah baby.

Cycling - Technically, the Tour de France has two more stages left, but the winner was effectively decided yesterday. Astana team leader, Alberto Cantador won the individual time trial (that was actually a rather big surprise) and increased his overall lead to 4 minutes 11 seconds over his closest rival, Luxembourg rider, Andy Schleck. Unless he falls off a mountain or gets hit by truck, the yellow jersey is basically his. Lance Armstrong was fourth going into the time trial and managed to make up enough time on one of his rivals, Frank Schleck (Andy's older brother) to climb back to third place overall, 5 minutes 25 seconds behind Contador. Today's stage was supposed to be rather uneventful, but was far from it. First of all, UK rider Mark Cavendish won for a fifth time becoming the UK's winningest Tour de France stage winner of all time. Second, while his chances for winning the Tour are all be gone, Armstrong showed that he's still probably the smartest rider as he noticed that the final sprint would likely (and in fact did) result in a time gap, and was the only general classification contender to finish in the same time as Cavendish--all the other lead riders lost 4 seconds to Armstrong. In the giant scheme of things, the standings did not change, but awareness of the race going on around him, reminding everyone why Armstrong, not Contador, is still the big dog.

What Caught My Eye Today - North of the Border Edition

Fred's Note: I'm chilling it north of the border hanging out with the family. Being four hours ahead of my normal time zone, not only am I able to what the Tour de France at a much more reasonable hour, but I also find myself with a bit more free time in the morning. So without further adieu...

Facebook - This was a pretty major headline in Canada last week. The writing is on the wall for Facebook, do more to protect the privacy of Canadian users of face the threat of court action. Canada's Privacy Commissioner posted a message in a report that warns the personal information of Facebook users may be at risk and said that Facebook breaches federal privacy law by keeping users' personal information indefinitely--even after members close their accounts. The Commissioner did acknowledge that the social networking phenomenon has highlighted the fact some people are quite comfortable showcasing their lives online. Ah yes, there is that. I have a Facebook account too, and like many things in life, a bit of due diligence is called for. Would you walk up to a total stranger on the street and start talking about that bender you went on over the weekend? Probably not. So why in the world would you brag about it (or worse yet, post photos of your debauchery) where millions of strangers can see it. Sure Facebook could improve its privacy safeguards, but maybe some of the responsibility for protecting one's privacy lies with the rocket scientists who are publishing their innermost secrets in the first place. If you ask me, Facebook would be much better served fixing the bugs in Mafia Wars. I'm just saying.

Nepal - Corruption is so endemic in Nepal that bribery is almost to be expected at Kathmandu's international airport. Big deal, In the States, we deal with bribery everyday--"Come on dude, my bag is only 5 pounds over the weight limit. Can't we make a deal or something?"--plus we have to contend with crap service, long lines, and rude people. So you'll forgive me if I don't seem too sympathetic to the situation in Nepal. In a bid to boost tourism, the government has devised a clever way to deter staff from soliciting "tea money" from hapless travellers: pocketless pants. Gimme a minute. I'll explain. This is all on the up-and-up. The government determined that airport officials should be given trousers with no pockets so that the would-be bribe-takers would have nowhere to hide their spoils. To me this is yet another example of the most effective solutions tend to also be the simplest ones. Last year Nepal ranked 131 out of 180 nations on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Should you be curious, Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden were ranked #1; Canada was #9 (you go, Canada); and the U.S. came in at #18 (really? that high?).

New Zealand - This story broke late last month, but I just heard about it yesterday, so it's news to me. The instructions in Air New Zealand’s new in-flight safety video are given by employees who are nude except for body paint and strategically placed seat belts. And get this, the employees are...how should I put this...not ugly. Yeah, baby! The video and commercial are not as revealing as some might think (or perhaps hope, given the toned bodies of the employees). The realistic body paint makes it look as if the employees — flight attendants, baggage handlers and a pilot — are wearing uniforms. The one person not shown doing his actual job is the company’s buff chief executive, Rob Fyfe, who plays a baggage handler. Good for them. I'm not a big fan of air travel these days, but I am sympathetic to the fact that being in the airline industry these days pretty much sucks. It's nice to see at least one airline somehow manages to keep its sense of humor.

Tour de France - Stage #18 (the 40.5k individual time trial) is in progress as I write this. The big fireworks came in yesterday's stage in the Alps which included 4 category 1 climbs. Our man Alberto Cantador opened up a 2 minute 6 second advantage over his closest competitor--who is no longer Lance Armstrong. Armstrong played the dutiful teammate, marking another overall classification contender and in the process gave up precious time to Cantador and slipping to 4th place, 3 minutes 55 seconds of the lead. It is more than likely that Lance will work his way back onto the podium after today's time trial (the dudes in front of him aren't very good at this particular discipline), so that's all good. However (and I'll freely admit that I'm an Armstrong fan), it's pretty plain to see that having so many top flight riders on one team--Armstrong, Cantador, Kloden, and Leipheimer (who withdrew from the race with a fractured wrist) can really mess with your team strategy.

Ashes - This one goes out to my main man, Rod. When last we left the biennial cricket contest between England and Australia, the first test resulted in a draw (I think) and the second test was just getting underway. Well, England won the second test (I think), and now leads with three tests left to contest (I think). So there you have it. Have I mentioned how fascinating this sport is? I think I have.

What Caught My Eye Today

Space Shuttle - If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. An admirable sentiment to be sure, but the dudes at NASA have to be getting a bit frustrated at this point. NASA has finished fueling the space shuttle for a sixth attempt to launch Endeavour on a mission to the international space station. Thunderstorms have delayed the mission three times and hydrogen gas leaks have caused two delays. Endeavour holds the final piece of Japan's space lab, which should have flown last month. NASA could also launch Endeavour tomorrow, if managers agree to shorten the flight. Otherwise, the shuttle will have to step aside for a Russian supply run to the space station. That would bump the shuttle launch to July 26. This is a first--a traffic jam in space. Who would have thought that would happen so quickly. I've got like what, one whole space station, and we're already dealing with traffic congestion. If you ask me, that doesn't bode too well for the future.

Sarah Palin - Outgoing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is facing yet another ethics complaint — the 18th against her and the very thing that helped to prompt her resignation. Eighteen? That seems rather high, doesn't it? The latest complaint alleges she abused her office by accepting a salary and using state staff while campaigning outside Alaska for the vice presidency. It's the third complaint filed against the Republican since she announced July 3 that she was stepping down. Palin said at the time of her resignation that her administration had become hamstrung by frivolous ethics complaints that also put her more than $500,000 in legal debt and set the state back about $2 million dealing with them.Given that there are 18 complaints so far, I cannot say that I blame her. Still, 18 complaints? I have a hard time believing that all of them are frivolous.

Air Travel - The first-ever all-pet airline conducted its first flight, one day after the new airline became operational. Pet Airways services five major cities—New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. Flights for the next two months are already booked. The company hopes to expand their service to 25 locations in the next three years. The animals on Pet Airways travel in their own carriers in the main cabin, not in the cargo hold as with most airlines. The $250 one-way fare is comparable to pet fees at the largest U.S. airlines. As a pet owner I applaud this business venture and hope it succeeds. Though I do have one question. If I can shove myself into a pet carrier can I get in on this action. $250 is a pretty sweet deal, not to mention the fact that I'd probably have more leg room than I would on a human only flight.

Cycling - We're over halfway done with this year's Tour de France and my main man, Lance Armstrong is still in third place, just 8 seconds out of the lead. Not much is likely to change in the overall standings until the mountain stages in the Alps in a few days time. While I'm partial to Armstrong's performance, I would be remiss if I did not give some props to some other Tour related headlines. First, Armstrong's team, Astana, occupies 4 of the top 6 places in the overall classification (Contador, 2nd, Armstrong, 3rd, Leipheimer, 4th and Kloden, 6th), yet somehow, Astana is second in the team classification. How is that possible? Second, Team Columbia rider, Mark Kavendish has won 4 of the 5 sprint stages so far. Dude knows how to close the deal in these group sprints.

What Caught My Eye Today

Economy - You know that old saying, "There is always a silver lining." Apparently, in a global recession, that silver lining manifests itself in the following way--"sure things are bad for us Americans, but they really blow chow for the rest of the world." The International Monetary Fund's latest tally of world economic conditions forecasts a 2.6% decline in U.S. economic output for all of 2009, and anemic growth of 0.8% in 2010. That's more optimistic than the IMF's prediction from three months ago, but still lousy. The United States should count itself lucky, though. The IMF expects at least 11 major parts of the world to have more severe economic contractions than the United State this year, including most of western Europe, Japan, Russia, and Mexico. Europe will still be stumbling along behind the United States next year, as well. If these projections come true, it means the United States, despite its overspent consumers, wrecked banks, and insolvent automakers, will be leading the world economy out of recession. Somehow. Yeah, that's reassuring. And I bet the rest of the world is thrilled that the United States will emerge from this mess, that arguably it created, before anyone else does.

Dick Cheney - According to U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), the CIA withheld information from Congress about a secret counterterrorism program on orders from former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. Girlfriend is just figuring this out now? CIA Director Leon Panetta disclosed Cheney's involvement when he briefed members of Congress two weeks ago. The still-secret program, which purportedly never became operational, began after the September 11 attacks on the United States. In one of his first acts as president, Barack Obama ordered more humane treatment for terrorism suspects. Panetta has vowed not to allow coercive interrogation practices, secret prisons or the transfer of terrorist suspects to countries that may use torture, a pledge seen as a break with the agency's policies under Bush. This is a bit of a tough one. September 11 broke new ground, so I believe it is a bit unfair to pass judgment too quickly on the leadership of that time--we were all pretty freaked out by that event. That being said, I think the leadership was a bit quick to toss aside everything this country stands for in its zeal to protect the nation from another such attack ever taking place on American soil. And they did succeed; but at what cost?

Spain - Five runners were gored, two seriously, and six received other injuries at a packed running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona. One man was caught in the chest and legs when a large bull became separated from the pack on the slippery cobblestone streets leading to the bullring. The bull, a Miura weighing 1,268 pounds, jerked the runner upward and then rolled him along the ground in the entrance to the ring. Miuras are the largest and most famous of Spain's fighting bulls. The sixth running of the bulls at the annual festival was held two days after a 27-year-old man was gored to death. You would think after a guy died doing this, the organizers would have called it a day, but I guess not. For more than 100 years thrill-seekers have accompanied the bulls from a pen outside the city walls on a dangerous, daredevil run to the bullring. In the afternoon, the bulls face matadors and almost certain death. I'm truly sorry that this individual lost his life. However, given that these bulls are basically going off to slaughter, I cannot say I blame them for being a bit hostile.

Sports - Here's a quick round up from this past weekend.

Tour de France - Here's what you need to know. The first 9 stages are over, including the team time trial and 3 mountain stage in the Pyrenees. Team Astana could have taken the overall leader's jersey yesterday or today but elected not to this early into the race. Alberto Contador is in second place overall (6 seconds back of the lead), Lance Armstrong is in third (8 seconds back) and Levi Leipheimer is in fourth (39 seconds back). If you are keeping count, that's 3 of the top 4 cyclists all riding for the same team. And Astana's fourth best rider--Andreas Kloden is in sixth place (54 seconds off the pace).

NASCAR - We're 19 races into the 2009 season--one more than half way through--which means we're 7 races from the race for the Chase (NASCAR's championship). There are some familiar names at the top of the standings--Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Kyle and Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards. But here's an interesting development. The drivers with the most wins (Mark Martin, 4, and Kyle Busch, 3) might not make it into the Chase based on points. Martin is within 12 points of elimination and Busch withing 14 points of elimination. And what about the biggest name in the sport--Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Put a fork in him, he's done. Jr. is more than 350 points out of the Chase.

Cricket - Okay, I think I can tell who is winning this Ashes gig in Cardiff, Wales between England and Australia. Australia moved with ruthless professionalism on Saturday towards victory in the first Ashes test against England before rain brought a premature end to the fourth day. It was the first time in Ashes history that four Australians have scored centuries in one innings and Australia's 674 for six declared compiled over more than 12 hours was their fourth highest total against England. So Australia wins, right? On Sunday, England denied Australia victory in the first Ashes Test with an heroic unbeaten last-wicket stand before an ecstatic capacity 16,000-strong crowd. England will go into the second Test at Lord's starting on Thursday with honors even. Or maybe not. If I'm reading this correctly--and this is a big "if"--it would appear that England and Australia played to a draw. Yes, let's call it a draw, shall we? Did I mention that this cricket is a fascinating sport?

What Caught My Eye Today

North Korea - More than two dozen Internet sites in South Korea and the United States, including the White House, were attacked in recent days by hackers that South Korea's spy agency said may be linked to North Korea. The timing of the cyber attacks raised suspicions about North Korea because it was around the U.S. Independence Day holiday and Pyongyang conducting missile tests.Way to connect the dots, genius. The attack was more about nuisance and harassment and was very low in the sophistication scale. Nuisance and lacking in sophistication? Sound like North Korea to me. If North Korea was responsible, it would mark an escalation in tensions already high due to the reclusive communist state's nuclear test in May, its firing of seven ballistic missiles in July and repeated attacks on longtime foes Seoul and Washington in its official media. Maybe I'm looking at this from the wrong perspective, but a feeble Internet attack doesn't exactly seem to rank the same importance as the test firing of missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Don't get me wrong; given enough practice, I can see these guys doing some serious damage. I just don't see this stunt being at the same level as test firing some ballistic missiles.

Slang - It never ceases to amaze me the nonsense that always seems to make its way into our judicial system. A Las Vegas man won a courtroom battle with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles over his "HOE" license plate, which the agency tried to cancel on grounds that he was using a slang reference to prostitutes. The high court said the DMV based its opposition to the man's plate on definitions found in the Web-based Urban Dictionary, which includes user contributions. Justices ruled that the contributed definitions "do not always reflect generally accepted definitions for words." The plaintiff, whose case was pursued by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said he got the "HOE" plate in 1999 for his Chevy Tahoe, after being told "TAHOE" wasn't available. I'm gonna side with the DMV on this one. Hear me out. When you hear the word "hoe" what comes to mind? A garden tool? Probably. A woman of questionable moral character, maybe. A pickup truck? I seriously doubt it. That being said, this is such a lame ass way to spend taxpayer money. Did a court really need to rule on this? Last time I checked with my state DMV, they had a published list of letter combinations that were not available--mostly because of the derogatory inferences that could be made from them. Sorry, bro'. I'm going with "hoe" as a likely candidate for being interpreted as a derogatory term.

Pope - It's been ages since we've heard from His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. I wonder what's on his mind these days. Pope Benedict XVI, on the eve of a global economic summit, lashed out at modern capitalism for being shortsighted and short on ethics. "Today's international economic scene, marked by grave deviations and failures, requires a profoundly new way of understanding business enterprise," the pontiff said. I'm not sure I'd condemn capitalism or call it shortsighted. Most of the reasons behind the most recent economic meltdown can be tied to legal loopholes, lax regulation, and people breaking the law. If you want to claim shortsightedness or a lack of ethics, I'd start with the legislators and regulators who allowed this activity to happen on their watch.

Cricket - I am, if nothing else, a man of my word. And it is in that vein that I give you this recap of the first day of action at The Ashes in Cardiff, Wales, the bi-annual cricket competition between England and Australia. Day 1 of Test Match 1 of Ashes 2009 comes to a close. The honors have been equally shared. First session to Australia. Second to England. Third to both. Perfect day's cricket. Now if someone could explain to me, what all that means....So are they tied, or what?

Cycling - I'll keep this short. Stage 5 is in the books. Swiss rider, Fabian Cancellara is still the overall race leader followed by Lance Armstrong, less than one second behind. That's right, these guys have covered 628km (390 mi), including a individual and a team time trial, and they are in a dead head. Pretty amazing, wouldn't you say?

What Caught My Eye Today

Senate - Better late than never I suppose. Minnesota finally has its second senator, and it only took, what, 8 months? Al Franken became a senator today. The Minnesota Democrat's swearing-in marked the end of an eight-month political and legal struggle and drew thunderous applause and a standing ovation in the Senate chamber. His presence gives Democrats 60 votes, enough to thwart possible Republican filibusters. If you follow U.S. politics, this is only somewhat the case. Two Democrats are out with health issues Last week the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Franken's favor after a protracted recount battle. His opponent, former Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, conceded shortly after the ruling. Democrats said Franken will assume seats on the Senate Select Committee on Aging, the Committee on Indian Affairs, the Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions. Plum assignments to be sure. Ah well, I guess the new guy has to start some place. Should you be wondering what the Select Committee on Aging does--I obviously was--it has no legislative authority, but it studies issues related to older Americans, particularly Medicare and Social Security. They need a committee to study the fact that entitlement for the aging population are completely hosed???

Sarah Palin - It's the headline that gets me. Girlfriend has a flare for the dramatic. Sarah Palin says she's not a quitter, she's a fighter, but adds that, politically speaking, "if I die, I die. So be it." I'm a bit slow. Maybe someone could explain to me how is resigning mid-term not considered to be quitting? There has been speculation that she has some legal issue that is not yet known to the public. But her lawyer said that she has no legal problems whatsoever, and simply is tired of the hostile political climate, legal bills and other distractions. I can't say that I'm completely unsympathetic to Palin's plight. But seriously, if she's going to contemplate a run for higher office at some point--Lord help us--Palin is going to have to develop a thicker skin. Politics is nasty business.

Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson fans came from near and far to say last goodbyes to their pop music hero, some traveling from across the U.S. and Europe for his public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. "I just wanted to say ... ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him — so much," said Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris-Michael. It was a deeply emotional moment, the most profound part of a memorial that accomplished what Jackson could not in life: humanizing a man who for so long had seemed like a caricature. Depending on your perspective, I suppose you could argue one side or the other that this caricature was of his own doing or a product of unrelenting publicity. I prefer to remember the man for his music and offer up my heartfelt sympathies to a daughter who has lost her father.

Cycling - Stage 4 of the Tour de France was the Team Time Trial. Not surprisingly, Lance Armstrong's team Astana won. With the likes of Levi Leipheimer, Alberto Contador, Armstrong and Andreas Kloden all riding for the same team, this was pretty much a foregone conclusion. Coupled with his rather impressive third stage ride, Lance is in a dead heat with current race leader Fabian Cancellara, who retains the yellow leaders jersey, because that's how the rules go. The first mountain stage comes in a few days, and perhaps with it, another yellow jersey for the man. Game on, my fellow cycling enthusiasts.

Cricket - And by this I mean the sport not the insect. A friend of mine in the UK told me that The Ashes starts tomorrow, matching Australia against England and is one of international cricket's most celebrated rivalries and dates back to 1882. I liken it to the America's Cup in yachting, but that's just me. Sadly, I don't expect there to be much television coverage here in the states, but I'll do my best to keep you posted on this epic event. I know what you are thinking, but seriously, there is no need to thank me.

What Caught My Eye Today

Sarah Palin - This caught my eye last week, so I'm running a bit behind on this one. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has flummoxed the political world with her abrupt resignation. Even Rush Limbaugh is stumped. "As far as I know, nobody in Palin's camp or Palin herself has said what the hell this is about and why she's doing this." Honestly, what was this broad thinking. Palin of all people should know that she should have vetted this sort of decision with Limbaugh before making any public announcement. What a dunce. in her resignation speech, she spoke vaguely about hoping to "effect positive change outside of government." Neither she nor her aides have spelled out her future plans. Maybe--and I know this is way out there--but maybe Palin is being vague because she's got no clue what she's going to do next. It's been known to happen. Still if you thought girlfriend was going to go quietly, think again. She sent out a Twitter message and posted a combative note on Facebook.

"The response in the main stream media has been most predictable, ironic, and as always, detached from the lives of ordinary Americans who are sick of the "politics of personal destruction." How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country. And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make. But every American understands what it takes to make a decision because it's right for all, including your family."

You tell 'em, Sarah! If you want my two cents worth (and I bet you do), I think you should point the finger at Tina Fey. The nerve of her mocking your good name. I bet if she could see Russia from her house (like you), she'd be singing a different tune.

Russia - This story caught my attention if for no other reason than you don't hear about two nuclear super powers talking about reducing their arsenals very frequently. Rarer still, they are in agreement. Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev confidently committed to a year-end deal to slash nuclear stockpiles by about a third. The planned START replacement pact — the centerpiece summit agreement — calls for each side to reduce strategic warheads to a range of 1,500 to 1,675, and strategic delivery vehicles to a range of 500 to 1,100. Current limits allow a maximum of 2,200 warheads and 1,600 launch vehicles. The new treaty, as conceived, would run for 10 years. Sounds like a pretty good start to me. Both men renewed pledges to pull U.S.-Russian relations out of the dismal state into which they had descended during the eight years of the Bush administration. That can't be right. I remember distinctly when Bush said he looked then-President Vladimir Putin in the eye and found that he had a good soul. You cannot do better than that, can you?

Trash - I preface this next item by giving you advance notice that whether it rates as a "newsworthy" story is a matter of opinion. A father and son are facing almost $20,000 in fees and fines after New York authorities said they removed about 42 tons of trash from their property. Brookhaven Town officials said they took away tires, car parts, hoses and other trash — about 85,000 pounds in all — piled up on a residential lot in Mastic Beach on eastern Long Island. Should you be curious, that's enough garbage to fill 10 garbage trucks. Seriously, 85,000 pounds of crap? I bet you guys were the toast of your neighborhood.

Sports - I'll make this as brief as I can for you non-sports fans...

Tennis - Roger Federer is official the man--at least in the tennis world. He won his 15th grand slam title (sorry Pete Sampras, you're second banana now) by beating Andy Roddick in 5 sets. Roger, apparently wanted to recapture some of the magic from last year's duel with Rafael Nadal which was also a 5 set affair, which some call the greatest tennis match of all time. This year, Roger decided to team up with Roddick to produce a 77 game match with the fifth set going to Federer, 16 to 14. As for Roddick, dude didn't win, but sure as heck announced to the rest of the tennis establishment that he's got game.

Golf - Well if Federer is going to win, then I guess Tiger best do so as well. Which he did in the PGA tournament that he hosts, the AT&T National. That makes 68 career wins. If you are wondering when #69 might happen, the British Open takes place in two weeks.

Cycling - Lance isn't leading after 3 stages, but sure is making his presence felt. In a rather surprise break away late in the third stage, most Tour favorites were caught be surprise, but not Mr. Armstrong. And for his efforts, Lance now finds himself in third place overall, ahead of teammates, Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador. Of course, if you don't follow bike racing, then everything I just said won't mean a lick to you. Suffice it to say, Lance doesn't enter races that he doesn't think he can win. Dude is in it to win it. Or to put it another way, what Federer is to tennis and Woods is to golf, Armstrong is to cycling.

What Caught My Eye Today

Cold War - President Barack Obama has said Russia must understand that "old Cold War approaches" to relations with the US belong in the past and said he would convey this to Vladimir Putin during talks in Moscow next week. Unless I'm very much mistaken, I think Putin knows that Cold War is over. Obama said the former Russian president - now prime minister - "still has sway" in Russia. That's one way to put it; "complete control" would be another. Obama said Putin was someone who has "one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new". The president said the U.S. was developing a "very good relationship" with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev , who succeeded Putin last year. That's good, because Obamo's relationship with Putin doesn't look too promising right about now. The issue of reducing both countries' nuclear weapons will be high on the agenda during Obama's visit, which begins next week. I've got my fingers crossed, rubbing the rabbit's foot and any other lucky charm I can find in order to give these talks a boost.

Swine Flu - The United Nation's top health official opened a forum in Mexico on combating swine flu by saying that the spread of the virus worldwide is now unstoppable. Some people will do or say anything to hog the spotlight. Honestly, is it really that bad? As the summit opened, the United Kingdom alone was projecting more than 100,000 new cases of H1N1 a day by the end of the summer. As the peak of the flu season approaches in South America, some areas have declared a public health emergency and Paraguay has reported its first death. Hmm. Yeah, that sounds bad. The World Health Organization says most H1N1 cases are mild, with many people recovering unaided. Then again, if the cases are mild... It has been more than two months since the initial alert over swine flu. Since then, the H1N1 virus has entered more than 100 countries, infected more than 70,000 people and killed more than 300 worldwide. Oh, for heaven's sake. Let's call it a push, shall we?

Afghanistan - U.S. Marines suffered their first casualties of a massive new military campaign Thursday as they engaged in sporadic gunbattles along 55 miles of Taliban-controlled heartland in southern Afghanistan. One Marine was killed and several others were injured or wounded on the first full day of the assault, the largest military operation in Afghanistan since the fall of Taliban government in 2001. I've heard that about gunbattles--sometimes those bullets hit something with a heartbeat. An immediate goal is to clear away insurgents before the nation's presidential election in August. The Pentagon is deploying 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in time for the elections and expects the total number of U.S. forces there to reach 68,000 by year's end. That is double the number of troops in Afghanistan in 2008 but still half as many as are now in Iraq. In my line of work, when I do something well (rare as that is) I get a pat on the back and the occasional monetary bonus. I guess in the military when you succeed in stopping the bad guys from shooting at you, your reward is to going someplace where they are still shooting. I think I'll stay put.

Honduras - The head of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, said he plans to travel to Honduras on Friday to insist on the restoration of President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup earlier this week -- a mission he said is likely to meet rejection, bringing diplomatic and economic punishment for the impoverished Central American nation. How about a little "glass half full" perspective, Mr. President? With a lousy attitude like this, you are bound for disappointment--as if you needed any more help. The interim government of has so far shown little willingness to do so, arguing that the army acted legally — on orders of Congress and the Supreme Court — when it raided Zelaya's house amid the rattle of gunfire and deported him, still in his nightshirt. I take it from this report, Zelaya wasn't expecting visitors, which begs the question if Congress and the Supreme Court were involved, don't you think the President would have had some inkling that something was going on?

Cycling - As if I had to remind you. The Tour de Lance--I mean France--starts on Saturday. Yeah, baby.

Tennis - And if that wasn't enough excitement for you, we have an all Williams final (Serena and Venus), again, in the ladies singles championship at Wimbledon. I know my track record at picking winners is far from stellar, but I think this time around, I'm on safe ground. I'm going with Williams to win it all.