What Caught My Eye Today

North Korea - It is amazing what a little diplomacy (and stroking of one's ego) can accomplish these days. Former President Bill Clinton met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on the first day of a surprise mission to Pyongyang to negotiate the release of two Americans, holding "exhaustive" talks on a wide range of topics. Shortly thereafter, North Korean media reported that Kim Jong Il had pardoned two American journalists and ordered their release during Clinton's visit. Damn, that was fast. As I starting today's posting, this was breaking news, so I don't have any more details to share. Though I think it is safe to say, that Kim Jong Il enjoyed being visited by a former U.S. President so he could show off his Napoleon complex while the world was watching. Of course, if this little sideshow leads to more fruitful talks on more substantive issues--like nuclear weapons--then who am I to criticize anything.

Iran - Maybe, after he's done in Pyongyang, he can catch a flight to Tehran to sort out this next mess. Iran has arrested three Americans for illegally entering the country from neighboring Iraq and authorities were investigating whether to charge them with spying. U.S. officials rejected the allegation, and a security official in Iraq said the three were merely backpackers who got lost while hiking in a mountainous region where the Iran-Iraq border is not clearly marked. Yeah there's a great defense--"They couldn't possibly be spies. Hell they cannot even read a map, for Pete's sake." Iranian state television said the latest case involving the Americans was being used by the West as anti-Iranian propaganda, and questioned whether they were hikers. You all think pretty highly of yourselves, don't you? I hate to burst your bubble, but the average American probably couldn't even find Iran on a map let alone care one bit about the happenings in Iran. I'm thinking, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is making a play to rub elbows with Bill Clinton. If Kim Il Jong can pull it off, why can't he?

Sudan - Sudanese police fired tear gas and beat women protesting at the trial of a female journalist who faces a flogging for wearing trousers in public. The journalist could receive 40 lashes if found guilty of violating the country's indecency law which follows a strict interpretation of Islam. The accused journalist said the law is un-Islamic and "oppressive," and she's trying to use her trial to rally support to change it. The 1991 indecency law was adopted by Sudan's Islamic regime which came to power after a coup in 1989. It follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that imposes physical punishment on "those who commit an indecent act that violates public morale; or who dress indecently." Trousers are considered indecent under the law. Someone, anyone, please explain to me how a pair of pants could be consider indecent? I can appreciate the possibility of trousers being in poor taste, but indecent? I just don't see it. Seriously, where in the Koran does it say that trousers are indecent? Activists and lawyers say it is implemented arbitrarily, and leaves the definition of "indecent acts" up to the implementing police officer. How convenient for them. That certainly would make swift justice (for lack of a better term) much easier to dispense with. Flogging is a common punishment for drinking and making alcohol, and whatever else the law enforcer deems indecent. You have to hand it to these guys--No hang ups with due process and a single form of punishment. Now that's what I would call efficient. Barbaric, inhumane and cruel, but efficient.

Cricket - The Ashes (a bi-annual tournament between England and Australia) continues later this week with the fourth of five tests. According to my main man, Rod, England and Australia traded whoop-assings in the third test (I'm paraphrasing a bit) and I think the result was a draw. Which means England still holds a slight lead over Australia, having won the second test. I'll keep you posted--or at least try to. The commentary on these matches is harder to follow than the action itself.