News

Well well, the scientists are at it again...this time "tinkering" with the smallpox virus...trying to genetically modify it...supposedly in order to counter a bio-threat..except that the expert who worked on eliminating smallpox says they are playing a deadly game, since they might actually produce a strain more ..well...um..deadly.

Eighteen robot soldiers are heading for Iraq to fight insurgents in Iraq...yup that's what tax money is for people...

The marine centered diet of the people of the arctic circle has made them the healthiest on the planet..but thanks to the world's out of control pollution, they have to now give up their traditional foods or risk being poisoned. "The Arctic has been transformed into the planet's chemical trash can, the final destination for toxic waste that originates thousands of miles away."

Iraqi Elections (January 30):

"There will be an 8pm-6am curfew in many parts of the country, a three-day holiday, no travel between provinces and a ban on the use of most cars. Baghdad international airport will be closed for two days, and civilians will be forbidden from carrying weapons. Anyone caught breaking the rules will be detained, a statement said." (Independent)
Isn't freedom wonderful..and fair elections must be a hoot..can't wait till we get to vote like that..
Not to mention the old news that "A study published by the Lancet says the risk of death by violence for civilians in Iraq is now 58 times higher than before the US-led invasion" (BBC) and also " a new US intelligence estimate foresees the elections being followed by more violence and possible civil war. " (Nation)
Overseas voter registration had to be extended, due to poor voter turnout Less than one in 10!... And further news is that Zarqawi has declared war on the elections..that's all this brutal farce needed.
"The violence in Iraq means that its elections will be the first among dozens of transitional elections over the past two decades -- since democracy began to sweep through eastern Europe, the old Soviet Union, Latin America and Africa -- that will not have an international observer force touring polling stations to assess the vote's credibility, election experts say"(Wash. Post)

To listen to a talk about the elections by Juan Cole (professor at U. of Michigan and also the blogger of Informed Comment) go here.

Tsunami Update:
The death toll looks to exceed the latest figure of 225,000, thanks to the war torn regions' contributions...the deaths in those areas had not been counted---Christian aid group in Tsunami hit village in Tamil Nadu refuses to help Hindus who will not convert! WOW!--- The Indonesian government has broken the cease-fire agreed to with rebels and is boasting that it has killed 150 of them. The cease-fire was supposed to have been a time to focus on aiding Tsunami victims.

Finally, the news mix:
There are Arabic superheroes out there, and they sound pretty interesting---A man was found in caves after having been missing for over 30 days. He survived by eating wood and clay--- Massachusets, Rhode Island and New Jersey have declared emergencies due to extreme weather conditions. Stay inside or you freeze, apparently---teenage girls and women still jailed in Afghanistan for running away from fixed marriages to old men.. Too bad freedom and democracy are just the new names for the old Taliban lifestyle--- You can see a photo slide show of the inauguration protests that got thousands out onto the cold streets .