A business show inadvertently broadcast a photo of a cat on a bike in the middle of a report. "A cryptic anti-capitalistic message?" pondered Mediawatch. However, as there was no caption, we have to assume the message was "Your argument is invalid".

There's liquid water on Mars. Ergo, IMHO, there's life. We just have to find the little green ( Read more... )

Would it be reasonable to say that the mechanics of Israel's electoral system are a major obstruction to the peace process? If I'm understanding correctly what I'm reading in the press, the blunt proportional representation hands power to the fringes. It's a bit like those annoying situations in Australia where a single independent is suddenly ( Read more... )

Obama persuaded the Democrats to drop a provision expanding Medicaid contraception coverage from the economic stimulus bill. The Wash Post describes this as a "show of faith" - a willingness to compromise by responding to conservative criticism of the provision. The bill would have saved hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid payments. Planned ( Read more... )

Right then - now that I am suitably cushioned by alcohol, let's see where we're up to in the Middle East. (You guys have given me lots of links and thinks - I'll come back to them.)

At a Flash Point in Gaza, A Family's Deadly Ordeal - a report from today's Washington Post considers the legality of Israel's actions during Operation Cast Lead ( Read more... )

The thing I want to find out is what Israel's other options are. Everything they're doing right now seems, to my admittedly underinformed eyes, to be counterproductive - at least, if the goal is peace, 'cos that's not always what politicians are trying to accomplish. I want to find out what alternative strategies Israel could use - military tactics ( Read more... )

Obama urges Israel open Gaza crossings to aid

Under the border with Egypt, Gaza's smugglers return to work.

(tbh I'm not clear on why Israel blockaded Gaza in the first place, nor why it has maintained the blockade. As a military tactic, it's an obvious flop.)

UN fears 'systematic war crimes' during Gaza offensive

Shooting and shelling go on in ( Read more... )

ETA: Hamas announces ceasefire; Israel begins withdrawing troops

The UN says that Israel kept out aid for Gaza, with food and supplies only trickling in during the last six months before Operation Cast Lead, and suggests this contributed to Hamas' decision to break the truce ( Read more... )

Remember those icon, t-shirts, etc, which just said "01.20.09"?

After eight long, tiresome years, President Al Gore won't be missed. Even if he did save the planet

"Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard."

US suspends munitions delivery to Israel