Busy News Day

Looks like there's a lot going on today...

It seems General Wesley Clark is entering the race for the Democratic nomination for President. Clark is an interesting figure, loathed and loved in various quarters, and he's probably most famous to Joe-Schmoe as the primary talking head on CNN during the American wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. Clark has one thing none of the other Democratic contenders has: military credibility. As former Supreme Commander of NATO, he stands as the only real 'foreign policy' candidate in the Democratic crowd, and as such his entry could cause huge problems for other Democratic candidates: he is a high-profile runner who can gather attention in ways that the others have not been able, not even the Howard Dean and his internet machine. And his credentials are pretty impressive: a Rhodes Scholar, graduated first in his class at West Point, leader of the Kosovo assignment, and so on and so forth. It's of course too early to tell is Clark will win the nomination, but if he does, a lot of the Republican defense will die with it: they will not be able to attack Clark on foreign policy or on his lack of military experience or on his supposed 'softness' on terrorism or the like; which means that if Clark becomes the nominee, the nature of the 2004 election will change significantly. I don't know if Clark is the best man to be President, but suddenly things are getting very interesting indeed. It should be interesting, too, because Clark is a much better public speaker than any of the Democratic nominees, and this could bring something long missing from Presidential debates: articulateness.

Click here to read an old but prescient article from Slate on Clark's possible candidacy. And click here to read a diatribe against Clark, which suggests the extent to which the Republicans are moreorless terrified of Clark's candidacy: the heavy-hitters from the Bush-Cheney Right that had tended to ignore the Democratic election have started bringing out the guns, invoking rhetoric that is dangerously close to slander. Note that most of the 'information' on Clark comes from noted Republican source like Bob Novak. But love or hate Clark, he scares the Republicans because he is not (like Howard Dean or Joe Lieberman) the typical 'unelectable Democrat.'

It also looks like the debate about gay unions in Canada is even more tenuous than first appeared, as the House of Commons barely defeated a motion to insist that marriage be defined specifically as the union of a female and a male. This whole case is going to get worse before it gets better, methinks.

Ah, and in the Ontario election campaign, it looks like Premier Ernie Eves is in la-la-land. I don't think he's realizing that he's losing the election: Dalton McGuinty and company aren't winning the election, but Eves is certainly losing it, especially if he really believes his ads haven't been negative. This election is just sad-- when it's not accusing the Liberal leader of being a kitten-eating alien. LOL.

The US vetoed an Arab sponsored vote at the UN Security Council to rebuke Israel for its threat to kill Arafat. Geez, the Bush Administration really is stepping in international doo-doo everywhere, isn't it?

The tributes and memorializations of Johnny Cash continue: here are two such gestures, one from The Guardian and another from the New York Times.

Apparently, ABC is going to try to persevere with 8 Simple Rules despite John Ritter's passing last week. I don't think it's going to work....

A Spanish judge has indicted Osama Bin Laden for the attacks of September 11, 2001. Yeah, we know that trial's going to happen. *rolls eyes*

Ah, but there remains, too, all the fun stuff from Ananova...

Couple arrested for sex on street corner at 8am A Chilean couple have been arrested for having sex on a street corner - at 8am. They were completely naked and made no attempt to conceal what they were doing, said witnesses. The couple were arrested in Osomo after reports from people who complained they were too loud. Police officers told Terra Noticias Populares that hundreds of people rang them to complain. The couple told police they had left a party very late and couldn't wait to get home to make love. They were released after a few hours but will go on trial for indecent exposure. Evidence during the case may include CCTV footage. A police spokesperson said: "They literally couldn't wait to make love, and they were not sorry. They said it was great!" Dr J is rolling over laughing...

MP suspended for bringing out dildo in parliament A Colombian MP has been suspended for bringing out a rubber dildo during a parliamentary debate. Luis Eduardo Diaz used the dildo to illustrate his demand for poor people to be sterilised in Bogota to control birth rates. After realising that he had offended other MPs, Diaz lost his temper and left the dildo on the desk of the Health Ministry. MP Fernando Lopez Gutierrez told Terra Noticias Populares: "Mr Diaz was suspended for five sessions. "His behaviour was disrespectful to the whole town. A rubber penis is not something that should be brought to parliament." There were no complaints about the human rights implications of Mr Diaz's proposals. A parliamentary spokesperson later said: "I guess we got so focused on the rubber penis we didn't even pay attention to what he was saying. But of course his proposal would never be accepted." Dr J wonders if this would ever happen in Canada... Or imagine Dick Cheney chairing the Senate with a dildo... *Snicker, snicker*

More news here:

VIAGRA, OK. -- It's just two letters, but it makes for a dramatic name change.

Yes, the town of Agra is now "Viagra" Oklahoma.

You got it, the same name as the prescription drug used to treat impotency.

So what do residents think about their new hometown?

It all started as a challenge from a country radio station. The Twister offered the town free concert tickets if it would rename Agra to Viagra. On Friday it did.

City leaders erected the sign early Friday morning.

"Hopefully, it will have a positive effect on the town," said Mayor Ray Troxtell, who added it wasn't a hard decision to make.

The city council voted unanimously for the name change.

Longtime resident David Watkins said it's an appropriate change: "Yes, people are horny here, they really are," he said laughing.

John Dugger, a bread truck driver, says his delivery is finished rising but, coincidence or not, he's noticed a change in Viagra residents.

"There is a lot more energy," he said. "People are bopping around having a good time."

But like the pill, the name change will not last long.

The Viagra police will be the Agra police again on Saturday.

Because the town lived up to the challenge, all of Viagra's 370 residents are getting a ticket to Saturday's country music concert in Tulsa. They are handing the tickets out Friday night at the Viagra mini-mart.

The mayor hopes the publicity will help boost attendance to the town's 100-year celebration next spring.

Oh my lord.... *Shakes head profusely*

And ladies, if this doesn't scare you, nothing will...

Woman to have forceps removed from abdomen

A woman in Thailand is to have a pair of forceps removed from her uterus six years after they were left there by surgeons.

Lamphan Yinsuth, 46, has had stomach pains since her hysterectomy at Chanthaburi province's Prapoklao Hospital in November 1997.

X-rays had revealed the pains were caused by the 2.4 in by 11.4 in forceps lodged in her abdomen.

After complaining to the country's Medical Council, the hospital agreed to pay Yinsuth 400,000 baht (about £6,100) for the operation.

It has also agreed to perform surgery to remove the instrument.

*Shudder* SIX YEARS!!! Oh my....

And for everyone in danger of Hurricane Isabel, check out Dave Barry's advice. Hee Hee. Monkeys everywhere!

Enough for now... Oy vey.