So here we are. Iraq’s government has a bleak future, according to the latest intelligence reports, while Iran is facing attack by the US (see the article below this one) and a community comes to terms with an 11-year-old being shot by a teenager on a BMX. Our tiny planet would appear to be a globe filled with despair and misery. But not so.
Another point of view: Bill Dornan takes a deliciously wry look at preserving the Earth with Hunting, nuking and swishing: a guide to saving the planet. (A Foolish Interruption)
Changing their minds: French banking giant BNP Paribas is to unblock three of its investment funds, whose suspension this month sparked turmoil on global stock markets. At last! Solid good news in the markets! If only the head of Countrywide hadn’t talked about the US economy heading for recession… (AFP, MSNBC)
A novel defence: A counterterrorism detective has been fired despite claiming he only failed a drugs test because his wife made him marijuana-spiked meatballs. Give the man top marks for creativity! (Taunton Gazette)
Why didn’t I think of this? Your guide to building a laser spy microphone on a tight budget. (Lifehacker.com)
Idiots: Agents of the Transport Security Administration confiscate a man’s pudding but overlook the 4-inch blade Swiss army knife in his backpack. (Consumerist.com)
Because it must be done: Infiltrate the kingdom of Los Disneys on a mission to destroy the cryogenically frozen head of Walt Disney. Although he wasn’t actually frozen after his death. (LosDisneys.com)
Life, but not as we know it: The soil on Mars may contain microbial life, according to a new interpretation of data first collected more than 30 years ago. (CNN/Reuters)
All hail our photosynthetic saviours: Making fuel out of algae is one of those ideas that everyone loves but it’s fairly difficult. (CNet)
A return to more conventional blogging at the weekend.
by 
Cheers for the plug, boyo. I’ve taken the liberty of replying to your Iran piece at t’other place on the off chance it gets a wee debate started.
Thanks Bill. I haven’t written something that lengthy since my college days — and I’m kicking myself that I overlooked the Egyptian and Saudi factors (d’oh!). I’ll be shying away from Chomsky in future too; I don’t rate him very highly and was citing him more for the van Creveld quote than anything, but in hindsight it was just another weakness in the article. If the piece helps get any sort of debate going I’ll be pleased though.