Our Weird American Cousin

When it comes to news of the weird, the BBC tends to draw upon its own “sceptered isle” and its abundance of British eccentrics from obscure little villages. Every now and then, however, they have to admit that our country can outdo all...

Committee to Protect Journalists Concerned About the Well-being of Two Captive Journalists in Somalia

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern about the well-being of two captive journalists, a Canadian and an Australian, who urged their respective governments to work harder for their release in a telephone call through a reporter...

Was He Still Alive?

I shall be interested to see what sort of obituaries are published following the announcement of the death of Andrew Wyeth. When Jean-Paul Sartre died in 1980 (on April 15, in ironic date in light of many of his critical views about the United States),...

Zimbabwe Threatening to Ban All Remaining Foreign News Groups

Zimbabwe plans to slap a blanket ban on all foreign media foreign groups, accusing them of “playing little gods” on the country’s affairs, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) said Tuesday.

Church of Scientology in France Ordered to Stand Trial Over Charges of Organized Fraud

According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Church of Scientology in France will be facing a court trial, being accused of “organized” fraud. The AFP also states that seven other Scientologists will be charged with illegally prescribing...

French Counter Terrorism Police Search for Missing Explosives

Counter-terrorism police in France are searching for 28 kg (~61 lbs) of the plastic explosive Semtex and detonators that have gone missing. The explosives were discovered to be missing on Friday, but could have left the facility up to a week ago. They...

Egyptian Security Foils Attempt By 26 Africans to Enter Israel

Egyptian security forces foiled an attempt by 26 Africans to enter Israel illegally through the Sinai peninsula in western Egypt.

Make the Joke a Good One

Thursday, January 24, 2008 Make the Joke a Good One I once heard a story (which may or may not be true) about a letter that George Bernard Shaw wrote to Leo Tolstoy. The story goes that he wrote something like the following: Imagine, just for the sake...