This article in Business 2.0 made my morning. My favorites are probably the German advertiser and the Nimbus 2000, although it's a close call. I didn't think business zines were supposed to be this funny...

You can always count on HOT AIR to help out on a slow blog day. This issue carrys on the
Park Prohibitions Competition™
Which Park "No"s the Most? In the sacred tradition. The following is my favorite sign, even though it doesn't have many nos.

The following from Best of the Web: (April 29---if you don't get this emailed to you yet, succomb!)


The Christian Science Monitor, meanwhile, reports from the northern city of Kirkuk, where Iraqis are thrilled to have access to Western news media:

Two ethnic Turkmens--whose language is an offshoot of Turkish--are checking out new satellite dishes on the steps of Salih's store. They say they've already bought one and are enjoying watching television stations from Turkey. "If we turned on the television in the past, the only news was what Saddam did today," says Sabah Nur eh-Din. "We had only two channels. It would have been better to turn the television off and just paste up a picture of Saddam on the screen."

His friend, Abbas Ali, concurs. "We used to go to sleep at 10 p.m. Now we stay up until 4 or 5 a.m. because we can't get enough." Still desperate for war news, they tune to CNN, BBC, and what appears to be a local favorite, Fox. They like it, people here say, because it has been the most supportive of the war.

There's something to be said, it would seem, for being fair and balanced.

Comical Ali's Second Act
There may be a TV gig in Mohammed Saeed "Comical Ali" al-Sahaf's future. Reuters reports the head of a Dubai-based satellite station says Sahaf, Iraq's hugely entertaining former "information minister," is "welcome to join the network immediately as a commentator and analyst." Reuters also picks up a report on Sahaf's whereabouts:

A London-based Arabic newspaper reported . . . [he] was now holed up with his aunt in Baghdad and wanted the Americans to arrest and protect him.

The report said Sahaf had left the northern city of Mosul four days ago and was staying at his aunt's house in the capital's Palestine Street.

It quoted a representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) who said that U.S. troops had refused to take Sahaf into custody because he did not figure on the American most-wanted list, but that negotiations were continuing.

It's somehow fitting that this would-be TV star can't even get himself arrested. (end best of Web)

I STILL want to see Baghdad Bob on Point/Counterpoint---preferably with John "Looks French, Served in Viet Nam" Kerry. Or as the owner of "Baghdad Bob's Kebabs---They're Great! Your stomach will be their tomb...."

Note: mouse not necessarily representative

Researchers develop colony of cancer-resistant mice AP via CNN

Now that they've made this advance, I can't see anyone buying any other kind of mouse. The ramifications for the mouse-farming industry are enormous---Third World mouse farmers will be caught in an ever-widening swirl of technological obsolescence, and will demand further subsidies from the US congress. The Arab world will of course blame Israel. The French will attempt to surrender. The Usual Suspects will be detained.

From CNN, regarding a speach by President Bush:


In Michigan, Bush vowed that the United States will help Iraqis create a democratic society.
"America has no intention of imposing our form of government or our culture," he told Iraqi-Americans. "Yet we will ensure that all Iraqis have a voice in the new government and all citizens have their rights protected."


I have, as they say, issues with more parts of these statements than one might expect. What's the point of invading a country if you can't IMPOSE on them? It's not as if we dropped in for dinner unannounced, you know. Nay, that would be just rude. As for no Mercantile Republic (that being our form of government, incidentally) what sort of government gives all Iraqis a voice and protects all citizens rights? 'Cause I want one of those! Nice trick if it can be pulled off, I'm pretty sure it would be unique among the governments of the earth. As for the second imposition, our culture is what we've got going for us, at least in the ideal form of tolerance toward others while doing kegstands. Possibly what the President meant was that we would impose our culture and form of government on the Iraqis unintentionally, kind of sort of accidental-like. Yeah, that's gotta be it. Let's do it.

Favorite book title of the Day: Hooked on Buddha for Children by kathina...if you have or know a deserving non-profit group, send 'em to The Big Umbrella which raises cash for free for such places.

Here's SOMETHING FUNNY. Before you click on it, you should be aware that popups gallore (none nasty though) will occur----unless you become illuminated, and start using OPERA, which can be downloaded FREE! Thanks to Denise for the tip...