Monday, May 03, 2004

Meanwhile in the news

Thailand had a little bloodbath last Wednesday when a number of young and enthusiastic representatives of the world's most peace-loving religion attacked security checkpoints and were sent to permanently visit heavenly virgins.

In Nigeria a group of Christian Taroks attacked and killed 67 Moslem Fulanis, maybe in tribal warfare and maybe in the attempt to show Moslems that Christians can be very peace-loving too when they want. The scary thing is that for Nigeria both Christianity and Islam probably really are civilizing influences in comparison with many local customs.

Iranian history professor Hashem Aghajari was sentenced to death once again (the case is still going from court to court, and the verdict will be appealed again). Apparently he disapproved of hard-line Islamists. I wonder what exactly did he say?

Sharon lost his vote on Gaza withdrawal (the vote was inside his Likud party). Not good, at least from the point of view of establishing peace. It's funny how Gaza Strip Palestinians and Jewish settlers in Gaza both hate the idea of Israel withdrawing from Gaza, much as they hate each other. Somebody swayed the vote quite a bit by killing a pregnant Israeli settler woman and her 4 children - before that it was almost even.

Jewish settlers have tried to establish a 22d settlement in Gaza today, in a rather pathetic attempt for the title of the world's most peace-loving religion.

US Army is about to get its first female Moslem chaplain.

The city of Cambridge is promising to start giving out marriage applications to gay couples right after midnight on May 17.

A hospital in Canada has an outbreak (2 cases) of necrotizing fasciitis. Interesting, I did not know it was contagious in that way. It is caused by some streptococcus A, but I have always thought that it is not known why some people develop it while the vast majority don't. Somebody please enlighten me it you know more.

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