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For those who don't follow the news:
Yes, we are still in a war over in there in that hot, dusty, dry place. Since 2003 there have been 5,341 US military fatalities in Afghanistan and Iraq. (CNN gives a higher number). I failed to to find a good number for the number of Iraqis and Afghanis killed. Even the numbers for those who died by violence varies from under 100,000 to over a million, and those numbers don't take into account deaths due to things disease and lack of medical care caused by the destruction.
Iraq just had a presidential election, votes are still being counted. There have been a few accusations of fraud but the UN has seen no sign of it.
Happier and in the states: Obama is proposing to overhaul No Child Left Behind. While I am excited by this, given that it includes an actual increase in federal education spending I can't imagine it won't get the same bullshit treatment by Congress that health care has been. <snark>"Oh noes, this might actually be successful and good for the country which would make our party look bad, can't have that!" (Also, it is being proposed by a black dude of all horrific and scary things)</snark>
While not nationally noteworthy, apparently, I have been following the news about sick and dying brown pelicans. It isn't just a problem in California. Seeing pelicans puts me in a better mood. In flight they are such graceful birds, out of flight.... not so much. The belly-flop thrashing production that is a water landing almost always has me laughing.
Yes, we are still in a war over in there in that hot, dusty, dry place. Since 2003 there have been 5,341 US military fatalities in Afghanistan and Iraq. (CNN gives a higher number). I failed to to find a good number for the number of Iraqis and Afghanis killed. Even the numbers for those who died by violence varies from under 100,000 to over a million, and those numbers don't take into account deaths due to things disease and lack of medical care caused by the destruction.
Iraq just had a presidential election, votes are still being counted. There have been a few accusations of fraud but the UN has seen no sign of it.
Happier and in the states: Obama is proposing to overhaul No Child Left Behind. While I am excited by this, given that it includes an actual increase in federal education spending I can't imagine it won't get the same bullshit treatment by Congress that health care has been. <snark>"Oh noes, this might actually be successful and good for the country which would make our party look bad, can't have that!" (Also, it is being proposed by a black dude of all horrific and scary things)</snark>
While not nationally noteworthy, apparently, I have been following the news about sick and dying brown pelicans. It isn't just a problem in California. Seeing pelicans puts me in a better mood. In flight they are such graceful birds, out of flight.... not so much. The belly-flop thrashing production that is a water landing almost always has me laughing.
