IS conflict: Petraeus urges Iraq to use politics to win – BBC News
Former CIA Director David Petraeus tells the BBC that Islamic State militants can only be defeated through a dual military and political approach.
Source: IS conflict: Petraeus urges Iraq to use politics to win - BBC News
Harper’s enforcer: Meet Jenni Byrne, the most powerful woman in Ottawa
Enforcer, adviser and conduit to the Conservative grassroots, Jenni Byrne is Stephen Harper’s most powerful political operative, but few Canadians even know her name
Source: Harper’s enforcer: Meet Jenni Byrne, the most powerful woman in Ottawa
Gearing up for the big lift in the North Sea – BBC News
How do you go about dismantling a 24,000-tonne steel structure in the middle of a hostile environment like the North Sea?
Source: Gearing up for the big lift in the North Sea - BBC News
Fifa re-elects Sepp Blatter as president – BBC News
I was pleased to see that Sepp Blatter was re-elected to head up Fifa, even though several of his subordinates had just been arrested with corruption charges . If these charges prevail, they mean that Mr. Blatter is either corrupt or incompetent.
In either case, he is an excellent choice to continue heading up Fifa.
Why so?
Consider the options:
- The best possible Fifa outcome is that BIatter et al will be found corrupt and not incompetent.
- If Mr. Blatter is incompetent he could be replaced by someone more competent.
Why so? Fifa can be thought of as a metaphor for professional sports activities .
The professional sports establishment corrupts billions of people every day.
- Professional sports encourages pornographic obsessions among fans.
- By finding and promoting supernatural athletes, professional sports reminds the rest of us that we might as well remain on our couches.
- More ominously, professional sports depends upon perceiving us vs. them competitions as noble undertakings.
- This easily shades into xenophobia, bigotry and militaristic solutions to problems. (If you only own a hammer, everything looks like a nail!)
So there you have it! Professional sports provides a recipe for a vacuous and possibly dangerous life:
- Watch as much stuff as possible!
- Imagine what it feels like to do stuff!
Finally, if you find yourself a loser after living this way, the professional sports establishment has a solution for that problem as well.
Take a look at the athletes who lose competitions every day. They are almost always remarkable people.
You are also a loser. Therefore you must also be remarkable.
****
Fifa re-elects Sepp Blatter president as his rival withdraws after the first round of a vote dominated by allegations of corruption in football.
5 Simple Fixes for Most Computer Problems
Try these 5 easy fixes for most computer problems before you pay for service. You could save yourself hundreds of dollars following this advice!
‘New species’ of ancient human found – BBC News
A new species of ancient human has been unearthed in the Afar region of Ethiopia, scientists report.
China, Updating Military Strategy, Puts Focus on Projecting Naval Power – NYTimes.com
A new policy paper says Beijing plans to extend its naval power on the open seas in coming years, and not just patrol coastal waters.
Source: China, Updating Military Strategy, Puts Focus on Projecting Naval Power - NYTimes.com
Driverless convoy: Will truckers lose out to software? – BBC News
With Daimler testing driverless trucks in Nevada, and with supporters arguing they are safer, could the haulage industry of the future be autonomous?
Source: Driverless convoy: Will truckers lose out to software? - BBC News
Pogo (comic strip) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Source: Pogo (comic strip) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Should animals have the same rights as humans? – BBC News
A New York court is considering whether chimps are legal persons - and whether animals should be granted the same rights as humans?
Source: Should animals have the same rights as humans? - BBC News