In the news...

I've decided that, along with posts on liberty (or the lack thereof) around the world, I'm also going to do a weekly posting of things in the news that I find interesting and/or worthy of being aware of.

First -- girls that kick butt: Jessica Terry diagnosed herself with Crohn's disease in science class after doctors couldn't do it in labs for eight years. While the fact that she has Crohn's disease is awful (it's a disease that causes intense pain and can't be cured), it's pretty cool that she figured it out on her own.

Regardless of your opinion of America's war in Iraq, this is something to know: Al Qaeda fighters are relocating into the horn of Africa. Countries like Somalia and Yemen could end up being safehavens for Al Qaeda fighters attempting to escape dangers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Reformist Mir Hossein Moussavi could win Iran's presidential election today. We'll see if that's true later on after polls close, but for now it's something I'm watching. If he does, it'll be the first time the incumbent president (the current one likes to pretend the Holocaust didn't happen) doesn't win a second term.

This man claimed to be a veteran of the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and to have survived a roadside bomb as a Marine. He appeared for campaigns, he spoke on behalf of veterans, and he set up an alliance for veterans in Colorado. Now it's come out that none of that is true. He's being investigated for embezzlement charges in relation to the alliance he set up.

This is something that is actually really close to my heart, and I'm surprised I don't talk about it more: Young girls in Zimbabwe have begun turning to prostitution for food, school books, or simply attention. Now, they're also being targeted to become sex slaves during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

A man shot up the Holocaust Museum to express his opinion that the Holocaust apparently didn't exist (maybe he'd get along with the current president on Iran?).

In celebrity news, Hugh Grant has made an ass of himself again, Sonny and Cher's child Chastity will henceforth be known as Chaz -- she (he, now, I guess) is in the early stages of transition from female to male, Madonna won her adoption appeal in Malawi, Rihanna was served a subpoena to testify against Chris Brown, and Palin is crying foul against Letterman -- waaaaaahhh!'

Five things that make me happy today:
1. Cold hot chocolate (Buon Giornio's!)
2. Internet!
3. Going shopping with Mommy (and maybe Cyndi?)
4. Paychecks! (We got paid yesterday, I deposited it today.)
5. New music (Cyndi burned me a really good summer mix.)