Fresh Loaf

• YAPC: Yet another plane crash, as an Iranian airliner goes down minutes after take-off.
• Health care reform inching forward: Senate Committee approves bill that would allow expansion of insurance coverage.
• You think you’ve got it bad? Even robots are getting laid off in Japan.
• This means oil: Nigerian rebels declared a ceasefire; fighting had limited the country’s oil production to 300,000 barrels a day.
• They pretty much own the world: China’s foreign reserves top $2 trillion.
• Apparently, this can wait: Talks on Honduras coup crisis will resume on Saturday.
• It worked! Workers building South Africa’s soccer stadiums in preparation for next year’s World Cup will resume work after reaching an agreement that ended their strike.
• Get the hoe down: Berlin brothel offers customers who bike or use public transportation a nice discount.
• Please, PLEASE, just put it out of its misery: YouTube and Twitter now prompting users to upgrade their Internet Explorer 6.

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• Niceties over, the questioning begins for Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
• You guessed it: Canceled C.I.A. program was a covert assassination plan targeting Qaeda leaders… and old Dick Cheney himself was apparently behind it all.
• As expected, Goldman Sachs posts record earnings.
• Perky: Car sales rise as does inflation.
• Tense: Chinese officials demand retraction as Turkey accuses China of committing genocide against Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority.
• Empty, veiled threats? Ousted Honduran president Migule Zelaya says that if he’s not returned to power, he will resort to “other means.“
• So we suck at science: Blame it on bad education policies, politics… and Hollywood?

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• Let’s have a clean fight: Hearings on President Obama’s first Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, are set to begin today.
• Oh sure, blame it on Sarah Palin: G.O.P. pundits lambast the now resigned Alaska governor for quitting politics.
• Bear with me: While everyone lags, Meredith Whitney predicts Goldman Sachs stock to make significant gains this year… undoubtedly some of it due to its $2 billion profit from March to June… and funny you should mention Goldman Sachs and market speculation.
• Shopping for backbone: Democrats push for probe into Bush-era interrogation practices and covert CIA operations.
• But does it explain all the saber rattling? North Korean leader is apparently dying of cancer.
• I was about to say: Average retail price for U.S. gasoline drops to $2.53 a gallon.
• Why are Americans so fat?

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• Subsidized SUVs: G.M. emerges from bankruptcy to star in Transformers 2 become the government-backed “new” G.M.
• China banns Friday prayers as unrest continues in Urumqi region.
• Yes, Democrats want health care reform, but they just can’t agree on how to pay for it.
• Set it in New York, and you’ve got a Law & Order episode: Head of LAPD has not ruled out “foul play” in Michael Jackson death.
• Sort of good news: Trade deficit shrinks as exports grew slightly in May.
• Remember Swine Flu? U.S. plans to vaccinate millions of children this fall.
• Simple mathematics? Reduced calorie diet + consistency = longer life span?
• Holy shit! Ireland has effectively outlawed blasphemy, with fines of up to €25,000.
• Did he or didn’t he? Obama was merely letting the young woman pass, Sarkozy totally ogled her.

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• Blame the North Koreans! Computer experts and government officials have cataloged another series of cyberattacks on South Korean and U.S. sites but are unsure of its origin.
• Tough road ahead… violence strikes Iraq as a series of suicide bombings make it the worse day of violence since U.S. troops withdrew from all Iraqi cities.
• Chinese president Hu Jintao leaves G8 submit to deal with Urumqi race riots vows death penalty for instigators… (here’s a quick read on ethnicity in China.)
• Criminals In Action: House Democrats say CIA director Leon Panetta testified before Congress that his agency has mislead lawmakers since 2001.
• Tappy McHappy: Apparently, Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World has been allegedly hacking people’s phones in the UK.
• Don’t sleep on this one: China has replaced the U.S. as Brazil’s top trading partner.
• Never thought of that… Australian town bans sale of bottled water citing its environmental impact.
• Question Does an IP address identify a person or a computer?
• Forget thousands… Michael Jackson memorial draws millions of U.S. tv viewers.

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• So what else is new: Chinese officials blame the internet for fanning anger over crackdown on ethnic protests in the Uighur province.
• They keep instigatin’: North Korea launches massive cyber-attack on South Korean and U.S. government websites.
• My first tape was Bad, first CD was Dangerous: Thousands of fans mourned Michael Jackson at his memorial service yesterday.
• Just a little bit evil: Google announces plans to launch an Operating System to rival Microsoft (dude, a freakin’ OS!).
• You’ll need 60 of those: Senate Democrats forge ahead with plans for a climate bill.
• Talking some sense into the RIAA: Record Industry and internet radio broadcasters reach deal, avoiding closure of such sites as Pandora.
• Here’s a techy one: Head of IT jokes that if Rackspace goes down, nobody’s safe. Guess what…

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• In Moscow, President Obama tells Russian youth to push the reset button… and they collectively reach for their iPods. (wa wah)
• The casket holding Michael Jackson’s body will apparently be on display at the Staples Center in Los Angeles… but I’ll tell you what won’t be there: his brain.
• Sarah Palin clears the air: She does not quit… no, she retreats slowly, while grabbing at your hair shrieking in your general direction.
• Remember that killer on the loose in South Carolina? Well worry no more, he was shot dead by police.
• Junk science: AZ State Senator: “The earth has been here for 6000 years and we haven’t destroyed it yet, so we don’t need no stinkin’ laws to protect the environment!“
• About damn time: U.S. Department of Justice looking into exclusive deals between telecoms and handset makers.

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• Reset…reset…reset: Obama goes to Moscow.
• Killer on the loose: Authorities continue to comb Cherokee County in South Carolina after five people were apparently killed by the same person.
• Oh no you don’t: Ousted Honduran president Miguel Zelaya does a flyover the Tegucigalpa as military vehicles prevent him from landing.
• Sarah Palin seems to forget that this little thing called the First Amendment goes hand-in-hand with criticism of public figures.
• Former Defense Secretary Robert S. Macnarama dies.
• True colors: Iran’s revolutionary guard take over the nation’s security, bowing not to allow middle ground in the on-going dispute over the presidential election.
• Picture it: Scientists now believe the area in Antarctica was a lush rain forest used by dinosaurs as a bridge between Australia and South America.
• Love/hate: So apparently coffee may lower Alzheimer’s risks.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• There goes the good news: Job losses rise in June as unemployment hits 9.5 percent.
• We pull out in one place, we push in the other: U.S. marines press Taliban fighters in Afghanistan in a new offensive.
• Sad way to go: A French probe concludes Air France flight 447 crashed “almost vertically” into the water.
• Instigatin’: North Korea reportedly test fires four missiles.
• Apparently, Saddam’s WMD bluff was aimed at Iran.
• European scientists have developed a swine flu vaccine.
• Forget bagel Friday, how ’bout nekid Friday: Staff members at a design firm in Newcastle, England worked one full day in the buff in order to “boost” morale.
• Don’t forward the kiddie pr0n: The GBI issued a warning about a suspicious email circulating that may contain child porn, and in turn, incriminate people that open it.

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A boat belonging to Cynthia McKinney (seen in this CL file photo) was detained by the Israeli Navy off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

• Not quite: Al Franken’s victory in the almost-never-ending Minnesota Senate Race doesn’t really give Democrats a filibuster-proof majority.
• Kerfuffle: Cynthia McKinney’s boat was seized by the Israel Navy as it approached the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid.
• Mission Accomplished? As U.S. troops pull out from Iraqi cities (and Iraqi oil fields are opened for business), a huge car bomb kills 35 in Kirkuk.
• Old-fashioned coup: The Organization of American States (like the U.N. only smaller) threatened Honduras with suspension if it did not restore deposed president Manuel Zelaya.
• No porn and… no chicken? China expected to ban U.S. poultry imports.
• When California sneezes… The Golden State faces tough budget choices as revenues evaporate due to the recession.
• Oh the humanity: Paleontologists brought to tears, laughter as they visit creationist museum.
• If you’re not using FireFox, we need to talk: Version 3.5 is a vast improvement over an-already awesome web browser.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• Done: U.S. troops pull out of major cities in Iraq… meanwhile, some of Iraq’s massive oil and gas fields are now opened for bids from foreign firms for exploration.
• Damn: An Airbus airliner carrying 153 passengers crashed off the Comoros islands, so far a 5-year-old child is the lone survivor.
• Don’t look now: But drug violence is increasing at the border… the U.S.-Canada border.
• In our own backyard: In light of the coup in Honduras, and while President Obama strongly condemned the ouster of the Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, the U.S. has a long history of instigation in the region.
• Serious WTF!: Some people (read: demented) are holding “swine flu parties” to “immunize” their children.
• Interesting: China decides against plan to require manufacturers to install a web filter after protests from the Obama Administration and Chinese internet users.
• White collar crime justice? Bernard Madoff sentenced to 150 years in prison.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• Kind of a big deal? Military ousts Honduran president… FWIW, the U.S. has publicly sided with president Manuel Zelaya…
• Mixed messages? As partial recount begins in Tehran, authorities detain Iranian staffers working at the British embassy… meanwhile: forget recount, reformers want annulment.
• Steve Jobs’ recently disclosed liver transplant sheds light on flaws in the system that favor those with means to travel to where organ wait times are shorter.
• Gas sippers: Thanks to the recession, the International Energy Agency expects demand for oil to grow only 0.6 percent from now until 2014.
• Yes the U.S. lost a 2-0 lead to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. Yes, it’s still a good thing. (When was the last time the U.S. soccer squad made an international tournament final?)

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If you haven’t heard the news that the King of Pop has passed by now, you’re a zombie and should’ve been cast for the “Thriller” video. With fans all over expressing their grief, don’t bet against it, DJs will be spinning Michael Jackson records all weekend long.

Also, people are organizing tributes and vigils. Below are some of the updates we’ve seen, we’ll add more as they come across our screen. Know of any others? Send them our way, or post a comment below.

» Updates on the tributes going on this week are on Crib Notes, our music blog.

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• Or is it? Michael Jackson’s albums take seven of the top 10 spots in the iTunes albums sales charts.
• Speaking of which: U.S. consumer spending rose and incomes gained in May.
• Well I guess that settles it: Iran’s electoral watchdog insisted the country’s recent presidential election results were the “cleanest ever.” Like totally.
• Follow the logic: President Obama turns to immigration reform, hinting at a path to legalization for the millions of undocumented immigrants.
• Curious what Leviticus says about adulterers: S.C. Lt. Governor says Sanford should stay in office.
• The lone dissenter is a man: Supreme Court rules strip-searching of female student to be illegal.

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• Fizzling out: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenini vowed not to yield to pressure from opponents demanding new elections as the opposition leader formally withdrew complaints of vote rigging.
• Too little, too late? Obama condemned the Iranian regime’s response to street protests… meanwhile, protesters may be employing inventive tactics to express their defiance.
• Next door: U.S. air strike kills dozens in Pakistani tribal area controlled by Taliban forces.
• No porn for you: U.S. trade officials say China’s intent on shipping web-filtering software with every computer sold is a violation of WTO’s rules.
• Where’s Mark? The ongoing saga of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford culminated yesterday as he was spotted at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport returning from a solo trip to the “exotic” city of Buenos Aires, Argentina (I’m guessing densely populated metro areas are exotic to South Carolinians).
• Don’t look now: But Rep. Ron Paul’s bill to audit the Federal Reserve is piling up co-sponsors in the House.

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• Iran manages to stifle street protests, as opposition members find other ways to voice their discontent.
• Meanwhile: The White House has no plans to change stance towards Iran in light of the recent protests.
• Our sister paper, the Washington City Paper, has been posting regular updates on the D.C. metro crash story: see photos, updates, and some background info.
• Watching you: U.S. destroyer ship continues to shadow a North Korean tanker suspected of carrying weapons, en route to Myanmar.
• Cozying up to Big Pharma? Or looking out for consumers? The run-down on Obama’s $80 billion deal with the pharmaceutical industry.
• Culture shock anyone? After French president Nicolas Sarkozy speaks against the use of the burqa, French lawmakers set up commission to “study the extent of its use in the country.“

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Hundred of people demonstrated in front of the CNN Center calling for the Iranian government to stop the violence against protesters.

• Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issue a warning that new protests will be met with, well, a “revolutionary confrontation,” even as election monitors acknowledge vote discrepancies across 50 cities… and sure enough, Iranian police attack hundreds of protesters today. Meanwhile, journalists find themselves amidst those detained by Iranian authorities.
• Meanwhile, pressure mounts on President Obama to harden his stance towards Iran.
• Uh oh: Violence escalates in Baghdad as U.S. prepares to withdraw from the city.
• Go at it alone: Democrats may have to pursue health care reform without Republican support.
• Meanwhile: Lack of new jobs may pose a political hurdle for Democrats.
• Wake up sheeple! Apple sells more than a million iPhone 3GS models.

More photos from Saturday’s demonstration

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• And then that happened: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneni strongly defended the Iranian presidential election results, criticizing protesters.
• Can you say cash cow? Some AT&T stores are reportedly running out of the new iPhone 3GS minutes after opening their doors.
• This is wrong: Minnesota woman is ordered to pay $1.92 million in file-sharing case.
• I thought we were leaving? Senate approves war-funding bill.
• Remember that story about China wanting to block porn? Well, now they want Google to help.
• Nuttin’ ta fucwit: And remember how North Korea hinted at test-launching a missile in the general direction of Hawaii? Well, the U.S. has deployed missile interceptors and radar equipment to the island state.
• Urban wildlife? A full-sized aligator is found lurking in the waters of the ‘Hooch near a Fulton County park.
• Oh my bad, I didn’t realize Glenn Beck is an American hero.

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• We’re uhm, looking into it: Iran’s Elite Guardian council offers to meet with all four presidential candidates to further investigate allegations of fraud… meanwhile, opposition protests again drew thousands today.
• It’s a start: Claims on unemployment benefits dropped for the first time since January.
• So that’s where their money comes from: Washington Post exposes massive, global insurance fraud perpetrated by North Korea.
• Bureaucracy to the rescue! Obama administration begins push to create a consumer protection plan as part of a new office within the Federal government… meanwhile, Pyonyang is reportedly going to test-fire a missile toward Hawaii this summer.
• Mexican authorities dismantle the country’s largest meth lab, capable of pumping out 40 tons of the shit.
• Deep space hibernation? Scientists revive microbe after 120,000 years in hibernation.

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• Where is their vote: Mousavi issues direct challenge with rally call over ’shameful fraud’ in Iran… While the regime warns Iranian websites and bloggers to remove material that creates tension.
• Plus, the power of Twitter: The State Department suggested Twitter reschedule it’s downtime to ensure Iranians continued to tweet from the front lines.
• And: The Iranian regime continues to crackdown on the opposition as more arrests are made, and further restrictions to journalists and social networks are put in place.
• Over on this side, this is quite disappointing: Obama blocks access to White House visitor logs à la Dick Cheney.
• But, dude’s at least working it: Obama to propose changes to the financial regulation system and the administration is opening up benefits to gay partners of federal employees.
• And not to mention, we got that other little problem: North Korea threatens merciless attack if it’s provoked… sort of when my cat decides to pounce on my ankle, but x 1,000,000.
• To boot: Inflation is under control, even though gas prices continue to go up.
• Hey, not all bad news! Apple set to release iPhone software update 3.0 today!

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• Tens of thousands of Iranian protesters defy ban to march in the streets of Tehran after Friday’s disputed election… meanwhile, opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi makes an appearance at a rally after days of de-facto house arrest, and calm was urged by the country’s supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as he orders an investigation into Moussavi’s claims of vote rigging.
• But: There are reports of leaked election results data show Ahmadinejad came in third.
• You can do it! President Obama takes his health care reform message to the American Medical Association.
• Yes but: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now embraces the “idea of a Palestinian state.”
  

  "End the Occupation" protest photo from a demonstration earlier this year in front of the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

• Up and down: U.S. stocks are sharply lower this week amid drop in commodities.
• EU agrees to take in some former Guantanamo Bay detainees.
• WTF: Miami “cat-killer” arrested – he allegedly mutilated over 15 cats.
• Whadayaknow: Glacier in southern Argentina continues to expand despite global warming.            (Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Lee Ho of Decatur's Lee Ho TV Sales and Services

• You mean they didn’t before? Senate just now allows Federal Officials to regulate cigarettes.
• Change they can believe in? High turnout in Iranian elections boost Ahmadinejad’s challenger.
• What? We’re switching from analog TV broadcasts to digital? You serious?
• Ron Paul Bomb effect: Lobbying and activism by Congressman Ron Paul’s supporters have helped move the Federal Reserve Transparency act out of committee to the floor of the House.
• Surprised the H1N1 virus is a global pandemic? Don’t be, the WHO expects developing countries to be at higher risk of wider spread.
• Not in our backyard: Facing bipartisan opposition, the Obama Administration has all but abandoned plans to bring detainees cleared for release to live in the U.S.
• How will they get online and download a browser? Microsoft is ordered to ship Windows 7 without Internet Explorer in Europe.

  (Photo by Joeff Davis)

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• WHO? Would you look at that, the World Health Organization has declared, wait for it, a global swine flu pandemic!
• Curious: Reformists in Iran hope elections prevent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winning a second term.
• More evidence suggests the Air France jet broke up mid-flight.
• We’ll spend our way out of this: U.S. retail sales gain for first time in three months… but, higher gas prices may have something to do about that.
• A model for health care in… Wisconsin?
• That shooting star may be classified: Data on “incoming space rocks” detected by hush-hush satellites is now off-limit.
• Our pal Andisheh Nouraee is guest blogging at the Mother Nature Network today, head over for more daily briefing and leave rude comments!

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• Fightin’ words? North Korea convicts two U.S. journalists for a “grave crime”… meanwhile, the Obama administration indicated that it may intercept North Korean sea and air shipments suspected of carrying weapons or nuclear technology.
• Obamajobs: President Obama announces plan to tap into the $787-billion economic stimulus fund to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs in the next three months.
• Sad reminder: More bodies found in the Atlantic as Brazilian forces continue to search area where the Air France plane went down.
• Swinging pendulum? Center-right parties win across European-wide elections… meanwhile, the Pirate Party (as in file-sharing) wins one of the 18 Swedish seats in the European parliament.
• Don’t bother: Supreme Court rejects challenge to Army’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
• Fanboys don’t cry: Don’t hold your breath for new Mac hardware at the World Wide Developer’s Conference today.

(Edit: The Pirates just won one of the Swedish seats not two).

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• Unemployment rate inches above nine percent, but at a slower pace… which in turn, has caused a mixed morning in the stock market.
• So what happened? Investigators are still considering various theories as to what caused the AF447 crash in the Atlantic, but no definitive conclusions as to what actually caused the plane to go down.
• Is it me or is it deja vu? Calls for Middle East peace… difficult compromises… European support… American president calling for unity…
• Auto erotic asphyxiation? Authorities in Thailand believe David Carradine’s death may have been accidental.
• Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is hogging all the tabloid headlines for pictures like these (nsfw!).
• Don’t know if this is true/real, but if it is it gives a totally new meaning to the “code monkey” moniker, and I quote: “Higher Primates Can Program After VB.NET Training.”

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