The News Topic

[Kei]

Bill Clinton brings back two captive journalists from North Korea.

[Taiga]

I don't think MSNBC likes my pc. Never loads ¬¬;

[Yuuki]

same happens with me

[Shamisen]

I don't think MSNBC likes my pc. Never loads ¬¬;

same happens with me

Well let's try CNN then...

[Kei]

Oh no! Twitter is down!!! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!!!

[Kei]

After losing both influence in Congress and the support of the American people, the Republican Party turns to violence.

[Kagami]

Earthquakes hit Japan and surrounding regions...

[Yuuki]

ahh, so it IS true that japan is trying to destroy all asia hmm.

[Kei]

My jaw hit the floor when I saw this.

Spoilers for HOLY CRAP...

Spoiler:

Now, the question is... does Archie Comics have the cast-iron manifolds to break up a love triangle that's been going on for the last SEVEN DECADES? My money is on a cop-out... something like an 'alternate universe' or 'possible future' or 'bad dream' ala Dallas. You know... they killed Batman (or Superman or whatever), but he's not REALLY dead.

[Kei]

Regular marijuana usage robs men of sexual highs.

[Kei]

The Democratic Party of Japan wins a landslide victory.

Taro Aso steps down as the head of the LDP.

Despite change in regime, Japanese voters remain apathetic towards politics.

[Kei]

Forever looking to expand their holdings, entertainment powerhouse Disney is planning to buy... MARVEL?!?

[Taiga]

Gah, damn msnbc! I hate it! ;;

[Kei]

For those of you who have grown weary of bread, why not try KFC's latest item? The new Double Down "sandwich" does away with the traditional bun found on most fast-food sandwiches, replacing it with two slabs of fried chicken. Yeah, you read that right. They replaced the bun with SLABS OF FRIED CHICKEN. The sandwich's filling includes bacon, pepper jack and swiss cheese, and "Colonel's Sauce". Sounds like a tasty treat... for those of us without taste buds.

Dietitians estimate that the Double Down contains somewhere around 1200 calories, making this "food" item a cardiologist's dream. The bad news? The Double Down is only being test-marketed in Providence, Rhode Island and Omaha, Nebraska. People everywhere else who are searching for something to make them puke will just have to drink Bud Light instead.

[Yuuki]

thats...kinda creative, i wonder if it will make tha markets.

[Kei]

Cue pseudoscientific Creationist ranting in 3... 2... 1...

Meanwhile, Richard Dawkins delivers the Evolutionist smackdown.

[Kei]

7,500 years ago, adult humans couldn't drink milk. 10,000 years ago, nobody had blue eyes. 20,000 years ago, races as we know them didn't exist.
Why?
Because human evolution is moving faster than ever before.

[Kei]

Barack Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize!

[Ryu]

Yet it would seem that not everyone is content with that decision.

[Kei]

I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!

[Kei]

Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License In Louisiana

[Kei]

The United States is 2009's most popular country in the world, a metoric rise from it's 2008 position of seventh most popular. Most analysts attribute this to Obama's awesomeness.

[Taiga]

Biggest news of all:

I have changed my avatar!

Sadly I can't find a high res version of the original (click above)

[Kei]

Breaking News: NOBODY CARES!

Well, except for maybe Chris. However, I would think he'd be more interested in the 16-year-old Australian girl who is aspiring to sail her pink yacht solo around the world.

[Taiga]

sounds interesting... shame it's msnbc and hates me ;;

[Shamisen]

sounds interesting... shame it's msnbc and hates me ;;

From MSNBC:

APTRANS.gif (693 Bytes) Viewed 11841 times

updated 3:52 a.m. CT, Sun., Oct . 18, 2009

Girl, 16, sets off on 23,600-mile yacht trip
Australian aims to become youngest to sail solo, unassisted around world

Jessica Watson 350x350.jpg (18.42 KiB) Viewed 11843 times

Jessica Watson walks to her boat after her final shower on land as she prepared to depart from Sydney, Australia, on Sunday.
(Image from Rick Rycroft / AP)


Oct. 18: A 16-year-old Australian girl starts her bid to become the youngest person to sail solo and unassisted around the world. MSNBC's Alex Witt reports.

SYDNEY - A 16-year-old Australian steered her bright pink yacht out of Sydney Harbor on Sunday to start her bid to become the youngest person to sail solo and unassisted around the world.

Jessica Watson's plan to make a 23,600-mile journey through some of the world's most treacherous waters sparked a debate in Australia about whether someone so young should be allowed to try such a potentially dangerous feat.

Watson and her family insist she is an experienced and capable sailor who has studied navigation, electronics and maritime safety procedures. Although she will sail solo and unassisted, she will be in constant contact with her support team via radio, e-mail and a blog.

AU Pink boat 350x350.jpg (8.85 KiB) Viewed 11843 times

After hugging her parents goodbye on shore, Watson sailed her pink, 34-foot yacht out of Sydney under gray skies and slightly choppy conditions. She smiled and waved to scores of well-wishers who lined parts of the shore, and boats that gathered on the harbor.


'Nervous'
"I think a lot of Australians are nervous for Jessica. I'm nervous for her," Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters. "But my words at this stage, given that she's determined to go, would be to wish her the best of luck and to urge her to keep safe."

Watson's plans suffered several setbacks before she finally left. Last month, her yacht collided with a cargo ship as she sailed toward Sydney to make final preparations — an accident that triggered some calls for her to abandon the attempt.

More recently, strong winds in Sydney delayed her planned departure last week.

The first leg of Watson's journey will take her past northern New Zealand, then Fiji and Samoa. In a trip expected to last about eight months, she plans to pass around the southern tips of Africa and South America.

Andrew Fraser, a spokesman for Watson's team, said she was relieved and upbeat to be getting under way. He dodged questions about whether the trip was too dangerous for someone so young.

"Let's have this conversation in eight months," he told reporters.

Briton Mike Perham, 17, in August laid claim to being the youngest solo round-the-world sailor after completing a 28,000-mile trip in nine months, though he stopped for repairs, which counts as an "assisted" trip.

Perham is a few months younger than Zac Sunderland, from Thousand Oaks, California, who claimed the youngest solo crown in July when he completed a similar trip in 13 months, though Sunderland's trip was also in the "assisted" category.

"Without assistance" means a vessel may not receive any kind of outside help or take on board any supplies, materials or equipment during the attempt. A craft may be anchored or beached during the attempt, but any repairs must be made without outside resources, materials or help.

The unassisted mark is held by another Australian, Jesse Martin, who was 18 when he completed the journey in 1999.

Earlier this year, a Dutch court ordered 13-year-old Laura Dekker to be placed in the custody of child care authorities while her parents argue over whether she should be allowed to try to become the youngest sailor to circle the globe.

[Kagami]

...eight months in a tiny yacht on the high seas...not my idea of fun, or an activity I would even consider. Good luck to her, though.

[Kei]

Is the Large Hadron Collider causing doomsday in reverse?

[Kei]

The only relief from medical debt is death.

[Kagami]

The Australian Government criticizes Windows 7 for its complete user security package.