Hot off the Press: Living fashion accessories edition

Apparent arsonists have burned at least seven churches in small East Texas towns: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/us/10texas.html?ref=us. Sounds like a black metal renaissance in Texas.

This article regarding the Olympic torch's short excursion into the US is not as good as the interactive graph that presents pictures and information regarding torch designs for the modern games since 1936: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/sports/olympics/10torch.html?ref=us.

Witness China's foray into privatized health care: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-china-hospital11-2010feb11,0,2169665.story. A sign of times to come in the US? Or are they already here?

A NYT article regarding the changing perception and demographics of those receiving food stamps: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/us/11foodstamps.html?hp.

Shockingly, Canada has been questioning and cracking down on critics of the Vancouver Olympics: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-olympic-liberties12-2010feb12,0,3359632.story.

Privacy concerns about Google Buzz, that annoying thing Gmail users were alerted of and prompted to start using: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/02/google-buzz-email-privacy.html. Ever more reason to opt out of the social networking shit.

A Pomona College student studying Arabic is suing the TSA, FBI, and Philadelphia police after he was detained for four hours, two in handcuffs, at the airport in Philadelphia when TSA officers found Arabic-English flashcards in his carry-on: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-arabic12-2010feb12,0,3442233.story.

"I feel the TSA acts like it has a blank check as long as what it does is in the name of fighting terrorism," George, said Thursday from Claremont, where he lives in a dormitory. "Of course, the TSA's job is to keep us safe -- but they have to follow the Constitution and respect rights."

If his flashcards triggered such deep suspicion, George said, "then we've got a real 1st Amendment issue here. I have a right to study Arabic."

Is this mixing, like electronic DJs do, or plagiarism?: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/world/europe/12germany.html?hp. I say plagiarism. That's fucking bullshit she can get away with this.

Iowa ranks ninth in the number of organic farms, but those farms don't directly sell much inside the state: http://iowaindependent.com/27755/iowa-9th-in-nation-for-organic-farms-low-on-direct-consumer-outlets. If you ask me, I think a way to lift Iowa's rural communities out of their long, crippling depression is to encourage organic and diversified farming. Growing GMO corn and soybeans is destroying the state's rural communities and environment.

People in Iowa and a few other states have received what appear to be US Census surveys, which ask respondents to send money for processing. The surveys are actually a Republican fund raising effort: http://iowaindependent.com/27511/loebsack-warns-of-gops-fake-census-mailings. This question is hilarious:

“Do you worry that Russia is moving away from its relationship with the U.S. and trying to re-establish itself as a military and economic superpower?”

Is McCarthyism making a comeback?

Though there's apparently no scientific backing, many people, most of them in Europe, say they suffer from electrosensitivity syndrome, caused by the electromagnetic fields created by cell phones and wi-fi: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-electromagnetic-syndrome1-2010feb15,0,801515.story. It wouldn't surprise me if in 10 or 20 years this turns out to be a real health threat.

This is a personal note to check this book out: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-ted-conover14-2010feb14,0,747444.story.

More men are opting to have their prostrates removed by remotely controlled robots: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/health/14robot.html?hp. I don't think I'd opt for it.

Nice little descriptive piece by Verlyn Klinkenborg, the Making Hay guy: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/opinion/14sun2.html.

A snow-crippled Washington is a laugh for those in Moscow: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/weekinreview/14levy.html.