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American brands PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Western Union are advertising on Hezbollah television. The Iranian-backed and funded group has been implicated in the attacks against the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 241 Americans in 1982.
posted by semmi at 8:13 PM PST - 32 comments

Motorbikes the new craze for Iranian Women. More taboos crumble in Iran, as women sign-up in their thousands for motorbike riding classes. Women have been allowed to drive cars, but not ride bicycles or motorbikes since the Islamic Revoluion. The problem now is to find women motorcyclists able to train those who have shown interest.
posted by Jimbob at 8:10 PM PST - 4 comments

It's the eve of the election, and control of the Senate is up for grabs... but Senator Wellstone dies tragically in a plane crash.
Who you gonna call?!
MONDALE!!!

He's an alright guy and everything, but I just can't hear his name without thinking of "Names for Bands" from Jello Biafra's "No More Cocoons"...
posted by insomnia_lj at 2:30 PM PST - 28 comments

Two youngsters smash McDonalds store front, try to escape via drive-thru window. Police chase suspects for several hours before finally confronting them, tranquilizing them, and finally, executing them, all without a trial. Is this a justified reaction based on population data? Or can we as a civilization be doing more?
posted by damclean2 at 2:19 PM PST - 41 comments

Academic Fraud Watch, continued ...Emory University professor Michael Bellesiles has resigned in the wake of a report finding him guilty of unprofessional and misleading work. His book had previously come under fire (no pun intended) from gun advocates. (more inside, and the first link is from the NYT)
posted by Vidiot at 2:16 PM PST - 35 comments

Afghanistan leads in poppy production Now that we have rid the country of the nasty controlling party, it is good to return to normal business so that exports can help make this a better world. Is this a part of our re-construction plan?
posted by Postroad at 2:11 PM PST - 19 comments

Feet first? You're sick! What's this all about? Fetishism on its own is impotence. It should surely be an apéritif, an accompaniment, a starter - not the main dish. Men seem to use it as an excuse not to engage. For women it's just an item on the menu of love; not the make-or-break thing men seem to make it. What was that Adam Sandler film where he gets foot-whacked by brilliant, dreamy John Turturro? [Via very manly, ever-so-sensitive Bifurcated Rivets - I hate the way men post things and then cover themselves by saying "may offend"!]
posted by Schweppes Girl at 2:09 PM PST - 25 comments

Banning hip-hop. Police in San Francisco control the kinds of music clubs may play and promote. In key parts of the city, rap music has basically been outlawed.
posted by xowie at 10:49 AM PST - 58 comments

A few key points in a debate on file sharing. Oddly enough, Hillary Rosen tried to say there are no copy protected CDs in the US.
posted by robotrock at 9:15 AM PST - 15 comments

Rock art can be found throughout the world. Capturing a glimpse of the creativity of our ancestors can be excting and the focal point of a memorable trip. Find some great sites in Europe, Australia, The U.S. southwest or upper midwest. Housebound? Then take a virtual tour of the magnificent Chauvet Cave in France.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:18 AM PST - 17 comments

"God's boys on both sides of the Atlantic" It began back in February. Now, 6 letters, 350+ intellectuals later, the great debate rages on, though apparently and regrettably now censored in Saudi Arabia. Pity.
posted by Voyageman at 7:56 AM PST - 11 comments

North Korea: The Bright Eyes of Tailless Beasts: testimony of Sun-Ok Lee.
Inside the Gulag from the Hoover Digest.
Human Rights Without Frontiers: Concentration Camp Analysis
posted by hama7 at 3:09 AM PST - 11 comments