The United States fell from 15th to last among 19 industrialized nations on this measure from 2006 to 2008. The report estimated the U.S. health care system could save 100,000 lives if it matched Japan or France, the top performers.

This is what the current health care system has gotten us. The highest rates in the entire world and the absolute worst results in the industrialized world. The "insurance" system is a failure.

ABC News: U.S. Flunks Health Care Test -- Again

Just two days ago, Gordon Brown was urging us all to stop wasting food and combat rising prices and a global shortage of provisions.

But yesterday the Prime Minister and other world leaders sat down to an 18-course gastronomic extravaganza at a G8 summit in Japan, which is focusing on the food crisis.

Let them eat cake anyone?

World leaders enjoy 18-course banquet... then discuss how to solve global food crisis | Mail Online

'We did not seek advice from the force's diversity adviser prior to publishing and distributing the postcards. That was an oversight and we apologise for any offence caused.'

Did not seek the advice of the diversity adviser about... Seriously. Put a picture of a yorkshire pig wearing a police hat. Or to put the controversy in plainer terms, piss off. We're expected to observe "Muslim sensitivity" while they ignore that of others? Go piss up a rope.

Muslim outrage at police advert featuring cute puppy sitting in policeman's hat | Mail Online

The National Rifle Association sued the city of San Francisco on Friday to overturn its ban on handguns in public housing, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a handgun ban in the nation's capital.

The legal action follows a similar lawsuit against the city of Chicago over its handgun ban, filed within hours of Thursday's high court ruling.null

That didn't take long. But without the additional rifle ban present in the DC law, I'll be surprised if these work out.

NRA sues to overturn S.F. gun ban in city housing - Yahoo! News

International perfume maker Mahender Sabhnani, 51, was sentenced to 3 1/3 years and fined $12,500. He was convicted in December on a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens.

I'm not even sure what to say... Well yes I am. You're in New York City and you can't find a couple of people who want to be slaves? WTF? I blame this on not bothering to pick up ANY of the local rags with personals in the back. Now they go to jail for being morons.

2nd NY millionaire gets prison in slavery case - Yahoo! News

Faced with a surge in the number of proposed solar power plants, the federal government has placed a moratorium on new solar projects on public land until it studies their environmental impact, which is expected to take about two years.

Okay, I'll ask. Did this one originate from Cheney's office?

Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects - NYTimes.com

The school board of a small central Ohio community voted unanimously Friday to fire a teacher accused of preaching his Christian beliefs despite staff complaints and using a device to burn the image of a cross on students' arms.

That's ALL???

Ohio board votes to ax teacher accused of branding - Yahoo! News

"I really don't have much of an opinion of his coming," said Lashawn Baker, 33, whose family was just starting to clean her flooded home in a southwest Cedar Rapids neighborhood. "It took him a long time to get to New Orleans and he didn't help any of those people, so I don't think he's going to do anything to help Cedar Rapids now that he's here."

I think this is more telling than the spin the White House is trying to put out. Three years after Katrina and New Orleans is still trashed. I don't think Iowa will be like New Orleans, I think there is a cultural difference between Iowa and N'awlens (which is one of the reasons people go south for Mardi Gras, not to Iowa) and they'll simply rebuild because they will. They got displaced down the road, not 300 miles away.

What they won't get is meaningful help from Washington. They'll send emergency money, which will get eaten up by fly-by-night crap companies, and none of it will actually go where it's needed. Bush has made promises for years. They keep turning out to be worth less than the air used to make them.

Bush promises help for flood-weary Iowans

The hospital has begun a bus service from Cedar Rapids and a plane service from the Quad Cities to bring in essential employees. Vice President for Medical Affairs Jean Robillard said six employees used the plane service Saturday.

I lived in Iowa City during the '93 flood and it was a wreck. The numbers coming down are 93+5 feet. They're talking 3/4 of a billion in damage in Cedar Rapids with numbers yet to come in Iowa City. This is still getting worse.

Three more UI buildings start to flood | press-citizen.com | Iowa City Press Citizen

In a speech to the European Business Congress in Deauville, France, Mr Miller offered little prospect of relief. He warned that the world was experiencing a fundamental shift in energy prices that will end at a "radically new level. We expect that the oil price will approach $250 per barrel in the foreseeable future".

Welcome to the new world. It is time to fundamentally change what we're doing and how we do it.

An ominous warning that the rapid rise in oil prices has only just begun - Home News, UK - The Independent