I never would have considered that internet addiction would be a viable excuse for military service. But that just shows how limited my imagination is. HELSINKI (Reuters) - A number of Finnish conscripts have been excused their full term of military service because they are addicted to the Internet, the Finnish Defense Forces said Tuesday. Doctors have found the young men miss their computers too much to cope with their compulsory six months in the forces. For people who play (Inte...

I have a great idea for a fictional story. Illegal immigrants to the United States decide to attend a state university and manage to get the state government to pay for it. A state law allows these illegal students get tuition subsidies that make their costs less than the costs of U.S. citizens. These U.S. citizens decide to file a lawsuit. These students claim that the state’s tuition law makes them each pay at least $10,000 more during their college career than those wily illegal im...

Thanks to Steven Den Beste for pointing out this gem of a story: BOSTON (Reuters) - Security officers won't be the only professionals coming to Boston in unprecedented numbers for the Democratic National Convention. Practitioners of the world's oldest profession are seeking reinforcements to help service some of the 35,000 visitors -- plus untold numbers of police reinforcements -- expected in the coming week when Democrats name Sen. John Kerry their presidential candidate. "Eve...

French arrogance surfaces again. The following notice was found on the front door of the French Consulate in New York City. "Visas for France are not a right. Persons applying for visas are requested to show due respect for Consular personnel. Failure to do so will result in the denial of the application and denied entry into any of the EU countries." So it seems that France is speaking for the entire European Union these days. I certainly think that people should show the proper re...

The Philippines caved in to terrorism recently when it decided to withdraw its peacekeeping troops from Iraq in exchange for the release of a Filipino hostage. This action has received much criticism, mainly from the United States, claiming that appeasement of terrorists will just encourage more kidnappings and acts of intimidation. Well, now their government is trying to placate the United States. Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the Philippines will remain a strong ally ...

Wow, I sure hope this story in the Phillipines Daily Tribune is incorrect. I would hate to think that Iraqi terrorists were getting more positive reinforcement. The Malaysian government, Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday refused to confirm or deny reports that $6 million in ransom was paid out to the Iraqi kidnappers for the release of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz in time for President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (Sona) scheduled fo...

The London Evening Standard is reporting on a Labour-dominated Commons committee attempt to eliminate knighthoods. They want to do away with the title Sir, as well as the Order of the British Empire, which is “used to honour sporting heroes, community leaders and celebrities.” It seems their beef with this award is that it is "anachronistic and insensitive". I’m not sure what a CBE is, but that is on their list of cuts as well because “Commander” sounds too militaristic. "The term Com...

The BBC has an interview with a suicide bomber who was caught by Israeli forces before he was able to detonate his bomb. This 15-year-old offers some frightening insight into the mindset of such a person. JR: Were you scared of dying? Hussam: No. I'm not afraid of death. JR: Why not? Hussam: Nobody is going to live forever. We're all going to die. JR: But you were only 15 years old at the time. Hussam: I wanted to be relieved of school. So it seems death is better than school...

Well, looks like a lot of people are up in arms over government oppression in California. So how are government officials oppressing people this time? Well, they are enforcing the law; immigration law that is. In a recent article in the Modesto Bee, Mario Villareal, a spokesman for the Border Patrol, said that rumors of raids in the San Joaquin Valley are "absolutely false." Despite official statements, illegal immigrants fearing deportation remain unconvinced. It almost seems ...

Charles Krauthammer has an interesting article about the International Court of Justice and Israel. He opens with one of the principles expressed in the ICJ’s decision on Israel’s security fence. “It is a violation of international law for Jews to be living in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem.” Sounds a little strange since “Jews have been inhabiting the Old City of Jerusalem since it became their capital 3,000 years ago…” There are some interesting numbers provided concerning su...

Tragedy has struck, once again. Genario Garcia doused his girlfriend, three children, and himself with gasoline in a small car and set the group on fire. “Antigone Monique Allen, 18, who had recently filed an assault complaint against the 24-year-old man, survived for nearly eight hours at a Seattle hospital, sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said. She managed to tell investigators and family what happened before she died. Garcia snorted cocaine while they were out Tuesday night and the t...

Walter E. Williams has an insightful overview of some recent comments by Bill Cosby. This time Cosby spoke at Jesse Jackson’s 33rd Annual Rainbow/PUSH Coalition conference in Chicago. Cosby suggests taking responsibility for the future of blacks, and urges blacks to stop blaming whites for their problems. Addressing the conference, Cosby said, “This is a time, ladies and gentlemen, when we have to turn the mirror around.” Williams agrees with Cosby stating, “Nobody can sensibly argu...

The Philippines joined Spain today in surrendering to terrorism. The Philippine Government issued a statement saying that they will withdraw their humanitarian contingent in Iraq in order to appease terrorists holding Angelo de la Cruz. The terrorists were threatening to behead the truck driver if Philippine support in Iraq was not removed. Foreign Secretary Delia Albert has stated, "Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has to weigh the life of de la Cruz, a father of eight and one of a...

Some education institutions are run by monkeys, I swear to God. Yvan Tessier wants to enroll in an English language immersion program at the University of New Brunswick in Canada. To enroll you have to sign a pledge stating that you will only speak in English during the enrollment period. Yvan has a problem with that pledge. Yvan is blind, and has a seeing eye dog, named Pavot. The problem is that Pavot is trained to respond to 17 commands in French. The school administration insiste...