the Donald, Britney, and Iraq

I haven't posted about some current news in awhile. I've sort of lost touch with all the decisions I've been trying to make. Some things that caught my eye...

• The Donald proposing to his girlfriend. I've heard a lot of crap he's taking for this because it would be his third marriage as his third divorce. Come on, you guys. Ye of little faith. Give him a break. I bet it'll last...longer than bennifer's relationship, at least.
  
  
• I'm always looking for articles to read, and I've found some over at Slate. The Village Voice and Salon are my other regular stops.
  
  
• Anderson Cooper 360 is a great little news show. Part serious, part irreverent. A good balance of hard news and trivial happenings.
  
  
• Interesting question raise in this article from BBC: Pop fans get that synching feeling.

  Fans of Britney Spears are said to be unhappy after she reportedly mimed during her UK concerts this week. But does it still matter whether pop stars sing live?

  You know what, I think to some people it still does matter. People who don't think pop is a legitimate music genre, that pop's just for screaming girls, that it's lightweight, will probably just see lip synching as another check mark on their list of why pop sucks. Look at the term bubble gum pop. I don't think it can be in any way advantageous to have that term on your resume.
  
  Others see it as par for the course, especially if there are a lot of choreography involved. People do say Britney Spears is an entertainer and not a signer, so what more do they expect from her. I've never thought that you couldn't sing when dancing. Maybe the mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time, but that problem just never concurred to me before. I thought those who lip synch chose to do so cuz they were lazy or something.
  
  I just think that if you want credibility and respect, then you should attempt to sing live at all times.
  
  
• Hanson's making a comeback. I'm glad for them. I think they are trying very hard to establish themselves as serious musicians. That they want in for the long haul. I want them to become a success story. They are definitely working hard at a comeback. Good for them. It's nice to see how mature they have become.
  
  
• Iraqi prisoners abused. What a shame. It undermines all of our and the world's efforts. It gives people oppose to the war and the American presence in Iraq another reason to doubt our motives. Arab nations, especially, will be in an uproar over this, and I suspect they already are. The pictures are hard to see. It's shocking and sad, and a step backward in this whole process. And this doesn't help matters at all: CBS News Says It Held Prison Abuse Story.
  
  
• The increase in violence in the Middle East, while nothing new, is always distrubing. Saudi Arabia is increasingly turning violent, and I'm scared for them. It's weird to see the change the country is undergoing since September 11, 2001. So much has been written about the ruling family's troubles as well as the increase in anti-American sentiment, and that's all true. It's going to be a long way before any change (democracy, equality etc...) is embraced on all levels. See: Saudis Uneasily Balance Desires for Change and Stability.

Phew! All sorts of news I've written about. Some minor, some serious.