thanks for the heads-up, lady_babalon

2nd Reporter Dies After Being Shot by U.S. Troops

A reporter for Arab satellite television station Al-Arabiya died from his wounds Friday after U.S. soldiers shot him hours earlier along with a cameraman, who died at the scene. The death brought to five the number of journalists killed in Iraq in less than 24 hours.

another gem from MSNBC

Argument over 'Passion' Turns Violent

A couple who got into a dispute over a theological point after watching “The Passion of the Christ” were arrested after the argument turned violent.

The two left the movie theater debating whether God the Father in the Holy Trinity was human or symbolic, and the argument heated up when they got home, Melissa Davidson said.

[...] According to a police report, Melissa Davidson suffered injuries on her arm and face, while her husband had a scissors stab wound on his hand and his shirt was ripped off. He also allegedly punched a hole in a wall.

“Really, it was kind of a pitiful thing, to go to a movie like that and fight about it. I think they missed the point,” said Gene McDaniel, chief sheriff’s deputy.

scary update

County Retreats from Call to Ban Gays

Rhea County commissioners took about three minutes to retreat from a request to amend state law so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature. The Tuesday measure passed 8-0.

County attorney Gary Fritts said the initial vote triggered a "wildfire" of reaction. "I've never seen nothing like this," he said Thursday.

But Fritts said it was all a misunderstanding.

"They wanted to send a message to our (state) representative and senator that Rhea County supports the ban on same-sex marriage," he said. "Same-sex marriage is what it was all about. It was to stop people from coming here and getting married and living in Rhea County."

[...] 12-year-old Caitlin Kinney, attending the meeting with her mother, said she supported the commissioners' initial vote.

"I think they should go further, try to see if they can ban them," she said. "It's not a Christian thing."

(no subject)

I just had a neat conversation about religion with my department (which consists of four people, myself included). It was a nice way to waste time, too.

worse than fast food

French Nutritionists Give Thumbs Up to Big Macs

Want to stay fit and healthy? Two top French nutritionists are telling people to go for a Big Mac and keep their fingers off the traditional French quiche.

In an unexpected message to a country priding itself on the superiority of its food, a new food guide praises the McDonald's burger for having a higher and healthier protein-to-fat ratio than France's Quiche Lorraine.

"Strangely enough, the products which are the most demonized are not necessarily the worst," Jean-Michel Cohen and Patrick Serog write in their book "Savoir Manger," in which they analyze 5,000 dishes available in shops and restaurants.

The verdict published this month comes as McDonald's launches a new campaign to add healthier food choices to its menus. It has also said it is eliminating Supersize fries and soft drinks.