Saddam in tightie-whities — Saddam Hussein is the answer to the statement "Look who we've got our Hanes on now.” of the former dictator splashed across the covers of Rupert Murdoch-owned London Sun and . The papers also supposed contained photos of two other High Value prisoners: Ali Hassan al-Majid (“Chemical Ali”) and Huda Salih Mehdi Ammash (“Mrs. Anthrax”). Collect them all. Today's first set of photos engendered a series of questions... Who took them? Are they official photos taken by his jailors? Or surveillance or un-authorized photos taken by somebody else? Murdoch’s organization says the pictures came from an unidentified "U.S. Military Official"? Is it a coincidence that they were published just when the U.S. government is fearful of damage to its image in the Muslim world? Is it a coincidence that they were published just as the First Lady began her brief goodwill trip to the Middle East? But Saddam's lawyers have a different question — a rhetorical one. Another one of Saddam's lawyers says he the Sun, the Post, and Rupert Murdoch. The Red Cross and the U.S. agree it might be a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Many Iraqis don't care about violations — the reaction there seems to be similar to the photos of Hussein's capture late in 2003 — a mix of "serves him right" and "those disrespectful Americans." Back here, the reaction is also mixed.
Saddam's image — Think the American image is suffering? That's nothing compared to the . It has undergone more makeovers in the past eighteen months than Britney Spears... and all of them, even more unsuccessful. Remember "Shaggy Saddam" — fresh out of his spider hole in December 2003? Covered in dirt, getting swabbed for DNA and checked for lice. With bags under his eyes, an out-of-control "do", and a salt and pepper beard. Only six months later, an amazing transformation! Sassy Saddam showed up to court — wearing a sharp suit, no tie, collar unbuttoned. His beard was neatly trimmed, his hair, coiffed, he almost looked like the dictator of style...And now this. Saddam, just kinda.... hanging out.
Great hot dog truce — In England, the schism came because Henry VIII needed to re-marry every couple of months and the Catholic Church wouldn't let him. In baseball, the American League adopted the new designated hitter rule in 1973, and the National League didn't, because there were supposedly more older famous hitters who couldn't play defensively any more, in the American, than in the National. In the world of hot dogs, the fatal moment came because bakers bake in dozens but meat packers sell by the pound. Thus, the century-long conundrum. You had to buy a pound of franks — eight of them. But the buns came in packages of six or twelve. But now... Peace In Our Time. The Treaty of Frankfurt-errr....Now, it ain't a Middle East accord, exactly. A major .
Star Wars piracy — You were one of those folks who helped the new "Star Wars" film ring up $50 million in box office take — on a Thursday? Had any second thoughts about quitting your job to go see the flick? How about after the bootleg version hit the internet faster than you can say "The Force Is Very Weak In This Prequel, Luke"? in Los Angeles reports.
