Quickies

Japan's lower parliament passed an education reform bill that would require teachers to instill patriotism in their students. I thought that's what Godzilla movies were for.

The U.S. predicts increased violence in Afghanistan (remember them?). They expect it will double over the next year. Double is the new "quadruple" for the military.

Afghan women are increasingly turning to self immolation to avoid their harsh lives.

Read about the plight of Brazil's Guarani Indian population. Apparently they have one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The story is not really much different than other native populations in the Americas, which is to say that it's tragic and should be a crime.

Laura Rozen is putting together the pieces of what the Bush administration is considering for it's new Iraq policy: letting the Shiites have the country.

Hezbollah's leader is predicting the collapse of the Lebanese government. Israel is much safer today, I'm sure.