Status quo ante bellum

While I was gone, the following happened:

1) Fidel Castro almost died again
2) America found out that a member of N'Sync was gay
3) Mel Gibson said anti-Semitic things
4) And oh yeah, the Middle East is still on the brink of war.

In other words, life is exactly as I left it.


This week's theme:
Odd renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner

Today's entry: Huey Lewis and the News (on Japanese TV in 1985)

Our Where's Waldo checklist:
1) Improper use of pastel turtle-neck
2) People waving American flags who have no idea what's going on
3) Improper use of a mullet. Is there a proper use of a mullet?
4) Hyperactive-sounding Japanese people


On to the news:

File under "This could be your future cellmate"
(first sentence: "A cross-dressing bandit on skates who robbed a bank across the street from his home was sentenced to prison Friday." I think we have a mental image coming up on this one.)

Nice melons!
(in Britain no less!)

It's this week's "alcohol was involved" story.
(first sentence: "A drunk man had to be rushed to hospital after trying to perform a sword swallowing routine." This one's not for the faint of heart.)


Bright shiny objects:

Chad Vader has a part 2!
(And Part 3 has been promised to us)

Art Frahm
(File this under, "What the hell?" Then laugh.)


And finally:

Those of you who follow the Foreign Intelligence Files (FIF for short!) know of my affinity for Engrish.com. Apparently, someone in China took notice.

Have a good weekend. FIF will be back for a full week of cataloguing the painfully slow demise of Western civilization on Monday.