"Now, in a world's first, a high-energy laser, developed by TRW (NYSE: TRW) for the U.S. Army and the Israel Ministry of Defense, has intercepted an artillery projectile and caused it to explode harmlessly in the air." But I was convinced by important theorists such as Paul Newman and Molly Ivins that it couldn't be done. "You can't hit a bullet with bullet", the were always explaining to us children. Molly Ivins, of course, is the author of "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that NMD won't work" — very technical, with words like "booster thing", "kill-thing" and (my favourite) "gerblob". Actually, I think she's mistaken. She means "kerpow" or "kaboom", both attested in comic books; there is no "gerblob". This means that Molly Ivins is not even familiar with comic books, let alone the real thing.
Apparently this cute laser thingy has been going through impressive trials since the 90's.

For a bit of relaxation: The true story about Lacrosse reconfirms my impression that it is a Canadian game. Here's a concise few paragraphs from that site:

Early in the 19th century, Europeans in Canada began playing the game. Montreal's Olympic Club organized a team in 1844, specifically to play a match against a Native American team. Similar games were played in 1848 and 1851.
However, the first step toward turning lacrosse into a genuinely organized, modern sport came when the Montreal Lacrosse Club, founded in 1856, developed the first written rules.
George Beers of the MLC rewrote the rules thoroughly in 1867. His rules called for 12 players per team, and named the positions: Goal, point, cover point, first defense, second defense, third defense, centre, third attack, second attack, first attack, out home, and in home.
Beers, who is now known as " the father of lacrosse," also replaced the hair-stuffed deerskin ball with a hard rubber ball and designed a stick that was better suited to catching the ball and throwing it accurately.

It has to be seen to be believed: A satellite picture of "An amusement park for vacationing Iraqi leadership and their families. A Merry-go-round, Ferris Wheel and other amusement park rides are visible."
Frankly, the idea of Iraqi leaders and their families going on vacation is strangely entertaining. I suppose the menfolk spend a bit of time chortling in their moustaches and plotting the future, but at some point they indulge the families and get on the merry-go-round.
Given what has been written about the fortunes of Saddam Hussein's inner circle, these vacations are probably pretty stressful.

Just about the most (or only) interesting thing yet about Saddam Hussein, from an article by Mark Bowden in The Atlantic:

Saddam likes to watch TV, monitoring the Iraqi stations he controls and also CNN, Sky, al Jazeera, and the BBC. He enjoys movies, particularly those involving intrigue, assassination, and conspiracy—The Day of the Jackal, The Conversation, Enemy of the State. Because he has not traveled extensively, such movies inform his ideas about the world and feed his inclination to believe broad conspiracy theories. To him the world is a puzzle that only fools accept at face value. He also appreciates movies with more literary themes. Two of his favorites are The Godfather series and The Old Man and the Sea. [... more]

What does he get from watching movies like that? And what does this say about conspiracy enthusiasts on our own shores? How would we feel if it turned out he really liked, say, Gone with the Wind, or Double Indemnity, or The Fountainhead? Better or worse?
Should we institute a science of dictators and the popular culture they adore?