Saturday Fun: Worst Australian Political Interview Ever?

We have long been fans of Britain's The Day Today for its exposure of the shallow and duplicitious in politics but this is a case where reality overtakes satire --- over to Bill Shorten, Australia's Minister for Workplace Employment:

And a reminder of The Day Today:

Syria Breaking: Alien World Steps In...Since This One Refuses To (The Onion)

The satirical newspaper The Onion interrupts EA's normal coverage with this exclusive:

Frustrated by "the astonishing incapacity of earthlings to halt the rampant slaughter of their own kind" in Syria, the emperor of Zarklom 12 announced Wednesday he had no choice but to dispatch his own intergalactic forces from 3 million light years away to end the senseless bloodshed.

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US Politics Shocker: Suicide Leading Romney and Santorum in Polls (Borowitz)

As Republican voters go to the polls today in Arizona and Michigan, The Borowitz Report offers a stunning twist in the contest to challenge President Obama for the White House:

A new survey of likely voters indicates that in a match-up between former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a majority would choose suicide over either candidate.

The poll, conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, shows Mr. Romney drawing 21%, Mr. Santorum 18%, and various forms of suicide 61%.

“Throwing yourself in front of a speeding city bus” was the most popular means of suicide at 22%, with “jumping off the roof of a really tall building or bridge” coming in second at 17%.

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Meet EA's Newest Correspondent: Dear Leader Kim Jong Un on the Iowa Caucus

We were all very sad at EA WorldView when we heard the news that Glorious Leader Kim Jong Il of North Korea would be looking at things no more.

However, we were soon cheered up. Kim Jong Un, the new Dear Leader, has joined EA in embracing social media to comment on all the news that is fit to satirise, taking to Twitter like a Republican no-hoper to a Presidential election year. This week, between sharing his love for the band Creed and the actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kim Jong Un --- or @KimJongNumberUn to his followers --- offered the following rather acute overview of the Iowa Caucus and ongoing Republican campaign:

We promise more nuggets of analysis from this brilliant, youthful, dictatorial mind over the coming months.

Happy New Year: Rap News Presents #Occupy2012

See also Happy New Year: 10 Predictions for 2012 --- From US Election to Syria to No War With Iran to EA WorldView
A Resolution for a 2012 WorldView: A Global Community Built On Communication, Not Conflict

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As we deliver analysis of the news in a timely fashion, we tip our hats to Rap News for the rhythm and rhyme as they deliver theirs! Having enjoyed Robert Foster's contributions across 2011, we offer his end-of-year look at #Occupy2012 (guest appearance: Noam Chomsky):

North Korea Special: A Last Look at Kim Jong Il Looking at Things

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For more than a year, we have brought the best of "Kim Jong Il Looking at Things". We have featured The Glorious Leader looking at pigs, looking at a radish, looking at bucket, and looking at something which we're still not quite sure about. We had a video special of him looking at an apartment, complete with  running water a wardrobe, a crying girl, a singing man --- and toilet paper. We even broke the photograph of Kim looking at his hacked Twitter account.

Now an era comes to an end: barring an unexpected image from the afterlife, a last look at Kim Jong Looking at Things....

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Libya Music Video Tribute: Qaddafi Has a Crush on Condi Rice (and So Do We)

There comes a "tipping point" in any removal of an International Dictator when coverage of the conflict turns to the shocking decadence of the ousted bad man. 

In Panama in 1989, toppled strongman Manuel Noriega had -- shock --- drugs and pornography in his desk. In Iraq in 2003, Saddam Hussein's transgression, shown by photos of US troops in his places, was gold-plated bath ornaments and really bad taste in art. In Pakistan in 2011, Osama bin Laden was outed for his stash of naughty magazines.

So it is an unexpected good news story to find that Muammar Qaddafi's sin is a massive "I Heart Condoleezza Rice". Insurgents who overran his Bab al-Aziziya compound this year found a photo album devoted to the former US Secretary of State (photo: Sergey Ponomarev of AP). 

And why not? Condi may have broken countries and broken hearts during her eight years in the George W. Bush Administration, but she knew the secret of "Treat 'Em Mean and Keep 'Em Keen". As Muammar said with love in his eyes in 2007 about "my darling black African woman": "I admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the Arab leaders."

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War on Terror Special: Pakistani Intelligence Announces Its Full Cooperation With U.S. Forces During Upcoming Top Secret June 12 Drone Strike On Al-Qaeda At 5:23 A.M. Near Small Town Of Razmani In North Waziristan (The Onion)

The attack will be at 5:23 a.m. --- got it?Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency restated Thursday its commitment to the fight against terrorism, pledging full cooperation with U.S. forces during the upcoming strike on an al-Qaeda safe house on June 12 at 5:23 a.m. near the small town of Razmani in the remote tribal region of North Waziristan.

At a hastily convened press conference, ISI chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha called Pakistan's long- standing partnership with the United States "stronger than ever," explaining that both countries share an interest in rooting out al-Qaeda before its leaders have time to gather their secret cache of hidden weapons and move to a new location, possibly a tribal area in northwest Pakistan where Pasha said U.S. intelligence is limited in both its sophistication and reach.

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US Feature: Government Official Who Makes Perfectly Valid, Well-Reasoned Point Against Israel Forced To Resign (The Onion)

We think this is a satirical story. From The Onion:

WASHINGTON --- State Department diplomat Nelson Milstrand, who appeared on CNN last week and offered an informed, thoughtful analysis implying that Israel could perhaps exercise more restraint toward Palestinian moderates in disputed territories, was asked to resign Tuesday.

“The United States deeply regrets any harm Mr. Milstrand’s careful, even-tempered, and factually accurate remarks may have caused our democratic partner in the Middle East,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in an unequivocal condemnation of the veteran foreign-service officer’s perfectly reasonable statements. “U.S. policy toward Israel continues to be one of unconditional support and fawning sycophancy.”

Milstrand, 63, will reportedly appear at an AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee] conference to offer a full apology as soon as his trial concludes and his divorce is finalized.

Britain Royal Wedding Follow-Up: The Story of Princess Beatrice's Most Exquisite Alien Hat (And You Can Buy It!)

I did not attend Britain's recent Royal Wedding between some fellow named William, who apparently knew Lady Diana, and a Miss Middleton, who seems to have had a very fetching sister.

So when I saw this photo, I honestly thought an alien was attacking a young woman who seemed blissfully unaware of the experience.

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