• What the heck happened? That’s the big question Filipino president Benigno Aquino wants to know about today’s failed hostage rescue. Eight hostages died on the bus, which was taken over by a disgruntled former policeman. Many have criticized Manila police for being slow to deal with the situation. Aquino gives them a little more credit, but still isn’t pleased: “How can you be satisfied if there were some people who were killed?” Good question. source

• It is quite wrong that we were afraid of him. He is not violent and I do not feel threatened by him. The responsibility for what happened to me and the other girl lies with a man who had attitude problems with women.
• One of Julian Assange’s anonymous accusers • Regarding the situation that led to the quickly-rescinded rape charges against the Wikileaks founder. The Guardian cites sources close to one of the women that claim the issue cropped up because Assange disagreed about condom use with the women, not because he was acting in a non-consensual manner. Gawker has named one of the women, but we won’t do the same here. That said, if that’s what happened (instead of a conspiracy, as Wikileaks has claimed), that’s pretty creepy. source

• Well, that sure makes the nature of yesterday’s protest seem all the more insane. This dude was just walking through and was accosted partly because 1) he was black and 2) he was wearing a hat that looked vaguely Islamic. He was nearly pulled into a fight and was forced to leave. WTF?

• $75,000 fine for safety violations source

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• To our friends visiting Washington on August 28th to take part in Glenn Beck’s no-longer-9/12 protests: Here’s your map. (And some guy also made a dead-serious guide, too.) Visit the monuments, but don’t you dare leave the blue zone, or you’ll be in the red zones that signify D.C. You don’t want to be caught dead in Dupont Circle. It’s the ‘hood. source

• what A federal judge granted an injunction against Obama’s carefully worded embryonic stem-cell policy, which largely reversed Bush’s controversial policy.
• why The judge found that the policy allowed for the destruction of the stem cells, which is a no-no thanks to the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, a yearly budgetary rider. source

• » An interesting wrinkle: The two researchers who filed the suit, while both being against embryonic stem cell research, didn’t do it for moral reasons. Instead, Dr. James Sherley and Theresa Deisher work with adult stem cells and were afraid that Obama’s new rules would cut into the funding for their work because of increased competition. In other words, they’re selfish.

• The point remains that part of this game allows you to play the part of the Taliban attacking ISAF troops in the area of central Helmand where British troops are operating.
• A spokesperson for British Defense Secretary Liam Fox • Discussing the new “Medal of Honor” game, which covers the war in Afghanistan and allows you to take the enemy’s side during multiplayer play. You know, like just about every other type of game like this does. The game does not allow you to kill British soldiers, by the way, according to maker Electronic Arts. But Fox’s people stand by the comments, which included his belief that it was “shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers.” For EA’s part, they realized the game might spark a little controversy. source

• $39 million the amount Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott has spent on his campaign; he’s down by nine points in the primary
• $23 million the amount Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Greene spent; he trails Kendrick Meek by a dozen points in the primary source

• good Apple has created and applied to patent a new technology to allow them to detect unauthorized iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad uses.
• badThose unauthorized uses include jailbreaking, unlocking and removing a SIM card. Because Apple doesn’t like these (still legal) things.
• worseThe methods of detecting an unauthorized user include creepy voice and heartbeat detection. It’s like 1984 all over again. source