• Some people had expected him to grab his gun and race off to start shooting again as soon as he got back to Sandringham – but he is being sensible.
• A Norfolk, England villager • Discussing the recent release of Prince Philip from the hospital. The Duke of Edinburgh, who is married to Queen Elizabeth, began his hospital stay Friday night after complaining of chest pains. He had to miss out on the family’s Christmas and Boxing Day traditions — but left the hospital in good spirits. The 90-year-old royal figure received a minimally-invasive coronary stenting procedure, and was released Tuesday; he’s been ordered to rest, however. Over the past year he has attended over 300 public and formal engagements, so resting might be harder than it sounds for him. In fact, as soon as he left, he went to a shooting party at the Sandringham Estate, where he was said to be in a “cheerful” mood. source

• Well, that #(&(@&@ sucks. Screw them. China, currently kings of the sassy-kid-talkin’ “I do what I want” bandwagon, are forcing phone companies in the country to censor text messages with “illegal or unhealthy content,” mostly by suspending service to unwitting dirty-joke-makers. Just to make sure China blocks this post after we put it up:

china tiananmen square human rights porn sex sex censorship communism google xxx sexual content pornography tibet dalai lama playboy china tiananmen square human rights porn sex sex censorship communism google xxx sexual content pornography tibet dalai lamachina tiananmen square human rights porn sex sex censorship communism google xxx sexual content pornography tibet dalai lama

• There, that should do it. source

• Afghanistan • Algeria • Cuba • Iran • Iraq • Lebanon • Libya • Nigeria • PakistaN • Saudi Arabia • Somalia • Sudan • Syria • Yemen source

• They say that I am calm. I am not calm. I fear to lose myself, to have the mask of the assassin forced upon me. I fear to be defined as someone I am not.
• American foreign exchange student and murder suspect Amanda Knox • Speaking in Italian at her trial on Thursday. Knox, often called “Foxy Knoxy” in the Italian press, is on trial in the 2007 knifing death of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. The jury deliberates this weekend. source

• It proves the aggressive power [the insurgents have], and their determination to take over this country. They can easily go at the heart of the system. This will create a lot of panic for all the supporters of the government.
• Somali diplomat Mohammed Aden • On a suicide bombing in Somalia, a mostly lawless country barring a handful of blocks in the capital of Mogadishu. Guess where the suicide bombing occurred. The attack killed at least 10, including three government ministers. source

• 58 were charged in the cover-up – including 10 journalists source

• Iran has officially moved from “double dare” to “triple dog dare.” With the class of a unlikeable bully on the playground, Iran announced today that they planned to open up 10 new enrichment plants. Iran was responding to a demand by the UN that they stop enriching at Fordow, the site that was only disclosed recently. FYI: Iran responds, guns blazing, both middle fingers in the air. source

• He’s the third top official to resign this week. Jung and others were under pressure after a September attack in Afghanistan killed civilians. It came out in local newspaper Bild that Jung and others likely knew of the civilian casualties from the point it happened. Those who resigned all assumed responsibility for the attacks. source

• $700,000to bail the dude out source