“N. Korea OKs U.S. Visit to Complex”
North Korea has agreed to allow a U.S. delegation that includes a top nuclear scientist to visit its nuclear complex at Yongbyon next week ahead of likely negotiations with its neighbors and the United States. The delegation would be the first to see the site since North Korea expelled foreign weapons inspectors a year ago.

So we’ve undone some of the damage and are restoring things to where they were a couple years ago.

I’m not sure what this is leading, but it’s noteworthy:

“Pope Calls for a New World Order”
Pope John Paul II launched one of the most important diplomatic initiatives of his long papacy yesterday when he called for a new international order to replace the one that emerged from the second world war.
Though he did not offer a detailed plan, his words appeared to show he wanted the UN replaced in light of its failure to block the use of force by America in Iraq.
The Pope called last month for the reform of world institutions and deplored any failure to respect international law. But in a sermon during a mass at St Peter’s in Rome yesterday, he went much further, referring to the UN as if it were already a part of the past.
“More than ever, we need a new international order that draws on the experience and results achieved in these years by the United Nations,” he declared during a service to mark the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace, celebrated on January 1.

Uh oh:

Country music icon Willie Nelson has written a Christmas song with an edge — a protest against the war in Iraq that he hopes will stir passions in those who hear it.
. . .
Nelson said his new song criticized the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq and those who thought it unpatriotic to speak out against the war.

Better rekindle those bonfires. We’ve got more album burning to do.

Here’s an interesting site that tells you how common your name is. For example it claims that 0.736% of men in the US (901,600) are named Brian, while roughly 0.001% (2,500) of last names are Arner.
If my math is correct, these percentages suggest there should be approximately 9 Brian Arners in the U.S. [2,500 (Arners) x 49% (males) x 0.736% (Brians)]. But only know of two other Brian Arners. Here’s one of them. I just want to clarify that I’m that guy so you’ll never make the mistake of asking me to sing for you. A few times I’ve received misdirected fan e-mails thanking me for my music or asking about a CD, and I get a kick out of it every time.
Link via Matthew Yglesias.

Reality T.V., or in this case a “hybrid of a scripted and reality” T.V., continues its downward march toward glorified Jerry Springer:

After months of ordinary TV weddings, the real fun is just beginning when FOX rings the wedding bells to sound off the ultimate practical joke on MY BIG FAT OBNOXIOUS FIANC�. In this unscripted series, a beautiful �bride-to-be� introduces the most horrific �fianc� to her family and friends when she announces her shocking and surprising wedding plans to them in the series premiere Monday, January 19, 2004 following the premiere of American Idol on FOX.
Over six episodes, Steve, the big fat obnoxious �Prince-not-so-Charming� and his obnoxious �family� will test the limits of his recently engaged girlfriend�s family and friends through shocking behavior. Our �bride,� Randi, a 23-year-old first grade teacher from Scottsdale, Ariz., must make it all the way through the wedding ceremony and final �I do�s� in order to win a million dollars.

Big Fat Blog has a form which you can use to complain to Fox about negative fat stereotyping.
If you want to contact Fox to complain about the stupidity of this show, feel free to use the following letter:

Dear Fox,
Your scheduled “reality” series, “My Big Fat Obnoxious Fianc�,” looks even stupider than the last show you came up with.
Please stop.
Sincerely,
T.V. Viewer

FOX Broadcasting Co.
P.O. Box 900
Beverly Hills, CA 90213