Apparently, the three Japanese hostages in Iraq have been freed. Outstanding, and by the way congratulations to Prime Minister Koizumi for not faltering.

One question. I read an article yesterday (sorry, no link) that said the youngest of the three, Noriaki Imai, 18 years old, was a recent high school grad who went to Iraq to study the effects of depleted uranium. Now, what is a 'recent high school grad' doing that for? It implies that he's really very bright, but if he was that bright maybe he'd realize that he shouldn't be doing it while a war is in progress.

[Hey, maybe it wasn't the long-term effects on the population he was studying, maybe it was the near-term effects on armor and hardened defensive structures. That would explain it.] Seems like there should already be extensive military studies of that, though. He could have stayed home and Googled it.

In other Asia news, Kim Jong-Il has apparently still not been gnawed to death by rabid weasels. I'm waaaiting.
You know, it doesn't have to be weasels. Ferrets would be okay too. Or how about a hodgepodge of various rodents? No rats though. Cliche.
- posted by Dactyl @ 9:57 AM