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Story by Dashiell Collins

So the Pope gave a speech and Muslims around the world rose up in protest at his anti-Islamic remarks. Talking to scientists on the subject of faith, reason, and the university, His Holiness made reference to a conversation between a Byzantine emperor and an educated Persian, during which the Christian declared that The Prophet's big new idea was killing those who would not believe.

Regardless of the validity of Manuel II Paleologus and his assessment of Islam, what struck me is how a small introductory anecdote to such a complex and analytic speech given to a small, academic audience circled the globe as a papal damnation of Muslims. I find it hard to believe that state-controlled media in much of the Muslim and Arab world gave the people the whole story, and if they did, well, maybe the uproar would have been even louder.

This is nothing new, the anger and passion of the people inflamed by what the media is choosing to put on the front page and what to bury between the obituaries. I bet there's plenty of work for the obit staff at the dailies in Baghdad, unless they're too scared to drive to work themselves.

Kofi Annan is warning that the constant religious murders and violence in the streets of Iraq might bring on that civil war we've been warned about for months. Jacques Chirac publicly announced his opposal to UN sanctions against Iran, while Hugo Chavez brought down the ultimate hammer with his buddy Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Along with reminding the world of America's double drop in Japan, Chavez threatened to shut off the pump if Iran was attacked. The dual embargo of Venezuela and Iran would drive oil prices to $100 a barrel or more. Good thing I ride a bike.

But you know what? There's some hope here. Good ol' George is going to address the UN to defend his bloody blunder, and maybe this time, the world will tell him to stop doing this shit. Maybe this time, calmer heads might prevail, real intelligence might drive actions. And even if the Democrats don't take one of the chambers in November, maybe some of their colleagues across the aisle will stop worrying about their re-election and start worrying about stopping the bloodshed in the country they voted to invade.

If you noticed, most of my links were from the BBC. When I sit in my room late at night and read their news site, find myself wondering: Do the British ever read or watch the speeches our president makes? If they do, do they laugh their heads off? I'd cite the New York Times, but I'm too poor to subscribe.