If you are looking for coverage on the Michael Jackson Memorial/Show/Concert/Funeral/Glorification, this isn’t the place. I respect the man’s career, but this media hoopla has to end and I am therefore boycotting the entire atrocity.

President Barack Obama is wrapping up a two-day trip to Russia with Michelle and children in tow. While in the country he met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss a wide-range of topics from economy and trading to weapons of mass destruction. Obama stated that “We need to make it easier for U.S. companies to invest in Russia, and Russian companies to invest in the U.S.” The trip is said to have created a more positive connection between the two nations in the hope that stronger economic ties might be created. Most notable is the agreement made between Obama and Medvedev to create a new arms treaty to reduce both country’s nuclear arsenals by roughly a third.

Al Franken became a Minnesota senator today, completing his transformation from comedian to politician. The finalized election makes Franken the 60th Democrat in the Senate, thereby breaking the possibility of any Republican filibusters in the future.

Four of the Obama administration’s top environmental and energy officials urged the Senate to pass legislation that would force companies to reduce pollution that has been proven to greatly contribute to global warming. The heads of the Energy Department, Agriculture Department, Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency are pushing specific legislation that would impose the 1st limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Eventually the legislation would lead to an 80% reduction in such gasses by mid-century.

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose questioned re-election last month, gave a televised address to his country following weeks of civil unrest. Ahmadinejad’s re-election was widely disputed by his opponents who cited ballot tampering as the only reason he was still in office. The iconic leader responded to such claims by vaguely stating that the balloting was “the most free election anywhere in the world.” Opponents who claimed the election was rigged caused rioting in the streets which ended with at least twenty dead and more than a thousand arrested. Solid facts on what is going on in Iran aren’t available as the Iranian government has banned international journalists following the civil unrest. Despite imposing such wide-sweeping censorship, Ahmadinejad stated criticism of government “is the key to the success of a nation.”

Google announced today that it would be removing the Beta label from many of its top products, some of which have been around for years. The alteration on the brands cover Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Talk and Google Video for Business. The change comes as no surprise as suddenly the desktop apps provided by Google to businesses will no longer be free. All applications for non-personal use will cost $50 per person, per year for the entire package.

MCNH Shorthand Quote:

Sarah Palin stated in an interview, “if I die, I die. So be it.” alluding to her political career which is greatly in question following her abrupt and idiotic announcement that she is leaving office at the end of the month. At least it appears that she semi-understands what she has managed to do to her image.