Taking it Haarde: Iceland’s Prime Minister Geir Haarde- subject of intense public disapproval since the country’s economy began its down slide- has announced that he will resign.There will be a special election held on May 9th to decide his successor. Haarde, recently diagnosed with cancer, had not planned on running for reelection. Iceland’s once booming economy took such a hard hit that the country had to seize three of its financial institutions. Haarde earns the distinction of being the first world leader to leave office due to the global economic crisis. 

Camera Phone Alert: Rep. Pete King (R-NY) has reintroduced a “Cell Phone Predator Alert Act” that first went nowhere in 2007. The Act proposes that camera phones have a clearly heard (within a certain distance) sound that indicates they are in use. The Act isn’t likely to get very far but if it were to pass, clandestine image takers everywhere can rejoice in the fact that it has overlooked the existence of video phones. 

WTF BBC? The BBC (and Sky News) have refused to air a video appealing for aid in Gaza. The reason given is that to air the video would be compromising impartiality. You can view the video at the link and see that it is not a political message. It explicitly states “it is not about the rights and wrongs of the conflict.”  Broadcasting unions, the viewing public (who fund the BBC) and the BBC staff have protested the network’s refusal to air the video. In a letter from the staff, it was stated that not airing the piece was a political statement in and of itself. The appeal has been shown on ITV1, Channel Five and Channel 4. 

Bill Kristol’s Last Column (for the Times): I’m usually so busy pretending Bill Kristol doesn’t exist that I missed the last six words of his most recent piece in the New York Times: “This is William Kristol’s last column.” But the fact check phobic Kristol won’t be hitting the unemployment line. He’s moving over to the Washington Post. Wagers on when his first correction will run? 

Tax Man Cometh: The Senate got over Timothy Geithner’s tax issues and backed him for Treasury Secretary. He will be sworn in ASAP since we kind of need the money guy on the field right now.