Summer, particularly the August part of summer, is not an active time for the news world. Reporters and networks are suffering from the "dog days of summer" and sort of drag out the latest man bites dog story and that's about it, but yesterday and today, were pretty much an exception as we have to sit up and take notice as some major events are unfolding.

Though CBC wanted to discuss the partitioning of Pakistan and India, which took place sixty years ago today, that was really only the beginning of the sadness that would sweep the subcontinent in the following year. 1947 marked the forming of India and Pakistan but it was in 1948 that perhaps as many as 2,000,000 people would die in a completely senseless struggle that is supposed to have had its roots in religious differences. How much of that is true is hard to say because it just may be, that the conflict that produced the partitioning, was just a warning of the kind of trouble that Islam would bring to this planet. For all the protesting we hear about Islam being a religion of peace, the evidence is that its believers are next the Americans, the most bloodthirsty bunch since the Romans.

Our Prime Minister chose to make some minor changes in his cabinet yesterday and it was not important. In a cabinet where the only decision making is being carried out in the Prime Minister's office who occupies the office of the various ministries is completely irrelevant. The notorious liar, Peter MacKay, will be no more important in the role of minister of defence than he was as minister of external affairs. The solid prime minister's yes man, Chuck Strahl will perform his usual duties as servant of the master in Indian, Inuit and Northern Affairs. Even covering this story is questionable for the Canadian networks as it is so unimportant.

The departure of Karl Rowe from the President of the United States chief advisor is an interesting thing but the damage has been done and the man who brought the world the Iraq war passes off into oblivion. Meanwhile, the devastation in Iraq continues as civilian casualties seem to be endless. More than 200 killed yesterday in a series of tanker truck explosions targeting Kurds. At no time during all of his very worst days as dictator of Iraq did Suddam Hussein allow conditions as bad to occur, and the days of horror and hardship for the Iraqi people is endless as the United States is organising itself for a protracted multi-year occupation of the destroyed country.

Two financial stories seemed to be linked as natural consequences. The move by global corporations to find the least expensive place to manufacture goods has brought lead paint and dangerous magnets in the homes of the world's children as Chinese manufacturers have done their duty creating products for the smallest amount of expenditure and the greatest amount of profit with the most dangerous affects possible. Lead in paint on toys is more than deadly as even the smallest amount of lead causes serious problems for the central nervous system and in small developing children that is a worst case scenario. Now parents everywhere have to check out the web sites and the toy boxes to make things safe.

The second financial story is that of the American economy which in turn affects the world's economy. The facts are so simple, the United States and its people have and continue to overspend and they do not collect enough taxes to sustain the country's activities. Coupled with the unimaginable trade deficit the United States has with China and other countries the stock market has been reflecting the uncertainty and perhaps foreshadowing the possibility of a massive correction in the value of things and that could spell incredible instability for all economies of the world.

If these stories are not enough to move you from the 24 hour news channel's fixation with Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan then watch out, the hurricane season appears to be coming into bloom with one about to smack Hawaii and several on their way into the Caribbean.

I think I'll pass on that extra cup of coffee for today.