For those of us unhappy with the job that CNN and BBC do of covering world news, there's now another alternative; Al-Jazeera English. Assuming, of course, that you're lucky enough to receive it; as the New York Times reported in their cheekily-titled story "Not coming soon to a channel near you":

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld once famously denounced the Arab-language Al Jazeera as “vicious, inaccurate and inexcusable,” which may be one reason that major cable and satellite providers in the United States declined to offer the English version. Yesterday, most Americans could watch it only on the Internet

There are certain small joys involved in signing up for Personalized Google News.  I have an "islam" section.  I am supposed to get all news that has the word "islam" in it.  Instead I mainly get opinion pieces on how Islam is the Hungry, Hungry Hippo of our present age or how Islam is the Lite Bright all ages.  In other words, it is useless.  But every so often, I get a gem such as the following story.  It is moments like these that one cherishes because they defy all attempts at understanding.  They are like Zen Koans for Lunatics, or Chicken Soup for the Soul of the Damned.

So I am in the cafe, typing away, sitting at the cafe bar.  This dude in a baseball hat asks me about my Mac.  He introduces me to his girlfriend.  He asks me to tell her what I like about my Mac.  Knowing that we are all junkies, he can count on anyone with a Mac to talk pretty.  I talk pretty about my Mac and go back to drinking my coffee and eating my bagel and typing away.  His girlfriend gets up to use the restroom.  He looks over at the screen and sees the title of this website up on my browser.  He asks me about it.  I explain.  I say what I always do: We Muslims have quite a lot going on in our community than most people realize.  He said that he lives in New York City and knows a lot of Muslims.  Then he said, "After 9/11 I fasted Ramadan with some Bangladeshi kids to show them that not everyone hates them."  His girlfriend came back and I turned to her and said, "Hold on to this one.  He is not an asshole.  Some guys don't sound like assholes at first, but they really are.  This one is not an asshole."  Godwilling, she'll buy a Mac and hold onto the guy.  TabarakAllah, decent guy.  Made my day.