27 January 2006

Some interesting links...

Legislative watchdog groups wage war on earmarks and p--k
Although Republicans claim to be the party of small government and fiscal restraint, Schatz's group found that total earmarks rose to 13,997 in 2005, a huge increase from the 1995 total of 1,349.

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Washington’s new ways spawn more pork
As barriers between lobbyists and lawmakers fall, ‘earmarks’ grow

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Broadcaster says serious news at risk
Many Americans on the left and the right aren't interested in the truth, but simply want news that confirms their viewpoints, he said. "You'd think that it's no more complex than good vs. evil," he said.

Journalists have fallen short in presenting important news in ways that allow viewers to see how it matters in their lives. But viewers must take up the battle as well, he said. "It's not enough to say you want serious news. You have to watch it. It isn't enough to say you want serious debate. You have to engage in it."

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A majority of Americans are more likely to vote for a candidate in November's congressional elections who opposes President Bush, and 58 percent consider his second term a failure so far, according to a poll released Thursday.

Fewer people consider Bush to be honest and trustworthy now than did a year ago, and 53 percent said they believe his administration deliberately misled the public about Iraq's purported weapons program before the U.S. invasion in 2003, the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found.

Enjoy... and Shalom!
Charlie

26 January 2006

Very kool, access to Stanford lectures via iTunes

In an unprecedented move, Stanford University is collaborating with Apple Computer to allow public access a wide range of lectures, speeches, debates and other university content through iTunes.
No need to pay the $31,200 tuition. No need to live on campus. No need even to be a student. The nearly 500 tracks that constitute “Stanford on iTunes” are available to anyone willing to spend the few minutes it takes to download them from the Internet.
Link to Standford iTunes here.
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Also, Bono has launched a new global brand, Product Red, with a share of profits to go to the fight against Aids in Africa. Article here.
This seems pretty interesting, making it even more fashionable to support these causes... Amex is only doing 1% of each pound spent via their "red" cards, but if generally 40% of profits go to this cause, that could be a good chunk of change. I like the concept.

Charlie

18 January 2006

An Austin "Get Your War On" show...

Hey Friends!
One of my favorite political cartoon sites, "GET YOUR WAR ON" at http://www.mnftiu.cc has an Austin theatre company doing an stage adaptation:
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Austin's premiere theatre company, The Rude Mechanicals, staged an adaptation of Get Your War On last year. The run ended with standing-room-only shows, so they are staging it again.

The show runs until February 4. More info here:
http://www.rudemechs.com
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Hope to see you there! Let me know if you go, and what you think.
Charlie

02 January 2006

An interesting legal perspective of the Pres' warrantless domestic surveillance

Why Get A Warrant?: The President's Admission that He Authorized Warrantless Domestic Surveillance
By Sherry F. Colb, a FindLaw columnist, is Professor and Frederick B. Lacey Scholar at Rutgers Law School.

An well put together argument from a legal perspective. Enjoy!

I especially liked the part where she discusses: "the problem on September 11th was not the failure to have gathered intelligence. It was the failure to read the intelligence we already had (about flight schools and planned airplane attacks on the World Trade Center towers), to which the administration had ready access. The problem, in other words, was too much -- and poorly organized -- information, rather than not enough. The continuing broad surveillance of U.S. citizens, without oversight, thus promises only to aggravate matters.

Everyone have a great new years? What kinda resolutions do ya got? I've got several, none too interesting nor unique... 8-)
Charlie