Bruce Schneier has written an absolutely powerful essay in his blog, with the modest proposal that in response to the security worries at the Washington Monument, we should close it. If you haven’t read it yet, run, don’t walk, to his blog and read it. Then if you live in the States, write to your congresscritters, and ask them to reinsert the backbone which they have placed in a blind trust when they got elected, and tell the TSA that they have a new mandate; to provide as much security as possible without compromising our freedom, privacy, and American Ideals.

Although I obviously had nothing to do with Google’s decision vis-a-vis China, having only started working there for a week, I was definitely glad to see it and it made me proud to be able to say that I work there. Kudos to Google’s management team for having made (IMHO) the right decision. Hopefully Yahoo and Microsoft will consider carefully what the ethical implications of their collusion and collaboration with the Chinese government’s attempt to control free speech and the human rights implications of the same.

Gunnar Wolfis Debian Developer, a Mexican, and is a former member of a Hashomer Kibbutz. He has written an essay on his blog entitled “About the recent events and possible outcomes in Israel and Palestine”. I strongly encourage people to read it, since he talks about the historical roots of the conflict (going back all the way to the roots of Zionism) in a way that while it is definitely not pro-Zionism, neither is it as unfair as some of the pro-Palestinian accounts of the period 1947-1949.

… and you want to preserve Internet Radio, please consider calling your representative.

“The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack.

Donald H. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.”

A very powerful signoff from Keith Olbermann, host of NBC “Countdown”. Read the transcript here, or watch the video in wmv or qt format.

This report of George W. Bush giving two PA boys the finger amused me greatly. Now that’s the way to win the hearts and minds of those swing states voters!

Be careful what you read in public…

The following message is from the Episcopal bishop in Jerusalem, and talks about how the Israeli’s are treating Palestinians (including non-combatents and Arab Christians) in Ramallah. Granted that the suicide bombings which have targetted civillians is horrific and barbaric. But the Isreali’s are supposed to be “the good guys”; “the one functioning democracy in the Middle East”; our committed friends, according to our fearless leader, George W. Bush. I can’t make or influence national policy.