Speedtest.net owner Ookla has introduced a new service that uses the results of speed tests done each day around the world to create a Net Index. They clock the global broadband speed right now at 7.67 Mbps; the U.S. (#26, dropping to #32 when quality is factored in) is at 10.16 Mbps. The U.S. speed is half that of Japan (#4), but ahead of Russia (#28), Canada (#32), and the UK … [Read more...] about The Broadband Top 10
EPA Orders BP To Cut Back Corexit Dispersant on Gulf Oil Slick
(EDITOR'S NOTE -- Please check out the sidebar and epilogue in this post to learn about the dispersant Corexit pushed by BP and the insecticide DDT the government pushed on farmers at the end of World War II). The Environmental Protection Agency ordered BP to cut back by 50 to 75% of the oil dispersant Corexit Monday because they don't believe the oil company's word that it … [Read more...] about EPA Orders BP To Cut Back Corexit Dispersant on Gulf Oil Slick
Twitter Account Spoofs BP PR Efforts
The advice is so old that it is trite: to conduct an effective crisis communications campaign, communicators have to be present and conversant in the channels/communities/media where they need to talk to people before disaster hits. And a second piece of advice is also so tired that it seems trite: secure your company's brand name whenever there's a new technology. With web … [Read more...] about Twitter Account Spoofs BP PR Efforts
The Relief Well
This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about The Relief Well
J.D. Hayworth Says U.S. Never Declared War on Nazi Germany
Arizona Senator John McCain's political nemesis for the Republican nomination J.D. Hayworth is coming under some criticism in some quarters because he said the United States never declared war on Nazi Germany. Here's a good summary of the latest political controversy: Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), who is challenging Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary, said … [Read more...] about J.D. Hayworth Says U.S. Never Declared War on Nazi Germany
Best Buy Price Hikes ‘As Advertised’ Promotions
Over at the Consumerist, a reader finds Best Buy advertising computers at higher than regular prices: In this week's ad, there is a Dell, sku 9693191, for $649.99. Regular price is $629.99. An HP, sku 9705373, is advertised for $699.99; regular price is $649.99. Last week, a Toshiba, sku 9705221, was advertised for $499.99, this week it's back to regular price, $479.99. … [Read more...] about Best Buy Price Hikes ‘As Advertised’ Promotions
Another Politician, Another Affair, Allegedly
Americans are absolutely ga ga over someone else's sex life, especially if that someone is a celebrity, political incumbent or, as in today's news, a Republican candidate for South Carolina governor, the current one who also had a widely publicized tryst on the Appalachian Trail, uh, check that, with a woman in Argentina. In the latest tell-all sexploitation, a Republican … [Read more...] about Another Politician, Another Affair, Allegedly
Texas School Board Approves Social Conservatives’ New Curriculum Standards
Despite the last-minute return of Thomas Jefferson to a list of political philosophers whose ideas were influential in the founding of the United States, the religious extremists on the Texas School Board of Education took care to obscure his influence on making the concept of a "wall of separation" between church and state one of the bedrock principles in American life. Among … [Read more...] about Texas School Board Approves Social Conservatives’ New Curriculum Standards
Chelsea’s Law: No Money Down, $54 Million Due In 2030 For Sexual Predators
The California Legislature is considering passing a new law against violent sex molesters of children that has the endorsement of victim families, advocacy groups, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger, U.S. Sens. Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and an endless list of who's who in the fight for human decency. There are mousetraps in the law Legislators must weigh. One is the … [Read more...] about Chelsea’s Law: No Money Down, $54 Million Due In 2030 For Sexual Predators
Rossi To Challenge Murray In Washington
In what could be a big plus for the GOP, Dino Rossi is expected to announce he will run for the US Senate, challenging Democrat Patty Murray. Rossi has run twice for Governor and lost one race by a few hundred votes. Polls have shown the race to be close, giving the GOP a possible gain here. Even if Murray wins, Rossi will force the Democrats to spend more money in another … [Read more...] about Rossi To Challenge Murray In Washington
False Issue of the Randslide
Today's to-do over government recalls what a book publisher observed half a century ago, when exposes like "The Hidden Persuaders" and "The Organization Man" were topping best-seller lists, "Americans are always astonished and upset to discover that society is organized." Back then, amid post-World War II prosperity, the "upset" over threats to individual freedom was mild … [Read more...] about False Issue of the Randslide
Oil Spill Moses
This copyrighted cartoon by Bill Schorr, Cagle Cartoons, is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Oil Spill Moses
Line Item Veto – A New Approach
President Obama is expected to propose an alternative to the line item veto today. Dubbed the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010, the White House will send Congress the proposal, including a new expedited procedure to remove spending items from congressionally passed appropriations. In 1996, Congress passed a line item veto that was signed into law by then President … [Read more...] about Line Item Veto – A New Approach
Quote of the Day: Just Saying “No” Doesn’t Spell Victory for the GOP
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Republican David Frum who, in a commentary on the CNN website that needs to be read in full, argues that just saying "no" won't win it in 2010 for the GOP. Frum starts by looking at the content of the campaign ads of the Democratic and Republican candidates running in the highly watched 12th district of Pennsylvania, where many … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Just Saying “No” Doesn’t Spell Victory for the GOP
What the Hell is Happening with the BP Oil Gusher?
This may be a seminal moment in the history of the internet. As government authorities and British Petroleum continue to describe the BP oil spill in limited terms. one blogger has had his eyes glued to the "Spillcam" which is giving real time images of the oil gushing from the uncapped hole in the ground and has caught what appears to be a massive increase in the amount of … [Read more...] about What the Hell is Happening with the BP Oil Gusher?
Casting Stones at Glass Houses
WASHINGTON -- A fall from grace of the sort experienced recently by Indiana's Mark Souder typically brings smiles to the faces of liberals weary of moralistic religious types who preach one thing and do another. But I took no pleasure in Souder's resignation from Congress last week after it was revealed that the conservative evangelical Republican had an affair with a … [Read more...] about Casting Stones at Glass Houses
Rand Paul Tea Party
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Rand Paul Tea Party
Pac-Man Fever Forever
In case you missed it, Saturday was Pac-Man's 30th birthday. To celebrate, on Friday Google put up its first-ever playable Google doodle: Google doodler Ryan Germick and I made sure to include PAC-MAN’s original game logic, graphics and sounds, bring back ghosts’ individual personalities, and even recreate original bugs from this 1980’s masterpiece. We also added a little … [Read more...] about Pac-Man Fever Forever
Book Review – The Collapse of Complex Societies
The implication is clear: civilizations are fragile, impermanent things. This is the review of a book most of you will not read, The Collapse of Complex Societies . The Author, Joseph Tainter, is an academic and writes like one and it's full of examples and histories of past societies. Anyone who has studied history knows that societies/civilizations are born and eventually … [Read more...] about Book Review – The Collapse of Complex Societies
The Power of Nature
I had a scary moment shortly after the New Year. I was with my family in Cancun, Mexico and got caught in a rip current in the Caribbean. My brother-in-law, an excellent swimmer (formerly in the Navy and a surfer in California) was with me. He was able to grab hold of my hand and we caught the next wave to shore. All things considered I probably wasn't in that much danger. … [Read more...] about The Power of Nature