The NYTimes has a a major piece out today, For Mozilla and Google, Group Hugs Get Tricky, about the impact of Google's Chrome on Mozilla's Firefox. The story is a typical can-the-new-entrant-bring-down-the-incumbent style business tale. The setup is in the new offices of the feisty David, Mozilla Firefox, that has survived and thrived despite the twin Goliaths, Microsoft … [Read more...] about Chrome v Firefox: Can Innovation Happen Without A Fight to the Death?
Should Obama Close Loopholes on Overseas Profits?
The Obama administration recently unveiled a proposal which would make changes to international tax law in the United States tax code. The general thrust of this effort would be to reduce tax avoidance by American companies for overseas investments and resources and reduce the incentive for expatriating profits and jobs. An excellent nine point summary of the plan can be found … [Read more...] about Should Obama Close Loopholes on Overseas Profits?
The Reality Check Is Not in the Mail
This month, for the first time in decades, a payment I sent did not reach its recipient. This rare mishap was a reminder that good old reliable snail mail is in its death throes after 234 years of creating a national community out of isolated places thousands of miles apart, making a daily visit to the mailbox an adventure that brought the world to us with words on paper, … [Read more...] about The Reality Check Is Not in the Mail
Mr President Keep the Change (Guest Voice)
Mr President Keep the Change by Michael Reagan In late April of this year, at the three-month mark of his administration, President Obama challenged his cabinet to save $100 million over the following 90 days. Well, not surprisingly those 90 days have come and gone without the spend-happy administration saying anything about meeting the goals of this self-imposed … [Read more...] about Mr President Keep the Change (Guest Voice)
This Is Insane, and Grossly Disrespectful to the POTUS
The House is considering a resolution demanding that Pres. Obama apologize to Sgt. James Crowley for saying he "acted stupidly" in the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. … [Read more...] about This Is Insane, and Grossly Disrespectful to the POTUS
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Virginia Gubernatorial Election – Clues From The Past
Rhodes Cook: THE VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION - CLUES FROM THE PAST It is often said that the past is prologue. In that regard, this year's gubernatorial candidates in Virginia--Democrat Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell--share a bit of common history. They ran against each other for state attorney general in 2005, a race that ended as one of the closest statewide … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Virginia Gubernatorial Election – Clues From The Past
Conservatives and the Gates Affair
I work part time as a pastor at a church near downtown Minneapolis. A few months ago, I went to the church one Saturday evening to do some work. The church has an alarm system and I tried to disarm it with my code only to realize that the code did not work. After some time, I was able to use another person's code to shut the alarm off. Unfortunately, I was not able to … [Read more...] about Conservatives and the Gates Affair
One More Fallen Hero to Receive the Medal of Honor (Update)
Update to "One More Fallen Hero to Receive the Medal of Honor" The Following is a White House statement on the award of the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti, U.S. Army: THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _____________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release … [Read more...] about One More Fallen Hero to Receive the Medal of Honor (Update)
Sex Offender iPhone App; Some Small Sanity for Sexting Teens
A couple stories on the sex offender front... TechCrunch's MG Siegler was browsing the top 10 paid iPhone apps list today: [T]he list appeared pretty typical: A bunch of games, a camera app, etc. Then I noticed one called Offender Locator [iTunes link], mostly because it has a creepy icon. I figured it was a game — it’s anything but. It’s an app to show you registered sex … [Read more...] about Sex Offender iPhone App; Some Small Sanity for Sexting Teens
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Tweets of the Week
Larry J. Sabato: Tweets of the Week 1:24 PM Jul 16th: Today the Richmond Times-Dispatch apologized editorially for its role in Massive Resistance. Late but welcome and heartfelt. Worth reading. 8:42 PM Jul 17th: Just returned from Massive Resistance event. Absolutely moving. Some wounds are still there after 50 yrs. Will air on C-SPAN--see listings. 8:48 PM Jul 17th: … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Tweets of the Week
Barnesian Economics
Fred Barnes is on his high horse again, accusing Barack Obama of being the "know-nothing-in-chief" because, in Barnes's view, Obama knows nothing about "free market" economics. … [Read more...] about Barnesian Economics
Welcome to Gates-gate
When I first saw the headlines about Gates being arrested, I thought to myself, "How in the world did the Secretary of Defense get arrested?" No, not that Gates. Henry Louis Gates, of Harvard. I read the WSJ's first write-up of the story and thought to myself, "Please let this be a one-day story. Please, don't let this become a pointless racial brouhaha." IMHO, if there … [Read more...] about Welcome to Gates-gate
Abu Muqawama, Back From Afghanistan
Counterinsurgency blogger Andrew Exum, aka Abu Muqawama, is back from Afghanistan. Andrew explains: I was asked by General McChrystal to be part of a small team of scholars and practitioners helping to conduct his 60-day review of strategy and operations in Afghanistan. So I have spent the past month traveling around Afghanistan conducting interviews and trying to evaluate … [Read more...] about Abu Muqawama, Back From Afghanistan
Another Foray Into Climate Science
As always, my role is the amateur plunging into a pool of expertise. On Thursday, George Will quoted Mark Steyn to the effect, If you're 29, there has been no global warming for your entire adult life. If you're graduating high school, there has been no global warming since you entered first grade. Kevin Drum dismissed Steyn's comment as a denialist talking point: Global … [Read more...] about Another Foray Into Climate Science
Obama And Biden Are Seeding A New “Cool War” With Russia
Even as he asserts his desire to reset relations with Russia in a positive direction, President Barack Obama is sowing early seeds for a new Cool War if not Cold War with Russia and its satellites. The latest act was Vice President Joe Biden’s clear and full backing to Georgia, which is being interpreted there and in East and Central European capitals as an informal military … [Read more...] about Obama And Biden Are Seeding A New “Cool War” With Russia
Teachable Moments
This is the headline at The Root: … [Read more...] about Teachable Moments
Rush On Limbaugh
It's no secret I am not a fan of conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. That does not mean I don't respect the guy for the millions he has earned milking the political juices from his loyal following. Hell, I don't even own a radio so I obviously don't listen much. The "listening" comes from snippets of video clips mostly his enemies play on MSNBC-TV. Usually they are … [Read more...] about Rush On Limbaugh
The Generals Of ’76
The Wall Street Journal has a very good profile today of the West Point Class of 1976, whose graduates include Ray Odierno, our commander in Iraq, and Stanley McChrystal, our commander in Afghanistan, along with several other prominent generals. The article mentions in passing that Odierno's son lost his arm in 2004, in a firefight near Baghdad. Later, the article mentions … [Read more...] about The Generals Of ’76
Should Copyright Of Academic Works Be Abolished? & ASCAP Gone Wild
Harvard Law Professor Steven Shavell has a new paper that "explains why abolishing copyright for academic publications is a good idea — and why the open access movement that seeks a similar goal is unlikely to succeed.” You can download (and comment on) the paper here. From the abstract: The conventional rationale for copyright of written works, that copyright is needed … [Read more...] about Should Copyright Of Academic Works Be Abolished? & ASCAP Gone Wild
Obama’s Health Care Struggle – Waterloo or Water Down? (Guest Voice)
Obama's Health Care Struggle - Waterloo or Water Down? by Bill Moyers and Michael Winship Push finally came to shove in Washington this week as the battle for health care escalated from scattered sniper fire into all-out combat. If it all seems to be getting more and more confusing, join the club. It's hard to see what's happening through all the gun smoke. The … [Read more...] about Obama’s Health Care Struggle – Waterloo or Water Down? (Guest Voice)