Archive for June, 2007
GOP Blocks “No Confidence” vote for Gonzales
The Raw Story | Senate Democrats fail to pass no confidence vote on Gonzales
It turns out the 53 votes Dems got would have been enough to pass the “no confidence” resolution on Alberto Gonzales. But instead of that, the Republicans forced a virtual filibuster, which required a special cloture vote, needing 60 to end it. [...]
G-Privacy
With all the hoopla over the new Street View mode in Google Maps, I think it’s time to revisit Google’s Mission and issues of privacy. The mission, again, is to organize and deliver the world’s information.
The problem many people have with Street View is that it takes pictures of actual people doing actual things. Is [...]
The Fountain, explained
After finally watching The Fountain, I decided to post my interpretation of the movie for anyone who cares. I know a lot of people who said they just didn’t get it. And while there are a few mysteries and ambiguities, I think the themes of the movie go a long way to explaining which Toms [...]
Read More..>>Democrats spoiling for fight over stem cell bill
Democrats spoiling for fight over stem cell bill - Stem Cell Research - MSNBC.com
…Bush made his position clear weeks ago when he said the legislation, which involves the destruction of human embryos, “crosses a moral line that I and many others find troubling.â€
What Bush intentionally fails to understand is that ESC research ‘involves’ the [...]
Google Maps/Earth at 35,000 feet
JetBlue Airways - Press Releases
"Google is pleased to provide our innovative mapping technology to JetBlue’s customers," said John Hanke, Director of Google Maps and Earth. "We’re excited to see Google Maps in use at 35,000 feet."
I’ve been waiting for this to happen for about seven years now. This application was one of the early [...]
Debate Analysis
So we’re done with CNN’s first round of debates, and one thing was striking about both — the so-called "fringe" candidates were about equally shafted across the board.
Read More..>>The Difference between Anti-Semitism and Criticism of Israel
I recently found this interesting opinion piece via digg and found the resulting commentary most annoying. There is an incredible amount of ignorance on all sides about what is or isn’t anti-Semitism. People who want to talk about these issues often preface their comments with extreme defensiveness about not being called "anti-Semitic," perhaps out of [...]
Read More..>>The Six Day War — Forty Years Long (and Counting)
Some background reading: General Six-Day-War commemoration (BBC NEWS) and Story about Arabs Blaming their problems on the War (AP)
A lot has been said about the Six Day War. It was also the most critical event in my life, perhaps, because I was conceived in the wake of Israel’s victory. But the Six Day war has [...]
Arkansas GOP calls for more terrorists attacks on the US
The Raw Story | Arkansas GOP head: We need more ‘attacks on American soil’ so people appreciate Bush
“At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [Sept. 11, 2001],” Milligan said [...]
Understanding the JFK Airport Plot
4 Accused of Plot to Blow Up Facilities at Kennedy Airport - New York Times
Mark J. Mershon, the assistant director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in New York, said all four men had “fundamentalist Islamic beliefs of a violent nature,” although they appeared to be acting on their own [...]