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Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Month: January 2009 Page 7 of 10

Leno Nails It

By

On January 10, 2009

In Politics, Society

I can’t believe that I’m quoting Jay Leno, but this bit from a recent monologue involving the Senate not seating Burris is perfect:

“Actually, it looks like Roland Burris will get his Senate seat, but Senate leaders said not until his certificate is signed by the Illinois secretary of state. They say this has been the rule since 1884. They’ve never, ever wavered from this. Of course, over the past eight years, they’ve waived rules against, y’know, torture and spying on Americans and violating the Constitution, but never the little signature.”

Priorities.

Lessig on Colbert

By

On January 10, 2009

In Law, Policy, Society

Lessig takes his battle for intelligent public policy to the Stephen Colbert Show:

The Colbert ReportMon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Lawrence Lessig

From the interview:

Colbert: You say our copyright laws are turning our kids into criminals, because they’re keeping kids from doing all the remixing they want of pre-existing art and copywritten material, right?

Isn’t that like saying that arson laws are turning our kids into pyromaniacs?? They’re breaking the law! You can’t just throw the law out the window!

Lessig: “Totally failed war.” Is that familiar to you?

Colbert: No. No. You’re saying we need a surge?

Weekend Music: 1783 Edition

By

On January 9, 2009

In Music

Dustin O’Halloran – Opus 23

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx6gr_Ch9x8[/youtube]

Radio Dept – I Don’t Like It Like This

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVjwgehZtg8[/youtube]

Aphex Twin – Avril 14th

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBFXJw7n-fU[/youtube]

“The Secret Service, they’re insane.”

By

On January 9, 2009

In DC, Policy, Politics, Virginia

Yup, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va) is quote as having said that today, about the Fortress DC Lockdown the Secret Service seems to be planning.   Closing all of the bridges from Virginia to DC is bad enough, but making pedestrians prove that they have a right to be in their own neighborhoods?  Yeah, I think we might be approaching insane.

A Visual Toy

By

On January 9, 2009

In Personal, Tech

This site – Tiltshiftmaker.com – lets you approximate the effects of tiltshift photography without actually doing it.  It’s a fun way to explore the possibilities without committing to it.   I used it to rework a photo of my own:

Nifty, no?

Want to Buy a Brewpub in Alexandria?

By

On January 8, 2009

In Personal, Virginia

Shenandoah Brewing Company is for sale.

(This suddenly makes me feel guilty, as they’ve been very good about sponsoring one of my cycling clubs, and I’ve never been.  Will go tomorrow.  You should come.)

GOP Takes On the Tough (Imaginary) Issues

By

On January 8, 2009

In Distribution, Law, Policy, Politics

Looks like the Republican rodeo clowns are already starting their show:

Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday that would bar Congress, President-elect Barack Obama and federal media regulators from bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, which they said would all but eliminate the talk-radio industry.

Maybe we can get a bill to bar bringing New Coke back, too?  As Steve Benen notes:

These guys aren’t pushing a bill to get rid of the Fairness Doctrine, because it’s already gone. They’re pushing a bill to prevent anyone from trying to bring it back — despite the fact that there is no meaningful effort to do so. TNR’s Marin Cogan recently wrote a great piece, noting that she couldn’t find anyone on the left who was serious about reinstating the policy. Cogan explained, “The prospect of being in the opposition often brings out the worst in conservatives — paranoia and self-pity.”

The Republican party likes to go on and on about responsibility and self-reliance, but they’ve got this whiny victimhood thing down pat.

Contempt for the Citizenry

By

On January 8, 2009

In Politics, Virginia

Vivian’s got a good point.

End of LiveJournal?

By

On January 8, 2009

In Distribution, Tech

Sounds like LiveJournal might be on its way out:

The bubble in social networking has burst, decisively. LiveJournal, the San Francisco-based arm of Sup, a Russian Internet startup, has cut 12 of 28 U.S. employees — and offered them no severance, we’re told.

[ . . . ]

The company’s product managers and engineers were laid off, leaving only a handful of finance and operations workers — which speaks to a website to be left on life support.

Ouch.  It’s entirely unsurprising – there are only so many investors in the world willing trade something for nothing – but it’s still a bit sad.  LiveJournal – started in 1999 – can lay claim to being part of the foundation upon which online social networking was built.  Further, it provides the infrastructure on which a number of unique shared-interest communities depend (however, that sort of ecological frailty is not a good idea).  I hope that its users can find a new home (preferably one that doesn’t depend on an unsustainable business model).

Keep the Blackberry

By

On January 8, 2009

In Distribution, Policy

Obama wants to keep his Blackberry.  From TPM:

Obama acknowledged in a nationally broadcast interview Thursday that the Blackberry is a concern, “not just to the Secret Service, but also to lawyers.”

Asked in an interview broadcast on NBC’s “Today” show whether the issue had been resolved, Obama replied, “I’m still in a scuffle around that.” He asked: “How do you stay in touch with the flow of everyday life?”

Enough with the mob mentality – no fingerprints, no records – that’s characterized the White House.   It may not be in the White House counsel’s best interest to have a Blackberry in Obama’s pocket, but it’s certainly in the public interest.

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