This is awful: Virginia starts 'niceness squadrons' to police public behavior. I sure hope they get spiffy uniforms!
NEWS:
* Reminders that the economy is just fine, and there's nothing to worry about: Oregon closes schools early due to lack of money. Teen job market bleak. Terror alerts that the states can't pay for.
* Analysis: tax cut could cost over $800 billion, in reality.
* Permanent war: Bush administration hopes to incite popular uprising after intelligence links al Qaeda in Iran to Riyadh blasts. Wait, I thought they were tied to Iraq. Oh, who cares. Bush knows the public only cares about the latest news.
* Whoah. Good news? Re-examining Wahhabi doctrine in Saudi Arabia.
* Bush continues to ignore Congress, which I remind you is 1/3rd of the government. Oddly enough, Congress wants investigation into how federal contracts for rebuilding Iraq were awarded.
* A look at the workings of the threat matrix.
* Different viewpoints: seven conversations on spam.
* Philosophers take on the Matrix mythos.
* Marketing the Matrix, and the intimidating power of a media conglomerate. Good read for Shadowrun fans! Which is, apparently, part of my focus group here.
* Tough times for charities, and questions donors should ask.
* Neat: libraries turn to philanthropy and Amazon.com.
* On not being a patriot.
* The beauty of the muddled American English language.