February 2005

There were 58 posts published in February 2005 (this is page 1 of 10).

Right To Travel

Per Slashdot, here’s an article on Electronic Frontier Foundation co-founder John Gilmore’s effort to challenge secret federal laws requiring travelers to present identification papers at airports.
The case raises an interesting question: Does a system allowing the government to track our whereabouts really make us safer? You can read more about it here.
It’s healthy for our society that people like Mr. Gilmore are willing to fight rules which most people simply don’t bother to question. Since 9/11, the government has been doing a lot of things that have not been subject to adequate public scrutiny. We need people to force the issue of why.

Wal-Mart Corporate Citizenship

Timothy Noah points out what most people interested in the issue probably already know–that Wal-Mart doesn’t pay its employees very well.
Meanwhile, Frank Rich notes that if the public doesn’t approve of Wal-Mart’s labor practices, one couldn’t tell. For we continue to reward bad behavior by demanding the lowest prices on everything.
Yes, I’m guilty as charged. Not only is there that price factor, but Wal-Mart is also the closest store to the house. So I can be spotted there on occasion. Makes it harder to complain about the corporate practices, doesn’t it?

Under The Knife

I was away from the computer/news most of the day, and upon returning I see that news TV is hot and heavy on the Pope’s throat surgery. From what I’ve seen, this story has two elements thus far:
(1) The Pope had a tracheotomy, and
(2) The powers that be have deemed it successful.
It takes less than a minute to adequately cover these points. The remainder of the continuous coverage is being consumed by general Pope talk and surgery fillers. Which, in my view, aren’t too interesting.
There’s only some much interest you can milk out of someone’s post-operative status. The newsies either need to elevate this story to a death watch or move to another story.