Technology Blog

This is the press release for a study that finds the US ranks behind Lativa in press freedom:

While the United States remained one of the strongest performers in the survey, its numerical score declined due to a number of legal cases in which prosecutors sought to compel journalists to reveal sources or turn over notes or other material they had gathered in the course of investigations. Additionally, doubts concerning official influence over media content emerged with the disclosures that several political commentators received grants from federal agencies, and that the Bush administration had significantly increased the practice of distributing government-produced news segments.

“Even in established democracies, press freedom should not be taken for granted,” said Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer Windsor. “It must be defended and nurtured.”

Indeed.

What are you going to do?

This post was written by George, source: Defending, nuturing free press

An excerpt from The Willing Suspension of Disbelief:

A country where “Desperate Housewives” and “American Idol” get higher ratings than a presidential debate.

A country where political correctness trumps what is right or just.

A country where judges write more laws than the legislature.

A country where the majority would rather bend over and bow to the minority than stand up and fight for what is right and fair…

This post was written by George, source: My Country Tis Of Thee?

I wouldn’t call this officer’s behavior unfortunate, I’d call it wrong or illegal or unconstitutional:

The victim John Bell says Officer Devore threatened him. The lawsuit claims the officer said he’ll give Bell until the count of three to hand over the camera or he’ll make his life “a living hell.”

“What’s really wrong with this whole picture is we have a police officer basically robbing a citizen,” said Dean Hoover, victim’s attorney.

The attorney for Bell says it was unreasonable search and seizure, a violation of the 4th amendment.

“The stopping of his car, abduction…made a false police report, which itself is a crime,” said Hoover.

“The officer was wrong,” said Chief Dave Robbins, Hudson police. “His actions were unfortunate.”

What would you call it?

Via Bitter Girl.

This post was written by George, source: Unfortunate?

I used to have some respect for Mark Cuban, but it turns out he’s just another conservative fundamentalist (and I mean that in the secular sense):

Mavs owner Mark Cuban and Spurs center David Robinson who said, ‘”If it’s an embarrassment to [Nash] maybe [he] should be in a different country.’

Have Americans become that intolerant, or have we always been that way?

This post was written by George, source: Say what?

Jeff Hess left this comment here on Brewed Fresh Daily:

For all that it has allowed me to accomplish in my life, I returned 11 years of service to my country.

We often get teary-eyed on holidays. While I have to say that my observations are anecdotal, it has been my experience that flags play very little role during those thankfully fleeting insane moments of terror that separate the long stretches of boredom for anyone in the military.

It is to your military family, those handful of others on whom you count to watch your back, that your mind turns when you’re in the shit.

But on the broader, more philosophical plane, I have to say that it is a piece of paper, the United States Constitution, not a piece of cloth, that motivated me.

I, and every other person in the service took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Sadly, I think anyone would be hard pressed to discover even a handful of trainees at any boot camp who have actually read and understand the constitution they have sworn to defend with their lives.

For me, there are no more stirring words than:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

That is something worth dying for.

This post was written by George, source: Something worth dying for

John Palmer remembers:

It’s the soldier, not the reporter, who gives us freedom of the press.

It’s the soldier, not the poet, who gives us freedom of speech.

It’s the soldier, not the campus organizer, who permits people to demonstrate.

It’s the soldier - who salutes the flag, serves the flag, and whose coffin is
draped with the flag - that allows the protester to burn the flag.

We all have roles. What’s yours?

This post was written by George, source: Putting politics aside

If you’ve been reading BFD for a while, you know I tend to do short posts. Well, that’s changing. I’ve done more of an opinion piece at NoClevelandWalmart.org called Walmart and the American Dream?

The irony of it is, I end up concluding that I’d rather see The Gates Foundation in the community then The Walton Family Foundation…

This post was written by George, source: From blogger to essayist

From Motivational Quotes of the Day:

“To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act.” - Anatole France

This post was written by George, source: Dreaming