Brian Gongol
Graphic of the day: Playa del Sol
Avoiding the three biggest Internet threats
Flaws in MSIE, phishing, and malware all cited
Sinclair and Mediacom take their fight to the Legislature
Not that they probably wanted to or anything
West Des Moines taking applications for mayor
John Kerry won't run for President in 2008
Meanwhile, Newt Gingrich is trying to lay the groundwork for a potential bid. One more evolution in the list of declared Presidential candidates.
Mime covers JFK, Jr.'s life from start to finish
(Video)
The President's energy plan is not the right answer
The President announced a plan to reduce energy dependency through the use of a hodgepodge of regulations, including new rules on fuel efficiency standards, mandating the use of renewable fuels, subsidizing domestic oil and gasoline production. Others have signed on to Greg Mankiw's Pigou Club manifesto, which says a simple "sin tax" on energy would do the trick. But there serious problems with either approach, including the fact that the gas tax is on its last legs anyway, and that states depend heavily upon gas taxes to build roads -- which, by the way, are in huge need of repair in some states. An alternative would be for the government to provide huge inducement prizes for the big ideas in energy research, which would (1) inspire a rush to find new technological answers, (2) represent an efficient use of taxpayers' money, and (3) avoid both the inefficiency of regulation and the inequality issues attendant to Pigovian taxes. Related: "Terror-Free Oil" has opened a gas station in Omaha.
Brits ready to give up the ship on liberty
35% would approve of a ban on peaceful demonstrations as a means to stop terrorism...and 50% are OK with doing away with jury trials for those charged with terrorism. All "24"-style reasoning aside, terrorist movements come and go over time, just like religious revival movements. But they go away, too -- and when liberties are given away under the pretense of short-term security, then trouble's in the air.
Deep links deep-sixed by Texas judge
The decision appears to fly in the face of existing case law, anyway, but it's a lousy precedent
Sen. Lugar says Senate should oppose White House on Iraq without a resolution
Senators Hagel and Biden say that the Senate should express its disapproval of the President's "surge" strategy with a non-binding resolution, but Lugar thinks otherwise -- though he agrees that the current plan is a faulty one. Lugar thinks that Congress instead should put the White House on the tightest of leashes and re-assert itself. The resolution has passed in committee.
Iowa Senate looks at tightening regulations on manure disposal
