Free the iPhone

As long as carriers reserve the right to cripple the phone's best features, block full access to the Internet and stick customers with astronomical bills, you're not getting the real Internet from your shiny new handheld. If we can access the free-flowing Internet via a wireless laptop or desktop computer, why can't we do the same with our new handheld computers?

Military Policy: Let's Give Women Equal Opportunity

Our Declaration of Independence states that all "men" are entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Through the years we have come to accept that this really applies to all "mankind" and therefore all people. If we really believe in those ideals, then why do we deny women the opportunity to pursue many military careers? As it stands now, our military policy towards women is chauvinistic to say the least. Not only do we deny them the opportunity to serve, but we also lower their physical standards, which I think is patronizing. We need to change the policy so that they have to meet the same standards as the men, this will weed out the weaker or less serious ones, just as it does for men. Then, the women who make it will have truly earned the right to be there, and there would be no way to deny them.

New Ads Support a Strong Public Health Insurance Option

Why do we need the choice of a public health insurance option? Imagine a health care system without profits. Without CEO pay. Without denials. Without the rising premiums crushing us and our families. What would we have left? You and your doctor. These are the new ads Health Care for America Now is going up on the air with. Can you help us extend our ad buy and get the word out on blogs?

Pakistan's Media Out of Touch

Pakistani journalist Nadeem Paracha, in a superbly referenced post on The Dawn Blog, takes his colleagues in the Pakistani media to task for their self-serving coddling of Islamic extremists. All hope is not lost with the Pakistani media. There are some who are starting to see the light and speaking out against the extremist forces.

Mexico Before the UN Human Rights Council

Human Rights Watch before the UN Human Rights Council for the Universal Periodic Review of Mexico: "Since President Calderon deployed thousands of troops to combat drug trafficking, there has been a dramatic increase in complaints of military abuses. The dysfunctional Mexican military justice system routinely takes over the investigation of even the most egregious abuses, including alleged rapes, killings, arbitrary detentions, and torture, by adopting an excessively broad definition of what constitutes an 'act of service.'"

My Health Care Action Letter

I am a self-employed piano teacher and pianist. I have supported myself for 25 years in this manner, and have managed to buy a house and accumulate a small retirement account. In 2000, my monthly insurance premium was $200. In 2004, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and ongoing hormonal therapy. I am thrilled to report that I am winning my battle against breast cancer, but am now basically an indentured servant to my insurance company and doctors.

The Changing World of Political Campaigns

Marketing has radically changed over the last 5 years. And at my company, like everyone else, are trying to figure out what we should do to market our software. But this change is equally gigantic for another system -- and that's political campaigns. George Allen was not beat because he was recorded calling an Indian-American "Macaca" (twice). He was beat because unlike the old days when it would have hit the news for a day or two and then gone away, it remained out there every day up to the election. And every time someone opposed to Allen posted anything against him, they would find a way to mention the video and put a link to it.

The Latest Regarding $134.5 Billion in Seized Bearer Bonds

Regarding the $134.5 billion in bearer bonds seized by the Italians at the Swiss border, the US has declared that they are counterfeit. This remains a fascinating story.

Teen Girl Discovers New Type of Supernova

On November 6, 2008, Caroline Moore of Warwick, New York discovered a supernova in galaxy UGC 12682, in the constellation Pegasus. Caroline is 14 years old, and is the youngest person to ever discover a supernova.

Chris Dodd is Getting Rich by Killing Health Care Reform

Senator Dodd, who has numerous conflicts of interest on health care, is telling people he supports real health care reform and then bumbling it to death. Senator Chris Dodd may have been a good legislator in his time, but now it's like watching Willie Mays play for the New York Mets. He's done everything in his power to kill health care reform.