(no subject)
News from all over the world ... :) Might take more than 60 seconds, though.
Politics:
-- The media has begun a deeper scrutiny of Rick Perry following his announcement that he will seek the Republican nomination for president. The Texas Observer wrote a full-length feature highlighting Perry's religious roots and his religious allies' ambitions for infiltrating federal government: Rick Perry's Army of God. There are Pagans who hold astonishingly similar beliefs ... I used to be one of them, about 15 years ago. Then I grew up. Apparently the New Apostolic Reformation skipped that step.
-- The New Yorker's Noreen Malone points out Five things you might not know about Rick Perry, including the fact that he used to be a Democrat. Of course, a lot of Democrats later became Republicans ... Strom Thurmond, for example. Malone makes a regrettable error in the second paragraph, though: Perry used a laser-sighted pistol to shoot a coyote, not an actual laser pistol.
-- And apparently the Texas governor isn't above threatening other government officials to get his way: Rick Perry: It would be 'almost treasonous' for Ben Bernanke to print more money before election. "Almost treasonous," from a man who has seriously entertained the idea of Texas' secession from the Union? Hypocrisy, thy name is Perry.
-- Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and other GOP Congressmen have taken the step of privatizing government a step further. If you're one of their constituents, Politico.com reports that you now will have to pay for access: Talk to Paul Ryan? It'll cost you. Last I checked, being a representative meant you represent everyone in your district, not just the ones who agree with you.
-- San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit agency, or BART, is facing pressure after it took the rather dictatorial step of turning off cellphone towers to try and prevent protests in its train stations: BART: We will tell you when it's your turn to speak. Anonymous responded by hacking BART's servers and releasing personal information on 2,400 customers who used BART's website to manage their accounts, which makes about as much sense as protesting the agency by pushing its customers into the path of an oncoming train.
Business:
-- AT&T is striking back against customers seeking to sue it over its planned acquisition of T-Mobile, according to PC Magazine: AT&T goes after customers over T-Mobile merger lawsuit. Increasingly, companies force customers to sign contracts forfeiting their right to sue in favor of arbitration ... and what company is going to choose an arbitrator who's unfriendly to the company? This case bears watching for a lot of reasons.
World:
-- Pakistan reportedly gave Chinese officials access to a crashed stealth helicopter that took part in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 1, Reuters reports: Pakistan let China see crashed U.S. "stealth" copter. With "strategic allies" like Pakistan, who needs enemies?
-- In Libya, rebels have choked off Moammar Qaddafi's fuel supplies and have Tripoli surrounded: Is this the Libyan end game?. Qaddafi, for his part, has encouraged the people of Libya to take up arms against "traitors and from NATO." Mr. Qaddafi, the people of Libya have taken up arms against traitors, and you are number one on that list.
-- "A child shall lead them"? The BBC reports that children are training for priesthood to help fill shortages that are expected during the upcoming Ganesh Ustav: Children step in to cover for Indian priest shortage. For those interested, the 10-day Hindu holiday begins Sept. 1.
Science:
-- Scientists are trying to develop a method for firing laser pulses one quintillionth of a second in duration so they can record electron interactions: Lasers that flash in a quintillionth of a second could 'film' electrons as they interact. To put the time measurement into perspective: an attosecond, as a quintillionth of a second is known, is a billionth of a billionth of a second.
Politics:
-- The media has begun a deeper scrutiny of Rick Perry following his announcement that he will seek the Republican nomination for president. The Texas Observer wrote a full-length feature highlighting Perry's religious roots and his religious allies' ambitions for infiltrating federal government: Rick Perry's Army of God. There are Pagans who hold astonishingly similar beliefs ... I used to be one of them, about 15 years ago. Then I grew up. Apparently the New Apostolic Reformation skipped that step.
-- The New Yorker's Noreen Malone points out Five things you might not know about Rick Perry, including the fact that he used to be a Democrat. Of course, a lot of Democrats later became Republicans ... Strom Thurmond, for example. Malone makes a regrettable error in the second paragraph, though: Perry used a laser-sighted pistol to shoot a coyote, not an actual laser pistol.
-- And apparently the Texas governor isn't above threatening other government officials to get his way: Rick Perry: It would be 'almost treasonous' for Ben Bernanke to print more money before election. "Almost treasonous," from a man who has seriously entertained the idea of Texas' secession from the Union? Hypocrisy, thy name is Perry.
-- Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and other GOP Congressmen have taken the step of privatizing government a step further. If you're one of their constituents, Politico.com reports that you now will have to pay for access: Talk to Paul Ryan? It'll cost you. Last I checked, being a representative meant you represent everyone in your district, not just the ones who agree with you.
-- San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit agency, or BART, is facing pressure after it took the rather dictatorial step of turning off cellphone towers to try and prevent protests in its train stations: BART: We will tell you when it's your turn to speak. Anonymous responded by hacking BART's servers and releasing personal information on 2,400 customers who used BART's website to manage their accounts, which makes about as much sense as protesting the agency by pushing its customers into the path of an oncoming train.
Business:
-- AT&T is striking back against customers seeking to sue it over its planned acquisition of T-Mobile, according to PC Magazine: AT&T goes after customers over T-Mobile merger lawsuit. Increasingly, companies force customers to sign contracts forfeiting their right to sue in favor of arbitration ... and what company is going to choose an arbitrator who's unfriendly to the company? This case bears watching for a lot of reasons.
World:
-- Pakistan reportedly gave Chinese officials access to a crashed stealth helicopter that took part in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 1, Reuters reports: Pakistan let China see crashed U.S. "stealth" copter. With "strategic allies" like Pakistan, who needs enemies?
-- In Libya, rebels have choked off Moammar Qaddafi's fuel supplies and have Tripoli surrounded: Is this the Libyan end game?. Qaddafi, for his part, has encouraged the people of Libya to take up arms against "traitors and from NATO." Mr. Qaddafi, the people of Libya have taken up arms against traitors, and you are number one on that list.
-- "A child shall lead them"? The BBC reports that children are training for priesthood to help fill shortages that are expected during the upcoming Ganesh Ustav: Children step in to cover for Indian priest shortage. For those interested, the 10-day Hindu holiday begins Sept. 1.
Science:
-- Scientists are trying to develop a method for firing laser pulses one quintillionth of a second in duration so they can record electron interactions: Lasers that flash in a quintillionth of a second could 'film' electrons as they interact. To put the time measurement into perspective: an attosecond, as a quintillionth of a second is known, is a billionth of a billionth of a second.