While some bloggers have correspondents in places such as Afghanistan, I have correspondents from the most important breaking story of the day:

The Michael Jackson Trial!!!

Stay tuned as Von and Calzone file their reports from the field, ad credentialled samaBloggers. We look forward to their reporting.

I may have to read this book:

Why the conventional wisdom is so often wrong . . . How “experts”- from criminologists to real-estate agents to political scientists-bend the facts . . . Why knowing what to measure, and how to measure it, is the key to understanding modern life . . . What is “freakonomics,” anyway?

Read Freakonomics.

This from my alma mater, the University of Chicago:

The action is motivated by the discovery by a campus web developer that files containing social security numbers were located on a portion of a public server that could be accessed by web developers not associated with the site. He had pointed this out last November, at which time all of the several dozen files were believed to have been moved to more secure networks. Last week, however, the same web developer found that several of the files were found to be still on the server.

Nice. It effects every class from 1990-2002. That includes me. Way to go U of C.

Check it and more security failings at Adam Shostack’s blog, Emergent Chaos.

CryingWhileEating.com

Scooba Dooba Doo!

Mop My Floors!

I have nothing to say on the details of it, most of that has already been said. As usual, Michelle Malkin has the roundup (she’s getting better at this than Reynolds, no?) In any event, I would like to point one thing out:

Had Truman taken this long to fire MacArthur, it never would have happened. Had the Republicans just done this thing quickly, like ripping off a band-aid, it would have been forgotten by now.

This should have been obvious to Frist. The fact that it wasn’t indicates to me that he is unfit for a leadership role. I just hope he doesn’t run for President. It’d be embarrassing.

There’s been this running online debate about whether the empire in Star Wars is evil or not. Adam Shostack argues that it is, and he drives the point home convincingly, arguing that the empire is not a benign dictatorship that one could do business with like that of Pinochet:

But we only see three instances of business being done in the movies. The first is Ben Kenobi hiring Han Solo. Even after Kenobi’s death, the Rebel Alliance makes good on his contract. Makes good on a contract that no court would ever enforce–to smuggle military secrets and wanted fugitives past a government blockade? Another is the Empire hiring bounty hunters. (Even there, the Empire may be playing favorites with Fett.) But the Standard betrays their disregard for law, and their lust for order by choosing to ignore what happens to Lando Calrissian. As Vader tells him,

I have altered the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.

That’s not a dictatorship people can do business with, its the abuse of raw power in pursuit of goals that Vader thinks are worthwhile. The Dark Side may be looking to restore order, but its an order that it, in Darth Sideous, has destroyed. And with it, they would destroy families, friendships, and liberty.

Adam’s right. The empire is ruled by men, and not laws. It is decidedly not benign.

Read The Altered Deal.

Check it here.

I’m back from Atlantic City (I know, I didn’t tell you I was going). I have some pictures which I’ll post later.

In the meantime, check these pics taken by Fred.

DaveyB just got back from China and he’s got lots of cool photos up. Check it out.