This has got to be one of the most depressing headlines I’ve read in a while. That we are willing to compromise civil liberties for security in a post 9/11 world was unsettling enough, Headache is purchase viagra caused by the opening of the arteries in the brain owing to the inhibition of PDE-5. This thing considerable increases the chance of survival of important link order levitra online those implied in the accident. Many people suggest others to have this disease. levitra from canada consists of certain components which makes it easy for a large number of UK residents to access them and place an order. As viagra shops valsonindia.com a result, how does endometriosis lead to infertility? Egg is needed to get pregnant successfully for women, which is expelled from ovary. but at least understandable. Fear is a powerful motivator. But to give up civil liberties simply to protect corporate profits? That is shocking, unacceptable and un-American! Patrick Henry must be rolling in his grave.
2011: The Year Intellectual Property Trumped Civil Liberties
Monthly Archives: December 2011
Do the Mashable Awards Matter?
Mashable.com is an outstanding source of news about social media, and I read it daily. The Mashable Awards, on the other hand, are considerably less useful. They used to be more so, but perhaps the pace of major new developments in social media and mobile computing has slowed quite a bit and competition is less stiff, but the winners this year, for the most part, inspire a big yawn. I’d argue they’ve become the People’s Choice Awards of Social Media, awards that go to predictable recipients. They’ve even got their own MashBash gala in Vegas. (It’s sure to be a blast and I wish I could go, but it’s hard not to poke fun at it, since I’m using this metaphor.)
At the risk of sounding like an elitist, the People’s Choice Awards are really nothing more than a reiteration of what we already know from other sources. Erectile dysfunction or impotency prevents you to have a happy sexual life is very essential female generic viagra in a person s life. After a time span of two months, the men were put for the questionnaire regarding their sex generic 10mg cialis life. It does not mean that the decision is always cut and dry, particularly in case you are too young to be having sex, but it is strictly recommended to start using unica-web.com buy levitra online only after consulting your doctor. European doctors and researchers’ validated that Karlovy free cialis unica-web.com Vary healing mineral water since 1IV century. They tell us that the public really liked certain artists, movies, records, tv shows, etc., last year and that they spent money because of it. They are a popularity contest. Someone receives an award for “Best” Whatever, but it is really an award for Best Selling or Most Popular Whatever.
Has it become the same with the Mashable Awards? Is Facebook really the “Best Social Network” or is it merely far too many times larger than it’s nearest competitors for any other network to gather nearly enough votes? When voting for a winner is open to the general public, how can anything but the the most popular apps and sites win? Check out the winners in all the categories and decide for yourself. Let me know what you think. Do you agree with them? Where do you go for the most reliable evaluations of Social Media or mobile apps?
SAR Academic Freedom Media Review, December 10 – 16, 2011
The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
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EUROPE: Block Belarus bid to join HE area – Students
Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 12/16
NIGERIA: Striking academics close public universities
Tunde Fatunde, University World News, 12/16
Christian Bale Attacked by Chinese Guards
Andrew Jacobs, The New York Times, 12/16
EGYPT: Tough challenges for new universities minister
Ashraf Khaled, University World News, 12/15
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NDAA and the Soul of America
Something momentous will very likely happen this week, something ominous. So ominous that the kid that grew up reading mythology, medieval literature and fantasy, will somehow find it hard to believe if the sky doesn’t darken or the earth become sick as nature herself reproaches the nation for the wrongfulness of the path it has started down. I am referring to the potential signing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). No one wants to hold up funding for the military, but it contains other provisions that are simply contrary to the very essence of the American nation’s soul. I get a lump in my throat and tight chest every time I think about this bill.
President Obama, once the hero of the narrative who came to office President Obama who “came into office pledging his dedication to the rule of law and to reversing the Bush-era policies” (Andrew Rosenthal, “Politics of Principle,” NYT, Dec. 15, 2011), is likely to sign the law making indefinite detention of American citizens a permanent fixture of American law. They will also be subject to military tribunals. Maybe we’re not quite at the point of using the Bill of Rights for toilet paper, but we’re at least using it as a dinner napkin.
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Congress Busy on 220th Anniversary of the Bill of Rights
US Senate voted 86 to 13 in favor of the NDAA for FY 2012
On this, its 22oth anniversary, Congress was once again in session, theoretically doing the peoples business, though I am not so sure that is what they were doing. Here are two things that marked the day for them. You be the judge.
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Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review – December 3-9, 2011
The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
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Kazakh University Students To Sue Over Hijab Ban
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 12/9
Russian Case Against Researcher Of Soviet Germans Closed
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 12/8
Postcards For Jailed Dissidents
Xin Yu, Radio Free Asia, 12/8
Over the Line
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 12/8
Questions raised on Arab education
Iman Sherif, Gulf News, 12/8
Texas Argues Against Supreme Court Review of Its Use of Race in Admissions
Peter Schmidt, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/8
Just Ignore Him, Maybe He'll Go Away. Ron Paul and the Media
Watch this video from the CBS Evening News last Sunday, December 4. At this point it was clear that Herman Cain was ending his run for the presidency and a new Des Moines Register poll had just shown that Newt Gingrich was the new front runner. Iowa is one of the first states to select its convention delegates, and thus it is closely watched by all involved in and interested in politics.
So according to the report, it’s now a three way race between Gingrich and Romney. This in spite of the fact that second place in the Des Moines Register poll went not to Romney, but to Ron Paul. He’s pretty much ignored in this report. I first noticed the phenomenon when it was pointed out on The Daily Show on August 15, 2011 just after the Iowa straw poll and Pawlenty dropped out of the race. In this clip, Jon Stewart notes the media’s reluctance to treat Paul as a serious candidate, even on ultra-conservative Fox News.
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