] The Bush administration distorted intelligence and
] presented conjecture as evidence to justify a U.S.
] invasion of Iraq (news - web sites), according to a
] retired intelligence official who served during the
] months before the war.

gee. what a surprise.

Ex-Official: Evidence Distorted for War

You'd think America would have gotten over its fury at the Dixie Chicks by now.

But no.

The Chicks Are Alright

] A new study from the New York City Council is
] recommending that the Big Apple throw open the
] competitive bidding process for its annual $130 million
] phone and Internet bill in order to leverage one of the
] most expansive -- and underused -- fiber optic networks
] in the country.
]
] In so doing, New York City could not only cut its annual
] telecom bill, but would also be in a position to deploy
] wireless networking links as the "last mile" connecting
] metropolitan area networks, or MANs (define). In
] addition, it suggested using the fiber to deploy free
] Internet access with a Wi-Fi (define) Network in
] Brooklyn's Prospect Park.

Well, the revolution takes another giant leap. There is no stopping it now. Telecom is commoditizing at a rapid rate. And the reliance upon this infrastructure is continuing to accelerate and infiltrate every aspect of our lives. We might just yet see an inflection point where the dominance of a few key monolithic corporations in controlling the world's communications infrastructure starts to shift towards an infrastructure that exists purely to foster the applications and systems that live on it.

I can't see far enough down the road to say that the infrastructure will become free, but the price point will asymptotically drop to zero within maybe a decade. Simply because citizens are tired of dealing with the monopolies and their screwy tactics that prevent the ultimate uses of this infrastructure. At what point do shareholders of these companies catch on and throw out the bums running them now and replace them with someone who has a lick of vision? The gold is in the services that ride on top, not on the line itself. The quicker the 'people' own the infrastructure, and it is open and available for all, the quicker we will usher in a completely new world that we have not even imagined yet.

See http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/28553 for even more good news.

NYC: Leverage Fiber, Offer Free Wi-Fi

] A bill pitting telecommunications and entertainment
] companies against some of their customers won't come up
] for a vote in the General Assembly this year, its
] sponsors said yesterday.

YEAH!!!!

Legislature won't vote on cable theft this year

] Going into The Matrix: Reloaded, I wasn't worried if the
] fight scenes or special effects would measure up to the
] first film - it was the metaphysics that bothered me.

What every geek is talking about these days. That is if you paid attention in philosophy class.

The Matrix Reloaded: The Corporate Mofo Guide

] WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Cartoon characters Bugs Bunny and
] Daffy Duck will be used in public service messages
] educating Cambodians about land mines, the State
] Department said Wednesday.

Bugs Bunny to warn about land mines

] The SARS virus can live for days in the stool and urine
] of patients, the World Health Organization said Sunday in
] a new report that could shed light on the frightening
] spread of the disease.
]
] Hong Kong scientists have suspected the virus could live
] in sewage -- something that could help explain an
] outbreak that affected residents at a large apartment
] complex.

Which explains why it's centralized in China, and why all the people walking around with surgical masks are idiots.

SARS Lives Long, Prospers in Poop

] What the war costs in dollars is not the most important
] thing. What it costs in lives and what it achieves are
] the most important things. But right now you can't help
] thinking about the cost in dollars...

What the war will cost you.

] A U.S. airstrike on Monday targeted a building in Baghdad
] that time-sensitive intelligence suggested senior Iraqi
] leaders, including Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his
] sons, were meeting there.
]
] How is intelligence like that gathered and how reliable
] is it?

Finally, something about the real bad asses in this conflict. Special Forces.

Ex-SAS commando discusses covert operations

] The suspensions of 35 high school students in this quaint
] coastal town have made it the new focus of an old issue:
] the potentially offensive fashion statement made by
] donning the Confederate flag.

as a Yankee, I'm not sure if this is sad or humorous.

Suspended 'Dixie chicks' defend attire