A society that presumes a norm of violence…

A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of its business, cannot help making celebrities of the people who would destroy it.
  - Lewis H. Lapham, editor and writer (1935- )

This quote came to me from Anu Garg's A Word A Day service.

Why Software Patents are a Terrible Mistake

See this article and search down for the word Hugo. That paragraph is the beginning of a short thought-exercise that clearly illustrates exactly why software patents are a very bad idea.

America admits having secret laws

"This is America," said James Harrison, a lawyer representing Gilmore. "We do not have secret laws. Period."

Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Observe the last paragraph of the same article:

The Justice Department has said it could identify the secret law under seal, which would be available to the 9th Circuit but not necessarily Gilmore's lawyers. But any public description would not be permitted, the department said.

Don't Be Evil Marries the Patriot Act?

Google search and seizure - The Boston Globe:

In the era of the misnamed USA Patriot Act, which allows warrantless police searches that are not even disclosed to the target, Google plus Dick Cheney is a recipe for undoing the liberties for which the original patriots of the American Revolution bled and died. Under the Patriot Act, anyone suspected of enabling terrorism can be subjected to these fishing expeditions. Depending on a prosecutor's whims, that includes all of us.

Please read the rest of the article: it's worth your time to stay informed.