i-sako.com

I’ve decided to start doing regular roundups of news and events, in part because I always find myself too short on time to give any particular story the attention it deserves. (Actually, I’ve been a bit disappointed with all of my recent blog entries, mostly because I don’t usually have much time to polish them. Most of what I write ends up being half-finished jottings.) I am hoping this change will enable me to focus on producing a smaller number of worthwhile essays while still covering many of my regular topics in somewhat less detail.

Personal

Big Lies

Last night I finished reading Joe Conason’s Big Lies, which I thought was very well done. Unlike most books of its type, Conason’s book was neither self-serving nor excessively partisan. Conason’s purpose in writing the book was not so much to bash conservatism as it was simply to show that conservatives are often guilty of hypocrisy and sometimes outright lies. Big ones.

The book was well researched and well written, making it a breeze to read. I’ll be writing a more in-depth review later.

Family

Mom meets Dean

A while ago I mentioned that my mother is taking part in a lobbyist training program in Washington, DC. In her recent mail, she writes that she has been working out of the AFL-CIO offices on K Street, where she has been busy making connections with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. That alone is enough to make me jealous, but she’s also recently reported that she met with Democratic frontrunner Howard Dean at a recent fund-raising event and got his autograph. Go Mom!

Politics

Senator Coleman on the RIAA’s amnesty offer

Although I wasn’t really happy about the unfortunate circumstances that led to Coleman’s election, I must say that I’ve been considerably impressed with his record so far. My first impression of him was clearly wrong, because he’s turning out to be a pretty good senator.

In a recent statement on the RIAA’s plan to grant amnesty to those who turn themselves in for crimes of copyright violation, Senator Coleman made the following remarks:

“The newly proposed ‘amnesty’ is clearly a strategy by the industry to address some of the concerns I and others have had in this matter,” Coleman said in a statement. “But, it raises new issues that require careful analysis and review. An amnesty that could involve millions of kids submitting and signing legal documents that plead themselves guilty to the Recording Industry Association of America may not be the best approach to achieving a balance between protecting copyright laws and punishing those who violate those laws.”

Good man. If there’s anything we need more of in the United States, it is leaders with a sense of balance. Coleman shows that he’s got that sense.

The RIAA, for its part, has settled one of its 261 frivolous, anti-consumer lawsuits, this one against a 12-year-old girl. The RIAA seems content to join SCO in the ranks of corporate entities who turn to finger-pointing lawsuits when creating profitable business models is simply too much bother.

Xpat.org kicks off tomorrow

Luis Poza and I are preparing to launch a new weblog tomorrow. Xpat.org seeks to provide a place for expats living in Japan to discuss politics. In the interest of objectivity, we wanted to keep it separate from party-specific blogs, like the Democrats Abroad weblog. Contributors from all ends of the political spectrum are welcome, so let us know if you would be interested. (Naturally, because Luis and I are both pretty firmly in the anti-Bush camp, the blog will lean that way initially, but pro-Bush types are as welcome as anyone else.)

Technology

Linux dominates perceptions of Open Source software

A recent article at Yahoo notes that many people think of Linux first whenever Open Source is mentioned. There’s good reason for it, but Linux by itself is not all that Open Source is about. Read the article for a good overview of why Linux has been comparatively more successful than the technically superior BSD.

Has Linux Eclipsed Open Source?

Given the ostensibly cooperative and communal nature of open source, it is a paradox that one OS would so dominate. How is it that the penguin has spread its wings farther than the alternatives?