Shame on Microsoft, Yahoo and Google for cooperating with Chinese authorities in stifling free expression on the Internet.
For instance, U.S. software giant Microsoft has agreed to block certain words such as “democracy,” “freedom” and “human rights” on its Chinese Internet portal. And Google’s news search engine doesn’t include sources that might give critical views, such as the Voice of America and the BBC.
How’s that for unleashing the power of the Internet as a democratizing force in repressive societies?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Getting a Web site that touts you for president is one thing. It’s quite another to get the millions of dollars necessary for a successful run. But anyone wondering how much longer it will be before the United States has a “Madam President” will want to take note of these Web sites: www.americanwomenpresidents.org, Americansforrice.com and www.hillarynow.com. That womanizing ex-Clinton adviser Dick Morris even has a book coming out titled “Condi vs. Hillary: The Next Great Presidential Race.” And Geena Davis plays the prez in an ABC drama this fall.
Whatever it takes to prep Americans for this inevitable step is welcome. Just don’t take too long. Some of us are way past impatience.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Wichita — or at least a water tower saying “Wichita” — plays an early role in the new Hilary Duff/Heather Locklear movie “The Perfect Man.” That’s where Locklear (in a real acting role, for a change, as a single mom) gets dumped once again, prompting yet another family move, this time to Brooklyn. As Wichita movie references go, it’s pretty harmless, suggesting that at least Duff could buy a pretty dress here.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Kansas history buffs will want to check out a new magazine that brings our state’s fascinating past to life, the Kansas Journal of Military History — and don’t be put off by the dry-sounding name. The articles aren’t limited to military themes (topics include rattlesnakes on the frontier and the myth that Kansas is flat), and the magazine is well-written, attractively designed and chock-full of great photos. Go to the magazine’s Web site for sample articles and subscription information.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Attorney Kenneth Feinberg — the special master of the Sept. 11 compensation fund and author of the resulting memoir, “What Is Life Worth?” — notes that a startling 80 percent of the victims of Sept. 11 did not have wills. That complicated his job of distributing more than $7 billion to 5,560 survivors and relatives. His message is well-taken: If you don’t have a will, get one. If you have an old one, update it. Wills aren’t just for the old or the rich.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Next time you’re in Topeka, try to stop at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site and Museum. It’s housed in a restored Monroe Elementary School, one of the four Topeka elementary schools that were reserved for African-American children under segregation. It gives a good overview of not only the Brown case but also the early struggles of African-Americans, the civil rights movement of the 1960s and some concerns of today. I visited it recently and was glad I did.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Looks like that tense TV exchange between Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter (bald from chemo) was a warm-up. The Senate reportedly will debate embryonic stem-cell research next month, when a bipartisan group will push for allowing federal funds to support research of stem cells gleaned from embryos left over from in vitro fertilization. The president hasn’t budged, and Brownback is still talking filibuster. “This is the central moral issue of our day,” he recently told The Washington Times. It also may be the issue on which moderate and conservative Republicans most differ today.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
