Internet Addiction and You

Oh, hey there! I see you are online again. Must've been a tough day, huh? Where are you coming from? Work, walking the dog, taking the kids to dance class, just had dinner with the family? Wait, none of those things? You're coming from Facebook? Well, then you've been online for longer than I thought. Did you get anything done around the house today or have you been sitting in front of the computer since you got home? Maybe you're just tired and haven't been going to bed on time lately. Oh, you say that's because of the internet too? Hmm, this might be a problem.

Click to read more ...

Google, The Great Firewall, and Why Blogging Matters

Today Google, one of the internet's largest and most innovative companies, announced that it is considering pulling its search engine, email and other products out of China's internet market. The move comes after a cyber attack on Google's server in which hackers tried to access the gmail accounts of several Chinese human rights activists. This offensive coupled with evidence that suggests these were the same hackers who infiltrated US defense computer system last year could portend a full blown geopolitical cyber crisis.

Click to read more ...

Be Careful What You Wish For: Healthcare, Democracy, and the Internet

As a free citizen in a democratic republic, what combination of factors would make you so fired up that you would actively seek out your local congressman and shout at him until he will listen to your two cents on an issue? Recently there has been a wave of American anger boiling over at town hall meetings regarding healthcare. In a previous post, I questioned what the news media would cover during the August recess of Congress. I posited that Americans would begin to demand more answers from those in power regarding their lack of progress on international issues. I was right about the renewed call to politicians for more accountability, but wrong about the agenda that would be called into question. It seems a sizable portion of our citizens are most concerned about, indeed fearful of, the Democrats' healthcare initiatives and are voicing their concern to elected officials while they are making their August visits to their home constituencies.

Click to read more ...