Quickies

Allpeers announces that it's first round of beta testing has begun. Congrats! I hope it goes well for them. As I've said before, this has the opportunity to be a killer app for Firefox that could push it's usage over the edge. I anxiously await my own Beta invite...

How insane is the RIAA in pursuit of what it considers illegal file sharers? Read the alleged first hand account of a student who claims it was suggested to her that she quit college in order to pay her debts. That's insane, arrogant, and a bullying technique.

One of the Bush regimes claims about the policy in the Middle East is that the U.S. government wants to further human rights and bring democracy to the region. Of course, elections in Egypt, the Palestinian territories, and Iraq haven't exactly bore the fruit that the administration claimed to desire and our closest allies in the region are the Saudis, who do not have democracy. The Washington Monthly pointed out this Washington Post column on how the Bushies are actually lowering the funding of groups and institutions that promote democracy in the region. Just like the U.S. tax code, if you want to know what the real priorities of government are, then look at the numbers of where the money is spent.

Warning: Listening to The Clash is still dangerous.

Warning: The U.S. Department of Fatherland Security cannot even spot the danger within. I bet they can tell a dangerous song when they hear one, though. They won't let the Brits get too far ahead of them on that count, will they?