• Delicious: Remarks from Condoleezza Rice’s forum address

• Delicious: Silicon Valley: D.C. doesn’t get tech – Tony Romm – POLITICO.com, COLOR IN MOTION A fantastic little minisite all about colors, what they represent, etc., animated in a fun Flash video., Original Reader.html page for Safari Just a backup in case I want to revert to the original someday.

Terror in the Skies, Again?

1. A new bill being run through the Senate about P2P apps that �induce� crime; includes line-by-line rebuttal: http://www.corante.com/importance/archives/004563.html
2. IBM, Intel, Sony, Microsoft, Warner Bros., Walt Disney and Panasonic are now working together to stop you from recording HDTV broadcasts that you have already paid for. http://news.com.com/Tech%2C+Hollywood+heavyweights+create+content+coalition/2100-10253-5268315.html?tag=nefd.lede

Combine this with other things, like the DMCA, CD Copy Protection (gag me), or the RIAA lying about sales to make people think CD sales were down, when they weren’t, and you feel slightly belittled by everything. Of course, then you realize that none of this has affected you, and the customer has still one! Chalk one up for the educated consumer!

“We are living in a time of great change… Yet some things endure – courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change. And they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions, such as families, and schools, and religious congregations.”

Yes! Families and Religious congregations! Now if we could only get schools to be able to use the word “God”.

“We must stand with our families to help them raise healthy, responsible children.”

Again, families are the most integral part of society and life. Without families, everything falls apart. Don’t believe me? Ask a 10 year old who’s parents just got divorced if they are happy.

“Drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the past two years.”

Wow. Just knowing the figures from my school, that is impressive. Remember the PBS anti-drug commercial “Your brain on crack?”

[In regards to school drug testing] “The aim here is not to punish children, but to send them this message: We love you, and we don’t want to lose you.”

This one is hard to get from text, you have to have seen and heard his emotion while he said this.

“We will double Federal funding for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases.”

Finally someone stands up and says this! It is not pills or latex that helps you be happy without kids and STD’s, it’s abstinence! So start teaching it schools!

“A strong America must also value the institution of marriage.”

Once again, families is mentioned as a key value of a united country.

“Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under Federal law as the union of a man and a woman, and declares that one state may not redefine marriage for other states. Our Nation must defend the sanctity of marriage.”

Marriage is the union between man and woman. Got that? MAN and WOMAN? We must protect the sanctity of marriage. Thank you so much Mr. President!

[Marriage Topic] “If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process.”

Alright, let’s get down to business.

“It is also important to strengthen our communities by unleashing the compassion of America’s religious institutions.”

Very nice, I agree! Religious institutions offer some of the best life-changing help available, as well as offering a more stable lifestyle.

“Last month a girl in Lincoln, Rhode Island, sent me a letter. It began, ‘Dear George W. Bush. If there is anything you know, I Ashley Pearson age 10 can do to help anyone, please send me a letter and tell me what I can do to save our country.’ She added this P.S.: ‘If you can send a letter to the troops … please put, Ashley Pearson believes in you.’”

Right down to the youngest children in our society, I, and millions of others stand with Ashley Pearson. Thank you men and women of the military. And doesn’t that just melt your heart, whether you like the war or not?

“May God bless the United States of America.”

Thank you again for the reference to an almighty power who leads and guides our nation. In this speech, (according to my count) there are 7 or more references to God and religion. George Bush is not afraid to say this, and will stand by his own morals and beliefs that the Constitution defends. You’d be hard pressed to find so many references in many other State of the Union addresses.

So there’s my diatribe on this year’s State of the Union. Yes, I tend to actually get down to business and write in capital letters when I’m serious. Thank you America for making this country so strong and what it is today. Thank you President Bush for supporting and standing behind causes that you and America believe are just and right, no matter what the media says. And most importantly, I thank God, our Heavenly Father, for the amazing blessings and help that He offers this nation and its leaders. May He continue to guide us while we maintain our righteousness.
Good Night.