Dance!

Dance!

Braude: Internet will change Arab politics

Climate Change: Why the Internet will change Arab politics--and how it already has
TNR / Joseph Braude

I recently thought about writing a blogpost about this topic, and I see that Joseph Braude has been thinking along similiar lines. Sometimes I don't think we realize the power we all possess..and it's right here at our fingertips. A sea change in the ability to politically organize around an ideology has been brought about by an open global exchange of ideas. However, bloggers in some Arab nations are feeling very threatened by their respective authoritarian governments. Little by little, political trends are emerging which may be positive for those who desire democracy in the Arab world, but have been stifled due to fear and/or technological limitations to enable dissidents to communicate their ideas.

Mr. Braude writes:

The Internet is now a destabilizing force to Arab governments, some of which are trying and failing to bottle it back up. Despite its relatively modest penetration in the region, the web is threatening the status quo--in societies as conservative as Saudi Arabia and police states as tightly run as Syria and Tunisia--in ways that previous technologies never could. That's in part because it is making obsolete the strategies that Arab governments had used for centuries--with almost perfect success--to quash dissent and cling to power. It may be trite to speak of the Internet's transformative power; but in the case of the Arab world in 2005, it appears increasingly to be real...

...The big question, of course, is whether any of these shifting paradigms is actually capable of changing the present distribution of power in an Arab country--and if so, how and where. Maybe all this online noise is just so much noise, and the medium is still no more than an annoyance to the status quo...On the other hand, the pressure imposed on several Arab countries today by the United States stands to exacerbate all the internal tensions these regimes already face...The fact that Internet penetration of Arab populations remains low--the regional average is below 5 percent--means that the extent of the web's influence will depend on whether it can somehow nudge forward broader political trends.....

....it seems likely that the web's most crucial impact on Arab politics won't be in alerting the west to human rights abuses or rallying support in the international community; it will be in allowing Arab dissidents to talk to one another and coordinate their activities...

Read This Story

Read this story.

Tom Fenton, I Love You

"We can no longer afford the luxury of having an ignorant electorate..of dumbing down our audience...The term MSM sounds like a new disease."

- Tom Fenton

Tom Fenton, I Love You


Latest by Tom - click photo

And I can't wait to see you on the Daily Show tomorrow night.
You go, Tom.

Hear Tom on NPR's Diane Rehm Show

Tom tells you to go to the BBC website for some real news.



UPDATE: Julian Sanchez shows that Tom Fenton is not alone.

Women in Political Blogging

Women in Political Blogging
Compiled by Jude Nagurney Camwell

I am compiling a list of women who blog about political issues. I'm amazed at how many there are.

al-Muhajabah-Laura Poyneer
Alarming News-Karol
Karen Alston
Ann Althouse
An Old Soul-Shari
The Anchoress
Annika's Journal
Apophenia-Danah Boyd
Athena at Terrorism Unveiled
Sapere Aude-I Am the Hermit
Available Light-Lynda B
Ayn Clouter

Backup Brain-Dori's half
Baghdad Burning-Riverbend
Baldilocks-Juliette Ochieng
Banana Republican-Rachel Jurado
LaShawn Barber
Betsy's Page-Betsy Newmark
Bitch. Ph.D.
Bittershack-Brooke Biggs
Black Feminism-Tiffany
Blaugustine
Blog Amy
Blog or Not
Blog Sisters
Blogslut
BlondeSense
Body and Soul- Jeanne
Book of Days-Chris
Bouillabaisse-Dianne Maire
Danah Boyd-Lakoff-Language of Politics
Martha Bridegam-Demisemiblog
Breaching the Web
Summer Brooks
Burningbird

Marla Caldwell
Elisa Camahort-WorkerBeesBlog
Barbara Camwell-Abuse Sanctuary
Jude Nagurney Camwell
Avedon Carol
Cathie From Canada
Chandrasutra
Natasha Chart-Pacific Views
Citizen's Rent
Collective Sigh
Code Pink
The Corner-Kathryn Lopez, Barbara Comstock
Crescat Sententia

Gail Davis
Natalie Davis
Democracy for California-Diana
Democracy for Virginia-Maura
Jory Des Jardins
Different Strings-Kryselda Jarnsaxa
Dissent Channel-AE
Diva Geek
Divinest Sense
The Duchess-Charlene Barker
Dummocrats-Kris

e-Robin
Echidne
Dawn Eden
Enlightenment Project-HE Baber
Eve Tushnet

Fact-esque
Fantasy Life
Fatshadow
Feministe-Lauren
Feisty Repartee-Christine
Fishbucket
Flamingo Jones
For The Record-Jessica Wilson
FrizzyLogic
Fusion Reaction

Amy Gahran
Jane Galt-Assymetrical Information
Girlhacker
Laura Gjovaag
Sally Greene
Jenny Greenleaf

Half-Changed World
Halley's Comment
Heretik
Mary Hodder

Inkwell

Jane-LipSticking
Janet For Fairfax
Jessica's Well
Joanne Jacobs

Kalilily Time-Elaine
Veronica Khokhlova-Neeka's Backlog
Amy Khoudari-Blog,blog,blog

Ladida
Laila Lalami
Late Night Thoughts-Emma
Left Coaster-Mary Ratcliff
Left2Right-Elizabeth Anderson
Liberty Street-Kathy
Lifting the Fog-Barbara Sehr
Little Miss Attila

Rebecca MacKinnon
Madeleine Begun Kane
Madison Women for Peace
Mahablog-Barbara O'Brien
Majikthise
Marine Corps Moms
"Michele"
Michelle Malkin
Making Light-Teresa Nielsen Hayden
Irshad Manji
Jen Martinez
Maru Soze
Melanie Mattson-Just a Bump in the Beltway
Megnut
Mind of Mog
Misbehaving
Mixter
Diana Moon
Mousemusings-Cyndy Roy
Moxie
Ms. Musings

Netwoman

Maud Newton
Nitpicker-CJ Finis
Chris Nolan
NYCO
Ambra Nykol

Obsidian Wings-Hilzoy
Rosie O'Donnell
One Woman Wrecking Crew-Mary

PG
PalmTree Pundit
Pam's House Blend-Pam Spaulding
Parenthetically Speaking
Patriette-Kelly
Jaqueline Passey
Pen Elayne-Elayne Riggs
Philobiblon
Melanie Phillips
Pinko Feminist Hellcat
Plunky Punk-Vanessa
Podunt Post-Wanda
Polipundit-Lorie Byrd
Political Monitor-Lindy Baumann
Virginia Postrel
Pourquoi pas?-Dianne Maire
Pratie Place-Jane
Preemptive Karma-Carla
Professor Kim's Notes-Kim Pearson
Pseudo-Adrienne

Random Thoughts-Susan
Rebecca's Pocket
Reportette-Yvette Stafford
Respectful of Otters-Rivka
Rhetoric 101
Lis Riba
Emmanuelle Richard
Amy Ridenour
Riggsveda-It's My Country Too
Lindsay Robertson
Evelyn Rodriguez
Rox Populi
Ruminate This-Lisa English

Saheli:Musings and Observations-Saheli Datta
Julie Saltman
Santa Clara CtyDemPty-Elisa Camahort
Scribblingwoman
Cathy Seipp
Jeneane Sessum
Sgt. Lizzie
Shameless Agitator-Andrea
Shakespeare's Sister
Julien Sharp
Ruby Sinreich
Sisyphus Shrugged-Julia
Lizzie Skurnick-Old Hag
Patty Ann Smith
So What Can I Do?
Natalie Solent
Lizzy Spiers
Strangechord-Emily
Suburban Guerrilla-Susan Madrak
Suddenly Routine-Rebecca
Amy Sullivan
Dawn Summers
Surfette

Talk Left-Jerralyn Merritt
Tara Sue
Think Pink
Thoughts of an Average Woman-CE Petro
Tild
Kelly Jane Torrance
Trailer Park Girl
Tsuredzuregusa-Shaula Evans
Tulip Girl
Turnpike Feminist
12 Frogs

Uncommon Thought
Under The Same Sun
Urban Grind
Utopian Hell

ValueJudgment-J's half
Villanous Company-Cassandra

Vivid Pieces- Erin Notebloom

VDARE-Bryanna Bevens,Brenda Walker
Veracity or Mendacity-Melanie
Veralynne-ACT
View From The Left-Chris D'Arcy

Waiting For Nat-LilySea
Wampum-Mary Beth Williams
War And Piece-Laura Rozen
Belle Waring
Diane Warth-Karmalised
Watermark-SB Poet
We Are Not Sheep
What Do I Know
WhatIsPastIsPrologue-Sarah
What She Said
Who Is Sylvia
Wicked Muse
Sissy Willis
Willow Tree-Rachel Ann
Winds of Change-Robin Burk
Rebecca Winters
Amy Wohl
Wonkette-Ana Marie
World O'Crap
World Turning-Jennifer
Worshipping/Altar of Mediocrity

Xeney
XX

You Will Anyway
Yourish

Anne Zook

Bono on Short List for World Bank?

Bono on Short List
for World Bank?

"He's somebody I admire. He does a lot of good in this world of economic development," Snow said.

"Most people know him as a rock star. He's in a way a rock star of the development world, too. He understands the give-and-take of development. He's a very pragmatic, effective and idealistic person," Snow said.

From: Bono May Make Short List for World Bank, WT

I agree with John Snow.

I know I'm dating myself here, but I met Bono when he was on his first U2 tour of the United States. I don't even think he'd reached the age of 20 yet. (I know that I hadn't).

The band was virtually unknown in the U.S. at that time. The single "I Will Follow" and the album "Boy" had just been released in the States. A friend of mine owned and managed the radio station which had helped to sponsor the concert. After the show, we were invited for chatter and refreshments on the band's tour bus. The Edge was especially kind to me. He gave me the grand tour of their home on wheels (which was nothing fancy). The group of us talked about the band's first impression of America and we even got around to talking about religion.

I discovered, that night, how different these fellows were from your typical 80s touring band. At the risk of sounding sappy, I found that Bono (Paul) and The Edge wore their hearts on their respective sleeves; they were passionate about life; they seemed especially compassionate toward others; I really liked them. I've remained a fan ever since that night, because when I hear the words to their songs, I feel I know a bit about the men who are delivering their message. And I can say I really like those men. I've followed Bono's work in this world, and I can't say enough about the respect I have for the true spirit I know he's possessed since I talked with him on that night so long ago. That boy followed his path to an honorable, compassionate manhood and I hope he will seriously be considered for the World Bank.

Blogger Scores White House Press Pass

Blogger Scores White House Press Pass

According to Editor and Publisher, this blogger has scored a White House Press pass. I'd never heard of or read Media Bistro/Fishbowl before today. The editor's name is Garrett Graff. He displays the blog's raison d'etre to be "a gossip blog about Washington, D.C. media". It has only been around since January, 2005. It looks like Howard Kurtz-style coverage. Gossipy, not too much heavy political substance, but fun to read. An example: The Fake Invisible Primary. Best of luck and congrats to Garrett.