Cody Taylor

President Barack Obama’s ban on earmarks in the 5 billion economic stimulus bill doesn’t mean interest groups, lobbyists and lawmakers won’t be able to funnel money to pet projects.They’re just working around it — and perhaps inadvertently making the process more secretive.

Ovechkin scores in shootout to seal East’s victory in All-Star Game

Sarah Palin’s general attitude seems to be that their shit don’t stink up there in Alaska.

The Obama presidential campaign’s list of supporters and donors — some 13 million e-mail addresses — is being transformed into a permanent grassroots organization that could give the president a powerful tool for dealing with Congress.

The biggest of the Fat Cat Nations right now: China. What are they spending money on? They’re building more and more railroads! And trains. Not buying iPods, SUVs or a world-beating military. Trains. Last year China spent about billion on railroads. They expect to nearly double that this year.

timbrown writes with word that “On 22 January 2009, Kent Police seized an Indymedia server hosted by Manchester-based colocation facility UK Grid and run by the alternative news platform Indymedia UK. The server was taken in relation to comments on an article regarding the convictions in the recent Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) trial. Seven activists were sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison.” The complete story is worth reading; timbrown continues: “I’m posting this as a concerned UK administrator who hosts a number of sites. The message appears to be clear: the UK establishment does not want political content, legitimate or otherwise, hosted from these shores. The message has been noted, however free speech must be supported even where it may not be agreeable.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.