In 1997, the Dickey Amendment was inserted into an appropriations bill. It prohibited the use of funds by the Centers for Disease Control to “advocate or promote gun control.” It was paired with a $2.6 million budget cut to the CDC: the exact amount used by that agency for firearm research the year before. The implication was clear: the CDC needs to stay away from … Continue reading Who Tells Your Story?
When I was 25, I believed that the anonymity of online discussions would allow the exchange of ideas without prejudice, and raise the level of human discourse. I’d been communicating online for five or six years. The web was brand new. Most of the forums were text based. There was lots of Usenet and mailing lists. And it didn’t matter who you were or where … Continue reading Beliefs
I’m sure you’ve heard about Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to give away $4.5 million to Facebook users who share a “thank you” message, right? Or, maybe you read about Facebook’s plan to start charging a monthly fee for using their social network. Did you know you can post a legal notice on your Facebook wall that protects your copyright and privacy rights? Last year, Pope Francis famously … Continue reading Urban Legends
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