BarackObama.com | Join Barack at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

MASSAGING THE MEDIA
The Barack Obama campaign's latest gambit is interesting. As a contributor to his campaign, I got an email inviting me to participate in a Ponzi-like raffle scheme: they pay for travel and tickets to meet Barack and be part of the studio audience when he's on The Daily Show next week. All you have to do to win? Recommend someone and hope that s/he wins the opportunity and you, as the referrer, get to go along.

In an apparent reference to Stewart's jibes' at the Obama "dinner with the candidate" promo, the letter goes on to say:

We can't guarantee that Jon Stewart won't make fun of us for giving away these tickets or you for getting them -- but hey, it's about bringing more people into our movement.

CIA, FBI computers used for Wikipedia edits | Technology | Reuters

GHOST WRITING SPOOKS
People using CIA and FBI computers have edited entries in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia on topics including the Iraq war and the Guantanamo prison, according to a new tracing program.
(REUTER'S, unearthed by Mediabistro)

Patti Davis: At the Airport, You Better Smile - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com

KEEP ON SMILIN', OR ELSE!
“Specially trained security personnel” will be watching passengers for “micro-expressions” that will reveal treacherous agendas and insidious intentions at airports around the country. These agents, who may literally hold your fate in their hands have been given a lofty, Orwellian name: "Behavior Detection Officers.
(MSNBC, unearthed by Brent Gourley)

Political hip-hop at SOB's

COMO SE DICE "BLING"?
Springing from a variety of U.S. and Latin American cities, the international coalition of Puerto Rican, Chilean, Mexican and African-American artists performing at New York's SOB's Grita/Say Something show share similar concerns, reflected not only in their combative lyrics but also in their community activism.
(NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)

The News and Tribune - UPDATE: Murphy resigns political posts; cooperating with police in apparent criminal investigation

ONE BIG CLOSET
On July 7, 33-year-old Glenn Murphy Jr. was elected chairman of the venerable Young Republican National Foundation. Last week, however, Murphy sent out a strange e-mail announcing his resignation, explaining that a "life-altering" business deal had arisen and, after praying with his family, he had decided to pursue this new business opportunity.In fact, as bloggers soon made public, Murphy had been accused of what is called in Indiana "criminal deviate conduct," a class B felony. After his election last month Murphy said he hoped to double the organization's membership by November 2008, hoping to be the "mouthpiece" for tens of thousands of Young Republicans across the country".
(NEWS-TRIBUNE, unearthed by Tom Cooksey)

The US Air Guitar Championships

IT DON'T MEAN A THING IF IT AIN'T GOT THE STRINGS
Oh sure, if you were in New York City today you could go to the Museum of Natural History or the Guggenheim, maybe take in a Broadway show. But why would you pass up your chance to go to the United States Air Guitar finals? Reigning champ Hot Lixx Hulahan will take on 14 challengers in a fierce musical competition involving absolutely no instruments. As an apertif, there’s Satanicide, the mock metal act known for its very real stage-diving. By the way, make sure you get yourself one of those cool (polyester) "official air ware" tractor caps with the US Air Guitar logo on it.
(Suggested by NEW YORK TIMES)

In China, a high-tech plan to track people | CNET News.com

CHINESE USE HIGH TECH TO TRACK CITIZENS
Following a directive from the Chinese government that all large cities apply technology to police work, at least 20,000 police surveillance cameras are being installed along Shenzen's streets and will soon be guided by sophisticated face recognition computer software. In Shenzhen, a city of 12.4 million people, residency cards fitted with powerful computer chips programmed by an American-financed company will be issued to most citizens. Data on the chip will include not just the citizen's name and address but also work history, educational background, religion, ethnicity, police record, medical insurance status and landlord's phone number. Even personal reproductive history will be included, for enforcement of China's controversial "one child" policy. Plans are being studied to add credit histories, subway travel payments and small purchases charged to the card.
(C/NET NEWS, unearthed by Slashdot.org)