Have not done this for a while, but here is a list of some of my fav sites for this last month. Top among them are furl and flickr, closely followed by The Human Clock and other convenient online apps that I have been using daily. I'd like to mention that I am extensively using two RSS feed readers/news aggregators - one is online, Bloglines, and one is a small download to your system - SharpReader. With these tools I can quickly skim the headlines of articles posted in my favorite blogs and frequently-updated web sites. No, I do not read each and every source in my blogrolls, but I do read them enough to know what is changing and keeping up with stories I am interested in.

Political Reads
Skippy, Kim, Josh and Kevin are my daily political reads. And, I find that I need more time to relax online, so I've included some entertaining links as well.

Mahjong 3003
Webnote
SearchDay
ClockLink
GovTrack
43 Things
BugMeNot
NYT AP Breaking News

From the Light of Reason blog yesterday, a story about a mother who has three sons, all currently deployed in combat in Iraq. Despite the Sullivan Act as a remedy to return at least one of her sons to a non-combat assignment, the White House and Defense Department are not responding. This mother has only the three children, and no other close family. I have three sons and no other close family. My youngest is serving in the military in Japan. I feel bad at times with one son so far and even though in a "safe" place, still at risk. I can totally imagine what this mother feels and how her sons feel. While none of the sons insisted on getting the exemption for at least one to be deployed elsewhere, they do understand their mother's feelings and dilemna. Who will be there to help her if she has a problem?

As the writer says, the four line reply from the White House was that her request was being forwarded. Months now and no response. A spokesman for the government says that the military cannot be expected to track families serving in combat to avoid this situation. And the LOR blog notes that this is the same country that claims it can orchestrate complex military operations in Iraq, as well as handle other expected targets of US beneficent management.

Reprinting some of this alarming story from the online New Scientist because it needs to become widely-known. If this weapon development contract can become known through the FOIA (US Freedom of Information Act) releases, think of what is NOT available to public knowledge. "Freedom is on the march" but not for long if they are deemed rioters or perhaps other protesters who are peaceful yet inconvenient, let alone "insurgents".

Received this story through my browsing of furl today. I notice that it has not hit mainstream US media.In furl an archive copy is saved of the webpage, and I've saved also a text copy. You know, just in case there is a sudden disappearance of the story.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7077&print=true

The US military is funding development of a weapon that delivers a bout of excruciating pain from up to 2 kilometres away. Intended for use against rioters, it is meant to leave victims unharmed. But pain researchers are furious that work aimed at controlling pain has been used to develop a weapon. And they fear that the technology will be used for torture.