Google to move its data out to sea?

Google may move its data centers to offshore barges. While ostensibly this would be a cost-saving measure, it could also place the control of their service beyond the jurisdiction of any government. Readers of Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson -- or my book, for that matter -- will experience a sense of déjà vu.

A Good Friday meditation

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53: 3-6)

As the economy stumbles and terrorists bray new threats, take heart, my friends. The world is broken and evil is most real, yet the endgame is in motion. We are actors in this grand drama, but the script has already been written. And the Author penned for Himself the most shocking, unsettling, and important role in the entire story.

WFB, you will be missed

William F. Buckley, founder of the National Review, has died at the age of 82.

His numerous accomplishments ("Firing Line," Young Americans for Freedom, New York's Conservative Party, the many bestsellers including God and Man at Yale) defy eulogy. But his legacy is much bigger than his curriculum vitæ .

Buckley was the first post-New Deal articulate voice of mainstream conservatism. Decades before conservatism won its first national election in 1980, Buckley had the vision to "stand athwart history, yelling 'Stop' at a time when no one is inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those who urge it."

While I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I am sure that I would not have founded World Ahead Media, much less now be a part of WorldNetDaily, without the inspiration of this man.

Thank you, sir. Godspeed.

Pro-choice...on light bulbs

Joseph Farah's column today calls on Americans to resist the effort by Congress to rob us of our right to choose incandescent light bulbs. Few people know it, but late last year Congress passed an energy bill banning the sale of inexpensive and safe bulbs starting in 2012. After that point we will have no choice but to purchase compact fluorescent bulbs, which cost about 6X as much and contain small amounts of toxic mercury. In response to this nanny state measure, Farah unveiled a magnetic bumper sticker to drive the point home:

Trail Thoughts

I wanted to recommend a new daily devotional that I'm enjoying. It is called Trail Thoughts: A Daily Companion for Your Journey of Faith, and it's written by Eric Kampmann, who runs our distribution partner Midpoint. Unlike most devotionals, this one isn't sappy or cheesy. It's thought-provoking and makes no effort to wrap up the Bible into a small package with a cute little bow. Instead, Kampmann focuses on the big picture of Scripture while challenging readers to examine their place in God's world. He chooses a very apropos verse for the introduction:

This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. (Jeremiah 6:16)

That's what Trail Thoughts is all about -- finding that ancient path as revealed by God. If you prefer some happy fluff to end your day or want straightforward "how to" advice, this book probably isn't for you. But if you're looking to be challenged and exposed to a wide array of topics with a biblical perspective, you will enjoy it.

Google searches by country

Reuters reports on Google search terms by nation. I guess it says something about what's on a country's mind. (Morocco = jihad; Egypt = sex; Iran = IAEA; Germany = Nazi; Ireland = hangover; U.S. = burrito)

The world's #1 font turns 50

U.S. News & World Report notes the golden anniversary of Helvetica, "the only typeface ever to have its 50th birthday observed with a major museum exhibit and an award-winning independent film." What's in a font?, you might ask. Helvetica's strong and straight lines have made it the world's most widely used typeface, and the number one choice for big corporations, almost all illuminated signs, the NYC subway system, and the IRS.

In a note of irony, Blogger doesn't support Helvetica; I use its default font Lucida Grande for my posts. But for this entry I'm using Helvetica's leading competitor, Arial, which is condemned by a designer quoted in the article as "a knockoff riding on Helvetica's coattails."

Send a Marine a letter of support

Jim at ThinkingRight has launched a project called "Letters from Home" to show support to our servicemen by sending letters to the members of the 1st Battalion 1st Marine Regiment. Check it out.

Charity auction for 9/11 Freedom Concert and VIP day at WABC, Hannity & Colmes

World Ahead and Jill Vitale (a.k.a. the Sean Hannity Show's "Flirty Flipper" and the author of our new kid's book Freddie, the Free Range Chicken) are pleased to announce our online charity auction to benefit Freedom Alliance. The winning bidder will receive an amazing package that includes a pair of tickets to Hannity's Freedom Concert on Sept. 11th in New Jersey, which features Montgomery Gentry, LeAnn Rimes, and Lee Greenwood. But that's not all. The winner and a lucky guest will also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with Jill of "The John Gambling Show" at WABC Radio and a taping of "Hannity & Colmes" at Fox News, plus autographed copies of Jill's book, signed by her and Sean.

Click on the banner below to visit the eBay auction page for more details on this extraordinary opportunity. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend an amazing concert and get VIP media access with Jill, all while supporting a good cause.

Life imitates "The Simpsons"

Ever since the L.A. Times article in June referred to me as "spiky-haired and baby-faced," I've had no shortage of comments likening me to Bart Simpson. (And this comes from co-workers and friends, mind you. The fan mail from liberals is much less kind.)

Personally I don't see the resemblance to Bart, but I did stumble across a brilliant marketing website that lets you see what you would look like as a Simpsons character. I can't deny that this one is spot on.

By the way, I tried uploading this picture of Helen Thomas into the "Simpsonizer" but it crashed the site...

Happy 4th of July

Best wishes for a joyous Independence Day. I will return next week.

Operation Gratitude sends 250,000th package to troops

Congratulations to our friends at Operation Gratitude on their 250,000th care package! This is a wonderful organization dedicated to boosting our troops' morale by sending them gift boxes assembled by volunteers. The group was founded after 9-11 by Carolyn Blashek to enable ordinary Americans to show their support for the brave men and women in our military. This recent milestone speaks volumes about both the dedication of Carolyn and her fellow volunteers, as well as the appreciation the American people feel toward our troops.

For those of you interested in learning more about Operation Gratitude, here's a short video describing what they do:

Some pictures are worth 1,000 words...

Although this picture conveys just one.

P.S. Dingy Harry isn't incompetent in all matters, though. Read p. 39 in Caucus of Corruption and you'll discover he knows a thing or two about Nevada real estate.

All the troubles in the world

Is it just me, or is today a Derbyshire* kind of day? Nothing but bad news as far as the eye can see:

• The Dow plunged 416 points and stock markets around the globe tumbled on economic news from China...
• A Taliban suicide bomber killed up to 14 servicemen in an attempted assassination of Dick Cheney in Afghanistan...
• Iran says it will "never" cease its uranium enrichment program...
• One-fourth of all women and 45% of those aged 20-24 are estimated to have the human papillomavirus STD...
• Studies of college students suggest we are raising an entire generation of narcissists...
• And North America's power supply is at code red thanks to Al Gore's mansion (does he leave the AC running 24/7 for his penguin army?)...

* Note: John Derbyshire is the NRO columnist who once asserted that human destruction is inevitable.

Merry Christmas!

I'll be offline for the next couple of weeks, but I wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.

I think this e-card (based on an illustration from Help! Mom! The 9th Circuit Nabbed the Nativity) conveys the proper holiday wishes: