Getting back into the swing of things.

How do you define “wealthy?” Here’s a definition that works for me.

Google News is moving beyond being a news aggregator and allowing subjects of news stories to post feedback. Rogers Cadenhead finds Utah coal mine owner Robert Murray taking advantage of the service.

Scott Rosenberg on how music recordings have gotten louder and less interesting.

It’s official, telcos assisted the NSA in mass wiretapping of Americans.

Talking Points Memo posted a list of lobbyists employed by various political factions in Iraq.

The advance manual for President Bush’s political events is the ultimate concert rider.

Karl Martino notes a study indicating that Americans are no more aware of current events than they were in 1989, in spite of the Web, multiple 24 hour news channels, and the Daily Show. On a personal note, I’m more aware of current events than I was in 1989, although perhaps not 1999.

Google has joined the Open Invention Network. This is very good news for free software.

Freeman Dyson published a contrarian opinion on climate change. Alun Anderson rebutted his argument. On the “do something about it” front, 3qd posted this overview of biofuels.

Patrick Mueller reviews JSR 311, a specification for REST support in Java.

Two visions for America’s future foreign policy, one from John Edwards, and one from Rudy Giuliani. In my opinion, the only Presidential candidate scarier than Rudy Giuliani is Tom Tancredo.

I love to read about smart people in other professions. Here’s an article about two of the smartest football coaches to ever stand on a sideline, Bill Walsh and Bill Belichick, and Walsh’s decision to share pretty much everything he’d learned about running a football team in the book Finding the Winning Edge.

Obligatory iPhone link: the iPhone Hacking Kit.