The Buie Knife

Camping Near Camp David, at Cunningham Falls

Lovely camping trip for Memorial Day near historic Camp David in the Catoctin Mountains, at Cunningham Falls State Park.

On Sunday, Lucia and I hiked CAT ROCK/BOB'S HILL, a 7.5 mile-hike. This strenuous trail crosses the mountain and passes two scenic rock outcrops with scenic views. We also discovered an old farm that had been in the same family since the 1700s, ate a late lunch at in Thurmont, and explored the Inn where journalistic and political notables stayed while covering summits at nearby Camp David. We got a kick exploring the Cozy Country Inn and Hotel, with its Kennedy Room, Roosevelt Room, Reagan Rooms, and rooms for various international press outlets.

Remaking Iraq in Our Image?

"With God's help, we will lift Shanghai up and up, ever up, until it is just like Kansas City." -- Nebraska Senator Kenneth Wherry, 1940.

"Americans have been naive in the past about their ability to remake societies...was it ever really posssible to turn Basra into Buffalo?" -- "Fail Proof," by Daniel W. Drezner, in the New Republic.

A New Front Opens in Political Wars: Candidates Battle for Hearts and Minds of Internet Users

A new front has opened up in political warfare.

First there was the "ground war" -- political partisans identify, target. contact, inspire and mobilize their supporters down to the county and precinct level, to turn out their voters on election day. Then, there was the "air war" -- the efforts of partisan media consultants to shape public perceptions by developing the cleverest, most memorable, positive ads and negative attack ads to air on television.

Now comes the cyber war, which is actually a combination of the "ground war" and the "air war." Internet political activists identify, target, email, meet with, dialogue with (in person and online), and send messages to inspire and mobilize each other and the undecided. They debate and challenge their opponents. They also develop the cleverest, most memorable positive ads to inspire turnout of supporters, and negative attack ads to discourage turnout by the other candidates' supporters.

For lots of articles on the development of electronic democracy, see the "Electronic Democracy" section of this web site.