Will I be safe? 

I told my little guy I'm flying to Florida on United's "Ted" service. He asked if they use just the back part of the plane.

Edwards' plea for activism is appealing 

See the interview on Rocketboom today.

Gotta say I do like the appeal to citizens to do something. Sometimes you think politicians want you to vote and make campaign contributions and leave it at that.

I'm not completely sure, but it seems like CNN and AP misread Edwards' strategy. Am I missing something, or did Edwards intend to pre-announce on the web, and the media outlets who are accustomed to being first in line assume it must have been some kind of mistake?

Laptopping Across the Blogosphere 

Marshall Kirkpartrick, and other bloggers who received Acer laptops running Vista, are passing along an e-mail from Microsoft or an agent that reframes the gift. Now bloggers must either return the computers or give them away.

The move does make Santa seem a little silly and wishy-washy, but I'd imagine the reasoning behind the decision went something like, "Oh boy. Bloggers are getting their backs up. Smell that familiar whiff of outrage like the reaction to Wal-Marting Across America? Too risky. Let's not even attempt to spin it. Just abort. Abort. Now."

(BTW, I agree with Marshall that the sooped up Acer model's styling is trashy looking. It looks like it's meant to appeal to 14-year-old boy geeks, the same type who buys those see-thru tower cases with a light show. Oh. You have one of those? Sorry about that.)

Suggestion: get creative with the giveaways 

Maybe the bloggers who now will be giving away their new laptops could think of some interesting contests. Like what? Oh, I don't know.

Essay contest? "What I'd do with that machine" or "What I'd do to get that machine" or "My take on the ethics of giveaways."

Photomashup or retouching contest?

Have contestants send in under-1-minute MP3s begging for the prize? Or, no, I got it -- how about this? Send in an MP3 impersonating a PR firm pitcher, just "wanting to follow up on the press release about the Vista launch."