@Brock:
“The writings of convincing but wrong thought-leaders can spread further and faster in this modern era. On balance I believe we are much better off, but I am still sometimes concerned about how quickly harmful memes can spread, particularly among those who seem to have no natural defense.”

This is the big weakness of the web & Google today. I keep thinking of this when I read the plaintive bleating about Russia invading Georgia – all the while recalling Bush-the-elder’s promises to Gorbachev that NATO wouldn’t expand if Gorbachev allowed Germany to unite. Am I the only one who remembers this? If the US (hiding in NATO’s skirts) is aggressively encircling Russia, sneaking it’s powerful nuclear missiles right up to Russia’s front yard, you’d think we’d hear more about it on the web than just the feeble & shallow stuff from Michael Totten. The web isn’t helping one bit to blow away the fog of deceit that’s encircling us here at home.