Today’s Links: September 25, 2012

OPINION

ELIOT SPITZER: “We Must Defend Even the Ugliest Free Speech—Especially When There Are Riots”
“Rarely has the value of free speech been so threatened. The arc of the unfortunate story is now well-told: Using a perceived attack on the Quran by a private voice as a pretext to ignite anger, forces of intolerance incite riots against visible American interests and representatives, usually causing damage of some sort, and in the recent incident in Benghazi, leading to a tragic loss of life. […] We should be clear in understanding that these attacks are the price we pay for believing in free speech, especially in a world where such tolerance is not universally accepted.”

DIANA FURCHTGOTT-ROTH: “Apple’s Been On a Tear – Without Government Assistance”
“Last week Apple rolled out its iPhone 5 to the eager anticipation of consumers, some of whom waited up all night for the bragging rights to own it first. Apple, whose share price of $691 makes it the world’s biggest corporation as measured by market value, has been on a tear-without government assistance.”

MATT KIBBE: “The Teachers Strike May Have Been In Chicago, But It’s Our Problem”
“The Chicago Teachers Union Strike may be resolved for now, but the events illustrate a serious problem facing the United States: union bosses are manipulating government leaders, using teachers and students as human shields in their fight to maintain power over the educational system. Their stranglehold on education has to end if our children are to have any hope of getting the education they need to compete in the world.”

NEWS

DRUNK DRIVING – High Court to Consider Drunken Driving Case
“The Supreme Court will decide when law enforcement officers must get a warrant before ordering a blood test on an unwilling drunken-driving suspect.”

INNOVATION – Bringing Innovation to the Funeral-Home Business (No, Really)
“[eFuneral] plans to make money in two ways. One, funeral homes can spruce up their profiles. And two, they can offer coupons (Groupon for funeral services!) for ancillary funeral services like flowers. Think of all the places trying to help you buy a car or a house. Turns out there was no one trying to help you buy funeral services. Yet it’s precisely the kind of experience where online shopping could be helpful. I mean, who wants to turn down upsells from a funeral home director? Who wants to be the one who cheaps out on the funeral of a loved one?”

CARS – Tesla Unveils Faster Electric Car Charging Station
“Tesla Motors Inc. unveiled a solar-powered charging station on Monday that it said will make refueling electric vehicles on long trips about as fast as stopping for gas and a bathroom break in a conventional car.”