Aiming for a May 1st debut, MileMeter will let you buy car insurance by the mile.  You can buy packages from 1000 to 6000 miles and it’ll last for as long as you don’t go over that mileage.  Interesting concept and especially appealing to folks who don’t drive a whole lot.  (Via O’Reilly Radar)

C’mon out to the 12th Annual Hamaganza to benefit the Central VA Food Bank.  $10 or a ham gets you through the doors at Poe’s Pub Friday, December 21st or Saturday, December 22nd.  Music, people doing things, Dirt Woman, and other assorted festivities begin at 9pm.  For more info, give Style Weekly a call at 358-0825 or check out the Facebook group(everything’s on Facebook these days, don’tcha know).

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the top 20% of households by income pay nearly 69% of total Federal tax revenue.  From Marginal Revolution:

The Dark Knight looks like it’s gonna be a great movie.

Evan Williams, one of the brains behind Blogger and Twitter, has a great post up on how to evaluate a new product idea and determine whether or not it’ll go anywhere.  It’s some interesting insight from someone who’s been there.

David Hazinski calls on traditional media to regulate it’s “citizen journalism” content:

Having just anyone produce widely distributed stories without control can have the reverse effect from what advocates intend. It’s just a matter of time before something like a faked Rodney King beating video appears on the air somewhere.

Journalism organizations should head that off. Citizen reports can be a valuable addition to news and information flow with some protections:

• Major news organizations must create standards to substantiate citizen-contributed information and video, and ensure its accuracy and authenticity.

• They should clarify and reinforce their own standards and work through trade organizations to enforce national standards so they have real meaning.

• Journalism schools such as mine at the University of Georgia should create mini-courses to certify citizen journalists in proper ethics and procedures, much as volunteer teachers, paramedics and sheriff’s auxiliaries are trained and certified.

The first point should be a given.  That traditional media would run with a random story fed to it by a “citizen journalist” without trying to back it up is reckless and completely erodes any confidence the public should have in that outlet.

The second point is a bit tricky as media continues to be market driven in that it’s a for-profit enterprise that relies on sucking in consumers.  To do this many outlets may find themselves going out on a limb on things, using and adage that it’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission and correcting themselves should they screw up.  Aside from that, most traditional media outlets would already assert that follow and enforce standards for their content.  Having them do so yet again won’t solve anything.

The third point, while interesting and worthwhile, is another unenforceable tactic that simply attempts to turn “citizen journalists” into “journalists”.  Yet courses would most appeal to those citizen journalists who are already trying to be ethical in their work and understand that there is a responsibility that comes with journalism.  The splash-and-trash elements that still dominate some areas of citizen journalism would continue to do business as usual.  It’s the same flaw with trying to create or enforce any Code of Ethics among bloggers: only those who are already trying to follow such a code will sign on, those who do not won’t.

Josh Wolf has more over at CNET News.

While putting together my “Best CDs Of 2007″ list I realized I hadn’t picked up the new Band Of Horses album yet.  While I’d heard a few tracks from it that were pretty sweet, I hadn’t gotten the full start to finish treatment yet.  Now that I have I’ll tell ya that this one’s gonna make that list.  Which is coming.  Just you wait.  Good stuff if you’re a fan of the Shins or light indy rock.

Pitcher Roger Clemens is supposedly one of the many players due to be outed by this afternoon’s Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball.  Andy Pettitte and “several” high profile Yankees might be named as well.  It’ll be interesting to see who all is in that report and what the fall out will be.  (Via VV)

11:36am UPDATE: From ESPN, Questions the Mitchell report should answer:

Will there be a Red Sox player named in the report?
Because of Mitchell’s affiliation with the team, that is a question being asked by more than a handful of executives around the game.

Maybe I’m just being a paranoid Yankee fan, but with Clemens being named already and the Boston.com article above focusing on Yankees, I think this is a good question and hopefully one that will get an answer.

2:51pm Update:  You can see a list of names cited in the report here or you can download the entire official report here.  I’m gonna try and look through it later tonight but right of the top: Brady Anderson?  Say it ain’t so…  I hope he’s just cited as a quote.

Creigh Deeds has announced that he’s going to run for Governor in 2009.  Virginia Virtucon has “Dirty” Deeds’s announcement that makes a broad partisan swipe at Republicans, showing the type of leadership that he hopes will appeal to all Virginians.

I just met a Dennis Kucinich supporter who’s circulating petitions to get him on the Democratic ballot in Virginia.  She’s also circulating petitions for Ron Paul.

Batman’s parents are dead and he’s gonna make sure everyone knows it.

I know 653 ways to kill a man.  Fist to the face is #56.

Just starting to read it, but what a wonderfully written and utterly sad book so far.

When you love something so much sometimes you have to mock it.

Virginia’s “trending purple” movement got itself a bit of a set back yesterday as Del. Rob Wittman cruised to an easy win in Virginia’s 1st House district, taking in over 60% of the vote.

Fark.com wants to trademark “NSFW”.  Asinine tag would have been used but is probably also trademarked.