JasonN.com - current events

Obama Ad: Fair Content, Bad Form

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:03:24 -0500

"He's the biggest celebrity in the world. But, is he ready to lead? With gas prices souring, Barack Obama says no to offshore drilling? And says he'll raise taxes on electricity? Higher taxes, more foreign oil. That's the real Obama."

I would have left out the Paris Hilton and Brittany Spears pictures. It's a bad comparison. And, the ad would have been just as strong with the chants "Obama, Obama, Obama," and the snapshots of him. Look at Obama's ads, his swagger, his legion of supporters. He's as celebrity and rockstar politician as they get. When they compare you to Kennedy, it's not about policy, it's about appeal. The ad says "hey he's a celebrity and cool, but does that mean he's going to be a good president?" That's fair, and a good question regardless of who you support.

Gas prices, and what you can do about it

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:21:15 -0500

I don't commute, I quit traveling as much, and I drive as if gasoline were dear and limited (like it is).

Don't do as the Europeans and protest without real action. Will angry screams and threats make one more drop of oil come from the ground? Russia, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and the other oil countries can't hear your cries for the clamoring of buyers after their product. You could weaken the US companies by increasing their tax. You could nationalize the European companies. But, you'll do nothing but limit the built-in efficiencies of business seeking profit. They are delivering the oil as close to the price you're governments can squeeze out of them. Protests accomplish nothing but create hysteria, and there's nothing good that comes of that.

A different take on freedom: Turkey's constitutional ban on head scarfs

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:23:33 -0500

Turkey is a free country. The people are free to worship as they wish, travel, vote, conduct business, and all the other things that western liberal democracies allow their citizens. Recently, Turkey's government has become more Islamic in nature due to its free elections. However, the courts made an impressive move to stand firm on constitutional law banning religious elements in public spaces. It's a very interesting take on separation of church and state.

The Constitutional Court said in a brief statement that the change, proposed by Mr. Erdogan’s party and passed by Parliament in February, violated principles of secularism set in Turkey’s Constitution.
-- NY Times

This is just wrong!

Sat, 24 May 2008 10:33:22 -0500

For years, our businesses and our government have winked at latin American migrant workers. Tyson didn't go to jail for his participation in thousands of undocumented workers crossing the border to work in his plants. Thousands of business owners in America that entice these people with jobs and opportunity didn't go to jail, but now we've actually put 270 workers -- NOT THE PEOPLE WHO EMPLOYED THEM -- in jail.

In temporary courtrooms at a fairgrounds here, 270 illegal immigrants were sentenced this week to five months in prison for working at a meatpacking plant with false documents.
-- NY Times

If Ramsey Case Solved, Apologies Due

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:34:56 -0500

JonBenet Ramsey's alleged killer (may have) confessed. It wasn't Patsy Ramsey, John Ramsey, her siblings, or anyone else close to the family.

Q: Why did the Ramsey's refuse the polygraph test requested by the investigators?

A: Because polygraph tests are used as a form of psychological tribulation, designed to push the subject to break and reveal their guilt. They NEVER exonerate the suspect.

Q: Why did the Ramseys "lawyer up" instead of cooperating?

A: Because they were people of means, already privy to legal advise. No lawyer worth his salt lets prosecutors have their way with a client. When a prosecuter is pressured by the public to put someone in jail, they find the most sellable theory and go to trial. If the Ramsey's had not lawyered up, Mrs. Ramsey would have died in prison.

Wal-mart and Labor Unions in China

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 09:51:46 -0500

Interesting development in China: unions.

Al Jazeera reports that Wal-mart is facing a new unionized work force in China - 30 strong.

Thirty employees at a Wal-Mart store in the southeastern city of Quanzhou, in Fujian province, have voted to form the union, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

Charles Barkeley to Run for Alabama Governor

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 14:40:03 -0500

Charles Barkley is reported to want to run as a Democrat for the highest office in Alabama.

Beats the two options we've got this year. I like him, despite his flaws.

But, I don't understand this Democrat thing. He's about as politically correct as South Park, and doesn't know anything about liberal politics. He's a rich, bootstrapping black man who works for what he has and believes everyone else should do the same. He's got no home in the Democratic party, at least not on a national level. He'll be welcomed to the Republican party though. Unfortunately, being black and Republican means you're a pariah the rest of your life. So, once again Barkley proves himself a savvy contender. He'll do well in politics.

Starting Audible Weekly Again

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 20:41:46 -0500

I'm going to start my weekly again very shortly, and look for other more business-centric "podcasts" here shortly. I'll go with the podcast formula one of the most successful, cleanest shows online uses: checkout TWIT's podcast solution.

UPDATE: Hot Recorder, PowerGramo (which appears to do nothing), and a hand full of other recording options just don't work at all with a USB headset. It seems that I have to bring another computer (yes, and entire separate computer) into the game in oder to have any hope of recording the sessions. The USB headset (the Logitech headset suggested by Leo from TWIT) sounds great, but uses the outcast USB port, which apparently circumvents the soundcard, therefor escapes possible recording by anything looking to the soundcard. I'm not quite sure the headset can't be a source from which the on-PC software can record. I'm still sourcing that one out right now.

Guantánamo Suicides

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 03:26:06 -0500

NY Times reports that three detainees have committed suicide at Guantánamo. This is not good for US relations worldwide, but part of the Bush administration's position is that these guys are bad dudes, nuts even.

Meanwhile, the situation inside the detention center has grown more volatile in recent months, with reports that prisoners have engaged in hunger strikes, suicide attempts and violent attacks on guards.

Kenya Suspends California Styled Public Smoking Ban

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 03:07:17 -0500

You wouldn't think Kenya's biggest health problem, or primary health concern would be discouraging tobacco use. BBC reports the legal battle ensues over the government's legal right to ban smoking in public.

There has also been confusion about where people can smoke as the law is vague in defining a "public place".

...

Under the ban, those caught smoking in offices, bus stations, airports and sports venue would face a fine of 50,000 Kenya shillings ($700; £375) or six months in prison.

Communist Revolutionaries, Illegal Immigrants, the Protests, and Anger

Mon, 01 May 2006 23:49:48 -0500

Glenn Reynolds is DEAD ON RIGHT!

People are talking about backlash, and how these rallies are counterproductive. That's probably right, but I think that's what the A.N.S.W.E.R. folks are hoping for. Right now you have lots of immigrants who want to be part of America. The A.N.S.W.E.R. people have been stoking these demonstrations not because they want to help illegal immigrants, but because they hope to provoke a backlash that will make them angry at America instead. They don't have short-term ameliorative political goals -- they want shock troops for the revolution.

It was no accident that the organizers scheduled the rally for May Day, though most of the protestors likely weren't socialists.

My position is that we should control our borders. That's not anti-immigration. It's rational. Mexico isn't in charge of our borders, and neither is anybody else. America is. If Americans are too cowardly to stop drugs, criminals, and other unwanted traffic, that's the beginning of our nation's downfall. You can be pro-immigrant and anti-open border. The two are not exclusive. Hard working immigrants of all kinds make America strong. That's a completely unrelated topic to the real problem of our unprotected borders.

Next, as a nation we should embrace everyone in our country. We should work to ingratiate ourselves to them, whether they intend to stay or not. Getting angry at people that are here to provide for themselves and their families doesn't solve any problem, it just fuels potential friction we don't need.

Alternative Fuel Comparison

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 11:43:22 -0500

A Popular Mechanics article has a great chart (PDF see below) comparing alternative fuel costs.

Muslim Leaders Distance Themselves from Usama bin Laden

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 18:14:19 -0500

A call attributed to Osama Bin Laden for Islamic holy war in Sudan and other Muslim states has been disowned by the Sudanese government and Hamas. - BBC

Tired of Being Told What to Do

Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:52:55 -0500

I like the idea of iTunes, that I can buy whatever I want and just get it. Today I had to "allow" my computer to use my iTunes account in order to access a song I purchase. It told me I had enabled 3 of 5 computers that would be allowed to access my music. My music? Obviously not! Apparently two of the times I installed iTunes on one of my computers counts as two of my allowed accesses. I just paid for this music, and I have to use a limited number of PC installations to access it? That's highly annoying. I could have paid them, downloaded the song, and then been refused access to it if the software determined that I'd already used my iTunes account too many times.

John Dvorak Predicted: Hell Froze Over

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:36:24 -0500

John Dvorak, in his special acerbic manner, predicted Apple would open their equipment to the Windows operating system after moving to Intel based designs last year. Most Apple fans considered this heresy. Well, Hell froze over. A big "I told you so," should be expected on the next TWIT podcast.