Amazon Cannot Fail

The world's largest online retail site, Amazon.com is growing and making money more than ever before. The holiday season is typically a huge selling month for the website, but this month in particular has been extremely kind to Amazon. A group of website attackers known as "anonymous" tried to take out Amazon.com recently, but failed miserably. Amazon's mainframe is so large that its virtually impossible to overflood with users. They have designed it so that there is enough extra space to handle millions and millions of shoppers at once. If the website were to go down for even a few minutes during the holiday season, Amazon could stand to lose millions of dollars. Thus, they are prepared to take on anything and will not be crashing anytime soon. Although I don't buy much at Amazon.com I know that its got my back if I ever need anything.


http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/09/technology/amazon_wikileaks_attack/index.htm

Life

http://www.funny.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Funny.woa/wa/funny?fn=CN3BC&Funny_Pictures=Life

Movie Monopoly

Over the past decade Netflix has been one of the most profitable websites on the internet. Stock prices have quadrupled in Netflix as it overtook all other movie businesses like blockbuster and Hollywood Video. The CEO of Timewarner, Jeffrey Bewkes, is not happy about the wild success of Netflix, as he believes it has taken away business from other video/movie associated companies. Netflix has accelerated the decline of DVD sales and essentially run cable television companies into the ground. Because Netflix offers all the movies that cable networks like Starz and Showtime would offer, people aren't subscribing to them.  Bewkes remarked that, "Once you put it on Netflix, you really can’t sell it anywhere else". I am a fairly frequent user of Netflix and have been using it since the beginning. It seems that many businesses these days are establishing monopolies in their sectors and the world is becoming run by a few different companies. This takes away some of the spirit of competition. Although I like Netflix, I don't want it to run other companies out of business.


 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/business/media/13bewkes.html?_r=1&ref=business

Jumping the Gun

Drug related violence has been increasing for years in Mexico due to the country's lack of stability in government and growing black market. Thousnads of drug related deaths are tallied up every year in Mexico and America is part of the problem. Federal authorities say that over 60,000 US guns have been siezed in Mexico over the past 4 years. Moreover, Texas has been the largest gun contributor out of all the states. 8 of the 12 largest gun sellers are located in Texas and have sold thousands of guns to drug lords in Mexico. Although highly contested by the NRA and other gun organizations, statistics show that 80 to 90% of the guns found in Mexico were originally sold in the United States. Executive director, Chris W. Cox, said that "to suggest that U.S gun laws are somehow to blame for drug cartel violence is a sad fantasy." No matter what he or anyone else believes, the evidence is there. We are definitely contributing to the violence in Mexico and we need to stop immediately before the situation gets even more out of hand.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/12/AR2010121202663_2.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2010121203267

Overworked and Under Appreciated

A new documentary called "Race to Nowhere" is bringing up some controversial questions about school and the workload given to students. Although not widely released, the movie has been steadily rising on peoples "must see" list for the holidays. The film talks about various students who are dealing with the day to day pressures of homework, work, and outside activities that take up most of their day. One high school senior remarked, "Everyone expects us to be superheroes". In today's competitive society it is getting harder and harder to get into college and get a decent job. If the economy continues to fall, it could be like this for a while. As long as their are more and more people entering the workforce, the competition will remain the same.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/education/09nowhere.html?ref=us

Justin Bieber Found to be a 51 Year Old Pedophile

Hogwarts School of Satan

With the last installment of the Harry Potter series being released in theatres tomorrow I found it fitting to talk a little bit about the series. No other fantasy series has ever been associated with religion quite like Harry Potter. Praised by readers but plagued by devout Christians, the series has had its ups and downs. Many hardcore Catholics believe that the series produces satanic messages and teaches kids that its ok to believe in witchcraft. The irony is that the Harry Potter series has also been heavily backed by the same group. Many Christians also try to find symbolic meaning in the books and believe that the author, J.K Rowling, is writing in allegory to biblical themes. Personally, I don't think the series has any religous context at all. The books are all fiction and made for kids to enjoy. People read too much into them and they are for entertainment only.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2010/11/harry-potter-and-religion.html?mbid=social_twitter

Stuck in the Middle

Although Obama has been widely criticized by both political parties about not enacting enough change or enacting too much change, he still is doing exactly what he said he would. In both of Obama's books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" Obama talks about how democrats are too quick to back failing government programs and how Republican's are too individualistic. He also criticizes the politicaly tense atmosphere in the United States. Since running for office Obama has preached slow incremental reform from legislation, and that nothing happens over night. The American people are asking too much of a president that came into office with the debt as high as it was and the system of legislation as chaotic as it was. Obama will be able to get America back on its feet as long as we give him time.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/17/obama-is-doing-just-what-he-said-he-would-do.html

Comedian David Cross's take on Conservatives

Airport Attitude Adjustment

American airports were criticized by European officials today because of over security. The chairman of British Airways, Martin Broughton, remarked that the U.S procedures of taking off your shoes and taking laptops out of their bags. Executives also complained about the long screening times and drawn out process of getting in and out of the airport.

This seems like a reasonable argument, but we had a bomber try and fail on Christmas day just last year. I know that waiting in the airport can be ridiculously long sometimes, but thats mostly because of precautions taken after the bombing of 9/11. That was one of the worst events ever to happen in American history. If we were to go back on all of the precautions implemented after the attack we might leave ourselves prone to another. Now we are looking to implant full body scanners at airports to really crackdown. I believe its our duty to comply with airport regulations even if they are a hassle, for our safety and general welfare.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/business/global/28air.html?_r=1&hp

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Obama recently went on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart for the first time since he became president almost 2 years ago. He remarked that “When we promised during the campaign change you can believe in, it wasn’t change you can believe in in 18 months. It was change you can believe in but were going to have to work for it.” Obama recently set into motion his healthcare bill, and has started regulations on automobile emissions to help out the environment. I think that Obama has been getting a lot of bad rap lately for not doing enough. But change never happens over night, and it will take years before we get our nation back on its feet. This program was a good reminder for Americans that our nation is in good hands and that we did the right thing by voting Barack Obama into office.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/obama-jon-stewart-and-change/?hp

Is Prop 19 Going Too Far?

With the November elections coming closer and closer Prop 19 has become one of the hottest issues on the California ballot. We know that, if passed, Prop 19 would bring our state billions of dollars a year and essentially bring us out of a recession. But is it really the right move? Not even Amsterdam has Marijuana laws this lenient. If passed, California would be the only nation/state in the world to legalize the sale, and smoking of marijuana from production to consumption. This article raises some interesting questions. Although it sounds like a great idea to pass Prop 19, everything might not go as planned. Marijuana also would impede many Californians driving and could lead to more accidents.

http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/10/25/countries-that-come-close-to-california-s-marijuana-legalizing-dreams.html

YES WE CAN

Today, Barack Obama announced a new set of regulations for heavy vehicles. After months of waiting for some form of legislation on the new green policy, we finally have something tangible in place. The federal government had to make the legislation because Congress wasn't getting it done. Obama remarked that this is part of his "bite size" approach to going green. The new rules will require a 20% reduction of emissions for heavy vehicles made in the next 6 years.

This is a huge victory for our country as a whole. After talking about going green for years now, we finally have made it a point to follow through with it. I think this will definitely make Obama's approval rating go up and make people realize that he's doing a fine job in the Whitehouse.

This bill will also help our nation's economy says the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson, "Over all, this program will save $41 billion and much of it will stay home in the U.S. economy rather than paying for imported oil.” This is a win for everyone.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/business/26trucks.html?ref=business

Mental Health Break

YES

See No Evil, Speak No Evil

Sometimes we take our rights and freedoms in the US for granted. In many other countries people don't have the freedom of speech and the press. China, for example has harsh laws governing what people say, publish and even search for on the internet. It doesn't look like its going to get any better either. Although many have tried to push for a decrease of censorship in China, all attempts have failed. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xiaobo, launched a harsh attack on the communist leaders of China on censorship. The general feelin is that China will resist change. After all, their system has worked as they are the most powerful nation in the world. But is it worth having less rights and freedoms?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/world/asia/15china.html?ref=world

My Results

The Quiz

The following are your scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 6
You are a social moderate. You think the progressive movement is overall well meaning, but sometimes it goes too far. On issues like abortion and affirmative action, you see the negatives of both extremes on the issue. You probably value religion, but at the same time you think it should still stay separate from the government

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 12
You're a Social Capitalist, you think that, left to its own, Capitalism leaves a lot of people behind. You think that Health Care should be free to all, that the minimum wage should be raised, and that the government should provide jobs to all that are capable of having them. You likely hated the Bush tax cuts, and believe that the middle class has gotten poorer, and the rich have gotten richer over the past several years. The far extreme of social capitalism is socialism.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 4
You're a Moderate. You think that we all have certain inalienable rights that must be protected, but that sometimes laws need to be made to protect the majority's lives or quality of lives. You might think that the 2nd amendment isn't necessary anymore because letting everyone a gun is extremely dangerous to the community. You might also be against illegal drug use or public pornography because of its possible harmful effects to society.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 7
You're a Moderate. You think that in very rare occasions, the United States should invade a country in order to make the world better by spreading democracy or ending a tyrants rule. You also think that defense is very important, and we shouldn't lower the defense budget. You think that, while the Iraq War probably was a mistake, that we can make the world a better place by sticking with it and spreading democracy in the middle east.

Overall, you would most likely fit into the category of Democrat

Indian Gold Rush

With over 1 billion people, India has potentially one of the most successfull economies in the world. Although they are riddled with poverty, their stock market has boomed over the past few months. Just in the month of September, American investors poured in $7.1 billion to the Indian stock market. Investors were skeptical after 2008 when the American stock market failed. After the crash, Americans withdrew nearly $5 billion from the Indian market. Now, their stock market is back, and thriving. 50 years ago, America was on the top of the pile, but as we move forward more and more countries are at the top. With developed countries pouring  money into underdeveloped countries, the gap between rich and poor is becoming smaller and smaller, thus, contributing to the "flattening" of the world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/business/global/14indiastox.html?ref=business

Modern Day Dustbowl

An estimated 50,000 more families have migrated

from rural areas this year due to drought.

Global warming seems to be having its effects in the Middle East. With sandstorms and abandoned farlands becoming more and more common, countries in the Middle East are becoming somewhat of a wasteland. Already, ravaged by years of war, this is adding to the negative impact on the environment there. A 48 year old farmer named Ahmed Abdullah reflected, “I had 400 acres of wheat, and now it’s all desert. We were forced to flee. Now we are at less than zero — no money, no job, no hope.” Even though Syria, and Iran were never thriving centers for agriculture in the first place, the continuous droughts and sandstorms have made them even less of a powerhouse.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/world/middleeast/14syria.html?hp

FREEDOM

After 2 months underground, the Chilean miners are finally being rescued.It was rumored that they would be stranded until the end of the year, but thanks to new technology they were rescued early. A 2 foot wide, red, white, and blue capsule has hoisted the miners to safety. When the 17th miner made it to the surface, he got down on his knees he raised the flag of his favorite soccer team. The goal is to get all of the 33 miners out by the end of the day.

One of Latin America's most conservative billionaire's, Mr. Piniera, said “We hope that with the help of God, this epic will end in a happy way,”.We wish our best of luck to the miners and their families.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/world/americas/14chile.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp

Weed be smart to pass Prop 19

Prop. 19 to Legalize Pot Gains Popularity in California
Uploaded by newsydotcom. - News videos hot off the press.

As November comes closer, Californians are in a heated debate over the passing of prop 19. The legalization of marijuana in California would bring in over $1.4 billion a year and would help us get out of debt. It would also give our state more money to help out our teachers, police force, and other state regulated professions. We need to legalize marijuana in California to get ourselves back on the right track and get out of debt.

<object width="480" height="270"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xebhl6?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xebhl6?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0" width="480" height="270" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xebhl6_prop-19-to-legalize-pot-gains-popul_news%22%3EProp. 19 to Legalize Pot Gains Popularity in California</a></b><br /><i>Uploaded by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/newsydotcom%22%3Enewsydotcom%3C/a>. - <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/us/channel/news%22%3EUp-to-the minute news videos.</a></i>

Safety at an all time low...

"Groups affiliated with al-Qaeda are now actively targeting the United States and looking to use Americans or Westerners who are able to remain undetected by heightened security measures," - FBI Director Robert Mueller

As we struggle to find our identity in America, the threat of terrorism has become much greater. A top United States official for President Obama has said that the attempted Christmas bombing has shown us that terrorism is constantly changing and evolving. Even the director of the FBI has admitted to the increased threat of Al Qaeda. As more and more other terrorist groups besides Al Qaeda come out of the woodwork, they pose an even greater threat to our nation's safety. Should we really be accepting all others into our country or should we continue our skepticism?

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2020780,00.html#ixzz10IIDW8X0

Bottom-feeders Have a New Way of Life

In Detroit and cities across the world people are starting a new kind of crime. People have begun scavenging rundown houses and cars for copper wiring and metals. Because of the dying economy in the US people are doing anything they can to make money. "Scrapping" has become more and more popular as of late as people will do virtually anything to stay afloat in these troubling times. Clearly we need to help out our poor population so that this shady behavior stops. With the top 5% of the worlds people controlling 26% of the wealth, something needs to be done.

http://detroit.blogs.time.com/2010/09/21/a-rant-about-scrappers/

Electric Shocker!

Although many electric cars made recently have been criticized for being too expensive, there is now a solution. The new eZone from CT&T is the perfect car for people who don't do too much driving during the day but want a car that gets good gas mileage. This eZone is the only electric car to pass front and side crash safety tests. This car will only cost between $8,000 and $16,000, making it cheaper than a prius or other high end electric car's. This car, although not perfect for the American leadfoot, serves as a nice alternative for housewives and old people who don't need to drive too much.

http://www.economist.com/node/16980314?story_id=16980314&CFID=147191758&CFTOKEN=71785094

Progress is a good thing

Today, Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida agreed not to burn the Koran's that he planned to burn on the 9th anniversary of September 11, 2001. This is a huge step for Americans. Although we have been criticized as being isolationists, it was great to see people rally against the burning. This shows that Americans are willing to accept change and will not close their doors to people of different faiths and ethnicities such as Muslims and others. This is a huge step in the right direction for our country as we try to embrace other cultures after the tragedy of 9/11.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/us/10obama.html?_r=1&hp

The more the merrier?

"By 2053, the United Nations projects that there will be more than 9 billion people on the planet, thanks to improvements in healthcare, disease eradication, and economic development." -Thomas Friedman

I knew that the world had a few too many people but this is an astounding number. The world is already overpopulated and in 40 years it will be 150% more populated. America has to do something to prevent this now. I know that preventing disease and infection is important, but 9 billion people is a little bit out of hand. We need to change our ways sooner than later.

"If we don't halt population growth with justice and compassion, it will be done for us by nature, brutally and without pity - and will leave a ravaged world." - Dr. Henry W. Kendall

What happened to Joe the plumber?

But these same politicians are eager to cut checks averaging $3 million each to the richest 120,000 people in the country. -Paul Krugman, New York Times

As Friedman notes in Hot, Flat, and Crowded, We need to cut back on spending in America and become more self sufficient.

In order to do this we must bolster the middle class. This article from the New York times explains the proposition to make the rich become even richer. How will this turn America around?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/opinion/23krugman.html?_r=1&ref=unitedstates

Still Hope for the American Auto Industry?

When Chrysler and GM filed for bankruptcy in 2009 they planned to shutter thousands of dealerships across the country. Fewer than one third of the dealers who hoped to stay in business are in the running for a comeback.

Bush didn't want to make improvements on American cars fuel economy to preserve the "American way of life". Now, after the downfall of the American auto industry, only a third of dealers have the chance for a comeback. Maybe Friedman is right. We do need a change.

Mind Nuggets on the daily

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