Interesting.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Article: Carl Hart, Columbia University Scientist, Confronts Drug War In 'High Price'
Carl Hart, Columbia University Scientist, Confronts Drug War In 'High Price'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/carl-hart-high-price_n_3355555.html
Good reading. It is rare that someone is so forthcoming about their past like the author does.
Article: Arkansas senator takes on Mayor Bloomberg in new ad
I'm not a big fan of Bloomberg pumping ads in other cities, but I don't think it is such a terrible idea. More and more "liberal" groups should start doing what conservative groups and PACS have been doing for a long time. I'm not sure how effective Bloomberg's ad campaign is going to be, but if he manages to take down one or two gun crazy politicians, I'd consider it a success.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Christie Issue
Chris Christie is in a very peculiar spot in American politics. The New Jersey governor is a noted Republican. He spouts many ideas that are quintessentially Republican, yet his actions prove themselves to be a betrayal of modern day Republicans. Now one might be inclined to believe Christie is not a Republican because of some of the things he does, like compromising with Democrats, high-fiving President Obama, and accepting government funds to help his state due to hurricane Sandy's damage. All these things, when looked through the prism of modern day Republicans -the ones that have fooled other Republicans into voting for them -can be viewed as a betrayal of the party.
But is Christie really the traitor here? Is the New Jersey governor a traitor for asking the government for some help to fix his state when a natural disaster destroyed most of the shore? I mean is that not what an elected official is supposed to do for his constituents? Isn't it his job to represent the people of New Jersey and make a case for them and what they need? Is he supposed to worry about what the likes of Rush Limbaugh and the knuckleheads at Fox News think, while his citizens are struggling to stay afloat? is Christie a traitor for compromising with Democrats? How do you govern any given entity if you cannot work with the people you disagree with? If all you do is work with people who agree with you it is unlikely that you will unearth anything important to history. If you only work with those that are just like you, you will always have the same solution to every problem, and no one will think outside of the box. Republicans like to pick on Christie because they view him as a traitor, but I dare say it is these modern day Tea Party Republicans that are the traitors. It is these few voices of dissent who are stalling progress in the Unites States.
A lot of talk will continue to go on about Christie's presidential hopes. I for one have a hard time looking seriously at Republicans as leaders. Very few, if any of them have shown that they can lead while in congress. When it comes to Christie, I think a lot of people in this country would love to see him detach himself away from the modern day Republicans, or at least create a coalition of Republicans with enough backbone and organizational strength not to be afraid of the Tea Party Republicans. When an elected official decides they would rather do nothing than to compromise, it is time for them to step away from public office and become a consultant. As a politician, your primary role is to serve the people who voted for you. More and more politicians need to go back to the basics of public life. This is not supposed to be a career. It is supposed to be a service you render to the public, because they entrust you with all their hopes about the future.
It will be easy for people to paint Chris Christie as a weak Republican because of the work he has done in office with Democrats. But the truth of the matter is that Christie is doing exactly what he was elected to do. He is representing New Jersey to the max. Christie is an example for other politicians. It is a real shame that he feels he belongs in the Republican party, because the party of today is quickly endangering the party's future.
But is Christie really the traitor here? Is the New Jersey governor a traitor for asking the government for some help to fix his state when a natural disaster destroyed most of the shore? I mean is that not what an elected official is supposed to do for his constituents? Isn't it his job to represent the people of New Jersey and make a case for them and what they need? Is he supposed to worry about what the likes of Rush Limbaugh and the knuckleheads at Fox News think, while his citizens are struggling to stay afloat? is Christie a traitor for compromising with Democrats? How do you govern any given entity if you cannot work with the people you disagree with? If all you do is work with people who agree with you it is unlikely that you will unearth anything important to history. If you only work with those that are just like you, you will always have the same solution to every problem, and no one will think outside of the box. Republicans like to pick on Christie because they view him as a traitor, but I dare say it is these modern day Tea Party Republicans that are the traitors. It is these few voices of dissent who are stalling progress in the Unites States.
A lot of talk will continue to go on about Christie's presidential hopes. I for one have a hard time looking seriously at Republicans as leaders. Very few, if any of them have shown that they can lead while in congress. When it comes to Christie, I think a lot of people in this country would love to see him detach himself away from the modern day Republicans, or at least create a coalition of Republicans with enough backbone and organizational strength not to be afraid of the Tea Party Republicans. When an elected official decides they would rather do nothing than to compromise, it is time for them to step away from public office and become a consultant. As a politician, your primary role is to serve the people who voted for you. More and more politicians need to go back to the basics of public life. This is not supposed to be a career. It is supposed to be a service you render to the public, because they entrust you with all their hopes about the future.
It will be easy for people to paint Chris Christie as a weak Republican because of the work he has done in office with Democrats. But the truth of the matter is that Christie is doing exactly what he was elected to do. He is representing New Jersey to the max. Christie is an example for other politicians. It is a real shame that he feels he belongs in the Republican party, because the party of today is quickly endangering the party's future.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Syria Is Gone
The conflict in Syria does not look like it will subside anytime soon. It seems every single day there is a new story about the atrocities taking place in that country. It is amazing to think that this conflict started out because the Syrian people protested against their government. Those of us living in the West take it for granted that we can protest against our government whenever we're unhappy with what they're doing. Yet in this Middle Eastern country, a smile protest tut s into a civil war which is taking for longer than it needs to.
There is no guarantee that if President Bashar Assad had stepped down the country would be better. As we can see in a lot of countries where a dictatorship cedes control, the country struggles to form a new identity for itself. But despite the uncertainties that come along with newly unveiled democracy (see Egypt) Assad should have given his people the opportunity to realize this fleeting dream of democracy, but as is the case throughout history, the ruling class always underestimates the resolve of those they seek to control.
The bigger issue coming out of the conflict in Syria, has little to do with whether Assad will step down or not. The fact of the matter is that the Syrian regime is bound to lose. Assad himself must know by now that doom is written in his future. Assad's decision not to step down when the conflict started has created a future for Syria which no Syrian would have wanted. Because of Assad, sectarian division and violence will become the norm. And a Syrian identity will cease to exist.
It might seem unfair to lay all the blame at Assad's feet, after all the rebels have a role to play in the distinction just as much as anybody else. But when you're a leader, it is your responsibility to make sure that you lead, and that you keep things from getting out of hand. Assad's biggest problem is a failure to manage. And beyond that, it is the erroneous decision not to have a proper exit strategy at hand. War is the worst exit strategy any manager can have, and the end will not look good for Assad. Unfortunately for Syrians, their next chapter is going to be equally demure. Many people will die before this conflict ends. Neighbors will kill one another, and each other's children. In the end the Syria they know will no longer exist. In its place will be a populated land struggling to identify itself in a region troubled by the melange of modernity and tradition.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
What Would The World Be Like Without Religion?
What would life be like without religion? That is a very important question. It is a question that more and more people should endeavor to ask themselves. It is a question which may have the answer to many of what troubles this world of ours. For many people religion is an essential part of their existence. Some people cannot go one meal without praying, thankful for the food that they have. Some people cannot go the entire day without praying at least once. On the surface, such a pious existence is commendable. We should all strive to have the type of discipline necessary to live such a blessed life. But there is another part of religion which I find troubling, and which has reared its head every few centuries.
Religion has been used as a guide and to a greater extent, a reason for committing all types of atrocities around the world. From the crusades to modern day terrorism, religion has been the rock which has given people the confidence and the justification for their atrocities. And while we can condemn the perpetrators of these evil acts, we must be careful not to use religion as the scape goat, the same way the perpetrators use religion as reason. The very fact that people throughout human existence have used religion as a base for violence, is a betrayal of their religious belief itself. No religion asks that its followers go out and commit mass murder. No religion gives any man or woman the tool to go out and take from another, the precious life they have been given. Yet, every few decades, some people around the world, be they Christian, Muslim or otherwise, have taken up arms in the name of defending a religious belief which does not need to be defended.
In light of the events in London recently, it will not take long before Islam is back in the news, being portrayed by the likes of O'Reilly and the Faux News crew as a religion of murder and terrorism. It will not take long before innocent Muslims walking down the street of any western country will begin to feel the threat of danger, the otherworldly feeling of being tagged "other", the absence of warmth and the unbearable feeling of displacement. All this is going to happen, but it shouldn't. People who claim Islam while committing their crime are betraying their religion, but beyond that, they're betraying their fellow Muslims. So it is important to pose that question, what would the world be like without religion?
Religion has been used as a guide and to a greater extent, a reason for committing all types of atrocities around the world. From the crusades to modern day terrorism, religion has been the rock which has given people the confidence and the justification for their atrocities. And while we can condemn the perpetrators of these evil acts, we must be careful not to use religion as the scape goat, the same way the perpetrators use religion as reason. The very fact that people throughout human existence have used religion as a base for violence, is a betrayal of their religious belief itself. No religion asks that its followers go out and commit mass murder. No religion gives any man or woman the tool to go out and take from another, the precious life they have been given. Yet, every few decades, some people around the world, be they Christian, Muslim or otherwise, have taken up arms in the name of defending a religious belief which does not need to be defended.
In light of the events in London recently, it will not take long before Islam is back in the news, being portrayed by the likes of O'Reilly and the Faux News crew as a religion of murder and terrorism. It will not take long before innocent Muslims walking down the street of any western country will begin to feel the threat of danger, the otherworldly feeling of being tagged "other", the absence of warmth and the unbearable feeling of displacement. All this is going to happen, but it shouldn't. People who claim Islam while committing their crime are betraying their religion, but beyond that, they're betraying their fellow Muslims. So it is important to pose that question, what would the world be like without religion?
Thursday, May 23, 2013
NOT FOR SALE: THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MODERN DAY SLAVERY
Not too many people are aware of the fact that slavery is still going on these days. I mean it’s bizarre to imagine that today’s human beings would find it necessary to sell others or buy others for whatever means necessary. I was searching for something interesting to write about today when I stumbled on www.notforsalecampaign.org and found out about a campaign to end human trafficking. Now I don’t know enough about the issue to pretend to be some sort of expert and spew statistics that would make me appear as such, but I have common sense. I have enough common sense to know that the trafficking of human beings is an atrocious act for which a simple adjective cannot be used. For those who are partaking in this act, it may seem as though life is yours to take, but there comes a time when even the rabbit gets blown out of the whole. For those of you who want to know more about the problem, I suggest you go to the website and read up on it and search for as much information as possible. The more people who know about this the better off the world will be.
The fact is there, as disheartening as it is, it is there for all to see. Let’s re-abolish slavery and this time for good.
The fact is there, as disheartening as it is, it is there for all to see. Let’s re-abolish slavery and this time for good.
Cruz for President
Good old hypocrisy seems to be well and fine in American politics. One thing that clearly highlights it is the fact that some people think Senator Ted Cruz is a presidential hopeful. Forget the argument that his politics don't appeal to the general American citizen. Forget the fact that he was once close to the George W. Bush presidency. Ted Cruz was born in Canada to a Cuban father and an American Mother. I find it appalling that people can entertain the idea of a Canadian becoming president of the United States, yet Republican nut jobs have spent a great deal of time since 2008 questioning the legitimacy of President Obama's tenure. Obama was born in Hawaii, and even that was not enough for the Republicans. Yet they're okay with a Canadian running for president? Where is the outrage at suggestion that this overzealous junior Senator from Texas is even thinking about the idea? Where is Donald Trump and the like? Why are they so silent about this? or does it only matter when the Democratic black guy is running?
American race relations have always been terrible, but it is increasingly clear that in this new age we're entering, some people have a real problem with people generally considered part of the minority being in power. I have nothing personally against Ted Cruz, though I disagree with pretty much everything he stands for politically, but this absurd level of hypocrisy is beyond absurd.
American race relations have always been terrible, but it is increasingly clear that in this new age we're entering, some people have a real problem with people generally considered part of the minority being in power. I have nothing personally against Ted Cruz, though I disagree with pretty much everything he stands for politically, but this absurd level of hypocrisy is beyond absurd.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Article: This Indie Rocker-Turned-Congressman Is Ready to Make HIs Name on Immigration Reform
This Indie Rocker-Turned-Congressman Is Ready to Make HIs Name on Immigration Reform
http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/this-indie-rocker-turned-congressman-is-ready-to-make-his-name-on-immigration-reform-20130522
Article: The Other Side Of The Story
The Other Side Of The Story
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/The_IRS_Scandal_On_The_Ground?src=rss
While I'm not a fan of prejudice against any one group, it is absurd that a lot of these Tea Party groups are claiming to be doing social welfare work. Who are they kidding here? And who in their right mind is letting them get away with this farce? The system will never be fixed as long as they're loopholes for the powerful to exploit.
Article: Nidal Hasan, Fort Hood Shooting Suspect, Has Received $278,000 In Salary Since Arrest
Nidal Hasan, Fort Hood Shooting Suspect, Has Received $278,000 In Salary Since Arrest
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/nidal-malik-hasan-salary_n_3313519.html
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Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Time Warner Cable
As a long suffering Timer Warner Cable subscriber, I have to say one of the best things to come out of that company has been their TWC app. This app when used on a tablet, essentially allows you to watch TV on a different tool. This allows me to watch a different channel when my significant other insists on watching another Monk marathon. I can't say it has every channel I have on my TV, but I'd imagine it won't be long before they offer even more channels for tablets through the TWC app. One of the best things this app has to offer is definitely the ability to watch show on demand. While this might be an evolution in Time Warner Cable's business model, it won't take long before they're pushed out of the market as more companies like Netflix and Hulu pop up, offering better content and better service. It would behoove the headmasters at Time Warner Cable to start focusing on their customer service. The company has a terrible reputation for how they treat their long term customers. And until they start providing better customer service in terms of pricing, they will be out of business soon. Focusing on new customers is smart, but when those customers become long term customers you should still offer them an olive branch or you will lose them to your competition.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Jason Richwine, PhD
Sometimes when people say they'll give a PhD to anyone, you think they're kidding, maybe even half joking. But apparently Harvard gives PhDs to people who ascribe to what is nothing short of eugenics redux. A lot has been made this week about Jason Richwine's work as an academic and as a member of that bastion of intellectual life, The Heritage Foundation. According to Richwine, if you're a Latino immigrant, your children are going to have low IQ and your grandchildren are also going to have low IQ. Furthermore, this is a guy who inherently believes that if you are white you are innately smarter than any black person you come across. To put it into context, if you take a black guy at an Ivy League school and a white guy at your local community college, the white guy is going to prove to be the smarter of the two. A white guy from the trailer parks of Detroit is instantly smarter than a black guy at Oxford.
This sort of bullshit is naturally expected from Nationalists, but for one who dares call himself an expert in public policy, Mr. Richwine is a fucking imbecile. You cannot purport to hypothesize about any given population's intelligence without ever considering the environmental aspects of that population. Take the Castro brothers from San Antonio for instance. They're children of immigrants, yet they graduated from Stanford and Harvard. I suspect they have higher IQs than Mr. Richwine and the douchebags the Heritage Foundation puts together. Genetics have little to do with IQ. You give any child the kind of access to books, good teachers, safe communities that white kids get and you will see just how smart they are. Richwine is a disgrace to Harvard's reputation.
This sort of bullshit is naturally expected from Nationalists, but for one who dares call himself an expert in public policy, Mr. Richwine is a fucking imbecile. You cannot purport to hypothesize about any given population's intelligence without ever considering the environmental aspects of that population. Take the Castro brothers from San Antonio for instance. They're children of immigrants, yet they graduated from Stanford and Harvard. I suspect they have higher IQs than Mr. Richwine and the douchebags the Heritage Foundation puts together. Genetics have little to do with IQ. You give any child the kind of access to books, good teachers, safe communities that white kids get and you will see just how smart they are. Richwine is a disgrace to Harvard's reputation.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Found Missing
I suppose it is a great thing that these women who were missing in Cleveland have been found. It really is a moment of joy, but we have to wonder why it took ten years for these women to emerge. I'm not suggesting it is somehow the women's fault that they were kidnaped, but much has to be said about the type of police work that went on with these women's cases. The police claimed to have continued their search for these women, but only a fool would believe such a thing.
The women are brave to say the least. After being held for so many years I'm not sure they would ever have thought the day would come when they would be free. It says a lot about the power of the human spirit that these women are able to survive all these years and still make it out. As for the three brothers, the law should throw the heaviest book they can find at them. No mercy for perverted men who have little regard for other people's lives and dignity.
The women are brave to say the least. After being held for so many years I'm not sure they would ever have thought the day would come when they would be free. It says a lot about the power of the human spirit that these women are able to survive all these years and still make it out. As for the three brothers, the law should throw the heaviest book they can find at them. No mercy for perverted men who have little regard for other people's lives and dignity.
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