Showing posts with label Government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Government. Show all posts

Friday, April 4, 2008

Government!

Real Katrina hero? Wal-Mart, study says - MSN Money
Unsurprisingly, they outperformed the government.


Passengers Air Grievances on TSA Blog - MSN Travel Articles
There's finally a way to complain about the TSA...that someone in the TSA might actually read. And then they'll decide to give you "Softer lighting, soothing music and a quieter atmosphere" because they want "you to be a little more relaxed before they run you through the airport screening process."
Oh, hooray.


Most sweeping changes since Great Depression - Stocks & economy- msnbc.com
Yeah, so, since the Fed already failed to do what it was supposed to do, they should be given more power with which to fail. Good planning, there.
These sorts of economic busts occur regularly - they're part of the natural cycle. Just leave them alone. Of course it'd be nice to mitigate the effects of these things, or avoid them entirely - but the amount of regulation and top-down control you'd need would be stifling. It'd have to be a planned economy, and we know those don't work.
Just let those who made poor decisions pay for it, and the rest of us will do what we have to until things get better. If you allow things to proceed naturally, they will get better. It's when you start interfering that you get things like Japan's Lost Decade or the Great Depression.
It's nice that I'm not the only one who thinks so:
Why Fed reform won't work. - By Nomi Prins - Slate Magazine
And Hillary doesn't appear to understand her proposed policy would lead us to emulate Japan. Hillary's Bad History - WSJ.com



And speaking of Hillary...
The real harm Hillary Clinton inflicted on Bosnia. - By Christopher Hitchens - Slate Magazine
Ok, Mr. Hitches is not exactly the most...even-tempered, maybe. But, as he puts it, there was a promise by Pres. Clinton to oppose the genocide in Bosnia in 1992. Nothing was done, of course, until years later. Why?
"The key factor in Bill's policy reversal was Hillary, who was said to have "deep misgivings" and viewed the situation as "a Vietnam that would compromise health-care reform."
Well, that health-care reform sure was worth it, huh? Thank you, Hillary, for allowing genocide to continue.



The Supreme Court gives habeas corpus a swirly. - By Dahlia Lithwick - Slate Magazine
If you happen to be an American citizen held by American forces anywhere that isn't America, guess what? You don't have habeas corpus. Swell.


U.S. expats fight their soaring tax burden - International Herald Tribune
If you were taxed twice on your income - and not just a little, but taxed fully twice, you would be angry, right?
If you are an American living abroad, that is exactly what happens to you. Naturally, foreign employers, and American companies overseas, do not want to hire Americans since they have to pay so much more for them.



Microsoft’s Bill Gates asks for more visas - U.S. business- msnbc.com
If even Bill Gates is saying that our visa system doesn't work, there may be a problem. There are not enough visas, and even though we train a lot of foreign students, if they want to stay here to work, we make it hard on them - it's absurdly hard to get permission to stay here - and so they go home, and we lose their talent. Who does that benefit?

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Economics

Zimbabwe’s $10 Million Bread | Newsweek International | Newsweek.com
Robert Mugabe has ruined his country. Inflation is kicking their ass - when the article was written, it cost $10 million for one loaf of bread. Printing money doesn't make things better, in case you were wondering. Neither does mandating prices.


Rising rice prices spark concerns - World business- msnbc.com
Rice isn't the only thing rising in price, but it's one of the most important things. Just as has happened with wheat, countries that grow a lot of it are either having bad weather, or are not selling their rice on the world market in order to keep prices cheap at home. So, people will probably starve.


China facing renewed fuel shortages - Oil & energy- msnbc.com
Because once again, government knows what's best for you, even if it kills you in the process of saving you from yourself. (Price controls strike again!)


Governmental Wisdom!

U.S. warhead error adds to troubled history - Deep Background - msnbc.com
"Deep Background" is a joke - the level of detail and insight you'd expect is just not there, not in any of the articles they write. And their background picture is incredibly lame - yes, repeating 1s and 0s, combined with words like "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT", "TOP SECRET", and "OPERATION" make it look very professional indeed. The whole missile parts thing is pretty funny, though, but unfortunately, it is not a joke.


Nipple rings cause airport security issue - News- msnbc.com
Because, you know, you could potentially yank them out and stab someone with them. Or, even more threatening, in the process of removing them in order to stab someone, someone may inadvertently glimpse your breast and either be paralyzed with disgust or lust, whichever best suits them, and be unable to perform their duties, like flying the plane. Truly, nipple rings are a terror.


Science

The nose knows: Smell sharpens during danger - More health news- msnbc.com
Who knew? Or should I say, who nose? (hahah. Yeah, this isn't too surprising, I know, but the setup for the bad pun was too good.)


Experts find oldest voice recording - Science- msnbc.com
It was made about 17 years before Edison made his famous recording of Mary Had a Little Lamb - by a French guy. Before anyone starts cheering or jeering or getting snooty, though - there was no way to play it back. Edison is still the first to reproduce sound.


Neuroscience may explain the Dalai Lama - Science- msnbc.com
Meditating can make you more empathetic and benevolent.


Assorted!

Kting Voar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It is a possibly real jungle cow that eats snakes.

Also see -
Gaur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It is a gigantic jungle cow. Males can get up to 12 feet long and 7 foot high at the shoulder.


Japan appoints cartoon ambassador - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com
Yes, they really did. It's Doraemon. He's going to promote anime. So, it looks like there soon will be no place on Earth where I can go to not see that cat.
Look, a Doraemon!




Thursday, March 6, 2008

Innovation

A 'revolution' in batteries - Cosmic Log - msnbc.com
Batteries that could last ten times longer, thanks to silicon nanowires.

High-tech insulator created from rice husks - Innovation - MSNBC.com
You've heard of aerogel? A scientist from Malaysia figured out how to make it from rice husks - for about 1/5 of the usual cost.


Fed.Gov. Overreach

EPA justifies Calif. waiver denial - Environment - MSNBC.com
I understand why the EPA did it, and though I dislike the environmentalists (and suspect that if they were allowed to do as they wish, there would be tremendously costs without any real benefits), I do not see that the EPA should have the authority to regulate this. If one state wishes to have different automotive standards, so long as it does not impose those standards on visiting cars, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to do that. It'll cause problems, and it will be costly, but that doesn't mean it's illegal, or beyond their rights. Back off, Feds.

U.S. pulls the plug on Europeans who want to visit Cuba - International Herald Tribune
Another fine example of the US sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. Last I checked, Europeans were not subject to US law if they were not US citizens, and not in US territory, both of which are true if they are European and visiting Cuba (apparently this is still true in Guantanamo Bay, where US law also does not apply!)


Islam

Secular Pakistani wins Taliban support - World Blog - msnbc.com
Just like the title says - things aren't as simple as one would sometimes wish. Fortunately, they are more complicated than that, allowing solutions that don't suck as tremendously as wiping one group of people off the planet.

Young Iraqis are losing their faith in religion - International Herald Tribune
I can only consider this a good thing, if being religious means beheading, maiming, kidnapping, and just plain murdering innocent people. Another good sign of progress.

The archbishop of Canterbury's dangerous embrace of sharia. - By Christopher Hitchens - Slate Magazine
This is probably no surprise to any of you, but the archbishop of Canterbury is sort of a moron. He wants to allow sharia law in the UK, for Muslims, doing away with "one law for everybody." Fortunately, he is a nobody. Does anyone even believe in state churches anymore?

Who needs a state censor when the press bites its own tongue so effectively? - By Christopher Hitchens - Slate Magazine
The press is cowardly, and loves appeasement. That's the gist of the article.


Science

Watching hyenas' social lives to understand intelligence - International Herald Tribune
Spotted hyenas turn out to be fairly intelligent, like other highly social creatures.

East and West: Seeing the world through different lenses - International Herald Tribune
The culture you are raised in changes the way you see the world. No, the image your eyes take in is roughly the same as anyone else's, it's just the way your mind processes it.

Urban landscapes force plants to evolve - LiveScience- msnbc.com
They change their seeds to take advantage of their new environment.

Why carpal tunnel cases are plummeting - More health news- msnbc.com
I'd forgotten all about that - used to hear about it all the time.

In romance, the hotties stick together - Behavior- msnbc.com
No surprise here - attractive people stick together, less attractive people stick together, but would like to be dating the attractive people...but they do learn to value other traits like humor.
Then again, the whole study was based off of hotornot.com data.

Dust mites, roaches can weaken your skin - Skin and beauty- msnbc.com
They make your skin weaker and more prone to damage. Bad news for people with already bad skin.

Aromatherapy is no cure for what ails you - Skin and beauty- msnbc.com
Surprisingly, in a study done by believers in aromatherapy, and funded by yet others, and performed on believers and non-, no evidence was found for aromatherapy having any effect whatsoever.

Smelly guy? It’s all in your nose - More health news- msnbc.com
Some people think guys stink. Like Gloria Steinem. Oh. Bad pun.
Others think men don't smell like much of anything; others like the smell. And it all has to do with what your particular copy of a gene is doing for your receptors.

Cell Phones Fuel Risky Behavior LiveScience
No surprise there. Women go places they ordinarily wouldn't, because they feel safer with cell phones. Etc.

Goo Makes Flu Worse in Winter LiveScience
Its protein coat gels up in the winter, making it more durable. When it reaches warm air, that outer coating falls apart. That's why summertime is bad news for the flu, and great news for us. Unfortunately, that coat lets it survive in cold temperatures much better; when it reaches warm air, like inside your lungs, it pops out and introduces itself in a way no one appreciates.

Asian cockroach found to eat crop-killing pests - International Herald Tribune
They look just like regular cockroaches, except they're really great to have around.



Hugo Chavez, War-Mongering Idiot

Colombia links slain rebel leader to Venezuela - International Herald Tribune
Supposedly, Chavez gave $300 million to FARC. And years ago, they gave him money, too. What happened to loving your neighbor as yourself? Oh, right. He already overthrew Venezuela's government.
Venezuela-Colombia conflict widens - Americas- msnbc.com
Also, FARC was supposedly attempting to purchase uranium. Some in the Colombian government say it was for a dirty bomb; others say it was to resell for profit.

Colombia escalates Venezuela's quarrel with U.S. - International Herald Tribune
Naturally, this has not been good for relations among nations in the Americas. No one wants a war, except maybe Chavez. And even he couldn't really want a war, could he? He's not likely to gain anything from it.