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Gripes, Page 2

Things that get my goat

Government, Spaceflight, Spinoffs, and People

To the outside observer, it seems like the U.S. Government treats the funding of NASA with the same care and understanding as they do the United States Postal Service. The outside observer would be wrong; it’s not handled nearly as well. And the USPS is going bankrupt…so that sort of gives you an idea of how bad the problem is.

It’s Been an Interesting Day For Freedom of Speech

The United States government has a long history of considering, if not passing and creatively interpreting, some really poopy-headed laws. From the Alien and Sedition Acts, to the Dred Scott Decision, to SOPA and PIPA; the Congress and Supreme Court of the United States are sometimes the most dangerous groups of people in the country when it comes to how we communicate ideas.

A Few “Occupy” Thoughts

A few people have asked why I haven’t been posting a lot about the Occupy movement. After all, I have a blog and I don’t seem to be afraid to use it. It’s not like I don’t have opinions on the matter. So I figured I’d take a few moments and touch on a few things.

Introvert Marketing in an Extrovert Market (WordServe Water Cooler)

Creative types are told that they also have to be able to market. For the 75% (or so) who are extroverts, this is simply an inconvenience. For the rest, who are introverts, perhaps another business model would be better.

Why Occupy Wall Street Matters — If It Lasts

Many questions have been raised concerning the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protests and camps that have spread across the country. In a nutshell, these questions seems to boil down to: “So what? A lot of people are camping out and whining…therefore I ask again, so what? Why should I care? Why does the OWS movement matter?”

I Now Have a Political Litmus Test

All my adult life, I have avoided applying any political litmus test when choosing candidates for office—especially for Congress or the Presidency. I held that people running in an election should be evaluated by the balance of their stands on issues, not focus in on just one small area. My stance on this has now changed.

‪Don’t Punish Everyone For One Person’s Mistake‬‏ (YouTube)

It’s really amazing how rampant this is. When there was less of this, we seemed to be nicer. via ‪Don’t punish everyone …

Should Cable “News” Be In Courtrooms?

And yet another sensationalized trial has come and gone. A significant faction of the public will be incensed. If not naturally, then fueled by the opinionated back-and-forth by fervent cable “news” commentators. We need to make this go away.

The Wisdom of Public Web Photo Sharing

After a few false starts over the years, I’ve finally committed to self-hosting any pictures I share on the socnets. This doesn’t mean that there will be no photos of mine out in the interwebverse–some need to be out there for marketing purposes–but most won’t be. Why? One simple phrase: “Terms of Service” (ToS)

Sad News: Albuquerque Tortilla Gobbled Up

The local Albuquerque Tortilla Company (ATC) that, in my not so humble native New Mexican opinion, made the only store-bought flour tortilla that could be described as something worth eating has been bought out by multinational GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V. (Monterrey, Mexico), sellers of Mission Tortillas

Governor Martinez, Why Cripple New Mexico?

Governor Martinez has chosen to target the subsidy used to entice the film industry to produce movies and television shows in the state. While she could have targeted any of $1.2 billion paid to subsidize other industries, for example, gas and oil, she has instead targeted one of the few good PR sources this state has.

Botox Is a Thief

When I watch television and movies, I feel cheated. I tune in wanting to watch my favorite actors ply their art to their full ability. All too often, now, I don’t get to see that performance.

Can Bernake Fix the Problem If He Doesn’t Understand It?

Ben Bernake is correct that the economy is stratifying, but can’t see that education is largely irrelevant as a practical reason for the dangerous economic condition of the US.

Re-evaluating the TSA Problem

A lot has been written recently about the invasive searches being conducted by the TSA on presumably innocent travelers wanting to board a commercial airplane. Much of what has been said has focused a lot on what was being done without much talk about how else we could tackle the security issue.

The Voting Conundrum

Being that I’m a “does it have to be a box” sort of thinker, I’ve long struggled with how important voting is. Is majority rule actually the best way to do things?

Let’s Change the Witness Oath

A person goes to the witness stand, they are told to raise their right hand, and say some version of the witness oath. Thing is, you get in trouble if you refuse to accept it. I propose a fix.

I’m So Tired of Congress

It’s hard to believe, but earlier in my lifetime the folks in Congress actually tried to govern. Really. As time has gone on, it stopped working. Compromise ceased to be. Over the past few decades, the power brokers have managed to cripple a critical piece of American government. I’m sad to see it happen.

A Business-sourced Stimulus Plan For the Economy

During the “Great Recession”, there has been much gnashing of teeth that money isn’t flowing. A solution exists that could be implemented almost immediately and with little-to-no government interference.