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MOST RECENT: A New Internet The U.S. Internet, by virtue of its adherence civil liberties, is more like the wild west. Everyone does everything online anonymously, and while that's great for liberties, it's also dangerous when cyber criminals/foreign hackers are roaming the cyber countryside. A new Internet is being proposed: a dot-secure safe zone (basically, a separate Internet) where things like financial institutions, sensitive infrastructure, government contractors, and the government itself can hide behind heavier defenses. When the dust settles, you may not be able to go to certain neighborhoods of the Web without showing your papers at a checkpoint--and perhaps subjecting yourself to one of those humiliating electronic pat-downs as well. More to follow... - Thoughts?
Your Comments:
July 10, 2011 13:21 June 27, 2011 20:11 Obama Quasi-care... Talk all you want, but you're avoiding the actual problem: Rising health care costs and inadequate revenue. --Bromley. June 5, 2011 21:25 Blurring distinction A simple way to really catch blurring of the distinction between fact and interpretation is to scan the headlines. As I write, a mainstream news site has a headline story reading 'Senate Tax Cut Package Filled With Sweeteners, Obama Predicts Passage' which might imply that a proposed 'bad' bill is being pushed past it's opponents by inducing 'sweeteners' to persuade. That's not news, that's opinion. I wish the news media would chose to be news or opinion, and state it as such. To co-mingle the two without that distinction is irresponsible. May 20, 2011 20:36 Why I Ignore. Many people ask me how to do this or that online. Despite the volumes of instructions before them, they still lazily ask me. Terry Pratchett said it best, so I now steal his response: 'Please give us a simple answer, so that we don't have to think, because if we think, we might find answers that don't fit the way we want the world to be.' ~ Terry Pratchett in Nation May 17, 2011 4:39 Animal Testing Ethics Ethics play a very large role in experimentation. While many studies are performed on animals, I feel this is extremely short-sided and can't possibly be the only solution to the need for live testing. While I do understand and appreciate the significance of sacrificing one life to save many, the rationale is overused when it comes to the excessive torturing and murdering of animals, in the name of research. While I am no animal activist, I am a common-sense activist, and routine animal torture can't possibly be the only way to test and experiment new procedures, medicines, and makeup. The ethical relationship between man and animal has become completely out-of-scale with the balance of nature. Somewhere along the line, the majority of humans have decided that we are more valuable or more important than animals. Not only is this ethically reprehensible, it is detrimental to our own existence. Harming animals (and nature preserves for that matter) in the name of science and economic growth is a rationalized way to elude ethical responsibility and embrace lazy science. Conversely, humanely treating rats to navigate mazes for a piece of cheese, is completely ethical for the study of human behavior. Observing cats opening a cage door for food is also ethical, provided there is scientific knowledge to gain, and the animals are always treated humanly... and humane, by definition, means without harm in any way to their psyche or physical body. While I applaud Pavlov, Watson, and other brilliant minds for their scientific research and contributions, if their work involves needless, senseless harming of animals simply for research, I categorically renounce all of their work. May 14, 2011 21:30 Shaping Behavior Some of the 'environment shapes behavior' principals were used in WWII intelligence gathering and sub-culture modification efforts by various agencies within the US and Europe. Influencing city populations, almost like campaigning, by limiting basic necessities of life (food, water, hygiene) as well as economic shaping to influence behavior in the form of rebellion were commonplace. Without sounding like a conspiracy theorist (I am completely NOT), these principals are almost certainly being used today as well, for good I pray. Using environmental factors to influence societies... or 'inform/educate' societies can be a beneficial thing. Ramming a policy or agenda down a society's throat never works, but if the society perceives the 'need' or comes to the decision on their own, change can be made via environmental influence. It sounds like the latest gossip/news out of Guantanamo Bay, Tripoli or Cairo, but it's really just the concept of behavioral influence, isn't it? May 13, 2011 18:15 Tired of Osama Yet? We are all exhausted of the the topic of the death of Osama bin Laden. This is certainly not to say that his erasure was not necessary, significant, important, and a courageous achievement of all the men and woman who were involved in his demise... from Bush to Langley to Obama to Team 6. It's just that America is still healing from 9-11 and the best thing we can do is just forget the vile Osama, and focus on healing, securing, and protecting our future way of life. We must continue to fight this 'war on terror' but let's close the book on the name Osama bin Laden, and give him the faceless, nameless, and godless legacy he deserves. May 13, 2011 5:56 Liar Why do I pretend to be happy when I'm not? No more. May 8, 2011 3:41 Animals Are Important The all-too-common attitude of the average self-centered human has made itself evident by the pending evaporation of many fossil fuels as well as animal, plant and insect species. Humans living their life without understanding or consideration for the nonhuman life-forms are tipping the scale on their own delicate balance of demise. The precise combination of humans, nonhuman's, and other environmental factors has only one enemy: Humans. My worldview emphasizes the need for a dramatic change in how humans respect and co-exist with animals. The mindset of humans today needs to shift away from assuming a superiority position to animals. Our needs are not more important than their needs. The richness and diversity of life that the animal kingdom brings to this earth not only demands equality and respect, but is also essential to the evolutionary success of man. It is in this symbiotic understanding that my worldview can benefit life. May 4, 2011 4:35 Thank you Navy Regardless of anyone's political views, killing thousands of innocent people in the name of a religion, and promising to kill millions more for the same reason is reason enough to be killed. Religion has always seemed to be the basis for senseless death. I am Catholic and it still enrages me that religion is used to justify harming people. Nevertheless, one would have to be an imbecile to think that killing Osama Bin Laden will stop terrorism, but it will certainly serve both justice and preventative measures greatly. I personally thank the intelligence community, both Presidential offices, the general military, and the Navy for their efforts. April 27, 2011 15:58 The spirit of the age Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and/or political climate within a nation or even specific groups, along with the general ambiance, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era. Are you Zeitgeist? April 25, 2011 18:40 Birther vs Logic I am not taking a position yet, really, but I can't help but wonder why is he spending millions of dollars to fight this issue, instead of just providing his birth certificate? What am I missing? April 23, 2011 1:10 Turned off by religion One of my favorite quotes this month; It is understandable why so many people are turned off by religion. History, including modern times, is littered with religious leaders who betrayed the people’s trust, and with people who committed great evil while invoking the name of God. We can all think of people who call themselves Christians, yet act like something different. --Tom Glegola, AND Magazine Columnist April 20, 2011 20:3 Complete Failure A full year has gone by and Congress has not passed a single oil spill law. Inexcusable. Additionally, after all the banking emergency and worst economic crisis since who knows when, not a single person is jailed. Banking CEO's bonuses are at an all-time high; 3 billion plus. What is wrong with this picture!? April 19, 2011 18:44 I am ish Common sense seems to be in short supply these days. You are all either totally this or completely that. What happened to a few shades of gray? There are many rules that are really just guidelines. Extremists take everything too far. Grey is lost. Pity. I am ish. I am conservative-ish, but not a Limbaugh freak. I am liberal-ish, but not a two-faced, blind party-follower. I am a completely devout-ish Catholic, but I know the parting of the Red Sea was a story to help explain a concept. Friends, consider areas of gray. Your gray matter has the ability to process relational data, not just yes or no. Be ish. Consider alternatives. Then, once you have critically thought out all options, be decisive and committed... but not blind. Be ish-ish. April 13, 2011 15:40 The Trump Problem Like him or not, he's got real problems; The liberals don't care about Trump's birther platform, unions will not support a Wall Street tycoon, and antiwar activists have no intention of siding with a candidate who thinks we should have seized oil fields in both Libya and Iraq, even if all three of these constituencies have lost enthusiasm for President Obama. Personally, I take issue with his disrespect of the Office of the Presidency. You can run against someone without defaming the Executive Office with speculation. Still, the Don has momentum. We'll see. April 13, 2011 4:34 Kindergarten, PhD Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK. --Robert Fulghum: 'Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.' April 10, 2011 19:53 Freddie Mercury Lives! If you didn't already know this exists, it does. It's like raising Freddie from the dead and getting a whole new solo album from him. The Very Best Of Freddie Mercury. April 8, 2011 19:57 No Failure. To date, I have not failed. I have merely found 10,000 ways that do not work. April 5, 2011 19:3 Love Loves Her Money Some widows cling onto their beloved's catalog, but not Kurt Cobain's. In fact Courtney Love can't seem to part with it fast enough. She was reportedly offered $162 million by Evergreen Capital for her remaining 75 percent stake in the Kurt Cobain estate, which she has called 'haunted'. Love had already sold Oaktree Capital 25 percent of the estate for $50 million, back in 2006. And so, the anti-establishment rocker may soon be in the hands of two hedge funds. April 2, 2011 22:0 To Eat or Not To Eat Cultures set standards for body types that are considered attractive and unattractive. In Rubens’s time, beautiful meant bountiful. Even in the 1950s and 1960s, the standard of beauty was considerably plumper than it is now. Marilyn Monroe, for example, would probably be considered chubby by some today—and might well have difficulty making it on television. A study of Playboy’s centerfolds and Miss America Pageant contestants found a 10 percent decrease in the ratio of weight to height in both groups from the late 1950s to the late 1970s. This trend was paralleled by a dramatic increase in the number of articles on dieting in popular women’s magazines. In tast there is no dispute... but some just have no taste. April 1, 2011 7:34 Dumb wisdom Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living the other helps you make a life. Also, today is Friday. Yesterday was Thursday. March 26, 2011 15:3 Libyan Leader Mispellings There are dozens of incorrect spellings for 'Moammar Gadhafi' including that one. Apparently, the correct title to be used when formally addressing the current leader of Libya is 'Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Arab Libyan Popular and Socialist Jamahirya.' Who knew. More: http://www.andmagazine.com/reprints/and_4484.php March 25, 2011 21:24 Dear media: Get a clue! Really? The best thing you [mainstream media] can come up with now is complaining about an alleged, distant literary references to the term 'Operation Odyssey Dawn' and it's similarity to Homer's Odyssey, where protagonist Odysseus spends 10 years trying to reach Ithaca, encountering sirens and a cyclops along the way. Oh, I'm sure the Office of the President and the military had ample time to completely research all possible obscure references and decided on the Homer association with intent. Ugh. Dear mass media: Please put the same effort into journalism, responsible entertainment, and benefiting mankind, instead of micro-analyzing distant meanings of a possible association with almost no relevance whatsoever. Thank you. March 23, 2011 3:25 Hypocrite confusion Explain this; The extreme left defends radical Islam as a 'freedom of religion' and also defends homosexuality, yet radical Muslims kill homosexuals 'lawfully' according to their laws. This is not a judgment of homosexuality or an oppression of the freedom to worship whomever. We just need the colliding double-standard explained, without attacking us for being anything other than inquisitive. March 18, 2011 18:59 $100,000 Twit Really? The best thing you can think of to spend $125,000 on is a used, see-through dress that someone wore once and someone else hit on? Look, fashion and extravagance is fine. I get it. But with the condition things are in, everywhere... literally everywhere, the best use of $125,000 is on a used, see-through dress? Someone needs a good lesson in priority, karma, and reality. Some investment advice wouldn't hurt either. March 11, 2011 19:36 Stipko to Peart What's mine is not for rent, to any God or government. Always hopeful, yet discontent. I know changes aren't permanent. March 8, 2011 8:16 Abe Had A Dream As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. - Abraham Lincoln March 7, 2011 1:38 Use your head. Everything in moderation... except common sense. February 26, 2011 20:4 Thank You Danny 'Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.' --Danny Kaye, who once conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra at New York's Carnegie Hall (10th March 1958) with his feet! This being a benefit concert, of course. My kind of guy. February 20, 2011 22:40 99 Problems I'm an artist by trade. I love the arts and I'm the first one to say that 'in taste there is no dispute' meaning any artist should be able to express themselves in any way as long as it does not harm anything or anyone. But when children are intentionally led down a racially biased, stereotyping, or criminal path, it is no longer a matter of taste or artistic expression. Even if the sum of all the words in '99 Problems and a bitch aint one' result in a story about Jay-Z's unfortunate youth, it is absolutely and undeniably doing more harm than good by repeatedly immersing the young listener in horrible language and atrocious phrases. This is not art. This is furthering negative stereotypes and harming the minority and the majority. How could anyone say his lyrics are good for young African American children or any children for that matter? February 20, 2011 3:41 Curiosity Kills 'Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.' Thank you Arnold Edinborough. February 9, 2011 3:44 We are smarter, stupid. No matter how you slice it, with all the advancements of technology, psychology, economy and ecology, we remain more broke, more destructive, less educated, and have worse work ethics than we used to. So define progress for me; I think we KNOW more about the right and good things to do, but we are DOING less with that knowledge. The world needs a critical thinking class. February 4, 2011 22:32 Animal-Child Abuse I feel a convicted animal abuser should be treated with the same punishment, rehabilitation and future preventative methods as a child abuser. The most common objection to this will be that 'humans are more important than animals so abusing animals is less of a crime than abusing humans and thus the punishment for abusing animals should be less than the punishment for child abuse.' The point of humans being more important than animals is somewhat faulty logic; The conclusion that the punishment should be proportionate to the victim importance can be compared to sentencing a criminal less if his victim was homeless, or more if his victim was a celebrity. Life is life and there are no gradients. One must realize that just as a convicted child abuser may never again work at a child care center, a convicted animal abuser should never own an animal again. February 3, 2011 16:56 WikiLeaks is no Nobel The treasonous website WikiLeaks has been submitted for nomination for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian politician behind the proposal said on Wednesday, a day after the deadline for nominations expired. The nausea and rage I feel over this abuse of logic and tarnishing of the Nobel is indescribable. January 31, 2011 17:12 I hope you are all Republicans In an attempt to keep the mood light after his 1981 assassination attempt, Reagan was quoted as saying this on March 30, 1981, to the surgeons preparing to operate on him. In turn, they said they were 'all Republicans for the day.' You have to love this guy... and those surgeons... no matter what side of the fence you're on. January 27, 2011 20:22 How Credit Agencies Hurt You Essential cogs in the wheel of financial destruction... as described by the The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission today in Washington DC. What a surprise; The credit agencies doing more harm than good. I pray the regulators and law makers look hard at the credit system from consumers all the way to the big banks. The current system is fundamentally faulty and somehow it seems to be overlooked on a regular basis. Citizens, call your representative and politely demand for change. January 27, 2011 9:9 Thank you JFK... 'Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.' Taken from President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. Left, right or otherwise, this is wisdom missed. January 26, 2011 0:49 Congress Prom Dates Though there are no assigned seats for the State of the Union address, the event traditionally has partisan seating. But tonight politicians from either side of the aisle will pair up like prom dates in a show of decorum. We actually be making progress toward common sense and the abolishing of the party system. Once can only hope. January 20, 2011 19:38 iTunes Saves Customer Service For the most part, customer service no longer exists. It's all about the cash. I get it. Money, money, money. Unfortunately, with this new policy of 'get all you can at all costs' the customer service component to many businesses has become non existent... or has been shipped to Blahblahstan. Once in a blue moon however, you come across that rare gem when dealing with a company. The gem renews your faith in humanity, and heaven forbid, they actually get the job done, earning your business and continued patronage. AND Magazine uses iTunes exclusively for many music and video things personal and business related. [See our iTunes feature under 'CULTURE.'] When a glitch occurred with the connection between Paypal and iTunes we tried everything. The glitch was an iTunes issue, not a user issue. A gem named 'Gerri' at Apple took our whining complaint, troubleshot the problem, said it was a known issue and they are working on it. I thought, 'Yeah, we will see.' Over the next few weeks, Gerri personally updated me by email, not knowing my position in media, and today notified me the situation has been resolved. She even kicked in a few free songs to boot! [Don't call her and ask for free stuff please.] So, let it be known, Gerri has proven to be one of those gem's... and because of her, Apple has managed to keep this PC-using company as a client. Thank you Gerri! January 20, 2011 2:22 Gervais-hater hypocrites It is amazing to me that some Hollywood folk are so passionately offended by Ricky Gervais' comedy while hosting the Golden Globes this week. The very same Hollywood types who can publicly slam our country's leaders and their families with horrific insults are displaying a brand of hypocrisy that has become stereotypical for 'the group'. What 'group' it is, I don't have a name, but it's whoever calls themselves liberal or egalitarian yet acts with disdain against those who don't agree with them... that's 'the group.' Those who say one thing but do another with flamboyant, media-equip passion... that's 'the group.' We all know who 'the group' is, but most of you are afraid to say it for fear of retribution from 'the group' or because you don't want to go against a party that tends to house many of 'the group.' God help us. I sure wish there were no 'groups' and just people with humanity, common sense, morality, and a sense of humor. It's not too much to ask, but it seems to be impossible. I don't accept that. January 18, 2011 23:7 Facebook wants your phone number They don't just want this data for themselves-- they want to 'share' you phone, address, and name with all of their friends, which in this case happens to be app developers. It is bizarre that so many are really so desperate for false validation that they are willing to expose personal information this far. Facebook is big. Whatever. I get it. But step back for a moment. This is nuts. If you drop your drawers for predators like this, you are nuts too. January 16, 2011 16:49 Values and Ethics defined When defining your professional values, they can be viewed as guiding the beliefs and principles that influence your behavior. The values may change as different life events happen, but your core beliefs should remain the same as well as your personal values like honesty, integrity and generosity. Finding these values will assist with aligning your beliefs and will help define your professional goals. Professional ethics carry moral responsibilities which can be held by society. Ethics are rules and values used in a professional setting that allows a set of standards to be used while showing respect, trust and honesty. Utilizing both professional values and ethics can be the best practice to stay balanced. --D. Jennings January 14, 2011 16:42 Ground Zero Mosque Renamed The Cordoba House is now Park51. Hmmm... The original name was 'The Cordoba House' and has some pretty tell-tale significance that most don't know. According to Robert Cleveland, 'There is a lot of symbolism surrounding the name Cordoba, having to do with the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain. The Muslim empire had spread through conquest from the Middle East throughout Asia Minor, India, North Africa, and eventually into Spain. Cordoba, Spain, was the capital of the Caliphate of Cordoba during the Umayyad dynasty. The Great Mosque of Cordoba was originally a Christian church, but after the region was conquered by Muslim armies, the church was converted to a mosque and expanded into the Great Mosque of Cordoba, a symbol of the Muslim conquest of Spain. The mosque stands as a monument to that conquest to this day.' So, I seriously question the intentions of the Ground Zero mosque effort. For me, a rose is still a rose by any other name... albeit 'Park51' or 'Cordoba' or 'Area 51.' More: http://www.andmagazine.com/content/and_4034.php January 13, 2011 23:44 Record foreclosures in 2011 Over 1 million Americans seen losing homes in 2011. Thank you finance industry. Thank you greedy realtors. Thank you crooked mortgage brokers. Thank you bonus-stealing CEO's. Thank you sinful politicians. Thank you banks. Thank you 'i got mine, you get yours' mentality. I am really, really trying to stay positive here, but some of the finance-world operators are getting me down. Dear reader, yes you, please do what you can... vote against those who have consistently profited off others misfortune. Vote against people who say right, but do wrong. Trust people's actions, not their words... and let's have a better 2011. January 12, 2011 17:11 Eff the FICO Who's idea was the FICO system? What a racket. The banking system massively contributes to the economic suicide this country is committing yet they decide which consumers get what loans with this FICO stiletto?! Unbelievable. I have a hen-house I need a fox to watch. Good lord... I truly love this country but despise a few of the dregs that run things. January 5, 2011 0:1 Obama and Vick: Are you KIDDING!? Barack Obama supported Michael Vick after Vick knowingly tortured and murdered dogs in the most horrendous ways. Obama may not have said 'Killing dogs is OK' but supporting or congratulating any public figure after murdering and torturing animals is simply repugnant. Even if they're going through rehabilitation, there are a thousand people who have gone through rehabilitation that are far more deserving of a motivational congratulations by the President than Michael Vick. This is just horrific and Obama, who is a self-described animal lover, should be ashamed of himself. I am ashamed of him. Shame on the NFL. Shame on anyone promoting Vick in any way. Furious! December 26, 2010 19:21 Your Gifts Are Junk Yes, we all love things. Gifts. Trips. Trinkets. Cashola. Then comes the day after, and we still have each other to deal with. We still have the hassles and good things. We still have war and hunger. We still have love. We still have hate... Between you and I, do something to better your world. Don't tell anyone. Don't make a fuss. Don't take credit. Just quietly improve mankind in one tiny step. December 20, 2010 15:38 One of my best writers... From one of my best writers, I had to share this: I'm trying to think of a way to make what I learned in my human evolution class political, without pulling the obvious creationism card. I was thinking something about how homo sapiens and neanderthals coexisted in Israel for a while, completely ignorant of each other, but peaceful, but I'm not sure how McCain fits in, except the blatant ''he's a living fossil'' joke. December 13, 2010 22:31 Hollywood and Ugly Politics Having an egg-nog latte in Manhattan this afternoon, I eavesdropped, unintentionally, on an ex-lobbyist and literary manager. The best line I came away with was the literary manager saying, 'Politics are like Hollywood, only with ugly people.' It's so damn true, and too funny not to share. PS: I asked her if I could rip off her line, and she said it wasn't hers, and 'yes.' December 12, 2010 19:15 Anti-Wikis are just as bad! It's a joke. Look at all the anti-Wikileaks publications damning the treasonous Wikileaks in one breath, then reprinting the very same cables that are 'secret' and shouldn't be leaked! I think Wikileaks should be charged with treason, but I also think those capitalizing on the specific release of the same cables, intentionally, should be culpable in some way too. The architects of free speech never had this kind of abuse in mind when they wrote the Constitution. December 11, 2010 7:0 The Co-mingling of News A simple way to really catch blurring of the distinction between fact and interpretation is to scan the headlines. As I write, a mainstream news site has a headline story reading 'Senate Tax Cut Package Filled With Sweeteners, Obama Predicts Passage' which might imply that a proposed 'bad' bill is being pushed past it's opponents by inducing 'sweeteners' to persuade. That's not news, that's opinion. I wish the news media would chose to be news or opinion, or both, but just state it as such. To co-mingle the two without a clear distinction is irresponsible. December 6, 2010 21:9 Holder On Wikileaks Treason Quoting Holder - 'National security of the United States has been put at risk. The lives of people who work for the American people have been put at risk. The American people themselves have been put at risk by these actions that I believe are arrogant, misguided and ultimately not helpful in any way.' December 2, 2010 15:46 Assange Person of the Year According to sources, Julian Assange could soon join the company of Adolf Hitler and the Ayatollah Khomeini: He may be Time magazine’s next Person of the Year. The magazine says, 'Assange's exploits have cemented him as a candidate.' The voting of Time's readers has him near the top, tied with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for second place, while Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan somehow leads the pack. The ultimate decision lies with Time’s editors. November 28, 2010 23:10 Wikileaks Reality This is not an academic exercise about freedom of information and it is not akin to the release of the Pentagon Papers, which involved an analysis aimed at saving American lives and exposing government deception. Instead, these sensitive cables contain candid assessments and analysis of ongoing matters and they should remain confidential to protect the ability of the government to conduct lawful business with the private candor that's vital to effective diplomacy. November 28, 2010 20:14 Hey North Korea... Hey North Korea, when you call us brigandish imperialists, it really hurts my feelings. November 24, 2010 22:45 Co-Ed Public Bathrooms OK, is it me or is this just weird? It's like one big public bathroom, with co-ed stalls and a common sink counter. I suppose I just have issues, but this can't be normal... November 23, 2010 18:2 Korean Warmongers Ignore History Hours after North Korea's deadly artillery attacks Tuesday, South Korea's president said 'enormous retaliation' is needed to stop Pyongyang's incitement, but international diplomats urgently appealed for restraint. Well, at least everyone learned from the last North-South conflict in the 50's... Ugh. Fools. November 23, 2010 4:3 Ben Bernanke Gone Mad How does our Federal Reserve Chairman, being a brilliant monetary theorist, push quantitative easing with our central bank to stimulate our economy by purchasing massive quantities of U.S. Treasury securities? Call me crazy but isn't that self-defeating? November 22, 2010 19:28 The holidays are here Let the waste begin! November 20, 2010 17:53 TSA Pat-down Lunacy Really? People are complaining about their rights being violated by body scanners and pat-downs? Last time I checked, the bad guys don't play by the rules. So until better solutions are available, maybe keeping your flight safer is not such a bad thing. Let me spell it out for the opponents of common sense; The bad guys are going to hide weapons wherever the security people don't check. Here's a thought; How 'bout those who don't want any security screening get to fly on their own planes? November 19, 2010 20:15 Show Me The Money Where is all our cash?! Here's a basic economic question that is surely very complicated to answer for most economists... but you'd think someone could give a simple response for simpletons like me; With the economy in the crapper the way it is, and everyone having less money, and all the bailouts, and all of this recession drama... WHERE DID ALL OUR MONEY ACTUALLY GO? November 18, 2010 16:58 No Holiday Whores Harsh title, but worthy attention-grabber. Listen, be charitable and loving this holiday season. Don't get sucked into the money and merchandising conspiracy. Remember your life will still be your life after the holidays and the gifts. Do something that will enrich others and yourself. Help someone. Smile. Give. Laugh. Eat. Share. Drink. Party. Do it all safely, with a warm heart, and with good intentions. Don't be a shopping, gimme-gimme skank. We have enough of that already. November 16, 2010 20:2 You Have No Privacy Think I'm kidding? Just Google your own name. There are scores of new off-shore websites popping up with your home address, phone numbers, relative addresses, credit information and more. It's maddening that so little can be done about these parasites stealing your info and selling it online, by way of ad's or subscriptions... not to mention the security risk they pose. If anyone knows of a way to combat this from a legal standpoint, post it here, under comments. These people should develop genital warts for what they're doing... or at least a permanent itch that they can't reach. November 15, 2010 20:53 Christmas before Thanksgiving I am seeing massive Christmas merchandising and decorations everywhere, on both coasts, and we have not even had Thanksgiving yet! Desperate times, greedy marketers, or just chronologically challenged? Either way, I don't like it. November 13, 2010 16:59 Greyhound Shark Bait I spoke to a man in Central Park last night who had a beautiful Greyhound dog named 'Tiger.' He told me it is a rescue from a racetrack, and that frequently, shark fisherman in Florida take the Greyhounds retired from the racetracks and use them for shark bait. These 'fisherman' drag them live behind the boats because they 'thrash for such a long time' and attract sharks. With a little research, I found this still exists... Hell must be getting crowded with these people. Maybe Lucifer can open a special 'cruelty' wing for the fishermen who use the Greyhounds in this way. Or, better yet, let's take a fishing trip, using these abominations as bait. Grrrrr... More: http://usadefendersofgreyhounds.org November 12, 2010 14:31 Lady Gaga love child If Elton John and Madonna had a baby it would be Lady Gaga. November 11, 2010 3:17 You sleep soundly because... Please remember all of our men and women in harm’s way, to support our wounded and recovering warriors, to remember our fallen and their families. November 8, 2010 16:2 Michael Vick WTF?! How is it that this vermin, Michael Vick, guilty of unspeakable cruelty to animals, is still allowed to be 'anything' in the public eye? Even the slightest influence that he may have on people, particularly children athletes, is an atrocious danger. It's no secret that high-profile football athletes are role models to children. Shame on the Philadelphia Eagles for hiring him, and on anyone else allowing him to continue to influence children. Some things I just despise. This kind of thing is one of them. Grrrrr. FOOTNOTE: We have a Korean Jindo. This is a rescue Darlena took in seven years ago. Our magnificent Jindo was used as a 'bait' dog for dog fights, like the dog fights that Michael Vic promoted. I can think of someone I'd rather use as bait, I gotta tell ya... November 7, 2010 5:57 Cuban plane crash. It's simply more than tragic. Behind each of the 40 Cuban passengers the tragedy is also enormous. They bought that fatal ticket three months before their departure day and waited in a long line to board a mode of transportation that in this country is rare and extremely expensive. Probably relieved to know that they would make the trip from Santiago de Cuba to Havana in something a little less chaotic than the national train. Their presence on that flight was the conclusion of a sequence of sacrifices that started just when they had the need — or the desire — to travel within Cuba, and that would end only when they arrived at their fate. November 6, 2010 3:7 Due Date Long Overdue Finally, a really, really, really funny movie for the fall. A bit of a 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' ripoff, but still one hundred percent hilarious and perfectly sized cameos. Zack and Robert are the perfect 2010 version of Candy and Martin. Worth the $29. November 5, 2010 14:54 Less money now Is it me or does anyone else, over the age of 30, remember having a hell-of-alot more 'extra' cash on hand a decade ago than they do now. What's the deal with that? This is not a political jab, I'm just saying, where did all the extra cash go!? November 3, 2010 21:43 Get Along Stop pissing and moaning about the two parties and the balance of power and 2010 elections and so on. Let's get back to an even-keeled, common sense, balanced Senate and House. Let's get back to caring for Americas citizens, not their politics and politicians. Let's get to work! The rent is too damn high! October 31, 2010 15:34 Partisan Broken Record Surely this is no revelation, but after listening to the Left and the Right's weekly address, days before the midterms, it is astonishing how they blame each other and how they promise the same thing, over and over and over. Someone needs to do a study on how campaign promises are redundant, repeated and timeless.(Send it to us if it's already done!) October 29, 2010 22:45 Shoe reality I was bummed that this new pair of shoes I saw in Bergdorf's was not in the budget today, until I saw the guy in line, in front of me at Starbucks, with only one leg. October 29, 2010 20:0 Fur, really? So we just strolled past Intermix, then Theory, here on Columbus Avenue in Manhattan, only to see the display windows filled with real fur... REAL FUR!! I don't care what side of the political, social or style fence you're on, it's just plain evil stupid if you promote this carnage. This is particularly true, knowing what we all now know about the fur industry. AND Magazine is pulling Intermix from our site as contributors. We are also pulling all Theory ads. Shame on them both. This isn't activism, it's humanity. October 28, 2010 19:26 East v West Smarts In a completely unscientific, unofficial and random study with no factual basis whatsoever - other than a few hundred conversations with the 'man on the street,' we are finding that the average man, woman and child seems to be more hip to current events and academia on the East Coast, than on the West Coast. The jury is still out, and we're not poking at anyone. It's just a general feeling we get. Thoughts? October 27, 2010 21:22 ASPCA should be smacked I completely support the ASPCA's mission, period. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals everywhere. God bless them. I donate and support them as often as possible... That said, their new wave of street-walking donation solicitors are so offensively aggressive and guerrilla -style that I actually pulled my donations until they cease. Forget about the 'cutting-you-off' as you walk, just to get in your face... this new breed of hard-sell punks actually try to make you feel despicable if you don't donate, even if you already gave at the office. Dear ASPCA, get a clue. Be appropriate. If you want to get in someones face and give them a hard-sell-guilt trip, get your pubescent street peddlers over to Michael Vick's house. (Also please visit www.aspca.com and donate, seriously.) October 27, 2010 4:51 Social Networking... Uhg... I'm sure it has done good. I'm sure the fifty bazillion people who use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., love it and all... But can anyone deny that it has pushed personal interaction farther away and has jeopardized - even ruined relationships, needlessly? Furthermore, why does everyone need to know what you are doing every second of every day, all the time, everywhere... complete with longitude, latitude, photos and re-tweets? C'mon people. Live life in person, it's a hoot. ( Yes I am posting this on our site, like Twitter and whatnot, but for a purpose... hopefully. Go visit a friend. Leave this site. Leave the computer. Leave the TV. Get off your ass and go to a coffee shop or museum or reunion or something! ) October 26, 2010 2:10 Jews Run Hollywood? It's not scientific and it's not bigotry and it's not an insult. It's just a fact, and it should be embraced by all Jews. The majority of the entertainment business is run by people of the Jewish faith. How and why is that a disparaging remark!? It's a compliment. As a non-Jew, I stand by the statement and I congratulate them for their success. The only problem arises from the abuse of this fact by both bigots and Jews. Shame on any bigot, racist or other group the who abuses religion. October 25, 2010 18:45 Election Stakes? Democrats control both chambers of Congress, but Republicans hope to cut into their margins or regain control of the House and Senate. The party system is simply broken. We should vote on issues, not parties. October 24, 2010 14:30 Credit Card Security We will hand our credit card to any waiter in any restaurant and he or she will disappear for 5 minutes behind closed doors, no problem... yet we panic about using it online. Make sense? October 23, 2010 23:3 WTC Mosque I respect all religions. Building a mosque under the name of 'Cordoba' 150 steps from ground zero, where there are still bodies entombed, has no bearing whatsoever to the subject of tolerance. Has anyone even looked up the significance of 'Cordoba'?! Can you imagine this happening anywhere else on the planet? Look, my feeling is, any legal house of worship is a wonderful thing, anywhere. However, common sense should always rule. You just don't rub this horrific 9-11 event in the face of the victims and their families in this way. There are thousands of other places this could be built. The only reason 'they' want it at this location, and call it 'Cordoba' is to have a symbol of American defeat, plain and simple. Muslim leaders involved; please rethink your efforts toward tolerance and peace... build elsewhere. Islam has many wonderful attributes. Please don't ruin the name of Islam in this way. October 23, 2010 20:40 Mac v PC v coffee Odd. Most Mac owners we know hate Starbucks (In favor of Pete's, etc.) and most PC owners love Starbucks. It's odd, right? Isn't dissing the Starbucks corporate establishment, but supporting the Apple corporate establishment a bit hypocritical? October 23, 2010 18:19 Bank Fees It is astonishing that you and I still pay enormous fees for everyday banking, after we paid trillions to bail them out. Where is the common sense here? October 23, 2010 15:15 War and Truth The first casualty of war is always the truth. October 23, 2010 1:32 Stupid smart phones In the ever-growing growing world of smartphones, one thing has become fairly clear: We all love our own phone, but we hate yours. Or, more specifically, the way you use it. October 23, 2010 1:23 I am non-partisan, but Even though I am definitely not liberal or conservative, I have to say, liberals have forgotten how to be liberal. |
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"Publishers Stream | Mutterings from the desk of the publishers" | Published: Sun, 15 Nov 2009
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