Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Censoring the Internet

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

This seems somewhat unconstitutional so I’m not sure how it could be passed. None-the-less, it is still shocking that the bill was written up. Clearly it is troubling, and this video does a fantastic job of explaining it. Piracy is certainly an issue that the entertainment industry is facing, but as the video points out, the proposed bill should not in any way be considered a solution.

PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

For me the most fascinating part of this issue is the fact that there is not control over the internet, and this is the first push for some control. I am really curious to see the evolution of the web over the next decade. The way our children use the internet will likely be entirely different. It is impossible to see how it would lose it’s incredible impact, but it is likely to become more limited, or it could actually become more advanced. There are plenty of reasons it could head down either road, but it is impossible to predict the direction. We can only hope for the best.

Please comment if you have an idea of what the internet will look like in 10 years.


American Christmas

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

To all of those protesting large banks, corporations, and rich greed, it is time that we do something that will make an impact and is within reach for every American. If you have not already, soon you will become part of the problem. You will spend your money on frivolous gifts that most recipients will forget about in just over a months time. You will go to Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Kohls, JCP, and hundreds of other retail giants…perhaps you will even take out a loan from Wells Fargo, Bank of American, or Chase. But where is that money going?

Most products are sold close to cost (the price which the retailer buys the product from the supplier at) during the holiday season. Where do the products you are buying come from? That is where the money is going. We are sending what little money we have out of the country. In turn, China, Indonesia, and other countries will give us a cut of their profits because they know that they need our careless spending. The US retail giants will continue to be supported so that they can pay most of their employees close to minimum wage, and international suppliers will continue to treat their employees with the least amount of dignity required. The only way to change the problems that has torn America apart is for us all to each acknowledge that we have been duped and lead ourselves down this path.

So how do we take back America? We start to carry our own weight, we stop placing blame, and instead carry each other along. Their will always be someone who makes more money than you, but we can choose how to spend that money so that we can feel dignified about our choices. It is not very often that we complain about how much athletes and television stars are making because when we pay $13 for a movie ticket we are happy with the entertainment that we gained in return. The CEO of a corporation is no different though. We choose to spend our money with certain banks, and at certain stores because we are happy with the products, and we are able to pay less so that we can buy more. There is the true greed. We must learn to control our greed and desire for MORE and learn to respect ourselves for our purchasing decisions. Is it not worth our hard earned money to spend $20 for two t-shirts when that money is not benefiting anyone in the US except for a CEO and his/her investors when you could pay $20 for one similar t-shirt that is purchased to support a fellow American.

The average American consumer will spend at least $700 on others during the holiday season. If we choose to spend that money on American products, sure we will not be able to buy as much, but we can feel satisfied that we have helped a fellow American, and in turn, the US economy.

Join this event as a pledge that you will have an American Christmas. Every day a new link will be posted to help point you in the right direction for American products. Over $105 Billion will be spent between now and Christmas; don’t send that money over seas.

Click here to view the event on Facebook.

Are you in the race for 2012?

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

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It seems like every politician who’s name has been mentioned multiple times on national news channels feel as though they should run for president.  This could turn out to be one of the strangest elections in history, but why all of these new candidates, how is this so much different from the past?

It seems likely that politicians are saying to themselves: “if they can do it, I can do it!”  Once Palin lowered the bar to qualify as a potential white house candidate it opened a flood gate for anyone seeking presidency.  What’s the problem with that?

The problem is that money talks and intelligence walks.  Michele Bachmann has proven that you can spit out whatever makes you sound good and the truth gets drowned out in the applause.

No one has the time to follow all of the actions of our politicians, thus a handful of people control what we know about our ‘leaders’ and the words that come out are all paid for by those same politicians and the corporations that have bought those politicians. 

Is there a way to be more transparent, and bypass the corruption and get straight to the truth?  That is where things get interesting and why this year we have the insanity in politics like we do.  Everyone is communicating thoughts and beliefs instantly through social media and modern technology.  This means that there are more voices in the field, and the traditional media must adapt to this new environment.

New voices bring more discussion, questions, answers, and doubt.  We still rely on traditional media for ‘the truth,’ but we are now more skeptical to believe it.  In order to operate like they have in the past politicians must shout louder than everyone else in order to be heard.  In order to shout loud you need money.  In order to get money you must be paid.  Those finances are promises that buy politicians.

Now the catch 22 is obvious.  The politicians that win are the ones with the most money, and thus the more obligations to corporations that are bound to corrupt.  How do we get beyond this conundrum?  The information age is already starting to take care of this for us.  The economic and political issues have opened our eyes and ears, and we are starting to learn to block out the political shouting match and search harder for the truth.  Soon the power of information will provide an even playing field and each party will start attempting to control the new playing field like they did with the current one.  We can only hope that truth and knowledge will prevail over money and ignorance.