Tuesday, December 29, 2009

H1N1

What happened to all the concern about H1N1?  I  thought that when this began it might be a lot about something that was not that important.  It was superseded by the Tiger Wood's scandle. Something that apparently more important than death from H1N1 and a crazy bomber. What does it tell us about us as individuals and as a group?

I would wager that next fall we will focus on the flu again and then forget it again until the next year.

Do you remember the story about the little boy who yelled wolf?

I am now focused on learn Microsoft's Expression3.  So, I will not be posting very often until that is completed.

I wish everyone a better 2010.  For me personally, 2009 could not have been worse.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

What do you want for Christmas? All I want for Christmas is a rodent!

Seems that they are on the top of the list. I was watching the Today Show this morning. It was about Christmas gifts for kids. There were 5 kids evaluating potential gifts. The gifts were guns, monster transformers and a rodent. The kids looked bewildered. There was nothing there they wanted only adults that thought they were something they should want.
When I was their age, I wanted a Chemistry set or an Erector set.  I didn't get either.  I got a Biology set that had a small microscope.  My uncle got the Chemistry and  an Erector set that Christmas. 

I was very interested in what was in the Chemistry set.  The little bottles of power and liquid, what where they and what could I do with them?  What all three of these had in common was the knowledge of the unknown.  Each one was a potential learning experience.  The Chemistry set didn't last long.  Tom and I mixed something and heated it causing a stink that resulted in a panic.  My uncle Jim was a Chemical Engineer.  He likely told Tom what to do. I was just an ignorant bystander.

These toys caused me to be interested in Science.  I later studied Chemistry in High School and Biology at Ferris State University.  What would I have studied and became if I had played with guns, monster transformers and a rodent?

What are you going to get your kids for Christmas?  You decision will effect them and everyone else.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Girl wins college scholarship at foot ball half-time from Pepsi.

The crowed cheered and so did I at first. After I thought about it, I wrote this.

There are several major problem with this event.  One of them was the amount.  It was for $130,000. Why does it take $130,000 to get a college degree?  If the child cannot win a contest at a sporting event and do not have parent that can pay $130,000 or if the child cannot get it some other way, then they don't get to graduate from  college?  If I had had to come up with that much money, I would not have the education I have now and would not have the ability to write this so you could read it.

Then there is the contest.  There are two girls competing for the scholarship. There are two large Pepsi cans. One for each girl.  At the top of each can there is a large hole.  The object of the contest is that the first girl to throw three footballs through their hole gets $130,000.  Within about 60 seconds one girl succeeded, the crowed roared and a very large check was given to the girl.  If you want to go to college. All you have to do is to be the first one to throw 3 footballs through a hole to pay for a college education.  Think about the message they are sending.

They are terrorizing our children.

Who is doing that and why?  They are saying that this is in their future.  I don't know if it is and I'm not predicting it.  I do know that children are the victims of circumstances they did not create.

The movies that are made for kids is frightening, toys are frightening, children's programming is frightening.  They are creating a generation of fearful people.  Who and why?  Is this just about selling products and the profit motive?

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Food stamps are a disincentive to work?

This morning I heard on a news program that there are now over 32 millions Americans on food stamps. That was followed by the assertion that food stamps are a disincentive to work and marriage.  Marriage?  I have heard for many years that food stamps are a disincentive to work.  That is based on the assumption that hungry people are motivated by hunger to do what others want them to do in exchange for money that then presumable they will use to exchange for food. Those that don't want to pay or pay as little as possible for having something done follow by saying that they will just spend it on drugs.

I have always known that work begins with a demand for labor.  If the capitalist class does not want to do anything then the demand for labor does not exist. That has not happened.  What has happened is that the capitalist has transferred a high percentage of their demand for labor to other countries.  They are out-sourcing. What about marriage?

Food stamps are a disincentive to marriage. How could that be?  I can think of many reasons not to  marry. Food stamps are not on that list.  They must be thinking that women would be looking for a man to feed them if they were hungry.  Name me one man that wants a hungry woman?  Just one, please!

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Good news for the Freedom of the Press!

Any one that thinks this is important should read this.  http://www.breitbart.com/article

"News is a public good," FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said. "We should be willing to take action if necessary to preserve the news that is vital to democracy."

"No one uses the phone book any more to look things up."

I just heard that on the Today show.  There were explaining how how to wrap Christmas gifts without spending money.  One of their was was to use only telephone book pages.  Why?  "No one uses the phone book any more to look things up."  Think about the consequences of that!