Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
V - Fall 2009 Preview
Here it comes!
I was a huge fan of the original miniseries and have been looking forward to a sequel for years. Looks like we're getting a reboot instead. Still, it looks like fun!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Supercapitalism by Robert B. Reich
I've often said that the free market can always be counted on to do what's profitable but what's profitable isn't always what's right.
Dr. Reich's examination of how Democratic Capitalism has been pushed aside by Supercapitalism illustrates my point better than I ever could. Of course he has dedicated his life to the subjects of economics, politics and society. The subtitle of the book is "The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life."
Reich discusses the circumstances surrounding the rise and fall of organizaed labor in the United States, the role that Oligopolies played in the American and world economy during the period he calls "The Not Quite Golden Age" (1950s-1970s) and the dichotomy that exists in the minds of Americans as consumers/investors and citizens who shop at Wal-Mart to get the best deals on products manufactured overseas by American-based companies who then go home and lament the downtrodden status of the American worker and the suffering of main streets and mom and pop businesses across the country.
Another fascinating point made is the anthropomorphism of corporations that has resulted in a false belief held by the public that companies are just like people and subsequent legislation that treats them as such. Corporations can be sued, taxed and accused of having agendas when, in reality, they are just "legal fictions," bundles of contracts and collectives of shareholders and employees. How often have we referred to corporations as having evil intent, "Wal-Mart hates unions," "Microsoft is a monopolist." Companies don't have intent. They can't hate or love. But by treating them as people, the executives that operate those corporations start to assume that said corporations are entitled to rights and representation in government and Supercapitalism has enabled them to buy that representation through lobbying and corporate donations to political campaigns. Divorcing ourselves from this fallacy of corporate sentience is the first step in dismantling that influence that business has over our government. Only by doing that can government get back to representing the interests of the people instead of implementing legislation designed to work for the economic advantage of big business. Summed up simply, our leaders in government seem to have forgotten that rights are guaranteed to people not corporations. Reich also makes an excellent case for eliminating the corporate income tax and replacing it with taxes withheld from shareholder dividends. Let the stockholders pay taxes on the income corporations earn on their behalf, the way the law works now, corporations simply pass their taxes onto the consumer.
This is just one of many excellent examples that Reich gives in his book about how democracy can come out from under the weight of corporate influence so that all Americans can eventually benefit from the positive aspects of Supercapitalism that we now enjoy, great deals as consumers and higher returns as investors while not compromising the greater good that can only be made possible through democracy that is unencumbered by corporate influence.
Fresh Air from WHYY - Robert Reich Looks Askance at 'Supercapitalism' - 9/11/2007 - "Fresh Air"
NPR.org's Book Tour - Robert Reich Issues a Warning in 'Supercapitalism' - 10/02/07
Official page at Random House
Dr. Reich's examination of how Democratic Capitalism has been pushed aside by Supercapitalism illustrates my point better than I ever could. Of course he has dedicated his life to the subjects of economics, politics and society. The subtitle of the book is "The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life."
Reich discusses the circumstances surrounding the rise and fall of organizaed labor in the United States, the role that Oligopolies played in the American and world economy during the period he calls "The Not Quite Golden Age" (1950s-1970s) and the dichotomy that exists in the minds of Americans as consumers/investors and citizens who shop at Wal-Mart to get the best deals on products manufactured overseas by American-based companies who then go home and lament the downtrodden status of the American worker and the suffering of main streets and mom and pop businesses across the country.
Another fascinating point made is the anthropomorphism of corporations that has resulted in a false belief held by the public that companies are just like people and subsequent legislation that treats them as such. Corporations can be sued, taxed and accused of having agendas when, in reality, they are just "legal fictions," bundles of contracts and collectives of shareholders and employees. How often have we referred to corporations as having evil intent, "Wal-Mart hates unions," "Microsoft is a monopolist." Companies don't have intent. They can't hate or love. But by treating them as people, the executives that operate those corporations start to assume that said corporations are entitled to rights and representation in government and Supercapitalism has enabled them to buy that representation through lobbying and corporate donations to political campaigns. Divorcing ourselves from this fallacy of corporate sentience is the first step in dismantling that influence that business has over our government. Only by doing that can government get back to representing the interests of the people instead of implementing legislation designed to work for the economic advantage of big business. Summed up simply, our leaders in government seem to have forgotten that rights are guaranteed to people not corporations. Reich also makes an excellent case for eliminating the corporate income tax and replacing it with taxes withheld from shareholder dividends. Let the stockholders pay taxes on the income corporations earn on their behalf, the way the law works now, corporations simply pass their taxes onto the consumer.
This is just one of many excellent examples that Reich gives in his book about how democracy can come out from under the weight of corporate influence so that all Americans can eventually benefit from the positive aspects of Supercapitalism that we now enjoy, great deals as consumers and higher returns as investors while not compromising the greater good that can only be made possible through democracy that is unencumbered by corporate influence.
Fresh Air from WHYY - Robert Reich Looks Askance at 'Supercapitalism' - 9/11/2007 - "Fresh Air"
NPR.org's Book Tour - Robert Reich Issues a Warning in 'Supercapitalism' - 10/02/07
Official page at Random House
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Flaming Cake
I love the cake decorating episodes of Food Network Challenge. I can't stand Stevie Famulari. I think she's a hack. But damn, that's some fun TV!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Obama Kills Fly Like a Ninja!
Hey, Pop Culture is still culture. ;-)
I bet PeTA was really pissed off about this... and I hope the President washed his hands soon after that.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Walking in Los Angeles - Kate Micucci
I am so enamored with this young lady, Kate Micucci. I could stare into her beautiful brown eyes for hours on end. Kate recently played Stephanie Gooch, Ted's girlfriend, in the final season of "Scrubs." She is also one half of the duo "Garfunkel and Oates" with Riki Lindhome.
http://www.katemicucci.com/
http://www.garfunkelandoates.com
http://rikilindhome.com/
Saturday, June 13, 2009
REMOTE CONTROL
This is kinda cool. Pat has some great videos on his YouTube channel. Check 'em out at: http://www.youtube.com/user/patflix
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tech-Know: iPod Shuffle
I'm still holding out for a high capacity iPod touch or iPhone but this is pretty funny.