Muchosucko
Cool beat. Real sinister. But what’s the motive? What disappeared the 757? And why did a small plane fly into the Pentagon? Ah well, it’s like Jerry said, “A good conspiracy theory is an unprovable one.”
Statute of Limitations on Lies
FactCheck.org Zell Miller’s Attack on Kerry: A Little Out Of Date
It’s amazing how politicians can never tell the whole truth. It’s how Zell Miller can lie about Kerry’s votes through a convenient omission of the facts. (Not that Kerry and his crowd haven’t done the same thing.) This example is GREAT because, it lays out the tactics involved. Voters beware.
It’s Gonna Get Ugly Folks
WSJ.com – Kerry Strikes Back at GOP, Calling Bush ‘Unfit to Lead’
I think we can pretty much put any expectation that the issues are going to get some serious debate in this election cycle out the window. The #$%& is going to, no has hit the fan and the mud is flying. Buckle your seat belts, folks.
Hey, at least Edwards rolled through the crib yesterday!
Reform on the Cheap
WSJ.com – In New Law’s Wake, Companies Slash Their Political Donations
This was a really nice surprise. I’ve been a long time supporter of campaign finance reform because I felt special interest money held too much sway in the process.
WSJ.com – In New Law’s Wake, Companies Slash Their Political Donations
This was a really nice surprise. I’ve been a long time supporter of campaign finance reform because I felt special interest money held too much sway in the process. It seems that the unintended effect, is the democratization of the money. Since corporations are forced to solicit employees to support their political ends, regular people are getting more involved in supporting candidates.
One possible effect is that corporate and employee interests can be more aligned, explicitly in the political process. Cause and effect are more tightly coupled. I think this is a good thing for Americans in general.
Another is that it returns a good portion of power in our democracy back where it belongs: with the people. Of course, this power is being exercised by the filter of corporate PACs, but what can you do? We live in a liberal-capitalist nation. Corporations exert tremendous power by virtue of their economic strength in our society, but now that is shared between management and employee. That is as democratic as we can get with out social and political revolution. Libertarians and anarchists take note. You must destroy people’s source of paychecks to enact your visions (pipe dreams? just kidding). What about the other PACs? Some consolidation is bound to occur. After all, once I donate to MoveOnPAC or some other general PAC, which else do I support? Just like charities, there will be “donation fatigue” and this limits their number.
These results are far from perfect, but change is a welcome.
It Begins…M$ vs. Apple…Yeah Right!
WSJ.com – Apple Slams Music Service From Rival Microsoft
This article is a masterpiece of PR. It has lessons for us all.
First, where is the so called slamming of Microsoft? Basically this is to read the article which basically says, “M$ opened it’s music store today.” So what? We all knew they would. Apple, for its part, was a bit belittling but there were no Zell Miller-esque rants or slams.
Second, Apple in its wisdom tried to make this a non-event, which is exactly what it is. But never fear boys and girls! Apple is watching closely and will provide stiff competition. It’s like Bush “not thinking” about Osama bin Laden. 😉
A Rant After My Own Heart
Doug Thompson’s The Rant: Bush & Kerry: This is the Best We Can Do?
Doug does rant in this article, but he comes as close to expressing my general attitude about this election as anyone else has in print. It sucks to vote for someone you dislike less.
Zig Zag Zell
Hey, I never said Republicans had a lock on flip flops! Here’s a clip from the Washington Post.
Here in President Bush’s convention city, Sen. Zell Miller (Ga.) is the Democrat Republicans love to love. Miller will be center stage as keynoter for Bush on Wednesday night, and Republican delegates can’t seem to thank him enough. [washingtonpost.com – 2004 Election]
The Flip Flopper Candidate…Bush?!
President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief – Center for American Progress
I found this hilarious and infuriating at the same time. Hypocrisy is a big pet peeve for me.
I’m reminded of one of my Republican friends who said something I really liked. He said that he would rather vote for a candidate who sticks to his principles, even if he disagrees, than one who flip-flops. Of course he was talking about Bush vs. Kerry. I wonder how he would feel after reading that list…
Bush’s Fuzzy Math on Kerry Votes
Only Bush could make a man’s voting record that is consistent with his stated philosophy seem like the opposite. Kerry wants to increases that taxes on the most powerful, me and those who are richer, to support some semblance of social justice. As a progressive, i.e. just left of center, I’m down with that.
FactCheck.org Bush Still Fudging the Numbers on Kerry’s Tax Votes
Apple’s Squeeze Play Part II
Apple announced the new iMac G5 today and true to Apple form it’s sleek and “enchanting” and has the predictable “wow factor” that boost sales and to delight of Apple’s investors, the share price.
This cycle is not new and this is why the market always corrects itself after a new product launch. Apple is a product company and thus must innovate to be true to its brand and simply survive. The media and the usual pundits (talking heads really) conveniently forget this, perennially predict the company’s demise, and then, wonder of wonders, a new product launch arrives and they claim that Apple is once again on the road to riches. You’d think somebody would have caught on after almost 3 decades!
Actually, the financial industry has. Invest when the demise predictions invariably come and sell when the going gets good. Make a tidy profit.