Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
A 2012 Documentary: Secrets of Alchemy Trailer
A documentary about 2012 and the Great Cross. It basically says the the center of the galaxy explodes. That what we thought were Super Novas in space is actually galaxies in this state. They mention the Hopi Indians have a prophecy of a blue star appearing in the sky at the end of time and this may be this explosion. Pretty interesting and his proof is quite convincing.
My Exchange with David Vitters Office on Marijuana
Here is an exchange between myself and the office of Senator Vitter. He is our local rep and a hypocrite who takes money from private corporations. He has taken thousands from tele com companies for the privatization of the Internet.....
From: Senator_Vitter@vitter.senate.gov
Subject: Responding to your message
To: dantheman@504productions.com
Date: Friday, March 27, 2009, 9:45 AM
Dear Mr. Carrone,
Thank you for contacting me in support of legalizing personal marijuana use. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.
As you know, legislation has been introduced in Congress that would remove federal criminal penalties for personal marijuana use. The Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults would prohibit any federal criminal penalties for the possession of 100 grams or less of marijuana for personal use.
While marijuana use may not cause the same destructive addictiveness of "hard" drugs like cocaine or heroin, I do not support legalizing the personal use of marijuana. I am concerned that legalizing the personal use of marijuana would send the wrong message to young people and could lead to increased use of other drugs and more drug addiction.
Though we disagree on this issue, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about any issue important to you.
Sincerely,
Senator David Vitter
United States Senator
My Reply:
Like cigarettes and alcohol is not the wrong message to young people? More deaths occur from those two substances than any illegal drug.
I also feel that recent violence on the border is proof that the war on drugs is a complete failure. Legalizing for personal use for adults would cut down some of that border violence.
For one, the cartels will not be sending marijuana because the best marijuana is grown domestically.
For two, some adults who use "harder" drugs may not and just smoke marijuana. Which would cut the demand for harder drugs.
America is the biggest consumer of drugs in the world. It is 40 billion dollars a year that goes to Mexico that could be in our economy. How are you planning to cut the demand for drugs from Americans? Build more prisons? That says the people are at fault for wanting to get high. If you go after the cartels, it will most prob be a war as big as Iraq.
All I am saying is that as an intelligent human being, you must set aside your personal "moral values" and see the bigger picture. Your morals is not helping this nation. Plus you have no right to mention morals since you were committing adultery. What kind of "message" is that to send our children? It is ok to hire a prostitute to cheat on your wife then accept no responsibility for such an act?
Create, Experience and Love,
Dan the Man
From: Senator_Vitter@vitter.senate.gov
Subject: Responding to your message
To: dantheman@504productions.com
Date: Friday, March 27, 2009, 9:45 AM
Dear Mr. Carrone,
Thank you for contacting me in support of legalizing personal marijuana use. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.
As you know, legislation has been introduced in Congress that would remove federal criminal penalties for personal marijuana use. The Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults would prohibit any federal criminal penalties for the possession of 100 grams or less of marijuana for personal use.
While marijuana use may not cause the same destructive addictiveness of "hard" drugs like cocaine or heroin, I do not support legalizing the personal use of marijuana. I am concerned that legalizing the personal use of marijuana would send the wrong message to young people and could lead to increased use of other drugs and more drug addiction.
Though we disagree on this issue, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about any issue important to you.
Sincerely,
Senator David Vitter
United States Senator
My Reply:
Like cigarettes and alcohol is not the wrong message to young people? More deaths occur from those two substances than any illegal drug.
I also feel that recent violence on the border is proof that the war on drugs is a complete failure. Legalizing for personal use for adults would cut down some of that border violence.
For one, the cartels will not be sending marijuana because the best marijuana is grown domestically.
For two, some adults who use "harder" drugs may not and just smoke marijuana. Which would cut the demand for harder drugs.
America is the biggest consumer of drugs in the world. It is 40 billion dollars a year that goes to Mexico that could be in our economy. How are you planning to cut the demand for drugs from Americans? Build more prisons? That says the people are at fault for wanting to get high. If you go after the cartels, it will most prob be a war as big as Iraq.
All I am saying is that as an intelligent human being, you must set aside your personal "moral values" and see the bigger picture. Your morals is not helping this nation. Plus you have no right to mention morals since you were committing adultery. What kind of "message" is that to send our children? It is ok to hire a prostitute to cheat on your wife then accept no responsibility for such an act?
Create, Experience and Love,
Dan the Man
14-Year-Old Charged with Child Porn
How can they accuse a child of child porn when the said pictures are of themselves? They don't have a charge for that so they will label her a pedophile?
TRENTON, N.J. -- A 14-year-old New Jersey girl has been accused of child pornography after posting nearly 30 explicit nude pictures of herself on MySpace.com -- charges that could force her to register as a sex offender if convicted.
The case comes as prosecutors nationwide pursue child pornography cases resulting from kids sending nude photos to one another over cell phones and e-mail.
MySpace would not comment on the New Jersey investigation, but the company has a team that reviews its network for inappropriate images. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tipped off a state task force, which alerted the Passaic County Sheriff's Office.
The office investigated for a month and discovered the Clifton resident had posted the "very explicit" photos of herself, sheriff's spokesman Bill Maer said Thursday.
"We consider this case a wake-up call to parents," Maer said. The girl posted the photos because "she wanted her boyfriend to see them," he said.
It is not a crime to view the photos, Maer said, but it is illegal to download them. Authorities are looking at additional arrests but have no plans to charge people who accidentally viewed the photographs, such as any of friends who have access to the girl's profile.
Investigators are looking at individuals who "knowingly" committed a crime, he said, declining to comment further because the case is still being investigated.
The teen, whose name has not been released because of her age, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. She was released to her mother's custody.
If convicted of the distribution charge, the girl would be forced to register with the state as a sex offender under Megan's Law, said state Attorney General Anne Milgram.
Some observers -- including the New Jersey mother behind the creation of Megan's Law -- are criticizing the move to prosecute teens who send racy text messages or post illicit photos.
Maureen Kanka -- whose daughter, Megan, became the law's namesake after she was raped and killed at age 7 in 1994 by a twice-convicted sex offender -- blasted authorities for charging the 14-year-old girl.
The teen needs help, not legal trouble, she said.
"This shouldn't fall under Megan's Law in any way, shape or form. She should have an intervention and counseling, because the only person she exploited was herself."
The teens are making poor choices by posting nude images but aren't pedophiles, she said.
"Megan's Law ... it's for sex offenders," Kanka said. "These kids aren't sex offenders."
Called "sexting" when it's done by cell phone, teenagers' habit of sending sexually suggestive photos of themselves and others to one another is a nationwide problem that has confounded parents, school administrators and law enforcers.
Prosecutors in states including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin have tried stop it by charging teens who send and receive the pictures.
In northeastern Pennsylvania, a prosecutor recently threatened to file child porn charges against three teenage girls who authorities say took racy cell-phone pictures that ended up on classmates' cell phones.
Milgram, the attorney general, could not recall another case in New Jersey in which a youth was charged with child porn for posting photos of themselves to a social networking site. She cautioned parents to get on those sites and monitor what their kids are talking about and posting.
"Unfortunately, youth don't have the same judgment as adults," she said, "and often, adults don't have the same technical savvy as the youth."
TRENTON, N.J. -- A 14-year-old New Jersey girl has been accused of child pornography after posting nearly 30 explicit nude pictures of herself on MySpace.com -- charges that could force her to register as a sex offender if convicted.
The case comes as prosecutors nationwide pursue child pornography cases resulting from kids sending nude photos to one another over cell phones and e-mail.
MySpace would not comment on the New Jersey investigation, but the company has a team that reviews its network for inappropriate images. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tipped off a state task force, which alerted the Passaic County Sheriff's Office.
The office investigated for a month and discovered the Clifton resident had posted the "very explicit" photos of herself, sheriff's spokesman Bill Maer said Thursday.
"We consider this case a wake-up call to parents," Maer said. The girl posted the photos because "she wanted her boyfriend to see them," he said.
It is not a crime to view the photos, Maer said, but it is illegal to download them. Authorities are looking at additional arrests but have no plans to charge people who accidentally viewed the photographs, such as any of friends who have access to the girl's profile.
Investigators are looking at individuals who "knowingly" committed a crime, he said, declining to comment further because the case is still being investigated.
The teen, whose name has not been released because of her age, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. She was released to her mother's custody.
If convicted of the distribution charge, the girl would be forced to register with the state as a sex offender under Megan's Law, said state Attorney General Anne Milgram.
Some observers -- including the New Jersey mother behind the creation of Megan's Law -- are criticizing the move to prosecute teens who send racy text messages or post illicit photos.
Maureen Kanka -- whose daughter, Megan, became the law's namesake after she was raped and killed at age 7 in 1994 by a twice-convicted sex offender -- blasted authorities for charging the 14-year-old girl.
The teen needs help, not legal trouble, she said.
"This shouldn't fall under Megan's Law in any way, shape or form. She should have an intervention and counseling, because the only person she exploited was herself."
The teens are making poor choices by posting nude images but aren't pedophiles, she said.
"Megan's Law ... it's for sex offenders," Kanka said. "These kids aren't sex offenders."
Called "sexting" when it's done by cell phone, teenagers' habit of sending sexually suggestive photos of themselves and others to one another is a nationwide problem that has confounded parents, school administrators and law enforcers.
Prosecutors in states including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin have tried stop it by charging teens who send and receive the pictures.
In northeastern Pennsylvania, a prosecutor recently threatened to file child porn charges against three teenage girls who authorities say took racy cell-phone pictures that ended up on classmates' cell phones.
Milgram, the attorney general, could not recall another case in New Jersey in which a youth was charged with child porn for posting photos of themselves to a social networking site. She cautioned parents to get on those sites and monitor what their kids are talking about and posting.
"Unfortunately, youth don't have the same judgment as adults," she said, "and often, adults don't have the same technical savvy as the youth."
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thanks to the American Government
Hillary Clinton recently stated that America shares responsibility for what is happening in Mexico due to our "failed drug policies". These failed policies have allowed the current conflicts on the border to become a reality of everyday life for those who live there. These same policies have enabled the growth of these Drug Cartels to what they are now.
The issue is that America is the biggest consumer of drugs on the planet. That is hard to believe since we have had a "War on Drugs" for more than 20 years.
After watching the town meeting that was via the Internet, I now know that they have no plans to stop persecuting people for using a plant that grows naturally. They actually laughed at the highly voted question. Even though decriminalization would help stop some of the violence at the border.
As Chris Rock said, they do not want you doing your drugs, they want you doing their drugs.........
But they will shove another pill down ya throat. "Do you have this symptom? Take this if you have this." It is ok for you to take their synthetic drugs that kill people. Drugs that are suppose to stop things, but cause the same things it is supposed to be stopping. What kind of logic is that? You are not suppose to make worse what you are taking medicine for when you take said medicine. It is not rocket science.
This country is one big hypocritical lie. We are not a country where you can achieve your dreams. It is a country where only through extreme sacrifice will you may have a chance at those dreams. It is a country that tries to preach morals about sex and drugs, but then sell these things to our children. A country that says no to drugs, but then deals over priced & taxed cigarettes to the people.
We live in a country that has convinced people to invest their life savings in the stock market and then allow this market to fail, taking those life savings from the people. Then turns around and takes tax payers hard working money and uses it to bail out these mega corporations who created the failure on Wall Street that took the peoples life savings in the first place. So not only did they get your life savings, but you are now in debt to the bankers of this country for the next 20 years.
His next big idea is for the government to use tax payer money to help investors and banks to take on these toxic loans. The deal though is a bit shady. If a loan is 100 dollars, it can be sold for 88 dollars. The investor will pay 6 bucks. The Treasury will throw in 6 bucks. The tax payer will foot the remainder of what is left. If this loan is paid in full, the profit will go to the private investor, but now if this loan defaults, it is the tax payer left holding the bill to pay. So the tax payer is screwed any way it goes. Now imagine billions in these loans going belly up. Obama's plan will bankrupt America once and for all.
Thanks American Government for looking out for the little man.
I am disgusted anymore. I love this nation and the people in it of all races. It is the diversity of America that makes us Americans & one of the greatest countries to live in. But what they are doing to the people of this nation is just sad. I am so afraid that America's future can be seen if you just go to the border and take a peek over into Mexico...
The issue is that America is the biggest consumer of drugs on the planet. That is hard to believe since we have had a "War on Drugs" for more than 20 years.
After watching the town meeting that was via the Internet, I now know that they have no plans to stop persecuting people for using a plant that grows naturally. They actually laughed at the highly voted question. Even though decriminalization would help stop some of the violence at the border.
As Chris Rock said, they do not want you doing your drugs, they want you doing their drugs.........
But they will shove another pill down ya throat. "Do you have this symptom? Take this if you have this." It is ok for you to take their synthetic drugs that kill people. Drugs that are suppose to stop things, but cause the same things it is supposed to be stopping. What kind of logic is that? You are not suppose to make worse what you are taking medicine for when you take said medicine. It is not rocket science.
This country is one big hypocritical lie. We are not a country where you can achieve your dreams. It is a country where only through extreme sacrifice will you may have a chance at those dreams. It is a country that tries to preach morals about sex and drugs, but then sell these things to our children. A country that says no to drugs, but then deals over priced & taxed cigarettes to the people.
We live in a country that has convinced people to invest their life savings in the stock market and then allow this market to fail, taking those life savings from the people. Then turns around and takes tax payers hard working money and uses it to bail out these mega corporations who created the failure on Wall Street that took the peoples life savings in the first place. So not only did they get your life savings, but you are now in debt to the bankers of this country for the next 20 years.
His next big idea is for the government to use tax payer money to help investors and banks to take on these toxic loans. The deal though is a bit shady. If a loan is 100 dollars, it can be sold for 88 dollars. The investor will pay 6 bucks. The Treasury will throw in 6 bucks. The tax payer will foot the remainder of what is left. If this loan is paid in full, the profit will go to the private investor, but now if this loan defaults, it is the tax payer left holding the bill to pay. So the tax payer is screwed any way it goes. Now imagine billions in these loans going belly up. Obama's plan will bankrupt America once and for all.
Thanks American Government for looking out for the little man.
I am disgusted anymore. I love this nation and the people in it of all races. It is the diversity of America that makes us Americans & one of the greatest countries to live in. But what they are doing to the people of this nation is just sad. I am so afraid that America's future can be seen if you just go to the border and take a peek over into Mexico...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Mississippi Bans Traffic Cameras
Mississippi Bans Traffic Cameras
Red Light, Speeding Cameras Still Allowed In Louisiana
POSTED: 11:13 am CDT March 23, 2009
UPDATED: 12:27 pm CDT March 23, 2009
NEW ORLEANS -- While some Louisiana drivers look to the courts to remove automated traffic cameras from area roads, Mississippi has enacted a measure that bans the systems under state law.
Gov. Haley Barbour signed into effect a bill that prohibits the red light and speed-enforcement cameras and requires the removal of existing systems.
The cities of Jackson and Columbus already use the cameras. Tupelo, Natchez, Southaven and McComb had been considering them.
A representative for the governor said Barbour decided to sign the bill into law after being assured by the Mississippi Highway Patrol that law-enforcement officers would still be able to use dashboard cameras to catch speeders.
Lawsuits in Louisiana hope to have the same effect as the Mississippi legislation. In December, a federal judge declined to throw out a case against Jefferson Parish. Those behind the class action lawsuit claim the cameras violate their constitutional rights.
The City of New Orleans issued more than 61,000 citations last year through its camera program, which launched in April and includes 17 intersections. City officials said they saw an 85 percent decrease in red light violations during that time.
Red Light, Speeding Cameras Still Allowed In Louisiana
POSTED: 11:13 am CDT March 23, 2009
UPDATED: 12:27 pm CDT March 23, 2009
NEW ORLEANS -- While some Louisiana drivers look to the courts to remove automated traffic cameras from area roads, Mississippi has enacted a measure that bans the systems under state law.
Gov. Haley Barbour signed into effect a bill that prohibits the red light and speed-enforcement cameras and requires the removal of existing systems.
The cities of Jackson and Columbus already use the cameras. Tupelo, Natchez, Southaven and McComb had been considering them.
A representative for the governor said Barbour decided to sign the bill into law after being assured by the Mississippi Highway Patrol that law-enforcement officers would still be able to use dashboard cameras to catch speeders.
Lawsuits in Louisiana hope to have the same effect as the Mississippi legislation. In December, a federal judge declined to throw out a case against Jefferson Parish. Those behind the class action lawsuit claim the cameras violate their constitutional rights.
The City of New Orleans issued more than 61,000 citations last year through its camera program, which launched in April and includes 17 intersections. City officials said they saw an 85 percent decrease in red light violations during that time.
America's War on Personal Freedoms Bites Them in the Ass
So America's big war on drugs is now starting to bite us in the ass...see the video below. I have always thought allowing people to drink or smoke cigarettes but not let people smoke pot was pretty hypocritical. I also always thought I had a right to privacy and that what goes on in my home is no ones business if I am hurting no one else.
The "War on Drugs" is just a fancy name for the war on personal freedoms.
Do you really think after 20 years of failed policies to stop drugs they will ever stop the flow of drugs? I don't. It is a billion dollar business. You can't stop that with the demand from America for the drugs. America holds the strongest stance against drugs in the world but we consume the most drugs than any other country in the world. This is why this "war" is futile.
So our guns go their way, their drugs come our way....could easily stop it by just legalizing the drugs and taking hold of what they are killing each other over. That be too easy for our government though. They rather the killings continue another two years.
Oh yea, btw, the border war has been going on for 2 years and is just now coming to surface......makes ya wonder, huh?
The "War on Drugs" is just a fancy name for the war on personal freedoms.
Do you really think after 20 years of failed policies to stop drugs they will ever stop the flow of drugs? I don't. It is a billion dollar business. You can't stop that with the demand from America for the drugs. America holds the strongest stance against drugs in the world but we consume the most drugs than any other country in the world. This is why this "war" is futile.
So our guns go their way, their drugs come our way....could easily stop it by just legalizing the drugs and taking hold of what they are killing each other over. That be too easy for our government though. They rather the killings continue another two years.
Oh yea, btw, the border war has been going on for 2 years and is just now coming to surface......makes ya wonder, huh?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Pope Says Condoms Make the Aids Epidemic Worse
AMAZING!
The Pope courted further controversy on his first trip to Africa today by declaring that condoms were not a solution to the Aids epidemic – but were instead part of the problem.
In his first public comments on condom use, the pontiff told reporters en route to Cameroon that Aids "is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems".
Pope Benedict has previously stressed that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against Aids. The Vatican encourages sexual abstinence to fight the spread of the disease.
After his election as Pope, Benedict described Aids as a "a cruel epidemic which not only kills but seriously threatens the economic and social stability of the continent", but reiterated the Vatican ban on the use of condoms.
He said the "traditional teaching of the Church" on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be "the only sure way of preventing the spread of HIV and Aids".
The Pope, who will also visit Angola, is making his first trip as pontiff to Africa, the continent where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fastest.
Two years ago there was speculation that the Vatican might amend its ban on condoms after Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the former Archbishop of Milan, said that in couples where one partner had HIV/Aids, the use of condoms was "a lesser evil".
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan of Mexico, the Vatican Health Minister, also said condoms could sometimes be exceptionally condoned, for example when a married woman was unable to refuse her HIV-positive husband's sexual advances.
"You can defend yourself with any means," he said. A subsequent Vatican study of the issue reiterated the blanket ban on condoms, however.
In 2003 a senior Vatican official claimed condoms had tiny holes in them through which HIV can pass, exposing thousands of people to risk.
The then head of the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, said: "The Aids virus is roughly 450 times smaller than the spermatozoon. The spermatozoon can easily pass through the 'net' that is formed by the condom."
He added "These margins of uncertainty... should represent an obligation on the part of the health ministries and all these campaigns to act in the same way as they do with regard to cigarettes, which they state to be a danger."
The World Health Organisation responded at the time by saying that "These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million."
The WHO said that "consistent and correct" condom use reduces the risk of HIV infection by 90 per cent.
The Pope courted further controversy on his first trip to Africa today by declaring that condoms were not a solution to the Aids epidemic – but were instead part of the problem.
In his first public comments on condom use, the pontiff told reporters en route to Cameroon that Aids "is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems".
Pope Benedict has previously stressed that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against Aids. The Vatican encourages sexual abstinence to fight the spread of the disease.
After his election as Pope, Benedict described Aids as a "a cruel epidemic which not only kills but seriously threatens the economic and social stability of the continent", but reiterated the Vatican ban on the use of condoms.
He said the "traditional teaching of the Church" on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be "the only sure way of preventing the spread of HIV and Aids".
The Pope, who will also visit Angola, is making his first trip as pontiff to Africa, the continent where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fastest.
Two years ago there was speculation that the Vatican might amend its ban on condoms after Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the former Archbishop of Milan, said that in couples where one partner had HIV/Aids, the use of condoms was "a lesser evil".
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan of Mexico, the Vatican Health Minister, also said condoms could sometimes be exceptionally condoned, for example when a married woman was unable to refuse her HIV-positive husband's sexual advances.
"You can defend yourself with any means," he said. A subsequent Vatican study of the issue reiterated the blanket ban on condoms, however.
In 2003 a senior Vatican official claimed condoms had tiny holes in them through which HIV can pass, exposing thousands of people to risk.
The then head of the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, said: "The Aids virus is roughly 450 times smaller than the spermatozoon. The spermatozoon can easily pass through the 'net' that is formed by the condom."
He added "These margins of uncertainty... should represent an obligation on the part of the health ministries and all these campaigns to act in the same way as they do with regard to cigarettes, which they state to be a danger."
The World Health Organisation responded at the time by saying that "These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million."
The WHO said that "consistent and correct" condom use reduces the risk of HIV infection by 90 per cent.
Monday, March 16, 2009
America: Freedom to Fascism - Director's Authorized Version
In 2007, corporations paid 278.3 Billion in taxes. The American taxpayers paid 927.2 Billion...
Your labor & wages for such labor is your private property. Your right to privacy. You are protected by the constitution to not pay taxes on such.
Your labor & wages for such labor is your private property. Your right to privacy. You are protected by the constitution to not pay taxes on such.
Are You a Fool?
After all that has happened in the last ten years, from the war in Iraq to the Bailouts, if you still are paying income tax, you are a fool.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Friday, March 06, 2009
The Flinstones, Cigarettes & the Economy
Those were the times? Cartoons telling us how cool it is to smoke!
Yesterday cigarettes went up an entire dollar per pack here in Louisiana. Why in a supposed time of economic crisis would they isolate one group of people and then tax those people to death?
It is no surprise that most of your smokers are low income families. You think the Government does not know this?
When the Government found out that the cigarette companies had been making cigarettes highly addictive, what did they do? Did they step in to rescue the citizens from the addiction? No, they taxed the crap out of them and told the cigarette companies and the citizens, "It is ok to kill people and make people addicted as long as we get our cut."
This is why I have no sympathy for their failing companies right now. I hope the entire system collapses. It will not affect me even though they want me to "think" it will.
When I see on the news that the Dow has slipped another 500 points, I myself shake my head and then think how horrible that is. But why? I own no stock. I have not even felt this recession really. The reason is b/c we are programmed to think it is important to us.
Now don't get me wrong, there is some of you that have money invested in the form of retirement plans like 401k. This does affect you. if you though have no connection to the market, you have no reason for this to worry you.
It is the end of mega corps and big business. It is time to support local talents and independent freelancers. Those are the real people in this country that move the economy. Not Wall Street. Do not believe the hype.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Porn in the USA: Conservatives are Biggest Consumers
Americans may paint themselves in increasingly bright shades of red and blue, but new research finds one thing that varies little across the nation: the liking for online pornography.
A new nationwide study (pdf) of anonymised credit-card receipts from a major online adult entertainment provider finds little variation in consumption between states.
"When it comes to adult entertainment, it seems people are more the same than different," says Benjamin Edelman at Harvard Business School.
However, there are some trends to be seen in the data. Those states that do consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, the study finds.
"Some of the people who are most outraged turn out to be consumers of the very things they claimed to be outraged by," Edelman says.
Political divide
Edelman spends part of his time helping companies such as Microsoft and AOL detect advertising fraud. Another consulting client runs dozens of adult websites, though he says he is not at liberty to identify the firm.
That company did, however, provide Edelman with roughly two years of credit card data from 2006 to 2008 that included a purchase date and each customer's postal code.
After controlling for differences in broadband internet access between states – online porn tends to be a bandwidth hog – and adjusting for population, he found a relatively small difference between states with the most adult purchases and those with the fewest.
The biggest consumer, Utah, averaged 5.47 adult content subscriptions per 1000 home broadband users; Montana bought the least with 1.92 per 1000. "The differences here are not so stark," Edelman says.
Number 10 on the list was West Virginia at 2.94 subscriptions per 1000, while number 41, Michigan, averaged 2.32.
Eight of the top 10 pornography consuming states gave their electoral votes to John McCain in last year's presidential election – Florida and Hawaii were the exceptions. While six out of the lowest 10 favoured Barack Obama.
Old-fashioned values
Church-goers bought less online porn on Sundays – a 1% increase in a postal code's religious attendance was associated with a 0.1% drop in subscriptions that day. However, expenditures on other days of the week brought them in line with the rest of the country, Edelman finds.
Residents of 27 states that passed laws banning gay marriages boasted 11% more porn subscribers than states that don't explicitly restrict gay marriage.
To get a better handle on other associations between social attitudes and pornography consumption, Edelman melded his data with a previous study on public attitudes toward religion.
States where a majority of residents agreed with the statement "I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage," bought 3.6 more subscriptions per thousand people than states where a majority disagreed. A similar difference emerged for the statement "AIDS might be God's punishment for immoral sexual behaviour."
"One natural hypothesis is something like repression: if you're told you can't have this, then you want it more," Edelman says.
A new nationwide study (pdf) of anonymised credit-card receipts from a major online adult entertainment provider finds little variation in consumption between states.
"When it comes to adult entertainment, it seems people are more the same than different," says Benjamin Edelman at Harvard Business School.
However, there are some trends to be seen in the data. Those states that do consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, the study finds.
"Some of the people who are most outraged turn out to be consumers of the very things they claimed to be outraged by," Edelman says.
Political divide
Edelman spends part of his time helping companies such as Microsoft and AOL detect advertising fraud. Another consulting client runs dozens of adult websites, though he says he is not at liberty to identify the firm.
That company did, however, provide Edelman with roughly two years of credit card data from 2006 to 2008 that included a purchase date and each customer's postal code.
After controlling for differences in broadband internet access between states – online porn tends to be a bandwidth hog – and adjusting for population, he found a relatively small difference between states with the most adult purchases and those with the fewest.
The biggest consumer, Utah, averaged 5.47 adult content subscriptions per 1000 home broadband users; Montana bought the least with 1.92 per 1000. "The differences here are not so stark," Edelman says.
Number 10 on the list was West Virginia at 2.94 subscriptions per 1000, while number 41, Michigan, averaged 2.32.
Eight of the top 10 pornography consuming states gave their electoral votes to John McCain in last year's presidential election – Florida and Hawaii were the exceptions. While six out of the lowest 10 favoured Barack Obama.
Old-fashioned values
Church-goers bought less online porn on Sundays – a 1% increase in a postal code's religious attendance was associated with a 0.1% drop in subscriptions that day. However, expenditures on other days of the week brought them in line with the rest of the country, Edelman finds.
Residents of 27 states that passed laws banning gay marriages boasted 11% more porn subscribers than states that don't explicitly restrict gay marriage.
To get a better handle on other associations between social attitudes and pornography consumption, Edelman melded his data with a previous study on public attitudes toward religion.
States where a majority of residents agreed with the statement "I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage," bought 3.6 more subscriptions per thousand people than states where a majority disagreed. A similar difference emerged for the statement "AIDS might be God's punishment for immoral sexual behaviour."
"One natural hypothesis is something like repression: if you're told you can't have this, then you want it more," Edelman says.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Chavez says Obama Same as Bush on Drug War
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday condemned a US report on global counternarcotics, saying President Barack Obama is continuing the policies of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
"Is there a new government in the United States or is it Bush still in power? Obama seems to be a continuation of the Bush era. But it doesn't matter to me. Regardless of US imperialism, this revolution will continue its course," Chavez said in a speech.
"The Obama administration has again attacked Venezuela. He said that Venezuela and I, even citing my name, do not cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking. The country that most supports drug trafficking on this planet is the United States.
"The United States is the world's leading consumer of drugs. Why can't they stop drugs from coming into their country? Obama, you take care of your business and I'll take care of mine. Don't mess with me, Mr Obama," he added.
The US Department of State noted in its global counternarcotics report on Friday that Venezuela continues to be a major transit point for drug trafficking in the region and refuses to cooperate with US drug interdiction programs.
"Geography, corruption, a weak judicial system, incompetent and in some cases complicit security forces, and lack of international counternarcotics cooperation make (Venezuela) vulnerable to illicit drug transshipments," the report said.
But Chavez shot back, saying his government "has beaten back the drug trade like never before. The DEA (US Drug Enforcement Agency) supported drug trafficking and overthrowing the government."
Venezuela suspended a bilateral counternarcotics agreement with the United States in 2005, accusing DEA agents of acting as spies.
The US has since refuse to provide Venezuela with an annual certification granted to countries that cooperate in the fight against drugs.
"Is there a new government in the United States or is it Bush still in power? Obama seems to be a continuation of the Bush era. But it doesn't matter to me. Regardless of US imperialism, this revolution will continue its course," Chavez said in a speech.
"The Obama administration has again attacked Venezuela. He said that Venezuela and I, even citing my name, do not cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking. The country that most supports drug trafficking on this planet is the United States.
"The United States is the world's leading consumer of drugs. Why can't they stop drugs from coming into their country? Obama, you take care of your business and I'll take care of mine. Don't mess with me, Mr Obama," he added.
The US Department of State noted in its global counternarcotics report on Friday that Venezuela continues to be a major transit point for drug trafficking in the region and refuses to cooperate with US drug interdiction programs.
"Geography, corruption, a weak judicial system, incompetent and in some cases complicit security forces, and lack of international counternarcotics cooperation make (Venezuela) vulnerable to illicit drug transshipments," the report said.
But Chavez shot back, saying his government "has beaten back the drug trade like never before. The DEA (US Drug Enforcement Agency) supported drug trafficking and overthrowing the government."
Venezuela suspended a bilateral counternarcotics agreement with the United States in 2005, accusing DEA agents of acting as spies.
The US has since refuse to provide Venezuela with an annual certification granted to countries that cooperate in the fight against drugs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)