The Unwilling Participant

A treatment for Epstein-barr / Chronic Fatigue?

2006-05-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

Read this article.

A Stanford University Professor did a study with 12 Chronic Fatigue Patients and gave them each Valganciclovir, an antiviral drug. 9 out of 12 experienced great improvement. Read the article for yourself, this is great news!

Anyone want a free iTunes gift card?

2005-12-27T13:44:00.001-08:00

Well I got a $25 gift card for iTunes as a Christmas gift. For some reason the moment I saw it, something told me it wouldn't be so simple as just selecting songs, downloading them, the end. I must be psychic because it turned out to be quite a hassle. First, I couldn't just enter the code # and download my songs. No, I had to install the iTunes software. I very very reluctantly did that. I got the gift card, might as well use it. Well during the installation, it decided it needed to update my Quicktime movie player. I again reluctantly agreed. Well the update basically made Quicktime player very annoying, reminding me every step of the way that I only had the free version and wasn't allowed to use the Pro features. Look, if I can't use the full version features, don't have them listed in the free version. It's just a nuisance.

Okay so I get the stupid iTunes software up and running, time to download my songs, right? No, first have to become a member. I've made it this far, so I might as well sign up just to get the stupid songs. Well one of the first things it asks me is my credit card number. Why do I need to tell them that? I have a $25 gift card. I don't plan on getting more that $25 worth of songs. When you go to a retail store with a gift card, do they make you pull out your credit card too?

This is where I stopped. I uninstalled the iTunes software and made sure there wasn't the slightest trace of it left on my computer.

For some reason I used to think Apple was so user friendly because of the way their advocates talked of them. Apparently this is not the case. I would stay clear of Apple and iTunes.

For those who are still willing to put up with the hassles, you can have my iTunes gift card. I won't be using it any time soon.

The NYC Transit Strike

2005-12-24T21:19:00.000-08:00

I've heard bantering going back saying "the union is greedy" or "the MTA is greedy." Here is my response to that:

It's not about greed because everyone is greedy. It's about how valuable a person is to a company based on their experience and skills. And when there is a job where advanced skills aren't required, it means there is a large supply of people who are capable of performing that job. A person's role may be very important, such as security, but if they are fairly replaceable, don't expect that particular job to demand a high salary. The employment market works on supply and demand just as any other market does. When people don't get an adequate education to prepare them for work in more high-demand jobs, low pay jobs are what they're left with. This is why people work hard in school. Because you can get ahead if you work hard.

Why receiving money not earned is not a good thing

2005-12-17T13:46:00.000-08:00

Today I was thinking about the effect someone getting a large amount of money without earning it can have on them. This doesn't have anything to do with Christmas gifts by the way. I'm thinking more of someone who wins something on a tv show, someone who wins the lottery, or someone who receives welfare checks.

Most of us assume in life that things won't just be given to us. We might not think about this every day, but it's an assumption that effects the way we live our lives every day. We take it for granted. We don't sit around thinking of ways we can get things for free. We deal with reality, and work in order to get paid.

Have you ever seen someone get a huge gift, say...on some television show where the host gives away cars? It's nice isn't it. The person is a presumably a nice person who never asked for anything, but was given a car. And it's great to see the cheer in their eyes. We love to see that.

But after that initial moment, I think something interesting happens in the mind. The mind, which in the past always had the assumption that you always had to earn what you had, is now presented with something that goes against that assumption. A few moments after that great experience of the humble person receiving that unearned gift, their mind wonders "hmm maybe there's more?"

The assumption has changed. The assumption that effected their every day lives has now been altered. Now, there's always a possibility (whether consciously thought or not) that they will be given something they didn't earn. And I think this effects their thinking in many more ways than we understand.

Obviously the extent to which this has an effect on the person depends on how big the gift is, and just how unearned it is. It also depends on how frequently such gifts are given to them. Does some generous person given them a $1,000 check every month to be nice? Or is it just a 1 time deal?

To wrap things up, it's not good for people to receive too much stuff that they do not earn. It is done with the best intentions, but has negative effects that can impact their every day lives. It also could be a demotivator of a good work ethic.

Democrat Representatives want a 25% internet porn tax

2005-12-15T17:21:00.000-08:00

Read this article here from Forbes.com

Utah representative Jim Matheson and Arkansas Senator Sen. Blanche Lincoln are proposing a plan to tax internet porn 25%. The revenue, they say, will be used to pay for the government to make sure all porn sites are complying with a proposed rule that mandates an over-18 verification screen before a user can enter the main webpage. So they want to keep kids from accessing porn, and the 25% tax is the way they'll pay for the cost of monitoring and enforcing the proposed rule.

This is completely stupid on many levels, but here's the bottom line: They want to punish those doing the right thing (the law abiding porn sites) so they can make sure nobody is doing the wrong thing. The internet porn companies who take the time to send 25% of its revenue to the government will be those same companies that abide by the rules and don't let minors in. They are being punished for following the rules. You think a website too lazy to put up a simple mechanism for age verification is going to hand over 25% to the government?

Again, this is punishing those who follow the rules for the people who don't. Outrageous.

Fox News Watch panelist Gabler: Fox News "pumping" Christmas "war"

2005-12-06T13:25:00.000-08:00

Gabler from the show "Fox News Watch" lets them have it.

Watch the video here.

Wow. Usually I find Neil to be the annoying one on the show, but he was right on about this and let them have it. I am so sick of Bill O'Reilly's War on Christmas rant. I can understand some of the complaining, but when it comes to corporations, he is dead wrong.

paraphrasing: "Here is a list of companies that will just be saying happy holidays this year, not merry christmas. Are you going to shop there"

Give me a freakin break. First of all at most places you're lucky to get a "have a nice day." Second of all, Don't give me this crap about being offended that someone said something nice to you like "happy holidays." Third, companies don't have hidden secularist agendas, they're trying to conduct business and be inclusive. It's not like the executives are a bunch of atheists scheming to get rid of Christmas. (not that there's anything wrong with atheists, I am one myself. Just for the record though, I think the "atheist movement" is stupid. But O'Reilly is worse :)

The new Firefox browser is out

2005-11-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

Click here to see the list of improvements in the new version.

Click here to download it.

Looking for something to get that special person this Christmas?

2005-11-29T06:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, I usually don't recommend products but if you're looking to get something nice for your loved one (it helps if they're a music lover), SLS Audio is now selling its Q-line Silver home theater system online her e. These speakers have the purest sound you'll ever hear. I also just found out there's free shipping until Dec 31. If you're into high quality speakers or know someone who is, check it out.

The Supposed "War on Christmas" by Retailers

2005-11-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

Now I'm not going to mention any names here, but someone has been calling for a boycott on several retailers for their decision to tell their employees to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

First, the obvious. Retailers don't really care about promoting any sort of religion or holiday. They care about making money. That is how they make their decisions; being conscious of their target market and being careful not to be exclusive to anyone.

And really, is there one person in America who actually gets offended when someone says "Happy Holidays"? Hell, from my experience in retail stores, you're lucky to get a "have a nice day."

This is just another case of someone getting offended for someone else. "Well personally I'm not offended, but 'many people' are."

A great use of celebrity

2005-11-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

Governor Schwarzenegger is going to China to talk about trade issues.

Article Here.

"The governor hopes to use his celebrity -- China hosted its first Arnold Schwarzenegger Film Festival in 2000 -- to get his message out.

He has filmed a lighthearted public-service announcement with martial-arts film star Jackie Chan to address safeguarding intellectual property, from downloadable music to agricultural products and high fashion.

In 2004, California exported nearly $6.8 billion in goods to China, according to the California Chamber of Commerce."

I guess Being a celebrity before being a politician can have its advantages.

4 explosions Were intended in Jordan, al-Qaeda accidently blows cover

2005-11-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

Article here.

SAJIDA MUBARAK ATROUS (translated): People fled running, and I left running with them.

MATT BROWN: But al-Qaeda in Iraq didn't know that. In an internet posting, the group boasted of its success in Amman and revealed that a husband and wife team had been involved.

The Jordanian investigators had found the remains of three suicide bombers – none of them female, and it was clear that if the statement was true, this woman had to be found.

More from Al jazeera here.

Quick Commentary

2005-11-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

Republicans/Conservatives: Listen up. You understand less government is better. You understand business and capitalism. You realize that welfare handouts only keep the poor down. You understand that the nation's security is very important.

But there are a few Distractions that you feel the need to cling on to. They do nothing to help you.

1. Religion.

2. Abortion.

3. Terri Schiavo.

Religion - I think the move to get the word God removed from everything is a bit silly myself. But there are some conservatives pushing for Christianity to be taught in school in Science classes alongside evolution. Uhm no.

You will never make abortion illegal. You claim to be for less government. So stay out of the abortion issue. Think about how many damn important issues there are right now. Abortion? Wake up!!!

The Terri Scshiavo fiasco is long and gone. But it left a huge bitter taste in my mouth and it just goes to show what's wrong with the republican party today.

Stop with these stupid fussy issues and get to the important things. Leave this crap to the liberals, will ya?

Meanwhile right now you have some republican senators talking about windfall taxes! What the hell is going on??

Big Oil / Windfall Profits

2005-11-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

A few quick comments on the oil profits debate:

Oh no, a company actually trying to make a profit? I thought they just worked for free.

I guess the government should just take away profit from companies who make too much, hm?

But you do realize that profit is the whole reason for their existence. So taking away the ability to create wealth is taking away incentives to operate.

And, have we forgotten what happened last time something like this is done?

Speaking of profit, Oil companies have a low profit margin compared to other industries.

Coca-Cola: 27.6% of revenue
William Wrigley Jr.: 15.6% of revenue
Wells Fargo: 20% of revenue
Altria: 10.7% of revenue
Kimberly-Clark: 10.5% of revenue
Anheuser-Busch: 15.1% of revenue
Exxon Mobil: 9.8% of revenue

(source for profit margin figures: Forbes)

A great analysis Here.

"High prices do more to encourage conservation and production than anything Congress could dream up."

Bill O'Reilly Got OWNED today

2005-11-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Bill O'Reilly had on Economist Ben Stein on his program today to talk about "those greedy oil companies price gouging consumers."

Bill has NO clue how the markets work. When Bill was told that the market prices fluctuate on expectations of supply shortages, Bill said "Oh, so now we're paying on anticipation." Ben replied, "but that is how the markets work!"

Bill O'Reilly claims to understand the supply and demand factors which determine a price. But he is missing a big piece of the puzzle: expectation. Why do stock prices go up and down every day? Do they 100% reflect the actual worth of the company? No. A lot of it is expectation and speculation.

I used to have a lot of respect for Bill O'Reilly but damn...he sure is slipping lately.

Kevin Trudeau - Fraud

2005-11-04T23:43:00.000-08:00

Meet Kevin Trudeau. You've probably seen this guy on tv pretending to be a medical expert. He's written a bestselling book entitled "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About."

Problem is, he is no expert. He has no medical education or background. And..oh yeah he's a convicted felon. From Wikipedia:

"Trudeau's legal problems are long-standing. In 1990, he posed as a doctor in order to deposit $80,000 in false checks, and in 1991 he plead guilty to larceny after he had used his Mega Memory customers' credit card numbers for his own purposes. He spent two years in prison because of this conviction.(Choi, 2005) Most people in opposition to Trudeau's claims point to this felony conviction as a good reason not to trust him."

Just a few days ago, Consumer Affairs reported that he was selling customer names to telemarketers.

Also, check out Kevin Trudeau's Snake Oil Empire for comments from PhD Derek Lowe.

Infomercialwatch has more.

What a pathetic excuse for a human being. I hope he loses every cent he makes off his fraudulent endeavors.

Bill O'Reilly Needs To Take a Class in Business

2005-10-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

Bill O'Reilly had a segment today about how greedy oil companies have been price gouging and hurting consumers. He has been talking about this for a week or so now, and with each time it gets more embarassing. It is making many question his logic on all the other issues he talks about daily.

Below are some quotes:

"Nobody can believe how much these oil companies are making"

"There's plenty of gas everywhere for anyone who wants to pay for it"

"We know there's price gouging going on, you can't deny it"

"But, for every barrel of oil that Exxon pays that much money for, they take on a surcharge profit"

This one is classic:

"they're not only passing their costs along to us, but our costs plus 15%"

Oh no! A company trying to make a profit? Get out! I thought companies were supposed to just serve us for free. Something must be done about this! All those greedy shareholders will just have to stop expecting profits. Might as well just get rid of all those stupid stock exchanges too while we're at it. They don't really do anything anyway, it's just a bunch of yelling and screaming.

What's funny is that most of what Bill says is correct. However he acts as if we're all supposed to be shocked and hate oil companies now. At the same time, he claims to support capitalism.

Does he think Fox News charges advertisers only for the cost associated with running a television station..just to be nice? Oh, but advertisers...who cares about them. We only care about the poor consumers. But what about the people who work at the companies who advertise? Aren't they consumers too?

"Whites Only" sign in front of Barber Shop

2005-10-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

A barber in Lafayette, Louisiana has a sign out front of his shop that reads "whites only." According to him, he simply does not know how to cut black people's hair, so he put the sign up so he wouldn't have to keep telling blacks who came in that he didn't know how to cut their hair.

Story and picture: here.

Walmart Getting Into The Health Care Business

2005-10-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Having dominated everthing else, Walmart is now testing the waters in the health care sector. In 2 stores in Jacksonville Florida, Solantic (an urgent care company) will provide physicians for Walmart Customers.

Article here.

This sort of reminds me of Costco selling auto and home insurance to its members.

The Toledo Riot: Different Views

2005-10-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

Remember the Riot in Toledo recently when Nazis showed up to march around the neighborhood and blacks rioted?

I thought it would be interesting to look at different sides and viewpoints of that story.

This is the website for the "National Socialist Party" a.k.a American Nazis. These are the guys who showed up in Toledo. There's some interesting audio there that will give you insight on their view and what their objectives were when they went to march in Toledo. There are sane rationalities, as well as nutty viewpoints.

and This is a different view from the "Cincinnati Black Blog" which sees the city of Toledo and the police as allowing the Nazis to attack the blacks.

It's interesting to see how both sides talk about how the media is distorting what really happen.

But, this is not a sport where you cheer for the home team. The nazi group does not represent whites, and the black rioters do not represent blacks.

The Nazis went to Toledo because they heard there were blacks harassing white residents. The problem though, is well...they are Nazis. Perhaps something really did need to be done if in fact there was harassing going on. But even the Nazis should have known that all they would do by their presence is add fuel to the fire. The rioters on the other hand, were complete idiots. Throwing rocks at an a ambulance arriving on the scene is not "defending themselves" as some have claimed they were doing.

Videos / VideoBlogs

2005-10-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

Well if you're like me you like to keep yourself entertained. So in my quest to that end, I've been on the hunt for some good sources of interesting videos on the internet. Lately I've found a few good ones worth mentioning.

Mefeedia Videoblog Directory: thousands and thousands of videos aggregated from many websites/blogs. There's a lot of random stuff here so you'll have to do some hunting, but Im sure you'll find something worth viewing.

YouTube: thousands of user submitted videos. They are categorized in an easy to browse format or you can search for something.

Blogdigger Media Search: searches blogs for media content. I haven't really used it that much but it seems like it could be pretty useful.

Professor Kamau Kambo of North Carolina State University Calls For an Extermination of White People

2005-10-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

This is ridiculous. Kamau Kambo, a Professor at North Carolina State University states that whites are all slave owners with the intent on eventually killing the blacks. The only solution, according to Kambo, is to exterminate the whites. Partial transcript and audio here. Make sure to give it a listen. Unbelievable.