bitbol

Today's round-up grew a bit:

• A new poll shows that a majority (54%) of americans favor impeachment of Dick Cheney. There is even a site that has video evidence for Cheney's impeachment (link: site auto-plays video).
• Why the cable industry sucks: companies are blame CableCARD for an upcoming rate hike. They say that it would simply cost too much. I don't know how much the CableCARD even matters, but I don't like how cable companies have such a lock-in (read: get service from them or not at all).
• Toledo cops sell out their cruisers for $15,000. I think this is a wise idea for side-stepping the costs, but I don't trust cops enough to feel that this is right. I can see a CEO being pulled over and declaring that he should not get a ticket because he helped finance that officer's car.
• There was a case similar to Libby's where Bush did just the opposite as he did the other day. Foul play? Surely.
• Fox News reports that Universal healthcare is breeding grounds for terrorists. I think that Fox's viewership is the 20% mentioned in my post yesterday (point two).
• Rupert Murdoch has bought Dow Jones. Part of the deal is a legally-enforceable agreement that the WSJ will remain independent in it's reporting.

Goodbye New York. Tomorrow morning I leave the city. When I have time, I'm going to write a post about all of the things that I saw/learned/etc in New York.

Labels: Advertising, America, Bush, Cheney, Collections, News, Politics

I walked down to the Fifth Avenue Apple Store today, and found the madness that is the iPhone. I just wanted to look, but there was probably a thirty minute wait to get in the store. I went at about seven, so I figured that iPhone rush would have passed, but it was still going strong. But apart from that, here is the day's news round-up:

• The House nearly defunded the office of the VP. Apparently, faced with losing all his money, Cheney realized that he is in the executive branch.
• An interesting study concludes that wearing a helmet tends to draw cars closer to a bicycler. Safety groups are screaming that this does not eliminate the need for a helmet.
• More previous government employees are calling for impeachment of Cheney.

Even though I didn't get inside the Apple Store, I must say that the Fifth Avenue store is impressive to say the least.

Labels: America, Apple, Biking, Cheney, Collections, News, Politics

It's just smoldering in NYC, but it's nice where there is air conditioning.

• The RIAA buffoons are at it again, but in some of the most disgusting ways. This time, the cronies called a 10 year old's school to intimidate her. The target was the mother, but it is simply gross to see a collective of jackasses that are so disrespectful of everyone. And the other thing I don't get is why congress or judges won't do anything to stop them; oh wait- bribes.
• Trying to fight copyright infringement, an Aussie ISP regularly deletes media files: any file ending in .mp3, .avi, .mov, and .wmv. This is a prime example of how stupid people ruin things for everyone else. And by people, I mean recording industry goons.
• Cheney decides that he really is part of the executive branch.
• Ann Coulter claims that the Edwards are using her attacks as a way to raise money. I think her logic is a bit backward: when she attacks, Edwards' name is all over the news, thus people notice him and then donate. I may offend many with this, but anyone who listens to a word that woman says I deem a babbling moron.
• Google is complaining about Microsoft, people are saying Google is just jealous, but everyone has a point. I don't like that Google is being so aggressive to get their claim to fame, but I also think that Microsoft is still a monopoly. I mean, not like Vista's market share is large or anything, but Microsoft cannot lock you into their product in the way that they do. Microsoft deserves to be called a monopoly for life because of the way they treat consumers.
• Warren Buffett, the world's third wealthiest man, asks for a tax raise for the rich, citing that all rich pay a smaller proportion into the system.
• Giuliani praises Regent University for their "wonderful" influence.
• The bald eagle is about to be delisted from the endangered species list. While there is no longer a threat of extinction, there is no reason to stop protecting it. Perhaps we need another list for animals that must be protected. Why do people think that it is alright to trample animals and their environment? Cows, sure, we eat them. Eagles on the other hand are simply birds that have no reason to be shot.

I'm beginning to love New York.

Labels: America, Cheney, Collections, Copyright, Giuliani, Google, Internet, Legal, Microsoft, News, Politics

I really don't have time to do full posts at the moment. For the next couple weeks, I will do "collections" where I will do short commentary on some of the stories that I was reading that day. Here is today's:

• VP Cheney is still trying to keep his office sealed. Cheney is the puppet master behind the war, and he is still to be held accountable. His handling of affairs is despicable.
• Congress has an approval rating lower than Bush (!). An analysis of congress has revealed some of the biggest pricks in congress. Dick Cheney shares a position on this list with a KKK member.
• PCWorld has done a survey to find that best and worst ISPs. On the list, Charter, my ISP, places dead last. I wholeheartedly agree with that rating. The only reason they get our money is because there is no other high-speed option.
• Congress has voted to raise the fuel economy standard to 35 MPG. Automakers are given until 2020 to meet the standard. My estimate is that they will go until 2018 before anything is really done about it.
• Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani didn't do much for the Iraq Study Group. Giuliani would rather make money doing motivational speeches. I find it disgusting that this man raked in $200,000 doing these speeches. He was supposed to be serving the people, and here he was serving his pocketbook.
• Bush's approval rating is now down to 26 percent.
• Bush vetoed the most recent stem-cell research bill, without even reading it. The newest bill allowed embryos that would otherwise be destroyed to be used for research. Bush's speech made it apparent that he did not read the full text. I don't even understand what this man could possibly be thinking. How much could you advance science if he would step aside from his precious religion and look at reality.

Tomorrow, I am going to be in NYC. I have no idea how much access I will have to the internet.

Labels: America, Bush, Cheney, Collections, Giuliani, Iraq, News, Politics

Dick Cheney doesn't want anyone to know who he has been talking to. He ordered secret service officers to destroy all records of visitors. When I first heard of this, I didn't think much of it, but in reading this story, he did so after being sued to release them. Obviously he is trying to cover something up.

The first version I heard of this story, people tried to defend it saying that presidents should have to ability to meet with people in secrecy. I, however, feel that is okay only for a short time after the meeting occurred; after that, the records should be public. Purging those records should not even be allowed, especially with Cheney's controversial ties to Halliburton, among others.

Labels: America, Cheney, News