Outsiders on the Inside

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued unidentified buyers of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC securities over what the agency called “highly profitable and suspicious purchases” before PepsiCo Inc. announced it would buy a 66 percent stake in the Russian dairy and juice producer.

“Unknown purchasers” bought 400,000 American depositary receipts in the Russian company from Nov. 29 to Dec.1, when there was no public information available concerning the contemplated acquisition, the agency said today in a complaint in federal court in New York.

Dogmarking Earmarks

Three months ago, had anyone asked about the Tea Party, the only response would have been laughter. Now, it may be fear. Even though several of their policies make some amount of sense, the amount of power that this party is gaining in the political world is becoming as nonsensical as some of their policies. Here, Republican leader McConnell, previous opposition to the Tea Party, has turned over a new leaf in a strange allegiance with the growing Tea Party.
The New York Times reports:

WASHINGTON — In leading his colleagues in a vote on Tuesday to ban the lawmaker-directed spending items known as earmarks, Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader and consummate Congressional appropriator, averted a divisive clash within his caucus over the question of joining the new House Republican majority in enacting an earmark “moratorium” for the next Congress.

Given how zealously Mr. McConnell has defended the constitutional prerogative of Congress to control the federal purse, his turnabout was also the surest sign yet that the rightward pressure of Tea Party groups, and an antispending sentiment among voters, have begun to influence the way Washington does business.

While banning earmarks makes sense, even if the proposal is Tea Party related, the affect that these 'Beckonians' are having on the countries politics is quite terrifying. The fact that they are having any affect is reason in itself to have fear. They are getting opposition to side with them and it appears as though their control is gaining momentum.

Jerry Brown's Obama Condition

 Toyota's climb back to the top looks like a few short steps compared to what California is going to have to do. Even with a recent bill passed to close up a $19 billion dollar shortfall, California managed to fall into deeper budgetary crisis. Much like Bush's gift to Obama, Schwarzenegger will be passing California on to Brown in less than 'spick and spack' fiscal condition. The New York Times reports:

Five weeks after the Legislature passed a budget that promised to close a $19 billion budget shortfall, California has sunk back into yet another fiscal crisis, this time facing a $26 billion gap that is posing a major new challenge for the incoming governor,Jerry Brown, and seems almost certain to force deep cuts in a state already reeling from three years of financial turmoil.

The departing governor,Arnold Schwarzenegger, has called a special session of the Legislature for Dec. 6 to begin dealing with one part of the problem: a projected $6 billion shortfall in the $126 billion budget passed in October, a record 100 days late. Mr. Schwarzenegger’s aides said the governor, a Republican who has fought repeatedly with Democrats in pushing through deep spending cuts, would propose another round of reductions to get the state through the end of this fiscal year in June.

 While Schwarzenegger's administration is packing and telling everyone they've done their best, Brown must propose a new budget in January for 2011. California's estimated budget shortfall for next year is an estimated $38 billion including the shortfalls of the propositions Californians voted in this November. Brown's pledge not to raise taxes without voters' approval may be a hard pledge to follow through with in the next several years.

Mental Health Break: Loco for Loko

Kites Are The New Prius

 Are we solving the energy crisis sooner than we predicted? While many have been looking into solar energy, others have been looking at a renewable resource here one Earth: wind. Windmills are no new idea, but kites are a whole other story. MSNBC shares;

“The jet streams are like a river of free, clean, and concentrated energy flowing above us, waiting to be tapped into,” says Cristina Archer, a California State University, Chico, assistant professor of environmental sciences who has written research papers on the topic.

That promise has inspired a throng of entrepreneurs and inventors who are now trying to transform what was once stuff of science fiction into real energy businesses. The goal is the same: build mega-watt systems that can wean the world off fossil fuels and grab a slice of the $63 billion global wind energy market. The U.S. Department of Energy expects that wind will provide 20 percent of the nation’s energy by 2030 – up from just 1.8 percent today.

This is possibly THE solution to what Thomas Friedman referred to as 'Code Green' in his Hot, Flat, and Crowded. This would create revenue, jobs and international market in terms of U.S. participation beyond our dreams. The fact that this could arrive in just a few years sweetens the deal. The U.S. must jump at this chance before other countries catch up.

Murkowski Gets a Boost!

 While Lisa Murkowski has been running anxiously around the state, teaching people how to write her name, the Supreme Court has been helping her. They have made it possible for voters to view a list of legible write-ins, but with a few minor setbacks. Center Daily Times reports;

But the Supreme Court decision allows voters at early voting sites to see the lists if they say they need help and want to be shown a list of write-in candidates. The decision could aid Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s write-in U.S. Senate bid; her campaign had fought to keep the lists at polling places. 

“This stay will ensure that Alaskans can continue to get the assistance they’re entitled to under law,” said campaign manager Kevin Sweeney in a statement. 

The Supreme Court did say the lists must not disclose the party affiliation of the write-in candidates. And the ballots of those voters who ask for the list must be segregated from the ballots of other voters, pending any additional appeals.

 Will this help the underdog favorite? This is yet to be seen. Although this new service may not be the most user friendly, hopefully voters and Murkowski supporters step up to the plate and do their part.

Murkowski Gives Miller the Old 'One, Two'

Not surprisingly, candidate for Alaskan Senate, Lisa Murkowski, has handed Palin's favorite, Joe Miller, more than he can handle. While the befudlingly beloved ex VP candidate has mad a choice not unlike many of her other choices, unwise and rash, for some reason people have been picking up steam behind her as they usually do, to the demise of the rest of us 'non-Tea Party elitists'. Joe Miller, seemingly unqualified with a muddied past, was recently winner of the Alaskan Primary. Thankfully, opposition Murkowski has decided to go around the state teaching people how to write her in. While she is not yet winning, her ratings are quickly rising. As is seen in this video provided by MSNBC , she appears better versed and practiced than Joe Miller.

Toyota Bites the Dust Again

 Toyota- the world's leading symbol of car safety features and automotive environmental conservation. Not anymore. In what seemed to be Toyota's slow but steady rise back to its seat of power, the currently scrutinized company is taking another one on the chin and hard. After last years accelerator mayhem, the Japanese company swore to the world that it would prove itself once again despite the 'hiccup', but now, their rise back is becoming unrealistic.
 Since the beginning of this year, they have quietly been experiencing mistakes time and time again until now; they are recalling 1.5 million vehicles from around the globe. MSNBC shares;

Toyota's seemingly endless series of recalls began in October 2009, when it announced it would take steps to resolve a problem with so-called sudden acceleration in its vehicles. 

That recall, blamed on loose floor mats that could jam the throttle on a variety of Toyota products, was followed by another, in January 2010, resulting from a potentially sticky accelerator assembly. 

But Toyota has also had to recall millions of other vehicles ranging from the 2010 Prius (which has had issues with potentially defective brakes) to some of the carmaker’s pickup and minivan models, which have experienced excessive corrosion severe enough to cause spare tires and other parts to fall off while driving. 

Joe Phillippi, chief analyst with AutoTrends Consulting, and others caution it will be difficult, if not impossible, for Toyota to ever fully regain its once-lofty perch as a bastion of automobile safety. And other makers are clearly taking advantage of that challenge.

 While ordinarily the ups and downs of a vehicle company would affect nothing much beyond itself, the problem is much more serious in this case. Toyota is still the world's leading mass producer of environmentally friendly cars. A cultural dislike towards Toyota and its leading green product, the Prius, could lead to major back tracking in huge environmental steps. The world cannot afford for a 'motor-driven' country like America to regress to the days of Humvees.

Mental Health Break: Winnipeg's Face Kicking Budget

The Next Palin? Or Worse?

In this era of reality TV potentials running for offices, we have yet another unlikely candidate in it for the win. Need I say Christine O'Donnell? Proclaimed by many as the 'Palin Mini Me', it appears that the situation is much worse than current popular consensus. The Atlantic reports:

Sarah Palin was wounded by Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson in their 2008 interviews because she seemed at some level aware of what she didn't know. She was obviously uncomfortable with Couric's "What newspapers, specifically, do you read?" question because she sensed that the topic held perils. 

O'Donnell on the other hand, comes across as a perfect, unflappable product of the talk-show culture. Sarah Palin knows that she is bad under open questioning -- so she avoids it, speaks only to selected audiences, is interviewed only by Fox. If she were to run for president this would make her brittle for the unavoidable main campaign. Christine O'Donnell shows that the other path can create a better, unshakably on-message product for this era.  

Not only is this woman Sarah Palin Jr. in many respects, she has perfected one of Palin's many flaws; O'Donnell is a natural on TV. So much so, she might have enough bearing to actually win. This frightful concept shows too many implications of where our media inflicted society is taking our politics. Could this win be the revenge of Sarah Palin's loss?

No Miracle in Chile? I Dare Say!

Apparently, not everyone believes in miracles. After the incredible moment of the last Chilean miner being pulled out of the mine, it is difficult to comprehend that anyone would be so blind as to not see the epicness of this entire trial. While not to go as far as not at least feeling joy and empathy for these miners, the Chicago Sun Times blogger, Robert Ebert opposes the miracle in this situation. Robert Ebert writes:

I'm not a miracle. And neither are the Chilean miners. We are all alive today for perfectly rational reasons. Yet there is a common compulsion to describe unlikely outcomes as miraculous -- if they are happy, of course. If sad, they are simply reported on, or among the believing described as "the will of God." Some disasters are so horrible they don't qualify as the will of God, but as the work of Satan playing for the other team.

 Like so many of us, I watched with joy as the miners emerged from their tomb, one after another. In a year of sadness, it was a blessed moment. One can sympathize with those who called it a miracle, but actually it was the result of perfectly understandable engineering techniques. The construction of the mine itself, so deep in the earth, was a much more impressive feat, but no one thought to describe that as a miracle.

While we are all entitled to our own opinions, is it really not a miracle that 33 men survived 17 days on 48 hours worth of  rations with no contact to the outside world so many of us take for granted? Or that their camaraderie, careful planning and cheerful outlook from 69 days trapped underground in that 'impressive feat' of a mine was not a miracle? The fact that no one came up significantly mentally or physically harmed after two months of bare provisions is not a miracle within itself? It may not be my place, but given the chance, I would ask Mr.Ebert to re-evaluate.

DADT Repeal Held Off

The Don't Ask Don't Tell policy has been in a limbo of severe dissaproval and support in these last few months. Countless civilians and soldiers have been pushing for its repeal, and just as it was coming close to a decision, it looks like it may be held off for a while longer. While Obama has also been pushing to repeal DADT, he does not have the rights to and is now holding off the final decision of the judges to put his position in a more favorable view. Politico informs:

The Obama Administration filed an appeal Thursday in a bid to halt a judge’s order striking down the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy prohibiting gays from openly serving in the military – escalating a politically awkward fight that has the Justice Department battling to preserve a policy that President Barack Obama wants to dismantle.

Justice Department lawyers asked U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips for an emergency stay of her order voiding the 17-year-old policy. The government also filed a formal appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, seeking review of Phillips’ decision which bars the Defense Department from enforcing the policy against any service member, anywhere in the world.

Judge Phillips, the original judge to pass this act, will be in power to repeal, if Obama's plans pan out. If not, the DADT will be repealed sooner or later, but sooner is preferable to the majority in this case. If the judge does not recognize this as a violatons of the first amendment, who knows what will break out?

Rewards After Disaster

The day of October 13, 2010, the last of 33 miners was finally pulled up from an underground entrapment in a Chilean mine. After being contained for 69 days, the miners were met with a global appreciation and welcome. Rewards and gifts are coming from far and wide. The New York Times informs:

SAN JOSÉ MINE, Chile — The lucky ones now have more than $10,000 in the bank and a free vacation in Greece awaiting them. But for the moment, many of the family members of the 33 miners trapped under the hard volcanic rock here for more than two months seemed content to remain at Camp Hope on Thursday, tending to their tents and sweeping away the desert dust from their makeshift dining tables.

The miners are also said to have offers for  a week long vacation in Greece, autographed soccer jerseys from Manchester United and Real Madrid, visitation offers from the New York City marathon, gifts of iPod touches and Oakley glasses and many more to come. The miracle of this story is truly heart warming. The global outreach they are receiving is deserved and hopefully they will heal from this experience unharmed.

Mental Health Break

In this pressing time and state of confusion, political parties are looking left and right (and center) for support on their issues. The Republicans seem to have found one such supporter: leukemia. In their battle against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Republicans find that they and leukemia share a common disposition to fair treatment and medication for all. The Onion reports:

WASHINGTON—Citing a mutually shared vision of health care in America, congressional Republicans and the deadly bone-marrow cancer leukemia announced a joint effort Wednesday to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the historic new bill that extends health benefits to 32 million Americans nationwide.

"Republicans have no greater ally in this fight than leukemia," said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), who was flanked by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), and the abnormal increase in white blood cells. "Denying insurance to Americans with preexisting conditions and ensuring that low-income Americans stand no chance of receiving quality health care are just a few of the core beliefs that the GOP and leukemia share."

Hopefully leukemia will help them overturn this act. It will definitely help gain support for this righteous cause. Good luck Republicans. *This article is a joke, no offense intended to anyone.

Political Me

The Quiz

The following are my scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 9
You are a social progressive. You generally consider yourself a humanist first. You probably think that religion and patriotism go too far in society. You probably consider yourself to be a citizen of Earth first rather than a citizen of your country.

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 12
You're a Social Capitalist, you think that, left to its own, Capitalism leaves a lot of people behind. You think that Health Care should be free to all, that the minimum wage should be raised, and that the government should provide jobs to all that are capable of having them. You likely hated the Bush tax cuts, and believe that the middle class has gotten poorer, and the rich have gotten richer over the past several years. The far extreme of social capitalism is socialism.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 6
You're a Moderate. You think that we all have certain inalienable rights that must be protected, but that sometimes laws need to be made to protect the majority's lives or quality of lives. You might think that the 2nd amendment isn't necessary anymore because letting everyone a gun is extremely dangerous to the community. You might also be against illegal drug use or public pornography because of its possible harmful effects to society.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 3
You're a Pacifist. You are angered that the United States thinks it should dominate the world through its military force. You think that the only time war is necessary is when we are in direct danger of being attacked. You also believe the US spends way too much of its money on defense, as we can practically cut it in half and still easily defend ourselves, and use that money to fix all our economic problems.

Overall, you would most likely fit into the category of Hardcore Democrat

Floored Fiorina and Boxed Boxer

As we get closer and closer to the election between current Senator Barbara Boxer and hopeful Carly Fiorina, things should be heating up. That's not exactly what's happening. Many, when given the choice between the two candidates are choosing none of the above. Even the San Francisco Chronicle has taken a turn in not supporting either opponent. Here is what Politico described:

In what it calls an "extremely rare" move, the San Francisco Chronicle is refusing to endorse either Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer or her Republican challenger, Carly Fiorina.    

“It is extremely rare that this editorial page would offer no recommendation on any race, particularly one of this importance,” read an editorial in Sunday’s paper. “This is one necessary exception.”

“It is a dismal choice between an ineffective advocate for causes we generally support and a potentially strong advocate for positions we oppose,” the paper concluded. “Neither merits our endorsement for the U.S. Senate.”

In this state of disarray, a healthy dose of rivalry between supporters  would do well to somewhat unify voters. But we cannot even hope for opponency this time around, that is if Boxer and Fiorina don't step it up a notch. This election may turn out to be a close call but for all the wrong reasons.

Keeping Bush Around

With the recent repeal of repealing DADT, it is no surprise that the Republicans in Senate feel in control. They have now repealed a finance campaign reform bill, proving their tight hand over the Senate right now. The republican senators are striving for the days of Bush and enforcing republicanism on the Senate and country with full force. Politico gives a closer look:

Senate Democrats failed to break a filibuster of a campaign finance reform bill Thursday, marking the second time their DISCLOSE Act has fallen short of the votes necessary to be debated on the floor.

The chief Senate sponsor of the bill, Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York, had tried to make a last-ditch appeal to his Republican colleagues Wednesday by saying Democrats would be open to amendments — including a push back of the legislation's effective date to the next campaign cycle. But GOP senators were unconvinced by the appeal on a bill they believe should have been more openly negotiated and merited a committee debate.

The legislation required 60 votes to move forward and failed, 59-39, without a single Republican breaking ranks.

 Will the Republicans continue this stroke of power? How many more bills, policies, acts will they overcome and repeal? Hopefully things settle down and even out in the Senate.

Possibly Not As Dumb As We Want to Be

America's economy has been in the low tide for quite some time now, but it appears that things might be finally turning around. For the first time for what seems to be in years, Obama has finally signed a bill that will be beneficial to the American people. Here is USA Today's explanation of the bill:

The small business jobs bill passed today will help provide loans and cut taxes for millions of small business owners without adding a dime to our nation's deficit. After months of partisan obstruction and needless delay, I'm grateful that Democrats and a few Republicans came together to support this common-sense plan to put Americans back to work. I look forward to signing the bill on Monday.

Not adding to the deficit?  That is definitely something we have not heard in a long time. For Obama's sake, let's hope that this little streak of pleasing everyone will continue.

Senate Doesn't Ask, Lady Gaga Tells

Apparently, civilians are not the only ones riling over the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. If McCain won't listen to the rest of us about repealing the DADT, maybe Lady Gaga can convince him. It seems that the 'normal' American can't fend for himself anymore, at least we'll have Gaga.

Paid By The Ticket

How often in folklore has it been said that policemen have been living by quotas and not by the Constitution? Well, maybe this isn't as radical as all that but it turns out that those tickets found on the windshields of unsuspecting victims have occasionally been a waste of paper to fill recently uncovered quotas. Here is what The New York Times had to say:

For nearly every New Yorker who has received a summons in the city — caught at a checkpoint monitoring seat-belt use, or approached by a small army of police officers descending on illegally parked cars — quotas are a maddening fact of life.
No matter how often the Police Department denies the existence of quotas, many New Yorkers will swear that officers are sometimes forced to write a certain number of tickets in a certain amount of time.
Now, in a secret recording made in a police station in Brooklyn, there is persuasive evidence of the existence of quotas.

The maddening proof exists. Possibly not only in New York and not only with ticket write ups. Not to be extremist, but where do the quotas end and the real police work begin?

Oh No, Clean Energy?

In light of the declining state Earth has been going through due to us homosapiens, clean energy, specifically in China, the second largest populated country on the planet, should be considered a blessing in all regards. Leave it to America to literally be as "dumb as we want to be" as Thomas L. Friedman puts in his book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Even though China has been favoring and illegally subsidizing the clean energy business, this is a God-send for the rest of us and the environment. But apparently not to America. Seemingly due to blatant ignorance and purposeful disregard for any current environmental statistics, the Obama administration is considering going after China for its recent 'wrong doing'. Here is what The New York Times had to say:

HONG KONG- A broad trade case filed on Thursday by an American labor union, accusing China of unfairly subsidizing its clean energy industry, pressed a hot-button jobs issue in the United States during a Congressional election season.

But even if the Obama administration agrees to pursue the case, it could prove hard to resolve, as both countries consider their industries crucial to energy security and future economic growth.

Let's keep fingers crossed that China will get away with this foul deed. Would anyone rather they subsidize 'fuels from hell'? We are soon going to run out of nonrenewable resources and China is willing to face these truths to do what is right for our decaying environment. To those losing their jobs in unsustainable industries, this new industry will soon explode with unlimited job opportunities. Understandably this is easier said than done, but so is saving Mother Earth.

The Lobbying of...Drugs? No, Textbooks!

In Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Thomas Friedman concludes that the world is leveling off due to the availability and inflammation of the online universe. Today, you must 'go techno' in order to survive and compete on every level. Not everyone appears to agree. In a recent proposal in Moscow, the massive quantities of textbooks owned by students were to be replaced with e-readers. Specially designed e-readers that are not harmful to the eye, environmentally friendly and much lighter than seven thick textbooks. Why would this amazing offer be turned down last minute? Due only to one 'publicly caring' reason: lobbying. In Russia, the textbook printing industry is a multi-million, if not multi-billion dollar business. It is so large that it is worth more than the drug underworld, literally. So, the only logical response would be to rightfully inform the public that after much testing, it is easily derived that this new technology is dangerous to the mental health of students:

It is known that the supply of textbooks is a multi-billion dollar business, unrivaled in volume, even with the business of drugs. And where there is multi-billion-dollar business - there is serious lobbying.

Publishing companies sounded the alarm. And, of course, in their anxiety they do not explain the real concern being the health of school children. Simon Kalinovich, a person from one of those companies, begins to bear raving news about the fact that the reader is obviously dangerous to the health of students. (Translated from Russian blogger, Exler)

Sadly, this is another prime example of the laundering of environmental resources, a brilliant idea and youth. Even the competition of a country's children in the ever demanding and increasing virtual world is not enough disband a corrupt business. Of course this was not to be unexpected, but it is painful to see the externalities every so often . The question now is how much are they willing to risk for this industry?

A Greener Facebook? No

According to Thomas Friedman, writer for The New York Times and author of Hot, Flat, and Crowded, the world's playing field is leveling out faster and faster due to the ease of accessibility of the virtual world. In today's culture, a large contributor to this phenomenon is none other than the social networking site Facebook. Considering that Facebook is basically 'pop culture' these days, it would be a logical conclusion that the seemingly friendly site would use its ridiculously inflamed popularity to inspire globally productive movements in today's youth, right? Wrong. In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite. In a recent decision made by Facebook to turn to a 'dirty coal' company for its energy generation, over 500,00 Facebook users joined together to urge the largest networking site to pick a more environmentally friendly resource. Here is what The Huffington Post had to say: 

AMSTERDAM — Greenpeace said about 500,000 Facebook users have urged the world's largest online social network to abandon plans to buy electricity from a coal-based energy company for its new data center in the U.S.

Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo sent a letter Wednesday to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg warning that the company risked its reputation and financial health if it ignored the environmental impacts of its actions.

Last week, Greenpeace-sponsored groups urging Facebook to use 100 percent renewable energy passed a collective 500,000 members – a small fraction of Facebook's more than 500 million users worldwide.

Naidoo said Facebook "had a choice" as to where to locate the data center and made an "active choice to lean in the direction of dirty coal."

Although Facebook has done a fair share of 'using its power for good' in the past, it appears that this time Facebook will not take a hit for Mother Earth.

The Race for Cars Causes Traffic...Literally

As the world's fastest growing and second largest economy, China's ever expanding population and middle class must only have the right to live like Americans, right? Shouldn't everyone have the opportunity to mobilize? Thomas L. Friedman faces these issues in his book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded. It appears that China's growth spurt of a demand for cars is catching up with them as thousands of Chinese citizens sat through a ten day, sixty mile traffic jam last month. This is what The Washington Post reported:

On Sunday, the eighth day of the near-standstill, trucks moved just over a kilometer (less than a mile) on the worst section, said Zhang Minghai, a traffic director in Zhangjiakou, a city about 150 kilometers (90 miles) northwest of Beijing. China Central Television reported Tuesday that some vehicles had been stuck for five days.

The car invasion is widely felt; Guo Jifu, head of the Beijing Transportation Research Center, told a symposium Monday that vehicles on Beijing's roads multiplied by 1,900 per day on average in the first half of this year, Xinhua, the official news agency, reported.

If the rate of this global mobilization continues, crowded countries such as China will begin to frequently face these traffic disasters. In fact, since the end of this jam on August 24th, a four day traffic jam consummated around the same area. And if China can mobilize, why not the rest of the world? Statistics show that if the entire human population was to live the American lifestyle, we would need nine Earths to survive. This traffic jam should be a slap in the face for Americans; for too long have we been living luxuriously on the account of others. Now that the rest of the world is catching up, we are eager to yell 'Crisis'. It is long past due that we begin to set an example of greener, more conservative and renewable energy lifestyles.