Institute for Policy Studies: Executive Excess 2010: CEO Pay and the Great Recession

Institute for Policy Studies: Executive Excess 2010: CEO Pay and the Great Recession

An appropriate thought for labor day. As we labor & toil, we work more and more for the plutocrats and less and less for our families and communities.

The important thing is that the people Mark Twain affectionately referred to as idiots are seriously considering giving our corporate overlords an extension on their tax breaks.

Gosh, I love workin' so hard to make the rich even richer!

Joseph LeDoux: Why the "Right Brain" Idea is Wrong-Headed

Joseph LeDoux: Why the "Right Brain" Idea is Wrong-Headed: "Joseph LeDoux"

This guy is an incredible science writer. I loved reading his book The Synaptic Self!

He writes clearly and succinctly, yet with enough detail to give one a decent, science-based, working knowledge of not only Woody's, but all our 2nd favorite organ (I thought it was the largest erotic organ, but anyways).

This article highlights the danger of the media and the half-assed job, no let's be honest here, the intentionally misleading job, they do regarding communicating scientific findings.

It also highlights a more appropriate view of thinking about how the brain works. It's not the simplistic, dualistic view reported by Pink, Opie & others from back in the last century, rather a lots more complicated, yet holistic view of the brain as a system of systems.

His discussion of fear is interesting not only from a perspective of the emotion, but also calling out GoreBore for accurately referring to scientific research in his work.

If you haven't yet read anything by Joseph LeDoux, then please accept my humble recommendations to do so, ASAP!

Signs: The most useful thing you pay no attention to. - By Julia Turner - Slate Magazine

Signs: The most useful thing you pay no attention to. - By Julia Turner - Slate Magazine

When my Libertarian & Republican friends complain about big government, I wonder if this is one of the government departments they would like to cut. Surely we can rely on state governments to come to consensus on sign standards and common regulations? Of course, the state governments will spend the monies to erect sufficient signage. Think of all the other 'big government' departments we could cut: USDA, FDA, EPA, NASA.

It's like they forgot the preamble to the constitution founds the purpose thereof to the general welfare of the population. Every tax cut, every budget cut is antithetical to the intent of the constitution.

I'm tired of the desperate need to follow the letter of the law while trampling on its spirit.

Lessons of a $618,616 Death - BusinessWeek

Lessons of a $618,616 Death - BusinessWeek

This article just begins to scratch the surface of what's happening with our healthcare system in America today. It highlights the best and the worst in the same article with the same story. On one hand, a man's life is extended enabling him to see his son graduate high school, on the other hand, millions of dollars were spent developing the technology (pharmaceuticals) which (questionably) aids a very small number of people when the same money could have been used to vaccinate hundreds if not thousands of children. In between lie the health care professionals, tied up in red tape, fighting a losing battle against end stage diseases, but doing their best for their patients, day in & day out.

Certainly, there are not easy answers for all of the issues the health care discussion raises, nevertheless, we know that collapsing the profit out of the administration of health care is a quick and easy way to increase the available funds for health care services. We already have a plan that works, if you don't believe me, ask your mother (if you're old enough) or your grandmother what they think about Medicare. They love it! The only problem with Medicare is the idiots keep reducing the funding for it!

I'm discouraged by the number of people, and their vehemence, opposed to public funding of health care for everyone in the United States of America! To my way of thinking, opposition to public funding of health care, like unto Medicare, is merely thinly disguised racism and the age old class struggle that has been ingrained in American thinking since the beginning.

Maybe that's where my idea for a bumper sticker came from: America Deserves Sarah Palin!

Kind of a sad commentary, so I can't close with that.

We can effect change with our voting practice. If you don't vote, it's a vote for the status quo. If you do vote, vote change, real change, vote the bastards out! :-)

Dead Man

Dead Man (1995)
Normally, I don't care much for black & white films, but it took over an hour for me to notice this film was black & white.
As the movie started, I thought I was in for another dazed performance by Johnny Depp. I was so right!
From the beginning of the movie, he was dazed & confused. (I was just starting Hazed & Infused.)
All the images were there at the beginning to signal an underground journey: the long train ride, the murder, the Blackfoot chanting & burning herbs. Neil Young composing & performing just put icing on the cake.
But there was no return from the spirit world, only a deeper & deeper descent thereto.
In the end, it's kind of a funny statement that Nobody sends William Blake back to the spirit world. My buddy Ian loved & quoted Blake. Some of the quotes Nobody made of Blake made me think of all the poetry that was just out of my reach because I just can't read quite slow enough. I'll have to go read a little Blake I guess & surprise Ian.
The contrast between the near comedic & the grotesque made me think about Blood Meridian by Cormack McCarthy. It made me wonder if Ridley Scott, whom I have been told is shooting it, will film it in black & white. Although Blood Meridianhas damn little discernible comedy.

While I'm rambling about movies, I should also mention Seven Beauties. While it starts off drenched in stereotypes, it takes off in long vignettes, through an incredible everyman story to an ending only an agnostic anarchist, like unto myself, could love. While the whole movie was shot well, the scene near the end where he looks in a mirror, but we only see his fiance & mother in the reflection is paramount, highlighting the dichotomy between past & future, while his mother tells him to forget his past & the viewer has the vivid scenes of him executing one his fellow concentration camp prisoners to stay alive & keep as many of the others alive as possible still fresh in mind.
An engaging, dynamic, ingratiating film that blossoms into a surprising, happy message of carpe diem.

H. R. 676 (Introduced-in-House)

H. R. 676 (Introduced-in-House)
Here we go! Let's see what we can do to really affect positive, systemic change in America! This bill looks like a great start!
Write your congressman, you can email also, if you wish, but written works best! Tell'em to get behind this.
This will be a best first step!

15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense: Scientific American

15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense: Scientific American

Science is so often bandied about casually & incorrectly, that it is refreshing to see it accurately summarized by a trusted source!

If Intelligent Design were at work, do you think it would have allowed the Middle Eastern religions to proliferate to the point of 2009? Really, now!