If you\’re ignorant of the issues,

Pat McSweeney, writing in the Daily Press, says don’t vote.
I agree with him wholeheartedly.
Democracy is not a panacea. In fact a purely democratic society is undesirable. I also support a) indirect democracy (i.e. ending the direct election of the Senate), and b) extra votes awarded to those who pay higher tax rates. If you are more responsible for the funding, you should have more responsibility in the decision-making process than someone who contributes nothing.

Sunday Morning

I tried to sleep so I could be up to watch the football game this afternoon. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay asleep. Imma be fucked tonight. Serious up.
Andrew W.K. doesn’t seem right on a Sunday Morning, for some reason

Beer

Anheuser-Busch has come out with a new brew, made from their brewmasters around the world….
It tastes a lot like Heinekin.

Debate Notes #3

Unedited, of course…


Kerry has a sore throat…all homeland security problems are due to tax cuts for the rich
Kerry with the “outsourcing” of getting Osama again
Bush answers question about flu vacciene, Kerry hammers for health insurance losses….what does universal health insurance have to do with a vacciene shortage?
Schieffer nails Kerry about productivity increases
Bush doesn’t know whether or not homosexuality is a sin
Bush gets at, but doesn’t nail problem with health care costs…..consumers don’t pay
Kerry: private savings accounts “disaster”
Bush proposes gastarbeiter program
Kerry proposes cyber-methods for border security.
Kerry: “It’s loooong overdue time to raise the minimum wage.”
Kerry….assault weapons ban expiration is a failure of presidental leadership….
Bush: God wants everybody to be free
Kerry is trying to be more pious than Bush….”Everything is a gift from the almighty”
Bush: “She [Laura] speaks English much better than I do.”

Steve Jobs fucking gets it

From an interview in Business Week.
[O]ur primary goal here is to make the world’s best PCs — not to be the biggest or the richest.
We have a second goal, which is to always make a profit — both to make some money but also so we can keep making those great products. For a time, those goals got flipped at Apple, and that subtle change made all the difference.

My dad, who teaches graduate courses in Business Administration, and I disagree about this all the time. If you have no product, or you don’t give a damn about making a great product, you will never make a profit. And when profit is your only motive, everything else suffers. Make a good product, treat your customers well, treat your employees well, then worry about how much you’re going to give back to your shareholders.
This is also why I think fewer companies should be publicly-traded. When you’re bound by the whims of Wall Street, it’s very, very difficult to keep sight of what’s important.

Debate Notes, unedited…

Kerry got another botox injection
Kerry hammers job losses, and John Ashcroft
Bush admits that no WMD’s found….mentions that Kerry also believed WMD’s existed.
Kerry: “I’ve never changed my mind about Iraq.”
Kerry points out that administration wants Iraq to be a total American effort, mentions that NATO’s help rejected
Kerry has like five glasses of water on his stand
More rehashing of Tora Bora by Kerry…something unproven
Bush is getting very defensive about Iraq again
Bush talks about how doing what he believes to be the right thing isn’t popular, and that’s okay.
Kerry tells the Shinseki lie again.
Bush pays credit to Internet2 by mentioning “internets”
Kerry vows to increase Army by 40,000 troops
Kerry more on tax cut for wealthy over homeland security
Kerry scores a point on prohibition of bulk-buy drugs for Medicare
Kerry: “Labels don’t mean anything” in response to Bush calling him a Liberal
Kerry on his health care plan, “The Government has nothing to do with it.”
Kerry says Bush gave a tax rebate to Enron
Kerry evokes Clinton nostalgia of “pay-as-you-go” budget
Williamsburg Brewer Pale Ale has no head. (sorry, drinking some nice brew while watching this….)
Kerry leads off with support of welfare reform during rebuttal of Bush’s environmental policy.
Kerry claims Kyoto treaty flawed, but Bush dismissed out-of-hand, not fix….
Bush finally explains that taxes over 200k would hurt sole propriters, S-Corps, and LLC’s
Bush: “I own a timber company? News to me………………….wanna buy some wood?”
Bush wants strict constructionists for the Supreme Court
Kerry brings up Scalia and Thomas
Kerry: “The Supreme Court is at stake in this race.” Intepret constitution according to the law?
Bush: “…promote a culture of life in America….”

Frenchie French on the take

Bill Gertz of the Washington Times, again, on top of things. This time, the French were paid off to thwart the US in the UN Security Council.
I guess this one passes that “international test,” Kerry speaks of……..
The US should not cowtow to the criminals in the UN anymore. Rather, we should withdraw from it completely. It’s time. It failed. Just like the League of Nations. It was a farce from the beginning, however, as it never strove to really ensure personal freedom around the world, despite its comical declaration of human rights (which can be suspended completely if a UN goal is deemed of greater importance). If international cooperation is desired, a multinational organization needs to be formed that explicitly excludes non-free countries. Lay out objective standards — if there are nations in the world who do not meet those standards, they cannot be members, nor may they receive aid from free countries.