MUSING, INTROSPECTION, REVERIE & STUFF
I always liked former presidential candidate John Edwards. To me, he seemed like a man with integrity - an honest man. Someone who truly would give of himself to help others less fortunate.
After his public admission, we now know that he had an affair.
I still believe most of my description above, but his squeaky clean image is now tarnished - and he may have lost the opportunity to hold a high-ranking position within Obama's cabinet (should he get elected).
Can we now officially proclaim that politicians are human beings, who make mistakes, sometimes exceptionally bad ones, in their private lives? They are fallible. It is no longer right for us, as ordinary citizens, to expect anything more or less from them - or condemn then for wrongdoings long since passed. In a society of expanding selfishness and shrinking morals, who are we to judge? Do we really need to bore into their closets like termites?
Politicians simply reflect what is happening in everyday society. By now, we should know what to expect.
So before you go to the polls in November, do one of 2 things:
1. Pick 3 issues that mean the most to you, and vote for the person who most reflects those beliefs
or
2. don't vote.
I know. I know! Telling an American not to vote is like telling him he can't own a gun. But let's be real for a second. Would you want the Paris Hilton's of the world voting for candidate X because she liked his $500 shoes - or not voting for him because he had an unflattering photo published in People magazine?
Why don't we all just step back, ignore the tabloids for 3 minutes, do a little research on the issues, and pick someone because they match our beliefs, not because their botox is holding up well.
This message has been approved by the CTESPTBOINAMTID (The Coalition To Educate Stupid People That Barack Obama Is Not A Muslim Terrorist In Disguise).
Whether you agree with Al Gore's politics or not, every word he expresses in this challenge should be heeded by every American...
Billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens has outlined his plan to build the world's largest wind farm in the so-called "wind corridor" of Texas.
His plan also discusses some staggering statistics in regards to how much money the US spends every year on foreign oil - $700 billion. And that number is rising. Pickens says that by shifting to wind to support our energy infrastructure, that would free-up natural gas to support transportation needs. This in turn, would cut our use of foreign oil by as much as 38%. Sounds like a great start to me!
The move away from foreign oil and fossil fuels is going to take the ingenuity of private citizens like Mr. Pickens. If we wait for the government, we will be wearing radiation suits and swimming to work. Kudos to T. Boone Pickens for taking this leap.
Read more about his plan here.
Or check out this video that outlines the plan in very simple terms.
I recently turned 35. And because of this, I no longer fit into the 18-34 demographic. Now, there is an entirely new group of advertisers who want my money.
I want my MTV, but they don't want me. VH1? You got an extra space in the "adult contemporary" department?
So long iPod. I would probably look silly dancing around to those super-colorful commercials anyway. I just don't have the hair for it anymore. Time to get a new needle for the turn-table.
Abercrombie and who? They're the ones that make the joint cream, right?
Forget the Red Bull before the after-hours party. I hear the Red Lobster is running a $5.99 cod buffet.
The vintage t-shirts are headed for the moth balls. Tommy Bahama is my new best friend. Can I borrow your man-sandals?
My buddy Mark and I enjoy talking politics. Particularly because we agree on most of the issues. It's just easier that way.
At lunch today we wondered about Hillary Clinton's $22 million campaign debt. While discussing it, we had many questions. None of which we could answer.
With all the donations coming in to political candidates, how is it possible to rack up that much debt?
To help Hillary pay off her debt, Barack Obama was good enough to give her the maximum amount "allowed" for a personal contribution - $2300. Great, but why can corporations give so much more? Exxon Mobile has given over $1.1 million since 1999. You do the math there.
When John Kerry ended his run for president, he had a surplus. Where did that money go? Does each contributor get a check back? "Hi Mr. Donor from Montgomery, Alabama, here is your refund check for $0.29!" Maybe he should send the surplus to Hillary.
Campaign finance is an extremely complicated, not to mention boring, subject that leaves the lay-person scratching his head. On the outside it just seems like and enormous, and legal, boondoggle. Sort of like the Iraq war.
On Greenpeace's Guide to Cleaner Electronics Apple Computer ranks near the bottom.
As a graphic designer whose livelihood depends on Apple products, I am extremely troubled by this news. For a company that markets so heavily to a younger, hipper and more informed audience, they should be ashamed. I would hope Steve Jobs takes this information to heart and uses some of Apple's $19.4 billion cash reserves to make some serious and immediate changes.
Until Apple gets its act together on the environment, it's difficult for me to imagine purchasing another Apple product.
