Random Thoughts on Various Subjects

1. OBAMA'S LAST PUSH ON HEALTHCARE

Obama cancels his Asia trip to try and get his shitty healthcare legislation passed through machination. Will he succeed? I suspect he will. Spend spend spend. Obama's next priority? Education. Spend spend spend.

2. LEHMAN BROTHERS

It turns out Lehman Brothers was cooking the books Enron style, and Ernst & Young was the accounting firm that rubber stamped the shenanigans. Naturally, we are looking at SEC regulation to cover their asses because we all know the SEC is a joke. Criminal prosecutions will follow so some DA can establish himself for a run at governor. Ernst & Young will be lucky to stay in business.

The number one protection against these shenanigans are short sellers and vulture capitalists. Both groups are maligned unfairly, but they keep the market in check. Unfortunately, the rules are written to hamstring both. This is "regulation." Basically, it is a law outlawing headlights because they might blind other drivers steering around in the dark. Dumb.

3. THE TEA PARTY

The Tea Party has one focus--fiscal responsibility, and it should stay this way. Not being tied to a party, a candidate, or divisive issues like abortion, immigration, and the like, the Tea Party is making a huge difference. No single leader has emerged, but the single issue of keeping government within the bounds of fiscal common sense has emerged as the unifying cause. No matter what your politics you must acknowledge that we can't have out of control government spending and survive as a republic.

4. MORE MINIMALISM

I have radically cut down on the CBlog's features on the sidebar. I'm done with links, greatest hits, categories, the twitter feed, the lists, etc. I'm adhering to the Steve Jobs design philosophy which adheres to the belief that the best aesthetic decision is to leave it out. If you liked these features, I am afraid you are fucked. I like having my shit look clean as possible and be as simple as possible.

5. LINDSEY GRAHAM AND NATIONAL ID CARDS

I don't think I can go far enough in describing how much I despise Lindsey Graham. His latest travesty is to spoon with Chuckie Schumer on a national ID card. Why stop there? Why not just fit us all with a radio transmitting collar? Graham needs to go. MEMO TO GRAHAM'S DEMOCRAT CHALLENGER--You can run on a civil liberties platform and get my vote.

6. NIKKI HALEY AND GRESHAM BARRETT

The polls don't look good for Nikki. My only hope for avoiding a McMaster-Bauer Republican fistfuck is Gresham Barrett. He will get my vote. Sorry, Nikki. Sanford's penis brought you down. He fucked all of us, dear.

7. THE DEMISE OF NEWSPAPERS

Despite what you may read in the newspapers, you are still reading newspapers. Newspapers are very popular especially when they are FREE. I see people snatch up free papers in Columbia all the time. They are jam packed with advertisements for local bars, restaurants, and attractions. Then, there are those mugshot papers that people pay a whole dollar for. Paper is convenient. But is there good news in these papers? Nope. When I want news, I hit the internet.

The lifeblood of newspapers is advertising and readership. But the ads are going to the free papers while the readers are going to the internet. Newspapers are done. I'm woth Marc Andressen. Burn the boats and head online completely. As for paywalls, they are a joke. Those will never work. Newspapers need to establish themselves completely online and reach the new generation of readers that will come when the iPad changes the world.

8. PINK FLOYD

Pink Floyd wins their legal battle to keep their albums intact and not have the songs sold individually on iTunes. So, as a result, Pink Floyd fans will steal the songs on Limewire instead of paying for them. (As someone who does not believe in IP, I have to laugh.)

9. CONAN O'BRIEN

Conan is going on the road doing the show he can't put on TV. But we all know he will be on TV. We just call it YouTube. In fact, Conan should get his lawyers to work out a deal with YouTube or Hulu for an official sponsored channel. But this might violate the agreement he made with NBC. I don't know. But Coco will be all over the internet.

In other news, Leno is back kicking Letterman's ass. That is some weird shit. I don't know a single Jay Leno fan. Not one. Who the fuck is watching this guy?

10. TRANSACTION TAX

Labor unions want a tax on financial transactions and bleed firms like Goldman Sachs in much the same way that Goldman bleeds its clients. On principle, I oppose all taxes including this one. OTOH, I understand the populist anger behind the proposal. Working people hate Wall Street. They want their pound of flesh, and I hate to say I told you so. But I told you so. Wall Street has the dollars, but the unions have the votes.

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