Barring the guy from Gartner Japan in this NY Times article, everyone wants a cool Japanese cell phone. Even the folks at NPR’s On the Media did a story earlier this year.
And why not? On some of my trips to Japan I saw color screens, text messaging, and camera phones years before they ever appeared in the US. Despite Apple’s attempts to be the uber-cool phone of the moment, Japan’s phones are still the best representation of a digital pocket-knife.
Wow, my head hurts. How exactly is the following the work of an “activist” judge? Recent Supreme Court decisions by those “beacons” of restraint, Chief Justice Roberts and his “conservative” court, are far more activist than this.
“The duty of the judge is to follow the law,” Judge Sotomayor wrote, “not to question its plain terms. I do not believe that Congress wishes us to disregard the plain language of any statute or to invent exceptions to the statutes it has created.”
“I trust that Congress would prefer to make any needed changes itself,” she added, “rather than have courts do so for it.”
In a neat-o act of exageration, the Swift Boat liars are now accusing Sotomayor of supporting terrorists.
A few weeks ago I read an interesting article on secrecy in college athletic departments. It’s amazing to see how broadly some schools interpret the laws in question.
While I settle in to married life, I’ll resume posting articles of an interesting nature (to me, at least). Here’s one I just read today.
A NY Times article out today argues for the use of “rationing” in health care. The author argues that any system we work in today already rations, purely on an “ability-to-pay” basis, and recommends re-evaluating whether that makes sense in a world of expensive treatments that may provide limited “value”.
See, anonymous message board whining can have real world effects.
Expanding on my previous post, Sunday’s NY Times had an article about the reconstruction efforts in New Orleans and Louisiana in general and how the stimulus spent by the government to rebuild has had a major effect on the area, supporting jobs and demand.
Gov. Jindal, of course, trying to kowtow to an out-of-touch crowd trying to look after their own special interests, rejects any such help.
Nice to know the citizens of Louisiana are being served so well.
The Republicans announced their alternate budget (for real, this time!) late last week. Here’s a snapshot of their great ideas:
House Republicans yesterday unveiled a more complete proposal that would cut taxes for businesses and the wealthy, freeze most government spending for five years, halt spending approved in the economic stimulus package and slash federal health programs for the poor and elderly.
And you wonder why we’re in this mess? In a timeframe when demand is dropping for all kinds of goods and services, slashing business taxes and taxes for the wealthy, while reducing support for those who already lack access to basic goods, is a recipe for even further declines. Those who already have money beyond the basic services will only save any incremental income to conserve resources, while those who are marginal would otherwise spend incremental income on basic necessities, thus stimulating demand. A scenario of falling demand requires the opposite approach, to support those most at risk financially while requiring those who have more to contribute a larger share.
Seriously, this plan sounds like robbing the poor to pay the rich. A swell plan.
Really? That was my first reaction when I read the news that the Iowa Supreme Court had declared the law restricting marriage to a legal union of one man and one woman unconstitutional. It’s not so much that yet another state rendered this kind of decision so much as it is a midwestern state. No offense to the Midwest, but it’s not thought of as a bastion of progressive thought. Had Vermont, NJ, NY, Oregon or Washington been next, perhaps, but really, Iowa? Way to jump the line.
I am heartened by this news, though, because it shows how despite the invective that some old guard hurl at homosexuals, they are definitely working against the trend.
I’m always excited when I see another article come out talking about how people are abandoning voicemail. So thank you, NYTimes, for your investigative piece.