I'm Not Alone

Just read "Be Evil"  by Anil Dash in the current issue of Wired, 20.08.

Topic matter is the unshackled Microsoft after 9 years of living under the Clinton era consent decree, but what I really enjoyed were the lines about iTunes.


I've been shunning iTunes since iTunes was a baby, but recently I've downgraded my opinions on it even more since I bought my son an iPod a few years ago.  What specifically flames my ire is the ad nauseum request for your username and password.  


What originally repelled me were it share restrictions.  Which for all I know are long gone.

But I thought I was alone, out of touch, and cranky until I read today:

"Renewed aggressiveness from Microsoft could do the whole tech industry a lot of good.  iTunes is as bloated and user-hostile as Outlook was in the '90s.  That old embrace-and-extend mentality could give us an iTunes competitor that would import your playlists and sync your iPod without making you want to gouge your eyes out."

No further comments needed.

Playing Both Sides

I was wrong, but I am right!

Last weekend I cautioned against the tact of using Obama's words about who built what to gain an advantage in this race, as that approach might backfire.  I even posted a day ago that the President campaign began hitting back, very much along my logic.

However, it appears Romney does have something here, and the polls are demonstrating that.

Good for him,  I hope this works to his great advantage.  I do, truly.

'cause if he starts whipping Obama's butt, then I ain't voting for him.

Here's one of the reasons why.

Mitt is going around now saying how the automatic cuts across the budget shouldn't affect the military, he wants monies protected for our defense.

Well, I don't think what we need from a president is a type of leadership that makes it even easier for nothing to get done.

The automatic cuts concept was a result of not acting on budgetary reform as proposed by a commission, the commission that proposed budgetary reform was a result of no congressional reform in the budget, no congressional reform is the product of do nothing, third rate actors playing the role of Senator or Representative.


To hear Romney remove any sliver from the notion of "across the board" just reminds me how close Obama and Romney are, and how far I am from them.  They got to get something done Mitt,  its already been too long.

Austerity is chic, albeit forced, in Europe today.  It should of been here a long time ago, but even now I don't think many of our Leaders know the word.

The Right Stuff

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/23/romney-reprises-obama-build-that-criticism/?hpt=hp_bn3

This is CNN.com finally reporting on the "You didn't build that." fiasco.

You'll find at the end, which in total I thought was a fair piece save that confusing paragraph near the middle, an Obama defense and counter thrust that is effectively my cautionary words a week ago taken up by the Forward campaign.

Also, I wrote yesterday that NCAA penalties levied on Penn State should include vacating the wins during that ugly cover-up era.  I was right on that one too.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8191027/penn-state-nittany-lions-hit-60-million-fine-4-year-bowl-ban-wins-dating-1998

But I'm not one to gloat....

Lose to Win

Ahead of tomorrow's release of NCAA punishments on Penn State, it seems to me that it should begin with the vacating of all the victories accredited to Joe Paterno from the start of his cover up until the very end.

The School as well.  That seems the least they could do, but just a start.

Love The One Your With

I ought to read my own blog posts.

Conservatism is dead and I have no business giving Mitt Romney advice on how to win the minds over.

Forgive me.

Its a shame though, and this President is so out of whack with my values that I have no recourse but to support Romney.

Its tough though, like a recovering alcoholic, I want my conservatism, I crave it at times, I argue for it.  But I can't have it.  I shouldn't argue about it.  I will learn to live without it.

This is the most important election in my lifetime, and the fate of America hangs in the balance.

Until the next election anyways.

Any takers? I got a hundred dollars on ObamaCare NOT getting repealed.  Not very Romney like in terms of cash wagers, but I'm not very Romney like in many ways.

But I'm a whole lot closer to his views than Obama's....bowing to foriegn heads of state?  I'd never do that.

Give To Live

Here is where the GOP needs to go on the flap about success and the American Dream interpretations from the President.

Its not about getting help for success, and its not about government playing a role, for both of those generalities are correct.    What the key to the American Dream is, is a work ethic.

Put an effort into life, and see what you get out of it.  

I'd love to hear Mitt Romney or John Sununu emphasize more of that positive generality than acting aghast about the words of Mr. Obama, which essentially he's earned the right to say, he's an elected President.

In another consideration, did you hear all the people cheering for what he was saying?  Those are wayward voters there.  Generally speaking, not enlighten to the conservative interpretation of American Exceptionalism.  

The tact of the opposition to the liberal reinterpretation I don't think is going to do much to appeal to the intellectual curiosity of the cheering Obama-ites.  It places Mitt as out of touch.  Let the words as the President lay, its not helping.

Promote work ethic.  That doesn't oppose the president.  The people who like the president have their reasons, and they don't likely like being debased for that like.  They'll become defensive, harden their support.

Mitt needs to crack the mindset.  One way maybe to link success as an effort, link taxes as what they are, a deterrent.  Repeat over and over again that the best way for us to move Forward(steal the slogan) is for all of us to put an effort in.

Taxes just rob life, spending too much raises taxes, needing government begets more spending, working hard for your gains in life ends the downward cycle, and precipitates personal vitality.  

That's the conservative message.

Denying government and others help plays a role in success is absurd, we know that Mitt and Sununu and any other GOP politician have spent careers building just the opposite.  Let the first politician who has not tweaked government to encourage success in his or her district throw the first stone.

Much Ado About Nothing

All this angst about Obama saying the American Dream is had with help is much ado about nothing.

What?  You expected him to share the same values as conservatives?

If he did, he wouldn't be a Democrat.

Besides, didn't Hillary write a book entitled, "It Takes a Village?"

Seems like an honest progression.

You don't have to like it, but the reality is he has a constituency with this.  And the other 90% of people who vote for him will adjust their attitudes accordingly.

Keep in mind its a long campaign,  he's going to say things you don't agree with often, no need to get in a tissy every time, if you were in agreement with what he said, you'd be voting for him.

Further reading: