Global Warming --> UG...

I have heard some really stupid things about "AGW" or "man-made global warming. Like that we will actually have MORE snow the warmer the planet gets, and that "global warming doesn't mean that the planet will actually get warmer"... yes, I read that somewhere...
How about this,
"Cleaner Air Could Speed Global Warming"

Huh? So if we STOP POLLUTING we actually INCREASE GLOBAL WARMING? So we are "damned if we do and damned if we don't"?
There is no way to win, UNLESS...
Unless you actually realize that what we are experiencing is "Climate Change" and NOT Global Warming.
We already know that CO2 is NOT a pollutant, but is actually BENEFICIAL to the plant life on the earth (as is evidenced by the increase in Biomass on the planet), and the fact that plants GROW BETTER with HIGHER Concentrations of CO2.
So while we try and "clean up" our air, we are actually "doing harm", well, at least according to these "experts".
So why bother? Why stop polluting? If those pollutants are preventing Global Warming, wouldn't they be considered "beneficial"?
Oh, and did the IPCC take all these pollutants, or lack of, into account when they ran their models?

After all, the ice around the Antarctic is INCREASING now, not decreasing, so obviously something isn't right in AWG land...

Our Government

Not only do I love to rail on Microsoft, but our own Federal Government leaves themselves wide open to ridicule too, so I have to take and have some fun.

Officers Lose 243 Homeland Security Guns
Now, WTF? Really? And this isn't the TOP NEWS STORY across the country? The Government loves to say that gun shows are the source of illegal guns, and yet, it appears they are their own worst problem!

Gov't Proposes "National Climate Service" For the US
Oh Joy! I guess the IPCC cannot screw things up enough so we have to create our own agency to throw more money we don't have at, and see what kind of screwed-up science they can come up with. No, I really don't think they would support Al Gore!

A Warming Planet Can Mean More Snow
Yes, this might be true. But a Warming Planet cannot mean more COLD, and the past 3 or so years have been COLDER than the "Warming Trend" that might have been indicated by the previous data. This is why it is called "climate change" not "global warming".

FCC's Broadband Plan May Cost You Money
Why does it seem that every time the Government comes up with a plan, we end up paying for it? How much more till we have no money left? I don't get paid more, I get paid less because of the "cost of living" and "inflation", so every time they want more money for crap, how am I supposed to pay for it?

Obama Backs MPAA, RIAA, and ACTA
Oh great, all we need is someone that high up in the Government to make a defacto ruling that says we have no rights, only the 'X'AAs do.

Final Decision Deferred On ".xxx" Domains
I have mentioned this before, but this was my idea back in the mid '90s. It still looks like a "no-go" and I blame the Porn industry. If they get walled of in the .xxx TLD, they cannot infect new "customers".

ACLU Sues Over Legality of "Targeted Killing" By Drones
I wonder if the ACLU would prefer us to just kill everyone including the "target"? I think, being able to target the target and no one or nothing else is "good".

Nullification: Twenty-five States With Firearms Freedom Acts
The Federal Government has been overstepping its bounds for years. They dangle our own money in front of us and ask us to abide by the stupid regulations they heap upon us. I think the states are becoming wise to the illegal practice. Many are passing this kind of legislation to get out from under the Feds. We will call it "nullification" because it sounds so cool!

Dems play the terror card
The first thing to happen after Obama got elected was for all the people who didn't support him to change from "people with free will to support or to not support whomever they want" to "racists" and now, if you don't support their various, illegal, laws and legislation, you are a terrorist.

The left's next move: Salary caps
Now that they have taken over the Banking industry and the Auto industry and the Healthcare and Health Insurance industry, it is time to take over some aspects of EVERY industry!

Why does the Department of Education need Shotguns?
This is new! Maybe they will not only make it "not child left behind", but "no child left alive"?

Venezuela's Last Opposition TV Owner Arrested
With all the noise that the Left is making about Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, this might be a real possibility in the USA too. Regardless of the First Amendment.

Will Your Answers To the Census Stay Private?
If you think that the Government will abide by it's own laws, rules, and regulations, you have another thing coming. This is only ONE kind of story like this. The government will use anything they can against you if they think they can get away with it, using some half-witted excuse.

The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 Passes Senate Panel
I would suggest we all take the time to read this. Then get out your pen and paper and write some letters to your senators!

Google Gives the US Government Access To Gmail
Why would Google do this? I would suggest using the next sheet of paper you have and drafting them a letter, getting them to support your privacy.

US Justice Dept. Investigates IT Hiring Practices
It is about time. The fairness and equity that SHOULD be in the US when it comes to hiring people, just isn't there.

Feds Question Big Media's Piracy Claims
I love slashdot. They have no fear in reporting anything that might have something to do with the Tech Geeks of us out here in the real world.
While Obama might support the 'X'AAs, the Justice Department is looking into their Piracy Claims, like how downloading a $0.99 mp3 can cost the company $22,000.

Military Asserts Right To Respond To Cyber-attacks
This is interesting. How do they think to carry on a cyber-war? Busting down doors? Heading to China to stop the attacks?

Google Backs Yahoo In Privacy Fight With DoJ
So, in one breath Google is giving the Feds access to Gmail, but in another they are siding with Yahoo and others to protect our privacy. What's up with that, Google?!?

Economy Tanked While Government Surfed Porn
I don't think they even consider this economic problem to be a "problem"... just like they don't seem to worried about "Global Warming". How do they expect us to take them seriously?

Seattle Hacker Catches Cops Who Hid Arrest Tapes
Just when you thought the whole "transparency" thing would protect you and your rights, you read a story like this. Why would they hide the evidence? Oh, that's right, "they" are "cops".

US Sits On Supply of Rare, Tech-Crucial Minerals
One of our Government's flaws is akin to "earth first, we'll strip-mine the other planets later"...but it is more like "other countries first, we'll use up our resources later". We use other countries oil, at a serious cost to the US Consumer, we use up all the resources from other countries, maybe with the intent of "saving ours for later", but it costs us jobs and money. Ya gotta love our Government.

So, for now, that is all. I am sure it won't be long before our Government does something else I can make fun of...

Healthcare Opt-Out

Now this is a big one. The Federal Government (namely the Democrats) have decided they know what is best for us. In doing so, they have violated their mandate to uphold the Constitution and have become the enemies of Freedom. Lucky for us, some states and other "grass roots" organizations have seen this to be the truth and are doing something about it.

The following bill would allow Utah to OPT-OUT of the federal healthcare legislation. I believe 19 other states HAVE the same kind of law and up to 38 states are considering a law suit over the sweeping legislation.

Bill would allow Utah to opt out of federal health care reform

If the above bill fails, it is ok, because we can seek legal remedy. There are 19 or so states (and growing) that are up to the task of taking on the Feds in court.

Utah's attorney general will join lawsuit against health care reform

One might ask, "WHY?" Well, if you ask, then you haven't read what the bill contains. Taxes on small businesses, limits on coverage, increases in cost, nothing to stop the real problems, and penalties for failing to comply.

Business Owners Say "Tan Tax" Will Burn

I think, as do many others, that we shouldn't be worrying about a law suit. THese can take years and can be expensive. WHy not use the powers that exist within the individual and within the state as protected by the 10th Amendment?

State AGs Miss Target with Health Care Lawsuit says the Tenth Amendment Center

Federal Health Care Nullification Act

There are also "class-action" suits that are starting. I would suggest getting on the list and put your name to good use.
Obamacare Class Action

We have high profile support from all over the country, don't lose hope!
Pataki Says Obamacare Can Be Repealed

Results of Gadiantion (Secret Combinations)

I know I have said this before, but I need to say it again, in light of the events of the past few months. I don't subscribe to the conspiracy theories that are going around these days. I don't think our government would engage in acts like 9/11, I don't think our government is guilty of heinous crimes against it's own people.
That being said, we should look at the other side of the coin, there are some serious problems with how things are going, power grabs and struggles to over come the will of the people. THis puts the government directly at odds with the people.
Once upon a time, in the ancient times, lived a man named Kish. 'Ol Kish was a conspirator and started a band called Kishkumen. This later evolved into Gadianton, due to Gad's involvement, and the lies and secrets started.
The valiant do-gooders tried to eradicate what became known as "secret combinations" from the earth, but it wasn't successful. They say Satan is the author of all lies and secrecy, so I am sure he has had something to do with the resurrection of these secret combinations, these conspiracies.
We do not know who Obama is. We don't know anything about him, we don't have any of his information. No school transcripts, no actual and real birth certificate, no real history or information about the man. He is said to have legal troubles over lying to the bar to get his legal license, but that is hard to verify. He said he was a professor of law, but the only witnesses to that say otherwise. He is supposedly a US Citizen, yet, he obtained money for school in California as a "foreign exchange student". So he is either a perpetual liar, he has managed to pull the wool over the people's eyes so they don't ask too many questions, or he is a puppet that is put in place for some purpose. Either way, things aren't good.

We should look at many of the events of the past year individually:

OBAMACARE -
Most people, up to about 60% of us DID NOT WANT IT. Most people, about 84% of us, aren't in need of Government assistance. Yet here we are. FORCED to have health insurance under threat of IRS Action.

If there really is only about 16% of the population in the US without insurance, that number is DECLINING! In 2005 the number of uninsured was 46.6 million, but that number was 46.3 in 2008. Even with an increase in 2009, the number seems to be holding "stable" even as the population INCREASES, which means that the actual percentage is getting SMALLER.

Why would Alan Grayson want to give your money over to Native American child molesters?
NONE of the Democrats even read this bill, we could have put a clause that says, "Give EFIALTIS $1 Billion for services rendered" and it would have become Law. I would be able to collect the money, perfectly legal.

Utah's senators criticize health care vote
(Actually, MOST Republicans have come out against Obamacare. This was an entirely one sided affair in our Government. In most countries, they call this kind of thing a "coup". Don't be fooled by "non-partisan" talking, this group is nothing but partisan.)

Obamacare: "The Bigger The Lie"
(The Lies and Deceptions that we, unsuspecting Americans, are being fed.)

ObamaCare Means: Don't Look Behind the Curtain
(More Lies and Deceptions, when will we finally get the truth? Hopefully, before it is too late.)

H1N1:
Remember H1N1? How it was the new epidemic? Remember how our Government spent all that money to purchase the vaccine? Remember how important it was to get that vaccine? What if it "didn't do any good"? What was the real purpose behind it? Fewer people died due to H1N1 than the regular flu. And that had nothing to do with receiving the vaccine.

'Influenza vaccine has no effect': study
(No Effect? Then WHY was it so important to give it to us? What was in it? What was it for?)

SLVHD to dispose of hundreds doses of expired H1N1 vaccine
(So important, yet such a waste. With the other reports about this vaccine, it makes one wonder, what was the big deal? Who made money off this?)

POWER and CORRUPTION:
You will see the list of broken promises that I have compiled. It is in this blog (but not this blog posting). I know, all politicians break promises. But you should see the list and decide for yourself if these lies were intentional to get Obama into office.

Bend it like Bennett #1: The top 1.3 million reasons Bob Bennett voted for the bank bailouts
(One of the biggest corrupters is MONEY. Well, ok, the LOVE OF MONEY.)

Study Shows People In Power Make Better Liars
(Just look at the last several presidents, anywhere from Great Liars to Not So Good Liars. But Liars none-the-less.)

Disinformation Tactics: The Methods Used To Keep You In The Dark
(Our Government wouldn't intentionally keep us in the dark, would they?)

ACTA Internet Chapter Leaked — Bad For Everyone
(Power Hungry. This is just as bad of a power grab as is the Patriot Act.)

Pirate Party Pillages Private Papers
(why did it take a bunch of "pirates" to let the American people in on the TRUTH?!? You know we are in a world of hurt when the PIRATES are the GOOD GUYS!)

Use Open Source? Then You're a Pirate!
(Renaming people to criminalize legal activities.)

US Immigration Bill May Bring a National Biometric ID Card
(Real ID is failing, so they will try the same legislation from new angles and try new tactics till they get what they want.)

A Detention Bill You Ought to Read More Carefully
(If this doesn't scare you, nothing will.)

James Lovelock Suggests Suspending Democracy To Save the World
(I stand corrected, THIS should scare the hell out of you. This article right here should scare you into writing letters to your CongressCritters.

Food Security Threat: Government Set to Ban Public Fishing, Individual Food Production
(Total Control over the people's food supplies. As if taking control of their healthcare wasn't enough.)

Supreme Court Guts Due Process Protection
(So much for Seperation of Powers and Checks and Balances. Even the Courts are turning against us.)

DOJ Plans Motion to Dismiss Overhaul Lawsuit
(This may be over before it begins. UNLESS! Unless WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Get out the pens and pencils, write your CongressCritter and DEMAND that we do ONE of TWO things. 1) Force the Suit to be removed from the Illegal Government Takeover of our Healthcare. 2) Use the 10th Amendment to pull us out of the Illegal Government Takeover of Healthcare.

AT&T will take $1B non-cash charge for health care
Wouldn't it be nice to afford to "buy" your way out of following federal law? This whole thing is such a joke. It only affects the middle class in a negative way. The rich buy their way out, the poor get the benefit.

SECRETS:
Who Is Obama? What were his grades in college? What was the name of the attending physician at his birth? What is his status as a Lawyer? What is his status as a Citizen? What is his status as a Professor?

Judge issues temporary restraining order; names on petition to remain private
(Any PUBLIC LEGISLATION should reveal the SPONSORS of the bill. If this referendum is to be made into LAW, then the names should be made PUBLIC.)

Not to mention the other things I have blogged about in the past, like closed door meetings, secret deals, etc. Open Government? Don't make me laugh.

I am not sure how our Government is going to continue functioning at this level of dysfunctionality. It is really scary to think that "we the people" are more like "we the irritation" when it comes to our Government and their decision making.

Web Cam Spying

A while back we heard a story about a school district that decided to play nanny. I kind of understand their desire to make sure their students weren't abusing the school's property, but if you think about it, including web cam spying software, and then using it for any purpose beyond recovering a stolen laptop is just a simple "invasion of privacy".
Any way, there are other laws and things to consider, like child porn and other, similar laws that could get the school district into a lot of trouble if they abuse this. And they did abuse it.

Here is a quick time line of what happened:
PA School Spied On Students Via School-Issued Laptop Webcams
Thursday February 18, @12:52

FBI Probing PA School Webcam Spy Case
Saturday February 20, @10:20

PA School Defends Web-Cam Spying As Security Measure, Denies Misuse
Sunday February 21, @14:27

School Spying Scandal Gets Even More Bizarre
Monday February 22, @12:52

Federal Judge Orders Schools To Stop Laptop Spying
Tuesday February 23, @17:03

PA Laptop Spying Inspires FSF Crowdsourcing Effort
Saturday March 13, @07:37

Lower Merion School District Update
Friday April 16, @10:53

It seems they know they are in trouble, and if any of the pictures includes something that could be considered child pornography, I hope the feds (FBI) charges someone with Making Child Pornography.

The State of Utah Education

I have heard it, time and time again, the argument that Utah is "last in education". Only, that is only part of the truth. Utah is LAST in Education FUNDING, but the education people receive in Utah is actually very good. At least "above the national average" and at most "some of the top scores in the nation".
The problem is, every time we get into a tight budget situation, the first thing to get cut is education.
Budget deal includes $10 million cut for public education

During good times, our government taxes, gives tax breaks and grows. We don't put priority on things that need priority. Then in the lean times, our government doesn't want to shrink back to previous levels. It is a "can of worms" that once opened, you can never get them all back in. One of the most frustrating things I have ever seen. There are some solutions, however, that can help fix the problem, but there aren't even a consideration for the Utah Legislature. I like to ask "why?". You would think that the Legislature has a stake in helping the next generation of Utah Politician receive their education; the best education we can afford.

The good news is, Utah is doing well in education, but could do better with education funding:

2009 Average ACT Scores by State

National Average Composit Score = 21.1
Utah Average Composit Score = 21.8

(Hint, this means Utah Scores are Above Average)

Utah's graduation rates among best in U.S.

"according to reports released Tuesday by Education Week and by the National Center on Education Statistics."

Even with the differences in calculation, we are showing between a 70% and 80% graduation rate, this is very good!

Data show progress in Utah graduation rates

Educational Attainment for Persons 25 and Over (2007)

National Average:
High school graduate or more = 84.5
Bachelor's degree or more = 27.5
Advanced degree or more = 10.1
Utah State Average:
High school graduate or more = 90.2
Bachelor's degree or more = 28.7
Advanced degree or more = 9.1

(Hint, this means Utah is Better than Average in 2 of the 3 categories)

Center for Applied Economic Research, Montana State University
Quality Rankings of Education in the Fifty States

Teacher Quality
Utah = 21 out of 50

Education Input
Utah = 15 out of 50

Education Output
Utah = 12 out of 50

Education Social Impact
Utah = 19 out of 50

Education Efficiency
Utah = 1 out of 50

(This wasn't a Utah Study)

Best and Worst States
Does Spending More on Education Work? State Rankings of Education Spending.

"The highest spending state, Vermont, is rated 30th in SAT scores nationwide. The lowest spending state, Utah, gets higher SAT scores from their students and is ranked 20th, above Vermont. Far less money, higher score. The Best State (highest) SAT score comes from Iowa yet their spending of $9,977 per student is right in the middle at 25th and right at the national average of spending. The Worst State Sat score comes from Maine yet it spends the 5th most money in the nation."

(more money != better education)

Norway and Australia both have 11th and 12th grades as kind of an "academic high school", or "vocational high school".
Where the USA Ranks in Education

The Educational rankings of the United States, when compared to the rest of the world's "industrialized countries", ranks either 7th or 13th, depending on which rank you choose to look at, while Norway and Australia rank 1st and 2nd respectively, or 2nd and 3rd respectively (again, depending on your choice of chart). And a third ranking puts the United States at 15th, 19th, and 14th, behnid Norway (13th, 17th, and 13th) and Australia (4th, 5th, and 7th).

(more money != better education (on any level))

And here is the kicker, Norway and Australia both spend LESS on education than the United States with Australia spending less than Norway. So there is no direct correleation between "spending" and "quality of education". Even Korea, rated top for science, spends LESS on Education than the United States.

Utah consistently (according to AP, SAT, ACT, and other tests) achieve *better than average* scores.

The problem is, if we don't find a solution to cutting education, we will not only be last in funding, but we will lose all our good teachers, we will lose out good education rankings, we will fail our next generation.

Some solutions that I have proposed are:
Make education a COMMUNITY or at most a STATE issue. Get the Feds out of Education. It isn't a "basic human right" but a "privilege" and should be treated that way. Doing education funding within the state should balance the state's education dollars between the "haves" and the "have nots". We can also make sure people pay their fair share. Thos families without kids in the system pay less than people with kids in the system, and families with more kids in the system pay more than families with fewer kids in the system.
Because of the reduction in federal taxes paid (removing our support of the federal education system) we have more to put toward education in our state.

We can also add extra money, not to the schools but to the students:
Should Kids Be Bribed To Do Well In School?

"Harvard economist Roland Fryer Jr. did something education researchers almost never do: he ran a randomized experiment in hundreds of classrooms in Chicago, Dallas, Washington, and New York to help answer a controversial question: Should Kids Be Bribed to Do Well in School? He used mostly private money to pay 18,000 kids a total of $6.3 million and brought in a team of researchers to help him analyze the effects. He got death threats, but he carried on. His findings? If incentives are designed wisely, it appears, payments can indeed boost kids' performance as much as or more than many other reforms you've heard about before — and for a fraction of the cost."

(maybe direct spending would be the better solution?)

We can also broaden Butters suggestion of removing the 12th grade and take a look at how Australia and Sweeden do their "Vocational" and "Academic" high school ideas for those grades (like adding a "pre-college" set of years), but allow those from 10th grade on to CHOOSE if they want to continue or not.

I encourage you all to get involved in your Child's education. It is, after all, a parent's responsibility to make sure their child is being educated. The School System is only a tool to use for this purpose. Take responsibility, don't let others dictate to you what you should or shouldn't do. It isn't "their" responsibility.
Contact your legislators with your ideas on how to improve the system, and what you think we can do to fix the problems. This is the only way that we will see changes; if people stand up and say "do something" and not just that, but "do something we want you to do -- something useful".

The Utah Government

Utah really is a great place to live, here are some recent stories from the news:

I think I mentioned this before, but I believe Utah is going in the right direction. We have created State Laws that have exempted us from further (any) federal regulation with Firearms for any firearm manufactured in the State. This doesn't prevent Utah from instituting their own regulations, but it does prevent the Feds from getting involved in INTRA-State Business. We have also taken a stand on the Real ID act, as an infringement on States Rights. Go Utah!
Utah House votes to not comply with Real ID Act
Gun Bill Shootout On Capitol Hill

Under the "DUH" Category, it seems there is another "substance" that, when smoked" produces a "marajuana-like high". First off, kids, you should know better than to play with stuff like that. It is bad for you and it could kill you. Taking that chance is like playing Roulette with a Semi-Auto pistol. Secondly, the Weber School District has now banned the substance. We shouldn't leave that kind of thing to the Schools, it should be put under the control of the Law Enforcement agencies. If it produces the same or similar effect as a controlled substance, then it should fall into that "spirit of the law" category.
Weber School District bans ‘Spice'

In another pointed effort of the State to push States Rights (under the 10th Amendment) Utah has ok'ed the use of Eminent Domain on Federal lands. Since, by Federal Law, the Federal Government cannot Own Land, this seems fair to me.
Utah House OKs eminent domain on federal land

You know Utah is starting to grow up when they do things like "loosen the rules for bicycles". Why? Well, look at any big city. They have thousands of people riding around on bikes going from place to place. If they are all constricted to certain places on the road or sidewalk, it gets really crowded really fast. These new "looser" rules will help with efficiency, and give bicyclists another option and maybe even more incentive to ride instead of drive.
House OKs bill to loosen rules for bicyclists

Later on, I will write a blog about some cool new technologies that have come out in the past little while, one would solve this problem. However, we already have laws that cover it, but it is nearly impossible to enforce them. I am talking about texting or talking while driving. The Utah Legislators want to make more rules. I think they should be making rules or thinking of was to make current laws more enforceable, but then, I am more practical about my approach to law.
But in sticking with the "status quo", they approve it and defeat it all in one day. Well, maybe not a bad thing, but really, can we make up our minds?
Utah Senate defeats bill on teen drivers, phones
Senate Approves Bill Banning Teen Drivers From Using Cell Phones

With all this focus on "open government", it never ceases to amaze me that there are those who will still try and limit public exposure to what is going on within the Government. I think, if we are to survive without a full-on civil war, we need to start being really and truely OPEN with Government and letting people know what is going on. I am not sure why the Jordan School District thinks that limiting public opinion on a policy or project is a good idea. They should welcome the public's input because the public, ultimately, wants what everyone wants from the education system, a good education for the next generation.
Jordan School Board votes to limit public comment

Here are a couple kids intent on learning and participating in their government. The problem, people are trying to force them into the mould of "toe the party line". Why? We need more people to "think out of the box" so that we can start to deal with and fix the problems caused by people being in government for so long. People become complacent and get into the corruption racket far sooner than they should, but as I have said before, "power corrupts". I would encourage these guys to continue to "buck the system" and ask their questions. I do. It is the only way to find out who is on your side.
Orem teens appeal dismissal from youth council
Orem teens dismissed from youth council after posing question to Guiliani

Next item on the list, the Unified Police Department in SLC has gotten themselves some new uniforms. How? In this economy, they cut back on service, reduce workforce and buy new uniforms? First off, if they received "grant money" from the Federal Government, then the Federal Government is obviously collecting too much tax and should be giving some of that back (they aren't but there are better and more important things to do with the current funds than give them away.). Secondly, they have been complaining about not having enough money to operate so they "double dip" the residents of Salt Lake, Salt Lake County and Unincorporated Salt Lake County by receiving tax money and charging directly for their services.
So, if they are that hard up for money, spending it on uniforms is really a bad choice of things.
Unified Police Department unveils new uniforms

Any time we start to hear "warrantless" anything coming out of the Legislators, we should FIGHT IT. The protections provided by the Constitution apply to all US Citizens and to all Utah Citizens. These protections prevent the Government from running amok. However, every once in a while, we hear about it
Utah Considers Warrantless Internet Subpoenas

This is a bad and possibly unconstitutional proposition. If my data is stored outside of Utah, it falls under federal protections. If it is inside the state, it falls under state protections. To remove that is to invite trouble.

Problems with Microsoft

Y'all know how I feel about Microsoft, it is no secret. I feel that after my time working for them that I have some kind of ax to grind. Sometimes I go a little over the line with my thoughts and feelings about the issue, but when you have the experience I do (and not just me) you get a little prejudiced.
Here are some of the latest issues with Microsoft:

Rootkit May Be Behind Windows Blue Screen
Y'all remember "root kits", wasn't Microsoft supposed to have fixed that so they were impossible? This is a dangerous flaw in their operating system and one that they seem to have neglected to the point of insanity.

Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens
While I worked for Microsoft, I had a team under me. We tested Integration, or how the whole of windows worked together. While moving from Windows 98 SE to Windows ME, my team was cut from 6 to 2. This left us with the same amount of work to do in the same amount of time with fewer ressources to do the work. Needless to say, quality suffered.
If Microsoft would take their quality serously, these kinds of things wouldn't happen. But they know they have a corner on the market and they don't really care if it works...cause whattayagonnado? Use Linux!?!? Unthinkable!
Only, now, Linux (especially Mint and Ubuntu) are viable for "regular-every-day-users".

Windows 7 Can Create Rogue Wi-Fi Access Point
First off, Windows has rarely worked well with Wireless. I had all kinds of problems with getting things working. Not that Ubuntu is better, but at least Windows has company support for drivers (unlike Ubuntu (and other distros)). So this really isn't a surprise. But what does it mean? Well for one, don't stansh your porn on a open (unencrypted) drive.

Microsoft Says, Don't Press the F1 Key In XP
F1 is the "universal help" key. The Key that takes the user to the information that they need to get information on whatever subject withint windows. Now they say, "don't push that (big red) help button"? I guess they really don't want people to use or like using their operating systems.

Serious Apache Exploit Discovered
This one isn't entirely Microsoft's fault. Apache should have taken better care to find this issue prior to shipping, but that it only affects Windows Server is what I find interesting.

MS Virtual PC Flaw Defeats Windows Defenses
Another flaw that should have been found while testing. Security is one of the biggest problems with Windows. You hear about some other operating systems and their security flaws, but they are few, very difficult, and fixed within days of being discovered. Windows doesn't do the proper testing in the first place, has a flawed arcitecture, and then takes their time in repairing the flaw.
I have said it time and again, Microsoft needs to scrap it and start over with a BSD or LINUX core.

Internet Explorer 9 Will Not Support Windows XP
Another limitation of the Windows operating system. They don't have great support for backwards compatibility, and they aren't forward thinking.
They will cancel support for IE at IE9 and XP, but what will be next? There are a lot of people who have the jitters about microsoft's shoddy work because of Vista and Windows ME...so if they decide to stay on Windows XP, why not keep supporting it?
It is a simple answer, Microsoft is not "universal" like Linux is. Linux upgrades only what it needs to, and it is usually backwards compatible "for ever".

Bad BitDefender Update Clobbers Windows PCs
It is bad enough when Microsoft screws things up to the point of BSDs or the loss of data, but when other companies do the same thing? Especially ones with a name like "Bit Defender" (it is an anti-virus program).

MS Issues Emergency IE Security Update
More and again. We see microsoft issue patches for this and that. They do it regularly. This is ok, every operating system does it. But the reasons are far from similar. Many linux programs are being updated, not because of security concerns, but because of feature upgrades.
What I find interesting is microsoft's lack of interest in making sure these kinds of thing don't end up in the wild.

Standards Expert — "Microsoft Fails the Standards Test"
We all know this. Microsoft has to do things "their way" even after participating in the whole "standards process". why do they even bother getting involved if they are only going to ignore the results?
The vCal or iCal standards have never fully been supported by Exchange - this makes it near impossible to use Thunderbird or ANY of the other email/news/calendaring softwares, including Google, with Microsoft Exchange. (Thank goodness that Exchange isn't the only "Exchange Like" mail server; there is OpenExchange, Zarafa, Zimbra, Exxchange4Linux, Communigate?, and maybe a few others. All these other are 100% compatible with Outlook and other mail clients.) Don't lock yourselves into a company who doesn't care about you or your choices, that doesn't care if their software does what you want it to do or not, and really doesn't care if they follow their own standards (or any one else's standards) for compatibility. There are choices. Microsoft isn't the only game in town.

De Icaza Says Microsoft Has Shot .NET Ecosystem In Foot
Dot Net. Hmmm. This is an interesting article about how Microsoft even finds ways to screw up its own products and business model. Would you really do business with a construction company or car company that is this careless and selfish (and stupid)?
Did I mention that you have alternatives? Mono will do Dot Net on Linux, so will DotGNU.
But that is the problem, isn't it? Microsoft wants to be the only game in town...awe, so sad.

There are, however, some good points to Microsoft - or, in other words, they are LEARNING from Linux:

Microsoft To Distribute Third-Party Patches
Linux maintains "repositories" of programs. These programs are developed, tested and placed in these repositories so they can be updated at any time by the user. Now, Microsoft has decided to start their own "repository" by allowing others to use the Windows Update type feature.
Well, better late than never!

Microsoft Giving Rival Browsers a Lift
Linux will allow users to use any browser that anyone wants to develop for it. It isn't an integral part of the Operating System, but a perrifferial to it. Microsoft still has a long way to go in this regard, but in this article, we see that some changes have benefitted the "other" browsers. This should help Microsoft see what people are loading and then figure out WHY so they can fix their own crapware and make the Customer their primary focus.

Microsoft Claims Google Chrome Steals Your Privacy
But then that leads Microsoft to start looking for cheap shots. They are claiming all kinds of radical things to try and turn people away from their competitors. This isn't what I had in mind. I though that they would find what it is people LIKE and make CHANGES to their product. Instead, I guess they figured it would be cheaper to belittle the other browsers and keep theirs unchanged.

2 Funny points here:

Office Guardian Angel Worse Than Clippy
They still haven't learned from Microsoft Bob.

Microsoft Employees Love Their iPhones
If their employees are using the IPhone INSTEAD of Windows Mobile 6 phones, THAT SHOULD BE A CLUE! But so far, NOTHING...No light has gone on to let them know they are, once again, NOT doing what people WANT.

The Failure of King Obama

People have started to complain a little more about Obama. Not just the Conservatives, but the disenfranchised Liberals, too. Why? Well, Obama is spending, all the while saying that his plan will reduce the deficit.
The deficit is the difference between taxes collected and money spent, the difference is made up by the National Debt. We should take in what we need to operate, and if there isn't enough, we should cut programs, not add new ones.
When most conservatives complain about Obama we hear the liberals say, "why didn't you complain about it when Bush was doing it"?
Well, we DID! The difference is, what took Bush 8 years to do, Obama is on track to do in just over 2 years. So all the complaining that happened in 8 years has been condensed into 2 for this president.

Under Bush, we doubled the National Debt in 8 years.

Under Obama, we are on track to Double the National Debt again.

It took Bush 8 years to spend 4.7 TRILLION dollars. That is 590 BILLION a year.

Obama is spending at 1.9 TRILLION a year.

This isn't the only problem with the Obama Administration, he has broken a lot of promises, we can review them here:

#1 - Open Government - Sunlight Before Signing:
Obama promised that part of his presidency would be an open government. (Manchester, N.H., on June 22, 2007), "When there is a bill that ends up on my desk as the president, you the public will have five days to look online and find out what's in it before I sign it"
How did he break the promise?
Obama signed his first bill, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, on Jan. 20 – only two days after its passage.
Obama signed a second bill expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program just three hours after Congress passed it.
Obama signed his 1,000-page $787 billion stimulus aimed at jolting the declining U.S. economy. He did so only one business day after it passed through Congress – without allowing for five days of public comment.
Obama signed the Healthcare Reform Bill right after passage.
Any other examples?
How about ACTA? Transparent?
Or maybe the Patriot Act Extension?
How about his Birth Certificate? College Transcripts? Official Citizenship Status?
How about FOIA? Why don't they like to give out information via the proper channels?

#2 - No Jobs for Lobbyists:
On Nov. 10, 2007, speech in Des Moines, Iowa, Obama declared, "I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists — and won. They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president."
Obama's campaign fundraising team included 38 members of law firms that were paid $138 million in 2007 to lobby the federal government.
And then he started the "exceptions"...
Leon Panetta, William Lynn, William Corr, Mark Patterson, Jocelyn Frye, Cecilia Munoz, Richard Verma, Charles Bolden, Naomi Walker, Ash Carter, Islam Siddiqui, Tom Daschle, Andrew McLaughlin

#3 - Earmark reform:
Has anyone even read the Health Care Reform bill? It is full of "earmarks" and "pork". That is just one example.
The $787 billion stimulus aimed at jolting the declining U.S. economy, well, Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., told CNN, "there were earmarks" in the bill.
How about the $410 billion omnibus bill for 2009 with more than 9,000 earmarks totalling an estimated $7.7 billion?

#4 - Executive Signing Statements:
Obama told an audience, during his campaign, that signing statements weren't "part of [the president's] power", and criticised Bush for doing so on several occasions.
Then, as Obama was signing a $410 billion government spending bill, he signed his own signing statement.

#5 - No new taxes on those earning under $250,000 (or $200,000, depending on when he said it) -
What about those who are "happily uninsured" or "self insured"?
How about those who like to go to Tanning Salons?
Or how about those that smoke?

#6 - Bring Troops Home:
Instead, he sends more out.

#7 - Decrease the Deficit, Reduce the National Debt:
You cannot spend your way out of debt.

#8 - Bipartisanship:
Congress has never been so partisan.

#9 - Fiscal Responsibility:
90% of the bail-out money went to 30 banks (30 out of about 4 thousand banks), stimulus has failed, no accountability in spending.

#10 - And there are many more.

What worries me is outlined in 2 different statements:
Reporting in Reason Magazine, Matt Welch wrote an article, "Obama and the L-Word", it is definitely worth reading.
Basically, it speaks to character. If someone cannot tell the truth or keep a promise, or follow his oath, or whatever, then s/he has no integrity. Is that the mark of a true leader? A person without integrity?
and
If we allow this kind of thing to become "common place" then when the truth does come out, people will simply say, "what does it matter"?
What does it matter if Obama lies? Bush Lied, Clinton Lied, etc. So what does it matter?
What does it matter if Obama isn't a US Citizen?
What does it matter...
If you can do something wrong, and do it long enough, then "what does it matter"?
This is the most scary political trick yet.


(most of the information for this post came from the following sites:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=91286
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MzI4MjQ3Mzk4MWJkNDkwNWZlYzcwNDA3NmQyNmIxYmI=
http://theautopsy.wordpress.com/the-running-obama-liebroken-promise-list/
http://conservativeamerican.org/dems-libs-socialists/dems-libs-socialists-obama/obamas-top-10-broken-promises/)