Google Domination

Before, Google was a simple search engine, now it is much more than that. Other online companies are afraid because Google is merging with a diversity of online companies which has gotten the attention of Antitrust enforcement. They are questioning whether or not Google is acting legally with each merge and whether or not a boundary is being crossed.

Critics say Google will have too much control over searches for flights if it controls ITA. In recent months a number of companies have told regulators that Google - which says it wants to build its own flight-search offering - could manipulate the results from its search engine to give its travel service a higher ranking than its competitors'. They point to the fate of such companies as AOL's MapQuest, which shriveled in the face of Google Maps, which regularly lands at the top of Google searches.

Google makes a valid point that ITA is not the only technology that is being used, but at the same time, the technology can be manipulated and over-marketed so that the competition will be choked. This case can be directly compared with the economic dependencies of a single country. Let's say that Google does take over company after company. They control phone service, internet, travel sites, networking sites, technological manufacturing, and television. Having controlled all versions of media and most technological advances, what would happen if Google collapsed abruptly? The Antitrust Acts were put in so that things of this nature do not happen, but it seems the company is too complex to be put under the magnifying lens. Congratulations to Google stock holders, but I foresee a bad outcome if Google continues to merge out of control.

Tension Increases between North and South Korea

Despite the decrease in anxiety over the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, it seems that the United States' support has angered North Korea. North Korea stated that South Korea's cooperation with the U.S. and Japan is a direct act of aggression.

That cooperation "is nothing but treachery escalating the tension between the North and the South and bringing the dark clouds of a nuclear war to hang over the Korean peninsula," Pyongyang's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

Personally, I see North Korea's 'quick to launch' campaign, as a way to make other countries relinquish anything that they request. A similar situation happened several decades ago, and countries take over by Hitler did not approve. I am in no way referring to North Korea as the next reich, but the act of appeasement is eerily similar. Considering the use of nuclear warfare, it is clear that the problem is not that simple, but the world cannot be expected to drop everything as soon as North Korea threatens to pick up the trigger.

Mental Health Break

Babies for Capitalism

Netflix Under Attack

So far in the entertainment world, Netflix was simply a small fish competing in a big pond, but as soon as the company incorporated internet access, it has been a major pain in the sides of the major corporations. Kids in high school, collegiate students, as well as older adults, are finding it easier to discontinue their cable or satellite programming if they can get all their favorite shows cheaper on the internet, rather than hauling out the big bucks every month. One flaw they overlooked, was that they believed the corporate giants would fail to notice their progress. Netflix has quadrupled in stock value since their advancements, but Time Warner will not have it.

Netflix has been a business partner to the movie and television studios through licensing deals, but increasingly it is seen as a partner with its hands far deeper in the pockets of the media companies than anyone thought. Through its success, the company has positioned itself at the center of the media universe — at the nexus of technology and content — and is now finding it a place increasingly under attack.

In this recession, of course customers will buy the same product if it is cheaper. The question is "How long will their reign last, if prices escalate from corporate pressure?". Owners of HBO are ready to create HBO GO which will only allow HBO customers to access the network. If the entertainment giants decide to make deals to squeeze Netflix out of business, then loyal customers lose out. This is a prime example of the cutthroat environment that big business has created in order to survive.

Everything on China

As the global economy continues to plummet, the favorite to pull the rest of us out of this recession is China. Having changed its overall economic structure, China has emerged as the greatest economic power since the United States' era before 2008. I find it extremely frightening that if one bad move by China were to occur, the global economy could be set into a tailspin. The biggest problem that China is currently struggling with is inflation.

“The money supply is too large,” said Andy Xie, an economist based in Shanghai who formerly worked at Morgan Stanley. “They increased the money supply to stimulate the economy. Now land prices have jumped 20 times in some places, 100 times in others. Inflation is broad-based. Go into a supermarket. Milk is more expensive in China than it is in the U.S.”

If China risks inflation, then their changes in currency will greatly affect trading and finance all across the board. Rather than looking at China as a competitor, countries must see them as a foundation from where supporters can enhance their own prosperity. My personal opinion is that complete responsibility on one nation's economy is incredibly unstable, but only so much can be moderated. As seen in the article, China reached their height because of their government influence on the market. All that is certain is that the next move could decide how the economy will either heal or tear itself apart.

Ireland Admits Need for a Bailout

With the rise in Ireland's debt fast approaching, the leaders of Ireland have decided on Thursday that they need a substantial amount of money to stay afloat and avoid complete economic collapse. The European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank have been favored to work together to supply the current demand. Despite the monetary needs that may be achieved, Ireland's leaders need a solid plan that can not only pull Ireland out of debt, but keep them from slipping back into it. 

Ben May, an economist with Capital Economics in London, said the size of any bailout would depend on what the examiners found on the books of the Irish banks. He said that 60 billion euros ($82 billion) might suffice if it was to cover only the government’s financing needs for the next few years but that more might be necessary to have firepower in reserve.

The U.S. can use Ireland as an example of what our potential deficit can look like, if left uncontrolled. Money without a plan will be wasted, but taking into account all variables will result in a well-balanced system. Having Ireland take the bailout, is a clear signal of widespread, European cutbacks and economical catastrophe, like in Greece. Hopefully, Americans can see the dangers that can be over the horizon.

While Greece’s woes result largely from overspending and flawed record-keeping by previous governments, Ireland’s woes have come mainly from the damage caused to overextended banks by the bursting of a real estate bubble. The authorities have had to nationalize a large portion of the Irish financial sector, and there are signs that the problems are getting worse, as more people are falling behind on their mortgage payments.

This extra attention to countries in need will cause worldwide reduction in disposable income, which directly affects the exchange of goods internationally. Misinformed people will most likely let this incident go unnoticed, but fail to realize the direct impact it has on the United States.

Mental Health Break

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Bill Gates is for Saving Schools

Despite the misconception of everyday people, Bill Gates has led the front in funding projects for the betterment of society in the United States. He uses his well-placed knowledge, as well as his money, to tackle the hard problems of the American people. His current focus is education reform and presents compelling ideas that could reshape the ineffective structure. The idea of payment based on effectiveness is particularly interesting,

He suggests they end teacher pay increases based on seniority and on master’s degrees, which he says are unrelated to teachers’ ability to raise student achievement. He also urges an end to efforts to reduce class sizes. Instead, he suggests rewarding the most effective teachers with higher pay for taking on larger classes or teaching in needy schools.

I tend to agree with this idea because there are teachers who proceed with teaching simply because of the big pay-off at the end, rather than a sustained joy in their career. Younger teachers who have new teaching methods that work, get snuffed out when budget cuts roll around, which I see as unfair. The school boards argue against this idea with:

“We know that experience makes a difference in student achievement — teachers get better,” said Bill Raabe, director of collective bargaining at the National Education Association, the largest teachers’ union. “And additional training, too, whether its a master’s degree or some other way a teacher has improved her content knowledge, we think it ought to be compensated.”

Granted that a master's degree should be rewarded, but if they are ineffective at conveying their curriculum, then what is the point? Evidence of higher learning should be apparent in test scores and grades, not in how many years a specific teacher has under their belt.

Indonesia Bombarded on All Sides

Yesterday, the people of Indonesia were struck by an earthquake two days ago. This earthquake is the most likely cause for the tsunami wave that killed 340 people and the simultaneous volcano eruption on another island. Both events have also injured and left people homeless. Their strength is something to be admired, and although the intensity of the damage is not the same as Haiti was, it is important for other nations to take action to aid Indonesia. The most unsettling feeling for the Indonesian people is the uncertainty of safety.

Ships and helicopters had been sent to the impoverished islands, along with medical teams, shelters, medicine and two electricity-generating barges, Mr. Edward said. Downed communications meant that radio was the only way to communicate with many areas, he said. He said that most of the dead were local fishermen. “People on land felt the quake and ran to higher ground,” he said. “The people at sea had no idea there was a quake.”

 The feeling of not being prepared can shake humanity as a whole. When we display empathy for other nations, we reveal that America is not a cold-hearted machine that runs with capitalism coursing through its veins. America is composed of people who would willingly help a nation like Haiti or Indonesia, but people must realize that our problems are small in comparison to those who have lost everything.

America is Left in China's Wake

Since China's rise to power, it has gained substantial, economic prowess in the eyes of the rest of the world. After several advances through technology, aided by the government, China has bested America's supercomputer. This may seem like a small drop in the bucket for everyday people, but we forget to see the contributions that supercomputers make to our current society. 

The race to build the fastest supercomputer has become a source of national pride as these machines are valued for their ability to solve problems critical to national interests in areas like defense, energy, finance and science. Supercomputing technology also finds its way into mainstream business; oil and gas companies use it to find reservoirs and Wall Street traders use it for superquick automated trades. Procter & Gamble even uses supercomputers to make sure that Pringles go into cans without breaking.

Evident in those examples, the world in its present state could not function without the use of supercomputers. A month prior to this achievement, China had become the top manufacturer for green technology, but people are seeing now that it was only a precursor for what is to come.

“What is scary about this is that the U.S. dominance in high-performance computing is at risk,” said Wu-chun Feng, a supercomputing expert and professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. “One could argue that this hits the foundation of our economic future.”

 So what is next in store for America? Will we pool our resources to finance a better future? America cannot reach a state of complacency, simply because of China's shadow, but rather, be encouraged by the competition that China supplies.

Mental Health Break

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So that's how lobbyists work...

Finally!, the Return of Nuclear Power

As the rise of gas prices comes closer, different alternatives to fuel are sought by innovative countries. Yet again, America's legal transactions and policies get in the way of nuclear progress. Luckily, the plans for the nuclear plant in Maryland will continue, but due to the complications between the two companies, Constellation Energy and Électricité de France, progress has stalled. 

Under the deal announced on Tuesday night, E.D.F. will buy out Constellation’s share of what had been a joint venture, UniStar Nuclear Energy, for $140 million. But under United States law, E.D.F. would have to find an American partner to get a license from theNuclear Regulatory Commission, and it was not immediately know what company that would be. Many American companies with nuclear expertise have backed away from the idea of new plants because of their high costs, resistance from state regulators and a depressed market for electricity that has made any decision on building new generation of plants seem less urgent. 

 It goes to show that when American companies do not have the drive to push for a better future, progressive movements are left for dust to collect. The more alternatives for fuel and energy that are created, the closer America is to being independent of "fuels from hell". People must get over past scares and stereotypes about nuclear energy if we want to move forward as the spearhead in "Code Green". The retrogression of the electric car, is a huge reminder of what big business can do to innovative energy.

Electric Making A Comeback

Although previously killed by the American government during extreme oil dependency, the electric car has returned from the grave to revolutionize the way we see transportation. The advances in the hybrid and electric technology is comparable to the NASA program that was shut down by Nixon or the green movement of Jimmy Carter, if we had continued in these fields, America's progress would be exponential. Now, the life of the G.M. Volt and Nissan Leaf are in the hands of the E.P.A.

How theEnvironmental Protection Agency rates the two cars, the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, could have a big influence on consumers’ perceptions of vehicles that run on electricity. General Motors, which makes the Volt, and Nissan are anxiously awaiting the agency’s decision as they start production of the cars and complete marketing plans for rollouts in December.

Having the newer wave in green technology by these two companies, can result in the rekindling of America's well-known competitiveness, except this time, it's a environmentally safe competition. By allowing these cars to hit the road, all states can benefit from them, regardless of each state's individual laws.

Foreclosures Still Flooding

So in a summary of the 'home-front' of our financial situation, The housing market plummets, tax-payers cannot pay the enormous loan that the banks want back, the banks fail or come close, and the Obama administration supplies the necessary bailout money so that the economy can be remotely salvageable. It is to my understanding that instead of plugging the metaphorical dam that is the financial crisis, the administration and Congress cannot stop the overflow of current foreclosures. This overflow is resulting in sloppy work by the banks.

The Times’s Eric Dash and Nelson D. Schwartz reported in Thursday’s paper that in their rush to process foreclosures, banks hired inexperienced workers (“Burger King kids” as one former banker derided them) who barely knew what a mortgage was.

So where does that leave the middle and lower class that are struggling to make ends meet? Obama has our back...right?

Throughout this crisis, the Obama administration has been far more worried about protecting the banks than protecting homeowners. The big weaknesses in the administration’s main antiforeclosure policy is that participation by lenders is voluntary and homeowners have little leverage to get better terms — especially reductions in loan principal when the mortgage balance is greater than the value of the home.

So the ship is sunk. If we are in a deadlock with the banks about payment options and the government is not too keen on solving the problem readily, then the options are slim to none. This problem directly relates to whether or not the government should have a say in regulating the banks for the needs of the people. America cannot maintain the policies of pre-2008 because it is that naivety that makes this nation look weak. Thorough investigation is obviously needed, but current action is more important so that Americans can rebuild what was taken from them, their sense of security. 

The Dawn Approaches in Chile

The families of the Chilean workers, the nation of Chile, and the entire world have waited for this moment. Miners were slowly, but surely, being rescued by with the mining capsule being sent down every 45 minutes. Although there were some minor adjustments to the system, the miners were finally all brought to the surface on October 13th. The news has not only comforted the miners' families, but has swept across the globe in a media fire that set off a celebration of life in general.

As the miners were rescued in a pageant that moved their worldwide audience — watching on television, computers, even cellphones — to tears and laughter, glimpses of their personalities, their struggles to maintain their spirits during their subterranean ordeal and even the life that awaited them back on the surface began to emerge as well.

The perseverance of these 33 men has taken the world by storm and is a reality check for those who have a safe job without life-threatening situations. Chile must be applauded for its determination to save the men by any means. Utilizing every technology available and doing the job right, required large amounts of funding and patience, but the reuniting of the miners with their families was more than worth it.

Political Quiz

Here is my results for the political philosophy quiz. Overall the quiz said I am a hardcore democrat. 

The following are your scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 9
You are a social progressive. You generally consider yourself a humanist first. You probably think that religion and patriotism go too far in society. You probably consider yourself to be a citizen of Earth first rather than a citizen of your country.

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 12
You're a Social Capitalist, you think that, left to its own, Capitalism leaves a lot of people behind. You think that Health Care should be free to all, that the minimum wage should be raised, and that the government should provide jobs to all that are capable of having them. You likely hated the Bush tax cuts, and believe that the middle class has gotten poorer, and the rich have gotten richer over the past several years. The far extreme of social capitalism is socialism.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 6
You're a Moderate. You think that we all have certain inalienable rights that must be protected, but that sometimes laws need to be made to protect the majority's lives or quality of lives. You might think that the 2nd amendment isn't necessary anymore because letting everyone a gun is extremely dangerous to the community. You might also be against illegal drug use or public pornography because of its possible harmful effects to society.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 3
You're a Pacifist. You are angered that the United States thinks it should dominate the world through its military force. You think that the only time war is necessary is when we are in direct danger of being attacked. You also believe the US spends way too much of its money on defense, as we can practically cut it in half and still easily defend ourselves, and use that money to fix all our economic problems.

Overall, you would most likely fit into the category of Hardcore Democrat

Jon Stewart on Political Ad Funding (Mental Health Break)

With the recent political ads on television and the escalation of mudslinging, Jon Stewart provides some humor to the monotony of the advertising of candidates.

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Between money scandals, abuse of power, and questionable moral judgement, politicians have let loose a plethora of scathing remarks for voter approval. The candidates are under the assumption that whoever throws the most money in the bucket, will get the job, but corporations offset the balance by creating fake coalitions to support their candidate.

China Buys Back IPhones...Illegally?

China has come a long way economically in the past couple decades. Being the top manufacturer of Apple's newest IPhone, China ships the products to be sold in the United States. The American way of life is the carrot in front of the rising, Chinese middle-class, and they want more, even if that involves some smuggling. Through closed-container shipping and airline manipulation, the spread of blackmarket sales is imminent. 

“These trading networks have been around for a long time,” Professor Wei said. “They have recently become a lot more pervasive due to rising incomes in China — partially as a result of exports to the U.S.”

 The trail leads back to economical advantage, and China is ready to sink its teeth. If Apple sold the phones much more expensive there, they would probably make a larger profit than they will on Saturday, because the middle men are taking the cut. This surge in demand can be used for the U.S. benefit.

“It’s all about connections and channels,” said one seller at the Sleepless Mall, a big electronics market in Shanghai where wholesalers distribute phones to sellers in small stalls. “Once you have good relationships with customs and airline companies, you can ship whatever products you like. We smuggle it both by air and by boat.”

Writer, Nick Bilton, points out that the smugglers' actions have created some racial profiling, according to one Asian-American woman, but overall, it could be a good thing for Apple. Also, if the IPhone is desired so much because of its rarity, then maybe this is the first example of how America can get more of its products sold.

The Recession is Objective?

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Jon Stewart gives humor to the recession, but the everyday American questions how stable the White House cabinet will be, if the all the current members are "abandoning ship". Listening to "research groups" and seeing results are completely different things, and feeding false hope to Americans won't solve the problem. 

Muslim Discrimination on the Rise

Since the presidential appointment of President Obama, America was believed to reach a higher acceptance of one another. The facts today point in the opposite direction with Steven Greenhouse's article on religious discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission receives complaints of job loss, degrading slurs, and unsatisfactory conditions for Muslims. 

“There’s a level of hatred and animosity that is shocking,” said Mary Jo O’Neill, regional attorney of the E.E.O.C.’s Phoenix office. “I’ve been doing this for 31 years, and I’ve never seen such antipathy toward Muslim workers.”

How can America be called progressive, if Americans live in the shadow of prejudice against those of a certain religion? The general public cannot hide behind the fact that the president is black and give the overall sentiment that Muslim prejudice is okay because the offense is minor. When a radical person, such as Terry Jones, presumes that the country is behind him on an outlandish proposal, America reflects intolerance.

“In America right now, there are intense concerns about many issues — immigration, the faltering economy, the interminable wars” and the erroneous belief, held by many Americans, that the first nonwhite president is Muslim, said Akbar Ahmed, a professor of Islamic studies at American University.

Whatever the reasons may be, the attitude must change if the population can work together to face bigger challenges on the horizon. Although religion and race make individuals different, the instinct to move forward and to be a shining example for the world, is American. 

China Takes the Green

Although China is already known for its industrial output, a bigger product is on the rise, solar panels and wind turbines. Friedman warned that "it" would be done to us, if we did not act first. Guess what? It is happening right now. Now that China is leading the frontier in green, is America going to sit back and relax? I hope not. America's chance at redemption is slipping away, and there will be consequences. I am not suggesting that China shouldn't manufacture clean energy products, but America is no longer the shining example that we had hoped it would be.

Now, Changsha and two adjacent cities are emerging as a center of clean energy manufacturing. They are churning out solar panels for the American and European markets, developing new equipment to manufacture the panels and branching into turbines that generate electricity from wind. By contrast, clean energy companies in the United States and Europe are struggling. Some have started cutting jobs and moving operations to China in ventures with local partners.

China’s expansion has been traumatic for American and European solar power manufacturers, and Western wind turbine makers are now bracing to compete with low-cost Chinese exports. This year, BP shut down its solar panel manufacturing in Frederick, Md., and in Spain, and laid off most of the employees while expanding a joint venture in China.

Not only will the American, clean energy companies suffer, but it is possible that after the last drop of oil is gone, America might become more reliant on China. Begging the question, can America settle its debt? There is no doubt that China's government is one of the main reasons for their success. American policies have hindered its clean energy production and lack of taxes has dwindled funding. The Chinese green company, Sunzone, could not have said it better:

“Who wins this clean energy race,” Mr. Zhao of Sunzone said, “really depends on how much support the government gives.”

So what are we, Americans as a whole, willing to do to turn the tables back in our favor?

More Power! Germany Says Nuclear is the Way to Go

Germany plans to extend the life of their nuclear plants and register new zones for the growing demand. Like China, the government has taken the reigns for the best direction for Germany. How do you get the money to pay for super expensive nuclear plants? Tax the company of course!

New taxes levied on utility companies as part of the deal will be used in part to help develop renewable energy sources, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday. But she said Germany could not afford to get rid of nuclear power as planned because the amount of renewable energy available would not be sufficient to fill the gap.

“Nuclear energy is a bridge,” she said.

Desperate times, call for desperate measures, and Germany's answer is to satisfy the energy need with nuclear, for now. This is one way to combat the "heat" described by Friedman's Hot, Flat & Crowded. It seems the rest of the world has gotten over China Syndrome and are ready to do whatever it takes to stay afloat in the future.  

Bill Gates Breaks down the Basics of Reusable Energy

In comparison to Friedman's work, Bill Gates presents some specific examples about how we can give the world cleaner energy. The rise of poorer countries is also a key contribution to the energy problem, so in order to help people in third world countries, their future source of energy must be considered.

Any analysis needs to consider middle-income and poor countries whose energy demands are increasing as people move out of poverty leading to increased CO2 emissions. For the poorest, more expensive energy reduces their access to energy-driven services like increased use of fertilizer, vaccine refrigeration, reasonable transportation, and many other things that can improve the conditions in which they live. Poor people need energy that is both cheap and clean – which only R&D advances can provide.

Thanks to the increase in funding of R&D from Gates and others, new ideas can be put to work. Having conferences and videos like this, allows the public to be better informed.

Not Enough to Go Around the Dinner Table

Living in America, most of the population is accustomed to having more than enough. Discussing the escalating world population and the rise of the middle class, Julian Cribb's book, The Coming Famine, gives unsettling facts that can change the ideal America.

Most important are what he calls “the two elephants in the kitchen”: population growth and overconsumption. A projected 33 percent growth in population in the next 20 years, combined with increased consumption of meat as the global middle class grows larger, means that food production must grow by at least 50 percent in that same period.

Maximizing every square foot of land on the earth for resources is no longer enough, and if America wants to continue to eat meat, the cost will become greater.

We also need more land, as much as “two more North Americas” to produce the fodder needed to meet projected demand. Yet existing land is being degraded by a variety of factors. (Mr. Cribb provides a nicely horrifying quote from some older Chinese farmers: “When we were young, we had trouble seeing the cattle in the grassland. Now we can see the mice.”)

The sentiment that is taken from the article is that worldwide hunger will have nowhere to go, but up. Cribb suggests dietary change and taking advantage of compost. To make an impact, the movement must be global, but is America ready to be a front-runner for fresh food?

Taking the Air We Breathe for Granted

With a comedic twist to the problem of global warming, Hong Kong's Clean Air Network posted a video six days ago about how drastic air pollution might become. The video addresses the necessity for people to take action in the "hot" category of Tom Friedman's Hot, Flat & Crowded.

No wonder. Pollution is a perpetual bane in Hong Kong — because of both roadside pollution and fumes produced by factories across the border, in mainland Chinese cities like Shenzhen. The Clean Air Network estimates that the city’s air is three times more polluted than New York’s and more than twice as bad as London’s.

A majority of Americans are aware of the air pollution because of footage from the last summer Olympics, but many fail to see that China's problem is our problem as well. The amount of particulates and debris from coal processing affects the population health in China, which is known to cause cancer and other diseases. That same air accumulating there, has already traveled here to California. The makers of the video saw a problem at home that needed fixing.

‘‘We’re trying to reach younger people, who are in a way our pivotal audience, but whose apathy can be harder to break through,’’ said Joanne Ooi, the group’s chief executive. ‘‘That’s why it was important to have a celebrity and to use humor — to try a whole new angle.’’

It becomes easy for this generation to stand aside while the grownups handle the problem. Joanne Ooi has a point that they needed a new method to make younger people see the world in which we live. American society cannot wait for a necessity, like air, to become a luxury, before drastic actions take place.