"There is nothing good about dozens of people's dying everyday" continued ...

I wrote yesterday that "There is nothing good about dozens of people's dying everyday" and it is rather ridiculous to say that things are going well in Iraq given the fact. Countdown with Keith Olbermann had a story about this, and I'd like to make a reference to the story and I'd like to add my own comments on that.

Bush vs. the media about War in Iraq
'Countdown' investigates the administration's newest blame game

The Bush Administration is frustrated with the media’s negative outlook on the War in Iraq and has made it known to them. However, the media isn’t staying silent in this blame game.

Richard Wolffe, “Newsweek” magazine's White House correspondent joined Keith Olbermann on 'Countdown' to discuss the Bush Administration’s newest attack on the media.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Here's an important comment made by Richard Wolffe.

No matter how often they do their flying in and flying out and talking to troops down on the ground there, it's much, much harder living in Iraq. So that's the first point.

Having visited several countries, I must say that there is a tremendous difference between what is reported in the media and what you actually see in a different country. Furthermore, having lived in two different countries, I can say that living in the country is totally different from visiting the country. Given that, if those who have been living there for the last two, three years say that it is a dangerous place to be in, then that is what they mean.

Another important comment made by Richard Wolffe.

The second point is, what are people thinking here? Of course, the media focuses on bad news, on death and violence. First of all, this is a war, which has been hugely expensive in terms of blood and treasure. And secondly, that's the way life is. It's not a bias of the media. If it was a bias, then why has cable news talked about murders? Why don't they have whole shows that talk about childbirth?

Iraq is in the middle of warfare, and it is a simple fact; subsequently, it is absurd to say that people living there are happy or like it there compared to the peaceful time during the late 90s.

Olympic Games and World Baseball Classic

It was not widely reported but US did not win more models than all other countries, nor did US win more gold medals than all other countries in this year's Olympic Games. World Baseball Classic was played this month, and US did not win there, either, despite the fact that Team USA had number of top MLB players including Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Roger Clemens. These are just sports events, but I think that Team USA's defeat in these two major events highlight today's state of the nation, USA.

There is nothing good about dozens of people's dying everyday

Some (American) commentators say that things are going well in Iraq, but, well, frankly speaking, it is absolutely ridiculous to say that. Dozens of people are dying there everyday, and it is a hard statistic; it is undisputable. That is horrifying, and it is simply incomprehensible and impossible to say that things are going well in Iraq.

Antitrust and the government intervention

Many appear to strongly resist any government intervention because it is against free market and they believe that free market alone will solve various social problems. Putting the debate about whether free market will ultimately solve various social problems or not aside, we need to recognize that so many things in our society have been heavily subsidized already. Governments all over the world created roads. US government initially funded the development of the internet. Neither TV nor radio would have been adapted without the government subsidy. That is not to say that the government intervention is a must and that the government should always intervene. However, it seems that many forget that the government intervention is a pre-condition, i.e., something that took place already. Discussion about antitrust often captures this; "Company ABC123 does not have to comply with the government's request because it is anti-free market. They do not have to behave in a certain way for the government to break up the trust. Etc., etc., etc." Many appear to have forgotten that these companies in question were able to get to where they are today because of the government intervention such as the enforcement of antitrust laws. It is rather silly to argue that it was ok for these companies in question to receive the great benefit of antitrust laws, yet it is not ok for the government to enforce the same laws on them today.

Not many understand antitrust, nor do they embrace it

Kinderstart sues Google over lower page ranking

Reuters
Saturday, March 18, 2006; 9:09 PM

SAN FRANCISCO, March 18 (Reuters) - A parental advice Internet site has sued Google Inc. , charging it unfairly deprived the company of customers by downgrading its search-result ranking without reason or warning.

The civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, on Friday by KinderStart.com seeks financial damages along with information on how Google ranks Internet sites when users conduct a Web-based search.

Google could not immediately be reached for comment but the company aggressively defends the secrecy of its patented search ranking system and asserts its right to adapt it to give customers what it determines to be the best results.

Click here to read the rest of the story

After I briefly looked into this, I found that KinderStart.com does not have a very strong case; more specifically, it appears that Google was pretty informative about reasons why KinderStart.com was removed from Google's index, though there was no direct communication between KinderStart.com and Google (up to now). Those who work in the sub industry of search (engine) industry like Google called "Search Engine Optimization" industry discussed about this on various discussion boards, and I checked these discussions:

Kinderstart files suit against google
Google sued over rankings (penalty)

I agree that KinderStart.com does not have a very strong case in this particular case, but I was (unpleasantly) surprised that many people think that Google can do whatever they want using their data. 90% of internet users use search engines like Google to look for a web page when they get on the internet. It is estimated that Google has roughly 50% of market share in the internet search. This means that Google has enough power to fundamentally change the behavior of those who participate in commercial activities that Google plays a major part in. Subsequently, it is theoretically possible that Google creates a trust to take advantage. This is illegal in all developed countries, as it is an anticompetitive behavior. It is completely untrue that Google can (legally) do whatever they want to do.

Anticompetitive behavior is hurting every business sector; anticompetitive behavior is not only hurting businesses, but it is hurting consumers. Businesses and consumers need to understand this.

Understanding the modern United States politics and economy

Eric Schlosser wrote the book "Fast Food Nation" a couple of years ago, and the book has enlightened American consumers and consumers in many developed countries (affected by US). He has been giving speeches at universities and private conferences since then. The book and his message primarily focus on today's US food industry; however, the message really captures the modern United States politics and economy. It's not just about food. It's not just about health crisis. It's much more than that. His lecture and interview audio and video are publicly available on the web, so if you lack patience to read his book, I highly recommend that you listen to or watch his speech online. It's quite educational.

Beef import is not a political issue, but it is a health issue

Number of countries including Japan and South Korea have stopped importing beef from US about a year ago, and they have not opened the market since then. Some people apparently believe that this is a political issue, but this is really a health issue. Beef production in US has changed radically for the last 20 years or so, and it has created number of health problems. It is actually surprising that it has taken so long for beef importers to stop importing beef from US.

politalx Store UK Open

I opened politalx Store UK today. The store sells books, magazines, DVD and VHS in politics. The store include the followings categories:

Government and Politics Books
Government & Politics : Civil Liberties & Political Activism
Government & Politics : Countries & Regions
Government & Politics : Economics
Government & Politics : International Institutions
Government & Politics : International Relations
Government & Politics : Political Science & Ideology
Government & Politics : Political Structure & Processes
Government & Politics : Others
Law Books
Law : English
Law : European Union (EU)
Law : International
Law : Jurisdictions Other Than England & EU
Law : Jurisprudence & General Issues
Law : Scots Law
Law : Others
Military and War DVD
Military & War
Military VHS
Military

When I make a reference to book, magazine or documentary movie, I will find the product in the store, and will link it from here so that you can read the extensive review of the product. The UK store is for those of you who live in UK. You can order the product and the product will be sent to your home; you cannot order the product in US store. The store will not handle the shipment.

politalx Store Open

I opened politalx Store several days ago. The store sells books, magazines, DVD and VHS in politics. The store include the followings categories:

Politics Books
Politics : Freedom & Security
Politics : Ideologies
Politics : International
Politics : Others
Law Books
Law : Administrative Law
Law : Business
Law : Constitutional Law
Law : Criminal Law
Law : English Law
Law : Family & Health Law
Law : Intellectual Property
Law : International Law
Law : Law Practice
Law : Legal Education
Law : Legal History
Law : One-L
Law : Perspectives on Law
Law : Practical Guides
Law : Procedures & Litigation
Law : Series
Law : Specialties
Law : Taxation
Law : Others
Magazines
Law Journals
Political Science Journals
Magazines : Others
Related Books
Crime & Criminals
Government
Related Products
DVD Politics
VHS Politics

When I make a reference to book, magazine or documentary movie, I will find the product in the store, and will link it from here so that you can read the extensive review of the product.

Boycotting of a Russia-hosted G8 summit would not solve any problem

McCain urges Iran sanctions, outside UN if needed

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain, a top member of President George W. Bush's Republican Party, urged the world on Saturday to impose economic and other sanctions on Iran, bypassing the United Nations if needed.

...

No Council action, including sanctions, will be considered before a conclusive IAEA investigative report due next month.

McCain said Iran would be a key test of U.S.-Russia ties. Without singling out policies, he criticized the government of President Vladimir Putin for a lack of democracy and mooted a boycott of a Russia-hosted G8 summit this year.

"Under Mr Putin, Russia today is neither a democracy nor an economic power. I seriously question whether G8 leaders should attend the G8 summit," McCain said.

Source - Reuters (Click here to read the rest of the story.)

It is very possible that Russia may not be going to a right direction politically; however, boycotting of a summit would not solve any problem. It can make him, President Bush or both look good to some people in US locally, but it is nothing but a political stunt. Discussing difficult problems can be rather frustrating, and it also seems unproductive, but it is absolutely necessary. Boycotting discussion or even suggesting it is short-sighted.

One of major problems of today's legal system

I have been studying laws in a certain area for a reason recently, and, as I study laws, I cannot help but realize one of major problems of today's legal system. The legal system is structured so that it is always highly recommended that you hire an attorney no matter what personal legal work you do for yourself and no matter what legal work you do for your small business. Laws in US are heavily influenced by English common laws. The name "common laws" implies that laws apply to anyone equally AND they are not something that you need to pay money for; laws should not a commodity. Those of you who have to or had to do any legal work realize that you want to hire a good attorney if you can afford. If your budget allows, you would probably want to pay a substantial amount of money to the attorney. Why is that? Because that would enable you to use laws for your benefit. I personally enjoy studying laws, and I believe that many of you enjoy, too. However, even then, the same principle applies. The more money you spend, the more useful laws become to you. This is one of major problems of today's legal system.

Does the presidential campaign contribution help Ken Lay to get away with what he did?

Ken Lay's Audacious Ignorance

Even if one of America's worst ex-CEOs beats the rap -- and he just might -- history's verdict will be harsh

The only remaining question of great consequence about Enron is whether its prime movers, Kenneth L. Lay and Jeffrey K. Skilling, will go to prison for their part in its transformation from icon of New Age corporate cool to synonym for Bubble Era greed and deceit. As the pair go on trial on Jan. 30 in Houston, it will be important to keep in mind that the jury's decision will serve only to fix criminal culpability. Even if Lay and Skilling are acquitted, the trial holds zero hope of redemption for Enron's Big Two. History's verdict is already in, and it is harsh: As two of the most inept executives in business history, Lay and Skilling are heavily to blame for the demise of a company that once employed 31,000 people and had a stock market value of $35 billion but which survives today in shriveled form under the protection of the bankruptcy code.

Source - Business Week (click here to read the rest of the story.)

A lot of people are talking about whether Kenneth L. Lay and Jeffrey K. Skilling will be founded guilty or not (and subsequently will be sent to prison), but I am personally interested in how Ken Lay's contribution to the 2000 US presidential campaign will affect the outcome of the trail. It is a well-known fact that Ken Lay was the biggest contributor of the campaign(and that led to de-regulation of energy price right after George W. Bush became the president). I wonder if it can still save him today; more specifically, can he get away with what he did because of the contribution he made back in 2000?

Wall Street's view on economy is not exactly the most accurate view on economy

I wrote that I like Kudlow & Company TV programs and podcast, but one thing repeated in TV programs and podcast is rather troublesome to me. When "economy" is discussed, Larry Kudlow and guests in his shows basically discuss economy of the upper class, not middle class or lower class. In fact, Wall Street generally does not see "economy" as economy of the middle class or lower class; it seems that Wall Street's "economy" is economy of the upper class. This is troublesome because Wall Street's view on economy is often accepted as the view on economy nationally.

Number of US scientists (who were born and educated in US) win Nobel Prize every year; however, if there are more winners than last year, US Department of Education does not announce that US education has improved. If there are less, US Department of Education does not announce, either. What US Department of Education and other education organizations discuss is how well average Americans read. They discuss how well they can do math and how well they can read a book and understand its content. They are looking at right places. When actors and actresses manage to maintain clean and smooth skin, US Department of Health does not praise Americans' health. When American athletes win more gold medals in Olympic Games than in the last Olympic Games, US Department of Health does not say that Americans are becoming more athletic or improving speed and agility, which makes perfect sense.

The way in which "economy" is interpreted in US has a problem.

Distribution of capital has a very serious problem

I run a number of websites, and it is my business. Problems happen occasionally, so I call up the company that provides me services to run these websites (i.e., web hosting service). I have been working on some problem recently, and I have been working with technicians at the company, but there was a miscommunication between us, so I called them today. To make a long story short, the conversation was neither pleasant to me nor to the technician that I spoke with. We had a couple of issues, but here is what was happening behind our conversion. The company wants to charge me $150 per hour to provide me a certain service; the company says that they would need 3 hours, so they want to charge $450 for the task. If you make $150 per hour and work for 40 hours a week, you would make about 300k a year, so I think it fair to say that it is rather expensive. I was not pleasant to hear that I would need to pay $150 per hour. There was also some miscommunication, so it made me even more unpleasant (I got a similar service for free in the past from the same company, but I would be charged this time if I want to get their service). My guess is that I am not the only one; there are plenty of unhappy consumers. I imagine that the technician that I spoke with speak with many unhappy consumers everyday, which makes him unhappy. What makes the situation ever worse is that there is very little that consumers get from the work (so called consulting service) that costs $150 per hour. Furthermore, the technician that I spoke with or other technicians do not get $150 per hour, so it does not make them happy, nor does it give a good reason to them to do their work well. Subsequently, consumers are even unhappier because they need to speak with technicians who are unhappy and not motivated to do good work. This is a terrible cycle (What's interesting is that I happily paid for $150 per hour to an attorney the other day; though it is the same price, since she works independently and gets to keep the most of the fee, she provides a good service, which makes up for my hesitation to pay a high price for the legal service). Senior technicians (they are often called system administrators) would do the actual work, since they are more experienced, but they do not get to keep the most of $450, either (Consequently, they are not greatly motivated, nor do they provide great service). So, who gets to keep the big chunk of the fee? Management, the company. Now, I understand that the business needs to have a structure and a large company needs to have a hierarchy; only companies with a certain size can provide certain services, so the structure and hierarchy become necessary. The fee needs to be distributed among the company, so it ends up being priced rather high. HOWEVER, is it really justified? Does it really make sense? Customers (including myself) are unhappy because the quality of service is not there. Those who speak with customers are not happy because they are not properly compensated, nor are they motivated (and this creates a terrible cycle of making both parties even unhappier). Consumers lose a lot of money while neither those who speak to them nor those who do the actual work make a lot of money. Somehow, those who are far away from the real action get to accumulate wealth. Isn't there a problem here? Isn't it possible that distribution of capital has a very serious problem?