This is my tumblr. There are many like it but this one is mine. What I'll do with it, I have yet to figure out. Diftbaa.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Imaginary Numbers and the MPAA
It appears imaginary numbers are no longer just for those engaging in higher level mathematics any more. The MPAA has jumped on that wagon as well (again).
So following a set of links to another link to links of sources and so on and so forth, this jewel crossed my path. It is a statement released by the MPAA, IFTA, NATO, and Deluxe on SOPA. In it, there is a quote from Michael O’Leary, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs of the MPAA.
“Over 2 million Americans across all 50 states earn a living and support their families in jobs connected to the making of motion pictures and television shows. They deserve better than to see their work stolen out from under them by criminals out to make a profit.”
Further searching turns up this quote by Mr. O’Leary on SOPA.
“On behalf of the 2.2 million Americans whose jobs depend on the film and television industries, we look forward to the Administration playing a constructive role in this process and working with us to pass legislation that will offer real protection for American jobs.”
However, according the Bureau of Labor there are only 361,900 people employeed in the motion picture and video industry. And of those 361,900 people, 25% of them are in service aspect of the industry meaning janitors, ushers, ticket takers, food concessions, and the like. Now, I don’t know what the margin of error on Mr. O’Leary’s numbers are, nor do I know the margin of error in the Bureau of Labor, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t that great and I likewise think I’ll take info from the Bureau of Labor over some idiot that is worried about passing a bill so is grossly inflating numbers.
Not only that, but here is the Bureau’s take on the employment change in the industry.
“Wage and salary employment in the motion picture and video industries is projected to grow 14 percent between 2008 and 2018, compared with 11 percent growth projected for wage and salary employment in all industries combined. Job growth will result from the increase in demand for programming needed to fill the rising number of cable and satellite television channels, both in the United States and abroad. Also, more films will be needed to meet in-home demand for videos, DVDs, and films over the Internet. Responding to an increasingly fragmented audience will create many opportunities to develop films. The international market for domestic films is expected to continue growing as more countries and foreign individuals acquire the ability to view U.S.-made movies.”
But do you know who does employ over a million people? The tech industry. Over 1,450,000 people are employed in the tech industry. Now to be fair, some of those jobs are counted among the Motion Picture industry. However, this number does not include the janitors or maintenance persons in the industry for say Google or IBM so the number is actually higher still. In fact, according to TechServe Alliance the total number of IT jobs in the country is up to 4,000,000.
So as our representatives in Washington are suppose to push this bill (many have speculated almost hand written by the MPAA via one Mr. O’Leary) in an attempt to make a growing industry of 361,000 grow further and faster because they are pissed off while hampering an exploding industry that is providing 4 million people their jobs while simultaneously censoring the internet and ignoring laws in the bill of rights because of the [insert stupidly high and fabricated number here] of dollars lost due to piracy. I’m sorry, but in the words Chris Rock in Head of State… “That ain’t right. That isn’t right. THAT SHIT IS WRONG!”
(some) SOURCES
Multiple Association statement
2.2 Million jobs
Bureau of Labor (Motion Picture and Video Industries)
Bureau of Labor (Computer Systems Design and Related Services)
4 million tech jobs - Computer World and Techserve Alliance
MPAA writing SOPA accusation - Too many to list so here is just one.
Just making up numbers of dollars lost conspiracy - Short read and here is the Full article which is a good read. Many more can be found easily. (P.S. Thanks Mickeleh for this one.)
Nerdfighter kiva.org update.
Was late getting my loan out, but number 4 on the books. Also, a goal update. 99% complete. $175,825 of $177,840 … lent? loaned? lended?….BANK ROLLED!
Hank Green's Tumblr: Defending Television
This. This was the conversation I was waiting for but couldn’t find a way to express. Thanks to both of you.
Hank, I feel like your arguments here are a bit hypocritical.
The interface:
Digital cable interface is horrible - cancel cable!
New youtube layout that lots of people hate - it’s just because it’s new, give yourself time to get used to it!
The ads:
Cable ads are terrible and waste years of our lives and are completely unnecessary - don’t watch them!
Internet ads are completely necessary to pay for people to put stuff on the internet, so think about that before you use adblock!
I get that a lot of tv is mindless. I’d also argue that watching people play video games is also extremely mindless but I’m sure you don’t have an issue with people spending hours catching up on HankGames.
n the end, what’s most interesting to me is that this is controversial at all. People spend a huge amount of time watching television and I think, deep down, we’re all somewhat ashamed of it. We know we could be reading, talking to family, creating, thinking, playing, being alive.
But instead we’re caring about fake people living fake lives that are more interesting than our lives by virtue of the very fact that THEY AREN’T WATCHING TELEVISION.
Getting emotionally invested in a book is okay, but in television characters is not? Books are just as much of an escape as tv. As are video games, etc. A lot of nerdfighteria has become emotionally attached to a completely fictional soccer team and got all emotional about our favorite bald/other john green couple hugging, or them winning the FA cup.
But with the Swoodilypoopers, or with tv, it’s often times about so much more than someone sitting alone in their room getting excited about something. It’s about sharing it. And the community around it. It’s about talking to each other about what we thought, how it affected us, etc. It’s about creating art and fan fiction and bonds with other human beings over similar interests.
I get that too much tv is a bad thing. So is too much candy, soda, alcohol, etc. Should we get rid of all candy companies and make alcohol illegal again because too much can be harmful? I think that comes down to the individual. If someone is getting sucked into tv too much that they become an uninteresting person, that is their freedom to do so. It’s not something I would choose to do, but it’s not my place to say they cannot, just as I can’t tell them they can’t eat candy for dinner.
The internet and cable both have flaws. I wouldn’t want either to go away.
I think that you (and the many others who have made similar arguments) are correct. I think if I look deeper down, this is stemming from a long-term problem that I’ve had with my own habits and not a problem I have with other people’s habits.
Ever since the first time I heard a statistic about how much television people watch, I’ve been horrified. I was more horrified when I ran the numbers on myself and found that I was beating out the average person. I felt like a hypocrite. I felt like I’d already wasted a huge swath of my life.
I’ve always been a fairly ambitious person and pretty obsessed with time management. I was very worried that I was going to spend my life watching TV. I’ve never stopped or anything, but to this day watching TV (especially if it is not mentally engaging) makes me anxious. Television with complicated jokes and social situations or commentary or information I did not previously know…that allows me to relax.
But the average television show makes me extremely anxious. It’s one of the most stressful ways I can spend time because there is a piece of me that is constantly hating myself for enjoying it.
And so I’ve got a complicated set of rationalizations for why TV is horrible and the internet (where i feel entirely comfortable) is not.
—-
I think it is vital that we question the ways that we spend our time. That we analyze our media and determine whether it is worth our time. But I also think that for each person the answers to those questions are going to be different.
I don’t feel bad for calling the status quo into question, I think we should constantly be doing that. But I do feel bad for project my emotions onto the world at large.
Man’s need for philosophy
I’ve tried to write this idea down before yet written words do not seem to do it justice the way a conversation can. Having attempted this several times I finally know what is missing… the conversation that this generates from those of differing philosophies. Having found where this text is lacking, I believe I can lay the basic foundation of what I wish to say in hopes that the conversation continues on this forum, Facebook, or another social media site as social structures are also key in philosophies.
In the beginning of man, there were men. All humans have a deep seeded desire to know from whence they came, how and why things work, and how might be become a better person. This of course gave birth to philosophy in it’s infancy. Some of the first philosophies man might have adopted were that of survival. Doing what one can for another until it interferes with ones own survival. Quick on the heels I would assume would be that of religions. The gods of old, benevolent or cruel held sway over the earth, its weather, and everything between life and death as well as before and after. As people, we often follow philosophies without even knowing as almost anything that tells one how to live, how to act, and/or how to think can be, and in fact is, a philosophy. Those can such things as modern day Christianity, the Democratic Party, or even a doctor’s Hippocratic oath. However, one thing can be found in all peoples. EVERYONE follows a philosophy.
Without philosophy one is an incomplete human being. No one knows what is right or wrong or even how to act without it. In social circles, we take on the philosophy of the group in which we interact (or the counter argument therefore). Often times this is a lower level belief that can be discarded or thrown away without a loss of oneself. This is because a person is complex and able (to attempt at least) to follow multiple philosophies at once. Examples of this are hard core party line Republicans that are Christians. If the two ever came in blatant conflict with each other in the view of the holder, a war would be fought internally but most have already decided which one is the leading philosophy of ones life and the lowering ranking philosophy would be discarded or revised in the persons mind. Remember every person is complex.
Religion is generally a base foundation for many in the world as a philosophy. It provides them with a moral code of conduct. It provides a reward/punishment system for good and evil acts, and most deal with questions of the unknown including where we came from and what happens after we die. The lesser philosophies that one may follow are then set to align themselves in concordance with the main philosophy. Generally the closer to the main philosophy an idea is, the closer to the top it ranks and the harder it is to give up that philosophy.
The point where everything come crumbling down is when one has come to reject their primary philosophy. Examples would be Christians becoming atheists or Muslims becoming Jews. Every philosophy in ones life has to be rethought, reconfigured, and reordered because it was for that one highest ranking philosophy that all others were derived. For a moment in time they are a lost human being. What they have worked for and based their life on is no longer a belief held by them. Often times this can lead to anger, fear, or resentment toward the ex-philosophy.
Philosophy is a path one must walk. The road my change, one may become lost for a while, but in the end our human nature demands it of us to find our place in the world. I encourage anyone to remark upon and continue the conversation on this idea of mine.
(Clarification: Atheism is a belief in a non belief. It indeed is a way to define what one views, but by default atheism is not a major philosophy, only a limited belief in disbelief which would fall under more major philosophies such (but not necessarily including or limited to) as Social (country) and/or Social (local) and/or Humanism.
John Green's tumblr: The Leaking of The Fault in Our Stars
Early this morning, I learned that BN.com had accidentally shipped out The Fault in Our Stars, which will be published on January 10th, to many people who’d preordered the book. Although efforts are being made to stop shipments wherever possible, some of these people will likely receive the book…
This almost makes me wish I had ordered from B&N so I could get it, wrap duct tape around it and write in sharpie **DO NOT OPEN UNTIL JAN 10TH**
This is accurate but in a limited way, and it’s a good example of how graphics can lead to bias regardless of your political inclinations*. So what you see above is the 2012 federal budget for discretionary spending, which is very different from the actual 2012 federal budget.
The 2012 federal budget also contains something called mandatory spending, and in 2012 we’ll spend about $2.382 trillion in mandatory spending. Social security will cost us $761 million, and things like medicare and unemployment insurance will cost a lot as well. (For a good breakdown of the 2012 budget, go here.)
Republican leaders are being completely disingenuous when they pretend that eliminating the Department of Education (or any number of other federal departments) would significantly cut the budget deficit. But Democratic leaders are also being completely disingenuous when they act like the defense budget is the biggest budgetary challenge facing the U.S. (The notable exception here is the President, who actually acknowledges that serious budget reform will involve both cutting social programs and raising taxes, thereby making him popular with no one except me.)
I’ve been really disappointed in our national inability to have a grown-up conversation about the economy, unemployment, wage stagnation, small business growth, and the other hot-button topics of the past few months. To beat a dead horse, we all need to recognize the legitimacy of others’ narratives if we’re ever going to make progress, and part of that is acknowledging that most of the federal budget does, in fact, go to social programs. (As it does in every other country in the developed world.)
* Like, I think the U.S. spends way too much on defense, but it would be ludicrous to say that cutting defense spending could easily balance the budget. Also, quite a lot of defense spending goes into very popular programs, like providing health care for war veterans.
Let me try again, John. If you are indeed in favor of a balanced budget, I again point you toward Ron Paul who not only wants to cut out several departments but slash the military budget as well. I understand that for years he has just been crazy Uncle Ron but I urge you to look into how he plans to cut and what it entails such as:
1.) The cutting of several departments and moving some of their responsiblities to existing departments (so no not just getting rid of everything they cover).
2.) Ending the military occupation of other countries and US wars except as a final solution.
3.) Walk and Talk: Cutting his salary for his presidency to (somewhere in the neighborhood) 43k a year. Also he is one of only a very very select few to return part of his staff budget to the treasury each year.
4.) Opt ins/outs for things like SS. The ponzi scheme will slowly be phased out (though it will hurt until it is finished)
As a Libertarian, I do not agree with a great number of his ideas, and, yes, believe that some of them could even hurt us as a country. However, as a man of integrity, I at least know that he knows how to navigate DC and his policies will have supporters on both sides of the isles if not always at the same time. Likewise, experience tells us when you vote for him, you know what you are getting and there will be few if any surprises. As such, one might prepare support or defense against his policies, instead of crafting them on the fly from a candidate who is either lying the whole time, or so ignorant to how the government works he can make claims that can never be accomplished. Likewise, it’s nice to at least hear ideas and some meat on subjects instead of slogans like “Change” or “Balanced Budgets” or “Small Government”
On a related note. I’d like to congratulate Daniel Biss on his bid into the office of the Senate. I have kept up with his voting record and actions (as best as I’ve could) for the past two years and happy to see his name on that list.
Ron Paul Article
I follow someone on twitter who recently supplied this article.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/11/14/u-might-be-a-ron-paul-supporter-if/
Now I have to say this is the most misinforming article that I have read on Ron Paul so let me break down each point that I am able.
1.) I have and I still support him
2.) Ron Paul believed that enacting the Civil Rights act was unconstitutional. It is in the Constitution now and he fully supports it because of this. Inaccurate
3.) So because a racist org supports him we shouldn’t? What about the KKK voting against Obama? Should non-racist people have voted for Obama simply because the KKK supported McCain.
4.) Why was the government investigating the oil spill? Libertarian difference of opinion, nothing else.
5.) He wants to eliminate the EPA and have private sector take over but he has said many times it would be a process, not a cut and run. Fearmongering by saying you won’t have clean air or water is shameful.
6.) “It’s amazing to me how many people think that voting to have the government give poor people money is compassion. Helping poor and suffering people yourself is compassion. Voting for our government to use guns to give money to help poor and suffering people is immoral self-righteous bullying laziness. People need to be fed, medicated, educated, clothed, and sheltered. If we’re compassionate, we’ll help them, but you get no moral credit for forcing other people to do what you think is right.” - Penn Jillette
7.) Well this is just stupid. First off he plans to move the responsibilities of the department of education to another existing department, not get rid of everything they cover. Secondly, since he wants to provide sound money and remove most taxes is this really a bad thing as school, while being private, would be able to be paid for then. No Child Left Behind - Talk to teachers about the government in schools and how that has worked out. More ill/misinformed fear-mongering. Also, nothing stops the states themselves for sponsoring schools and allowing them to be free and public.
8.) False. He wants to remove many regulations on the work place, but those that call of safety, health, and civil liberties of people he wants to continue to protect. Also, just so you know, nothing stops the states from enacting regulations or private companies from doing so as well. It also opens the flood gates for unions. More Fear-mongering
9.) Ron Paul is pro-life. He also does not believe it is up to the government to tell states or local governments that you have to follow his lead. If a state or more local government wants to allow abortions they can.
10.) False. An out and out lie.
11.) He thinks 9/11 could have been prevented if we kept our noses out of other people’s affairs. He is against the FAA, the organzation that, among other things, keeps guns off of planes. Also, maybe he is right. I don’t know. You don’t either. Once again something he would like to step down and allow the private sector to take over.
12.) I honestly have personally not heard where Dr. Paul stands on this issue. However, I would assume it would be with civil liberties. While i cannot out-right refute this, I would assume as a Conservative Christian he does not agree with the life style “choices” of the LGBT community, but as a libertarian I have to equally assume he would fight for and protect their liberties and rights.
13.) I have not heard of this issue. I will look into it. On the surface it looks bad, but the fear-mongering of this article does not bode well for this item either.
14.) No one is perfect or right all the time. I personally don’t oppose it just as many who voted for Obama did not support everything he proposed (the very few things he did promise other than shouting “change”)
15.) More fear-mongering. The US already doesn’t have a good relationship with other countries as they have ignore the UN on many occasions. We don’t have good standing because we are a militant country, occupying countries around the world and are the militant branch of the UN. When the UN calls for action, the US is the force sent in. Pulling out of the UN might actually INCREASE our good standing.
16.) It is base lined. I don’t agree with it, but no other person standing on a stump for the past 20 years has ever laid out so many plans and had a voting record so scrutinized. It is because he is telling everything up front that he is being shouted down instead of hiding who and what he is. Everyone should be proud of someone having the integrity to stand up and tell you point blank what he intends to do instead of pandering to bases and spouting mottos left and right.
17.) Is it progress? Are you sure? The patriot act is progress… you know that bill Ron Paul voted against that everyone else wanted and was later taken away? Is it progress having an unregulated banking system? Is it progress to have a debt that is over 90% of our GDP? Is that really progress? Is it progress to spend ourselves into oblivion while we create financial bubbles? Progress? Really?
18.) Federal student loans are the reason college is so expensive. By removing the federal government, by making money sound and removing inflation, and by paying lower taxes, people are still able to go to colleges. Plus, once again, there is the private sector who will have more money that is sound.
19.) I don’t believe that at all. This is pandering and below shameful. X is stupid. Y believes X. Y supports Z. Therefore Z is stupid.
20.) I believe the entire constitution is important and that is why it’s on there. Is the first more important than the second amendment? Is the fifth more important than the eighth? Do you really put so much faith in lists and categorize them from importance based on their location therein without any reason to believe this is the case?
21.) Obama was weak. If he wanted them home immediately he could have done so. The president is commander-in-chief. He is not allowed to engage in war (for more than 90 days) without consent from Congress, but he can damn well end one without a one bit of support from them. That’s the way it works if you read the Constitution. That is how it happens. If you are so weak you need Congress to tell you how to run your administration, then maybe you don’t need the power that comes with the office.
I don’t agree with everything Ron Paul says. I don’t like some of his policies. Some of his ideas are indeed a step backwards. Many however remain a step forward and those many are the reason I support him. Do you support everything Mitt Romney or Cain, or Huntsman, or Perry says? Do you support everything that Obama has done? All the flip flopping and lying and playing the political game… you support all of that? Well I’m allowed to support a guy who I don’t always agree with either.
Now I could have a few of these wrong. Lord knows whoever wrote this article either did, or is a spin doctor the likes of which would impress Bill O’Reily, therefore, you are more than welcome to correct me if I’m mistaken.
Brilliant song composed by a fan and sung by none other than Coach Brothers. Please talk about it and reblog it and all that fun stuff. Why? because its a fan made thing and its AMAZING!!
Oh Nerdfighters, you are indeed made of awesome.
Swindon Town Gazette: Trying to Topple a King
Today Swindon Town met Wigan Athletic on the green. Wigan is currently at the top of the Championship League in which S Town is trying to move past in their march to the Premiership League.
Even though the game ended nil - nil a lot of good things came out of this game. The Swoodilypoopers proved…
Well it is the truth that Swindon Town will have to get rid of some players. However, I can’t see them being the same without D. Lucas, OJG, and BJG. While it would hurt to lose V. Perricard I think if we can get a better striker to go with C. Austin to give OJG and BJG a rest that should be a goal. F. Hall would make the cut as well as Taylor-Fletcher, B. Stock, S. Cutbert and P. Parry. On the chopping block would be backup Goalkeeper Smith, B. Bodin, Caddis, Cirelli, Gartland, and sadly L. Williamson. Other members who fates lie in their upcoming performances are Ramsden, Donazzan, and sadly A. Lallana.
That is the team, but here is the problem. We need 11 people on the field: With 8 spots filled with starters and 1 backup, we need 3 more starters and of course a few backups. Currently it would breakdown as…
GK - D. Lucas
RB -
RCB - F. Hall
LCB - Cuthbert
LB -
RM - Taylor-Fletcher
RCM - B. Stock
LCM -
LM - P. Parry
RS - OJG
LS - BJG
Backups
C. Austin
Ramsden, Donazzan, and A. Lallana could fill those 3 empty positions and we could hope they improve or move L. Williamson into the RB or LB position and hopes he finds a home there cutting loose either Ramsden or Donazzan. But we still need a better striker than V. Perricard if we could find one. Cirelli and Gartland could be viable backups/subs for the mid-field positions if we can’t get anyone better, but I would think it would be better to trade them and V.Pericard for a slightly better striker and a few lower talented backups.
