I'm really enjoying the U.S. Republican presidential candidate nomination.
It's a complete farce with the torch passing from one right wing psychopath to the next. It seems to come down to two candidates right now: Mitt Romney, a smarmy businessman and defender of the rich and Newt Gingrich, a seemingly bipolar disgraced politician.
Plenty of people have realised how strong a position this ridiculous bickering has placed the democrats in and I do not wish to rehearse that. Obama is licking his lips and we all know it.
The main reason it comes to mind is that it's just plain entertaining. It is car-crash reality television, with idiots tearing each other apart for our amusement. Roll on the actual election.
We'll all glut ourselves on the public humiliation of humiliating public figures.
-The English Student
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Liquid Ban
Another day, another flight.
Even with my familiarity with airport restrictions I still managed to bring liquids up to security earlier today. Without giving it proper thought I just dumped them and moved on. But it has made me wonder about the liquid restrictions that are still in place since the 2006 liquid explosive scare.
If banning liquids is still necessary, surely criminals and terrorists have just moved on to solids. Presumably we will be banned from taking solids onto planes soon too. I do not mean to trivialise the threat posed by liquid explosives, I merely wonder how effective sure a ban is.
As with any other aspect of human life, if someone wants to cause trouble they will find a way. Predictably my conclusion has to be to educate and solve the roots of terrorism rather than blanket ban benign substances that can be used for any means.
Predictable yet still a lesson we need to implement.
-The English Student
Even with my familiarity with airport restrictions I still managed to bring liquids up to security earlier today. Without giving it proper thought I just dumped them and moved on. But it has made me wonder about the liquid restrictions that are still in place since the 2006 liquid explosive scare.
If banning liquids is still necessary, surely criminals and terrorists have just moved on to solids. Presumably we will be banned from taking solids onto planes soon too. I do not mean to trivialise the threat posed by liquid explosives, I merely wonder how effective sure a ban is.
As with any other aspect of human life, if someone wants to cause trouble they will find a way. Predictably my conclusion has to be to educate and solve the roots of terrorism rather than blanket ban benign substances that can be used for any means.
Predictable yet still a lesson we need to implement.
-The English Student
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Chinese Apple
Apple released their new iPhone 4S in China today.
After stores opened, a crush from customers waiting outside forced the company to suspend sales throughout the country. Violence ensued outside these stores as the largest mobile phone market battered down the doors of Apple re-sellers.
Earlier in the week I listened to This American Life's latest podcast. It tells the story of Mike Daisey and his experience in Schengen factories. This is where these phones and tablets are made. They are made by under-paid, over-worked and faceless employees with little rights or respect.
At both the retail end and the construction end, there is a very uncomfortable relationship here. Apple have created massive demand for the product through their innovation, but also through their manipulation of the market. A manipulation they are afforded by exemptions from the Chinese authorities due to their large investment at the manufacturing end.
The company it seems, like their products, are becoming ever more pervasive in leading world economies.
-The English Student
After stores opened, a crush from customers waiting outside forced the company to suspend sales throughout the country. Violence ensued outside these stores as the largest mobile phone market battered down the doors of Apple re-sellers.
Earlier in the week I listened to This American Life's latest podcast. It tells the story of Mike Daisey and his experience in Schengen factories. This is where these phones and tablets are made. They are made by under-paid, over-worked and faceless employees with little rights or respect.
At both the retail end and the construction end, there is a very uncomfortable relationship here. Apple have created massive demand for the product through their innovation, but also through their manipulation of the market. A manipulation they are afforded by exemptions from the Chinese authorities due to their large investment at the manufacturing end.
The company it seems, like their products, are becoming ever more pervasive in leading world economies.
-The English Student
Sunday, January 8, 2012
New Phone Era
Up until recently I have had two phones on the go.
Unfortunately I lost one last week while the other is definitely on its last legs. It certainly does not owe me anything as I have had it for a few years at this point.
But I hesitate to buy a new phone. Do I need a smart one? One with a camera or the myriad of functions that are available? It is quite an important decision.
Perhaps I could actually go phone-less for awhile, rely on older forms of communication and needlessly lose my friends in the process.
Or maybe I should just finally spend some money!
-The English Student
Unfortunately I lost one last week while the other is definitely on its last legs. It certainly does not owe me anything as I have had it for a few years at this point.
But I hesitate to buy a new phone. Do I need a smart one? One with a camera or the myriad of functions that are available? It is quite an important decision.
Perhaps I could actually go phone-less for awhile, rely on older forms of communication and needlessly lose my friends in the process.
Or maybe I should just finally spend some money!
-The English Student
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Open Today?
For a bizarre reason, some retail outlets were open today.
It is the first of January and let's face it, no-one want's to go shopping today. Well obviously some people do (and indeed, did) but they have to be amongst the extreme minority. These people should have been relaxing and taking some time off, regardless of what they got up to for New Year's Eve.
Surely these occasions should be free from the demands of consumerism. A time when we can all forget about bank balances and spending money and instead, enjoy a relaxing time with our loved ones.
Perhaps that is the crux however. These people who venture into retail outlets on these days may not in fact have loved ones to spend the day with. Perhaps being paid to listen to them and give them company is all part of the job.
A more believable position, if these shops actually cared one bit about people.
-The English Student
It is the first of January and let's face it, no-one want's to go shopping today. Well obviously some people do (and indeed, did) but they have to be amongst the extreme minority. These people should have been relaxing and taking some time off, regardless of what they got up to for New Year's Eve.
Surely these occasions should be free from the demands of consumerism. A time when we can all forget about bank balances and spending money and instead, enjoy a relaxing time with our loved ones.
Perhaps that is the crux however. These people who venture into retail outlets on these days may not in fact have loved ones to spend the day with. Perhaps being paid to listen to them and give them company is all part of the job.
A more believable position, if these shops actually cared one bit about people.
-The English Student
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
