Real Life Pulp

Getting away from pulp fiction for a second, I feel the need to vent a bit about a few pulp-sounding but real life events.

1) My Facebook account was hacked by someone from their phone in Malaysia. Hell yeah. So far it doesn't look like they changed anything. I wonder why they did it. I've got the most boring facebook page in the world.

2) Samsung models in testing have cameras and microphones so that you can control them with your voice or eyes (and how do you accidentally avoid turning the TV off when you get up to get a drink?) and this has sparked worry over whether or not the TV could be hacked, resulting in somebody watching you through your TV.

3) Some of the leading conteners for "Big Brother" status are the ones most vehemently protecting the flow of information. See: all that SOPA/PIPA nonsense, which we have not heard the last of.

4) Recently, what with the economy in ruins for years at a time, my argument that the world is overpopulated has actually gained some tractions with people, whereas historically people pretty much told me I'm insane, and that I'd have to either be an insane murderer (think: Ethical Suicide Booths a la Welcome to Monkey House) or a communist (See: China's one child policy.) This is ironic on so many levels, since it's worse to do nothing, since China hasn't really been communist since Deng Xiao Ping took over and declared that "to get rich is glorious." It's also worth noting that historically, even into 20th century the Chinese in particular were known for flooding a place until its native inhabitants were marginalized (see: Xinjiang) so for them to be leading the charge for voluntary de-populations, and to be doing it to themselves... you know, even as a Politics guy with a focus on Asia, I'd never really considered it except from a practical point of view. If you compare it to China's historical actions, it's nothing short of astounding. A complete 180. And if they can keep it up, I'm sure Xinjiang would be just thrilled since the Uighurs might retake their own territory, but whatever. My point is, if the Chinese can do it, so can everyone else.

5) I try not to talk about US politics too much in public. It makes me too mad. Some people say it's funny, though. I used to agree. I still remember watching the news as Bush Jr. won his second term with my Poli-Sci professor. I was surprised at his disappointment. If nothing else, he must've known it was coming. But many years have come and gone since then. Many, many years. And I am now an old man. And I don't find it funny anymore. Here, however, are a few key points, and you'll notice, though it's not intentional, it applies far more to the GOP

-Stop insulting women.
-Cutting educational budgets is never the answer. Neither is anti-intellectualism. How anyone can seriously look ten thousand experts in the eye and say "well, I don't know nothin' 'bout that, but I know yer wrong." with a straight face is completely beyond me. See for instance, debates on intelligent design- an issue which got under my skin just recently since the latest reports from my alma mater state that the Biology department got a big grant from the Templeton foundation, one of the largest anti-evolutionist groups in the country. I should also point out that our universities would not be susceptible to such biased, outside influence IF YOU'D STOP CUTTING THEIR BUDGETS.
-TV and Radio hosts are not politicians, they're entertainers.
-Speaking of which, could you please try and debate on the facts rather than moral grounds based on misrepresentation? As an example: That whole Limbaugh debacle? It was a proposal to include contraceptives in group health care. So it's not government funded. It's funded by the premiums of those who are part of the insurance. It is therefore not asking someone to pay you for having sex, and the poor woman is therefore not a slut, you slanderous cretin.
- This is distinctly NOT a Christian country in it's founding. I could write forever about the contents of the Declaration, constitution, federalist papers and other founding documents and writings of founding fathers, and as a political scientist whose father was an American Historian, and who paid attention, take my word for it that our country became as strong as it did because we avoided a theocratic government, or even a government whose rule is legitimized by a friendly old man sitting in the clouds.
-Reagenomics don't work. Trickle down does not work. Even Bush Sr. had the sense to call it Voodoo Economics. Businesses won't recover if nobody has any money to spend. Our country was at its strongest when the Middle Class was at its height. For those of you paying attention, that'd be roughly the Eisenhower era. Best conservative president of the 20th century. Why not deify him instead of Reagan?
-I assume you all saw that Etch-a-sketch comment from Romney's advisor, right? Clearly he doesn't think much of the intellect of the American people. But see, the problem with ruining our educational system just because as your opponent Santorum might say "they are liberal indoctrination mills" is that even guys like you are too stupid to remember not to insult every single voter all at once with no plan or purpose in mind.

And hopefully, that'll get the politics out of my system for a while. I apologize for venting.