Over at Ars Technica, they report that some “Parents are up arms over Australian student database.” Over 1,200 public schools are being forced to participate (whether the parents like it or not) in a new program called OneSchool.  The database would house “photos [of students], career aspirations, off-campus activities, contact information, behavior records, attendance, and performance records.”

I’m going to ignore for a moment the idea that this data eventually will be hacked or used in an unintended manner. To me, this is another example of why publicly run systems don’t work. If you were a parent at a private school, would you want the teachers and principle to be able to track behavior, performance, career activities and a photo of who the child was? Of course, how can you assure progress without feedback and checks and encouragement?

However, say something went wrong. You disagreed with how the school categorized your child’s behavior. Maybe they were more of a loner and you, as a parent, thought that was okay, but the school thought your child needed to be more sociable. Well, in this scenario, you’re lucky. Your child goes to a private school. You drop the child from that school and put them in a different school.

Change the scenario. The school is state-run. Of course, government has the monopoly on force. You have no choice. It is necessary to meet to these disagreeable standards or else. Government standards for performance (defined by what?), attendance (defined by what?) and behavior (defined by what?) are mandated. Its not an individual’s decision to teach their kids in the best way they see fit. Its based on what the government thinks and at the very least, that probably means popular opinion. if 99% of people want want 1% of kids to be taught a certain way. Then that’s the last laugh.

Studio has signed a deal to turn last year’s hit videogame, which won numerous awards and sold more than 2 million units worldwide, into a film.

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” helmer is attached to direct and produce. “Aviator” scribe John Logan is in talks to pen the screenplay.”
http://www.variety.com/VR1117985365.html

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/583502.html

As humans, ours limits follow the path that our minds create. Nuclear power is just another way in which we must exploit the earth as we survive.

Here are a few excerpts:

“Hamas is not dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that lives in peace alongside the State of Israel; rather, its charter calls for the destruction and elimination of Israel.”

“Israel is a democracy that represents the myriad views of its citizens. Some are liberal, cosmopolitan and secular. Others are conservative and religious. Some are nationalistic and some Zionistic. Some are Arab. But all have a voice within the Knesset.”

“It is precisely this imbalance that Anderson fails to report. He claims that Israel treats every Palestinian as a terrorist, yet he treats every Israeli as a monster complicit in the supposed extermination of the Palestinians.”

“The cessation of funds from America to one of its staunchest allies is not going to solve the plight of the Palestinians.”

Your Electric Vehicle Is Too Quiet; Congress May Force It To Be Louder

In another paternalistic move, congress is discussing the forcing of a safety feature to electric cars: noise.  The idea is that now pedestrians are used to hearing the noise of a car coming and if a car was silent, like an electric car essentially is, then there would be more pedestrians accidents. While the logic is pretty reasonable, it isn’t definite. They haven’t established that its congress’ job to force this feature (they just assume they can and people let them). If electric/when electric cars start to be the norm, I think people might be smart enough to start relying on their eyes more than their ears. We don’t need congress protecting ourselves from learning to use our eyes a little bit more than our ears.

The argument that should be argued, of course, is not. What’s happening in the Kansas City Missouri legislation is an argument over the abolishing the 1% earnings tax that is imposed on the employers and companies who operate in Kansas City, MO. The argument being made against the tax is 1. It discourages companies from locating in downtown Kansas City instead opting for the suburbs which are safer and don’t have this 1% tax 2. The people who actually pay the tax don’t necessarily live in KCMO and cannot vote for or against the tax.  The argument being made for the tax is pretty much singular: the city can’t survive without it. It is estimated that the tax will be providing $206.5 million or 43 percent of the city’s general revenues this year.  They proclaim, “How would replace those funds?”  Here’s a novel idea: Pass taxes in a system that directly pays for those services needed. Property taxes for Police and Fire. Gas taxes for road maintenance. Maybe, then, the politicians would pay more attention to what exactly they are making us pay for.

First response: It’s incredible to me that hundreds of millions of dollars can just be given to the government with no tie or responsibility to a particular activity.

Argument that should be being made:  The government is only chartered to perform certain activities.  Any taxes must be directly tied to those activities in which the government is responsible for.

I will say this about part of the argument that the people in favor of the abolition of the 1% tax. The fact is negligible that people who work in Missouri but live somewhere else are coerced into paying a 1% income tax even though they can’t vote for or against the tax.  It ignores the choice. Businesses and employees choose to do business in Kansas City, MO, but virtue of that choice, they are accepting that 1% tax. (A big problem for KCMO is that many businesses have chosen to move to the suburbs). In the same way that, if I go traveling, I pay sales tax when I purchase anything. I can’t vote for the taxes in California, but when I go there, I pay for souvenirs and the sales tax on those souvenirs. As part of my choice for going to and buying in California, I’ve accepted the tax.

In reality, this earnings tax is part of the larger problem Kansas City, Mo has had to deal with. They pushed businesses out of downtown with stupid big taxes, survived on corruption and poor safety records. The first step is recognizing individual and government responsibility. KCMO hasn’t made that step. Instead, they have to offer large temporary tax reductions to individuals( real estate tax abatement ) and businesses ( TIFs).  Favors and government entitlement. Band-aids instead of of permanent long-term solutions. The only way this

Kansas City Star - Kansas City Earnings Tax Debated
BlogKC - “Earnings Tax: True Hollywood Story”
KC Prime Buzz - “Senator seeks to end KC’s 1% earnings tax”
Show-Institute - Lest We Think 1 Percent Is Small

From Robert Morris to Bill Gates, Forbes Magazine takes us through 20 spectacular business stories in the book titled, “Forbes: Greatest Business Stories of All Time.” Another highly recommended book. The stories aren’t long, about 10-15 pages each. The stories start at the beginning our the capitalist story (also known as the founding of our country), and continue to near modern day. You can learn a lot from each of the people in this book and that’s why its a stepping stone. While it doesn’t go into serious depth, the book gives you plenty to remember! Check the book at. The link to amazon is above. It’ll make you hungry for more about these real-life heroes.

Five members of Cuban U-23 team missing from hotel -
I’m sure they were just wandering the street promoting the Cuban health care system….

So McCain actually has some guts when talking middle-east, but there is something more domestic to be worried about with his politics. Yaron Brook  at Forbes magazine gets to the point -> “Sen. McCain was once asked whether McCain-Feingold abridges freedom of speech. He implicitly admitted that it does: “I would rather have a clean government than one where quote ‘First Amendment rights’ are being respected that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I’d rather have the clean government.” We should tell Sen. McCain and those who agree with him that a government which strips us of our right to free speech is by that very fact corrupt.”

Oh yes, see the future. Hulu.com is a central site for NBC, FOX andd some other stations where you can stream new television shows for free.  Also, there are some movies on there too. HIGHLY recommended. Easy to use.

The IP office needs to change. They need technology-savvy lawyers fast. They need people who can tell the difference between an actual innovation that needs protection and a broad idea. Much in the same way, our congress needs technology savvy individuals too. Why you don’t see every single student coming out of college with at least a minor in something technology related is beyond me.

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In case you missed it, Paul over at Noodlefood points us in the direction of a great NYT article about the dynamics of British Health care. How is it really doing? Do you get the kind of care that you need when you need it?

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Got some time to kill? Get your Pro Wrestling name!?
Mine is: Bobcat Satan
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The Rule of Reason hits a point that has been bugging me for quite some time. The Fed and its crappy policy is going to lead us into a lot of bad news. Even today, agriculture prices dramatically increased. Hard to say why right now, but hit up the Capitalist Pig vlog to see which ones hit their highs. Assuming these prices stick, inflation for this month isn’t looking any better. It’s definitely time to be putting your new money into bonds, preferred stocks and other countries’ currencies.

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Part of being a more productive member of society ( and not being a wake up at noon, go to class at 1pm college student) is learning how to be on the ball and have an active mind at all parts of the day. Of course, caffeine is often included in this equation. This is why I’d like to share to you an essential travel item for the business person on the go! The Handpresso Wild!! [video here]

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If Capitalism was TV show, THIS would be its theme song in the 90’s.

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Gus Van Horn’s post titled Religion Vs. Nanotechnology has jogged an idea in my head. There could be one way Americans would benefit from not having separation of church and state. In the post, a researcher looks at the results of a study showing that far less Europeans have moral qualms about Nanotechnology than Americans. Europeans have an interesting view and relationship with religion. If the US had a church tax like Germany, would we hate the church as much as we do the IRS? In that way, if the Church was more closely tied to the state, Americans might develop the same sort of apathy and dislike of the Church as they do for the Government. Not to say that I want a anything near a theocracy in the US. It would be overwhelmingly bad for individual rights the closer the state gets to religion, but reason would benefit from a more skeptical view of religion and a more secularly moral society.