Friday, April 19, 2002

 
A Tale of Two Companies

This post at Sand in the Gears got m thinking about how Arthur Anderson is taking this whole DOJ thing.

I think this is actually an interesting development. And I think I also know the cause of Anderson's...ummm....intestinal fortitude. Microsoft.

Microsoft set an intersting precident that you can stare down the governement. IF you've got enough resources, you can play to the end game. Remember, you don't need to have all the resources of the government, because they can't put 100% to fighting you. They can make things awkward, and they do have resources...but not the fulll $2 trillion dollars worth.

Anderson is goin to take this through a few election cycles, let the players change a bit, while they slowly sell the company off, piece by piece...basically engineering another fait acompli just like Microsoft did. The DOJ may have resources, but they can't stop the hands of time, and they have so much regulation and politicing in the back room, that while the machinations are going on, you can maneuver yourself out of the situation they're attacking.

It's a good strategy, and it also demonstrates just how much the Microsoft campaign disproved the mindset "You can't fight City Hall". Prepare to see more of this in the future whenever some Representative looking to make a move to the Senate or a Senator looking to make a move to the White House levels short-term, politically motivated attacks against anyone. Overtime, as the precident has been set, smaller and smaller players will step up to the plate to fight, knowing the can lose a battle or two to win the war.

posted by Marin Hot-Tubber 1:02 PM

Thursday, April 18, 2002

 
A Tale of Two Controversies

ok, so why do I support condom education in schools and not familiy engineering?

Here's my rationalization.

The booth in question with information on condom use is a) concrete information b) can quantitativly improve peoples lives by slowing the spread of disease, unwanted pregnencies, and teenage abortions, and c) doesn't cost the school anything.

The video in question is part of a social engineering campaign that a) is opinion, b) has no quantifiable affect on "hate crimes", and c) will cost the district money to pay for the tapes and takes away education time for things that are more important.

We're also talking about a booth set up that any 17 year-old can go to of their own free will versus a tape with objectional material that may be working into the social science/history curriculum at the elementary school level.

I would not have a problem with the school making the tape available to parents so they could check it out and watch it with their children at home and discuss it there, the same way I would assume that any smart parent has had a "birds and bees" discussion with their children long before prom night.

posted by Marin Hot-Tubber 3:25 PM

Wednesday, April 17, 2002

 
Hypocrisy!!!

Boxer's "Statement On Nuclear Waste Disposal At Yucca Mountain"

Yucca Mountain is bad for Nevada, it is bad for California, and it is bad for the millions of Americans whose communities would become the chosen route for deadly nuclear waste transfer.

It is time for President Bush to stop paying lip service to the idea of states' rights and listen to our states.

Let's listen to local county supervisors in my home state of California. They oppose the Yucca site. Three counties have contacted me – Ventura, San Bernardino, and Inyo. They are very worried for two main reasons:

First, groundwater contamination. Tests have shown that Yucca Mountain "leaks" – despite earlier beliefs that the Mountain would serve as a fail-proof container. Water from the Mountain goes into the aquifer that California and Nevada share. If that water is contaminated by nuclear waste, it will endanger the drinking water and the water for wildlife in at least these three counties.

Second, much of the nuclear waste will be transported through these counties on the way to Yucca – possibly as many as five trucks full per day. In fact, the transport of this waste could impact my entire state because now officials are saying that the waste may have to be trucked all the way north to Sacramento as it makes its way to the Yucca site.

After September 11, this could be a nightmare. The terrorists have not gotten hold of nuclear materials yet. Why give them 74,000 opportunities in California alone during the next 39 years to get these materials?

America is on the cutting edge of science. I believe in the genius of our people, and I believe that we can soon find a way to neutralize and compact this waste.

It's time to start paying attention to science and safety – rather than politics.

I love that last line...it would seem to nullify her entire statement. If she was for real, it would read more like this:

Nuclear Energy is an important rescource that we should be looking at to relieve our dependence on foreign oil. While it has it's potential hazards, few abundant energy resources do not.

It is time for everyone to come together and stop bickering over partisan positions. Nuclear energy is here right now. And while it produces a waste product that we must dispose of in a safe manner, at least nuclear energy offers this option compared to fossil fuels being released into the atmosphere everyday.

Local counties from my home state have expressed concern over the proposed routes for moving this waste from the site of nuclear plants to its destination in Nevada. I would like to invite all local leaders to come to Washington to express their concerns in a civilized manner, so that all voices can be heard, and all consideration be taken into account to try to ensure the safety of every individual and community while taking into account the needs of the nation as a whole.

While the ingenuity of this country is great, and I'm sure that over the next decade our scientist will come up not only with original, safer ways to handle this waste, along with entirely new and unknown forms of energy production, the nuclear waste situation is something we need to face right now.

It's time to start paying attention to science and safety – rather than politics.

posted by Marin Hot-Tubber 6:28 PM

 
Lack 'o Posting

between that silly thing called a life and finishing up some music projects, it's been a little tough to find posting time...I should probably try to stick to a rule of at least one post a day, even if it's dribble to keep me in the habit.

in the meantime, I give you this to draw your own conclusions about: Novato to air disputed film about families

posted by Marin Hot-Tubber 2:16 PM