One By One We Sacrificed Our Pawns

I haven't posted in a while, as I've been preoccupied with Google Plus. I started this earlier this week, and finished it today. I think it turned out pretty well. It's good to design some original stuff finally. It hardly ever happens.

Why the States’ Rights Philosophy Limits Opportunities For the Disadvantaged

Every time I hear a politician or person I talk to advocating “States’ Rights,” I cringe or react in some other unfavorable way. Aside from the inexcusable advocacy of the philosophy of allowing states to have more control subscribed to by the likes of George C. Wallace (governor of Alabama from 1963 to 1967), who famously believed states should determine themselves whether racial integration should take place, institutionalization of this position can limit opportunities of low income individuals in less obvious and egregious ways.

The deprivation of opportunity stems from the fact that people are born involuntarily in any given state. African-Americans didn’t choose to be born in Alabama during segregation, or in the age of slavery in the United States. The most obvious solution to living in a state one is dissatisfied with is simply to relocate to another one. For those of us with the means to do so, it can become a matter of the disruption of stability in employment, for example. For those with the means to barely pay their bills every month, for whatever reasons, the prospect of relocating to a more favorable state is most likely not possible.

Living within a version of the United States with more powerful states and a less influential federal government, which many conservatives and libertarians seem to desire, only those with the financial means to choose a state where laws are more accommodating are able to relocate to those states. Under this system, the laws controlling federal versus state powers favor only the middle-middle, upper-middle, and of course upper classes. People who are unemployed, disabled and elderly who are not able to receive federal benefits, and are denied state-level benefits are therefore unable to improve their lives through their own means.

Although the states’ rights philosophy, if used to limit state-level spending on benefits, which conservatives and libertarians seem to favor, allows for more local influence of a given populace to theoretically have more control over the laws in their own territory, what’s the societal price which must be paid to allow for this control? And more importantly, how much more influence does a real individual (not a corporation) have over anything within our current voting process, especially considering the results of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision?

Under a conservative and/or libertarian-favored system, more “local” control (or lack of local government control or regulation) is asserted, and there is less regulation of corporations. There would nothing to stop (aside from politicians in power and individuals able to organize local referendums and propositions, where able) corporations and more wealthy individuals from having more influence than they currently do. Even within the current system, where some regulations on business institutions are in place, some would argue those with more wealth, and therefore access to more education, resources and opportunities, have too much power. Imagine a society, however limited by area, where those people would have even more. Under a system of “more freedom,” the financially stronger are favored over everyone else.

Conservatives and libertarians argue against the federal government’s ability to tax, and therefore against the federal government’s ability to issue benefits, provide infrastructure, and provide services. Most people can agree the federal government often doesn’t operate as well as we would like, but without it’s power to tax, and the initiatives taken to improve national infrastructure and provide national services, we would all be at the mercy of our municipal and state governments. Without the Supreme Court’s ability to declare state laws limiting the rights of women to obtain abortions under any circumstances unconstitutional, for example, women without the ability to relocate to a state where abortions are readily available would be subject to unwanted pregnancies and abortions without medical supervision, simply because of their fellow citizens' desire decide it should be so.

If a state’s citizens, with all financial power involved in any given state decided through a vote, for example, to disallow the federal government to levy an estate tax, the small top percentage of individuals on the class scale would be favored. If a state decided to collect far less taxes, or decided to abolish welfare programs, those receiving those benefits would be disfavored, and without the means to relocate to a state of their choosing, they would be financially locked in to a state whose policies they disagree with, and whose policies have deprived them of the ability to receive financial assistance in rough times. If a state decided to deregulate businesses and allowed them the “freedom” to discriminate based on race, age, gender and/or sexual orientation, more people would be unemployed at the whim of those with the most power.

The idea of a society where more local decisions can be made seems like a positive idea on the surface, but only in more superficial matters, not those which limit opportunities and financial support for everyone at the behest of providing for “more freedom” for those with the most resources often obtained through birth. The next time you observe advocacy of “States’ Rights,” think about the potential for this philosophy, and the ideal society those advocates which to create and live in.


© 2011
(Draft, Subject To Many Edits) 

Google Music Beta: Google App and Compatibility

Google states the Android OS requirement for the Music Beta-compatible app is 2.2. I previously rooted the phone and got rid of T-Mobile's free version of 2.2, and then just recently upgraded to CyanogenMod 6.1.0, with the 2.6.35.9-cyanogenmod kernel to get rid of the green tint on the screen. 

6.1.0 labels my phone as an HTC Magic, which Google has deemed incompatible with the Music app which integrates both local music and Music Beta (Music Version: v3.0.1.339). This is probably one of the only shitty things about Google and Android: if the Market (app or website) sees that you are using a device or OS version that isn't compatible with the app, it won't let you download or sometimes even see the app listed in the market. This is to cut down on the apps people can't get for their phones, which is a good thing, but under certain circumstances apps might run on your phone even though Google says otherwise. Sideloading is a good method of getting stuff on your phone as opposed to going through the Market, so that makes up for it.

Luckily someone posted the Music APK online, so I was able to just sideload it on, and it works fine. No interruptions over 3G, and all the album art loaded pretty quickly as well.

If you need Music v3.0.1.339, you can download it using the link below. I hear it's iOS compatible as well, but who knows.


v3.0.1.339

Why The "Housing Crash" Was/Is A Good Thing

Why the "Housing Crash" is a good thing:

Even with the huge drop in the index, housing prices are still 50% higher than they were in 1987, assuming the adjustment for inflation is factored into the index.

How much more money are you making than your parents were (with equivalent education) back in 1987?

Worse Than Bush

Rick Perry, currently the Governor of Texas, has been talked about as a possible Republican candidate for president in 2012. Out of most of the potential candidates at this point, Perry would offer a strong choice for many conservatives not willing to vote for someone like Mitt Romney.

He has charisma, is extremely conservative, and unlike Romney, isn't a Mormon. Hopefully his recent tours of cities outside Texas have been at the behest of raising money for the Republican Party, and not his own presidential campaign.

From Perry's website (rickperry.org):

Gov. Perry on Pro-Life Policy

Gov. Perry is the most pro-life governor Texas has ever had and has implemented a number of significant reforms to protect life and strengthen Texas families across our state.

• Abortion. Gov. Perry has worked diligently to make Texas safer for the unborn by signing both parental notification and parental consent laws to ensure parents are involved in their minor daughters’ major decisions. He signed a ban making certain that tax dollars are not used to support abortion facilities and helped implement the strictest third trimester abortion ban in the nation.
• Banning Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Gov. Perry supports a ban on human cloning and has vowed to veto any legislation that provides state dollars for embryonic stem cell research. He has been a strong advocate of utilizing adult stem cells in their place. Adult stem cell research can provide much-needed solutions for Texans suffering from various tissue and organ disorders while protecting the unborn from exploitation. They are also proven more effective in research than embryonic stem cells.
• Protecting Traditional Marriage. Gov. Perry championed a constitutional amendment that defines marriage in Texas as the union of one man and one woman, which was passed by Texas voters in 2005.
• Promoting Adoption. Gov. Perry has been a longtime advocate of adoption. One of his many efforts to encourage adoption in Texas includes the creation of an adoption incentive program designed to lessen the financial burden for families to adopt children in foster care. Created in 2007, the program provides a monthly health insurance subsidy of $150 for parents who adopt foster children who do not qualify for Medicaid. This effort, alongside many others, has helped nearly double the number of adoptions in Texas since 2004.

From ontheissues.org (unknown level of objectivity):

• ObamaCare is a trainwreck of a plan. (Feb 2011)
• Repeal ObamaCare; simple message to Washington: "Enough". (Feb 2011)
• Opposes government-run healthcare. (Aug 2010)
• Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid. (Jan 2011)
• Unelected judges shouldn't tell us when & where we can pray. (Feb 2011)
• Member of the Tea Party Movement. (Aug 2010)
• Protect the unborn via sonogram requirement. (Feb 2011)
• Abortion only for rape, incest, or maternal health. (Jun 2002)
• Supports prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research. (Aug 2010)
• Opposes federal abortion funding. (Aug 2010)
• Supports Amendment to prevent same sex marriage. (Aug 2010)
• Vetoes ban on execution of mentally retarded inmates. (Jun 2002)
• Supports voluntary prayer in public schools (Aug 2010)
• Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP. (Nov 2010)

Television Revision

The following are television shows I have no interest in, think are garbage, and would be taken "off the air" if I was in charge of programming:


1. Anything with "Wars" in the title: 
    A. Storage Wars
    B. Parking Wars
    C. Whale Wars
    D. Food Wars


2. Any "Real Housewives of <some place in America>", or any other reality show about wives:
    A. Real Housewives of Orange County
    B. Mob Wives


3. Any show about competitive chefs in a kitchen-type environment
4. Any show about a fat guy travelling around "discovering" dishes around the country-world
5. Ice Road Truckers
6. The Deadliest Catch
7. Swamp People
8. Jersey Shore
9. Hoarders
10. Dancing With The Stars
11. American Idol
12. Survivor
13. Big Brother 
14. Celebrity Apprentice


Are these later shows still on? I hope not. How about someone institute a new ratings system instead of the outdated and inaccurate Neilsen system and find out what people are really watching (or not watching)?

First Shirt

A while back I came up with some shirt design ideas. I made a graphic expressing my feelings on the Republican Party (also found on this page), uploaded it to Spread Shirt, and never got around to much else. I recently submitted a different design idea to a web site, but haven't received anything back from them. So I decided to go ahead and start designing some myself, because I get bored at work and I'm in a creative mood.

So here's the most badass (and most expensive) version of the first design:

Spreadshirt Market Place Product


War, Christianity, and the Pursuit of Profit.

You can find more designs at my store on Spread Shirt.

The Center of Europe

....und möglicherweise der Welt!

See You Tryin' Run For President On the Republican Ticket, and I'm like "Fuck you-oo-oo."

Fuck you and uh, fuck her too.

Google's Tardmo Android OS Version Code Names

At Least Big Brother Gives His Locked Down Phone OS Code Names
That Don't Sound Like They Originated From An Obese Person

The creators of Android decided a while back to code name their versions of the OS with really dumb-sounding dessert types in addition to simply using the version numbers. So if you're looking for certain versions of the OS to download, or searching for information about a specific version, you'll find stupid comments on forums with statements such as "I'm using Donut Crumbs, " "Donut runs better for me than Eclair," or some other such nonsense.


Here's a guide:


1.5  Cupcake 

1.6  Donut  

2.0, 2.1  Eclair 

2.2  Froyo  

2.3  Gingerbread 

3.0  Honeycomb (tablet)

2.4  Ice Cream (not yet released)

3.1 is still rumored to be given the ridiculous name of "Ice Cream Sandwich." I can imagine staff people running around at Google having to say Ice Cream Sandwich all day long... or maybe they just shortened it to "ICS." 

To imitate everyone and their dad nowadays:

Me (imitating a douche): "Really Android? REALLY?"
Android (imitating me): "Yes, stfu with the 'really's already."

Disclaimer: I like pastries and other desserts

This post was actually  just created to showcase the fairly unoriginal Steve Jobs graphic I created above.


Source: hubpages.com

John Hurt, Past and Present

For AT&T U-Verse and/or DSL Users

In response to AT&T instituting bandwidth caps on their U-Verse and DSL customers, I contacted them in regards to bandwidth usage tracking.

I was informed by the CSR usage won't be logged until the new usage site is up and running, which is a good thing, and all that money we've been paying them for cable, wireless and internet service over the years has apparently convinced them to create a site for bandwidth usage tracking.

Supposedly you will be able to track your bandwidth usage here in 72 hours or so: 

http://myusage.att.com

The caps should be as follows:

U-Verse: 250gb a month

DSL: 150gb a month

Overage charge: $10 a month per 50gb over.


_________________________


UPDATE:
May 7: Not Working
May 9: Not Working
May 16: Not Working
May 24: Not Working

05/01/2011

Vapor Transmission: The Ongoing E-Cigarette Thing

Background: A few months ago a friend of mine sold his e-cigarette kit to me for $10. He was trying to quit smoking and it didn't work for him very well. The first time I tried his I was still smoking menthols, and the particular type of fluid he was using made me cough -- pretty much like non-menthol cigarettes used to. I didn't think about trying an e-cigarette then, mostly because of that first experience and because they were supposedly cost-prohibitive. I later tried a fluid called "Nu-Port (the name varies sometimes)," and found it was a decent substitute for light menthol cigarettes. I cut down on those and then eventually was able to quit completely and exclusively use the e-cigarette, and I still use it now.

Information: There's an ongoing exchange going on between the FDA and e-cigarette makers and importers now, because e-cigarettes aren't regulated yet. They supposedly originated in China, our great partner for cheap and somewhat shitty products. I usually wouldn't risk using a product unless it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but I did some limited research into the supposed composition of nicotine fluid beforehand, and found that the risk was worth the chance to let my lungs heal after 12 years of smoking half a pack or more a day.

If you don't know, an e-cigarette is basically a tiny vaporizer inside a tube, which connects to a power source, such as a battery, on one end and a mouthpiece on the other. Some batteries are manual, with a button which engages the vaporizer, while other batteries are "automatic" and work by sensing suction. I use the former. The usual mouthpiece found on most e-cigarettes is normally called a "cartridge" containing a cotton-type fiber filler which holds the fluid containing nicotine. The soaked fiber comes in contact with the vaporizer, allowing the fluid to be inhaled. Many companies (often advertising late at night in cheap infomerical-style ads) market their e-cigarettes with the option to buy only new pre-filled cartridges, while other businesses sell separate parts and bottles of the fluid. The vaporizer is often called an "atomizer," even though I seriously doubt it breaks compounds into their respective atoms.

Diagram I made for my girfriend's mom

Personal Experience: I started using an e-cigarette with the above-mentioned setup: battery, vaporizer, and plastic cartridges containing the cotton-type filler. While this worked somewhat well, I started to notice several drawbacks of this method:

1. Short Range: with the amount of vapor I was inhaling, I used a lot of battery power, charging and changing batteries frequently; if I was in public, I'd often run out of power fairly quickly
2. More Repetition: Not only was I changing batteries lot, but I was also constantly removing the cartridge to add more fluid; the buildup of dried unused material from the fluid would accumulate in the filler, making it less able to hold new fluid, which led to everything being
3. Messy: Constantly refilling the cartridges leads to overflow; the fluid would often end up on the outside of the e-cigarette and get on my hands a lot, which is kind of gross
4. More Chores: Due to the filler material accumulating buildup, I would often soak the filler in water, dry it, and place it back in the cartridges, of which I probably had around six

Eventually one of my two batteries died. I was going through probably three to five charges a day. Luckily I was able to find a website which sells different parts for very cheap, and ordered a new battery, vaporizer, and a "pass-through," which is a modified battery which plugs into a USB port. This seriously alleviated any problems relating to power, but I haven't been able to use it in my car for some reason with an adapter that came with my smartphone.

Another option I had heard of was the "drip tip," but I wasn't sure how it worked exactly. After receiving my new parts in the mail, I found the drip tip to be a mouthpiece (metal or plastic) which does not include any filler, doesn't hold nicotine fluid, and allows the user to apply fluid and inhale vapor directly from the vaporizer itself. It's basically a solid tube which works very well with the small nicotine fluid bottles I normally use.

Nickel-Plated Drip Tip (left) and USB Pass-Through (vaporgalaxy.com)

There are only two drawbacks I've found so far pertaining to the drip tip:

1. Potential Crackpipe Lips: the vaporizer generates a lot of heat when used for long periods at a time, which transfers through the drip tip and to the lips; I'm not sure if a plastic tip would be any better though as it might eventually melt
2. Potential Burny-Dry Throat: Inhaling directly from the vaporizer can sometimes be a little more harsh; the vapor burns the throat a little more, but this can be remedied by adding more fluid to the vaporizer; while you might find you produce much more vapor using the drip tip, it often will taste slightly burnt once the vaporizer gets dry, so if you don't like the burnt taste you'll most likely be adding more fluid and keeping the vapor less burny all-around

These two drawbacks are easily remedied, and overall using the pass-through/drip tip combination is much better than using a cartridge, and much more convenient than using batteries only. The metal drip tip makes the weight of the e-cigarette as a whole more even when using the heavy batteries, and is much cleaner than using cartridges.

Ongoing Regulatory Situation: This week the FDA stated it plans to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products, and has done some analysis of some e-cigarette cartridges offered by retailers in the U.S. This means importers and producers of fluid will most likely be prohibited from selling (or making) flavored fluids other than menthol in accordance with the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, which prevents flavored cigarettes from being sold in the U.S.

I'm personally a supporter of regulation, as long as it isn't (in this case) influenced by tobacco industry lobbying (to prevent more of their customers from moving to e-cigarettes), is based on otherwise unbiased scientific research, and isn't influenced by uninformed public opinion. This may seem like a given, but regulation in it's smartest and most effective form prevents us from using products which can harm us to varying degrees. Since the FDA obviously allows tobacco products to still be sold to and used by Americans, it stands to reason they would allow e-cigarettes and nicotine fluid to be sold as well if the level of harm is can cause to people is equal to or less than tobacco products. Also, it's important to note the FDA also allows prescription drugs with harmful and fatal side effects to be sold in the U.S. and advertised on television ad nauseum, so if any kind of intelligence is applied to the research into harmful effects of e-cigarettes and they are harshly regulated or banned, such action would be justified, and I would assume multiple users would have come forward in the last year or so with health problems and complaints.

Furthermore, regulation will allow the government to tax e-cigarette-related products and hold producers to some standard as to the chemical composition of fluids available. As long as e-cigarettes and materials are available as a cost-effective alternative to now expensive cigarettes, regulation will be positive.

Substances Used In E-Cigarettes: Supporters and users of e-cigarettes have so far been knowledgeable regarding the composition of nicotine fluids they use and/or sell, and provide information on some ingredients used to produce it, but no one is required to provide information on what e-cigarette fluids actually contain. Despite the lack of regulation so far, fluid can normally be identified as "PG-based" (propylene glycol-based), or "VG-based" (vegetable glycerine-based). 

From what I can tell, α-propylene glycol-based fluids seem to be more popular and sold more often. Wikipedia describes propylene glycol as: 

"a colorless, nearly odorless, clear, viscous liquid with a faintly sweet taste, hygroscopic and miscible with water, acetone, and chloroform. The acute oral toxicity of propylene glycol is very low, and large quantities are required to cause perceptible health damage in humans; propylene glycol is metabolized in the human body into pyruvic acid (a normal part of the glucose-metabolism process, readily converted to energy), acetic acid(handled by ethanol-metabolism), lactic acid (a normal acid generally abundant during digestion),^[9] and propionaldehyde.^[10][11] Serious toxicity generally occurs only at plasma concentrations over 1 g/L, which requires extremely high intake over a relatively short period of time.^[12] It would be nearly impossible to reach toxic levels by consuming foods or supplements, which contain at most 1 g/kg of PG. Cases of propylene glycol poisoning are usually related to either inappropriate intravenous administration or accidental ingestion of large quantities by children.^[13] The potential for long-term oral toxicity is also low. In one study, rats were provided with feed containing as much as 5% PG in feed over a period of 104 weeks and they showed no apparent ill effects.^[14] Because of its low chronic oral toxicity, propylene glycol was classified by the U. S. Food and Drug Administrationas "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) for use as a direct food additive. Prolonged contact with propylene glycol is essentially non-irritating to the skin. Undiluted propylene glycol is minimally irritating to the eye, and can produce slight transient conjunctivitis (the eye recovers after the exposure is removed). Exposure to mists may cause eye irritation, as well as upper respiratory tract irritation. Inhalation of the propylene glycol vapors appears to present no significant hazard in ordinary applications. However, limited human experience indicates that inhalation of propylene glycol mists could be irritating to some individuals. Therefore inhalation exposure to mists of these materials should be avoided. Some research has suggested that propylene glycol not be used in applications where inhalation exposure or human eye contact with the spray mists of these materials is likely, such as fogs for theatrical productions or antifreeze solutions for emergency eye wash stations.^[15] Propylene glycol does not cause sensitization and it shows no evidence of being a carcinogen or of being genotoxic.^[16][17] Adverse responses to intravenous administration of drugs which use PG as an excipient have been seen in a number of people, particularly with large dosages thereof. Responses may include "hypotension[,] bradycardia... QRS and T abnormalities on the ECG[,] arrhythmia[,] cardiac arrest[,] serum hyperosmolality[,] lactic acidosis[,] and haemolysis".^[18] A high percentage (12% to 42%) of directly-injected propylene glycol is eliminated/secreted in urine unaltered depending on dosage, with the remainder appearing in its glucuronide-form. The speed of renal filtration decreases as dosage increases,^[19] which may be due to propylene glycol's mild anesthetic / CNS-depressant -properties as an alcohol.^[20] In one case, administration via IV of PG-suspended nitroglycerin to an elderly man may have induced coma and acidosis.^[21] According to a 2010 study by Karlstad University, the concentrations of PGEs, propylene glycol and glycol ethers in indoor air, particularly bedroom air, has been linked to increased risk of developing numerous respiratory and immune disorders in children, including asthma, hay fever, eczema, and allergies, with increased risk ranging from 50% to 180%. This concentration has been linked to use of water-based paints and water-based cleansers.^[22][23][24]

and is used in the following capacities:

• As a solvent in many pharmaceuticals, including oral, injectable and topical formulations. Notably, diazepam, which is insoluble in water, uses propylene glycol as its solvent in its clinical, injectable form.^[5]
• As a humectant food additive, labeled as E number E1520
• As an emulsification agent in Angostura and orange bitters
• As a moisturizer in medicines, cosmetics, food, toothpaste, shampoo, mouth wash, hair care and tobacco products
• As a carrier in fragrance oils
• As an ingredient in massage oils
• In hand sanitizers, antibacterial lotions, and saline solutions
• In smoke machines to make artificial smoke for use in firefighters' training and theatrical productions
• In electronic cigarettes, as a vaporizable base for diluting the nicotine liquid
• As a solvent for food colors and flavorings
• As an ingredient, along with wax and gelatin, in the production of paintballs
• As a moisture stabilizer (humectant) for snus (Swedish style snuff).
• As a cooling agent for beer and wine glycol jacketed fermentation tanks
• As a non-toxic antifreeze for winterizing drinking water systems, and in applications where the used antifreeze eventually will be drained into the soil, water, or a septic system.^[6]
• As a less-toxic antifreeze in solar water heating systems
• As a solvent used in mixing photographic chemicals, such as film developers
• In cryonics
• As a working fluid in hydraulic presses
• As a coolant in liquid cooling systems
• To regulate humidity in a cigar humidor
• As the killing and preserving agent in pitfall traps, usually used to capture ground beetles
• As an additive to pipe tobacco to prevent dehydration.
• To treat livestock ketosis
• As the main ingredient in deodorant sticks.
• To de-ice aircraft.^[7]
• As an ingredient in UV or blacklight tattoo ink
• As a lubricant in air conditioning compressors.
• As a wetting agent, used to determine drying time in paints and coatings

The FDA stated several of the products they tested didn't hold true to the information sellers have provided about them, with some products labeled "nicotine-free" actually containing nicotine. In May 2009, the FDA issued a report on their analysis, which stated certain cartridges (fluids) contain small amounts of carcinogenic substances (tobacco-specific nitrosamines) such as cotinine, nicotine-N-oxide, nornicotine, anatabine, anabasine, pseudooxynicotine, myosmine,  β-nicotyrine, and also stated "Nicotine-N-oxide, nornicotine, anatabine, pseudooxynicotine and MNP were not observed in any of the samples." Diethylene Glycol, a poisonous organic compound, was detected in one of the samples.

I believe it's safe to formulate possibilities based on the available information as to how harmful e-cigarette vapor consumption is to humans relative to consumption of other potentially harmful products contained in readily available items purchased in the U.S.:

1. Cigarettes and other tobacco products
2. Ingredients in food such as High Fructose Corn Syrup and transfats
3. Charred meat, hot dogs
4. Common ingredients such as sugar, salt, etc.

Until everyone is purchasing products held to certain standards and specifications and those products are thoroughly tested, no one can say for sure how harmful e-cigarettes are, and further testing will benefit everyone. However, the facts so far are these: e-cigarettes don't produce chemicals in the form of smoke, and may in fact be less harmful in that respect than smoking marijuana. They don't leave a sometimes offensive and lingering odor, don't cause wildfires or litter, and most likely do not contain the same additives found in cigarettes, which are engineered as a nicotine delivery device by tobacco companies to optimize nicotine consumption.