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About Joe Perry
I think people are misinterpreting what he means by permanent. He means permanent in form, not in existence, at least that's how I take it. A physical book is a finished product, something that can't be changed, it is final and complete, to be consumed as intended. Digital things are transmutable, what you buy might not be what you own in a few years if they decide to change things, even without DRM.
To Franzen each book on the shelf is something which can be cared for, something personal that he can become attached to and that only he can own/alter/appreciate, unless he allows others to do so. He feels a digital book is just something in the community that you access.
I sympathize with his desire for true ownership, especially with the way companies treat their products and customers. Sony removing the ability to install alternate operating systems on the PS3 is just one example of this.
I'm not saying I agree with his ideas about it being bad, personally I prefer things to be able to constantly evolve and improve, but to say he makes no sense is a rude dismissal and it sets the tone of the article to one of negativity and disrespect. What he is talking about might not be the way of the future, I believe digital ownership will become more prevalent and useful than physical ownership in time, but it's not wrong to feel sentimental about the things which define you as a person.
So since Mike is not a lawyer we should question whether his statements hold merit or not, but without knowing anything about your background we are to take your review of ACTA as more correct than that of Senator Wyden? Obviously Senator Wyden, and many others, are concerned that while ACTA doesn't directly change US law it may conflict with current laws and in order to comply with ACTA we will have to change laws. That is why he is asking the questions he is, even though no one wants to answer him.
We're not bullying creators. If we're "bullying" anyone it's corporate shills and media gatekeepers that use their accounting methods and control over the industry and lawmakers to make a huge profit off of their artists while only sharing the profit with a select few big names, whom they decide on. If we were bullying the content creators there wouldn't be musicians and authors coming out against SOPA/PIPA.
https://www.cdt.org/report/list-organizations-and-individuals-opposing-sopa has a short list of 24 about a third of the way down the page, and this blog has pointed to others who have come out against those bills.
Also, way to completely dismiss artists that aren't part of the current system. That's cool. There are plenty of good content creators who primarily use the internet to independently distribute their works, whether it be for free or at a premium.
This discussion has never been about protecting creators, or whether people will create in the future. There will always be artists as long as there is intelligent life, because people make art for the love of art. It was done that way for a long time before copyright laws and it will continue to happen in the future no matter what. This is about enormous marketing/production industries holding on to old methods of distribution and not giving their consumers what they want. They have tried to hold technology back at every turn and have continuously failed. This time will be no different. Even if they win this battle, as technology makes production less expensive and people learn to use the internet to market for almost no cost they will lose in the end.
not an official statement, but I think when someone drops a case it's usually not because they stopped caring about the crime. it's because they don't have any evidence that the defendant is guilty. if Dajaz was guilty the government would have prosecuted. instead they just withheld the domain as long as they could with no explanation until they didn't think they could keep getting away with it.
interesting, I still stand by my point, but that is something I did not know.
So what I'm getting from your arguments the more I read is that you and the only musicians you think are worth anything care more about the quality of their recording equipment and how much money they can make than they do about the music.
A friend of mine is in a band and they do all their own recording and editing and it sounds great, because their music is great.
I would figure this is obvious, but I'll say it anyway, music is about music. If technology brings an end to the multimillionaire musician and multimillionaire producers I don't really care. As long as there are musicians who care about music there will always be diversity. And they may not be super rich, but they will be able to make a living. That should be enough to anyone who actually cares about their art and expression. For everyone who doesn't make music because they can't make enough money to have private jets and 30 room mansions with private movie theaters, they weren't worth the millions they would have made.
I agree with your point, but that case is different in that it was about the company name, and this case is about a company name vs the name of a product. even if htc went into the music business for w/e reason, they would presumably not use vivid in the name, as that's just one of many phones they offer.
yes, but a corporation deciding to charge based on total operating costs, including the price of the music they play, is still giving you the choice of shopping there. if it's a government tax you are paying for music you aren't hearing unless you go to the library and download three songs. everyone who doesn't is still paying anyway.
it's sort of how the record industry views people not buying as losses. well, this is their solution. sell it to the government, and through taxes everyone buys, whether they like it or not.
and besides, a lot of stores just use the radio, which is public and free, to cut costs. at least, they do around where I live.
yes because stating the fact that a workaround has been created obviously means you are using it and encourage others to do so.
some people use heroin. oh no, I just became a drug addict!
that's pretty much the first thing I learned in the journalism class I took. make the headline tell the story because it's the first, most noticeable thing, and many times the only thing, that people will see. then you start with the most important details and filter down to less and less important things as the article goes on.
basically they taught that no one is going to read your whole article, so if you want to get the story out, put it all in the first couple lines. and that's why I didn't go into journalism.
by that logic, let's reinstate capital punishment. there were only a few cases where we executed innocent people because they weren't given proper due process and were bullied by the police into false confessions. who really care about those few people?
"oh the fucking horror."
to be fair, that's probably because "all devices that access the internet" used to mean computers. now it's computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, DVRs, and the list goes on and on.
"give it away and pray" works in other industries. obviously, and it was mentioned before, with tangible products, free samples given away in grocery stores or outside of a restaurant or kiosk.
and the most prominent "give it away and pray" strategy I can think of right now is in video games. microtransactions, in which they give a game away for free, then they count on a small percentage of the users to pay money for in game items. many games are using microtransactions these days, a lot of people consider it a better way to make money than a monthly fee, they consider it the way of the future. and it's clearly working for the video game companies that are using it.
"Ask someone to name a First Amendment lawyer. If they answer, one-hundred percent of the time the answer will be the same: Floyd Abrams. Then ask them to name another such lawyer. The answer: silence. It is a sign of the times that the name Floyd Abrams is synonymous with the First Amendment in a way that virtually no other name is." First Amendment Center.
The idea that so much weight can be given to one person based on past achievements that he becomes infallible scares me.
Floyd Abrams himself said, "I really believe that a lawyer - no matter how good - if he or she is really worth their weight in salt, they will lose some cases because, after all, it is not really one of those secretive things that not everything is decided by who your lawyer is."
The man himself acknowledges he can't always right. If 108 law scholars say one thing and he says another, they're still the safer bet. Especially given that this is a democratic republic and the people who pass the bills are supposed to represent the people who voted for them, i.e. vote in a way compliant with the desires of the majority of the people they represent.
No matter how well worded or sensible one man's opinion is, it's till just one opinion.
Yes, because there isn't a plethora of abuse of the legal system. The Patriot Act was intended to target terrorism and has obviously only even been used to pursue terrorists, because that was its intent.
And even if Techdirt doesn't stand to lose anything directly because of the bill they can still contribute to the conversation. I don't own or run any business, nor do I make remixes or parodies, so I don't stand anything to lose either, but I can still see the massive unintended consequences of the bill. People are allowed to petition the government on the basis of preserving their rights before their rights are violated, and they should. Once your rights have been violated it is almost always too late, because the government never admits when it's wrong and pretty much never repeals anything it passes.
except CC isn't the public domain, and there's not always the option of CC.
given an automatic copyright system, anything I write that's long and uniquely worded enough to be considered original, for instance this post, is automatically granted copyright and cannot be used without my permission. maybe one day I decide to write a short poem in a post, for instance, to get my point across. Techdirt doesn't offer offer me an option to apply a CC license when I post, though, so I am automatically granted the default copyright protection when I post it, whether I want it or not. obviously the solution would be to write in my post that people can use it, blah, blah, but I'd rather have people who want copyrights for their works have to actively get them than for everything to just be protected under copyright law.
there are already enough bogus lawsuits without people suing each other over who came up with an idea first and neither having any way to prove it because there's no record of them filing for copyright, since they didn't have to, they were granted it automatically.
if people don't want to be "robbed of [their] work by Big Media" then they should apply for copyright before releasing it. that's their personal responsibility as the creator of the work. if they're too stupid to do that and they put their executed work out unprotected then they have to deal with the consequences when someone else makes money off the same execution.
If you think that watching an ad forces the product on you, you are the weak-minded one. I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions, but I like to be informed before I make them. Ads are one of the ways you become informed. If I've never heard of a good product that fits me well then I don't have the option of specifically researching it based on my interest. The ad allows me to hear about a product and make an informed decision on whether or not I want that product, it doesn't lock me into a decision. You must seriously undervalue yourself if you avoid ads so you don't get forced to buy things you don't want.
I know this isn't really on topic but I don't like Spotify and I don't know why people love it.
first of all, it's not insanely expensive, but it's too expensive for me considering I wouldn't even have the time to listen to half that music, and I'm just as happy listening to fewer songs that I only have to pay for once, not monthly, especially since some of the bands I like didn't have all their music on Spotify, just a single album. also, their "unlimited" service package doesn't include using it on your phone, you have to pay extra to use the app on your mobile phone.
second, the ads on it are terrible. I've used Pandora for a while and now I pay for it so there are no ads (mostly to support a service I like) but the ads never bothered me, they were short and moderately infrequent. on Spotify I got ads after 4 songs, then another 4 and I couldn't not listen to them. the ad was a clip from a song by the band LMFAO, whom I find unpleasing to the ears, and when I muted my computer so I wouldn't have to bleed from my ears the ad paused, with no was of resuming it manually. I literally had to listen to it at an audible volume for the ad to continue playing it.
I only got to the second ad figured maybe it wouldn't be so frequent, or there was some fluke on the last ad, or the other ads wouldn't be so offensive to my ears. but at the second ad being the same as the first, after the same number of songs, I closed the Spotify program and decided never to use it again. maybe I had a misleading first time use of the service, but first impressions are important, and they not only failed to impress, they offended.
then the prime minister wouldn't have anywhere to go next time he needs heart surgery though :P
I think your argument is that just because Hollywood portrays something that doesn't mean it thinks it's a good idea. It's true that there are many movies and shows about illegal activity, but it's always clear. There are no movies where the moral is selling drugs and shooting people is a great lifestyle that everyone should aspire to. It's the message which is the thing we have to look at, not the portrayal. The message of Glee (I assume) is that these kids are creative and awesome and having a fun time doing something constructive at school. It gives viewers something to aspire to and look up to.
But of course, you probably have a hard time looking beyond the face value of anything you watch and looking for a message or meaning.


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Protesters clash with police at Jantar Mantar
Published: 30th December 2012 02:43 PM | Last Updated: 30th December 2012 05:24 PM | A+A A-
The peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar demanding speedy punishment for the rapists of the 23-year-old girl was marred by violence today when a group allegedly belonging to BJP's student wing ABVP clashed with police on being denied permission to take out a march.
Five persons, including some members of the ABVP, were detained following the incident but were released later and the situation quickly brought under control.
The incident occurred even as a group of protesters sat on a one-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Capital while others shouted slogans holding placards in their hands.
A group of protesters also painted slogans and graphics on sheets of paper spread on the road.
The hitherto peaceful protest turned violent at around 1 pm when a group among the protesters carrying flags and banners of ABVP tried to take out a march from Jantar Mantar to Connaught Place but police prevented them from moving ahead, following which the clash erupted.
While one group went ahead with the peaceful protest, another group tried to break the iron barricades and police called in more reinforcement.
Protesters managed to break some of the barricades but police immediately contained them.
At Jantar Mantar, young and old, men and women gathered at the epicentre of protest from morning in an outpouring of grief and anger at the rape and death of the 23-year-old physiotherapy student.
A group of protesters sat on a one-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar while others shouted slogans holding placards in their hands.
India Gate and Raisina Hill, where violent protests had taken place last week, remained out of bounds for public today as hundreds of policemen in riot gear guarded the area andkept a hawk's vigil.
"The entire central vista including Rajpath, Vijay Chowk and all roads leading to India Gate will be closed for general traffic. Kamal Attaturk Marg has also been closed. All travellers are advised to avoid these roads," police said.
Five out of the ten metro stations in Central Delhi, that were closed down for anindefinite period in the wake of the death of the gangrape victim, were opened this afternoon.
The stations which opened are Pragati Maidan, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Rajiv Chowk and Patel Chowk.

subset: commoncrawl


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Student, alum stabbed at early-morning Colgate party
HAMILTON >> Police are continuing to investigate a dual stabbing at a Colgate University party early Saturday morning that left a student and alumnus injured, university officials said.
The student, whose name has not been released due to privacy issues, is at an area hospital and was reported in stable condition as of Saturday afternoon. The alumnus was treated and released.
There were about 300 people at the party at Parker Commons, a campus-owned apartment complex. No alcohol was present at the party.
According to campus safety officials, when a fight broke out among a small group, others stepped in to break it up. Additional campus safety officers were called at 2:30 a.m., and local police agencies also responded as more people became involved.
The event was shut down and participants were asked to leave the area. Officials said several minor skirmishes happened outside, but the situation was quickly brought under control.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact campus safety at 315-228-7333.


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The Treasury Department recently proposed rules that would encourage individuals approaching retirement to use a new type of planning tool–longevity insurance–to fund increasingly longer retirements. These proposed rules recognize that traditional products are insufficient when your clients are living well into their 80s and 90s, and offer tax incentives to motivate the workforce to defer a portion of their savings until they reach old age.
Using longevity insurance, a type of annuity that defers payouts for an extended period (e.g. 20 years), allows retirees to bypass the typical minimum distribution requirements in certain circumstances. By offering this benefit, the government is recognizing that the days of relying solely on pensions and traditional 401(k)'s to fund retirement are over, and that it's time for retirees to begin planning to enjoy significantly longer lives.
Longevity Insurance Basics
Longevity insurance is purchased before retirement, but the benefits don't begin until the client reaches old age–typically between 80 and 85. The client purchases the annuity at or around retirement age for a lump sum and can choose the date when payouts will begin.
The Treasury Department's proposal encourages retirees to purchase longevity insurance using 401(k) or IRA funds. The proposal would exempt the retiree from minimum distribution requirements typically required of retirement accounts once a person reaches age seventy and one half, as long as the annuity costs less than 25 percent of the account balance, or $100,000, whichever is less.
Deferred annuities are also typically much less expensive than traditional annuities. For example, according to the president's Council of Economic Advisors, it would cost a 65-year-old man $277,500 to purchase a traditional annuity that would begin payments of $20,000 per year immediately, it would cost only $35,200 if the payments were deferred for 20 years.
The cost also decreases when the client purchases the product earlier in life, according to MetLife, a primary provider of longevity insurance. At 85, your client can begin receiving payouts of $50,810 per year if he invests $50,000 at age 55, but the same initial investment provides annual payouts of $28,600 if he waits until he is 65 to invest. Payouts for women are slightly lower because of their higher life expectancies.
This type of advance planning allows your client to enjoy retirement (and their retirement portfolios) with the knowledge that they have another source of income that will kick in once their traditional funds have dried up.
Limitations on Longevity Insurance
Despite the benefits of planning through longevity insurance, this type of planning is not for everyone. Many clients may be wary of an arrangement in which they give up control of a portion of their retirement savings–once the funds are invested in the annuity, your client loses access until payouts begin. There is, after all, no guarantee that they will live long enough to need income this late in life.
Further, there is no guarantee that an annuity insurer will remain financially stable for 20 years and beyond, and these insurers are not currently covered by the same federal insurance that protects bank accounts. Clients who were burned in the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009 may be unwilling to risk investing their limited retirement savings with an institution that could disappear when those savings are needed the most.
Investing in longevity insurance may be a great way to ensure peace of mind for your clients as they near retirement. Safeguarding the ability to enjoy a long retirement without relying on children or government assistance may be a primary concern for many clients. While cost savings compared to traditional annuities may encourage this type of planning, however, many may be unwilling to risk losing control of these funds early in retirement. Despite this, longevity insurance can provide a useful option for those retirees concerned with planning far into their future.
For additional coverage of this issue and similar ones, we invite you to sign up with AdvisorOne's Summit Business Media partner, AdvisorFX, for a free trial.
You may also be interested in signing up for a free trial with another Summit Business Media partner, Tax Facts Online.


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Apr 29, 2008 | ISBN 9780553590845
"[Tom Piccirilli's] prose has the visceral punch of the best pulp writers of the past century…. The Cold Spot is both funny and ferocious."—San Francisco Chronicle.
"A powerful, hard-hittng, fiercely original writer of suspense. I highly recommend him." —David Morrell, author of Creepers
"Tom Piccirilli's fiction is visceral and unflinching, yet deeply insightful."—F. Paul Wilson, author of The Keep and Bloodline
"The Cold Spot is truly dazzling. Piccirilli has taken the mystery to a whole other level."—Ken Bruen, award-winning author of The Guards
"Blackest noir, the most minimal kind of minimalism, and at the same time deeply emotional: this is not easy to do. I loved The Cold Spot."—Peter Abrahams, bestselling author of Nerve Damage
"Lean, brutal and completely arresting, Tom Piccirilli's The Cold Spot is a bull's-eye hardboiled tale."—Megan Abbott, author of The Song is You
"The Cold Spot is crime fiction at its very best, an exceptional revenge story so vivid you feel like you're in the back seat of a getaway car with a master storyteller at the wheel."—Jason Starr, author of The Follower


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Police are looking for a man who tried to rob Papa John's Pizza in Helena, Montana.
But because the man had a surprising change of heart, Helena Police Chief Troy McGee says he doesn't know exactly what they would charge him with.
Helena Police Chief Troy McGee says around midnight, a male suspect in a black Carhartt hooded jacket with a red bandana over his face, walked into the local Papa John's Pizza as the staff was closing shop. The 5 foot 9 man with slender build walked straight up to the clerk at the counter.
"He presented the clerk with a note which indicated something to the effect of 'Do what I say and no one will get hurt'" McGee says.
The clerk took out money and was going to give it to the suspect when the man broke down and began crying.
McGee says according to the clerk, the man said the reason for his actions was he was trying to provide for his wife and family, who were hungry.
The clerk then talked to him for a few minutes, and decided to make the man a pizza and some chicken wings.
Would be Robber Breaks Down in Tears Accepts Pizza for Family (Video) was originally published on wzakcleveland.com


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I'm a Java and Codeguru newbie, so please don't be too harsh.
I'm currently having this issue with enum: I'm creating an enum type that has several enum constants, one of which has its own method like this:
public enum EnumType {
ENUMCONSTANT3 { void constant3sOwnMethod() { } }
// enum type's constructor and other methods
My question is: how do I call constant3sOwnMethod() ?
If I don't use this method anywhere it compiles fine. But if I add a line to call the method such as this:
it won't compile, but instead shows error message: "cannot find method constant3sOwnMethod()"
Please help!!!
P.S. Sorry I'm still trying to figure out how to post indented source code.


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Craig Schmidt is the Director of Global Sales for Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals at Chetu. Craig's focus at Chetu is understanding the top healthcare industry challenges, creating relationships with HIT leaders and developing Information Technology solutions to address those challenges. Craig has, for over 15 years, held a variety of Sales and Sales Management positions with increasing responsibility in the Healthcare and Information Technology Industries.
Tell us more about Chetu and your work in the healthcare market.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Chetu has experience in nearly every section of Healthcare IT. In our 13 years we have developed solutions for Providers, Payers, HIT Vendors and others. Just a few of the things with which we have helped customers include: complete EMR and Practice Management design and development, ePrescribing, Drug Database integration, Revenue Cycle Management (835/837 & 270/275 engines).
When does someone in healthcare look to Chetu versus doing the work in house?
The two main reasons are: they do not have the particular HIT experience in-house & they do not have enough "bandwidth" to develop in-house and do not want to hire and train permanent staff.
What's the most challenging thing about developing applications in healthcare?
Healthcare in general and Healthcare IT are bound by many Federal, State and other rules and regulations, e.g., Meaningful Use, Affordable Care Act, HIPAA, etc. There are also a variety of standards for interoperability such as HL7, CCD/CCR.
Do you mostly do one off projects or long term contracts with your clients?
We strive to be the "Back End, Long-term" IT Partner for our clients. We offer complete solutions from application development and support to maintenance and management of applications and systems. In Healthcare we have many (over 60%) clients that have been working with Chetu for multiple years. Many of these have been with Chetu for over 5 years – which is very long-term in this market
What's your view on SaaS vs. in house client server applications? Do you have a preferred technology stack? What do you see being used most in healthcare?
For the past several years organizations have been rapidly moving to the "Cloud." And, there are obvious advantages for being cloud based. However, client server applications have advantages of speed and stability that can't always be achieved with SaaS. We are now seeing a slight movement to applications that are hybrids – combining the best of both approaches.
In healthcare, there is no clear preferred technology stack. It is all over the place. We have worked in .NET, HTML5, Java, PHP, Native Mobile Apps (iOS, Android), Python, C++, Foxpro, VB, Mirth. Cobol, MUMPS and many more. Healthcare IT has traditionally seen a very fragmented approach. Chetu has the great advantage of being agnostic. We can and will work with nearly any platform or tool.
EMR usability (or lack thereof) has been a major topic of discussion. How do you manage this with your EHR clients?
We have had the opportunity to work with dozens of different EMRs; ambulatory and hospital based. Many of these EMRs are the product of individual physicians or physician groups that are unhappy with their current EMR and have not seen any existing EMRs that meet their usability needs. They have come to us with their ideas about developing an EMR from scratch. We have developed ENT, Ophthalmology, Plastic Surgery and other specialty focused EMRs stemming from this issue.
What are you seeing happening with mobile in healthcare?
There is a tremendous rush to mobile in Healthcare right now. Over the past several years our Healthcare mobile development has grown tenfold. There are many, many great mobile applications developed with patients, physicians, nurses, home health providers and others in mind. These apps have been and will continue to make providers, payers and patients lives easier and make delivering healthcare more efficient and productive.
You've worked with a lot of the various healthcare standards. How do they compare to the standards you work with in other industries?
There really is no parallel to the standards that guide healthcare in other industries. From my limited experience I would say that the Banking/Financial industry comes closest. But even then the amount and complexity of the standards are a fraction of what is found in Healthcare and Pharma.
Tell us about some of your work on the major hospital platforms like Siemens Soarian, Meditech and Epic. Is it a challenge working with these large companies?
These large companies have invested millions of dollars building and improving the very complex systems. So, they are rightfully concerned and selective about how and who is allowed to work in their systems. It can be a challenge, but not impossible to work with these companies. An added challenge comes from the hospitals themselves. There is the attitude that these systems are so unique that only company trained personnel have the capability to work in them.
Chetu, having worked in the Soarian, Meditech, Epic, Cerner, McKesson and other hospital platforms understands that the underlying technology in all of these systems are the same or very similar. Although each system may have unique capabilities – we recognize that the goal is the same for each. And, in getting past the UI or getting "under the hood" so to speak, we see mostly the same technologies at work.
What are the most innovative healthcare IT projects you see out there that you like working on?
Right now we are seeing a rush to capitalize on the tremendous amount of data that EMRs are generating. Data analytics using this great resource is helping pharmaceutical companies, scientists and researchers, Accountable Care Organizations – nearly everyone on the healthcare continuum provide better and less expensive patient care. This is an area that is in its infancy but we see growing rapidly.
What types of data analytics projects have you done in healthcare? Do you do just the programming component or can you do every part of a data analytics project?
Chetu has been involved in numerous healthcare analytics projects. We have helped our customers with data warehousing, data mining, OLAP, business analysis, automated report generation, multi-dimensional information "cubes", custom reporting solutions using tools like Informatica, DTS / SSIS, Datastage and SSRS, SSAS, Cognos, Microstrategy, Crystal, OBIEE.
We have developed solutions across the complete data analytics process. From data mining and ETL to data cube and data modeling and report generation we have the experience and the people that can handle nearly any healthcare analytics project.
Full Disclosure: Chetu is an advertiser on EMR and HIPAA.


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I got a lot out of LucasArts' Clone Wars junket, but the best treat was meeting the man behind the voices of Tidus, Ratchet and of course Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Journalists were given about 20 minutes with Mr. Taylor (pictured, left) during the junket for a roundtable Q&A. Naturally, I had to let the TV critics get their questions in and most of the roundtable was really Taylor performing for us – going back and forth between the various celebrity voices he doubles for in animated series and movie trailers.
But eventually I got to ask a few video-game related questions. The first being, "Who's your favorite video game character you've voiced?"
This turned out to be a tough question for Taylor. Unlike dubbing for cartoons and movies where you either get to act out the lines with other actors like a radio play (Clone Wars), or only have a few lines at a time to cover for a movie trailer (Batman Begins, I think), video game dubbing is long and lonely work. Taylor said the script for Final Fantasy X was as thick as a phonebook and he'd do six hour sessions completely by himself in a recording studio.
It's pretty grueling work – but it also makes you bond with your character the way you would with a child. So it was hard for Taylor to choose just one video game character as his favorite.
"I love the Ratchet & Clank series," he said, referencing the upcoming Crack In Time that he just voiced. "But Tidus from the Final Fantasy series really put me on the map." Even now, almost 10 years since that performance, he's still getting fan mail for it.
For my part, I prefer him as Ratchet. Maybe I say that, though, because I first bonded to his voice as a QA tester on Size Matters. I spent almost three months listening to his every line over and over again, making sure the subtitles were accurate.
You can catch Taylor's most recent video game performance when Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes hits shelves October 6, or wait a few weeks and pick up Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time.
P.S. He voices the Fox Animation Domination TV bit and I never would have believed that if I hadn't heard him say the lines right in front of me.


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As protesters take to the streets in Europe to oppose government spending cuts, proponents of austerity in the United States and Europe claim that immediate moves to reduce government deficits are the way to renewed economic growth. Accepting a little pain now, they argue, will reduce the pain in the long run.
Those familiar with Keynesian economic theory will find the austerity-to-growth claims surprising. Fiscal austerity, or a "contractionary fiscal policy," means either spending cuts or tax increases, or a combination of the two. Reductions in government spending reduce total demand directly. Government spending on real goods and services is just as much a part of total demand as private consumption or investment spending. Spending cuts can also reduce demand indirectly, as those who would have received income as a result of government spending cut back on their spending as well. Tax increases reduce demand by reducing the disposable incomes of private individuals, who then spend less. Either way, lower demand for goods and services can translate into less output and employment.
How, then, is fiscal contraction supposed to lead to growth? Austerity proponents argue that balancing government budgets and reducing public debt will boost private-sector "confidence." As public debt increases, the argument goes, people may become wary about spending, since they will be on the hook (through taxes) to pay down that debt in the future. Individuals and firms will spend more freely now if they do not have future taxes hanging over their heads.
The pro-austerity faction has relied heavily on a few recent studies, especially one by Harvard economists Alberto Alesina and Silvia Ardagna claiming to have identified 26 cases in which fiscal contraction led to renewed growth. This conclusion, however, has not stood up to careful scrutiny. Economists Arjun Jayadev and Mike Konczal, after studying the cases that Alesina and Ardagna describe, find that "in virtually none did the country a) reduce the deficit when the economy was in a slump and b) increase growth rates while reducing the debt-to-GDP ratio."
In 20 of the 26 cases, Jayadev and Konczal argue, the government did not carry out a fiscal contraction during the low (or "slump") phase of a business cycle. (Budgets are much easier to balance, and debt easier to pay down, during the "boom" phase of a business cycle. With output and incomes high, total tax revenue is bound to be high as well, while expenditures on things like unemployment insurance are bound to be low.) Out of the six remaining cases, they find, the rate of economic growth actually declined in five. Looking at a broader sample of countries engaging in austerity, Jayadev and Konczal find that, in most cases, deficit cutting during a slump results in lower growth. Even in most of the cases where the growth rate did increase, the ratio of debt to gross domestic product actually increased as well. This suggests that, even if fiscal austerity had some effect in reducing the growth of total debt, it also resulted in such weak overall economic growth that the debt burden (relative to GDP) continued to rise.
Austerity can actually undermine a country's ability to reduce its government deficit and debt, and increase the interest rates a government is forced to pay on its debt. A government's ability to borrow depends on the size and stability of the economy that it has the power to tax. By cutting demand, a government may prolong a slump. The longer the slump goes on, the longer tax revenues will remain below normal, and the longer the government will have above-normal expenditures on items like unemployment insurance. If investors conclude that the slump is bound to go on for a long time, and that the government will therefore be a bad credit risk for the foreseeable future, they will demand a higher interest rate (to compensate them for that risk). This, too, will tend to increase the government's debt burden.
Austerity advocates present themselves as tough-minded and pragmatic—not flinching from the painful sacrifices necessary for a better future. The facts might suggest, instead, that fiscal austerity during a slump amounts to cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. Except that, as the protests raging in Europe show, it is other people's noses that the pro-austerity faction aims to lop off.


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Updated 27/05/12 - 'Trespassing Beat' and 'Queenbert' designs added
Updated 05/05/12 - 'Pop My Lock', 'Uncuff' and 'Proud' designs added
Updated 21/04/11 - 'Superhero' designs added
Updated 18/11/10 - 'Rabbit Hole' design added
Updated 06/11/10 - 'Paparazzi' and 'Rock God' designs added
Updated 25/10/10 - New design added
It was way back when I did the Glam Nation posters that bluedogs (thanks!) suggested the idea of putting the designs onto a T-shirt. This is where it all started, and while I was away on my break doing outdoorsy activities and far from all things Glam Nation, my mind was still ticking away, nurturing ideas. A little tired of organising playlists on my return, I decided to turn them into something real. I've dabbled in all sorts of new things thanks to Adam, constantly learning new skills and growing so I thought I'd give this a go.
The official merchandise may be pretty to look at, but I don't find the clothing very wearable so my aim was to do something that is. I wanted to create designs that are instantly recognisable by fans as having a connection with Adam while retaining a subtlety that doesn't require them being plastered with his name and face. All the images here are made from scratch so as not to breach any copyrights. It's been a steep learning curve, and at times very frustrating figuring out how to do vector graphics for the first time. Here are my first ever T-shirt designs, I hope you like them.
Adam's latest twitter rant. I decided to go for a retro propaganda style. Not very glittery, but we are a varied lot and it's almost a street style that works on T-shirts for either gender, hence wearability.
The second is a parody of the Rolling Stones logo. I seem to remember Adam wearing a stripy T-shirt with the logo on at some point, and the birth of this fandom for many will always be associated with the Rolling Stones cover, 'Satisfaction'. This was the performance in which we first saw that famously long tongue snake out during those glory notes.
I have more designs to come in various styles so I'll post them when they're done. If you'd like to have them on a T-shirt or acessories, I've set up a shop for you at http://lambosessed.spreadshirt.com so please take a look. If you can't see the design or colours on the exact item you want, feel free to request from this list of clothing. They even have dog T-shirts! I'll place a link in the sidebar for easy access in future. I'm new to this so I'd appreciate any feedback you have. Let me know if you decide to buy anything, I'll be curious as to how they turn out. Thank you!
This is my latest T-shirt design and it's an illustration of Adam's silhouette mid-belt. I've always thought that the pose he strikes while he sings is a powerfully iconic one. When he goes for those huge notes, he turns his head to the side, usually to his right, and as the note becomes bigger and more powerful, he tilts his head back, palms the air with his heft hand and moves the mic further away from his mouth and his tongue reaches out. Anyway, I just wanted to capture this in a single image. I've designed it so that it works in a single colour so you can get really sparkly glitter prints on the T-shirts.
Here's my latest design, which is a little on the snarky side. It's an illustration of Adam in his 'tacky lifeguard hat' giving the finger with a smile. The hat is infamous, still accessorising many fans' twitter avatars as a show of support and was a cause for much hilarity and piss-taking. He wore it while relaxing on a beach only to be hounded by the paps and ended up in a minor scuffle.
The quote used is from a separate occasion during SFW at the Washington DC concert where he wanted security to get out of the way to allow fans to take pictures. I think it fits quite well with the illustration even though his wishes during either event couldn't be more different. When he's performing, he wants to be photographed and wants us to get as much out of him as possible. But when he's on his own personal time, it's a different story. The design is meant to show support for Adam when he's doing battle against both paps and overly-demanding entitled fans. I wonder if Neil would see the funny side if someone were to wear it to a VIP greet...
Here's one more design and it's an illustration of Adam in one of my favourite poses, epitomising his electric performances which leave us buzzing for long afterwards. I call it a rock god pose. We've seen this back-bending pose during Glam Nation, most notably at Hampton. It's when he's at the height of his performance, completely immersed, wild, uninhibited, and at his most powerful. It happens when we've gone way past listening and watching him perform and we feel it. We feel the energy emanating from him via the rushing, the tingling, and the goosebumps. Every time I watch it, I'm in awe over his superhuman ability to hold and control his amazing high note perfectly as he leans all the way back. And also at how far he can lean back!
Ever since hearing that first preview snippet of Sleepwalker, I have always associated it with a powerful visual cinematic element. The staging from Glam Nation is consistent with that and I think he built upon what we saw for the top two performance of MW. For Sleepwalker, he cuts a solitary world-weary figure, wearing an outfit that's part Matrix, part Final Fantasy or anime. The lonely tortured fantasy comic book superhero. That is what I wanted to capture with this design — Adam represented as a character who is regrettably too familiar with sacrifice but stays strong and resiliently optimistic in the face of adversity, continuing to fight. The results aren't quite as stylised or dynamic as I would have liked but I couldn't carry on tweaking forever!
I usually do these T-shirt designs with a maximum three colours so they can use the most durable printing method, giving the most vibrant colours. But it was impossible to create the effect I wanted so as a result, these 'Superhero' designs use a different printing method which give it a slightly vintage feel. Unfortunately it isn't quite as durable, so please take care when washing!
I have used this same 'Superhero' illustration on a charity Japan design that I would like to dedicate to my Japanese friends. $5 (£3) from each shirt sold featuring this red design will go to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Tsunami appeal. Alternatively, you can donate directly to the UK Red Cross or US Red Cross sites. I decided to make this version because that's where the inspiration behind the style originated. I feel that my description of the character could also represent the qualities shown by the Japanese people in light of recent events. With the blossoms and warmer colours I hoped it would have an uplifting and positive feel.
The two new lock designs below are based on Adam's recent key tattoo and the type of lock that I think it would open, inviting him to place his key in and unlock it (I see your dirty minds at work). I tried to keep it in the same style by using elements from the tattoo. The lock is heart-shaped to complement the curves of the skull and to represent the effect Adam that has had on us. I believe he has unlocked something in us all, not necessarily our hearts but the ability to feel passionate and alive again. Click on the image to see all the T-Shirts using that design:
I created the single colour design so it can be printed using special glitter material. Unfortunately it doesn't display accurately in the shop illustrations but you can see an example of how the material looks here. If you like it, look out for 'Glitter' in the titles. The 3D-look design isn't available in the glitter material but I have used shiny metallic gold or silver. If you don't see the exact colour combo you'd like, please let me know and I'll set it up for you.
There's a lot of symbolism that can be attached to keys. Where the previous design of the heart lock was meant to represent the emotional side of the Adam Lambert Effect, the handcuffs aren't just something a bit kinky but represent the physical side. How many of us have cast aside our shackles of convention and felt free to try something we'd never dreamed of because of Adam? How many of us have travelled, embraced random strangers, found that extra bit of bravery and enriched our lives with new experiences? How many of us have unleashed our creativity and have gone on to make something, to learn new skills, to share something and in turn, unlock something in others? I think you get the picture. If any of you get an offer from Adam to stick his key in while wearing these designs, I will die happy. Click the pic! The print I've chosen for the T-shirts uses shiny metallic material.
Outlaws of Love. For the full article, please visit the original post.
The first design is of Adam against the backdrop of the rainbow flag with a simple word: "Proud". It could mean many things; Adam being out and proud and gay enough, thankyouverymuch; his support and contribution towards LGBT rights; pride in him for being publicly out and leading by example; pride for his working hard towards a dream inspiring millions along the way; pride for just being uncompromisingly himself. There was also something in the Advocate article about people being reluctant to admit to liking him as he sees himself as uncool:
"I pick up this kind of energy among young people that it might not be the coolest thing to say you like Adam Lambert's music. People don't think that I'm cool."Well the design is also a response to that. It's a way of showing that you are an out and proud Glambert, proud to be uncool (and therefore post-cool?) if that's what liking him makes you.
I've used a lyric from Strut as the slogan for the other designs, retaining the informal spelling to keep it light-hearted. The second one has a subtle rainbow flag in Adam's hair for those of you who aren't fond of wearing too much colour, and the last two are variations; one with a vertical flag, the other without any rainbows. It could well be that Adam will grow into a revolutionary figure for equal rights but for now, the revolution is closer to home. How many of us have changed, feel braver, stronger, happier within ourselves? In how many of us has Adam effected a personal revolution? I hope these are designs you'd be proud to wear in support of Adam, whether for counter-protests or as a constant reminder from him that the power for change is in each and every one of us.
This design is 'Trespassing Beat'. It uses the Trespassing tape that's become synonymous with this era as a base. I've included silhouettes of Adam clapping, so along with the time axis (t for Trespassing as well) at the bottom, it's like a diagram to show the clapping rhythm of Trespassing. The size of the spaces between the claps is directly proportional to the amount of time between them. The pedants amongst you may point out that the first clap isn't actually a clap but more of a stamp. I decided to include it not just for aesthetic purposes but I think I'd personally want to clap on the big beat at the start of the bar. I hope you find it to be a fun, wearable and possibly geeky design for this era.
The second design Queenbert 2012 is a commemorative one for the special concerts Adam has lined up with Queen. I went for a classic design using a modified typeface similar to that of their logo. I designed the crown to incorporate elements linked with both Adam and Queen, wanting to keep it elegant and queen-like. When you look at it I hope it just says Queenbert to you. I included two infinity signs from Adam's tattoo to symbolise not only the energy exchange between performer and audience that Adam has talked about, but the beauty of the full-circle moments that made these events come together. Adam's first song with which he got introduced to the world on AI was a Bohemian Rhapsody. His final performance on AI was with Queen. The first full circle. Then we had the EMAs and now this with the full circles going round again. I included diamond shapes as a reference to Freddie Mercury's infamous harlequin outfit, five points in the crown to represent the members of Queen and Adam, and the letters A and Q. Finally, I thought I should include the year, seeing as these are special concerts that may become the stuff of legend in years to come. The designs come in either silver or gold glitter, or silver and gold metallic print. Hope you find it a classy one you'd be happy to wear.
Here are a couple more designs for you on the theme of "Werk", a word found in the lyrics and a word to describe the response to the album's funk side:
The first one here is "Werk Bitch!". I thought about using the Trespassing stripes but decided against it because I have feeling we're going to be sick of it before long. To keep with the Trespassing visual theme, I used a danger sign as a base with a "High Voltage" warning symbol because I relate it to Adam's electrifying performances, plus I like the way it looks. It also points downwards, like it's an order for you to get down and shake your booty. Those with dirty minds can find another meaning as it points crotchwards. I modified a loose heavy typeface to give it an informal look that has movement and attitude, and you have the option to choose neon colours as well as the standard yellow.
There's another "Werk" design for those who aren't comfortable with wearing the word "bitch". It's just "Werk" against a "High Voltage" symbol background. I decided to dispense with the exclamation mark here because I think the full stop gives lends a cool, laid back angle as a definitive statement. The print is available in neon colours as well as the standard yellow and shiny metallic gold.
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Backcountry bear spotting
Deep fjords, mighty glaciers, wild animals: Alaska represents the last frontier between humans and nature
Pilot Nic Cunningham has plugged his iPhone into the cockpit console: A Coldplay cover band blares through the headphones. Cunningham banks, scanning the ground for driftwood, and then lands the propeller plane on a beach on the Pacific coast of Alaska. On our right is the dark-blue sea; on our left, a landscape reminiscent of an old-fashioned movie set in the Swiss Alps. Our young guide Chris White is waiting for us on a quad bike with a trailor attached. We climb in. Chris spits out some chewing tobacco, and the quad jolts forward. Exhaust fumes fly in our faces. Chris is in a hurry, and soon we realize why: brown bears – three of them! Unfazed by the continuously clicking cameras of a dozen amateur photographers in rubber boots, the mother and her two cubs wander past us a short distance away. She could easily eat us if she wanted to, but prefers to graze intermittently. The whole scene is both idyllic and surreal. Waves roar, Mount Iliamna, surprisingly free of clouds, shows off its glaciers, and a bald eagle is sitting in a tree. The wilderness guides carry pepper spray on their belts to ward off the bears and keep in touch by walkie-talkie. "Is it okay if the three of us join you?" Chris asks softly. "Sure," comes the crackling response.
Flashback to 24 hours earlier. Millennium Hotel near Lake Hood, Anchorage, is Alaska's hub for trips into the wilderness. In its dimly lit lobby, a stuffed Kodiak bear towers almost to the ceiling, its mouth wide open. The sign beside it explains that humans are prey for Kodiaks. The hotel bar boasts great views across the lake. Every day a dozen seaplanes roar above the hotel's breakfast terrace – bush pilots in bear country with hunters, photographers, hikers, anglers, biologists and dropouts from society on board. The road network only covers a fraction of this huge state, and even the capital, Juneau, is only accessible by ferry or airplane.
Our first stop is Lake Creek Lodge, flying time 35 minutes – if I can find it!
At the bar, the woman next to us introduces herself as Lori. "You're from Germany? I don't understand why people keep coming to Alaska. There's nothing here." – "Okay, so why are you here?" – "Oh, Alaska is the most beautiful place in the world. I would never want to live anywhere else!" says Lori, looking somewhat confused. There is an awkward silence. Then she pulls out her smartphone and shows us a story in the local paper from the day before about a pack of black bears that invaded a children's summer camp on a university campus in town and devoured their packed lunches. "You don't have to fly far to see bears. Just go down to the university," says Lori. We opt for the wilderness.
The next morning we watch Regal Air pilot Dave Oberg prepare for our flight. The shoreline of Lake Hood is lined with colorful little huts – airline offices with small seaplanes anchored out front. The "flightseeing" business is booming. Alaska engenders a deep longing in many people for adventures in an unspoiled environment, for rare encounters with animals, and for solitude.
Dave Oberg, 63, has clocked up over 21 000 hours in the cockpit. He started off with small propeller planes, piloting his first flight at the age of 15, then flew helicopters in the military and later worked as a commercial jet pilot for a regional carrier. In the '90s, Dave ran his own private airline until he crashed into the side of a mountain. He survived, severely injured, and gave in to his wife's pleas to close down the business – only to be hired by Regal Air shortly after. That was 13 years ago.
"Our first stop is Lake Creek Lodge, flying time 35 minutes, if I can find it!" he shouts, by way of a welcome. There is a stockpile of weapons on the jetty next to ours: guns and crates of ammunition, knives the size of machetes, two crossbows and a quiver containing steel arrows. Clearly, bears are prey for humans, too. A father and son are preparing to leave on a long weekend. That's life here in Alaska, which has produced governors like the tea party activist Sarah Palin and which keeps the "frontier spirit" alive, thanks in part to the most liberal gun laws in the U.S. The "stand your ground" principle is applied to both bears and burglars: You are allowed to shoot both.
Two teenagers weigh our baggage and store it in the tail of the plane. If you want to become a pilot here, you start out as a dock boy: mooring, anchoring, cleaning and refueling the planes, helping to cast off, and loading cargo. There is not one among them who has not fallen into the cold waters performing these tasks. "Dylan the diver" holds the six-time record. But today he manages to stay dry. The propeller starts and the plane glides forward. As the engine picks up speed, a powerful jet of water splashes up from the floats. We follow right behind.
Every bear has a personality of its own
Lake Creek Lodge uses the advertising slogan "where the fish can weigh even more than the angler." Looking at most of the passengers, this is difficult to imagine. Richard, a portly guy from Washington wearing aviator sunglasses, comes here every year to fish in the Yentna river. Five nights at the lodge with its five different types of salmon will set you back roughly 1750 dollars, all-inclusive. "If you're serious about fishing, you eventually end up in Alaska," he yells through the din of the engine.
Oberg navigates by sight. Landing on the river, he has to take into account currents, waves and driftwood. The floats touch down gently. We glide toward the jetty and a warm welcome: shouts, handshakes, backslapping. Richard disembarks, and boxes of supplies and a large propane gas bottle are unloaded. These small planes are the only link to the outside world for the lodge operators. Ten minutes later we are back in the air, on our way to pick up Steve Emerick from his "burrow," the shack made of wood and corrugated iron he has built into a hillside.
"In the winter, I always think there's a bear crawling out of its cave before I realize that it's Steve," says Oberg. Despite having spent eight months without a shower or a sewage system, the recluse smells all right. Only his disheveled beard and weather-beaten face betray his life in the wilderness.
Steve is one of Alaska's "homesteaders": people who have waved goodbye to civilization in order to live in the wild as self-sufficiently as possible. Yet he still needs to buy coffee and tobacco, and so wants to go to Anchorage for a few days to replenish his supplies. "I'm really not alone," he explains. "Every year, 51 new species of animal are discovered in Alaska. Listening to the birds, exploring the land, working on my hut – all this is very fulfilling." He reads a lot, hunts and fishes, and is working on a book about birdsong. Only occasionally is his tranquility disrupted – most recently by a National Geographic film crew, who shot an episode of "Ultimate Survival Alaska" at his home. "I am never bored," says Steve, looking rather contented.
Back at Lake Clark National Park, 130 air miles southwest of Anchorage. An estimated 140 000 black bears, grizzlies, Kodiaks and even polar bears live in Alaska. We stand stockstill, watching our family of brown bears. The cubs play, the mother grazes. There are a few important rules when dealing with bears, Chris has explained.
The first is not to approach them in too large a group: no more than 12 people per bear. And only carrying a large-caliber gun if you can handle it safely. If a bear gets too close, do not scream or run away, as this can trigger its hunting instinct. Instead, lift your arms and yell: "Whoa, bear!" Running away is no use anyway, because bears can run as fast as racehorses (35 mph) as well as climb trees. If nothing else works, play dead. And if the bear tries to eat you in spite of all this, fight back! Punch the bear, kick it and try to poke its eyes with your fingers, or hit it with whatever objects are at hand.
That afternoon we see 13 brown bears, but they ignore us, apart from Blondie, who trots behind us for a while. Chris says, his hand on his pepper spray, that this merely indicates that Blondie has a behavioral problem. The photographers are thrilled, especially about the cubs, and can't stop taking pictures. Chris tells the story of a woman who burst into tears when she realized that after taking 1 200 photographs, she had forgotten to insert a memory card. And a man once asked him how they got the bears back into their enclosures. "He was totally serious," Chris says.
I'm really not alone! Listening to the birds, exploring – it's all very fulfilling
Amateur photographers from around the world travel to Alaska hoping to capture the perfect picture of a bear. Those in our group, hailing from Switzerland, France and Russia but mostly from Japan and the U.S., are happily clicking away. The professional photographer among them is the one with the smallest lens. But visiting bears isn't cheap. A day trip to Homestead Lodge including lunch and a guide costs 585 dollars, but not the round-trip charter flight from Anchorage, which costs an extra 2300 dollars. If you want to stay longer, you pay 1035 dollars a night for a single room.
We are the only guests staying overnight. Sitting at the table with Chris, our guide, and the lodge owners, James and Sheila Isaak, James says grace, thanking God for the peace, tranquility and freedom. Then we dig into the broiled salmon, which looks redder and is tastier than any salmon we have ever eaten. James tells us that his father, one of Alaska's first flying doctors, taught him how to fly a plane when he was just a teenager. He still flies the old prop plane. "It's my pickup truck," he says affectionately. A trip to the supermarket means a plane ride – and taking off from the narrow dirt road in front of the house. "Hardly any of the private pilots here have an official pilot's license," says James. And what does the FAA make of this? "What you don't have can't be taken away from you."
Later that evening a bear cub steals one of Chris's rubber boots from the porch.
Alaska tips
Alaska Homestead Lodge
The Lodge staff not only bring their visitors to the bears, they also grill freshly caught salmon for them – deep pink and delicious!
Jeff Woodward Sportfishing
How about a day of salmon fishing? Angling tour operator Jeff Woodward cooperates with several lodges and organizes individual expeditions.
Hotel Millenium
This rustic hotel has a bear in the lobby, a well-stocked bar and a large terrace, where visitors soon find themselves chatting with locals.
Regal Air, Lake Hood
Regal Air employs top pilots, complies with maximum safety standards and has been in the flightseeing business for more than two decades.
These Alaska tips are on Foursquare, too
Tim Cappelmann
Tim Cappelmann planned to start his career in journalism at Cóndor, a German-language weekly based in Santiago, Chile. Instead, he spent a year traveling from Santiago to Brownsville Texas, using only public transportation and a sailboat the whole time. After that, he developed an appreciation for airplanes, and now writes and reports for Lufthansa Magazin. His favorite subjects: pilots and astronauts, adventure travel and extreme sports.


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The so-called "centrists" at Third Way Foundation have come out against a national foreclosure moratorium, but like many of Third Way's policies, there's nothing centrist about their opposition. Third Way is simply throwing American homeowners under the bus in the service of Wall Street profits. That sellout isn't surprising when you examine the membership of Third Way's Board of Trustees. Fully two-thirds of the think tank's board work in finance, including some of the nation's largest financial firms: JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Fortress Investment Group and other Wall Street titans who stand to lose big bucks in the foreclosure fraud fallout.
Third Way Vice Chairman David Heller is the Global Head of Equity Trading for Goldman Sachs, and sits on the firm's risk-committee. Goldman Sachs has placed enormous bets on the housing market, and other Third Way board members face similar sraits: William Daley works for JPMorgan Chase—a bank that has already suspended foreclosures in order to sort out its own problems. Derek Kirkland is global co-Head of Morgan Stanley's Financial Institutions Group, and Michael Novogratz is President of Fortress Investment Group, one of the largest hedge funds in the world.
Daniel Loeb has a spot on the board. Yes, that Daniel Loeb, the whining Wall Street hedge fund manager who infamously complained that President Barack Obama wanted to violate American protections against "nonpunitive taxation, constitutionally guaranteed protections against persecution of the minority and an inexorable right of self-determination"-- because Obama favored raising the capital gains tax. All of these people, and dozens of others on the Third Way board, stand to lose or gain enormous amounts of money from the foreclosure fraud outbreak and the federal response.
Even the author of the memo, Jason Gold, used to work for bailed-out banks First Horizon, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. All of this information is available on Third Way's website, but not one word of the think tank's memo on a foreclosure moratorium mentions any possible conflict of interest, nor are any actual conflicts of interest detailed.
Independent think tanks shouldn't be promoting policies that their board members stand to financially benefit from without explaining their financial interests. If Jason Gold and Third Way want to oppose a foreclosure moratorium, fine—but they should demonstrate exactly what they have to gain from such a policy in their memo.
Third Way and other centrist groups like to claim they're staking out political middle ground, when in fact they're just advocating policies that funnel money to entrenched corporate interests. Wall Street is very good at this game, as evidenced by the fact that 20 of the 30 members of Third Way's board work for Wall Street. These aren't policies that create jobs or improve the economy—they're just giveaways for special interests. As one Democratic policymaker who requested anonymity told me, "Third Way's policy model is an utter catastrophe. They are basically Weimar Democrats."
Aside from the glaring conflicts-of-interest, Third Way's argument against a foreclosure moratorium is totally incoherent. None of the points made stand up to even cursory levels of economic scrutiny—it's the sort of thing you'd expect to see from the Mortgage Bankers Association, not an independent think tank. Third Way claim that a moratorium will scare buyers away from the market and put downward pressure on home prices. It's a nice talking point, but any sane buyer should already be spooked by the facts that have emerged on bank documentation policies. The moratorium isn't going to reduce confidence—years of banker abuse already has. Banks skimped on their paperwork to cut costs, and are now resorting to systematic fraud to cover-up very big problems. They've charged borrowers illegal fees, foreclosed on the wrong homes, and sold the same mortgage to different investment banks to be packaged into different securities. That kind of behavior scares borrowers. Repairing the damage isn't nearly as frightening.
Third Way also claims that a moratorium would hurt community banks and credit unions. Hard to see how that's the case if the moratorium only "forestalls" foreclosures, rather than preventing them, as Third Way claims, but if this is really a huge problem, just exempt credit unions and banks with less than $1 billion in assets from the moratorium. Illusory problem solved.
Third Way also argues that a moratorium is unfair to taxpayers—but taxpayers are likely to be the single largest party defrauded in the documentation scam. Taxpayers own trillions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities through the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. A moratorium can help us indentify problems and make claims against banks who have acted inappropriately.
This reasoning is not simply divorced from economic reality—it's internally inconsistent. Third Way says that a foreclosure moratorium would only "forestall" foreclosures, not prevent them—and then turns around and insists that a moratorium would encourage people not to pay their mortgages. If it's not a permanent solution, no sane borrower is going to stop paying.
Unless it already makes sense for borrowers to stop paying their mortgages. Third Way board member Derek Kirkland is a bigwig at Morgan Stanley. Last year, Morgan Stanley realized that a handful of properties it had purchased in San Francisco were not worth what Morgan Stanley owed on the mortgages. So Morgan Stanley made a rational decision: instead of wasting its money on payments for a devalued property, it walked away from the mortgages. This is called a "strategic default," and Third Way explicitly comes out against it in their memo. But iff the board members of Third Way are okay with strategic defaults, what right do they have to hold American homeowners to a different standard?
Helping homeowners isn't part of some radical leftist agenda—it's a basic prerequisite for economic recovery. When homeowners are burdened with unnecessary, predatory, and even fraudulent debt, they don't have money to spend on productive economic activities that create jobs. Punishing borrowers for fraud committed by bankers simply doesn't make sense. A foreclosure moratorium won't solve all of our problems, but it can help us sort them out so that homeowners who deserve help can be identified, along with bankers who have committed fraud.
Calls to Third Way were not immediately returned.


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What devices pair with the SoundLink® Mini II? Smartphones and tablets. Or your friends' smartphones and tablets. If it's a Bluetooth® device, you have all you need for any song you want to hear. And it remembers the last eight devices used, so it's easier to reconnect and pass around the DJ controls. With a reliable range of about 9 meters, you can enjoy all that premium sound without wires.
Small, portable speakers aren't typically known for powerful performance. But SoundLink® Mini II isn't your typical Bluetooth® speaker. So, what's the key to making something this small sound this big? Exclusive technologies that really bring it.
These deliver surprisingly deep low notes and face in opposite directions to minimise vibrations.
The transducers in the SoundLink® Mini II speaker move twice as much air for their size as typical transducers — and more air movement means more powerful sound.
Better by design
The SoundLink® Mini II speaker is designed for sleek simplicity. Its single-piece aluminium casing is durable and ultra-compact. You can control it from your Bluetooth device, and it features a built-in microphone for taking calls and accessing Siri or Google Now™.
Colourful, protective covers
Additional soft covers allow you to customise the appearance of your speaker while providing the aluminium body with added protection from scratches or abrasions. Available in an assortment of colours.
Taking your SoundLink Mini II along on your adventures? We want to hear how it sounds, how durable it is or how easy it is to take with you. Share your photos on Instagram with #SoundLink and tag @Bose.
Dimensions/weight without the cable
- Speaker:5.1 cm H x 18 cm W x 5.8 cm D (0.68 kg)
- Charging cradle:1.6 cm H x 15.7 cm W x 5.1 cm D (79 g)
- Wall charger:6.7 cm H x 4.8 cm W x 1.5 cm D
- Cable:91.44 cm L
- SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth® speaker II
- Charging cradle
- Wall charger
- Cable
- 3.5 mm auxiliary
- Micro-B USB port
Additional details
- Wireless range up to 9 m (30 ft)
- Battery life of up to 10 hours
- Power rating: 100–240 V
What kind of audio sources can I use with the SoundLink Mini Bluetooth® speaker II?
The speaker is designed specifically for use with today's most popular Bluetooth® devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. In addition, it includes an auxiliary input for a wired connection to an MP3 or similar portable player.
How do I control the speaker?
Power and volume controls are located on the speaker itself. Otherwise, use your smartphone or other paired device to select a playlist, streaming audio source, etc. No remote control necessary.
What is the wireless range of the SoundLink Mini speaker II?
On average, the speaker will work within 9 metres of your paired Bluetooth® device. Walls and construction materials can affect reception at times.
Can I stream music (Spotify®, Deezer®, etc.) from my computer to the SoundLink Mini speaker II?
Yes, as long as your computer is enabled for Bluetooth® and is within 9 metres of the speaker.
What happens when my phone is streaming music to the SoundLink Mini speaker II and a call comes in?
When a call comes in, the music will pause and the call will ring through the speaker. You can answer the call by pressing the multi-function button and talk into the speaker itself to conduct your phone call. When you end your call, music playback resumes.
How do I check battery life?
When the speaker is turned on, the battery indicator lights up for 10 seconds, then turns off to conserve power. To check the charge, press and hold the power button to turn the indicator light back on. Green = 70% or more charge; yellow = 20–70%; red = less than 20% battery life.
What is the playing/charging time of the battery?
Battery performance varies depending on the content and the volume at which it's played. In typical usage, a fully charged battery gives you up to 10 hours. The battery will fully charge in four hours using the included cradle or wall charger, possibly longer with some USB sources or while playing music.
What purpose do the voice prompts on the SoundLink Mini Bluetooth® speaker II serve?
The voice prompts serve two key purposes. First, they provide guidance during the Bluetooth® pairing and connection process so that the customer understands how it works. Second, they identify the connected source devices by name, simplifying usage with more than one source device.
Can I use the SoundLink Mini speaker II as part of my home wireless network?
No, the SoundLink Mini speaker II works only with the Bluetooth® wireless protocol.
Can the SoundLink Mini speaker II be used to provide audio for video, such as for watching a film on a tablet?
Yes. However, the quality of the experience—specifically, synchronisation between audio and video—can be influenced by the Bluetooth® implementation on the viewing device. You will get the best performance by keeping the SoundLink Mini speaker II and the device in close proximity, which minimises wireless interference. Use of Wi-Fi® in the area also may affect performance.
Owner's guide
Related products
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text:
Courtney Love for Saint Laurent: "OMG What Did I Miss? Is It 1993 Again?"
Images via Dazed Digital Late last week, we considered an ad image of Marilyn Manson for Hedi Slimane's Saint Laurent Mens. It gets worse (or better, depending on your perspective, I guess): the Manson ad is part of a larger campaign called "Music Project" which also features Courtney Love (above), Ariel Pink and Kim Gordon. […]Read more


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A costly and widely used mammography add-on increases detection of noninvasive and early-stage invasive breast cancer but also makes more mistakes than mammography alone, researchers from UC Davis and the University of Washington have found.
Published in the April 16 issue of the "Annals of Internal Medicine," the study of women enrolled in Medicare is the largest comparison of clinical outcomes of routine screening mammography with and without computer-assisted detection (CAD) – software developed to enhance the detection of breast cancer during screening mammography.
CAD was most strongly associated in the study with higher incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive breast lesion typically referred to as "stage 0" because it does not affect surrounding tissue or mortality.
"DCIS progresses slowly, if at all," said lead author Dr. Joshua Fenton, an associate professor of family and community medicine at UC Davis and a national leader in research to improve the quality of health-care services. "Some of these early noninvasive lesions may never have come to clinical attention in women's lifetimes if CAD were not applied to their mammograms."
CAD also was associated with slightly higher rates of early-stage invasive breast cancer detection.
"There may be benefits if CAD detects early-stage invasive cancer before it progresses," said Fenton. "A longer-term study would be needed to see whether fewer women die of breast cancer on account of the technology."
The study also showed that CAD mammography was associated with increased diagnostic testing, including breast biopsy, among women who did not have breast cancer.
"This means that CAD increases the chances of being unnecessarily called back for further imaging or tests because of a false alarm, which is already a major problem without CAD," said study co-author Dr. Joann Elmore, a professor of internal medicine and epidemiology at the University of Washington and specialist in breast cancer screening. "No woman likes receiving a notice saying that there was an abnormality on her mammogram that might or might not be cancer and more testing is necessary. This can understandably be a very stressful experience for women."
CAD algorithms are designed to assist radiologists by marking areas on mammograms that could be associated with breast cancer. Application of CAD has increased rapidly since being approved for Medicare reimbursement in 2001, and it is now used on approximately three out of every four screening mammograms in the U.S. Despite this broad acceptance, some health-care providers have questioned if the benefits of CAD outweigh its annual direct costs to Medicare, which are estimated to exceed $100 million each year.
More than 163,000 women nationwide who were 67 to 89 years old when they underwent mammography with or without CAD during 2001 to 2006 were included in the study. The participants received more than 409,000 mammograms – an average of 2.4 mammograms per person – during the six-year period.
"The large sample size gave us the opportunity to provide precise estimates of CAD's clinical impact at the national level," said Fenton.
Compared to women screened without CAD, women screened with CAD had a 17 percent increase in diagnoses of noninvasive DCIS breast lesions and a 6 percent increase in diagnoses of early-stage invasive breast cancer. Among women who did not have breast cancer after all, there was a 19 percent increase in additional diagnostic imaging after screening and a 10 percent increase in breast biopsies.
Fenton and Elmore hope their findings emphasize the need for research to distinguish early-stage breast cancers that are likely to progress from those that are likely to follow a benign course.
"CAD is expensive technology that has been nearly universally adopted in the U.S. due to Medicare's support and the hope that it can help us identify and treat invasive breast cancer early," said Fenton. "Our study suggests that we still don't know whether the benefits outweigh the harms for the average woman on Medicare."


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This is by far one of the most gorgeous drone videos I've ever seen. Shot in Morges by CreativeViewPhoto, its elegance and narrative beauty make it stand far above the crowded playing field.
Though drones are primarily used for landscape and cityscape photography, I've begun to see them slowly make their way into the engagement and wedding photography field, where the unique perspective they afford can offer a way of taking in the extravagance of a wedding day that no other means can. This seems to have been just the wedding to show that capability off. Shot by the Lac Léman at the Beau Rivage Palace in Nyon, the aerial perspective really brings the beauty of the wedding and the surroundings into focus simultaneously in a way that photography from the ground simply wouldn't be able to achieve. I spoke with CreativeViewPhoto, and he mentioned the video was shot on a DJI Phantom 4 while flying completely manually. You could check more of these work on http://www.creativeviewphoto.ch or http://google.ch.
Have you used drones in any of your wedding work? They surely present unique challenges in such a situation, but as CreativeViewPhoto has demonstrated, they can produce some beautiful and unique results. Be sure to follow him on Vimeo and Facebook!
Source article : fstopper


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Getting on IRC and useing it.
BY: kryptonic
Ok so i got bored and well i know its been covered before but I decided
to write a tut that will Cover everything from downloading installing and
useing IRC to basic commands.
What is IRC?
IRC (internet relay chat) is a chat system that lets people connect anywhere
on the net to join in live discussions.
What is a good IRC client?
I use Xchat. I would recommend that because it is simple to use. It works both
on Linux and windows. This tutorial will be done useing Xchat.
Where can i download Xchat?
Xchat can be downloaded at http://www.xchat.org/download/ . Choose the proper
package to download. If your on Windows download Windows version under precompiled
Ok now that you have downloaded Xchat go install it. If your on windows its easy
and straight forward. If your on linux its a little different. Ill run through the install.
1.Unpack the archive it will look something like tar -xzvf chat-x.x.x.tar.gz or
tar -xjvf xchat-x.x.x.tar.bz2 (replace the X with version number)
2.Run the configure script
cd xchat-x.x.x
3.compile the program.
4.Log in as root and install the program
(enter password)
make install
Getting on Xchat.
Ok now that we have installed Xchat we need to connect to a server. For this were going
to use irc.martlev.com.
1.Go to the Xchat drop down menu and click server list.
2.Click the box entitled Edit mode.
3.At the top next to Networks is a add button click that and then type martlev.
4.then go over to the right where it says servers and click add. Then type irc.martlev.com
5.Click the connect command. After it connect go back up to the dropdown menu and click window then channel list.
click refresh the list and then click on #lobby. You can join multiple channels by typeing #lobby,#chat,#help
just put a comma between the channel names.
6.Another way to get into a channel is to type /join #channelname (replace with the name of the channel)
Ok now we know how to connect to servers and get into channels. Now its time to learn some of the commands you can use.
General Commands
/join-use to join a channel /join #lobby
/part-use to leave channel /part #lobby
/leave-same as part /leave #newbies
/quit-use to quit IRC. A message may be added to the command, but is optional. /quit goodbye
/whois-use to get info on a chatter. /whois kryptonic
/whowas-use to get info on a chatter that has left or changed their nick. /whowas kryptonic
/who-shows nicks, addresses, and optional user info if available for users on a channel /who #lobby
/names-use to see the nicks of users in a channel /names #lobby
/msg-use to send a private message /msg kryptonic hello
/query-opens a new window for private dialog with a nick /query kryptonic
/nick-use to change your current nick so change kryptonic to kryptonic_ i would use /nick kryptonic_
/me-use to have *yourname does something* so *kryptonic says hello to everyone* would look like /me says hello to everyone.
/away-use to set an away message /away at work
/list-use to get a list of all channels on the server /list
/invite-use to invite someone who is on IRC to join you on a channel /invite kryptonic #lobby
/ignore-use to prevent someone from talking with you /ignore kryptonic
/mode +i-use this to set invisible mode. /mode kryptonic +i
/mode +o-give someone ops /mode #lobby +o kryptonic
/mode +b-ban someone by their address from a channel /mode #lobby +b *!*email@example.com (not correct address format)
/mode +m-set the channel mode to moderate..only ops can type in channel /mode #lobby +m
/mode +v-after setting to moderate the user can be given permission to speak /mode #lobby +v kryptonic
/mode +s-makes channel secret. Wont show up in channel list /mode #lobby +s
/mode +p-makes channel private.Channel cannot be joined unless an invite is issued /mode #lobby +p
/mode +i-makes channel invite only /mode #lobby +i
/mode +t-restricts channel topic changes to ops only /mode #lobby +t
/mode +n-prevents messages from outside the channel being sent to another channel /mode #lobby +n
/mode +l-limits the number of users per channel /mode #lobby +l 10
/mode +k-sets a password for the channel cannot join without typing /join #channelname password /mode #lobby +k kryptoniciscool
CTCP and DCC Commands
/ctcp ping-ping a user, a ping is used to determine the amount of time it takes for your signal to get to another nick and back /ctcp kryptonic ping
/ctcp version-used to determine the type or name of the IRC program a user is running /ctcp kryptonic version
/ctcp finger-finger gives additional info about a user /ctcp kryptonic finger
/ctcp userinfo-gives about the same info as finger /ctcp kryptonic userinfo
/ctcp clientinfo-tells you what functions are active on the user client /ctcp kryptonic clientinfo
/ctcp time-checks the local date and time on a users computer /ctcp kryptonic time
/ctcp whateveryouwant-LOL you can make your own ctcp commands by typing something like /ctcp kryptonic is uber 1337 LOL
DCC Commands
/dcc chat-use this to start a private chat with a user /dcc chat kryptonic
/dcc send-use this to send a file to a user /dc send kryptonic filename
/dcc get-use this command accept a file from a user /dcc get kryptonic filename
/dcc list-use this to get a listing of active DCC connections /dcc list
Well thats it. I put alot of work into this so I hope you guys like it.


text: A recent survey of retired Americans by AARP revealed that although retirement means less sex, a majority of retired people say they are happier having retired. However, life is not all rose gardens and happy strolls to the local Sizzler for retired couples: 21% of those surveyed said they had more tension in their marriage after retiring and while 80% of men said they increased their housework load once they retired, only 47% of women agreed. [Reuters. Image via Flickr]


text:
It's not just the NSA that's said to be working on a quantum computer – China is also pulling out all the stops to beat its arch rival with a crypto-cracking machine of its own.
The National Natural Science Foundation of China funded 90 quantum-based projects in 2013, with the order from Beijing to get the job done irrespective of the cost, according to South China Morning Post.
"The value of the quantum computer to the military and government is so great, its cost has never been considered," Zheziang university professor Wang Haohua told the paper.
"Many Chinese scientists abroad, such as myself, have been attracted by the rapid technological development in China and are returning home. We hope to help China catch up with the West. It is not impossible that we may even win the race in the future."
As part of the huge effort by academics and military boffins, China has apparently built a three-storey Steady High Magnetic Field Experimental Facility on Hefei Science Island, Anhui province.
Once operational, the facility could generate a magnetic field in excess of 45 Tesla, creating a more stable environment for quantum research by increasing the distance between qubits, according to the report.
"Under super-strong magnetic fields, the distance between qubits can be increased, making our jobs easier," project leader Chen Hongwei told the paper. "If qubits can be tamed this way, the first quantum computer may be born inside a magnet."
The latest batch of Edward Snowden docs revealed last week that the NSA has budgeted $79.7m for the development of a quantum computer capable of cracking most kinds of encryption systems.
However its "Owning the Net" initiative apparently faces competition from rival projects in the EU and Switzerland, as well as China.
Even with the brightest minds on the planet and the unlimited resources of China working on the problem, it could still be decades before a working quantum computer is built, according to some experts. ®
Sponsored: Webcast: Simplify data protection on AWS


text:
From Nation to Nation
Nation to Nation exhibit gallery. Photo by Barry Hetherington.
Examining Lewis & Clark's Indian
December 12, 2003–September 30, 2008
Visit the Online Exhibition
In commemoration of the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's expedition, the Peabody presents an important reexamination of the expedition's contact with native peoples. The repository of the only remaining Native American objects acquired by the Corps of Northwest Discovery during their epic trek, the Peabody Museum's exhibit focuses on the nature and flavor of Lewis and Clark's relationships with the Indian peoples they encountered on their journey.
From Nation to Nation features thirty-three select object, both of the period and those acquired by Lewis and Clark, including a spectacular calumet, the oldest known buffalo robe, and the newly discovered bear claw necklace.
Curated by Castle McLaughlin.
Available from Peabody Museum Press
Arts of Diplomacy: Lewis and Clark's Indian Collection
by Castle McLaughlin; Photographs by Hillel S. Burger; Foreword by James P. Ronda


text:
Former Bush Speechwriter: Ed Snowden Is A 'Shameless Espionage Pornographer'
from the ignoring-the-facts-to-hang-a-moniker dept
Marc Thiessen, contributor to the American Enterprise Institute's blog and, perhaps more relevantly, former speechwriter for George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, has issues with the New York Times' latest NSA leak. As he sees it, there's no "public interest" angle to justify revealing the NSA's ability to compromise computers not connected to the internet.
The Times reports, "There is no evidence that the N.S.A. has implanted its software or used its radio frequency technology inside the United States." And an NSA spokeswoman, Vanee Vines, says, "N.S.A.'s activities are focused and specifically deployed against — and only against — valid foreign intelligence targets in response to intelligence requirements."As he sees it, revealing this allows terrorists to alter their hardware habits to further avoid surveillance. The American public, however, is supposedly completely unaffected, at least according to the New York Times' conclusions and an NSA spokeswoman's statement. Whether or not one agrees with Thiessen's claim that there's nothing here that warrants exposure to the general public, where he goes next is just completely wrong.
So what is the redeeming social value of the story? What "abuse" is being revealed? What threat to American civil liberties has been exposed here? Why is this something the public needs to know?
The answers are: None. None. None. And it isn't.
As one former senior intelligence official told me recently, stories like this are nothing more than "espionage porn." They serve no greater social purpose than to titillate."Espionage porn" is a nifty catchphrase and some leaks have been less "revealing" than others. But to label Snowden an "espionage pornographer" makes two assumptions -- one of them questionable and the other laughable. To call Snowden's leaks "espionage" rather than whistleblowing is to buy into the NSA's and the administration's stance. There's plenty of gray area between those two terms and sometimes what the government pursues as "illegal" is nothing more than inconvenient. (See also: the panic proceeding Manning's leaks and the multiple deaths and diplomatic fallout that failed to occur.)
And the man behind so many of these revelations, Edward Snowden, is nothing more than the Larry Flynt of the intelligence world – a shameless espionage pornographer.
Except for one big difference: pornography is legal. Sharing America's espionage secrets is a crime.
Pinning this particular release on Snowden and painting him as a "pornographer" is willful ignorance in search of a tantalizing pull quote. Snowden isn't guiding the release of these leaks. The entities he turned the documents over to are. If anyone's a "espionage pornographer," it's the New York Times -- the outlet that decided to publish these documents. If Thiessen wants to argue this release serves no greater interest than "titillating" the public, fine. But don't pin it on the guy who isn't making editorial decisions.
But this is just more of Thiessen's ongoing antipathy towards the former NSA analyst. He responded to the NSA's supposed consideration of granting Snowden amnesty for the return of the documents (as if that were possible) with this:
Amnesty? Have they lost their minds? Snowden is a traitor to his country, who is responsible for the most damaging theft and release of classified information in American history. His actions have exposed not only the NSA terrorist surveillance programs, but our intelligence collection efforts against foreign governments, including Russia and China. He has aided our enemies, shared intelligence with potential adversaries, and has damaged our ability to defend against future terrorist attacks. Maybe we offer him life in prison instead of a firing squad, but amnesty? That would be insanity.Almost everything Thiessen says here is debatable, at best. "Aided our enemies" is just a talking point used to justify espionage charges. Little evidence exists that our enemies are in a better position to harm us than they were pre-leaks.
"Sharing" documents with "potential adversaries" sounds worse than it is. Any public release of these documents would "share" with "potential adversaries." That's the nature of publication. Anyone (excluding certain government employees) can read it. And that's a whole lot of speculation to pack into one short sentence. How can anyone logically worry about "potential" adversaries, especially when the US seems to have plenty of existent adversaries.
And the last part -- "damaged our ability to defend against future terrorist attacks" -- is just ridiculous. Even the NSA itself is having trouble coming up with examples of how its programs have averted attacks. The longer this goes on, the weaker these arguments become.
Thiessen doesn't care for Snowden or his leaks. That's fine. He disagrees with others about what is or isn't "public interest." Again, that's a matter of opinion. (Although, given his general stance on Snowden, I'm of the opinion that no document that has been released meets his standard for "public interest," at least not if weighed against all the speculative "damage" it does to national security.) But when he blames Snowden for a New York Times' editorial decision, he's just taking a cheap swing at the target he likes least.
Filed Under: ed snowden, espionage, espionage pornographer, marc thiessen, whistleblower