Minor Ripper: 10/1/09

Hateful? Racist? A menace to society? ....Rush??! A toxic waste dump of a human being? Big loveable Rush??!! You've got to be kidding! Keep telling it like it is Rushy Boy!!!

Must Watch: Colbert Reports on Bush Hitting the Motivational Speaking Tour

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

George W. Bush's Motivational Speech

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Religion

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Minor Ripper Art Review: The Death of Socrates

I saw this piece in person on Saturday evening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the effect it had on me is almost indescribable.

It literally felt like someone plugged my spinal cord into an electrical outlet. I was in the presense of brilliance. Of the supernatural.

Slack jawed and stunned, I could have started at this painting all night long.

I found it mesmerizing. Awesome. Unfathomable....Mind blowing.

Staggering.

But the artwork itself is transcended, almost impossibly, by the context of the painting:

A man calmly choosing death over impuging his morals.

Look at the effect this decision had over his friends, his followers. The example it sets for them.

At a time where narcissism, lies and hate seemingly rule the day.

Where taking the easy way out is the choice 99% of time...

This painting sticks out like a light...a torch.

A permanent reminder that for mankind there is still and will always be a right and a wrong.

On a dark, and increasingly darkening landscape.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

FCC Regulated Interstate vs. the AT&T/Verizon Tollroad

Net neutrality has not been discussed on the Ripper and it's an unfortunate oversite. Had the healthcare issue been tackled 20 years ago and if the economic meltdown passed over us like a shallow grey cloud, this might a top 3 issue of the year.

Last Thursday, the FCC voted unanimously to begin consideration for writing "network neutrality" regulations that would protect and promote open broadband pipes to the Internet. Wireless Week has published an assumption of those rules which will be reviewed in the next few months in committees and public discussions before a final decision is reached some time early next year.

Shortly after that anouncement Senator McCain introduced legislation titled "The Internet Freedom Act of 2009" McCain notes that the wireless industry "exploded over the past twenty years due to limited government regulation. Wireless carriers invested $100 billion in infrastructure and development over the past three years, which has led to faster networks, more competitors in the marketplace and lower prices compared to any other country." Meanwhile, "wired telephones and networks have become a slow dying breed as they are mired in state and federal regulations, universal service contribution requirements and limitations on use."

That statement smells of obvious ~~bullshit~~ FUD coming from a man that admits he's "illiterate" with computers and whom happens to be the single largest senate recipient of telecom lobby money.

I'd like to point out that with years of hesitation, Apple and AT&T finally enabled MMS service for all you monopolized iPhone users, when every worldwide carrier already offered the service? Communications have moved away from POTS lines because of convenience, collaboration, enterprises moving business outside the office (going mobile), smartphones, and the Internet (IP Telephony) not because of Gov regulation or restriction.

There are wide ranging implications to both actions and a lot of noise is being generated on this which I'll continue to cover as this progress. Google, which accounts for 6% of all internet traffic; supports Net Neutral rules:

The Internet was built and has thrived as an open platform, where individuals and entrepreneurs -- not network owners -- can connect and interact, choose marketplace winners and losers, and create new services and content on a level playing field. No one seems to disagree with that fundamental proposition. This new proceeding is aimed at opening a national dialogue on how best to protect that unique environment.

I'm not in favor of more gov regulations in general but McCain's legislation offering could encourage more abuse by the internet backbone corporations (UUNET, Level 3, Verizon, AT&T, Qwest, Sprint, IBM etc.) that want to impose usage restrictions (bandwidth and content), and increased fees via metered usage, such as those we've already experienced:

2003: Comcast was blocking IPSec VPN traffic to/from residential broadband customers in order to force those customers to purchase business class service.

2006-07: Comcast was again caught throttling P2P traffic and other applications. .

2007: Verizon Wireless was caught blocking an abortion rights group from sending SMS messages.

2008: AT&T was caught redacting anti-Bush lyrics from a Pearl Jam concert webcast

We should be watching Canada more closely as Canada's Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) decided late last year (2008) to allow Bell Canada to single out P2P traffic from their service which has already created citizen alarm with their throttling of P2P usage. AS P2P moves more to streaming media, restriction of internet services will directly effect anyone that uses service from Netflix, Hulu, Google Voice (all IPT for that matter), IPTV services and many other technologies. This doesn't sound like an environment for new companies to develop and existing ones to thrive and compete when their service is being limited out of the gate.

My personal suggestion is ISPs should be working with governments and technology vendors to develop a non-intrusive to personal privacy solution to the expanding SPAM problem that already consumes 90% of all email traffic (1, 2) and 70% of all internet traffic is considered malicious or "junk" (quote I personally heard from Stephen Hutnik, Lead Architect of AT&T Security Defense at SC Security conference 2009), there wouldn't be as much of an argument to the imitation of Internet service.

Minor Ripper Technology Review: The Google Android G1 Phone

The shitty, poorly designed track ball on Minor Ripper's Blackberry broke for me last week while away at a conference in Boston for the last time.

In this frustrating event's aftermath (it's happened to me twice before...) I have vowed to never purchase another Blackberry for the remainder of my life.

Blackberry has become a defacto monopoly for the business world's 'smart phone' market, and monopolies, as we know, invariably breed contentment, laziness, and invariably inferior product.

So as far as Minor Ripper is concerned, it's au revoir Monsieur Blackberry.

What about the Apple Iphone, you might say? Well I have a deep, inherent bias against 'the cool thing that everyone has and everyone simply needs"...

I've never listened to Madonna, either, or ever watched a fucking episode of "Celebrity Dancing!" or "American Hero!" or whatever those patently absurd, although incredibly popular TV shows are called.

I strongly disapprove of Apple's expensive, slick, seemingly non-stop advertisement campaign telling me how stupid and uncool I am if I don't buy one of their ridiculously expensive phones, too--

No thank you, Steve Jobs. I refuse to subsidize your annoying TV commercials. I guess that means I'm a dork or something, but whatever, you're rich enough anyway. Spend that money to make your product better.

Alas, as is so commonly the case, I digress...

In the wake of my failed Blackberry, a colleague of mine who happened to have an extra mobile phone--the now year old HTC Android G1 phone (aka the Google phone), offered to let me give it a test ride.

After having it for a week, here's my take: it's awesome, but the battery absolutely sucks head. I mean it's like carrying a mobile phone sized laptop around with you--serious, there's literally very little you can't do on this phone that you could do on your laptop or your office computer...

Which is all very cool until you realize the battery of this thing lasts about a half hour. But in terms of the device itself, it is like a Ferrari, whereas Blackberry is a Yugo. There is no comparison other than the fact that they both have four wheels.

But make no mistake about it, I'm very confident that these things are the future. I've been told the battery life on the newer Android phones is vastly superior.

How long before Google becomes a fat and lazy monopoly that stops innovating?

Monday, October 26, 2009

Being a True Conservative is One Thing: Voting for Sarah Palin is Something Completely Different

There is nothing wrong with being a true Conservative in the United States of America. The problem is that today, the Republican party--historically the home of traditional fiscal Conservativism, has become warped by their stances on social issues like immigration, abortion, and homosexuality

On foreign policy, the party has arguably been even weirder: Supporting the crazy concept of pre-emptive war and subsequent occupation (gee--looked so good on paper!!), the abhorrent policies of state sponsored torture and mass internment, and selecting nutball, maniac war hawks like John Bolton (who, like fellow war monger Dick Cheney never served in the military) to be the ambassador to the United Nations.

But, alas, the party's unfortunate current situation can be summed up in one name:

Sarah Palin.

Many might take issue with the way Minor Ripper framed last year's presidential election, which was the following: either you, the American voter, supported Sarah Palin for president, or you didn't.

You see, if you voted for McCain/Palin in 2008 that means that you have really, really. Really. Poor, reckless judgement. You have deep seated political issues and should seek help.

The idea of putting Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from assuming the most important, powerful position in the world was nothing short of total lunacy. If you voted for McCain/Palin in 2008, you are an American political lunatic and should seek help.

But being a true fiscal conservative--against higher taxes, against expanding government, pro states rights, etc....is something completely different.

Those are the types of values and political beliefs that got guys like Dwight Eisenhauer and George H.W. Bush elected.

Sadly, starting in the 60's with Richard Nixon's 'Southern Strategy', the party started relying on racist southern whites--vestiges of the American Civil War a hundred years earlier, to claim electoral victory.

That divisive strategy--exemplified perfectly by Bush's Brain, the hateful political strategist Karl Rove, no longer works. It no longer works for a variety of reasons, but mainly because the country has consistently become less white.

The strategy officially died on November 3rd, 2004, the day after George W. Bush was reelected president.

You see the growing numbers of Hispanics, Asian Americans, Blacks and other ethnic groups in America don't really subscribe to the theory of being second class citizens.

That doesn't mean they like paying high taxes and support government waste--who does??

But they certainly don't like being spit on by racist douchebags like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. And their brains work enough to realize what an insane. Insane insane insane. Thing it would have been to have Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency.

The less white America becomes, the stronger she becomes.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Obscene: Bloomberg on Pace to Spend $150 Million on Re-election Bid

Minor Ripper has been a citizen of New York City for the last 9 years and can say hands down that Michael Bloomberg has been a very, very solid mayor.

They say that being mayor of NYC is the second most challenging job in the world, behind that of President of the United States--and I don't doubt this bold claim.

Bloomberg has done a good job. Even his most vociferous critics, if given a truth serum, would admit to that.

Having said this, I'm not going to vote for him this time around. Out of principle.

You see, it is both un-American and un-Democratic for a person to be able to purchase an election in what is supposed to be a Representative Democracy.

Bloomberg is literally in the process of drowning his 'competition' in a tub of his personal cash in this year's New York mayoral race.

That's not even taking into account his arrogant, entitled, imperial action of rewriting the city's laws to be able to run for a third term.

New Yorkers should feel lucky that Bloomberg has happened to be a diligent, competent, forward thinking, all around excellent mayor (pretty much the mirror opposite of a guy like George W. Bush).

But that doesn't make what he's in the process of doing right or just: What if the next billionaire who successfully buys an election happens to be a dunce or even worse a tyrant?

There are simply some things in life that money should not be able to buy: Major elections in democracies is clearly one of them.

Michael Bloomberg's third election sets an awful example to the rest of the world and will make America a weaker country in the long run

Friday, October 23, 2009

Dick Cheney: Still an Asshole

One might have been hopeful that upon leaving office former Vice President Dick Cheney had mellowed a bit.

You know, had become a little less bellicose, a little less divisive.

Less angry. Perhaps showing less of the characteristics that made him the single most responsible person for America becoming a state sponsor of torture during the previous presidency...

Alas, unfortunately, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Dick Cheney is still a royal, bleeding asshole.

If anything (and who knew this could be possible??), he's becoming a bigger asshole.

Here's a guy who current CIA director Leon Panetta rightfully suggested would welcome a terrorist attack on America while Obama is in office because he's so hateful, so partisan.

So eager to validate his dark, sinister, demented--and by the way patently wrong and counterproductive, political and national security beliefs.

Here's a pussy who got five--count them five! Deferments to avoid serving his country in Vietnam, yet has the balls--the sheer balls, to suggest that the Obama administration is failing the troops and showing 'weakness' by not sending more troops immediately to Afghanistan.

Who picked this throbbing, hypocritical prick to be their VP, anyway??

Thank GOD those dark days in American history are over.

Now shut the fuck up, Dick. The current president's got hard work to do.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

If We Had a Billion People, What Would Be the Pulse of America

First I want to thank Minor Ripper for inviting me to guest comment on the blog. As he had already stated, with the help of a third, we helped pushed him into the blogosphere mostly because we were tired of the daily ranting emails and would rather sip from the fire hose through an RSS reader than have to contemplate marking his email as spam. Now if only we can get some additional progress in other social medias - twitter is a start.

A quick intro: before I built my first web page in 97 out of boredom working as a temp at large government laboratory, I was aware of this internet phenomena when my grandfather gave me his Commodore 64, when he upgraded to the 128, and shortly after I was on AppleLink on my Mac II. My parents didn't understand the obsession with chat and gaming then, even when grandpa told them to buy as much stock as you could in two small companies back in 92 (AOL & Apple). Today I (attempt to) manage 3 blogs, 15+ IM handles, a twitter feed and a growing Facebook habit.

Professionally I've been educated in several engineering disciplines (Civil & Environmental being primary), and worked exclusively for the last 10 years in the Web and Information Technology sector; concentrating on Information Security, Compliance and Risk Management. My professional interests have grown today into social technologies, mobile and cloud based services. With that foundation, I hope to add an expert voice to the blog in both technology and globally environmental issues.

Personally I'm vested in the health and future of our great country. Politically I count myself as an Independent and have been known to vote on each side of the candidate spectrum. Although the majority of my bias is grounded left of center, as an engineer, I prefer to side with fact and the truth. My take in this area will be vetted as well on MR. I welcome any and all discussions, feedback and comments.

~~~~~~~~

The title of this post was an adaptation of a quote from a key bullet point, straight from Twitter's February 2009 strategy meeting, hacked and publicized in July 09: “If we had a billion users, that will be the pulse of the planet.”

I live in New York City where millions of people from different countries, races and social/political views speak hundreds of different languages and commingle every day in a well run functioning metropolis (by global standards). You can't go anywhere with out someone in your personal space in this city but it's taken time, compromise and respect of your neighbor to get where we are today (despite a recession).

With the mass distribution of information via cable television and the internet, pockets of America, whom have never had to consider, let alone deal with, recent decade concerns, are now face-to-face with issues like immigration, demise of American industry, healthcare, global perception of America, economic and financial stability and even celebrity. Moreover, this instant and excessive stream of all information, good or bad, is also the catalyst for the explosion in popularity of reality-based entertainment, gossip content and most importantly opened the possibility for the "common" individual to acquire automatic fame without much education or skill.

Americans, nay anyone, can virtually violate the personal space of anyone plugged in. For better and worse, this has allowed anyone actively contributing or watching from the "sidelines", to be exposed to different opinions, share new ideas, discuss politics with a global audience and evaluated, updated and changed policies for the better of all in society.

The typical person's world has expanded beyond the spouse, 2 kids, picket fence, commute, the job, the bills, happy hour, a baseball game and occasional neighborhood bbq. Within the last decade we passed a tipping point (probably most reciently when American's realized that the internet community played a massive role to help elect our 44th president) where a collective majority of American's now have the opportunity to connect outside of their walled communities. Some pockets of Americans who felt isolated, suppressed, and alone have found compatriots and a voice that can be heard, while other groups of Americans have found new channels to express their own agendas.

With this much confluence, we don't have as much immediate effect on our own personal world as we thought we did, however, we are beginning to understand that our individual actions today will collectively effect the communal outcome of tomorrow. Whether those pockets of America like it or not, their world has grown and much like New Yorkers today, they will have to live with the acceptance and respect of their new neighbors, become more aware and actively support their new global environment and accept a common path for a stable and functioning society of tomorrow.

My point of view is not just for environmental issues:
Think Globally, Act Locally...

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Coming Dominance of China

It is not a question of if China eventually comes to dominate America and the rest of the world, but when.

Minor Ripper is at an economic/geopolitical conference this week and today saw Henry Kissinger and former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf speak. A host of prominent historians and economists like Nialll Ferguson and Joseph Stiglitz have also spoken.

The conference has been enlightening, to say the least.

It goes like this: Basically the white man--descendants of Western Europeans, have been on top of the world food chain so to speak for the last 500 odd years or so.

Starting with around Christopher Columbus, peaking with the disgraceful Opium Wars of the 19th century, and continuing through 1971 when Nixon and Kissinger 'opened' modern China, whites have basically subjugated the Chinese and treated them as their inferior bitch.

That shit is about to change. Big time.

Flush with cash while America and Europe go bankrupt, a proud and confident billion person strong China will overtake America as the world's largest economy in a decade or so.

It's happening in real time but won't be complete until everyone reading this is dead, but it will happen.

China will rule the world. America is an empire in decline. It is inarguable.

And as they say....

Paybacks are a bitch.

Is More Consumption Really the Answer?

We are told the key to the worldwide economic recovery is resumed consumption primarily by the American consumer.

In 0ther words, Americans simply need to go back into extreme debt by purchasing meaningless things like big screen plasma tv's, fourth cars, and new Xboxes for the world to get back on its' economic feet.

You see, this would trigger additional manufacturing of the meaningless junk over in China and India, increased lending by banks at usury interest rates to the dunce consumer over here in the States, etc.

Haven't we already been through this? How about saving, chilling at home with the two TVs and not three, and investing our work and energy into things like reducing pollution, sprawl, and picking up a book now and then...gasp, maybe at the library even??

Just a thought...

Sunday, October 18, 2009

An Update on Health Care Reform

Passing sweeping, historical legislation in America that will change the lives of every citizen is an agonizing, nearly impossible thing to do. As it probably should be.

Social Security. The Civil Rights Act. The Endangered Species Act. The vote authorizing preemptive war in Iraq...Well, maybe not...

Anyway, I must say the recent attempt by Obama and most Democrats to pass health care reform has been a bit of a complicated yawner. You see, health care reform isn't exactly sexy--especially if you already have it and don't see it as too much of a problem in the first place.

And that goes to the heart of the problem: Universal health care already exists in the United States, albeit in a Frankenstein like way of awfulness and inefficiency.

If anyone--be them man, woman, black, white, purple, gay, illegal alien, Mexican, French, Ghanaian...shows up at a hospital sick--either having a heart attack or having broken their pinkie, they will get fixed. Period. End of story.

Are we prepared as a society to not treat the bleeding from the cranium, convulsing biciclysit who was just hit by a bus, because he is uninsured and broke? Are we prepared to just let him die?

I think not.

No one is preventing sick people from getting treated in this country--even if they are broke and can't pay. Insured or uninsured. That, to me, is the bottom line. The problem is that our system of billing and paying for treatment is 100% out of whack and the definition of insanity.

No one cares what any of their treatment costs--because invariably someone else is paying for it, and doctors are incentivized to bill and bill and bill away, and prescribe as many unnecessary treatments as they can to lard up their bills.

Without going into any further detail, most people with IQ's above room temperature realize that something is very wrong with the country's health care system. America is behind in this compared to other civilized countries--way way behind.

And thankfully it looks like we will soon get a bill passed. It might not be perfect, but it will address many of the fundamental problems with billing and payment that exist.

No, we won't instantly turn into communist China, as droves of right wing loonies (aka 'wingnuts ') have been telling us for months, and no the legislation won't be perfect.

But it will be a start, a long overdue move in the right direction.

Good job, Mr. Obama.

Friday, October 16, 2009

YouTube: George H.W.Bush "Did you get my ass e-mail?"

The Truth on Health Care Reform

This is an amazing 4 minutes of coverage from the House Floor. Congressman Mike Rogers of Michigan brings up some excellent points that seem to be missed by the vast majority of the American Media. To everyone reading, what other country on this planet would you rather get sick in??? Do you want that to change???

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Really Weird: Glen Beck Starts Crying on Air, Rambling About 'Simpler Times'

Warning: Millions and millions of Americans take this guy dead seriously....

Best of Minor Ripper: Weirdo Busted with Live Kitten in Bong--March 4, 2009

Keep in mind we are a nation of some 330 million....all types

BEST OF MINOR RIPPER POST THREE

Incredible Video: The OxyContin Express

Nice! Meghan McCain Sends Twitter Picture with her Tits Hanging Out...

Story here....Perhaps not the sharpest knife in the shed??

Repost: W can Dance!

YouTube: Obama Dances with Mexican pop singer Thalia

YouTube: Germans Try to Pronounce the Word "Massachussetts"

YouTube: Tina Fey on Letterman--I was a virgin until age 24...

Letterman probably was pitching a pup tent in his pants when he heard this...

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Best of Minor Ripper: Sarah Palin is Related to Princess Diana--October 10, 2008

Who knew??

BEST OF MINOR RIPPER STORY 2

In Our Thoughts

As we go through our daily activities today, let's keep our troops in our thoughts and prayers. They are the true heroes. If you have it in you, please visit the USO website and find out how you can help.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Best of Minor Ripper: Bush Refers to Italian Prime Minister as "Amigo"--July 10, 2008

Minor Ripper has embarked on an incredibly time consuming effort to clean up the thousands of disjointed, haphazard blog labels that have accumulated over the three year history of this website.

In the process, some real gems have been unearthed while sifting through the mountains of content...

BEST OF MINOR RIPPER POST 1

RNC new 'Hip' Website Riddled with Typos, Errors

This is hilarious.

Michael Steele is the Republican Party's new Sarah Palin.

Hillary: I'm Not Running for President Again

Hmmm. I must say I'm skeptical about this recent proclamation by America's current Secretary of State...

Political analyst James Carville has famously said that "Running for president is like having sex: people just can't do it only once..."

However maybe she is being truthful and is the rare politician to stop at just one unsuccessful run...

One thing is for sure, Joe Biden breathed a huge sigh of relief when he heard about this....

Monday, October 12, 2009

Head of NFL Players Union Writes Letter Opposing Rush Limbaugh's Purchase of St. Louis Rams

Story here.

Hmmm... Let's see, the majority of NFL players are black, and Rush Limbaugh is pretty much an open, hateful racist, who used to play the parody song "Obama the Magic Negro" on his radio program over and over again...

The NFL isn't that stupid...

Open Warfare Erupts Between Fox News and the Obama Administration

For the first time in American television history, we have in America a network that is completely partisan and 100% committed to bringing down a sitting president and his administration.

The situation is described in this fascinating article found in yesterday's New York Times.

It's nothing short of pure, unadulterated propaganda--and it's powerful.

What the article fails to mention is that Fox News' audience is probably 99.9% white--the same folks who voted for Sarah Palin in 2008.

America, as has been discussed ad nauseam in this space, is a country undergoing rapid change: whites will officially become a minority in a few decades as the country is literally changing colors in real time.

So the dying majority hangs on to things like Fox News and their alternative reality...

Saturday, October 10, 2009

YouTube: O'Reilly Debates Athiest Richard Dawkins on Existance of God

Who, reader, do you think wins?

Friday, October 09, 2009

Binge Cocaine Use Rises Among London Bankers

The price of cocaine over the last several years has dropped dramatically, and as this fascinating article discusses, addiction among bankers has spiked in London...and it's safe to say every other financial capital worldwide...

Coke used to be prohibitively expensive, in other words you had better be making a lot of money if you wanted to snort it. Not anymore, though, as production methods have improved.

It snows virtually year round these days in the western world, and cocaine addiction has become a real problem.

Right Wing Erupts as Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

The headline of the right wing's favorite website, the Drudge Report says it all: "Embarrassing Joke"--in describing this morning's announcement of Obama winning of the Nobel Peace Prize this morning..

Expect Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and every other douche bag/wingnut freak with a microphone to excoriate the news later today...

You see these days when America wins, or tries to win (Chicago's Olympic bid)--the extreme right hates it, because it's good for Obama.

Yet these same weirdos march with their chests puffed out during every 4th of July and Memorial Day parade--and God forbid if you try to prevent them from taking their loaded guns with them into bars and movie theatres...

Freaks.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Gold Rises to 100-yr Highs

For the past number of days, gold bullion has appreciated to above $1000 an once. In the previous 3 years, this level had been a limit, or ceiling so to say, on the price action. Gold sustaining above this limit for a number of days now, and trading violently to $1050 is a strong signal that it will go MUCH higher. Targets of $1200, $1500, and $2000 an once are being tossed around. Gold is appreciating because the yellow metal is an alternative to holding US Dollars.

While the Federal Reserve and US Treasury have cut interest rates to 0% and flooded the monetary system with stimulus and accumulated massive debts to do so, some have grown distrustful of the sustainability of the dollar as a store of value. I speculate that the Fed may need to keep interest rates at close to zero for some time in order to see the job market come to life. If that is the case, all of us should be holding some 3-10% of our net worth in gold. If you don't want to actually own the metal (you have to pay to store it somewhere). Here are a few alternatives: Buy GLD which is a gold bullion ETF that actually holds physical gold in a trust to back the share value. Or you could own a mutual fund which invests in the Gold Mining companies. These companies not only produce gold but own land and mines that have gold in the ground. Two which have reasonable fees are: ProFunds Precious Metals Fund (PMPIX) - which uses 50% leverage. Second, Tocqueville Gold Fund (TGLDX) which uses no leverage.

Moreover, If you are a hip hop gold aficionado, keep the gold in your teeth and hold tight to current levels of jewelry. It will appreciate and others won't be able to afford soon. If you are a piece of ass "Gold Digger" don't pawn your stash and keep at what you are doing. Switzerland, you are in good shape - this is the country with the largest per capita holding of gold of the top 10 holders.

Savvy investors of all sorts will benefit from the governmental bailout shit show we have found ourselves in and the corresponding super-extreme policy responses.

Things Have Quieted Down

Talk about a weird political summer in the USA this year...

You had wingnut freaks having breakdowns in town hall meetings with their elected officials, Medicare and Social Security recipients hyperventilating about 'government run health care', and tea party protesters protesting, well...something.

Thankfully, as we find ourselves now in the Fall, things have quieted down considerably: it looks like meaningful health care reform will pass, and Obama's poll numbers are back up.

Phew.

Where are They Now?

This is an oldie, but a goodie. In this YouTube clip we see a typical Obama supporter gearing up for the handouts Obie promised in his campaign. I hope Julio is doing well......

Does Anyone on Earth Care What Sarah Palin Thinks about Afghanistan?

You might have noticed that America's 'forgotten war', Afghanistan, is bubbling up in the news lately as the body count continues to rise, and the overall strategy of why we are still there after 8 years is increasingly being asked.

Of all the opinions and recommendations being offered to President Obama, including a complete pullout or a massive troop surge to somewhere in between, the most useless and annoying has to be that given by former Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin.

Who wants to bet that Sarah Palin could not point to Afghanistan on a map?

That paper is being wasted printing what this vapid dunce thinks about anything, let alone major foreign policy, is a total joke. I feel bad for the trees.

Do you really think that President Obama tells Secretary Gates and VP Biden, "Boys if we lose Palin, we've lost the war."??

Obama would get better foreign policy advice from his dog Bo.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

YouTube: Sean Hannity Interviews Michael Moore, Can't Remember Church Sermon from 2 Days Ago

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Rush Limbaugh, Awful Human Being, Looks to Purchase St. Louis Rams, Awful Football Team

Rush Limbaugh is arguably the worst American alive today: A xenophobic, vulgar, simple minded right wing demagogue who makes his country a demonstrably worse place to live by his very existence.

For the past few decades Rush has been the equivalent of a horribly bad, swollen, oozing with puss, itching, flaking human rash that is impossible to get rid of, and legions of his pigeon like 'Dittoheads' listen to his radio show daily and proceed to take the public dialogue on important issues further into the gutter by parroting his hateful bullshit.

The Saint Louis Rams are a terrible joke of a football team, reaching a new low last Sunday by losing to the San Francisco 49ers 35-0.

They are so bad, so inept, that the Bad News Bears girls softball team would probably kick their asses. In football.

Could this be a match made in heaven?

A Case for Home Schooling!

This came out last week, but WOW! Pretty scary to me. It's good to see our educational system is taking on the important issues and keeping the minds of our youth open. What would have happened if a video liked this leaked in 06', with school children singing "George Walker Bush.....he is out man"......?

YouTube: Pedicab Driver and Taxi Driver get into Fistfight on the Streets of NYC

This shit happens all the time on the streets of NYC...The pedicab punk was clearly in the wrong here--throwing a coffee at the dude, etc. Looks like he got his ass kicked, too...

Veteran Blogger Austin Vegas to Write on Minor Ripper

Three years ago Austin Vegas literally started Minor Ripper for me.

We were sitting around his apartment in lower NYC with another friend and he came up with the idea for me to share my outspoken views on politics and other stuff via the World Wide Web.

So you guys can either thank him for that or blame him for that--probably the latter.

AV is the type of dude who knew how enormous the Internet was going to be like 20 years ago--way before you or me.

In addition to his vast technical skills and knowledge, AV is an excellent, experienced writer and blogger who has very kindly offered to write a post on here every now and again.

AV: Welcome to Minor Ripper. Rip away amigo.

Finally!

Well, it took about three years, but the left leaning cast of SNL finally hit the nail on the head. After spending episode after episode attempting to assassinate the characters of Sarah Palin, John McCain, Dick Cheney, W and any breathing life form with a conservative view they woke up and realized the obvious had to be addressed. And what may this be? Simply, the American public was fooled by an orator with ZERO substance. His ambitious agenda has failed to produce any tangible outcomes. He has already squandered the massive amount of political capital he had when walking into the White House and has most certainly cost his minions on Capital Hill their jobs in the next election.

Let's just hope that Lady Michelle and Oprah keep the garden up so Tim Pawenty can enjoy the fruits of the tax payers money when he takes over the office in 2012!

Video: Jon Stewart Reports on Fox News' Reporting on Chicago Olympic Bid

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Moment of Zen - Chicago Is Too Dangerous for the Olympics

www.thedailyshow.com

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Ron Paul Interview

Monday, October 05, 2009

Right Wing Euphoric as Obama Chicago Olympic Bid Fails

Let's hear it for an American president failing in front of the whole world!!

Woo-Hoo! All Right!!!

I love America--but only my America! Only the people I vote for...

Rush Limbaugh on at noon, Glenn Beck on at 7pm, and Sean Hannity on at 9....

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Job opening: Marijuana reviewer

“Within five minutes of the posting, we already had an application — which is very fast turnaround for a stoner,” said the weekly’s editor Patricia Calhoun

STORY HERE

Friday, October 02, 2009

Story on Letterman's Extortionist Joe Halderman--Woman's Name is Stephanie Birkitt (see video below)

For a seemingly pretty smart guy, this guy Joe Haldermann did something unfathomably stupid, it seems...

The chick (seen in the video in the post underneath this one), Stephanie Birkitt, is pretty cute.

YouTube: One of the Women Letterman was Fucking

US Unemployment Report - Worse Than You Think!

The US Employment Report was released this morning, with another quarter of a million jobs shed (-263k). This was somewhat worse than Wall Street economists were anticipating. Moreover, the details of the data were worse yet, as the workweek contracted to 33.0 hours. Given the size of the US workforce, small changes in the work week amount to lots of jobs. The 0.1 of an hour average work week decline amounts to the equivalent of some additional 300,000 jobs lost. As long-term readers are well aware, there are francophiles lurking the depths of the Minor Ripper blog. Well US is not France, and the 33 hour workweek is not a result of lunch breaks for sex, and 3:00pm cut-outs for Clos Vougeot or Haut Brion. No this is the consequence of an economy which has withered under a housing bubble collapse and household debt reductions. Corporate cost cutting has the potential to create a new-age paradox of thrift in 2010. In plain English, this means that all this focus we hear about corporate layoffs, cost cutting, rationalization, plant closings, etc is en vogue for investors, but not the stuff that is consistent with a broadly sustainable economic recovery. The markets have started to clue into this yesterday and today as the S&P 500 has shown some cracks. This merits close watching going forward. America needs job creation by 2010 in order to avoid a "double-dip" recession. There are enormous implications for the Ripper's political prognostications as well as overall social unrest. A jobless recovery, or a double-dip recession will see a pickup in tension with immigration policy - which would be unfortunate for the longer-term.

Minor Ripper Adds New Authors

You may not have noticed, but there are lots of websites on the Internet. Try billions. And that number grows by millions every week.

It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all the news out there and make it worthwhile for you to click on this page.

I am, after all, only one man.

Therefore, in an effort to make the site more interesting for you, my cherished and loyal readers, effective immediately, Minor Ripper is adding three additional authors to the website: Ken, Matt, and Steve.

Ken is an unbridled New York City Liberal who, like me, has a passion for politics and news. He will author posts under the moniker "NYC Progressive."

Matt is a finance and economic genius. Also based in New York City, he works at one of the world's most prestigious hedge funds. His posts will be focused on the economy, stupid, and will be under the section "Politics and Money."

Steve is a flat out right wing Conservative. And he makes no apologies for this. He's a gun owner and a hunter. He also happens to be brilliant. Based in Dallas, Texas (of course) his posts will be from a right wing perspective and will be found under the section "What's Right in the world."

Please join me in welcoming these three esteemed individuals to Minor Ripper.

Boys: Let 'er Rip.

Thursday, October 01, 2009

65 Million Year Old Dinasaur Eggs Found in India

65 million years old, is really, really old.

Take a look at these things, it's as if they were laid yesterday!

Will the earth still be around in another 65 million years? What do you think? Please comment below!!!

2012 Presidential Election

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Friday, October 30, 2009

Thursday, October 29, 2009