Issue 452 What is ISIS/ISIL's Goals. October 31, 2014

Well here is a spooky topic to sink your teeth into on Halloween.  The goals of this radical terrorist army.  So let us begin with what they want.

What they want:  Basically they want to re-found the Caliphate which is a theocratic based government based on the religion of Islam.  To do this, they want to unite the lands that have traditionally belonged to Islamic peoples.  So this means Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia (they are next on the hit list) and basically any country that exists in the Middle East   Believe it or not, they do know their history.  A pact after World War I created divisions in the Middle East separating it into these countries we know today which included Iraq and its surrounding countries. This agreement is called the Sykes-Picot agreement and was intended to break up the Ottoman Empire into spheres of influence for Britain, France and Russia.  This territorial control would later be removed, but in their place would be warlords and kings.  However, ISIS and its new name (and larger brand) ISIL want to not only unite the countries of Iraq and Syria together, but the whole of the Middle East by force if necessary. 

Methods:  Unfortunately, while removing dictators, and oppressive kings (yea they got kings over there) sounds appealing.  ISIS/ISIL is a far cry from being any more innocent that Hitler is for causing the Holocaust.  For one, ISIS/ISIL is made up of Sunni Muslims who believe anyone can inherit the will of the Prophet Muhammad (among other things) so as to rule over the Caliphate.  However the Shiite Muslims only believe that a member of the Prophet Muhammad's on family can lead.  This is important because now ISIS/ISIL wants to kill all Shiite Muslims for disagreeing with them.  It also does not help that Shiite Muslims as a whole are outnumbered by the sheer volume of Sunni Muslims in general.  In addition to killing all the Shiite Muslims, they wish to kill all the Jews, the non-believers/atheists, and of course Christians.  So basically it is convert to their brand of Islam, or die.  And when they mean die, they mean in a gruesome and violent way.  Many families in the Middle East have been murdered in their homes with their heads placed on spikes (children which includes newborns as well).  They will take women and make them sex slaves so as to have them have "half Muslim" children and that is so long as they are useful.  Once done with these women, they will often times kill them.  Children who are converts are then whisked away to train for war.  If you thought child soldiers was solely in Africa, then you have another thing coming.  The concept of genocide is lost on these people for mass murder is exactly their method for achieving their goals.

Conclusion:  All of this is for a United Middle East in the form of a Caliphate.  That is all they want.  From there it seems obvious that once they have built up their forces, they will sweep through the rest of Africa, Asia, and the pacific Islands to absorb and build up their forces to create the largest Caliphate in history.  Europe can be kissed goodbye as these ISIS/ISIL members ready and waiting to win elections while others are set to terrorize.  Yea that is right, Europe will be conquered through the ballot box as the number of Muslims in European countries grows year by year eventually outnumbering the original population and their religions.  From there it comes down to inspiring people to vote because they are Muslim and should vote for a Muslim candidate.  At this point they will slowly make reforms and then after a long while become part of the Caliphate as well.  After that, it is all about conquering the rest of the planet.  What?  Seems farfetched?  Well, truth has always been stranger than fiction.  And you know what?  You can just see for yourselves that these are ISIS/ISIL's goals by watching their videos.  Well that is if you can find there videos on their goals in between the filming’s of them torturing and killing people.  Yea, we live in a screwed up world, and the only way to stop these twisted freaks is to dismantle their ideology, and crush the rest. Vicious, yes, but effective.  The morality clock has been turned back to the point that it looks like genocide is acceptable again.  

Issue 451 The wrong way to deal with ISIS October 30, 2014

Yes, there is a wrong way to deal with ISIS.  Let's get on with this morbid discussion which I am sure some people are advocating for.

Genocide fought with genocide:  Fact is, there are people calling for total destruction.  I mean annihilating entire cities of people.  Well, it may have merit in areas where ISIS has total control and has wiped out all dissidents, it does not work in every place.  So this is a bad idea as we end up as the murderers as well.  So Genocide (or indiscriminate killing) is not the answer.

Dragging others into the fight:  ISIS is a single group, so other groups should not be dragged in that have nothing to do with ISIS.  This also means not blaming other Muslims for what ISIS has done.  ISIS ceased being Muslim the moment they started committing atrocities, and as such they are nothing but murderers.  So we must always remember to not blame the Muslim community as a whole.  This also means sticking to the target (ISIS) and not expanding the conflict further.

Conclusion:  I kept it short and to the point for a reason.  So that we do not begin to resemble the scum that is ISIS and similar groups.  They believe the ends justify the means, but we must maintain a moral high ground of sorts so that we do not become our enemy.  We are fighting quite possibly a multi-generational war and as such, we must always be ourselves.  We must always stand on the side of justice.

Issue 450 The effective way to deal with ISIS October 29, 2014

Opposed to yesterdays "Nice" method of dealing with ISIS, well here is the effective way.  In this case we fight ISIS like we should have from the beginning.  Here is how it is to be done.

Strategic attacks:  For one, we isolate their communications network to identify their movements.  This insures we know when and where they will be, when they will attack and in what strength.  At this point we make surgical strikes to the enemy’s infrastructure so that they can no longer re-equip themselves with weapons.  Thus, we are draining them of their resources.  While we do that, we try to steer their movements so that large clusters of them gather together so we can strike them down in swaths.  In addition (something we should have done from the beginning) is to kill enemy troops as they move from city to city.   This denies the enemy the freedom of movement they have enjoyed up to this point.   Once accomplished the enemy troops become isolated and thus easier to kill off.  

Part of this strategy is also having professional soldiers trained from the indigenous peoples of the towns and cities where they live to fight ISIS and other insurgents once the towns are retaken.  Thus, these secret forces and a strong police force/militia on top of that will help secure the rear lines from being retaken by ISIS remnants.  

How to accomplish this:  Unfortunately this will require troops on the ground again.  It will need us bringing in our air force and our land battle troops to help secure areas and strike at enemy forces.  In short, it will be a third Iraq war that will also include Syria and any other European and Middle Eastern Country that wants (or is forced) to get involved. This, while a dim prospect, means we will be fighting another war that will define the early part of the 21st century as violent and brutal.  Where nations no longer just fight each other, but against large groups of individuals capable of toppling nations.

Conclusion:  Well, this is option two, which is slightly less appealing than yesterday’s option.  In this case, America will be doing the grunt work alongside its allies for this conflict.  Yes, we are probably going to end up doing this eventually, but by then we may end up waiting too long with millions dead yet again like in the holocaust. All I can say is, if we are going to do something, let's get on with it already.  I'm already sick and tired of seeing footage of the beheadings and the stories of murder and rape by ISIS commits acts of genocide. 

Issue 449 The Nice way to deal with ISIS October 28, 2014

The nice way to deal with ISIS is to not even send troops overseas.  Instead we host a proxy war where others fight in our stead.  How this works is simple, so let us discuss.

Proxy war:  In this case we would be using Iran, and other Muslim countries to fight the battle.  ISIS is made up of Sunni Muslims.  However, Iran, large populations of Iraq and parts of Syria are all Shiite Muslims.  As such, ISIS is also seeking the death or conversion of Shiite Muslims as well.  So we have the champions of Shiite Islam (Iran, and the large communities in Iraq) wage war against these terrorists.  America need only lend intelligence support, perhaps some equipment and humanitarian aid to help in the battle.  This reduces the overall American foot print and negates our need to have another violent war.  Turkey and other Sunni countries can join in to fight ISIS, as ISIS seeks the destruction of their governments.  So with a united coalition they can actually crush ISIS and achieve a "Muslim" victory over radicals.  

Reasoning:  For one, the United States is war weary, and thus should avoid fighting as much as possible.  We are also in debt which will only increase if we fight another war.  On the other hand, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries have fresh militaries ready to fight a battle and they can distribute resources as needed to better handle ISIS (not to mention they are a bit more ruthless).  In addition, this allows for their armies to be weakened slightly which makes them less apt to strike Israel after they finish off ISIS in Iraq and Syria (Syria is a staging ground to strike at Israel).  So instead of sending masses of troops and wasting large sums of money, let these other countries who have the means and the opportunity to fight and defend themselves rather than us defending them.

Conclusion:  Yea sure, this really is not the nice way of doing this.  While ISIS is a brutal group, the other countries getting involved may be just as brutal.  But they also have their own radicals as well who will more than likely be placed on the front lines which means we may be left with less radical members of the Muslim society once the fighting is complete (assuming that actually occurs).  But militaristically it makes sense to preserve and rebuild our resources and let the world attempt to take care of its own problems for a change.  Heartless sure, but sensible to a large degree.  

Issue 448 ISIS's Foreign Friends October 27, 2014

Have you heard of the terrorist group ISIS and its more large scale form ISIL?  Well for those who do not know, they are a terrorist group turned large army that seeks to wipe out the infidels and create a caliphate.  But what is really disturbing is the large number of foreign radicalized Muslims who have jumped on board to their cause.  Let's discuss.

The foreign Friends:  ISIS has a large contingent of foreign fighters amongst their ranks.  Approximately 3,000 come from the European Continent alone.  You can now begin to wonder, that if 3,000 members came from Europe and they seek the death or conversion of all non-Muslims, what does this say about the possible number of radicalized Muslims still in their home countries.  Apparently, some of the fighters also came from the United States, which means we have those radicals here too.   So what does this mean to us?

Implications:  The primary implications is that this means there is a greater possibility of an attack by one of our own citizens than an attack coming from a terrorist group abroad.  So they do not need to sneak anyone over the border to kill Americans and our Allies overseas.

What's to be done:  So the only thing we can do now is monitor the situation.  We must use surveillance techniques to find and isolate these radicals before they act.  It may even be possible to intercept them before they even begin to act and convince them via subterfuge to be a real Muslim who renounces violence.

Conclusion:  I feel that this must be brought to the forefront with respect to information shared with the public. The fact that we have U.S. and European citizens fighting on ISIS's side demonstrates the amount of free movement they have and the potential for them to launch more devastating attacks on innocents.  It is hard to feel empowered to do something when people in your own country can potentially seek to kill you.  However, we must be strong, and we must react in the right way.  Muslims, Christians and Jews in their countries should unite to denounce the violence committed by ISIS and their beliefs.   In short, you tell them that they have ceased being Muslim and call them a murderer for even being a part of the ISIS cause.  By shaming them, and Muslim Clerics teaching them the correct peaceful version of Islam may be the only way.

Issue 447 Educate the public on Drugs October 24, 2014

The most disturbing thing I have found while working at a pharmacy is not the sheer number of patients (though it is sad), but that most do not even know why they are taking these medications in the first place, let alone how they may interact with their other medications, food and vitamins.  This too me is really bad as they could just be taking these medications and actually be hurting themselves.  So I say educate the public in the following ways.

Medications:  People should know and understand what each drug is used for.  So they should be educated on the nomenclature of each type of drug, or the names adjusted to reflect what they do in an easier to understand format.  This way the populace can know what each drug effects without having to go through the schooling of a pharmacist.  Also, basic rules of thumb on which medications can be taken with what will also need to be made known so as to prevent harm as well.

From there pharmacists, or special lines of communication should be open for anyone to call so that they can ask questions on their medications.  Further, knowledge of when and how to take the drugs should also be easy to understand.  For instance, you should space an hour between taking a medication that affects your thyroid, and that taking it with milk makes it less effective.  These kinds of thing are essential to patient health and safety, and limiting that knowledge to just pharmacists has a negative effect on society in my opinion.  

Vitamins and food:  Both of these can affect health as well and interact with medications.  So by educating people on what foods you can eat to maximize Iron levels, which can act as blood thinners, and so on, we can avoid having to pay for expensive medications, and even avoid vitamins save to increase absorption rates.  This more holistic branch of medicine can aid in reducing the chances of having to take medicines with negative side effects, or actually dealing with those side effects without additional medicines.  Also, as mentioned, foods and vitamins can affect other medications you are taking and thus should also be made available in an easy to understand format.

Where this should be taught:  Rather than teaching sex education in a health class in high school, maybe health should actually focus on healthy bodies and knowing and understanding the medicines, foods and vitamins we all ingest.  In addition they can discuss ways to take care of oneself so that there will not be a need for such chemicals being placed in our bodies.

Conclusion:  An educated populace is a healthy populace as then we may even be able avoid going to a doctor for unnecessary treatments, needing to bother a busy pharmacist and maybe we can actually treat ourselves on occasion so as to avoid using our insurance and having to dish out cash to see a doctor.  I will tell you now that in my experience, most doctors do not know about medicines at all.  But pharmacists do, and they know what interacts with what.  And guess what, they have a database that helps via the internet.  Would it not be just grand if we could all do the same thing and read off the internet in an easy to understand format?  Well you bet it would and that is slowly becoming more viable.  But many sites unfortunately do not have health care lingo written in layman's terms.  So can we adjust the system to make it so that we have to see doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals less?  Yes we can, but that only comes with a populace that is educated in such a way that we need only to look to ourselves for the answers we seek.

Issue 446 How many Credit cards should you have? October 23, 2014

Credit cards are basically cheap low denomination loans that you must pay back.  However, having too many credit cards can lead to financial ruin.  Let us discuss.

How it leads to poverty:  The reason why having too many credit cards can lead to financial ruin is due to the lack of ability to see those funds disappear.  You do not consistently see your balance going down.  So when people realize that they have spent all that money, then they proceed to typically get another credit card to pay off the debt they have now incurred.  This becomes a vicious cycle that can lead to the destruction of your credit score and thus you’re being unable to get a loan or risk a higher interest rate.  Also, what many people do not realize is that if your debt is high enough, regardless of the amount of income you gain, you can still become impoverished.  More debt equals poverty.  So how can this be avoided.

Simple solution:  You should not have more than two credit cards.  At most two is easy enough to keep track of on a daily (or even a weekly) basis.  One of those credit cards will be used for large purchases or when you lack the cash.  The other will be used if and only if you cannot pay down the first card quick enough and thus will only be used in emergencies.  I personally have one credit card which I use exclusively for internet purchases, and for when I like cash.  Otherwise I pay off as much of the debt incurred before interest is tacked on so as to avoid a higher credit card bill (usually I just pay off the entire amount owed).  For those with two credit cards, you can switch back and forth between the two so the amounts on both remain low and thus make it easier to pay off even if you have to pay interest on the debt.  Also, if you find a credit card that has a better interest rate, then you should eliminate the card you have that has the highest interest rate and replace it with the new one.  You can then proceed to use the new card to pay off the old cards debt so that it does not hang over you.  From there it is all a matter of carefully picking your purchases and buying more cheaply so that you stay ahead of the debt and finances you have.

Conclusion:  We all have to be smart with our money so as not to burden ourselves or loved ones with financial instability.  As such, I found two credit cards maximum to be the best way to maintain my financial wellbeing without accruing too much debt.  So cut out the excess in your life so that you too are not forced into poverty by your own spending habits. 

Issue 445 Terrorism and the Subways October 22, 2014

Mass transit is a prime target for terrorist attacks.  In this case we will be discussing attacks on the subway systems like those in New York City, and the chances of it occurring.  Let's begin.

Methods of attack:  There are three primary weapons of attack that can occur in a subway system like New York Cities.  The first in a chemical/biological attack.  Such an attack has been used by the radical cultist group Aum Shinrikyo in Tokyo's subway system, which used homemade saran nerve gas.  This demonstrated the potential of gas like attacks in subway systems and how the tunnels allow the toxic gases to spread rapidly throughout the entire subway system.  Reason being is that a subway is like a giant wind tunnel which carries any air from one part of the tunnel to the other parts of the system with ease.  Biological attacks work in a similar method if airborne, but a single infected person with say the flu, or Ebola can infect hundreds by merely staying in the system and just coughing and sneezing on enough people for it to spread. 

Attack type two is a bomb.  It can be just as devastating as a gas attack by it derailing a train car which can cause numerous trains to collide.  On top of this, it can paralyze a city’s infrastructure for an extended period of time which in turn hurts the economy as well.  As such, you not only have to deal with dead bodies, but transportation disruptions, and the possibility of people losing their jobs due to the economic losses associated with the attack.

Finally we have the third and most disturbing possibility.  A run and gun style attack like what occurred in Mumbai India could take hundreds of lives and send panicked people in the subways into the streets creating traffic jams and trampling people.  This can then be taken advantage of by the attackers as their targets are now bunching together and thus making for easier targets.  If they combine this method of attack with cheap pipe bombs, then you have a recipe for total mayhem.  

Possibilities:  In the United States, the chances of a chemical attack are limited due to the shear amount of resources involved in making deadly toxins.  As such, the police and the Federal authorities will notice and hopefully be able to stop the incident before it occurs.  Biological attacks are easier though and thus even spreading the common flu which kills thousands a year can be devastating.  The other two attacks (gunmen and bombs) are harder to accomplish, especially if you involve more people in the attack.  It requires coordination and timing.  Not to mention, the sheer amount of bullets and ammunition required would take months to collect and distribute.  The longer it takes for the terrorists to set up an attack the more likely they are to be detected.  However, it is possible for this kind of attack to occur ( such as the Boston Marathon Bombings) and thus we have to hope that the intelligence agencies and police forces are on their toes and are able to react fast enough to stop the attacks.

Conclusion:  We are always subject to an attack by terrorists.  This is a given fact in the world we live in today.  So the fact of the matter is, what are you going to do about it?  You can run and hide, take counter measures, or act like nothing is going to happen and not let it affect you.  I personally feel that I should just educate myself on the subject just to be prepared for such an occurrence happening.  Otherwise I will live my life normally.  I will not let the terrorists win by changing my routines and behaviors for that is when they win.

Issue 444 Out of country pharmacies October 21, 2014

Similar to yesterday’s article on medical tourism, we have people shipping in medications that are approved from one country to another to take advantage of the cheaper costs.  Here is how it works.

Prescriptions from out of country:  Well it is all about the costs.  You can get a drug for your physical condition cheaper than you would in your home country like the United States.  The reasons are simple.  For one, there are is less regulations in some countries while still maintaining the same quality of medication.  Due to the lower costs involved in producing the medication (less bureaucracy) means that the drugs will be much cheaper.  Stated another way, it is less involved to produce and dispense a drug in Canada then it is in the United States.  Also, some countries allow generic drugs to stay on the market longer.  This means older, or copies of the medications are more readily available, hence a cheaper price due to a larger supply.  From there you simply need a prescription from a doctor to give to a pharmacy in the neighboring country to give them the authority to fill the prescription and ship it to you.  I have seen plenty of my patients at the pharmacy I work at brag that they can get their drugs cheaper in Canada or Mexico, which saves them anywhere from $20 to thousands of dollars a year.  

Possible problems:  The main issue with this however, is that quality control (depending on the country) may not be up to par with Countries like the United States and Canada.  As such, you may be getting a weaker medication (thus less effective treatments).  Also, older generics of medications and older medications in general may have more side effects.  So there is a potential health risk for using a drug that other countries have ceased using.  But so long as you keep these risks in mind you can have cheaper health care.

Conclusion:  I want my patients to save money, because drugs are really darn expensive.  Hell, I remember a patient buying their three medications (a month supply each) out of pocket, and that cost them well over $3,000.  It was horrible to watch, but they needed it.  However, even if my pharmacy loses money I want people to save money for the drugs they need.  So let them get their medicine from wherever they can, so long as it is effective and cheap.

Issue 443 Medical Tourism October 20, 2014

Have you ever heard of this?  Medical Tourism?   Well it is an actual real term that defines a specific practice.  Of which I will explain now.

Medical Tourism:  This form of tourism is where patients go from country to country to get procedures done to either improve their health, or in some cases enhance themselves.  Basically, you have a strain of cancer where the cure is not legal for sale or use in the United States, so you go to France where the cure is legal to get treatment.   This is how it works.  Cases of medical tourism are for treatments that are not allowed in one country, but allowed in others.  In other cases it is cheaper in the other country to get treatment for diseases and health conditions.  Then there are some like people who need an organ transplant, but are so far away in line for the next kidney, heart or lung, that they will probably die in their home country.  Therefore they head to a country where they can get a new organ almost immediately.  These are the advantages of medical tourism.

Reactions:  While getting cheaper healthcare in another country is supported, there has been very negative reactions to the organ transplant form of this tourism and to a lesser extent the possible experimental treatments for diseases that have no cures in the home country of the patient.  With respect to the organs, they are seen as sacred and thus not a commodity by a large majority of the world community.  As such countries are cracking down (like China) by making it almost impossible for foreigners to get transplants from the people in the country the medical tourist is visiting. 

 As to the experimental drugs.  While cures/procedures may be approved in one country, they are not guaranteed to work.  In addition, many of these people may have to stay in the country they are visiting for treatment due to bans on their medicine, or the procedures ban in their home country until it is finally approved (which may be years later).  Obviously this makes it hard on people with rarer diseases, but governments are not budging and are reluctant to change policies in the near term out of fear of possible future complications and side effects.

On another note, regular medical tourism is sometimes frowned upon based upon the fact that some view the foreigners entering their countries as intruders.  That they take away the medical care that otherwise would be used to treat a fellow citizen.  However, these notions fade in and out with economic difficulties for it is more out of resentment over actual fact that these feelings appear.

Conclusion:  I think medical tourism is a fantastic thing.  It gives people more access to treatment opportunities than if they stayed in their home country (though this is usually reserved for the rich because they have the money to spend to hop from country to country).  I find the organ donor portion to be good for people who may be struggling to get a match in their home country, but sadly governments are ethnocentric at times which means some of these organs that could have went to save others will go to waste.  On the experimental drug front, or the as yet to be approved drugs, I believe that people do own their bodies and thus should be free to experiment to try and save themselves (especially if their condition is terminal).  This is my feelings on the matter and I hope you enjoyed the read.

Issue 442 Babe Stable News Network?! October 17, 2014

Ok, I am writing this to point something out.  Something so obvious that we have become oblivious to it when we watch the news.  Here we go.

The Babe Anchor:  On every news network you will notice that many of the female news reporters, anchors, and even some commentators typically show their legs.  And in some cases show a little to a lot of cleavage.  But most importantly, the camera men and some of the lighting people try to emphasize this fact on purpose.  Reason is simple, to show these sexy women in the hope to keep audiences watching for a few minutes longer.  Basically it is all about sex selling the news (hi Fox news channel).  But is this a problem.

Morality:  Yes, sex sell, and it sells very well.  But, are we objectifying these women into objects?  The problem is, we are in a sense even if they are complicit in the action.  So morally speaking we have a tentative situation where if we start seeing women wearing even skimpier clothes and making provocative poses on purpose, then we know that we are morally wrong and protest should ensue.  Also, if the women does not want to be highlighted as a sex object, then it should not be forced upon her by her employer, in which again protests should ensue.  However, right now I have heard nothing of the sort happening yet (thank God).  But we must be sure that this does not go any further, and that we all realize the possible consequences of objectifying women.

Conclusion:  Thank you for reading as this can be a potential problem.  Women and men alongside them have fought hard for the idea of equality between the sexes.  However, this objectification can possibly undo that.  Hence the reason I wish to bring it to you (my readers) attention.  So please keep this in mind when running your own businesses, programs, and just in everyday life in general.  No one should be put on the same level as an object, not now or ever.

Issue 441 Death of CD's October 16, 2014

The compact disc (CD) has been a mainstay for the music industry for years.  However, with the ability to download songs from the internet, they have been slowly been phased out.  Allow me to explain the obvious.

Death of multi-song disks:  The main reason is the price of the songs themselves.  Allot of music listeners bought CD's to simply listen to one song over and over again.  But they had to pay the cost for not only that one song, but every song on that CD.  So once you could just buy the songs you like people stopped bothering to buy these multi song discs.  Heck, why would you want to pay for something you do not have too.  So many record companies and bands are looking to simply sell direct to the consumer through the internet.  Here people can preview other songs and buy them if they like.  This helps many small bands and record companies that cannot afford to release all those CD's and thus allows them to cut out yet another middle man in the process of selling their goods (music) to their customers.

Impact:  Soon we will lose the CD player all together just like we did with cassette tapes in the last few years.  Instead, we will have USB cables from our phones, digital music players and thumb drives plug in instead to listen to the songs we want to hear, and only the songs we want to hear.  And even then, they may eliminate the plug in system all together and just have the system link wirelessly to your car radio and radio systems (which is already being done and improved upon).  But if you think about it, this means the elimination of yet another industry.  Yes people will lose jobs, but that is the creative destruction of the market.  In addition, movies will be bought and sold in the same way, which will eliminate the need for DVD and Blue ray players.  Why worry about quality by buying a new system when TV's will have upgradable programing to get more and more detail out of every show that you watch.  Video games too will shift to an all-digital transfer system too, so you can avoid the lines at release and just buy the game online at a much cheaper cost.  Basically, it will work in the same way as when you rent or buy an electronic book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  You can buy to keep or buy to rent.  Soon we will see all media entertainment digitized with very few exceptions as we transition away from expensive production lines and embrace a completely internet based economy.  Heck, they may even set up online swap meets for certain content especially when patent rights expire.  This even allows patent rights to be global too (almost forgot that one).

Conclusion:  I personally think books will be the sole exception to total digitization as people still have a nostalgia type feeling when it comes to reading a book.  However, everything else is all about saving money for both the producer and the consumer, with the downloadable content on the internet allowing for the bands themselves to sell their music without the need for a record company.  It allows moviegoers to purchase the movie they just saw the moment they are released in theaters after testing to see if it is worth the $5 or less.  Gamers can get any video game they want from any platform, and play them all on television via their computers.  I can see it now, rather than trying to buy a new game system, the companies will compete on the release of the best controllers to enhance game play (they may even release special televisions for games like they do computers).  Overall, the internet is one of the greatest inventions mankind has ever known, and it is sure to continue changing the way we live and how we buy and sell our wares.

Issue 440 Why vacation is necessary October 15, 2014

Vacation is a wonderful time where you can get away from work and stress.  But many people don't realize why this break is necessary.  Allow me to explain why.

Necessity:  It is one of the most import things you can do for yourself if you work at a stressful job.  You need to relieve that stress as it is very harmful to the body, especially if it is at a constant.  So a vacation gets you out of the stress filled environment and eliminates reminders of the job you do.  Basically it allows you to clear your head.  Also, you have fun on your vacation which means you release other positive chemicals in your body which aid in maintaining overall health.  Essentially you are making yourself feel good on the inside and out.  Sure there are those who have fun at the job itself, but everyone needs that break in order to be healthy.

Conclusion:  I know there is not much to write on this one, but I wanted to emphasize why it is helpful to take a break.  Sure you will eventually have to go back to work, but at least you should be refreshed in doing so.  So stay healthy, and take a vacation.

Issue 439 Paid to quit October 14, 2014

Did you know that some companies are actually willing to pay you to leave?  Yes it is true, and it is happening right now. Let's discuss.

Dead beat workers:  The primary reason this is done is because some of these workers are just dead weight.  So they drag down the company or division they are working in.  So you want these people to leave.  But they need incentives to go so that they can go get another job.

What Amazon does:  Amazon pays $5,000 dollars for their worst people to leave voluntarily.  Yes that is right, if you really stink at your job at Amazon.com they will pay you to leave.  Rather than being forced to fire you, they rather you leave voluntarily and thus without incident.

Advantages:  For one, this is very moral.  Rather than leave these people high and dry after being fired, they will have $5,000 to play with while they seek out new employment.  Also, Amazon pays for peoples college, so this way a worker can leave after they get their degree and have money to help pay back debts (if any) and seek out a job that suits their degree.  There is also a pension advantage.  These workers while they work contribute to the overall pension fund.  However, since they leave, they no longer have claim to the money they put in, and thus it acts as a way to sure up the pension fund for workers who plan to work in the business until retirement.  Also, as they leave voluntarily, it removes the chance for potential lawsuits which helps protect the companies from possible financial harm.  However, this is mostly feasible for temp workers in tech companies.  This helps prevent unionization (or even the need to) and is generally beneficial in fulfillment centers like at Amazon.  Following the same policy in the areas that require raw talent like computer programing, it becomes less of an advantage because it can harm the business for they will lose talent that can bring their company to newer and greater heights.  So the areas where skill/talent are not required will work best.

Conclusion:  The overall advantages are clear.  The less talented can get a college education, or have money to hold them over while they seek out a job.  Almost eliminates the need to worry about lawsuits.  And it removes the dead weight in the business which opens up the area for more talented and harder working individuals. So I say that this is way better than outright firing someone. Less guilt for getting rid of bad workers is a really good thing.

Issue 438 Weed (the non smokable kind) October 13, 2014

Weed is the slang term of the plant Marijuana.  It can be used as an intoxicant, but it can also be used in other ways as well.  So let us review the non-smoke able forms of weed.

Medicine:  For one, marijuana is an effective painkiller that can be superior to things like Percocet’s and the like.  But it does not need to be smoked for it to be used.  It can be ingested in the form of a lollipop, a cookie, pasta, breads and more with the right preparation.  As such, you can prevent your lungs from being ruined by smoking the weed.  Also, as it is ingested, it is more potent.  As such, less of it is required to be used to get the same result as smoking it.  This makes it an efficient medicine.

Paper: Part of the original reason weed was banned was because it competed with the lumber industry.  In this case the production of paper.  In some cases weed is still used to make paper, but not on a large scale due to it still being illegal on the Federal level of government.  But if fully legalized it can completely supplant the lumber industries paper production.  This may mean less trees being felled just to create paper products.  This also may mean we will be wiping our rears with paper made from weed.  (You are allowed to laugh at this, because it is true).

Hemp:  In addition to making ropes from weed, we can make fabrics.  So we can have bed sheets, pillows and even clothing made from marijuana plants (bamboo can be used in the same way).  Their fibers can be used in a number of ways.

Building materials:  This plant can be used to even make furniture by compressing it into hard wood like materials.  So you can make chairs, veneers and other materials.  It can even be used to make plastics, oils and glues.

Conclusion:  Marijuana as a plant is flexible in its uses and thus can become a major component to America's economy.  The only thing left now is for the federal government to get out of the way so weed can start helping the country in ways other than smoking it.

Issue 437 Advantages of Hydroponics October 10, 2014

Hydroponics is a form of advanced farming that requires human input for plants to grow in an artificial environment.  Developed during the space age for interstellar travel, it is becoming more and more useful to us as a way of decreasing the overall waste of land resources with respect to certain forms of farming.  Let's discuss what this form of farming does better than the regular variety.

Advantages:  

1)  Needs no pesticides or diseases:  In this enclosed environment there is no bugs that could eat the plants which means no need for chemicals that could harm the plants or us the people who will eat them.  Hence there is also no need to fear diseases that would kill plants as they are isolated from the outside world.

2) Controlled sunlight:  Each plant grows better at different times of the day and with different light spectrums.  As such, each one can be varied per plant type to enhance growth.  In addition, using lights that do not produce heat like LED's means that plants can be grown closer together, but using light intensity can cause the plant being grown to become softer or crisper as it grows.

3) Cutting out the pollinators: Here we do not need bees or other animals to pollinate plants as robots and people do the job.  This thus eliminates the possibility of these plants not reaching maturity.

4) Year round growth:  Plants in a hydroponics garden can have year round growth.  So no worries about particular seasons to grow food in or even the weather outside.  Temperature controls keep plants in optimal growing conditions.

5) Nutrient rich water/soil:  Unlike traditional farming outside where water and nutrients for plants can be wasted, here it all can be monitored and reused.  So the water will be pumped in with a robot measuring the nutrients needed for each plant to grow.  Then the robot can add additional nutrients to accommodate the plants needs for growth without human input. Extra water can then be sent back to the beginning from where it was pumped in and then reused again and again.

6) Larger crop yields:  Hydroponics are only limited by the size of the facility.  With this form of farming more crops can be grown to feed growing populations all year round with maximum efficiency.  This eliminates the need to transport them as goods from the countryside to the city.  Thus it saves costs on a large scale as farmers main costs become their electric bills.  This also improves the working conditions for farmers and their workers as these crops can be harvested rain or shine and have the major grunt work handled by robots if more back breaking work is required.  

Disadvantages:  I only know of one key disadvantage (not counting the fact that even plants need to sleep for a specified period of time) and that is humanity.  In the case of this form of farming, we may cause these plants to evolve into plant species that are dependent on humanity to survive and only in these types of facilities.  For instance, if you look at the origin of corn, it was small and bite sized.  Through man’s intervention and selective breeding, we created the corn we know and love to eat today.  So this manipulation can backfire and hence, if we become too reliant on technology to grow our food, we may suffer if the power goes out for an extended period of time.

Conclusion:  This form of farming is excellent at providing food for a city and other large urban populations as they can grow food right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of a city.  Probably the only main disadvantage is that not all plants can grow in a hydroponics garden like corn and certain grains (let alone fruit grown on trees).  This leaves them to the rural farms to provide, but I have no doubt that hydroponics gardening could eventually figure out a solution and all our food can grow in them.  Thus, food crises may become a thing of the past.  One can only hope.

Issue 436 Paying for Political Primaries October 9, 2014

Political primaries are essentially votes to see who is going to run in an election while representing a particular political group.  Hence we have a Republican primary, a Democratic primary, and even a primary for independents and other groups who wish to see their candidates run for a selected office.  But why the heck are these primaries paid for with taxpayer dollars?

Corruption:  The reason these primaries are paid for by our hard earned taxpayer dollars is because of the corrupt nature of the American electoral system (democracy).  This is because those in charge (Democrats and Republicans) can shift money while their members hold office to secure their hold on American politics.  Thus it makes it impossible for another group to hold a political primary unless they can fund it themselves or manipulate the major parties from within, while these main political primaries control all the monitorial resources. So what should be done?

The solution:  As I see it, primaries are by very nature an election amongst members of a club who seek a representative to represent their interests in something else.  In this case a political office.  Hence, while the actual election to fill a political office should be paid for, the primary which selects the candidates should not.  Therefore each the governments in the United States should cut funding toward the political parties.  Remember, the parties themselves are more of a club than anything where people of similar interests gather and talk about politics.  They have more than enough money to run their own primaries without the aid of any government.

Making it cheap:  Before I did say that most of these parties required financial support save the big parties, which is way the two major parties will be unaffected financially save them paying for their own political primaries.  However, the smaller groups involved in politics still need to choose members to run for particular offices.  Thus, why do they not simply give each of their members a number and have them vote online.  There is no need for a brick and mortar voting box for a political primary in the first place as it is a vote amongst members of a club. This ensures that it is cheap and members can be tracked to see how many voted in each area of the country (depending on the office that is to be filled) to identify active and inactive members.  It ensures transparency as well and costs not a single penny with respect to taxpayers.  Heck, it is no longer limited to a single day either which helps insure that everyone within the political party has a chance to vote.  So why not do it this way?

Conclusion:  I have sat as a member of the board of elections time and time again for a political primary.  As such I have seen firsthand the number of people voting in primaries is not worth the thousands and sometimes millions spent to hold them by government.  Primary elections are not even part of the United States Constitution.  At my voting station alone last primary, I had three people of 16 vote in the conservative primary, 14 of 56 vote in the Democratic primary, and 1 out of 3 in the Conservative primary.  I even heard that in some voting areas, they had one single person.  Meanwhile, I was one of six people paid $180 (or more) to sit on my rear end for 16 hours and literally do nothing at all.  Kind of dumb is it not.  A total waste of everyone’s time.  So can we stop this club nonsense and stop wasting taxpayer dollars on a club activity.

Issue 435 Medicaid should be used differently. October 8, 2014

So Medicaid in each part of the United States acts like an insurance to cover the costs of the poorer masses health care needs.  Issue is that it is becoming more and more expensive to cover such costs on such a large scale.  So what do we do about it?

The Idea:  Yes this is one of mine.  I freely admit it, but I doubt I thought of this idea first.  The concept is simple, turn Medicaid into a kind of health savings account.  Basically it will act the same way as food stamps does, but for medicine and doctors’ visits.  So if you have a prescription, the card would be used to pay for the cost rather than having to worry about changing numbers on your insurance cards each year due to new numbers.  It can also be used to cover doctor visits as well.  However, it can work like an insurance to specify a co-pay.  To do this it would cover the medicine or doctor’s office cost up a specified amount based on how much income you earn yearly.  So it insures that a $3,000 medicine would be covered, but would make you pay the final dollar if you can afford it.  A doctor’s visit which without insurance would cost around $120 or more would be paid by simply sliding the card through in the same way a food stamps card covers fruits and veggies.  It becomes simple and easy to use.

Why do it this way:  Well, as a person who works in a pharmacy, billing insurance even electronically can be a hassle.  There are glitches in the system which cause the cards to not go through, each State may have their own cards for their own version of Medicaid, and each year these numbers can change causing what is known to people in the pharmacy as hell month (January) where all the insurance cards get new numbers and we have the unfortunate pain of updating any number of our 1,600 patients insurance information.  But this is more complicated by Medicaid.  As not only do we have the numbers changing, but certain drugs and certain brands like Pfizer or Mylan will be covered while others will not.  This can cause a higher copay than necessary or cause a lifesaving medicine to not be covered at all (thanks lobbyists and government death panels, you really kill people).  But by switching to a savings card format, you eliminate this issue with respect to Medicaid.  Literally it simplifies the system to the point that the patient and the pharmacy staff do not have to worry about insurance rejections anymore.  And guess what, if you already have insurance or Medicare, but still need Medicaid, the copays can and should be covered by this savings account.  

How it works:  So every month the State would deposit money into the account to cover the cost of the medications you buy with a little extra just in case.  If the copays are higher than normal that month due to you trying a new medication, or your Medicare is not covering as much, the overdraft component will trigger.  This will add a little extra money next month to cover the cost next time while the difference will still be given to the pharmacy or doctor's office you are paying to insure they are not jipped on payment.  Of course certain doctors’ offices will be part of the plan due to costs being cheaper while being equally as effective as someone else.  So a list will be given to each Medicaid patient to say who is and is not preferred or else they will suffer a larger copayment or even have their money reduced in their account as a way to heard them toward the cheaper option.

Conclusion:  Well I like my own idea obviously.  It avoids the issues of insurances being down or rejecting certain medications.  There will be one less middle man to deal with in respect to companies having to fill out paperwork to get reimbursement money from the Medicaid program.  So this saves costs as well on both the company and State level.  Also, Medicaid recipients can see the real cost of their drugs in relation to their accounts and they can be allowed to take initiatives to look for cheaper alternatives as well to preserve extra money in their health care accounts.  We can make it cheap and effective to the point that more doctors may even start accepting more Medicaid patients again (the reimbursement process was a hassle and some doctors were losing major amounts of money taking these patients in which forced them to stop taking them on as patients).  As such, if my idea has merit, then please if you have power, push it through.  If not, then well at least I contributed to the overall conversation.

Issue 434 Food stamps and Ice cream? October 7, 2014

Ok, so I have another beef against food stamps.  Why are things like Ice cream covered under the food stamp program?  You already know my arguments on the money from the government for food stamps being our hard earned taxpayer dollars being wasted, but I have another reason on why this is a bad practice.  Here we go.

Health:  Food Stamps (EBT) cards are supposed to provide the most basic of money for food stuffs necessary to live.  Basically it should pay for fruits and vegetables, meats, and grains and certain dairy products.  But food stamps pays for some of the unhealthiest crap mankind has come up with.  This includes Ice cream, diet sodas (which are even worse for people than regular soda), juice drinks with equal or greater sugar than soda and other unhealthy beverages.  Basically, food stamps covers everything that would make us all fat.  To top this all off the worst stuff covered by food stamps is the cheapest stuff to buy.  Thus limiting these people on a budget to unhealthy options.

What should be covered:  The things covered should be water, pastas, canned goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, cheeses, and yogurts, meats like hamburgers and no sugar added fruit juices.  Beyond these basics, the rest should not be payable by food stamps as it makes no sense making a person in poverty so fat that they become a health problem.  Remember, the people receiving the money have no say on what is allowed to buy because it is being given to them with specified conditions as dictated by law and regulation. So they have no say on this issue.

Conclusion:  Well, you probably think I am being harsh here.  That by denying these welfare recipients these more sugary items that it demeans them and embarrasses them. Well, it does not embarrass them as the fact that they are even forced to be on food stamps is an embarrassment to not only themselves, but for the nation as a whole (I personally would rather starve than be on food stamps). The fact that our government who controls the money supply would let the economy go this out of whack to where inflation and production of goods has become so expensive that it prices out our seniors and other members of society from being able to buy basic food stuffs is just ridiculous.  But this is the society we created by thinking big daddy government can take care of us all.  As such, government becomes the bad guy on saving money on this welfare industry.  We have to limit the people on welfare to healthy options or else the cheaper junk will become their main source of nutrition and thus make them big and fat, or more prone to malnourishment and or diseases like diabetes.  This is a health crisis as well that must be addressed.  

Issue 433 No cash back for EBT cards October 6, 2014

I have noticed a unique problem with the food stamp system used for the poor in America.  Actually, many people have noticed it too, but are powerless to sound off against it or else they look like they are bashing poor people.  This issue is on being able to take out actual cash at ATMs, and from cash back offers from stores when people pay with food stamps (EBT cards).  Let's discuss.

What is this feature:  This is for my foreign readers, so if you already know the term you can skip to the next section.  The term "cash back" is when you are given the opportunity to withdraw money from your bank account when you purchase an item(s) at a store using your checking account. The cards used for welfare known as EBT cards (better known as food stamps) also have this feature.

Why this is a problem:  The main issue is because the money being given to these individuals for food stamps is not their money, it is the taxpayers giving it to them so they can buy food for themselves and their families.  As such, why are they allowed to take this money out which allows it to be used for other purposes?  This is where issue number two comes in.  Food stamps only allows for certain items to be purchased which are deemed healthy.  But when these individuals take the money out, they can use it to buy prohibited items like beer, or cigarettes.  To make matters worse, there have been incidents where these food stamp cards have had money withdrawn at strip clubs, gambling establishments and have also been used to purchase drugs.  So this hard earned money that we give to our government in taxes is being abused.  As such, food stamps in my opinion should not be treated like a debit card with restrictions.  Instead it should act like a credit card with restrictions that disallow money from being withdrawn in any way shape or form.

Conclusion:  These abuses to the system are becoming more and more prevalent.  I have personally witnessed, when I worked in a supermarket, a women on food stamps take out $20 just to pay for the beer after she purchased her other items eligible for purchase with the card.  This is my taxpayer dollars and yours being used in an illegal way.  The simplest way to stop it is removing the withdrawal function because the federal government which runs this system cannot keep up with the sheer number of abuses.  Of the 5,000 cases of abuse investigated each year there are apparently 15,000 more on estimation that continue on with illegally abused food stamps according to the federal government.  So one simple solution fixes a large portion of the problem.  Remember, this is not their money they are spending, it is your tax payer dollars that are being abused.

Issue 432 Respect is the basis of all relationships October 3, 2014

Respect is of vital importance to any relationship.  But how does it work?

Earned:  Respect is a concept that revolves around an emotional response we get based on the feelings we have for a person.  There is a form of respect that comes from admiration where you wish to emulate that individual.  Then there is one based on bonds of trust.  Of course there are ones based on fear due to how dangerous a person appears to be or simply their reputation.  But this is always earned.  In this case it is earned based on one person's knowledge of the actions and words of the people they are interacting with.  So a bond of trust comes from always telling the truth and being honest toward a particular person.   A bond of admiration is based on how one perceives another person and their own personal values.  From there, it is almost like tally marks counting how good a person is and thus if they are deserving of respect.

Why is it part of relationships?:  The reason it is part of relationships and the key component of a continued successful one is that again it is based on how people see each other.  As human beings who are subject to fallibility, we rely on what we see and hear and we can infer from them to decide what to think of a person.  If a person acts like a fool, and you do not value people who act that way, you will probably not respect them let alone associate with them.  But if you do value the actions of foolish people, and thus seek to be with them, you begin to form bonds through your respect of the said individuals.  If you do not respect someone, then you will either treat them like dirt or ignore them.  But when you do respect them, you value what a person says and does for it shows that you care about them.  It shows that you take notice of the other individual.

Conclusion:  Now that you know that respect is earned and that it is key toward a successful relationship of any variety, will you value it more as a concept?  I write this issue because I feel we are losing this concept based on how we treat one another.  From people talking on their cell phones while talking to you in person, to bumping into you on the street and not apologizing because they do not care, these are examples of a lack of respect for the basic human being.  Strangers have a kind of respect that evolves from how we wish to be treated, but what happens when we lose respect even for a total stranger who minds their own business, and has done nothing but good things?  What happens is that respect as a concept loses value and thus, we as a society lose cohesion and thus cease to be a united people.

Issue 431 Following the Heart or the Mind October 2, 2014

Both the heart and the mind are what aids us in making the correct decisions and driving us toward the person we want to be or the situation/future we think we deserve.  But when push comes to shove, should you follow your heart first, or should you follow your mind?

The Heart:  The heart is all about passion.  It is what drives you.  Here emotion can give you strength to persevere over obstacles that may be in your path.  Without heart you will have no passion and as a result be miserable.  However, beware as if you follow just your heart without caution it can lead you to ruin.

The Mind:  The mind is all about reason.  Here you use logic and higher thought based on science, evidence, and history to make the best decision based on what you know and what you believe you can achieve.  But, this has no passion.  As such it can result in you making a decision that while appropriate given a particular circumstance, will not make you happy in the long run.

Conclusion:  It is your personal preference on which you follow first.  If at all possible I say use both to make the best possible decision in a given situation.  However, we are talking about those situations where you are at a crossroads between the two.  As such I say it depends on the circumstances.  If it is for the women you love, then follow your heart.  If it is so that you can get a good job, then follow your mind as you can always change jobs latter.  But this is my own personal point of view on the issue.  So therefore follow what you think will lead you to prosperity for both are part of what make you who you are and what you will eventually be.

Issue 430 I am John Galt! October 1, 2014

Again based on Ayn Rand, what if we followed John Galts' philosophy or something similar?  Here is my view on a different kind of group that is above politics.

The philosophy:  Basically this philosophy will revolve around doing what is right over doing what is wrong.  It is not about who gets the credit for it, but just simply doing the right thing. So it totally removes the political parties and their not getting things done (immigration issues, health care etc.) or their vengeance plays against each other.

At the same time, it will be based on fiscal conservatism, where we would avoid using government. If any at all, to carry out tasks.  As a matter of fact, it would revolve around the community getting together to get things done, and only paying money for things the community as a whole deems fit.  This is all to support the idea that government is not needed to fix a pothole, or a broken sidewalk.  Instead the community could raise the money to fix it themselves.

Finally, the members would have to be open to all ideas, but only follow the ideas that make the most practical and reasonable sense without losing our rights as individuals.  So health care would be a traded commodity, with churches having free clinics and as soup kitchens rather than handing out food stamps and other practical solutions that remove government from the equation, but always fixed in the concept of reason.  In short, you must follow your mind before you follow your heart when it comes to issues like gun control, health care, or anything controversial.  The mathematical data, and history of past events are used to make the best and most reasonable of solutions which would then be followed (but shall at no time be limited to this solution if a better one comes up).

Conclusion:  Here the key things are doing what is right over what is wrong (ignoring political parties), being fiscally conservative so as to not waste money, and to be open to ideas and actions that are fixed in reason so as to remove impulsive actions.  Subtlety this removes the need for government and even its infrastructure as communities could then take care of themselves, only asking for help from nearby communities when something becomes more than they can handle themselves.  Thus, a person who thinks and acts with such a mentality I designate a Galt.  So are you able to become a Galt as well, or will you fester with a label like Democrat and Republican with their despotic madness?