A Reminder to All

Foreign Policy Magazine looks at the most repressive places to live in the world.

North Korea

North Koreans enjoy the lowest level of freedom in the world, according to Freedom House. All power is held by Kim Jong Il, who assumed power in 1994 upon the death of his father, North Korea's founding leader Kim Il Sung, whose statue in Pyongyang is shown above. The regime maintains a network of prison camps in which thousands of political prisoners are subjected to brutal conditions. All facets of a person's life -- including employment, education, place of residence, access to medical facilities, and access to stores -- are determined by a semihereditary system of social discrimination that classifies citizens into 53 subgroups under broad security ratings (from "core" to "wavering" to "hostile") based on their family's perceived loyalty to the regime.

It's sadly a long list.

Source: Reason's Hit & Run

Errol Morris on McNamara

Errol Morris talks about Robert McNamara, who recently died.

HOW should we remember Robert McNamara? As an engaged public servant who participated in some of the most important decisions of the 20th century? A hawk who served as the chief architect of the war in Vietnam? A technocrat who never fully understood the moral implications of his policies? A hero who steadfastly worked to prevent the escalation of conventional war into thermonuclear conflict? All of the above?

It’s impossible to mention his name without starting an argument. Mr. McNamara engendered strong opinions, particularly among those who came of age in the 1960s. People have wanted to know, “Did he ever say he was sorry?” They wanted an apology for his role in Vietnam. The publication of his memoir “In Retrospect” (in 1995) only seemed to make people angrier with him.

He was a very interesting character.

I suggest everyone check out Morris' great documentary on McNamara, The Fog of War.

Repost from Last Year: 4th of July

Some videos for the occasion:

"Kate Smith - God Bless America"


"US National Anthem drowned out by cheers at 91 NHL ASG"


Everyone have a great day.

Photo from:
LIBERTAS

Bill of Rights: What Liberals and Conservatives Think of It

Pretty funny. It's true for those on the fringes of the left and right. It's a caricature of those that lean left or right though.

The Dead Weather Equals Awesome

Enjoy.

Interesting Debate

Intellectual Property vs. Creative Freedom, by Cathy Young.

Borrowing is an essential part of the creation of culture. If we eliminated all derivative works, we would lose, among other things, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (based on a story by an Italian writer), and Jean Rhys's acclaimed novel Wide Sargasso Sea, the story of Mr. Rochester's mad wife from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Of course, classics have also inspired mediocre sequels or reimaginings, such as third-rate novels that continue the story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. But that's for readers to decide.

Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig has argued that unless copyright law is reformed, it will end up stifling the creativity of a generation, particularly in the age of digital art. At the very least, the law should focus more on whether the copyright holder suffers actual economic loss, or be denied rightful gain, because of the infringement. As for restricting the use of one's character or story by other artists of writers, it seems fair that, like the right to sue for libel, this right should be terminated by death. (Personally, I would support a term of 50 years, with a portion of revenues from any derivative work published thereafter going to the original author.)

The debate continues.

Bukowski Time

I am now reading Women.

Obama and Darfur

Article from the Editors of The New Republic.

But it is not just the seeming absence of focus on Darfur that troubles us. What little indication we have of the administration's plans has been troubling as well. The Washington Post recently quoted a Darfur activist who had met with Obama's Sudan envoy, Scott Gration, three times. The activist described Gration's approach as follows: "He thinks that to keep banging on Khartoum is not the right way. He said he wants to build rapport with Khartoum." If this is truly going to be the administration's strategy, then it is deeply wrongheaded. Sudan's leaders are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power.

Darfur is still a mess.

Write a letter to Obama here.

Politics aside, something needs to be done.

Newspaper Bailout?

Reason TV:


Journalistic independence, that's a biggy.

Solutions for newspapers or in other words when I'll start paying for my news:

1. Get rid of the stupid folded super large paper versions of newspapers. It's hard to focus when I have to fold a paper 10 times and need to try to find the rest of a story on A12. Plus I get ink on my hands and it smudges. Go the Economist route, and use a magazine format. I know, I know, it's the traditional newspaper image, but whatever, I'm a consumer and I want to read with ease.

2. Do what Star Tribune is doing, even though it has its flaws for making profit. I'm sorry, I'm not going to pay money to know what's going on in Pakistan, that's what Google News is for. Yet I am willing to pay for in depth investigative journalism.

3. Christian Science Monitor style, all online.

A big NO to bailing out the newspaper industry.

Star Trek Review

The film worked real well as a Sci-Fi film, and I liked it. As someone who occasionally watched Star Trek: The Next Generation when I was younger, I have some idea what Star Trek is about. For me, this film blasts everything before it out of the water. There were many moments that were just pure awesome, something that even the Wrath of Khan couldn't accomplish. That being said, I'm a big fan of J.J. Abrams, and maybe my taste for his work is simply why I like this movie so much. Cinematography was beautiful, and the score great (same guy who does Lost). Check it out.

Stark Rating
Entertainment Value: **** (4 out of 5)
Artistic Value: *** (3 out of 5)