tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48266351231266138762024-02-20T03:47:02.185-06:00Honest SarcasmA blog dedicated to all things political with occasion commentary on sports.The Crimson White Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903278473269526950noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-87736473122352964632009-04-16T17:41:00.003-05:002009-04-16T17:47:16.546-05:00Bolivia President Targeted.....called ithttp://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE53F5NH20090416?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews<br /><br />"Bolivian security forces thwarted an assassination plot against President Evo Morales on Thursday"<br /><br />America approved this, plain and simple. I called it before and I'll call it right now. We want Morales out and we want his country's lithium and I predict that the other industrial countries, excluding oil producers, would allow America to do as such.<br /><br />I'll continue to update this story as it develops, mostly to prove myself a genius. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Article in which I discussed Bolivia: "Iran into Bolivia"</span>Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-6009022604847240232009-04-14T16:28:00.002-05:002009-04-14T16:30:51.878-05:00The Ce-Real LifeAround the United States, hot political issues captivate citizens in an endless cycle of debate. Having so many problems leads to some slipping through undetected. I will address one that caused most of its damage on my generation, but this villain continues to push its hidden agenda on today's young ones. Children's cereal commercials use cartoons, slogans, and appealing tastes to lure kids into sneaking their product into the grocery cart so that their mother has to end up buying it once she notices the new addition during check out. Looking past the simple advertising reveals complex political opinions designed to settle into the minds of young viewers, only to hatch out later in life. <br /><br />Two cereals actually clash in their pursuit to gain support on their ideas of transparency in government. Apple Jacks enjoys and agrees with the use of deceit. They mask their real product taste with their cunning title which leads some to ask, “Shouldn't they taste like apples?” These questioners symbolize the dissenters of government policies, locked in backward and traditional ways. The kids support the taste, responding “we just do” when asked why, an obvious endorsement for backing government no matter the use of ambiguous decrees or legislation. Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, on the other hand, promotes openness in governing. Their commercials boast that anyone can easily notice the cinnamon in their breakfast treat. Claiming it as “the taste you can see,” Cinnamon Toast Crunch favors an honest government who allows all to be known and thus, gains a favorable rating from its citizens. <br /><br />Other cereals find it necessary to shape the minds of children over economic classes and the use of lower taxes and programs such as social welfare. “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids,” may seem like just another trivial slogan at first, but its deeper meaning ridicules the rich, the rabbit in the commercial. These advertisements act as if the kids, the less fortunate financially, have a right to the cereal, government aid. America’s future leaders do not need this blatant propaganda, no matter its stance politically, in between an episode of the “Suite Life with Zach and Cody.” I do give credit to one cereal for attempting to educate adolescents on the subject. Lucky Charms takes a more neutral stance over sharing the wealth. In their commercials, the Leprechaun, representing the rich, has to continually defend his lucky charms, his wealth, from the ever persistent children. Sometimes the kids, poorer individuals, succeed in the quest for more equality financially, but sometimes they don’t. This advertising campaign presents the ongoing tax struggle in society. I sincerely hope that children’s cereal use their unbridled power in a positive manner, but unfortunately, most fail to recognize or care about the harm their politically charged advertisements wreak. <br /><br />Another topic that splits two competing children’s cereals is that of the acceptance of opinions deemed radical. Cocoa Puffs and Honeycomb Cereal promote a traditional stance towards non-mainstream viewpoints. Their symbols, a crazy bird and a fuzz ball respectively, play the part of the radicals themselves. Their hyper and irrational behavior derives from the absurd goodness of the two cereals, or the absurdity of the extreme beliefs. This turns children away from accepting new and unique ideas due to perceived notions of their advocates. Reese’s Cereal attempts to instruct kids that societal trends can be broken. If they want candy for breakfast, my god they can have it. With just one bite, they can be thrust into such great taste that they accept the revolutionary stance. No matter which brand presents the better case, the fact is that they do when they should just be selling their cereal. <br /><br />I hope this in depth look into the hidden meanings of children’s cereal commercials provides a push for open discussions on such a controversial topic. At first it may not seem as important as other issues facing America, but it will linger and affect the future of our kids if nothing is done.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-61411888395711654412009-04-05T20:09:00.003-05:002009-04-14T17:50:00.573-05:00PR's bad PRThe job of public relations agents is to create a positive attitude towards their client. They accomplish this in many different ways. If this is the case, and it certainly is, then why do I always receive a funny look, a discriminatory question concerning potential jobs in the area, or a critical remark when I say I am a PR major? Certainly those apt to change public views on issues could easily create a positive perception on their own occupation, but this is untrue. <br /><br />PR majors face an abundance of mostly incorrect stereotypes on our campus. Yes there is a disproportionate amount of one demographic that concerns females and a certain type of organization with ancient letters. Many also believe that the classes are a joke and easy to pass. The considerable number of drop outs may disagree with this claim, and it probably didn’t help that the professor declared the course as one to weed out any unprepared students. Especially with our PR department being the second highest ranked in the nation, I doubt it just gives out high grades to students. <br /><br />Those who ask me what I can do with a PR major act as if there isn’t a single public relations job in the world. I am deeply sorry that there are no jobs specifically named public relations and that society fails to notice the effect of such professionals. No other major that I know of receives this scrutiny and judgment right after announcing their focus of their collegiate studies which they probably took a good bit of time to decide on. I don’t respond to history majors by telling them that a time machine is the only way they could be useful. I don’t tell math majors about China and India or the invention of the calculator. I don’t even give journalism majors a hard time about how newspapers will die in a few years. I hope these incorrect, five second judgments show how stupid the sly comments toward PR majors happen to be. <br /><br />Now to answer what I can actually do outside of school, and I’ll even gear it towards other majors. Doctors will always have jobs, but universal healthcare would take their pay check and basically tear it up. If they only had someone to represent their cause and lobby against it, this could be avoided. Oh my, I might be able to help with that. Science majors love to put themselves on a pedestal since their majors sound difficult and contain more than four syllables. I and other public relations majors can assist you guys as well, though the China and India theory of killing this profession applies here as well. If someone were to cure cancer, he or she and the company involved would need help with the media and all other publicity events. Also, if a report showed that the same individual used animals for testing or any other unethical practices, it would certainly help to have a qualified person mounting a public defense. Lobbying also could help those involved with science in that the government sometimes, actually always, needs a push to fund research and technology. Future politicians and businesses owners usually don’t need reminding on how public relations makes and saves their careers. Any news article concerning a business or politician in a favorable light probably came from the pen of a public relations practitioner. <br /><br />Now please stop giving those who study public relations a hard time. Until you actually take a course in the department or even know what public relations is, please don’t take the time to judge it.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-45763330891947490052009-03-28T18:51:00.003-05:002009-04-14T17:50:22.916-05:00America's Funniest Congressional VideosThough America’s Funniest Home Videos’ prime has unfortunately passed, there is a channel devoted to running a live stream of bloopers and lapses of intelligence for most of the year. C-SPAN replaces the always funny clip of a blindfolded kid hitting his father below the belt with a bat instead of the unfortunate, colorful donkey with the hilarity of confused, mostly unintelligent elected officials in Washington D.C. proposing and arguing legislation to the best of their little ability. <br /><br />When I learned that Congress would discuss the BCS system, I thought that the Onion had fooled me again, but I had underestimated the stupidity of our representatives. The decision of how NCAA Division I football crowns a champion should not be decided or even mentioned by the uninformed in D.C. The considerable biases and lack of knowledge would upset the whole decision process (sound familiar?). Also at a time where America faces two wars, an economic downturn, and countless other issues, the National Championship game participants are the least of my worries, unless Alabama gets screwed, then I’ll throw a huge fit.<br /><br />Common sense aside, I want to see this happen. Not for any results per se, since there would be none anyway, but for what I mentioned before, the laughs. Charts and graphs that make no real sense, stories about programs (Utah) hurt by the current system, and the partisanship that would arise somehow would be a great watch and psyche me up for college football season. So I ask Congress to please help the country and all of late night television by attempting to fix how the BCS decides its national champion.*<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">*Seriously though, don't do this at all. Fix the economy, bring our troops home, and watch out for that dude in the White House. </span>Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-60172877349122821732009-03-13T20:06:00.002-05:002009-03-13T20:15:55.547-05:00So I Was Right, MaybeIn a previous post named "Iran into Bolivia", I predicted the growing importance of Bolivia due to their supply of Lithium, which is very important in the batteries for greener vehicles and other devices.<br /><br />I also joked that other countries would buddy up with Bolivia's President Morales, and America would go a different route. This route would involve something similar to what we always do, supporting an opposition party and claiming the party in power was bad and evil.<br /><br />Seems I may be right. Six month after our ambassador was kicked out of the country, another U.S. diplomat was escorted out due to the same reason, meeting and allegedly conspiring with the opposing party. Funny huh?Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-62122577790969748742009-03-11T17:40:00.001-05:002009-03-11T17:42:47.558-05:00Outsource Your Column, PleaseThe article I am responding to can be seen here: <a href="http://cw.ua.edu/outsourcing_more_than_jobs-1.1603688">Outsourcing More Than Jobs</a> <br /><br />Groucho Marx once said, “From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down, I convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend on reading it.” The same thing happened to me with Jon Reed’s column, “Outsourcing more than jobs”, except that I actually read it. <br /><br />Like a good Chuck Palahniuk book, I will start with the ending. Reed caps his rant on outsourcing by calling those who pick and choose “which ideals to export” hypocrites. This is funny considering that he begins the same article by stating what ideals “we Americans” export. Not among those listed is the free market system which promotes the use of this evil outsourcing. Does this make him a hypocrite since he actually selected ideals that we export without asking us? Or am I, like Reed, just asking a question and assuming you agree with me since I use the plural nominative similar to a French monarch who continually and stereotypically cries out, “We We!” Also, if you are wondering, Reed successfully utilized the plural nominative fifteen times in his, singular possessive, opinion. <br /><br />Reed poses many questions, six to be exact, and idealistic points that left me as confused as Andre Smith when learning he actually needed to prepare for the NFL combine. He speaks of America bringing “other countries to ‘share’ our beliefs.” If forcing by military action or persuading through economic sanctions means the same as sharing, then I would have to agree. <br /><br />The article also criticizes Americans who want to spread liberties, but at the same time support corporations who exploit workers overseas. First, not all Americans really promote spreading democratic ideals passively or aggressively. Second, the underpaid labor which Reed speaks of, without citing statistics, does not directly affect Americans. He later proposes a question asking what benefits we citizens obtain by improving labor conditions worldwide. Since Reed failed to answer, I will. Besides higher prices, we get nothing. This is why Secretary of State Hillary Clinton even acknowledged ignoring rights violations in China to stay focused on economic issues. Especially in times such as these, I suspect most Americans simply would rather have more money in their pockets than the knowledge that foreigners make above the previous minimum wage.<br /><br />Reed then starts a pessimistic, mostly incorrect tirade. He points to the future “fruit-less job searching” for students. This does even not coincide with outsourcing, since our potential jobs will not involve menial labor. The ability for a country to send labor elsewhere pushes citizens into higher levels of work. It sucks that some lose jobs to other countries, but they are taken by a foreigner who Reed seemingly cares about anyway. <br /><br />Another proposed question deals with where a company would rather build a factory if worker pay and treatment were forced to be the same. Reed, I assume, wants us to select Tuscaloosa over Malaysia, but he does not say unsurprisingly. There are so many factors involved in the decision that his question can’t even be answered anyway. What kind of company is it? What country is the company headquarters located in? Why are you even asking this question since you don’t even connect it to your opinion?<br /><br />If the United States did go protectionist, others would just follow. Europe’s response to the later weakened portion of the stimulus bill that reeked of protectionism was not a nice and happy one. Companies like Mercedes Benz and Hyundai would not place factories in the United States, a type of outsourcing, if other countries followed this train of thought. I will not even go into the foreign relations problems we would encounter.<br /><br />To answer the second to last question in the editorial, protectionism is not defending America from terrorism. That is national defense and just a game of semantics. Outsourcing actually defends America quite nicely be creating jobs, investment, and lifting those in poverty to not even consider terrorism and breed hate towards America. <br /><br />Reed then finishes by spouting how our country was “founded on stopping tyranny” and how we need to stop the tyranny of corporations. What tyranny? If Reed means the tyranny of businesses in other countries, then it is the problem of those countries, but he does not even cite examples. <br /><br />I, like most, would love everyone to have decent wages, low prices on goods, and democracies everywhere. That being said, the possibility of these desires happening is slim, especially in this horrid economic situation. Protectionism will not bring the world out of this crisis. It is certainly easy to bash outsourcing, but the unseen benefits it provides outweighs any of the harsh rhetoric it receives.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-15271227803723620102009-02-22T15:19:00.004-06:002009-02-23T15:36:26.584-06:00What's So Great about DemocracyThough America currently encounters a dismal economic state, no social unrest has occurred. This is not the case in other major countries. There are constant complaints about the partisanship in Washington, but politicians arguing relentlessly beat protests in the street. <br /><br />Ian Bremmer's "J Curve" aptly pairs openness of a government with the country's stability. His book focuses more on a country's process along the curve, but I will use his idea to explain the present situations in nations with regards to the financial crisis.<br /><br />Bremmer believes that the more transparent a government is, the more stability the country has. The only exception, which he notes, occurs in authoritarian governments. They fall on the left end of the curve where there is a jutting up. This symbolizes their little openness, but their apparent stability, though it is significantly less than, say, a democracy, which rests on the upper right side of the curve. Bremmer’s model provides a nice foundation for explaining current events. <br /><br />I hate the partisanship a two-party system engenders. Compared to a one-party system though, I choose it quicker than choosing broccoli over salmonella-flavored peanut butter crackers. We simply overreact to the inefficiency and bad publicity created by congressional bickering. Globally, our system proves how stable our country really is. <br /><br />Both our politicians and fellow citizens worry about the rising unemployment rate. Their angst mostly derives from a humanitarian and economic standpoint. China and Russia, both closed governments, see unemployment as a catalyst for social conflict. Last week, the Kremlin replaced four governors in potential unruly areas. An aide of President Medvedev even twisted the social contract theory to explain how Russia needed to react. “The social contract consisted of limiting civil rights in exchange for economic well-being. At the current moment, economic well-being is shrinking. Correspondingly, civil rights should expand.” China may have to move in a similar direction. A recent New York Times article pointed to the Internet crackdown as a potential starting point. <br /><br />The economic downturn has also prolonged incidents that may have been quickly forgotten in better financial times. Skepticism over the tainted milk crisis and the collapse of Chinese schools during an earthquake last year still linger. Russia faces the backlash from the killings of two human rights advocates, a lawyer and a journalist. The acquittal of the alleged journalist murderers will prolong the affair even more. <br /><br />We in America take our political stability for granted. In response to the financial state, we simply elected the opposing party into office, and the ousted leader even helped the incoming one. Political divisiveness exists in our country’s history even before we rebelled against England. Sensational media coverage may affect views of its importance, but compared to other countries, we are weathering this storm quite nicely.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-30461636532353981132009-02-05T17:10:00.002-06:002009-02-22T19:17:23.791-06:00Iran into BoliviaUnlike Loverboy who was “loving every minute of it” when he was shot into space, the United States and other nations fear Iran’s ability to launch anything into orbit, which they did in the form of a satellite earlier this week. Iran may not have won the space race, finishing 9th, but they did display their rising technology. This could potentially combine President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s fiery rhetoric with a means. <br /><br />Sputnik sparked America’s full involvement in the space race. The latest satellite should push a different type of race which we cannot win with the help of Hollywood. Oil revenues help Iran fund projects such as a missile system amongst other nefarious items. Clearly any simple-minded person can see the situation at hand and at least know possible solutions. Our Congress consistently fails to achieve this required status. To prove their stupidity, the Senate approved a tax credit for Americans buying new cars. Citizens can now receive a rebate after buying cars they do not want or cannot afford from companies funded by the government to produce those very vehicles. This is why the show “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” should be a requirement for potential congressional members. <br /><br />How about tax credits for investing in actual green technology and not the research and development that the car companies should have being doing all along? Green companies currently face downsizing due to oil and coal lobbyists in Washington D.C. taking subsidies over the ones who could actually help America wean off funding towards the Middle East and prevent that satellite from becoming an intercontinental missile. <br /><br />President Obama, if you want to have high approval in the long term, you will need to make potential career-ending decisions. Talking to Iran will not produce anything. Hitting their budget absolutely will. Gasoline prices are too volatile to sustain green investment and there is no market for renewable energy sources at the moment. Unlike Congress, you have a capable energy adviser, Stephen Chu, and a brain, allegedly. Play it smart, not politically. <br /><br />A recent New York Times article outlined Bolivia’s supply of lithium, a valuable resource for improved batteries for hybrid cars and other electronics. The government stands reluctant on allowing other countries to harvest the mineral and does not have the resources to effectively do it on its own. I see this changing in upcoming years. If lithium is a major game-changer in the green industry, countries will be vying to buddy up with Bolivia. To prospective friends, President Morales likes sunset strolls on beaches and like Julia Roberts in “Runaway Bride”, eggs Benedict. <br /><br />America will not take this approach if we gain interest in the lithium. We will be chilling in Chile then it will unfold. Bolivia’s government will become insufficient and we will help them fix it up. Problem solved. I joke now, but give it time. The growing importance of Bolivia will signify the standing of the movement towards better energy usage. <br /><br />Going green is more dire than Chris Paul’s injury to the New Orleans Hornets. If politicians do what sounds good to their constituency over what is smart, then America will blow a 20-point lead in 12 minutes and fall in the standings. As Kermit the Frog once said, “It’s not easy being green”; however, I think it will be worth it.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-80705594397164329372009-02-03T19:41:00.002-06:002009-02-23T22:19:42.537-06:00Green BamaBoth the university and college students look to save money. How could we possibly achieve both and push the University of Alabama into the future?<br /><br />Without our parents nagging us, we dorm dwellers have no major reason to turn off the lights or keep the air conditioner at a cost-efficient temperature. As of now a contest promoted by a student and endorsed by the university is taking place in which the dorm that reduces the most energy wins a gaming console. I like the effort and especially the posting of energy consumption of each residence hall, but it probably won’t enact enough effort. <br /><br />I have an alternate plan. Instead of competing against other dorms for a shared $300 reward, residence halls would fight to beat their own energy consumption from the previous semester. Then university would then reward each student with a rebate based on the energy savings. I wouldn’t be the one to decide the real numbers, but the rebate could go towards living expenses of the next semester, tuition fees, or something to that extent. Hopefully, the savings would total enough to spread them to each student, creating the self-interest to take part.<br /><br />This is not just an environmental movement anymore. This is a green, as in financial, movement. I am not asking for solar panels on top of university buildings or wind turbines on the quad. I just would like to save money on my living expenses. If it happens to help both the environment and the energy future of the university, so be it.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-54698304521837521612009-01-17T16:52:00.003-06:002009-01-17T16:57:17.718-06:00The Resource Situation Part 1Russia stopped gas flow to Ukraine due to gas prices among other factors. Venezuela has announced the opening of their oil reserves to Western companies, a change from almost radical nationalization. Oil companies have started withholding their supply at a greater extent to raise prices. Also, electric cars seem to be on the brink with Toyota announcing its model and Chevy developing the Volt. What does this all mean? <br /><br />In his book, <span style="font-style:italic;">Post-American World</span>, Fareed Zakaria discusses the current rise of developing countries, such as China and India, and its effects. The surge in demand for resources reveals itself most noticeably. The quest for oil for instance leads nations outside of their borders and sometimes into undesirable deals with unreliable countries, such as the aforementioned Russia and Venezuela. <br /><br />A country with control of valuable resources obtains a considerable amount of power, especially in a time such as this. Take Russia. A country with the most natural resources in the world, they supply one fifth of Europe's oil and all the oil imported to smaller European states. This allows Vladimir Putin and his underboss, Dmitry Medvedev, to act almost as a mafia with this power. When Georgia or Ukraine starts to piss them off, they just bash a few heads in and show them who's boss. <br /><br />The United Nations and the European Union withheld punishment from Russia after the Georgian Conflict and now the Ukrainian dispute respectively. Though I don't see why or how either could enforce anything on anyone, let alone Russia. Both were held back mostly from the dependency on oil. <br /><br />The easiest solution to taking the power back from these resource-holding nations is to limit the demand for those resources. Easier said than done, I know. Think about it though. Russia's economy and standing would be diminished by simply creating and utilizing new ways to use less gasoline. No fighting, no sanctions, just a bit of innovation and legislation. <br /><br />I will be writing a continuation of this argument in the upcoming days, but I will leave you with a scary situation. Most oil suppliers do not have democratic governments or have a fond relationship with most of the West. An alliance and united front to cease trading would pose a horrendous situation world-wide.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-38465688901564064452009-01-07T19:25:00.008-06:002009-01-11T19:18:35.306-06:00It's Not About the Land (anymore)Does the Gaza Strip, West Bank, or Kashmir hold enough value, whether it be financial or religious, to cause the endless fighting and uproars? The debate over the land may and probably did instigate the negativity between the two pairs of combatants, but they are at a point where the land isn’t even the central issue. <br /><br />Instead of spewing off stats that could support my claim and subsequently push you to skip the section entirely, I will go another route. Sibling confrontations are like Dick Vitale*. Everyone hates them, but no one can get rid of them. These rivalries can start in a multitude of ways. Seeing your brother or sister get something you want is one of them. That new bike or even the remote control begins the yelling for mom or the punches. That first time you may have actually wanted the item, but after several instances you just don’t want your sibling controlling what you can’t. In this instance the land is the remote control and the siblings are of course the countries. <br /><br />Israel and Palestine annually battle for the “I Hate You More Award”. Another skirmish between the two should be as much as a surprise as a modern horror movie being cliché and hilariously bad. Yes, Israel is just retaliating to attacks and Palestine has been constrained wrongfully for so long. I understand that part and have heard it more times than Dick Vitale’s “OH BABY”. However, I don’t see those as the real driving forces. Maybe these nations use those issues to back their constant struggles, but actually just want to fight due to pure hatred. Of course it sounds horrific and cynical, but it would not be the first time this has happened. <br /><br />A ceasefire would be like forbidding two arch rivals from not messing with each other while sitting next to each other at a seminar (America’s presence in the Middle East). Yes it would be all nice and cute, but right when the speaker steps away from the podium, those two will duke it out once again. <br /><br />Russia’s halting of gasoline through Ukrainian pipelines also compares to the aforementioned conflicts. Russia is just demonstrating their hostility towards their neighbor non-violently. Reuters proposed some purposes for the stoppage, but it really boiled down to flaunting their power to both Ukraine and Europe, who relies heavily on Russia’s oil (insert Green Revolution argument here). Ukraine’s leaders desire a NATO membership and Russia does not want to see this happen so they acted in a way that they deemed fit. At least this does not seem familiar right? <br /><br />*Side note: Dick Vitale is calling an NBA game tonight for ESPN. The main reason I took to the NBA over NCAA basketball was the absence of this man. Now thanks to this event, I will have to skip tonight’s game and question my allegiance to the sport.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-21305910453414285432008-12-22T10:27:00.003-06:002009-02-23T22:16:38.385-06:00New 1st Amendment RightSaturday night consisted of me watching the New Mexico Bowl due to my inability to watch the crucial Cowboys-Ravens NFL game or the Heat-Nets NBA game. I didn't mind seeing the overrated BYU team face a Pac-10 team (who actually won by 10), but I actually did since the game was horrible and both teams had no right to be on national television. The fact that BYU lost to Arizona kept me from not changing to some random movie on HBO. These non-BCS conferences have nothing to argue their current bowl status with. Alabama should only drive this home in the Sugar Bowl against BYU's partner in the Mountain West, Utah.<br /><br /> But wait....Utah has actually beaten both Rose Bowl participants, USC and Penn State. How? It is easy. Utah beat Oregon State, who beat USC. One down, one to go. USC defeated Ohio State, who took down Michigan State, who edged out Iowa, who upset Penn State. Clearly this team has proved their worth through taking out such highly regarded programs.<br /><br /> Now to the real reason of writing this. The NFL network and NBA television deny the rights of so many sports fans. The freedom to watch every meaningful sports event should be unalienable. The national government needs to step in, like they do so often, and correct this situation that threatens the lives of its citizens. President-elect Barack Obama has already announced his desire for an 8-team playoff in place of the BCS. This man can be our vanguard in this battle. When he is caught unable to watch the Chicago Bears or Bulls during their run for the playoffs due to NFL network or NBAtv showing the game, he will vehemently join this cause. That is if the White House for some reason does not pick up either of these channels, otherwise we sports fans are as screwed as the man who bought AFL season tickets.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-43751392514442357382008-12-17T12:43:00.009-06:002008-12-17T15:44:19.524-06:00Week 16 Games to WatchWeek 16 of the NFL pits teams fighting for their shot at the playoffs against one another. This is the last game before the final game of the season which will determine who can fight for another day and who goes home to get their popcorn ready.<br />The real best game on Sunday does not have any of these things...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cincinnati Bengals</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(2-11-1)</span> @ <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cleveland Browns </span><span style="font-style: italic;">(4-10)</span><br /></div> This is easily one of the best rivalries in all of pro football in Ohio. Vegas didn't even try to place a line on this game, because they don't even know how it will shape up.<br />Cincy has yet to win a game on the road and Cleveland has only won at home once. Something has to give.<br /><br />Ryan Fitzpatrick of THE Harvard University will attempt to lead his Asian tigers against Ken Dorsey's formidable orange-colored Browns. Both of these back-up quarterbacks could have made it to the Pro Bowl if their stats would have been better.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The X-factor</span>: Cedric Benson<br />A running back from Texas out to prove something after being dismissed by his former team. No, not the marijuana guy. That would be Ricky Williams.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Other news from the NFL:</span><br />The Detroit Lions edged out another loss last week against the Indianapolis Colts to bring their total to 14. With two more losses, this team can tie the NFL record of 16 in one season. Hopefully, they can withstand the pressure and achieve this improbable feat. They play at the aptly named Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's at stake</span>:<br />The Lions can secure the first pick of the NFL draft if they continue their streak.<br />The Saints can only fight for their self-esteem.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The X-factor</span>: Points<br />In every game this season, the Lions have failed to score more points than their opponents. If they can manage to put a higher number on their side of the scoreboard, I believe they can win.<br /><br /><br /></div>After the ease of writing this post, I may add sports to possible topics for my blog. Politics has slowed down it seems with the wait for Obama's inauguration.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-62208435211922185052008-11-19T12:17:00.002-06:002008-11-19T12:22:19.508-06:00High Gas Prices Are GoodReading the title of this article may cause confusion, but stick with me here. I want the government to tax gas increasingly until we ween ourselves off of oil. It should be small at first, but noticeable as time progresses. The current economic crisis poses a problem in doing so, but now is actually the best time to go green. Going green used to be environmental. Now it has become economical, and America must play the lead part in this crucial play. <br /><br />Simple economics suggests that higher prices decrease the demand of a product, oil in this case. This drop would hurt the countries we are forced to work with due to oil, such as Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. An economical attack on these nations is much more devastating then military action. Direct military conflict breeds resentment, but economic warfare places the blame on the ailing government. In addition, terrorists' funding, which mainly derives from oil revenues, would cease coming indirectly from us. <br /><br />In the short term, this may be the worst idea ever. However, in the long term, America can come out on top of the new energy era using the innovation we have always thrived on. If the Big 3 Automakers have a specific plan to use bailout money to revamp their industry, please give it to them. Otherwise, let the free market we so love to solve the problem. I am sure an Asian car company is ready to confront this task. This is a high risk, high reward move that we as capitalists need to take. WWII helped America out of the Great Depression. The movement away from oil can just as easily lift us from our current downturn.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-28674797259954511052008-11-11T22:51:00.002-06:002008-11-11T23:05:30.312-06:00Speak Eloquently and Swing the Big StickIt is no secret that many countries outside of the United States voiced their admiration for the now President-elect Obama after the election and some even before. I see two distinct reactions that can be argued almost equally. <br /><br />One take on this foreign support is that Obama will be easier to manipulate for a country’s own good. This “control” could take the role of submission or unneeded aid. The congratulatory letter of the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the President-elect stands as a prominent example for this case. Ahmadinejad displays pleasure in the election due to the possibility of easier diplomacy and better Iranian results in negotiations. This side also believes that the threat of President Medvedev of Russia involving the American missile bases in Europe could result in a surrendering to the foreign leader. Neither of course has manifested itself, but display two current examples where the senator might slip up. <br /><br />On the other hand, some dispute that this backing may prove beneficial to the U.S. by opening shut doors and new ones. The same, eloquent man that captivated America (most of it) will enthrall foreigners and their governments as well. They contend that the dismal perception of our country can only brighten. I do agree that having a president who draws thousands in Germany and incites more in Kenya to celebrate poses a favorable value. However, we can only examine the role that Obama plays after he officially takes office. <br /><br />Both contentions could be right for all I know. Strong advisers and characters must back the future president to prevent the first and control the second opinion. Senator Biden was correct, Obama will be tested. It only makes sense for countries to do so. Doesn’t every student attempt to lie to the substitute teacher about how long recess really is? They may fool the inexperienced educator the first time, but soon he or she will realize the mistake. The idealism (foreseen in the Obama camp) can only go so far and it sure hurts when lofty goals or perceptions fall through. <br /><br />If the 44th president can speak impressively and swing the big stick, America’s foreign policy could fall on the right track. I will wait to see if this happens and I don’t feel too hopeful. Those selected to surround Obama in the foreign relations field should signify the direction he will assume.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-67280549918403536952008-11-09T15:23:00.001-06:002008-11-09T15:42:33.165-06:00Farming HypocrisyAnnouncing that it would help Kentucky farmers harmed by a drought, the federal Department of Agriculture allowed Kentuckians to almost bathe in their hypocrisy.<br /><br />The Blue-Grass state overwhelmingly supported Senator McCain in the presidential election. I can’t say the economic platform of president-elect Obama was the main reason for the outcome, but it probably played some role. Giving aid to suffering farmers sounds like “spreading the wealth around” to me, something Obama looks to do in the upcoming years.<br /><br />Farmers in all states tend to lean conservative. However, plans similar to this fall way left in the political spectrum. As Thomas Frank in his book, "What’s the Matter with Kansas?", examines, Americans will vote against potential economic benefit. Though the state does have a Democratic House of Representatives, the farmers of Kentucky provide a ripe example of this theory. <br /><br />The initiative itself befuddles me. Just because these farmers endured an unlucky year does not mean I and other taxpayers need to save them. Does the American Government bear the responsibility to give a hand to gamblers who just had a bad year? No. Farming and gambling actually contain many similarities. Both involve a lot of prayer, and neither requires a college degree.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-76745306365468446692008-11-06T20:05:00.004-06:002008-11-06T20:22:55.474-06:00Russia Adds to Obama's PlateOne short day after Barack Obama’s milestone victory, another issue arose for the president-elect. The country just miles from Alaska responded to America’s “planned missile defense system in Eastern Europe”, the New York Times reports. President Medvedev assured the creation of a short range missile system on the Russian western border if the new president fails to halt the operation.<br /><br />The Pentagon press secretary defended America’s act by citing “Iran’s growing missile threat.” Of course we also asked for Russia’s involvement in this initiative, but it continued without their announced support. Medvedev’s speech went on to blame America for both their financial troubles and the Georgian conflict while also opening the door for a return of a Putin presidency. <br /><br />I cannot comprehend even considering something as misguided and provocative as this. Do we enjoy running rampant across the world “defending” ourselves while pissing off country after country? If Iran poses such danger, countries would react accordingly. A unified, European missile system would make too much sense in the Czech Republic and Poland, the proposed sites. Russia remains an important relationship to the United States. Jeopardizing it for something this absurd would be unfathomable.<br /><br />Much has been thrust at the Illinois Senator, but our global perception must rank high in importance. President Bush drew up much criticism for his overly interventionist behavior. The new president needs to keep such conduct to a bare minimum. Obama has announced his desire to leave Iraq and finish Afghanistan, both completely acceptable. However, I can only hope the hunt for Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda does not trample over any more borders.<br /><br />President Bush has announced he will brief the future president in an effort to ease him into the White House. Obama should listen to everything the current leader has to say. The man deserves more credit than he gets. If anyone knows a lot about American foreign policy, it is the man who totally reshaped it, while tossing our reputation out the window.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-68165236883270441392008-11-04T13:19:00.001-06:002008-11-04T13:21:08.299-06:00What the FranceIn an unsurprising tactic, France receded into the fetal position to allow for the current world economic crisis to blow over.<br /><br />You would think that was the case with stereotypical France, but President Sarkozy has affirmed both himself and his country as the leaders in Europe by proposing a multitude of ideas and plans to alleviate the financial troubles. The land of fries and bread does happen to be the current European Union President for six months. That being said, I cannot see Sarkozy stepping away from this role at the end of his term, while Europe so desperately needs a vocal icon. <br /><br />The New York Times presented two of the Parisian Prince’s initiatives this week, “The first is a European sovereign fund to protect the ownership of important businesses with suddenly low stock prices. The other is a ‘unified economic government’ of the European Union…” I honestly do not know if these possess the possibility of happening or even working. From an American viewpoint, I must enjoy them. This allows the U.S. to withdraw more from European affairs since a trusted leader has taken the reigns. <br /><br />Our next leader (I predict Bob Barr in a landslide) will be influenced by the energetic Frenchman. Like it or not, we love France and follow them whenever we can. Just look at nuclear power, bottled water (Jim Gaffigan reference), French bread, French fries, and this article. Clearly Barack Obama has taken a similar, proposal-laden approach while John McCain is not far off. The 44th president will “write checks their tush can’t cash”, but leaders must do this in problematic times for the morale of their populace. Yes, Sarkozy and the next president will be harshly criticized and ultimately buried if they do not succeed in the voters’ eyes; welcome to the joy of democracy. <br /><br />I could be entirely wrong, which would not be surprising. Czar Cozy may easily be pulling an ingenious political stunt. Both his reputation and favorability have increased in recent months due to his lively actions. We all love leaders who face crisis head-on (apply directly to forehead) and this could be just that.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-12216396014280986212008-11-02T17:33:00.001-06:002008-11-02T18:00:39.123-06:00Are You Syria-ous?Last weekend, the American Military raided a target located in Syria where a top Al-Qaeda agent, Abu Ghadiyah, was supposedly located. American Officials have reported this mission as a success, killing the terrorist and eight militants. Syria asserts that Ghadiyah’s status remains unknown and only Syrian civilians were killed. <br /><br />Disputed facts are not a rare occurrence during our Middle East campaign. The results of assaults using Predator Drones or Special Forces in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Syria have received scrutiny. We say one thing, while the “host” country says another, usually in a complaint. A prominent example is that Pakistan has condemned American efforts on their borders multiple times and has even promised to open fire. <br /><br />Do our military officials not realize the repercussions of their actions? Yes, I know they get to cross out a name on their wanted list, but at the same time they further push a country away from a possible friendship.<br /><br />Syria responded a few days later by closing an American school and cultural center linked to our embassy. Syrians also staged a demonstration just outside the embassy. Many reporters believe the Syrian government staged the protest since the country heavily restricts political speech. Either way, the people or the government of Syria dislike what happened. How can we fight the “War on Terror” when the countries that can possibly help regard us with such low admiration? <br /><br />Even Iraq retaliated by pushing America to agree to stop using Iraqi land to launch attacks on its neighbors. Their Parliament already struggles to pass legislation about America’s presence in the country and more backlash could harm our relationship. <br /><br />One of our main objectives in the Middle East was to form much needed alliances and drum up support. Our current strategy fails us in those regards. Wrong decisions, such as the strike in Syria, can lead to American disdain and increases in terrorism. I fear that we are like a mother in a grocery store who only went in to buy one item. However, we and the mother saw items nearby and felt as though they were necessary as well. Instead of actually finishing the Afghanistan War, America has headed to tour the entire Middle East.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826635123126613876.post-34155830034842186262008-11-01T16:40:00.001-05:002008-11-01T16:43:06.453-05:00Not So SexyLast month, four Chinese babies died and thousands were hospitalized after a breakout of melamine-poisoned milk powder. Last week, the New York Times reported that the contaminations also spread to another milk-based product in Britain. The Food Standards Agency has never warned about edible sex accessories before, but “chocolate and strawberry ‘body pens’, as well as "erotic chocolate lotion” were found with a low amount of melamine. Recent reports are claiming that eggs produced in China have also been found contaminated. This poison falsely displays a higher amount of protein in products and can damage kidneys. <br /><br />Right now, China is feeling the pains of capitalism. Unfortunately, the world shares this rising superpower’s troubles. In 2007, the United States encountered children’s toys containing lead-based paint and melamine-tainted pet food, both imported from China. With Chinese citizens and businesses owners vying to make quick and easy money, regulations tend to be circumvented for economic gain. <br /><br />Clearly this is another reason why we need to isolate more economically and create American jobs to do this the correct way, right? But do you really want to work in the milk industry? China has the capacity and dedicated work force able to complete these “dirty jobs”. Also, by outsourcing (yes, that horrible word) these tasks to countries, such as China and India, Americans find themselves pushed into the higher levels of labor. This leads to better pay and cheaper prices on these foreign goods. <br /><br />America needs be both aware and patient with China on this matter. Steps away from open trading due to a few incidents would be the wrong decision. Both parties convey their disdain towards free trade and globalization easily with events such as these and Americans losing their jobs garnering so much public attention. However, the country can’t see the long term benefits when focusing only on the short term costs. I can only hope that America keeps trade as open as possible, especially in the wake of the current economic crisis. The next president’s policies may look great in the first few months of his office, but can and will come back to haunt him if the wrong moves are made.Wesley Vaughnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15438566535659398064noreply@blogger.com0