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Government is Too Big to Succeed

by Ron Paul

Last week, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission kicked off their first round of hearings on the causes of the economic meltdown on Wall Street. The commission is being compared to the the Pecora Commission launched in 1932 to investigate the causes of the Great Depression. The Pecora commission is beloved by those who believe the solution to every problem is more laws because it was used to justify a number of new laws, including Glass-Steagall. Of course, none of those laws addressed the real causes of the Great Depression. It was the introduction of unsound monetary policy and central economic planning pursued by the Federal Reserve that really threw everything off balance. The Fed was founded in 1913 to stabilize the economy and prevent a recurrence of the short-lived Panic of 1907, but instead it promptly produced the Great Depression which lasted more than 15 years.

The Pecora Commission was stacked with big government sympathizers who blamed the free market and the gold standard without question, and without any consideration of government interference in the economy. This panel is no different. Never will they contemplate how government steered us into this crisis, and what perverse incentives can be removed or repealed so that the market will function more smoothly. Never will they discuss how investment should come from savings, not debt. Never will it occur to them that fiat money, artificially low interest rates and the whole Federal Reserve System might be unwise and unstable, not to mention unconstitutional. The answer will always be more government regulation and oversight. It is predictable that this government panel will eventually come to the firm conclusion that government needs to be bigger, and that the market is just too free.

How sad is this when exactly the opposite is true?

It is big government that gives out tax breaks to engineer behavior, often creating large pockets of malinvestments. It is government that created the FDIC and the Fed as lender of last resort which all encourages moral hazard. It is big government that gives bureaucrats the ability to bail out cronies with taxpayer dollars while screaming that the economic sky is falling if they don’t. It is big government that every year adds new layers to the already labyrinthine regulatory code that smaller businesses can’t keep up with while simultaneously preventing new businesses from emerging. It is big government that misdirects economic productivity into bankrupt businesses that they consider to be too big to fail.

If this panel was serious about understanding the root of the problem, as they claim to be, they would have people testify who understand the crisis and saw it coming. To my knowledge, none of them have received a phone call. The problem is those people would say too many things the government panel would find inconvenient. They would point fingers at too many of the state’s anointed. They would recommend getting government out of the way of the free market and getting back to simply protecting contracts and punishing fraud. But the biggest fraud is perpetrated by the Federal Reserve. No one on this panel takes that viewpoint seriously. Instead, they will be asking people who are still scratching their heads at how they could have missed the housing bubble what new regulations they can put in place to prevent future bubbles. Thus, I don’t expect much real wisdom to come out of this current investigation.

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What’s the life of Bioshock 2’s Creative Director like now that the game is finished? “I’m mostly doing stuff like this,” Jordan Thomas tells me over the phone, referring to the interview. “It’s stuff that’s not necessarily natural to my character, such as looking at action figure designs, promotional materials… it’s not the main thrust of game development.” He assures us that there has been a short break, but the game is due out on February 9, just a few short weeks away.

This gives us an excellent chance to look back not only to the first game, but to the entirety of the development of Bioshock 2, and why the team decided to make the decisions that lead to this game. Hold your breath: we’re going deep.

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Qik’s VideoCamera app isn’t the first to give older iPhones video recording capabilities, but it could be the first to do it well enough for non-gimmick use. It’ll record at 15fps with various real-time effects, including a Na’vi-inspired blue tint.

Other features include landscape mode, zoom, brightness and audio controls, and effects like black and white, red (?), Na’vi blue, and mirror. It’s available now for a buck (link opens iTunes). [Qik]

Wallets are becoming more and more functional these days. We told you about the Flipside wallet before, but here’s one that takes it to a whole new level of ridiculousness.

TMTs Tactical Wallet comes in two models, one made of plastic, and one milled from solid aluminum. The plastic version is intended for use by water sport aficionados, and will float. The aluminum one, well, I can only assume it’s intended for use by survivalists and secret agents that have really bad days.

So what’s so special about these wallets? Much like a multi-tool, it’s all in the attachments. Both of the versions of the wallet have a compass, ink pen, tweezers, toothpick, carbide glass breaker, and a o-ring system sealing them against water and dust. I suspect the tactical version might even be able to stop a bullet, but don’t quote me on that.

TMTs wallets are currently available from their website, the plastic version sells for $85, the aluminum for $125. Oh, and we’ve already contacted them to see if we can get a review unit. I want to see if the aluminum one will actually stop a bullet.

[via OhGizmo]

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Don’t lie. You laughed. Also: I can’t be the only one that would prefer one of these to a Segway.

[via Geekologie]

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In addition to all that tablet nonsense (maybe), Apple’s January 27th event should see new versions of iLife and apparently Aperture. Books have been leaking out on e-tailers over the last couple days that point to a debut this month of the next version of Apple’s photo editor. I use Aperture and am quite happy with it, though I hear Lightroom is even better — but we’ll see what happens a week from tomorrow.

If you’ve recently started shooting with a DSLR and haven’t used one of these advanced photo editors, you’re missing out. It makes my shots blow up like whaaat!

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Microsoft just announced that it is taking the Bing Maps Sliverlight version out of beta and making it the default version for Bing Maps. The Bing Team is rolling this change out slowly. Within a few weeks, all users in the U.S. will see the Silverlight maps by default. The AJAX site will continue to work for the time being and users will be able to switch back and forth between the two version. The Silverlight version is a major step forward for Bing Maps and, in many respects, puts it ahead of Google Maps in terms of features and usability.

Sponsor

In addition to this change, Microsoft also announced two new products for Bing Maps: Destination Maps and an events app.

Silverlight allows the Bing Maps team to make the user experience far more fluid than Google currently can with its AJAX-driven mapping service. The Silverlight version of Bing Maps is also the only way to access Microsoft’s Streetside images, the company’s version of Google’s Street View. Because it runs on Silverlight, Streetside offers a very fluid way of moving around the streets of the cities in the U.S. and Canada that the service currently supports. The Silverlight version of Bing Maps also allows users to seamlessly switch between maps, satellite images and highly detailed aerial photos. In addition, the Bing Maps Silverlight version also makes it easy to browse through user-generated PhotoSynth images.

Finding Treasure – Destination Maps

Destination Maps are an interesting addition to the Bing Maps Apps. With this application, you can quickly create a map of driving directions to a specific place to give to your friends. The interesting feature here is that you can choose different map types, all of which display simplified and easy-to-read maps: American, European, Sketchy and Treasure, which looks like a pirate map.

Events

Bing’s new Local Events application displays the locations of local events on the map. The application allows you to filter events by type (concert, theater, museum. etc.) and date. Currently, the selection of events in the application’s index seems a bit limited.

Bing Maps vs. Google Maps

Google, however, still offers a couple of features that Bing Maps doesn’t offer. With Place Pages, for example, Google offers a better local search experience. Google also offers slightly better maps, especially if you are planning to walk or to take public transport.

If anything, though, the current competition between Google and Microsoft is driving the development of online maps forward. Chances are that some users won’t be happy about the fact that the new version of Bing Maps works with Silverlight, but the plugin is easy to install and the results are worth the hassle of installing.

Discuss

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Black bean soup – warm, spicy, brimming with chicken, beans and vegetables – is a dish that everyone can appreciate.  There’s nothing quite like a nourishing black bean soup on a cold winter’s afternoon, that, when paired with a salad of fresh winter greens and full-bodied unrefined olive oil, makes for a fully satisfying meal.  A good black bean soup is both hearty and delightful, and decidedly filling.  This black bean soup combines homemade mineral-rich broth with chicken while the addition of salsa and chipotle chile powder provides a lovely heat.

While legumes rarely make it to our supper table anymore; we still enjoy a good black bean soup.  Black beans offer a good source of food folate – a B vitamin that’s critical to reproductive health and fetal development.  Indeed, low maternal intake of food folate is connected to birth defects – particularly neural tube defects though some evidence indicates low levels of folate are also implicated in cleft palate and heart defects as well.

This version of black bean soup is easily prepared and, when you’re working from pre-cooked ingredients, the soup requires fewer than a thirty minutes to prepare.  Rather than using canned beans in this black bean soup, try preparing a large batch in advance by soaking dry beans in warm and slightly acidified water for 24 hours, draining them and then cooking them in a slow cooker until tender.  Freeze beans for easy use later.

Chipotle Chile, Chicken & Black Bean Soup

(…)
Read the rest of Chipotle Chile, Black Bean and Chicken Soup (253 words)

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Post tags: beans, birth defects, black beans, chicken, chile, chili, cleft palate, family bites, folate, folic acid, Foodbuzz, legumes, onion, salsa

Our guess is that the EROS tablet got caught in customs on its way to join its tablet friends at CES. Poor kid. Regardless, the 10.1-inch 1366×768 resistive touchscreen device still deserves its time to in the sun. Powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive, it runs Windows 7 (we’re hoping Home Premium since Starter doesn’t support touch). It all sounds fairly good until you hear about its three-cell battery’s abysmal hour and a half of run time. And we’ve also got to say that it looks pretty chunky in the pictures, but most Wintel tablets are. But hey, maybe HP and Microsoft will change all that with the Slate. But if the EROS has struck your fancy, it looks to only be available in China for about 3,000 yuan or $441.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

EROS Shenzhen tablet has Atom, 2 hours of battery life and a $450 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you go to the Silverlight version of Bing Maps, at the bottom is an application gallery which adds different features and layers to the maps. Two new Silverlight apps added today are for Events and Destination Maps.

The Events app brings up nearby events and places them as pins on the map. The name of the events appear in the left-hand column, where you can scroll through them and sort by popularity or date. You can also filter by specific times (today, tomorrow, this weekend, this week, next week, or a specific date range). The app also lets you narrow the search down by categories such as music, sports, performing arts, food & dining, and fairs & festivals.

The Destination Maps app creates a stylized map that is good for party invites or directions. The recipient gets a simplified map showing just the route from where they are coming from to where they are going, and the maps can be skinned with different background themes including a a European road map or a pirate treasure map (below).

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En los últimos tiempos a los chinos no les ha ido muy bien en materia de seguridad, durante las pruebas de choque. El caso de Brilliance, resultó en una de las pruebas de choque más espectacularmente negativas que haya hecho EuroNCAP, con cero estrellas para la berlina BS4. Geely también había sufrido la catástrofe del Zi You Jian, un sedán que se vende en el mercado chino que resultó totalmente destruido contra los muros de EuroNCAP.

C-NCAP, la variante china de EuroNCAP, recientemente llevó a cabo pruebas sobre el Geely Panda, una de las copias descaradas de coches occidentales, que tanto les gusta a los chinos. Parece que los diseñadores de Geely ya aprendieron la lección, porque el “Panda chino” logró cinco estrellas en las pruebas de choque frontal y choque lateral.

Claro que antes de que los que simpatizan con los coches chinos comiencen a descorchar botellas, hay que hacer una salvedad. La diferencia entre las pruebas de EuroNCAP y C-NCAP es notoria. Mientras que el organismo europeo efectúa esta misma prueba a una velocidad de 64 km/h, los chinos la realizan a 53 km/h. La diferencia de 11 km/h al impactar contra el muro puede ser decisiva para cambiar una calificación.

Lo mismo ocurre en la prueba de choque lateral, en donde en China los coches se impactan a menor velocidad que en Europa. De todas maneras es un avance para los coches chinos, incluyendo a Geely como marca, pero que todavía distan de las más estrictas normas en Europa.

Vía | Swede Speed

DNA tests indicate the invasive species may already have entered Lake Michigan.

The battle over Asian carp intensified Tuesday as the U.S. Supreme Court declined to order an immediate closure of Chicago-area locks that could let the invasive fish enter the Great Lakes.

The one-sentence decision prompted calls for a White House summit from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle. Granholm and Doyle fear the fish will decimate the region’s $7 billion sportfishing industry by driving out native species, as they have along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

“Asian Carp threaten the well-being of our Great Lakes, and ultimately, the well-being of Michigan,” Granholm said in a statement. “It is disappointing that the Supreme Court declined to aid in our fight against these aquatic invaders, so we now ask the White House to work with us in finding a solution before it is too late.”

Mike Cox, Michigan’s Attorney General, said he was “extremely disappointed the Supreme Court did not push the pause button on this crisis until an effective plan is in place.” In his statement Tuesday, Cox also called for President Obama to immediately order the locks closed, at least temporarily.

“President Obama said he would not tolerate new threats to the Great Lakes, yet he has left the front door to Lake Michigan wide open,” Cox said. “Billions in economic activity and 800,000 Michigan jobs connected with the health of the Lakes are at risk.”

Cox filed the original lawsuit at the heart of the case in December, asking the Supreme Court to reopen a 1922 case concerning the turn-of-the-century diversion of the Chicago River from Lake Michigan into the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The ongoing diversion, and the canals and locks that are part of it, have allowed a series of invasive species to cross between the Great Lakes and the rivers, including zebra mussels and the round goby.

Cox also requested a preliminary injunction to force the immediate closure of the locks while the lawsuit is being argued; though the Supreme Court rejected the injunction request, the larger lawsuit remains.

“While the injunction would have been an extraordinary step by the court, Michigan and the other Great Lakes states are facing an extraordinary crisis that could forever alter the Lakes, permanently killing thousands of jobs at a time when families can least afford it,” Cox said.

In more ominous news for the Great Lakes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday that Asian carp DNA had been detected north of the O’Brien Lock, the last barrier between the carp-infested rivers and Lake Michigan (http://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/pao/Release_eDNA_19Jan2010.pdf). While the results suggest that at least some fish have crossed into the lake, that does not mean that a breeding population has been established in the lake, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Sources: Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (PDF)

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Smartphone OS available on a variety of carriers in an ever-increasing array of devices, with powerful but difficult-to-manage multitasking, a user interface that can be a little cluttered and confusing yet is highly customizable, integration with the company’s own email solution that’s second-to-none, and apps that lack polish but get the job done.

Despite what you’re thinking, I’m talking about Android and not Windows Mobile here. Both are facing similar issues but have similar appeal, though. Read on for the Smartphone Round Robin review of Android from PreCentral.net!

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Most of us have followed the whole NBC debacle since the very beginning, but a recap of the mess never hurts. Especially when it’s animated with an awkward voice over. So watch, giggle, and tell us if you’re with CoCo.

There is a general belief that hair loss only happens to men. Women are expected by society to carry a full head of hair all their lives. People believe that men are the only ones susceptible to hair thinning or balding, especially if there is a family history.

Hair loss statistics, however, can disprove this theory. A survey done by the American Academy of Dermatology shows that at least 30 million women are facing hair loss issues in the United States. Another study published in Dermatologic Surgery says that a lot of young and middle-aged women suffer from hair loss problems. Moreover, the incidence of female hair loss is continually increasing.

Causes of Women Hair Loss

But what causes hair loss in women? To best understand that, it is important to know the hair growth cycle. Scientists say that our hair usually grows at the rate of half an inch a month. This growing phase, called Anagen, usually lasts for two years but it can last as long as six years. After this long period of growth, the Catagen phase comes. This is the transitional period in which the hair stops growing. Finally, Telogen occurs, which is the last resting stage of the hair. This lasts for about five to six weeks. Near the end of Telogen, new strands of hair in the Anagen phase develop and pushes out the old Telogen hair. Around 90 percent of our hair are in Anagen, while the remaining 10 percent are in Telogen.

In those with a genetic predisposition to hair loss, hormones called androgens interfere with the normal hair growth cycle. These androgens are found in men in large amounts and in women in smaller amounts. When testosterone, an androgen, comes in contact with the enzymes found in our hair, it is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen that disturbs the hair growth cycle. DHT induces hair loss since its build up causes hair follicles to shrink and eventually die. For a long time, scientists believed that this is the cause of balding for both men and women.

However, more experts now believe that other types of enzymes and hormones are involved in female balding. What gave rise to this new theory is the difference in the balding pattern between men and women. In females, balding begins at the top of the head and spreads out. In males, however, balding occurs in the different spots – the crown, sides, and back of the head. Moreover, it has been found that male hair loss is usually the result of family history. With women, hair loss can occur at any point of their lives.

Treatments for Women Hair Loss

Thus, hair treatments for women are different than those for men. Hair loss drugs, such as finasteride or dutasteride, are commonly prescribed for men. Hair treatments for women, on the other hand, lean more on surgical procedures, such as hair transplantation, and other methods, such as hair extending or weaving. This is because prescription drugs usually have harmful side effects on pregnant or potentially pregnant women; they may bring about deformities in male fetuses. It is thus recommended that permanent hair loss in women be treated through hair weaving (addition of hair by braiding synthetic or human hair to root of original hair) and hair transplantation (transferring bald-resistant scalp areas to a bald area). But before you consider any procedure for hair loss treatment, it is a must to consult your physician.

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The Ghanaian movie industry, Ghallywood, recently received a boast with the launch of  GhallyGold awards that would honour excellence in that industry.

GhallyGold Statue

The launch was characterized by well structured presentations on the history of film (movies) in Ghana; the spokes of the industry and the role each of them play or have to play in moving the industry forward; as well as projecting excellence in the industry. A symbolic statuette of a performer standing on a base with 5 divisions, holding a sphere with a film roll and an Adinkra symbol (Nsaa) up in his hands, was also unveiled as the trophy winners of the various categories would take home.

According to Rockson Adu Boahene CEO of Item 3 House, the 5 round bases of the statuette symbolize the five spokes of the film industry namely writers, directors, actors, producers and technicians. The human figure kneels on one knee to represent giving honor to whom it is due. The film roll symbolizes the production of movies and the ‘Nsaa’ symbol reflects the Akan saying which translates as ‘he who does not know authentic Nsaa buys the fake’.

The categories for the GhallyGold Award cut across a number of major divisions such as technical awards, special or merit awards and the casting awards. Among these categories are: best actor in a lead, best actress in a lead, best actors in supporting roles, best screenplay, best music score, best juvenile actor among others.

The awards are open to all movie producers and forms for submission of entries and other inquiries can be made on Ghana Gold Awards. A 9-member selection committee would screen movies and finalists would be made known for public voting as well as other technical voting to determine winners in the various categories.

The Ghallygold Awards is being organized by Item 3 House, an event management company, in collaboration with the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG). The awards, initially scheduled to take place last year, was put on hold due to delays in getting all stakeholders on board. For the past three years, the Ghanaian movie industry has not had any award ceremony to honour its stakeholders after the Ghana Actors’ Guild held the last one.