Comments for Connected Conversations http://weiksner.com Politics, technology, et cetera Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:02:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 Comment on Mathemagical by Bucky http://weiksner.com/2008/11/03/mathemagical/#comment-190 Bucky Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:30:33 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/11/03/mathemagical/#comment-190 Enjoyed it. Enjoyed it.

]]> Comment on Crowdsourcing Watergate by Mike http://weiksner.com/2008/10/29/crowdsourcing-watergate/#comment-189 Mike Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:47:16 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/10/29/crowdsourcing-watergate/#comment-189 Hi Bucky, Thanks for the link and reading my blog! Although I don't read the CSM, it is sad to think that they won't print anymore. I am surprised that they can't raise the price and at least offer a print edition for those who *really* want it. Cheers, Mike Hi Bucky,

Thanks for the link and reading my blog! Although I don’t read the CSM, it is sad to think that they won’t print anymore. I am surprised that they can’t raise the price and at least offer a print edition for those who *really* want it.

Cheers,
Mike

]]> Comment on Crowdsourcing Watergate by Bucky http://weiksner.com/2008/10/29/crowdsourcing-watergate/#comment-188 Bucky Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:18:39 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/10/29/crowdsourcing-watergate/#comment-188 I am monitoring your blog with Google Reader Thank you for the 'heads up' on print media waning. In addition to the changes cited in the NYT piece, the Christian Science Monitor has made this announcement http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1029/p25s01-usgn.html that it will cease daily print publication and develop its following on/to the WEb I am monitoring your blog with Google Reader

Thank you for the ‘heads up’ on print media waning.
In addition to the changes cited in the NYT piece, the Christian Science Monitor has made this announcement
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1029/p25s01-usgn.html
that it will cease daily print publication and develop its following on/to the WEb

]]> Comment on My view: more doom and gloom in the markets by Bucky http://weiksner.com/2008/09/24/my-view-more-doom-and-gloom-in-the-economy/#comment-182 Bucky Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:59:40 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/09/24/my-view-more-doom-and-gloom-in-the-economy/#comment-182 I am very much into the relation of the central banks and Federal Reserve as cause of the crisis. I appreciate the commentary I have found at Mo'thanskin;s Blog. From his "It's the Fed, Stupid": "When will Americans ever see that the President and Congress have no real control over over Wall Street and the Banking industry? Since 1913 when Congress authorized the Federal Reserve Banks (which is not a government institution) and gave the Federal Reserve Banks the unconstitutional power to create money in the form of bank loans (thus a debt based economy), the real control and regulation of the economy has been in the hands of the Fed, not Congress and certainly not the President (although if the economy is good the Fed let's the President take the credit and if the economy is bad the Fed let's the President take the blame). It was the Fed that created the housing bubble that has now busted by giving banks and mortgage companies free money to loan to borrowers who were not creditworthy, making CEO's and brokers and salesmen very wealthy for a while until until the foreclosures started coming in. It is the Fed that regulates the banks, investment and mortgage companies, not Congress or the President, unless the Fed is abolished or radically reformed. Word to Barack Obama and John McCain, "It's the Fed, Stupid!"" And there's the matter of the use of derivatives as related to the crisis. Please read the articles that are linked by my personal Google Reader page of shared items. There's a link far down on the right sidebar of my Blog, http://bucky14621.blogspot.com. I am very much into the relation of the central banks and Federal Reserve as cause of the crisis.
I appreciate the commentary I have found at Mo’thanskin;s Blog.
From his “It’s the Fed, Stupid”:
“When will Americans ever see that the President and Congress have no real control over over Wall Street and the Banking industry? Since 1913 when Congress authorized the Federal Reserve Banks (which is not a government institution) and gave the Federal Reserve Banks the unconstitutional power to create money in the form of bank loans (thus a debt based economy), the real control and regulation of the economy has been in the hands of the Fed, not Congress and certainly not the President (although if the economy is good the Fed let’s the President take the credit and if the economy is bad the Fed let’s the President take the blame). It was the Fed that created the housing bubble that has now busted by giving banks and mortgage companies free money to loan to borrowers who were not creditworthy, making CEO’s and brokers and salesmen very wealthy for a while until until the foreclosures started coming in. It is the Fed that regulates the banks, investment and mortgage companies, not Congress or the President, unless the Fed is abolished or radically reformed. Word to Barack Obama and John McCain, “It’s the Fed, Stupid!”"

And there’s the matter of the use of derivatives as related to the crisis.
Please read the articles that are linked by my personal Google Reader page of shared items. There’s a link far down on the right sidebar of my Blog, http://bucky14621.blogspot.com.

]]> Comment on My view: more doom and gloom in the markets by Mike http://weiksner.com/2008/09/24/my-view-more-doom-and-gloom-in-the-economy/#comment-181 Mike Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:54:45 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/09/24/my-view-more-doom-and-gloom-in-the-economy/#comment-181 Tyler, Let me address your two points. Under the current circumstances, information technology makes the problems worse for two reasons. First, investment banks have become processing machines that work to their own advantage and against the common person. Second, control over communication is still highly centralized--so that works to the advantage of vested interests. And these vested interests prefer to defer the day of reckoning as long as possible (e.g., maintain the status quo.) As for globalization, I think that it raises the stakes. When markets in different countries are working in different cycles, they can compensate for one another. But economic integration is causes the cycles to converge. Hence, a global, synchronized recession could be far worse than a mere national one. There is a "hail mary" pass option that globalization affords. As Europe and US have increasingly aging populations, we could try to bring the younger Arab countries into the fold. But wow! is that a proposition fraught with political issues. Oh, my heart pains for the poor recently-minted MBA. They are truly the victim of this horrible ponzi scheme we've been living in for the past 20+ years! Tyler,

Let me address your two points.

Under the current circumstances, information technology makes the problems worse for two reasons. First, investment banks have become processing machines that work to their own advantage and against the common person. Second, control over communication is still highly centralized–so that works to the advantage of vested interests. And these vested interests prefer to defer the day of reckoning as long as possible (e.g., maintain the status quo.)

As for globalization, I think that it raises the stakes. When markets in different countries are working in different cycles, they can compensate for one another. But economic integration is causes the cycles to converge. Hence, a global, synchronized recession could be far worse than a mere national one.

There is a “hail mary” pass option that globalization affords. As Europe and US have increasingly aging populations, we could try to bring the younger Arab countries into the fold. But wow! is that a proposition fraught with political issues.

Oh, my heart pains for the poor recently-minted MBA. They are truly the victim of this horrible ponzi scheme we’ve been living in for the past 20+ years!

]]> Comment on My view: more doom and gloom in the markets by Tyler http://weiksner.com/2008/09/24/my-view-more-doom-and-gloom-in-the-economy/#comment-180 Tyler Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:39:10 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/09/24/my-view-more-doom-and-gloom-in-the-economy/#comment-180 Interesting insights Weiks. With respect to your comparisons with the 1930's, how much do you think that today's speed, information flow and trading technologies change the comparative landscape. Do you think that these factors will exacerbate the problems or do you think they might serve as a life-raft that protects the market from a similar three decade stagnation? Also, while your analysis tracks the US market, isn't today's stock market a much more global, diversified and potentially durable beast? I mean if a large domestic company went down in the first half of the 20th century the seismic tremors would be much greater than today wouldn't they? I submit that the fall of something like GM today could be much more easily "absorbed" by the market, investors and consumers than it would have 50 years ago. Is that accurate? Anyway, no doubt that the picture is not a rosy one...especially for all those newly minted MBA's looking for I-banking jobs! Interesting insights Weiks. With respect to your comparisons with the 1930’s, how much do you think that today’s speed, information flow and trading technologies change the comparative landscape. Do you think that these factors will exacerbate the problems or do you think they might serve as a life-raft that protects the market from a similar three decade stagnation?

Also, while your analysis tracks the US market, isn’t today’s stock market a much more global, diversified and potentially durable beast? I mean if a large domestic company went down in the first half of the 20th century the seismic tremors would be much greater than today wouldn’t they? I submit that the fall of something like GM today could be much more easily “absorbed” by the market, investors and consumers than it would have 50 years ago. Is that accurate?

Anyway, no doubt that the picture is not a rosy one…especially for all those newly minted MBA’s looking for I-banking jobs!

]]> Comment on Robocalls - Part II / Spy vs Spy - Part II by Andrew Gelman http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-179 Andrew Gelman Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:43:26 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-179 I was getting robocalls all the time from a collection agency (trying to reach someone with the same name as someone who used to have my phone number). I called them up one day and just chewed him out. There's no way this could've had any effect--I mean, if you work for a collection agency you must get this sort of call a hundred times a day--but it was satisfying, I'll say that. We should all have the right to scream at someone who wastes our time. Although I guess this wouldn't work so well if it were somebody in a call center in India or wherever. Perhaps they could have a law that the caller has to live nearby the callee, so that said caller has to be slightly worried that he might run into his victim on the street and have to explain why he keeps calling at dinnertime and leaving messages. I was getting robocalls all the time from a collection agency (trying to reach someone with the same name as someone who used to have my phone number). I called them up one day and just chewed him out. There’s no way this could’ve had any effect–I mean, if you work for a collection agency you must get this sort of call a hundred times a day–but it was satisfying, I’ll say that. We should all have the right to scream at someone who wastes our time. Although I guess this wouldn’t work so well if it were somebody in a call center in India or wherever. Perhaps they could have a law that the caller has to live nearby the callee, so that said caller has to be slightly worried that he might run into his victim on the street and have to explain why he keeps calling at dinnertime and leaving messages.

]]> Comment on Cognitive Surplus by Bucky http://weiksner.com/2008/08/25/cognitive-surplus/#comment-178 Bucky Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:18:39 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/25/cognitive-surplus/#comment-178 Just browsing,;Googled blog search for "ETP e-thepeople" Results are very disappointing: no bloggers are onto ETP. Sorry, can't get into your article. Would you please do something toward livening up ETP Team Network: When will there be ETP improvements? I am grateful the site is working as well as it is technically but there is a lot of schlock content. I still would like to meet you on the phone (585-323-9611) Just browsing,;Googled blog search for “ETP e-thepeople”
Results are very disappointing: no bloggers are onto ETP.

Sorry, can’t get into your article.

Would you please do something toward livening up ETP Team Network:
When will there be ETP improvements?
I am grateful the site is working as well as it is technically but there is a lot of schlock content.

I still would like to meet you on the phone (585-323-9611)

]]> Comment on Barney, Berenstein Bears & “Pseudo-gemeinschaft” by DJ http://weiksner.com/2007/10/03/pseudo-gemeinschaft/#comment-177 DJ Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:38:10 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2007/10/03/pseudo-gemeinschaft/#comment-177 Very interesting post on barney and pseudo-gemeinschaft... perhaps its a little more obvious with children television programmes.. i think the real danger lies in nuanced imagery and words used by politicians to make them seem they do care about the population... especially in political ads about themselves... Very interesting post on barney and pseudo-gemeinschaft…
perhaps its a little more obvious with children television programmes.. i think the real danger lies in nuanced imagery and words used by politicians to make them seem they do care about the population… especially in political ads about themselves…

]]> Comment on Robocalls - Part II / Spy vs Spy - Part II by Mike http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-175 Mike Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:13:31 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-175 It's possible--even easy--to spoof the return phone number in the caller ID. In addition not to condoning illegal activity, I think the anger towards Nic Neinecker may be misdirected. Chances are, s/he is a victim here too. It’s possible–even easy–to spoof the return phone number in the caller ID. In addition not to condoning illegal activity, I think the anger towards Nic Neinecker may be misdirected. Chances are, s/he is a victim here too.

]]> Comment on Robocalls - Part II / Spy vs Spy - Part II by Jennifer http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-174 Jennifer Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:51:38 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-174 Just in case anyone wants to Tolit Paper the Nic Reinecker the address to the phone number 620.585.0104 is 213 Doris St. Inman, KS 67546 If I still lived in KS I'd do it for you but we live in TX now. :) Just in case anyone wants to Tolit Paper the Nic Reinecker the address to the phone number 620.585.0104 is 213 Doris St. Inman, KS 67546

If I still lived in KS I’d do it for you but we live in TX now.
:)

]]> Comment on Robocalls - Part II / Spy vs Spy - Part II by Mike http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-172 Mike Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:44:46 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-172 Shaun, You have an interesting cause and a nice web site. I have mixed feelings about political robocalls. On a personal level, I find them annoying and wish that they didn't exist. On a policy level, I wonder if they shouldn't be protected as free speech. I mean, protests can be annoying but they are required for a truly free society. Perhaps there is some middle ground. On your site, you haev a comment about how most robocalls don't have a way to respond. I would support a law to require that all calls have a way to talk to a person about the robocall. Thanks for your comment. - Mike Shaun,

You have an interesting cause and a nice web site.

I have mixed feelings about political robocalls. On a personal level, I find them annoying and wish that they didn’t exist. On a policy level, I wonder if they shouldn’t be protected as free speech. I mean, protests can be annoying but they are required for a truly free society.

Perhaps there is some middle ground. On your site, you haev a comment about how most robocalls don’t have a way to respond. I would support a law to require that all calls have a way to talk to a person about the robocall.

Thanks for your comment.

- Mike

]]> Comment on Robocalls - Part II / Spy vs Spy - Part II by Shaun Dakin http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-171 Shaun Dakin Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:55:52 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/26/robocalls-part-ii-spy-vs-spy-part-ii/#comment-171 Bummer that politicians are exempt from this law. We are fighting back, for the American voter. 1 - Creating a Political Do Not Call Registry 2 - Testifying in the US Senate about robo calls (Sen. Feinstein’s Robocall Privacy Act) 3 - Forcing states to enforce existing robo call laws (CA, MN, NJ, etc..) 4 - Getting politicians to take a do not robo call pledge (7 have) Learn more. Shaun Dakin CEO Www.StopPoliticalCalls.org A non-profit fighting for the privacy of the American voter Bummer that politicians are exempt from this law.

We are fighting back, for the American voter.

1 - Creating a Political Do Not Call Registry
2 - Testifying in the US Senate about robo calls (Sen. Feinstein’s Robocall Privacy Act)
3 - Forcing states to enforce existing robo call laws (CA, MN, NJ, etc..)
4 - Getting politicians to take a do not robo call pledge (7 have)

Learn more.

Shaun Dakin
CEO
Www.StopPoliticalCalls.org
A non-profit fighting for the privacy of the American voter

]]> Comment on “This is your second notice” — Robocalls on the rise by Mike http://weiksner.com/2008/08/12/this-is-your-second-notice-robocalls-on-the-rise/#comment-169 Mike Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:28:23 +0000 http://weiksner.com/2008/08/12/this-is-your-second-notice-robocalls-on-the-rise/#comment-169 Nathaniel, you have a lot of patience! Just after I posted this item, I received another robocall. This time, it was "[fog horn] This is your captain speaking..." This stuff is really going to suck. Nathaniel, you have a lot of patience!

Just after I posted this item, I received another robocall. This time, it was “[fog horn] This is your captain speaking…”

This stuff is really going to suck.

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