Social Networking

Interesting article on superficiality of the new social networking phenomenon (or reality).

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/1224/Happiness-101-Less-tweeting-more-meeting

Forgot a movie on my last list which saw in the theatre, "Kick Ass". Action, comedy, yet perhaps a bit too dark at times.

2010 Movies

List of favorite movies I saw this year. Did not have to release in 2010.

District 9: Sci-fi at it's best!
Extract: Great comedy
A Town Called Panic: Hysterical French claymation
The Fall: Wizard of Oz redone?
North Face: Serious mountain climbing
Cube: Great Sci-fi once again
Mademoiselle Chambon: French Romance
My Bodyguard: Old film with famous teen actors
Appaloosa: Great western
Once: Great Romance and Music
House of Flying Daggers: Action
Anne of Green Gables: Made for TV but great contemporary film

May be couple more that could make the list or have forgotten. Seems the most recent releases are always nominated the most and tend to see those the following year.
Have a great holiday!

Tax Cuts

Interesting article and video on proposed tax cut changes and trickle down effects of Republican tax cuts.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/12/the_bush_tax_cuts_in_one_chart.html

http://www.youtube.com/user/leearnold#p/u/3/SA1f2MefsMM

Personally, I don't think anyone should be making more than 100k a year or less than 30k a year.
Heck, I'd even settle for strictly a consumption tax if salaries were fair based on work performed.

Interesting post on the German economy. Amazing to me how so many other countries help their citizens and in doing so make their countries prosper. What is wrong with our leadership here. Seems too often they'd prefer that slavery was back in fashion.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/24/923110/-Der-Grndungszuschu

Wikileaks is getting attacked by hackers, politicians, and coorporations now. Paypal will no longer allow them to use their service for donations. Cancelled my Paypal and eBay accounts today. Paypal for the second time. Seems the new economy is being incorporated into the old economy.

Exceptional?

Nice post by Thomas Friedman in the New York Times.
He is not my favorite writer. His "The World is Flat" book may have contributed in some way to America's supposed demise. Still, the Chinese do seem rather successful at adopting this model.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/opinion/01friedman.html?_r=1

Finished my Arduino class (arduino.cc). Main focus was on BlueGiga Bluetooth using iWRAP API. Had trouble with demo up near video equipment. Probably should have run more tests. Got a connection but temperature sensor was not registering. Probably should have included a push button backup circuit.