The Oscars

Another sub par Oscar awards nomination process and ceremony. Billy Crystal hosted (again). It is beyond me how anyone has ever found him funny at all. He must be in the club.
I actually watched maybe a few minutes total of the show. Each time I tuned in it was someone I could not stomach. Actors views of films they had seen that inspired them. Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez (double gag) presenting. No one challenging the system, maybe Crystal did minutely. He supposedly did wear black face for one performance, brilliant!
CSM had a list of overlooked films. Not seen Ides of March or 50/50 yet. Maybe Harry should have gotten some recognition. Drive definitely was slighted. Super 8 was fun but not sure I agree on that one.
If you're looking for awards with substance can look into the Spirit Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Culture-Cafe/2012/0227/Oscars-5-films-that-should-have-been-nominated

Income Inequality

Couple articles on income inequality. First has a hint of humor to it. The second, the real statistics. 

http://motherboard.vice.com/2012/2/27/new-research-shows-just-how-much-more-likely-the-rich-are-to-fight-dirty--2

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3220

Google Web History

Effective March 1st, Google will start accumulating your web history.
If you don't like the idea of third parties knowing your web history here is a way to disable it (we hope).

http://motherboard.vice.com/2012/2/23/how-to-keep-google-s-googly-hands-off-your-web-history--2

Antibiotics and Sinus Infections

Apparently, placebos perform just as well as antibiotics.

http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120215/9115/sinus-infections-antibiotics-amoxicillin-washington-university-school-of-medicine-in-st-louis.htm

Video Piracy Solution

Sounds reasonable. In our lifetime, not likely.
Imagine is too complicated for Hollywood to figure out how to make this work.

http://assets.motherboard.tv/post_images/assets/000/011/934/piracysolution_original.jpg?1329258874

Forced Labor

Story on Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn's infamous internship program. Lots taking advantage of the young. Lot of universities in our country also have arrangements with employers but the forced overtime and other policies which lead students to commit suicide do not seem to compare with Foxconn's policies.

http://motherboard.vice.com/2012/2/15/foxconn-s-other-dirty-secret-the-world-s-largest-internship-program

Story on PBS about the South's forced Labor policies after the Civil War through the use of convicts.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2179490800/

Drone Strikes

Makes one proud.

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/05/u_s_drones_targeting_rescuers_and_mourners/singleton/

How do you win a war with tactics such as these? You don't.
This is what happens when the wrong people are calling the shots.

Mobile Phone Companies

If you want to pay up to half as much as you are now and avoid contracts here is a list of the companies available out there. Like the look of Boost Mobile.

http://cell-phone-providers-review.toptenreviews.com/