Mosquitoes Now More Irritating to Teens and Young People

 

A new device that has recently been rolled out in the United States named, “The Mosquito” is designed to deliver a shrill high pitch noise only audible to teens and young adults. These devices are used by store and shop owners to ensure that teens are not loitering around their properties. See the full story at CNN.com.

Civil Rights activists are enraged by the new device. Their outrage is centered on one feature of the new device in particular, the same feature that makes this product so appealing to shop owner.  The sound emitted by this device is only audible by younger adults.  The Activists see this as a blatant case of ageism.   Ageism is the act of discriminating against a person or group based solely on their age.

I must tell you, the idea of a device like this gives me mixed feelings.  On the one hand, I have seen the types of people that this device is intended to deter, and I can fully understand why shop owners would feel justified using this product. Often times these loiterers can be more than a nuisance because they could drive away business and even cause property damage.  Authorities tend to dismiss complaints by these business owners because the loiterers or “just kids” and the damage they do is “just a youthful prank.”

On the other hand, I have no doubts in my mind that this product is designed to specifically target younger people, as they are the only ones capable of hearing its high-pitched, shrill sound. This practice by definition can only be considered ageism.

As much as I feel for the shop owners who are driven to spend the $1,500 on this device, the infringement by this device on civil liberties of the youth cannot be ignored. To allow a product like this to become common place in America sets a dangerous precedent.  It would open the door for other products that target specific groups as nuisances. The negative applications for these types of products are as dramatic as the gradient of the slippery slope that this argument is based upon.

As always this is an open forum for all voices to be heard.  Please leave a comment if you have an opinion on how this should be handled.

 

Clinton Claims Victory and Breath of New Hope

 

CNN.com has declared Hillary Clinton the winner of the crucial Pennsylvania primary.  This marks a monumental turnaround for the Clinton campaign and gives new hope to a candidate that looked to have run out of steam.  With this win Clinton looks to pick up the majority of the delegates and inches closer to opponent, Brock Obama.

The news of Clinton’s win comes as a bit of a shock.  For weeks the news coming out of all the major media outlets seemed to hint, or outright say, that Obama had seized the momentum and was going for the jugular in Pennsylvania.

At this point it appears that it is anyone’s campaign for the Democratic nomination.  More than likely this fight will have to be determined when the Democratic delegates meet to cast their votes in June. This brings to mind the question, “Does the system we have in place to nominate candidates actually work?”

Many Americans are not aware that the delegates “won” by a candidate following a primary are free to cast their vote any way that they deem to be appropriate.  As was the case in the 2000 election, unique circumstances shine light on the obscure nuances of our election process.  Unfortunately, these nuances tend to have the negative characteristic of appearing to exclude the masses from the election process.

I am as patriotic as the next guy, assuming the next guy is not a five star general, but I have a problem with the paralyzing stratification that is inherent to government.  The prospect of having a few thousand individuals decide who will be running for president leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  This taste is the same taste that we can all remember following the debacle with the Bush/Gore 2000 election.  That being said, I am a man of historical context, and I will not let the anomalies of the election process sour me on a system that has been around for hundreds of years.

I believe that the system we have in place, despite its problems, is a rather good one, and I will continue to put my faith in every vote that I cast. 

The great part about America is that we are all allowed to have an opinion.  I have let mine be heard, and now it is your chance.  Please leave a comment and let us all know what you think of the system the United States has in place for nominating candidates.

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Jake Long (Not Howie’s Kid) To Be Named No. 1 Draft Pick

Jake Long, a massive left tackle out of Michigan, will be named the number one draft pick at Saturday’s NFL Draft in New York, according to sources at CNN.com.

The Miami Dolphins, who won one game last year, will sign Long to a total package worth $57.5 million.

Amazingly, Long’s contract is lower than Jamarcus Russell, last year’s number one pick by the Oakland Raiders, who signed a $61 million deal.

Click here to read the CNN article.

“Big O” the Leader of A Cult?

Oprah is coming under attack as she is being likened to a cult leader commanding her faithful.  In this video clip from ShowBiz Tonight, on CNN.com, the question is posed, “has Oprah transitioned from popular media mogul to cult leader?”

Christian leaders are leading the charge with this accusation.  For years Christians have been put off by many of Opera’s practices including her well-documented opposition to marriage.

Though this accusation may seem outrageous, there could actually be something to it.  I don’t watch much of her show, but when I do, I am blown away by some of the personal opinions she forwards to her audience.  Maybe even more surprising, is how her audience seems to eat it up with a spoon.

From what I have observed, Opera’s audience behaves much like the followers of a cult. They are completely accepting and hang on every word that comes out of her mouth.  They applaud and add their ‘amens’.   I don’t think that it was Opera’s original intention to foster this mindless devotion, but she hasn’t done much openly to discourage it.  It appears clear that the demographic that watches her show is ripe for manipulation.

Sadly, this is all too common of celebrities these days.  It seems that anyone who appears on the television is idolized as some sort of guru, possessed of uncommon wisdom and insight.  I can’t find any other explanation for the success of characters such as Opera and Dr. Phil.  It seems that in our contemporary culture the only prerequisite for genius status is a camera and a microphone.

As for Oprah being a cult leader, she is no more a cult leader than any rock star or know nothing billionaire heiress.  The masses lack a strong general consciousness or reasonable critical thinking skills.  Group think appears to be the culprit in this case, not supposed tyrannical intentions of the most successful woman media mogul of our time. 

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Career-Enhancing Questions to Ask Your Boss

 

CareerBuilder.com in conjunction with CNN.com has compiled a very helpful list of questions you should ask your boss sooner rather than later.  These questions are designed to help the recent hire understand keys to advancement in a new job and maximize the chances of fitting in to a new system.

It is a common occurrence at new jobs to feel overwhelmed and even a bit isolated from your peers.  The best way to mitigate these feelings is to be proactive by asking questions.   As a new hire you are given a free pass to ask all the questions you can think of without evoking irritation from your peers.  It is of the utmost importance to capitalize on this opportunity while you have the chance.

The list of questions in this article is a good stepping stone to success but don’t stop there.  These questions are somewhat broad and basic.  I would recommend considering more position-specific questions once you have utilized the questions above to establish an open dialogue.

Above all else, it is important to remember the concept of, “Personal Branding.”  We all have our own brands that carry with them a brand image.  You are in control of the way that you market yourself to your new peers and coworkers.   Asking questions will help to establish you and your personal brand as inquisitive and engaged.  There is nothing worse than having a brand that is considered ignorant or stagnate.

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Antiquated Leanings Won’t Boost Salary

 

Network World published an article entitled, “5 IT Skills That Won’t Boost Your Salary.” This article warns of over allocation of time to 5 common IT skills that may not pay off in the long run.

 It is important to know when and where to best allocate your time when you are a developing young professional. It may seem that, in the ever advancing world of technology, any knowledge is good knowledge. This article emphasizes the importance of allocating time efficiently and  effectively in order to avoid being stuck with lame duck learnings.

I would caution the more impressionable reader to take this story with a grain of salt. It is important to remember, many new technologies are based largely off of their predecessors. To understand a programming language that is on the decline may actually give valuable insights and context into understanding the language that is replacing it.

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How to Retire Worth Millions

 

As young professionals, retirement may seem like a distant problem that only our bosses need to think about, but we don’t  need to worry about it for years.  This mindset, however common, is one of the greatest oversights facing the recent college grad.

Fool .com recently published an article entitled, “The Lure of Great Wealth.”  This article touches on, among other things, a simple way for everyone to retire on time and with more money than many have ever dreamed possible.  The plan is largely explained here in this excerpt:

“What does 15.4% compound to over a lifetime spent working in a job you love? If you were simply to maximize your IRA contributions (currently $4,000 a year) and 401(k) contributions (currently $15,000) over a 40-year working life span, from a standing start of $0, you’d have $37 million at the end. “

The average “twenty something” tends to forget the magnificent power associated with time value of money.  Simply put, all money is not created equal.  The income that a young worker makes at the beginning of his or her career is worth substantially more than the income made by that worker when he or she is a year away from retirement.  The reason for this is interest.  The money that is earned by a young professional at the beginning of his or her career accrues interest for the rest of that professional’s life (not just the last year).  This means that money spent while you are younger has a greater impact on retirement than money spent when you are older.

This lesson should be applied to all purchases made as a young professional.  The next time you find yourself with an extra wad of cash and an itch to go spend it on the newest gadget out on the market remember, don’t just take the cost of that gadget at face value.  To get the true impact of the cost of that gadget, take its price and multiply it by your average yearly return on investment, then multiply that by the number of years until you plan to remain employed (40 years for most “twenty something’s”).  This will give you the true cost of making the purchase.

I am not saying that “twenty something” professionals should spend their lives depriving themselves of things that make them happy.  I am simply pointing out the importance of scrutinizing purchases made while you are younger.  Besides, as “The Lure of Great Wealth” points out, the best way to have happiness as a young professional is not to buy things, but to make sure you have a job that you love.  It would not hurt if that job has a good 401 (k) match either.

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A Nation Of News? Not Really

Here is an interesting post I dug up from a blog today about where news originates in the U.S.. The map, located here, broke down where news originates based on datelines from newspapers.

Obviously, the number one place for news is Washington D.C.. This shouldn’t be a surprise since it is our nation’s capitol and where the president is from.

California is second on the list of news makers. Most populous state plus Hollywood and San Francisco equals a ton of news.

The most interesting part of this map to me is that Texas receives less news coverage than Georgia and some other states. Texas has three major cities — Dallas, San Antonio and Houston — and a cultural epicenter, Austin. Why wouldn’t it be higher than Georgia? The author’s reason: CNN.

9/11 Survivors Struggle With Faith

USATODAY.com has this fabulous article about survivors of 9/11 struggling with their own faith. For some, their faith has increased; others have seen a lack of faith in their lives.

What I have seen in my own life is that people’s faith can go two ways during a personal or universal disaster. For some, their faith grows and emotional struggles are brought forward and placed in God’s hand. Others, meanwhile, ask, “Where is God in this?”

Nobody will know why God allows suffering like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina. In fact, going deeper, why would a benevolent, omnicient God allow any personal pain? My only answer to this deep theological question is that when man broke away from God during the first sin, personal pain and struggle was created. 

I don’t pretend to have any answers, and I get ticked off at God too during massive disasters like 9/11.

What this article does a great job of showing is that faith is a struggle. There is one absolute, but beyond that, faith is relative chaos. Which may explain why people are screwing it up and misinterpreting it constantly.

 

Chase Daniel, Tigers Aren’t Complacent

After a 12-2 season that officially brought football back to Missouri, the Tigers, and Heisman trophy candidate Chase Daniel, are focused on not making last season a fluke.

Here is a great article from espn.com about the Tigers aiming to win this year’s Big 12 championship.

My Alma matter should have no problem winning the Big 12 North division this year because Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech are absent from their schedule. Anything less would be a vast disappointment. Of course, the Tigers have had high hopes before i.e. see the 2004 men’s basketball team that was pre-ranked # 3.

Yet, I am somehow confident in this team. They have a pugnacious leader, Daniel, and one of the most dangerous players in the game Jeremy Maclin.

I expect Mizzou to make it to the championship game and have a repeat showdown with Oklahoma, with the winner possibly playing for a shot at the national title. At that point, it’s all up in the air.