from SMBC

You know, I’ve always viewed Keith Olbermann as an overly sanctimonious and loquacious demagogue, but his words in this speech really resonate with me. It has all the trappings of a Knox College Political Science essay, but I think it very well sums up and counters the rather obvious attempts by some opportunistic politicians who are looking to exploit xenophobia and fear to get votes, or a certain news network’s attempts to get more viewers.

Bravo, Mr. Olbermann. Maybe I’ll watch your show sometime.

John Cole, Scranton, PA, The Times

Mike Lester, Rome News-Tribune, Rome, GA

Steve Greenberg -- Los Angeles, CA

Gary McCoy, Illinois -- The Suburban Journals.

David Fitzsimmons,Arizona Daily Star, Tucson AZ

Joe Heller, Wisconsin -- The Green Bay Press-Gazette

Bob Englehart, Hartford, Connecticut -- The Hartford Courant

All comics hotlinked from Cagle.com

image from cagle.com

If enacted, the legislation would abolish the city’s Board of Police Commissioners, a governing board that includes the mayor and four members appointed by the governor. Instead the department would be run by a locally-appointed police commissioner.

Supporters of the legislation say local control will increase efficiency and accountability in the police department.

Opponents, who include police officers, say the legislation would politicize the police department. They said the legislation is also an attempt to gain control of the police pension fund, which Mayor Francis Slay and other supporters have denied.

from globe-democrat.com

Here is an article describing it all in more detail:

http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/mar/01/bills-local-control-st-louis-police-moving-through/

picture from theonion.com

“Though raising interest rates is unlikely at the moment, the Fed will of course act appropriately if we…if we…” said Bernanke, who then paused for a moment, looked down at his prepared statement, and shook his head in utter disbelief. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. None of this—this so-called ‘money’—really matters at all.”

“It’s just an illusion,” a wide-eyed Bernanke added as he removed bills from his wallet and slowly spread them out before him. “Just look at it: Meaningless pieces of paper with numbers printed on them. Worthless.”

from theonion.com

You know, as funny as this Onion article might be, something like this could actually happen some day. I’ve often thought to myself what a society without money would be like. It wouldn’t have to be return to a barter system or the stone age, but the issue of how to get people to do complex and/or dangerous acts that need to be done (like surgery or digging sewer tunnels) without a monetary system or a some form of forced labor.

In the Star Trek universe there is no money (at least not on Earth and the main Federation planets) and it is said that everyone just does what they want to do. That makes some sense. I mean, someone might without a doubt want to be a surgeon and work hard to become such because they want to save lives, but what if not enough people want to do that? Also, who wants to be a garbage man or someone who handles toxic waste? There are many jobs no one would really want to do, unless everyone is ordered to do so under some sort of penalty.

I found this article online about economics in the Star Trek universe: Unofficial Economics of Star Trek

There they mention the concept of Participatory Economics, which is what the author believes the Star Trek economy is based upon.  If you read the wikipedia article on Participatory Economics you find an interesting description of what it is plus of some of the viewed pros and cons of such a system.

On NPR I heard them talk about the Taqwacore movement, which is a genre of Islamic punk and hip-hop music.  Pretty interesting stuff.

Here is the NPR article.

Rolling Stones has an article here.