CEO News

Texas Lawmaker: Don't Try to Jew Them Down

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:21:06 PDT

Sometimes people say things that are out of the ordinary. Sometimes they say things that are part of their history. And sometimes people say things that get them in trouble. Texas State Rep. Larry Taylor (R) falls into the later category. During a legislative hearing on the Texas Windstorm Insurance Agency, in regards to the company making insurance claims payments quickly, Mr. Taylor uttered the fateful words: "Don't try to Jew them down."

The Texas legislator quickly realized his comments was in poor taste and would get him lots of attention when he said, "That's probably a bad term." The entire statement from Mr. Taylor was, "Don't nitpick, don't try to Jew them down."

The term is derogatory towards the Jewish community and implies that they are cheap, miserly, or stingy. When Rep. Larry Taylor used the phrase, "Don't try to Jew them down", he was accusing the insurance company of trying to pay the claimants less money than they actually deserved. Democrats, of course, took Rep. Larry Taylor to task.

Rep. Taylor is running for a seat in the Texas Senate. Seeing a chance to score political points, Rep. Lon Burnam (D) said, "If Larry were a state employee, he probably would have been fired today. Instead, Larry is asking Texas voters to give him a promotion to the Texas Senate.

For his part, Mr. Taylor immediately released a statement of apology after the committee meeting. In the statement he said, "At a legislative oversight committee hearing today, I inadvertently used a phrase that many people find offensive. I corrected myself immediately when I realized what I had said. I regret my poor choice of words and sincerely apologize for any harm they may have caused."

What Larry Taylor in the committee meeting was wrong and reprehensible. The term has been around for a long time but that is no excuse to use it. He did apologize and people should take that on face value or not. This is not the time to score political points. What he said was bad enough and the 24-hour media cycle all but ensures everyone knows about it. There is no need to pile on.

(Photo Source: State of Texas)

Herman Cain Accuses Rick Perry's Camp of Smearing Him

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:44:12 PDT

Charges of sexual harassment are about to derail Herman Cain's charge for the presidency. So obviously the Republican candidate is looking for someone to blame.

There is still a lot more information needed about the charges brought against Cain to make a good determination. However, they charges could be legit given that more women have stepped forward. Yet, if Cain is innocent as he claims, then he has a right to uncover the culprit behind the accusations.

He thinks he knows who that is too. He believes the smears are coming from the camp of one of his own Republican components -- Rick Perry. Why would be think that?

It could be because one of the top political advisors in Perry's camp had knowledge of the earliest sexual harassment claim. Herman Cain said he was privy to that information when he worked on the candidate's campaign for the Senate some seven years ago.

According to Cain, "We now know and have been able to trace it back to the Perry campaign." He says they resorted to such low tactics to make him look back as well as keep him from gaining further ground.

While all is fair in love and politics, one hopes that candidates from the same party wouldn't go that far to discredit one of their own. If, however, the allegations are true, then it's a Republican and not a Democrat who is ruining any chances of a GOP win. That would be a real kick in the pants!

What do you think? Did Perry stoop that low or is Herman Cain just trying to look sympathetic?

Violence and Anarchy! Oakland Protests Take a Turn for the Worst

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:44:12 PDT

Wednesday was a day of peaceful marching in Oakland. The city's port shut down as a result of thousands walking the streets and chanting about economic disparity, corporate greed, and the soaring unemployment rate. Then the sun went down. According to Reuters, the Oakland protests developed into a chaotic clash between protesters and police. All the good will and positive energy was smashed into broken windows, fires, and violence.

Anarchist Youths?

A small group of protesters were responsible for the chaos late Wednesday night and into the early hours on Thursday. They allegedly vandalized, broke into a building, set fires, and assaulted police officers. Who are they exactly? One man described the agitators as "guys with scarves around their mouths."

In all likeliness they were probably young, energized by Wednesday's successful march and solidarity, and a little naïve as to the consequences of their actions. Now the Oakland protests have become something people can complain about. The focus is violence, not economic inequality and bank bailouts. Yes, people do have a right to be enraged, but channeling emotion in a negative way only leads to more problems.

Police Reaction Was Strong

During the day time march, police presence was minimal and no arrests were made. At night busloads arrived in full riot gear. According to Oakland city officials, the authorities acted in response to the actions of the protestors. They used tear gas and made dozens of arrests. Did the riot police arrive in the first place because people were still lingering around the protest site at night, or because of vandalism? Who started the clash?

Either way the Oakland protests ended with five civilians and three policemen being injured and a huge mess on city streets. No change to economic inequality in America.

Orly Taitz Sets Sights on Sen. Dianne Feinstein in 2012

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:44:12 PDT

Most people know the name Orly Taitz as the woman who led the charge on asking for President Barack Obama's birth certificate. This California dentist now has a new goal and if she is successful, she'll be adding "Senator" to her title. Taitz talked with The Daily Caller this week and has her eye on being the Repubican nominee to take on Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein in the 2012 election.

Orly Taitz told The Daily Caller, "It's time for new ideas, new blood, new energy." She adds, "I'm very confident that I'll be able to get the Republican nomination and I will be able to win the general election." While she is not the only candidate seeking the nomination, she believes she is the best known of the bunch and she thinks it gives her a good leg up in the race.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been a Senator for California since 1992, and prior to that she was the Mayor of San Francisco. Feinstein won her last election quite easily, but her current approval ratings give some reason to believe she could be vulnerable in the next election cycle. Of Feinstein, Orly Taitz says, "She's a nice lady and I do not have any personal animosity." However, Orly says the election "will be about a change that is needed."

Orly Taitz believes her chances are good for winning the seat, and she thinks her history of challenging President Obama's legitimacy to hold his office will help her. In fact, Taitz is still involved in the efforts to come up with something on the matter, joining up with the always controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona. The Daily Caller contacted the California Republican Party for a comment on Orly's plans, but they did not respond with a comment.

Are you interested in seeing Orly Taitz make a run for Senate?

HTC Amaze 4G : Can it Compete Against Top Android Smartphones?

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:12:30 PDT

The HTC Amaze 4G is the latest top of the line Android smartphone released by HTC. While it is an outstanding device can it compete against increasingly feature-rich top Android smartphones?

The Amaze, which is available on the T-Mobile network, features the same 4.3 inch touchscreen used on the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE. However, quite a few important specs have been improved on the Amaze and overall the new device serves up a more responsive satisfying experience.

For example, the Sensation has only 768 megabyte of RAM while the Amaze has an impressive 1 gigabyte of RAM. The Sensation has a VGA quality front camera while the Amaze has a far better amazing 2 megapixel front camera for video chats. Both devices are equipped with terrific eight megapixel cameras on the back with dual LED flashes. Both devices can shoot video in 1080 pixel high-definition.

Clearly The HTC Amaze 4G is an Improvement Over the Sensation

In addition, the Sensation has a 1.2-gigahertz dual-core processor compared to the Amaze 4G 1.5 gigahertz dual-core processor. As you might guess the 4G in HTC Amaze stands for T-Mobile's 4G network while the Sensation runs on the 3G network.

The improved hardware and 4G speeds of the Amaze does result in a high performance device, faster and smoother operating than many top level Android phones. However, it seems not quite as fast as the Galaxy S II or Droid Bionic.

The Amaze stands out with fantastic camera features that HTC first used in the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide. These features include a night shooting mode, a mode for photographing fast-moving objects, a ClearShot HDR mode for taking color balanced pictures in bright daytime environments, a micro mode for capturing close range detailed images, and a SweepShot mode for photographing panoramic shots.

Many of the specs of the HTC Amaze 4G are competitive with those featured on other high-end rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy S II, the Motorola Droid Bionic, and the newly released Apple iPhone 4S. So technically it would seem that, yes, the Amaze 4G can compete with top-of-the-line Android smartphones.

Higher Price Point May Hurt Amaze 4G Sales

The problem for HTC may be that the Amaze is priced at about $60 more than the competition. At $259.99 on a two-year contract the Amaze 4G competes against extremely capable Android phones that are priced at about $200 with similar contracts.

An additional challenge for the HTC Amaze 4G is that the smartphone field is becoming ever more competitive. Sometime next month Samsung's Nexus running Ice Cream Sandwich and the Droid Razr are expected to be released.

The HTC Amaze is an extremely capable device but in a crowded field of outstanding smartphones it will likely have trouble truly standing out from the competition, especially when for some reason HTC is offering the Amaze at a higher price.

HTC Amaze 4G. Photo by HTC

Hunting Ghosts? There's an App for That

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:12:29 PDT

It's the time of year when ghost hunting is at its peak. The Halloween season means all things paranormal are on the radar. For traditionalists, there's no better tool than the K-II EMF Meter, which is used to find electromagnetic fields.

This meter, however, is quickly being replaced by, of all things, iPhone apps, such as Ghost Hunter M2, Ghost Radar, or Ghost Séance are quickly replacing the $60 meter as a cheap and effective way to do a little phantom busting.

Of course, traditional ghost hunters are balking. After all, this do-it-yourself with a cell phone technique flies in the face of the usual methods (although they used the same "flawed technique" argument back when digital cameras first emerged).

According to the Wall Street Journal report, smart phones are perfect for this sort of thing (determining electromagnetic fields) by their very nature, despite the nay-saying of those who rely on the K-II EMF Meter. Creators of the apps stand by their programs, although of course, they are sold "purely for entertainment."

So if you are looking for some spooky entertainment this Halloween season, look no further than your smart phone. Some ghoul may just have your number!

Photo credit: keyseeker from morguefile.com

Mona Simpson Reveals Brother Steve Jobs' Last Words

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:12:29 PDT

Steve Jobs' sister Mona Simpson revealed his last words on earth before his death. What were the technology innovators final things to say to the people gathered around him as he breathed his last breaths.

Mona Simpson gave a eulogy for her brother, and she said that Steve Jobs' last words of "Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow" came several hours before he died. Her writing told of a wonderful brother that she didn't get the chance to meet until sometime in her 20s.

In one of their very first conversations, Steve Jobs told Mona "he was making something that was going to be insanely beautiful." He certainly did. Under his tutelage, Jobs helped Apple create lovely computers and iPhones and iPads. Before him, computers were functional, not nice looking.

Interestingly, as innovative as he was with the way gadgets looked, he kept his personal style very plain and simple. Of his trademark black turtleneck, Mona Simpson said, "For an innovator, Steve was remarkably loyal. If he loved a shirt, he'd order 10 or 100 of them. In the Palo Alto house, there are probably enough black cotton turtlenecks for everyone in this church." He certainly was.

It is clear that Steve Jobs will be greatly missed by his sister, his family, his friends and the world. This eulogy was a beautiful testament to an incredible person.

Like this article? See more by Kate James at Gather.com

'Smoking Man' Video From Herman Cain: Meaning Explained (Video)

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:52:46 PDT

The man behind Herman Cain's "Smoking Man" video is Mark Block. Block is the presidential hopeful's chief of staff. The campaign video certainly has stirred up plenty of controversy, and it is unlike anything else to say the least.

After Block says "We've run a campaign like nobody has ever seen," he then pulls a drag from a cigarette hence the "Smoking Man" video. What is the point of it though? Obviously smoking is not glamorous or advisable. Is the Cain campaign just trying to get attention?

Needless to say this video has gone viral. Most people wonder, what does it mean? Is he commenting on the fact that presidential campaigns blow smoke at voters, so it's not real? Is he courting smokers? Could a Herman Cain presidency mean that smokers regain some of their rights?

Ultimately Mark Block spoke to the video's meaning. He said, "There was no subliminal message. In fact, I personally would encourage people not to smoke. It's just that I'm a smoker and a lot of people on the staff said, 'Just let Block be Block.' That's what it's all about."

Really? That's it? Is Herman Cain going rogue in 2012? If this "Smoking Man" video says anything, it seems to be saying that. They are not going to be the status quo. The question is, was smoking a smart way to get that message across? Given how hated smoking is these days, that seems debatable for sure.

What do you think? Was this a smart move for the Herman Cain campaign? Check out the "Smoking Man" video below.

Like this article? See more by Kate James at Gather.com

Photo Credit: Cheryl Casey / Shutterstock.com

Herman Cain Raises $3 Million in October

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:52:46 PDT

Herman Cain is not only rising in the polls, he is also raising money—lots of it. This businessman turned GOP presidential candidate has really become popular over the past several weeks, knocking around the former top three candidates in the polls—Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Perry. Now, Herman Cain raises a massive amount of money this month, again showing that he is capable of bringing in big support. According to the Los Angeles Times, he brought in $3 million in October. How will that translate to the voting booth? It is still way too early to make those predictions, but for now, the man from Atlanta can safely enjoy his rising star.

Is the Money Enough?

So, Herman Cain raises money, garners support, and becomes one of the most recognizable names in the race for the Republican nomination, all in a short amount of time. His fundraising efforts are not necessarily more lucrative than frontrunner Mitt Romney, but they are in the same ball park. Will October's financial foundation be enough to make November another strong month for Cain? So far the biggest criticisms against the Cain campaign are lack of organization and a lack of political experience. At this point, as long as this new GOP candidate remains positive, he may at least continue to rise.

Herman Cain Raises $3 Million and Looks Forward

Herman Cain is fresh out of the business arena. He worked for the Coca-Cola Company, then went on to become Vice President of the Pillsbury Company. His most recent occupation is being President and CEO of Godfather's Pizza. While he is himself very wealthy, he did not come from money, but rather worked his way to the top. Now he is taking those same skills to the presidential race. This is a man that surprises, that succeeds, and that turns few resources into many. He is a rising phoenix. He may fall at some point, but rising so late in the race and coming out strong now, both in terms of raising money and becoming popular, the man has a great business strategy.

Herman Cain Tells Protesters to Get a Job, Still Doesn't Understand Cause

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:52:46 PDT

In a recent video, GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain tells protesters of Occupy Wall Street that they need to go home and get a job, later commenting to laughter and cheers that no one knows what the protesters' cause is. Employing the GOP strategy of denying those pesky facts in the hopes that they'll go away, Cain says that there is no way to be sensitive to a group's cause if no one has any idea what that cause is.

Occupy Wall Street has presented a dilemma for the GOP in their efforts to secure adequate talking points for the upcoming 2012 elections. Before Occupy Wall Street existed as a movement, it was common for pundits and candidates alike to lambast President Obama for the lack of jobs, despite the GOP themselves blocking any piece of legislation that would actually create jobs. Now, however, in their efforts to make the OWS protesters look like jobless, socialist hippies, they are calling upon the protesters to go get the jobs that they previously claimed didn't exist. The blame game has gotten the GOP temporarily confused, and the addition of war veterans in the protests no doubt adds fuel to the fire of confusion.

As Herman Cain tells protesters how confusing they are, he demonstrates that OWS is not the only subject he is lacking knowledge about. Cain demonstrated his readiness to answer questions he didn't know the answer to, sanctimoniously responding, "When they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I'm going to say you know, I don't know. Do you know?" With an attitude like that, it's no surprise that he has no idea what Occupy Wall Street is all about, and is trying to tell them to get jobs in a disastrous economy that they previously used as a talking point.

Cain's lack of knowledge when it comes to some of the most important issues facing the world (foreign country leadership and a movement that has spread to hundreds of cities around the world, to name two) demonstrates an alarming lack of connection with the country and world he wants to be a part of in the political arena. Whether he says what he does for the sake of ratings or whether he actually believes it, Cain's belittlement of citizens fighting to erase corruption and poverty in the country he wants to lead shows that the Oval Office may be far out of reach for him.

Siri to Power Apple TV

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:13:36 PDT

As it becomes more and more apparent that Apple has a new line of televisions in the works, new reports claim that the iPhone 4S's virtual assistant Siri will be the Apple TV's main interface.

Siri has been getting a large amount of good press since the iPhone's release, so it only makes sense that these rumors will pop up. However, certain quotes from Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs seem to point to Siri as the answer to what Apple seems to think is a broken industry. Like the iPhone and iPad before it, Apple will plan to use an amazing interface to sell Apple TV.

In this New York Times report, Nick Bilton quotes numerous sources inside of Apple saying that while it won't be out soon, Apple is definitely working on a new Apple TV product. From there, the application of the highly successful virtual assistant to an industry plagued by confusing remotes, thousands of view possibilities and complicated menus seems like a simple one.

Imagine a world where you only have to tell your TV what channel you want to watch, or simply give the assistant an idea of the kind of programming you want to see. Since the television will certainly be connected to the Internet, it really means that you could watch virtually anything just by saying a few commands.

It all seems like science fiction, but if there is one company with the brain power to pull off this type of application, (and it will have to be pulled off right in order to be successful) it's Apple. According to this TG Daily report, the new Appel TV could be ready as early as 2013, which gives Apple plenty of time to iron out any bugs in Siri's system.

Image from Wikipedia

'Rotating' UFO Filmed by Pilot in Myrtle Beach (Video)

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:40:34 PDT

Over the past 37 years, private pilot Gary Travis has seen some strange lights near the Myrtle Beach business he owns. But one night a few weeks ago he was fortunate enough to have a camcorder at the moment he spotted what he believes to be a UFO. The video below is the result.

The footage was filmed at night and, at first glance, doesn't look like anything more than harbor lights or an aircraft's running lights.

But a closer examination of the 23 second segment shows some abnormalities which are not so easily explained.

"These lights seem to snap on and off like someone flipped a switch," says Travis. "I even saw them rotate around each other and that's not going to happen on an airplane."

Like so many other UFO videos, this one is subject to the complaint that it's too far away, too fuzzy, and, conveniently, too dark. But the lights blipping in and out make a compelling argument that whatever the objects are, they don't behave like anything known to present aviation technology. That's what sets this video apart from others.

What do you think? Is this evidence of a UFO? Or is there some other, more reasonable explanation?

Please leave a comment below.

Image courtesy of WECT News

Is Any Light Bulb Worth $25?

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:40:34 PDT

The phasing out of the incandescent light bulb is due to begin in 2012 and go on through 2014. Poor Thomas Edison is probably rolling over in his grave!

Why is the bulb as we know it due for oblivion? Because less than 10% of its energy gets converted to light and the balance is just heat. Supposedly more efficient bulbs will save us billions of dollars, decrease our need for oil, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

This change puts the burden on light bulb makers to come up with better solutions than what they have invented so far. The compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have flaws such as a dim gray light that flickers, inability to fit in older fixtures or be used with dimmer switches, and the more serious problem of containing mercury so that you cannot just throw them into the trash and must take them to specified depositories such as at home improvement stores.

Philips' AMBIENT LED is supposedly one answer, but that is the bulb that costs $25. Benefits include that it produces warm light with the 60-watt bulb and only draws 12.5 watts and it is said to last two decades. It is also an odd shape, which is a fluted aluminum tube with orange plastic panels. General Electric predicts that this price will drop to $10 within the next three years.

Many companies are switching to LEDs already to reduce energy costs. This includes Starbucks which has placed them in 8,000 locations.

But will the public accept such light bulbs when they can currently purchase a four-pack of incandescent bulbs for approximately $1.00 to $1.50?

Nokia's New Phones' Name Means 'Prostitute' in Spanish

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:30:39 PDT

Cell phone giant Nokia finds itself in quite a predicament over a name for their latest smartphones. It looks like that one of the world's most popular cell phone companies has unwittingly christened their device after one of the world's most popular profession.

The name for the Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 is not so family friendly. Twitter user Zach Epstein brought to light how the word "lumia" is a rude Spanish term for "prostitute." First Apple giving an app a name that sounds like a Japanese term for "buttocks" and now this? Does anyone in marketing check to make sure these names don't sound like something offensive? At least pick a name that is safe and won't get taken out of context to mean something naughty.

After reading the Tweet, MSNBC's Rosa Golijan did some research through an online Spanish dictionary. It didn't take long for Rosa to be convinced that a global cell phone company has named their latest phones after the ladies who walk the streets at night.

This is not a good look for Nokia. When it is time for mom and dad to give their kid their first phone, do you think they will go with a Lumia after knowing what that name means? It is not the best message to send to your teens.

Do you think this blunder won't affect sales? Is an emergency name in order?

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You can catch up with Lancey Eustache by "Liking" his page at Facebook.com/RoyalLance

Nintendo Reports a Loss in Sales

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:30:39 PDT

On Thursday (October 27), Nintendo is expected to report a loss of $1.32 billion USD in the first half of the year that ended about a month ago. Critics will surely have a field day with such news, calling this the beginning of the end of the legendary video game company despite how it has previously came across steeper pitfalls only to come back on top.

MSNBC's Winda Benedetti made note that a huge chunk of that loss came from overseas. The company behind The Legend of Zelda lost a staggering USD $526 million in sales outside of Japan.

Nintendo was lacking in recent months. Despite being ahead of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Nintendo currently is behind both of those in console sales. Their 3DS' slow start forced an abrupt price drop from $250 to $170. People who bought the 3DS at full price were offered an Ambassador's Program with some free downloadable games.

Experts say the recovery effort may not be easy. The PlayStation Vita comes out in February to compete with the 3DS. This may look like certain doom for the Nintendo's system, but they are planning a system update which will include the option of Hulu Plus and 3D video recording to combat the Sony's hyped up handheld. And let's not forget that there is the Wii U waiting in the background.

Many great companies had some downtime at some point of their existence. Nintendo is no different. This company has made it through much worse to come out on top.

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You can catch up with Lancey Eustache by "Liking" his page at Facebook.com/RoyalLance

Hoverboard Made into Reality with Quantum Levitation

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:30:38 PDT

Self-lacing Nike's and an electric DeLorean have become reality recently and now another popular item (and must-have items for fans) from the Back to the Future series is also becoming reality. Finally the hoverboard, the future equivalent of the skateboard in Back to the Future Part II, has been created by a team of researchers Paris, France utilizing a very cool technology known as quantum levitation.

Quantum levitation for the hoverboard uses a phenomena, according to SmartPlanet, known as the Meissner Effect. The researchers turned a skateboard into a magnetic superconductor with the help of liquid nitrogen. An electromagnetic field is then reversed, expelling from the inside out, and produces the ability to "hover."

The hoverboard was not tested over water, unfortunately.

Similar technology is currently used elsewhere in the world, such as the "bullet trains" in Japan, China, and other fast-traveling trains in Europe, which are called MagLev (magnetically levitated) trains. However, the difference between the hoverboard and trains is that the MagLev use electromagnetic suspension, which requires a bit more effort to stay afloat.

Regardless, the masses might just see a Mattel hoverboard in the near future. Of course, that would mean adding electromagnets underneath streets and sidewalks and mass-producing liquid nitrogen infused products, but, people can still hope!

Ron Paul Gives the Media a $2.75 Million Middle Finger

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:20:42 PDT

The 2012 debates seem eerily reminiscent of 2008 for Ron Paul—marginalized then, marginalized now. Up on stage, the candidate spent most of the time standing in annoyed silence waiting to be addressed as CNN highlighted alleged "frontrunners," Cain and Perry. Paul claims in a letter to his supporters that he spent nearly 40 minutes on stage before being addressed. Though Anderson Cooper tries negating this claim in a CNN report, it's no secret that Ron Paul is one of the least-followed candidates despite having resounding success in the polls. Instead of getting mad, though, Paul got money. Lots of money. Following the controversial debate, his supporters flocked en masse to give the Texan candidate a whopping $2.75 million in campaign funds.

While CNN might not have given him much of a platform in Vegas, the candidate might want to thank the behemoth news network for the push: His fundraiser, called "black THIS out," garnered roughly a third of his total $8.27 million in contributions. Ron Paul doesn't just appeal to rogue southwest conservative voters, either: CNN lists his donations hailing from all 50 states and 44,527 military installations.

Though the media might continue to try to plug the ears of Americans, the money speaks for itself—people want to hear the message of Ron Paul. Though President Obama garnered the most attention for his small-scale fundraising efforts in 2008, the Paul campaign can state this to their credit: Not a single dollar of funding has yet to come from Goldman Sachs, and it likely never will. According to Opensecrets.org, Paul's top 2 campaign contributors include Beeland Enterprises and a rather amusing Beefcarver Restaurants. If only America had to worry about its presidents lobbying excessively for hamburgers instead of Wall Street bailouts worth trillions.

Is Mr. 'End the Fed' Ron Paul a Hypocrite?

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:20:42 PDT

Anyone who looks into the "End the Fed" movement invariably comes across Ron Paul's name. This Republican presidential candidate has always spoken out against the Federal Reserve's Keynesian economic policies from "printing more money" to getting the US off of the gold standard during the Nixon administration.

Given his outspoken nature against the Fed, Paul's statements in most recent interview probably come as a great surprise to many of his supporters. In an October 2011 Fox News segment, he dropped Jim Grant's name as his potential Fed chairman. His interest in appointing a person irrefutably goes against his earlier assertions that the US government should keep control of the money supply instead of outsourcing it to a private entity. Indeed, it's difficult to think that just two years ago, Paul relayed in 2009 that he would dump the "faith-based" Federal Reserve in favor of returning to a gold-backed currency. In another September 2010 report, he states to news correspondent Eric Bolling, "You can't police the world. You can't have a warfare state. Government has to change. But if you want big government, you have to have a Federal Reserve and just think of what's happened since 1930. I mean, we have had tremendous increase in government and it really exploded after 1971."

It appears Ron Paul is opening the door for the "big government" he loathes so much to take hold of his administration. Will his supporters still want Ron Paul as president? With the Iowa straw poll around the corner, only the figures will tell.

Polls: Herman Cain the New GOP Frontrunner?

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:20:41 PDT

New polls show Herman Cain challenging Mitt Romney for frontrunner status in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Cain led the pack at 24 percent in a new nationwide Fox News poll released on October 26. Mitt Romney trailed close behind with 20 percent. The four percentage points dividing the two candidates is close to within the poll's margin of error +/- 3 percent.

A nationwide CBS News/New York Times poll from October 25 also showed Cain on top with 25 percent, with Romney in second place at 21 percent.

Herman Cain is also making life tough for Romney in two of the four earliest voting states. A new CNN/Time/ORG poll unveiled on October 26 had Romney at 24 percent and Cain at 21 percent in Iowa. Just two percentage points separate the two candidates in South Carolina, where 25 percent of voters back Romney and 23 percent support Cain. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 5 percent.

Mitt Romney remains a strong frontrunner among Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, dominating Herman Cain by a margin of 40-13 percent, according to the CNN/Time/ORG poll. Ron Paul trailed closely behind the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza with 12 percent. Romney also continued to lead in Florida, with 30 percent to Cain's 18 percent.

Pundits seem eager for Cain's number to plummet back to earth, perhaps because they failed to predict his rise to frontrunner status. But the numbers don't lie. At least for now, Herman Cain's star continues to rise.

Photo of Herman Cain courtesy of Brian Stansberry via Wikipedia Commons

Spider Venom as the New Breast Cancer Cure

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:01:49 PDT

In the race to find the cure for breast cancer, Australian scientists have gotten especially creative. They've recently identified that the venom from funnel spiders and tarantulas may be able to bind to and kill cancer cells. The publication of the study, done by the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, conveniently coincides with Australia's Pink Ribbon Day, a "cancer holiday" that raises money for prevention and awareness programs, support services and research.

How Does Spider Venom Cure Breast Cancer?

Scientists want to isolate 300 venomous molecules from the spiders. Supposedly, the molecules in spider venom have evolved over millions of years to target specific sites, and there is hope that the venom can be programmed to target breast cancer cells. There's already been success using scorpion venom on mice, so the Australian scientists are speculating that the same method can work on humans with the venom of funnel spiders and tarantulas.

The theory at this point is that the venom can do either one of two things: the venom could potentially kill the cancer cells, or it could simply bind to the them and be isolated so doctors could remove the infected cells through surgery. After being isolated, the cancer cells would be treated with a glowing agent created by the scientists, to make the infected cells easy to remove.

Is Using Spider Venom to Treat Breast Cancer Okay for Vegans?

By definition, vegans (or at least those who do veganism properly) are prohibited from using and consuming any animal-based product. A cancer cure constructed from spider venom would technically fall under this definition. So, what happens to the idea of veganism if a vegan with a life threatening case of breast cancer needs this type of treatment to survive. The spider venom study is in early stages, so vegans still have some time to decide.

Maine Man's Honda Goes 1 Million Miles

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:01:49 PDT

A Maine man's 1990 Honda Accord rolled over 1 million miles. Amazingly, Joe LoCicero's car is running on its original engine and transmission. Because of the amazing milestone, a local Honda dealership presented the man with a brand new 2012 Honda Accord.

Do you think this new Honda will go 1 million miles for Joe LoCicero? What is the longest you have ever driven a car? It probably is not even close to as many miles as LoCicero took his 1990 Accord.

This amazing car represents the very first officially documented Honda to roll over 1 million miles. Everybody knows the cars go for a long time, but this is long even for a Honda isn't it?

LoCicero was not the car's first owner. In 1996 he purchased it with 76,000 miles on it, and he has driven it ever since. His rules for keeping a car running well into the hundreds of thousands of miles is to follow the scheduled maintenance. Even so, this is an extraordinary story of conserving the car for many decades. If every car could go this long, there would be a lot less waste to the environment.

Like this article? See more by Kate James at Gather.com