Fox has a story up about how the government is considering counting pizza as a vegtable. REALLY…THAT IS CRAZY EVEN BY FED STANDARDS. Of course ketchup became a vegetable in schools in the 90′s. Full story here

The New York Times has a interesting piece up today (link here) about how some college dropouts go on to make millions and billons (at times). One of the most interesting points the story makes is that the often quoted about 80% of the jobs created are in small business, actually the vast majority of jobs are created by START UP businesses, not small businesses. This point leads back to the idea that traditional American schooling actually is based on removing some of the key skills required to start a start up business – risk taking, failure, creativity, actual sales, and networking skills.

I agree with those ideas to a point, but I would add that the key point to success is drive (which can be found in college dropouts, college graduates, blue collar workers, illegal aliens, and drug dealers) and if someone has drive and a idea they will succeed.

The point of the article, that we need to develop better entrepreneurs and not stifle so much within the nature of people via standardized education (a point that I only partially agree with), is well taken, but I am concerned that too many people who lack drive will read it and decide that they can be the next Jobs, Gates, and Zuckerburg (all people who were smart enough to go to and succeed at college mind you).

The following quote comes from the Wall Street Journal – story here –

Those who make $1 million accounted for about 0.2% of all tax returns but paid 20.4% of income taxes in 2009. Those with adjusted gross income above $200,000 a year were just under 3% of tax filers but paid 50.1% of the $866 billion in total personal income taxes. This means the top 3% paid more than the bottom 97%. Yet the 3% are the people that President Obama claims don’t pay their fair share. Before the recession, the $200,000 income group paid 54.5% of the income tax.

That really puts the idea of what some consider fair into a new prospective. Personally I want to live in a world where those that make over $200K, i.e the top 3%, can dream of paying less then 50% of taxes and we have a better tax system – like the fair tax without taxes on food you prepare at home, medical treaments / drugs, and only taxes NEW items (so used cars and houses are not taxed).

On Sept 6th, 2011 a interesting new graphic novel – Code Word Geronimo – comes out. The graphic novel is based on the Seal Team 6 May 1st raid that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden. The book will be a 88 pages, will cost $15.99, and even includes the dog that was involved.

Though many are discussing the parts of Paul Allen’s forthcoming biography where he, Mr. Allen, alleges that Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and others tried to cheat him out of a large part and the value of Microsoft’s stock. To me though the more interesting thing is Mr Allen’s discussing (summarized at FT.com here) where and how Microsoft got offtrack and feel behind. The three key area’s Mr Allen points too are Microsoft’s size (inability to react due to internal politics and legacy frameworks), the corporate culture (fiefdom’s and intellectual isolation between departments and sectors), and lack of visionary leadership (less capable managers, and Steve Ballmer’s fast follower mindset). Overall these are the same things I personally have said about the Redmond gang for a long time.

That said, I still run more Window’s boxes then I do Mac or Linux ones, though my Android collection is growing.

Current computer count –

Myself @ Home – 2 Window’s Desktop’s online (one dual booting XP / 7 and one XP only), 2 windows laptop’s (1 XP, 1 Windows 7), a G4 Mac, a Linux box, a ready to power up backup offline XP desktop, and a personal Android smartphone.

Myself @ work – a XP desktop, a XP laptop, and a Andriod tablet assigned to me. Regular access to a shared Windows 7 tablet.

In my garage @ home and offline – one good XP box looking for a good home, and 3 old 2000 / XP PC’s that need to be recycled.

My wife @ home – a Windows XP desktop, a Windows 7 laptop, and a Windows Phone 6.0 smartphone currently, but is considering a move to a Windows Phone 7 model later this year.

My wife @ work – a XP desktop

So even with Microsoft having problem most of what my wife and myself use and access daily are based on Microsoft products. The only platform with increases around us in the last year has been Andriod based devices.

Since the release of radiation from the Japanese nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi is in the news I thought it may be a good time to post a link to a site about radition levels. The site discusses what is natural, what is normal, what common actions are risky, and what levels of exposure are defined a risky / dangerous. Be sure to check out all the info here.

P.S. – Foreign Policy has a interesting post up about the release of radioactive elements at Daiichi here.

Well it seems that the eBook is here to stay as even the Knoxville Public Library (known to many as one of the slowest reacting governmental agencies East of Nashville) has begun to actively “check out” eBooks. They are offering them in online now – story here. Every hipster on Market Square rejoiced in unison before ordering another latte and a brownie.

I am sure that Al Gore will soon be figure out a way to reappear from the vast abyss of middle TN and take credit for leading this incentive along with telling us how he revolutionizing TV with CurrentTV. The world has yet to see the Current revolution that he predicted. Unfortunately for Al, that was one revolution which was barely televised, or barely noticed.

SirusXM has a short term station called TIGER BLOOD RADIO. It is a limited run 24 hr a day channel devoted to CHARLIE SHEEN and his current meltdown / news…… REALLY!! Not the middle east, not oil exploration, not deficit deduction plans, but CHARLIE SHEEN 24 hrs a day!! This is REALLY STUPID!!!

Ray Kurzweil, a man that I have always found to be creative, inventive and genius, but who I disagree with on several major issues, has felt for several years that it is not a matter of if, but a matter of when that computers will become self aware and more intelligent then humans. From this break through will come immortal humans and computer’s which make ethical decisions and evaluate art for example. Much of Kurzweil’s thoughts are covered by his theory of singularity. The wiki for technological singularity states that Kurzweil defines singularity as –

the concept in terms of the technological creation of superintelligence, and allege that a post-singularity world would be unpredictable to humans due to an inability of human beings to imagine the intentions or capabilities of superintelligent entities..

Kurzweil is the inventor of things like the reading machine for the blind, the voice activated typewriter (VAT), and the Kurzweil synthesizer. In the past he has predicted the fall of governments due to increases in technology which allow the free flow of thoughts, and the rise of the internet. Now Kurzweil believes that computers in 2045, if not before, will reach the point of singularity and immortality for humans will occur due to increases in nanotechnology and medical advances.

Regardless of your view of Kurzweil and his ideas, a recent piece in Time is a very interesting story. I would advise everyone to give it a read and a think here.

Kurzweil on “I’ve Got A Secret” in 1965

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Currently the IBM based Watson computer is winning on Jeopardy. Post Here

Since Bob Dylan played the Grammy’s a few days ago, I thought I would post the 2009 story about Bob Dylan being mistaken for a homeless man in New Jersey while on tour. ABC News story here

If I had been Dylan I would have responded with “No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe … It ain’t me you’re lookin’ for, babe”.

The NY Times has a very interesting post up about some recent, and past, misses of the CIA and the US intelligence community.

Interestingly the article mentions the US Intelligence Community has 16 agencies / elements. There is a WIKI about those here