Gongol.com Archives: August 2011
Brian Gongol

August 17, 2011

Business and Finance Disagree on the economy, but don't be disagreeable
Say what you will about Texas governor (and Presidential candidate) Rick Perry, but accusing the Federal Reserve chairman of "treason" for using the standard tools of monetary stimulus is a reckless thing to do, and Perry should be ashamed of himself for either (a) not understanding how the economy works when he wants the job of President, or (b) knowing better, but willfully stepping over the line between rhetoric and incitement. There are some people now sharing a pretty dystopian vision of the future economy, and they're welcome to harbor those ideas and to defend them in a legitimate and fair debate. But angry talk isn't going to solve anything.

Computers and the Internet Free speech isn't always pretty
It's a bad thing when China's Communist government applauds another country's curbs on free speech -- and they're applauding comments by Britain's prime minister that people who have been involved in the riots there should perhaps be banned from using social-media tools. At least two people there are headed for jail time after trying to incite riots via Facebook.

The United States of America Vice President Biden goes to China
He's there, in part, to convince America's biggest lender that the country is good for its debts. What could possibly go wrong?

Computers and the Internet Flash-mob tactics are being applied to criminal behavior
People are using Twitter and other social media tools to coordinate swarm robberies of convenience stores in Maryland and Pennsylvania. It was noted here back in 2007 that flash mobs had the potential to overwhelm forces organized under the old rules of bureaucratic architecture.

Weather and Disasters The new normal
New climate observations from the national weather service suggest that the first decade of the 21st Century was warmer than the 1970s, to a statistically significant degree

The United States of America Succeeding despite ourselves
America retains a strong economy despite our rather lousy performance in education. Imagine how great things would be if we could improve schools and keep a free economy at the same time.

Science and Technology 60 miles to the gallon?
No, this Volkswagen gets 60 miles to the quart

Water News Don't forget: American cities used to burn to the ground. Not anymore, thanks to municipal water systems.