Last night I watched the Republican Debate on CNN. The first thing I was struck by is how smug John McCain appeared. I am actually surprised that McCain is getting so much support from Republicans. I'm not quite as surprised as the support that Giuliani got from Republicans with his pro-abortion, pro-illegal immigration, and his favor of gun control. Are Republicans that swayed by a candidate's charisma? McCain has been quoted as saying that he wouldn't have selected Justice Alito as a Supreme Court justice (Alito is notoriously conservative). McCain also has a pro-illegal immigration stance, which explains his huge support from Cubans in the Florida primary.
The topic that really heated up the debate was whether Mitt Romney actually supported the troop surge in Iraq and whether Romney ever supported a "timetable" for withdrawal from Iraq. McCain used old-school political tactics to take comments made by Romney in an interview out of context to make it seem as though Romney never supported the troop surge and wanted to set up a timetable for withdrawal. Romney pointed out that the next question in that interview was whether Romney supported a timetable for withdrawal and Romney said "No." To be honest, I think this exchange was bad for both McCain and Romney. Ron Paul pointed out the stupidity of their bickering by saying that both candidates were on the same side of the issue and that there are more pressing issues that need to be addressed than what one candidate said in an interview.
Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee also participated in the debate, although as underdogs they didn't get much face time. I wouldn't be surprised to see Huckabee take a few states on Super Tuesday. Huckabee seems much more at ease in these debates than either Romney or McCain and he speaks in a way that makes him very relatable. I think it's much too early to dismiss him as a viable candidate for the Republican Party. Many people, including Rush Limbaugh believe that Huckabee is not the right candidate. Most of his views are in line with conservatives, especially when it comes to abortion and gay rights. However, I don't believe that Huckabee would be the best leader in the economic department. His record on taxes has not been stellar.
I probably will not vote for Ron Paul, although I think that many of his ideas make sense. He never seems to say what the majority of Americans want him to say, but he is the true "straight talker," although McCain would like you to believe that he is. Ron Paul's view that government spending needs to be decreased if we ever want to lower taxes is a view that I have held for a long time. I don't believe I'm alone in thinking that our government shouldn't be in debt. As of now, the current National Debt is around $9,202,306,094,243.06. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that could buy a lot of hamburgers off the dollar menu.
As of now, I think that Romney is the only truly conservative candidate with the experience necessary to lead this country out of a recession. I realize that many people think that McCain will be a stronger leader when it comes to foreign military issues, but I think that the fact that McCain sees himself as a kind of General could be detrimental. I don't think that the fact that Romney didn't serve in the military will make him less tough in the military department. In fact, it will probably make him more likely to listen to the real leaders of the armed forces who know what they are talking about. McCain's been known to be quite hot-headed, which isn't the best quality to have in a leader. I've heard that Fidel Castro is known as a hot-head as well and you don't see me rushing to fill in "Castro" as my vote for President.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
McCain against the Mormon: Comments on the Republican Debate
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The Torch Flashlight: Ants Beware!
Here at The Johny Savage Project, we like to throw our support behind the few ground-breaking products that catch our interest the most. I believe we may have found our "Product of the Year" in Wicked Lasers' Torch Flashlight.
The Torch is no common flashlight. Apparently at 4100 lumens, The Torch is the world's most powerful and brightest flashlight and is currently being reviewed by The Guinness Book of World Records. "It is easily capable of melting plastic, lighting paper on fire within seconds, and if you want, frying an egg or a marshmallow on a stick." If I could afford the $299.99 price tag on this light, I would do my best to fry about everything within arms length. Let's just pray The Torch doesn't make it into the wrong hands because while it has the power to do good, it is just as likely to do evil...
Click the link below to catch a video of "The Torch" being put to use...
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Monte Carlo is on Fire!
That smoke might look like clouds, but trust me, it's not.
I'm actually impressed by the quality of this picture. Technology is great these days. In all honesty, I'm hoping that the damage is so bad that they'll have to implode the Monte Carlo. Not because I hate that casino, I just like to see buildings implode. That is all...
LifeLock?
LifeLock? Who the hell does this Todd Davis guy think he is throwing his social security number all over the Country? If you ask me I would have to say this guy is either crazy or a genius. Considering Todd Davis is the CEO of LifeLock I'm going to go with genius. So what is his company all about? They're in the business of protecting your business, your life! Every year identity theft crimes increase, it has become a $50 Billion a year business. Does this concern anyone? Considering I live next to three Latin American families (in just one house) who can hardly speak English I would have to say, I get my mail promptly. Am I racist? No, but would I wager that most of them don't have social security numbers? Yes. So, to play it safe I enrolled in LifeLock for only nine dollars a month. I was already paying $13 to have my credit monitored monthly so why not take the next step and secure my identity? Here is what you can expect from the people at LifeLock after you enroll.
WHAT TO EXPECT
1. Fraud Alerts on your credit reports requesting you verify all new credit issuances (new loans, credit cards, cell phones, etc.)
Within the next 3-5 weeks, you should receive letters from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion explaining that they have each placed a 90 day fraud alert on your credit report in their databases. You will receive these letters every 90 days as LifeLock continues to maintain your service. If you do not receive any or all of these letters within this timeframe, please let us know.
2. Credit Reports documenting your alerts and the phone numbers where you can be contacted to verify your identity
Within the next 4-8 weeks you should receive credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus. Those credit reports should show the fraud alerts we've placed, advising anyone accessing your report to call you or take reasonable steps to verify your identity prior to making any credit decision. YOU MUST LOOK CAREFULLY TO VERIFY THAT THE PHONE NUMBERS IN THE FRAUD ALERT SECTION OF YOUR CREDIT REPORTS ARE CORRECT. IF THEY ARE NOT, CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY. You should continue to receive credit reports on an annual basis from the credit bureaus.
3. Reduced Junk Mail and Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers
Over the next few weeks you should begin noticing a dramatic decrease in the amount of junk mail and pre-approved credit card offers you receive in the mail.
WHEN YOU APPLY FOR CREDIT
1. You should get a phone call to confirm your identity
LifeLock will not affect your credit score. With LifeLock, when you apply for credit the creditor is advised to contact you by telephone (using the phone number provided to us during your enrollment) or take reasonable steps to verify your identity before making any decision with respect to your credit. This should ensure that you are personally notified before any credit or other credit-related transaction can be approved.
2. Call us if you have any problems
On rare occasions, especially when you are applying for "instant" credit, creditor's computer may respond to the fraud alert by sending a message that your credit has been declined or that your application has been placed in a pending status. If this happens, pick up the phone and call us. We'll get the creditor on the phone with you and help resolve any confusion about your identity. It's important that you know that we make no attempt to influence the bank's decision to approve you, we only make sure that they know it is you who is applying.
Well, there it is, I said it. I'm a pimp for LifeLock! We always talk about technology and how cool it is. But I'm going to say it's pretty damn cool to not worry about some asshole getting a hold of your information and ruining your life.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Penguin is Coming! The Future of Linux...
As I prepare to write this I am realizing that most people won't have any interest in this topic. But the reason why is because they don't have a lot of knowledge about this topic either. I find myself more and more in deep conversations about Linux, OSS (Open Source Software), and the ability to still run our lives without Steve Jobs and Bill Gates constantly sticking it to us.
Let me start off on my personal situation:
I have known about Linux for some time. I just didn't understand what it is and how I can use it. Finally when I purchased a new computer, and I had a spare, I decided to try and download it and install it. What I figured out was there are over 100 different "flavors" of linux, they all are based on the same Unix platform and use a variation of either the GNOME or KDE desktop environment. Each one is specialized with different colors, drivers, software to run on different types of systems. (Side note: I have found that one version may not run well on one system but run better on another, you just try and choose which one you want).
I started off with Ubuntu on my first system. what I found is that there is almost always someone smarter on the Ubuntu Forums that has had the same problem you have (assuming you have a question) and can tell you how to fix it. With a little practice you can be a Linux User and figure out how to customize code, programs and other settings for your own use. I also found that there is usually an OSS that can replace the most common proprietary software from Apple and Microsoft.
Now after a year of using and playing with Linux, I have 2 of my 3 desktop PC's running versions of Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
In my mind I prefer the GNOME environment.
Another beautiful thing about Linux and the community of programmers that come with is the ability to expand the platform to other devices and restore new life into them. The best example of this is the XBOX Media Center. (My Flickr-Pics). Now I have 2 XBOX's running the Linux Media Center and I love it. It turns $50 dollars in Xbox's into 2 $500 Media Centers!
I will post more on this subject in the future, but I wanted outline a few details and post some useful links to help educate people on Linux and OpenSource. I highly encourage you to check out the Interesting Linux article. The author brings up some very valid points. That is all.
Read:
Interesting Article on Linux
http://distrowatch.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XBMC
http://lifehacker.com/software/linux/rip-dvds-in-linux-the-semi+easy-way-330983.php
Here is a pic of my Windows machines (left) and my Ubuntu Box on the right.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Misleading Michigan?
Lets face it folks how much does a win for Mitt Romney in
Mitt Romney graduated from the
I personally wish more American’s would just look at the track record when choosing who they vote for. The
If I were looking at a country where the currency was losing value, the housing market was halting, spending was out of control, what would I look for? A Senator from
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
God Bless Rachel Bilson!
This isn't something you normally find when reading articles on USAtoday.com, but today I stumbled upon this image of Rachel Bilson gracing the cover of the next issue of GQ magazine. I don’t know much about Rachel Bilson, besides the fact that she is hot. That being said, it always brings a tear to my eye when I see a hot girl so willing to support her country by wearing the red, white and blue! Who said patriotism was dead?
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Nothin but Blue Balls at CES 2008
Right now the blogosphere is being inundated with postings from nerds everywhere recapping their wet dreams from CES 2008 in the great city of Las Vegas. Most of the blog posts from the accredited sites pretty much say all the same stuff: nothing really break through or new, a bigger TV, Asian copyright violations of American products and of course the booth babes.
And I must say they are right. I remember my first time at CES when I was about 16. My friend took me with his Dad and his Dad's company. I was probably the youngest one there, and I was amazed by all the sights and sounds. It was that day I knew I was destined to become a nerd. Now with the help of Brandon, I have a running streak of 3 years in row now that I have been going to CES. I still love it. But, every year I get all hyped up only to be let down by most companies. They use the same booths, same gimics, same babes, and even the same presentations. After 1 year of hard work that is all you have to show for yourself! CES is supposed to be the place where announcements are made and products unveiled. Anyways with that said, let me tell you the things I loved most about CES this year:
1. SWAG-This is always good. Every year I always walk away with something awesome, and the best thing was the Jawbone Bluetooth. Amongst other things were pens, which I use all year long, stickers, head phones, mags, bags and candy.
2. All the Smarthome Booths. This is an area that is rapidly gaining popularity at CES every year. It only makes sense that all our homes be as connected as we are. The demos were pretty cool.
3. The cars. I love this stuff. Even though most of the cars are overdone, I still love the craftsmanship and talent that go into making them. Including the $4M car built by GM and Jay Leno.
4. The Booth babes. I know it is stupid that tech companies need to attract buyers and press to their booths at this thing, but hey, no one is complaining.
Here are some pics. That is all.
Motorola Booth
Super Natural FreeStylin at Sandisk
Microsoft in all its glory
Cool Escalade.
The Eco Jet built by Jay Leno and GM.
Friday, January 11, 2008
What Johny Savage is Watching
With the writer's strike outlasting my attention span for reality TV and 2 hour blocks of Deal or No Deal (every single night), I decided that I would seek out some quality shows that I haven’t had the time to watch otherwise. Here’s what I’ve been watching:
DEXTER:
I first learned of this Showtime drama from the Pop Candy Blog over at USAtoday.com (check it out if you’re into pop culture but you’d like to hear more about good TV, movies, and music rather than the type of underpants currently being sported (or not sported) by Paris or Britney). The show follows a serial killer in Miami who actually works as a forensic blood spatter expert for the Miami police department. Dexter doesn’t exactly follow the rules imposed by the American justice system… he follows his own code. He hunts the murderers who have escaped the fickle jaws of justice, and then dismembers them neatly before disposing of their bodies off the coast of Florida.
As you may expect from a series on Showtime, Dexter has its fair share of violence, gore, language, and sex, but that’s not what drives this show on. The acting, the writing, and the production quality are at a level that one would expect out of network television shows, but that we don’t always get from CSI or Law & Order. The first season of Dexter was so good that I’m contemplating watching it again after I finish the second season. As Ferris Bueller once said: “It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking it up.” (or something to that effect). And for those of you who are worried about all the nitty gritty, CBS will be showing the first season starting in February.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:
I realize that this show is a bit more mainstream and that many of you are probably already fans. That won’t stop me from recommending this show to the rest of you. I received the first season of this show on DVD for Christmas and I couldn’t stop watching it. The show follows a group of 5 friends in New York who spend most of their time in a bar. Sounds like a mix between Friends and Cheers, doesn’t it? It’s much better than Friends (I won’t comment on Cheers because of its legendary status).
I have to give an honorable mention to Neil Patrick Harris who finally escaped from the Doogie Howser, M.D. slump to create an awesome character like Barney. In fact, Barney is the sole reason I have decided to “suit up” every time I go out. Because suits are awesome.
The show is now in its third season on CBS, but is in indefinite hiatus due to the writer’s strike. So now is your perfect opportunity to catch up on this gem before new episodes come back. It airs on Monday nights.
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA:
This is another one of those shows that many people haven’t quite caught onto just yet. I will admit that this show is not for everybody. It’s like a very raunchy version of Seinfeld on steroids. The show was created by Rob McElhenney and developed by McElhenney and Glenn Howerton. The show is about four friends in their late 20s with clear sociopathic tendencies who run an Irish bar, "Paddy's Pub," in Philadelphia. The series deals with a variety of controversial topics, including abortion, gun control, racism, sexism, religion, transsexuality, slavery, incest, sexual harassment in education, the homeless, and gay rights.
In my opinion, the real standout of the show is Charlie Day, who plays Charlie (I guess it’s easier for actors to play characters with the same name). I have never laughed so hard during a show in my life. I’d recommend watching the second or third season, which is when Danny Devito joined the cast. So go rent the DVDs.
