Ah, summer (although this wacky weather nearly doesn’t qualify).
Movie-makers know that both the small and the larger kids are on
vacation this time of year. All the kids want is eye-candy, unobscured
by all but the thinnest veil of meaning or plot.
“I, Robot” is eye-candy a plenty. How can any kid resist the lure of
a film filled with robots? Lots of robots. Angry, rebellious robots.
And one possibly murderous robot. Robots are cool, even if CG sometimes
makes them look a little silly. Robots are so cool in fact, that I
agreed with the VIKI program, and I was rooting for the robot rebellion
to succeed.
Ah yes, I cannot forget the cool car, and a decent motorcycle. Both
of course involved in obligatory action/chase scenes resulting in
destruction of said vehicle.
There was even additional eye candy for just for the adults: one
half-naked and then fully nude Will Smith, and one showering chick
whose name I don’t know.
Like too much candy, the movie seemed like a great idea at the time,
but afterwards Jeff and I both suffered ill effects: Jeff had a
headache, and I was in a daze.
I will most likely pass when this one comes to DVD, but I plan to
check out the Asimov work that “suggested” it (I, Robot), as well as revisiting Alex Proyas’
previous movie (the somewhat superior Dark City).
Between 1992 and 2000, the number of talented (and not so talented)
workers in the High-Tech industry boomed. Along with an ever decreasing
unemployment rate, this was both good for High-Tech workers and great
for the country. Since George Bush and his team of crony enriching
thieves stole the election, unemployment has skyrocketed in all sectors
of our economy. However, the High-Tech industry has been especially
hard hit.
Now you’re hearing about High-Tech companies hiring again.
Unfortunately, between 160,000 and 300,000 High-Tech workers have left
the industry to find jobs in other industries–usually at a
miserable fraction of what they once made. On top of this, enrolment in
Computer Science at major Universities is down 30% from last year And
last year, enrolment was down 23% from 2002. While this is especially
bad for High-Tech workers, it is crushing to our Nation’s economy.
While it may sicken you, an entry-level computer programmer makes on
average 50 to 70 thousand dollars a year. A more experienced programmer
can make between 70 and 150 thousand dollars a year. Compared with the
sort of jobs these displaced High-Tech workers have been forced to take
because of the recession and jobless recovery–which started when
George Bush stole the election and pushed through his crony enriching
tax cuts–this has had a crippling effect on State and local tax
revenues.
Some of my former co-workers have seen their salaries cut by close
to 80%. Ignoring the disastrous effects on their families, this
translates to a more significant cut in tax revenues, because tax rates
increase as your income increases.
At the best of times, the President and his administration have only
a limited ability to alter the course of the economy. Provided he has
the will to do so, the President can affect monetary and fiscal policy
to create jobs. He can also sponsor policies and bills that create new
jobs.
Unfortunately, George Bush and his Administration have chosen to
adopt policies that favour large corporations in their quest to
downsize and increase their CEO’s already obscene salaries, to cut
taxes on the wealthiest Americans in the futile hope of spurring
trickle-down investment (a concept resoundingly discredited during
Regan’s administration), and to cut health-care and other benefits for
those who have sacrificed to serve our country, Veterans.
Not one of these actions or policies has been good for the American
people, and the evidence is clear these policies have not been good for
the economy.
Leaving out all together whether George Bush and his Administration
lied to the American people in order to bolster support for his
personal vendetta against Saddam Hussein, whether George Bush
personally endorsed using torture on prisoners in both Cuba and Iraq,
and whether the Administration’s foreign policy has put our Nation more
at risk of terrorism than before George Bush took office (according to
the White House’s own revised estimate of terrorist activity during
2003), George Bush’s policies and actions have had disastrous results
for the economy.
Note: I know I owe you some links to support these facts, but I’m
heading out the door to work now. I’ll add the links later
today.
My little sister is getting married and has asked me to set up a Web
site for her. After much procrastination, I’ve registered and set up
the basic shell of Dianne &
Joe’s Wedding.
I still need to get to work on a simple design for the site. How I
wish I were a better artist…
