Found the solution to my brother’s addiction to the World of Warcraft. Ship him to China. Apparently the state has mandated that all MMROPG games must have software controlling how long players can play in any one session.

The new system, developed under the guidance of the GAPP, stops individuals from playing online games for more than three hours by cutting the abilities of game characters. The new system cuts the ability level of a player’s online game character by half after he or she has played for more than three consecutive hours. Once a player has played for more than five consecutive hours, the system cuts the ability level of that player’s character to the lowest level allowed by the game.

General Administration of Press and Publication has determined that

playing of online games for less than three consecutive hours as “healthy,” playing three to five consecutive hours as “tiring,” and playing for more than five consecutive hours as “unhealthy.”

I can guarantee they got experts to make that determination. You have got to love government bureaucrats and their experts protecting citizens. Without these smart intelligent experts stupid unintelligent gamers are likely play for over 3 hours on a game therby placing their health in jeopardy. Experts say so.

Seriously is there anyone that honestly thinks policy backed by ‘experts’ is desirable to individuals making their own decisions?

Looking up euphemism for more information on the term I come across this statement:

Euphemisms are often used to hide unpleasant or disturbing ideas, even when the literal term for them is not necessarily offensive. This type of euphemism is used in public relations and politics, where it is sometimes disparagingly called doublespeak

I find it humorous that this entry uses a dysphemism to characterize the political use of a euphemism.

When I read the name of the bill supported by Bill Clintion to reform welfare that was passed in 1996. It was called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. Say what you want but that right there is some grade A humor.

Anyway reading about the law makes me think it’s smart policy. The law helps those in actual need while at the same limiting how long they can rely on that assistance. I especially like how it opened up what each state could do. This allows for more tailored programs depending on the needs and demands of the indigent of that state. Feedback is so important when fixing any problem.

By the way, injecting some personal responsibility has had a strong positive effect on the poor. Turns out giving people money doesn’t work. By creating a deadline for getting people off the dole one motivates those down on their luck to find ways to support themselves independent of the state. I’m sure the programs devoted to helping the poor develop useful skill sets didn’t hurt, but I’m willing to bet the positive impact was derived primarily from limiting how long one can be on the dole.

Learning is not that difficult when one must choose between acquiring a new skill set or starving to death.

I’ve heard some argue that Israel response to the attack on Hizabollah should of come only after requesting the Lebannon government do something about it. They have argued this would generate more support for Israel millitary action. I remain skeptical becasue the support for Israel was strong until MSM acted complicity with Hizzabolah to get out the propaganda after the tragedy in Quana.

Strategy page argues for Israel the cease fire is about giving Lebannon on a chance to deal with Hizzbolah. If this is the case then it should please that wished Israel had asked Lebannon to take a more active role before invasion. In this way, in the even Lebannon prove incapable of ridding itself of the militant factions of Hizzbolah then most all of the world should support Israels actions.

Diatribe sends me a link to this movie about a man that greatly struggles to succeed. In the trailer their lots clips and sound bites about how one must rely on onself to succeed. But this confuses me because I was assured that those down on their luck can only get out of their tough situation through state sponsored programs. Apparently the makers of this film don’t realize yourself is not good enough which is why 300 billion is spent on welfare each year. Its impossible for a person to do something for themself, especially when their poor, thats why the state steals my money, err…I mean redistributes, and gives it to the them. These filmakers are so naive.

I also want to point out that this movie is about an African American. I think the theme of personal responsiblity is an important theme that should be more present in African American communities. Most of the last thirty years the theme has been all about how it’s not their fault the white male power structure keeps the black man down. Shockingly that attitude has had no appreciable effect on motivating young blacks to improve their lives. Hopefully this movie will strike a cord that will result in a change in attitude. If not liberals and the stae will be around to continue coddling the black community.

Astronomers all over the world are heading to Prague to ‘determine‘ the definition of a planet. Once this has been settled Pluto will either retain planet status or be removed from the list.

It’s interesting to note that this Astronomical term is being determined pluralistically and not empirically. It almost suggests that scientific knowledge suffers from the same problem that all other knowledge suffers from. That problem being that all knowledge, event that that held by scientist, is derived from human beings. Facts are facts, simply because they are held by humans to be as such, and for no other reason.

This article superbly articulates the current middle east policy that I emphaticaly agree with. This statement practically made me cry:

A second point: the promotion of democracy in the Middle East is messy, difficult, but no one has a better idea.

The Middle East will not fix itself. Only through the democratization of the region can we expect any reasonable end to the sporadic attacks of terrorists. Some politicians, largely up to this point Democrats, fail to commit to this point and in so doing fail to capture my vote. If democrats were to propose solutions that didn’t requires regime changes and would realistically bring an end to terrorism I would be inclined to listen, if not vote for them. However, most of their rhetoric just seems to indicate they are not serious about terrorism. Until they are I will not be serious in voting for them.

For Darwin to admit calling Hezabollah a bunch of criminals was wrong.

Italy arrests 40.

Italian authorities said Belgian police are investigating a group of Pakistanis suspected of financing Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, a Pakistan-based terrorist group believed to have ties to al-Qaida.

I wonder where some of the finanical information they are using to identify this group is coming from. It’s really quite baffling figuring how they would track the movment of money between groups that is transfered between countries. How would one do that?

This movie looks fucking crazy good.