News for nerds, stuff that matters

“According to the federal government’s own yearly research surveys, African Americans use and sell drugs at similar rates at whites — yet African Americans are arrested for drugs at 13 times the rate of whites”. (Huffingtonpost). A major threat to fundamental principles of democracy is that of generating and re-generating a certain discourse in pursuit of a particular desired policy outcome. The disproportionate effect of drug policies and enforcement on the African-American communities has grabbed media attention for the past week. Unfortunately, the discourse has been ongoing for many many years.

Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske claims, “we cannot arrest our way out of the drug war problem”. “People of color are classified as “criminals,” permanently trapping them in a second-class status and allowing a whole range of legal discrimination (in employment, housing, education, public benefits, voting rights, jury duty and so forth)”. These inextricably linked problems become a self-perpetuating cycle that can only terminate with the shift in paradigm in examining the causation instead of the consequences of bad policies. Questions like “Why it is that young white people use and sell drugs at similar rates yet our prisons are filled mostly with African Americans and Latinos?” has to be asked, and answered sufficiently.

In a way, the safeguard of “innocent until proven guilty”, like that of section 11(d) of our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is violated in practice. The stigma is self-enforcing and the presumptions and prejudice that follows violates the guarantee of freedom and liberty that the United States and most democracies are founded upon.

Resources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/drug-war-african-american_b_1105690.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2012/0306/Biden-in-Honduras-US-drug-policy-under-scrutiny

The Putinian universe appears to be unfolding as planned. Vladimir Putin has been elected to a third term as president. His loyal place-holder, Dmitri Medvedev, will either become prime minister, or be dispensed with – his services having been rendered, the spirit of Russia’s constitutional term limits duly thwarted.

Yet the victory tears shed by Mr. Putin on Sunday aside, this is a dangerous moment for Russia.

December’s parliamentary elections were characterized by election-rigging that provoked demonstrations across the country. The bar was raised for the presidential vote. Unfortunately, Mr. Putin has not successfully scaled it. His re-election by a large margin was secured on the basis of conditions “clearly skewed in favour of one candidate,” as observers from the Organization for Co-operation and Security in Europe dryly put it. This only serves to emphasize the perception of a prearranged handover of power.

The presidential election’s flaws had less to do with procedural irregularities on polling day – though those were reported, too – than with a system of unfairness leading up to the predictable result. Restrictive electoral regulations prevented genuine competition; official and coerced media fanned the cult of personality around Mr. Putin and denied his opponents equal time; and the apparatus of the state, with its legion of salaried supporters, was placed at his disposal.

European observers determined that “the election had a clear winner with an absolute majority.” But with such advantages, anything but a landslide would have been unthinkable.

A managed democracy, as the Putinists would practise it, is not a true democracy. What has become clear these past three months, as the demonstrations have continued, is that Russians themselves agree that this is not an acceptable approach to democracy – and a democracy is what Russia nominally is and aspires to be. It is why, for example, the country – unlike China – is a member of the G8 group of industrialized democracies.

In responding to the result, the White House on Monday moved delicately, on the one hand, congratulating the Russian people for voting in large numbers, on the other expressing concern over the conduct of the vote, and pointedly neglecting to mention Vladimir Putin by name. The international community, particularly the G8 countries including Canada, is in an awkward position. It needs to censure Mr. Putin, yet should do so in a way that appeals to his better angels, should they exist.

The chaos of the immediate post-Soviet era is now well in the past. It is Russia’s fragile democratic institutions that need staunch defenders. The Russian people need to speak out more clearly; Mr. Putin should listen to them. Now that he has full control, he can afford to rule with a looser grip. He should not prevent a Russian spring, but lead it.

What constitutes a good blog? To be honest, I am a newbie myself, but I guess you’re reading this, so I am doing something right hopefully. Anyhow, I appreciate your loyalty.

Pointers to a good blog:

1. Have an eye-catching title.
2. Don’t write your Masters dissertation here.
3. Don’t write like you’re writing your dissertation.
4. Write as you talk, but with content, purpose, as if you’re talking to an intelligent person that you want to impress with your charm.
5. Be humorous, even if you’re not that funny in person.
6. Add pictures and clips, we do enough reading in a day. Make it interesting and eye-catching.
7. Link to other people’s pages to increase traffic
8. Having titles or bolding helps attract the eye

Please take a look at these top 50 blogs, just for reference-sake:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/29/pressandpublishing.television?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

Bad blog:

http://lmb3.net/2011/01/22/blog-11-did-you-miss-me/

My criticisms of this blog is that first of all, the content skips from one topic to another with no notification to the reader. This is a no-no for bloggers, since most people who read blogs normally skim.

Another criticism is that it’s too long, and the sheer statement of facts does not attract my attention at all to continue reading.

Also, I would refrain from using cute smiley faces or hearts, which makes the blog less professional.

There is also no relevant title to the blogpost. If I don’t even know what the post is about, why would I read it? (Unless I know you personally, or if I am marking your blogposts)

What do you think? Also, please share your feedback on blogging with me! I’m desperate to improve!

In December in Wukan, China, corrupted officials were driven out of town. It is a heart-warming and hopeful story of how democracy was lost and found again, through a revolution by members of this small fishing village. In replacement of the old corrupted officials, a ““Civilized election, fair competition” and “Obeying the law” was held yesterday. As New York Times reported,

“More than 6,000 of the town’s 8,000 eligible voters trooped to a makeshift election center at the village school and chose a new village council to replace the old one, disbanded amid allegations of land fraud. They filled out pink ballots in rows of plywood booths that ensured their choices would remain secret, then dropped them in big steel boxes sealed with tamper-proof stickers. Officials tallied the votes in the schoolyard as residents looked on.

It is encouraging to see such a united effort to restore democracy, the rule of law, and fair elections. Sure enough, as the title of the New York Times article suggests, this will probably NOT change how China as a nation conduct it’s affairs. However, the acknowledgement of this democratic reward is the first step to advance into a more democratic nation.

The villagers tallying up the votes

I was browsing through a news channel, and this disheartening title caught my eye. This may seem like a distant reality to us living in a wealthy nation. The big pharmaceutical companies in North America are outsourcing testing to India. It has become a hub for medical testing due to the cheap labour, and lack f regulations. For locals earning an average 50 cents a day, the business is lucrative, since it pays around $12 for referring to another volunteer. In the clip,

Self-confident and well-groomed with gelled hair and tight-fitting designer jeans, Nadia said he is paid about $12 for every recruit he brings to the three Indian research labs with whom he works. In a region of western Indian where the average worker earns 50 cents a day, that’s good money.

Someone’s got to do the dirty, undesirable work for us to enjoy our level of technological and medical advancement. Why not poor people in a far far away land? Right? Such are the evils that keeps the wheels of capitalism turning.

“People keep falling sick,” he said. “There are many instances where there are swellings in the limbs, loss of eyesight. Several deaths have occurred … It becomes a question of human rights — a big one at that.” Ultimately, the outsourcing of this “dirty work” passes the buck of human testing to another country. Unlike Western countries where there is an audit of each death during a clinical trial, there is none of that in India. While Western countries boast of humanitarian efforts here and there, the exploitation of workers under poverty is generating human suffering and pain. But, it’s ok, no one will know, no records will show, unless more people are brought to awareness on the issue.

Source:

http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/02/10561824-people-keep-falling-sick-how-poor-indians-are-recruited-for-clinical-drug-trials

Many people try and avoid wasting time on a non-so-worthwhile book by reading book reviews online, and checking out the top book lists, bestsellers. More often than not, we are persuaded by the number of copies sold, or by the many stars beside the book’s name in a magazine. Of course, with the widespread interest in choosing “the one” book, there will be many standards as well for measuring their merits or demerits.

One of the most well-known measures is of course that of the New York Times Bestseller list. The list is known to represent the popularity of print books including that of “independent book retailers; national, regional and local chains; online and multimedia entertainment retailers; supermarkets, university, gift and discount department stores; and newsstands”. As for e-books, online vendors are being evaluated. It is therefore a seemingly very comprehensive method of measurement when it includes a variety of sales venues. However, there is always a catch.

“Titles are included regardless of whether they are published in both print and electronic formats or just one format”. Of course, the problem is of double counting, since many books allow for alternative format once one format is bought by a consumer. Another big problem is that “among the categories not actively tracked at this time are: perennial sellers, required classroom reading, textbooks, reference and test preparation guides, journals, workbooks, calorie counters, shopping guides, comics, crossword puzzles and self-published books”. A lot of times, these categories account for more copies sold than retail. Is that a fair accurate exclusion? I think not.

Another problem with the methodology of data collection is that it is done in confidentiality between publishers, and is reported by a third party accounting services called Royalty Share. On the official website of the New York Times Bestsellers list, there is no detailed mention of the exact methodology used. The company claims it is a trade secret. The credibility of these ratings is definitely questionable due to possible conflict of interests and backdeals that may exist due to this lack of transparency.

With the success of the New York Times Bestsellers list, comes the inevitable want to overcome its success by its competitors. Another bestsellers list that exists is that of the Globe and Mail Bestsellers list.

“The weekly fiction (hardcover and paper) and non-fiction (hardcover and paper) lists are complied by the Globe and Mail using sales figures provided by BookNet Canada’s national sales tracking service, BNC SalesData, and from bookstores across Canada”. Seemingly, all bestsellers list hire third party tracking services to conduct the survey work. Little is said about the methodology used to obtain the information and categorize the books, unfortunately. The credibility of these bestsellers list seem to be based on the renown media influence of the company itself.

However, with the arbitrary categorization, the lack of transparency in the methodology of data collection, and the unjustifiable exclusion of certain vending methods (like that of wholesale, and educational purposes), it seems that the data obtained is inconclusive. I would recommend instead, reading the book reviews of the top 100 lists, and decide for yourself. Check the first link below for an example. I recommend it since they are ranked in no particular order, with a variety of genres to choose from, which seems more credible and unbiased. Enjoy!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/books/the-globe-100-the-very-best-of-2011/article2248133/

Sources:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/books/bestsellers/

http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html

http://www.iblist.com/list_by_rating.php?type=book

http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/08/review-maclean’s-top-20-books-of-2011/

Greece, being the birthplace of democracy, may well have become an undemocratic state with the recent bailout and the tension that exists between democracy and sovereignty.

As an article stated, “Tuesday’s bailout takes another such step by protecting the European Central Bank from taking losses on its Greek bonds, while forcing private bondholders to take losses of as much as 70% in net present value”. With the finance industry being protected at the expense of sovereignty, it is understandable that one would suspect that the intentions of the government have deviated from the common good for the people. Greece has been placed under control of the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and European Commission. There are disciplines, surveillances, sanctions and punishments that are placed on the nation as a whole.

If a nation acts on behalf of corporate interests and is dominated by third party interests, like that of Greece, it seems that the democracy is inexistent. The question at the heart of this quandary is whether democracy requires full sovereignty. It is without doubt that this element is not satisfied in Greece’s situation.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204909104577236982261339566.html

http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1531/greek-bail-out-deal-an-affront-to-democracy-and-fairness

A very vital element of democracy is that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech and expression. Many of us have heard on the news that Bill C-30 is the most daunting piece of legislation that will lead to the vanishing of so-called internet liberty. It is without doubt that Bill C-30 would threaten the fundamental civil liberty that guarantees democracy. However, little did we know that the government already has a lot of private information in their hands.

The term “data shadow” refers to the shadow that follows you in your daily activities. The article poignantly points out, “From tracking your movement with automated licence plate readers to attaching a name to your face in a crowd using biometric recognition of driver’s licence photos; from bureaucrats and politicians reading your health records to police analyzing your income and spending habits, if push came to shove, the information on you in the government’s reach is immense”.

For example, on the financial side of things, there is “enormous databanks of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FinTRAC), a government agency collecting and disclosing information on suspected money laundering and terrorist financing”. It is with a lot of opposition and efforts spent did the Legal industry get exempted from the checks of FinTRAC.

It is hard not to think that we are being monitored by Big Brother constantly. In an age where technology is readily available and convenient, it only opens up more channels for the government to monitor our activities. The only way to safeguard our fundamental rights and freedoms under the Charter is to be on guard of the unnecessary invasion of our privacy. Awareness is key to ensuring that our democratic system is still in place.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/17/bill-c-30-may-give-the-government-new-surveillance-powers-but-its-shocking-what-they-already-know/

What are asian values?

Here’s a delayed outline of my paper. =) Enjoy!

I know it’s that holiday that was invented to perpetuate the evils of Capitalis, blahblahblah, but why not take this as an excuse to spend some quality with your significant other?

I’m sorry I am unable to complete my draft today, but rest assured I’m working on it as we speak.

Have a great Valentine’s Day!