Big Mac tax
: Detroit is talking about taxing fast food.
What a nitwit idea.
First, what's fast? My Chinese restaurant is really fast but it doesn't sell burgers.
Second, poor people eat fast food. Let's tax them more. Poor people serve fast food. Let's eliminate a few of their jobs.
Third, this is a rather obnoxious means of trying to legislate lifestyle. I'm OK with taxing tobacco because the cost to society of its effects is substantial. Booze? Well, what the hell, that precedent is set. Gasoline? Yes, we need to find some way to reduce demand (though this isn't the way... but that's another argument).
But taxing my Taco Bell chicken grilled stufft burrito? Butt out, bozo.
This is taxation as punishment for something somebody doesn't approve of: Tax the smokers, the drinkers, the gas-guzzlers, the rich, the burger-snarfers.
What's next? Taxing violent games? Sexy movies? Condoms?
If we're really going to improve the quality of life via fiscal policy, I say let's tax checkered flannel shirts, polyester suits, car alarms that make 20 obnoxious sounds and never turn off, Dr. Phil, mullets, Britney Spears CDs, bare-midriff tops over size 6, Speedos in any size, magnetic ribbons on the backs of cars in any color, Starbucks orders of more than four words, pop-up ads, tofu, PowerPoint, and gum.
What else?
Video help
: Trey Jackson is the videographer of blogs. He records and makes available all kinds of blogworthy bits from TV -- because the networks don't do it (and they should). Not surprisingly, his bandwidth bill is a killer. He needs help.
And the don't even have a First Amendment
: British TV authorities -- and where there are TV authorities in any country is beyond me -- have decided that the airing of the Jerry Springer opera did not violate their rules ... despite its Deadwoodspeak.
Jerry Springer: the Opera provoked accusations of blasphemy and a firestorm of protest from religious campaigners when it was broadcast earlier this year. But the television watchdog Ofcom has ruled that the programme did not breach broadcasting guidelines.
Ofcom received more than 16,000 complaints - an unprecedented number - but yesterday ruled that although the January showing "clearly had the potential to offend and indeed the intention to shock, it was set in a very clear context as a comment on modern TV"....
Religious groups were particularly offended by the programme's portrayal of Christian figures, which included Jesus wearing a nappy.
Tabloid press reports stoked the controversy, saying that the programme contained 8,000 swear words. According to the BBC, however, it only contained "around 200 f-words" and "nine c-words".
In its ruling, Ofcom said it "appreciated that the representation of religious figures was offensive to some people".
But it said: "The show's effect was to satirise modern fame and the culture of celebrity....."
Everything bad is....
: I was wandering down M Street in Georgetown after doing MSNBC and having dinner last night and so I went into the Barnes & Noble there and while looking at magazines, I heard some author upstairs talking; thought nothing of it until I heard the words "social software." How many people use the words "social software" in a sentence? The odds are good that I knew whoever it was, I figured. And sure enough: It was Steven Johnson beginning his book tour for Everything Bad is Good for You. I caught the last hunk of his performance and he was engaging and provocative and a few of the folks in the audienc -- book readers, obviously -- bristled a bit at the notion that TV and games can be good for us and make us smarter, as Steven argues. He did a good job defending his thesis and pop culture with it.
And by the way, I'm coming to wonder whether books are any better for us than TV or movies or the internet or any other form of media. It's not for medium that makes it intelligent but the thought inside. But that will be the subject of another post....
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