Easily Amused » Current Events

Now That’s My Type of Humor!

David Xia — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:18:59 +0000

I like my humor just as I like my martinis - the dryer the better. Here's a list...

Ninjavideo Died! Back to Real Life!

David Xia — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 23:44:50 +0000

When I found out that Ninjavideo.net had died several days ago, I cried. For those who don't know/behind-the-times/actually paying for televisual entertainment, Ninjavideo is website where you can stream the latest TV shows and films in great quality absolutely free.

After I wiped away my tears, I discovered books and the joy of reading. A couple of mind-numbing minutes later, I started crying again from my brain hurting after I once again tried using it after hundreds of hours of televisual-aided-gray-matter-atrophy. That and books were filled with boring ink marks instead of moving images and sounds of limbs flying off in explosions, gratuitous sex, and Big Mac ads.

Chinese Propaganda vs US Propaganda

David Xia — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 02:15:16 +0000

China's Xinhua News Agency started a 24-hour English-language news channel and is about to open a new office in New York City, according to the Times. The Times is once again critical of China. And they should be. China ranks 168th out of 175 countries in the 2009 Press Freedom Index, a survey compiled by Reporters Without Borders. What I don't like about the Times article is its prejudicial sense of nationalism and simplistic view of East vs West. The Times inflated the article by making it sound as if Xinhua Red Guards wielding hammers and sickles are about to kick down the sacred doors of Western media companies.

Economy Still Jittery, Lack of Job Growth

David Xia — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:26:11 +0000

Krugman's at it again in his latest Times op-ed - criticizing policy makers pushing for fiscal contraction these days. The economy does seem pretty weak at this point. The US just lost jobs for the first time in half a year according to MSNBC and the Times. The markets are down and home sales plummeted due to the expiration of federal tax credits for homebuyers.

Shake, Shake It Like a Disco Stick

David Xia — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:56:41 +0000

Polaroid has just announced that it's entering into a "multi-year strategic partnership with Lady Gaga, who will serve as creative director for a specialty line of Polaroid Imaging products." Not a lot of details are known, according to the Journal, but we can expect sequin-covered cameras with space-age shoulder pads in late 2010.

Now’s Not the Time to Stop Spending!

David Xia — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:03:03 +0000

Several days ago, I suggested that the current flurry of national and US state governments concerned about budget deficits and reining back spending was a good idea. Two big-shot economists, Princeton professor Paul Krugman and former IMF chief economist Simon Johnson, disagree.

A Spy? No! Look at Her Hydrangeas!

David Xia — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:19:27 +0000

Recent news about FBI busting into suburban homes and handcuffing couples they accuse of being Russian spies are quite intriguing and ridiculous. The Times has an article with a money quote: Jessie Gugig, 15, said she could not believe the charges, especially against Mrs. Murphy. “They couldn’t have been spies,” she said jokingly. “Look what she did with the hydrangeas.”

We’re All Broke Now

David Xia — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:02:37 +0000

Many European countries and American states are just plain out of money these days. Last week's This American Life podcast will tell you just how broke and dysfunctional the New York state government really is. Countless headlines about austerity measures and their consequent social discontent in Greece have now spread to other European countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland.

Gravity Doesn’t Exist On Planet Academia

David Xia — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:20:00 +0000

Yesterday I read a Times article about law schools artificially boosting students' grades to help them find employment in this tough economy. I knew grade inflation was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad. The article also links to a website that tracks national trends in grade inflation. Across the board, the average GPA in public and private schools has been creeping up since the 1960s.

4 Bleak New Year’s Predictions

David Xia — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:25 +0000

It's a new year, and already the world's off to a rough start. Last night I found myself telling a friend about my predictions for 2010. They're bleak. Maybe I have a fascination with the macabre and apocalyptic. But remember, if any of them turn out to be true, you saw it here first.