Hidden Camera Rocks Sesame Street

We do not need a US Pravda!

The Real Case for Defunding NPR

Excerpts:

My quarrel with government subsidies to NPR—via grants from the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting—is that they cast a chill over the markets in which private entrepreneurs seek to raise capital for what might be called highbrow journalism.

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It's been nearly two generations now since President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. It's not clear to me, incidentally, what constitutionally enumerated power Congress was relying on to pass such an act

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[There is a] school of economics known as public choice theory, which views the government as having its own economic interests and the state as not a protector but a competitor of private enterprise.

Comments:

• In my mind it is simple. Why have the government do what the private sector already does efficiently!
  
• Secondly, where is the true journalistic integrity of a news source partially funded by the government? Think of the old USSR and Pravda
  
• It's difficult for private industry to complete against the 800 lb monopolistic Gorilla of the US Government. This has impact in many areas:
  
  • When the US government is continually refinancing the National Debt (borrowing), it sucks the air out of private enterprise (mainly small businesses) trying to borrow! (See Why Easier Money Won't Work and Problems of Government Borrowing)
    
• There is a Defund the NPR Facebook page for those interested
  
  

Unicorn ... the other white meat

Geeknet Apologizes to National Pork Board for Unicorn Meat Confusion

Excerpt:

‘New white meat’ from sparkly unicorns not meant to replace pork-based diets

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – June 21, 2010 – Geeknet, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNUX), the online network for the global geek community, announces its public apology to the National Pork Board for unintended confusion surrounding unicorn meat versus pork.

Recently, the National Pork Board issued a “cease and desist” warning to ThinkGeek, a Geeknet company and the premier retailer for the global geek community, regarding its April 1 product launch of canned unicorn meat, which can be seen at http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/looflirpa/.

“It was never our intention to create a national crisis and misguide American citizens regarding the differences between the pig and the unicorn,” said Scott Kauffman, President and CEO of Geeknet. “In fact, ThinkGeek’s canned unicorn meat is sparkly, a bit read, and not approved by any government entity.”

“Ironically, other than the Pork Board, we do more than anybody else to promote pig consumption among geeks,” Kauffman said. Constantly working to encourage a “passion for pork”, ThinkGeek offers more than 15 different pork-inspired products including: Bacon Soap, Bacon Lip Balm, Bacon Mints, MMMMVelopes (bacon-flavored envelopes) and BaconPop Flavored Popcorn.

To make good on its apology to the Pork Board, ThinkGeek is extending a special discount to everyone offended by its portrayal of Unicorn Meat as "the other white meat.” For a limited time, visitors to ThinkGeek.com can take $10 off any order of $40 or more by using the code PORKBOARD at checkout. The discount applies to merchandise totals and excludes shipping charges. The coupon is good until 6/30/2010 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Canned unicorn meat and products from other mythical, virtual and fictional characters, as well as tangible products, can be found at thinkgeek.com.

Comment: Guess the Pork Board can't take a joke! http://geek.net/