Really, really ridiculously good-looking...

NY considers banning ultrathin fashion models

A New York City Council member Thursday proposed pushing sponsors to ban abnormally thin models from walking New York Fashion Week's runways.

Council member Gail Brewer wants fashion houses to ban any model with a body mass index of less than 18.5 -- the cutoff for the World Health Organization's definition of "normal."

What the crap? I can understand a particular company deciding not to use models who are too skinny because they don't want their clothing line associated with that look. That's their right to make such a decision - but of course, once again government decides it needs to involve itself in another facet of society where it does not belong.

Video games, movies, skinny models, fast food, etc... are all to blame for the decline in society, apparently. When we watch or eat such things - it's by no fault of our own how they affect us.

Garbage.

Once again, personal responsibility is left by the roadside. For starters - your parents should have raised you to know better and common sense should tell you, "You don't have to look like everyone else", "Just because you can decapitate someone with a Battle Axe doesn't mean you can do so in real life", etc...

To blame someone/something else for your actions/behavior/lifestyle that you have complete control over is irresponsible - and for the government to step in and put a ban on certain things, like telling fashion companies they can't use certain sized models, because they have a God complex and feel that people can't function without their protection is irresponsible.

Let's look at this situation on the flip-side... Fat people. Much more of a health issue and so much more common - especially here in the US. So why no action there?

I say if they're going to ban skinny models from fashion shows they should ban fat people from the beach, entering fast food restaurants, and wearing bikinis. But - "fat people are the victims", "our weight is genetic - so being fat is uncontrollable", etc...

Again, garbage.

If it's so uncontrollable and genetic (which by no means is this true and another way of side-stepping personal responsibility) then, using that same logic, why ban skinny models from fashion shows?

I can't even explain that one so any feedback is welcome. I'm just over this sense of no personal responsibility and the government overstepping it's boundaries with issues it should have no concern with.

Posted by n0kx @ 11:04 am EDT | Permalink | 3 Comments

Are CEO's Overpaid?!?

Do you think U.S. CEOs are overpaid?

Dogged by criticism of his hefty pay and his company’s poor stock performance, Bob Nardelli abruptly resigned Wednesday as chairman and chief executive of The Home Depot Inc. after six years at the helm of the world’s largest home improvement store chain.

But he didn’t leave empty-handed: the Atlanta-based company said Nardelli would receive a severance package worth roughly $210 million, an amount decried by some lawmakers as a golden parachute that sends the wrong message to investors.

I don't know the details of this resignation such as how much he grew Home Depot, how much profit he brought the company, or the details in the $210 million severance package - so I'm not going to comment in depth on this particular incident, but rather use the story as a rough example.

Are our business owners making too much money?

Ask me that question during my high school and college years and I would've definitely said yes. I remember being outraged at the thought of someone making millions of dollars while I was making minimum wage. Then something happened after college...

I got a real job - and I have attempted to start my own companies in the meantime.

One thing I have learned in the "real world" is that you can make good money with your college degree and honest efforts - but if you want to make the kind of money that will ensure you do not live paycheck to paycheck, allow you to live your life on your own terms, and to hopefully leave behind a business your children can follow in your footsteps with you're going to have to really bust your butt and start your own company.

Should all of your time, your risks, your financial obligations, your education (school or self-taught) be leveled out because those who have not put forth those same efforts don't see your monetary compensation as fair? I don't believe so.

Here's an analogy... You pay attention in class, you do your homework, and you study for you tests. For those efforts you're rewarded with a 4.0 GPA. Now you have me sitting in the back of the class, sleeping during lecture time, not turning in my homework, and failing most of my tests. I'm lucky to leave that class with a 1.0 GPA. Would you be willing to split your GPA to even me out with your own? That wouldn't be fair at all.

If you believe that everyone should be on a level "reward scale" you're a socialist. No, I'm not saying that as an offensive gesture - that's exactly what socialism stands for.

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control.

I believe that everyone feels that a democracy is the best way to go about many things in life. We decide on our leaders, we decide where to go out to eat with friends and we choose with the decisions we make where we want our life to head.

So if you're not happy with a certain company, their policies, or how much their owners make - vote with your wallet and don't shop there. Don't just sit back and complain that someone else do something about it, that they make laws to create a level "reward scale" - you do something about it. Quit being lazy.

Why is the CEO getting paid millions? The money comes from somewhere and with business it comes from consumers like me and you. Why are NBA players getting paid millions? Because consumers like me and you are buying their jerseys and watching their games.

How come you and I aren't making the millions?

• Is it because the opportunity is not there?
• Is it because someone else is stopping us from making more of ourselves?

Based on the millions who have worked and made something for themselves and are making the millions regardless of their backgrounds, their gender, their race, their age, etc... I believe the answer to those questions is "NO". We just need to quit making excuses, quit relying on other people to give us the means, and do things ourselves.
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Ben Franklin

“If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Posted by n0kx @ 4:41 pm EDT | Permalink | 3 Comments

The Evolution of Control - and How to Adapt

Most of us here remember starting our journey with electronics without the aid of a remote control. I know our very first television had the huge bulky knobs and no remote at all. Then we crawl our way into the realm of remote control - great invention that allowed us to avoid the cumbersome task of walking 5 feet and pushing a button/turning a knob to the station of our choice.

Until recently, all of these remotes (whether for the television, VCR, DVD, etc...) have all been infrared based controllers and require line-of-sight. Which means the remote needs to be "looking" directly at the intended target - and if the transmitter on the remote or the receiver on the device is impaired - you will have to resort to the pre-1985 practice of getting off your butt and doing something about the situation.

Enter technologies such as Bluetooth.

This allows us to not have a direct line-of-sight with the target electronic device - allowing for a whole host of new opportunities and ways of interacting with our devices. Surprisingly - quite a few people do not know that the Xbox 360 wireless controller does not need to be in view of the Xbox 360 console. Why don't a few people know this? Well - the main reason (I believe) is that we're so accustomed to anything that's wireless being line-of-sight, so we don't even give the concept a second thought.

So what does this mean? To me, this means that I don't have to have all of my entertainment equipment laying around in the room - but instead, I can store everything in a closet out in the hallway. It's cleaner looking, you don't have to put up with the annoying operating sounds of the 360 and you're free to worry more about owning the game instead of getting owned by some infrared beam being unable to see it's target.

Most people know about this functionality in the Xbox 360 wireless controller, but for those who didn't know - now you do!

Posted by n0kx @ 1:37 pm EDT | Permalink | 1 Comments