Gongol.com Archives: May 2006
Brian Gongol



Socialism Doesn't Work (2006.05.09)
House subcommittee approves bill to crack down on Internet gambling
Would crack down on gambling operations in the US or banking here, but Representative Bobby Scott thinks all online gambling should be illegal. Most politicians trying to crack down on gambling are hypocrites: State lotteries are a $52.6 billion business. Is betting OK only when the government gets to be the house?

Humor and Good News (2006.05.09)
Jet engine on a Volkswagen

Humor and Good News (2006.05.09)
More than 50 people in Boston area have lost their minds
(Video) How a screwball tattoo phenomenon has spread. Even the people who get the ink (a mustache drawn on the side of the finger) acknowledge it's profoundly stupid.

Socialism Doesn't Work (2006.05.09)
New Jersey: Still a full-service gas-pumping state, by law
Oregon and New Jersey prohibit self-service gas pumping. That there are laws in force prohibiting an ordinary motorist from pumping his or her own gas is an excellent example of the corruption that so often seems to follow when government has too much power and people with money find ways of buying it.

Socialism Doesn't Work (2006.05.09)
Absurd embargo on Cuba means China will drill for oil 50 miles from Key West
Embargoes rarely work even to accomplish their intended goals. But they also can have profoundly bad unintended consequences, like making it more enticing for repressive governments to collaborate.

Threats and Hazards (2006.05.09)
Airline ticket stubs can be gateway to identity theft
Newspaper finds that a ticket stub is enough to lead to the passenger's personal details -- including passport number and date of birth. The more security we are promised in return for giving away our information, the more likely it is that we're just making ourselves less secure.

Humor and Good News (2006.05.09)
Should politicians be caught with their pants down?
"You vote to abolish Habeas Corpus and the Magna Carta, then you apologise for screwing your secretary?"

Also...
Water news: Recycling waste gas for energy
Graphics: Waves of Glory