Who owns DNA?

Monsanto and other biotech companies are creating strains of grain with a specific DNA, patenting the DNA, and preventing farmers from replanting the offspring of the seeds. But can you really own DNA? And if mutations occur to the DNA, are the offspring really the same DNA?

No. (Technically, the answer may be yes, but I'm saying here that it should be No. And we should allow them to do that.)

The process for creating the DNA-specific seeds should be patentable, but once you buy the seeds, you should be able to do whatever you want with them. It just doesn't seem right that you restrict what people do with stuff they buy. (yes, I'm talking to you too, Apple).

Stock Trading Fees

ING Sharebuilder (and other banks and trading companies) need to stop charging surcharge fees on stock purchases based on the price of the stock. This is unfair, and has no correlation to cost or value of service being performed.

I like ING Direct. Two main reasons I like ING Direct: (1) Simple website navigation, they don't try to crowd the world of financial services and product offerings in one little site, and (2) Fair rates and fees.

ING acquired Sharebuilder a few years ago, so I gave it a try. The rates (fees) are in the ballpark, but not the leaders (not like their interest rates on Savings were). The website is a little bulky, but it improved after integration. My main beef is that they charge extra for the purchase of stocks priced below $1 per share.

https://www.sharebuilder.com/sharebuilder/Help/Topic.aspx?CategoryCode=&FaqCode=FRTTLPSS#FRTTLPSS

The low-priced security surcharge is an additional commission on real-time trades when the average execution price per share in the trade is less than $1.00.

Large Order surcharge (defined by quantity of shares purchased) made sense to me. Perhaps large orders cost them more to process. But basing it on price is senseless! They are just taking advantage of the fact that people buy these low-priced stocks because "penny stocks", as they are known, have this magical perception that they have a greater upside potential. New flash, stock price means NOTHING!!! A share of stock is just a percentage of the company. Stock exchanges should allow people to buy fractions of a stock. In fact, get rid of stock altogether. Just sell percentage stakes in the company. Stock is so 1800's. And do away with fees based on meaningless characteristics, it makes you look money hungry, ING.

On Atheists and Believers

What does it mean to be Christian, Jew, or Buddhist? If you go to church and try to believe, does that make you a Christian, or do you have to actually believe?

Are Atheists bad because they don't believe in God? What if a person goes to church, prays, studies the bible, lives by the ten commandments, and even WANTS to believe... but in the end, doesn't really believe in God. They are an Atheist. Are they not welcome in your society (I'm speaking to people that are intolerant of Atheists).

We need to get past what people believe is out there, and instead, focus on how people live, their morals, and how they treat others.

You can choose what organization you belong to, you can choose what rules to follow, but you can't really choose what you believe.

Healthcare Reform

Repeal the healthcare bill!
Declare it unconstitutional!

You can't force people to buy stuff (unless you are Apple).
Yet, it is badly needed. It makes moral sense. It makes financial sense.

Two options:

1. Nationalize Healthcare
2. Vouchers (for minimum care insurance)

I won't bother arguing national healthcare. Vouchers could be an easier move. Every resident gets a government voucher that can be used for basic healthcare insurance. The insurance companies compete to get those vouchers... oh wait, they'll try to avoid sick people and only have healthy people... never mind. We should nationalize basic healthcare. Offer supplemental insurance for really expesive stuff, maybe, but make all preventative programs low-cost/free.

Also, need easier way to track general health indicators (i.e. wieght) daily. Maybe hook scale up to bed, or car.

Tax Tax Tax

I don't mind paying tax. I have equal access to the political access, therefore, I have a say in how those resources are used. But when someone suggested to me that an employee of the IRS encourages his child to lie a little on his tax return, (because the IRS won't bother auditing small earners), that was the last straw.

Too many people cheat on their taxes. People are no longer proud of supporting the public. I don't mind paying taxes, unless others are cheating... making ME pay a larger percentage than agreed by the government.

So what do we do? Simple. Yes, make it simple. Do away with all deductions. I don't care if they make it flat or not, just get rid of all deductions.

Worried about people avoiding tax by doing business in cash? That already happens today, too. Changing the code won't change that. To attack that issue, one can follow Taiwan's lead an create a standard Receipt that includes a weekly tax lottery #. When the receipt can win you millions, you tend to ask for the receipt.

Charters to Nowhere

We are concerned with that which affects us.
We try to improve that which we are members of.
How much dedication and attention can people really provide public schools when their kids don't go there? How can I expect CEO's, upper management, community leaders to really back the funding of public education when they can afford to send their kids elsewhere, and they don't need a homegrown educated workforce anymore because they can import it from abroad,... or outsource?

You want to ensure the boat makes it across the river? Put the engineer's family in the boat.

The Charter initiative, though ground breaking, is destroying the very foundation of our education system. "Good" students not only bring with them good test scores, they also provide peer leadership and mentoring,... and alternative example for other students that maybe don't have the same role models at home to follow.

Abandon Charters.
Fund Public education.
Demand teacher reform based on performance.

Grade teacher performance NOT based on test scores, but based on rate of student surviving past 18, graduation, college entrance, college graduation, employment, salaries, physical health, mental health, and student self-rated happiness.

No more funding for Charters.
No more school choice.

The Evolution Debate on It's role in Education

I don't see why this is being debated so much. Science education has nothing to do with religion.

Religion is belief, a guide to life.

Science is a method to dissect the world around us.

Scientific facts and theories are tested perspectives of the world. They help us predict what will happen under a given set of circumstances. It doesn't matter if it's true, what matters is that it can be applied for better decision making and development using scientific principals.

When it comes to evolution, you don't have to believe it to study it. You can believe that the world was created yesterday and still learn about science that applies theories based on the premise that it was created billions of years ago.

Quit being so uptight about teaching evolution.

One Way Checking Account #

Online banking (like ING) lets you send money to people quickly and easily, but you have to ask the recipient for their account # first. Many people are reluctant to share their checking account # with people, even friends and family. Why? Because they're afraid someone might gain access to their account and steal money.

Banks should offer their customers a second account number that is for one-way transactions only... into the account (deposit-only account number). Perhaps it exists already??? If so, not prevalent enough.

Thought of the Day: Period

Do periods cause women to be upset with their partners, or do the partners cause women to have periods? I think it may be a little of both.

Ticket Fees

Ever bought a ticket recently? Whether it's for a flight, sporting event, or a concert, ticket fees these days are out of control. I'm not even referring to the prices, just the associated fees. Check out the ticket fee structure for a recent comedy show in Chicago:

Individual:
Ticket Price: $34.00
Convenience Fee: $8.77
Facility Fee: $1.00
Additional Taxes: $0.44
Order Fee: $3.00 (per order)

Delivery Options:
Regular Mail - $2.50
Print At Home - $0.00

Now, I can understand if there's a law, policy, or general desire to be transparent in the various fees included in a ticket price, but wouldn't it be better to just give us the full price up front, and the FYI breakdown later?

And what is up with the Convenience Fee? Convenience for whom? And why do they charge that fee for online sales as well as at the door? Convenient for them to change, I guess.

We all know they do it because they want us to make our purchase decision on just the ticket portion of the price... and then the other fees get added on as we already started clicking through the purchase and already committed mentally to going, or worse yet, already made the decision among friends that $34 was worth it. It's a modern day scam.