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The Securifi Almond: The World’s First Touch Screen N Router + Range Extender

Recently, I was in the market for a WiFi range extender and stumbled across the Securifi Almond. Touted as the first touch-screen wireless router and range extender, I decided to nab this shiny new gadget from Amazon after doing a little research and homework on whether it would be the best solution for my needs.

I live in a 3-story house and my primary modem and router (Verizon Fios) is located on the 3rd floor in my home office. Although I get a pretty decent and strong signal on the 2nd floor, it is almost non-existent on the first floor or if I am in the backyard and trying to connect to my network. I wanted a solution that would boost and extend the signal, especially to media devices such as my Xbox 360, PS3 and Roku.

In this video review, I primarily cover the Securifi Almond as a range extender, and not as a primary router… of which it can be used for, but I would not recommend it as your primary router unless you live in a small home / apartment, or aren’t very tech savvy and simply want a solution that is very easy to setup for basic home networking and web surfing.

For the price ($79.99 at the time of review), there are a number of more powerful dual-band routers that I would recommend as a primary router; however as a range extender, you would be hard pressed to find a more elegant solution than the diminutive (and stylish) Almond.

Pros

Extremely easy to set up and configure. No installation CD required.
Just connect to your modem or enter the password to your existing wireless network & follow the on-screen instructions.
Supports WEP, WPA & WPA2.
Small footprint, can be placed just about anywhere.
Stylish gadget that doesn’t need to be hidden away.
Can be used as a WiFI bridge.
Stable performance & decent range between 100 – 300 feet.
Supports up to 300 Mbps and compatible with older 802.11bg devices.
Range extension function is compatible with most cable & third party routers.

Cons

No dual-band support.
Not the best option as a primary router for hardcore gamers and those who like to stream HD content.
Creates an “_almond” extension to your current network, requiring manual connection between the two.
Only 1 WAN and 2 LAN ports.

By: Dana Sciandra

The post Securifi Almond Review appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Game: Plague Inc.
Publisher: Miniclip
Platform: Android & iOS

Synopsis:
Your pathogen has just infected ‘Patient Zero’. Now you must bring
about the end of human history by evolving a deadly, global Plague
whilst adapting against everything humanity can do to defend itself.

You know how in those deadly virus movies like Outbreak and Contagion, you find yourself rooting for the virus ?

*awkward silence *

…yeah, um, me either. But that is exactly what you’ll be doing when you play Plague Inc.

Your Goal? The Complete Annihilation of the Human Race

Plague Inc. is a simulation and strategy game in which you develop, deploy and evolve your very own deadly virus, in which the only objective is the complete and total annihilation of humanity. Good times.

It is an (*pun-alert *) infectious game that is simple and straight-forward in its (*pun-alert *) execution, if not delightfully morbid.

When you first begin the game, you are asked to give your new cute and cuddly virus a name. Unlikely to surprise anyone who knows me and the podcast, I chose to name my virus, “Congress.”

From there, you are able to attach a number of free and paid genetic mutations to your virus strain.

I played the Android version of the game – which is free and allows you to begin with a bacteria strain – but Plague Inc. also allows you to quickly unlock deadlier strains (i.e. virus, fungus, parasite, bio-weapon etc) and genetic mutations via in-app purchases… however, although you are able to unlock these options by simply playing the game, it is harder and more time consuming to do.

Next, you are greeted with a Wargames style World map in which you decide what country your “patient zero” will originate from. This is the first strategic decision that you will make, as First World countries have more access to medical care (i.e. may detect your virus sooner), whereas Third World countries make it easier for you to spread your new disease, taking into account how the virus will spread (i.e. water, livestock, birds, access to ports, airports etc).

I chose to start with China, due to their high population and combination of transportation options and urban / rural sprawl.

Congress is Responsible For Over 8,000,000 Deaths a Day… Figuratively Speaking.

Now that your virus has been unleashed upon the world (*insert maniacal laughter here *), it is time to help your new creation to grow and evolve beyond a harmless cold… and into something that emits bodily fluids from every orifice of its victim’s body (*insert pleasant imagery here *).

As your new virus begins to infect more and more people – including crossing over borders and oceans – you start spending ‘DNA points’ on everything from the way that it is transmitted, the symptoms that arise, its resistance to climates, research and drugs, as well as how and when it becomes lethal… and this is where the strategy comes in.

Since earning DNA points is made available in a limited fashion, you have to selectively pick and choose how they will be spent for maximum (and deadly) effect. Make your virus lethal too soon, and the World community will react by beginning research to quickly find a cure and/or shutting down its ports, borders and airports to prevent its further spread. Wait too long to make it lethal (or resistant to drugs) and you will find your new viral creation eradicated before it has a chance to truly spread its wings and wipe out the World’s population before a cure is found.

Remember, “winning” is when your precious little creation has killed every man, woman and child on the planet before a cure is found.

Good times.

What Characteristics and Symptoms Will YOUR Virus Take?

My strategy was simple: Focus my attention on the spread of the infection, but not immediately on the symptoms that might cause alarm or force people to go to the doctor, where it could be discovered. Once I had effectively infected and spread the virus to people in every country – and the disease could continue to spread on its own – I began to focus on its resistance to certain climates, drugs and treatment… and later its lethality, now that it is lying dormant in most of the World’s population.

Each option has different levels which require the expenditure of DNA points. For instance, I may choose to have symptoms initially arise in the lungs, making my virus able to survive and be spread in an airborne fashion… thereby, infecting more people. But eventually I will need to ‘upgrade’ that ability beyond simple infection, to also include lethality, as well as to further unlock deadlier symptoms.

All the while, you are able to easily keep track of how many people are infected in each country (or the World, as a whole) and how many fatalities you have.

Eventually – when millions of people start dying – the World will notice, discover your creation and react to it. If you timed your strategy correctly, the virus will have already begun to quickly kill people, while also being resistant to treatment and slowing down the rate in which a cure can be found. It is around this time that DNA points will be harder to come by and you will also have to react in order to keep your precious flesh-eating pet alive.

For example, if you have essentially already infected most of the population, you can ‘devolve’ many of the genetic upgrades that you evolved earlier in the game (relating to the infectious nature of the virus) and earn back some of your DNA points (at a loss) so that they may be spent elsewhere… like, for instance, increasing the lethal nature and killing speed of your disease.

Throughout the game, you will also be treated to pop-ups that provide information about how your disease compares to other deadly pandemics in history (i.e. Small Pox, the Black Death) and even whether your virus has become more infectious than the common cold or flu.

Plague Inc. also has great (and sometimes eerie, go figure) sound effects that help to signal certain milestones and events in the game. This includes announcements relating to countries who shut down their airports or began working on a cure in reaction to your virus, victims coughing or flat-lining, and natural disasters that occur in certain parts of the world (i.e. floods, earthquakes etc) that might contribute to your virus’s ability to spread more quickly in that region (for example, if it can be transmitted through water or blood transfusions).

Congress Only Killed Half the World’s Population…But That’s Still Better Than Any Other Disease In History! Woot?

On my first go-round as the creator of a micro-sized extinction event, I was only able to wipe out over half of the world’s population. :(

I attribute this to my waiting too long to make my virus lethal enough before a cure could be found. A failure I am sure my mother will remind me of at the next family gathering…

Although Plague Inc. is certainly a morbid game (when you consider what needs to be done in order for you to “win”), it is a great casual, “lean-back” game that will have you trying many different scenarios to achieve victory.

I have not purchased any of the in-app upgrades – which I am sure would have a huge effect on my success – since many of these game developers clearly want you to spend more money and, as a result, practically make winning for free an arduous (and sometimes impossible) endeavor… but I would still recommend this game to anyone who enjoys innovative strategy games.

Also, I understand that they will be releasing a new (purchasable) virus in the future that will create… wait for it …zombies (!!!) once people fall victim to your deadly sickness.

You can usually bang out an entire game in less than 30 minutes, not to mention test your skills on higher difficulty settings.

Grade: A-

Download Links: Android or iOS

Dana Sciandra

The post App Review: Plague Inc. appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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When you think of where some of rock’s greatest and most memorable albums were recorded, chances are that Sound City is not what you have in mind.

Located in a run down neighborhood in Van Nuys California, Sound City’s dilapidated appearance looks better suited to the production of meth, not music.

This is the story that Foo Fighter’s front-man and first-time director, Dave Grohl, sets out to tell about this unlikely rock landmark that changed the face – and more specifically, the sound – of music.

And Grohl would know, as Sound City is where Nirvana recorded their seminal album, Nevermind, before it exploded onto the scene and transformed the rock landscape forever.

Former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl, sits in the director’s chair to tell the story of Sound City.

“This Place is a Dump.”

Sound City opened its doors in 1969 to an inauspicious beginning. It was not until 1975, when Fleetwood Mac recorded their heavily praised self-titled album there (a serendipitous and well documented story in the movie), that the tiny studio landed on the rock map and began attracting artists who wanted to come and record there.

Overwhelmingly throughout the documentary, artists’ recollection of their first impression of the studio was that it was a complete dump… many nearly refusing to record there as a result.

However, what Sound City lacked in polish, flash or even clean furniture… it more than made up for with something that no other studio at the time had.

The Infamous Sound City Neve 8028 Console

The Neve Console

The Neve console was designed and manufactured by Neve Electronics for high-end recording studios during the 1970s and was the last of the “80 series” hand-wired analog mixing consoles.

It was a custom-built beast that could record and produce a unique and organic sound that could not be replicated by other studios. It was this sound that attracted such artists as Tom Petty, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Nice Inch Nails, Nirvana, REO Speedwagon, Metallica, Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, The Arctic Monkeys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac and even Barry Manilow (go figure).

The Neve console features prominently in the telling of Sound City’s story, as it was also the catalyst for the creation of the film. When Grohl learned that the famed studio would be closing its doors, he purchased the console to ensure its place in rock history and installed it in his own studio.

Which leads me to one of my favorite parts of the film.

Grohl assembles many of the artists who recorded at Sound City, to recapture the sound and vibe of the famed studio.

Jam Session

After Grohl dismantled, moved, cleaned (not an easy task according to Dave) and reassembled the famed Neve console, he invited back many of the artists whose careers were launched at Sound City.

The result was one of my favorite sections of the film, as the likes of Trent Reznor, Stevie Nicks, Josh Homme, Paul McCartney and Rick Springfield tried to recreate the sound and vibe of the famed studio by recording the film’s soundtrack.

I particularly loved this part of the film because I find it amazingly inspirational to see the creative and collaborative process between truly talented musicians. Just the portion between Reznor, Homme and Grohl is a reminder of what true artists actually are… and quite frankly made me resent the manufactured, auto-tuned and over-produced-pop crap that passes as “music” today.

Later, you are treated to Paul McCartney (whom I have never been much a fan of during his post Beatles / Wings career), but I developed a new-found appreciation for him after this documentary. Again, witnessing the collaborative nature of real musicians is a sight to see… and hear.

Which leads me to my next topic.

(Left to Right) – Dave Grohl, Josh Homme & Trent Reznor

Digital Killed The Analog Star

One of the major reasons that Sound City eventually went under, was due in large part to the introduction of digital recording and audio editing programs such as Pro Tools.

Nowhere in the film does Grohl levy an indictment against digital recording (nor is it my intent to do so in this review), but rather makes the point that because of it, the music industry is unlikely to see another Sound City emerge or thrive again.

In a time when you can easily record, manipulate and produce music from your bedroom, the days of artists creating a truly organic musical experience in the studio is quickly dwindling. In fact, it is my opinion that Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters are one of the only bands remaining who proudly carry and wave the ‘rock banner’ above a sea of mediocre and short lived musical acts that no one will remember in 10 years.

In the beginning of the documentary, you learn to appreciate the inherent challenges (and benefits) of recording on tape. Many artists had to play straight through a song, even if it meant dozens of takes in order to get it right and match the sound, since editing in those days is not what is is today.

Nowadays, you can record an entire album without having any band members present. Each member can come in, record their individual parts and call it a day… since it can all be mixed together later or “fixed” in post. This disconnect and dependence on technology is what the film truly laments and is what Sound City was able to provide.

Every artist featured in the film remarked about the unique sound that the space at Sound City produced, especially for drums and vocals… one that they were never able to replicate at another studio. This, coupled with the Neve console and the audio engineers who ran it over the years, is what combined to produce some of the most memorable recordings in history.

I venture to guess that what was considered a unique sound at Sound City, would be filtered, flattened or processed out by something like Pro Tools today.

Kurt Cobain at Sound City during the recording of “Nevermind.”

If you consider yourself a music fan, it should be required viewing for you to see this movie. For a first-time director, Dave Grohl does an outstanding job and the film is paced perfectly.

Sound City is being screened in select theaters across the country, however you can skip the lines and purchase it directly through iTunes or Amazon Instant Video.

Please visit the Sound City website for additional viewing and purchase options.

Grade: A

By

Dana Sciandra

The post Movie Review: Sound City appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Question: What is the best way to get me to completely ignore your pro-gun argument?
Answer: Angrily shout it at a grieving father who just lost his 6-yr old son to gun violence.

Neil Heslin, the father of a 6-year-old boy who was slain in the Sandy Hook massacre, was shouted down (see: heckled) by pro-gun advocates during a hearing before the Gun Violence Prevention Working Group at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Conn.

Dozens of audience members – many sporting NRA hats, which one can only assume was some cynical attempt at “product placement” by the divisive organization – interrupted Heslin as he urged officials to consider strengthening Connecticut’s gun laws, improve available mental health options and ban assault weapons like the ones used in the mass shooting that took the life of his son and 25 others.

Heslin held a framed photograph of himself and his son Jesse.

Updated: Since the writing of this article, I have had an opportunity to review the full transcript, video and context of Mr. Heslin’s appeal and reported audience reaction. I have come to the conclusion that the use of the word, “heckling” in the media is a mischaracterization. However, whether Mr. Heslin was heckled or not is irrelevant to the primary point of the article… which is the need for a change in attitudes towards access to guns in light of – and in reaction to – events like what occurred at Sandy Hook, Aurora, Virginia Tech and the many other mass shootings that have torn families and communities apart.

For The Record

I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I taught a gun safety course and frequent firing ranges. I do not advocate for a complete ban on guns. I agree that if an intruder breaks into my home, I would rather have a gun than a frying pan.

However, just as people’s interpretation of the 2nd Amendment’s original intent has evolved, my opinion of it has also evolved over the years in reaction to what has obviously become a problem in this country.

I have reached a point in which our policy and attitudes towards guns must also evolve in reaction to (and hopefully prevent) mass shootings like the ones that occurred in Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, Aurora, Sandy Hook and others:

Click Here: US Mass Shootings in 2012

Incidents like the one involving Neil Heslin are just another example of how – to some people, apparently – owning a gun is more important than possessing and exhibiting basic human decency. Instead of acknowledging that gun violence is a real problem in this country, gun advocates and the NRA batten down the hatches, point fingers & blame video games and double down on being immovable assholes when it comes to their gun fetish.

But allow me to let you in on a little secret: No one is trying to take your guns away. I know this may not gel with your favorite conspiracy theory on the matter – and it sure as hell boosts gun sales – but it is true.

What thoughtful, intelligent and empathetic people are discussing, is ways that we can reduce the kind of gun violence that shattered Mr. Heslin’s life… and the lives of countless other families.

What Mr. Heslin and others (including myself) are advocating is stricter gun laws that are intended to keep guns out of the hands of people like Adam Lanza, James Holmes, Seung-Hui Cho and Jared Lee Loughner… or does your belief in unrestricted access to guns compel you to disagree with that, too?

As I repeatedly say, people are the unpredictable anomaly when it comes to gun violence, easy access to guns is the predictable common denominator.

The President’s gun control proposals deal with limiting access to certain firearms, high capacity ammunition clips, universal background / mental health checks and school safety.

So what kind of “suffocating” gun regulations are we talking about that would compel dozens of gun supporters to heckle a father who just lost his 6-year old son during one of the worst (and most heartbreaking) mass shootings in U.S. history?

Assault Weapons Ban

Congress passed the original assault weapons ban in 1994, thus imposing a 10-year ban on 19 types of military-style assault weapons, including semi-automatic rifles and pistols like AK-47s and Uzis. It was permitted to expire under the Bush Administration. Obama would like to reinstate it.

Ban on High-Capacity Magazines

High-capacity ammunition magazines, which can enable a shooter to fire off dozens of rounds of ammunition without having to reload and were used in Aurora and Sandy Hook (among others) would be capped at 10 bullets per magazine. If you need more than that to protect your home or to kill a deer, you’re doing it wrong.

Universal Background Checks

Universal criminal and mental health background checks for all firearms sales, including gun shows. The latter of which you can easily walk in, purchase and walk out with a gun that day.

Federal Funds for National Background Checks

Obama plans to call for increased federal funds to improve the national background check system for gun purchases. This means money for more people to answer the phones when background checks are made, more agents to inspect licensed firearms dealers, and to fully fund promises made in legislation passed after the Virginia Tech massacre, which gives states money to collect and document mental health data in the national background check database.

If one of these “extreme” gun restriction measures concerns you to the point that you think you might be denied a gun, it is likely that I (and many others) don’t want you owning a gun in the first place.

Or we can just go with your solution: more armed assholes firing in a crowd or cops stationed at public schools… since someone who is intent on shooting people probably wouldn’t start with the one person who could fire back, right?

Final Thought

The purpose of this article is not to completely litigate the very complex and polarizing topic of guns and/or gun control in this country… that is a topic for another day. Therefore, if you are going to waste my time by telling me that the (purely hypothetical) solution to gun violence is more guns, I will use the same logic by suggesting that the best solution to prevent people from dying of A.I.D.S, is to infect more people with A.I.D.S.

However, all I would need to do is compare the rate of gun violence in the United States to that of other developed countries in the world with tighter firearm restrictions and regulations.

Spoiler Alert: It works.

By: Dana

The post Stay Classy, Assholes appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Occasionally an app comes along that serves a very useful and simple purpose. My Movies is one such app and for what it does, it does it very well.

My Movies is a management app that allows you to scan and catalog your entire movie collection from an online database of over 600,000 DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD titles. It is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Over the years I have accumulated an *impressive collection of movies – the titles of which I lost track of a long time ago – usually resulting in my having to riffle through boxes, stands and DVD cabinets to remember exactly what the hell I already own.

Thanks to this handy little gem, my entire collection is available for perusal at a moment’s notice from the palm of my hand and is synced across all of my devices (requires creation of a free user account).

*Impressive size, not necessarily quality… hey, we all make poor movie purchasing decisions :(

‘My Movies’ makes it easy to add, organize and share your entire movie collection

My Movies is easy to use: simply use your phone to scan the barcode found on the packaging of each of your movies and Voila! The app will search the movie’s unique UPC code against their database – including special collections, Blu-ray, standard definition or widescreen versions – and organize it alphabetically for you. The scanning feature (built into the app) is my favorite. It makes it as simple as using your smartphone’s camera to read the barcode… the app does the rest of the work for you.

Should the unlikely scenario arise in which the app is unable to identify the title through the UPC code (this happened to me about 5 times during the course of adding over 100 movies), you have the option to manually enter the title and select from the search results.

Once you have created a free account and added your collection, My Movies will sync your entire library to their servers, thereby allowing you to sync your movies across all of your supported devices by simply signing in to the app.

As I said, sometimes an app comes along that is useful, simple and just works really well. :)

Beyond that, you have the ability to share your entire movie collection with friends and family for them to choose from, view trailers and link to the each movie’s specific IMDB page within the app. My Movies also supports tablets, Windows Home Server, Windows Media Center and Mac OS X.

‘My Movies’ offers multiple viewing options to make finding titles or re-discovering your movie collection an enjoyable experience.

Features Include:

- Add by barcode search, title search, manual entry or camera scan.
- Add to titles to different groups (Owned, Wished and more).
- Personalize with location, tags, notes, rating and more.
- Browse with shelf, list or CoverFlow views.
- Detail view with synopsis, full cast list, audio tracks and subtitles.
- Links to IMDB.
- High quality front and back covers.
- Watch trailers.
- Multiple sort and search options.
- Advanced filtering.
- Integration with Facebook & Twitter
- Parental control functions.
- Shake to randomly select a movie from your collection.
- E-mail movie list as TXT or CSV.
- Loan titles to friends and keep track.
- Online title collection to share with family and friends (http://c.mymovies.dk/demonstration).
- Photos, biographies and ‘starring in’ lists.
- Releases section with upcoming DVD and Blu-ray’s.
- Use same collection on multiple devices with automatic online sync.
- Automatic profile update for latest and most accurate data.
- Remote control for Windows Media Center and Dune players.

Select a movie to view the trailer, see the cast list, link to IMDB page and more

You can try My Movies free of charge, but the free version is limited to the ability to only add 50 titles and is really just intended as a way for you to ‘test drive’ the app before upgrading to the Pro version. I upgraded to the Pro version (Android $5.99, iOS $4.99) almost immediately and feel confident in recommending this app to anyone who has a big movie collection and has always wanted a clean and efficient way to organize, view and access it.

Although the price tag for the Pro version may seem steep for some, I can assure you that it is worth the cost and I cannot express how great it is to have my entire movie collection available at a moment’s notice to share and peruse on my tablet or smartphone!

Grade: A

By: Dana Sciandra

The post App Review: My Movies appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Hey Folks!

In the following videos, I review the Google Nexus 10 tablet by Samsung.

• Part 1: Includes a breakdown of the specs, physical tour of the device and a demonstration of how everything from movies, music, books, magazines, web surfing, apps and reading comic books look on the gorgeous 2560 x 1600 (300 ppi) HD high-resolution screen.
• Part 2: Covers gaming on the tablet, Google Now, Google Earth, note taking and other features I accidentally left out of the first video, or that addressed questions that viewers had after watching the first video.
• Part 3: I show off the high resolution screen using a true 2560 video. Keep in mind that the video does NOT do the screen resolution justice, as my camera is trying to adjust for lighting, as well as a slight light reflection off the screen.

I figured a video review would be more effective in showcasing just how great the Nexus 10 is, over a written one. I hope that you enjoy the video and please feel free to post any questions that you may have in the comment section of the video.

Thanks!

PS – Be sure to view each video in 1080p for the best experience

Dana

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

The post Google Nexus 10 Review appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Hey Everybody!

The following video is a collection of photographs submitted by listeners of the Stimulated Boredom podcast, proudly displaying their “I Voted” stickers and participation in the 2012 Presidential Election.

Sorry for giving such short notice, but thanks for the awesome response to my request! I hope you see yourself in the video :)

Enjoy!

Dana

The post Stimulated Boredom Listeners: “I Voted” appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Your Vote Is Your Voice

• Note From The Author: I originally wrote the following post back in 2006 before that year’s mid-term election, however the argument and principles for the importance of voting are still relevant today. – Dana

The privilege of an American citizen to vote is the right that defines our democracy. By exercising this fundamental right, we protect all the other rights of our constitution. Our ability and right to vote is an expression of equality; neither wealth nor fame or power can make one person’s vote count more than another person’s vote.

Yet, many potential voters say, “My vote doesn’t count and it doesn’t directly affect my life”. Others will say that they don’t vote because only those with money can influence government or that they “do not have the time” to be informed about all of the candidates or the issues and besides, “My one vote will not make a difference”.

There are many other reasons (pls see: excuses) given by people for not voting, yet every vote does count. Voting is our way of telling politicians and government officials what is important to us and whether we agree or disagree with how they are governing.

Those who say that their vote doesn’t count need to remember that the 2000 Presidential election was decided by the State of Florida…by only 537 votes. Individuals who don’t vote, when coupled with the millions of others who use the same excuses, could easily make the difference in any election. In a Democracy, the difference between which candidate will win or lose is based upon a collective effort of like-minded individuals and not the efforts of special interest groups who count on you being uninformed, frustrated, misinformed or spun into electing those who have their own best interests at heart. Sure, we all have that obnoxious conspiratorial friend who tells us not to bother with voting because “the banks and corporations buy elections,” but no amount of money from either group can overpower hundreds of millions of people casting their votes.

It is estimated that over 200 million people in the U.S. are eligible to vote…roughly only half of those actually do.

An opinion of which I am unapologetically self-righteous about, is my contention that if you do not vote, I have absolutely zero interest in your feelings about politics or any topic / issue that can be affected by those who actually participate in our democracy. If you choose not to use your right to vote or to exercise your civic duty – a right that people have died to achieve – then I could care less about your feelings on wars, gas prices, education, social security, abortion, law enforcement, politicians, the President, taxes and any other social, domestic or foreign policy topic that can be affected by government.

For me, it’s simple: Don’t vote? Then keep your mouth shut. I’m not interested.

We are not a Democracy (technically we are a Republic) until we start acting like one and despite all the swagger and boasting that we do about ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’ or being the ‘greatest nation’ in the World…half of those eligible to vote do not and I am left to wonder…what is all the bragging about?

Put your money where your mouth is.

Voting earns you the right to consider yourself an active member and responsible participant of our society. Not voting makes you nothing more than an irrelevant bystander, in which issues affecting your life are determined by other people.

• The following video is of Stimulated Boredom listeners from around the country who submitted photos sporting their “I Voted” stickers in 2008, in support of Barack Obama, whom I endorsed.

Voting is important because it is all about our taxes, our jobs, our neighborhoods, our health insurance, our bodies, our children’s education, our laws, our safety, equality, fairness and our justice system. It’s about you, your family and your neighbors. The President, members of Congress and the judges we elect influence all aspects of our lives…because we put them there to do so, to represent us.

Here are some reasons to vote on election day:

It’s Your Money: The member of Congress or President you vote for will decide how much of our wealth to allocate for public services and defense, how to distribute the tax burden and their intent for government regulations. It determines how your tax dollars will be invested for the present and for the future. Judges make decisions that ensure our state and federal laws are enforced.

It’s Your Health Care: Action by members of Congress and the President has made health insurance and services accessible to millions of Americans but many are still uninsured. Their decisions on healthcare issues and Medicare help to determine your access to health care, whether you have access to preventative services or – in the case of women – have the right to decide what to do with your own body.

It’s Your Job: The Congress and President influence what job training is available, fairness in hiring, pay equality, job and pension security, workplace safety and what industries may locate to your city, thus producing jobs and helping to eliminate unemployment.

It’s Your Highway Systems: The population and traffic in this country is growing rapidly in every state. Your members of Congress deal with legislation that determines how much money is available to help build highways, repair roads and bridges. Also, what federal funds are available to support various types of public transportation, including trains and buses.

It’s The Air You Breathe, Water You Drink and Energy: Your members of Congress and the President will make decisions that determine pollution standards, fuel standards, enforcement strategies, investments in alternative energy, oil drilling and budgets for environmental programs.

It’s Your Neighborhood: Your members of Congress and the President make decisions that influence crime prevention activities, laws and law enforcement, along with helping to ensure safe and affordable homes. They help to identify federal funds to help state-wide and community projects that enhance our quality of life.

It’s Your Children and Their Education: Members of Congress and the President can help or hinder families trying to raise their children. They help to set public education policy that will affect how well prepared your children and grandchildren will be for the future. The decisions that they make affect the quality and cost of higher education as well.

It’s Your Voice: If you do not vote, then other people – with stronger convictions than you – will determine how everything I just listed above will affect you. Why would anyone allow others to determine the outcome of issues that will directly affect their lives? Issues like stem-cell research, a woman’s right to choose, separation of church and state, taxes, gay marriage etc will be decided by those who could find the time to vote, when you clearly could not.

Again, why would anyone willingly give that power over to another person, someone who is obviously more motivated than you and perhaps voting on issues or for politicians that you may oppose or who may not be looking out for your best interests? If you do not vote, you deserve whatever comes your way, positive or negative and you certainly do not have the right to complain or brag about the outcome. It is not yours to have an opinion on…you didn’t participate.

The officials that we elect affect every aspect of our lives. Every voter has the opportunity to make personal decisions and influence the future.

Although many election contests are won by comfortable margins, some have been so close that a single vote has made the difference between winning and losing. Some notable decisions resulting from a single vote include:

• In 1868, one vote saved Andrew Johnson’s presidency.
• In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the United States of America
• In 1921, one vote in the Tennessee legislature ratified the nineteenth amendment to the
  Constitution and gave women the right to vote.

Even if the result of an election is not close, each vote sends a message: An overwhelming majority can give a candidate a mandate to move forward with their agenda or a slim victory can be a humbling reminder that perhaps the winner should compromise.

A History Lesson: The Fall of Rome

In the study of some of the World’s greatest civilizations and their subsequent collapse, there have always been two consistent common denominators: Complacency of the people and corruption of the government…of which go hand in hand.

Once the people become disengaged and stop holding their leaders accountable by being active participants in the process, corruption inevitably follows.

Politicians have one overriding ambition, to get re-elected. Their entire existence is predicated on raising the funds, casting votes and behaving in a manner which will accomplish this end. If they vote in such a way that enough of their constituents express displeasure, they will inevitably adjust to ensure their political survival. However, the opposite can be true…when no one is holding them accountable, their is nothing to prevent them from serving self-interest, party interest or the interests of others outside of their constituency.

The beauty of our government is that we are able to have a coup d’etat every few years. If you don’t like the direction we are going in or if you think that we are headed in the right direction, you have the power to change or keep it…but only if you participate and abandon the excuses.

By: Dana Sciandra

Note From The Author: This piece was originally posted back in 2006 before the mid-term election. It has been re-posted because the argument and principles for the importance of voting are still relevant today.

The post Why Voting Matters appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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Game On,

Coming on the heels of a strong and unexpected Romney performance in last week’s first debate against the President, Mitt has been surging in the polls and has helped to energize a party that has been sorely lacking in enthusiasm and optimism over their nominee’s chances in November. In the process, the first Presidential debate also left many Democrats and Obama supporters wondering if they may actually lose the White House.

This puts additional pressure on Vice President Joe Biden to deliver a performance that will either slow down or completely stop Romney’s recent momentum. With the debate only a couple of hours away, here are a few things you can expect to hear or look out for tonight:

Top Ten Things To Watch For…

1. If the conversation tomorrow is about either Biden or Paul – as individuals and not the stark ideological differences between the two campaigns as illustrated by either of them in their performance – they did it wrong.

2. Not much is likely to change unless one of them has a great night and the other has a bad night. A tie may simply blunt Romney’s momentum from the first debate – essentially granting the President a reprieve heading into next Tuesday’s 2nd debate – a win by Biden could end it. In 2004, Cheney stopped Kerry’s momentum after he won the first debate against Bush, when Dick debated Edwards. Kerry went on to win the remaining debates and lose the election.

3. Biden is likely to be aggressive and does not have to wear the kid gloves that he wore against Palin in 2008, when it could have been perceived as bullying a lesser opponent. Look for Biden to try to drag Ryan into the numbers, “Which is it, a $5 trillion tax cut or a $3 trillion tax cut? Because none of the numbers add up to make it budget-neutral as you claim and I can show you the Tax Policy Center’s report to prove it.” The Romney campaign has openly stated that they will not offer specifics on any of their plans and it is almost a guarantee that the question will be raised during the debate as to how they plan to pay for their proposed 20% tax cut. This lack of detail will likely be an opportunity that Biden and the President will continue to exploit.

4. Biden is likely to be looking for an opportunity to address and take advantage of the openings that President Obama did not take (and was heavily criticized for). Expect to hear the 47% come up, the term “personhood”, abortion, equal pay for women and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the difference of opinion on the fate of GM, Romney’s claim that his Healthcare plan would cover pre-existing conditions, labor unions, 31 consecutive months of job growth, under 8% unemployment etc. All arguments that the President should have made during what was supposed to be a Domestic Policy debate, and that focused on only 3 topics.

5. If Ryan can somehow continue the theme of Romney’s performance, by being vague and not being challenged on specifics, he’ll help the campaign.

6. Due to the perception from the first debate, Ryan is expected to win. This makes Biden the underdog who can make a bigger impression by exceeding low expectations, as Romney did in the first debate.

7. Biden is very skilled in his ability to connect with average people, this is a guy who still takes Amtrak home, talks about his family often and had a son who served in Iraq. Expect to hear personal stories in juxtaposition to Paul’s more technocratic approach and personality.

8. The moderator, Martha Raddatz. Look for her to try to avoid the mistakes of Jim Lehrer, who was heavily criticized in the first debate for being too passive and not challenging the candidates on their statements or enforcing the clock.

9. Look for Biden to be prepared to respond to the inevitable, “Are you better off?” theme that the Romney campaign has stolen from Reagan. The numbers are in Obama’s favor relating to jobs, unemployment, the stock market etc. Deficit is insanely high, but most Americans do not factor that into their ability to pay the bills each month and know a lot of that spending is stimulus, bailouts to stabilize the economy and war. Also, bin Laden is dead, you’ll hear his name too.

10. Lastly, this is one of the first VP debates in which the running mate (in this case, Ryan) is being campaigned against just as much as the nominee. This is due to the Ryan Budget and his proposed cuts to Medicare and changes to Social Security etc… particularly important to seniors (ahem, Florida) and the most reliable voting block. Expect these issues to come up by Biden, not to mention that Romney has essentially run away from the Ryan Budget on the campaign trail.

By: Dana Sciandra

Debate Information: Each debate will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, as well as all cable news channels including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC among others.

2nd Presidential Debate: October 16 @ 9:00pm – 10:30pm / Town hall format on foreign and domestic policy
3rd Presidential Debate: October 22 @ 9:00pm – 10:30pm / Foreign policy

The post Top 10 Things To Look For During The VP Debate appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.

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President Obama Will Protect The Ball While Romney Desperately Needs A Turnover

You know how in a football game, when your team is ahead in the 4th quarter, they just protect the ball to prevent a turnover and keep it out of the other team’s hands by running out the clock?

This is what you’ll witness during this Wednesday’s first Presidential debate and the challenge that Mitt Romney faces in his attempt to substantially ‘move the needle’ with only 34 days left until the election. Not to mention, based on past debate performances, that the President doesn’t exactly have a track record of throwing interceptions or fumbling the ball in the final moments of the game.

Reeling from an avalanche of polls which consistently show the President solidifying and holding (if not, widening) his lead in battleground states, Mitt Romney needs to have a major moment in this first debate in order to stop his campaign’s downward spiral. I single out the first debate because it will (by far) garner the biggest audience and voter interest level, which will wane exponentially as we approach the remaining two debates scheduled for later this month…even more so, if Romney can’t produce a “game changing” moment during the first debate.

The Expectations Game: No Pressure…

Here is the main problem that Romney faces: He’s running out of time.

With such a polarized electorate, there simply aren’t that many minds left to change. Let’s be honest, most of us made up our minds about who we are voting for a long time ago. Even if your guy showed up to the debate wearing the American flag as a diaper and soiled it on stage, you still wouldn’t vote for the other guy. Therefore, Romney’s challenge during the debate is to appeal to the estimated 4% who consider themselves undecided…a task made even more daunting when you consider the average percentage in which the President leads in states that Romney absolutely has to win (i.e. Ohio, Florida) to even have a (albeit narrow) path to 270 electoral votes.

Compound this urgency with the fact that early voting is beginning in many states, and you have a Romney campaign that is concerned about people casting their votes based upon a snapshot of the election and the candidates today, regardless of the debate outcome.

Additionally, if he doesn’t deliver a stellar performance – one in which he is universally considered the clear winner – he may also start running out of money, as his largest donors may decide that the race is no longer winnable and they will begin to shift their donations towards competitive Senate and House elections.

The GOP Primary Debates: Not Exactly A High Bar To Clear Against This Field

Romney performed well in the debates during the primaries, but that was as the front-runner for 95% of the time, against a very weak field of candidates…never one-on-one or coming from behind…and certainly not against a President.

Which brings up another interesting thing to look for: Romney will be sharing the stage with the President, which immediately elevates his status…in addition to the inevitable comparisons and the inescapable fact that most Americans will also be determining whether he comes across as “Presidential” in juxtaposition.

Therefore, as the candidate who is behind in the polls, he has to walk a fine line of being aggressive, while not being perceived as attacking a President with high likability ratings. Criticizing Obama, while not looking petty or angry. All while also trying to make the case as to why he is a better choice to lead the country…and not just because he “isn’t Obama,” since that argument isn’t unlikely to move undecided voters to his side or change people’s minds in any meaningful way.

Couple this with the constant drum of embarrassing news cycles ranging from being caught dismissing nearly half the country as “victims” that “don’t take personal responsibility and care for their lives”…

OR a botched and universally panned press conference pertaining to the violence in Libya & Egypt, in which he heavily politicized the death of Americans and revealed his ineptitude on foreign policy

OR failing to mention our troops actively serving overseas during his acceptance speech

OR releasing tax returns that revealed he paid a lower percentage than a school teacher (albeit on capital gains)

OR picking a VP that is most known for proposing a budget and Medicare cuts that are hugely unpopular with senior citizens (the country’s most reliable voting base) and distancing himself from it / him

OR a long and documented record of contradictory statements that reveal a man who has no long held beliefs or principles (save for simply the ambition to be President)…

…you begin to get a sense of the perception that has been solidifying around Mitt Romney for a long time and why early voting based on this snapshot is a concern – it could be the difference in certain battleground states.

“The 47%” – A Video Which Has Resonated In Battleground States & Is Reflected In Obama’s Widening Lead

The other problem that Romney faces is that he simply isn’t a very good candidate. His campaign has been inconsistent (at best) by chasing shiny objects in the news and not sticking to any consistent messaging. He has not clearly defined himself, instead allowing the President to do that, and does not seem to have a clear sense of who he is, what he stands for and how to connect with people. His attempts to connect with average voters is painful at best. He emerged from a brutal primary process in which every alternative to him enjoyed a spot at the top of the polls. He is losing to the President by wide margins with important demographics such as Latinos, women, African Americans, senior citizens, veterans and middle class workers. If you asked people to describe the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the name “Mitt Romney,” you aren’t likely to hear consistent or flattering responses – with the exception that, “he isn’t Obama” – however the “anybody but” argument has always been a losing political strategy.

Romney faces an uphill battle during the debate, as he has to be on the offensive and attack, while also trying to sound optimistic about our future and explaining why he is the better alternative and not just making it all about the President. That is a difficult line to walk, one that requires the President to make a huge debate blunder (unlikely), having Romney awarded the “line of the night” and coming across as better suited for the job that his opponent already holds and that every person in the country already sees him (Obama) as…the President. Mitt can practice and prepare all the “zingers” he wants…but he is not a talented enough politician to authentically pull off a, “There you go again” line…especially not after his campaign has been broadcasting the fact that he has been practicing these “zingers” for months.

The first rule of Zinger Club: You do not talk about Zinger Club.

Lastly, his campaign has been lowering expectations for his debate performance to the point that simply completing a sentence will be spun by his camp as a, “clear victory.”

But hey, it worked for Dan Quayle.

The President: Don’t Drop the Ball…

Presidential Debates: “Been There, Done That”

President Obama leads in the polls and Romney has yet to win a news cycle in the last few weeks, if not months. Therefore, his job is to keep possession of the ball and not make any mistakes in which he allows Romney to take it from him. You will likely see the President provide measured responses in an attempt to avoid saying anything that could be considered a flub. Obama knows that the burden of proof lies squarely on Romney’s shoulders, and as such, Mitt is more likely to make a costly mistake in his attempt to change the course of the election, his listing campaign and the polls.

The President does have a difficult economy to answer for and this was supposed to be the cornerstone of Romney’s argument against him, but Obama does have over 30 consecutive months of job growth to point to and the fact that we are no longer losing 800,000 jobs a month like we were when he took office…therefore Mitt’s strongest attack is, “it’s not happening fast enough.” Whether or not that will resonate with people is unknown, but the polls seem to clearly indicate that it does not.

Obama also knows that Romney’s performance will need to be more drastic than his own for the perception to change. Anyone who understands debates knows that Mitt’s is the most precarious position to be in. However, the President is a highly competitive man and I would not be surprised to hear a few carefully worded lines that are intended to get under Romney’s skin, with the intent of making him come across as agitated or angry. Being angry is fine during the primaries, but not during a Presidential debate…the standards are simply higher. President Obama has also participated in these kinds of debates before, whereas Romney may get caught up in his desire to make an impact and is more likely to overreach in front of such a large audience as a result.

Let’s Hope Romney Avoids A “That One” Moment And Appears More Awake

So, whether it’s crediting Romney on providing the blueprint for ObamaCare (aka: reminding voters) or the almost guaranteed multiple and subtle references to the 47% or Libya remarks that the President will sprinkle into his responses (aka: reminding voters), you can probably bet that the President intends to keep getting first downs in order to control the clock and to protect his lead.

The President’s biggest challenge is to fight his desire to prove his grasp on complex information, which can result in wordy responses that don’t always connect. Debates are not the place for high rhetoric (his forte), therefore he needs to keep his answers short, succinct and to the point…and make Romney have to prove that he can fight in the same weight class as the President (sorry for the mixed sports metaphors). One of Romney’s weaknesses is the lack of detail that he offers for his plans, in fact his campaign has openly stated that they will not go into specifics about those plans during the election. By challenging him on the details, President Obama will likely paint a picture of Romney as a candidate who is ‘not ready for prime time.’

President Obama is also not the best debater – however he is consistent and usually mistake-free – which likely concerns the Romney debate prep team, who will be seeking a way to make the President stumble.

Also working against Romney is his propensity for telling different audiences, different things and what he thinks they want to hear. In the primaries he simply had to make the case that he had the best chance to beat Obama – not a difficult task considering the people he was running against – but in a Presidential debate, he has to have a clear vision that he can effectively communicate and which is likely to run contrary to his well-documented pandering in the past. Obama knows this and will likely use it against him.

As long as the President doesn’t commit a clear fumble, all of the pressure is on Romney to live up to the hype that he “has to win the first debate.” Simply squeaking out a tie against the President will simply mean that nothing will likely change in the subsequent polling. For Romney to win, he not only has to sway what undecided voters remain, but also change the minds of those who may already tentatively side with Obama, while energizing a base that is mostly lukewarm about his candidacy…beyond the fact that, “he’s not Obama.”

With only 5 weeks left in the campaign, people already voting early and barring any unforeseen external event that might change the dynamic, time is actually Romney’s greatest opponent.

By: Dana Sciandra

Debate Information: The first debate will be held October 3, 2012 at the University of Denver from 9:00pm – 10:30pm. It will focus on Domestic Policy and will be moderated by Jim Lehrer, host of NewsHour on PBS. Each debate will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, as well as all cable news channels including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC among others.

VP Debate: October 11 @ 9:00pm – 10:30pm / Foreign and domestic policy
2nd Presidential Debate: October 16 @ 9:00pm – 10:30pm / Town hall format on foreign and domestic policy
3rd Presidential Debate: October 22 @ 9:00pm – 10:30pm / Foreign policy

The post 2012 Presidential Debate: What To Expect appeared first on Stimulated Boredom.