Last Friday (11/23/12) was Black Friday!
That is the day after Thanksgiving, and the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season.
It's also the day the stores open early for the massive amounts of people coming in for the sales.
It's that huge mass of people all in one place that has created the problems.
You can watch plenty of YouTube videos were as soon as the store opens, people just rush in, pushing, shoving, not giving a damn if they trample another person in the process.
And in the tragic case 4 years ago in New York, a security worker got crushed to death when so many people rush their way into Wal Mart all at once!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqeY7j5TuuE
Last year, someone pulled out a pepper spray to use on anyone who dares touch an Xbox she wanted.
This year, a person pulled out a gun and pointed at the person who wanted to fight him.
But in many other cases, there are pushing, shoving and other forms of fighting over stuff!
This is just a few examples of the Black Friday madness I am talking about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEb18fkA-bU&feature=share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkQVAb1DbjA
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So many thoughts on all this
1) Malls, stores, etc better start enforcing a single-file line for Black Friday openings. Otherwise, they are asking for trouble.
The Apple store does this whenever a new item is about to be on sale. A line is formed, with security enforcing the rules along the long lines.
2) On Black Friday, there needs to be police in riot gear and tear gas ready.
Dont call that overkill!
Because the madness of people pushing & shoving their way into the stores is what's really overkill!
3 ) all these people pushing and shoving their way into store need to GET A LIFE!
Seriously, you could still live a decent life without a cheap plasma TV or whatever LUXURY CRAP you are fighting over!
Plus, it's the day after Thanksgiving, you know.......... the day you celebrate what you are thankful for!
Those losers pushing, shoving and fighting over luxury crap on Black Friday are a spoiled bunch of ingrates!
If they think it's do damn important to literally fight over the latest cell phone, plasma TV, video game systems or other luxury items, then they should be sentenced to a full-year living in a refugee camp!
Maybe once they experience the hell many that many Sudanese, Somalis, Afghans, Syrians,etc have to go through, the Black Friday pushers and shovers will truly learn to be thankful for what they already have.
In other words, learn the true meaning of Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
An all-mail election is dangerous
Hawaii governor Neil Abercrombie has announced that he favors an election in which all ballots are sent in by mail.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/newspremium/20121127__Governor_wants_all_elections_conducted_via_mail.html?id=180950321
Some saying that having all-mail elections are convenient, being that people don't have to stand in long lines, plus there's less need for election workers.
However, an all-mail election system takes away THE MAIN REASON why our democratic system is great.
That is ---- You can go into a voting booth and NOBODY CAN SEE HOW YOU VOTED!
That is to protect the voter from intimidation and peer pressure.
Having a voting booth with privacy settings allows you to vote how you truly think, instead of vote for who my parents like or vote for who my friends like or vote who my spouse like.
With an all-mailing election system, you could easily have such scenarios including but not limited to
1) young adult living at home with his parents while attending college. Parents say "you better vote this way or else I'll stop paying for your college tuition!"
2) someone living with an abusive spouse! You know what can happen with that!
3) The employer tells employee "you better bring your ballots to my office and I better see you vote the right way!" Same could apply to union bosses as well.
----
These are all possible scenarios of voter intimidation that could happen with mail-in balloting systems!
Even if the government makes bans on such scenarios, it could still easily happen with an all-mail election system!
Unless politicians want voter intimidation (maybe that's why they want to do away with voting booths), they should say HELL NO to an all-mail voting system!
PS: yes, I did work as an election poll worker this year (and in 2006). Some might call that a "conflict of interest" when writing this blog post.
But I believe in having polling places, otherwise, I wouldn't have helped out as a poll worker.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/newspremium/20121127__Governor_wants_all_elections_conducted_via_mail.html?id=180950321
Some saying that having all-mail elections are convenient, being that people don't have to stand in long lines, plus there's less need for election workers.
However, an all-mail election system takes away THE MAIN REASON why our democratic system is great.
That is ---- You can go into a voting booth and NOBODY CAN SEE HOW YOU VOTED!
You can vote here without worrying about anyone looking over your shoulder.
That is to protect the voter from intimidation and peer pressure.
Having a voting booth with privacy settings allows you to vote how you truly think, instead of vote for who my parents like or vote for who my friends like or vote who my spouse like.
With an all-mailing election system, you could easily have such scenarios including but not limited to
1) young adult living at home with his parents while attending college. Parents say "you better vote this way or else I'll stop paying for your college tuition!"
2) someone living with an abusive spouse! You know what can happen with that!
3) The employer tells employee "you better bring your ballots to my office and I better see you vote the right way!" Same could apply to union bosses as well.
----
These are all possible scenarios of voter intimidation that could happen with mail-in balloting systems!
Even if the government makes bans on such scenarios, it could still easily happen with an all-mail election system!
Unless politicians want voter intimidation (maybe that's why they want to do away with voting booths), they should say HELL NO to an all-mail voting system!
PS: yes, I did work as an election poll worker this year (and in 2006). Some might call that a "conflict of interest" when writing this blog post.
But I believe in having polling places, otherwise, I wouldn't have helped out as a poll worker.
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