http://www.kevinhiggins.org/ en-us 2011-10-29T17:06:15-05:00 I've had an iPhone 4S for about two weeks. I like it and I'd choose it as my mobile communicator and wearable computer again. But besides the hardware improvements that made the 4S a compelling replacement for my last cell phone, the prospect that excited me most was Siri. Pre-release, based on early reviews and my previous experience with the Siri app on earlier iPhones, I and many others predicted descriptors like "thrilling" and "game changing" to the synergy Apple created by embedding Siri into the guts of the phone's functionality. But I harbored the caveat that, while cool and useful, what we would experience with the 4S would still be very "first gen." I predicted (or guessed, if you prefer) that the iPhone 4S + iOS 5.0 + Siri would only presage the next UI paradigm rather than plop us happily into its voice-activated lap. Alas, I was more right than I wanted to be. If you have an iPhone 4S, you've probably played with Siri, Apple's "Virtual Personal Assistant." If you don't use an iPhone, but you've heard the hype, you may be wondering how much you're missing out on. Here's my take: One day, tech like this may be your preferred means of interacting with and communicating through your smartphone. But for now, it's not, and here's why. Mainstream adoption of any new technology is either retarded or liberated by its UI (user interface), the hardware from which it must derive its power and its usefulness, and... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000177.html Reviews khiggins 2011-10-29T17:06:15-05:00 Public sector unions, in my eyes, are often the epitome of corruption, and one of the prime examples of big special interests twisting government for its own ends, rather than looking out for the people in general. I found this to be a treatise worth reading: "A Principled Examination of Union Busting" Bill Frezza argues that, "Civil rights comprise a 'broad range of privileges and rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and subsequent amendments and laws that guarantee fundamental freedoms to all individuals.' The key to this definition is that civil rights are recognized as belonging to individuals, not corporations. One of the tenets of a civil right is that the exercise of one person's civil rights must never impinge on another's. Thus I can enjoy the right of free speech but I cannot have a 'right' to make you shut up if I don't like what you're saying. True civil rights never conflict. "Corporations are not people and cannot properly be said to have civil rights. On the other hand corporations, including unions, can and do have economic privileges granted to them by both the federal and state legislatures. Under our Federalist system of government these privileges may vary from state to state but in no case are they supposed to violate anyone's civil rights. Outside of that exactly which privileges a corporation or a union enjoys is a matter for the voters to decide." But just as telling to me, Libertarian that I am, is that one... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000176.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2011-03-16T10:29:08-05:00 Do We Still Need Public-Sector Unions? I found this article remarkable for one reason: It appeared in Newsweek, a decidedly liberal news magazine! http://www.newsweek.com/2011/02/27/do-we-still-need-unions-no.html Lots of strong reasons why public-sector unions are no longer in the public's interest.... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000175.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2011-02-28T09:22:59-05:00 The Dictator Fallacy Do you . . . * believe in our Constitution with its different branches and its separation of powers? * support the idea that The State should be managed by elected representatives? * oppose monarchies, dictatorships, and other authoritarian forms of The State? I bet you'd answer "Yes" to all of these questions. Despite answering yes, nearly everyone pretends, at some point, that they can design laws and programs that manage human behavior, leading to an ideal social result. * Maybe even you believe you know the best way to solve a particular societal problem with a better organizational solution. * Perhaps you admire and support a particular candidate who claims he has just the right incentive, program, or regulation that will do the trick. Well, if you ever catch yourself (or another person), making such a pronouncement, then you can KNOW that either you (or they) are wrong. You see . . . When you have "a government of the people, by the people, and for the people," YOUR "grand design" won't work. Why? Unfortunately, other people will also be involved. This is, after all, a representative government with separation of powers. Your scheme will be touched and affected by lobbyists, legislators, bureaucrats, and judges. Then it will be imposed on a group of people, many of whom will NOT cheerfully cooperate because they do NOT appreciate your brilliance. By failing to appreciate these events, you have fallen victim to the Dictator Fallacy. Read the rest... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000174.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2011-01-14T05:38:01-05:00 Taxes and the Top Percentile Myth A 2008 study of 24 leading economies by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) concludes that, "Taxation is most progressively distributed in the United States, probably reflecting the greater role played there by refundable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. . . . Taxes tend to be least progressive in the Nordic countries (notably, Sweden), France and Switzerland." Read the full article to be better educated: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703581204576033861522959234.html?mod=WSJ_newsreel_opinion... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000173.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-12-23T07:13:10-05:00 China and the Next American Century Let's hope this Op-Ed by Bret Stephens isn't just whistling past the graveyard! It's one thing to recognize a market; it's another to be able to competitively tap it. Bret opines: "Our time" is supposed to be one of China's unstoppable rise and America's inevitable decline. Don't believe it. History is littered with the wreckage of regimes that thought they could create "consensus" by suffocating dissent and steal the intellectual innovation they could not generate on their own. China's bid to do just that merely compounds political error with historical ignorance. Read the whole thing: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703886904576031332184760212.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_BelowLEFTSecond... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000172.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-12-21T11:35:16-05:00 How raising taxes risks immedate damage to our economy. A small business finance primer. Yesterday, I jumped into a discussion on the subject of the tax cuts that have been the primary topic of congress' and pundits' debate for the last couple weeks (fiddling while Rome is burning, if you will). Mostly I was having some satirical fun with that thread, because the comments were almost all emotional rather than logical or derived from any semblance of economic theory or critical thought. As is the case in most forums the debate content was comprised mostly of parroted bumper-sticker-simple arguments and unworkable suggestions. In the course of the discussion one post stood out from the norm because it presented an innacuracy as fact as part of trying to discredit the argument that allowing taxes to climb back to their historic levels could hurt the economy. Here's the relevant excerpt from the comment: ************************** "The GOP argument that additional income taxes on income over $250,000 per year will hurt the economy doesn't make sense for 2 reasons: 1. As a whole, the wealthy aren't spending that money right now, they are saving it against "uncertainty".... 2. These are individual income taxes, so the only businesses affected are small businesses (like sole proprietorships, partnerships and LLCs) that just pass all tax responsibility on to the individual owners. Sounds bad, right? Less money for them to hire people if their tax rates increase, right? Wrong. All business expenses, including money spent to hire and... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000171.html Articles and Snippets khiggins 2010-12-06T15:34:17-05:00 The Airport Solution Here's the solution to all the controversy over full-body scanners at the airports. Have a heavy, blast-containing booth you must step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device you may have on you. It's a win-win for everyone, and there would be none of this crap about racial profiling. It eliminates a long and expensive trial. Justice will be swift. Case closed! This is so simple it's brilliant. I can see it now: You're in the airport terminal and you hear a muffled explosion, followed by an announcement over the PA system, "Attention standby passengers. We now have a seat available on flight number...." Works for me!... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000170.html Ruminations khiggins 2010-11-08T17:39:21-05:00 LOL... under the "Ummm, but tell us how you REALLY feel" department, by one "lapsed Californian." Sure, she's an outlier out there, but no matter which side you fall on, you have to love a good venting! Me, I just love the op-ed headline. Cracked me up. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592612400443370.html?mod=googlenews_wsj Enjoy!... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000169.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-11-08T09:19:28-05:00 From the article "Tuesday's National Economic Referendum," by Bill Frezza: "With accelerating velocity a whipsawed electorate runs to escape the boneheaded moves of a guy they just elected in an effort to escape the boneheaded moves of the guy they elected previously. And at the end of every election the winning party falsely claims the same mandate. "Hey, they really like us! Now we can do whatever we please!" No we don't. At this particular moment we just hate you less than the other guy. Doing what you please will only guarantee that we end up hating you more when the next election rolls around." http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2010/11/01/tuesdays_national_economic_referendum_98734.html... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000168.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-11-01T06:45:08-05:00 Obama and the Democratic Congress: "Jobs are our number one priority!" [the next moment] Obama and the Democratic Congress: "Of course, big business is evil, and business are, by their very nature greedy, so we're going to change the rules so everyone will be pooping rainbows, thereby leading to greater voter satisfaction!" Voters: "WTF? Um, I'm not sure this is working, guys. You DO know that business is what creates jobs, right? RIGHT?!" Obama and the Democratic Congress: "Well, yes, we've heard that, but we're pretty sure that's Right Wing Distortion. Besides, business may create jobs, but giving away entitlements buys us votes, and that's more important to us! Don't worry, the country will be JUST FINE. "Besides, there's a growing disparity between those who've worked hard and been successful, and those who've not, and that's not fair. It must be remedied!" http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704361504575552080488297188.html?mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000167.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-10-17T13:08:31-05:00 With the November mid-term elections only a few weeks away, it's time to look back, grab our sides, and give a big Arnold-like "Bwaa-hahahahaha" (um, that's Arnold from "Happy Days," not Arnold the Governator) at the unintended (but not unexpected) consequences of the ridonculous legislation enacted over the last couple years. This article's a goody, entitled "The President's Nun: Obamacare Scranton Scandal Explodes." http://spectator.org/archives/2010/10/11/the-presidents-nun-obamacare-s/ Ah, well. Maybe everyone involved can find work at Dunder Mifflin.... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000166.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-10-15T06:27:19-05:00 When you're dragged into a discussion over immigration policy, try to get an answer to some of these questions: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/08/05/illogical_immigration_106623.html... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000165.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-08-05T05:10:36-05:00 Reading Bill Frezza makes me want to own a bolt-hole cabin in the woods! "The other day while out to dinner with a number of tech investors and entrepreneurs the conversation turned to a disturbing subject. "What is your back-up country?" These people weren't kidding. Property was being purchased. Contingency plans were being made. "Rome was the peak of civilization for a thousand years. Will America find the strength to make it to 300?" Here's his latest article: http://tinyurl.com/26afx5c... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000164.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-07-26T11:03:59-05:00 There's a good reason why you cannot imagine yourself as President of the United States: You're *WAY* too sane. Great, entertaining article by Peggy Noonan: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703625304575116091277942862.html And, I found this article, almost if not quite a counterpoint, interesting, too: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/opinion/12brooks.html... http://www.kevinhiggins.org/000163.html Op-Ed Articles khiggins 2010-03-16T10:28:22-05:00