Avid Technology

Weigh the pros and cons, and then you decide if voting should be online.

Pros:
1. Accessibility- Vote from home, schools, libraries. No excuses why you couldn’t vote because of the weather, time of day, or other reasons.
2. Secure- Americans bank, re-new vehicle registration, fill out Federal and local tax forms, apply for student loans, and shop online. There is online stock trading, and social networking. Today’s encryption software is more secure than voting machines.
3. No interference with any candidate influences or tampering with votes around the polling centers.
4. Voters’ participation- Voting would increase dramatically because of convenience.
5. Large savings for communities- Staffing voting booths, supplying expensive machines, and using security around polling booths can be another drain on a local economy.
6. Eliminate using schools, and firehouses as polling locations. This can be disrupting to their schedules.
7. Eliminate waiting- Long lines, during Presidential elections, turn some voters away.
8. Consistent voting- Local and state elections will have good turnouts, where previously the non-presidential election turnouts were low.
9. Votes would be tallied in “real time”. We would not have to wait hours for the votes to come in from various states.
10. Americans could vote from anywhere in the world via computer. No more paper absentee ballots.
11. No more absentee ballots from senior citizens who are unable to travel to polling booths. They could vote from home, or use a relative’s laptop in a hospital or nursing home.
12. Voting methods are not standardized across the nation, and this creates distrust for the voting process, so many people just don’t vote. Remember the 2000 election?
13. Many Americans are apathetic about voting because they think that their vote doesn’t matter. Younger Americans were weaned on computers, so voting online would seem natural for them and they are more likely to vote.
14. Americans have become more trusting using computers for their daily tasks, as are companies and entrepreneurs who do business online.
15. Internet voting systems have gained popularity and have been used for government elections and referendums in the United Kingdom, Austria, Estonia, France, Japan and Switzerland as well as municipal elections in Canada. Voters are given a user ID and password.

Cons:
1. Voting online would upset the local polling booth committees, and voting machine companies.
2. Americans, who don’t use computers, will need technical support and access to local libraries’ computers and distrust putting personal information on a computer.

There are more positives than negatives. Doesn’t it make sense to vote online? If we trust our computers for banking, register our vehicles and purchase online, complete our taxes with personal information, complete student loan applications, then we should be able to trust a program allowing us to vote online. We are free to pursue our unalienable rights assigned to us by our Constitution. Should we contact our local and State Representatives and Senators to bring this issue to Congress for future referendum on the ballot? Should we vote online or not?

Get out and vote in our next election, and support our candidates in the voting method we have. Someday, we may be able to vote online. To keep America a democracy, we must vote… regardless of the means.

By: Mary Bogin

It is now time for each and every one of us to make a positive effort to help reduce the impact of Global Warming on our good earth. The official cause for global warming has been unequivocally determined at the 2007 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) meeting in Paris France. Established in 1988 by the the United Nations, the IPCC has just completed its 4th Assessment Report, which has established that global warming has been human-caused and for the most part greenhouse gases have been the largest contributor to the acceleration of global warming. Effects of global warming will definitely be experienced in this century.

Reducing greenhouse gases. What can we individually do in-parallel-to and in-advance-of government decrees, programs and laws?

We can do lots! But here are FOUR areas to consider right now!

1. The always can-do-more Recycle-Reuse now includes in our house the extended use of jars or plastic containers to store leftovers. And they are used in my workshop for paint, paint thinners and wood filler before recycling them. Keep containers and jars in use longer and resist the use of those “burping” containers.

2. Encourage your employer to implement a partial or full Work From Home Program (Telecommuting as it was referred to in earlier times). This is particularly appropriate for office jobs that involve sales, marketing and telephone support. Fact is, most of these roles are characterized by computer / web use, telephone / conference calls and on-site customer visits. Think of the reduced automobile traffic that could result from such a responsible program. Even if your office were to implement a 1 or 2 day per week Work from Home program, you reduce gas emissions and while creating cubicle sharing program, which will also reduce business overhead costs. Progressive companies like Dell, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems have such Work From Home Programs.

3. Plan, reduce and eliminate those automobile trips to the mall, grocery store, sports or fitness event. Car Pool with neighbors and consolidate trips for supplies. Wow! Just like they did in pioneer times. Time to plan one or two days per week when you do all the “going into town for supplies”. Walk, take the bus or subway instead of your carbon generating greenhouse gas emitting vehicle.

4. On-line shopping as an alternative way to shop. You not only save gas but also reduce the wear-and-tear on on your vehicle. No travel time and no parking expenses further respects your valuable time and saves money. Products purchased on-line are conveniently delivered directly to your door. On-line internet shopping [http://www.coolcomfortwear.com] makes even more sense to those in rural communities, where they are typically farther away from shopping centers.

Time to get to know your neighbor, expand your circle of friends and acquaintances, reduce the use of your automobile(s). Claim it as your own Personal Kyoto Protocol.

By: Carl Chesal

You’ve heard the hype, the ‘Flex Fuel Vehicles’, the ‘E85 Green Fuel’, the ‘Ethanol Blended Gas’. Oil companies are touting their embrace of Ethanol as them going green, but how green is Ethanol really?

What is Ethanol fuel?

Ethanol is a grain alcohol. It’s also commonly known as Ethyl Alcohol or hydroxyethane. The Ethanol used in fuel for cars is denatured (you can’t get drunk off of it) and is primarily made from corn. This is where one of the largest issues comes from. Growing corn for the Ethanol is not the most efficient use of energy or resources. It costs more to grow and harvest corn than many other fuels. The planting, fertilizing, harvesting, transportation and refining of the corn is actually a net-negative energy expense. Basically it uses more fuel to harvest and truck it around than we get from it.

All cars can burn a mild blend of Ethanol and Gasoline, usually 10% Ethanol and 90% Gasoline. Flex Fuel Vehicles can run regular gas, all the way up to 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline.

Burning Ethanol made from corn is bad for the environment.

You’re kidding, right? I get asked this a lot. Look it up, though. Don’t take my word for it, check The Google. You’ll find that the only people really promoting using Corn for Ethanol are lobbyists and farmers unions that need to give their farmers something to grow. Interestingly enough, the oil companies have no issues at all with Ethanol as an alternative fuel.

I really didn’t have to look hard or long to find out why.

As it turns out, Ethanol fits nicely with the current refinement and distribution system that the oil companies have in place. Ethanol still takes big plants to refine and the distribution channels to gas stations remains the same. We’re still all stuck burning a fuel that they deliver to us. Sure they don’t have the oil revenue, but that’s getting more and more expensive to obtain all the time. With the government subsidizing corn for Ethanol it’s quite cheap to get. That explains why nearly all fuel at the pump is already E10 (10% Ethanol) or E6 in California.

Give that some thought. Your tax dollars are paying to subsidize the growing of corn that is being sold nice and cheap to the oil companies who are turning around and selling it to you at 40 cents a gallon. That’s right; you are paying twice for 40 cents on the gallon. As the price of gas goes up that will soon hit $1. I can barely fathom a system where we pay the government to give fuel to the oil companies who then charge us for it.

It all goes one step further. The whole notion of using corn for fuel would be a lot more reasonable if the government hadn’t stopped subsidizing the rail lines. Rail can haul cargo with unbelievable efficiency. A train can move a ton of cargo 413 miles on a gallon of diesel. That is compared to the average car which can move 2 tons (with passengers) 30 miles on a gallon of fuel. That’s 680% more efficient, or the equivalent of getting about 204 miles per gallon from your car.

Yet the government has ceased supporting smaller cargo train lines and now millions of tons of cargo is hauled on the highways, wearing them down and consuming much, much more fuel than if it were hauled by train, and they subsidize the industry that does this, and not the one that is 680% more efficient and that is going away.

Completely Ridiculous.

There are some interesting possibilities out there, Soy being one of them. There is a possibility that soy could be used to make Ethanol and Biodiesel, but that is some time away. All the while other, valid fuels are being ignored, or under-researched. One being Hydrogen/HHO conversion from water, and another being advances in solar panels that could drastically increase their performance and our ability to have completely electrical cars.

Though we doubt you really ever believed them, don’t drink in the Oil Company’s kool-aid the next time you see one of their commercials touting how green they are. The diesel fuel it takes to haul that corn to the refinery they own is making them so much money that they are laughing all the way to the bank.

By: Michael D Cooper

You may have heard a lot being said about alternative energy these days, but it is also possible that you may not be aware of the several forms that are available. Here is some brief information about two of the most common forms of alternate energy resources: ?
Solar energy is the energy we derive from sun. Driven by photovoltaic cells, solar energy is currently the most advanced form of alternate energy resource that is getting cheaper and more advanced by the day. Usable both for lighting and heating, this form of energy is completely free of any pollution. Be that as it may, more research and development needs to be done with solar energy as we need more advanced storage systems for using solar energy in the night or when the whether is not too sunny! Alternative energy can also be harnessed from one of the other natural elements – the wind. Presently, harnessing wind energy is receiving support in terms of investment both from the government as well as private investors. You have surely seen the three-blade windmills in the countryside which are part of ‘wind farms’ that help in the conversion of kinetic energy of the wind to mechanical or electrical energy. The concept of wind energy is not new. In fact the wind turbines that we see today are the modernized versions of older machines. But wind energy is not without its drawback. How can you possibly harness wind energy on a calm and windless day? These are the times when the electricity provider comes to your rescue for providing the power to light and heat your homes. Over and above solar and wind energy there are also hydroelectric and geothermal energy which are getting harnessed as viable sources of energy.

By: Ron Harene

You should have the clear conception regarding the true meaning of the conservatism and the liberalism. You must know about the different functionalities of these two theories. Do you know what is called conservative? To be frank, by declaring yourself as an avid conservative, you will have to stick to the old values and the traditional concept. You will show your keen interest to opt for the traditional way of life. That means, conservatives believe that any new change or modification in the framework of the society will bring the fire destruction instead of producing any positive impact.

A conservative social reformer thinks that the society must support the institutional force which will never be destructed or wiped out. People should follow the rules and regulations which are being strictly maintained through ages. This type of mindset is possessed by this conservative class. The conservative society is fully against the technological advancement which will invite the materialistic comfort and intoxicated excitement. There is no scope for the spiritual upgradation.

On the other hand, liberalism is the different ideology. Those who nurture the liberalism must be open by inviting the sweet blow of modernism and ultra modern concepts. They will have no urgency to stick to the old values without analyzing the pros and cons of any system. They don’t believe in stereotyped mentality. The society must be judged with the yardstick of the modern views and conception.

If anyone really wants the advancement of the society, he must be modern and liberal to accept the change and modification. Without bringing any change in the pattern of the society, there will be the least possibility of doing the good for the society as well as for human beings to a great extent. Liberalism means progression and advancement in society. The scientific revolution and the upgradation of the technology will certainly add the new dimension and glow to the society.

There will be no drawback or hindrance in letting the nation to head towards prosperity. However, if you accept the liberal thoughts and mindsets blindly without evaluating the negative impact of the liberalism ideology it will be a blunder. If individuals enjoy the full freedom without any surveillance or monitoring, this will be also a risky step. There must be good monitoring system to keep the track of people who will be accountable to the society. The country or a nation will flourish with the richness in natural resources and enrichment in culture, if there is a good and effective combination of these two groups of ideologists. People should think deeply before taking the final decision.

By: Suzie Potter

Global warming is a hard fact that probably none of us would wish to deal with. But let’s face it, it is real and it is happening at a pace neither one of us can comprehend and control. With the increase in temperature over the years, it’s no wonder that ice are melting over at North and South pole. But there are many things about global climate changes that are still unknown to us, what we do know is that if this continue, inevitably human race will be wiped off from the face of the earth.

So exactly what sort of dangers that global warming pose?

Melting of ice over at each end of our poles does not only affects animals living there. It has a global effect in which sea level will rise, as well as the temperatures. When that happen, animals either lose their habitat, or are unable to cope with the sudden change in temperature and thus will be extinct. Food chains will also be disturbed, given that we humans depend a lot on our marine life to keep the balance in check, it will not be a pretty scene.

With that in mind, can you imagine if the ice do not stop melting and the sea level just continue to rise? Within a short period of time, it’s not hard to predict that countries and island that are situated on lowly lands will be completely covered in sea. Currently, there are countries that are already reporting a rise in their sea level, as well as island sinking a couple of inches each year.

Severe hurricanes and thunderstorms are also predicted to happen as a result of that, and unfortunately not every country or every where are equipped with state of the art technology that can handle and take precaution against such happening, casualties will be inevitable.

With a change in climate and temperature, it could very well affect the chance of spreading new disease that were evolved from this climate change. Diseases and viruses evolves, can our technology and scientist keep up to combat them?

Rise in temperature will also no doubt have a negative impact on various crops life. Higher temperature will promote more rain falls and also less snow. Certain crops varieties that depends on cold weather will certainly suffer as we get hotter and hotter each year.

Global warming is without a doubt, a real life scenario that are caused by human activities. Release of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere have picked up since the 1970s and we have seen some of our worst disaster happened since then. Therefore, we should definitely do what we can and afford, by cutting down emission of carbon monoxide and stopping the waste of earth resources, we can make a difference.

By: Sverre Philip