theconferencecall.net « The Conference Call

Tags: theconferencecall.net

The Altruism Paradox

Published on: June 28, 2012

Categories: Current Events, Ethics, Pop Culture, Movies, Music, etc.

Tags: Altruism, Diddy, Justin Combs, Scholarship, Sean Combs, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood, UCLA

Comments: No Comments

“Justin Combs”

Recently Sean “Puff Daddy”, “P. Diddy”, “Puffy”, “Swag” (something he named himself after being sick for a while, I’m thinking his fever got way too high, million other names Comb’s son was awarded a football scholarship to UCLA. Many people think that because Diddy himself is worth $500 million dollars his son shouldn’t accept the scholarship because he can pay for school and/or that the money could go to some other student who really needs it. What say you conference callers? You can read the full story here.

Rice:

It is definitely an interesting situation. Although, I don’t think he owes them anything. If it were my son and I had Diddy’s money I’d like to think that I’d donate at least the price of the scholarship to help someone who is financially unable go to college, but who also “deserves” to go for other reasons. This is the way sports scholarships are managed the funds are not specifically donated so legally there could be issues in transferring the funds to a general scholarship fund.

Kev:

Diddy owes them not one red cent. Who knows how much money he has privately raised or donated for scholarship funds before this situation? Not to mention old money, trust fund kids get scholarships all the time when their parents could easily write a check for four years’ tuition. I wouldn’t donate anything. His son had over a 3.7 GPA and earned an athletic scholarship to play CB for a division one school. He earned it.

Plus athletic scholarships are sham anyway. Those scholarships are not for a full 4-5 years. They are renewable, year to year, as the university/coaches see fit. And no reason has to be given as to why the scholarship is not renewed. Meanwhile, schools make millions and billions off these athletes while still pandering to their rich alumni to donate. Blah!

Chris:

I completely agree. He earned it, they offered it, there’s nothing else to say. There’s a certain prestige (and I’m guessing access) that comes with being a scholarship athlete.

I do think that the year-to-year thing is wrong. Students should be guaranteed a full 4 years unless they are fired for misconduct.

Wood:

I would agree. I find it funny that people love to spend your money when you are rich. Diddy’s son earned the money. This is compensation for playing football. As Kev said, “schools make millions and billions off these athletes while still pandering to their rich alumni to donate”. So, why should Diddy’s son have to give back money he will be WORKING for? Whether you are rich or poor that doesn’t make sense. I’m going to put my heart, body, and soul into a football program for however long I can actually play. Risk bodily harm, miss out on a lot of funny in the 1^st semester and summer because I have to work out and be in bed early for games. I have to still go to class and be a regular student on top of that. Then you expect me to not accept compensation for that and also give you money for someone else to go for free. Go that away with that…

Weigh in people of the Conference Call. I think there is pretty much a consensus amongst us, which is totally rare. If you all have a different point of view, we would love to hear it.

Mark of the Lazy Beast???

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: December 1, 2010

Categories: business, Current Events, Science

Tags: AT&T, Electronic Wallet, fox news, Google, ISIS, Smart Phone, T-Mobile, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood, Verizon

Comments: No Comments

Trillionaire Wood:

What do you guys think?

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/30/wallet-bill-credit-card-smartphone/

For the lazy or convenient?

Makes it easier for identity theft or that’s just a part of life?

Rice:

I’m a little wary of this. Right now your credit cards don’t broadcast your information, in order for this to not be a hassle (opening an app to begin transmitting) someone walking around with the right receiver could pick up a hundred credit cards by walking down a busy street downtown. Until I’m convinced that it is sufficiently encrypted. I know that there is no such thing as unbreakable encryption, I just want something that is difficult enough that it makes it not worth it to most people. It is the same as the concept of a locked door. It is not there to keep out the criminal element it is there to keep the greater majority of society honest. When the cost/risk/effort is low and the gain is high then you have a situation where the honest with a given skill set become easily tempted. But here I am (a musician giving a lecture on cost benefit analysis to you guys ;o)

Trillionaire:

I understand your concern, and I share those concerns. But I would think that that these guys have thought about that and maybe put in security measures that will counteract identity theft. Maybe I’m putting too much faith in these guys. My worry is how lazy will we become. I mean I love the idea of convience, but I we all just turning into useless blobs that don’t have enough will power to pull even a credit card out of our wallets? I am one of the people that don’t use cash and use paypal as often as possible, but I’m not useless just enterprising.

Rice:

I don’t trust them with my money or identity…yet. I’m a bit of a hard sell when it comes to trust…unless I’m drunk, but when has THAT ever been an issue?

Corporal Punishment Still Valid?

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: May 4, 2010

Categories: Current Events

Tags: conference call, Florida grandmother, Largo Florida, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Theresa Collier, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: No Comments

There is a lot going on in the news this week. Nashville is experience Noah’s Ark 2: The Revenge of the Flood. Trust me I’m not being funny. Nashville was my home for a few years, so my heart goes out to the people that live there. God Bless.

As I was running through my Google Reader getting my news of the day my eyes stopped on this…

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/03/grandmother-arrested-slapping-granddaughter-cursing/

Pretty much an 18 year-old, grown tail woman, got the fire knocked out of her for talking back to her granny. So the granddaughter hits the 73 year-old granny back, then calls the police and has granny arrested for battery. There are so many things wrong with that story I won’t even go into all. But the story makes me ask this question. Is corporal punishment still valid?

Now I’m the type of person that like mental torture more than physical punishment because I think it sticks with a person longer. But anyway what say you people. But sometimes you do go have to reach to the depths of Hell and bring back some fire across your child’s face to let them know you mean business. And in the words of my dad, “You can call S.C.A.N. if you want to. I’ll whoop they a**es too.”

Loading ...

Is it just a cartoon or something deeper?

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: April 30, 2010

Categories: Current Events, Ethics, Pop Culture, Movies, Music, etc.

Tags: FRIDA GHITIS, southpark, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Theo Van Gogh, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: 2 Comments

Loading ...

In the article Who’s Afraid of South Park. Frida is very condeming of the execs over at Comedy Central.

Background Story: Basically there is a extreme Muslim website that said if SouthPark aired a show that depicted Muhammed in a comedic way thay would suffer the fate of Theo Van Gogh, who was almost decapitated for a film he made about the Koran.

Frida’s editorial say’s that Comedy Central allowed fear to make them give up their 1st amendment rights. Now some would argue that it’s just a cartoon that isn’t worth risking your life over. So which side are you on? Is it something deeper? Or is it just a cartoon not worth dying over?

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/apr/29/columnists-whos-afraid-south-park-20100429/

Who’s afraid of South Park?

By BY FRIDA GHITIS MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Despite much-quoted claims to the contrary, evidence abounds that the sword frequently defeats the pen. If you don’t believe me, come to Amsterdam, to the bustling street where, in plain daylight four years ago, a man called Mohammed Bouyeri cut the throat of Theo Van Gogh, almost severing his head off.

By way of explanation, the Dutch-born Bouyeri plunged a knife into Van Gogh’s body, skewering into him a letter threatening to also kill Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a fierce critic of Islam, whohad collaborated with Van Gogh on a film about the Koran. The killer, it seems, did not like the film.

Another similarly disposed art critic brought up Van Gogh’s name a few days ago in the United States. Writing on the website Revolution-Muslim.com, he threatened a fate equal to what befell Van Gogh’s for the creators of South Park, the animated cartoon that makes it a pointto offend just about everyone. According to Revolution Muslim, a South Park episode depicting the Prophet Mohammed (in a bear suit) along with figures from other religions is a crime punishable by death.

Quoting Islamic scholars, Revolution Muslim explains that, “Whoever curses the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)-a Muslim or a non-Muslim-he must be killed and this is the opinion of the general body of Islamic scholars.”

While most Muslims would not shed blood over a comedy show, we have known for a good many years that among the followers of Islam there are those who would kill anyone-even other Muslims-who offends their religious sensibilities. That is not news. What we learned from the South Park event, however, is just as troubling. In the face of threats, the bosses at Comedy Central folded like cheap TV trays. Comedy Central heavily censored the cartoon, granting the blackmailer exactly what he wanted. Forget Land of the Free, etc. They gave up without even considering a fight.

Jon Stewart, the Comedy Central faux anchorman, regaled viewers with a musical number carrying a message to Revolution Muslim. Marveling at the extremists’ chutzpah for living in New York-home of the world’s best Jewish delis-and enjoying American freedoms only to threaten South Park’s Matt Stone and TreyParker and their freedom of expression, Stewart sang a feverish, and profane, song telling the blackmailers exactly where to go, complete with backup gospel choir.

But Stewart went curiously easy on Comedy Central’s spinelessness. “It’s their right,” he allowed. “The censorship is a decision Comedy Central made to protect their employees.”

Yes, they can do it. But that doesn’t make it any less scandalous. Comedy Central should have hired bodyguards for Stone and Parker and aired the episode uncut. That way the rich and powerful corporation (Viacom) could have really protected them-protected their safetyand their freedom of speech and their ability to do their work and to give Americans their often-hilarious and frequently cringe-worthy material. It goes without saying, but let’s say it anyway, that nobody is required to watch the show. Not Muslims, not Mormons-whose theology South Park mercilessly mocks. Not Jews, not Christians, not anybody.

The show often goes over theline. Those who find it offensive can change the channel. They can write letters, start boycotts, picket the studios. Death threats are simply not acceptable. Caving in to them is shameful.

Too many times in the West we have seen powerful media empires behave like craven weaklings. It was Bart Simpson, aptly, who put it best, writing a hundred times on the blackboard “South Park-We’d stand beside you if we weren’t so scared.”

A few years ago, after extremists threatened (and later attempted) to kill a Danish cartoonist for depicting Mohammed in his work, I saw the artist interviewed on CNN, my once-proud home. When the cartoonist tried to hold up a page with the drawings, CNN almost tackled the camera to the ground to keep the pictures from airing. Cowardice was never so pathetically hilarious.

Theo Van Gogh, whose antics occasionally resembled South Park’s in their tastelessness, discovered that his pen was no match for a killer’s sword. And yet, the pen, the keyboard, the comedian, the editorial cartoon, Bart Simpson, Cartman, Kyle and Kenny actually hold enormous power. To win, however, they need their backers to show backbone. Too bad South Park’s bosses have none.

Speak American! ;)

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: April 29, 2010

Categories: Current Events, Politics, race

Tags: Alabama, conference call, English, illegal Aliens, immigration, Rachel Maddow, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Tim James, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: 1 Comment

Loading ...

The country is a buzz in the debate on how to deal with people who have legally and illegally entered our country. One side wants tougher immigration laws and kick out the illegals and the other side wants to give them all amnesty. Most of us fall somewhere in between the extremes. A lot of places in the country have decided to adopt the idea of alternate languages since we are a melting pot. Well Alabama gubernatorial candidate Tim James has taken a stance. “This is Alabama; we speak English,” he says in a political ad, “If you want to live here, learn it.” He vows that if he is elected state driving exams will only be giving in English. I can understand his position. Since all traffic signs are in English it would make sense that you would want to make sure your drivers could speak the language, of they were pulled over by the police they could communicate effectively as to avoid any mishaps. Well,a few people said his words were as a writer from Rachel Maddow’s blog puts “just plain mean”.

Well what do you think?

1.When in Rome do as the Romans? (When the country was founded, no matter what dark history it was founded under, English became dominant language and we should respect that)

2. Should America let every culture put their stamp on our everyday life? (Only Native Americans are truly native to this country, so we should let everybody have free reign here.)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100428/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1831

What If?

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: April 28, 2010

Categories: Current Events, Ethics, Politics

Tags: conference call, democrats, one party system, republicans, rush limbaugh, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: No Comments

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh the other day. A man who I think is a genius. The man is quite possibly one of the greatest marketing minds of the our era. This guy spews nonsense from his mouth everyday. Some of the things being blatant lies and somehow he keeps a top rated show. He scares people into listening to him everyday. And I really don’t believe he believes half the stuff he says.

Well Rush really finds his niche in scaring Conservative into believing that Democrats are trying to take over the government and your everyday lives. Well this got me to thinking what would happen if one political party took over the government. Would it be as bad as the other side says?

If Democrats took over – Would they really tax us into a socialist society? Would we all have to stand in breadlines and dress in burlap sacks? Would corporations have to stop making profits? Would we slowly lose all of our freedoms? Would we have to give up our standard of living for people unwilling to work as hard?

If Republicans took over- Do they really not care about the poor? Would all social programs be cut? Would people not be able to have abortions? Would gay marriage always be outlawed? Would the rich get richer on the back of the poor? Would government regulation go out the window totally?

What do you guys think?

-Trillionaire Wood

All Hail Google!!!

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: December 9, 2009

Categories: Pop Culture, Movies, Music, etc., Science

Tags: Droid, Google, google chrome, Google DNS, google goggles, Google Real time searches, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: 8 Comments

googledomination

A couple of weeks ago Kev did a post on Google and it’s aims at cloud computing.

I have been been keeping up with the news and it seems like everyday this week Google has had something in the news that will revolutionize the way we use computers. Here are just a few things…

Google Goggles – This allows users to search by pics.

Real Time Searches – As you are typing it, it becomes a search result.

Google DNS – Bascially creating a phonebook of all websites for you.

And that’s just the tip of the ice berg. Have you ever taken a look at everything Google offers. It’s kind of scary.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Google. I use Google Chrome. I have a Gmail. Account. I was even thinking about getting the Droid at one time.

I think they are creating a new realm of computing that we will all enjoy. But they are also becoming a huge company that can rival Microsoft and they collect a lot of your information everytime you use one of their products. So let’s keep our eyes on King Google.

What are you’re thoughts? Do you think Google is scary? Do you trust them? Am I being paranoid?

Don’t answer that last question.

Main Street Is Getting More Help.

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: December 8, 2009

Categories: Current Events, economy, Politics

Tags: jobs, Obama, republicans, Stimulus, TARP, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: 6 Comments

t1main_obama_brookings_pool

Loading ...

http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/08/news/economy/Obama_TARP_jobs/index.htm?cnn=yes

Well Obama is putting more money into Main Street.

He wants to expand tax breaks to the small businesses for new hires and equipment purchases.

He is also outlining a plan to expand the Stimulus package by $50 billion to help out Main Street.

His justification is that, “There is more wiggle room in the federal budget since the 2008 financial system bailout program will cost $200 billion less than expected.”

Republicans have pushed back saying that any gains on government investments in banks or unexpected savings should be used to pay down the skyrocketing deficit.”

I’ll be honest. I have to side with the Republicans on this one. If you get any extra money in your bank account, the last thing you need to do is spend more money. Let’s cut down this debt, please.

-Trillionaire Wood

Attraction-Harassment Scale

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: December 2, 2009

Categories: Pop Culture, Movies, Music, etc., Rants, Relationships

Tags: Attraction-Harassment Scale, bad guy, Barney Stinson, Crazy-Hot Scale, How I met your mother?, nice guy, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: 6 Comments

nice guy bad guy

So you are at work, and Jimmy the office “nice guy” comes over to say good morning. This is probably the hardest part of your day. Now Jimmy’s a good guy, but you’re just not attracted to him. And he usually lingers a little too long when he hugs you. Well one day Jimmy takes your kind hug as his entry into trying something a little further. Maybe he decides to tell you, “you look really nice” or “he wants to take you on a date”. Now if you are a rational creature you will tell him politely no and hopefully it doesn’t ruin the office place acquaintance. Or you could be crazy as a loon and call sexual harassment on him.

Then you have Kent. Kent is the office Brad Pitt/Hottie/Slut. Well one night you and Kent are working late and he decides he’s going to try to have his way with you. Next thing you know, the copy machine is taking full color photos of your nether region.

Now how is it that possible that two of your co-workers can approach in two different ways and get inexplicable results? One guy almost gets a face full of pepper spray while being respectful and the other gets a chance to make a fond memory at the copy machine by treating you like dirt.

Well it’s a little thing I like to call the Attraction-Harassment scale.

Note: Don’t try to take it. It’s already copyrighted.

Attraction Harassment Scale

There is basically an inverse relationship between how attracted you are to a person and how you gauge their actions towards you.

In other words… The uglier a person is to you, the less you will let them get away with.

It is derived from the Crazy-Hot scale from the show How I Met Your Mother?. I love that show. Barney Stinson for President!

You see it all the time in your daily life…

1.Regular dude sends a drink. Girl takes it and pays him no mind. Rich guy sends a bottle. Girl goes home with rich guy.

2.Girl attracted to a guy plays hard to get, and guy engages her in said game. Girl not attracted to guy “pursuing” claims he’s a bug-a-boo/stalker.

So give me an example of your Attraction-Harassment episodes. Do you think the scale is right?

Should Racism Be Protected Under the 1st Amendment?

by Trillionaire Wood

Published on: November 25, 2009

Categories: Current Events, Politics, race

Tags: 1st amendment, 1st lady, cnn, conference call, George W. Bush, Google, hate, michelle obama, monkey, racism, stormfront.org, The Conference Call, theconferencecall.net, Trillionaire Wood

Comments: 3 Comments

first-amendment

Loading ...

There is a story on CNN about Google having an image search result that had Michelle Obama altered to resemble a monkey. Read the story here.

I know a lot of people have been petitioning Google to block this image, but I know I’ve seen pictures of George W. Bush on the internet looking the same way. As a matter of fact, I know people have morphed his image onto a Curious George book. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Bush, but I don’t want anybody treating him less than human… And I really don’t want anybody treating our first lady that way. But in both cases, I feel people have the right to do and say what they want as long as they aren’t impeding on the rights of another person. But I’ll ask you guys:

Is racism protected under the 1st amendment? Do hate speech and/or acts (making pictures… not beating on people) fall under the 1st amendment? Let me know why. Also, should Google have blocked this image?

Oh yeah and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

from all of us at THE CONFERENCE CALL

page 1 of 2 »

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Jun
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31