Monthly Archives: March 2011

Mar
29

FDA headbangs with condoms

By Katie Kieffer

KISS concert: Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

If young people have casual sex, they’re rock stars, as long as they use condoms. If they casually smoke cigarettes, they’re borderline criminals. According to the FDA, that is.

The FDA takes a hypocritical and overly invasive stance on two adult products: Condoms and cigarettes. The FDA’s inconsistent and excessive regulation of these adult products hurts free enterprise and represents an inappropriate extension of government in our daily lives. Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment & Culture, Health Care | 3 Comments

Mar
22

Play to win high-tech freedom

By Katie Kieffer

high-tech laptop

Your game-day challenge is preserving your high-tech freedom. Today, I will explain your online freedom’s biggest threat and then employ NFL pep talks that will inspire you to prevail.

On Dec. 21, 2010, the FCC essentially declared that the Internet and telephone communications are the same. You know, like how water and beer are both beverages so they clearly are the same? Continue reading →

Posted in Free Speech, Law | 2 Comments

Mar
17

Freedom reigns on the road

By Katie Kieffer

Last week, I interviewed Ford Auto at the Minneapolis Auto Show. I decided to showcase Ford on my website because I think Ford’s new SYNC system is an example of an innovative product that keeps freedom in the hands of consumers. At a time when political elites are scrambling to think of ways to excessively restrict and regulate drivers on the road, Ford has found a way to keep drivers safe without restricting their access to modern technology.

This video was shot by my filming partners, Charles Eide and Michael Danielson, of EideCom:

Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Free Speech, Law | Comments Off

Mar
15

Less school, more money

By Katie Kieffer

College students studying.

If you want a good education and a pile of money, you do not need a college degree. At least, not if you’re an American. Modern-day higher education is failing students both in terms of life-long earning potential and overall educational quality. Today, I will explain why college degrees are becoming inconsequential and offer a set of possible solutions.

When your college funds are going to professors like sex toy demo guru, John Michael Bailey at Northwestern University, it’s probably a good time to look at what your investment is really getting you. The cost of college tuition is rising significantly faster than inflation and wages are not keeping up with inflation, reports The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, the average salary for college graduates dipped 1.7 percent from 2009 to 2010, says The New York Times. Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Education | 6 Comments

Mar
07

Banksy waffles in the streets

By Katie Kieffer

Banksy poses for a portrait in NYC. Image credit: banksy.co.uk

Banksy is an internationally-known British graffiti artist and filmmaker who leaves his political and satirical tags around the world. Banksy’s work is anti-war and anti-free markets. Banksy is a rising “underground star” in the U.S. Last year, he partnered with The Simpsons to create an opening sequence for an episode. His film, Exit Through the Gift Shop: A Banksy Film, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2011 Academy Awards.

Banksy markets himself as an evangelist for pacifist and socialist ideas so it’s no surprise that Matt Damon’s Hollywood adores Banksy. But, should America love him? Banksy hides his true identity from the public (after all, he chooses illegal canvases) so I did some stealth research to find out who the real Banksy is. It may shock you. Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment & Culture | Comments Off

Mar
02

Get comfortable taking risks

By Katie Kieffer

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland. Image copyright Katie Kieffer. All rights reserved.

Due to the government-induced recession, young people are hesitant to take two kinds of risk: Home ownership risks, and entrepreneurial risks. Today, I will explain the two major instances where young people avoid risk, to the potential detriment of their long-term happiness and financial security.

In September of 2009, the National Bureau of Economic Research released a paper with data compiled from 1972 to 2006 indicating, as Newsweek reports, “one really tough year experienced in early adulthood is enough to fundamentally change people’s core values and behaviors.” Newsweek adds, “…there’s an entire body of research to show that recession babies not only invest more conservatively, they tend to make less money, choose safer jobs…” Continue reading →

Posted in Economy | 2 Comments