Stimulated Boredom | Reviews. Gadgets. Gaming. Geek Culture. Podcast.

Ding Dong Bin Laden’s Dead!

Due to the astounding news of Osama bin Laden’s capture and death, I decided to record a special mid-week segment to provide a comprehensive, informative and entertaining discussion, with guest host Patrick, about the death of bin Laden, the operation that nabbed him, historical context, the politics, ideology and conspiracies surrounding the event.

This 3-hour discussion will likely be one of the more all-encompassing segments that you will hear on the subject matter, as we cover the details relating to the: News, Raid, History, Ideology, Politics and Conspiracies (in that order) of bin Laden from his earliest days, through the Soviet/Afghan war, 9/11 and the decade that followed leading up to his death.

This segment seeks to educate, inform, entertain and provide accurate context to everything surrounding the man, what we were told after 9/11, his effect on American politics and what his death will likely mean for Al Qaeda and terrorism as a tactic.

Does this mean the end of terrorism? When did his hatred of the West foment and why? What will his death do to radical Islamists? How many attacks were attributed to him? What do we do about Pakistan? Should Obama have released his photos? Why the quick burial at sea? Etc etc etc.

We also delve into the politics of the issue, in addition to many of the conspiracy theories circulating within hours of his death.

So much is covered in this special edition, that an appropriate description is hard to write to accurately cover all the bases…therefore I sincerely hope that you enjoy this discussion and come away with new knowledge, understanding, facts and opinions to consider for yourselves.

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This week we have a LOT to cover, as ‘Stimulated Boredom’ is joined again by perennial listener favorite, Patrick!

Some big news to kick off the show, as we discuss the recent release of President Obama’s long-form birth certificate and whether this will finally appease and silence the ridiculous “birther” movement.

Should Obama have released it? What effect might this have on the political discourse, emerging 2012 GOP candidates and the election landscape?

And of course, no “birther” discussion would be complete without mentioning Donald Trump and his monumental ego. We spend a considerable amount of time dissecting Trump’s motives, whether he will run, recent statements (including his Tourette’s afflicted speech in Vegas…which was very “Presidential”), whether he will release his tax records as promised, his new line of attacks on the President, his uncanny ability to pull bullshit out of his ass and the people who support him.

Next, we move on to Paul Ryan’s budget and the flack GOP candidates who support it are receiving in town hall meetings at home.

Does it gut Medicare? How might support for Ryan’s budget backfire? Is giving grandma a $15k healthcare “coupon” an effective measure? Will it actually reduce the deficit? How is the tone different than the town halls meetings during the Healthcare Reform debate?

Lastly, we completely change gears and talk about the recent PSN security breach and shutdown of Sony’s servers due to hackers…which affects over 77 million users / gamers around the world. Is your information safe? What happened? What backlash is Sony experiencing? When will the PSN be back up? What precautions can you take when it does?

The show also includes a large assortment of additional topics and discussions that you’ll just have to tune in to catch!

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Last week I provided you guys with the first ever episode of a new hosted music magazine podcast that I helped my friend Jon create entitled, “Listen Hear…Thank Me Later.”

As I mentioned previously, I am producing the initial episodes of Jon’s program, along with temporarily guest hosting, and wanted to send out a BIG THANK YOU to all of the ‘Stimulated Boredom’ listeners who were so welcoming of the segment!

Therefore, this week I bring you the SECOND episode of Jon’s show, as I would like to help him gain some additional exposure…and what better way than with my own amazing listeners from over 100 countries. :)

If you dig Jon’s program, I encourage you to continue to check it out on his Live365.com channel, as he will begin producing and hosting it on his own over the coming weeks.

I am sure you will hear me guest hosting again in the future and I will be sure to keep you informed of those episodes. I will also keep these first 2 shows available on-demand in the archive, but beyond this week you will want to tune into his channel in order to catch any new episodes going forward.

Thanks again for being so supportive of Jon’s program and I hope that you enjoy this second show (and the awesome music) that we recorded earlier this week!

PS - This week Jon features 3 artists that begin with the letter "F"...hence the title. :)

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Returned and refreshed from my travels, I focus this week’s discussion on some of the major news of the past 2 weeks, primarily the budget battle that almost led to a government shutdown and was averted (literally) in the final hours.

How similar / different was this battle from the shutdown that occurred in 1995? I also focus on the gross mischaracterization (as framed by the GOP) of Planned Parenthood and the preventative health services that they provide, and my issue with trying to force ideological issues (on either side of the isle) by way of dangling the federal budget as a carrot.

The discussion turns to tax cuts, spending, the economy, our national debt and the current budget deficit.

Next, I give my assessment of the likely field of potential GOP candidates and some of the obstacles that I can foresee. With Gingrich, Palin, Trump, Santorum, Bachmann etc all completely sucking the air out of the room (and news cycle) for the more serious candidates, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for those who actually have a chance, to gain any traction amidst the noise.

No serious GOP candidate (Romney, Huntsman) can embrace the Tea Party or the “birther” movement. Therefore, for the ones that do, they accomplish nothing more than splitting the primary votes / support and weakening the GOP’s chances of selecting a competitive candidate in 2012. Is the fact that there is no truly interesting and exciting candidate the reason that the likes of Donald Trump is able to garner attention…and is he really running or just using this as a self-aggrandizing marketing stunt for his TV show?

Side Note: I intended to record a second segment this week, but realized I had essentially covered most of what I wanted to discuss and would have just babbled on for another hour…and nobody wants that. ;)

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Fresh off his recent trip to SXSW, we are joined by guest host Patrick, as we wax poetic on all things geek (woot!).

This segment revolves around some of the newest trends and innovations in interactive design, social media, gaming and technology.

Patrick also recounts his meeting with Felicia Day (“The Guild”), the power of taking fancy notes and what the future holds for how we interact with companies, websites and entertainment.

We also discuss some of the announcements from CTIA and the newest smart phones on the horizon, as well as the advantages (and disadvantages) of using geo-tagging services such as Foursquare and Gowalla.

Geeks Unite! This segment is for you.

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In the second segment of this week's show we turn our attention to the week in news.

Libya: Is the U.S. engaging in third conflict in the Middle East? Did Obama require Congressional approval before launching Cruise missiles into the country? What is the "mission", end-game and role of the U.S. and NATO allies in enforcing the no-fly zone? Is it possible to support the fall of Gaddafi, yet not have to commit long-term to the potential aftermath of a country without leadership and/or prolonged nation-building to fill any vacuum left by Gaddafi’s overthrow? We attempt to bring light to the events in Libya and what we view as the major issues facing U.S. involvement.

Obama’s Birth Certificate: Can we finally put this ridiculous narrative to bed? In this portion of the segment, we discuss the overwhelming evidence of Obama’s citizenship and birth in Hawaii, and why those who perpetuate this story are grasping at pathetic straws due to the lack of any other substantive or real argument about the man and his policies. We also address the issue of the GOP’s obsession with Obama’s father and his supposed “influence” on the President’s world-view.

Politics: We round out the segment with some 2012 Presidential election discussion and what we see as the issues facing the incumbent President, in addition to the issues facing the GOP and their split allegiances between the traditional conservative voters and the nonsensical rhetoric of the Tea Party. Can the GOP win by hugging the fence between “birthers” and the more moderate conservative and independent voters? Is it possible to be considered a serious candidate, while embracing the rhetoric of the far-right / Tea Party?

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This week's main segment centers entirely on the tragic events in Japan.

From a horrifying 9.0 earthquake, followed by a devastating tsunami, tremendous loss of life and now the desperate scramble to bring a potential nuclear disaster under control.

The story of the tsunami has unfortunately been overshadowed by the ongoing efforts to contain the failing nuclear reactors and spent fuel rods in storage at the Fukashima Daiichi plant. In my efforts to help to bring some understanding to what is occurring at the plant, the risks and potential solutions...I spend time explaining how nuclear power works, the fuel rods contained within the reactors and what challenges the workers at the plant are facing in trying to bring it under control.

This segment also covers humanitarian efforts, additional challenges of the Japanese government dealing with those who were displaced by the tragedy, the issue of nuclear power and much more in an attempt to bring awareness and insight into the current events in Japan.

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In the second segment of this week's show...well, quite frankly, I'm all over the place...as I discuss some of the most recent news that occurred / caught my attention since the last new show, trying to squeeze my opinion of all of it into one segment!

I start with recent comments made by Mike Huckabee, as a result of his 'not so subtle' tip of the hat to the Tea Party crowd and perhaps the beginning of some preliminary 2012 election rhetoric. As a result, I dissect his remarks, their intent (in my opinion) and set the record straight as it pertains to the GOP's incessant focus and intentional misleading narrative about President Obama's father and upbringing.

Next up is a little pre-election discussion of possible scenarios that I see materializing; including Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mitch Edwards, and Haley Barbour et al...and why Democrats are so bad at politics.

The segment is rounded out with commentary on Peter King's "Muslim Hearings", the release of the iPad 2 and other musings that I can't think of right now as I write this description. :)

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Amidst the protests in Wisconsin between Governor Walker and teacher's unions over collective bargaining rights (including salary & benefits) and the state budget deficit, I try to shed some light on the situtation, while dissecting the political ramifications of removing a union's primary form of leverage. Are unions a good thing? What would 'breaking the backs' of organized labor mean for unions and future election math? Would stripping the unions of their bargaining rights really solve the budget deficit problems in Wisconsin (or other states, for that matter)?

As someone who has never been in a union, nor worked in an industry where unions were an option, I welcome additional insight from those who have.

Also, I discuss the 2012 Federal budget and the threat by the GOP of a government shutdown. Have we seen this tantrum before in 1995 when Republicans shut down the government only to see Clinton's ratings soar and the GOP receiving the lion's share of the blame in the public eye? Are threats like this, from either party, a constructive alternative or should there be more focus on making an effective argument before resorting to such dramatic and unnecessary tactics?

Finally, I round out the show with an update on the situation in Libya. Due to his desire to hold onto power until 'the last drop of his blood is spilled', it appears that the only solution in sight is the physical removal (and/or death of Gadhafi). Also, I delve into the ramifications of widespread protests in the Middle East and the concern that it may find its way to Saudi Arabia and the effect this might have on the U.S. (aka: foreign policy & oil imports).

Again, we return to the question: Does the United States, based upon the circumstances, support democracy in principle or in practice?

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Joined by guest host Patrick, I think we were able to solve all the world's problems (and then some) in this 3 hour segment that drifts seamlessly between serious and silly (rinse and repeat)!

We start off with a follow up to the events in Egypt, Mubarack stepping down, the military taking over and the suspension of their constitution. We weight the effects of democracy in the middle east, in addition to similar protests popping up in Iran & Bahrain.

Next, we cover the CPAC convention and whether there is any viable GOP challenger to the President in 2012, in additon to the dangers of relying on Fox News as your only source of information.

Things start to take a turn for the goofy, as we read and respond to some great listener email from around the world! We also recall our funny expereince at the Russell Senate Building when we met Senators and inadvertantly walked into the middle of a gaggle of prominent Senators.

Finally, we wax poetic on the age old question of who is faster, Superman or the Flash? Along with an update on our impression of DC Universe Online as we pick what superpowers we would want and why...in addition to rounding out the show with some technology discussion, a call to design Dana's next tattoo and a lot more!

There is more than enough content this week to keep your boredom stimulated, no matter what interests you, there is likely to be something to keep you entertained for a few hours. :)

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