The Ivanoff Report is Coming Back....

...and to paraphase an MTA advertising campaign from the late 1980s, so should you!

Since I've had enough people ask me recently about the blog, including close family and friends, I thought I could figure out a way to continue to write on here and also maintain my writing space on The Odyssey Online, which is where I've been writing lately.

The bigger question is this: am I up to the challenge?

My Thoughts: Bernie vs Hillary

As we enter the beginning of the end of the primary season I cannot begin to fathom just how messed up the United States is. We're a country that seems to like and have an obsession with power (and to a similar extent, greed).

Despite Bernie Sanders' recent poll numbers looking very good as of recent, the mainstream press still considers Hillary a shoe-in. Take this piece from my former NBC affiliate via CNN:

"I am also a Democrat and have been a proud Democrat all my adult life," Clinton said. "And I think that is kind of important if we are selecting someone to be the Democratic nominee of the Democratic Party."

Madam Secretary, let's keep this in mind: the Democratic party has strayed from the days of FDR. Your friend, Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been considered the worst leader of the Democratic National Committee in its modern history. Your husband's years as president continued America's manufacturing downward spiral, which only became worse thanks to NAFTA.

A few days ago on a blog site, Trever LaFauci wrote a counterargument to Matt Taibbi's counter to Rolling Stone magazine's endorsement of Hillary (saying that it isn't the time to choose someone like Bernie Sanders). Here's what my fellow millennial doesn't quite grasp: Hillary has been on the wrong side of history quite frequently. Among independents (the voters who can swing an election) she's wildly unpopular. Unpopular candidates don't win general elections. They lose them, and badly. Trever, smears, while questionable can be argued on their validity, hold merit and Americans buy those smears. And as for your questions towards Bernie Sanders that the press has refused to ask, well, some of them have been asked. He opposed bailing out Wall Street, not the auto industry, even though the bailout went towards the auto makers. The same argument has been made against many of his votes. And I think Bernie knows that universal healthcare won't be accomplished in one term. But the facts are there: the current system, even with Obamacare, is still broken.

Okay, all in Bernieland isn't perfect. His ideas are a little overwhelming in a country used to self-reliance. And my girlfriend is partially correct in saying that Bernie's supporters are a lot like Donald Trump's supporters. Several of them have tried sending messages of disgust to Democratic superdelegates, behavior I do not condone. And when it comes to Bernie himself, he is the worst of politicians when it comes to giving a straight answer.

Here's what everyone forgets to understand: no situation like the one America is going through right now can stay permanent. The cracks have been showing for years now (hint: Occupy Wall Street). The Russian nobility didn't take heed, socialist revolutionaries took the upper hand after some time and heads rolled. Yes, I'm comparing Nicholas II to America's 1%.

Jann Werner (the publisher of Rolling Stone) forgets to note that 2016 is not like 1972. McGovern was a weak candidate. The problem is me and other liberals feel that Hillary is too vulnerable, despite the polls. I question the judgement of my fellow Americans in that they would let a self-fulfilling prophecy happen, in letting another Clinton administration into the White House. This is an argument I have an issue with this:

Clinton is far more likely to win the general election than Sanders. The voters who have rallied to Sanders during the primaries are not enough to generate a Democratic majority in November. Clinton will certainly bring them along, and add them to the broad coalition that Democrats have put together in the past to take the presidency, as did Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Interesting. Real Clear Politics has a different take: The polls have shown (yes, surprisingly) that Bernie has the upper hand. I'm in the position right now that the Republicans will have a brokered convention and either John Kasich, Ted Cruz (both who are still in right now and I can see getting the nomination, as Trump would sink the party and Republicans aren't that stupid) or it could be even Paul Ryan. In case of Kasich (which is highly realistic) Clinton would lose badly. This is not the time in history for a "protest vote." This isn't a protest vote. This is the concerns about the fact that Hillary isn't all that electable. There are people who simply won't vote for Hillary, and I don't blame them. (Now if the Democrats draft Elizabeth Warren, I think MANY people would flock to support her, both Bernie and Hillary supporters. Crazy shit comes out of brokered conventions).

Recently Uruguayans had a dream president. José Mujica by one account left Uruguay in very good shape, with a stronger economy, drug problems partially addressed through the legalization of marijuana and with a popularity that many South American presidents could only dream of. I would hope that a Bernie Sanders presidency does the same thing to the United States. Us young people are inheriting a country that's on the verge of collapse, both figuratively and literally. 2016 is a year that politics are not the usual, and the establishment has been ignoring that.

And as I close this blog post, I'm not the only person who feels this way. 

Has The World Gone Nuts?

Our Insanity is Letting the Terrorists Win

By Sasha Ivanoff

For the Ivanoff Report

Late last week the sheriff of Ulster County, New York proposed every citizen that has a pistol permit to start carrying it as (in my eye) a way of fending terrorists off. The message boards are showing that my fellow Americans are resorting to infantile coping methods. We are much better than this as a nation. If anything, the fact that ISIL can have this much of an effect on this country is a little frightening, and I know that sounds hypocritical coming from me.

Since the Paris attacks and the tragic shootings in Colorado and San Bernadino, California, America has been in a state of panic. When is the next attack going to happen? Is there a way to protect us? (And if you're a Republican, you're probably saying “We told you that President Obama couldn't keep us safe”. Don't remind me that the Democrats are already at a disadvantage going into next year's elections (my dissatisfaction over this nation's perpetual state of campaigning is already something I am far from thrilled with, and that's another blog entry). Well, for those Republicans out there: as far as I read, there was absolutely no indication and no intelligence to suggest such an attack was bound to happen. However, Americans live in a state of fear of even a feather falling on them.

And to add, there are Republicans who are arguing that not only could the attacks been prevented, that the whole notion of insulting people who have been praying for those who have been injured and those who lost loved ones in these massacres is demeaning. However, I am siding with the op-ed writers in this regard. If the GOP wants to propose doing something, how about this? Close off our nation's border altogether. Prohibit foreigners from coming to visit, to study as exchange students, to work on a green card, you name it. (UPDATE: Donald Trump on Monday proposed exactly what I said. Slick move for the Donald).

There is a lot that this nation can do to combat ISIL, and some of it doesn't even involve military action. We can explore the reasons behind ISIL's sudden rise to power and understand how our foreign policy can alienate nations who we call allies.

The Pitfalls of a Cheap Laptop

In middle school I used a device called an AlphaSmart. The AlphaSmart was a handheld word processing device with a tiny black and white screen, a keyboard and room for AA batteries. All being said, the AlphaSmart was a one use device: only designed for word processing. The HP Sttream 11 can do more than just word processing, but I primarily bought it for that purpose. And while die hard gamers would call it a toy, I consider it a computer I would feel comfortable giving a child. In the long term I plan to buy a better ultralight laptop, but for the time being, the HP Stream is a fine device. I have my audio and video on a portable hard drive, so the lack of space doesn't entirely bother me. For the first time in ages, I'm writing again. I love it.

The machine's specs are a 11 inch 1366x768 screen, an Intel Celeron N2840 processor, a non-removable 32GB SSD drive and 2GB or DDR3L RAM. For ports you get a headphone jack, 2 USB ports including 1 USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port (full size to boot) and a full size SD card reader (the 13'' Stream and most of these Chromebook-killers have microSD ports. You also get 802.11 b/g/n networking and Bluetooth. I'm not sure how much everything weighs including the adapter, but it's light enough that my back isn't in excruciating pain when I get back from work.

In my real world usage, I've found that this laptop surprisingly starts up quicker than stated by the major tech websites and magazines. For me, a start takes about fifteen seconds from pressing the power button to the desktop coming up. That's about how long it takes my desktop at home to start and my aging Dell Latitude to start, which is acceptable.

However, the Stream does have its drawbacks, all of them annoying. If you have a huge inbox like I do with Gmail, forget about having an email client on your machine. This is a machine truly designed for streaming, not as an independent unit; however the machine is a bit less dependent on the Internet than the Chromebooks. However, when you include the recovery software and a full Windows 10 install, you're down to less than 10GB of hard disk storage. A nice touch to the notebook is that the keyboard feels really nice, and feedback on the keys is what you would find on a machine twice the price. While the battery life is impressive, it isn't as great as I was hoping, as I don't get much more than six hours out on a charge. That being said, the professional reviewers have said the laptop's battery performs as advertised.

For years, the major tech magazines and news outlets have been predicting the demise of the computer. With a new generation of computers and hybrid tablets on the market, the PC market I think is poised to make somewhat of a comeback. And while all of us (myself included) use the cloud, there are limits to the cloud and I see the home desktop at the hub of the home.

Here begs this question: when can I get another, and one with better specs? There is definitely a market for low-end Ultrabooks. For quick and dirty jobs, the Stream definitely fits the bill. And 

UPDATE: Since I first wrote this article, I bought a slightly faster and better Dell. Slower processor in regards to clock speed, but faster than the older HP. And the black color is WAY more professional. Another USB port couldn't hurt, too! The Dell has it's pros and cons. With the Dell the RAM and battery are removable, but the hard disk is still not upgradeable and its a pound heavier. That pound and very slightly newer hardware does allow for another hour of battery life.

Who would have thought twenty years ago we would have $200 notebooks?

Updates from the Sashmeister

Guys,

Sorry it's been so long since I did an update but I'll have some updates for you guys in the next few weeks.

Sasha

Sasha's commentary for June 1, 2015: Lots of Little Catch-Ups

Since I've read a lot of articles in the last few weeks and I've gotten a kick out of them, I thought I would share my feelings on them.

• Ghosting in dating I believe is a huge problem. Ghosting is when one partner or both disappear after starting to date: the ceasing of communications altogether, etc. It bothers me that my generation has commitment issues. As it turns out, I'm not the only person to feel this way. A blogger and US News & World Report have discussed the phenomena in detail. I value true and honest communication, and I don't think that should be a big deal.
• Apparently, hot girls can't get boyfriends. Elite Daily has really good articles, and I have to agree with them on these points. What I walked away with from reading this article: talk to a hot girl and don't be intimidated?
• Caitlyn Cannon might have the most clever quote on a high school yearbook. "I need feminism because I intend on marrying rich and I can't do that if my wife and I are making .75 cent for every dollar a man makes." Well, let the controversy live long as she proves a good point. I take other issues, but oh well, forget me. She's a narcissist only because she wants to marry rich. 
• Marty Jennings isn't the only person in the tri-state area that fixes TV's. In a few weeks I'll discuss how I (without photos, pissed I never took them) of how I repaired the power supply in an LCD TV. I saved $200 by not having to buy a new one. I believe that we live in an era where we throw stuff out and don't bother fixing them. And one company is at the forefront of this.
• Economic equality is something we should pursue because it's the right thing and benefits everyone, and this cartoon illustrates that fact.
• Bottled water in itself is an issue. VOSS is the tip of the iceberg, no pun intended.
• Let mermaids be mermaids: they're beautiful creatures, and in some cases, a cute 20-something mom from Edmonton.
• Where did Amtrak go wrong? In a (near)-perfect world, private operators would be operating passenger trains in the United States. But it was designed to fail, and that's not fair for the wonderful men and women who keep Amtrak carrying Americans coast-to-coast, from small towns to big cities. Amtrak needs the tools to thrive, and I hope that the derailment back in May in Philadelphia is the start of a national debate on passenger rail. Trains are not from a bygone era. For me, it's more convenient to take the train than fly. And if my plans change, Amtrak's reservation and refund policies are generous.
• While I support breastfeeding, I don't think six year olds need to be breastfed. Last I checked, six year olds have sharp teeth. And this girl's mom is 52? What happened to having kids in your 20s? Am I the only person who believes its healthy to start a family in your 20s?
• So how do I end up in one of these mature, adult relationships? Some of these seem simply right and rational. Why couples don't practices these behaviors, like discussing the future and disregarding feelings of jealousy because you can trust the other person.
• I first heard about David MacDonald's FlamingoAir operation in Cinncinati, OH in an Airways Magazine article back in 2002 (by the way Airways, you guys have failed me and I'm not resubscribing come next year). Looks like VICE Media has discovered him, and did a nice write-up too.

In an Era of Declining Relationships

Today, the New York Times posted an essay by Columbia University sophomore Jordana Narin, entitled "No Labels, No Drama. Right?". This whole "no labels" thing runs into problems because relationships are best when they are defined. As someone with an autism spectrum disorder, a label on a relationship lets me know where the boundaries are along with my responsibilities in the relationship. I can relate quite well to the author. The problem I've noticed these days is that couples (even those not in a defined relationship) are afraid to take risks to improve the relationship. For instance:

Naïvely, I had expected to gain clarity, to finally admit my feelings and ask if he felt the same. But I couldn’t confess, couldn’t probe. Periodically I opened my mouth to ask: “What are we doing? Who am I to you?” He stopped me with a smile, a wink or a handhold, gestures that persuaded me to shut my mouth or risk jeopardizing what we already had.

Why would bringing it up jeopardize what you already have? Have we become that afraid of offending people? If I was Narin, I would have made a stink. I'd like to know where my relationship is headed, and to hope that the other half has his/her (in my case, her) good faith in everything.

In general, relationships in this country have turned into disposable commodities. And for someone who likes to repair things and not throw them out, this whole notion is upsetting. Or am I reading too much into things? Relationships are worth having, and why we've become phobic to them is beyond me.

I'll use this as a bad example: late last year, Shelby Swink, a young lady from Tennessee, found herself left at the altar five days before her wedding date when her fiancee told her that he'd had a change of heart. While Shelby turned trauma into triumph, it's not that easy. Apparently I like Offbeat Bride. We don't know whether or not the relationship turned sour or if it was at the spur of the moment (I'm assuming it was the spur of the moment).

Reading through my own Facebook chats with an ex-girlfriend, I did an absolutely horrid job on both defining and rehabilitating a relationship. I didn't even try. Worse, I added salt in a wound. The reason the relationship collapsed was because I had some issues with my own family and was making them public, and I made the stupid decision to add as "friends" on Facebook my ex's entire family. I turned a hiatus of a relationship permanent, without discussing the other half. Looking back, I handled the whole thing terribly. So I shouldn't be one to say much. According to one author, lasting relationships rely on two traits: and from that hard to get at article, it's nothing more than kindness and generosity. And I'll add another one: honesty.