Blog Heap of Links for the day 6 January 2012

In fiscal 2011, the cost of the promises grew from $30.9 trillion to $33.8 trillion. To put that in context, consider that the total value of companies traded on U.S. stock markets is $13.1 trillion, based on the Wilshire 5000 index, and the value of the equity in U.S. taxpayers’ homes, according to Freddie Mac, is $6.2 trillion. Said another way, there is not enough wealth in America to meet those promises. If the government followed corporate accounting rules, that $2.9 trillion increase would be added to the $1.3 trillion cash deficit for fiscal 2011 that has been widely reported. And a $4.2 trillion deficit is something that Americans need to know about....

Bob Weston, a guitarist who played as a member of Fleetwood Mac on their early Seventies albums Penguin and Mystery to Me, has died at the age of 64. Police found the musician's body at his home in North London. An autopsy report indicates that was suffering from a gastric intestinal hemorrhage, cirrhosis and a throat ailment at the time of his death. Weston joined Fleetwood Mac as a replacement for guitarist Danny Kirwan in 1972. He was later fired from the band by drummer Mick Fleetwood after it was discovered that he was having an ongoing affair with Fleetwood's wife, Jenny Boyd.

Olympic fencer and movie sword master Bob Anderson appeared in some of film's most famous dueling scenes — though few viewers knew it…. donned Darth Vader's black helmet and fought light saber battles in two of the three original "Star Wars" films…. worked with actors from Errol Flynn to Antonio Banderas during five decades as a sword master, fight director and stunt performer….

One of the UK's most beloved cartoonists, Ronald Searle, creator of the tearaway girls' school St Trinian's, has died aged 91.

As of around October 2011 – the date varies by category – iTunes has sold over 16 billion songs, about one half-billion movies, videos and teevee shows, some 20 billion apps, and Crom knows how many books, magazines and newspapers.

Here’s the rub: in each and every one of these approximately 40,000,000,000 cases, the purchaser could have downloaded the damn thing for free. In most cases, it is far easier to illegally cop a boot than it is to purchase one. Let’s start with the fact that you don’t need to have a credit card or room left on your credit limit to procure your illegal bootie.

So. 40 billion downloads from just one – the biggest one – online merchant in a world that only houses seven billion people. That’s an average of four and one-half perfectly legal downloads for each and every person, including babies in the Amazon who don’t even have access to Amazon.

Hey! People are inherently good. Go know!

Baby boomers changed politics, Gen X changed family, Gen Y changed work, and Gen Z will change education. Here’s how the education of Gen Z will affect us at work.
1. A huge wave of homeschooling will create a more self-directed workforce....
2. Homeschooling as kids will become unschooling as adults....
3. The college degree will return to its bourgeois roots; entrepreneurship will rule....
[h/t Cuz BD]

Dewey [Okla] dedicated its Fallen Heroes Memorial at a ceremony this morning in Don Tyler Park. The memorial, which was 5 months in the making, is dedicated to the members of the armed services who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country.... The memorial has six flag poles, one each for the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard and one for the American flag... close to the road so they would be visible to people as they pass by.... built without the use of any public funding....

A young Oklahoma mother shot and killed an intruder to protect her 3-month-old baby on New Year’s Eve, less than a week after the baby’s father died of cancer.... On New Year’s Eve... two soon began trying to break into [her] home. ... she quickly got her 12 gauge, went into her bedroom and got a pistol, put the bottle in the baby’s mouth and called 911.... [When one intruder] came after her with the knife, the teen mom shot and killed the 24-year-old. Police are calling the shooting justified. [Y'think? h/t Cuz BD]