TECH: Problems are opportunities, in disguise, to avoid bigger problems

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

http://kentblumberg.typepad.com/kent_blumberg/2006/09/focus_onstrengt.html

Focus on…Strengths and Success

***Begin Quote***

Drucker wrote that we tend to get pushed into focusing on problems, and distracted from the positive opportunities that were there for the taking.

***End Quote***

Well, I don’t necessarily agree with him on that.

I like to use my “patented” Power of Negative Thinking, with apologies to Norman Vincent Peale. “Problems” deserve a special laser-like focus. At least four times in the last year, I have seen small problems that were really precursors to big problems. If there had been a true “autopsy” on that small problem, then it would have exposed the potential for a “big hairy one”. But, the small problem was dismissed, (over my objections), as a “fluke”, “isolate incident”, “network blip”, or “who cares because we’re done”. Now don’t misunderstand, not only did I not say “see told ya so”, but it not an academic inquiry into “how many angels can dance on the head of a pin”. It’s is about, at least in my IT world, stuff happens for a reason. And, that reason usually portends, when neglected, a big alligator arising from the swamp to take a big bite out of your butt when you least expect it and have the least ability to deal with it. Then, your left with the coulda, shoulda, and woulda, usually in front of people you’d rather not spend time in front of.

It’s nice to be positive, but, imho, you need to take care of the negatives. Or at least get far enough away from the swamp, so that when the alligators come home to roost, (yeah yeah it’s chickens!) they don’t roost, or feast, on you.

Problems are opportunities, in disguise, to avoid bigger problems.

At least they are in my world.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: ASTERIK – could be the home pbx that unlocks great value

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/091206-von-sam-houston.html?t5
Subject: Network World reports “University dumps Cisco VoIP for open-source Asterisk”

***

I’ve got the book.

(Wall Street types believe that they can … do brain surgery … with a book and a tool … while doing everything else … driving in traffic at 90mph … on themselves!)
And, have been toying with the idea of deploying it at home. If I rewire and home run all phones to the “pbx” in the garage, I have all the centrex like services AND, probably can figure out how to use voip to the voip-able, cell minutes on weekends, and pots when all else fail. It has GREAT promise!

For example, I pick up any phone in my house and Asterix can decide if my call to my friend in NC should go: by yim because he’s available; by voip;  by  free after hours cell phone minutes; or by pots line. (Least cost call routing in the pbxjargon!). And if he doesn’t answer, and I say “unimportant” it will ring his cell phone if it is in his free minutes. Or if I say “important”, it calls his cell anytime. And if I say “urgent”, it rings his cell every five minutes to deliver my recorded message. (Follow him by priority in pbx jargon). And if he calls me back, same scenario, except it’s “following me”. And, if I’ve gone to bed or don’t want the phone to ring, it can say “Wake him up?” and act on a response.

From my pov, you could “do voip” plus Asterix with say a consortium of internet people (talk about herding cats) and everyone supply a local jump off to the ptsn. Voila! Free phone service for everyone?

Example, I have a pots line and a broadband connect. My friend in NC has a pots line and a broadband connect. With Aterix at both ends, it should be “possible” for: someone to call my local NJ phone number, give codes to Asterix, My Asterix connects via the net to his Asterix, his Asterix dials a local number in NC (wouldn’t want to pay for a freeloaders toll calls), and (Voila! Poof! Shazam!) free long distance service.

Now granted there was a lot of things that have to go right, but now let’s go “corporate”.

The example is use Asterix for your remote office and you don’t need no business Centrex lines unless they are very very cheap. You probably have broad band to the remote locations already. You don’t need expensive CPE or PBX or Cisco IPBXs. Old hardware, free software, and WOW! you’re in competition with a phone company.
Looks like things are getting very interesting – soon – real soon – soon !
Hmmm, note to self, sell verizon stock.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Hey Governor Corzine … … still wanna hear about state cars? … (continued) …

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

You don’t? TOO BAD!

This morning 19 September at 0715 edst on Route 1 thru Pton … …

… … a yellow panel truck td01475 … …

… down route 1 at a leisurely 70 (Your serf speed limit is 55) …

… tailgating the poor peon in his way …

… never left the left lane (at least until I lost sight of him way way far ahead of me ; i can’t afford to pay of your highway robbers aka “speedin tix police” aka revenue raisers) …

(This is not a duplicate of my 01August report. The truck was there today again. Doing the same stuff that bothered me last time.)

Any way I am sure that he was hurrying to get to I assume trenton to protect and serve me.

Arghhh!

And, since I have your ear — yesterday on the way home a state van, with one person in it, SG25957, whizzzed past me, also tailgating the poor person (every one in Jerzee is impoverished by the high taxes, the high cost of living here in the people’s paradise of nujerzee, and corruption) in front of him, near 295 North exit 47A at 1715 local time. No doubt another dedicated state worker hurrying to protect and serve. I assume he was hurrying to return “our” car to the mother ship in Trenton, so he (it was a he I think; hard to tell at those speeds) could then begin his commute home. Yeah right!

Double Argh!!

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: free app to magically discover the serial numbers for all of the Microsoft software

Monday, September 18, 2006

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2006/09/18/keyfinder-thing-find-those-microsoft-serials-and-cd-keys/

Keyfinder Thing: Find those Microsoft serials and CD keys
Posted Sep 18th 2006 3:45PM by Jordan Running
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

***Begin Quote***

It’s a free app for Windows that will magically discover the serial numbers for all of the Microsoft software you have installed with just a few clicks. Keyfinder Thing comes in two versions: Full and Lite. Both are free and both do basically the same thing, but the former has a few more features and requires the .NET 2.0 FX library which you may or may not have. The latest version of Keyfinder Thing is capable of digging up the keys for more than 90 titles.

***End Quote***

Very useful. If for no other reason than catching all those rotten codes in one place. Arghh! Probably right after WGA, and all the other various forms of “legitimate user frustration”, those darned serial numbers are the gigantic pia. while not as complete as that inventory utility I have run from time to time, this is good.

This is a keeper imho

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Posted by reinkefj

LIBERTY: Using gold and silver as civil disobedience.

Monday, September 18, 2006

http://www.freemarketnews.com/Analysis/39/5993/time.asp?wid=39&nid=5993

TIME FOR A LITTLE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
Monday, September 18, 2006

***Begin Quote***

Wallace, Idaho – Perversely just in time for Silver Summit 2006, the United States Mint Thursday threw a wrench at Bernard von NotHaus’ Liberty Dollar program with secretion of a Sept. 14 press release, declaring: “Prosecutors with the Department of Justice have determined that the use of these gold and silver NORFED “Liberty Dollar” medallions as circulating money is a Federal crime.”

***AND***

Merchants participating in the Liberty Dollar program simply accept Liberty dollars in either coin (silver) or paper form in exchange for goods and services. The difference between Liberty paper dollars and the (now, apparently compulsory) fiat fednotes is that Liberty paper dollars are backed in full by physical silver, whereas fiat paper dollars are backed by, um, snicker, the full faith and credit of the United States government, which broke that same faith with its own subjects in 1964 when it took silver out of the money and later declined even to redeem its Silver Certificates in silver. Such was the lesson of our adolescence: This is a government that cannot be trusted or believed.

***End Quote***

And, I don’t like the idea of civil disobedience, because it implies that the gang in power has some right to demand obedience. They get obedience because they’ll kill you if you don’t obey. I’d prefer the phrase non-violent self-determination.
Interesting timing for the “illegal” declaration?

This story is note worthy in that its an economics and history lesson rolled up into one. I don’t know about you, but the “full faith and credit” guarantee isn’t worth a lot when you look at: (1) the Federal debt; (2) the Federal deficit; (3) the unfunded Social Security Insurance (which is NOT insurance; it’s a Ponzi scheme); (4) the unfunded Federal promises, guarantees, and “insurances”; and (5) the unfunded Federal pension obligations due to its retirees and to others thru the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation. One has to wonder how much air can be blown into this balloon before it pops?

Perhaps, the NORFED folks are striking too close the root of this illusion. Who’s behind the curtain? The grim reaper called reality.

Now I think that NORFED should have not used the word “dollar”. You can’t take a word that is already owned by another in the mind.

I’d have made a new word — silver ounce => sil-nce — gold ounce => go-nce. Or, call a gold ounce, a Ludwid for Ludwig von Mises. A silver ounce, a Rothfarb.

Anything, but a dollar.

So, Americans should begin using Ludwigs and Rothfarbs in everyday commerce.

2 Comments | LIBERTY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECH: “finger print lock” doesn’t

Monday, September 18, 2006

Ahh yes, security technology 0, hackers 1!

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: microsoft bug in windoz and word?

Monday, September 18, 2006

Interesting. Copy a fragment from a webpage. Paste it to word pad – note pad – or your favorite text editor. (I like EditPadPro http://www.editpadpro.com/) You know it is there. Fire up microsoft word. (Fire may be a bad choice of an action verb!) Try to paste. Nada. Back to that editor. Try to paste. It’s el gonno. (Tech term for “what cha talkin bout Willis?”) What cut? Who supposed to paste? And word and windoze all do a sargent shultz. (“I no nuthin. Nuthin! nuthin at all!) Redo the copy. Go to word. And magically it works. Interesting!?!

Doctor Watson, do you think that maybe microsoft took liberties in handoffs between windoze, word, and lookout? says Sherlock

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Posted by reinkefj

WRITING: TYVM … “thank you very much”

Monday, September 18, 2006

Sarcasm!

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: Worth studying … middle class is on a slipery slope of debt … caused by basics and taxes?

Monday, September 18, 2006

http://www.harvard-magazine.com/on-line/010682.html

The Middle Class on the Precipice
Rising financial risks for American families
by Elizabeth Warren
***Begin Quote***

So where did their money go? It went to the basics. The real increases in family spending are for the items that make a family middle class and keep them safe (housing, health insurance), that educate their children (pre-school and college), and that let them earn a living (transportation, childcare, and taxes).

***End Quote***

It’s interesting that the author in this summary includes taxes as part of the basics.  It’s also interesting that there is no action plan for how to get out of this mess.

I’d suggest to those at risk:

(1) Increased awareness of the risks. Having been caught unaware in my life, I know that wake up call is a real slap in hte face.

(2) Knowledge is power. Know where every dime goes. Put every nickle to work. Cash management will be rewarded. Do people have any idea what their current run rate is? What is the minimum cash burn if nothing was coming in? What is the life boat run rate? It’s amazing how many people don’t even have these concepts in their vocabulary.

(3) An emergency fund suitable for your risk level. A year’s worth of run rate, invested in short term certificates, is probably the minimum. The size of the fund has to be adjusted for age. Over forty? Getting a job is twice as hard as under. Over fifty? Four times as hard. Over sixty? Forget it. Corporate Amerika doesn’t want you.

(4)  Cut expenses to the bone like the ww2 generation did. Manage long term mortgage debt like an investment portfolio. Minimize the amount you’re paying. Notice – I didn’t say take cash and pay it off like some radio talk show hosts advise. One raving looney said sell the house to pay it off. That might be correct in SPECIFIC cases, but not as a general rule. A home mortgage is like sleeping in your bank. Following his strategy, you might wind up paying more in taxes and have nothing to fall back on. To be free and clear and debt free? not sure tht’s the best advice for everyone. But also, if you have an adjustable, then you have a problem.

(5) Simplify.

(6) Develop alternate earning streams, skills, and investments. (An investment is something that gives you a return.)

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Posted by reinkefj

FUNY: Retrieving WW2 tank … looks like muddy fun

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Montezuma’s revenge

Russian Tank Recovered from the Lake After 50 Years Been There
Category: Other, Exclusive, History, Photos, Technology, Video |
WW-II Trophy tank
***Begin Quote***

14 September 2000, a Komatsu D375A-2 pulled an abandoned tank from its archival tomb under the bottom of a lake near Johvi, Estonia. The Soviet-built T34/76A tank had been resting at the bottom of the lake for 56 years. According to its specifications, it’s a 27-tonne machine with a top speed of 53km/h.

***End Quote***

I think this was neat. Neat project, careful engineering (lest you wind up with MisamishuiKowawahatsee in the lake as well), AND they got the engine running in a few minutes!!! I think that was the most surprising report.

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Posted by reinkefj

LIBERTY: Now big gubamint says no boating!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://www.ybw.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20060814154923ibinews.html

US federal judge declares boating illegal in all US navigable waters
By IBI Magazine

***Begin Quote***

In a rather bizarre ruling that has marine industry officials worried, Judge Robert G. James of the United States District Court, Western Division of Louisiana, has said that it is criminal trespass for the American boating public to boat, fish, or hunt on the Mississippi River and other navigable waters in the US.

In the case of Normal Parm v. Sheriff Mark Shumate, James ruled that federal law grants exclusive and private control over the waters of the river, outside the main shipping channel, to riparian landowners. The shallows of the navigable waters are no longer open to the public. That, in effect, makes boating illegal across most of the country.

***End Quote***

File this under “Ya Gotta Be Kiddin”! Why do we tolerate this gang of armed thugs to tell us what to do? this is just more central big gubamint non-sense.

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Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: Boston Globe nails IBM and others

Sunday, September 17, 2006

STRATEGY: Attention Kmart shoppers the rules of the job game have changed …

http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2006/09/17/visions_of_the_golden_years_dim_as_pension_promises_fade/?page=full

Anyone, who doesn’t understand that the rule of the gasme have changed, should read this.

No, print it, and nail it to your bathroom mirror. Seven years of bad luck is the least of your worries!

Don’t think that the “corporate management” will do ANYTHING but loot your beloved enterprise. Cast off your illusions. It’s a cold cruel world out there.

Pension? Just plan on possibly getting something from the Pension Guarantee Fund. (Maybe!) Ask the Delta pilots how they feel.

Life-time employment? Ask the Ford blue collar workers.

Benefits? Maybe, as long as they don’t cost too much. Retirees shoudl get ready for the Eskimo iceberg voyage.

Action plan:

(1) Trust no one! What you have in your pocket is yours. Anything else has a tinge of “maybe” attached to it.

(2) Develop skills. Create a portfolio of what you can offer another employer or the marketplace. That has value!

(3) Develop alternate revenue streams. Part-time job, side business, investment protfolio, rental properties, ebay biz, something, anything.

(4) Develop awareness. There is no rescue team coming to help. Don’t expect mercy becasue there isn’t any. Pull up your big boy pants and get ready for trouble.

###

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: “BITTORRENET” protocol in visual terms; I use the Azureus client!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

BitTorrent Simulator: How and Why BitTorrent works

BitTorrent Simulator: How and Why BitTorrent works
***Begin Quote***

BitTorrent is a great protocol to distribute large files. One of it’s main advantages is that every downloader starts sharing right away, even without having a full copy of the file.

***End Quote***

For the visuals among us, the graphical model really gives a great visualization of how the think works. If a picture is wortha thousand words, the simulation is a grazzillion words.

Now I need to learn about torrents.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: My reaction to this week’s “picnic”. YMMV!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Here’s a weekly message that I find of value. I usually try all the suggestions that pique my curiousity. YMMV

New Media Picks Of The Week: Sharewood Picnic 70

http://www.masternewmedia.org/new_media_tools/new_media_picks/new_media_picks_of_the_week_20060917.htm

***Begin Quote***

1. SmartVideoChannel
2. Zoho Show
3. Live Documents
4. V4S
5. Treemo
6. Webshots
7. PDF Text Online
8. Zapr
9. Noovo
10. SimplyHeadlines

***End Quote***
SmartVideoChannel              http://www.smartvideochannel.com/
“SmartVideoChannel allows you to create your own media hosting site or link hosted media to your pre-existing website.”

I don’t “do” a lot of video so I pass.

Verdict: I Pass

=

Zoho Show                        http://www.zohoshow.com/login.sas
“Zoho Show is an online tool to create, edit, publish, and show presentations.”

This may be useful. I’ll have to try it with one of my canned presentations. Corporate type probably can only use it for the most bland presentations. So what would I use it for? Hmmm??????

Verdict: Jury’s still out.

=

Live Documents                      http://www.live-documents.com/
“Live Documents is a tool that enables you to collaborate over Microsoft Word and Excel documents with others.”

Again, not much use to me. The French Resistence shot collaborators. And so does corporate america. Or at least it’s not rewarded. “Free trial” scares me. Guess they will expect to sell subscriptions. It’s not the same as “free”.

Verdict: I pass

=

V4S                                        http://orb.com/skype/
“V4S is a voice messaging platform that enables you to send and receive voicemails.”

Mentions skype (a killer for me), always connected, and such.

Verdict: I pass

=

Treemo                                http://www.treemo.com/
“Treemo is an online and mobile community dedicated to sharing digital media.”

Napster? I don’t need hassles witht he RIAA.

Verdict: I pass

=

Webshots                                 http://www.webshots.com/
“Webshots is a service that allows you to upload unlimited images and create online photo albums.”

Sanpfish! Kodak!

Verdict: I pass

=

PDF Text Online                       http://www.pdftextonline.com/
“PDF Text Online is a service that converts PDF files in text files.”

Not a cracker, but could be useful.

Verdict: Schedule for a test.

=

Zapr                                           http://www.zapr.net/
“Zapr is an application that lets you create links to any files on your PC.”

Interesting. This could be useful. Oh Oh O, requires dotnet. Argh, that’s not in alignment with being Microsloth free in 07.

Verdict: I pass

=

Noovo                                          http://www.noovo.us/
“Noovo is a browser-based editor which allows you to create websites homepages without having to deal with HTML and other codes.”

Interesting, almost compelling, since I have been playing with my homepages, with many Argh!s and worse, I tried it. Waste of time. No way to pick up an existing page. (Or at least no way I could see.) No way to save one’s work. (Or no way I saw.) So a waste of my time. Google base pages, or whatever they call it does the same thing.

Verdict: I pass.

=

SimplyHeadlines                            http://www.simplyheadlines.com/
“SimplyHeadlines is a service that enables you to pick news from the sources you select and receive a digest directly into your email.”

Sounbds interesting and might be useful.

Verdict: Schedule a test!

=

So some interesting items at the picnic.

1 Comment | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

PROD: This is why I ALWAYS write down where I park when in strange places

Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006430117,00.html

Car found after seven months
By JOHN TROUP
September 16, 2006

***Begin Quote***

MOTORIST Eric King has been reunited with his car — seven months after FORGETTING where he parked it.

Absent-minded Eric, 57, left his black X-reg Ford Focus in a space in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, last February so he could walk into the town centre.
***End Quote***

When I go strange places and park my car, I always write down where. A friend of mine did this in college, (I know prestigious amounts of beer were consumed), and forgot where he parked in NYC. All he knew was that he got a free space. (Scary part was that his date — now wife — who doesn’t drink — didn’t remember either!) Luckily this was in the days before the aggressive tow away program. (Just as well he didn’t find it. Something bad could have happened — dui, accident, fatality) So, later the next day, when he was sober, he got his brother to cruise in a search pattern until he found it. (Hmm, maybe there is an invention here; a “car call home” feature like an errant teenager!). Any way since that incident, which was hysterical, I always write down where I park my car. I don’t want to have to eat crow since I berated him badly at the time, laughed at repeatedly over the years, and remind him of it often.

This fellow tops my griend and apparently no dringking involved. At least my freind, who will remain nameless, but you know who you are, had an excuse.

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Posted by reinkefj

FUN: This sounds like something I’d like to do, and did in college

Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3799852a12,00.html

Germans crack open beer at Oktoberfest
17 September 2006

***Begin Quote***

MUNICH: Munich opened its doors to thousands of beer-drinking merrymakers as the world’s biggest folk festival, the Oktoberfest, got under way in celebrations which this year last two days longer than usual.

Germans, in party mood after the World Cup and cheered by a pickup in the economy, have 18 days to consume millions of litres of beer and hundreds of thousands of sausages as the festival has been extended to include October 3’s public holiday.
***End Quote***

I think I did that “six day fest” in college, but those days are very hazy. And best forgotten. When I do retire, I think I’d like to sample the fun!

Note to self: Add this to things to do before leaving the game! stage. play. illusions. whatever!

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Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: eXtreme Personal Branding

Saturday, September 16, 2006

http://execunet.blogspot.com/2005/11/dont-miss-next-strategic-turn_28.html

Dave talks about “personal branding” … …

… … but this fellow takes it to an extreme.

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2005/11/maybe-im-taking-this-whole-personal.html

;-)

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Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: “Hello My Name Is” fellow has a niche

Saturday, September 16, 2006

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2006/09/lessons-learned-from-job-that-sucked.html

hellomynameisscott

***Begin Quote***

Unique Closers
I’m not talking about closing the sale. I’m talking about the last thing you say to a customer in your opening conversation that reminds them who you are and that you’d be happy to help. So, instead of saying, “I’m Scott if you have any questions,” or “Here’s my card if you need me,” I’d say:

• “If you need anything, I’ll be over by the donuts.”

• “Well, I’m Scott. If you have an questions, I’ll be in the back corner sleeping on the $3000 Italian Leather Sofa.” (SIDE NOTE: one out of every five customers then asked me, “Ooh! Can we see that sofa?”)

• “I’ll let you guys go have fun. If you need me, I’m the only salesman under 50.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS: What’s your unique closer(s)?
***End Quote***

You readers, go have fun; I’ll be pblogging on something over in tech, if you have any questions!

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Posted by reinkefj

GUNS: Doctor Ruth was sniper in th Israeli Army

Saturday, September 16, 2006

I was just listening to an episode of Hollywood Squares on GSN. (Hey everyone has to have some Quadrant 4 time!) They said Doctor Ruth was once a sniper in the Israeli Army. I was stunned. Tech me never to judge a book by the cover. And, any skin head might be well advised to avoid little old Jewish ladies like her. She might have a surprise for them. Neat factoid!

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Posted by reinkefj

WRITING: Standing on the shoulders of others

Saturday, September 16, 2006

A fellow pinged me back about something I had written in a public forum about “good points”, here’s what I wrote back.

Thanks but I didn’t write that to “score points”. I did write it to let people know what I was seeing. I like to say “I’m hopeless, nut maybe I can help you”. That, and my other favorite, “We all stand on the shoulders of other men. Some of who were giants. Some of who gave all for us. When is it our turn to be the shoulder that others stand upon”.

Very philosophical this morning.

By the way, I still haven’t figured out what to call this media or medium. “Online drivel”, “pearls of wisdom”, “dikw”, … or “stream of consciousness poetry” come to mind.

Is it a blog? Most of the blogs I read are much more structured. more topic restricted. written by multiple people.

This is a — single authored — personal ramble — on things that attract my attention — of dubious value — somewhat whiny — randomly interesting?

A personal web log? A pblog! (Dare you to pronounce that!)

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Posted by reinkefj

LIBERTY: NORFED’s struck a nerve with the fiat currency monopoly!

Friday, September 15, 2006

http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=press_release&ID=710

(So I wrote to an expert to sort it out!)

Lew, [of http://lewrockwell.com/ (anti-state, anti-war, pro-market), the Mises Institute, and famous Libertarian]

(1) Perhaps you’d care to comment about the nonsense spewing out of the gubamint about money. There’s no doubt that the NORFED has struck a nerve. NORFED ain’t fooling anyone, but it’s a good cover story. If the mint has exclusive, then why do we have the Federal Reserve in the process?

(2) Note that the gubamint has added the word “exclusive” in their rendition of the Constitution.

(3) Now that the Barbara Streisand is out of the way, here’s my tough ramble. Somebody’s Law (Say, Shea, or something with S) “bad money drives good out of circulation” would say that if I have a FRB and Liberty Dollar, that I’ll spend the FRBie as fast as I can because it’s intrinsically worthless. Is there ever a time when good money can drive bad out. If there is no case, then there is no way for NORFED’s money to push out the FRBie. Comment?

(4) My take on NORFED is NOT that they were fooling anyone, but that they were trying to retake the word dollar (i.e., thaller). And, charge a commission for it.

(Marketing 101 teaches you can’t take a word that someone already owns in the marketplace of the mind. It’s like Ford trying to take QUALITY from Mercedes, or SAFETY from Volvo. Ain’t gonna happen!)

Now everyone is entitled to earn the sweat of their brow, but the escalating value of their “dollar” was confusing at best. The NORFED MLM quality turned people off. Me too.

Wouldn’t we be better off with a new unit of currency. Let’s call it the dinar (that should get everyone’s shorts in a knot!). And define it as an ounce of gold. The golden dinar. Same thing for silver. The silver dinar is one ounce of silver. Maybe it should be in metric units?

OK, I’ll make it metric! The golden Ludwig will be 0.0283495 of a kilogram of gold. Similarly our Rothfarb will be 0.0283495 of a kilogram of silver.

Wouldn’t “we” be better served by using straight bullion coins as money? Makes the accounting easier in the sense that the hidden tax of inflation can’t bite us. Instead of financial reports in dollars, they be in Ludwigs or Rothfarbs.

Comment?

(5) Can you ever envision us getting out the fiat currency mess we are in? Short of a reichmark style inflation, an overthrow of the Federal Reserve System or some version of a French Revolution, how will could might it happen?

Just a dumb injineer that got two Ds in two college economics courses. And, was smart enough to keep my mouth shut in my post grad mba courses!
Fjohn

1 Comment | LIBERTY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Citizen versus the Cop. Cop gets help from Chief. And, it all goes south from there. imho

Friday, September 15, 2006

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/doogie.html

***Begin Quote***

Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, was arrested September 11, 2006 for helping a dying chained dog named Doogie who could not stand in East Freedom, Pennsylvania. Below are the details of the case, with photo and video documentation.

***End Quote***

Guess who own the abused dog?

Yup, a cop!

Now I am no PETA type. Nor, do automatically take sides.

Assuming that what is reported is true. Then, IMHO, there is official misconduct.

Plus aren’t we told that people, who abuse animals, usually move up to people.

(I thought NJ had the monopoly on that!)

I think this needs some “sunshine”. And, a few people need to seek gainful employment in other that Policing. The Chief, the Cop, the Animal Control Officer, the DA, and any one else who thinks this is OK!

Never mind dogs. People deserve better. Instead of interviewing McSleezey, Oprah need to get involved here.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Millionaires playing for billionaires. And, living thru other’s experiences.

Friday, September 15, 2006

When I saw my friend’s alam mater getting its head handed to it in football (UofM playing WVa), I decided to yank his chain.

ME> Terps or twerps football? Hung over from bball loss to Jaspers? {SHORT MESSAGE} {NO REPLY REQUIRED}

HIM> Yup..told (his son) we would be lucky to score against WV

But then he decided to get out of the subject line and get personal!

HIM> Reply was necessary…and regarding the Jaspers, hell froze over, never to happen again! lol

So of course, now I had unlimber the “big guns”!

===

Yeah, yeah, and the reason the professional team, representing the UofM, could not beat a bunch of true student-athletes, from a Mid Major, barely NCAA-grade competition, was?

(a) Coach was defeatist with his Krappy attitude before the game (If I can’t be in the real tourney, then why should I be in any? Oh yeah, I signed a contract. Can you say “going thru the motions”?)

(b) Students didn’t come out to cheer on their pros. (It’s not about doing your best at all times; it’s not about exceeding your personal best for its own reward; it’s about bragging rights!)

(c) Gubamint edukation always fails. (Axiomatic! Immoral, ineffective, inefficient, and just plain wrong.)

(d) Greece can beat the NBA Amerikan team. (“I think I can” always trumps a “Swelled Head”!)

(e) Alums, who can’t do, invest themselves in an illusion that they have some role in another doing what they can’t or couldn’t or wouldn’t do. (Doing anything you value is infinitely better than watching some one else doing what they value! Technically, Quadrant 1 activity is much more important than a Quadrant 4 one. On the important / urgent scale.)

(f) All of the above. (Pontificating ain’t changing!)

===

I’m still pontificating. And, he got a good laugh out of my “umbrage”.

And, while I will kill some time watch the pros, millionaires play for billionaires, I have no illusions that I am accomplishing anything, except wasting presious time on the way to the finish line.

;-(

I shouldda stayed in bed!

But instead I’ll blog about it.

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Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: Planning for your next transition

Friday, September 15, 2006

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14831365/

Ford’s plan: Cut operating costs by $5 billion
Automaker will shrink workforce by one-third, launch revamped lineup

***Begin Quote***

DETROIT – Ford is cutting more than 10,000 additional salaried jobs, offering buyouts to all of its 75,000 U.S. hourly workers and shutting down two more plants in a plan to end financial losses and remake itself into a smaller, more competitive car company.
***End Quote***

My CEO (me) was chatting with our CFO (me) about this strategy. Cutting your people to get to profitability. We agreed not too smart and hard on the people.

It’s not like they just discovered (with my obligatory allusion to Casablanca where Renard is shocked, SHOCKED!, shocked I say, to find that there is gambling going on here!) that they are in a hole.

I bought a 2002 Ford Exploder (sic) and I could have told them that “quality is job 1” was just an advertising slogan. I have 30k$ pos with 40k miles on it. The ac doesn’t work (and they want 1.5k$ to fix it), the abs light flickers (and they want 1k$ to fix it, the brakes of going in the next 10k miles(and they want 1.5k$ to fix them), and the seat belt hasn’t retracted right since we bought it (despite mentioning it every time we brought it in). It has also had the recall for a set of tires (that had cost 4k$ at their prices), it’s been in for numerous annoying problems that all seem to magically cost 1k$ each. Argh!

But, as I as CEO (me) asked my Head or HR (me), if you were one of the buy-out-ees, then (I’d ask why are you still there?) what would you do? How do you evaluate any offer versus the uncertainty. I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.

Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH, Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

ALUM: It was nothing like Duke or other such incidents. But, it was not to the standards we would hope to have.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6950

***Begin Quote***

“Manhattan College has canceled its fall women’s lacrosse season and first-ever spring break trip and imposed community service and other responsibilities on all team members in response to a freshmen initiation incident that occurred last October. Those individuals most responsible have graduated in the interim. The College has just completed a thorough investigation, which began immediately upon being notified of the incident last week,” said Brother Thomas Scanlan, president of Manhattan College.

***End Quote***

Can you revoke a diploma?

Where was the coach? Assistants? Faculty advisors? AD? Faculty?

And, where were the young adults who should have known better?

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: You do have Life Insurance? If, and only if, you have some insurable interest/

Thursday, September 14, 2006

http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2006/09/14/insurance_biz_urges_hard_coverage_look?mode=PF

Insurance biz urges hard coverage look
By Eileen Alt Powell, AP Business Writer  |  September 14, 2006

***Begin Quote***

NEW YORK –Insurance agent Clif Rosenberry knows firsthand what can happen when a family’s breadwinner dies without life insurance: His brother was killed at the age of 39 in a work accident, and he didn’t have his own policy.

“He had a wife, two kids, a brand new house … and not one speck of life insurance,” Rosenberry said. “The family wound up having to sell the house, having to move. It was an absolute mess.”

***End Quote***

This I never understood.

To this day, I don’t understand it.

I remember someone saying “A man, who dies without insurance for his family, doesn’t die; he absconds!”

Now an insurance salesman ranks down there just above politician, lawyer, and used car salesman. With apologies to the used car salesmen. And, it’s akin to going to the dentist. Or, getting a will.

I’m not talking about any kind of insurance — anything other than low cost term life insurance.

Not what you get at work, cause if you lose your job, then you lose the insurance.

I’m talking a minimum of 2M$ of 20 year level premium term life insurance.

No annuities. No whole life. No babies or infants insurance from Gerber pitched by some dumb celebrity. No geriatric insurance to bury you when you die, or to leave 10k for your final expenses, or leave a little something for the kids.

Get it.

Ask at your credit union. If you don’t have a credit union, ask me I think you can join “mine”. It is as exclusive as rain anymore.

Ever heard of SBLIC savings bank life insurance. Cheap. Easy.

Get it! Today! Don’t drive home without getting a binder.

Please!

Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

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