TECH SERVICE: GRANDCENTRAL aka GOOGLE screws its users! Hence NOT RECOMMENDED

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/146118898/

***Begin Quote***

Troy Schneider received such a notice, advising him that in 8 days his Grand Central number would be canceled and that he would be required to immediately start using a new number allocated to him. Judi Sohn received the same message: with no prior warning she had 8 days left on her existing phone number then it would cease to operate. Sohn was fortunate to some extent: Google has offered to pay for the reprinting of her business cards, but that would appear to be a one off, and a token gesture at that.

***End Quote***

Glad I only dipped my toe in that pot!

Of course, a curse upon their house and never use it.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: REALID — what duty do we have to this fraud

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/08/us_government_t_2.html

Schneier on Security
A blog covering security and security technology.

August 20, 2007
U.S. Government Threatens Retaliation Against States who Reject REAL ID

*** begin quote ***

REAL ID is the U.S. government plan to impose uniform regulations on state driver’s licenses. It’s a national ID card, in all but cosmetic form.

*** end quote ***

Not that New Jersey would grow a set and stand up to the Federal Gooferment like NH and others, but if they did then the poor taxpayer might show a “profit”. Last time I looked it was estimated that we get back a supposed 86 cents in “federal benefits” for every 136 cents we sent to the Rat Hole on the Potomac. So if we rejected Real Id, do we have to pay Federal Taxes? That begs the question if the definition of citizen is allegiance for protection AND if the Federal Courts have rule the gooferment has no specific duty to protect you (as if they could), THEN what duty do we have to this fraud? Now where is my torch and pitchfork? Time to ride the crooks out on a rail. BTW in case someone couldn’t guess I’m a Ron Paul contributor and will vote for him if I get a chance. Not that it will make much difference in the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee!

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: You, the Fed, and Inflation

Monday, August 20, 2007

http://www.jbs.org/node/1064

You, the Fed, and Inflation
By Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr.
Published: 1998-11-23 06:00 Economics

***Begin Quote***

Wall Street remains constantly worried about two forces in American economic life: inflation and deflation. It seems Wall Street worries about inflation on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it worries about deflation. Or perhaps it worries about both at the same time.

Of course, inflation is one of the most destructive forces in all of human history. In order for an economy to function properly, money must be sound and its value must be honestly gained. For most of human history, soundness and honesty were guaranteed because money was just another name for the most valuable commodity: gold. Gold was ideal as money because it was portable, durable, divisible, fungible, and scarce.

Gold has been money throughout most of our nation’s history, and until well into the 20th century government had little control over its supply and value. But with the establishment of the Federal Reserve in 1913, the foundation of money in gold began to be eroded. Over the decades, the link became progressively less secure, until in 1971 President Nixon did away with the last remnants of the gold standard. If you hid a dollar in a mattress in 1970, today it would be worth less than a quarter of its former value.

***End Quote***

Stunning simple observation of why we as a country are so royally weenied!

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Following “publik skoolz” to its logical conclusion

Monday, August 20, 2007

http://www.lewrockwell.com/bylund/bylund21.html

The Terrible Effects of Public Schooling
by Per Bylund

***Begin Quote***

There are many stories of Sweden being a Utopia: a high-tax, massively regulated and politicized, anti-capitalism, egalitarian socialist society that not only works – it thrives. Each and every one of them is nothing but a lie, even though there are many Swedes who will tell you how wonderful it is – they refuse to see the truth even though they live it everyday.

Recently yet another myth of the Swedish socialist supremacy was revealed to be completely untrue: the exquisite quality of Swedish public education. “Preliminary” statistics of the current state of Swedish public schooling made available by the Swedish National Agency for Education show the continuing degeneration of the so-called Swedish Model – and that it is ever increasing. After having spent nine mandatory years in school, 11.4% of Swedish children don’t meet the requirements to go to high school.

Of course, in other countries this might not be such a big deal. But it is in Sweden – a country where an education and a university degree is a human right. Also, the requirements to go to high school are set on such an absurdly low level that no one should be able to not make it.

***End Quote***

Interesting in the new Amerika that it’s politicians don’t send their kids to publik skoolz.

Why is that?

Could it be that the politicians know, in the deep dark recesses of their conscience that they can never expose to the public, that the publik skoolz are huge success?

They are!

The Prussians originally designed “publik skoolz” to create willing cannon fodder and compliant factory workers. The socialists and communists of the 1920’s brought the idea to America to allow them to reformulate America into a country where the proletariat could be led by the elite.

So while the sheep bask in American Idol and ever increasing amounts of “funny money” (i.e., dollars that have lost 95% of the purchasing power in 30 years), the elite send their kid to private schools.

What’s wrong with this picture?

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Wafa Sultan, an Arab-American woman and psychologist from Los Angeles.

Monday, August 20, 2007

http://www.charmaineyoest.com/2007/08/women_in_combat_women_as_beast.php

Women in Combat, Women as Beasts:
Wafa Sultan and Alexis de Tocqueville
August 20, 2007 | By Jack Yoest

*** begin quote ***

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about American exceptionalism; the American experiment,

If I am asked how we should account for the unusual prosperity and growing strength of this nation, I would reply that they must be attributed to the superiority of their women.

***AND***

Following is Wafa Sultan, an Arab-American woman and psychologist from Los Angeles. She is debating the clash of civilizations. She reviews the fact that inferior civilizations use “women as beasts.” There might be some confusion on how Islam jihadists and the American armed forces use women in combat.

Watch the clip here. http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv&ak=nul

***End Quote***

Wow, I don’t speak her language but if the subtitiles are right, all I can say is wow!

Don’t miss this clip.

She nails why we shouldn’t “use women”. They are too darned valuable. Like the Queen on the chessboard, this lady in a very impassioned plea to the Muslim community indicts, convicts, and sentences the Islam jidhadists to a special place in history — the misguided! The moderator and the opponent were taken to the woodshed. They couldn’t even mount a decent retort to her arguments.

Wow! Definitely don’t miss this one.

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: a small loss is better than a big loss?

Monday, August 20, 2007

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/08/19/ccom119.xml

Business comment: Financial services should be there to serve
By Dan Roberts, Business Editor, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 2:14am BST 19/08/2007

***Begin Quote***

First, the bad news. Don’t be fooled by Friday’s bounce. We are not out of the woods yet. If anything, the Fed’s decision to rescue markets by throwing money at the problem supports our view that this summer’s financial crisis threatens the wider economy.

A slowdown will be painful for everyone, especially here. Despite our Chancellor’s belated words of confidence, the UK is excessively dependent on the City. Even companies far away from the Square Mile will find it harder to borrow their way out of trouble or invest in new factories, shops and offices. It may not tip us into a recession, but the fall in confidence will trigger a big chill that brings some racier parts of the economy to a near standstill.

***End Quote***

Best assessment of Friday’s Fed action is that we are heading into a period of inflation (i.e., the Fed’s “helicopter” Ben dumping more counterfeit notes into circulation) and recession (i.e., consumer and business confidence will “de-invest”).

How does one save and invest going into this climate?

Clearly one has to “surf” the wave of inflation. Don’t even think about sticking money in your mattress. To surf in a falling market is a good trick. Riding indexes south will not only NOT keep up with inflation but may actually be a big loser if you guess wrong. The best strategy might be targeted investments in things that retain value. Defensive stocks, high quality stuff, commodities, essential businesses.

Tie in a recession, and you need to focus on where people have to spend money regardless of their “confidence”: basic food, medicine, healthcare, drugs, commodities.

Look to the era in the USA during Carter’s stagflation and Japan’s Decade of Zero Interest Zero Growth.

Where is growth “guaranteed” — India (where you might get an honest count) and China (where you definitely are at risk of a haircut).

Sigh.

Certificates of Depreciation — on the theory that a small loss is better than a big loss?

Tough times!

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: my “tip” — actually non-tip — is in third place

Sunday, August 19, 2007

http://jobmob.co.il/blog/do-you-create-value

*** begin quote ***

In the past few days, Ferdinand Reinke’s Do You Create Value? attracted 37 unique visitors up until August 13th after having a slow start.

*** end quote ***

Well on a lark, when solicited for a job search tip as a contest entry, I gave him my “best-est” thought,

(You can read it there.)

Bet you can’t guess what my tip is! You know how I love to pontificate! And, just in case I accidentally won, I figured I’d just donate it to the site master’s favorite charity, which evidently impressed the fellow.

(Last thing I need — in this day of terrorists transferring funds internationally — is an international conversation about what charity to donate to. With my luck, I’d be in Gitmo learning Farsi and studying the physics of water.)

So, now I find that my “tip” — actually non-tip — is in third place and I’m upset. Darn!! And, if you read my entry, (which raises my score in the competition), you read how I expect to show a profit if I win. :-)

Have to have a sense of humor about this stuff.

No Big Deal!

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: The Republican Establishment is putting it’s thumb

Sunday, August 19, 2007

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/014792.html

August 19, 2007
Illinois Straw Poll shenanigans
Posted by Tex MacRae at August 19, 2007 08:30 AM

*** begin quote ***

But the real story of the day was how McKenna & crew reacted to a large number of new Republicans who turned out in support of Ron Paul’s message of Goldwater republicanism. According to rules established by the ILGOP, voting was to take place between 11am and 4pm. While Rep. Paul finished in 3rd place behind undeclared candidate Fred Thompson, it was discovered that as late as 3:30 pm Ron Paul was in 2nd place with 151 votes to Fred’s 148. Curiously, ILGOP staffers then announced the polls would remain open until 4:30pm ‘because it rained earlier,’ then they said the polls would close at 4:15pm. But alas, at 4:08pm they got the results they wanted and closed the polls. We’ll let our readers draw their own conclusions.

*** end quote ***

The Republican Establishment is putting it’s thumb on the scale to get the answer it wants. And, they’ll be rewarded with the national disaster of handing the reigns of gooferement to “yet another liberal” Deomcan / Republicrat.

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LIBERTY: Vets versus the congresscritters

Sunday, August 19, 2007

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/RobertBluey/2007/08/19/veterans%e2%80%99_groups_prepare_for_battle_on_capitol_hill

Veterans’ Groups Prepare for Battle on Capitol Hill
By Robert Bluey
Sunday, August 19, 2007

***Begin Quote***

While not every veteran will follow the same route as Emanuel, the goal is to motivate as many as possible to become engaged in the political process, either by writing about their war experience or voicing their views to members of Congress.

***End Quote***

Now while I personally think these “Wars” — on “terror”, on “drugs”, in Iraq, in Afganistan, and in a myriad of other venues — are lost, I want my fellow vets to step up and speak up. I maintain we haven’t been in a Constitutional War since World War 2. Nor have we be in a War of national defense since 1812. War is too important to be left to these chicken sh … ahh, hawk REMFs. I never personally experienced “hot fire” but just having been exposed to the chance I might changed me. Changed from a Hollywood John Wayne Fort Apache Back to Batan starry eyed kid to a mature confirmed libertarian. When the invaders hit the US of A, then I’m a hawk. Till then I’m a porcupine. And, I want every combat vet or near combat vet to tell these congress critters that we are not going to take their “barbara streisand” any more. Bring the troops home and make good on the promise of medical care for our fellow vets who were wounded without a lot of administrative red tape.

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Posted by reinkefj

LIBERTY: Free speech and the University of Maryland

Sunday, August 19, 2007

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/08/free_speech_and_the_university.html

August 17, 2007
Free speech and the University of Maryland
Thomas Lifson

***Begin Quote***

The mind boggles. A student buying food in the student union at UMD wearing a shirt saying “I stand for Israel” is denied service by a clerk who says, “Your shirt offends me, I won’t ring you up.” So was free speech defended on campus?

***End Quote***

I know a UofM alum. I wonder what he thinks of this story. All too often, we forget that these “schools” are extensions of the gooferment and subject to the same Constitutional restrictions as any other part of the gooferment.

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Posted by reinkefj

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