POLITICAL: THe new “inside trader”

Monday, June 22, 2009

http://www.suntimes.com/news/1620776,CST-NWS-durbin13.article

Durbin cashed out during big stock collapse
WASHINGTON | Asset sales came after meeting with Fed, Treasury chiefs
June 13, 2009

*** begin quote ***

As U.S. stock markets plummeted last September, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin, sold more than $115,000 worth of stocks and mutual-fund shares and used much of the money to invest in Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

The Illinois senator’s 2008 financial disclosure statement shows he sold mutual-fund shares worth $42,696 on Sept. 19, the day after then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged congressional leaders in a closed meeting to craft legislation to help financially troubled banks.

*** end quote ***

Of course, there was no connection between the meeting and his actions.

The fact that Paulson probably said “I wouldn’t be holding any equities” and Bernake “I’m printing money like there’s no tomorrow”, never entered into his thoughts.

Inside information. Insider trading.

Only applies to non “public servants”.

Yeah, right!

Poor Martha! I’m sure she did less than this fellow. She didn’t create the mess.

# # # # #


POLITICAL: Healthcare debate

Monday, June 22, 2009

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2009/06/health-care-naysayers.html

Sunday, June 21, 2009
Health care naysayers

*** begin quote ***

Republicans were out in force, trying to kill the kind of healthcare reform that Americans — if opinion polling is any indication — desire and expect. All are claiming to support reform, but none seem to be listening to the majority, which repeatedly says it wants a public plan as an alternative to the current system — and that it trusts the government to manage health care coverage better than the insurance companies.

*** end quote ***

MY RESPONSE

(1) Put me down as a naysayer. And, I am not an R. Nor am I a D.

(2) Hope you’re not relying on that NY Times “poll”. Non-partisan stats lookers find that they polled 66% D’s versus 33% R’s. Polling partisans isn’t really polling.

(3) While the insurances companies may not be the ideal gatekeeper of health care, do you really want some version of Amtrak or the Post Office doing it?

(4) How about some “baby steps”, to make sure that we don’t kill what we got, disconnect employment from health insurance. Allow health care to be tax deductible to the individual and treat it like life insurance. (Note: see how cheap life insurance is and how expensive health insurance is. Why is that?)

(5) When Hillary tried to nationalize health care, everyone saw it as socialism. (Which works so well else where.) Her methods turned everyone off. Here is is again. Methods are slightly more “open”. BUT again, like the bailouts, we are being hustled and rushed. DO it now! Can’t wait. That’s the clear sign of a scam.

(6) The Government can not be both the participant in and the referee in this future fiasco. It will set the rules and then “compete” in the marketplace. Please lets not fool ourselves. EVERYONE knows that the Left’s objective is to takeover healthcare. It’s always been that. They have even said that in leaked audios and video. Sometimes they even say it in rare moments of honesty. So let’s not kid ourselves. It’s the Communist Manifesto playbook. This is all about ensure Democratic voters forever. This is all about control. This is a giant scam!

Government is the meme that kills and enslaves its citizens.

# # # # #


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Honeymoon used to expand the gooferment

Monday, June 22, 2009

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124407228244683091.html  

It’s the Economy, Stupid
The Obama presidency will rise or fall on results.
Karl Rove is the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush.

*** begin quote ***

Until now, the new president has benefited from public willingness to give him a honeymoon. He decided to use that grace period to push for the largest expansion of government in U.S. history and to reward political allies (see the sweetheart deals Big Labor received in the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies). The difficulty for Mr. Obama will be when the public sees where his decisions lead — higher inflation, higher interest rates, higher taxes, sluggish growth, and a jobless recovery.

*** end quote ***

This pig is going in the WRONG direction.

# # # # #


MONEY: Expect more intrusions and less roi

Sunday, June 21, 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/5526129/Lloyds-Bank-hit-by-Obama-tax-purge.html

Lloyds Bank hit by Obama tax purge
Banking group drops American customers in UK ahead of costly proposals to stamp out tax evasion
By Louise Armitstead
Published: 9:39PM BST 13 Jun 2009

*** begin quote ***

This week American private client account-holders at Lloyds’s received letters informing them of an “important change in policy regarding clients who are resident, domiciled or linked to the United States by property or asset holdings”. They were told the bank had “no choice” but to “cease acting as your investment manager.”

*** end quote ***

Funny, here comes the unintended consequences!

It will be just the first.

More forms, more intrusive checking, more audits.

Argh!

# # # # #


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Fixing health care

Sunday, June 21, 2009

http://mises.org/freemarket_detail.aspx?control=279

April 1993
Volume 11, Number 4
A Four-Step Health-Care Solution
by Hans-Hermann Hoppe

*** begin quote ***

It’s true that the U.S. health care system is a mess, but this demonstrates not market but government failure. To cure the problem requires not different or more government regulations and bureaucracies, as self-serving politicians want us to believe, but the elimination of all existing government controls.

*** end quote ***

Summary:

1. Eliminate all licensing requirements

2. Eliminate all government restrictions on pharmaceutical products and medical devices

3. Deregulate the health insurance industry

4. Eliminate all subsidies to the sick or unhealthy

Permit me to add a fifth!

5. Make the tax code neutral with respect to benefits. Emerging form the WW2 wage and price controls, the gooferment has distorted the “playing field”. “Benefits” are deductible to the corporation and not to the individual. That has set up the situation where an individual’s health insurance is tied to their job. No job; no insurance.

How much better would things be if it was like life insurance or automobile insurance. I can buy 20 year term life cheap and no one cares who my employer is. I am required by the gooferment to have auto insurance (an absurd concept), but it’s not tied to my employment.

This seems to be an easy one.

# # # # #


TECHNOLOGY: How to get privacy?

Saturday, June 20, 2009

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/06/the_hidden_cost.html?nc=16#comment-378824

Bruce Schneier
A blog covering security and security technology.
June 15, 2009

The “Hidden Cost” of Privacy

*** begin quote ***

Forbes ran an article talking about the “hidden” cost of privacy. Basically, the point was that privacy regulations are expensive to comply with, and a lot of that expense gets eaten up by the mechanisms of compliance and doesn’t go toward improving anyone’s actual privacy.

*** end quote ***

I’m a fan of simple non-gooferment solutions. It would seem that “copyright” is an already existing “solution”. If your stuff (e.g., your NAME, your SSN, your PHONE NUMBER, and your EMAIL NAME) was “yours” (i.e., copyrighted), then each entity that wanted to “copy” it (i.e., save it in a database) should have to have your permission by some type of written agreement. Seems that would prevent Credit Reporting Agencies, Google, and such from being disinterested in our collective satisfaction. imho! Copyright metadata for privacy?

# # # # #


MONEY: Commodity versus fiat money

Saturday, June 20, 2009

http://lewrockwell.com/orig10/hansen1.html

Will Radically Different Banking Plans Work?
Not until we abolish legal tender laws
by Betsy Hansen

*** begin quote ***

Because the fiat money system is both the strength and weakness of America’s tyrants. It bleeds the people’s wealth and labor, but it also threatens to collapse under its own weight – or whenever the scales fall off the people’s eyes. With its green engravings of famous Americans, electrons whirling around in bank computers, and loans created out of thin air, it is one vast confidence game.

*** end quote ***

The Federal Reserve Bank (which is none of those things) allows the congress critters, the Administration, politicians, bureaucrats, and their ilk to raise taxes without explicitly raising taxes.

The sheeple can’t even tell what they are paying in taxes. Inflation erodes their “savings” such that the gooferment can steal all their earnings in a given year. Even the worst tyrant of dictator of old used to have to leave the serfs enough to eat from year to year. And, the sheeple don’t even know they are being robbed.a

Imagine the uproar if a President said: “Sorry we have to take everything you earned this year for the good of everyone.” There would be riots in the streets. But the FED can inflate away. Since 1970, inflation has reduced the value of a dollar 97%!

Sheeple, how stupid can you be?

Independence Day? Don’t make me laff!

We’re not independent as long as the FED exists. Andrew Jackson and Thomas Jefferson, were right.

# # # # #


WRITING: Sorry, it’s rationed (An Index Card Novel)

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The store had a color poster. A young blond Aryan-Looking woman in an apron raises her hand to take a pledge. “Food Fights for Freedom”. “Produce and Conserve” “Share and Play Square”. The older couple had survived the First World War with their victory garden. Now, with rationing, and their modest savings, it was hard to make end met. They were too old and too frail to put in a garden that they’d need to survive. Their Church provided some. Their family some. But eventually it was just too hard. They weren’t listed as casualties of war, but they were. The poverty of war. If all the young men weren’t off dying in some far flung part of the world, they’d have been to home and tending to the communities’ needs. The local guard. Contributing to churches, fraternities, and civil society in general. But, they were off dying. Just like the old couple, casualties of war.

+++++

The recently retired fat old white guy brought his equally old wife into the hospital’s emergency room. Heart failure was an easy diagnosis. Then the “fun” began. No more evil insurance companies to do battle with. No more hospital bills at all. Couldn’t pay if you wanted to. Couldn’t buy drugs anywhere at any price. Everything was “free”. Doctor Phil came into the old girl’s room. She wasn’t that old 60 something. But the “guidelines” were very clear. Palliative care. Hospice care. Informed of their “final options”. Those drugs were cheap! The “doctor” explained that they had nothing to offer them. The old gent was pretty funny. To the doc’s standard “just be a minute”, he’d replied “take two, we have lots”. The doc confided that there were drugs, operations, and therapies available “off-shore”. If she could survive the trip. If they could afford the trip. If they could keep it secret. (The Healthy Homeland Bureaucracy didn’t take kindly to their regulations being evaded.) In the end, there wasn’t much anyone could do. The old lady was a casualty of the war. Whatever the current war was that prevented society from treating its young and old humanely. Everyone was dying. Just like the old couple, casualties of war.

+++++

The hospital had a color poster. A multicultural group had their collective hands raised to take a pledge. “Health is a village responsibility” “One for all; all for the common good” “Play fair; do your part”

# # # # #


INTERESTING: A health care plan alternative

Friday, June 19, 2009

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/06/a_real_free_market_health_care_1.html

A Real Free Market Health Care Solution
By Frank S. Rosenbloom, M.D.

*** begin quote ***

Solution:

   * 1. Don’t pass any of the Democrat health care plans. Savings of at least $3 trillion over the next five years.

   * 2. Immediately do away with Medicare, Medicaid, and The Center for Medicare and Medicaid services. No other major industrialized nation has a separate system for the elderly, disabled and the poor. Scrap the Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation. Savings of nearly $1 trillion in federal tax dollars yearly, $1 trillion in savings for states and billions in savings by dissolving the tyrannical Joint Commission.

   * 3. People should be responsible for purchasing their own health care, not the government or the employer, making health insurance completely portable. Scrap Hillary Clinton’s HIPAA act at a savings of billions yearly. Let’s make it HIPAA-posthumous.

   * 4. A Health Insurance Company must offer a good basic low-cost health care plan with expanded health savings accounts. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 5. No health exclusions for three years. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 6. Health plans should promote healthy practices and preventive health. Taxpayer cost zero.

   * 7. For the poor, government should subsidize the premiums, not be involved in paying providers. Taxpayer costs by my estimate around $600 billion per year.

   * 8. Retired people of lower means should be helped as above but should not have a separate insurance plan run by the government. Sorry, Medicare is dead. Promises were broken, but we are mature people and we need to get over it. Let’s not let it happen again! Taxpayer cost around $300 billion per year.

   * 9. End tax penalties for individuals purchasing individual health insurance. Taxpayer cost zero dollars as these penalties are merely punitive, designed to make people dependent.

   * 10. The health insurance companies in each state should have the option of creating a risk pool from some of their premium funds. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 11. Laws should be changed to allow for private health co-ops to be formed as an option for those so inclined. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 12. Patients should be free to change insurance plans at least twice yearly and since their insurance would not be controlled by their employer or the government no permission is needed from them. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 13. There should be no legal right for insurance plans to dismiss competent and qualified contracted physicians for “no cause”, when that no cause is really due to the physician acting as a patient advocate.

   * 14. Tort reform with penalties for frivolous lawsuits and the loser paying some of the costs.

Well, there you have it. The savings for taxpayers over three years: Nearly $5 trillion. Not requiring bills hundreds of pages long: Priceless! A few short regulations and we have a viable health care system for the future covering over 99% of the population, devoid of the treachery of Medicare and without dependence on the federal government. It’s very simple, very sensible, and so easy even a government official can understand it. It’s even short enough for Congress members to read fully, though some may require several days. Oh, yes, Mr. Obama, I want our $600 billion back.

*** end quote ***

Wow! What great ideas. Zero chance to kill Medicare. But, great ideas.

# # # # #


FUN: Luddite sends me a joke

Friday, June 19, 2009

From:
Date: June 19, 2009 9:03:13 AM EDT
To:
Subject: Letter from the Boss

LETTER FROM THE BOSS:

As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barrack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%.

But since we cannot increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off 60 of our employees instead. This has really been bothering me; since I believe we are family here, and I didn’t know how to choose who would have to go.

So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lots and found 60 ‘Obama’ bumper stickers on our employees’ cars and have decided these folks will be the ones to let go. I can’t think of a more fair way to approach this problem.

They voted for change; I gave it to them.

I will see the rest of you at the annual company picnic.

Signed,
The Boss

# – # – #

ROFL

# # # # #


TECHNOLOGY: Booting from removable media

Friday, June 19, 2009

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/blogs/bizfeed/166570/new_macbook_pro_can_boot_from_an_sd_card_duh_so_can_pcs.html

BizFeed
Smart tech advice for your small business
Robert Strohmeyer, PC World | Friday, June 12, 2009 7:17 AM PDT
New MacBook Pro Can Boot From an SD Card. (Duh. So Can PCs.)

*** begin quote ***

In the wake of this week’s WWDC keynote, in which Apple announced that new MacBook Pro laptops will finally include an SD slot, the tech press is all aflutter about what they seem to think is a new possibility: booting from SD. Sorry to break it to you all, but this isn’t a new idea, and many PCs have been doing it for years.

*** end quote ***

I STILL don’t understand.

We could NOT have malware that embedded into the boot records if we used removable media for the boot process.

One of the great weapons that the bad guys have against us is that “reinfection” vector.

Microsoft has done us a great disservice if the whole architecture of the “personal computer”.

That’s why I’m moving to Linux.

# # # # #


POLITICS: Use Sotomayor as a proxy for Affirmative Action

Thursday, June 18, 2009

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100835

Miss Affirmative Action, 2009
Posted: June 12, 2009
Pat Buchanan

*** begin quote ***

Republican senators should use this Sotomayor nomination to put affirmative action in the dock for what it is – race-based bigotry against white males so that persons of color can receive the rewards of society that they could not win in free and fair competition.

Lay out the Sotomayor record – SAT scores, LSAT scores, bar exam score, law review articles and her opinions – so that we can see up close what those who eviscerated Robert Bork regard as academic and judicial excellence.

No need for name-calling.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but in a lifetime job, we need the best.

Objectively, best. Not Subjectively.

We need to consign “Affirmative Action” to a time past when racism, even reverse racism, is unacceptable.

Something about “content of character; not the color their skin.”

# # # # #


MONEY: What is the correct interest rate?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/fdic-sets-bank-interest-rate-caps.html

Your Take: FDIC Sets Bank Interest Rate Caps by Jim Wang

*** begin quote ***

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation SealNear the end of May, the FDIC Board of Directors approved a rule that capped the interest rate “less than well capitalized institutions.”

*** end quote ***

And, what part of fascism don’t you understand?

The gooferment is trying to run the banks.

What a joke.

# # # # #


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Old rule; unintended consequences

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124473141538306335.html

JUNE 11, 2009, 4:38 P.M. ET
IRS Weighs Rules for Taxing Private Use of Work Cellphones
By MARTIN VAUGHAN

*** begin quote ***

WASHINGTON — The IRS is weighing a proposal to deem one-quarter of employees’ use of work cellphones as personal use and therefore subject to tax as a fringe benefit.

*** end quote ***

Cellphone used to be a big exec perk. Congresscritters figured “punish the rich”. Except one of my favorite technology architectural principle came into operation — change happens; time silently alters the playing field — and now the law of unintended consequences operates. Cell phones are cheap and plentiful. Record keeping is expensive, error-prone, and useless. Perk is now a general pain. And, the biz doesn’t give them out for any other reason that to have a 24 hour work force without paying 24 hour wages.

Taxes are theft. Close the IRS. Shrink the gooferment. And, kill corporations! They are nothing more than secret tax collectors anyway.

# # # # #


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Newsroom June 12

This is pretty funny. Especially the “government sucks” slip.

Five minutes well spent!


WRITING: A Revolution starts with one man (An Index Card Novel)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

He was just an old Jew in post World War One Germany. His only child, his son, was caught by the Brown Shirts and beaten to death. After that his wife lost the will to live, she was raped and killed by some drunken Nazi soldiers on leave. If they’d done that to an Aryan woman, they’d have been shot. Instead they got “genetic counseling”, and punishment for “wasting their seeds” on the Fatherland. He had received notice to prepare to be resettled. He knew in his heart what that meant. The Torah didn’t approve of murder, but that’s what he had in his heart.

He slid the old credenza away from the wall and took out his “tools” from World War I. The Gas Mask, the Mauser, the ammo. In the soon to be darkened railroad apartment, he put dark blankets crumpled on the floor to confuse things. Some gasoline was spread around. Kerosene lamps were in abundance. At the end of the apartment, in the kitchen, he put a sand bag rest. Extinguished the lights. He got down on the floor and waited. It wouldn’t be long.

In the Schutzstaffel, he was an up and comer. He’d already deported 600 Jews. Killed 400 resisting deportation. He had several crack squads. As Obersturmführer, he had his duty. Pickings were getting slim. To boost his numbers, he had his squads sweeping Jews up off the street whenever the opportunity presented itself. He always hated the apartment raids. Fighting on the other man’s ground. But it often couldn’t be helped. He went along on the raids to inspire his men. This apartment was a little different. The occupant didn’t go quietly. There were casualties. He’d lost 6 of his best men. He went to inspect. One Jew dead; six of his best. Didn’t seem like a fair trade. As he walked thru, he smelt gas. Was there a leak? By the door, one of the slackers lit a cigarette.

Woosh!

The Obersturmführer died screaming. Along with 13 of his crack squad.

19 for 1!

*****

He was just an old Catholic Pro-life gun owner in Amerika. His only child, his son, was killed in some -stan or another. After that his wife lost the will to live, she was raped and killed by some illegal immigrant who the government had given amnesty. He had received notice to prepare to be ‘inspected”. He had like a good citizen “papered” his guns. The Obama BATF was coming to collect them. He had a paper trail when he bought his gold coins; the FBI was coming to collect them. He’d made some obscure paperwork mistake on his 1040, despite using an accountant, the IRS was coming to seize their rightful wealth. He knew in his heart what that meant. The Bible didn’t approve of murder, but that’s what he had in his heart.

He slid the old credenza away from the wall and took out his “tools” from the Y2K scare. The Gas Mask, the AR15 with a special seer plate, the ammo. In the soon to be darkened railroad house, he put dark blankets crumpled on the floor to confuse things. In the basement, the natural gas to the hot water heater was disconnected. Kerosene lamps were in abundance down there. On the main level, he had phosphorus ready to disrupt night vision googles. At the end of the apartment, in the kitchen, he put a sand bag rest. Extinguished the lights. He got down on the floor and waited. It wouldn’t be long. He thought of Pastor Martin Niemîller.

In the Obama Homeland Security, he was an up and comer. He’d already arrested 300 Pro-Lifers, 150 Gun Owners, 100 Gold bugs, and 75 Born Again Christians. Killed another 400 resisting “inspection”, or arrest. He had several crack squads. As an Assistant Regional Director, he had his duty. Pickings were getting slim. To boost his numbers, he had his squads sweeping people up off the street whenever the opportunity presented itself. As long as they were not Muslims or people of color, he could always find a reason to justify the arrest. He always hated the apartment raids. Fighting on the other man’s ground. But it often couldn’t be helped. He went along on the raids to inspire his men. This apartment was a little different. The occupant didn’t go quietly. There were casualties. He’d lost 16 of his best men. He went to inspect. One fat old white man dead; many of his best too. Didn’t seem like a fair trade. Here the man had an interesting tactic. He shot a few inches off the ground. No one had bullet proof boots. All of his casualties were knocked down by ankle wounds. Then they were prone and their bullet proof armor was useless. They were shot laying down. Even their night vision googles were made useless by the blinding light. The dead resister obviously had a plan. He’d have to adjust their tactics. As he walked thru, he smelt gas. Was there a leak? By the door, one of the slackers lit a cigarette.

Woosh!

The Captain died screaming. Along with another 23 of his crack squad.

40 for 1!

*****

At Homeland Security Headquarters, they were running out of people willing to serve arrest and seizure warrants.

# # # # #


TECHNOLOGY: Opera 10 changing the paradigm

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

http://unite.opera.com/  

Opera Unite: a Web server on the Web browser

With Opera 10, we are introducing a new technology called Opera Unite, radically extending what you are able to do online. Opera Unite harnesses the power of today’s fast connections and hardware, allowing all of us to help define the future landscape of the Web, one computer at a time. Read about how Opera Unite is going to change the way we interact on the Web on labs.opera.com.

# – # – #

Interesting. Run a web server from your machine. It’s going to turn all notions of security upside down.

# # # # #


INTERESTING: Advice for College Graduates

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/stock-market-investing-advice-for-college-graduates.html

Stock Market Investing Advice for College Graduates by Jim Wang

*** begin quote ***

Imagine you had a time machine and could give yourself just one good piece of advice after you graduated college, what would it be?

*** end quote ***

Eliminate debt. Save more. Go to Law School with the rest of the team. Buy commodities. Move to the country.

“Souldas, wouldas, and couldas”

They will kill you!

Now, my advice would be: “Be an entrepreneur”!

When I was a recent graduate, I was enthralled by Sonny Bloc on the radio. His advice was to buy, and rent out, 12 single family homes within one hour of your primary residence. I understood the objective a secure monthly income. His theory was that after 15 or 30 years of rental income, the rents would then be free and clear. A pension!

In the wisdom of my youth, I saw all the obstacles — downpayments, 3AM calls from angry renters, and hassles. The target thirty years down the road was so far away. I didn’t do it! If I had, I’d be sitting on 12 300k$ “cash cows”. Say 4m$. Throwing off 12 12k$ annually. 145k$. Argh!

Now I see the wisdom of all sorts of things.

So, I’ll modify that advice: “Have a written plan to be an entrepreneur!”

Yes, hindsight is 20/20.

# # # # #


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Get ready for propaganda!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashaot.htm

ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSE

Tue Jun 16 2009 08:45:10 ET

*** begin quote ***

On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care — a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm!

*** and ***

Late Monday night, Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Ken McKay fired off a complaint to the head of ABCNEWS:

Dear Mr. Westin:

As the national debate on health care reform intensifies, I am deeply concerned and disappointed with ABC’s astonishing decision to exclude opposing voices on this critical issue on June 24, 2009. Next Wednesday, ABC News will air a primetime health care reform “town hall” at the White House with President Barack Obama. In addition, according to an ABC News report, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS, NIGHTLINE and ABC’s web news “will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.” This does not include the promotion, over the next 9 days, the president’s health care agenda will receive on ABC News programming.

Today, the Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to add our Party’s views to those of the President’s to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are presented. Our request was rejected. I believe that the President should have the ability to speak directly to the America people. However, I find it outrageous that ABC would prohibit our Party’s opposing thoughts and ideas from this national debate, which affects millions of ABC viewers.

In the absence of opposition, I am concerned this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda. If that is the case, this primetime infomercial should be paid for out of the DNC coffers. President Obama does not hold a monopoly on health care reform ideas or on free airtime. The President has stated time and time again that he wants a bipartisan debate. Therefore, the Republican Party should be included in this primetime event, or the DNC should pay for your airtime.

Respectfully,
Ken McKay
Republican National Committee
Chief of Staff

*** and ***

ABCNEWS Senior Vice President Kerry Smith on Tuesday responded to the RNC complaint, saying it contained ‘false premises’:

“ABCNEWS prides itself on covering all sides of important issues and asking direct questions of all newsmakers — of all political persuasions — even when others have taken a more partisan approach and even in the face of criticism from extremes on both ends of the political spectrum. ABCNEWS is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue.

“ABCNEWS alone will select those who will be in the audience asking questions of the president. Like any programs we broadcast, ABC News will have complete editorial control. To suggest otherwise is quite unfair to both our journalists and our audience.”

Developing…

*** end quote ***

Geee, I guess we should complain to the FCC, FEC, and the Supreme Court!

Like that’s going to do any good.

# # # # #

TO ABCNEWS:

I think your plan to turn ABCNEWS into the propaganda arm on President Obama administration on “health care”. For me, ABC News has lost all credibility. There is a legitimate POLITICAL debate about the pros and cons of what is being proposed. For you to jump in with both feet on President Obama’s side is completely unacceptable. Bad enough that the lines have blurred in the past, now you are dropping any pretense of independent journalism. Shame on you for letting the American people down. We gave you an honored position in civil society, buttressed you with the First Amendment and our support, to protect us from the Political Class. You have stabbed us in the back. Disgraceful.

# # # # #


SERVICE: CCBETTY use isn’t obvious to me

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

http://www.ccbetty.com/home/faq

*** begin quote ***

What is Cc:Betty?

Cc:Betty makes it easier for everyone to follow group discussions and collaborate with dates, places, pictures, videos, links and more! Cc:Betty can be used with any email service so there is no download required. To get started, just include betty@ccbetty.com on your group email and Betty will set up a shared Mailspace page to make it easier for everyone to follow the discussion.

What is a Mailspace?

Your Mailspace is the central page where your discussion will be tracked – along with all of it’s related files and assets. In your Mailspace, you’ll not only view the history of the conversation, but also any images, events, places, video, links, and more. Check out the video below to see a Mailspace in action.

*** end quote ***

Not sure how useful this is.

# # # # #


POLITICAL: IG gets fired for exposing Obama’s corruption

Monday, June 15, 2009

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Gerald-Walpin-speaks-the-inside-story-of-the-AmeriCorps-firing-48030697.html

Opinion
Gerald Walpin speaks: The inside story of the AmeriCorps firing
By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
06/14/09 7:00 PM EDT
Dispute that resulted in firing involved stimulus money

*** begin quote ***

At that moment, Walpin says, he had finished not only a report on the Sacramento probe but also an investigation into extensive misuse of AmeriCorps money by the City University of New York, which is AmeriCorps’ biggest program. Walpin says he told Eisen that, given those two investigations, neither of which was well-received by top Corporation management, the timing of his firing seemed “very interesting.” According to Walpin, Eisen said it was “pure coincidence.” When Walpin asked for some time to consider what to do, Eisen gave him one hour. “Then he called back in 45 minutes and asked for my response,” Walpin recalls.

The method of Walpin’s firing could be a violation of the 2008 Inspectors General Reform Act, which requires the president to give Congress 30 days’ notice, plus an explanation of cause, before firing an inspector general. Then-Sen. Barack Obama was a co-sponsor of that legislation. In the case of Walpin, Eisen’s efforts to force Walpin to resign could be seen as an effort to push Walpin out of his job so that the White House would not have to go through the 30-day process or give a reason for its action. When Walpin refused to quit, the White House informed Congress and began the 30-day countdown.

*** end quote ***

Fraud, waste, and now political corruption.

Hey, business as usual.

“Hope and change”

Just like Chicago!

The President was just protecting his big contributors.

Disgraceful!

# # # # #


POLITICANS: Campaign Finance Reform

Monday, June 15, 2009

http://www.populist.com/09.11.kalet.html  

GRASSROOTS/Hank Kalet
Fee for Service

*** begin quote ***

The amendment was opposed by the finance industry, which gave nearly $300 million in campaign contributions to Congressional candidates in 2008, more than any other industry contributed during the same election cycle.

*** end quote ***

The problem all along is the illusion that gooferment can be “controlled”.

It’s roots are evil.

How about a rule that only real people can contribute to a campaign?

Oh, we have those already. That created “bundlers”!

How about a rule limiting amounts?

Oh, we have that already. That created “straw donations”!

How about a rule preventing foreigners?

Oh we have that already. That created “fake donors”!

See the politicians like the system just the way it is.

Corrupt!!!

# # # # #


MONEY: Don’t mess with Uncle Sugar’s monopoly

Monday, June 15, 2009

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/06/e-gold/

Threat Level Privacy, Crime and Security Online
Bullion and Bandits: The Improbable Rise and Fall of E-Gold
    * By Kim Zetter Email Author
    * June 9, 2009

*** begin quote ***

Jackson has finally registered E-Gold with FinCEN, and has begun applying to states for money transmitting licenses. The company is also blocking people who appear on the Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals and plans to follow bank procedures for verifying customer income and sources of transmitted funds. There are other plans in works to clean up the system as well.

*** end quote ***

Read this with an eye towards why this fool was targeted.

Think they care about catch bad guys?

Or, could it be that he was undermining their monopoly over “money”.

That stuff they laughable call “money” … Federal Reserve Banknotes.

Paper!

Fiat trash.

No, he was giving people an easy and cheap way to store value.

That couldn’t be “taxed” by inflation.

Imagine how much better the Chinese would be if they had 5T$ of gold as opposed to Uncle Sugar’s little green pieces of paper.

No, anyone who messes with that monopoly, will bring the goons out in force.

# # # # #


TECHNOLOGY: Hardware doesn’t necessarily solve anything

Sunday, June 14, 2009

http://wcbstv.com/local/path.port.authority.2.1036356.html

Jun 8, 2009 10:00 pm US/Eastern
PATH Stations To Run Security Screening Tests
To Use Cutting Edge Passive Millimeter Wave Technology

*** begin quote ***

NEW YORK (CBS) ― New security technology to detect threats like explosive devices will be tested at PATH train stations over the next month.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the trans-Hudson River commuter train system, announced Monday that the pilot program will start June 10 and run through July 10.

The program will test passive millimeter wave technology, which can detect explosives hidden under clothing.

The Port Authority says all passengers entering a station where the testing is taking place will be tested, and anyone who does not want to be tested will have to use another station.

*** end quote ***

Stupidity!

# # # # #


INTERESTING: Six small meals per day

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Frau’s in the hospital for her ongoing medical adventure. The show Mystery Diagnosis has nothing on her. But, she has one valid gripe. The Endocrinologists treating her diabetes and the various and sundry dietitians all tell her to eat six small meals daily. OK, good advice. But in the hospital, she only has the option of three meals per day. I find this interesting. Next to the excessive charge for parking and TV/Phone, it’s the stupidity of the “system”!

# # # # #


GUNS: Should go to jail for stupidity

Sunday, June 14, 2009

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3331974.html?menu=news.quirkies.quirkygaffes

*** begin quote ***

Would-be gangster shoots off own manhood

A would-be gangster shot himself in the crutch when his gun went off half cocked in his pocket.

Lukas Neuhardt, 27, had forgotten to put the safety catch on when he stuffed the gun into his trouser pocket to impress pals in Saarbruecken, Germany.

*** and ***

Now – after surgeons stitched his manhood back together – he’s facing up to three years in jail for breaching Germany’s tough new anti gun laws.

*** end quote ***

See they need a “gun culture” like the Wild West.

Until this country went nuts over fear of guns, everyone knew guns as tools.

Argh!

# # # # #