RANTING: Opened sold as new

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Went to WalMart to get a smaller table and cheap printer.

Had some “excitement” with the old lady, but that’s another story.

Got the printer home! It was only 40$. (Yeah, I know they screw you on the ink.)

And, the printer doesn’t work.

It’s been used and repackaged.

I knew it when I opened the box. The plastic around it was not like a factory seal.

The contents aren’t right. Stuff is missing. And the cartridges are either gone or in the machine.

I’m pissed that this is another example of a return sold as new. I didn’t think WalMart did that. I know Officemax, Staples, and Office Depot do.

And it had a very complicated anti-theft device around it. So that means the Store has to have done it!

Back it goes today.

Very disappointing WalMart. I thought you were above that. At least Best Buy has an open box sale area and you know it’s not brand spanking new.

Argh!

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INTERESTING: Seats for everyone?

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/women_shealth/7809871/Why-pregnant-women-cant-get-a-seat-on-the-bus.html

Why pregnant women can’t get a seat on the bus

Pregnant women are being left standing on public transport because commuters are too afraid to offer their seat in case they are simply overweight, researchers claim.

By Nick Collins

Published: 7:30AM BST 08 Jun 2010

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The majority of expectant mothers cannot find a seat on buses and trains because their fellow passengers cannot distinguish between a pregnant woman’s bump and the figure of an obese woman, it was claimed.

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May I suggest that standees are, in an accident, both at risk and a risk to other passengers?

When I visited London (a long time ago) on a mixed business pleasure trip, saw two buses accidents in a week. A lot of ambulances and police at both scenes. No idea of the casualties if any. (In NYC, bus accidents magically attract additional passengers seeking a payoff. I assume similar happens there. And, everyone is “hurt”?)

So shouldn’t it be required that ALL passengers have a seat? You might even require all to belt in.

“My” commuter bus company between NYC and a NJ suburb REQUIRES every passenger to have and take a seat. Otherwise, the driver is instructed not to move the bus. Granted that this route travels on a “high speed” route. (What you’d call a motorway, we call a limited access expressway. Or turnpike. Or parkway. A rose is a rose is a rose.)

In an accident, even at low speeds, a body in motion tends to remain in motion. A body (i.e., standee) motions until it’s stopped by something (i.e., windshields, seats, other passengers). Hard to imagine a worse scenario for a standee?

So perhaps, instead of worrying about pregnant standees, you should be worried about ALL standees. If everyone has to take a seat, then by definition we’ve “solved” the “pregnant standee” problem. Of course, it may require more and better hardware, but that’s a different problem.

I never understood the Japanese Rail passengers crammed in like sardines. What happens in an accident with them?

Nope everyone should take a seat, and hold on for dear life. It might make commuting a lot less stressful.

Just a suggestion from across the pond.

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INTERESTING: fear.less is a free online magazine

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

http://fearlessstories.com/

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fear.less is a free online magazine that empowers people through unique stories of overcoming fear. From entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists and scientists to survivors of extreme experiences, these stories demonstrate the hidden potential we have to confront our fears and come out victorious. Fear.less is our answer to an emergency.

*** end quote ***

Technology-wise it appears slow. But content-wise it’s “interesting”.

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GOLDBUG: In your back yard; not your IRA or 401k

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

http://dumpdc.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/put-gold-and-silver-in-your-ira-or-401k/

Put Gold and Silver In Your IRA or 401k

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“It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.” George Carlin

In my opinion, any consideration about investment income right now is a big mistake. Your NUMBER ONE CONCERN should be protecting the purchasing power of your money.

Buy gold and silver coins and keep them in a safe at your home. Then, with your retirement accounts, transfer your positions in money markets, bonds, mutual funds and stocks into gold and silver.

*** end quote ***

I’m not sure how viable IRAs and 401ks are in the scenario where gold and silver makes sense. The politicians can “seize” the accounts via the “custodians” and you are screwed. You know that in a hyperinflation scenario that the gooferment will be desperate for funding. In even a moderate inflation, a la Carter of the 80’s, the metal in your IRA won’t help you. And, you must always remember the FDR seizure of gold.

I think 5-15% metal holding is appropriate in today’s economic climate.

BUT, BUTT (there’s always a big but), that metal is in one ounce rounds in your physical possession.

Despite Milton Freedman’s “People must work hard to dig gold out of the ground in South Africa – in order to rebury it in Fort Knox or some similar place.”, better buried in your back yard than in OHB44’s spending plan.

imho!

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SOFTWARE: Trying Safari5 (It’s free!)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

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Apple today released Safari 5, the latest version of the world’s fastest and most innovative web browser. This release features the new Safari Reader for reading articles on the web without distraction, a 30-percent performance increase over Safari 4, and the ability to choose Google, Yahoo!, or Bing as the search service powering Safari’s search field. Available for both Mac and Windows, Safari 5 includes improved developer tools and supports more than a dozen new HTML5 technologies that allow web developers to create rich, dynamic websites.

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Downloaded and am trying it now. No science; just feel. Seems snappy. Have the Fox and Chrome. Who needs three browsers?

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MONEY: Social Security is like a Ponzi scheme

Monday, June 7, 2010

http://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/what-is-social-security

What is Social Security? by Michael on June 7, 2010

>Have you ever wondered how Social Security works?

The Gooferment, using its gun power, has stolen and continues to steal from the workers taxes under the guise of “insurance”.

Like a Ponzi scheme, it uses what it steals from current workers to pay off older workers. Unlike a Ponzi scheme, it’s almost impossible to avoid this theft.

In practical terms, this program transfers money from poor minority men to rich white women.

It’s intergenerational theft!

And, as an “investment”, it’s the rough equivalent a negative rate of return estimated between 2 and 5%.

>President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to assist the elderly

While we’ll never know what he wanted, but we do know he was a “progressive” who admired socialism.

It was asserted that “social security” was a big step on the road to socialism. Huge societal changes were initiated by this action. In effect, he put the old on the dole.

>impact on Americans by the Depression

A Depression that was caused by the Congress in passing the Smoot Hawley tariff and exacerbated by the (unconstitutional and monopolistic) Federal Reserve Bank. So, the answer is, of course, “more gooferment”!

>Before Social Security, care and monetary funding for these individuals

Was their own responsibility. And that of their family. Multi-generation family farms were common BEFORE social security.

>

And, don’t overlook the fact that Congress changes the rules as it sees fit. Try doing that if you were an insurance company.

Social Security is a disaster. And, as such, everyone should be VERY careful in including it in their financial plans.

And, bear in mind that the Gooferment needs money, and the IRA / 401ks are held by “Custodians”. So everyone should be worried that they will have their IRA and or 401k when they need it to retire.

Lest you think “it can’t happen here”, then think back on the Bank Holiday, the Gold Seizure, and the Japanese Internment.

“Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant, and a fearful master.” George Washington

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POLITICAL: Helen Thomas steps in it

Monday, June 7, 2010

http://bigjournalism.com/jdunetz/2010/06/04/helen-thomas-jews-should-get-the-hell-out-of-palestine-
and-go-back-to-germany-and-poland/

Helen Thomas: Jews Should ‘Get the Hell Out of Palestine and Go Back To Germany And Poland’
Posted by Jeff Dunetz Jun 4th 2010 at 11:43 am in Featured Story, Mainstream Media, media bias

*** begin quote ***

Helen Thomas’ comparing of the IDF to Nazi Germany is nothing but an attempt to water-down the horror of the Holocaust, and to dehumanize Israel. And her advice to the Jews to get the hell out of Palestine, and go back to Poland and Germany is nothing short of anti-Semitism. If Thomas’ comments were directed toward any other group but the Jews, she would have been out of work a very long time ago. Maybe it’s time for Helen’s bosses to retire her to the The Home For Crazy Old Anti-Semites.

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“Liberals” are always so sensitive and caring. But every once and while, they show their true colors. Hateful.

Us little L libertarians despise them for their two-faced presentation.

“Fair minded journalists”? Don’t make me laugh!

“Liberals” were once the champions of the People. Now they are just small-minded control freaks.

Maybe Helen Thomas should just do interviews with Robert Byrd about the KKK’s opinion of Jews?

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SERVICE: Surprise GMAIL CONTACTS has quotas? Who knew!

Monday, June 7, 2010

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Over contacts quota

Because problems can occur when you have an extremely large number of contacts in your Google Account (note that this number includes the people you’re following on Google Buzz), we’ve implemented some quota restrictions. If you take an action that would put you beyond this limit, we’ll show you an error message.

One common reason for having a large number of contacts is having many duplicate entries. We recommend using the merge tools in your Contact Manager to consolidate your duplicates and make room for new additions.

You can also back up your existing contacts by exporting to a CSV file.

*** end quote ***

Argh!

Another reason “cloud computing” won’t work. Surprises!

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JOBSEARCH: “Eliminating the unemployed” will be punished in the marketplace; no law required

Monday, June 7, 2010

http://www.career-resumes.com/the-unemployed-will-not-be-considered-what/

The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered. WHAT???

by Jason Alba http://www.jibberjobber.com/

*** begin quote ***

I read this article on The Huffington Post: Disturbing Job Ads: ‘The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered.’

In my opinion (Jason Alba, not Career Resumes),

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>should be illegal

Argh! Sorry, but I “violently” disagree. Well as “violently” as a little L libertarian can.

Perhaps, I can illustrate the “dead end” and counter-productive nature of that reaction.

We have laws against “age discrimination”, how well are they working? Ditto “sex”. Ditto “race”. Ditto, ditto, ditto.

Using the “guns of gooferment” just ensures that it will be our collective feet that are getting shot.

Let’s examine how well WW2 Wage and Price controls worked for today’s employees. We have the “benefits trap” that tie health benefits with employment by laws and tax policy that are inescapable.

ERISA rules, make it more expensive to do business in the US.

Departing from the original Constitutional method of financing the Federal Gooferment with excise taxes and tariffs allows the exporting of jobs overseas.

Creation of the Federal Reserve Bank, (which by the way ain’t Federal, doesn’t Reserve squat, and ain’t a Bank), allows the Gooferment to monetize spending into debt and distort the marketplace interest rate. That creates “malinvestment” in the marketplace. And, the investor, entrepreneurs, the poor, the fixed income, and the worker suffers.

So, please, immediately any thought of “illegality”. It will do nothing to solve, ameliorate, or even prevent the problem. Making something “illegal” just: drives it underground (i.e., age = overqualified), increases costs (i.e., EOE = dumb disclaimers on any job ad), and doesn’t solve the problem (i.e., resumes with gaps will still be dumped automagically).

>Does being unemployed change your

Yes, it does. It’s affects your whole attitude about life, your self-worth, and your outlook. Hopefully for the better. But not necessarily. Once you’ve been nuked, I feel you become a “turkey”. You’re never as self-confident as you were pre-unemployment. That may be good. That may be just “growing up”. That may be a spark to do bigger and better thing (e.g., you with Jibber Jobber). While you’re unemployed, some of your dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) ages. Data ages badly; wisdom perhaps not at all. In the Technology arena, a month can be like a life time. (A funny story: I know one techie, who was out so long when his particular technology went out of fashion, that he went to sell cars. When that didn’t work out five years later, the technology pendulum had swung back and his tech was back in style and he picked up where he left off. Just lucky or evidence of the stupidity of large organizations. It was hard on him, but he survived.)

>still a lot of ignorant thinking to change

I think that contains the seed of what will happen. Don’t you think that turkeys will have long memories? What will be that company’s reputation in the future when it has to compete for talent? And, the pendulum always swings.

And the HR type that initiated that type of restriction may not have a very long career in HR.

The economists always point out that irrational discrimination or discrimination in socially unacceptable manner costs the company dramatically. “Irrational”, like “No blonds”, eliminates all Swedes. This means that their hiring pool is artificially constricted. If that company wants to hire a Swedish translator, they may have to pay more or be unable to fill the position. That company would be at a competitive disadvantage and would lose in the marketplace. “Socially unacceptable”, like “No <insert favorite minority>”, will bring about a boycott by the minority and their sympathizers. (Note, the state transit racial segregation laws were vigorously opposed by white bus and train owners because they fear financial ruin. Prior to those laws, no one had to sit at the back of the bus.) The Free Market administers discipline quickly!

“Eliminating the unemployed” will be subverted (i.e., everyone will have their own consulting company and internet side businesses), marginalized (i.e., folks will make them “anathema”), and eventually punished by the invisible hand of the marketplace (i.e., hiring the employed will raise their costs, they will miss “bargains”, and be at a financial disadvantage to their competitors).

>You can tell this makes me mad

Me2. I’d conserve your anger for the bigger “structural” problems that we Turkeys have.

We, as a society, “we” collectively “waste” expensively a lot of “human resources”. From around age 15 to age 25, we confine workers to what is euphemistically called “school” from which they emerge with a bug debt, unrealistic expectations, and no ROI. From age 50 to 65, “we” again discriminate against the “older expensive worker”. From age 65 to 75, “we” again waste frivolously and expensively in “retirement”. With life spans lengthening and political, financial, and intellectual memes failing to recognize and adapt. we have BIGGER problems to solve.

The silver lining is that: (1) such stupidity will be punished in the marketplace; (2) the unemployed will compete by forming their own businesses (as you know, I think were bound to become a nation of one man bands like the movie industry); and (3) Americans have rebellion, energy, and innovation in their genes and memes.

We will survive. The turkeys will inherit the earth! So lets go peck them to death!

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I did over look three ideas which I should have gotten in about unemployment and how it changes the individual.

(1) It wipes out your savings.

It does something else.

(2) You never look at companies the same way again. Your motivation never aligns with the company’s again. Any company. It’s like the monologue by the character Colonel Jessep played by Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men”.

“Son, we live in a world that has walls, … … Because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want it all to be back the way it was. You hang on every illusion that it was all just a mistake.”

One of the points I missed was that: (3) you still cling to the innocence that you deep down in your heart know it was all a mistake. Your name just wound up on the wrong list. You’re really not the turkey. But like we used to say in Delta Beta Mu a long time ago, you’re a turky because you being at the turkey farm is prima facie evidence that you’re a turkey and it was not a mistake. The sooner you learn that the better off you will be.

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LIBERTY: Dr. Mary Ruwart’s “Healing Our World”

Monday, June 7, 2010

http://freekeene.com/2010/05/19/world-exclusive-healing-our-world-now-in-kindle-and-epub-formats/

FK EXCLUSIVE: “Healing Our World” Now In Kindle and Epub Formats!

May 19, 2010 by Ian Freeman

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Thanks to Keeniac and liberty activist Abbie, we are proud to announce the world exclusives of Dr. Mary Ruwart’s awesome book, “Healing Our World” (90s edition) in Epub (.epub) and Kindle (.azw) formats! Just click your preferred format to download.

Plus, we still have the .PDF of “Healing” http://freekeene.com/files/Healing_Our_World.pdf and some other books like “The Market for Liberty” and “Complete Liberty” free in audio format as well as .PDF on our Free Books page!

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Absolutely worth a read!

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