MONEY: The Congress reneges on Coverdales

Friday, August 13, 2010

http://www.ricedelman.com/cs/pressroom/pressroom_detail?pressrelease.id=1498

Yet Another Reason Not to Make Tax Avoidance Your Top Goal
For Immediate Release
August 06, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Congress cuts a tax break retroactively – again!

Congress creates a program that offers tax benefits. Taxpayers participate in the program. Congress then eliminates the program’s tax benefits, retroactively denying the benefits to the taxpayers who had participated in good faith.

If you think you can trust Congress to honor its obligations, think again. Congress has changed tax rules retroactively several times before — and it just did it again.

*** and ***

By the way, Congress currently says that money placed into a Roth IRA can be withdrawn tax-free in the future.

Do you really believe that?

*** end quote ***

One of my initial reluctances to get involved with IRAs was the “political risk”.

We’ve seen several trial balloons about the Gooferment seizing the IRA / 401Ks in exchanged for an enhanced social security benefit. Where else are the politicians and bureaucrats going to find the amounts of money they need to keep the merry-go-round turning. And, all they have to do is issue diktats to the relatively small finite number of “custodians” to turn it over. It’ll be easier than FDR’s gold confiscation.

Does this start the NEXT american revolution?

Do the Sheeple have to see the boxcars destined for the camps waiting to be loaded before they wake up?

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SERVICE: Google Voice for ICE

Friday, August 13, 2010

http://lifehacker.com/5603492/create-a-better-emergency-contact-number-with-google-voice

Create a Better Emergency Contact Number with Google Voice

*** begin quote ***

A lot of us have more than one Google account (in fact, Google just launched a new feature specifically for multiple account owners), so the idea would be that you set up one of your non-primary accounts with Google Voice, then make that number, when called, ring everyone you’d consider an emergency contact—maybe your significant other, your parents, your sister.

*** end quote ***

I’ll try it.

My samsung phone displays “ice calling” when any of the three people I have listed call or texts me. It’s confusing.

We’ll see it it works.

I have a “spare” GV#. So what I’ll have to do is to schedule the authentication with my four ice (f,p,m,w) contacts and my four home (mc, ec, h, s). So, when some one call ICE it’ll ring all of them. That’s a real E!

First limit. You can only forward to six phones. And, each of the numbers has to be validated.

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: The TSA is abusive

Thursday, August 12, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/hjelm1.1.1.html

Our Stupid State Transportation Security
by Drew Hjelm
Ad Libertad

*** begin quote ***

On my way back from Mises University last Sunday, I had the opportunity to encounter the Transportation Security Administration. A week prior, I flew from Cedar Rapids. The security there is reasonable because it is a small regional airport. However, on my return trip I had to start out in Atlanta.

*** end quote ***

And, the one big reason, I ain’t flying. The TSA.

Thanks, George Bush, for creating a massive federal intrusion into air travel. Security should be the responsibility of the airline. Another case of “socialize the costs and privatize the profits”.

Why “volunteer” to be abused?

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INTERESTING: Inet radio

Thursday, August 12, 2010

http://picocool.com/design/heritage-deluxe-table-radio-by-revo/

Heritage Deluxe Table Radio by Revo

*** begin quote ***

We’re not that happy with the typical iPod docks from Sharper Image – they’re a bit too shiny, a bit too soulless. Consider then, this Heritage Deluxe Table Radio by Revo.

*** end quote ***

Needs to be wifi and have a “cheaper version”. It has to get in to where folks will buy it on a lark. The wifi support must allow the wifi lans to be predefined (i.e., like a hospital; home; work). Nice idea but incomplete.

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JOBSEARCH: Age Discrimination

Thursday, August 12, 2010

August 1, 2010

Jacqueline A. Berrien
Chair
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Dear Ms. Berrien:

Not withstanding the Gross v. FBL Financial Services decision, it is STILL the consensus of most older American workers that age discrimination is rampant in today’s economy.

In my youth, I worked on the AT&T Equal Opportunity Reports. The employee, applicant, and contractor workforce demographics were parsed may different ways to demonstrate that discrimination was not be tolerated either by management action, systematic flaws, or even random chance.

Companies are a creation of the government and as such are subordinate to them. My question is why doesn’t the EEOC require all corporations over a certain size to report their demographics. If a corporation has a deficiency in a race, sex, or age pool, then there should be a de facto finding of discrimination. Now clearly there has to be some latitude for say NBA basketball teams who are deficient in short Jewish women, but I suspect that you will find that Wall Street firms are deficient in fat old white guys. As well as, a host of other corporations. To give time to adapt, you could start with a requirement on the largest ones and lower the size bar gradually to an appropriate level.

Unlike the AT&T EO Reports, this should be an electronic data exchange in XBRL. So large corporation should be able, with a minimum of overhead, supply this data directly from their payroll and personnel systems. SAP probably has a module to do it already for its European Customers.

As the Federal Government seeks to match Social Security to increasing lifespans, we as a nation have to address issue that older workers represent a too valuable asset to be “frozen out” of the employment market by de facto age discrimination. This “freeze out” is forcing 50 to 65 year olds to prematurely use their retirement savings, lose those high earning years when they are saving for their retirement. This is a double whammy. Just like the ERISA rules were necessary to stop the Aircraft industry from dumping engineers after their first five years in favor of younger cheaper engineers, so to the Commission must change the economics of discrimination. By requiring companies to report is the first step in bringing a dirty little “not so secret” secret into the daylight.

Make companies report their demographics by race, sex, and age. If they can explain it, all well and good. If not, then that’s the time for some serious conversations.

As an IT Architecture and Business Process Reengineering consultant, I know this can be done relatively quickly and cheaply. I can help or advise the Commission or its staff, at my own expense, by phone or email, anytime.

Thanks for your consideration of my input,
fjohn

Ferdinand J. Reinke
3 Tyne Court
Kendall Park, NJ 08824

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MONEY: Fan and Fred “leaking” wealth

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

http://biggovernment.com/publius/2010/08/09/freddie-mac-posts-6-billion-quarterly-loss/

Freddie Mac Posts $6 Billion Quarterly Loss by Publius

*** begin quote ***

Fannie Mae said last week it lost 3.1 billion dollars in its second quarter, and needed 1.5 billion dollars from the US Treasury to wipe out its deficit as of the end of June.

Freddie has sought more than 60 billion dollars in federal aid so far while Fannie’s bill has ballooned to more than 85 billion dollars.

*** end quote ***

This can’t be good and needs to be addressed asap.

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LIBERTY: The pseudo “War” on (SOME) drugs

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

http://freekeene.com/2010/08/03/keenes-latest-drug-war-victims/

Keene’s Latest Drug War Victims
August 3, 2010 by Ian Freeman

*** begin quote ***

If there were no War on Drugs, drugs could be sold legally anywhere. People could go to the corner store, for instance, to buy their marijuana and other drugs. They would be manufactured safely and distributed with usage recommendations, just like aspirin. They’d also be cheap because in the regular market competition brings prices down when the distributors aren’t jacking their rates due to risk of arrest.

Since unfortunately there IS a War on Drugs, criminal thugs are frequently the only way to acquire the drugs that people are looking for. This is because criminals are the ones most willing to risk arrest to do business. Since people are going to do drugs regardless of their legal status, this puts a lot of buyers in serious danger of being ripped off, or worse. The Keene Sentinel reports on the “or worse” part of drug prohibition. When was the last time the clerk at Walgreens beat the shit out of a customer trying to buy some aspirin?

*** end quote ***

This sparks my continued opposition to the PWOSD (“Pseudo War On Some Drugs”).

As usual, I’ll trot out my big three points: It’s immoral, ineffective, and inefficient. As with all Gooferment efforts as well as anything based on other than voluntary agreement between two or more people, it just doesn’t achieve the stated aims.

IMMORAL

Do you own your own body? If so, then NO ONE has the right to tell you what you can or can not put in your body.

A gangs of costumed people kill and maim in our name. Funded by wealth stolen from us. All under the guise of “savings us from the scourge of drugs”.

Prisons a full of minorities. Full of non-violent offenders. And, the inner cities are destroyed by the PWOSD.

INEFFECTIVE

The addiction rates have been constant over eons. How can they claim the PWOSD has any effect.

Children die from drugs cut with rat poison or drugs with unknown potency. “Illegal” drugs kill. There’s no second chance form that mistake. Legalization would put “clean” “safe” drugs out there.

Drug Lords and Terrorists are empowered by the money funneled to them by “illegal” drugs. Let WalMart put them in the poor house.

Doing “illegal” drugs has the allure of the forbidden. “Legalizing” eliminates the attraction.

INEFFICIENT

Prohibition didn’t work for alcohol; it CAN NOT work for some drugs.

The militarized police are running roughshod over the citizens’ rights.

Graft subverts the police, politicians and bureaucrats.

“Illegal” drugs should cost should be comparable to aspirin. At those prices, it should be able to hold a job while being an addict.

Money spent of punishment could be spent on rehabilitation.

AND IT JUST DOESN’T WORK

Can anyone think it does? Children tell me it’s easier for them to get pot than alcohol. How can that be? It just doesn’t work. Put WalMart, Walgreens, Duane Reade, CVS, … in charge of selling them and I’m sure they can do a great job of keeping it out of the hands of children. Prohibition doesn’t work. Ever see kids with cigarettes?

Argh!

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RANT: Where NOT get life lessons

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-life-lessons-learned-in-grade-school

10 Life Lessons Learned in Grade School
July 21st, 2010 by BestOnlineColleges.net

*** begin quote ***

Grade school was an impressionable time for everyone. It’s when we became immersed into a mini-society, learning valuable life lessons that have remained through adulthood. If you think about it, many comparisons can be made between life in grade school and life in the real world. For example, back then, we had to learn to coexist with our peers – for better or for worse. And for many, it has proven to be a never-ending learning process; though you’re hopefully better at it now than you were as an 8-year-old. Here are a few life lessons we learned during that fun yet trying time, when the world was fresh and we were a bit more resilient.

*** end quote ***

I have to think about this one. But I’m sure that school was not good for me personally. I carry “scars” to this day that I’ve never gotten over.

OK, I thought it over.

  1. Don’t stand out from the crowd. (I later learned the psuedo-Chinese expression “The tallest nail gets hammered”.)
  2. Learn the rules of the game. (The stated rules of life are NOT the real rules of life.)
  3. Having the “right answer” quickly is of little value later in life. (You’re a pushy know it all.)  
  4. Your supposed friends will use you and you won’t even know it until it’s too late.
  5. Life can’t be learned from books no matter what your parent, relatives, or teachers tell you.
  6. Teachers are usually “wrong”, but won’t admit it, and may not even know it.
  7. School is poor preparation for life. It’s an artificial world that distorts your world view.
  8. There’s no substitute for TWO good loving parents; it can’t be substituted for or mailed in.
  9. You’re so dumb! (You don’t know what you don’t know. And, you don’t know how many “paths” you’re shutting off without even realizing it.)  
  10. You have to develop physical courage to stand up to bullies — no matter what costume they wear. (“They may torture my body, break my bones, even kill me, then they will have my dead body. NOT MY OBEDIENCE!” — from the movie Gandhi (1982) spoke by Ben Kingsley )

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RANT: The Gooferment! Can’t even run a website app

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html

*** begin quote ***

Check Out Our Interview-style Application

No need to file a Form SS-4. We ask you the questions and you give us the answers. After all validations are done you will get your EIN immediately upon completion. You can then download, save, and print your EIN confirmation notice.

This EIN is your permanent number and can be used immediately for most of your business needs, including opening a bank account, applying for business licenses, and filing a tax return by mail. However, no matter how you apply (phone, fax, mail, or online), it will take up to two weeks before your EIN becomes part of the IRS’ permanent records. You must wait until this occurs before you can file an electronic return, make an electronic payment, or pass an IRS Taxpayer Identification Number matching program.

We are experiencing technical difficulties at this time and hope to have the issue resolved soon.

We apologize for an inconvenience this may cause.

*** end quote ***

Argh!!!!!

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LIBERTY: Stefan Molyneux

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

http://freekeene.com/2010/08/05/important-video-the-sunset-of-the-state/

Stefan Molyneux (born September 24, 1966) is a Canadian blogger, essayist, author, and host of the Freedomain Radio[2] series of podcasts, living in Mississauga, Southern Ontario.

# – # – #

He may be the most powerful Libertarian thinker in my time. TO envision a world without Gooferment is either loony or insightful. Either way, here’s a challenging 10 minute video that challenges the assumption of Gooferment.

Makes you think about evolution and revolution.

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INTERESTING: Constantly putting up a front is psychologically taxing; physically?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

http://artofmanliness.com/2010/08/08/the-masks-men-wear

The Masks Men Wear by Brett & Kate McKay on August 8, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Researchers who study primates, like baboons, have learned never to tranquilize a male in front of his rivals. Once the male goes down, his competitors see the opportunity to pounce on him and will viciously attack the helpless baboon. No such problem exists when researchers tranquilize female primates. One can see then why male primates that are sick or injured will put on displays of vitality and vigor when their rival is around, only to go back to licking their wounds when once again by themselves. Biologists theorize that perhaps our human ancestors dealt with same issue-they couldn’t appear vulnerable or their rivals would see an opening, an opportunity. So our male ancestors learned to hide weakness and act tough. But constantly putting up this front can be psychologically taxing.

*** end quote ***

So that’s why men die sooner than woman? Keeping that front up is hard work.

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RANT: The attendant was wrong, but the passenger was wronger!

Monday, August 9, 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100809/od_yblog_upshot/jetblue-attendent-slides-down-emergency-chute-after-fight-with-passenger

JetBlue attendant slides down emergency chute after fight with passenger
By Holly Bailey

*** begin quote ***

Police arrested a JetBlue flight attendant today at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after he got into a verbal altercation with a passenger and then fled the scene by sliding down the plane’s emergency evacuation chute.

*** end quote ***

# – # – #

Excuse me! I’d suggest that they also arrest the <Expletive Deleted> passenger who set him off. And, when I was flying, the yahoos don’t give the “help” any cooperation. Sorry but I can understand the exasperation that the attendant was feeling.

I’d give him a firm slap on the wrist and send him on his way. And, I’d sentence the passenger to 30 days as an attendant. With me as a judge, I bet everyone follows the safety rules in my jurisdiction. All the other stupid rules would be rescinded immediately. Argh!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: A new meaning for an army of diplomats?

Monday, August 9, 2010

http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/2010/08/04/wondering-about-obamas-diplomats

WONDERING about Obama’s diplomats…
Submitted by jcbrook on Wed, 08/04/2010 – 10:39pm.

*** begin quote ***

http://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/iraq/state-dept-planning-to-field-a-small-army-in-iraq-1.111839

State Dept. planning to field a small army in Iraq [EXCERPTS]

WASHINGTON — Can diplomats field their own army? The State Department is laying plans to do precisely that in Iraq, in an unprecedented experiment that U.S. officials and some nervous lawmakers say could be risky….

*** end quote ***

I don’t think this is what Old George (Washington) meant by a “humble foreign” policy. Could be wrong about it, but aren’t ambassadors supposed to carry portfolios, not m16s?

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GUNS: Ms. Tori should have had an “equalizer”

Monday, August 9, 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7934226/Young-woman-randomly-beaten-to-death-by-jobless-teenager-who-had-rowed-with-girlfriend.html

Young woman ‘randomly beaten to death by jobless teenager who had rowed with girlfriend’
By Heidi Blake
Published: 8:49AM BST 09 Aug 2010

*** begin quote ***

A young woman was allegedly beaten to death in a random attack by an unemployed teenager who had recently rowed with his girlfriend.

Toni Rudman, 24, was dragged off the street in broad daylight and beaten to death in a nearby builders’ yard in Plumstead, south London.

*** end quote ***

This is a perfect blog fodder.

In the land of “no guns” and “no self-defense”, the strong criminal prevails. What about this woman’s “rights”. Supposedly protected by the Gooferment. ANd, taken away by a 19 year old rogue.

While technically correct, “teenager” is a misnomer. He’s a thug. Perhaps, you could call him a “young adult”, but “teenager” isn’t appropriate. He’s a criminal.

Now, I can’t be sure that a gun would have made a difference, BUT I would certainly like to see Ms. Toni Rudman given a fighting chance. Sam Colt is correctly applauded, “God made man, but Samuel Colt made them equal,” originated as advertising slogan for Colt Manufacturing. It should have been: “God made men and women, but Samuel Colt made them equal”! I can’t say for certain that a nice little 380 in Ms. Tori’s hand would have saved her life. But, I, for one, think that she should have had a chance to defend herself.

That’s what Sheeple on both sides of the pond would like to forget. The world is a dangerous place. And, as if the four legged varmints were not enough of a threat, “We, The People” have allowed a whole subspecies of two legged ones to thrive. While I am a right to lifer where babies are concerned, I’m a little L libertarian who thinks that Ms. Tori had the “unalienable right to life”. As does the “teenager”, up to the point where he initiated force on Ms. Tori. At that point, he made a choice. And, he suffers the consequences of that choice. Ms. Tori SHOULD have had the option to defend her life.

As an interesting thought experiment, if Ms. Tori had been “packing heat”, and if she dropped the “teenager” with a magazine load, then would she have been charged? Probably, because he was just “misunderstood” and she would have “over reacted”.

Another interesting thought experiment, if “open carry” was legal, and if she had on her stylish holster, do you think the “teenager” would have attacked her? Remember Robert A. Heinlein admonishment. “An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” He wrote a whole book about an armed society. Juvenile science fiction? I think not.

We are living in a time when the Sheeple are convinced by their politicians and bureaucrats that the timeless laws are suspended. The old ones no longer apply. Just yesterday, I heard Mayor Bloomberg pontificating about “keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals”. The only way that is going to happen is if he cuts off their hands. Criminals don’t obey laws. It may be a bumper sticker, but it’s still true: “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns”. (I call Bloomberg a pontificator, because he has tax-payer supplied 24/7 armed security. And, even before he was mayor he had bodyguards. (I know I met him twice and saw him several times on Wall Street. He was a real SOB then. I doubt he’s changed. Thought he was right then; no doubt still does.) Unless you think the hulking guy, with the strategic bulge who was always with him, was really his “aide”.

Bottom line: I grieve for Ms. Tori. She was killed by the Gooferment. Just as surely as if they had beaten her to death themselves. England is the land of fools. They think that a Gooferment diktat can repeal the laws of nature. Those twits have made it back into the Jungle. Survival of the fittest. The strong can kill all those weaker than themselves. With just the barest of inconvenience. Watch the results. This “teenager” will be portrayed as: a poor helpless waif; totally misunderstood; who was failed by society which should have given him a job; and was a romantic rejected by his life’s love. Get out the violins and flowers. You will think he’s saint who stumbled.

Instead, he’s evil. A criminal who preys on the weak. To satisfy his blood lust. He deserves to be removed from the gene pool. Just as he did Ms. Tori.

I’d suggest a “must carry” law. And, mandatory gun training and swimming lessons for everyone. Especially girls. Since they seem to get the shit end of the stick.

Gandhi said “Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.” Perhaps, he was wrong. Their self-delusion that they could legislate away the inalienable right to life and propagating that idea around the world will be the blackest. What they did to India was just a subset of that misdeed.

To arms, to arms, the British are coming. Even worse, their misguided idea have seeped into “liberal” minds here.

We need to revise that to the foolish idiots are coming to impose their will on us. Who care what costume they wear? All though lets hope they are nice and bright so were can aim at an easy target.

Sorry, Ms. Tori, you should have had a fighting chance. You should have been able to defend yourself with a true “equalizer”.

More importantly, we need to make Vermont-style carry the law of the land here. Nothing like “Ms Tori” should happen here. Arm all the women and girls. I trust them to make good decisions.

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RANT: Has The View become the “press office” of the White House?

Monday, August 9, 2010

*** begin quote ***

MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2010

Vice President Joe Biden chats with the co-hosts. Plus, it’s Sherri’s birthday — so get ready to party! Gospel singer Fred Hammond performs.

*** end quote ***

Strange?

Summer repeats, but interesting what they choose to repeat.

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INTERESTING: Moral Hazard

Monday, August 9, 2010

http://cafehayek.com/2010/08/successful-bailout.html

Successful Bailout? by Don Boudreaux on August 2, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Second – and more importantly – the chief economic case against the bailout was not that huge infusions of taxpayer funds and special exemptions from bankruptcy rules could not make G.M. and Chrysler profitable. Of course they could. Instead, the heart of the case against the bailout is that it saps the life-blood of entrepreneurial capitalism. The bailout reinforces the debilitating precedent of protecting firms deemed ‘too big to fail.’ Capital and other resources are thus kept glued by politics to familiar lines of production, thus impeding entrepreneurial initiative that would have otherwise redeployed these resources into newer, more-dynamic, and more productive industries.

*** end quote ***

“The broken window fallacy”
— Frédéric Bastiat Ce qu’on voit et ce qu’on ne voit pas (That Which Is Seen and That Which Is Unseen) 1850

I know for certain that the 5k$ that Obama robbed from my wife’s IRA could have been used to do something she wanted to do. Even if the bankruptcy only gave her a dollar, it was still HER dollar; not his!

Seizure by the Gooferment. Worked for FDR; worked for Obama. I won’t forget it either.

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GOVERNACIDE: I’m stunned at the ignorance of some and the insensitivity of others

Monday, August 9, 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7931862/British-doctor-and-nine-others-killed-in-Afghanistan-ambush.html

British doctor and nine others killed in Afghanistan ambush
A British doctor, Dr Karen Woo, was among ten aid workers ambushed and shot dead by gunmen in a remote area of northern Afghanistan, it emerged today.
By Andrew Alderson and Ben Farmer in Kabul
Published: 1:44PM BST 07 Aug 2010

*** begin quote ***

A British doctor, Dr Karen Woo, was among ten aid workers ambushed and shot dead by gunmen in a remote area of northern Afghanistan, it emerged today.

The body of Dr Woo, whose family came from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was found on Friday next to three bullet-riddled four-wheel drive vehicles.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, which also claimed the lives of six Americans, a German and two Afghan interpreters. The attack happened in the Kuran Wa Munjan district of Badakhshan province in Afghanistan.

It is understood that the victims were lined up, robbed and shot dead with AK-47 rifles. “Yesterday (Friday) at around 8am, one of our patrols confronted a group of foreigners. They were Christian missionaries and we killed them all,” said Zabihullah Mujahed, a spokesman for the Taliban.

Dr Woo was returning to Kabul after working in an eye clinic in the Nuristan province when her convoy was attacked. She had previously worked for private health care firm Bupa before she decided to do aid work in Afghanistan. Her parents and two brothers were too upset to comment on her death.

*** end quote ***

“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Gandhi

I’d say a plague on their house. And, walk away.

I’m touched by the human suffering. But only the folks there can upset the apple cart.

Clearly, the Taliban don’t want any help. So we should pull back. And, if they stick there head up to hurt us, then we help them back to the stone age “dog eat dog prison” that they have created. That means no “diplomatic” trips to NYC, London, or Paris. No personal foreign bank accounts. They’re in a jail; that we don’t have to pay for.

And we can use the power of Marque and Reprisal! (Think of a “get out of jail free” card and a “dead or alive” wanted poster with “alive” crossed out.

“We, The People” have to direct our representatives to get the hell out of this mess and save some lives.

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TECHNOLOGY: When a hospital’s IT system is dangerous to patient care

Sunday, August 8, 2010

“UPON FURTHER REVIEW”

Interesting. I finally had time to go thru the exit documents that they made her sign before they let her go. Those instructions are ten pages of virtually unreadable “barbara streisand”. Let’s examine what the hospital bureaucrats — no doubt advised by lawyers — wasted paper and toner on.

Under the heading of “just stupid”, this patient doesn’t smoke, virtually never has. (Me either. Ever kiss a smoker? Yuck. And it makes your wee willie shrink up prematurely. For boys and girls. Look it up. That should be enough to get any youngster to quit. Unless the don’t like using. TMI? Hey this is life. Face it. Like the blog title says.) So why are there THREE separate sections of this load of “barbara streisand” about quitting smoking. One section might be a mistake, two an oversight, three is just no one reads the “barbara streisand” pumped out.

Under the heading of “downright dangerous”, are the two pages of medication instructions. (I have yet to exit the hospital with Frau where these are correct. From my memory, EVERY time we’ve left — and we’ve left a lot — there has been at least ONE serious fmpov error.) SO let’s take score of these instructions.

— We have duplicate instructions on insulin. Literally, separated by incorrect insulin instructions. Luckily, DIABETICDOC#3 was clear with her instructions about what she wanted Frau to take. “Regardless of what is in your discharge instructions”. (So obviously the docs know that these instructions are cobbled together “barbara streisand”.) And, give her even more credit, Frau’s discharge was just a rumor when she gave her exit instructions. (You have to like someone who’s on top of their game. You could almost hear her say: “I don’t care what everyone else is doing. My part of the problem is done right.” She should be in charge. Her or the cleaning lady. Both have their act together.)

— In two items, dosages have been changed which MAY or MAY NOT be correct. (If the lesser dosage is right, then where are the RXes for the new form. Since these dosages were NOT given in the hospital, we’re assuming that this is wrong.)

— Two of her important medications have no instructions at all; so in one case we resumed her old regime and in one case we did not. (Maybe that’s right, maybe that’s wrong.)

— The instructions might as well be written in Babylonian cuniform. It has chemical name, followed by another chemical name in parenthesis sometimes, dosage, instruction, start date, the phrase “ordered as”, and the brand name. (Boy that’s as clear as mud.) The start date is always identical. No where does it say “Take it”. (I know that’s “obvious”. But we are dealing with humans here.) And there’s no indication of what doctor ordered what? (Did my cardiologist really order me to take this cardiac drug or is it one of the other docs covering for him? Who gets sued when it’s wrong and kills me?)

The entire ten page document is a virtually unreadable. I have 20/20 corrected vision. And, I know the tricks one can play with fonts and kerning to pack print on a page. There is a mix of fonts, bolding, and compression that make it a mess to try and read. (Didn’t these folks ever hear of “information mapping”?) As “evidence”, I have a the input from a sample of one, Frau. After scribbling her name on the last page, with it being literally the last thing between her and the door, she look at it, said to me “it’s junk. Can you see if there’s anything important in it?” And, that’s an opinion I can agree with.   

How would I improve it?

Well since not everyone getting out of the hospital has 20/20 vision or a Patient Advocate (PiA) to worry about the “barbara streisand”, I’d completely redesign it using the principles of Information Mapping. It’s not a form; it’s a letter. Signed by the principle doctor and nurse.

It should say. “In order to recover, we want you to take” and then a simple list of drug, dose, and time. And, leave the chemical jargon to the pharmacist. If the patient take Nexium, don’t tell them to Esomeprazole Delayed Release.

For each specialty, it should say: “your DIABETICDOC want you to take:”.

Then a section on follow ups. And don’t tell the patient to do the work. “We have taken the liberty to schedule the following appointments. DIABETICDOC on August 31 at 10AM, BLOODDOC on August 13 at 10AM, CARDIODOC on September 15 at 10AM. You, of course, are free to reschedule these as needed.” (Wow, do some value adding work? What a novel idea.)

Print it all in a nice clean 16 point font and we’re good to go.

Argh!

Information Technology Architecture and Business Process Reengineering are so easy when someone just cares about the results.

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GOVERNACIDE: One of our soldiers dies

Sunday, August 8, 2010

http://original.antiwar.com/updates/2010/08/08/sunday-40-iraqis-1-us-soldier-killed-109-iraqis-wounded

Sunday: 40 Iraqis, 1 US Soldier Killed; 109 Iraqis Wounded by Margaret Griffis, August 08, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Although Anbar province took the brunt of today’s attacks, Baghdad and Mosul also saw a surge in violence. At least 40 Iraqis were killed and 109 more were wounded in those and a few other attacks. An American soldier died of unknown causes in Babel province as well. Meanwhile, the death toll in yesterday’s massive triple bombing in Basra rose to 43 dead; about 185 others were wounded.

*** end quote ***

Sadly!

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FUN: Old Westerns

Sunday, August 8, 2010

http://oldfortyfives.com/thoseoldwesterns.htm

One look at this film clip and you’ll be young and old all over again. It is “brand new” even listing 2010.

BUT WAIT — THERE’S MORE!!!! Ever wonder just who all those minor characters were who populated western after western with few lines and a familiar face.

Well, the clip has pictures and names — so after 50 or so years — say “Howdy” to some of those general store, saloon keeper, blacksmith mini-heroes from your youth.

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Sigh, those were the simple days of illusion.

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RANT: Client satisfaction calls

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Day before yesterday, I received two phone calls. Both wanting to speak to Frau, who was sleeping. Caught them on the first ring. And told them BOTH to call back tomorrow between 4 and 6 PM.

(On Saturday? You expect us to work on Saturday. Yeah, if this is so important. Otherwise don’t bother us. You have the need for this dumb call; not us.)

Yesterday morning, Frau was sleeping on the couch. She’s had a rough few weeks so it was good. Sure enough, the insurance called to “follow up on her care”.

Woke her up!

<Expletive Deleted>

Told the lady: “Thanks for waking her up and disturbing her. Some Customer Satisfaction.”

Frau took the call. Answered a few dumb questions. Like her birthdate, and when she got out of the hospital.

I’m “with out urine”. Polite way of saying <Expletive Deleted> <Expletive Deleted> off!

Can’t wait until Monday, when I plan to call the insurance company, and try to chat with the honcho in charge of follow up!

The hospital satisfaction surveyor never called back; fine with me.

Argh!

Who designs this nonsense?

(Glad you’re reading this spleen venting.)

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INTERESTING: Quebec and Vermont, pehaps the first of many?

Sunday, August 8, 2010

http://dumpdc.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/what-the-kosovo-ruling-means-for-canada-trouble/

What The Kosovo Ruling Means For Canada: Trouble!
by Milan Markovic

*** begin quote ***

The muted reaction was appropriate. International lawyers agree that last week’s decision is mostly notable for what it doesn’t do. The World Court purposely sidestepped difficult questions such as whether the declaration brought about Kosovo’s secession from Serbia and whether nations such as Canada and the United States were legally justified in recognizing an independent Kosovo. The court ruled only that declarations of independence made by separatist groups are not contrary to international law.

*** and ***

What the court did find was that secessionist groups are not obligated to respect the territorial integrity of the country from which they are trying to secede. Nor are they prohibited from unilaterally declaring independence against the will of that country. What, then, is to stop Quebec’s National Assembly from declaring the province’s independence without holding a fair referendum as Quebec is supposed to do under the Clarity Act?

*** and ***

The Kosovo precedent also undermines the notion that Quebec must seriously negotiate its separation from Canada. Under the administrative scheme established by the United Nations Security Council, representatives from Serbia and Kosovo were required to negotiate Kosovo’s final status. The negotiations were fruitless, leading Kosovo to declare its independence. But Kosovo’s representatives indicated from the beginning of negotiations that they would not settle for anything short of full independence and would not tolerate any partition of Kosovo’s territory. Quebec’s leaders may be tempted to take a similar line and declare Quebec’s independence if Canada refuses to acquiesce to these unfavourable terms.

*** end quote ***

Observations and comments:

  1. The Gooferments of the various countries will probably back each other up with respect to “secession”. Can’t let your “sheeple” escape. Can’t let them defy the “law”. Can’t let anyone to be free. On the theory that it’s a “closed club”, those in power will seek to keep the club’s doors closed and locked. After all it’s not like Quebec, wants to join the USA. Or that Texas, Vermont, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Alaska, or others want to join Canada. It’s an “escape” to freedom. From the movie Candhi, “I beg you to accept that there is no people on Earth who would not prefer their own bad government to the good government of an alien power.” They don’t want to lose their power. Even a fraction of it.
  2. You only have the “rights” that you are willing to demand and fight for. So to, you can only have the “state” that you’re willing to fight for. In the case of the big gang that Gooferment represents, you’ll need help. Your neighbors have to be of like mind.
  3. Gandhi is the model for non-violent revolution. Unfortunately, the people he freed are not as wise as he. Few would be. They don’t have true freedom yet. There’s a lot of corruption and poverty there. But it’s their problem.

Ready for the Third American Revolution yet?

It’s coming. Just like the USSR, all empires fail. Some sooner, some later. But they all do.

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QUOTE: Education should make you a unique – John Taylor Gatto

Sunday, August 8, 2010

“Whatever an education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges; it should allow you to find values which will be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live and how to die.” – John Taylor Gatto

http://www.preservenet.com/theory/Gatto.html

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TECHNOLOGY: The lowly hospital call button

Saturday, August 7, 2010

After Frau’s recent stints in the hospital, I was thinking about their poor use of technology.

The lowly call button is the problem. Patients push but … and frustration ensues.

Sitting there with little to do, I mused about how, if I was KING, I’d rework that.

It’s a perfect call center application.

In my world, I’d have room full of “911 operators” to answer the calls. And, I’d have the staff equipped with the latest mobile technology. Like a push to talk cell phone on their hip with a blue tooth headset.

Patient pushes the call button! ,

In the current system, the unit clerk usually answers the bell with a not so cheery “whaddayawant”. OK, that’s not the exact words, but it really is the exact message.

In my system, the “911 operator” would answer: “Yes, is this urgent?” If response = “yes”, set priority to “immediate”. If response = “no”, set priority to “routine”. “What do you need?” And parse the response. “Pain” = “Nurse” “Bedpan” = “Aide” “Spill = Housekeeping” “Lawyer” = “Notify Risk Management” (You get the idea?)

Then, my system would be different in many ways. For “urgent”, I’d go down the list for first available: patient’s regular nurse, the backup, the charge nurse, any available floor nurse, and finally the Director of Nursing. (Wanna bet how many hit the honcho’s phone?)

For routine requests, the “911 operator” would speak to the appropriate party (i.e., nurse, tech, or housekeeper). If they were busy, they could queue it with a “remind me”. The “911 operator would have the person’s queue of items on screen and be able to say “you have five reminders, can I get you some help?”

Nothing would be “forgotten”. Response times would be measurable. Patient satisfaction would improve.

And I’d FLOG the leadership to help motivate them. :-)

These folks work very hard with what I call “a suit from Omar’s” (You know the tailor that has two sizes — too big and too small.) for technology support.

I can quickly list: bp / temp / pulse ox machines that down’t talk to the patient records; blood glucose testing devices that have to be docked to communicate; static white boards that have last shift’s names on them; quality assurance sheets to be signed each hour to ensure that the folks physically visit the rooms and are filled out just before the end of shift; no one monitors what the patient eats; ripoff tv and phone service; no exercise equipment; no technology for communication — people yell for people even on the quiet critical units.

It’s a Leadership problem. It obvious; they just don’t care. Argh!

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INTERESTING: Sherrod Story; somethin’ is off

Saturday, August 7, 2010

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/07/real_sherrod_story_still_untol.html

July 30, 2010
Real Sherrod Story Still Untold
By Jack Cashill

*** begin quote ***

“As an old pro,” Brown acknowledged, “I know that you don’t fire someone without at least hearing their side of the story unless you want them gone in the first place.” Brown observed that Sherrod had been a thorn in the USDA’s side for years, that many had objected to her hiring, and that she had been “operating a community activist organization not unlike ACORN.” Although Brown does not go into detail, he alludes to a class action lawsuit against the USDA in which she participated some years ago.

*** end quote ***

I agree. I smell a rat. And, maybe my tin foil hat is wrapped too tight, but nothing is ever as it seems.

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FUN: “Hospital”; a town in County Limerick Ireland

Friday, August 6, 2010

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/Irelands-strangest-place-names-99827479.html

*** begin quote ***

Hospital, Co. Limerick – acquired its name from the Knights Hospitaller, a Christian organization in the time of the Crusades. Ironically, the town doesn’t have any medical facilities.

*** end quote ***

Speechless!

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