POLITICAL: BHO44’s Egypt policy called “flip, flop, flip”

Monday, March 14, 2011

LUDDITE FINALLY FORWARDED ME SOMETHING THAT WAS STUNNING.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9sMo-LTdSc

Naill Furgeson, a history prof from Harvard, (hardly a Fox News contributor), roasts President Obama about Egypt. The MSNBC hosts look like they got slapped upside the head by a 2×4. Obviously smart and deeply knowledgeable about the region and history, he just blew their socks off.

The most important quote: “The military is in charge and that’s not usually seen as a successful outcome of a democratic revolt.”

In a five minute segment, he shows how the American electorate made a mistake that will forever change the world. And, he slammed Hillary, Gates, and the Obama administration’s foreign policy staff as “not even second rate”.

Wow!

And, this made it on to MSNBC? The propaganda arm of the Democratic Party. The crown Jewel of Gooferment Electric. I’m sure there will be a strong memo to follow.

Hey, Fox News, you need to have this guy on more often. He’s as good as Dick Morris as calling folks out about facts.

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RANT: Bring the girls and boys home … now

Monday, March 14, 2011

http://dumpdc.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/secession-movement-spreads-well-beyond-texas-2/

Secession movement spreads well beyond Texas
By DAVE MONTGOMERY dmontgomery@star-telegram.com

*** begin quote ***

A campaign called “Bring the Guard Home” is pushing legislation in 23 states that would empower governors to recall state National Guard units from Iraq on the premise that the federal law authorizing such deployments has expired. “It’s gaining momentum, to say the least,” said Jim Draeger, program manager for Peace Action Wisconsin. He said the initiative has a respectable chance of passing the Legislature in his state.

*** end quote ***

Bring the girls and boys home under any excuse!

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EVLYNN: Today I stopped at the store …

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Del Monte grapefruit was on sale 2 cans for $3. Her favorite. It made me very sad.

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RANT: The meme of TOD; one label globally

Sunday, March 13, 2011

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_b28af7e2-4c32-11e0-a426-001cc4c03286.html

It’s that time again: Clocks change this weekend

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press | Posted: Friday, March 11, 2011 5:00 pm

*** begin quote ***

NEW YORK (AP) – It’s an annoying ritual to some: Clocks go back in the fall and ahead for spring, but why do we do it, when did it start and how does it affect our lives?

*** end quote ***

It’s a dumb idea.

And, serves no rational purpose.

I’d rather see the entire world on GMT.

When I had national responsibilities, time zones were annoying. When I had global responsibilities, time zones were impossible.

Who cares what label is applies for the time to get up or go to sleep.

We should have one label globally. One time, one date. Who cares about the Earth’s rotation anyway?

We’re not so smart in choosing our memes.

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MEMORIES: A young couple in aruba

Sunday, March 13, 2011

In the first of our too few trips to Aruba, we’d had a good time (Except for her sunburn, which I’ll cover another time.)

We’re in this Quonset hut of a “departure terminal”. In those days, like you see in the old movies, they push a mobile stairway up to the side of the plane and you board. The hut was long, aluminum and hot. So we were going through the various “stations” — US immigration, US agriculture, US passport control, US visa, US Customs — heck if I was a bureaucrat, I’d try and figure out a job in Aruba. Then Aruba passport control, visa, etc. etc.

So Frau Reinke and I are free to approach the last station, we discover that Aruba has a $20 / head departure tax. Payable in cash US$ only — no florins (amusing that their Gooferment wouldn’t take its own paper), no credit cards, no checks, no nothing — nothing but cash on the barrelhead.

Half way to the station, we see a young couple — obviously newlyweds — the girl is in tears and the guy looks like he pooped his pants. Naturally, Frau Reinke can’t MYOB. She steps up to the girl, who’s maybe a decade younger than she is, “What’s the matter, Hon.”

Thru the water works, we learn they have no money. They spent it all and had credit cards until they got home.

Frau Reinke says: “Not to worry, Hon. We were lucky this trip and have extra.” (I want to scream “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” We hadn’t won.) She whips out her roll and gives the boy money. 60$ US and says “Here’s two for the tax and one for lunch on us.” Then she turns to the girl, gives her two $50’s, and says “Here keep this. A girl should never be without her mad money.”

Of course, they wanted her address to repay her. She just said: “No, keep it. You’ll help someone else down the road.”

Never saw them again. And, she never told anyone the story. Like most of “her” stories, she never told any of them. She was embarrassed that someone might think she was bragging. I doubt I even know them all. But, I do know that she was the easiest touch for a sob story I ever knew.

Wonder how many people got helped “down the road” because of her?

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RANT: Time to get out of the UN?

Sunday, March 13, 2011

http://ncc-1776.org/tle2011/tle609-20110306-02.html

The Genocide Agenda
by L. Neil Smith

*** begin quote ***

As a necessary first step, the United States must withdraw from the UN and evict that vile organization from this country with extreme prejudice, once and for all. It has declared war, in writing, in no uncertain terms, on the Bill of Rights which sorely impedes its goals. Its declared interest in “sustainability”—merely a code word for the nightmare it would create under Agenda 21—is enough to condemn it.

All things—even bad ones—come to an end. Grease up that Colt .357 Python sculpture with its barrel tied in a knot, And then go tell those Luxembourgers to bend over, because we’re sending it back to them.

*** end quote ***

Personally, I’ve never understood WHY we tolerate the UN?

Look at who’s on their “human rights” committee. Look at the financial corruption. Look at the difference between the Constitution and their founding documents.

Time to save a lot of money directly and indirectly. Send them home. Defund it. And, write it off as a blunder

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MEMORIES: “passbook banking”

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Frau Reinke came from a family that was rich in love but poor in “earthly treasures”. And she was a proud woman. When she finally did agree to marry me, “we” had to save for the wedding and setting up a home. The wedding is the responsibility of the bride’s family. Well she was one bride who was going to have the wedding she wanted. So each week, I’d hand off a third of my paycheck for the “future”.

(How moonstruck was I? The passbook was in her name since she did all the banking.)

Money was saved. Wedding was paid for. Pattern established.

Fast forward a few years.

We’re living in North Brunswick. She’s been diagnosed with diabetes. And, she wants to work. (Later I’d find out the reasons, but those aren’t germane to this memory.) She goes to work and makes a pretty good sum.

Luckily for the male ego I was making more. Enough to cover all our expenses. So, she gets her own bank account. With the very logical explanation, “What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is ours.” Smart girl. Who needs a pre-nup?

So, being into finance and the markets, thanks to a preconscious childhood, I offer to help her with “investing”. “No help needed.”

So, she has her passbook, and she’s as happy as a clam. Each year when I did the taxes, I’d remind her that she could be earning more on her money. “No help needed.”

So, finally I get smart. I say: “I should have some money in my name”. She agrees. So I guesstimate how much she has in her passbook. (Not that hard I have her 1099 and can back into the number. Her passbook was paying about ½%.) So I put “my money” in a Dreyfus Tax Free Money Market Fund. (I think it was paying 8 and change at the time.) And, wait until next tax time.

The accountant does the taxes. We get them on a Saturday morning. I sign them without looking and give them to her. She signs them and looks them over. With some venom about “not checking”. I shrug and go to do my homework for my Comp Sci.

(Her 1099 and my “Dreyfus information statement” are attached to the forms. Her money is taxed; mine ain’t. My money is earning about 16 times what her’s is.)

You’d have sworn a cat was run over. She literally screamed. I actually thought something was wrong. It was just a realization taking place. Education hurts.

With the iciest stare I’ve ever seen, she states: “Why are you getting so much interest and I’m getting so little? Did you take more money than I have?”

It was funny.

I patiently explained that the Bank was having their way with her money. (I may have used a more graphic common verb which might be acceptable between married folk.) And, that passbooks were for children and little old ladies who didn’t know any better.

(OK, maybe that was a little harsh!)

Needless to say Our Girl was no fool. Monday at lunch time, she has her passbook converted to a statement savings account. By Wednesday, she has a Vangard Money Market account. And, by Friday, she is making non-tax deferred contributions to her Principal 401k at work.

And, the rest was history.

No more passbooks for her.

And, she never credited me with giving her any help.

ROFL!

The moral of the story is never try to help a headstrong smart Irish woman; just create a learning opportunity and stand aside.

Even today, I can hear that scream in my mind’s ear.

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FUN: Mars Needs Moms

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Oh, come on now, do they really think that children are that gullible.

Colors were good.

The family icon was strangely “universal”.

# – # – #

The grand nephew in law had words of wisdom. Enough to make you cry.

“I miss Auntie Ev” Me2

“I told Mommy we should get you a puppy so you wouldn’t be lonely. (I’d heard that one before. I explained my “one dog, one wife, one house” policy)

“When will you get remarried? Then you won’t be lonely.” Argh! Explained policy again.

(Now that’s either a penetrating insight or he’s repeating what he’s heard.)

Caught me by surprise. Out of the mouths of babes.

How could anyone replace, match, or even come close to, another soul mate?

# # # # # posted 2011-03-12 16:50

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BUCKETLIST: Drive to Alaska

Saturday, March 12, 2011

201103120844.jpg

MY original item with Frau Reinke was to take the trans-Canadian rail to Vancover and catch the boat up and back.

Now maybe a car ride is in order. I can catch one of the glacier boat tours up there.

Have to develop this idea.

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MEMORIES: A grandma at turning stone

Saturday, March 12, 2011

In one of our many trips, there was an interesting incident.

We were on our way to the casino at Niagara Falls. For some reason, we stopped at Turing Stone, an Indian casino. I remember it was out of our way. We hadn’t like it when we had been there before. But she wanted to go there for some reason and despite my lack of enthusiasm.

We were there, played for a while, lost, and eventually I asked if she was ready to go. (I’d lost my stake.) She said “no”. So we set a time, and I went to food court (or whatever you’d call it). Got a cup of coffee and read my book.

At the appointed time, we met up. She was ready to leave.

(I assume she had lost the amount she was prepared to lose. She hated to lose. At anything.)

As we’re walking to the exit, a granmotherly type is sobbing — you know “my dog died” type tears — sitting at a slot machine. Our Girl zoomed right over, put her arm around the woman, and said: “What’s wrong? Are you OK?” The lady sobbed out: “I’ve lost my wallet with my money for the week in it.”

(OK, my fraud alert radar went off. “Danger, Will Robinson”. Scam?)

Our Girl says: “It’ll be OK. We’ll help you.” (We will? Huh!)

Our Girl magically summons a Casino Worker. I hadn’t seen one most of the day. I knew they existed, but like Bigfoot, a legend. After conversation, an alert went out. A Casino Guard showed up. An executive. Another executive.

(At this point, I thought we were done. Not so, Our Girl. She kept her arm on the lady. Reassuring her.)

Shortly, 15 minutes or so, a Casino worker came with a wallet. The woman looked at it and found her Drivers License and credit cards in it. But no cash.

(My fraud alert is going to double alert status. What thief leaves the credit cards?)

The casino folks quietly exited stage left. The woman wasn’t their problem.

The woman started crying again. Our Girl asked why. “I had my money for the month. 200 dollars. I came and cashed my check. Then I played the odd money. But I always kept my money to live on for the rest of the month safely aside.”

Our Girl, without hesitation, whips out her “roll” — anyone, who knows her, knows how she liked cash — and gives the woman three one hundred dollar bills. The lady is profusely grateful and wants her address to pay her back. Our Girl replies: “No need. You help someone else out. I’ll get my reward in heaven.”

So they part company.

(I bite my tongue cause I think we have just been hustled.)

On the way out, at the last row, she says: “I want to play that machine over there.”

(Yeah, again, anyone who knows her, can guess the punchline.)

I whine that we’ve lost enough, getting late, yada yada. She says: “No, I want to play that one.”

“OK”, I reply, “do you want me to get lost?” (She always thought I brought her bad luck when I shadowed her.) “No, you can stay. We won’t be long.”

50¢ machine, 9 lines, 2 per line max.

She summons the “card seller / reloader”, gives a CNote, and gets 100 loaded on the card. Sticks it in. Presses max bet.

…

And, we wait ½ hour to get the tax forms for her $1900 win.

(The taxes were always MY problem. Argh!)

All the time, she just smiled at me smugly. She loved to win.

In the car, she said: “See, I always get back more than I give away.”

And, she did.

(I still think she was scammed.)

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BUCKETLIST: Starting a new one for me

Saturday, March 12, 2011

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=4507848&page=1

*** begin quote ***

Doctors have spent centuries trying to understand why some people die when hit with sudden devastating news or on the anniversary of a stressful event, Sweeney said. According to him, psychiatrists have studied the phenomenon for a century.

However, he said, “for the most part, the medical community discounts the notion of a human being dying of a broken heart.”

*** end quote ***

Well, clearly, the “medicine men”, for all their education and experience, don’t know it all.

Given that we don’t have an “operating manual” one can’t discount the phenom.

So, I’m getting my list of the things I want to do, need to do, or feel I must do.

I’m not planning to leave early. And, I don’t want to leave yet. But … one never knows.

“My love, were it in my power, I would sadly grant thee this boon. But, we have to continue to follow His Plan for us. Let’s go forth and speak no more of this. Who ever is last will be last. It will be His choice; not ours. We’re but humble custodians of His temple on earth. It’s not our place to trump His plan. Whatever that plan be, know that I will be with you to my last breath.” — character “John” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 399

We all travel the same “road”.

“You can’t be afraid. It’s not right to be afraid. It’s as if you don’t trust the Lord with our lives. I’m not a big Bible Banger, but it seems rude to joggle God’s elbow. Like a little kid, who has no concept of what is happening.” — character “John” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 206

I just want to “touch all the bases” before I too “go home”.

I welcome your suggestions for my list.

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MEMORIES: Evy’s first game

Saturday, March 12, 2011

She told me once about her first game for HFA. As a freshman, she started. And for the first few minutes she just passed the ball to the seniors. Her coach pulled her out and she sat on the bench for a few minutes. Coach Mac then asked her: “You like being on the bench?” “No.” “If I put you back in, will you shoot?” “Yes.” Went back in at the half and scored 17. I believed her.

I’ll have to see if I can find her clippings. I know she had some. Shoulda grabbed them when I saw them.

# # # # # posted 2011-03-12 07:29

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MONEY: L. Neil Smith on “money”

Saturday, March 12, 2011

http://www.where-we-stand.com/banks.html

WHERE WE STAND

Banks and Bankers

*** begin quote ***

Banks are the means by which European aristocracy regained control of America once again following what we thought had been our Revolution.

—L. Neil Smith

*** and ***

The power to create money must be taken from the government backed banking cartel called the Federal Reserve. Lawful money, as mandated by the Constitution—precious metal coins and nothing else—must be substituted for the wastebasket trash that we’ve become accustomed to.

*** end quote ***

Agreed.

But, as always, the problem is how do we get to there from here?

It would be nice if getting there didn’t include complete societal collapse.

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RANT: MYOB!

Friday, March 11, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/buchanan/buchanan153.html

It’s Their War, Not Ours
by Patrick J. Buchanan

*** begin quote ***

What is the theme, where is the consistency in U.S. policy?

We backed the dictators Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, who were as autocratic as Gadhafi, whom we demand be deposed.

We support the dictator in Yemen, the absolute monarch in Saudi Arabia, the king in Bahrain, the sultan in Oman and the emir in Kuwait, but back pro-democracy demonstrators in Iran, though there have been more elections in Iran than in all those other nations put together.

*** end quote ***

You have to like how Pat cuts foreign policy to the bottom line.

We’ve ignored the Dead Old White Guys advice on so many things. Washington’s “no entangling alliances” is particularly on point.

Maybe the geniuses in DC should ask: “What would Switzerland do?”

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MACBOOKAIR: Watch out for “cascading” update?

Friday, March 11, 2011

Applied an Mac update. It triggered an IPAD update. It triggered a reprocessing of all photos.

About 3 hours later, it’s bout 75% done.

I’ll be more careful about updates on the MACBOOKAIR.

I thought that MICROSOFT had the monopoly on bad updates.

Argh!

# # # # # posted 2011-03-11 09:42

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NEWJERSEY: A debate on “public unions”, sigh!

Friday, March 11, 2011

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2011/03/public-sector-unions-are-not-problem.html

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=28006963&postID=8825237058296843302&page=1&token=1299496788732

*** begin quote ***

ANONYMOUS:

Well, of course a libertarian would be on the side of our corporate overlords and against unions because libertarianism is the creation of billionaires who don’t want to pay taxes and who hate their workers and regard them as a nuisance to be crushed.

Teachers’ unions negotiate with school boards not the legislators, police and firefighters negotiate contracts with their supervisors, not the state legislators. According to right wingers and libertarian millionaires, public employees have no rights, should be barred from forming unions or being able to negotiate for their wages and benefits. In other words, public employees should be compliant and obedient serfs who know their places and should just shut up and go away. In other words, you lose your first amendment rights in the workplace. Sounds very un-American to me. Unions level the playing field and allow for some say of workers in their place of employment. The unionization rate for the US is about 11.9% and falling because of rampant union busting and laws which throw up road blocks to unionizing. The unionization rates in Canada and western Europe are more than double our rates and in some countries like Finland (80%+), the unionization rates are off the charts compared to us.

Union PAC money is dwarfed by corporate PAC money; the corporations can spend many times more than unions on political campaigns, especially after the Supreme Court ruling which has allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns. Exxon-Mobile alone could outspend all the unions. Corporate America has thousands of lobbyists to assault Congress, it has billions to fund politicians’ campaigns, it has direct access to the politicians, it gets invited in to write the legislation for bills (such as Medicare Part D) and it can blackmail congressmen by threatening to move their businesses out of state or out of country.

Christie and Walker want to bust unions, end of story, it has nothing to do with state budgets or deficits.

*** end quote ***

“Teachers’ unions negotiate with school boards not the legislators, police and firefighters negotiate contracts with their supervisors, not the state legislators.”

While technically correct about teacher’s unions versus school boards, you overlook that the fact is that it’s all about politics. And, the “rules” of the negotiation are set in the various legislative bodies. The legislators are beholding to the unions for contributions, free labor on campaigns, and ultimately votes.

Police and firefighters also negotiate with basically the politicians that they elected.

You can put whatever costumes and lipstick you want on it; it’s still a corrupt process that sticks the taxpayer with the bill.

“According to right wingers and libertarian millionaires, public employees have no rights”

I can only speak for one little L libertarian and no one should have more rights than any one else. No more and no less.

Permit me to ignore all the prattle about how wonderful unions are.

“Union PAC money is dwarfed by corporate PAC money; the corporations can spend many times more than unions on political campaigns”

I’m no fan of corporations. They too are a creation of the Gooferment and the system that allows them to contribute to politicians is corrupt also. “Regulatory capture” and “Political de facto bribery” are well documented.

The root cause of almost ALL problems is the Gooferment.

So why do we allow this to happen?

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RANT: Rohrssen fired; MC acts like its competition

Thursday, March 10, 2011

http://www.gojaspers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12500&ATCLID=205112857

Manhattan Announces Change in Men’s Basketball Program
Barry Rohrssen Released as Jaspers’ Head Coach after Five Seasons at the Helm

*** begin quote ***

“Barry is a true gentleman who has represented Manhattan College very well,” explained Byrnes. “As we make a difficult decision to move the program forward, we remain committed to the academic and personal, as well as the athletic development of our student athletes. We wish Barry well and thank him for his service.”

*** end quote ***

FROM A FACEBOOK GIVE AND TAKE

“58-95 while at MC”

Or, is the real objective to live out out version of morality. To serve public witness that we are following a different vision of what its right and proper and invite other to travel that path with us?

(I ranted about Bobby G and his antics despite his winning and results.)

I have blogged about I think it was Arkansas winning the NCAA but their graduation rate was under 10% and they were sued by one of their “graduates” sued for being an illiterate. The NCAA basketball offering is about money. Pure and simple. “Schools”, or organizations purporting to be schools, suck in young poor black men, with the illusion that they can make it to the NBA, supposedly compensate them for their effort with an “education”, create all sorts of “rules” to supposedly keep the game amateur, collect millions operating a meat grinder, all to support the illusion of amateur “Student Athletes”. The only part that’s “amateur” is that the players don’t get paid. And, they said Lincoln freed the slaves. That was an illusion too.

The fact that most of the top sports programs are State funded schools further illustrates the arena that MC is completing against. The deck is stack in sports, and in the economics of free public education. MC will succeed only be being unique and offering that something that I think makes my fellow Jasper “good people”.

Firing a Coach, for not winning, is imho morally wrong. When the NCAA sanctions Schools for “student athletes” being illiterate, then maybe it’s be OK. Till then, have no doubt, it’s about money. Nothing else. To play their game is a mistake.

I apologize to my fellow Jaspers here and on FACEBOOK if this comes off “holier than thou”. Here’s my minority opinion. Like that movie line, “We’re better than that”. … …

… … I think MC is better than that.

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TINFOILHAT: Obama’s papers?

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Wed Mar 9, 1:35 pm ET

Barack Obama jokes about ‘birther’ debate

By Rachel Rose Hartman

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He’s laughing at us now. But why has he spent millions to prevent any disclosure of his records? His college transcript for example.

Where there is smoke, there’s fire.

I’m a “proofer”; not a “birther”. I don’t know anything. Haven’t seen any evidence.

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INTERESTING: Everyone ready to celebrate Mario Day? MAR10

Thursday, March 10, 2011

March 10th

You get it “m a r one zero”.

My grand nephew in law thinks this is a stitch and important.

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INTERESTING: Just decades too late for me

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/archbishop-aymond-bans-corporal-punishment-from-new-orleans-catholic-school

Home » News » US
Archbishop Aymond bans corporal punishment from New Orleans Catholic school

*** begin quote ***

New Orleans, La., Mar 9, 2011 / 03:29 am (CNA).- Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans said that a local Catholic school must permanently ban corporal punishment for student misbehavior, even though many parents and alumni support the practice.

“I do not believe the teachings of the Catholic Church, as we interpret them today in 2011, can possibly condone corporal punishment,” he explained to a Feb. 24 a town hall meeting at the Josephite-run St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. While parents have the authority to administer such punishment, he could not “possibly condone” the school doing so, the archdiocesan newspaper the Clarion Herald reports.

Since 1951 teachers and administrators at the historically black all-boys school have used an 18-inch-long wooden paddle, known as “the board of education,” to administer punishment to students for tardiness, sloppy dress or other minor infractions.

*** and ***

The archbishop explained that he believes that “hitting a young man does not build character.”

“My image of Jesus is that he said, ‘Let the children come to me.’ I cannot imagine Jesus paddling anyone.”

Corporal punishment can cause unintended physical injury and studies indicate it can cause physical, emotional and psychological damage, including loss of self-esteem and increased hostility toward authority, the archbishop said.

*** and ***

According to the archbishop, she indicated that the school’s corporal punishment was both excessive and unreasonable and the school did not have effective safeguards to prevent future abuse.

She also said that at least three students were taken to the hospital after being paddled. There were also instances of students being paddled day after day and more than five or six times a day.

Applewhite said that St. Augustine is the last Catholic school in the country to use the wooden paddle.

*** end quote ***

I remember the ever loving <synonym for excrement> being beaten out of me. In grammar school and high school.

Good thing that weapons were not permitted in my house, I might have taken one to school for self-protection. Now, I definitely would.

Might doesn’t make right.

Maybe that’s why I’m a little L libertarian and dedicated to the ZAP (Zero Aggression Principle). No one EVER has the right to initiate violence on another human being. No matter how obnoxious they are.

And, in school, I know I was obnoxious. And, I knew it then. And, I know I still can be. One of my many failings.

Donna Nobis Pacem.

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TECHNOLOGY: Who “owns” your hardware?

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2011/03/06/google-nukes-rogue-android-apps-on-users-devices

Andy Greenberg
THE FIREWALL

Google Nukes Rogue Android Apps On Users’ Devices
Mar. 6 2011 – 9:26 pm
Your Android phone has a built-in kill switch for nasty apps. And Google, apparently, is not afraid to use it.

*** begin quote ***

Over the weekend, the search giant announced that it had remotely wiped “a number” of malicious Android apps from users’ phones, programs that earlier in the week had been identified as malware and pulled from Android’s app store. “We are remotely removing the malicious applications from affected devices. This remote application removal feature is one of many security controls the Android team can use to help protect users from malicious applications,” Google wrote on its mobile blog, linking to an explanation it posted in June of a built-in functionality for deleting apps from users’ phones.

*** and ***

The last time Google deleted applications that were already downloaded to users’ devices was in June, and its targets were two proof of concept apps built by security researcher Jon Oberheide. As I wrote at the time, that use of its kill switch seemed to be a loud warning to malware writers about the company’s ability to remotely destroy their tools. After all, Oberheide’s apps were designed to show the possibility of creating an Android-hosted botnet, not to actually create one.

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Isn’t anyone concerned that “HeadQuarters” can assume control of YOUR hardware and override something you’ve done?

“Sorry, we know better.”

We’ve seen Amazon nuke content that a reader had paid for. We’ve seen Microsoft “Live Update” computers into bricks with “fixes” that break rather than fix. And, content purveyors have always harassed legitimate uses and legal Users with “digital rights management” schemes that “fit” like a suit from Omar the Tent Maker (i.e., good for the provider, disasterous for the User).

I think this is a demonstration to Android Users that you’ve taken a “snake to your bosom”. And, what happens when the bad guys crack the HQ code and they can put stuff on or take it off your hardware.

Haven’t we been down this road before?

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Insurance Companies cast as villians

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A FACEBOOK FRIEND’S COMMENT

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I hate insurance companies…why are the decisions of our future based on their bottom line?

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Well, insurance companies are really “us” in disguise. Don’t you really want the pool to well-managed properly-risk-adjusted and fiscally sound? This way when you make a claim against the pool, there’s “water” in it? :-) The average profit margin in running insurance is more than a grocery store, but a lot less than WalMart. Think back to the old days of our grandparents when there was no “health insurance” and one good illness would completely ruin families financially, emotionally, and physically. With proper insurance, getting sick is not a complete disaster. The insurance companies need a better brand manager.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: FACEBOOK can’t be the internet’s identity server

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

http://stevecheney.posterous.com/how-facebook-is-killing-your-authenticity

How Facebook is Killing Your Authenticity
Mar 6, 2011 at 6:14pm

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Face it, authenticity goes way down when people know their 700 friends, grandma, and 5 ex-girlfriends are tuning in each time they post something on the web.

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An interesting and astute observation.

On a personal note, I have some relatives, close friends, some not-so-close friends, acquaintances, e-friends I’ve never met, fellow alums fro different schools, past colleagues from various past employers, consulting contacts, fellow “outplacement” turkeys, headhunters, fellow authors, a few companion tin foil hats, and a few complete strangers.

On Facebook, like Twitter, like LinkedIn, they become one glob of undifferentiated mass of folks.

It makes the news streams into a torrent of items that can’t be reviewed, used, or actioned in any rationale way.

Since Facebook doesn’t allow alternate identities, either by its initial design — back when they required a college email address to get on, its current TOS (according to how I read it, but I’m not a lawyer, or do I play one on TV), or its new assumed role as the inet’s “identification server”.

In considering “identity”, information security gurus always identified the concept of an “identity” with the concepts of “roles” and “user control sharing”.

Interesting?

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Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: BOXBE NOTRECOMMENDED

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

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Hi – thanks for sending me a message. I am using Boxbe to manage my email inbox. Once you’re on my Guest List, your email to me will be delivered with priority.

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BOXBE doesn’t present the challenge for me to “solve”.

So there is no way for my message to get thru.

Anyone ever test these things?

And, when you use spam filters, what are you missing?

Argh!

BOXBE, and all spam filters as a general rule, NOTRECOMMENDED!

I “wash” email though gmail for a spam filter.

Argh!

Sorry, but the ISPs could stop this in a heartbeat if they wanted to spend the effort of implementing email authentication.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Haven’t we lost the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” yet?

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2011/03/worlds-largest-jailer-by-far-its-not.html

Q: Which repressive country puts the most people in jail for violating government laws?

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Posted by reinkefj

NEWJERSEY: Shulz’s Law

Monday, March 7, 2011

Heard on 101.5 some politician proposing a “law”. (You all know how I feel about the word “law” as it applies to Gooferment diktats.*) This diktat enhances the penalties for anyone killing or injuring a police or rescue dog.

“Canine officers are heros.”

Now us mundanes are treated worse than a dog.

If the police dogs are out, one would assume the individual being chased is already in big trouble.

And, what really concerned me was the sloppy vocabulary. Describing a dog as being “brave”, “courageous”, or “dedicated” is just wrong. Those are human qualities that can’t be ascribed to an animal.

Politicians and bureaucrats are fuzzy thinkers. Partially because of the limitations of human language.

Argh!

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* The word law doesn’t differentiate between the natural “laws” (e.g., the Law of Gravity) and man’s “law” (e.g., Diktats from the UN, Congress, State, County, Municipality, Regulatory Body, Home Owner Association, Church Governing Body, or basically any group of humans with costumes and flags). I use the word “diktat” to differentiate. A “law” can’t be broken; a “diktat” is basically a suggestion. Compare “the Law of Gravity” and the “diktat” “Thou shalt not kill”. That diktat hasn’t stopped murder, but try defying the Law of Gravity.

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Posted by reinkefj

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