Wednesday: 1 US Soldier, 8 Iraqis Killed; 30 Iraqis Wounded
by Margaret Griffis, April 20, 2011
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At least eight Iraqis were killed and 30 more were wounded in new attacks. Also, one U.S. sailor was killed in a non-combat incident.
*** end quote ***
Who knows what?
But I do know that that sailor shouldn’t have been there.
Bring all the boys and girl home now.
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Leave a Comment » | 
GOVERNACIDE | 
Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
FROM Frau Reinke’s bud
Paddy had long heard the stories of an amazing family tradition. It seems that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been able to walk on water on their 18th birthday. On that special day they’d each walked across the lake to the pub on the far side for their first legal drink. So when Paddy’s 18th birthday came ’round, he and his pal Mick took a boat out to the middle of the lake. Paddy stepped out of the boat and nearly drowned! Mick just barely managed to pull him to safety.
Furious and confused, Paddy, went to see his grandmother. ‘Grandma,’ he asked, “It’s my 18th birthday, so why can’t I walk ‘cross the lake like my father, his father, and his father before him?”
Granny looked deeply into Paddy’s troubled eyes and said, “Because your father, your grandfather and your great grandfather were all born in December, when the lake is frozen, and you were born in August, ya dip!!!!
(Laughing)
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Leave a Comment » | FUN | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Dear Donor Partners of Addis Hope,
The cost of running the Addis Hope program has now increased by 53% and when some long standing donor partners can no longer assist at the same funding level, I am extremely worried about the future of this much needed program. Your desperately needed financial support obviously continues to be our vital life line. The 150 Ethiopian dollars – the equivalent today of USA $9.00 we have been asking for the last ten years of the program to sponsor a child for a year makes it very difficult to keep the program operational in light of the huge increase in the cost of living.
As many of you have responded very generously to our Christmas appeal, I’m now asking if it would be possible for even more of you to do the same this Easter season by going to our web site (http://www.addis-hope.com/) to locate any additional “disposable income” for the program.
For the children of Addis Hope the program is intended to grow their minds to feed their future in a country where malnourishment of both the intellect and body is very evident.
Again, many thanks and may the risen Lord continue to bless you.
Brother Gregory Flynn (Jack)
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[JR: I prefer charities that I can “see”. In this case, I trust my fellow Jasper. Seems like a good “sacrifice” to make — 9 bucks. Little more than a “designer” beer at any place other than a dive. For a year! Seems like a “good buy”.]
# – # – # – # – # 2011-Apr-20 @ 09:58
Leave a Comment » | INSPIRATIONAL | Tagged: INSPIRATIONAL | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://unclutterer.com/2011/04/13/unitasker-wednesday-light-up-toilet-seat/
Unitasker Wednesday: Light Up Toilet Seat
All Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!
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Whenever I’m cleaning the toilet in my house, I think to myself, “This toilet really could use something to brighten it up.”
I’m sure you think the exact same thing about your toilet. Toilet darkness is a major concern for most people. And, I think we all know that bleach will never be able to brighten our toilets the way we need them to be illuminated.
Well, our days of having toilets that loom in the shadows are gone. We can now install a Light Up Toilet Seat:
*** end quote ***
I know a young ten year old lady who would love to have this. She lives with two younger brothers. And, I have been told that one more than one occasion in the middle of the night, she’s “sat” in the toilet. The screams reportedly woke the neighbors. But not her brothers, who she wanted to stuff IN the toilet. This maybe a joke to us, but I bet she’d buy it. LOL.
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Leave a Comment » | FUN | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://commanderzero.com/?p=2230
PSA: Patriots’ Day
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Friendly reminder: Tuesday (April 19) is Patriots’ Day. There is but one ideal way to celebrate it and that is by going to the range and shooting a revolution-worthy firearm. What is a revolution-worthy firearm? If they were re-enacting ‘Red Dawn’ in your neighborhood, its the firearm you would take with you.
*** end quote ***
I’d bring George and Martha. My pet names for a match pair of Colt 1911 .45’s.
Hard to shoot both at the same time. But, I’m sure there will be folks without.
The Second is about keeping the Gooferment in check; it’s not about hunting.
So what would you bring?
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Identity Fraud would be impossible with out the Gooferment’s lame “social security number”. Argh! Everything is so predictable!
*** begin quote ***
And now, a large group of Texans are about to have it a lot worse:the state revealed Monday that personal information for 3.5 million citizens has been exposed to the public, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and more.
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Leave a Comment » | GOVEROTRAGEOUS | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Politics
Nearly Half of U.S. Households Pay No Income Tax to Feds
Published April 17, 2011 | Associated Press
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WASHINGTON — As Monday’s tax filing deadline nears, ponder this: The super rich pay a lot less taxes than they did a couple of decades ago, and nearly half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all.
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That’s a stunning figure.
So, we have the few who pay for the rest?
Isn’t that socialism?
How did we allow total tax rates to exceed the Bible’s tithe (10%)?
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.lewrockwell.com/peters-e/peters-e35.1.html
Texas May Go To 85! (Clovers Stroking Out All Over)
by Eric Peters
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If routinely exceeding politically contrived “limits” were in fact dangerous and not just a scam to gin up money without imposing an explicit Motorists Tax, then our system is oddly kindhearted to all the millions upon millions of (cough) dangerous drivers out there.
But of course, they’re not dangerous. Just guilty of ignoring a number pulled out of a hat and plastered into a sign bu politicians bureaucrats. The cops know it, the judges know it, the insurance companies know it, too.
All the evidence says so, too.
*** end quote ***
Why have any speed limits at all?
Other than revenue generation.
How about using the police to stop real crimes?
Ever drive on any of our roads? Every day at least once a day, I see some one jeopardizing public safety with roid rage behaviour or being a Left Lane Richard. But, the cops wiuld have to patrol to see it and snag them. That’s hard work. As oppoesed to sitting somewhere with a magazine waiting for an alarm clock.
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
What The Silver Vigilantes Understand That You Probably Don’t (Arithmetic, Human Nature and other Stuff)
In Open Thread, Silver, stocks finance, Treasuries on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 6:03 pm
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Part 6. So what’s silver worth.
The short answer is: more. If silver were priced based on its occurrence relative to gold, it would be over $125/oz. If it were priced on its availability – somewhere around $2,000. But if you are content to let the likes of Blythe Masters dictate the value based on truckloads of worthless paper promises, you can expect ultra-low prices until the whole thing blows up. Of course at that point, we’ll be so busy killing each other for food no one will have time to say, “I told you so.”
The silver vigilantes just want you to re-learn what the phrases like, “cold, hard cash,” and“payment in full” are supposed to mean. There not asking you to sink everything you have into physical silver, just a little. Silver can’t be printed into oblivion, or stolen by a cyber attack. Why wouldn’t you want to own some of your very own?
A paper dollar from 1960 is worth exactly the same as a paper dollar in 2010, but four quarters from 1960 are worth more than $21. Given the fiscal insanity of the US government, I can’t imagine the US dollar surviving another 50 years, but I’m quite sure that silver will still be useful. Please consider getting some.
*** end quote ***
Amazing the price estimation. Question: if silver is 125$/oz or 2k$/oz, what will be the value of the dollar, gold, oil, and everything else? Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.8newsnow.com/story/14422802/breaking-news-woman-dead-after-undergoing-butt-enhancement
Arrest Report: Woman Died After Undergoing Buttocks Enhancement
POSTED: APR 11, 2011 12:58 PM
UPDATED: APR 11, 2011 6:55 PM
By Melissa Duran, Reporter – email
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LAS VEGAS — A woman died Saturday night after undergoing a medical procedure from two people who are now facing murder charges.
Police say the incident took place at a small office near east Charleston Boulevard and Palm Street. The victim, 42-year-old Elena Caro, arrived Saturday for a buttocks enhancement, but was pronounced dead at a hospital hours later.
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So much for the vaunted Gooferment protection.
All the regulations, all the inspectors, and all the laws couldn’t save this poor woman from her own bad decision.
Now, I am sure, that everyone will “blame the victim”.
And, there is some blame for her in this incident.
But, shouldn’t we examine the system that enabled it to happen?
The Gooferment controlled by the AMA, Big Insurance, and Big Pharma, keeps prices high by restricting supply. So what are poor people, without insurance, without money, supposed to do?
Go to the “shade tree mechanics”. The back alley doctors. The con artists.
Could she have been fooled by the illusion of respectability?
And, what did the Gooferment do to prevent this from happening? I bet there were all sorts of tell taale warning signs. I bet various agencies have “inspectors” on the payroll “vigorously” “Inspecting”.
Deregulate healthcare and train the Sheeple to do their own “inspecting”!
It’ll be cheaper and we’ll all be better off.
Gooferment is truly the meme that kills.
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Leave a Comment » | GOVERNACIDE | Tagged: Health Care | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://thomsinger.blogspot.com/2006/06/41-things-ive-learned-by-40.html
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6. If you know someone who wrote a book, read it. The biggest compliment you can give an author is to read what they wrote.
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True, true, true!
http://www.itstartedinchurch.com
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Leave a Comment » | FUN | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Greetings from XXXXX – Alive and Well in Singapore
Posted by: “XXXXX”
Sat Apr 9, 2011 12:01 am (PDT)
HI Guys, Saturday, April 9th, 2011.
Greetings from Singapore.
I understand that on March 22nd an “Emergency Help!!!” SCAM e-mail was sent in my name to the Manhattan Prep 1964 Yahoo Group.
My apologies if it created any alarm.
However, I am sure that any Prepster who received this e-mail would have realized that the exaggerated emotional tone and piss poor grammar gave it away as a scam…
Here is the background on the scam…
On the evening of March 22nd, someone hacked into my Yahoo/Prodigy Account, hijacked my address book, which contained about 1,400 addresses and then proceeded to send out an “Emergency Help” E-mail asking for money. The hacker even changed my password and set up a forwarding address edward1.coll@yahoo.com to which all my incoming e-mails went so he could try and continue to perpetrate this scam.
Within a few minutes of the scam e-mail being sent, I started receiving phone calls and e-mails from all over the world from people on my contact list enquiring if I was O.K. and whether they should send money to me via a Western Union Office in London .
I told them that this was a big SCAM and to just ignore the e-mail and not even reply as the hacker had arranged to have all the replies forwarded to him. What an operator !!!
It was really frustrating as this hacker also changed my password so I could not initially access my account to see what was going on
I was finally able to get in touch with Yahoo’s Customer Service Department and spent about two hours on the phone with them to get my password reset so I could access the account and cancel out all the forwarding addresses that the hacker had set up.
The worst thing was that he erased my Yahoo Address book and the 1,400 names it contained. Fortunately, I had backed up the address book so I was able to re-import the contacts to my yahoo account.
I hope this matter is settled now. and that no one was duped into sending this hacker any money.
My e-mail address, {Privacy Invoked} should be secure now.
Best regards,
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I’m glad you’re OK. It’s not that we have any fellow alum to spare.
On a technical note, were you able to determine, how the hack was accomplished? I’m interested from an InfoSec pov. The default assumption was that someone kept “knocking on the door” with passwords until it opened. It’s not hard to imagine a bot (software robot) doing that. But, it’s also possible that it was malware on your computer or malware on a site you visited with an old browser.
Interesting?
May I suggest that you, or anyone, have your own domain? The common wisdom, or is that common whizdumb, is to own your own name as a domain name. I own “reinke.cc”. (I like saying “sea sea me at reinke.cc”! me@reinke.cc will actually work!)
I can send you some links to stuff that I’ve posted on my blog “Reinke Faces Life” about how to “do” email to avoid such unpleasantries. It’s neither hard not expensive.
Unfortunately, having a yahoo, gmail, or hotmail account makes you are target for the black hats. Eventually they find everyone who has one of those “free accounts”.
At the very least, one can hide by using a very long random string password. I use twenty characters. Of course, I use tools like roboform, last pass, and even the infamous yellow stickie to remember them.
But I doubt anyone has as many unique ids and passwords as I do. I’m a little nuts about it.
I’m now off to change my Yahoo password to something longer. I’m sure someone is listening.
:-)
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Leave a Comment » | SERVICE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=287253
O’Reilly falsely claims Conn. was residence for Obama Sr.
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In an attempt to explain why Barack Obama, who lived in Hawaii as a teen, has a Social Security number that indicates he had a Connecticut address, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly asserted the president’s father lived in the state.
But there is no evidence that Barack Obama Sr., who left Hawaii in 1962 to study at Harvard in Massachusetts and then returned to his home country of Kenya, ever lived in Connecticut.
*** end quote ***
I watch Bill O’Reilly regularly, and sometimes Glenn Beck.
BOR has been completely dismissive of the “birthers”. I agree that there is little “evidence” that BHO44 was born ANYWHERE.
Obviously, he was born SOMEWHERE. And, there is some assertions that REGARDLESS of where he was born, he’s not a “natural born citizen”. (That’s a term of art from the late 1700’s that is well defined in Blackstone’s but not in Federal Law.)
(That assertion cites the dual citizenship of BHO44’s purported father and the age of his purported mother. Or is it “alleged”?
Lately, I suspect everything. There’s a good reason for the Rules of Evidence. As opposed to the Rules of Engagement.
Anyway, I saw Bill making his argument. And, just from my casual knowledge of the assertions, I KNOW he’s wrong about the CT SSN. I think his EGO has tripped him up here.
And, expect that eventually there’s going to be a lot of “egg on face” for a lot of reporters, investigators, and pundits.
As Trump says, (and I’m no Trump fan), “He may have pulled off the scam of the century.”
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | TINFOILHAT | Tagged: Birth Certificate, TFHPROOF | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
> greatest regrets as an investor
“Regrets, I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to mention …”
I, personally, have a “no look back” policy. I’ve seen folks drive themselves nuts, literally, over choices made decades before. So, I don’t REGRET. I’ve made mistakes, blunder, and brain freezes. I’ll share one of the many financial lessons I’ve learned after paying some very expensive “tuition” at the University of Hard Knocks.
The biggest “lesson”, what you’d call a regret, is that, from youth to middle age, I always spent money like a drunken sailor. Savings were for old people. I had some thrifty relatives, but they never transferred that wisdom to me. During this period, I had many investment opportunities, ideas, and opportunities that I couldn’t, wouldn’t, or didn’t take advantage of. In hindsight, I would have been fantastically wealthy if I had taken advantage of them.
You want a specific. I worked on Wall Street and, during that ‘drunken sailor’ era, I thought I knew it all. I “invested” in all sorts of stuff pushed by my employers — the worst was Real Estate Unit Trust. They were dogs; the organizers and the firm made a lot of money. It was a disaster. And, caused me tax problems.
I wised up at some point in my life and got a real financial planner, who gets paid a fixed fee. They’ve gotten me organized and accumulating. Luckily, in my life, I’ve been lucky to stay employed and earning. Time heals all stupidity?
(I’ll permit myself one “coulda”. I know the “shouldas, couldas, and wouldas” will kill you.)
I “coulda” had a much better and different life if I’d just been a little smarter about money.
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Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
REVIEW & OUTLOOK
APRIL 14, 2011
The Presidential Divider
Obama’s toxic speech and even worse plan for deficits and debt.
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Did someone move the 2012 election to June 1? We ask because President Obama’s extraordinary response to Paul Ryan’s budget yesterday—with its blistering partisanship and multiple distortions—was the kind Presidents usually outsource to some junior lieutenant. Mr. Obama’s fundamentally political document would have been unusual even for a Vice President in the fervor of a campaign.
The immediate political goal was to inoculate the White House from criticism that it is not serious about the fiscal crisis, after ignoring its own deficit commission last year and tossing off a $3.73 trillion budget in February that increased spending amid a record deficit of $1.65 trillion. Mr. Obama was chased to George Washington University yesterday because Mr. Ryan and the Republicans outflanked him on fiscal discipline and are now setting the national political agenda.
*** end quote ***
Argh!
Politicians and bureaucrats all lie. When their lips move.
The budget commission’s report was not perfect. Taxes ARE theft. And, these political games are stealing from our posterity. The last generation was misnamed “The Greatest Generation”. (I say misnamed because they started us down the road to ‘borrow and spend’ with an added expansion of European Social Spending and Militarism.) What will this generation be called “The Borrowed Us Into The Poor House” generation?
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/free-time-shares-owners-cut-losses-by-dumping-1379853.html
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For Ginger Brownlow, a sales executive at King’s Creek Plantation, a luxury time share in Williamsburg, Va., the challenge is competing with her own product when it’s selling for half price on sites such as Tremblay’s. Though her price includes the cost of marketing the resort and driving consumer demand, resellers are capturing some of that demand with much-lower prices.
*** end quote ***
This reminded me of an old Wall Street joke about penny stocks. Those are stocks that sell for under $1/share. Dogs.
Broker: “You should buy acme it’s at a nickel and will go to $100.”
Rube: “Buy 10,000”
Broker: “You should buy acme it’s at a 7½¢ and will go to $100.”
Rube: “Buy 10,000”
Broker: “You should buy acme it’s at a dime and will go to $100.”
Rube: “Buy 10,000”
Broker: “You should buy acme it’s at a 12½¢ and will go to $100.”
Rube: “Sell my whole position; I want to take profits.”
Broker: “To who?”
Same as time-shares.
:-(
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Leave a Comment » | FUN | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
FROM A FACEBOOK CONVERSATION:
MaryAnn McCarra: My letter, appearing in The Journal News…….
Renew rent law before it expires | The Journal News | LoHud.com
http://www.lohud.com/article/20110413/OPINION/104130310/1016/OPINION02/Renew-rent-law-before-expires
Renew rent law before it expires
Apr 13, 2011
*** begin fair use quote ***
It is my understanding that there is an effort afoot to weaken and abolish the current rent regulations as of June 15, when rent-stabilization laws are set to expire. This will create an exceptionally unlevel playing field where landlords will be able to increase rents to unaffordable levels, essentially displacing tenants in order to offer those living spaces to the highest bidder. This is simply not playing with a straight bat.
{Extraneous Deleted}
*** end fair use quote ***
FJohn Reinke: “And, just out of curiosity, don’t you think that “rent control” is a little un-American. Suppose that the Gooferment decides that renters have to pay more. Would that be fair? And, might the cost of all this “control” be excessive. A landlord might stop renting when the effort becomes too much. I guess you don’t have too much faith in the Free Market to keep prices at “reasonable levels”. Did you know that “rent control” originated out of the World War 2 wage and price controls? WW2’s been over for a while, think they are still needed. If they ever were. No, politicians use “rent control” to reward people for voting for them at the expense of liberty. And extort from both the landlords and renters. Besides, one can always move? What’s the landlord’s relief? Thou shalt not steal. :-) But what did you expect from a little L libertarian?”
MaryAnn McCarra: “Given the cost of housing in our area–Westchester County–and the general scarcity of rental housing, in particular (many former apartments are now co-ops), nope, I don’t believe that the free market would create conditions where working families (and those only earning minimum wage, perhaps…and those who are disabled and/or elderly) would be able to find affordable housing should their current landlords increase their rents measurably. We are a family of five paying $1425.00 a month, currently, for a very small two-bedroom apartment….and houses in our area start at 400K-500K. My husband works in Manhattan….should he have a three hour commute, each way, so that we can live somewhere we can afford? Just my humble opinion! (I always enjoy hearing your opinions, too……each side, every opinion…should be heard!)”
FJohn Reinke: “See coops are just one of the market’s reactions to “rent control”. Unfortunately, the Gooferment’s use of force to “manage rents” has a predictable effect. Any time there are “price controls”, there are “shortages” and other market imbalances. Like the apocryphal butcher with the thumb on the scale, it’s the consumer who gets “weenied”. That’s an injineering term for getting less than you should. Imagine a free market since WW2 that would have allowed everyone to freely find what is best for them. Without the Gooferment’s “help”. p.s., FYI “price controls” on milk mean that you are paying far more for milk than you would in free market. So, if the Gooferment just left everyone alone, then we’d all be better off. Compare a gallon of milk to a gallon of gas. It’s nowhere near as costly to make milk as it is gas. So, we’ve been getting “weenied” on that one for a long long time. Cui bono? The politicians and bureaucrats!”
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
April 7, 2011
Dear fellow Jasper,
Thanks. It was a fun visit. Although, it had to be boring listening to old stories. I’ll be sending you “stuff” over the next few days. Please feel free to dispose of it as you see fit.
When I wrote “my book” “CHURCH 10●19●62”, I put into it every piece of dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) that I had.
(Data is the elemental atom of the paradigm. Like “3”, “7”, “Langley”. Information is data in context. Like “”37 Langley”. Knowledge is actionable information. Like recognizing “37 Langley” is an address. Wisdom is knowing the implications and boundaries of knowledge. Like “37 Langley” is my first house and that there is a lot you don’t know about it.)
Permit me to share a quote.
*** begin quote ***
“Will you do something for me?” she whined.
“Subject to all the usual caveats”, he replied. Long ago, he had posted ‘house rules’.
There were several panels, but there was one that was really ‘on point’. It said:
“Your Mom and I love you very much. We want the best for you. We will do whatever we think is in your long term best interest as we see it. We may be wrong, but don’t ever doubt that we want you to be happy, healthy, and wise.
That being said, be careful what you ask for, it may be more than you wanted.
We will not deprive you of the chance to be happy by paving the road in front of you; someday we won’t be here to do it for you and happiness is in the struggling journey. We will not deprive you of the chance to be healthy by doing for you or not allowing you to grow; that, which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.
We will not deprive you of the chance to be wise by giving you the ‘test’ answers; while we might even be occasionally right, we recognize any answer, that is the ‘right’ answer for us from our point of view in our circumstances, maybe totally the ‘wrong’ answer for you from your pov and in your circumstances.
Having said that, we will love you, regardless of anything. We will provide a shoulder to cry on, a modicum of advice, and a swift kick if needed.
You call us heroes?
We’re just travelers on the same road as you, just a little further down that road. Remember we are all in the Holy Presence, and His Grace is Abundant, if you ask for it.”
*** end quote ***
— CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 370
What that long quote means is that the adults, who love you for just being you, (me included), will tell you things —- dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) —- that they believe is right. It’s up to you to take what is being given, usually with the best of intentions, and decide if it is “right for you”. For your set of circumstances. For you at the time and place in your journey that you are at. Everyone, including me, is going to give you “gifts” from THEIR experience that they think is the “TRUTH” for you to act on. Only you will know if it’s truly right for you.
I tell folks that will listen that the DIKW some one gives you MAY be totally wrong. Someone could tell you to “quit school and become a clown in the circus”. In all honesty and sincerity. I think that might be “wrong”, but who am I to say? Only you can decide. You should (usually) honor the gift and the love it represents. But, recognize it may be flat out wrong, doesn’t apply, applies only in part, or is spot on. (“Look both ways when crossing the street.” Good advice. Except when you’re being chased like in a horror movie. LOL!) You may have folks like me who try to “overpower” you with their DIKW as “advice”. And, at that point, you can no longer “honor the gift” some is trying to force on you. (Call me; I’ll “help”. I’m good at being obnoxious.)
Unfortunately in life, there are no “do overs”, “second chances”, or “start overs”. No one ever knows how different paths will work out. Having watched my Mom, Aunt Rita, and to a certain extend myself, go nuts with “Shoulda, coulda, and woulda!”, I’ve come up with the “one year” rule”. Basically, that rule of thumb says: “Any decision I made was correct at the time I made it given the facts at the time. Period! Anything, done more than one year ago, is ‘a lesson to be learned’; not a mistake. I don’t second guess historical events. I learn from them.” This prevents driving yourself crazy.
SO, with that long lead into, here’s what I have been telling any “youngsters”, such as yourself, who will listen:
Success for your generation is: (1) ruthless financial discipline — no bad debt and savings; (2) a life long interest in learning — education — a degree — they can’t take it away from you; (3) a NON-OFFSHORABLE white collar job doing something in order to save big bux; (4) a blue collar skill for hard times — never saw a poor plumber; (5) one or more internet based businesses — your store is always open; (6) a free time hobby that generates income; and (7) a large will-maintained network of people who can and will “help” you.
Based on my experience with marriage, I should update that to include a “loving spouse”, but that’s probably too personal to tell folks. And, note this is VERY different than the formula I used. I’ve changed this formula seven or eight times over several decades. It may well have to change some more. I think it’s important to have “formulas” to help guide thinking. It prevents stupid mistakes. I always make mistakes. The trick is not repeat them.
Unfortunately, I usually, in my fat old white guy injineer way, go on to lecture folks, that you don’t learn everything you need to be successful from books, school, or your family. There is dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) that you have to pick up on your own.
An example! The four sisters — Momma Diddy, my Mom, Pattie, and Rita — grew up in the Great Depression. Poor. Hence they “valued” money and were great savers, but they never taught me how to do it.
Another example, their father Grandpa Ed was a great mechanic, but he never taught me how to do it.
If I had been really “smart”, I’d have insisted they teach me. My life would have been very different if I had learned those two life lessons.
Those lessons were NOT available in school, books, or elsewhere.
So, one of your jobs is to “figure out life”. I’m sure you’ll do better at it than I did. I’ll give you some other ideas, tips, and introductions to folks I think can help you. If you want it. Remember ONLY you are the expert in what’s right for you.
Also, remember the sources of my “education”. I’m just a fat old white guy injineer with: Law “degree” from watching Judge Judy; Medical “degree” from watching Doctor Phil; Building “degree” from watching “Holmes on Homes”; Investing “degree” from reading about Bernie Made-off; and creating caring human relationships from studying the movie roles of Gunny Ronald Lee Ermey!
:-)
Thanks for humoring a “weird old alum”,
Remember you have to do what’s right for you,
Even if it’s ignoring me!
rofl!
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.lewrockwell.com/schmidt/schmidt25.1.html
An End to ‘Fiat Currency’
by Thomas Schmidt
*** begin quote ***
Laughter is a powerful tool of undermining the existing order. Boss Tweed might have remained in power, but for the mocking and muckraking of Thomas Nast’s cartoons. As Hans Christian Andersen once pointed out, the Emperor can abide anything but the laughter of children at his nakedness and foolish ways. We must use the power of the young to ridicule that which is ridiculous as they build a better way in the world, with a sound, gold-based money. We must stop using the technical term “fiat currency” known to Austrians, and refer to it simply by the words that make clear to a new generation that it ought to be an object of scorn. Call it Muggle Money, let the children mock Bernanke, and the battle is half won.
*** end quote ***
I think he’s absolutely correct.
If we laugh at the Gooferment’s money, then it will lose its power over us. To delude us into thinking it is a “store of value”. Or, “a measure”. Or, “a standard”.
It fails in three of the four attributes of “money”.
Sigh.
If it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny.
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Leave a Comment » | FUN | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/04/05/illinois-pharmacists-win-key-victory-on-morning-after-pill
Illinois Pharmacists Win Key Victory on Morning After Pill
by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 4/5/11 7:00 PM
*** begin quote ***
The American Center for Law and Justice today secured a sweeping victory for pro-life pharmacy owners in Illinois after a legal battle lasting six years.
A state court in Illinois issued a decision striking down a state law that compels pharmacy owners to dispense Plan B and other forms of emergency contraception, even if doing so violates their religious or moral beliefs.
*** end quote ***
As a little L libertarian, I’m against any form of Gooferment compulsion. Personally, I’m pro-life. I think abortion, euthanasia, and the “death penalty” are wrong for numerous reasons on so many levels.
By the same token, I would not use the force of law to imprison women who make difficult choices. Nor would I punish the doctors who help them in their time of need.
I’m pro-choice on everything.
When we can place all the orphans in decent homes, even if those are orphanages, (I cite Dave Thomas as an exemplar.), then we can become more “interested” in preserving “life”.
The Gooferment has an interest in protecting the lives of people. There is a valid question as to when does life begin? Conception, third trimester, birth, when they can take care of themselves, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, 13, 18, 21, or when they can fight for their rights.
Essentially, it’s when we all agree it does. And, take action to make it so.
Everyone should always follow their conscience. If the Gooferment’s diktat conflict, that’s immoral.
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Leave a Comment » | INSPIRATIONAL | Tagged: INSPIRATIONAL | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110405/BENEFITS02/104050306/
Treasury may borrow federal retirement funds in debt emergency
By SEAN REILLY | Last Updated: April 5, 2011
*** begin quote ***
The government could temporarily tap tens of billions of dollars from two federal employee retirement programs if Congress fails to raise the federal debt ceiling next month, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told lawmakers.
The government expects to hit a $14.3 trillion debt ceiling on May 16 or before, Geithner said in a Monday letter.
Geither implored Congress to extend the debt ceiling by that deadline and said that if Congress does not, Treasury will be forced to borrow money from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, and the Thrift Savings Plan’s Government Securities Investment Fund, or G Fund, both of which are invested in U.S. Treasury securities. Those two moves could free up $142 billion through early July.
*** end quote ***
Talk about brazen!
I’m not a fan of Gooferment workers, but stealing their retirement money. Someone should be in jail!
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Our second trip to Vegas, we were “flush”, but not “loaded”, by any stretch of the imagination. We were there for a week. Arrive Saturday’ depart Sunday. And, for some reason, we didn’t “do the envelopes”. (Dumb! Our first trip Our Girl had enevelopes for everything — bfast, lunch, dinner, snack, am gambling, afternoon gambling, evening gambling, show#1, show#2, hotel tips, … you name it there was an envelope for it. I think she was afraid of being broke. We were on a very limited budget.) Now that we were “experienced” Vegas visitors.
Arrived on Saturday. “Broke” on Tuesday. She was crazed. Wanted to go home then.
(I wasn’t THAT upset. I had my emergency stash and I had opened a Las Vegas bank account during our first trip. I had visions of moving to Nevada. Obviously delusional as anyone who knew Our Girl would know.)
I convinced her to “reload”. We found and visited the local Merrill lynch office and got a cashiers’ check. Took it to “our” bank and cashed it.
The vacation continued. We had a great time.
The Saturday before we left, Our Girl tallied up where we stood dollar wise. We had won quite a bit. Enough to replace the “reload”. So she was relaxed and conffessed that she was scared when we did that. “I thought we’d lose everything.” I told her I wouldn’t let that happen.
Sunday morning we checked out and went to the Continental Hotel to have bfast and play a little. It’s literally right down the street from Avis. At bfast, I was playing keno. She took sheet marked some numbers and says “Can I play this?” I said: “Sure, give me a dollar.” She casually replies: “I have three singles left to gamble. Can I play three?” “Sure, you want different numbers for each dollar?” “No, just put it all on that ticket.” “That’s dumb, but it’s your money.”
(Anyone who knows Our Girl is laughing, they know where this is going!)
She watches the board. “To root in her numbers”. Out of the first 6 numbers, she gets 5! I’m going nuts. (I could have “conditioned the ticket” played it in “ways” to ensure she got a decent payday.) Were watching. 5/6 would be nice. 19 numbers other than her “51”.
(Yeah, you know!)
They draw the twentieth number.
It’s “51”.
She has an $8k winner. All total, since some of her numbers she picked, overlapped with mine, and I play “way tickets”, we have 11k$ in winners.
Do you know how long it takes for them to verify winners like that?
I leave her to cash; I go drop off the luggage and check us in. Return to the Continental Hotel, she’s just getting her cash.
Big Smile!
We drop the car at Avis. Run thru the old airport. Make the plane with about 20 minutes to spare. She gets a 20$ roll of dollars and plays the airport slot. Loses.
She’s upset all the way home. She lost that $20. She tells people that “she left Vegas a loser”.
She hated to lose.
… and, yes, her first priority was to repay the “reload”. Then she bought stuff for the kids. She was anything but a “loser” imho.
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Leave a Comment » | MEMORIES | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://original.antiwar.com/updates/2011/04/10/sunday-1-us-soldier-5-iraqis-killed-12-iraqis-wounded
Sunday: 1 US Soldier, 5 Iraqis Killed; 12 Iraqis Wounded
by Margaret Griffis, April 10, 2011
*** begin quote ***
At least five Iraqis were killed and 12 were wounded in light violence. Also, a U.S. soldier died in a non-hostile incident in northern Iraq.
*** end quote ***
Bring them all home now!
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Leave a Comment » | FORUM | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
>so I’m thinking how many miles to the gallon did that monster get?
18 highway under 60mph. (Assuming of course you were were not in 4 wheel drive and had the “locking hubs” splines out. 4 wheel drive was for macho men in those days — you had to “lock in” the four hubs by hand and then shift the transfer case into 4 wheel high or 4 wheel low.) Ev used to have a hoot driving it. She was no ordinary woman — she understood the splines and had a nice touch with them. The Scout had springs but no shocks in the traditional sense to smooth the ride. Shocks as God intended them to be were only from the frame to the wheel to push the wheel to the pavement. Passengers were just a minor annoyance to International Harvester. Think John Deere on steroids. Good thing she knew how to drive a stick. You could also “lock out” all the wheels and tow it or run “power tools” off the take off — like an auger, a drill, or a power lift. :-) It was really a farm vehicle; I was planning to buy in Nevada, Vermont, or Maine. Life had other plans. :-(
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Leave a Comment » | MEMORIES | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/84684.html
Oppose DC? You Must Hate Mankind
Posted by Thomas Woods on April 4, 2011 03:27 PM
*** begin quote ***
Would it have been wrong for the states to try to nullify the internment of the Japanese in the 1940s?
Was it wrong for Wisconsin, expressly citing the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 and 1799 (which introduced nullification into the American political lexicon), to oppose the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
Is the federal war on drugs just A-OK, even though it’s been called the new Jim Crow, just because it happens to be carried out by our wise overlords in Washington rather than by the states?
Would it have been easier or more difficult for the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century to carry out their atrocities against vulnerable minorities (whether Jews or Ukrainian “kulaks” as the case may be) had those countries instead been loose confederations of states?
In other words, although states at all levels are capable of great enormities, why is the moral benefit of the doubt given to the most murderous institution in human history, instead of to those decentralizing forces that seek to limit its predatory behavior?
*** end quote ***
Why do we tolerate the Gooferment?
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Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/its-no-deal-its-a-sellout/
IT’S NO DEAL, IT’S A SELLOUT By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann 04.9.2011
*** begin quote ***
John Boehner has just given away the Republican victory of 2010 at the bargaining table. Like the proverbial Uncle Sam who always wins the war but loses the peace, he has unilaterally disarmed the Republican Party by showing that he will not shut down the government and will, instead, willingly give way on even the most modest of cuts in order to avoid it. He now has no arrows left in his quiver.
Having failed to stand firm for just $61 billion in cuts in a budget of $3.7 trillion, how can we expect him to stand firm over the debt limit extension or the 2012 budget?
*** and ***
In short, we have accomplished nothing by our hard work in 2010.
Except we have learned a lesson.
And the lesson is this: We need to purify our party and purge it of the likes of John Boehner and all those Congressmen who vote for the budget sellout. The Tea Party must take the lead in this purifying fire. We must not let the RINOs win!
*** end quote ***
Argh, maybe secession is the only alternative?
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Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
You are currently browsing the Reinke Faces Life blog archives for April, 2011.
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FJohn Reinke
Consultant at Technology Legacies LLC
Advisor, Computer Governance Committee at Manhattan College
Editor / Publisher at Jasper Jottings
Greater New York City Area
JJ Positraction JJ Endnotes Downsize DC
Philosophy of Liberty
I have NOT received any gagged governmental information requests
Reinke Faces Life 
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