Month: August 2011

MONEY: The risk of bonds when the Gooferment gets “active”

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-usa-obama-housing-idUSTRE77T6DV20110831

White House could unveil mortgage plan next week
By Margaret Chadbourn
WASHINGTON | Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:40am EDT

*** begin quote ***

While mortgage rates have been hovering around record low levels, banks remain stingy with lending although they are sitting on more than $1 trillion in excess reserves. Homeowners without a job or good credit histories have been essentially shut out of the refinancing process.

Some investors say the economic benefit of a government-encouraged refinancing wave would be minimal.

“It’s a political hail Mary. It’s unclear why they want to throw a monkey wrench into a $5 trillion market,” said John Kerschner, head of securitized products at Janus Capital Group in Denver. He said the net benefits for the economy are negligible, perhaps adding $20 billion to $30 billion “at best” to the U.S. economy.

*** end quote ***

Old King Canute, aka BHO44, is trying to pick winners and losers again.

The Gooferment has nothing. All it can do is move “stuff” around. The “poor homeowners” are going to be the “winners” and the “rich bondholders” will be the losers.

In actuality, the winners are the politicians and bureaucrats. They will be rewarded by the lobbyists and the voters.

Aren’t these the same “bad assets” that we bought, or were supposed to buy, under one of the many TARPs?

Sorry, but wishing doesn’t make it so.

Any wonder why I’m a Gold Bug? Told you not to get caught in the bear trap (i.e., move to the “safety” of bonds from “risky” stocks”).

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ADMINISTRIVIA: Scheduled my next platelet donation for September

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

Here’s my prompt:

*** begin quote ***

Hello Ferdinand,

Find us on Facebook!

We at the Blood Center of New Jersey would like to thank you for your Apheresis donation on 08/26/2011. The need for blood and blood products by our local hospitals and medical centers has become even more critical in recent years. Your A Positive donation is greatly appreciated by us and the patient(s) it helps.

Thank you for participating in our e-donor program by supplying your email address. We hope this will be a great service for our donors in that it allows us to notify you directly and quickly of matters of importance to you and your community. For example, this is the fastest way to get your cholesterol results back to you. You will still receive a donation card in the mail a couple of weeks from now.

*** end quote ***

When’s yours?

Lotta people need help. Make the same help, that Our Girl got, available to them.

Talks cheap; blood or platelet donation is easy.

So, in the words of a long lost injineering prof: “You’re probably not too stupid to bleed correctly. Go prove me wrong. Class dismissed.”

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FUN: A Congress of … …

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FROM LUDITE

The English language has some wonderfully anthropomorphic collective nouns for the various groups of animals.

We are all familiar with a Herd of cows, a Flock of chickens, a School of fish and a Gaggle of geese. However, less widely known is a Pride of lions, a Murder of crows (as well as their cousins the rooks and ravens), an Exaltation of doves and, presumably because they look so wise, a Parliament of owls.

Now consider a group of Baboons. They are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates. And what is the proper collective noun for a group of baboons? Believe it or not ……. a Congress! I guess that pretty much explains the things that come out of Washington ! A Congress of Baboons!

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Clearly an insult to baboons everywhere.

ROFL!

Now what “anthropomorphic collective nouns” to outraged taxpayers?

The Tea Party?

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Categories FUN

POLITICAL: The USA needs the H1B visa

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http://www.wimp.com/kakusecret/

On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 9:45 AM, LUDDITE wrote:

Interesting discussion.

Click here: Dr. Michio Kaku: America has a secret weapon. [VIDEO]

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So why don’t we have a little L libertarian immigration policy? Open up the borders to folks who want to work. Show up at the border, get a free medical check, give your dna – fingerprint – picture, agree not to take welfare, and here’s your “green card” — welcome to America, land of opportunity. Commit a crime, you’re on the first thing going “home”.

And, while we are at it, let’s ween our own folks off welfare. Welfare is reduced 5% per year for the next 20 years. Minimum wage decreased 5% per year for the next 20 years.

“(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” ended.

Bet we’ll have a boom!

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POLITICAL: “Tax the Rich” nonsense

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http://www.downsizedcfoundation.org/blog/how-warren-buffett-is-wrong

How Warren Buffett Is Wrong
Posted by Perry Willis — August 21, 2011

*** begin quote ***

We disagree. We think Mr. Buffett’s investments do more social good than his taxes do. Here’s why…

None of Mr. Buffett’s companies use force to compel people to do business with them, but everything The States does relies on coercion. This automatically makes Mr. Buffett’s investments better than his tax payments. In addition….

*** and ***

Mr. Buffett is also scamming us in another way. He wants us to believe that wealthy Americans have been doing less to fund the Leviathan State. He wrote in The New York Times….

“Since 1992, the I.R.S. has compiled data from the returns of the 400 Americans reporting the largest income. In 1992, the top 400 had aggregate taxable income of $16.9 billion and paid federal taxes of 29.2% on that sum. In 2008, the aggregate income of the highest 400 had soared to $90.9 billion… but the rate paid had fallen to 21.5%”

We say that Mr. Buffett is using percentages in order to deceive. Here’s how those percentages work out in terms of dollars….

In 1992 the top 400 wealth generators paid $4.9 billion in taxes.

In 2008 the top 400 wealth generators paid $19.5 billion in taxes.

Can you see how Mr. Buffett’s scam works? The percentage of income paid in taxes went down, but the amount of taxes paid in dollars actually ROSE, by a multiple of 4 in 16 years!

*** end quote ***

And, he has reinforced the image that the takers in the USA have a moral argument to take more.

“Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” Colonel Jessep in A Few Good Men played by Jack Nicholson

While Warren has more money than I ever will, it doesn’t give him “high priesthood” status.

The Gooferment is the referee; not the “beauty contest judge”.

We need more rowers and less free riders!

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MONEY: Stealing from the poor and working class

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http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=339129#ixzz1WWLEj7y4

Kudos to Perry and Paul
Pat Buchanan
Posted: August 29, 2011

*** begin quote ***

What should be done to high officials of the U.S. government who consciously set out to dilute and destroy the savings and income of working Americans? What should be done to those who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution and then steal the wealth of citizens by secretly manipulating the value of the currency, the store of wealth upon which those people depend?

*** end quote ***

An excellent question?

Linkage of the dollar to gold would prevent this. That’s Ron Paul’s attack on the FED and out of control Gooferment spending.

Think it’ll ever happen?

The politicians and bureaucrats will fight tooth and nail to keep their unlimited checkbook.

Maybe the Chinese will help us out?

After all one can print money, but you can’t print wealth.

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SOFTWARE: TextExpander ON THE IPAD NG

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From: TextExpander Support <textexpander@smileonmymac.com>
Date: August 20, 2011 21:57:05 EDT
To: reinkefj
Subject: Re: Maybe I don’t understand …

Hello,

Unfortunately TextExpander touch lives within the limitations of the iOS platform, and cannot expand system-wide like it can on a Mac. Because of that we offer an SDK to iOS app developers, and over 120 apps include TextExpander touch support, including most of the popular Twitter, note, and to-do apps:

http://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/touch/apps

So, on your iPad you are only able to use TextExpander within these applications, or its own editor, but not Apple’s apps such as Mail, Safari or Pages.

Thanks for using TextExpander from Smile!

Regards,
Jordan
TextExpander Support
textexpander@smilesoftware.com
http://www.smilesoftware.com/textexpander

—

Smile. Software that’s just right.

PDFpen, DiscLabel, TextExpander, TextExpander touch, PageSender

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SmileSoftware

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SmileSoftware

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ARGH! DIDN’T EXPLAIN THAT BEFORE THEY SOLD IT.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Aug-29 @ 16:50

MONEY: Interesting approach to a niche way to save

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http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/08/21/reader-story-geographic-arbitrage-in-real-life/

Reader Story: Geographic Arbitrage in Real Life
Sunday, 21st August 2011 (by J.D. Roth)

*** begin quote ***

You can save money by traveling to a place where a given item is cheaper to buy, but time and travel costs need to be considered which may negate any savings. But because I travel regularly, usually by car, to visit family members (mine and spouse’s), I’m able to take advantage of pricing differences between my home area and theirs.

Though it may sound like it, I’m not exploiting overall cost of living differences in the sense that it’s generally cheaper to live in Tennessee than in California. This is an item-specific phenomenon, so it works for me when I visit family members, and it works for them (on different items) when they visit me. Below are some examples of how this has helped me save money.

*** end quote ***

I don’t travel that much.

Yet!

Perhaps there’s a interest in this strategy.

The only time I ever did anything like this was bringing home cheap butts for the in-laws.

That was before instituting my Zen-like policy of “I don’t have anything to do cigarettes”. Part of “walking gently on the earth”.

:-)

Sigh!

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HARDWARE: One quick ride?

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http://matadornetwork.com/sports/the-fastest-radio-controlled-airplane-youve-ever-seen-vid/

The fastest radio-controlled airplane you’ve ever seen [VID]

by CARLO ALCOS on AUGUST 16, 2011

*** begin quote ***

I’ve never seen anything like this though: according to the YouTube page, this remote-controlled airplane (a Jetcat P160 SE powered scout) is traveling at 586 km/h (366 mph). The RC jet’s designer, Hans Litjens, says in this forum post that the takeoff weight of the plane is 6.5 kg and that the turbine in the above video is not at its maximum RPM. It takes 2L of kerosene which is stored in the wings.

*** end quote ***

Wow, impressive. Sigh. Too be young again!

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INTERESTING: Mark Steyn argues financial collapse

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http://www.booktv.org/Program/12751/quotAfter+America+Get+Ready+For+Armageddonquot.aspx

“After America: Get Ready For Armageddon”
Mark Steyn

About the Program

Mark Steyn argues that the United States is destined for financial collapse and a decline in its role as a world leader if current political and cultural norms continue. The author contends that American debt has placed the country in a precarious position and that regulation and lack of innovation have become hallmarks of the country’s business climate. Mark Steyn speaks at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Political Library at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.

About the Authors

Mark Steyn is a syndicated columnist, whose writing has appeared in several publications, including the National Review, The Irish Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Steyn is the author of America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It. For more information, visit steynonline.com.

Future Airings

Sunday, September 4th at 3pm (ET)

Monday, September 5th at 10:45am (ET)

Monday, September 5th at 10:45pm (ET)

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In an attempt to escape the non-stop Irene-o-blab-a-thon, I dvr-ed anything that looked interesting. This show was pretty good and assumption challenging. FWIW

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POLITICAL: ConEd’s electrical infrastructure

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FROM THE DRUDGE REPORT

*** begin quote ***

BLOOMBERG PULLS TRIGGER: ORDERS 370,000 TO FLEE…
Staying behind ‘is against the law’…
Might shut off power in low-lying areas…
RESIDENTS IGNORE MAYOR’S ORDER…

*** end quote ***

# – # – #

This caught my eye by implying that Bloomberg was going to shut down the power. I thought: “Who’s he to insert himself between ConEd and their Customers?”

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http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/con_city_warns_of_power_cutoff_as_4mYxvuBCisJTm06rBaBnLJ

City braces for Irene’s arrival: Transit shut down, some power could be cut
By CANDICE M. GIOVE, DAVID SEIFMAN and WILSON DIZARD
Last Updated: 5:15 PM, August 27, 2011
Posted: 11:36 AM, August 27, 2011

*** begin quote ***

Meanwhile, Con Edison considered zapping power to lower Manhattan starting sometime tomorrow at 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. – leaving lights out for up to three days.

Con Ed feared that flooding salt water would ruin and short out two underground networks.

“If salt water gets on these cables when they are being used the damage is substantial,” Mayor Bloomberg said.

*** end quote ***

Pretty sad statement about the ConEd electrical infrastructure.

Has to be because it’s a “regulated” monopoly?

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GUNS: Gun owners must be extra aware of the law

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http://www.gazette.com/articles/jury-123946-burglar-lot.html#ixzz1WAJvzqf5

Burglar’s family awarded $300,000 in wrongful death suit
August 26, 2011 12:13 PM
LANCE BENZEL
THE GAZETTE

*** begin quote ***

An El Paso County jury on Friday awarded nearly $300,000 to the daughter of a burglar who was fatally shot in 2009 while breaking into an auto lot.

*** end quote ***

“Make my day” law?

Sounds too good to be true.

But, there’s a fine balance to be found here.

Druggies stealing the stereos get the death penalty?

That’s over the top.

But what were the donut eaters doing for these businessmen? Taking reports.

If we ended the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” then theft probably wouldn’t necessary to support a habit.

All signs point at the stupidity of the diktats of the politicians and bureaucrats!

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MONEY: Savings Bonds?

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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/opinion/save-the-savings-bond.html

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR
Save the Savings Bond
By FRED T. GOLDBERG Jr. and PETER TUFANO
Published: August 18, 2011

*** begin quote ***

FOR generations of children, the idea of saving first became real when a savings bond landed in a birthday or holiday card, the image of a famous American staring out from the elaborate, earth-tone etching on a stately certificate. These fond memories may explain why this year nearly 50,000 Americans — the vast majority of them modest wage-earners — decided, under a new I.R.S. policy, to buy savings bonds with a portion of their precious tax refunds.

*** end quote ***

sorry but if I was buing for a youth, I’d buy a bullion coin.

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ADMINISTRIVIA: I’m giving (gave) a bag of platelets today

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With all the talking heads talking about the storm, no one has mentioned blood supplies.

When ever Frau Reinke needed some, it was there. Even during a snow storm twice. She needed it and someone had donated it.

Thanks to those people, she survived as long as she did.

Now you know this stuff is perishable. And, you know it doesn’t grow on trees … yet. (They are working on some genetically egnineered stuff. But it ain’t here yet.)

So, in the words of a long lost injineering prof: “You’re probably not too stupid to bleed correctly. Go prove me wrong. Class dismissed.”

(The stupidity started immediately after donation down at the local tavern — Greenleaf. Although there was substantial support for the Pinewood. Greenleaf was closer. Ahh to be young again, maybe I should have went the extra mile — probably only 250 feet. But why waste time.)

So what’s your excuse!

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Update:

I survived. They took two bags. ~700+ ml. Guess that will make three bag full for some needy soul or souls.

Makes “my” debt 72 bags. :-)

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Aug-26 @ 17:30

WRITING: The 1957 Hungarian Pie Plate (an index card novel)

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The 1957 Hungarian Pie Plate

Dearest Emily,

Miss you. Love you. Be back soon.

Well, as soon as I get the travel permits. I have so much to tell you.

Grand cousin’s estate is now settled here. It was very simple as expected. The family will now know what he was doing for the last 35 years. The weirdo was inventing. It turns out he was instrumental in Vermont Independence. Sounds a little Communistic but he’s a “Hero of the Revolution”. There are a lot, but his speciifcally has ribbons and clusters that I do understand. Nor remember. I’m told its among the highest.

The arrival was interesting. Crossing the border on our side, I had to <***** REDACTED BY HOMELAND SECURITY *****> but once on the other side all I had to do was lick my thumb, press a button, my picture was taken, and the machine dispensed the equivalent of our green card. Their’s is gold, issued by an insurance company, and acts as a real time credit card. Cousin guaranteed the whole family. So it also issued me some various denomination paper and gold coins. If allowed, I’ll bring some home for you to see. <***** WARNING BY HOMELAND SECURITY — foreign money may not be imported; it’s taxed at 100% *****> We should all come for a visit if we can get permits. <***** WARNING BY HOMELAND SECURITY — entire families are not permitted out of the country together *****>

Cousin invented a novel solution. Remember he was always concerned about what would happen if New Hampshire succeeded? Would the Federal Government roll tanks? Of course, the answer was yes. We know how well that worked out. <***** REDACTED BY HOMELAND SECURITY *****> He invented a distributed solution and wrote an IPAD app for it. Basically, the app was like FourSquare where “friends” voted on picture. Threat or no threat? No one is sure where the app is hosted or how it runs, but if enough votes are cast, this think called a “turtle” drops in and soon after things start to appear. Most common is what the natives call “pie plates”. They come in like frisbees. If a tank rolls over them, bang. One less tank. Any attempt to move them, bang. People can step on them; cars can drive over them. They are targeted on the tank. Should the tank fire on and destroy the turtle. One on the pie plates morphs into a turtle. Once targeted, most tank crews abandon the tanks and walk back to the border. Never did find out how the local got rid of these road blocks. They are all over the state on almost every road.

Cousin had a bunch of other inventions — the P51 Mosquito that would do the same thing to something flying, the Red Baron Butterfly that would protect people, and the 1911 R2D2 that would attack troops with a 10 shot 45 cal hand gun. All controlled from the same app. <***** WARNING BY HOMELAND SECURITY — non approved material is not importable – for your own safety *****>

He’s famous here and infamous on our side.

As you know they have no patents here, but some how his company, no corporations here either, is very profitable. It’s invented a solar power unicycle that is quite fun. I’ll bring one home.

If it wasn’t for my love for you, I’d stay. Be home soon. Waiting on approvals and reeducation.

All my love,
Ricardo

p.s., Cousin would be so pleased. Ferdinand and Ferdinanina are now a very popular name for children here. He got his wish — namesakes.

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INSPIRATIONAL: West Point’s code

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903327904576524680928198272.html

MAIN STREETAUGUST 22, 2011, 11:09 P.M. ET
Duty, Honor, Football
What West Point could teach Miami.

*** begin quote ***

The ingredients of Miami’s vices—the nightclubs, the prostitutes, the yachts—make it far juicier than the typical pay-for-play. The scandal here is not that teenage football players behave badly when a wealthy benefactor indulges their every appetite. The scandal is what it says about the impoverished sense of community on our college and university campuses, and the fecklessness of those who know better.

*** end quote ***

Time for the NCAA to admit it’s all about the Benjamins and drop the pretense of “amateur”. But then what do we accept bad conduct from our politicians?

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TECHNOLOGY: The hidden meaning of pronouns

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-language-code

Mind Matters | Mind & Brain
The Secret Language Code
Psychologist James Pennebaker reveals the hidden meaning of pronouns
By Gareth Cook | August 16, 2011 | 5

*** begin quote ***

These differences hold up across written and spoken language and most other languages that we have studied. You can’t help but marvel at the fact that we are all bombarded by words from women and men every day of our lives and most of us have never “heard” these sex differences in language. Part of the problem is that our brains aren’t wired to listen to pronouns, articles, prepositions, and other “junk” words. When we listen to another person, we typically focus on what they are saying rather than how they are saying it.

Men and women use language differently because they negotiate their worlds differently. Across dozens and dozens of studies, women tend to talk more about other human beings. Men, on the other hand, are more interested in concrete objects and things. To talk about human relationships requires social and cognitive words. To talk about concrete objects, you need concrete nouns which typically demand the use of articles.

No matter what your sex, if you have to explain that Sally is leaving her husband because of her new lover, you have to make references to all the actors and you have to do some fairly complex cognitive analyses. If you have to explain why your carburetor in your car is broken, your causal analysis will likely be relatively pallid and will involve referring to concrete nouns.

*** end quote ***

So where is the website that analyzes my emails and tells me what a wack job I am? I can use the dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) to figure out how to get from here to there.

Argh!

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POLITICAL: Churches are an off-shoot of the Gooferment

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http://dumpdc.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/%E2%80%9Ccome-out-of-her-my-people%E2%80%9D/

“Come Out Of Her, My People”
by Chuck Baldwin

*** begin quote ***

(Editor’s Note: I wrote the article “Who Should Be The State’s Mortal Enemy? about this very subject. Chuck, a pastor in Montana, frames the subject in more religious terms than I did. If you like a good sermon, read on.)

It is no hyperbole to say that the vast majority of today’s churches do not remotely resemble the New Testament pattern. In the first place, the Church was never intended to be a government corporation! Yet, that is exactly what every 501c3 non-profit “religious” organization is: it is a government-created corporation. In the eyes of the government, pastors, elders, and deacons are not pastors, elders, and deacons; they are corporate officers. And put to the test, virtually any and all of these so-called “pastors,” “elders,” and “deacons,” will confirm that they are corporate officers. So, right out of the gate we must understand that we are dealing with government corporations and corporate officers, not with New Testament churches, pastors, elders, and deacons.

*** end quote ***

The Gooferment absorbs everything.

The Golden Rule tells you who’s running the show.

That tax exemption moderates what and how criticism is leveled at the “churches”

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MEMORIES: Pat Summitt — Dementia diagnosis

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/news?slug=dw-dementia_diagnosis_wont_stop_summitt_082311

Dementia diagnosis won’t stop Pat Summitt
By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports

*** begin quote ***

They’ve called Pat Summitt a groundbreaker, a legend, an inspiration and the “Wizard of Knoxville,” a nod to UCLA’s John Wooden, who may be the only college basketball coach who can compare.

*** end quote ***

Frau Reinke loved Coach Summitt. She saw herself in her, the way she played, and the way she coached. Her, and Coach Grentz, were in Our Girl’s personal HoF.

She’d be saddened by this news.

I’m not surprised at the lack of a “pity party”. Like Frau Reinke, all these gals are cut from a very unique cloth.

My prayers and good thoughts go out to Coach Summitt, her boy, and her family.

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SERVICES: Who’s coming to rescue you?

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http://www.irishcentral.com/news/American-crew-members-tell-the-story-of-their-rescue-off-West-Cork-coast-127930473.html

American crew members tell the story of their rescue off West Cork coast
U.S. owned Rambler 100 yacht is towed ashore after Fastnet Race horror
By CATHAL DERVAN, IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 8:52 AM
Updated Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 8:52 AM

*** begin quote ***

“I was awoken by a loud bang,” said Hislop. “I could feel the boat tipping over. I just went into survival mode; I was the last out of the boat. There were four of us sleeping below deck with minimal protective clothing.“The hull fell fast. There was no chance of even cutting the life rafts free.

*** end quote ***

Lot of lessons in this story:

(1) What will you have on you when you’re tossed into a survival situation?

(2) Experienced sailors caught short. Preparedness mindset? Could be fatal.

(3) In a group willing to help, but can’t be seen. Flare pens in an always worn suvival vest.

(4) Rescued by Gooferment forces standing by. Who pays for that, and all the other, rescues?

(5) What happens when those forces are not standing around waiting?

(6) What happens when you are where those forces are?

(7) I don’t boat, but this convinces me to get one of those seat belt cutting window smashing tool for each of my cars. Maybe I’ll give them as Christmas gifts.

miss any lessons?

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HARDWARE: Cars become hotspots

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://www.wservernews.com/

Vol. 16, #33 – August 22, 2011 – Issue #842
Tech Support For My Car?

*** begin quote ***

T-Mobile provides the connectivity, and we tried to hack into the system just for fun. The mobile hotspot is protected with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 with the last being the default. But the hotspot reached about 40 feet around the car, and when we looked at the logs, we could see the IP address that we tracked down to a fleet management company. Hm.

But you can see where this goes, right? Cars are loaded with high-tech features and consumers are going to need tech support for all this, and of course all this stuff can be hacked into. Think for a moment about all the code that this requires, and the industry standard of one bug per 1000 lines of code. I can already see it, Patch Tuesday for my car, where they plug in the patch and pray all systems will come back up after the reboot. Hey, it starts! LOL.

*** end quote ***

The internet of things is now moving to cars?

In a nation of blinking clocks, one has to question the over computerization of stuff.

Do we know look forward to an ISP bill for each car, each person, each appliance, each … ?

Where does it end?

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MONEY: Pensions will be at risk

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://www.mercurynews.com/california-budget/ci_18716703?nclick_check=1

Teacher pension fund joins California auditor’s risk list
Associated Press
Posted: 08/19/2011 09:17:05 AM PDT
Updated: 08/19/2011 09:20:58 AM PDT

*** begin quote ***

SACRAMENTO — The state auditor’s office on Thursday added teacher pensions to the list of high-risk issues facing California government.

The report by State Auditor Elaine Howle added the nation’s largest teacher pension fund because it can’t meet the costs of retirement benefits beyond the next 30 years. The pension funding problem was added to a list of risks that includes California’s chronic budget deficit, unfunded retiree health costs and prison crowding.

*** end quote ***

Unfunded liabilities are not just for the Federal Gooferment.

Just like the Delta pilots, everyone is going to take a haircut.

The only question is how much will be taken …

… by the corrupt politicians.

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MONEY: Home mortgage interest deduction

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http://reason.org/news/show/eliminate-mortgage-interest-deducti

Study: Time to Eliminate the Mortgage Interest Deduction
Removing homeowner subsidies would allow everyone’s income tax rates to be lowered
July 28, 2011

*** begin quote ***

The mortgage interest deduction does not increase homeownership rates and amounts to little more than a subsidy for wealthy homeowners, according to a new Reason Foundation study that recommends eliminating the deduction and streamlining the tax code. The Reason Foundation report suggests a revenue-neutral solution: eliminate the mortgage interest deduction and lower federal income tax rates for all Americans by 8 percent.

*** end quote ***

Seems like the time for deductions and such are past.

Tithe seems like more than enough for God; should be more than enough for Gooferment.

Flat 10%?

Now I think that all taxation is theft.

Hopefully, the absurdity of all of this will swing you to my way of thinking.

Time to get the Gooferment out of all our business.

The Dead Old White Guys thought that tariffs and excise taxes would be enough.

They were wrong. It’s never ever enough. For the pigs.

If we want a product or service, we should buy it. Gooferment is just another product.

Money is a product as well.

Gold is the answer to keeping the Gooferment under control. No hidden taxes.

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GOLDBUG: Between the borrowers and the savers

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

LinkedIn Groups
Group: Risk, Regulation & Reporting
Discussion: Should the World Go Back to the Gold Standard?

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during the glory days of the gold standard in the US, 1870-1914, prices declined steadily at 2% p.a. for the 1st half o the period and then increased at 2% p.a. for the 2nd half. There was “price stability” if one means that prices in 1914 were the same as they were in 1870, otherwise not. Gold will make the rates of inflation in all countries on the gold standard approximately the same.

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Can you even IMAGINE zero inflation?

Talk about radically changing the balance between the borrowers and the savers. Between the workers and the drones.

What a concept.

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