Month: July 2012

MONEY: Ahhhhh, the ignorance of yute; what DO they learn in Gooferment Skrules

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On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 7:27 AM, CLUELESS_RELATIVE WROTE wrote:

Do I need an emergency fund?

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On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 7:37 AM, UNCLE_GRUMPY WROTE wrote:

https://reinkefaceslife.com/2010/05/07/money-changing-my-position-on-emergency-funds/

Uncle Grumpy

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On Fri, Jul 26, 2012 at 7:27 AM, CLUELESS_RELATIVE WROTE wrote:

Oh I have navy federal credit union, usaa and state department federal cu. Any one in particular u think is better?

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On Jul 27, 2012 12:31 AM, UNCLE_GRUMPY wrote:

Do a spreadsheet comparison of the factors that matter to you:

cu1 cu2 cu3

* Easy to do biz (atm location, fees)

* Share interest rate

* Can I have sub accounts

* Auto loan rates

* Home loan rates

Then pick one and stick to it. I’d keep a minimum deposit in the others to preserve your eligibility. That a mistake I’ve made.

Then you need (imho):

(1) Emergency Fund (Roach motel — money goes in but never comes out). Priority One uber alles. You’re a hard case to figure out the right amount. But at the minimum, I call it one year at your Minimum Burn Rate (see blog).

(2) Car amortization fund (See blog post on 6 year car payment so that you have the money to buy a new one when your current ride dies.)

(3) If you’re a “monthly” paycheck to paycheck (which is what it sounds like to me), then annual and quarterly bills need a “monthly” “bill”. For example if car insurance is $1200 per year, then you must “pay” the subaccount $100 / per month.

If you’re a “weekly” gal, subsitute as needed. If you’re a bi-weekly, the math is slighly more complex. In the example, $1200 / 26 = $38.50.
And, “monthly” bills are multiplied by 12 then divide by 26. (Hint: It’s 46%) You must get to the point, where you’re ahead to annualize.

Getting off the paycheck to paycheck is essential.

(3) You like to travel, you need a subaccount to “tax” yourself for you next trip. Take your last trip, if you know what it actually cost I’d be surprised. Guesstimate divide by the number of paychecks and that’s your “tax” for that. You may not be able to afford that, so either scale back the trip or stretch the duration until the next one.

(4) “Sinking funds” for any expenses that can’t be accurately estimated (very few of those) and who’s frequency can’t be predicted (very few of those).

Hope that helps,
Uncle Grumpy

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—
—-
Ferdinand John Reinke
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
(732) 798-0508
http://www.reinke.cc (Personal page)
http://www.reinkefj.com (Professional page)
https://reinkefj.wordpress.com (Personal blog)

On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 7:27 AM, CLUELESS_RELATIVE WROTE wrote:

POLITICAL: Retort to “teachers” as undervalued

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NewImage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gooferment Skrules are training grounds for future prisoners. Today’s teachers are more akin to corrections officers. Let’s get the Gooferment out of education completely. They are just interested in: cannon fodder for the Army, willing morons for the factories, and useful idiots to vote for and be led by the elite. Take note where all the rich, politicians, and bureaucrats send their children? Except for Jimmy Carter, it’s private school for the future leaders of society.

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FLASH: Swift’s Parents split?

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://www.christianpost.com/news/taylor-swifts-parents-headed-for-divorce-78953/

Taylor Swift’s Parents Headed for Divorce?
By Emma Koonse , Christian Post Reporter
July 26, 2012|4:09 pm

*** begin quote ***

Andrea and Scott Swift were married 25 years ago, having their daughter Taylor and her younger brother Austin.

The couple allegedly split sometime within the past two years, but have remained mum on the sensitive subject, according to an unconfirmed report by Star magazine via RadarOnline.com.

“The Swift’s stopped wearing their wedding rings,” an insider said speaking to Star. “They haven’t filed for a divorce because they don’t want it to damage Taylor’s career.”

*** end quote ***

I’m always sad when I hear marriages break up.

Who know why?

I know I’d trade all that have for just another day with Frau Reinke. Even a bad day is better than no day.

Wonder why some work and others don’t.

Sending good thoughts to those four people.

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FUN: Least valuable team …

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http://youtu.be/8Xr-InAiRpk

reinkefj has shared a video with you on YouTube:
Least valuable team … love it.

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Many a true word is said in a jest.

Maybe the yes way to turn back Socialism is to make people laugh at it. If it’s not take seriously, then every time a politician makes a promise the TV will play a laugh track.

Many moons ago, Rush proposed a frame around the tv that just say “He’s Lying”. Seems appropriate for ALL politicians and bureaucrats!

Is that to cynical?

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RANT: And he might have been mistaken for a SWAT officer by arriving police

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/explosives-removed-from-james-holmess-apartment-and-destroyed-officials-say/2012/07/22/gJQAL9XN2W_print.html

Aurora, Colo., shooting spree: A day of tears for victims and of twists in case
By David A. Fahrenthold, Thomas Heath and Joel Achenbach, Published: July 22

*** begin quote ***

AURORA, Colo. — Sunday was a day to mourn here — and ask, fruitlessly, why.

Two days after a shooting rampage killed 12 people and wounded 58 in a movie theater, President Obama flew in to praise victims and survivors. And Colorado leaders held the first large public memorial service, asking a crowd of thousands to repeat “We will remember” after each of the 12 names.

Away from these rituals, new details emerged about the suspect, James Holmes, 24. Authorities said the gunman might have killed more if his assault rifle had not jammed. And he might have been mistaken for a SWAT officer by arriving police, had not one officer spotted something odd in his body armor.

*** and ***

A law enforcement source, who is close to the investigation but not authorized to speak publicly, said something went awry in the killer’s planned assault at the theater. Police said the alleged gunman had three weapons: a Remington shotgun, a Smith & Wesson M&P assault rifle and a Glock .40-caliber handgun.

The assault rifle, which is akin to an AR-15 and is a civilian version of the military’s M-16, could fire 50 to 60 rounds per minute and is designed to hold large ammunition magazines. The source said that Holmes allegedly had obtained a 100-round drum magazine that attached to the weapon but that such large magazines are notorious for jamming.

The law enforcement official said authorities think the gunman first used the shotgun — some victims have buckshot wounds — and then began using the assault rifle, which jammed. Then he resorted to the handgun.

*** and ***

Initial police accounts said he surrendered without incident to officers who found him at his car behind the theater complex. But Oates, in an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, described a more complicated scene in the minutes after the shooting. He said police arriving at the scene might have mistaken Holmes for a SWAT officer. He was allegedly dressed in black ballistic gear, including a helmet, a throat guard, a vest, leggings and gloves.

Oates said a piece of equipment in Holmes’s elaborate gear — he would not specify which piece — struck one of the responding officers as irregular. The officer questioned Holmes. Oates did not describe the exchange, only the result: Holmes was arrested.

*** end quote ***

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What happened to “color of the day”?

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HAPPINESS: Welcome to the world Miss Melanie Marie Halloran

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Mozel Tov, to the proud parents. (Why does Dad get to be proud? Give the relative efforts! Mom should get the kudos.)

Note to self: time to update the “Book of Dates”.

Note to self: time to update the will.

(Hmm, is it like musical chairs? Do I pick the person who’s annoyed me the most and sub in? Or do I just have to work more?)

LOL!

Births are my favorite of the happy events (i.e., births, weddings, engagement, lower number on the scale, obits of bad people).

We’ll now sing “If I was a rich man …” from Fiddler on the Roof.

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FUN: Had a “housewarming” party

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Folks for work came over.

After action report:

* Folks were shy to start eating.

* Saji got the Karaoke machine working; no takers. (Guess not enough beer.)

* Everyone seemed to have a good time.

* My camera died again. 

* No breakage.

* Folks laughed at the contents of my freezer.

* Some expressed interest in my books

* Some one liked my green IKEA “desk” (really a board with two boxes in garish green)

* Folks toured and made polite noises (What were they going to say: “fool!”?)

* Dukie, the Realtor, thought the transformation was dramatic.

* Steve smoked a “see gar” on the porch; that smell will drive the skeeters from NOVA for a year!

Lessons Learned:

* Famous Daves — good; more meat, less beans, less beans.

* Less beer; Less soda; More wine. (Who knew!) 

* More notice; better directions; few more chairs.

* Bigger doggie bags.

* Wednesday after work seemed to please everyone to dodge the traffic

Summary

* Fun

* Folks telling me to save stuff for the next party

* Groan when I suggested it might be the wake.

* Folks said “now we know where you live …”

* Identified as an “overflow conference facility”

* Laughs about “Oscar and Felix”

* Folks want more get togethers.

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INTERESTING: The Memory Hole

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http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/116153.html

July 22, 2012
Paterno Down the Memory Hole
Posted by Butler Shaffer on July 22, 2012 01:56 PM

*** begin quote ***

George Orwell’s prescience warned us of the established order’s use of the “memory hole” to rid people of the knowledge of events that now prove embarrassing to it. The erstwhile Soviet Union made use of such practices — including removing pictures from earlier official photos — while the American establishment has relied on its obedient media and academia to accomplish the same effects. If you want to locate this “memory hole” geographically, you might find it in the same neighborhood as “the tubes,” into which our culture is rapidly descending!

*** end quote ***

That’s why “history” is so important. Because we are DOOMED to repeat it.

The “war to end all wars”, etc etc yada yada wah wah … … … 

Patriots have to have LONG memories.

Trust none of the politicians and bureaucrats!

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GUNS: Aurora’s Strict Gun Laws Didn’t

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

http://cnsnews.com/blog/ron-meyer/auroras-strict-gun-laws-didnt-prevent-shooting-if-one-law-abiding-person-theater-had

Aurora’s Strict Gun Laws Didn’t Prevent Shooting, But If One Law-Abiding Person In The Theater Had Been Carrying One…
By Ron Meyer
July 21, 2012

*** begin quote ***

Purdue student and Young America’s Foundation Intern Scholar Hillary Cherry provides her thoughts on the Colorado shooting, stressing the importance of protecting our Second Amendment rights:

A masked gunman opened fire yesterday on one of the 3,700 midnight showings of The Dark Knight Rises, leaving 12 dead, 50 injured, and one in custody. Liberals everywhere are wasting no time to use this massacre in an effort to push gun control and gut the Second Amendment.

Mayor Bloomberg asks the Obama administration for stricter gun laws following Colorado shooting. Comedian DL Hughley tweeted, “Aurora is 13yrs and 13 miles from Columbine! Since the 60s over 500,000 ppl have bn killed by guns in the US we have no right 2 b shocked!”

How will stricter gun laws bring an end to criminals having guns, when the laws against murder have not been able to stop them from killing innocent people?

Currently in Aurora, Colorado, where the shooting took place, it is already unlawful to carry a concealed “dangerous weapon,” discharge firearms, unless by law enforcement on duty or on shooting range, and have loaded firearm in motor vehicle.

Yet these laws were unable to stop James Holmes.

*** end quote ***

The lessons of Columbine, Virginia Tech, and now Aurora is that people must be allowed, able, and prepared to defend themselves.

Period, end of story.

The Dead Old White Guys’ wisdom was to enshrine that. We are stupidly ignorant of what makes our species thrive and cooperate — when each is a “sovereign” we have peace.

Argh!

“Dial 911 and die”

When death is seconds away, the police are minutes away. “We, The People” ARE the police!

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” — Lazarus Long (Robert A Heinlein)

“Victim disarmament is the view that it is somehow better to see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose, than see her with a gun in her hand.” — T.D. Melrose

Or movie patrons!

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FLASH: Sally Ride RIP

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Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space died today at age 61. She succumbed to pancreatic cancer according to her office in San Diego. Here’s to wishing her a safe trip on her final journey.”

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MEMORIES: Insulin, insulin Rejection, and Diabetes — all factors in Our Girl’s life

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http://lewrockwell.com/durst/durst-m82.1.html

Insulin – Too Much of This Is a Really Bad Thing!
by Margaret Durst
The Green House

*** begin quote ***

Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels within the body. Diabetes is the most well known condition involving insulin; however, insulin resistance is a more common condition affecting 25 to 30 percent of all Americans. Insulin resistance is a precursor to type II diabetes.

*** end quote ***

The “witch doctors” know that diabetes is “big trouble”. 

They think they know how to scale it — something crazy like “brutal”, juvenile, adult-onset, something very odd like “pre-diabetic”.

They can tell you all sorts of stuff about it — ml of glucose per cc of blood sample, factoids about blood chemistry, the role of stuff like insulin in the human body. After you get unconfused, you realize they have not clue#1 as to what’s important about it.

They “prescribe” exercise, lose weight, tight control, and various and sundry drugs. They will turn you over to a “registered dietician” who is nothing better than a shill for “conventional wisdom”.

(Our Girl was “sent” thrice to one over a span of 35 years. Of course, I was along for the ride. The pitch changed not a wit from visit to visit. It was flat out wrong for her. Follow their “diets”, her sugars were worse, she felt worse, and what she hated most was that she GAINED weight. Even the doctor admitted she should go back to what she was doing. Which was contra-intuitive, but even the doc admitted she’d “discovered” what worked for her.)

They will subtly communicate to you the fact that they have not clue#1 when they say things like: “Diabetics are always upside down”, “Lab results and diabetics don’t mix”, and my personal favorite “don’t worry, be happy, you’re going to have short life”. (Honest! Great Brother Jasper’s Ghost visit me tonight if that’s not what her first doctor, Doctor Ron, told her. He was spot on and she loved his blunt honesty.) 

So, thinking about this, because of the cited link, you must find your own way. Don’t depend on “authorities” or bureaucrats. It’s the old “doctor” is chicken who’s involved in your situation, but you’re the committed pig in the project of “making breakfast”. My thoughts and prayers are with all that suffer this terrible affliction.

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FLASH: The famed statue of Joe Paterno

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The famed statue of Joe Paterno was taken down from outside the Pennsylvania State University football stadium Sunday, eliminating a key piece of the iconography surrounding the once-sainted football coach accused of burying child sex abuse allegations against a retired assistant.

Workers lifted the statue off its base and used a forklift to move it into Beaver Stadium as the 100 to 150 students watching chanted, “We are Penn State.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444025204577542670920264682?mod=djemalertNEWS

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WOW!

Imagine the grief that PSU is going to take on both sides of the issue.

Like the tumbling of statues of dictators?

# – # – # – # – #  2012-Jul-22 @ 09:29  

FUN: Welcome to the Republican Party

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SPAM FROM LUDDITE

“I recently asked my neighbors’ little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be a President. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, ‘If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?’

She replied, ‘I’d give food and houses to all the homeless people.’ Her parents beamed with pride.

‘Wow…what a worthy …goal.’ I…… told her, ‘But you don’t have to wait until you’re a President to do that! You can come over to my house to mow the lawn, pull weeds, trim my hedge, and I’ll pay you $50. Then I’ll take you over to where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house.’

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, ‘Why doesn’t the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?’

I said, ‘Welcome to the Republican Party.’

Her parents still aren’t speaking to me.”

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Now we should be able to recast this a little and use the same punch line. Since the D’s and the R’s really aren’t THAT different.

# – # – # – # – #  2012-Jul-18 @ 19:55  

POLITICAL: The poor treatment of the troops

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE THIS!!

THE MOST STUPID STATEMENT EVER BY A
PRESIDENT-Unbelievable

THIS MOST UNBELIEVABLE PRESIDENT?

HERE IS HIS RESPONSE WHEN HE BACKED OFF FROM HIS DECISION TO REQUIRE THE MILITARY PAY FOR THEIR WAR INJURIES.

Bad press, including major mockery of the play by comedian Jon Stewart, led to President Obama abandoning his proposal to require veterans carry private health insurance to cover the estimated $540 billion annual cost to the federal government of treatment for injuries to military personnel received during their tours on active duty. The President admitted that he was puzzled by the magnitude of the opposition to his proposal.

“Look, it’s an all volunteer force,” Obama complained. “Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice? It doesn’t compute.”

“I thought these were people who were proud to sacrifice for their country,” Obama continued “I wasn’t asking for blood, just money. With the country facing the worst financial crisis in its history, I’d have thought that the patriotic thing to do would be to try to help reduce the nation’s deficit..I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans.”

Please pass this on to every one including every vet and their families whom you know. How in the world did a person with this Mindset become our leader?

REMEMBER THIS STATEMENT….”Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice?”

If he thinks he will ever get another vote from an Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard service member or veteran of a military service he ought to think it over.. If you or a family member is or has served their country please pass this to them.

Please pass this to everyone. I’m guessing that, other than the 20-25 percent hardcore liberals in the US, citizens will agree that this is just another example why this is the worst president in American history. Remind everyone over and over how this man thinks, while he bows to the Saudi Arabian king…

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Now, I heard this at the time. I didn’t follow all the nuances. 

But, to a certain extent he’s right, and to a certain extent he’s so wrong it’s “funny” as in “funny peculiar”.

Since I’m always accused of “politician bashing” and BHO44 obsession, let’s start with what he got right:

(1) It is an “all volunteer” force. There are a few caveats I’d put on that:

(1a) Ever heard of “stop loss”? A form of involuntary servitude.

(1b) Ever listen to a National Guard commercial? It doesn’t says: “you’ll go one of the sand boxes frequently”. It says “protect your neighbors”; only if they speak Farsi.

(1c) Ever hear a recruiter’s spiel? You’d admire used car salesmen for honesty.

(2) “… know and accepted risks.”

(2a) Did they know the policies when they signed up and made it part of their long term plan that: the politicians would shrink the force, make the “mission” look like Viet Nam had clarity, and have the Pentagon Perfumed Princes agree with every stupid idea that a politician thinks up.

(2b) Did they know that: “We, The Sheeple” would be encourage to forget what was going on?

(2c) Did they understand that they’d be used as “political chips” in a national political calculus and an international game of “stupid Uncle Sam”?

(3) “Whine ..”

(3a) When “Wounded Warriors” runs commercials to say “Joe Vet needs a dribble vest cause the shell scrambled his brains and the VA won’t pay for it”, I go <synonym for the act of procreation in real time> nuts! I pay a lot of taxes. (Trust me a lot. Overt and hidden. That’s upsetting.) To hear them begging because the Gooferment can’t fulfill ONE of its real core missions — VA CARE — just sends me to the moon.

(3b) From the “Bonus Army” of WW1 surprised by McArthur, to the WW2 GI Bill that got “sliced down”, to the recall of the Korean War, to the national disgrace of the “Viet Nam, Republic of” vet’s treatment, the “nation”, if there is such a thing, cavalierly “renegotiates” it’s commitment to Vets whenever it’s convenient and it can fly under the radar. If the Gooferment was an insurance company, the “Customers” would have deserted eons ago.

(3c) “We, The Sheeple” really don’t hear what the ranks think. It’s an Article 13 to critique the chain of command. About all they can do is vote with their feet. I’d wager without the threat of sanction, we would really get an earful.

You know I don’t think I have to do the “cons”.

Other than to say, it all stinks!

[TIP ‘o’ the HAT to: Karen B for spanning me for something that really twisty my shorts. If I wore shorts!]

# – # – # – # – #  2012-Jul-16 @ 19:21  

FUN: “I should have asked for much more than a robot and a comic book.”

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“I should have asked for much more than a robot and a comic book.” — “Sheldon” played by Jim Parsons in “Big Bang Theory” episode “The Guitarist Amplificiation” (11/9/2009).

A lesson for job seekers or anyone in a negotiation!

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SERVICE: OPENDNS recommended for everyone

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

*** begin quote ***

Announcing new Parental Controls categories

We recently announced several improvements to the Domain Tagging system, our content categorization engine, and two new categories that you can enable for your home networks, effective immediately, to secure your family’s Web browsing.

As with every new feature we deliver, these improvements are the direct result of your feedback. Our team spent weeks evaluating both the current categories and your suggestions, and ultimately we decided which categories need to be added and which ones could use a facelift. By simply logging into your Dashboard and adjusting your custom settings, you can now filter Anime/Manga/Webcomic and Click/Survey/Pharmaceutical Web Spam. To our knowledge, OpenDNS is the first and only filtering service to offer a Web spam category, though Web spam is increasingly present online.

As the Internet evolves we’ll continue to evaluate our Web filtering categories and your requests to make sure we’re ahead of the curve. If you’d like to get more involved, join our Domain Tagging community and help make the Internet better for millions around the world!

*** end quote ***

Item #4 is for those with children. First this is free. Second, it’s invisible to all but the most techie kids.

* Open a free account on OpenDNS. (Not even sure this is required, but it’s a trivial step that allows them to enumerate their User community.)

* Open your favorite browser, connect to your router, (usually http://192.168.1.1 or 2.1)

* Find the screen where the router holds the DNS entry. (Easy. Most routers have tabs on their admin screen. One will be labeled: “DNS”.)

* Replace what the ISP gives you (theirs. so they can collect ad $ on you) with the OpenDNS values. 208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220.

That’s it. Each platform that starts up will shift to use the OpenDNS.

No one is the wiser that you’re protecting them.

You should check from time to time. You don’t “own” the router; the ISP does. From time to time, they will push a “refresh” or “software update”. (Not for your benefit, but theirs.)

Some of the more paranoid, not me, actually put another router after the ISP router. They wish to prevent the ISP from browsing their platforms or seeing the intra-platform traffic.

FMPOV who cares.

p.s., I use OpenDNS to prevent popup porn, phishing, and malware. Been using it for eons. I don’t understand why more people don’t. Don’t have to think about it. Most bad sites just won’t resolve. YMMV

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HARDWARE: My MACBOOKAIR is abandoned by Apple

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http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/07/confirmed-mountain-lion-sends-some-64-bit-macs-gently-into-that-good-night/

Confirmed: Mountain Lion sends some 64-bit Macs gently into that good night
Rage if you want, but it appears the reason is related to graphics drivers.

by Chris Foresman – July 11 2012, 8:30am EDT

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A very expensive love affair with the MacBookAir is over.

Apple has left me behind. 

Time to cut my losses.

Apple is a dead end.

Planned obsolescence to the n-th degree.

Sorry, but APPLE has just gone on my NOTRECOMMENDED list.

Time to revisit UBUNTU.

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MACBOOKAIR: Time to plan an exit

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Well, it is time to play they exit from the MCBA. Then, salvage what value I can from this trek down a technology mistake. A very expensive lesson.

So, what has to be done and what direction to take?

*Strategically, back to wintel, chrome tops, on to the cloud platform agnostic, or Linux?

* Strategically, what cloud services are impacted by platform, if any

* Strategically, where do the iPads fit in the technology plan

* Strategically, glad I didn’t lock into an iPhone. Do I need a “smartphone”. Don’t think so.

* Strategically, the mifis look smart now!

* Tactically, what about iCloud?

* Tactically, what about @me @mac

* inventory the apps on the MCBA

* what gets left on the island until the platform dies

* inventory the hardware that supports it

* what functions does it support and what’s the transition?

* What can be salvaged and sold off?

Argh, more work!

******

FUN: Guess “winning” is always relative

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“If you skip the part about being under a two week quarantine because you were exposed to a deadly disease, absolutely!” — “Howard Wolowitz” played by Simon Helberg in the “The Engagement Reaction (5/12/2011)” episode of the Big Bang Theory

ROFL

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SERVICE: Son of CARDSCAN, ScanBizCards, panders for business. Fool me once …

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

Dear Dymo CardScan customer,

As you may already know we discontinued CardScan At Your Service (AYS) at the end of last year. AYS was an online service integrated with the CardScan which synced all your cards to a web-based database, for backup and to manage your contacts from any browser. Instead we have selected a powerful, comprehensive replacement service provided by ScanBiz Mobile Solutions and have made it available to former AYS users since February. We now invite all CardScan users to consider the ScanBizCards Web Sync service.
Benefits
The ScanBizCards solution is comprised of:
1. Web Sync: A web-based account to backup and manage all your contacts from any browser
2. CardScan Sync: a Windows desktop utility to keep your CardScan database (CDB) files in sync with your Web Sync account on the web.
3. ScanBizCards mobile apps: optional mobile apps to carry all your contacts with you on your iPhone/iPad, Android, Windows Phone and (coming soon) Blackberry.

The ScanBizCards solution provides many of the same features as AYS – and much more:
* Cloud backup and sync: keeps all your CardScan contacts in sync with your private Web Sync account in the cloud. Every card you scan and every edit you make to existing cards is automatically uploaded to the web.
* Bi-directional sync: syncing is both ways – every card you create or edit on the web updates the corresponding CardScan database (CDB) file on your local desktop. Installing the ScanBizCards Windows utility on a new desktop automatically creates a copy of all your CDB files. Note: syncing cards down to the desktop is only available for Windows.
* Many powerful web-based features such as:
– Browse and edit all your cards on the web from any browser
– View cards in “thumbnail view”, or a more efficient list view, or even on a map of the world (Map View)
– Export cards to various applications / email providers such as Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, Mac Address Book – or create a generic Excel CSV for other apps.
– Quarterly “keep current” system: send a request to your contacts asking them to review and update their own contact information (coming soon)
* CRM integration: available right now to Salesforce.com, SugarCRM and Daylite (from the iOS or Android mobile apps), more CRMs planned for this summer (please ask us for the one you use).
* Human transcription: don’t have time to review scan results for accuracy? Just submit cards for human transcription and the ScanBizCards transcription team will do it for you
* Go mobile: carry all your contacts “in your pocket” at all time by installing the ScanBizCards mobile apps on your iPhone/iPad, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry (coming soon). Please check http://www.scanbizcards.com for more information.

Getting Started
The ScanBizCards solution costs $20 for the first year and $10 for each additional year thereafter. Click http://www.scanbizcards.com/dymo for more information about signing up and installing the Windows CardScan Sync utility. Note: for Mac users a web-based CDB upload method is available instead, click http://www.scanbizcards.com/dymo-upload for more info.

Questions?
Please email cardscan@scanbizcards.com with any question or issue or call +1 (646) 926-4095 (New York)

Sincerely,

The DYMO team

DYMO, a member of the Newell Rubbermaid family of brands.

Please do not respond to this email address, this mailbox is not attended. Please click here to email us directly.

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This email was sent by: DYMO, 3 Glenlake Parkway, Atlanta GA 30328 , USA © 2012 DYMO. All rights reserved.

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And, why should I trust “you” again?

You promised a free service if I bought your over-priced scanner. I did. You reneged. Now you want to sell me the same service?

fuhgeddaboudit! (translation from the Brooklyn dialect: “forget about it” with a sneer.) 

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JOBSEARCH: Insource and outsource seem to be an unfair labor practice

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://it.slashdot.org/story/12/07/09/212217/general-motors-to-slash-outsourcing-in-it-overhaul

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gManZboy writes “GM’s new CIO Randy Mott plans to bring nearly all IT work in-house as one piece of a sweeping IT overhaul. It’s a high-risk strategy that’s similar to what Mott drove at Hewlett-Packard. Today, about 90% of GM’s IT services, from running data centers to writing applications, are provided by outsourcing companies such as HP/EDS, IBM, Capgemini, and Wipro, and only 10% are done by GM employees. Mott plans to flip those percentages in about three years–to 90% GM staff, 10% outsourcers. This will require a hiring binge. Mott’s larger IT transformation plan doesn’t emphasize budget cuts but centers on delivering more value from IT, much faster–at a time when the world’s No. 2 automaker (Toyota is now No. 1) is still climbing out of bankruptcy protection and a $50 billion government bailout.”

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So, let’s understand this. The Gooferment bailed out GM and all the people who work in the outsourcing companies will now be disrupted. Argh! These disruptions — both when companies “outsource” and when they “insource” — just whipsaw the people. 

Time for a complete rethink.

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FLASH: Stephen R. Covey dead after bike accident, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

Stephen R. Covey dead after bike accident, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” author was 79

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/books/stephen-r-covey-dead-after-bike-accident-the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-people-author-was-79-1.3840997

This is upsetting. I learned a lot from him.

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POLITICAL: Internet Freedom; isn’t that always good?

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/06/ron-pauls-anti-net-neutrality-internet-freedom-campaign-distorts-liberty/?
utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29

Ron Paul’s Anti-Net Neutrality ‘Internet Freedom’ Campaign Distorts Liberty
Gregory Ferenstein
Friday, July 6th, 2012

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The libertarian super-duo, Congressman Ron Paul and his son, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, launched an “Internet Freedom” campaign this week that has come out swinging against net neutrality, branding it as a clever attempt at more government intervention. “The Technology Revolution” manifesto decries any attempt to regulate private Internet service providers as an affront to liberty, yet seems to ignore that powerful telecommunications monopolies can wield as much coercion over the future of the Internet as the government. A world without a level playing field of Internet bandwidth allows powerful companies to favor their well-endowed corporate friends over the scrappy startups that power the most vibrant innovation on the web.

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After awhile, it’s hard to know what’s good and bad.

Argh!

We can only say that ANYTHING that opposes the Gooferment is good.

If “the Gooferment” tells us that sky is blue, we should ask for evidence. 

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POLITICAL: Closing butt holes

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.suntimes.com/business/13589276-420/roll-your-own-cigarette-stores-going-up-in-smoke.html

Roll-your-own cigarette stores going up in smoke
BY EMILY MORRIS Staff Reporter July 4, 2012 4:38PM
Updated: July 5, 2012 10:06AM

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For smokers who bargained on roll-your-own cigarette stores for cheap smokes, it looks like those days are numbered.

*** and ***

The GAO found that a carton of RYO cigarettes cost half as much, or even less, than a carton of discount cigarettes at a store because of the lower taxes.

State and local governments have been trying to close the loophole as well, with Cook County raising taxes on RYO cigs in March and Illinois increasing the taxes on them last month, when the state sharply raised taxes on all tobacco products to help fund Medicaid. Starting Aug. 1, cigarettes made by RYO machines in Illinois stores will be taxed the same amount as company-manufactured cigarettes, and retail owners of the machines have to get a machine-operator license.

“It doesn’t matter where the cigarettes were rolled,” said Susan Hofer, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Revenue. “It matters that you walk out of the store with a pack of cigarettes.”

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All that matters is that the Leviathan State will protect it’s seizures of wealth by any means possible. And, find new and different ways of extracting wealth from the serfs in any way imaginable. If it “thinks” it can get away without arousing “We, The Sheeple”, then “they” will steal it from the people. Rich, poor, young, old. Matters not. Just keep the Blob growing.

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