MONEY: leaders to the guillotine

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_ancient_Rome

***Begin Quote***

Roman Coins

Roman coins grew gradually more debased due to the demands placed on the treasury of the Roman state by the military

***End Quote***

So why do we think that the inflation of our fiat money isn’t just as bad?

Some thing happened to the French Franc. It went from a gold hockey puck to a wafer thin button. In the end, the peasants sent the leaders to the guillotine.

So the end result of inflation is the colapse of the nation into disorder.

When is it our turn?

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Posted by reinkefj

PRODUCTIVITY: All chiefs and no indians?

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

http://execunet.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-in-name.html

Monday, October 08, 2007
What’s In A Name?

***Begin Quote***

Actually, it isn’t just me who’s interested in the “title of the week” stuff. At ExecuNet, we have been following it for a bit as well in terms of how companies are using different titles to describle some of the senior level executives, a few examples of which have been:

Chief Digital Officer
Chief Encouragement Officer
Chief Innovation Officer
Chief Learning Officer
Chief Momentum Officer
Chief Networking Officer

{Extraneous Deleted}

***End Quote***

Everybody wants to be a “Chief”!

Let me tell you that being a “chief” ain’t it is all cracked up to be.

I read somewhere that CIOs only last 18 months on average.

Perhaps this is indicating that the modern large corporation has finally grown to big. The magic number 7±2. Roman centurions commanded 60-80 men. So we can see the limits of humans as limits to organizational growth.

It would appear that this is ignorged at peril.

Maybe everything is just too big.

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text

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FUN: Trucking in … …

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Political Promises

All too true!

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TECH WEBSITE: Heinlein available online

Monday, October 8, 2007

http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/text.asp?pid=1534

***Begin Quote***

UCSC partners with Heinlein Prize Trust to make archive of renowned science fiction author available online:

***End Quote***

Did I mention that Heinlein was my favorite author? Did I mention that his StarshipTroopers led me the being a libertarian? Did I mention that his Door Into Summer taught me the scam of fiat money? Did I … …?

Well you get the idea.

Great idea. Good execution.

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TECHNOLOGYSERVICE: Microsoft Wants Your Health Records

Monday, October 8, 2007

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_42/b4054047.htm

OCTOBER 15, 2007
NEWS & INSIGHTS
Microsoft Wants Your Health Records
Its new service will store your data in one place—and search ads could make it pay

***Begin Quote***

Step into a medical office, and you’re faced with a paradox of modern medicine. Just beyond the receptionist’s desk are all sorts of cutting-edge medical technology. Computed tomography scanners. Electrocardiogram machines. Bone densitometers.

But as you approach that desk to check in, you take a trip back in time. There the receptionist hands you a clipboard of forms. For the umpteenth time you fill in your name, age, allergies, medical history, and the like. For all the medical breakthroughs created by technology, medical records remain an anachronism.

***End Quote***

“We can trust Microsoft to keep our health data secure? — Right!” — Luddite

You’ll be surprised to know that I signed myself and Frau up for the service. I haven’t loaded any data yet, but I’m planning to.

Why?

I can hear it all the way from here.

Because, it would have been, and would be useful, in various circumstances.

If I had been more on the ball, then her experience at Pton Hospital where they really screwed her up, might not have happened, or been well documented.

One of the reasons I went to those corny “frau med alert” email was to keep a chronology clear in my head and establish a trail.

I’ve tried several similar services and they either folded, got lost, or were cumbersome. I’m always willing to try stuff if I can see a benefit. No matter how obscure.

Anyway, it might be useful in an emergency, or in litigation.

Besides the insurance companies, the hospitals, and the gooferment already have it all keyed to SSN, how much worse could MSFT make it?

imho!

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UPDATE

People are beginning to weigh in on the topic.

Microsoft’s Health Vault Allows You to Store and Share Your Electronic Medical Records – But Should You?

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TECH SERVICE: Virtual Computer — G.HO.ST

Monday, October 8, 2007

http://g.ho.st

A most interesting concept. Perhaps, this is the “computer” of the future?

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Posted by reinkefj

GUNS: A policeman shooting 6 innocents; followed by police shooting a policeman

Monday, October 8, 2007

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071008/D8S4OC8G0.html

Off-Duty Wis. Deputy Sheriff Kills 6
Oct 7, 9:19 PM (ET)
By ROBERT IMRIE

***Begin Quote***

CRANDON, Wis. (AP) – An off-duty sheriff’s deputy went on a shooting rampage early Sunday at a home where seven young people had gathered for pizza and movies, killing six and critically injuring the other before authorities fatally shot him, officials said.

***End Quote***

Guess we’ll now have “gun control” for the police?

Now if there was an armed citizen around, things might have been different.

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FUN: Who were those pigs?

Sunday, October 7, 2007

FROM LISA FROM THE BAYONNE DINER:

*** begin quote ***

Now you know the story of the three little pigs.

The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do.

The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house.

The third little pig built his house out of bricks.

One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his house of straw. He said “Let me in, Let me in, little pig or I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in!”

“Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin”, said the little pig.

But of course the wolf did blow the house in and ate the first little pig.

Many people got the ending wrong.

The Sticks Pig, peeking out his window, saw what happened to the Straw Pig and pulled out his cell phone for a quick call.

As the wolf walked towards the Stick House, a big black limo pulled up. A distinguished Pig in an Armani suit, Italian shoes, and several gold rings stepped out. He was quickly followed by two big well-built Pigs. One had a baseball bat and the other a rebar. Both in muscle t-shirts with multiple gold chains. The Distinguished Pig snapped his fingers and pointed at the Wolf. The two big pigs jumped the wolf, beat the crap out of him, duct taped him up, and threw him in the trunk. Then they all got back in the limo and drove away.

Now Brick Pig saw this for he to was peeking out of his window, ran over to the Stick Pig’s house. Stick Pig came out to meet him. “What just happened? Who were those Pigs?”. said Brick Pig breathlessly.

Stick Pig calmly replied:”Oh those were my friends … … the Guinea Pigs!”

*** end quote ***

ROFL

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PRODUCTIVITY: Torre did an unbelievable job

Sunday, October 7, 2007

http://sports.myway.com/news/10072007/v5693.html

Boss of Old: George Steinbrenner Says Yankees Must Win Or Joe Torre Likely Won’t Return
Oct 7, 5:58 PM (ET)
By RONALD BLUM

***Begin Quote***

NEW YORK (AP) -Win or else! That was George Steinbrenner’s message to Joe Torre before the New York Yankees played the Cleveland Indians on Sunday night.

***End Quote***

As a “professional transitioner”, who has been on the … … errr, non-clean, end of the stick many times, I can emphasize with Joe’s situation.

At the beginning of the season, Yankee watchers knew the Yankees had no pitching. Time after time, game after game, we watched Torre tiptoe thru tight spot after top spot. The killer story was the one, years ago, that Pettite and Clemens left the Yankees because no one asked them if they wanted to stay. That story was confirmed with the Yankee GM Cashman. He said they were pursuing other pitchers and the deals didn’t work out.

So, George, you’re threatening the wrong fellow. I think that Torre did an unbelievable job with what your team gave him.

imho

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TECHNOLOGY: Using an LLP to protect yourself

Sunday, October 7, 2007

http://www.techmeme.com/071006/p16#a071006p16

TECHMEME points out an interesting article
Securing Very Important Data: Your Own (Denise Caruso/New York Times)
Source: New York Times
Author: Denise Caruso
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/technology/07frame…

***Begin Quote***

Securing Very Important Data: Your Own — AS long as we are willing to relinquish some personal data, Web applications have long allowed us to create virtual identities that can conduct most of the social and financial transactions that typify life in the real world.

***and***

ONE way to change this, he said, is to make people more like organizations.

To this end, Mr. Neuenschwander and his colleagues have floated the intriguing concept of the L.L.P.: the Limited Liability Persona. This persona would be a legally recognized virtual person in which users could “invest” the financial or identity resources of their choosing.

Once their individual personas are created, consumers would be able to use them as their legal “alter ego,” even in financial transactions. “My L.L.P. would have its own mailing address, its own tax ID number, and that’s the information I’d give when I’m online,” Mr. Neuenschwander said. Other benefits include the ability for “personas” to limit their financial exposure in ways that individuals cannot.

***End Quote***

This is a most interesting concept.

The tin foil hat crowd always talks about the gooferment and all upper case names. So perhaps, a great gift for a child would be an LLP and their own name as a domain name (e.g., JOHNQPUBLIC dot something ink?).

Hmmm, certainly something to consider.

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