TECHNOLOGY: Free windoze utility to save ink and toner!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20061950-58.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheCheapskate

MAY 12, 2011 6:00 AM PDT
Free Windows utility lowers your printing costs
by Rick Broida

*** begin quote ***

Tired of burning through pricey ink and toner cartridges? PretonSaver Home promises to cut these consumable costs by up to 70 percent. Best of all, it’s free. (Note: You can use the previous link to download the program, but click here to go to Preton’s site and register for the activation code.)

*** end quote ***

Sounds like a great idea.

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FUN: On a children’s dance recital — observation #4

Sunday, May 15, 2011

OK, last one, (I think),

Here we have youngsters. Giving entertainment. Working “hard”. Doing what may or may not be their “best”.

They know that all their peers get up, jilly jack around, take a bow (in various forms), and get applause for their efforts.

There were at least three acts of “little kids” … …

(under 6 ish.)

(How do you estimate children’s ages? Saw ’em in half like trees?)

… … where no one, except me, applauded.

Shame on my fellow audience members. You “stole”. You took their effort and returned nothing to them.

Little kids.

What lesson does that teach?

Think if these folks in the audience were “promised” a pay raise and didn’t get it they would say “no big deal”.

Me, a fat old white guy injineer, was horrified. Where were these children’s parents and relatives encouraging them.

So like I crazy old fool, I applauded 75 times or so. Lost count. I left when my ride did. The “souvenir” and “refreshment” tables were closed when we left so maybe it was done.

I just felt bad for the three groups that got NO applause. Maybe I just dozed off, but I don’t think so.

Shame, shame, on those folks.

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FUN: Interesting use of a sequin dress

Sunday, May 15, 2011

*** begin quote ***

{Privacy Invoked} Went to bed in a sequin dress. Woke up like I put out with a cheese grater. Never again.

*** end quote ***

I read this and for some reason it struck me funny.

After I stopped ROFL, I decided that this was worth memorializing. No idea why? But it just grabbed my attention. Sad really, but very funny.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-May-15 @ 06:31


HARDWARE: Samsung and Google introduce Series 5 Chromebook

Saturday, May 14, 2011

http://www.hardwaregeeks.com/index.php/site/samsung_and_google_introduce_series_5_chromebook

> Samsung and Google introduce Series 5 Chromebook
> Posted by: Michael on Wed, May 11th, 2011

*** begin quote ***

Today Samsung and Google announced thie Samsung Series 5 Chromebook running on the ChromeOS. I am a huge fan of Samsung notebooks, I love their design and style, but I have a feeling Samsung will regret this product as much as Logitech and Sony regretted their Google TV products.

> Key Specs:

> ● 0.79-inch thin case designed for comfort and mobility

> ● Full-size Chrome keyboard

> ● Oversized multi-touch trackpad

> ● Intel® Dual-core Processor

> ● 16:10 resolution

> ● 12.1-inch SuperBright Display – 36% brighter than standard display

> ● Starts up in less than 10-seconds

> ● Resumes instantly from standby

> ● Up to 8.5 hours battery life*

> ● HD Webcam, built-in digital microphone and stereo speakers

> ● Two USB ports capable of charging mobile phones and accessories, connecting digital cameras and media storage devices

> ● Support for removable media cards (SD, SDHC, MMC) for photos, videos, music and documents

*** end quote ***

Hold off any hardware purchases, especially notebooks or tablets, until we see the reviews. These sound like “winners” to me. A game changing piece of hardware.

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FUN: On a children’s dance recital — observation #3

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Ever hear of the guru’s of the human performance movement talk about “the zone”.

It’s that magical time when the stars align and all is right with the world. Or at least your part of it.

At this dance recital, if you watch very carefully, you could see it.

A young child, mostly girls, would have a practiced routine. And, every once and a while, they’d “get it”.

Maybe it was the music striking their ear put them in sync. Maybe it was the endless practice. Maybe it was the crowd.

But you could see it.

There would be a realization on their faces that I’m doing it. And, I’m doing it well. And, it’s fun.

Then a big smile would break out. They may be sweating, panting, and exhausted. But they had done it. Whatever it was supposed to be.

That was worth the sore butt from sitting.

Hope I have a day like that some day. Hope everyone does.

I appreciate them sharing that moment with me.

Made me smile too.

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TECHNOLOGY: Death by GPS

Friday, May 13, 2011

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/travel/canadian-couples-missteps-shock-nev-town-locals-1468419.html

Canadian couple’s missteps shock Nev. town locals
By JOHN MILLER The Associated Press
Posted: 10:36 a.m. Wednesday, May 11, 2011

*** begin quote ***

MOUNTAIN CITY, NEV. — At about 6,000 feet in a narrow valley surrounded by bulbous, snowcapped mountains, this tiny northeastern Nevada town sits roughly two hours from anywhere, in the middle of nowhere.

It’s that remoteness and grandeur that apparently drew Rita and Albert Chretien to the area around Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest as they made their way from Canada to Las Vegas. Albert Chretien has been missing in the wilderness since late March after the couple, guided by a new GPS, ventured off the highway onto muddy, washed-out forest service roads winding deep into the high country.

Rita Chretien was found Friday by a trio of hunters after spending seven weeks in the couple’s van stuck in mud, surviving off trail mix, hard candy and water from a nearby stream. Her husband set out on foot to find help, hoping to make it to Mountain City. He hasn’t been seen since.

*** end quote ***

Death by technology?

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FUN: On a children’s dance recital — observation #2

Friday, May 13, 2011

What is the audience’s responsibility to the performers?

I was shocked and amazed at a few things.

(1) Maybe I’m an old fuddy duddy. But … the first act on stage was a number by a group of several age groups. I don’t remember anything other than the costuming left little to the imagination and the dance moves were comparable to what one would see in a “strip club”. If, of course, if I had ever been to one. Being in what I would have perceived as the “Bible Belt”. This surprised me. While the youngest bumped and ground, I saw many men facing their wives and children and talking. Perhaps, this was to avoid the near occasion of sin. Or, that they could not look at the cherished girl member of their family “performing”. I knew no one on the stage at that time and I was embarrassed for them. Yeah, I know fuddy duddy.

(2) Opening announcement was something like “don’t use the fire doors. it screws up our video and distracts the dancers.” Shouldn’t have bothered. Those doors were used. Frequently. And, it was distracting to this audience member. It was like they were saying: “Screw You. I’m a VIP. And, I’m more important than you.” I have to admit I was tempted to go down and stand by the door and play policeman. Maybe they should, like most good strip clubs, hire a Arnold Schwarzenegger type bouncer. I’m told that all the clubs have them.

(3) Now, maybe some of the performers were “less than good” or even down right “bad”. As a fat old white guy injineer, I wouldn’t know how to tell. Any more than I can score Olympic Ice Dancing. But, I did notice if the performer was smiling. And, I did notice when they were out of sync. But I also remembered my Father saying to me one time at a baseball game: “You’re not allowed to boo the umpire unless you can do it better.” Now, to me, imho, not applauding is the equivalent to booing. By the same token, I applauded every “act” since there was no way I was getting up on the stage and making a fool out of myself. Especially, not in those costumes! That would have cleared the joint!

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RANT: We need lower Gooferment spending AND less taxes

Thursday, May 12, 2011

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-extensives-tax-reforms-needed-in.html

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
More extensives tax reforms needed in New Jersey

*** begin quote ***

My sense is that the system has collapsed. I’ve been complaining that the state’s government structure was unsustainable and broken, but it has been functioning. That seems no longer to be the case. The governor is proposing a tool kit that contains some nominally useful tools but still leaves the basic set of problems in place. A more comprehensive structural change is needed that includes a review of the corporate and income tax rates, the inefficiency of having 566 towns, nearly 600 school districts and more than 1,400 total taxing districts, and a frank discussion about priorities.

New Jersey continues to provide some useful and necessary services. We could save money if we were willing to further gut our social safety net, but then we would put our residents in the same position as my friend Lynn, who moved to North Carolina and has now been kicked off the unemployment insurance roll because the governor down there views unemployment insurance as an incentive to laziness. That seems a dubious tradeoff.

*** end quote ***

Unfortunately, there is some academic research that correlates the end of “insurance” to reemployment.

The Gooferment should not be in the “social safety net” business. Their job is to prevent force or fraud on “the folks”. Like a giant referee.

The Gooferment really can’t do ANYTHING well. Or cost effectively.

Does it make any sense to do “charity” by giving loads of money to this piggish organization that will spend most of it on itself.

True charity comes from individuals helping other individuals. In churches, fraternal organizations, or “small” charities. (Note the UnitedWay pays it’s executives way too well. But the Salvation Army works better.)

We need to DOWNSIZE DC and shrink Trenton.

We need lower taxes and more liberty.

imho!

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FUN: On a children’s dance recital — observation #1

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Once upon a lifetime dreary,
I went to a place leery,
And what did I behold,
Children “dancing” as they were told.

— unknown

# – # – #

Interesting that parents spent a lot of money for “dance lessons”. I guesstimated that this was 200k$ biz. Not counting the time, attention, and effort that was going into it by parents.

They, in their heart of hearts, knew that the US “Eddykation” system, was giving their children the bare minimum of “life tools” and thse parents, perhaps instinctively, knew that the children needed more.

Be it boy / girl scouts, sports leagues, or even dance classes, parents know their children need more. (The Chinese kids will eat their bfast, lunch, and dinner.)

Also, I thought that these “dance” parents were trying to get their children to capture a little wisp of childhood joy to take with them.

I saw once again — several times that day — that when a young girl both knew she knew her “routine” AND had the physical skills to execute it, she lit up with joy. The face showed she was in the zone. And she was alone in the room with her “art”.

Hope that they all capture that.

Amazing was that it was 99% girls.

Is our society and its TV show messages that sexist?

The same muscle memory on a sports venue is just as good as dance. Surely, they all can’t be delude into thinking they can make it into the NBA.

Besides a good male dancer would find it easier to find a mate.

As a former young man, I’d have gone where the girls were. But there weren’t even boys in the audience. Where do these guys go to pick up chicks. Dumb! Easy pickins! Buy some flowers, go see a beautiful gals run around on stage in her undies, applaud for one, give her the flowers, and you’ve got a date. Dumb to skip that oppty.

Like shooting fish in barrel!

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POLITICAL: Sorens on Secession

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

http://newmedia.ufm.edu/gsm/index.php?title=Sorenssecessioncontinuum

Secession as a Continuum
Jason Sorens
April 4, 2011 | Roatán Honduras | Duración:21 minutos

# – # – #

Sorens is the architect of the Free State Project and came up with the idea that 20k Libertarians in a small state mught be all that was needed to be the “tipping point”.

Essentially, his point is that secession may not look like we are expecting it to look. That’s a modern day South Carolina – Vermont – Texas – New Hampshire with Federalies rolling tanks down Main Street.

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RANT: Declare victory and bring the children home!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul739.html

On the Elimination of Osama bin Laden
by Ron Paul

*** begin quote ***

The elimination of Osama bin Laden should now prompt us to declare victory and bring our troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Al Qaeda was never in Iraq and we were supposedly in Afghanistan to get Osama bin Laden. With bin Laden gone, there is no reason for our presence in the region – unless indeed it was all about oil, nation-building, and remaking the Middle East and Central Asia.

*** end quote ***

Sounds like a great idea!

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LIBERTY: No freedom at the DMV

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/an-alien-in-my-own-land-120563539.html

An alien in my own land
Vin Suprynowicz
Posted: Apr. 24, 2011 | 2:16 a.m.

*** begin quote ***

I got a little postcard from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles a few weeks ago, reminding me it’s been eight years since I last had my picture taken, and that I had to go renew my driver’s license in person.

*** and ***

I asked to speak to a supervisor. One Sheri Olsen, who is paid $49,614 per year plus amazing benefits for the job of refusing to renew valid driver’s licenses for native-born Americans with an unusually large number of authentic identification documents, was finally located to (of course) repeat the same lunacy.

“Your name doesn’t match,” she said.

Why was this never a problem before? Especially when Franklin Roosevelt swore up and down that our Social Security numbers would always remain confidential between us and the single appropriate federal agency — never to be used for purposes of identification the way the Nazis did?

“It’s because of 9/11,” she said.

*** end quote ***

Amusing.

A superb writer, Vin skewers the stupidity of “The Real Id” Act.

Funny, too, because Frau Reinke had to prove her marriage. But I didn’t. Then, was told that her “Hudson County” birth certificate was “no good” because of rampant fraud in that office. So she had to trek back to “order”, (and pay 16$ for), a “replacement” that took 4 weeks to get.

(Needless to say she wasn’t pleased and my anti Gooferment rant wasn’t well received either. She may have told me to “shuddup”. Lovingly, of course. But it was funny to see her get upset with the stupidity. She didn’t tolerate stupisity well. Especially when it cost her tim, effort, attention, and money. Sh had to have a money order. No cash, no checks, no credit card. So she had to go across the street to a bodega where a very funny Hispanic man had a stack of 16$ money orders all printed out. 19.50! So back across the street. “It’s not filled out”. So she gives me the priv of filling it out. (I had a pen.) For address I put “Suite EV01”. Away we go home to await her cert. Yup, you guessed it. We got junk mail to “EV01” before the cert arrived. She wasn’t pleased at that either.)

(That junk stopped quickly after I applied my BSR correction technique. If some one spamming you gives you a BSR, you have a moral obligation to return it. Suitably filled. They pay by weight for the return. Junk mail for the junk mailers.)

When do “We, The Sheeple” rise up and say “No more”?

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MONEY: The Gooferment’s “thumb”

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/how-the-feds-conceal-inflation/

HOW THE FEDS CONCEAL INFLATION By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann 04.29.2011

*** begin quote ***

If the same methodology that was used in 1980 to chronicle the double digit inflation of that era were in use today, we would have an inflation rate of ten percent right now, according to Shadow Government Statistics. We are entering a massive era of stagflation which recalls to us our writing in Catastrophe, published two years ago, that “inflation may well be the enduring legacy of the Obama presidency.”

*** end quote ***

You just can’t trust the Gooferment to do anything right; nor be honest.

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POLITICAL: Change comp plans to change thinking!

Monday, May 9, 2011

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703992704576307332105245012.html?mod=djemalertNEWS  

*** begin quote ***

Chief executives at the biggest U.S. companies saw their pay jump sharply in 2010, as boards rewarded them for strong profit and share-price growth with bigger bonuses and stock grants.

The median value of salaries, bonuses and long-term incentive awards for CEOs of 350 major companies surged 11% to $9.3 million, according to a study of proxy statements conducted for The Wall Street Journal by management consultancy Hay Group.

*** end quote ***

Seems easy.

(1) No one should make more that the US Prez in base salary.

(2) All “highly paid execs” should receive bonus compensation in the form of a ladder 25 years non-transferable Corporate bonds.

(So that 9.3M$ would be 400k$ as base and 9.3M$/25=327k$. Year 2012: 327k$ bond, Year 2013: 327k$ bond, … Year 2036: 327k$ bond.)

Sure hope the company survives 25 years!

Think behavior — long term thinking — might change?

I bet it would take 30 minutes to change.

And we’d all be better off.

Now we should figure out how to do the same with politicians and bureaucrats!

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JOBSEARCH: Tattoos

Monday, May 9, 2011

http://lylynn.com/post/4978703765/tattoos-and-piercings-shouldnt-jeopardize-your-chance

*** begin quote ***

Tattoos and piercings shouldn’t jeopardize your chance of getting a job.

gnargoyle: Boo hoo. Assuming societal norms will bend to allow poor planning and irresponsible decisions while being perfectly aware of their limiting implications in certain sectors/fields/occupations should jeopardize your chances of being considered a reasonable and/or responsible adult.

*** end quote ***

But they do and are only just slightly worse than “digital dirt”.

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POLITICAL: Cut off all government transfer payments to billionaires

Sunday, May 8, 2011

http://ncc-1776.org/tle2011/tle616-20110424-01.html

Letter from Richard Bartucci
Re: “Start with NASA” by Jim Davidson

*** begin quote ***

Can’t we take it much, much further? I’d like to draw to your attention a recent article by economist Thomas Sowell (see http://tinyurl.com/3w4cemr) titled “Another Spending Cut Plan,” in which he advises that the federal budget be cut by specifically zeroing-out the tax feeder programs most beloved of the Republican Party. He writes:

My plan would start by cutting off all government transfer payments to billionaires. Many, if not most, people are probably unaware that the government is handing out the taxpayers’ money to billionaires. But agricultural subsidies go to a number of billionaires. Very little goes to the ordinary farmer.

Big corporations also get big bucks from the government, not only in agricultural subsidies but also in the name of “green” policies, in the name of “alternative energy” policies, and in the name of whatever else will rationalize shoveling the taxpayers’ money out the door to whomever the administration designates, for its own political reasons.

The usual political counter-attacks against spending cuts will not work against this new kind of spending cut approach. How many heart-rending stories can the media run about billionaires who have lost their handouts from the taxpayers? How many tears will be shed if General Motors gets dumped off the gravy train?

*** end quote ***

Sounds like a plan to me. Cut the dole. Start at the top!

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RANT: Mother’s Day; Mothers, globally, end all wars now

Sunday, May 8, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/87524.html

May 5, 2011

Julia Ward Howe on Mother’s Day
Posted by Lew Rockwell on May 5, 2011 09:55 PM

*** begin quote ***

Howe, author of the murderous Battle Hymn of the Republic—written to glorify Lincoln’s war—had the honesty and decency to reject war after she saw its results. In 1870, she advocated the institution of a Mother’s Day. Here is her radical and moving proclamation:

Arise, then, women of this day!

Arise, all women who have hearts,

Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:

“We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,

Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn

All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country

To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.

It says: “Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”

Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,

Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means

Whereby the great human family can live in peace,

Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,

But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask

That a general congress of women without limit of nationality

May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient

And at the earliest period consistent with its objects,

To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,

The amicable settlement of international questions,

The great and general interests of peace.

*** end quote ***

I said something like this in “CHURCH 10●19●62”:

*** begin quote ***

“Adjutant?”

“Yes, Miss Marie!”

“Ahh, Miss Abigail again; bucking for promotion” she teased. “Well, would you please have the Duty Officer to extend my compliments to Miss June, Master Sam, and Brother Kevin and inquire if they can join me in an hour?”

“Yes, Miss Marie. Thank you, Miss Marie. You’re my hero.”

“Isn’t it heroine?”

“No, Miss Marie, in our new world run by women, there will be no sex discrimination. We control the box.” With no hint of self- consciousness or shame.

“Dear, that’s not a nice way to say it. And, box is very crude. I’m sorry I used it but I was … incensed that war should happen. Maybe you could say ‘we control the future generations’?”

“OK, but those balls will be blue before I let my man start another war.”

Knowing she’d done all she could, Marie said, “When this is all over, we should talk my dear. We should really talk. Now away with you. Carefully mind you.”

*** end quote ***

— character “Marie” discussing how women can stop war in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 1 Page 263

Not very nice. But then neither are all these Mothers’ sons and daughters dying for the whims of politicians and bureaucrats!

What better way to celebrate Mothers’ Day?

Bring the girls and boys home.

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MEMORIES: Pre-Cana requirements

Saturday, May 7, 2011

FROM FACEBOOK

*** begin quote ***

I wonder if the royal couple had to do pre-cana? Church of England is basically catholic just without the pope.

*** end quote ***

Funny pre-C story, Frau Reinke and I had to do it as you’d expect. Her’s was a twice weekly two hour meeting with the parish priest for eight weeks. Mine was one session with the USAF chaplain for two hours that I spent sorting, indexing, and filing his old Sunday Sermons. I was handed these three boxes of stapled multi-page documents and was told that when it was done he’d sign off. So it took about 15 minutes to get them in date order, about an hour to index them, and a few minutes to pack them up. I brought them back into him. As he signed off, he said: “Married life’s gonna be a lot like that. Figure it out.” ROFL, when I told Frau Reinke, needless to say, she was not amused. LOL! Guess both versions worked?

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POLITICAL: Fields of mediocrity

Saturday, May 7, 2011

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/04/24/faced_with_a_field_of_mediocrity/

Faced with a field of mediocrity
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / April 24, 2011

*** begin quote ***

But Bryce’s key insight was that “the merits of a president are one thing and those of a candidate another thing.’’ The skills and smarts it takes to win the White House are very different from the talents and instincts that make a great chief executive. That was as true in 1888 as it is today.

*** end quote ***

The Dead Old White Guys made many mistakes.

One of them was not to specifically outlaw central banking.

The other was to insist that the President come from the ranks of the State Governors.

But, how they could foresee that their Republic could be, would be, so perverted!

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RANT: No “mileage” tax. No new taxes, PERIOD. Cut spending!

Friday, May 6, 2011

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/159397-obama-floats-plan-to-tax-cars-by-the-mile

Obama administration floats draft plan to tax cars by the mile
By Pete Kasperowicz – 05/05/11 07:45 AM ET

*** begin quote ***

The Obama administration has floated a transportation authorization bill that would require the study and implementation of a plan to tax automobile drivers based on how many miles they drive.

The plan is a part of the administration’s Transportation Opportunities Act, an undated draft of which was obtained this week by Transportation Weekly.

The White House, however, said the bill is only an early draft that was not formally circulated within the administration.

*** end quote ***

Absolutely not!

This is a trial balloon.

We have to stop it with a big reaction. Pop it right now.

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MONEY: Liberty Dollar “counterfeiting”

Friday, May 6, 2011

http://freetalklive.com/files/vonnothaus04.mp3

*** begin quote ***

Bernard joins us post-his conviction for “counterfeiting” to discuss the Liberty Dollar, the feds, and what is happening next. Grab the archive here.

*** end quote ***

It’s worth spending an hour. You’ll learn what happens if you want your money to be intrinsically valuable.

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MEMORIES: Barnstable airport

Friday, May 6, 2011

Barnstable airport

One time in the late fall, we had the little motorhome we were taking the last trip of the season before we winterized it for the year. We went to the Cape for the water. We pulled up to the campground where had a confirmed reservation to find “CLOSED FOR THE SEASON” and no one around.

So we got out the directory and from the pay phone on the side of the closed camp store, I started calling other campgrounds.

Nothing!

Every one had the same story “Closed For The Season”.

So we were both pooped so we went to the local KMART and parked over night. (She was scared that we get arrested. But she was tired too.) Next morning we wake up early. (She wanted to get out before the cops came.) And, we had “neighbors”. Three other rigs parked nearby.

So, we had bfast and as other came out she went around and “ran for office”. She had a knack for talking to everyone.

She comes back to report that “everyone” is heading home. It was cold during the night and everyone was afraid of a hard freeze. (Some of our water froze during the night.) So, since “everyone” was heading home, it was decided that we should too. (Temperatures in the following two weeks were in the mid 70’s. But it COULD have frozen.) Perhaps, she was keen on not being in a campground. Maybe if we’d parked in a Macy’s lot that would have been more upscale?

The plumbing was balky, so we rigged for travel.

Dumm de dump de dee, over hill and dale, tiny roads thru tiny hamlets, it was excruciatingly slow. Finally it’s coming to dinner time. I’ve had enough of this. I see a sign for the Barnstable airport. “Gotta be food by an airport”.

We pull in to a podunk airport. You knew it was an airport. More planes parked there than cars. Looks like a dive. But that was OK, we didn’t look much better.

I find the “airport restaurant”. It has a sign. “END OF SEASON. Last night tonight until the spring. Prix Fix $20 per person. Hours: 6-8”. It’s about 7:45. She’s says: “too expensive”. I say: “Feed me.” Discussion about hours to go. How much can we eat in 10 minutes. Where will we find something else. How far to the interstate. Yada yada. Feed me won out. So we go in.

Now remember we “camping” and we look it. No showers, not much water, Clean clothes, but we looked down on our luck.

We go in and right there is a maitre d’ in a tux. And, the joint is empty. Zero people. She pulls me to leave. The fellow says “Thanks for coming.”

She says: “Too late?” He says: “We were waiting for you.”

She agrees we go in and sit down. She chats the guy up and finds out his son is in the USAF and that his daughter is going to college on a basket ball scholarship. He apologizes and says “… all the have is stuffed lobster surprise …” I say I don’t like crab; he’s says not stuffed with crab. “You’ll be surprised.”

Few minutes later out he comes with two plates. Each with two of the biggest lobsters, I’d ever seen to that point in my life.

Our Girl tasted the “stuffing” and declared it was lobster chunks.

Amazing.

Got the check, it was $40 and marked USAF discount 100%. So we left a 40$ tip.

That made the trip.

She told everyone.

The next spring we went back. The restaurant was closed. We never found out what happened.

But every time we had to try a strange restaurant and we had mixed feelings about it, one of us would chime up “Barnstable Airport”. And, in we’d go.

Never found another place like that.

Guess we also never looked as scroungy either.

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RANT: Staged photos?

Thursday, May 5, 2011

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/obama-speech-bin-laden-staged_b34749#more-34749

How Photos from Obama’s Speech on Bin Laden’s Death Were Staged

By Ujala Sehgal on May 4, 2011 2:08 PM

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There is a fascinating piece at Poynter that describes how since the Reagan era (and possibly before) it has been the standard operating procedure that during a live presidential address, like the one President Obama gave announcing the death of Osama bin Laden, still cameras are not allowed to photograph the actual event.

*** and ***

The problem, according to Poynter, is that while many newspapers disclose that the photo they use is a re-enactment, some do not. And publishing these photos goes against the National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics, which includes this relevant passage: “Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.”

We had no idea there was an ethics code for photojournalists, and we’re thrilled to find out there is one. How dare the White House force them to abandon it! We feel shocked and lied to! This practice of re-staging must come to an end.

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“I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” Captain Renault in Casablanca

Please give me a break. Everything politicians do is scripited, controlled and focus grouped.

They probably follow a script when they are sitting on a commode.

<Expletive Deleted>

Anyone who thinks that the Fifth Estate is anything more than press agents for the Establishment is crazy.

Argh!

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FUN? left out the THREE active wars

Thursday, May 5, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=aiGg8D4hFLc&vq=medium

Obummer song.

Interesting. But, unfortunately, that melody belongs to Richie Valens. Another tragedy.

Unfortunately, she left out the THREE active wars; one of which Obama started to benefit his European friends. Why are American troops still in Germany?

And, do you really think that electing McCain would have made a difference?

DNF it was the R’s that passed the Medicare RX benefit, TARP1, and ran big deficits. (Noting that the D’s are the party of Big Deficits!)

No, we need as I said yesterday, a “Game Changer”.

Now imagine if we had elected Ron Paul in 2008. I KNOW things would be different.

Sigh!

They say the way to fix things is to laugh at them. What a joke the USA has become!

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MEMORIES: Riding up the turnpike

Thursday, May 5, 2011

I remember one cute story … … …

… … … we had been going out for about six months and the relationship was “blossoming”. It had bloomed for me, and I think I was wearing her down. (Even tought she’d turned down my proposal.) We were going somewhere — I forget where — it was daytime — and we were zipping up the turnpike. She was holding the ticket and we’re coming to the toll booth. (This was long before EZPASS.) So, I handed her my wallet — always a bad idea as a man to give your wallet to a nosy woman — and politely asked her to take some money out for me. She opens the wallet, sees my drivers license, and yells “Who the hell is Ferdinand?” I explained that was my real first name. She asks “Why does everyone call you John?” That was easy. “Who you want to be called Ferdinand and how do your shorten it. Ferd; that becomes Fred. And, Ferd sounds like turd.” She starts to laugh really hard. I guess it just struck her funny bone. So when she calms down. She asks: “You better not be keeping any more secrets. What else are you hiding?” “My love for you. I don’t want to scare you away again.” She just made that gagging sound and sat quiet.

She did eventually give me my wallet back when we arrived. And, a bug hug and kiss.

I didn’t object, but did ask “What was that for?”

With that coy Irish grin, “Making me laugh and trusting me with your wallet”.

Maybe she saw how much money I had in my wallet? Maybe it was no condom? Maybe it was I never asked for it back. Never could figure her out.

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TECHNOLOGY: React to Yahoo Address Book compromise

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

ADVISING A FRIEND UPON A MALWARE INFECTION

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This is an attack that I’ve seen on many others. It’s basically vectored against your Yahoo address book. It can be (I’ve seen both) (a) maware on windoze personal computer; or (b) your Yahoo account is compromised.

I suggest:

(1) Get a backup of your data asap. I like lots of copies taken differently.

(2) Adding a known unique address like “XYZXYZXYZ _ reinke@reinke.cc” to your yahoo address book, that exists no where else, so you can know when your book is accessed.

(3) Immediately changing your Yahoo account password to a 30 character random like “NFVjviIUAiDipmo3EiYgSQoSdb3XO8”. Read my blog about alpha spammers. Eventually they id every yahoo, gmail, or hotmail account and then begin to attack them to find out the password. Once discovered, they take over the account, lock you out, and all sorts of mischief ensured. When you’re locked out, it becomes nearly impossible to recapture it.

(4) Run all the various anti-malware packages on your machines until you find the culprit. Some times, like XYZXYZXYZ, you find it after only three. Some times, it takes dozens, but it is there. In rare occasions, (2/42), you lose the whole machine and have to do the dreaded “bare metal restore”.

This is an immediate threat to your computing environment. Once the bad guy “discover” your account, you only have days to react to it. (I imagine the bad guys “finding bot” factory discovering accounts, then they turn on the “cracking bot”. Then they turn it over to real people.)

imho,
fjohn

p.s., that why I recommend having one’s own domain. It’s not worth attacking. Too sparss a target. And, probably practices good info sec hygiene.

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May I suggest that you 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 gives one quite a bit of control. And, it’s very cheap. I know three solutions at 15$/year using wordpressdotcom with gmail, 25$/year email only with 1and1, and 60$/year for domain+email+webspace also at 1and1. My point is not that you should use 1and1. http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=9113251 I could care less which one you use. It’s that getting on to your own domain with email is cheap and easy. And, it’s not hotmail, yahoo, or gmail. It IS your own “personal brand”.

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