RANT: BHO44’s Freeze!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/01/graph_of_the_day_for_january_2_8.html

*** begin quote ***

President Obama’s FY 2010 budget request (including stimulus) as percentage increases over FY 2009, by discretionary category (i.e., not including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or TARP):

Education: +209%

Commerce: +131%

Energy: +92.6%

Transportation: +70.8%

HUD: +40.8%

Labor: +39.5%

Interior: +32.7%

Agriculture: +30.4%

HHS: +28.0%

Veterans: +13.8%

International: +11.9%

Justice: +8.9%

Treasury: +8.7%

Defense: +2.5%

Source: The White House (Table S-12)

*** end quote ***

Something to remember every time some one talks about “BHO44’s Freeze”.

“After the horse is gone” comes to mind!

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JOBSEARCH: Students, use your content to get ready for job search

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

http://www.careersolvers.com/blog/2010/01/25/career-management-it-takes-a-village/comment-page-1/#comment-2201

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Career Management: It Takes a Village

*** begin quote ***

Last week I attended the first of many college planning meetings at my daughter’s school. Jammed into the school auditorium with 200+ other neurotic parents of high school juniors, I listened to details about student entrance exam test dates, transcripts, and application deadlines.

*** and ***

In some ways I think career management starts well before a person’s career starts. And choosing a college that is going to help with that process should be part of the plan. You know the saying; it takes a village to raise a child…I think every child needs that same village to start their career.

*** end quote ***

I don’t understand for the inet generation to not create a “personal brand” using their high school and college work. I advise the College kids that I speak with to create a web presence. I am astonished that kids studying MARKETING have NO web presence. I’m all so astonished that they seem to fail to understand the concept of “indelible digital dirt”. Career management starts with making a sale of one’s labor possible. imho.

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INTERESTING: The term retronym

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/whats-a-retronym/

What’s a Retronym?
by Maeve Maddox

*** begin quote ***

Earlier than that, back when he mowed the grass, my big brother longed for an “electric mower.” Now the kind of mower he called a “lawnmower” is called a “push lawnmower.”

“Cloth diaper” and “push lawnmower” are retronyms.

The term retronym came into the language in 1980 when William Safire credited Frank Mankiewicz, president of National Public Radio, with its first use.

*** end quote ***

I never heard of this. Have you?

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FUN: Witling

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

1. One who aspires to wittiness. 2. One who has little wit.

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NEWJERSEY: Why Not Vouchers? It’s not moral!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2010/01/24/opinions/doc4b5899611e622323956261.txt#blogcomments

DISPATCHES: Keep public schools public
Thursday, January 21, 2010 1:41 PM EST
By Hank Kalet, Managing Editor

*** begin quote ***

   Bret Schundler may be the state’s leading proponent of school vouchers.

   The former Jersey City mayor, who twice ran unsuccessfully for governor, has been an outspoken advocate for using public money to help pay private-school tuition. And if newly sworn-in Gov. Chris Christie has his way, Mr. Schundler will be the state’s new education commissioner.

   With this appointment, it seems pretty clear the governor is not just firing a warning shot at the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s teachers union. He is making it clear he plans to push one of the conservative establishment’s pet causes during his four-year term in office.

   ”We agree on the type of significant reform that needs to happen in our educational system here in New Jersey,” he said in announcing his education choice last week (The New York Times). “I want a strong, reasonable, bold leader who’s going to help me implement those policies.”

   Advocates for school vouchers say they create competition among schools and improve education for all students. The theory is, by giving low-income parents a portion of the money that otherwise would go to their public school, they will be able to pay tuition so their children can attend better private or parochial schools. The threat of losing students — and money — then would spur the public schools to improve, improving quality for all students.

*** end quote ***

Only an ideologue could fail to agree that the “schools” are a failure. Despite what the teacher’s union tells us on TV. They have failed in educating. AND, in failing, they have done it at a price we can’t afford.

So why not try “vouchers”?

(1) It reinforces the idea that the cost of educating a child is NOT that of the parents. (I didn’t have them so why to I have to educate them. I don’t feed them, clothe them, or make any choice about them.

(2) There is no Number 2.

Since I can’t get out from under the burden of paying to ecuate Other People’s Children, then let’s have vouchers which might EVENTUALLY result in my escape from this unfair levy!

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TECHNOLOGY: Getting your data

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/14/medical.records/

Patients demand: ‘Give us our damned data’
By Elizabeth Cohen, CNN Senior Medical Correspondent
January 14, 2010 9:13 a.m. EST

*** begin quote ***

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which governs access to medical records, gives hospitals and doctors 30 days to respond to a request for medical records, although some state laws provide for a shorter time frame, and in urgent situations, such as a transfer to another hospital, it’s customary for hospitals to move more quickly.

Be prepared to make your request in writing, McCabe says. You can bring it in person, or fax the request in, but make sure you confirm that the hospital’s received it.

One way to get your medical records more quickly is to seek out providers who use electronic medical records so the records can be e-mailed to you, she says. Some providers have an electronic portal so you can read your records anytime you want on a secure site on the Internet.

*** end quote ***

Here’s a great advice. With all of Frau’s medical problems, I wish I kept better records. I have a lot, but not everything. And not organized in the most useable fashion.

Argh!

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TECHNOLOGY: Can make you look dumb — TOTUS!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//100119/480/9131bc77c7534185bdbf267bb4ab8497/

201001251120.jpg

AP  Tue Jan 19, 10:54 AM ET

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

*** begin quote ***

President Barack Obama, accompanied by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, speaks to the media after a discussion with 6th grade students at Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010.

*** end quote ***

What was the derisive term TELEPROMPTER instead of PRESIDENT. TOTUS?

Can he ever be unscripted?

If the media had shown this before the election, maybe we’d be screaming about McCain and stuff?

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FUN: pecksniffian

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

pecksniffian

hypocritically and unctuously affecting benevolence or high moral principles.

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INTERESTING: Notre Dame is a hollow shell

Monday, January 25, 2010

http://www.irishcentral.com/sport/Notre-Dame-Coach-Brian-Kellys-religious-values-questioned-81879027.html

Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly’s religious, Catholic values questioned
By SEAN O’SHEA, IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Saturday, January 16, 2010, 9:09 AM
Updated Saturday, January 16, 2010, 4:31 PM

*** begin quote ***

Good for him. It is absolutely no one’s business what private views Coach Kelly holds and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous. After all, few blinked an eye when Lou Holtz campaigned for a Republican candidate when he was head coach.

*** end quote ***

What a joke!

We KNOW that long ago Notre Dame sacrificed EVERYTHING to the FOOTBALL program.

And, we know that the administration sacrificed the CATHOLIC identity for a chance to give pro-abortion BHO44 with an “honorary degree”.

So, while he is Constitutionally free to believe whatever he wants, Notre Dame can only pretend to be a “Catholic” institution of higher learning. It’s not about being “Catholic”, and it’s not about “learning”. It’s about “winning”.

Unfortunately, their “winning” is all short-tern short-run meaningless “achievement”!

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RANT: The police need some moderation

Monday, January 25, 2010

Death by Checkpoint: A Murder in Massachusetts

via LewRockwell.com Blog by William Grigg on 1/24/10

*** begin quote ***

Kenneth Howe of Worcester, Massachusetts was beaten to death by police last November 25. This is the official conclusion by the Essex County Medical Examiner, who ruled that the official cause of death was “blunt impact of the head and torso with compression of the chest.” It is profoundly doubtful that the killing of the 45-year-old Howe– carried out by a swarm of 10-20 tax-feeders at a “sobriety checkpoint” — will be prosecuted as a criminal offense of any kind, let alone murder.

*** and ***

The murder of Kenneth Howe at an East Berlin-style checkpoint in Massachusetts is a sobering illustration of a principle none of us can afford to forget: While government cannot produce anything of value, it excels at making “criminals” out of innocent people, and corpses out of living human beings.

*** end quote ***

# – # – #

FROM MY LUDDITE FRIEND

On Jan 25, 2010, at 9:05 AM, LUDDITE wrote:

I admit that some of the articles you send are devastating and sad. But I have to believe in the scheme of things it’s just like reporting on the wars…you only see the bad news in the media and hear nothing of the good. You have probably sent me 50-100 articles…they are likely tens of thousands of good endings that no one reported. It appears to me to just represent a microcosm (?sp?) of the bigger populace….we area more angry, more sinful, more violent bunch of people than we were 50 years ago.

# – # – #

The gooferment is force. And, that is the root of the problem.

In a system of “law and order”, the police are out of control. If you were examining a manufacturing process’ sample, where the incidence of defects is SUPPOSED to be zero, that had a large number of true positive defects, you’d designate the process as out of control. You wouldn’t blame the sample or say that the defects were acceptable because the process was turning out lots of good stuff.

Would you?

I would quibble that the media really only reports the most egregious examples. If they don’t have video, they don’t cover it. Unless there are 51 shots in minutes, (indicating that some had to reload), they don’t cover it.

And, we don’t see all the “little intrusions” into our lives, where we are “scared” into compliance. Argh!

No, I think the police, and the militarization of the police, is unacceptable. The corruption of the political class by money is unacceptable. The failure of civic virtue in the people, as evidenced by 51% are takers, is unacceptable. The failure of the currency, as evidence by all the unfunded gooferment “guarantees” like SocSec, is unacceptable.

We have so much that I find unacceptable, I just don’t know where to start! So I’ll start by convincing you. :-)

# – # – #

We’ll see if I can convince LUDDITE! I r an injineer; not a politician.

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MONEY: Is a Zimbabwe here preventable?

Monday, January 25, 2010

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/01/letter_re_hyperinflation_appea.html

Letter Re: Hyperinflation Appears Certain for the US Dollar
from SurvivalBlog.com by James Wesley, Rawles

*** begin quote ***

Katrina and Haiti are examples of either predictable events or unpredictable instantaneous events as would be a single nuclear event such as a “suitcase bomb” . Each of these has a number of things in common, but the most significant is the limited geography associated with each. The biggest difference between Hurricane Katrina and the Haitian earthquake is the lack of adjacent unaffected land. In the case of Katrina there was a place to bug out to, on foot or by vehicle, without walking into hostility, and the time to do it. In Haiti, there is no warning and no place to go unless you are a long distance swimmer, but it will be remedied and controlled. There will simply be more deaths and casualties along the way. There will be survivors and they will by and large return to the way things were before the quakes.

*** end quote ***

Excellent observation. Geographic disaster zone where help can come from the outside … … eventually. The trick will be to survive until help arrives.

*** begin quote ***

Our society is so intertwined that any number of small subtle events can build up to and then spark these events. As with Katrina, those signs are out there. You are being warned, and just have to identify what they are and be on the outlook for them. I would compare Haiti to a localized small nuke; no warning, nothing to see coming, it just happens.

*** and ***

It could be a stock market crash, droughts, government failure to renew its short term debt, political upheaval, increased taxes or something as obvious as hyperinflation caused by continued Fed intervention into the economy. It is likely that all of these things and many others, in their own small way, will collectively be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. There is no way to tell which one or ones and when it is likely to happen. History tells us that it will happen.

*** and ***

I could ramble on forever about all of these things, but consider that hyperinflation is absolutely in our future. It’s caused by the Federal Reserve Bank and our government. The only way to decrease the value of what we owe is to print more money, or go to war. Printing more money simply dilutes the value of the dollar in this country. We buy oil with those dollars, and the less they are worth, the more dollars it takes to buy it. All things in our world are directly related to oil. The more it costs, the more everything else costs. Most of our goods are imported from foreign countries. The less the dollar is worth, the more dollars it costs to buy them. As the dollar decreases in value and it takes more dollars to buy the same old necessities, your paycheck never increases proportionately, and if the company you work for fails to make a profit, you’ll be unemployed. That $2 gallon of milk may soon cost $5 or even $10 dollars. As in Zimbabwe, $1,000 or more dollars. Sometimes it can’t be had at any price. Our money today has decreased dramatically in value and purchasing power since the Federal Reserve began in 1913. If you are my age, you’ll remember 15 cent per gallon gasoline. At that time minimum wage was $1.25 per hour. I could buy 8.3 gallons of gas for every hour worked. Today, using the same comparison, I could almost buy only 3 gallons for one hour worked at today’s minimum wage. This applies to all commodities. It’s only going to get worse, much worse.

*** and ***

The government is giving away more money than we provide to it. It’s generating unbelievable debt. Taxes have to be increased. This will decrease how much money you have to buy the more expensive goods and services. Watch the M2 and M3 money funds. They are the gauge of how much money the government is borrowing. Watch the roll-over or default of the short term debt at the end of this year. Where will the money come from to pay the $2 trillion in short term debt? Why would China or anyone else loan us this money when even they can se that they will not get repaid in anything other than de-valued dollars.

You will never see the truth about any of these topics reported in the MSM, and there is a dearth of connecting the dots, even on the Internet. As you read about these things, ask yourself, “what does it really mean” and how does it link the the other current happenings. I can’t list all of the inter-related subjects that have an effect on this, but can only advise you to pay attention. If you don’t, it will sneak up on you and you won’t be ready. – Tom H.

*** end quote ***

A very astute set of observations imho.

I’m not so sure now with the elections in VA, NJ, and MA, that disaster might be avoidable.

With gridlock on the horizon, we have a chance to allow the market to correct the economy on its own without “help” from the gooferment.

If the congress critters were serious people, they would recognize the terrible effect of the annual deficit and the national debt. Glenn Beck has been doing yeoman’s work in calling national focus to it.

I’d suggest that each year, we should have a national surcharge on income tax. I’m not for an income tax, property tax, or any kind of tax, but we have to save the ship. I’d rather be a passenger rather than Robinson Crusoe. So let’s start! Someone has to go thru the Federal Budget, line by line, a la that great movie “Dave”, and have a “fire sale”. Department of Education, out. Department of Agriculture, out. Price Supports, out. Foreign Aid, out. You get the idea. After we are pared down to the “bare bones”, it’s time to “fix” the tax code. Identify the poverty line in every zip code. Income minus the poverty amount. And, then take -steal – rob 10%. Then add 1% for the national debt. 1% for the last year’s deficit.

It would be a way back.

No deficit; no need for the surcharge. No debt; no need for a surcharge. That’s paying off the credit card.

Then, we have to look at all the unfunded mandates?

Maybe financial collapse is inevitable?

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QUOTE: Chuchill “equal sharing of miseries”

Sunday, January 24, 2010

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”

-Winston Churchill

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INTERESTING: Fixing Haiti long-term

Saturday, January 23, 2010

http://economics.gmu.edu/wew/articles/10/Haiti%27sAvoidableDeathToll.htm

A MINORITY VIEW
BY WALTER WILLIAMS
RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010

Haiti’s Avoidable Death Toll

*** begin quote ***

The way out of Haiti’s grinding poverty is not rocket science. Ranking countries according to: (1) whether they are more or less free market, (2) per capita income, and (3) ranking in International Amnesty’s human rights protection index, we would find that those nations with a larger free market sector tend also to be those with the higher income and greater human rights protections. Haitian President Rene Preval is not enthusiastic about free markets; his heroes are none other than the hemisphere’s two brutal communist tyrants: Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Cuba’s Fidel Castro.

*** end quote ***

We can’t fix it, but let’s keep the crooked leaders out of the USA. Persona Non Grata.

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TECHNOLOGY: ENUM won’t be implemented by the vested ISPs

Saturday, January 23, 2010

http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2010/01/enum-dragging-telephone-numbers-into-the-internet-age.ars/2

ENUM: Dragging telephone numbers into the Internet Age

E-mail, IM, Facebook, phones—what if all of these ways to reach you over a network could be condensed into a single, unique number? The ENUM proposal aims to do just that, by giving everyone a single phone number that maps to all of their identifiers. Here’s how it works, and why it isn’t already widely used.

By Rudolf van der Berg | Last updated January 13, 2010 11:30 PM

*** begin quote ***

The main issue is that the ENUM standard (RFC 3761) demands that ENUM is a public service and that the control of the telephone number lies in the hands of the end-user. For this reason, it’s known as “Public-” or “User ENUM.” This is all in line with the Internet’s user- and endpoint-centric creed. This becomes quite clear if you read, for instance, the documentation of Nominet, which controls the UK’s ENUM registry (the +44 registry). It explicitly states that users can bypass their communications provider when they register in the ENUM registry. A significant amount of money is made by today’s telephony providers (be they traditional providers or ISPs providing VoIP bundled with Internet access). Telephony providers see User ENUM as a threat to their bottom line and are therefore not keen on introducing the technology nationally.

*** end quote ***

The inet was driven by motivated individuals, not gooferments, not ISPs, not companies.

We need to get back to the fast innovation cycle of the old inet!

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FUN: nimiety

Friday, January 22, 2010

dictionary.reference.com/browse/nimiety

:-)

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MONEY: Negotiate rebate up front!

Friday, January 22, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Redeeming rebates for hardware and software is a pitfall-filled process, as contributing editor Scott Dunn’s Jan. 7 Top Story pointed out. But reader Walter Donavan says he’s found another way to play the rebate game:

“Scott omitted one possible method of dealing with rebates that is 100% certain — if you can negotiate it. Simply tell the vendor by phone or e-mail that you want the product and will buy it, but only with the rebate already included in the price. For example, ‘$50 after mail-in rebate of $100’ becomes ‘$50 price now.’ Never mind the risky $150 price before rebate.

“I will no longer buy a product that depends on a mail-in rebate. If the vendor won’t give me the post-rebate price up front, I hang up. It’s very satisfying.”

*** end quote ***

Sounds like a good policy for everyone all the time.

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RANT: The car dealers got screwed; us too. Enjoy it?

Friday, January 22, 2010

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100122/D9DCJHOG1.html

About 600 car dealers try to get businesses back
Jan 22, 12:34 AM (ET)
By TOM KRISHER

*** begin quote ***

India Johnson, an arbitration association senior vice president who is in charge of the hearings, said she expects 700 to 800 dealers to seek binding arbitration before the deadline. Not all will get hearings, she said. Some filed paperwork to preserve their appeal but may not proceed, while others may settle with the automakers before hearings, she said. The hearings, which must be held in the dealership’s home state, are likely to cost both sides a lot of money. Some dealers may lack cash to pursue them because they’ve closed their businesses or aren’t making as much as they once did. Wolf said dealers who appeal are gambling the legal fees in an effort to keep franchise agreements that alone are worth $500,000 to more than $2 million. The nonprofit arbitration association will do all it can to keep costs down, Johnson said. In some cases, dealers may represent themselves without an attorney, and arbitrators in some cases may cut their hourly rates, she said.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has said the automaker may challenge the constitutionality of the arbitration law in federal court, but spokeswoman Kathy Graham said Thursday that no decision has been made.

*** end quote ***

Disclaimer: Frau lost 5k in GM bonds while America lost its liberty!

Clearly, the “auto company bailout” was:

  1. Mis-named. It was, in fact, a bail out of the UAW.
  2. Unconstitutional seizure of the bondholder’s property.
  3. A violation of the rule of law. What happened to the bankruptcy code?
  4. Socializing the losses while allowing the fat cats in “management” and labor to escape with the profits.
  5. A Nazi-style nationalization of the car companies; just like the banks.

Obama, in the style of FDR, seized the economy. And, like fascists and socialists have always found out, it doesn’t work. The economy is in the toilet. In a large part, due to the uncertainty that the Obama administration has introduced. Tax your bonus, windfall profits tax, taxes upon taxes, cap ‘n’ tax, healthcare taxes — all scare private investment to the side lines.

Argh!

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QUOTE: Hitler’s a footnote

Friday, January 22, 2010

“If every Jewish and anti-nazi family in Germany had owned a Mauser rifle and twenty rounds of ammunition and the will to use it, Adolf Hitler would be a little-known footnote to the history of the Weimar Republic.”

– – – – Aaron Zelman, co-founder of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership

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POLITICAL: Obama’s health agenda

Thursday, January 21, 2010

WITH APOLOGIES TO ONE OF MY FACEBOOK FRIENDS:

*** begin quote ***

Coakley took the hit, but Obama can’t let one vote derail his agenda and his Presidency. Seat Brown, then have the House pass the Senate bill as is and sign it before the State of the Union address.

*** end quote ***

It’s NOT just one vote.

This bill is a DISASTER. Both personally and for the country. It’s not about “heath”, “health care”, or even “health care insurance”. It’s about putting the gooferment in charge of people’s decisions about their lives.

Personally, my wife needs her doctors to work hard on her case; not playing games to satisfy some gooferment bureaucrat deciding what care she will get.

Nationally, we can’t afford this monstrosity. The gooferment already “runs” Medicare (broke!), Medicaid (breaking Fed and States), the VA (hated by most vets and underfunded), and Indian Health System (hated and goes broke every June). Let them “fix” one of those and then revisit the issue.

As a little L libertarian, I’d prefer that they just leaves us alone. If they can’t do that, how about some things that EVERYONE can agree on: (1) interstate competition; (2) eliminate the unfavorable tax treatment on self-purchased health care insurance; and (3) some limits on malpractice awards?

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POLITICAL: Sic transit gloria mundi

Thursday, January 21, 2010

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,673192,00.html

01/21/2010
The World from Berlin
The World Bids Farewell to Obama

*** begin quote ***

Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes on Thursday:

“Obama made a serious misjudgement. Right at the beginning of his first year in office, he saved the banks, rescued the automobile industry from collapse and passed a huge economic stimulus package. He had hoped that these enormous deeds would give him the space to address those issues which are dearest to him: health care reform, climate change and investment in education.”

“Those issues, however, are clearly not priorities for people in the US at the moment. Scott Brown campaigned on two promises, both of which apparently struck a nerve with the electorate. He wants to block health care reform and he wants to find ways to reduce the enormous budget deficit. It is here where the roots of dissatisfaction with Obama are to be found. His reform agenda, in its current form, is highly suspect to Americans. And they have the impression that, if he continues piling up debt, he will be gambling away the country’s future.”

*** end quote ***

He’s misjudged the meaning of his election. And, for all the talk of tough Chicago style politics, he wasn’t so tough. He caved to Wall Street. He should have said to little Timmy, Helicopter Ben, the Labor Unions, the Trial lawyers, Nancy, and Harry: “Howdy, now get lost!”. They sunk him. Along with Big Sis, and all the hangers on weighing him down. I believe he missed one key factor. Wall Street has a unique survival mechanism. Self-preservation. If he had zipped the public purse form the bail outs — all of them — magic would have happened. All these folks with “no way to survive” would have figured it out WITHOUT a bail out. And, after the first one was rejected, there would have been NO QUEUE for more “worthy contenders”.

He should have focused on the message of Bill Clinton. Like Kennedy, he could have had the Obama tax cut to small business. Figure out a complicated formula to ensure it went only to the little guys. They make the jobs any way. Then go after the sugar and milk price supports to bring down prices to the people. Then, repeal the minimum wage and put youngsters back to work. Minorities would have been helped. He could have gone after the absurd “war on some drugs” and emptied the prisons of non-violent drug offenders.

Then, maybe he could have done all sorts of good things. He went for the big brass ring and fell off the ride. He should have, in consultant speak, gone after the low hanging fruit. Quick easy wins that score big points.

Sad.

All glory fades.

Seeking to be a JFK, he winds up a Carter. At least, he not a joke like Clinton. “Democratic” President don’t seem to work out too well.

(It is interesting how the UK, German, and International press is so much better than the US counterparts.)

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JOBSEARCH: A relo is a test of faith?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/Conan-OBrien-will-leave-Tonight-Show-81160232.html

Conan O’Brien will definitely leave ‘Tonight Show’
By ANTOINETTE KELLY
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Monday, January 11, 2010, 2:43 PM

*** begin quote ***

“Conan uprooted his family, his life and moved to Los Angeles and they have not given him enough time” the friend said. “It is outrageous what they have done to him.” O’Brien’s family is extremely upset that the massive lifestyle change they made and the new responsibility O’Brien assumed has been taken so lightly by NBC.

*** end quote ***

It certainly is a good lesson to anyone considering a corporate relo deal.

I remember one fellow getting axed as his plane was enroute from Sweden to Houston and he was so screwed.

To relo, you MUST HAVE a contract. History is replete with lessons. If they won’t give you one, how can you trust them?

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UNCATEGORIZED: Unfathomable accident

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

http://www.ocregister.com/news/skiing-229614-telluride-king.html

January 19, 2010 8:30 AM
Snowboarder who died had proposed
By ANNIE BURRIS and JON CASSIDY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

*** begin quote ***

Helitrax Guide Hilaree O’Neill was skiing right behind her, and tried to take off King’s helmet, but her hands went numb in the frigid water, she told the Telluride Daily Planet.

Only King’s head was trapped underwater in the shallow creek. Her snowboard and legs lay on the bank. The creek was 12 to 16 inches deep, Helitrax officials said. It took “considerable” force to pull her free, Helitrax director Aaron Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, who was downhill with a second group, was helicoptered up to the accident to help. The rescuers tried to dam the water from running over King’s face, but by the time she was pulled from the water, 10 minutes had passed. King had no pulse and was not breathing; she was pronounced dead at the scene about noon.

San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters called the death “one of those freak things.” Coroner officials said she died of drowning.

*** end quote ***

A sad tragic accident! Stunning. I bet a lot of people will be kicking themselves for a long time about this one.

But, we know not the day; nor the hour!

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POLITICAL: The View on healthcare

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Whoopi: “I want what all the guys and girls in Congress have. Gimme what you got! Why do you get better than me?”

AGREED! Why should the employees have better than the poor people paying the bills.

Joy on preexisting conditions.

DISAGREE! Hey that’s why the call it “pre-existing”. And, it’s insurance. Otherwise it’s welfare. You can’t buy fire insurance when your house is burning down. Or as some Californians discovered, when the neighborhood it threatened by wildfires. Why should you be able to buy “insurance” AFTER your diagnosed with the condition. The problem is the way the gooferment has mucked up insurance coverage in this country. If you bought “health” insurance like you buy car insurance, life insurance, dental insurance, pet insurance! The problem occurs when health insurance is connected with your employment. Lose your job; lose your insurance. You don’t lose your car insurance. Argh! You could buy a high deductible policy (i.e., 5, 10, or 25k) even today and never ever hear about pre-existing conditions. Argh!

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TECHNOLOGY: Paywalls

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

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it’s been our experience that, quite often, papers initially made available for free online will eventually disappear behind the pay wall at some point. So if we post something you think you might want to reread or use in the future, grab a copy of the full text as soon as you see it. No telling how long it will remain freely available.

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It’s a shame that has to happen. If it’s not “pay” to start with, then why “pay” after a time.

Unfortunately, the inet isn’t a library. And, as I find out more and more, Google ain’t that good!

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POLITICAL: It’s the economy. It’s ALWAYS the economy!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

http://www.keywestlou.com/2010/01/haiti-has-brought-earthquakes-to-mind.html

My Life in Key West
Monday, January 18, 2010

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This Massachusetts election to fill Ted Kennedy’s seat is both interesting and troublesome. The political pundits this morning are predicting the Republican will win. If so, the Democratic majority of 60 will be gone. And probably also the new healthcare bill.

What does this all reflect?

There is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction in this country. Properly so. The economy is down. Unemployment is rampant. Foreclosures continue. The banks and insurance companies say screw you to the government and people.

The situation is much like that which causes earthquakes. Things have to move and move properly. If not, there is a glitch big time. An earthquake in one instance. A political upheaval in the other.

Something has to be done. And soon. We cannot much longer tolerate the abuse which is being heaped upon us as a people.

Obama, wake up! You can do it!

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BHO43 has forgotten the (Bill) Clinton doctrine. “It’s the economy stupid!” His “heath care” fiasco — which is not about health, health care, or health care insurance — it IS about putting the gooferment in control of people’s lives. To make a permanent dependence upon politicians for “medical care”. Along the way, in the tradition of good old Chicago politics, BHO43 and his co-conspirators can reward their firends, punish their enemies, and feather their own nests. Argh!

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GUNS: The unique tool saves his life unconventionally

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

http://cbs13.com/local/roseville.underwater.car.2.1432423.html

Jan 17, 2010 7:00 pm US/Pacific
Driver Shoots His Way Out Of Submerged Car

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The man, employed as an armed security officer at Thunder Valley Casino, found himself trapped inside his car about six to eight feet below the surface in the 50-degree water.

The Roseville Fire Department said the man used his handgun to shoot out his vehicle window, giving himself an opportunity to escape and swim to safety.

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It’s just a handy tool!

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