INTERESTING: I pledge $100 donation to the charity of her choice … …

Thursday, March 8, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/06/taylor-swifts-bikini-australia-photo_n_1323914.html

It’s well know that I have a tremendous amount of respect for Taylor Swift. I’m not some dirty old man; just old. I think she’s got a lot of attributes worth emulating. The recent bikini picture upset me. Not for the suit or that it’s on the net, but she looks anorexic.

So, I pledge $100 donation to the charity of her choice for her to gain ten pounds.

I’ll even take a picture of her eating fast food. (If you listen to the “food police”, that will make you instantly fat.)

You look at pictures of her from 2004 to today and you can see the girl get thinner by the year.

Now she looks like a death camp inmate.

So, I hope she can “plump” up a little. She doesn’t have to become a heifer. Just make it back a few pounds.

Think of all those young girls with body image issues.

Hope her Mom speaks to her frankly.

# – # – # – # – #  2012-Mar-08 @ 17:19

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Infringe on one right; infringe on them all

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Chicago-Police-Take-NBC-Chicago-Photojournalist-
Into-Custody-Warn-1st-Amendment-Rights-Can-Be-Terminated-143105086.html

Police Handcuff NBC Chicago Photojournalist
Police release media members after about 10 minutes
By Zach Christman|  Monday, Mar 19, 2012  |  Updated 6:32 AM CDT

*** begin quote ***

“Your First Amendment rights can be terminated if you’re creating a scene or whatever,” the officer said.

*** end quote ***

Sounds like the kops needs some sensitivity training.

“Released after ten minutes” sounds like some realized the big time screw up!

If they were trespassing, what is the “barbara streisand” about fail to press charges.

Sorry, but this stinks.

We expect that the Fourth Estate, The Press, will give us the facts. Their RIGHTS are as inviolable as ours. An attack on that RIGHT is an attack on all our rights.

What will that kop say to you if he doesn’t like your lack of deference to his exalted status? “Your Right to Life can be terminated any time I choose.”

 

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: The ‘dingo baby’ case; it was a dingo!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/24/10493942-australia-inquest-hopes-to-solve-1980-mystery-dingo-baby-case

Australia inquest hopes to solve 1980 mystery ‘dingo baby’ case
By msnbc.com staff and news services

*** begin quote ***

SYDNEY — A coroner on Friday opened Australia’s fourth inquest into the most notorious and bitterly controversial legal drama in the nation’s history: the 1980 death of a 9-week-old baby whose parents say was taken by a dingo from her tent in the Australian Outback.

Azaria Chamberlain’s mother, Lindy, was convicted and later cleared of murdering her and has always maintained that a wild dog took the baby. She and her ex-husband, Michael Chamberlain, are hoping fresh evidence they have gathered about dingo attacks on children will convince Northern Territory Coroner Elizabeth Morris and end relentless speculation that has followed them for 32 years.

Anne Lade, a former police officer hired by the court to investigate the case, told a packed courtroom at the Darwin Magistrates Court in the Northern Territory that in the years since Azaria disappeared, there have been numerous dingo attacks on humans, some of them fatal.

*** end quote ***

Sad for this poor mom who was vilified in the press.

The world is a dangerous place for hairless, slow, “stupid” bi-pod humans. I’ll beat my drum about “guns” being the big equalizer. Every man, woman, and child should be packing. We’ve become so complacent that we presume we have a “divine right” to survival. Foolish people wander around the planet and don’t understand how fragile life is.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Respect is missing for powerful women

Friday, March 2, 2012

TIP OF THE HAT TO THE IOWA NEPHEW-IN-LAW

http://espn.go.com/espnw/commentary/7601977/connecticut-huskies-prove-weekend-warriors-no-match-elite-women

Weekend warriors no match for elite women
Feb 22  
By Adena Andrews

*** begin quote ***

Earlier this month, comedian Kevin Hart and a group of male friends challenged the UConn women’s basketball team to a game of five-on-five. The video has recently made the rounds on social media.

Hart, who’s so short he calls himself a “little grown man,” was confident he and his entourage could defeat the Huskies, who are ranked No. 4.

That’s right, a group of men whose cumulative collegiate basketball experience was one Division III season challenged one of the best women’s teams in the country.

And, as expected, UConn wiped the Gampel Pavilion floor with Hart and his crew. The only things that may have been bruised during the game were five male egos … and one guy who hit the ground pretty hard after being posted up by a UConn center.

As I watched the video, I laughed — at first. But then I began to seethe. These men actually thought they had a chance against these elite players. The jokes they cracked made it seem like they were surprised women could run and dribble at the same time. Maybe they didn’t get the memo about UConn’s historic 90-game winning streak that ended last season or the 99-game home streak that ended last week.

They may also have just learned women do more than cook, clean and raise children. They are allowed to vote and play sports.

*** and ***

Some players “looked like they might have a hard time competing in a playground pickup game, dribbling the ball off their legs and running into each other on the three-man weave drill,” an Associated Press report said of the tryouts.

Their inflated male egos told them they could actually run with the big girls. Those guys are probably the same ones who sit on the couch saying, “I could beat (insert WNBA player name) in a game of one-on-one.”

They would never challenge Ray Allen to a 3-point shooting contest or claim they could box out Kevin Love. Why? Because they respect their talent. However, that same respect is missing for a woman who has also made the game her career.

*** end quote ***

Remember Bobby Riggs and Billy Jean King?

While the bell shaped curve of the physical characteristics of men and women is definitely different, it’s stupid to ignore it.

To think that women can’t be more capable at something than a man, just because they are female, is the height of stupidity.

Ever meet an Israeli woman who fought in the Seven Day War? Definitely, feminine, but had killed to protect her kibbutz. And, I have no doubt could do it again.

Ever see a mother bear with cubs? You better be using binoculars.

Ever …  well you get the idea.

That doesn’t mean that every woman can be a firefighter, a front line soldier, or a weightlifter.

To prejudge anyone is just dumb.

My wife played ball and, on at least two occasions, I saw her “spank” overconfident male friends. One of her “victims” remembered the spanking. LOL!

https://reinkefaceslife.com/2011/03/24/memories-remembering-our-girl/

She’d have gotten a good laugh out of this story.

We, as people, better wake up. Look to Africa and Asia for the stupidity they inflict on women. That’s these fools to an extreme. We need all our “human resources” working for a better world.

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Writing about death of a spouse

Thursday, March 1, 2012

http://www.quora.com/What-does-it-feel-like-to-have-your-spouse-die#ans1038733

What does it feel like to have your spouse die?

by  Betsy Megas, widow.

*** begin quote ***

Only in the last 48 hours did Scott’s spirit begin to fade. He slept, mostly, but he knew he was going. In one of his last lucid moments, he spoke candidly with me and a social worker who had come to visit. He did not feel he knew how to die, he said. I told him I didn’t think he needed to know how, that it was probably a lot like being born. It just happens naturally. And I’m pretty sure I told him I loved him, at least one last time. I don’t know that he had come to grips with it

He died around midnight, just a couple days after his 33rd birthday and three years, almost to the day, after his diagnosis. In all, we were together 15 years. I have very few regrets about the time I spent with Scott.

I don’t think I will ever forget what he looked like when he died. His head leaned to one side, his neck lacking the strength to support it. He turned pale, then blue, and it was a quiet death. That was the moment he ceased to be the person I had known. Still, it’s hard for me to recall that part, to bring it into my mind enough to write about it.

*** end quote ***

Our Girl just stopped breathing.

I was just sitting, hopeless, helpless, waiting. Unable to switch places.

Glad that she was finally released form this vale of tears.

I kissed her again. And, hoped that it was like in the movie “Ghost” where the deceased is drawn towards a beautiful light.

Sadly, I understand how hard it was to write this.

I’m pretty sure that I’ll never wed again. We too had the conversation. I think I always won with “how could someone compare to you?” and I was sure she’d find someone better. How many soul mates can one person find in their life. I found mine.

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Laptop encryption is the crux of a Fifth Amendment issue

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/02/feds-urge-court-to-reject-laptop-encryption-appeal.ars

Feds urge court to reject laptop encryption appeal
By David Kravets, wired.com

*** begin quote ***

Colorado federal authorities seized the encrypted Toshiba laptop from defendant Ramona Fricosu in 2010 with valid court warrants while investigating alleged mortgage fraud, and demanded she decrypt it.

Ruling that the woman’s Fifth Amendment rights against compelled self-incrimination would not be breached, US District Judge Robert Blackburn ordered the woman in January to decrypt the laptop by the end of February. The judge refused to stay his decision to allow Fricosu time to appeal.

*** end quote ***

Would someone please explain how this is not being compelled to testify against one’s self?

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Horse shoe sparks explosion

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irishwoman-seriously-injured-as-horse-shoe-sparks-
explosion-in-Florida-oxygen-chamber-139206739.html

Irishwoman seriously injured as horse shoe sparks explosion in Florida oxygen chamber
ByPATRICK COUNIHAN,IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Monday, February 13, 2012, 7:35 AM
Updated Monday, February 13, 2012, 7:35 AM

*** begin quote ***

An Englishwoman has been killed and an Irish woman seriously injured after a hyperbaric chamber exploded at an equine medical facility in Florida.

Sorcha Moneley was flown by helicopter to the University of Florida hospital in Gainsville and underwent surgery after the accident at a farm in Morriston.

Erica Marshall, a 28-year-old English woman who lived on the farm, died in the accident which also claimed the life of a horse.

*** end quote ***

What a strange accident?

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Attack at the Heart Attack Grill

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2101399/Customer-suffers-cardiac-arrest-eating-
Triple-Bypass-Burger-restaurant-called-Heart-Attack-Grill.html

Diner suffers cardiac arrest while eating a Triple Bypass Burger in restaurant called the Heart Attack Grill
* Paramedics wheel man in his 40s out of restaurant’s Las Vegas branch   
* He was eating a 6,000-calorie burger when he suffered a heart attack   
* Triple Bypass Burger contains three slabs of meat, 12 bacon rashes, cheese, red onion, sliced tomato and ‘unique special sauce’
By Graham Smith
Last updated at 11:10 AM on 15th February 2012

# – # – #

There’s something “funny” about the guy having a heart attack at the Heart Attack Grill.

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Before someone dies, what can you do?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/28/my-faith-what-people-talk-about-before-they-die/

January 28th, 2012 11:00 PM ET
My Faith: What people talk about before they die

Editor’s Note: Kerry Egan is a hospice chaplain in Massachusetts and the author of “Fumbling: A Pilgrimage Tale of Love, Grief, and Spiritual Renewal on the Camino de Santiago.”

By Kerry Egan, Special to CNN

*** begin quote ***

As a divinity school student, I had just started working as a student chaplain at a cancer hospital when my professor asked me about my work.  I was 26 years old and still learning what a chaplain did.

“I talk to the patients,” I told him.

“You talk to patients?  And tell me, what do people who are sick and dying talk to the student chaplain about?” he asked.

I had never considered the question before.  “Well,” I responded slowly, “Mostly we talk about their families.”

“Do you talk about God?

“Umm, not usually.”

“Or their religion?”

“Not so much.”

“The meaning of their lives?”

“Sometimes.”

“And prayer?  Do you lead them in prayer?  Or ritual?”

“Well,” I hesitated.  “Sometimes.  But not usually, not really.”

I felt derision creeping into the professor’s voice.  “So you just visit people and talk about their families?”

“Well, they talk.  I mostly listen.”

*** end quote ***

That’s a great gift to just listen.

I’m not sure that this “student chaplain” hasn’t hit on the essence of attending a dying person. I’ve only been in this situation a few times and the essence of all that you can do for someone who’s dying is to just listen.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Paradigm shift — the Praetorian Class

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

http://lewrockwell.com/orig12/kofod2.1.1.html

The Rise of the Praetorian Class
by Pete KofodCasey Research

*** begin quote ***

Legions and Lictors – the Praetorian Class

The Praetorian Class includes members of the Armed Services, federal, state and local law enforcement personnel as well as numerous militarized officials including agents from the DEA, Immigrations, Customs Enforcement, Air Marshalls, US Marshalls, and more. It also includes, although to a lesser extent, various stage actors in the expanding security theater such as TSA personnel. The main mission of the Praetorian Class is to keep the order of the day. This requires displaying an intimidating presence in their interactions with the Economic Class.

*** end quote ***

Hmm, very profound statement of the meme — Political Class oppresses Economic Class with the Praetorian Class.

Certainly, a paradigm shift!

Explains a lot about why us in the Economic Class are losing our freedom.

Argh!

Might be too late to reverse this trends.

Time to nuke the TSA.

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: The Heritage Foundation and OODA

Friday, January 20, 2012

http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/heritage-foundation-then-and-now

The Heritage Foundation Then and Now
Winslow Wheeler

*** begin quote ***

Since then, Heritage has come a long way in defense policy analysis, all of it downward. On December 26, 2012 the Director of Heritage’s Center for Foreign Policy Studies, Dr. James J. Carafano, published a commentary in the Washington Examiner, “What To Do about Obama’s Pound-Foolish Air Force.” Without saying so explicitly, he implied that the legendary Col. John R. Boyd, “a fighter pilot’s fighter pilot” in Dr. Carafano’s words, would favor what the good doctor wants: to reopen production of the $411 million F-22 and to buy more $154 million F-35s.

*** and ***

Not only did Carafano miss the boat on the technical differences between the F-86 and MiG-15, he ignored the even more important Boydian idea that, to win wars, people come first, ideas (i.e., tactics and strategy) are second, and hardware is a distant third. It was perfectly obvious to Boyd why two hundred F-86s achieved air superiority over 1000 MiGs in Korea and shot down 5 to 10 enemies for every American loss. Our pilots were simply far more skilled than the Chinese and Russians by virtue of better selection, more rigorous and realistic training using better tactics and better exploitation of the skills of experienced pilots, and far more flying hours (the much more reliable F-86 flew 40 hours per month to the MiG’s 10 or 12 hours). Had we changed aircraft with the enemy, our lop-sided victory tally in Korea would have been the same—an insight repeated almost verbatim decades later by the Israeli Air Force commanders after the 1973 and 1982 wars, then again by the U.S commander of the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Despite John Boyd’s seminal role in designing the F-15 and F-16, he was always the first to point out that technical differences in friendly versus enemy aircraft are minor compared to differences in people skills—and that applied with equal force to ground and naval weapons.

*** end quote ***

I love when I can find gems in posts.

Here is a “debunking” of the Heritage Foundation. The same Heritage Foundation that has been advertising on Rush and Hannity and pushing their Reagan connection.

And inside it is an excellent about why Boyd was a visionary. “People first. Ideas second. Technology third.”

A lot of businesses could use that insight.

# – # – # – # – #

1 Comment | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Of course, the diktat is the problem

Monday, January 16, 2012

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-13/deaths-show-schools-need-power-of-the-epipen-margaret-carlson.html

Deaths Show Schools Need Power of the EpiPen
By Margaret Carlson
Jan 13, 2012 5:19 PM ET

*** begin quote ***

Proposed Solution

After a 13-year-old in Chicago died from eating Chinese food cooked in peanut oil at a class party, Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk introduced a bill modeled on the defibrillator legislation signed by Clinton. It would allow schools in every state to stock unprescribed EpiPens. In addition, the legislation would remove civil liability for the emergency use of EpiPens and provide incentives for underfunded schools to purchase them.

There no doubt will be legislators who complain about government spending and unfunded mandates. But to save a child like Ammaria isn’t hard. You don’t need to find a cure for a complex disease like cancer. You don’t need to revolutionize an industry, as Ralph Nader did with auto safety. All you need is empathy, common sense and a hundred bucks.

*** end quote ***

Of course, the “law” is the problem. It makes it impossible for intelligent human beings (i.e., principles; teachers; nurses; para-professionals; Mom; Dads; Janitors) to help their fellow man (i.e., the children in their custody).

Of course, the EpiPens, and anything else that’s needed, should be in place, ready for use, legal to use, and covered by appropriate liability relief.

Of course, the biased media has to take a swipe at the Tea Party and Fiscal Conservatives. (“Complain about spending and unfunded mandates”)

Can we point out that Gooferment Skrules, Gooferment diktats, politicians, and bureaucrats are really the root cause of this terrible tragic deaths?

If parents bought education for their children in a competitive market, you can be sure that the Owner of that school would have EpiPens and that the parent would have authorized the Owner of the school to take all actions necessary to protect their child.

Gooferment diktats, what you’d call “laws” — “laws” are like the “Law of Gravity”, the “Law of Supply and Demand”, or even the “Law of Unintended Consequences” — a real misnomer, are the problem and are not adaptable to changing conditions. A child has to die to prompt the Gooferment to do their job.

Politicians and bureaucrats are slow to react. In a free market, if your slow to react, you’re out of busniess.

So, stop the slam on the Tea Party and Fiscal Conservatives and aim at the politicians and bureaucrats who deserve the scorn!

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: What’s “possible”?

Monday, January 16, 2012

http://cafehayek.com/2012/01/two-caplan-gems.html

Two Caplan Gems
by Don Boudreaux on January 8, 2012

*** begin quote ***

I tell my students that time is too short to worry about what’s merely possible.  Nearly everything that is possible will never occur.  The range of the possible is enormously larger than is the range of the plausible; the range of the plausible is larger than is the range of the probable; and the range of the probable is bigger than what (if we’re speaking of the past) has actually occurred or (if we’re speaking of the future) what will actually occur.

*** end quote ***

“Possible”  >  “Plausible”  >  “Probable”  >  ( “actually occurred” | “actually will occur” )

BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt) …

∑( “Possible”  | “Plausible”  |  “Probable” ) = 1

What I’d call: “Someone always wins the Lotto!”

So, perhaps life is too short.

# – # – # – # – #

 

 

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Ship disaster brings back a memory

Monday, January 16, 2012

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/story/2012-01-15/Prosecutor-says-captain-left-ship-early/52579406/1

Prosecutor says captain left ship early
By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

*** begin quote ***

In a chaotic scene eerily evocative of the Titanic — which struck an iceberg and sank a century ago this April — at least five people have died and 15 remained missing Sunday after a state-of-the-art cruise ship hit an unidentified reef or rock and toppled over just off Italy’s Tuscan coast on the evening of Friday the 13th.

*** and ***

There was no lifeboat drill after the ship’s departure from Citavecchia (Rome), and passengers complained that the crew failed to give instructions on how to evacuate and delayed lowering the lifeboats until the ship was listing too heavily for many of them to be released.

Some passengers jumped into the sea while others waited to be plucked to safety by helicopters, and some lifeboats had to be cut down with an ax.

Under U.S. Coast Guard and the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea regulations, cruise ships must conduct a safety drill within 24 hours of sailing with instructions on the use of life jackets and how and where to muster in an emergency.

But passengers are not required to attend, and cruise lines vary in how quickly they hold the drill and how stringently they enforce passenger participation.

*** end quote ***

I can only remember being on commercial boats a few times in my life.

One cruise (i.e., “Days Of Our Lives” theme) and two ferry rides in Switzerland.

The NCL ship out of Miami had the required drill as we were leaving the harbor. And, the Captain, who’s name I don’t know was a stickler. The bars would NOT open until all passengers were at their station, verified by their room attendant, and identified by their floor supervisor. The process took ten minutes because as the Captain explained that there were a two non-cooperating passengers and two other discrepancies in the manifest. He apologized and, when he said the non-cooperators would be returning to shore on the pilot boat, the crowd cheered. Then he dismissed us with “The bars are now open. Have fun.” I have no idea if there were any non-cooperators. Nor if there were discrepancies. Nor, it there was anyone kicked off. But the bars did open. And, I felt confident that this guy was running his ship. Maybe it was all show and “theater”.

The two Swiss ferry rides had their drill after every stop. The ferry paused as soon as it pulled away and their was an airline safety briefing. In four languages. Two different “ferry lines”. But it seemed like the were following the same script. And, the crews were serious. No kidding around. Before and after the briefing, they were down right jolly; during, stern.

Maybe this is stuff that consumers have to demand. BEFORE they buy. Self-defense.

Maybe the bad press will make even bigger bargains?

# – # – # – # – #

 

 

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Amazon contest

Monday, January 9, 2012

https://www.createspace.com/abna

Amazon Breakthrough Novel AwardThe 2012 Contest is Here!

*** begin quote ***

Do you have an unpublished or self-published novel you know Amazon.comreaders will love? Enter your novel in the 2012 Amazon BreakthroughNovel Award for a chance to win one of two $15,000 publishing contractswith Penguin USA and distribution of your novel on Amazon.com.

*** end quote ***

Maybe next year. I’ll have one or more of the novels ready.

So much to do; so little time. Argh!

# – # – # – # – #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INSPIRATIONAL: A negative lesson

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Video-of-marriage-proposal-gone-wrong-at-UCLA-ba?urn=ncaab-wp7324

Tue Jan 03 04:08pm ESTVideo of marriage proposal gone wrong at UCLA basketball game
By Jeff Eisenberg

*** begin quote ***

The most memorable rejection of the UCLA basketball season happened in the stands rather than on the court.

Midway through a 71-63 victory over Richmond Dec. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, UCLA’s “Mistletoe Cam” cut to a couple seated courtside. The man reaches into his pocket, pulls out a ring and says, “I knew that I was going to do this since the first day that I met you, and I figured now was as good a time as any.” His girlfriend’s response when he gets down on one knee and pops the question? Well, let’s just say it involved an awkward pause and running in the other direction.

*** end quote ***

Hey, I can empathize with that fellow. First time, I proposed the girl said “no”.

I’d never ask where a rejection would be so public.

Maybe, like in my case, the second time will be the charm.

Argh! But you really have to feel for the guy.

# – # – # – # – #

 

 

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Are “food drives” a symptom of the problem?

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2011/12/food_drives_charities_need_your_money_not_your_random_old_food_.html?wpisrc=twitter_socialflow

Can the Cans
Why food drives are a terrible idea.
By Matthew Yglesias
Posted Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at 12:29 PM ET

*** begin quote ***

But a fundamental issue is that many organizations feel that asking for money—like requesting cash as a gift—seems somewhat gauche. So, let me be rude on their behalf: Find well-managed charities in your community and trust them to know how to do their job. They have access to food at a fraction of the price. They know their clients, and they have better things to do than to sort through your canned goods. And from your perspective, it’s much easier to document a monetary donation for tax purposes. Good intentions are lovely, but particularly in hard times it’s more important to make sure your charitable dollars go as far as possible. Can the cans. Hand over some cash.

*** end quote ***

Of course, this IGNORES the fundamental problem of Gooferment “food banks”!

Private charities do a far more effective and efficient job.

When you feed stray cats, you get more of them.

We should be helping people enable themselves to take of themselves. Families should be helping. Churches and Associations should be helping.

Everybody, but the Gooferment. They are structurally unable to help!

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Dec-07 @ 19:29

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: “Bertrand Russell’s teapot” (BRT); the award for …

Monday, December 12, 2011

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/this-too-shall-pass-and-other-reminders

This Too Shall Pass and Other Reminders
by J.C. Lundberg

*** begin quote ***

Bertrand Russell was a Twentieth Century philosopher in the fields of philosophy of language and metaphysics. When he would debate people, some of them would argue “You cannot disprove such and such a supposition so you must admit that it is possible that I’m right.”

Russell would agree that of course it was possible that they were right, but that does not mean their idea is worthy of respect.

His counterargument was by way of a thought experiment. “Imagine,” he would say, “that I posit that orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars is a small ceramic teapot. Imagine further that I posit that the teapot is small enough and far enough away and has a low enough albedo and therefore our instruments cannot detect it. You would then have to agree that you cannot disprove my teapot.”

Even though we cannot disprove Russell’s teapot it’s not bloody likely that to be out there. “Not bloody likely” are my words, not Professor Russell’s.

The existence of that teapot is not equiprobable, it is not equally likely to be true as to be false.

*** end quote ***

“Bertrand Russell’s teapot” (BRT) is going into my shorthands!

Not sure if it’s just for use with wacky ideas. Or maybe with wacky people? Or maybe unprovable <synonym for excrement>? Or people who keep presenting non-facts?

I think I’ll award BRTs to folks that annoy me.

Have to think about the criteria, but I have someone in mind. :-)

# – # – # – # – #   

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Abandoned Water Parks versus houses for people

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/urban-exploration/news-10-creepiest-abandoned-water-parks-earth

Eerie, Abandoned Water Parks

# – # – #

Interesting in that this is the “malinvestment” that the Austrian School of Economics talks about.

Look at the lost “wealth” in those pictures.

(For those that skipped eckynomics in Gooferment Skrules, those “water parks” might have been “houses”. See the problem?)

Clearly, the free market, where someone risks their own money on an idea, is the best way to minimize the mistakes.

One problem, that Ron Paul points out on the national stage, is the “Federal Reserve System”. It engages in all sorts of non-free market activities that leads directly to those water parks aka malinvestments. The manipulation of interest rates denies the free market critical information about how much investment versus consumption is optimum.

Argh!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: A “personhood” amendment would be useful

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/personhood-defeat-not-a-serious-setback-for-pro-life-movement

‘Personhood’ defeat not a serious setback for pro-life movement
By Benjamin Mann

*** begin quote ***

Chicago, Ill., Nov 13, 2011 / 06:23 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Representatives of the Thomas More Society and the Pro-Life Action League say the defeat of Mississippi’s “personhood” initiative does not mark a serious defeat for the pro-life movement.

*** and ***

“Does this ‘personhood’ language have any effect in and of itself on state law? Or does this require the legislature to enact specific pieces of legislation to give it effect?” he asked.

*** end quote ***

Wouldn’t it be useful to have some common agreement about when life does begin?

Even if it was age 21 or 18, it’d be nice to know when life begins so we’d know when we CAN kill people.

Conception, birth, a day, a week, a year, a decade?

When CAN you kill some one?

Maybe it’s when they can do something? Crawl, walk, run, control their bowels.

Or is it when that person can assert their own rights?

It’ll be an interesting discussion!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Everyone’s a journalist now

Sunday, November 13, 2011

http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_lewis_crowdsourcing_the_news.html

Crowdsourcing the news

# – # – #

I found this interesting because: (1) British cops gone rogue AND (2) a new citizen journalistic meme is defined.

Wonder where this will take us?

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Transplantind Democracy

Thursday, November 10, 2011

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=362981

Democracy in Arab lands? It’s virtually impossible
Posted: November 01, 2011
Walter Williams

*** begin quote ***

What should the West do about the gross violations of human rights so prevalent in North Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere? My short answer is to mind our own business. The only case in which we should interfere with Middle Eastern affairs is when our national defense or economic interests are directly threatened.

*** end quote ***

Sounds like Ron Paul.

It’s easy to hear people you agree with.

MYOB!

I think we should tattoo it on every one of the politicians and bureaucrats in DC!

Plus isn’t “democracy” just another name for mob rule.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Prohibition and Drugs

Monday, November 7, 2011

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/KenBur

Prohibition, Civility, and Political Discourse
Ken Burns
National Press Club | Luncheon Speech

Ken Burns talked about his PBS series, Prohibition, which chronicles the ratification, implementation, and eventual repeal of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as the era in which the movement took place. He also responded to questions from the audience.

# – # – #

An outstanding discussion of Prohibition and how it relates to our current state with the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs”. While I was aware of the relation between the Women’s Rights Movement, I was unaware of of the relation between the Progressives with the Income Tax and the Dry’s who wanted to eviscerate the reliance of the Federal Government on the booze industry taxes. Worth an hour and you can see that past is prologue.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Unalienable versus Inalienable

Monday, November 7, 2011

http://dumpdc.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/what-are-unalienable-rights/

What Are Unalienable Rights?

by Russell D. Longcore

Owner and Editor, DumpDC.com

*** begin quote ***

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an expansive article about unalienable rights. We all seem to just refer to the Declaration of Independence and what Jefferson wrote, and then defer to it. But natural law and unalienable rights are where it all starts.

*** and ***

“Unalienable: incapable of being alienated, that is, sold and transferred.” Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, page 1523. One cannot sell, transfer or surrender unalienable rights.

*** and ***

Inalienable rights can be transferred, sold or surrendered if you give your consent. Inalienable rights are not bestowed by the Creator or inherent in humans. ”Persons” have inalienable rights, and the word “Person” is a legal term¹. Inalienable rights can be bestowed to persons by government, and can be likewise removed from persons by government. At times, government itself can be considered a “Person” in a legal sense. Most state constitutions recognize only inalienable rights.

*** and ***

* The Right of Life

* Right of Personal Security

* The Right of Labor

* Right to Acquire and Enjoy Property

* Right to Contract

* Right of Free Speech

* Right of Beliefs or Conscience

* Right of Personal Liberty

* Right to the Pursuit of Happiness

*** end quote ***

And, I always thought old Thom was just careless.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: The American Revolution legal? Oxymoronical questions

Monday, October 31, 2011

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15345511

19 October 2011 Last updated at 13:14 ET
Is the US Declaration of Independence illegal?
COMMENTS (431)
By Matt Danzico and Kate Dailey
BBC News Magazine

# – # – #

Who cares? “Might makes right!” I acquire my “rights” by being able and willing to fight for them.

The only reason, that a society “grants” me my rights, is that it can’t afford the price that I will extract if it doesn’t.

If I’m willing to die on a particular “hill”, cause there are always more of them than me, then I put a stake in the ground.

We have examples in history of one person standing up to the mob.

The American Revolution legal? It’s like “jumbo shrimp”. Makes no sense.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Verizon Wireless privacy

Monday, October 17, 2011
Your privacy is an important priority at Verizon Wireless. View Online
Verizon Wireless
| Explore | Shop | My Verizon | Support |
Important notice about how
Verizon Wireless uses information.
Why am I getting this notice?
Your privacy is an important priority at Verizon Wireless. Our Privacy Policy (available at www.vzw.com/myprivacy) informs you about information we collect and how we use it. Today we want to tell you about some important updates relating to two new uses of information. Verizon Wireless will begin using the information described below for (1) certain business and marketing reports and (2) making mobile ads you see more relevant. If you do not want us to use this information for these purposes, you can let us know by using one of the options described in the “Your Choices” section of this notice. This supplements our Privacy Policy.
What information are we talking about?
Under these programs, we willnot share any information that identifies you personally.
Verizon Wireless will use the following categories of information:
Mobile Usage Information:
•
Addresses of websites you visit when using our wireless service. These data strings (or URLs) may include search terms you have used
•
Location of your device (“Location Information”)
•
App and device feature usage
Consumer Information:
•
Information about your use of Verizon products and services (such as data and calling features, device type, and amount
of use)
•
Demographic and interest categories provided to us by other companies, such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner (“Demographics”)
Is my information shared?
Under these new programs, we will not share outside of Verizon any information that identifies you personally.
HOW INFORMATION
WILL BE USED
DESCRIPTION
EXAMPLE
To create business and marketing reports.
We will combine Mobile Usage Information and Consumer Information in a way that doesnot personally identify you. We will use this information to prepare business and marketing reports that we may use ourselves or share with others.
A report might state that 10,000 mobile users visited a sports website in a month and 60% were men.
For other companies to create business and marketing reports.
We may also share Location Information with other companies in a way that doesnot personally identify you. We will allow these companies to produce limited business and marketing reports.
The data we provide could be combined with data provided by other wireless carriers to create a report on the number of mobile users who take a particular highway during rush hour.
To make mobile ads you see more relevant.
When you use your wireless device, you often see ads on websites and apps. Using certain Consumer Information (such as your Demographics, device type, and language preference) and the postal address we have for you, we will determine whether you fit within an audience an advertiser is trying to reach. This means ads you see may be more relevant to you. We will not share any information that identifies you personally.
A local restaurant may want to advertise only to people who live within 10 miles, and we might help deliver that ad on a website without sharing information that identifies you personally.
Your choices.
If you do not want us to use your information for any of the purposes described above, please let us know at any time by:
•
Visiting
www.vzw.com/myprivacy

Or
•
Calling 1-866-211-0874
You will receive mobile ads whether you participate or not, but under the advertising program, ads may be more relevant to you.
If you have a Family SharePlan® or multi-line account, you must indicate your choice for each line. If you add a line or change a telephone number, you will need to update your
privacy choices.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Oct-17 @ 17:49

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »