INTERESTING: Poor project management could put weather forecasters in the dark

Saturday, November 3, 2012

http://science.slashdot.org/story/12/10/27/1537204/our-weather-satellites-are-dying?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+slashdot%2FeqWf+%28Slashdot%3A+Slashdot%29

Our Weather Satellites Are Dying
by Soulskill

*** begin quote ***

Hugh Pickens writes “The NY Times reports that some experts say it is almost certain that the U.S. will soon face a year or more without crucial weather satellites that provide invaluable data for predicting storm tracks. This is because the existing polar satellites are nearing or beyond their life expectancies, and the launching of the next replacement, known as JPSS-1, has slipped until early 2017. Polar satellites provide 84 percent of the data used in the main American computer model tracking the course of Hurricane Sandy, which at first was expected to amble away harmlessly, but now appears poised to strike the mid-Atlantic states. The mismanagement of the $13 billion program to build the next generation weather satellites was recently described as a ‘national embarrassment’ by a top official of the Commerce Department. 

*** end quote ***

Hard to imagine the ineptitude and stupidity of the Gooferment.

I’m sure there’s a lot of blame to go around.

It’s all about relying on Gooferment!

And time after time, it lets us down.

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INTERESTING: Poll question assumes facts not in evidence

Thursday, November 1, 2012

What do you think?
Do you believe that the economic benefits of legalized gambling outweigh its societal impact?
Yes, the economic benefits strongly outweigh its societal impact
Yes, the economic benefits somewhat outweigh its societal impact
No, the societal impact somewhat outweighs the economic benefits
No, the societal impact strongly outweighs the economic benefits
No strong opinion

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The questions presumes several things.

(1) That we think.

(2) That there are things such as “economic benefits”, “legalized gambling”, and “societal impact”?

(3) And that there can be a trade off.

Don’t forget our old friend Bastiat! “The broken window fallacy” — Frédéric Bastiat Ce qu’on voit et ce qu’on ne voit pas (That Which Is Seen and That Which Is Unseen) 1850 

We can’t see what the other side of the choice is!

Argh!

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INTERESTING: Why do I need Halloween when I have night terrors?

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

http://mynightterrors.blogspot.com/

Why do I need scary movies when I have night terrors?

Thursday, October 25, 2012
Problem statement
I never liked scary movies. And, I don’t see what is the big deal about Halloween. I get scared almost every night.

Ever hear about “night terrors”?

Discussed them with my new doc. He says no big deal. If they bother you, “we can try drugs”.

That didn’t inspire confidence.

I believe that both of my parents suffered with same problem.

Not that we ever talked about it. But, I think it drove both of them crazy and into alcoholism.

In college, I was an injineer. Drinking was part of the “fun”. And, I noticed a correlation between more than a modest intake and a good night’s sleep.

So I started this blog to capture my experiences and see if I can find either a cause or cure.

Nothing like being a “lab rat”.

Lest you think I’m nuts, which I may well be, here’s Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_terror

I guess I’m fortunate. I have two symptoms with different degrees of intensity. Symptom #1 is sweating from the waist up. Symptom #2 is the resultant waking up — either with the ability to get back to sleep or not — after some duration.

I’ll catalogue the symptoms. And maybe a pattern will emerge.

–30–

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Why do I need Halloween when I have night terrors?

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INTERESTING: Big deal!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

amazon.com

Dear Kindle Customer,

We have good news. You are entitled to a credit for some of your past e-book purchases as a result of legal settlements between several major e-book publishers and the Attorneys General of most U.S. states and territories, including yours. You do not need to do anything to receive this credit. We will contact you when the credit is applied to your Amazon.com account if the Court approves the settlements in February 2013.

Hachette, Harper Collins, and Simon & Schuster have settled an antitrust lawsuit about e-book prices. Under the proposed settlements, the publishers will provide funds for a credit that will be applied directly to your Amazon.com account. If the Court approves the settlements, the account credit will appear automatically and can be used to purchase Kindle books or print books. While we will not know the amount of your credit until the Court approves the settlements, the Attorneys General estimate that it will range from $0.30 to $1.32 for every eligible Kindle book that you purchased between April 2010 and May 2012. Alternatively, you may request a check in the amount of your credit by following the instructions included in the formal notice of the settlements, set forth below. You can learn more about the settlements here:
http://www.amazon.com/help/agencyebooksettlements

In addition to the account credit, the settlements impose limitations on the publishers’ ability to set e-book prices. We think these settlements are a big win for customers and look forward to lowering prices on more Kindle books in the future.

Thank you for being a Kindle customer.

The Amazon Kindle Team

==========================================================

(c) 2012 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Amazon.com, 410 Terry Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109-5210.

Reference: 26267370

Please note that this message was sent to the following e-mail address: reinkefj

==========================================================

Benefits from an Attorney General E-books Settlement Fund

Para una notificación en Español, llamar o visitar nuestro website.

Records indicate that you are eligible for a payment from Settlements reached by the State Attorneys General with E-book publishers Hachette, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster. The Settlements resolve an antitrust lawsuit about the price of electronic books (“E-books”). Amazon.com has not been sued in this case. It is providing this notice as a service to its customers.

What the Settlements Provide

The Settlements create a $69 million fund for payments to consumers who purchased qualifying E-books from April 1, 2010 through May 21, 2012. If the Court approves the Settlements, eligible consumers like you will receive automatic credits to your E-reader accounts. The credit can be used on any purchases of E-books or print books. The amount of your payment has been determined based on the qualifying E-book purchases identified by Amazon.com in your E-reader account.

How to Receive your Benefit

Because you are pre-qualified, you do not need to do anything to receive your credit. It will be applied to your account by Amazon.com automatically, and you will receive another email letting you know when it’s available. (If you bought E-books from more than one retailer, you may receive notices with different instructions about whether you will receive a credit or need to file a Claim Form for that retailer. You will have a separate claim for each retailer and you should follow the specific instructions from each one.)

You also have the option to receive a check instead of your credit. You can request a check by calling 1-866-621-4153, or going to the Settlement website listed below, and clicking on the Check Request Option link. Be sure to reference the Settlement ID number found at the bottom of this email. The Settlement website is: http://www.EBookAGSettlements.com

Your Other Rights

You can choose to exclude yourself from the Settlements and keep your right to sue on your own. If you exclude yourself, you can’t receive any benefits from the Settlements. If you don’t exclude yourself, you can submit objections about the Settlements.

Your written Exclusion Form or objections must be postmarked by December 12, 2012. Please visit the Settlement website for detailed information on how to submit a valid Exclusion Form or objection.

A separate lawsuit against two other publishers and Apple, Inc. continues and is set for a trial in 2013. Your rights in the separate suit are not affected by any action you take in regards to these Settlements.

The Court will hold a hearing on February 8, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. to consider whether to approve the Settlements. You or your own lawyer may ask to appear and speak at the hearing.

For more detailed information:
Call 1-866-621-4153 or visit http://www.EBookAGSettlements.com
Settlement ID Number: AMG2zmVrr6F3fT6eRm

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How much did the lawyers get? Argh! What’s wrong with this picture.

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INTERESTING: Was Jeter’s stumble caused by being tired?

Monday, October 15, 2012

I posted on FACEBOOK Sunday in the wee hours:

“Argh! It’s 0109. I “invested” hours in the <Expletive Deleted> Yankees and they lose in extra innings. I want my time back. And, Jeter looked like he broke his ankle. Not a good omen. To bad Alex didn’t have that happen to him a week ago. Sigh.”

and then later that same morning in human being hours:

“Heard this morning that “doctor” Reinke, medical training courtesy of doctor Phil’s tv program, and 14 years on the first aid squad, got my “snap” diagnosis sadly correct. Do you think too many extra inning games and travel made him “tired”? Accidents happier when you’re tired. Now we will see if this Yankee’s team has “character”? ARod has to snap out of the slump for them to win. Maybe they are all just “tired”. They are all “old” in baseball terms. Tigers may have just gotten a big “break”. We’ll see!”

(REMINDER: Remember the sources of my education: I’m just a fat old white guy injineer with: Law “degree” from watching Judge Judy; Medical “degree” from watching Doctor Phil; Building “degree” from watching “Holmes on Homes”; Investing “degree” from reading about Bernie Made-off; and creating caring human relationships from studying the movie roles of Gunny Ronald Lee Ermey!)

Upon reflection, it seemed obvious to me that he’d broke it. I thought that when I saw it in real time. He was carried off the field in pain. Having broken bones, I know what that feels like. And, I’ve seen race horses fall. You can just tell. A break just seems to happen differently.

The interesting part is what role does fatigue play in all this?

Alex’s slump, Derek’s stumble, Granderson’s near miss home runs, other players not up to par, just missing the spot.

While these guys are all athletes in fine shape. Maybe a little old. Long in the tooth. But … you have to question the schedule without proper time to rest. 

Is everyone being cheated by an arbitrary schedule?

Do they need more off days and travel days to accommodate peak performance?

I know when I’m tired, I get silly, clumsy, and (more) stupid. (Some of my late night blog post can show that!)

So did a “tired” Derek just demonstrate his humanity?

No one could ever accuse him of not playing hard. But maybe Joe needed to recognize the physical shape of his troops. Maybe he’s tired too?

We’ll never know, but ‘doctor’ Reinke thinks that’s the proximate cause — greed. By the owners, TV, players, and fans.

Comments?

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INTERESTING: Titanic’s Biggest Question

Saturday, October 13, 2012

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/mythbusters-answers-titanics-biggest-question-could-jack-and-rose-both-have-survived-on-that-board/

Entertainment
MythBusters Answers Titanic’s Biggest Question: Could Jack and Rose Both Have Survived on That Board?

Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:06pm by Liz Klimas

*** begin quote ***

It’s something every teenage girl at the end of the 1990s seeing Titanic for the fifth time was thinking: Leo DiCaprio so could have fit on that wooden board instead of freezing in the water and dying. Now the popular show MythBusters has finally taken the time to weigh in on the topic with its expert reenactment skills.

*** end quote ***

When I first saw the movie, I annoyed folks with that theory.

Maybe the board should have been smaller to quiet know it alls.

I think that shows like this just might induce people and children think.

One can only hope.

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INTERESTING: Is there a “thumb on the scale”?

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/taylor-swift-love-life-17371914

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/taylor-swift-glamours-cover-girl-17371916

A fun experience was interrupted by the garish “commercials” pro-Obama anti-Romney 47%.

This brought an interesting thought: is ABC’s website providing propaganda support?

How is that accounted for to its stockholders?

Reported to the FEC?

Just seems odd to me. Revisited the site at random and got the same ad. Considering that the underlying story is “youth oriented” maybe this is an another “thumb on the scale” attempt. 

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INTERESTING: Couple sues game show

Monday, October 1, 2012

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208220/Couple-sues-Fox-game-losing-580-000-despite-answering-question-correctly.html

Couple sues Fox game show after losing $580,000 ‘despite answering question correctly’
By Hugo Gye
PUBLISHED: 00:44 EST, 25 September 2012 | UPDATED: 05:31 EST, 25 September 2012

*** begin quote ***

A couple who appeared on a short-lived Fox game show are suing the producers two years later, claiming that they were denied more than half a million dollars despite answering a crucial question correctly.

Andrew and Patricia Murray, who are both airline pilots, were contestants on Million Dollar Money Drop in December 2010.

They now claim the question which lost them the chance to win $580,000 was incorrect and was ultimately a ‘trick question’, according to TMZ.

*** end quote ***

Entertaining when they blow it. 

Interesting if they recover.

Is there an insurance company behind the lawsuit?

Did they have a hand in the staging of questions that would keep the payoffs low?

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INTERESTING: Hollywood will carry the Obamacare “flag”; propaganda?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/121282.html

September 19, 2012
Yet Another Reason To Torch the TV
Posted by Becky Akers on September 19, 2012 08:10 AM

*** begin quote ***

“Officials in California want prime-time TV shows to help promote President Obama’s healthcare law. … ‘A number of popular television programs and personalities such as Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family, the Biggest Loser, Dr. Oz and others will be approached and pitched to incorporate story lines or mentions of health care reform that would reinforce campaign messages,’” according to the “marketing plan” from “California’s insurance exchange — a new marketplace [sic], created by” Obummercare.

Apparently, the idea that propaganda should be subtle and hidden has waned as Our Rulers’ contempt for us waxes.

*** end quote ***

I’ve debated that Obamacare muddles “health”, “health care”, “health care insurance”, and / or something else.

Now we find out that the Gooferment is using / expect Hollywood to brainwash us.

Sorry, but if any of my favorite comedies pick up this theme. They are toast!

They can join Jane Fonda in my dog house!

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INTERESTING: Here’s My Obligatory Post on the Topless Middleton Pics

Friday, September 21, 2012

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/heres-our-obligatory-post-on-a-french-paper-publishing-topless-pics-of-kate-middleton/

World
Here’s Our Obligatory Post on a French Paper Publishing Topless Pics of Kate Middleton
Posted on September 14, 2012 at 9:47am by Jonathon M. Seidl Jonathon M. Seidl

*** begin quote ***

One can only imagine the uproar at Buckingham Palace after a second young royal has been caught nude this summer. While last month it was Prince Harry, this time the subject is a little less likely: the dignified and refined Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.

The circumstances surrounding Kate’s pictures, however, are quite different than Harry’s. While the latter was snapped sans clothes at a wild Vegas party, the former apparently was photographed while on vacation at a private residence in France. The pictures were taken from so far away that the image clarity is poor.

*** end quote ***

Seems a shame that “the press” can “focus” on this type of picture, but just can’t “see” anything more important to look into.

Remember the Enquirer was the “paper” that broke the John Edwards sex story! 

All the BHO44 documentation in the world could be missing, but “we” got topless Kate pictures!

We can’t get an unbiased report on the economy, the Middle East, or “crony capitalism”; but we got “topless” Kate pictures.

There’s no time for the politicians and bureaucrats to address our real problems; but we got topless Kate photos.

And the pictures are supposed to be near un-viewable.

Just need to not look!

Like Lady Godiva.

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