ECONOMICS: Unless they are defended by the government, cartels always break down

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

https://www.garynorth.com/public/17188.cfm

The Economics of Assistant Coaches’ Bribery
Gary North – September 28, 2017

*** begin quote ***

There is a fundamental rule of economics: unless they are defended by the government, cartels always break down. They can be sustained only by government intervention. The government protects the cartels from members of the cartel who break the rules of the cartel in order to increase market share and thereby increase net income. The government makes cartel-busting a crime. In the case of the movie and also in the case of the latest scandals, net income is really what it is all about.

What we are seeing is the intervention of governments around the country to defend the NCAA’s cartel. If it were not for government intervention to keep coaches from paying full ticket for the valuable services of the best players, major universities would be forced to pay millions of dollars to these players, just as professional sports teams have to pay their players. A free market would prevail.

Top collegiate basketball coaches today are paid multimillion-dollar salaries. The head coaches don’t want to lose this income. In contrast, assistant coaches are not paid huge salaries. They are tempted to do under-the-table deals that are against the financial interests of the NCAA’s cartel. None of the coaches being accused of bribery is a head coach. No head coach is going to risk his $4 million annual salary for penny-ante payoffs to recruit top players.

If we had a free market in college education, there would be no legal restriction on the use of the word “college” or “university” imposed by any state on profit-seeking educational ventures. There would be no government money used to build sports stadiums. There would be open entry. Private college tuition would fall at all but the premier schools. College athletes in the top-ranked sports universities would be paid full ticket.

*** end quote ***

Ignoring for the moment that these alleged “bribery” charges may not — or should not be — considered  accurate, why do we have cartels in sports?

Why are the Taxpayers funding sports stadiums?

Why are the Team Owners (i.e., “State Universities”) allowed to keep “indentured servants” working (i.e., playing games) for them?

Argh!

We need to get the Gooferment out of all of there!

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SURVIVAL: Why don’t we plan for natural disasters?

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

http://news.trust.org/item/20170927215847-o173x

Cash demand soars in Puerto Rico after hurricane hit ATMs, card systems
by Reuters — Wednesday, 27 September 2017 21:52 GMT
By Jonathan Spicer, Robin Respaut and Saqib Iqbal Ahmed

*** begin quote ***

NEW YORK/SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Demand for cash in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico is “extraordinarily high” after power outages knocked out electronic transactions and ATMs but needs were being met for now, a Federal Reserve branch said on Wednesday.

Residents and tourists were counting their dwindling banknotes in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which crippled the electrical grid and communications network, turning the Caribbean island into a largely cash-based economy.

*** end quote ***

Looking away from the immediate string of disasters, why hasn’t the “wise and all knowing maters of the Universe” (i.e., Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats) planned for national disasters?

Each time “we” have one, be it wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, floods, it like “we” have never experienced it ever before.

As a retired IT executive, Disaster Recovery was a recognized need. And, while getting proper attention and funding was never easy, it got done. Often the expense was minimized by proper recognition of the relative impact and possible frequency with a dash of innovative architecture.

It seems like the politicians and bureaucrats LOVE disasters (i.e., “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” — Rahm Emanuel)

I mean if “we” had forward thinking Federal and State Gooferments, then wouldn’t we have some “trust funds” set up. Of course, that would require some fiscal discipline. But in Genesis 41:54 (“and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread”), Pharaoh listened to Joseph and put something away for a “rainy day”.

Why can’t “we”?

Argh!

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WSJ: Think tank trashes GOP reform without evidence

Monday, October 2, 2017

2017-Oct-02 1216 

FROM BEHIND THE WSJ PAYWALL

Tax Policy Center Propaganda
The media’s go-to think tank trashes GOP reform without evidence.
By The Editorial Board
Oct. 1, 2017 4:26 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

Republicans face an uphill battle on tax reform, not least because opponents are willing to invent evidence to stop it. Take Friday’s Tax Policy Center report claiming to be clairvoyant about details of the Republican reform “framework” that haven’t been proposed.

The Tax Policy Center is a joint project of the left-leaning Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute that the media routinely labels “nonpartisan.” Its record of hostility to any GOP tax reform that cuts tax rates shows the opposite. And the latest evidence of bias is its willingness to jump to conclusions about the GOP plan before crucial details are known.

*** end quote ***

I “love” how the Leftists can “invent” evidence for the stuff that they oppose.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – #  2017-Oct-02 @ 12:18  

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RANT: HRC demonstrates she, and the D’s, are tone deaf

Monday, October 2, 2017

2017-Oct-02 1058

The LV tragedy is not the time for politics when the dead are unburied.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/02/democrats-immediately-call-for-gun-control-after-las-vegas-shooting/

*** begin quote ***

Congressional Democrats chose not to wait for all the facts to come in before immediately pushing for increased gun control measures following the Las Vegas shooting Sunday night that left 50 people dead and more than 400 injured.

*** and ***

Twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton attacked the National Rifle Association (NRA).
“Our grief isn’t enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again,” Clinton wrote.

*** end quote ***

ALSO

The media is reporting it was “machine guns”. But I’m not sure that is accurate.

Argh!

At least it was not a “ISIS attack”. If that’s any saving grace.

I wonder if this was some type of “false flag” event. The guy they are naming as the shooter has no reported gun background, hunting, and|or no military training. That’s odd. Very very strange. 

Argh!

Dona Nobis Pacem

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RANT: This captures why I won’t fly

Monday, October 2, 2017

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/airplane-mode

Airplane Mode
Elbow-to-elbow seating, oversized comfort pets, midcabin standoffs — and passengers armed with their smartphones. A new era in air travel has some Americans tweeting mad.
By JAMES RAINEY SEP 26, 2017

*** begin quote ***

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME someone told you they loved flying? Or even said they liked it? Or that they couldn’t wait to get back in the air?

In the spring and summer of America’s flying discontent, it’s likely your anxiety began to mount long before reaching the jetway. You felt nickeled and dimed by charges for everything: extra leg room, a snack, a thin blanket, an advance seat assignment. If you weren’t blindsided by a tumultuous curbside check-in, you might have stumbled over new complexities at a security checkpoint (Coming soon: mandatory screening, in separate security bins, of almost ALL electronic devices!) or arrived at your gate to find there was nowhere to sit.

*** end quote ***

This story struck a chord with me.

The last time I flew for pleasure I went first class. I figured it was my last trip to Las Vegas. Who knew it would be my last airplane trip.

I saw the “great unwashed” in the back of the plane and the sheer discomfort they were in.

From time to time, I read the horror stories. 

No way I’d do that again.

I’d like to visit friends, but it has to be by car.

I think of John Madden, who never flew, as a new “patron saint”.

Ahh, the good old days. Gone for good.

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CLOUD: PLAXO bites the dust

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Dear Plaxo User,

After 15 years of helping customers enrich their address books, we regret to announce that we will be shutting down the Plaxo service at the end of the day on December 31, 2017.

We will begin purging user data on January 1, 2018. If you would like to export your address book data, please do so before that date. Instructions for how to export your data are available here.

Thank you for subscribing to Plaxo. We appreciate the support you have given us over the years and we wish you all the best.

– The Plaxo Team

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: 73 Percent of World’s Dictatorships? Seriously!

Sunday, October 1, 2017

2017-Oct-01

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/42020-us-provides-military-assistance-to-73-percent-of-world-s-dictatorships

US Provides Military Assistance to 73 Percent of World’s Dictatorships
Saturday, September 23, 2017 — By Rich Whitney, Truthout | News Analysis

*** begin quote ***

For decades, the American people have been repeatedly told by their government and corporate-run media that acts of war ordered by their president have been largely motivated by the need to counter acts of aggression or oppression by “evil dictators.” We were told we had to invade Iraq because Saddam Hussein was an evil dictator. We had to bomb Libya because Muammar Gaddafi was an evil dictator, bent on unleashing a “bloodbath” on his own people. Today, of course, we are told that we should support insurgents in Syria because Bashar al-Assad is an evil dictator, and we must repeatedly rattle our sabers at North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin because they, too, are evil dictators.

This is part of the larger, usually unquestioned mainstream corporate media narrative that the US leads the “Western democracies” in a global struggle to combat terrorism and totalitarianism and promote democracy.

I set out to answer a simple question: Is it true? Does the US government actually oppose dictatorships and champion democracy around the world, as we are repeatedly told?

The truth is not easy to find, but federal sources do provide an answer: No. According to Freedom House’s rating system of political rights around the world, there were 49 nations in the world, as of 2015, that can be fairly categorized as “dictatorships.” As of fiscal year 2015, the last year for which we have publicly available data, the federal government of the United States had been providing military assistance to 36 of them, courtesy of your tax dollars. The United States currently supports over 73 percent of the world’s dictatorships!

*** end quote ***

Does this upset anyone else?

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Florida Power and Light keeps it’s “customers” in the dark

Saturday, September 30, 2017

2017-Sep-30

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-18/florida-you-cant-use-your-own-solar-panels-crisis

In Florida, You Can’t Use Your Own Solar Panels In A Crisis
by Tyler Durden — Sep 18, 2017 10:05 PM
Authored by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog

*** begin quote ***

When it comes to the U.S. economy, the “con” part offers the best description of the current relationship between business, government and the preyed upon consumer.

The way things work in early 21st century America is large businesses bribe politicians in a variety of ways at both the local and federal level, and the end result is laws that are designed to increase corporate profits at the expense of the wellbeing and freedom of the American public. Politicians end up with financial war chests to run their next campaign, while bureaucrats see a lucrative opportunity to swing through the ever spinning revolving door should they play ball with lobbyists and their patrons.

*** and ***

FPL and its parent company, NextEra Energy, have for years heavily influenced state and local politics through donations, making billions in profits each year ($1.7 billion alone in 2016) thanks to favorable state laws that are sometimes literally written by the power company’s own lobbyists.

FPL’s lobbying wing has fought hard against letting Floridians power their own homes with solar panels. Thanks to power-company rules, it’s impossible across Florida to simply buy a solar panel and power your individual home with it. You are instead legally mandated to connect your panels to your local electric grid.

More egregious, FPL mandates that if the power goes out, your solar-power system must power down along with the rest of the grid, robbing potentially needy people of power during major outages.

*** end quote ***

Once again, we find that Gooferment intervention in the free market makes the consumer / rate payer / taxpayer worse off by permitting Crony Capitalism to influence the political process.

Wonder if Tesla’s home power offering will “magically” be equally unacceptable!

Argh!

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IOS: iOS 11’s Most Obnoxious Features

Friday, September 29, 2017

Image credit: iOS 11 brings a lot of new and exciting features to the iPhone and iPad. It also brings a lot of pretty annoying ones. Like most new operating systems, iOS 11 has had a few hiccups during its first full week out on the town, including a bug that made it impossible for Microsoft Exchange users to send or receive emails using their iPhones.

Source: iOS 11’s Most Obnoxious Features

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And, they have screwed up the PODCAST feature that played all the “unplayed” podcasts.

# – # – # – # – # 2017-Sep-29 @ 15:50

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POLITICAL: How to get politics out of taxation or Gooferment “theft”

Friday, September 29, 2017

2017-Oct-06

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL “The 10-Point”

*** begin quote ***

Responding to yesterday’s question on the GOP tax proposals, Bob Jones of New Jersey said: “Let’s stop using the tax code to encourage certain behaviors. Get rid of all tax deductions and preferences. That means the same rate for corporate income, personal income and capital gains, and no deductions for anything, including charitable contributions, mortgage interest or solar panels. Then set the rate to balance the budget, and they’re done. Simple.” Jim Miner of Michigan commented: “Unemployment is low, inflation is low and growth is now steady and sustainable instead of the boom-and-bust cycles of the past. Exactly what problem is this tax cut supposed to fix?” And Mark Pankin of Virginia asked: “The logic behind doing away with the deduction for state and local taxes is that taxpayers in low-tax states should not subsidize those in high-tax states. Shouldn’t the same logic apply to the mortgage interest deduction? Why should taxpayers without mortgages subsidize those who have them?”

*** end quote ***

As a little L libertarian, I believe that “taxes are theft”. Pure and simple.

In order to get to a truly free market economy I liked Bob Jones of New Jersey idea. Same rate and just balance the budget. 

Then we can move the fight to reducing the size and scope of Gooferment.

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SECESSION: Support for Secession?

Friday, September 29, 2017

2017-Sep-29

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2017/09/kirkpatrick-sale/new-poll-on-americans-support-for-secession/

New Poll on Americans’ Support for Secession
By Kirkpatrick Sale September 20, 2017

*** begin quote ***

In the final analysis, this is a global issue that has gained traction in the last few years. From Scotland and Catalan, to Venice, France, the UK, and now loud calls can even be heard in California and Texas. The ghosts of Lincoln, (“I must save the Union”) and Jefferson (“A rebellion is necessary every generation”) appear to be roaming the American landscape as a sizeable portion of the public are sympathetic to the cause of Independence from D.C.

*** end quote ***

One can only hope!

Clearly the “coastal” states violently disagree with the “heartland” states. Like the War of Northern Aggression, why can’t States leave.

Federalism has been destroyed by the all-powerful Federal Gooferment. The repeal of the Seventeenth Amendment was the nail in the coffin for States to prevent unfunded liabilities.

Just like the Federal Reserve gives the Feds an unlimited “checkbook”, the States have no power to frustrate the loss of their inherent Constitutional power.

Argh!

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RANT: How is this fair?

Thursday, September 28, 2017

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/most-americans-dont-want-or-need-a-tax-cut-2017-09-27

Opinion: This tax cut isn’t for the middle class, which only pays 2.5% now
Published: Sept 28, 2017 10:15 a.m. ET

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Shouldn’t EVERYONE pay something?

Argh!

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WSJ: Multitasking?

Thursday, September 28, 2017

FROM WSJ

*** begin quote ***

From Workout to Takeout Pick up takeout for dinner, or hit the gym? Now you may not have to choose. Meal-delivery services are finding a new market in time-strapped people seeking healthy, preservative-free breakfasts, lunches and dinners, often packed in a single plastic container. To minimize delivery costs, many are dropping the meals off in a place that customers frequent: the gym. Some meals are vegan or vegetarian, or comply with low-carb plans such as the Paleo diet or Whole 30. “If they leave our club and they go through a drive-through and eat unhealthy food, they’re just spinning their wheels,” says the general manager of one gym.

*** end quote ***

How pressed for time are some people?

Maybe they can eat WHILE they are ON the treadmill?

Laugh!

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INSPIRATIONAL: Let’s see if there is a real problem or if it’s just “optics”

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

2017-Sep-27

FROM BEHIND THE WSJ PAYWALL

https://www.wsj.com/articles/i-used-to-sit-for-the-national-anthem-too-1506464031?mod=djemMER

I Used to Sit for the National Anthem Too
But here’s the question: Is the ‘police brutality’ that NFL players are protesting based in reality?
By Jason L. RileySept. 26, 2017 6:13 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

An increase in press coverage of police shootings isn’t the same thing as an increase in police shootings.

*** end quote ***

As a vet and a little L libertarian, I am conflicted. 

I respect that the Dead Old White Guys and lot of good young women and men have sacrificed lives, blood, tears, and sweat for the ideal the Flag and Anthem represent.

I also know that the ideal is long gone and that freedom and liberty are barely holding on.

So what should one do.

Boycott the NFL?

Seems a silly response. Respect the views being expressed — whatever they are — damned if I know.

OR —  “Move along, people. Nothing to see here. Go home, you looky-loos.” Officer Barbrady’s Catch Phrase South Park

I think the reasonable approach is to: demilitarize the police, require a uniform police reporting system for officer involved shootings, and transparency.

For example, why aren’t police body cams and car cams ever off? 

(Sidenote: I think that politicians and bureaucrats should have to wear them 24/7 also. Remember ABSCAM?)

For example, a felon recently used a gun and it was reported that he was released after 4 years of a 5 year “felon in possession” offense. Sorry DJT45 should pass the word — on “felon in possession”, no plea deals, vigorous prosecution, opposition to any early release, and federal time for such. That should  “disarm” the bad guys.

For example, let’s have a DOJ review of any officer involved shooting, which if warranted should be prosecuted by the DOJ in a federal court.

For example, let’s put pressure on the various State and City Gooferments to protect their citizens. The murder rate in Chicago specifically is unacceptable.

With those reforms, let’s see if there is a real problem or if it’s just “optics”.

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INSPIRATIONAL: “Worrying takes up cognitive resources”

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/expressing-ourselves-through-writing-helps-us-handle-stress.html

Expressing Ourselves Through Writing Helps Us Handle Stress
By: Katie Medlock September 23, 2017

*** begin quote ***

“Worrying takes up cognitive resources; it’s kind of like people who struggle with worry are constantly multitasking—they are doing one task and trying to monitor and suppress their worries at the same time,” lead author Hans Schroder, an MSU doctoral student in psychology and a clinical intern at Harvard Medical School’s McLean Hospital, told Science Daily. “Our findings show that if you get these worries out of your head through expressive writing, those cognitive resources are freed up to work toward the task you’re completing and you become more efficient.”

*** end quote ***

Interesting. I should try this since lately I’ve been worrying a lot. That in and of itself IS very unusual for me since I think I am a “take it as it comes and roll with the seas” kinda of fellow. As a fat old white guy retired injineer who’s a poor old senior citizen on a fixed income, I tend to plan a lot. 

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower

Always have a Plan B, Plan C, and as many others as is unreasonable. (Once I had alternatives up to the letter M and never needed any of them.)

I wonder if it is the physical act of writing or will an online journal do?

Hmmmmmmm?

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RANT: Thoughts on NFL players protesting during the national anthem

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

*** begin quote ***

What are your thoughts on NFL players protesting during the national anthem? Send your comments, which we may edit before publication, to 10point@wsj.com

*** end quote ***

Quite frankly, it appears childish showboating.

These are MP4B = “Millionaires Playing For Billionaires”. And, they have no connection to the people they are supposedly protesting for.

What have they done to fix the problem. They are just not that important.

The head of the Salvation Army does more every day than these prima donnas do in a lifetime fmpov. And, it’s divisive and counterproductive. For example, it distracts from the serious problems of the day  — Puerto Rico and its finances; flood relief and the long term solutions; and our economic timebombs.

BTW this criticism goes to DJT45; he should be focused on, as Ronald Reagan said, the two or three things a President can get done.

Argh! A plague on all their houses.

I feel for the Gold Star Moms, the widows and orphans, and the boys and girls in harm’s way.

Let’s bring all the girls, boys, women, and men home now! We have so many politicians and bureaucrats to send in their place if it’s really needed! 

f. j. reinke

— 
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” —Reinhold Niebuhr

—-Ferdinand John Reinke…

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POLITICAL: Ron Paul’s simple solution to Korea

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2017/09/ron-paul/how-to-end-the-korea-crisis/

How To End the Korea Crisis

By Ron Paul

Ron Paul Institute

September 26, 2017

*** begin quote ***

Here’s how to solve the seven-decade old crisis: pull all US troops out of North Korea; end all military exercises on the North Korean border; encourage direct talks between the North and South and offer to host or observe them with an international delegation including the Russians and Chinese, which are after all Korea’s neighbors.

*** end quote ***

Seems that a most simple strategy?

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POLITICAL:

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RANT: Gooferment “welfare” trains people to “starve”

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

From personal experience of four people I know, I have concluded that Gooferment “welfare” is the most destructive and personality eroding program that I have ever seen. It literally gives people enough to make them “lazy” and dependent while not giving them enough to not “starve”. Here in the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee, the “standard amount” seems to be about 12k$ per year — give or take. Apartment rentals are easily that; so they are force into Section 8 or “low income” units. Quality varies all over the spectrum. Since folks are starving, they are “forced” on to “food stamps” and “food banks”.

So what if there was no Gooferment welfare, in both cases I know, the first individual’s family could take care of their relative pretty easily. In the second and third case, they could get jobs. And, in the fourth case, employment would be a challenge.

Would they all be better off? Undoubtedly, imho.

Instead, two “sponge”, the third seeks “off the books” income from the underground economy and small lottery wins, and the fourth is just a lost soul. The fourth is overwhelmed by “poverty thinking”.

It’s so sad. 

Extend that experience to the vast numbers on the public dole, and it is a “human disaster” of epic proportions.

As I have said before, “there are too many in the wagon and to few pulling the wagon”.

Sooner or later, the “makers” will convert to “takers” out of frustration with the “system”. But the “system” is great for creating voters for politicians and bureaucrats who promise and give “free” stuff.

Argh!

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WSJ: How SHOULD it be construed?

Monday, September 25, 2017

2017-Sep-25

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The absence of our team for the national anthem shouldn’t be misconstrued as unpatriotic.”

A statement from the Tennessee Titans on the team’s not taking the field at all for the national anthem. Players around the NFL demonstrated before games Sunday as part of an escalating feud between President Trump and the professional sports world.

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I’m sorry how SHOULD it be construed?

I thought this was a violation of the NFL rules and contractual arrangements?

Argh!

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SERVICE: Mercedes supports What3Words

Monday, September 25, 2017

Dear Ferdinand,

It has been another epic month at what3words, and I’m delighted to announce that Mercedes-Benz will be the first car manufacturer to support 3 word addresses in their vehicles.

what3words will be built into their next generation infotainment system, launching early next year.

Drivers will be able to get into a new Mercedes-Benz, say a 3 word address, such as “alive caveman bends” and it will navigate them to that precise 3 metre square on the Trollstigen in Norway.

“This Could Be Mercedes’ Next Step Toward a Self-Driving Benz” – Fortune

“Best new in-car tech: 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show” – AutoTrader

“Stunning New System Used By Mercedes” – Forbes

Click here to read more and watch the film.

In other news this month, we received further recognition of our work at Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards and spoke at Helsinki Design Week alongside world-renowned architect and designer David Adjaye.

We discussed the difficulties of the UK postcode system with BBC News, and how what3words is now being used by some of London’s emergency services. And 3 word addresses are helping to coordinate rescue teams following the earthquakes in Mexico City.

You can read all about these and more on our site.

********

A great idea that would make life easier globally.

**********

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INTERESTING: In a very sad sort of way

Monday, September 25, 2017

http://collectivelyconscious.net/articles/20-words-that-describes-emotions-we-can-feel-but-just-cant-explain/

*** begin quote *** 

14. Ellipsism:

(n) A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.

*** end quote ***

I recently had this feeling — which I never had; not maybe never recognized — when helping to care for a newborn. When he’s 20, I’ll be 90. When he’s 40, I’d be 120. Unless there is a “miracle of modern medicine”, I won’t be around to see how he makes out. Will he thrice or even survive?

It’s like reading a mystery novel and losing it before you find out who done it.

I think there were a MASH and a HIMYM episode, each like this.

Argh!

Frustrating, but nothing that can be done about it.

Maybe “we” should invent a “reverse time capsule”?

Double Argh!

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MONEY: “Public” pensions should be under scrutiny by both taxpayers and potential recipients

Sunday, September 24, 2017

http://www.jasonstapleton.com/651-this-time-its-different-really/

*** begin quote ***

Great article out of Zero Hedge today covering the current pension crisis in America. If you’ve listened to this show for any length of time, you know the public pension system is wrecked. But this article really went into detail about how it all might shape out in the end. Let’s just say it’s not a rosy picture. Like Mauldin says, “There are no good choices anymore.”

*** end quote ***

An excellent point that BOTH taxpayers and those future “public” pension recipients should be very skeptical and demanding that the politicians and bureaucrats be accountable.

Political promises are worth the paper that they are printed on. (Hint: It’s all oral.)

Forewarned is fore armed.

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Posted by reinkefj

WSJ: Gooferment “retirement” promises should be suspect

Thursday, September 21, 2017

FROM WSJ

*** begin quote ***

NUMBER OF THE DAY

$645 billion

The amount U.S. states as a group will need to pay the retiree health benefits they have promised. Under accounting guidelines that apply to most governments, states and cities around the country will book the losses on their balance sheets starting in fiscal 2018—a shift that could potentially lead to cuts in retiree heath benefits.

*** end quote ***

I know some Gooferment employees who assume that their “pensions” are rock solid guaranteed. I try to caution them to be skeptical, but like the “Delphic Oracle” I can sway them.

So sad.

But one very ugly chicken is coming home to roost.

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NUMBER OF THE DAY
$645 billion
The amount U.S. states as a group will need to pay the retiree health benefits they have promised. Under accounting guidelines that apply to most governments, states and cities around the country will book the losses on their balance sheets starting in fiscal 2018—a shift that could potentially lead to cuts in retiree heath benefits.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Equifax offers but doesn’t make it eay

Monday, September 18, 2017

https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/

*** begin quote ***

The company offered free credit file monitoring and identity theft protection to all U.S. consumers, regardless of whether they were definitively impacted.TrustedID Premier includes 3-Bureau credit monitoring of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion credit reports; copies of Equifax credit reports; the ability to lock and unlock Equifax credit reports; identity theft insurance; and Internet scanning for Social Security numbers.

*** end quote ***

How?

Question unanswered.

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: GLASSESUSA doesn’t fix things

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Dear Ferdinand,

Order # 100709412

We understand your concern. But we do not provide this service. You can do it locally.

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at returns@glassesusa.com.

Thank you for choosing to shop with us.

Regards,

Returns Department
GlassesUSA.com

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NOT RECOMMENDED!

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: NFL cities versus teams

Monday, September 11, 2017

Watching the “Los Angeles” Chargers!

I guess the cities are disconnected from “their” teams.

Maybe the low ratings are not because of politics but the lack of loyalty to the cities that have “invested” their taxpayers money and the fans that have an emotional connections.

Maybe the “circuses” are losing their appeal to the suckers?

*****

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Posted by reinkefj

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