GUNS: Gun owner makes a bad mistake

Saturday, September 3, 2011

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110825/NEWS01/708259776

Published: Thursday, August 25, 2011
Arlington man who fatally shot burglar gets 12 years for murder
By Diana Hefley, Herald Writer

*** begin quote ***

EVERETT — In the end, a judge decided that the case wasn’t about a murder.

What Keira Earhart did was more akin to manslaughter, Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Larry McKeeman concluded on Wednesday. He sentenced the Arlington man to a dozen years in prison — three years below the standard range.

Earhart shot Ryan Rzechula in the back on Nov. 16, 2009. Earhart, 39, encountered Rzechula about three hours after a break-in at his Arlington house, a quarter-mile away. Earhart had gone looking for the burglar and his wife’s missing jewelry. He suspected that Rzechula, 25, was responsible for the break-in and called 911.

*** end quote ***

“Shoot, shovel, and shut up” only applies if you can get to shovel without interruption. Humans generally attract more attention. Especially if you call 911.

If you call the donut eaters, you have to be happy with their “service”.

Plus pursuit is dumb since the perp may have acquired a bigger better gun.

That “three hours” is going to weigh against him.

Too bad since now we’ll have to listen to all the anit-gun propaganda.

“Gun control has nothing to do with guns and everything to do with control.” — Mark Steyn

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Posted by reinkefj

ADMINISTRIVIA: LULU coupon

Friday, September 2, 2011

Enter coupon code AWESOME305 at checkout and receive 15% off your order. The maximum savings for this offer is $25. Sorry, but this offer is only valid in US Dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can’t use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expires on September 30, 2011 at 11:59 PM, so don’t miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so. This coupon is good for self-purchases (i.e., Authors buying their own books) and/or it can be shared with Readers and Buyers. Lulu incurs the cost of this discount, so it does not impact the Author’s proceeds of the book. This coupon will work for multiple titles but savings cannot go past the maximum of $25. Finally, this coupon does not pertain to shipping costs or taxes.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Sep-02 @ 09:46

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RANT: A smart guy is a liberal

Friday, September 2, 2011

http://www.keywestlou.com/2011/09/yesterday-morning-golf-terrific-time-i.html

My Life in Key West
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
Key West Lou

*** begin quote ***

Included topic wise will be some comment on the many CEO’s of major corporations whose pay is greater than what their companies pay in taxes. In most instances, the major coprporations pay no taxes.

Which…..proves the point that our tax system is out of whack and needs replacing. Too many loopholes. I say throw the whole thing out and go to a flat tax.

Another item to be discussed is the proposed law in California to require minimum wage to be paid adult babysitters. That does not bother me. Most babysitters are well paid. Much more per hour than minimum wage.

*** end quote ***

The correct corporate tax rate is ZERO! Corporations don’t pay taxes; only real human beings pay taxes. A corporation is a fiction. All it does it pass along its costs in its products and services. For real people to pay. The Gooferment loves this because it hides taxation. Buy a can of beans. How much tax did you pay hidden in that can? Don’t forget the gasoline tax to deliver those cans. You’ll never be able to figure it out and that’s exactly the point. If the corporation can’t cover its costs, it goes out of business. It’s a joke.

If people knew the true cost of Gooferment, it’d be the French Revolution all over again.

Minimum wage laws are dumb. If you and I agree on a wage, what right does the Gooferment have to tell us we can’t? It ensures that we have unemployment. When is “nothing” better than “something”? When the Gooferment can “give” welfare under the guise of “helping”. Argh! To preempt the argument of “living wage”, don’t we have the “earned income tax credit”? Argh!

Minimum wage is a tax on business which gets passed along in higher prices. Argh!

And, don’t forget inflation. The cruelest tax on people. Especially the poor, those on fixed incomes. Your wealth is stolen silently. And, don’t tell me there’s no inflation. Like 9% unemployment, zero inflation is a cruel Gooferment joke. Save your cereal boxes, write the price paid on the box, compare a few boxes. Watch the contents go down as the price goes up. Then tell me there’s no inflation.

Liberals are so naive.

September 1, 2011 8:56 AM

# # # # #  

And, as far as the Flat Tax or the Fair Tax, that’s just the politician’s smokescreen for MORE taxes.

Luddite and I squabble about this all the time. (Or at least every time he brings it up!)

The net result will be the USA will have both a INCOME tax and a VAT. Just like in Europe.

Our problem is NOT taxation.

Our problem is the Welfare / Warfare State funded with dishonest fiat money.

“We, The Sheeple” are too stupid to understand that they are getting shorn, <synonym for the past tense of the procreation act>, and tattooed!

And when “they” are herding “us” on to the rail cars for a ride to the camps, everyone will be praising the politicians and bureaucrats for the “free vacation”.

Secession!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Parents are too stupid to feed their children?

Friday, September 2, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/93908.html

Parents Aren’t Safe
Posted by Karen De Coster on August 30, 2011 05:12 AM

*** begin quote ***

Here’s another way for the government-media safety parade propaganda machine to sell folks on the dangers of biological parents and the “safety” of our government parents: thanks to parental negligence, kids bring “unsafe” lunches to school that are ripe for bacteria. As usual, researchers study something – anything – that is insignificant and turn the non-issue into a major safety issue to be chatted about endlessly by the gullible media halfwits. And this news leads to a media storm and suggestions for treating your kid’s lunch like an organ being shipped off for transplant.

*** end quote ***

I just shake my head. It’s a miracle that the human race can survive without “our betters in Gooferment” telling us how to feed children.

Maybe if “We, The Sheeple” didn’t mandate sending them to prison, then they could be safely fed at home while they are being home schooled. And, parents, who choose to send their children to school elsewhere than home, would take care of the issue of safe food.

Maybe there should be no food in school? Didn’t the media just tell us that the kids are too fat?

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Aug-30 @ 11:22

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INTERESTING: Self-plagiarism?

Thursday, September 1, 2011

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ithenticate-examines-the-ethics-of-self-plagiarism-in-new-white-paper-128586423.html

iThenticate Examines “The Ethics of Self-Plagiarism” in New White Paper

*** begin quote ***

“Self-plagiarism is one of the most potentially dangerous forms of misconduct in scholarly research due to the lack of understanding of the ethics involved in repurposing one’s own work,” said Robert Creutz, general manager of iThenticate, iParadigms’ plagiarism checking software for scholarly publishers and researchers. “This white paper offers a clear definition of self-plagiarism and how authors and publishers can avoid this issue and the costly retractions associated it.”

The pressure to publish, combined with an ever-growing body of scholarly research, makes it difficult for publishers and institutions to investigate and prevent cases of self-plagiarism. The issue continues to be a major source of misconduct and cause for retractions in scholarly research. Most recently, a noted Brazilian entomologist was forced to retract a paper for self-plagiarism.

According to the report, “self-plagiarism is defined as a type of plagiarism in which the writer republishes a work in its entirety or reuses portions of a previously written text while authoring a new work. Writers often maintain that because they are the authors, they can use the work again as they wish; they can’t really plagiarize themselves because they are not taking any words or ideas from someone else. But while the discussion continues on whether self-plagiarism is possible, the ethical issue of self-plagiarism is significant, especially because self-plagiarism can infringe upon a publisher’s copyright. Traditional definitions of plagiarism do not account for self-plagiarism, so writers may be unaware of the ethics and laws involved in reusing or repurposing texts.”

*** end quote ***

This definitely sounds strange to me.

I guess it’s possible if I sold the rights to something and then reused it.

I guess Paterson writing the Alex Cross series is guilty?

Makes no sense, unless in selling, I promised exclusivity?

Yet another concept I really don’t understand.

Good thing no one wants to buy my writing.

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JOBFINDING: Project leader

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Good morning John

I just got a note from a manufacturing client that they are looking for a Project Leader who can become the Director.

You can read his note as to what they need. If this is you or someone you could recommend please let me know so we can move forward quickly.

“As mentioned previously … we are in the process of consolidating 2 companies … and moving to a single ERP.

My immediate needs are for a project leader who will drive the ERP implementation in one of the business units.

This means working with all functions and getting their modules up and running and then training the personnel on the use of the ERP.

The skill set here is mostly PROJECT LEADERSHIP … good planning skill, excellent communication skills, experience in installing an ERP or converting to a new ERP, Manufacturing Experience, Understanding of Sale, Marketing, Customer Service, Production, Finance and Accounting, Logistics would all be valuable in this role.

Secondly, this person will be evaluated for the ultimate role of Director of MIS for the total business. So, IT background with experience in managing an MIS function, knowledge of Hardware, Software, Networks, Helpdesk, Communicatons would be needed.

Ideally, the candidate would be an energetic up and comer looking for a Director of MIS position who would be willing to prove his/her abilities by bringing the business onto a single ERP platform, managing that process and then walking into the Director’s chair.

Our business is global with sites in Italy, UK, US, China, Japan and soon India … so there are a lot of IT challenges and opportunities.

We need an effective Leader, Implementer, Very Organized, Team Player with excellent IT and Business skills.

Base Salary will be in the low hundred range with a bonus.

The area is very affordable as well.

Dan Spencer, CPC

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Sep-01 @ 10:31

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INSPIRATIONAL: The “infamous Florena Budwin”

Thursday, September 1, 2011

http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/?p=4284

Confederate Prison Site Turned National Cemetery
By Ron Walters August 15, 2011 at 11:52 am

*** begin quote ***

Not far from the trenches a single headstone sits apart, bearing the name Florena Budwin. Her life was a fascinating one. Having disguised herself as a man to follow her husband into battle, she was captured and interned at the notorious Andersonville prison and later moved to the Florence stockade. Owing to meager rations and disease at the prison, she fell ill. The doctor who treated her uncovered her carefully guarded secret. Following her recovery, she stayed on at the prison to nurse her fellow soldiers, fell ill again, and died in January 1865.

*** end quote ***

Interesting that women “snuck” in to fight?

The blurb on this post says: “the infamous Florena Budwin”

Why “infamous”?

Inspirational that she said as a nurse.

Women are “tough stuff”.

Like the joke says, “if men had to have babies, the human race would have end after the first generation”.

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MONEY: The risk of bonds when the Gooferment gets “active”

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-usa-obama-housing-idUSTRE77T6DV20110831

White House could unveil mortgage plan next week
By Margaret Chadbourn
WASHINGTON | Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:40am EDT

*** begin quote ***

While mortgage rates have been hovering around record low levels, banks remain stingy with lending although they are sitting on more than $1 trillion in excess reserves. Homeowners without a job or good credit histories have been essentially shut out of the refinancing process.

Some investors say the economic benefit of a government-encouraged refinancing wave would be minimal.

“It’s a political hail Mary. It’s unclear why they want to throw a monkey wrench into a $5 trillion market,” said John Kerschner, head of securitized products at Janus Capital Group in Denver. He said the net benefits for the economy are negligible, perhaps adding $20 billion to $30 billion “at best” to the U.S. economy.

*** end quote ***

Old King Canute, aka BHO44, is trying to pick winners and losers again.

The Gooferment has nothing. All it can do is move “stuff” around. The “poor homeowners” are going to be the “winners” and the “rich bondholders” will be the losers.

In actuality, the winners are the politicians and bureaucrats. They will be rewarded by the lobbyists and the voters.

Aren’t these the same “bad assets” that we bought, or were supposed to buy, under one of the many TARPs?

Sorry, but wishing doesn’t make it so.

Any wonder why I’m a Gold Bug? Told you not to get caught in the bear trap (i.e., move to the “safety” of bonds from “risky” stocks”).

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ADMINISTRIVIA: Scheduled my next platelet donation for September

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Here’s my prompt:

*** begin quote ***

Hello Ferdinand,

Find us on Facebook!

We at the Blood Center of New Jersey would like to thank you for your Apheresis donation on 08/26/2011. The need for blood and blood products by our local hospitals and medical centers has become even more critical in recent years. Your A Positive donation is greatly appreciated by us and the patient(s) it helps.

Thank you for participating in our e-donor program by supplying your email address. We hope this will be a great service for our donors in that it allows us to notify you directly and quickly of matters of importance to you and your community. For example, this is the fastest way to get your cholesterol results back to you. You will still receive a donation card in the mail a couple of weeks from now.

*** end quote ***

When’s yours?

Lotta people need help. Make the same help, that Our Girl got, available to them.

Talks cheap; blood or platelet donation is easy.

So, in the words of a long lost injineering prof: “You’re probably not too stupid to bleed correctly. Go prove me wrong. Class dismissed.”

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FUN: A Congress of … …

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

FROM LUDITE

The English language has some wonderfully anthropomorphic collective nouns for the various groups of animals.

We are all familiar with a Herd of cows, a Flock of chickens, a School of fish and a Gaggle of geese. However, less widely known is a Pride of lions, a Murder of crows (as well as their cousins the rooks and ravens), an Exaltation of doves and, presumably because they look so wise, a Parliament of owls.

Now consider a group of Baboons. They are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates. And what is the proper collective noun for a group of baboons? Believe it or not ……. a Congress! I guess that pretty much explains the things that come out of Washington ! A Congress of Baboons!

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Clearly an insult to baboons everywhere.

ROFL!

Now what “anthropomorphic collective nouns” to outraged taxpayers?

The Tea Party?

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: The USA needs the H1B visa

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

http://www.wimp.com/kakusecret/

On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 9:45 AM, LUDDITE wrote:

Interesting discussion.

Click here: Dr. Michio Kaku: America has a secret weapon. [VIDEO]

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So why don’t we have a little L libertarian immigration policy? Open up the borders to folks who want to work. Show up at the border, get a free medical check, give your dna – fingerprint – picture, agree not to take welfare, and here’s your “green card” — welcome to America, land of opportunity. Commit a crime, you’re on the first thing going “home”.

And, while we are at it, let’s ween our own folks off welfare. Welfare is reduced 5% per year for the next 20 years. Minimum wage decreased 5% per year for the next 20 years.

“(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” ended.

Bet we’ll have a boom!

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POLITICAL: “Tax the Rich” nonsense

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

http://www.downsizedcfoundation.org/blog/how-warren-buffett-is-wrong

How Warren Buffett Is Wrong
Posted by Perry Willis — August 21, 2011

*** begin quote ***

We disagree. We think Mr. Buffett’s investments do more social good than his taxes do. Here’s why…

None of Mr. Buffett’s companies use force to compel people to do business with them, but everything The States does relies on coercion. This automatically makes Mr. Buffett’s investments better than his tax payments. In addition….

*** and ***

Mr. Buffett is also scamming us in another way. He wants us to believe that wealthy Americans have been doing less to fund the Leviathan State. He wrote in The New York Times….

“Since 1992, the I.R.S. has compiled data from the returns of the 400 Americans reporting the largest income. In 1992, the top 400 had aggregate taxable income of $16.9 billion and paid federal taxes of 29.2% on that sum. In 2008, the aggregate income of the highest 400 had soared to $90.9 billion… but the rate paid had fallen to 21.5%”

We say that Mr. Buffett is using percentages in order to deceive. Here’s how those percentages work out in terms of dollars….

In 1992 the top 400 wealth generators paid $4.9 billion in taxes.

In 2008 the top 400 wealth generators paid $19.5 billion in taxes.

Can you see how Mr. Buffett’s scam works? The percentage of income paid in taxes went down, but the amount of taxes paid in dollars actually ROSE, by a multiple of 4 in 16 years!

*** end quote ***

And, he has reinforced the image that the takers in the USA have a moral argument to take more.

“Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” Colonel Jessep in A Few Good Men played by Jack Nicholson

While Warren has more money than I ever will, it doesn’t give him “high priesthood” status.

The Gooferment is the referee; not the “beauty contest judge”.

We need more rowers and less free riders!

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MONEY: Stealing from the poor and working class

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=339129#ixzz1WWLEj7y4

Kudos to Perry and Paul
Pat Buchanan
Posted: August 29, 2011

*** begin quote ***

What should be done to high officials of the U.S. government who consciously set out to dilute and destroy the savings and income of working Americans? What should be done to those who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution and then steal the wealth of citizens by secretly manipulating the value of the currency, the store of wealth upon which those people depend?

*** end quote ***

An excellent question?

Linkage of the dollar to gold would prevent this. That’s Ron Paul’s attack on the FED and out of control Gooferment spending.

Think it’ll ever happen?

The politicians and bureaucrats will fight tooth and nail to keep their unlimited checkbook.

Maybe the Chinese will help us out?

After all one can print money, but you can’t print wealth.

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SOFTWARE: TextExpander ON THE IPAD NG

Monday, August 29, 2011

From: TextExpander Support <textexpander@smileonmymac.com>
Date: August 20, 2011 21:57:05 EDT
To: reinkefj
Subject: Re: Maybe I don’t understand …

Hello,

Unfortunately TextExpander touch lives within the limitations of the iOS platform, and cannot expand system-wide like it can on a Mac. Because of that we offer an SDK to iOS app developers, and over 120 apps include TextExpander touch support, including most of the popular Twitter, note, and to-do apps:

http://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/touch/apps

So, on your iPad you are only able to use TextExpander within these applications, or its own editor, but not Apple’s apps such as Mail, Safari or Pages.

Thanks for using TextExpander from Smile!

Regards,
Jordan
TextExpander Support
textexpander@smilesoftware.com
http://www.smilesoftware.com/textexpander

—

Smile. Software that’s just right.

PDFpen, DiscLabel, TextExpander, TextExpander touch, PageSender

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SmileSoftware

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SmileSoftware

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ARGH! DIDN’T EXPLAIN THAT BEFORE THEY SOLD IT.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Aug-29 @ 16:50

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MONEY: Interesting approach to a niche way to save

Monday, August 29, 2011

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/08/21/reader-story-geographic-arbitrage-in-real-life/

Reader Story: Geographic Arbitrage in Real Life
Sunday, 21st August 2011 (by J.D. Roth)

*** begin quote ***

You can save money by traveling to a place where a given item is cheaper to buy, but time and travel costs need to be considered which may negate any savings. But because I travel regularly, usually by car, to visit family members (mine and spouse’s), I’m able to take advantage of pricing differences between my home area and theirs.

Though it may sound like it, I’m not exploiting overall cost of living differences in the sense that it’s generally cheaper to live in Tennessee than in California. This is an item-specific phenomenon, so it works for me when I visit family members, and it works for them (on different items) when they visit me. Below are some examples of how this has helped me save money.

*** end quote ***

I don’t travel that much.

Yet!

Perhaps there’s a interest in this strategy.

The only time I ever did anything like this was bringing home cheap butts for the in-laws.

That was before instituting my Zen-like policy of “I don’t have anything to do cigarettes”. Part of “walking gently on the earth”.

:-)

Sigh!

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HARDWARE: One quick ride?

Sunday, August 28, 2011

http://matadornetwork.com/sports/the-fastest-radio-controlled-airplane-youve-ever-seen-vid/

The fastest radio-controlled airplane you’ve ever seen [VID]

by CARLO ALCOS on AUGUST 16, 2011

*** begin quote ***

I’ve never seen anything like this though: according to the YouTube page, this remote-controlled airplane (a Jetcat P160 SE powered scout) is traveling at 586 km/h (366 mph). The RC jet’s designer, Hans Litjens, says in this forum post that the takeoff weight of the plane is 6.5 kg and that the turbine in the above video is not at its maximum RPM. It takes 2L of kerosene which is stored in the wings.

*** end quote ***

Wow, impressive. Sigh. Too be young again!

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ADMINISTRIVIA: Power outage

Sunday, August 28, 2011

On battery back up, network throughput terrible, have to wait for power to come back on.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Aug-28 @ 11:51

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INTERESTING: Mark Steyn argues financial collapse

Sunday, August 28, 2011

http://www.booktv.org/Program/12751/quotAfter+America+Get+Ready+For+Armageddonquot.aspx

“After America: Get Ready For Armageddon”
Mark Steyn

About the Program

Mark Steyn argues that the United States is destined for financial collapse and a decline in its role as a world leader if current political and cultural norms continue. The author contends that American debt has placed the country in a precarious position and that regulation and lack of innovation have become hallmarks of the country’s business climate. Mark Steyn speaks at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Political Library at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.

About the Authors

Mark Steyn is a syndicated columnist, whose writing has appeared in several publications, including the National Review, The Irish Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Steyn is the author of America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It. For more information, visit steynonline.com.

Future Airings

Sunday, September 4th at 3pm (ET)

Monday, September 5th at 10:45am (ET)

Monday, September 5th at 10:45pm (ET)

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In an attempt to escape the non-stop Irene-o-blab-a-thon, I dvr-ed anything that looked interesting. This show was pretty good and assumption challenging. FWIW

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POLITICAL: ConEd’s electrical infrastructure

Sunday, August 28, 2011

FROM THE DRUDGE REPORT

*** begin quote ***

BLOOMBERG PULLS TRIGGER: ORDERS 370,000 TO FLEE…
Staying behind ‘is against the law’…
Might shut off power in low-lying areas…
RESIDENTS IGNORE MAYOR’S ORDER…

*** end quote ***

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This caught my eye by implying that Bloomberg was going to shut down the power. I thought: “Who’s he to insert himself between ConEd and their Customers?”

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http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/con_city_warns_of_power_cutoff_as_4mYxvuBCisJTm06rBaBnLJ

City braces for Irene’s arrival: Transit shut down, some power could be cut
By CANDICE M. GIOVE, DAVID SEIFMAN and WILSON DIZARD
Last Updated: 5:15 PM, August 27, 2011
Posted: 11:36 AM, August 27, 2011

*** begin quote ***

Meanwhile, Con Edison considered zapping power to lower Manhattan starting sometime tomorrow at 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. – leaving lights out for up to three days.

Con Ed feared that flooding salt water would ruin and short out two underground networks.

“If salt water gets on these cables when they are being used the damage is substantial,” Mayor Bloomberg said.

*** end quote ***

Pretty sad statement about the ConEd electrical infrastructure.

Has to be because it’s a “regulated” monopoly?

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GUNS: Gun owners must be extra aware of the law

Saturday, August 27, 2011

http://www.gazette.com/articles/jury-123946-burglar-lot.html#ixzz1WAJvzqf5

Burglar’s family awarded $300,000 in wrongful death suit
August 26, 2011 12:13 PM
LANCE BENZEL
THE GAZETTE

*** begin quote ***

An El Paso County jury on Friday awarded nearly $300,000 to the daughter of a burglar who was fatally shot in 2009 while breaking into an auto lot.

*** end quote ***

“Make my day” law?

Sounds too good to be true.

But, there’s a fine balance to be found here.

Druggies stealing the stereos get the death penalty?

That’s over the top.

But what were the donut eaters doing for these businessmen? Taking reports.

If we ended the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” then theft probably wouldn’t necessary to support a habit.

All signs point at the stupidity of the diktats of the politicians and bureaucrats!

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RANT: Irene is real or hype?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

What is a “mandatory” diktat?

If the bozo refuses to evac, then they have to be aware that there’s not any help coming if the need it.

Politicians, may — although I doubt it — have the best of intentions, “strongly advise”, but “order”.

Argh!

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MONEY: Savings Bonds?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/opinion/save-the-savings-bond.html

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR
Save the Savings Bond
By FRED T. GOLDBERG Jr. and PETER TUFANO
Published: August 18, 2011

*** begin quote ***

FOR generations of children, the idea of saving first became real when a savings bond landed in a birthday or holiday card, the image of a famous American staring out from the elaborate, earth-tone etching on a stately certificate. These fond memories may explain why this year nearly 50,000 Americans — the vast majority of them modest wage-earners — decided, under a new I.R.S. policy, to buy savings bonds with a portion of their precious tax refunds.

*** end quote ***

sorry but if I was buing for a youth, I’d buy a bullion coin.

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ADMINISTRIVIA: I’m giving (gave) a bag of platelets today

Friday, August 26, 2011

With all the talking heads talking about the storm, no one has mentioned blood supplies.

When ever Frau Reinke needed some, it was there. Even during a snow storm twice. She needed it and someone had donated it.

Thanks to those people, she survived as long as she did.

Now you know this stuff is perishable. And, you know it doesn’t grow on trees … yet. (They are working on some genetically egnineered stuff. But it ain’t here yet.)

So, in the words of a long lost injineering prof: “You’re probably not too stupid to bleed correctly. Go prove me wrong. Class dismissed.”

(The stupidity started immediately after donation down at the local tavern — Greenleaf. Although there was substantial support for the Pinewood. Greenleaf was closer. Ahh to be young again, maybe I should have went the extra mile — probably only 250 feet. But why waste time.)

So what’s your excuse!

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Update:

I survived. They took two bags. ~700+ ml. Guess that will make three bag full for some needy soul or souls.

Makes “my” debt 72 bags. :-)

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WRITING: The 1957 Hungarian Pie Plate (an index card novel)

Friday, August 26, 2011

The 1957 Hungarian Pie Plate

Dearest Emily,

Miss you. Love you. Be back soon.

Well, as soon as I get the travel permits. I have so much to tell you.

Grand cousin’s estate is now settled here. It was very simple as expected. The family will now know what he was doing for the last 35 years. The weirdo was inventing. It turns out he was instrumental in Vermont Independence. Sounds a little Communistic but he’s a “Hero of the Revolution”. There are a lot, but his speciifcally has ribbons and clusters that I do understand. Nor remember. I’m told its among the highest.

The arrival was interesting. Crossing the border on our side, I had to <***** REDACTED BY HOMELAND SECURITY *****> but once on the other side all I had to do was lick my thumb, press a button, my picture was taken, and the machine dispensed the equivalent of our green card. Their’s is gold, issued by an insurance company, and acts as a real time credit card. Cousin guaranteed the whole family. So it also issued me some various denomination paper and gold coins. If allowed, I’ll bring some home for you to see. <***** WARNING BY HOMELAND SECURITY — foreign money may not be imported; it’s taxed at 100% *****> We should all come for a visit if we can get permits. <***** WARNING BY HOMELAND SECURITY — entire families are not permitted out of the country together *****>

Cousin invented a novel solution. Remember he was always concerned about what would happen if New Hampshire succeeded? Would the Federal Government roll tanks? Of course, the answer was yes. We know how well that worked out. <***** REDACTED BY HOMELAND SECURITY *****> He invented a distributed solution and wrote an IPAD app for it. Basically, the app was like FourSquare where “friends” voted on picture. Threat or no threat? No one is sure where the app is hosted or how it runs, but if enough votes are cast, this think called a “turtle” drops in and soon after things start to appear. Most common is what the natives call “pie plates”. They come in like frisbees. If a tank rolls over them, bang. One less tank. Any attempt to move them, bang. People can step on them; cars can drive over them. They are targeted on the tank. Should the tank fire on and destroy the turtle. One on the pie plates morphs into a turtle. Once targeted, most tank crews abandon the tanks and walk back to the border. Never did find out how the local got rid of these road blocks. They are all over the state on almost every road.

Cousin had a bunch of other inventions — the P51 Mosquito that would do the same thing to something flying, the Red Baron Butterfly that would protect people, and the 1911 R2D2 that would attack troops with a 10 shot 45 cal hand gun. All controlled from the same app. <***** WARNING BY HOMELAND SECURITY — non approved material is not importable – for your own safety *****>

He’s famous here and infamous on our side.

As you know they have no patents here, but some how his company, no corporations here either, is very profitable. It’s invented a solar power unicycle that is quite fun. I’ll bring one home.

If it wasn’t for my love for you, I’d stay. Be home soon. Waiting on approvals and reeducation.

All my love,
Ricardo

p.s., Cousin would be so pleased. Ferdinand and Ferdinanina are now a very popular name for children here. He got his wish — namesakes.

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INSPIRATIONAL: West Point’s code

Thursday, August 25, 2011

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903327904576524680928198272.html

MAIN STREETAUGUST 22, 2011, 11:09 P.M. ET
Duty, Honor, Football
What West Point could teach Miami.

*** begin quote ***

The ingredients of Miami’s vices—the nightclubs, the prostitutes, the yachts—make it far juicier than the typical pay-for-play. The scandal here is not that teenage football players behave badly when a wealthy benefactor indulges their every appetite. The scandal is what it says about the impoverished sense of community on our college and university campuses, and the fecklessness of those who know better.

*** end quote ***

Time for the NCAA to admit it’s all about the Benjamins and drop the pretense of “amateur”. But then what do we accept bad conduct from our politicians?

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TECHNOLOGY: The hidden meaning of pronouns

Thursday, August 25, 2011

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-language-code

Mind Matters | Mind & Brain
The Secret Language Code
Psychologist James Pennebaker reveals the hidden meaning of pronouns
By Gareth Cook | August 16, 2011 | 5

*** begin quote ***

These differences hold up across written and spoken language and most other languages that we have studied. You can’t help but marvel at the fact that we are all bombarded by words from women and men every day of our lives and most of us have never “heard” these sex differences in language. Part of the problem is that our brains aren’t wired to listen to pronouns, articles, prepositions, and other “junk” words. When we listen to another person, we typically focus on what they are saying rather than how they are saying it.

Men and women use language differently because they negotiate their worlds differently. Across dozens and dozens of studies, women tend to talk more about other human beings. Men, on the other hand, are more interested in concrete objects and things. To talk about human relationships requires social and cognitive words. To talk about concrete objects, you need concrete nouns which typically demand the use of articles.

No matter what your sex, if you have to explain that Sally is leaving her husband because of her new lover, you have to make references to all the actors and you have to do some fairly complex cognitive analyses. If you have to explain why your carburetor in your car is broken, your causal analysis will likely be relatively pallid and will involve referring to concrete nouns.

*** end quote ***

So where is the website that analyzes my emails and tells me what a wack job I am? I can use the dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) to figure out how to get from here to there.

Argh!

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