RANT: Blood Center of New Jersey shuts down

Monday, January 5, 2015

December 15, 2014

Dear Valued Donor:

I am writing to let you know about important news affecting the Blood Center of New Jersey (BCNJ). As you may know, the blood center has experienced significant financial difficulties over the past several years. To better serve the community, the Board of Trustees has taken steps to transition our operations to Community Blood Services (CBS), one of the oldest and largest New Jersey-based blood centers.

There are some legal processes to complete before the transition is completed, but BCNJ and CBS are working together to ensure that the transfer of operations occurs with minimal inconvenience to our donors and customers. We expect to know more in the next several weeks but until then, our blood centers are open and we and CBS are conducting blood drives throughout the area.

I urge you to continue to donate blood and to encourage friends and family to join you to assure a strong blood supply for the holidays. We will keep you posted on our news and hope to see you on a drive soon.

Sincerely,

BLOOD CENTER OF NEW JERSEY

Thomas R. Koester
Chief Financial Officer

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Argh! No wonder my platelet donations have been screwed up. 

I’ve rescheduled with ARC.

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

LIBERTY: Jury Nullification is alive and well in Kansas

Monday, January 5, 2015

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/12/30/if-you-do-not-have-a-reasonable-doubt-then-you-will-enter-a-verdict-of-guilty/

The Volokh Conspiracy
‘If you do not have a reasonable doubt … then you will enter a verdict of guilty’
By Eugene Volokh December 30, 2014
From the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision in State v. Smith-Parker (Kan. Dec. 24, 2014):

*** begin quote ***

The [jury] instruction read: “If you do not have a reasonable doubt from all the evidence that the State has proven murder in the first degree on either or both theories, then you will enter a verdict of guilty.” (Emphasis added.) According to Smith-Parker, the instruction should have been identical to the general reasonable doubt instruction that was also given. That instruction said: “If you have no reasonable doubt as to the truth of each of the claims required to be proved by the State, you should find the defendant guilty.” (Emphasis added.) …

*** end quote ***

Note the nuance that the Big Gooferment uses to keep “We, The Sheeple” ignorant of their right to judge the law.

That’s why I never get on a jury.

Remember: No victim; no crime. 

Vice, drugs, etc. etc. — if they can’t show blood or treasure lost, then not guilty.

Argh!

Sheeple!

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Cartoonist in Jail

Sunday, January 4, 2015

http://www.laweekly.com/publicspectacle/2014/12/31/when-a-cartoonist-landed-in-la-county-jail-she-drew-what-she-saw-using-only-a-golf-pencil

First Person
When a Cartoonist Landed in L.A. County Jail, She Drew What She Saw, Using Only a Golf Pencil
By Elana Pritchard
Wed, Dec 31, 2014 at 4:00 AM

*** begin quote ***

In June 2014, I was arrested for violating a court order. I bailed out on July 3. But because I had no money and an overworked public defender, I knew I’d have to serve time for my violation. That’s when my mentor, animator-director Ralph Bakshi, advised me to “document my exploits.” Jailed in the women’s division of the Los Angeles County jail system for two months, I was sent first to Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) in Lynwood and then to Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles for my final three weeks. Armed with nothing more than a golf pencil and whatever paper I could get my hands on, I drew the strange world into which I’d been dropped. 

*** end quote ***

I read some of this and I was actually sickened.

And, this is supposedly a free society?

Disgraceful.

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POLITICAL: “Public” pensions need to be converted to defined contribution plans

Saturday, January 3, 2015

http://www.therightcurmudgeon.com/2014/12/the-public-employee-pension-scam/

The Public Employee Pension Scam
Commentary
Dec 30, 2014

*** begin quote ***

Every public pension fund plays this game.  CalPERS, the California State Pension system, is reporting a shortfall of $260 billion.  The problem with that number is that they are assuming a return on investment of 7.5% in order to get to the $260B number.  In and of itself, $260B isn’t pocket change, but the reality is much, much worse.

In fact, using public sector accounting rules, CalPERS shortfall is more like $986 billion.  Because the shortfall is projected over the life of the fund, when it hits it’s going to be way too late to actually do anything about it.

*** end quote ***

What the private sector is doing? Converting.

In actuality, “We, The Sheeple” should be worried.

All “pensions” should be converted to defined contribution plans!

TANSTAAFL (“There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch” From Robert Heinlein’s classic) 

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Big Insurance is a Crony Capitalist in MA

Friday, January 2, 2015

http://dailycaller.com/2014/12/26/report-massachusetts-auto-insurers-subsidized-and-calling-the-shots/

Report: Massachusetts Auto Insurers Subsidized And Calling The Shots
5:23 PM 12/26/2014
PETER FRICKE
Contributor

*** begin quote ***

A recent investigation has found that Massachusetts not only spends millions to subsidize private auto insurers, but also suspends drivers’ licenses at their request.

According to WHAV News, employees of the taxpayer-funded Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) “process paperwork and otherwise subsidize private insurance companies in the administration of ‘Driver Retraining Programs’ even when there is no state interest—criminal or civil—at stake.”

*** end quote ***

I am shocked … “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” Captain Renault in Casablanca … that the State Gooferment and Big Insurance are in cahoots.

Imagine how much cheaper “insurance” would be if it was not “regulated”.

Just as “life insurance” is cheap and easy to get and keep.

The greater the Gooferment involvement, the more expensive and “crony” it is!

Argh!

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INTERESTING: Why can’t we all use GMT as our time?

Thursday, January 1, 2015

2015-Jan-01

2015 Jan 01 NYE

I was thinking that if “we” all used GMT+0 (Zulu?) that we could all celebrate at the same time?

And, end a lot of confusion of time zones. That’s what computers do! And the US military.

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SOFTWARE: Easy installs are not always secure

Thursday, January 1, 2015

I have been playing with wikis.

I use two Website Service Providers.

(One for “production” and the other for “fun”.)

So I slapped up a MEDIAWIKI on WSP#1 and in short order it was being used by Chinese hackers.

Nuked it. And still trying to get WSP#1 to unsuspend the account.

So i put up MEDIAWIKI on WSP#2 and in short order it was being used by some other hackers.

Nuked it.

So I put up TIKI WIKI which looks like it installs in more secure start up mode.

It doesn’t install correctly.

Argh!

Depending upon how I make out with WSP#1 and WSP#2, I’ll reveal the identities at later date.

YMMV

— 30 — 

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Posted by reinkefj

NEWJERSEY: Missing children

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

http://patch.com/new-jersey/southbrunswick/are-missing-md-children-new-jersey?utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=police%20%26%20fire&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=article-mostrecent

2014 Dec 31 child1

Are Missing Md. Children In New Jersey?

Father continues to search for two children who disappeared four months ago in mother’s care while she remains in mental hospital

By Karen Wall (Patch Staff)December 30, 2014 at 4:58pm

Troy Turner, the children’s father, has been searching on his own in the months since. On the FindSarahFindJacob Facebook page Turner posted late Sunday: “Possible sighting on NJ Turnpike North at Exit 8A-9 – Yesterday December 28th ~4 PM Eastern.”

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I assume if you see anything or know anything, call the local or NJ state police.

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SECURITY: Tricks for passwords

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

http://www.networkworld.com/article/2860418/security0/6-simple-tricks-for-protecting-your-passwords.html?nsdr=true

6 simple tricks for protecting your passwords
By Maria Korolov Follow
Network World | Dec 22, 2014 3:00 AM PT

*** begin quote ***

We all know that the current username-and-password system is broken. With Russian hackers reportedly sitting on over a billion passwords, and new breaches hitting the news on a regular basis, it’s fair to assume that if hackers don’t have your password already, they’re about to.

“Most websites and companies require passwords that are at least eight characters long, contain lower and upper case characters, a number, and one or more special characters,” says Vincent Berk, CEO of network security firm FlowTraq.

These kinds of password policies have actually reduced security overall, argues Jacob West, CTO at HP Enterprise Security Products. “We need to bring some sanity back to our password policies,” he says. “A human will never be able to meet these requirements.”

*** and ***

1. Letter substitution cipher: a=b

2. Letter substitution cipher: a=s

3. Never write down encrypted passwords; banana, not nsmsms

4. Use earworms to your advantage: Wheels on the bus go round and round

5. The mnemonic code: a=alpha

6. Add site name to end of password: banana-twitter

*** and ***

One popular alternative is to use a password management tool that keeps all your passwords in an encrypted file, usually in combination with apps on your desktop, laptop and mobile devices.

*** end quote ***

I have used all of these at one time or another.

I think LASTPASS with a complex master password written no where is “good enough” for my non-financial passwords. The few financial ones I have memorized.

AND … …

For those sites who use “security questions”, Users should treat those just like passwords. Do NOT use real answers.

Happy New Year!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: “Main Street” was financially “raped”

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/business/fresh-doubt-over-the-bailout-of-aig.html?_r=0

Fresh Doubt Over the Bailout of A.I.G.DEC. 20, 2014
By GRETCHEN MORGENSON

*** begin quote ***

Last week, Edward Kane, a finance professor at Boston College and an expert on financial regulatory failures, said, “We’ve learned so much from this case that everyone wanted to cover up.” Mr. Kane said that while he is not on Starr’s side in the litigation, the facts that it has surfaced are important for citizens to understand.

“These are the equivalent of storm troopers marching in and throwing their weight around and telling lies about it afterward,” he said. “The lawsuit is an effort to make these people accountable that has not been available through the political system.”

*** end quote ***

It’s clear to me that Goldman was pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

Bear Sterns, a Goldman competitor, was executed!

The FED and Treasury stampeded Congress into the rescue.

And as soon as the funds were voted, the “rules of engagement” were changed to benefit the Big Banks and Wall Street. AKA Goldman.

Argh!

And “We, The Sheeple” and the Taxpayers, as well as “Main Street” were financially “raped”!

And, Ms. Warren not withstanding, it continues to go on!

Argh!

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