POLITICAL: “Disabled” America

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/11004507-disability-beneficiaries-top-11-million-first-time

11,004,507: Disability Beneficiaries Top 11 Million for First Time
June 20, 2014 – 4:04 PM

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The number of Americans receiving disability benefits continues to exceed the populations of Greece, Tunisia and Portugal and is drawing closer to Cuba, whose population of 11,047,251 (as reported by the CIA) is just 42,477 more than the 11,004,507 Americans receiving disability benefits.

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I have read that once someone goes on disability, they never come off.

And, is this substitute for lifetime unemployment.

How does one differentiate between “the truly needed” and the moochers?

Really, all charity must be private.

http://www.acton.org/public-policy/effective-compassion

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How are the poor best aided? After a thirty year governmental “War on Poverty” failed to reduce poverty in America, a consensus developed that the centralized entitlement approach of the federal government created more problems than it solved. Consequently, in 1996 welfare reform and its “Charitable Choice” provision paved the way for more involvement by the private sector, especially by faith-based institutions, in helping the poor make the transition from welfare to work. The welfare reform law of 1996 was a first step away from direct federal control of help to the poor and toward private sector solutions-but it was only a first step. The Acton Institute envisions a revivified civil society that is energetically involved in transforming the lives of the poor with a minimum of government intervention.

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It’s a hard topic, but if the economy was booming, it wouldn’t as big an issue.

And the economy isn’t going to boom until the Gooferment is cut down to the bones.

Minimum wage, high taxation, and over regulation!

Then maybe the “little people” would have a chance.

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TINFOILHAT: “Hitler Uberlebte in Argentinen”

Monday, June 23, 2014

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/06/christopher-condon/did-hitler-escape-to-latin-america/

Did Hitler Escape to South America?
By Christopher Condon
June 21, 2014

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Could the fallen German dictator, Adolf Hitler, have been among those Nazis who found refuge in South America? To most historians, the idea is preposterous because everyone knows that Hitler committed suicide in an underground bunker in Berlin at the very end of WWII.  But the notion that Hitler had fled Europe did not seem preposterous at the time. Did not Admiral Donitz, the head of the German Navy, once state that the German Navy had prepared a safe haven for Hitler somewhere in the world in the event that Hitler’s position in Europe became untenable? In the immediate aftermath of the war, there was world-wide speculation that Hitler had escaped. For example, on July 17, 1945, the Chicago Sun Times reported that that Hitler was still alive and living on a ranch in Argentina. Some well-informed persons in high places, notably General Dwight Eisenhower and Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, took these reports quite seriously. The latter adamantly insisted until he died in 1953 that Hitler had escaped to either Spain or Argentina. But these doubters were increasingly ignored and the view that Hitler had committed suicide in Berlin became the official view and eventually hardened into dogma. Now and again, a few people in South America claimed to have seen Hitler on their continent, but these sightings were regarded in the same light as sightings of Elvis Presley are today.

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There have been many additional eyewitnesses who claim to have seen not just German submarines but Hitler himself alive and well in South America after the war. A long list of perhaps 30 of these is given in the appendix to Basti’s book. Let us look at two of the very best.

*** and ***

If Hitler and several thousand highly ranked Nazis secretly escaped from Berlin toward the end of WWII, it is difficult to see how they could have done so without the knowledge of the United States Government. The growing number of investigators who believe that Hitler and many of his associates did escape suspect that it was by submarine that they made their way from Northern Europe to South America. By the end of the war, the United States Government had developed the ability to track any and all enemy ships on the Atlantic Ocean. It is difficult to see how they could have failed to notice a large convoy of German submarines, especially when those submarines would have had to surface and refuel at least once along the way.  So if the German submarines made it all the way to South America without being stopped, they must have had the tacit approval of somebody with authority in Washington.

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And, as usual, there is enough doubt around the “official story” that one has to suspect treachery.

Was a safe conduct give in exchange for German rocket scientists?

Yeah, inconceivable.

Really?

Could the elite wanted to keep the war going so as to line their own pockets?

Was it the policy of the Gooferment to set up the Russians as the next “convenient enemy” to keep the war machine working?

Yeah, I proudly wear my tin foil hat because “I wouldn’t believe you, if your tongue came notarized.” … attributed to Judge Marilyn Milian, but may have an earlier history.

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INSPIRATIONAL: Gallantry, courtesy, and respect

Sunday, June 22, 2014

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/02/10/always-treat-your-girlfriend-right-a-wwii-case-study/

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Consider this an invitation to be grateful for the close friendships in your life at this very moment.

It’s also a reminder that every dating relationship ends up one of two ways: you either break up as a couple, or you get married. There are no other options. That’s a healthy extrapolation to keep in mind while dating.

You might be tempted to gorge on your girlfriend’s goodness like a hungry man on a tin of canned pineapple, but there’s a strong chance that someday this same girl will be married to someone else. Her offspring and your offspring might even get married someday. So it will be in everybody’s best interest if you can always look each other in the eye with a clear conscience.

How can you guarantee that?

Simple.

Following the example of Sid Phillips, treat every woman you date with gallantry, courtesy, and respect.

*** end quote ***

Hope that I’ve always done that.

I think I have.

I know I do.

Sigh!

Great story!

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RANT: Yesterday’s graduation ceremony

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Yesterday, I went to a graduation ceremony.

No, not mine. Thankfully so. 

A Gooferment High Skrule graduated almost 300 children.

There were so many things I could talk about.

OBSERVATIONS

  • The Gooferment bureaucrats speaking flowery phrases.
  • The lack of the crowd to follow a few simple rules for the enjoyment of others.
  • The Gooferment fire truck that broke those rules for certain individuals.
  • The flag with the fringe.
  • Numerous speakers extolling how “special” the graduates were. (Aren’t at least half below average?  “Well, that’s the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.”)
  • The propaganda about how much the collective had accomplished in the last four years.
  • The large number of Gooferment bureaucrats earning big bucks with similar sounding titles.
  • The complete lack of acknowledgement to the Taxpayer who are all robbed to pay for this “education”.
  • The Pledge and the National Anthem. With some silent protests.
  • The pandering to a returning vet who’s cousin was graduating. And the dias encouraging the fire truck to break their own rules on decorum.
  • The calling out the six youngsters who were going into the military. (I was filled with sadness at that!)
  • The decorated mortar boards where members of the graduating collective tried to express their individuality.
  • The young faces who are so naïve.
  • The valedictorian taking a selfie. 
  • The strange behavior of one politician when the mayor gave a speech. (He walked off the dais and faced away towards one of the bleachers. Maybe he was her security. But why that direction. Very strange.)

CONCLUSIONS

  • The complete lack of candor by the adults to the children about the “facts of life”. They are faced with a terrible economy, a staggering national debt, and a political elite that are out of touch and out of control.
  • The inability of people to control themselves. Behaviors I would expect at a football game. Attire that I wouldn’t allow at a garage sale. And, language by young women that even a sailor wouldn’t use in mixed company.
  • The inability of Gooferment to do anything right was reinforced. Names were mispronounced. Songs were amateur. And, the band was out of tune. 
  • The traffic in the area was messed up by the Gooferment scheduling two graduations of nearby high schools on the same night.

  • AND finally, my recognition that I am old and crotchety. Sadly burdened with paradigms and memes that will not allow me to “go with the flow”. Probably because I see where “going with the flow” as brought us to.

Dona Nobis Pacem

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INTERESTING: Standing up for three hours a day

Saturday, June 21, 2014

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/stand-up-for-three-hours-and-live-two-years-longer-says-top-uk-medical-consultant-9552467.html

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A leading UK sports consultant has said that the public should be encouraged to do more “low-level” exercise and that standing up for three hours a day can extend life span by two years.

Dr Mike Loosemore, head of the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health at University College London, said: “There is now enormous evidence that simply standing makes huge differences to your health.”

“Low-level activity, even regularly getting off your seat, can change your life forever,” said Dr Loosemore, writing for the BBC. “Active individuals reduce their risk of heart disease by 40% against their inactive counterparts.”

*** end quote ***

I think I’ll try this at work.

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Kops shoot innocent woman

Friday, June 20, 2014

http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/iyanna-davis/

Police burst into wrong apartment, shoot innocent woman hiding in closet
“I told them I was afraid and do not shoot me, and one officer screamed at me to put my hands above my head… That’s when I heard the shot.”
Posted on June 18, 2014 by Site Staff in News

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Resolution

The indisputable facts of the case held that Ms. Davis had nothing to do with the investigation, yet she ended up being shot while unarmed in her own home by a police officer who should never have been there. Despite this breathtaking display of negligence and incompetence, the department investigated itself and cleared its officers of any wrongdoing.

Finally, after wrangling in the legal system for over 4 years, Nassau County agreed to settle with Ms. Davis to the tune of $650,000. As part of the settlement, the police internal investigation was officially sealed. According to Charles Horn, Ms. Davis’ attorney, this was to prevent its many “inaccuracies” from coming to light, which were falsely presented to convey justification for shooting an unarmed woman.

Taxpayers footed the bill, and no police officers received any sort of reprimand or termination.

Police ineptitude and corruption are practically inevitable, but they are enabled and magnified in scope by the existence of intrusive laws and widespread militaristic enforcement techniques. An end to the cruel Drug War and the overuse of no-knock raids would prevent situations like this from ever occurring.

*** end quote ***

So why does the Taxpayer get the bill?

It would seem that the entire civil bureaucracy should be penalized — both individually and collectively.

No bonuses, no raises, and further training.

No pain; no gain.

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CHROMEBOX: Asus Chromebox $169.99

Thursday, June 19, 2014

http://www.chromestory.com/2014/06/deal-alert-asus-chromebox-169-99/

Deal Alert – Buy Asus Chromebox for $169.99 from Amazon
Dinsan Francis 19/06/2014

Amazon has great discounts on Asus Chromeboxes. The base model is now selling for $169.99, down from the original $179. This is a 5% saving around $9. The second model with 4GB RAM and i3 processor also has a great offer. It is now $379.99, down from $399.

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That’s unbelievably cheap!

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CLOUD: Microsoft updating terms of use and privacy statement

Thursday, June 19, 2014

We’re updating our terms of use and privacy statement.

 

Our users’ needs are at the center of everything we do. That’s why we are updating the Microsoft Services Agreement and providing a Privacy Statement for Windows Services. We want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the key changes and what they mean for you.

 

 

Privacy
As part of our ongoing commitment to respecting your privacy, we won’t use your documents, photos or other personal files or what you say in email, chat, video calls or voice mail to target advertising to you.

 

Transparency
We updated our Code of Conduct so you can better understand the types of behaviors that could affect your account, and added language that parents are responsible for minor children’s use of Microsoft account and services, including purchases.

Simplicity
We tailor our privacy statements for each of our products to help make it easier for you to find the information that is important to you.

 

The Microsoft Services Agreement applies to your Microsoft account and includes many of our customer services such as Outlook.com, OneDrive, and Bing, while the privacy statement explains how your personal information is collected, used and protected across your Microsoft account, Outlook.com and OneDrive.

 

The new updates to these will take effect on July 31, 2014. If you continue to use our services after July 31, 2014, you agree to the updated terms or, if you don’t agree, you can cancel your service at any time.

 

We encourage you to use the links below for further details and to view the full agreements online.

 

Thank you for using Microsoft products and services.

 

Privacy Policy

Microsoft

Microsoft respects your privacy. Review our online Privacy Statement.

Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052

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Sigh!

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SOFTWARE: Freeplane for mind mapping

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

https://sourceforge.net/blog/june-2014-project-of-the-month-freeplane/

The Community Choice Project of the Month (POTM) for June is Freeplane, which is an application that supports mind mapping and analyzing information contained in mind maps. Congratulations to the Freeplane project on being voted as the June 2014 Community Choice POTM.

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I love “mind mapping”.

I really don’t understand why it doesn’t become more popular.

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INTERESTING: What’s Shabbos Elevator?

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/06/sabbath-elevator-object-lesson/372741/

Working Around God: Technology, the Pace of Life, and the Shabbos Elevator
Theology and technology in New York City’s elevators
DOMINIC PETTMANJUN 14 2014, 7:00 AM ET

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Why the hold up? I live in a historically Jewish building in New York City. On most days, its two elevators service each section of this rather monolithic structure—just enough to keep up with the flow of residents going up and down. But come Friday evening, one of the cars is switched into Shabbos mode, meaning that it stops at every single floor automatically, backing the tenants up like resentful clogs in beige-yellow arteries. It does so for religious reasons, since many observant Jews avoid pressing electric buttons on Shabbat.

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Despite growing up in mixed ethnic NYC neighborhood, I never heard of such a thing.

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