INTERESTING: What’s “possible”?

Monday, January 16, 2012

http://cafehayek.com/2012/01/two-caplan-gems.html

Two Caplan Gems
by Don Boudreaux on January 8, 2012

*** begin quote ***

I tell my students that time is too short to worry about what’s merely possible.  Nearly everything that is possible will never occur.  The range of the possible is enormously larger than is the range of the plausible; the range of the plausible is larger than is the range of the probable; and the range of the probable is bigger than what (if we’re speaking of the past) has actually occurred or (if we’re speaking of the future) what will actually occur.

*** end quote ***

“Possible”  >  “Plausible”  >  “Probable”  >  ( “actually occurred” | “actually will occur” )

BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt) …

∑( “Possible”  | “Plausible”  |  “Probable” ) = 1

What I’d call: “Someone always wins the Lotto!”

So, perhaps life is too short.

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INTERESTING: Ship disaster brings back a memory

Monday, January 16, 2012

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/story/2012-01-15/Prosecutor-says-captain-left-ship-early/52579406/1

Prosecutor says captain left ship early
By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

*** begin quote ***

In a chaotic scene eerily evocative of the Titanic — which struck an iceberg and sank a century ago this April — at least five people have died and 15 remained missing Sunday after a state-of-the-art cruise ship hit an unidentified reef or rock and toppled over just off Italy’s Tuscan coast on the evening of Friday the 13th.

*** and ***

There was no lifeboat drill after the ship’s departure from Citavecchia (Rome), and passengers complained that the crew failed to give instructions on how to evacuate and delayed lowering the lifeboats until the ship was listing too heavily for many of them to be released.

Some passengers jumped into the sea while others waited to be plucked to safety by helicopters, and some lifeboats had to be cut down with an ax.

Under U.S. Coast Guard and the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea regulations, cruise ships must conduct a safety drill within 24 hours of sailing with instructions on the use of life jackets and how and where to muster in an emergency.

But passengers are not required to attend, and cruise lines vary in how quickly they hold the drill and how stringently they enforce passenger participation.

*** end quote ***

I can only remember being on commercial boats a few times in my life.

One cruise (i.e., “Days Of Our Lives” theme) and two ferry rides in Switzerland.

The NCL ship out of Miami had the required drill as we were leaving the harbor. And, the Captain, who’s name I don’t know was a stickler. The bars would NOT open until all passengers were at their station, verified by their room attendant, and identified by their floor supervisor. The process took ten minutes because as the Captain explained that there were a two non-cooperating passengers and two other discrepancies in the manifest. He apologized and, when he said the non-cooperators would be returning to shore on the pilot boat, the crowd cheered. Then he dismissed us with “The bars are now open. Have fun.” I have no idea if there were any non-cooperators. Nor if there were discrepancies. Nor, it there was anyone kicked off. But the bars did open. And, I felt confident that this guy was running his ship. Maybe it was all show and “theater”.

The two Swiss ferry rides had their drill after every stop. The ferry paused as soon as it pulled away and their was an airline safety briefing. In four languages. Two different “ferry lines”. But it seemed like the were following the same script. And, the crews were serious. No kidding around. Before and after the briefing, they were down right jolly; during, stern.

Maybe this is stuff that consumers have to demand. BEFORE they buy. Self-defense.

Maybe the bad press will make even bigger bargains?

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NEWJERSEY: “Christian beliefs wrong”; decision, and perhaps the “law”, unconstitutional

Sunday, January 15, 2012

http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/judge-says-following-christian-beliefs-wrong/

Judge: Following Christian beliefs wrong
You won’t believe latest attack on those faithful to Jesus
by Bob Unruh

*** begin quote ***

A ministry that follows the dictates of its faith is engaging in wrongdoing, according to a New Jersey judge who recommended today that the state Division on Civil Rights find the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association violated the state’s nondiscrimination law.

“The respondent violated the [Law Against Discrimination] when it refused to conduct a civil-union ceremony for Ms. Bernstein and Ms. Paster,” wrote Solomon Metzger, an administrative law judge whose determination will become final if not overturned by the Division of Civil Rights.

“Respondent opposes same-sex unions as a matter of religious belief, and in 2007 found itself on the wrong side of recent changes in the law.”

The seaside location has been popular for years for weddings, but the association, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, determined it could not biblically allow same-sex ceremonies to take place on its property.

*** end quote ***

Excuse me “Judge”, but where do you get off trumping the First Amendment.

Now the Dead Old White Guys discovered “religious tolerance” not out of some love for their fellow man, but for their distrust of other colonies. Best way to start a war is to argue over “religion”. So those smart Dead Old White Guys put “religion” out of bounds.

How can any religion be on the wrong side of the “law”?

If the law mandates this, then it is unconstitutional on its face and should be struck down.

Immediately!

What’s next forcing Catholics to participate in abortions?

Oh yeah, “they” are doing that now.

Argh!

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GUNS: Irish homeowners have a “Castle Doctrine”

Sunday, January 15, 2012

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-homeowners-now-have-legal-right-to-shoot-intruders-in-their-homes-137373588.html

Irish homeowners now have legal right to shoot intruders
New law is attacked by civil liberties organizations as ‘license to kill’
By CATHAL DERVAN,IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Sunday, January 15, 2012, 8:01 AMUpdated Sunday, January 15, 2012, 8:07 AM

*** begin quote ***

Convicted of manslaughter, Nally was sentenced to six years in jail, but his conviction was overturned on appeal after the court accepted he had not been permitted to use self-defense as an argument at his trial.

*** end quote ***

Of course, it’s a license to kill.

Home Invaders are VERY dangerous criminals.

Were not talking about a child walking across your lawn, or your mother-in-law barging in unannounced.

The police and your fellow citizens can’t be everywhere to join in the defense of your right to be secure in your home.

So you have the absolute right to defend yourself and you loved ones.

Regardless of what any of the politicians and bureaucrats say.

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RANT: Comic book hosts ‘gay’ wedding; seriously?

Sunday, January 15, 2012

http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/all-american-comic-book-hosts-gay-wedding/

QUEERLY BELOVED
All-American comic book hosts ‘gay’ wedding
ACLU among groups celebrating soldier ‘marrying’ his therapist
by Drew Zahn

*** begin quote ***

“It’s unfortunate that a comic book series usually seen as depicting innocent, all-American life is now being used to advance the sexual revolution,” Peter Spriggs of the Family Research Council told Fox News. “I think whatever boost in sales might come from the novelty or curiosity factors will be more than offset by the number of both kids and parents who will be turned off by this storyline and its obvious social and political agenda.”

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but comic books have become “propaganda”.

Maybe they always were?

I’ve never felt so far from “American culture” as when I read this.

As little L libertarian, I don’t want the Gooferment telling folks anything. Neither do I want Big Media propagandizing children.

Marriage is the province of the Church. Not the comic book makers. This just continues the illusion that the Gooferment has a role in it.

Argh!

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RANT: Rage at the dying of the light

Saturday, January 14, 2012

http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/piss-war

Piss on War
Juliet Buck

*** begin quote ***

Do you know what is worse than having your dead body urinated upon? Being killed. Being shot. Being bombed. Having your limbs blown off. Having your house incinerated by a drone-fired missile that you don’t see until it explodes. Having your children blown up in their beds. Having your spouse killed. Having your hometown destroyed. Being displaced. Becoming a refugee. Having your entire life destroyed as a consequence of political forces far, far beyond your control.

War is horrible. War is sickening. Wars started for supremely righteous causes are just as horrible an sickening in their consequences as wars started for less than righteous causes. Politicians who sit in office chairs and start wars and wave flags as young men and women go off to kill and die and be psychologically and emotionally damaged for life are the most sickening of all. Politicians start wars and are rewarded with an appearance on weekend talk shows and Very Respectable Discussions with Very Respectable media figures and jokes at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner and appearances on Leno and ghostwritten self-glorifying memoirs and lavishly catered fundraising parties with corporate executives. They should be rewarded with outrage. They should be rewarded with scorn. Starting a war is a monstrous, monstrous crime against humanity, as we know when it begins that no matter how cleanly it is conducted it will result in thousands upon thousands of bullets smashing men’s skulls and arms and legs blown off by shrapnel and mothers and children incinerated by high explosives. And every extra day that a war is perpetuated unnecessarily is a crime anew.

*** end quote ***

Absolutely catches the outrage we should ALL be feeling.

Chicken Hawk leaders allow “our” girls and boys to be put in harm’s way for no good reason.

The problem is not the conduct of some Marines. It is that they are there in the first place.

We haven’t had a legitimate war since 1812.

Ron Paul is the ONLY peace candidate.

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RANT: A conversation about a past war and future ones

Saturday, January 14, 2012

I was having an conversation on one of the Yahoo Groups I administrate with a fellow I went to high school with, and wrote this. I thought I’d share my frustration with the Universe.

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No, John (my best friend in high school) was an “evader”; he didn’t go to Canada. Just went underground, and was killed in a traffic accident on the 495 around DC in 1972. I’d lost track of him in early 1971. I didn’t find out about it until the 80’s when I by chance met his sister.

My thinking is that this was a national disaster. Some served like you; some went to Canada; others just went underground. A terrible mess. A lot of “casualties” that don’t get recorded anywhere. As a little L libertarian, I just shake my head at the hidden costs of that war, and the others. And, lives disrupted. John DuBois, my cousin Pete, yours, mine, … … all changed by … Johnson, McNamara, other politicians, and bureaucrats. As disasters go, terrible. And, what’s even more puzzling, maddening, frustrating … we didn’t learn squat from the bloody lesson. I read somewhere that the USA has been in 25 “wars” of various sizes since Viet Nam.

I’m sorry I didn’t know you were a WIA. I was just a rear echelon paper pusher. “Defending Maryland” at NSA. I think I did good work, but it wasn’t in the same league with you and the folks under fire. I’m glad you got out of the meat grinder alive. Well done.

I’m conflicted because, while the individuals and their stories are awesome, the strategic blunder that they all were sacrificed in is such … frustrated that I can’t find the right words for it … “wasteful” is the best I can come up with.

I hear the current set of commercials for Wounded Warrior. I combine that with the unfunded liabilities and with the national debt. And I know that once again the vets are pawns in today’s politics. That makes me mad.

Maybe the evaders and “Canadians” were right?

I don’t know.

But, back to the point, I was hoping that “we” could identify Prepsters on The Virtual Wall and make sure their story is recorded somewhere.

Argh,

 

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Can’t express the outrage I feel with all the politicians and bureaucrats that put “The Republic” and all those young girls and boys in harms way. “Chicken Hawks” are about the politest epithet I can level at them. If they’re so anxious to get in a shooting war with say Iran, then why aren’t they on the front lines. Or Shut The <synonym for the act of procreation> Up!

Argh!

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SERVICE: Annoyance from a dead product

Friday, January 13, 2012

 

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CardScan @ Your Service Discontinuance Update

Dear DYMO Customer,

As you know, CardScan At Your Service was discontinued at the end of the December. At the request of current AYS users,  we have begun working with a 3rd party software provider that may be able to offer you a similar service to store your contacts. With the new provider, you may able to synchronize your contacts from your local CardScan application with their cloud application.

Additional details about the new provider will be distributed in the coming weeks, however we wanted to make you aware of this offering as soon as administratively possible.

We would like to thank you again for being a valued CardScan user.

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And, why would I care what you want to do for me? Like I’d trust anyone that you’d recommend. I bought your product (a desktop card scanner) which included your “eternal” update service. First you downgraded the service to eliminate the update. Then you left me high dry. Now you want to “save” me. Argh! Guess what I’d never buy your product or anything with the “Rubbermaid” brand again. Fool me once. I suspect the only reason your doing this is to make a few bucks off the data. Argh!

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TECHNOLOGY: LIFELOCK teaches care in the use secondary passwords for primary password reset

Friday, January 13, 2012

http://www.lifelock.com/identity-theft/types/

How Identities Are Stolen
When it comes to identity theft, the first step in protecting yourself is learning what thieves are doing to steal your personal information.

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Interesting that LIFELOCK doesn’t have their commercials on their websites. GODADDY, boo hisss sopa-lover, integrates their hyper-sex commercials with their website (i.e., the TV commercial points to the X-rated version and the website has both the TV version and the “X-rated one. I’d dispute the X rating. Yeah, they sucked the lecherous me to watch. I, of course, did it from a technology and moral arbiter pov. Just so you didn’t have to endure it.) LIFELOCK misses the opportunity to reinforce their message.

MORE interesting, is that LIFELOCK’s TV commercial points out the flaw in what I’ll call secondary authentication and what the banks call “easy password recovery”. Argh! Those “password reset” questions are really passwords controlling the reset function. Mother’s Maiden Name, Date of Birth, Pet’s Name.

ARGH!

Absolute stupidity.

I know why the banks and others do it. They don’t want the expense of fielding a telephone call for a password reset. (When I was at CSFB, I figured each one cost “me” 45$. I figured a clever way to “solve” that problem at ZERO cost. Hire me and I’ll share it.)

So, how does the average User defend themselves?

(1) Never ever use these resets for the named purpose? For examples, “Mother’s Maiden Name” for me might be “TAYLOR_SWIFT”; DOB for me is 10/19/62 (Cuban Missile Crisis); Pet’s name is “58#ae#MK#Es#82”. All carefully captured on paper.

(2) Use a tool like LASTPASS, KEYPASS, or 1PASSWORD for NON-FINANCIAL uses.

(3) Use real passwords that you memorize or write down in your calendar or note book for FINANCIAL sites.

(4) Always insist that FINANCIAL institutions or SERVICE PROVIDERS send you a paper bill. Upon receipt, take the statement and review it. Initial EVERY page.

(5) Never permit any one or any thing to have direct access to your financial accounts. (Made that mistake once.)

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RANT: Capitalism needs someone to “take out the dead”

Thursday, January 12, 2012

http://libertyslifeline.com/2012/01/11/most-people-like-to-fire-the-same-people-romney-does/

Most People Like to Fire the Same People Romney Does
by Bill O’Connell on January 11, 2012

*** begin quote ***

To turn these remarks into Rick Perry’s “vulture capitalism,” and Newt Gingrich’s “predatory capitalism,” is shameful. It’s about ObamaCare, stupid. I want to fire Obama and I would like to do so as soon as possible. If I could recall him along with the Chevy Volt he supported with our tax dollars and he was filmed driving, I would gladly do so.

*** end quote ***

Argh! I agree. I can’t understand the disgust with an “undertaker”. Maybe they don’t like funeral directors either?

If you’re going to take the benefit of the process we call “capitalism”, then you have to accept the aspect of “creative destruction” subprocess. Someone has to deliver the BAD news! Someone has to take out “the dead”. Someone has to recycle the assets from unproductive uses to productive ones.

And, they are making the “recycler” the bad guy?

Argh!

How about making the previous leaders of the failing company the bad press?

And, there might not even be a “villain” in this “morality play” about capitalism!

If you assume that capitalism is the economic process by which human beings are induced to cooperate with one another to satisfy the needs, wants, and desires of other human beings.

(Read “I, Pencil” to understand how complex that process is.)

We can either use “greed” (a pejorative label for the perfectly human emotion about satisfying ones perceived needs) to induce cooperation voluntarily or we can use various levels of force (i.e., taxation; “company store”, indentured servitude, slavery) to compel cooperation. I vote for “greed”.

Sad as it is to say, failing enterprises must be “put down”. We must allow labor to be reassigned to “better” uses. It’s not “your” job EVER. A “job” only exists as it satisfies someone else. Those “certificates of appreciation” that get passed around tell you how well those needs are satisfied.

It’s all part of that complex real time calculus we call the free market.

Money is NOT the root of all evil. It IS the essence of human wisdom about what is important.

Ants leave chemical trails to communicate; humans use money.

Argh!

Politicians are really dumb!

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