MONEY: Pensions are an attractive pot of money

Monday, January 10, 2011

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/01/europe-starts-confiscating-private-pension-funds#ixzz1A4bDsXPq

*** begin quote ***

The article goes on to detail other pension grabs in Bulgaria, Poland, France and Ireland. Obviously, this is a cautionary tale for America. If fiscal austerity becomes a real issue in the U.S. the way that it’s been reaching critical mass in Europe — don’t think that U.S. lawmakers regard your either your personal wealth or money they might owe you as sacrosanct. Government has a habit of looking out for itself.

*** end quote ***

Too arms! To arms! Bad ideas have a way of flowing over “the pond”. Where will politicians find a lot of quick easy money? Sure, your retirement! And, the politicians and bureaucrats only have to strong arm about 2200 “custodians”. Who happen to be the very people that were “bailed out” with taxpayer money last year. So how much of a bonus did you get, Taxpayer? Mine must have gotten lost in the mail. I’d suggest that everyone take keyboard to hand and share this story. Then, get to your congress critter with a stern warning — keep your mitts off my retirement! Argh!!!

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Posted by reinkefj

SOFTWARE: My personal version of the “Browser Wars”

Monday, January 10, 2011

If the BROWSER is the “eyes” into the Web, then I’m having worries about being “blind”.

Safari 5.0.3 (6533.19.4) — too Apple centric; object to “Yet Another” Microsoft!

Chrome 8.0.552.231 — don’t understand / object to the WEBAPPSTORE

FIREFOX 3.6.13 — broken (LASTPASS not active; toolbars broken)

Opera 11.0.1156 — leader (LASTPASS barfs)

INTERNETEXPLORER whatever — not even installed; object to the “Evil Empire”

Any others I can audition?

# # # # # posted 2011-01-09 15:27

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Posted by reinkefj

SOFTWARE: App Stores are multiplying like rabbits

Sunday, January 9, 2011

https://chrome.google.com/webstore

Interesting, now I see, we have a “CHROME app store”.

Argh!

I’m not sure I like that either.

Where’s the Opera, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer ones?

(Does any one still use IE after all it’s security problems?)

So we’re in the midst of a “software” revolution?

Time will tell if this is a paradigm shift or a meme shift? Or, is it just yet another way for vendors to extract money from the User’s pocketbook quicker and easier?

Sorry, but I don’t see how this is better.

… but then I’m just a fat old white guy injineer!

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http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/more/webstore.html

*** begin quote ***

The Chrome Web Store is an online marketplace where you can discover thousands of apps, extensions and themes for Google Chrome. To start exploring the store, visit chrome.google.com/webstore or click the store icon in Chrome’s New Tab page.

Web apps are advanced interactive websites. They may provide a wide-ranging set of features or focus on a single task like photo-editing or shopping. You can easily access the web apps you install from the Chrome Web Store through shortcuts in Chrome’s New Tab page. Learn more about installing apps in Chrome.

* Apps are currently not available in all countries. We are working hard on launching apps everywhere in the world. Stay tuned!

*** end quote ***

Note! That they are now “WEB APPS” not just “apps” that you buy form any old “app store”.

Why do I feel like I’m the victim in a slasher movie before the villain strikes?

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Soon after watching their propaganda piece, I received the ultimate wake up call. The distillation of what my nagging doubt was:

201101090954.jpg

Yes kiddies, after hearing that WEBAPPS mean never having to update, (which to this old COBOL programmer means “you never have change control!” and “you can never go home again!!” and “what about malware?”) and after hearing that CHROME is designed to work disconnected from the inet, BANG! Reality strikes home. “Try later!”

At least with the Apple APPSTORES (I “whatever” and the MAC APPSTORE), I have a unit of code (a traditional application) that I can run without further permission and without automatic update. Or, is that just for now?

I’ve had a belly full of “Windoze Genuine Advantage” always accusing me of piracy, failing to run “MY” software, and making my life miserable.

And, does the “APP STORE” concept mean that I am “buying” and no more of this fiction of “licensing”?

So if I buy and APP from an APPSTORE, how do I sell it at my garage sale?

And, before you answer that, how do I return it when it doesn’t work or otherwise disappoints me?

Finally, how the heck to clean up after all these installed apps? Reinstall from scratch? Sounds like the famous WINDOZE “bare metal restore” all over again.

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Government schools

Sunday, January 9, 2011

http://wiki.freetalklive.com/Main_Page

Welcome to the Free Talk Live Wiki, the libertarian wiki where almost anything goes.
2,322 articles in English

Government schools

*** begin quote ***

201101021958.jpg

Some libertarians have the radical idea that parents should actually be responsible for making sure their children are educated. It worked before the twentieth century, and literacy rates were actually higher than they are today. Such people are a threat to all reason and civility, saying parents should be responsible for their children, and should be rounded up and placed into camps until further notice.

*** end quote ***

I’d like to see the Separation of State and School!

During the tax revolt in New Jersey in the 80’s, I pitch a 40 year plan — two twenty years plans in succession. First, get the Gooferment out of the operation in 20 years. Second, get the Gooferment out of funding in 20 years. It’s baby steps, but it moves in clear distinct steps.

We can’t go from the current system to zero without a transition time. People need time to adjust and learn.

Argh!

But, we can’t even do that!

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Posted by reinkefj

WEBSITE: BADOO is a “badie”!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

http://badoo.com

201101071859.jpg

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Received a message from some one I know.

Curious, I looked.

They hold his message hostage uless I give them an email address they “support”.

Nahh!

NOTRECOMMENDED!

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Posted by reinkefj

TAGONIST: Suspect dies by tasar; police refuse to cooperate

Saturday, January 8, 2011

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/dec/31/officers-refuse-answer-questions/

Officers refuse to answer questions in death of man shot with Taser
By Joe Schoenmann (contact)
Friday, Dec. 31, 2010 | 2 a.m.

*** begin quote ***

In the first test of the county’s new rules for reviewing police-involved deaths, officers connected with the Dec. 11 death of a suspect who was shot with a Taser are refusing to cooperate with investigators.

Their refusal to make voluntary statements to Metro’s Force Investigation Team is on the advice of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, said Chris Collins, president of the officers union. From Collins’ standpoint, not only is the officers’ refusal to cooperate the right thing to do, it marks the beginning of the end of the coroner’s inquest system.

The system, in use for 40 years, has come under fire in the wake of controversial shootings involving Metro officers, prompting Clark County commissioners to undertake a revision of the ordinance that lays the ground rules for the courtlike hearings.

*** end quote ***

[ANTAGONIST: It’s the Brett Farve defense. If I don’t cooperate, you can’t do squat. Try that in a private enterprise! It’d be “pick up your last check and forget any severance”. Why do the police think that they are immune to any consequences? I guess, like “star” athletes, who get away with everything forever, they get a mindset of ‘entitlement’. In short, the people should fear the cops. They are out of control. By any standard!]

[PROTAGONIST: The officers did cooperate, they gave complete statements which then can be used in any future inquest. Note from the article below…. QUOTE Collins said he wants officers to avoid being questioned four times about the same incident — during the criminal investigation, at the inquest, and then, if there is a civil suit, a deposition, and at a trial. To paint a picture of the problems that might arise, Collins gave a fictional example: After shooting a suspect, an officer tells homicide investigators he was 6 feet away when he shot; during the inquest, the ombudsman grills him and gets him to say it was “6 or 7 feet”; then a civil suit is filed and the officer has to go into a deposition and answer again; then he answers one more time during the civil trial. UNQUOTE This is exactly the tactic that defense attorneys use. They claim, “See, he wrote 6 feet in his statement, but now he says 6 or 7 feet. Gee, which was it? See, this guy doesn’t know what he saw!” That stuff kills me….just trial trickery They gave their statements, let them stand by them…at the appropriate time, not because some media trenzy wants to prosecute them before any inquest begins. ]

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Posted by reinkefj

FUN: Angry Romanian Witches Use Cat Excrement to Protest New Taxes

Friday, January 7, 2011

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/05/ap/strange/main7216288.shtml?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.12

Jan. 5, 2011
Romanian Witches Use Spells to Protest New Taxes
Angry Witches Use Cat Excrement and Dead Dogs to Cast Spells on President and Government; Politicians Aren’t Laughing It Off

*** begin quote ***

Romanian witch Mihaela Minca, right, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, as her daughter and apprentice Casanndra, left, looks on, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

(AP) MOGOSOIA, Romania – Everyone curses the tax man, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time are planning to use cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the president and government.

*** end quote ***

ROFL, that’s one approach. If it works, we should try it here!

# # # # # posted 2011-01-07 21:13

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Posted by reinkefj

SOFTWARE: Mac App Store; any “app store”, the implications are scary!

Friday, January 7, 2011

201101061227.jpg

The MacAppStore opened Thursday. I, of course, checked in. And, downloaded some free applications.

After the experience, I’m not so sure I like this.

Maybe my tin foil hat is on too tight, but it seems that the whole concept puts the App Store “vendor” in complete control of what you can get.

In playing with it, I experienced slow downs.

We’ll see what other issues arise.

(1) If I had the source file, that I had downloaded (i.e., DMG, Zip, or make file), then I could always install or reinstall. If there’s no installation file (i.e., it comes by “magic” from the App Store), then I have to go back to the App Store and buy it again. Does that mean I have to pay again? Does the App Store give “receipts”?

(2) During play, the App Store became “unavailable”. Demonstrating that it is itself a single point of failure in the infrastructure.

(3) It’s very “easy” to load your hard drive with apps. (A few dollars or free makes one willing to “try it”. Toss if NG.) BUTT (there’s always a big but) (3a) How do you get rid of all the vestiges of applications? (3b) How much money, time, attention, and effort will be wasted in “applications”? (When you have to go to the store or wait for Amazon, FedEx, or UPS to deliver the disk, you evaluate the “purchase decision” more carefully.)

What else am I missing?

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Let’s get adicts “pure” drugs and treatment

Friday, January 7, 2011

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Gerry-Ryans-cocaine-was-laced-with-worming-powder-113063449.html

Gerry Ryan’s cocaine was laced with worming powder
By CATHY HAYES , IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Friday, January 7, 2011, 4:59 AM
Updated Friday, January 7, 2011, 5:01 AM

*** begin quote ***

Gerry Ryan’s autopsy report showed that cocaine he has consumed contained trace amounts of the veterinary drug Levamisole, usually used to treat parasitic worms in cattle and sheep.

*** end quote ***

A good argument for legalizing drugs and allowing the marketplace to protect these poor unfortunates from adulterated drugs.

# # # # # posted 2011-01-07 16:57

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Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: “Office parties” are work; very very dangerous to jobs and careers

Friday, January 7, 2011

Stimulus: A fellow alumni’s tale of a “business party” with drinks

Response: Suggest that you think about how many careers have been ruined or good jobs lost by “office parties”. Had a boss, who go so wasted at one, he and his secretary did the deed, fell asleep, and got locked int he venue. The police respond to a silent alarm and they were arrested. Cleared, but the boss and secretary were nuked right before Christmas. So, my personal rule became: “parties were just an extension of the work day; unpaid, and very very dangerous.”

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Posted by reinkefj

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