RANT: Keeping people in poverty

Friday, January 7, 2011

http://reason.com/archives/2010/12/31/the-obamacare-fraud

The ObamaCare Fraud
The law will penalize doctors to pay patients and penalize patients to pay doctors.
Shikha Dalmia | December 31, 2010

*** begin quote ***

When the government hands out subsidies, it will use a household’s income in the previous year as the basis for guessing what the household is qualified to get in the current year. But if the household’s income grows midyear, the subsidy recapture provision will require it to repay anywhere from $600 to $3,500, compared to the $450 that the law originally called for.

This will make it very hazardous for poor working families to get ahead. In the original law, the loss of subsidy with rising income already meant absurdly high effective marginal tax rates—the implicit tax on every additional dollar of income earned. How high? The Cato Institute’s Michael Cannon puts them at 229 percent for families of four who increase their earnings by an amount equal to 5 percent of the federal poverty level or $1,100. In other words, a family that added this amount to an income of $44,700 would actually see its total income fall by $1,419 due to the loss of subsidies.

*** end quote ***

Yeah, I’m sure glad how these politicians and bureaucrats “care” for the poor!

Who needs a plantation, overseers, and the problems. Just trap the serfs in poverty and make it impossible for the poor to improve their situation. Where’s Robin Hood, Zorro, or V (for Vendetta; not the aliens on ABC) when you need them.

And, of course, we’ll need more bureaucrats to administer these programs.

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Obscuring the reality of secession

Thursday, January 6, 2011

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/01/05/reliving__and_denying__an_ugly_past/

Reliving — and denying — an ugly past
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / January 5, 2011

*** begin quote ***

ON JAN. 16, 1861, delegates to a Georgia state convention gathered to consider whether to secede from the United States. Three days later, voting 208-89, the convention adopted an “Ordinance of Secession,’’ which “repealed, rescinded, and abrogated’’ Georgia’s ratification of the federal Constitution in 1788.

*** end quote ***

Looking past the stupidity of a bunch of people, who feel that salt in wounds, is a great idea. I think you miss five critical points:

① Voluntary exit from the Union was debated and assurances given when it was formed. Only to be abrogated when use of the “exit door” was attempted.

② Lincoln assure his place as the “worst President” with his war on civilian populations. And, the many violations of civil liberties. And, the insistence on “preserving the Union”. It wasn’t about slavery for him; Emancipation Proclamation only applied to the areas he didn’t control.

③ A lot of smart people didn’t see that “slavery” was an economically doomed institution. Only we had to kill people to figure that out. “A brilliant man would find a way not to fight a war.” — apocryphal quote attributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto played by Mako in the movie ‘Pearl Harbor’

④ The structural change from “The United States of America” as a republic to the “USA” as an empire was begun with the North winning the War of Northern Aggression. No man or group of men—including any group of men calling themselves “the government”—is morally entitled to initiate (that is, to start) the use of physical force, the threat of force, or any substitute for force (such as fraud) against any other man or group of men. “The Market for Liberty” Linda & Morris Tannehill (1970)

⑤ Finally, secession is back. It is the ultimate relief from Washington DC’s corrupt oppression. The debt, deficit, and a 100 year devaluation of the currency assure that the American Empire will collapse just like the Soviet Union. The only question is which State will be the first to exit? My money is on Vermont. But Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, South Carolina, Montana, and New Hampshire are all in the running to be first out the door. And, will we, could we, have one ejection — California — with it’s impending bankruptcy?

So the SC Secession Ball begs the question will the Empire roll tanks into the first state to leave? And, what will “We, The Sheeple” do? Remember that great movie quote? “I fear all we have done is awakened a sleeping giant.” — apocryphal quote attributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto played by Mako in the movie ‘Pearl Harbor’

What will be the wake up call?

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: 1AND1, a service provider, is on the RBL

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Thank you for contacting us.

We would like to inform you that our IP address is being blocked by Trend Micro. At the moment, we do not have an estimated time frame for the fix however rest assured that we are currently working on a resolution. Once we have the fix, it will be implemented to all affected customers. To ensure that your case will be taken cared of, I will be adding the details of your case to the list of affected customers. We understand that you might be anxious to have this resolved as soon as possible so thank you so much for your patience while we work on the resolution.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

—

Sincerely,
Benito Enopia
Technical Support
1&1 Internet

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Argh! The “cure” is worse that the disease. If everyone would deploy IPv6, then everyone would have an “real” ipaddress. Argh!

# # # # # posted 2011-01-06 12:19

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Glen Beck radio dropped from WOR

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Heard, or read, that WOR was dropping the Glen Beck radio show as of 1/17.

The reason sited was “low ratings”. Is this a statement more about New York City, than the value of the Glen Beck show.

(I’m not a Beck fan boy. He’s a “conservative”; I’m a little L libertarian. So we disagree on aggression and “law”. But we do agree on fiscal issues. I listen from time to time and find him “interesting”.)

Frau Reinke said maybe they couldn’t get sponsors. That’s probably also true. To sponsor Beck, or in any way to be associated with him, is, in NYC, the kiss of death.

Sigh!

# # # # # posted 2011-01-06 08:31

1 Comment | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: Capture all your medical or job search deductions NEXT year!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Here’s an idea of a “new year’s resolution”. First a little background. This year, my wife was diagnosed with a form of pre-leukemia. It’s been a mess in every dimension. As I sit here thinking about it, and tax time, I wish I had captured all the medical expenses. It’s just one more straw breaking my “camel’s back”. But this year, I have a strategy. I have a blank check register. I’m going to contemporaneously log every expense in the “check” register. I should be able to capture EVERY medical expense. I’ll let you know at the end of the year how I make out.

p.s., I think the same strategy would work for Job Seekers who also have deductible expenses. I shudder to think of all the expense deductions I have missed over the years. Argh! But new year, and self-granted amnesty for all mistakes in the prior year. But still, it gripes me to have missed the opportunity.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Anti Spam RBL is … … worthless!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I send an email. And, it’s blocked by the receiver’s email server because of RBL.

*** begin quote ***

Thank you for writing to the MAPS Realtime Blackhole List (RBL) Team.

This email address is used to submit RBL nominations, for RBL removal requests, and for other communication regarding the MAPS RBL.

Many providers do use MAPS lists but also employ more restrictive lists which they maintain themselves. If you have been blocked by those, you’ll need to contact them directly.

Your message has been assigned the ticket number shown in the Subject: header above. Please include that string in the Subject: header of any future correspondance with RBL staff about this issue.

*** end quote ***

So I get:

*** begin quote ***

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us about this IP address on RBL. 74.208.4.194 was listed because we received spam from this address and because no action was taken when we reported this to your ISP.

We first started to see spam from 74.208.4.194 in March 2007.

We continue to see spam attempts from this address recently. We need to hear from your ISP prior to removing any part of this listing.

Please secure your network and contact your ISP, and have your ISP contact us for removal.

Kind regards,
John Abello
Spam Investigations Team
Trend Micro Inc.

*** end quote ***

So I very nicely point out that it’s NOY my problem. Nor that of my ISP.

*** begin quote ***

John,

Not to quibble, but my ISP is Verizon. And, my email provider for my domain “reinke.cc” is 1AND1. The IP address that you’re citing is 1AND1. So, why would you tell me to contact my ISP? And, have you ever called any service provider? 1AND1 is probably one of the largest web, email, and domain service providers. So, you, via RBL, are penalizing me for the “sins” of someone else. You’re acting like I have ANY control over everyone who uses 1and1 or Verizon.

Further, with NAT, and IP address leasing, the whole concept that a spammer can be “pinpointed” by IP address is passe.

Am I misunderstanding something?

fjohn

*** end quote ***

And, I get this back.

*** begin quote ***

Hello,

Your IP address 74.208.4.194 owner is 1and1, please contact them regarding this issue and let them communicate us on your behalf regarding this issue,

Kind regards,
John Abello

Spam Investigations Team
Trend Micro Inc.

*** end quote ***

I don’t think very highly of RBL, Trend Micro, or “John Abello” (if there is such a person)

Argh!

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4 Comments | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Diesel is a better answer than gas – electric hybrids

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/peters-e8.1.1.html

New Year’s Wish List
by Eric Peters
EricPetersAutos.com

*** begin quote ***

More diesels

And fewer $40,000 hybrids that barely outdo the mileage of an ’80s-era Plymouth Champ. Diesels, unlike hybrids, work – if “working” means they deliver very high gas mileage without a very high price tag. Gas-electric hybrids and electric cars are impressive as technology but crap as consumer products – if the point of the exercise is to produce economical transportation. If you have to pay $30,000 or $40,000 (or even $25,000) to get 35 or 40 MPGs then MPGs don’t really matter since whatever you “save” in fuel costs is negated by the cost of the car itself. But diesel engines can deliver 60 MPG in a subcompact car that costs less than $15,000. Just not here. They have such cars in Europe. Santa needs to bring a few of them to us. But first, he’ll need to put some coal in the stockings of the government bureaucrats who have made the American car market unfriendly for diesel vehicles by imposing one regulatory obstacle and expense after the next. It’s not that diesels are “dirty” – the Europeans are just as obsessed with saving the planet as we are. It’s simply that our bureaucrats and politicians aren’t as smart as those in Europe.

*** end quote ***

I loved the three diesels I’ve had in my life.

Once upon a time, diesel fuel was cheaper than gasoline.

Don’t understand why that is? It’s easier to refine.

We know that the taxes on petrol of all flavors is a significant cost component. And, a good way for the Gooferment to bury taxes. With the illusion that it’s all going to “roads”, which is “barbara streisand”!

So why don’t we exploit technology that works?

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Posted by reinkefj

WEBSITE: campaignforliberty site down

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

It’s not just you! http://campaignforliberty.com looks down from here.

# # # # # posted 2011-01-04 22:41

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Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: bye, bye some hotmail accounts and their data

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/01/02/0233231/Some-Hotmail-Accounts-Wiped

Technology: Some Hotmail Accounts Wiped
Posted by Soulskill on Sunday January 02, @08:21AM
from the you-didn’t-need-that,-right? dept.

*** begin quote ***

“PC Magazine reports that many Hotmail accounts have lost all their emails. Users’ entire email histories have apparently been lost. ‘Users can still log in sans issue. However, they arrive at empty inboxes: No custom folders, no messages in “Sent” or “Deleted,” nothing. As one might expect, the abruptness (and unexpectedness) of the purge has left some of Hotmail’s long-time users a bit in the dark.'”

*** end quote ***

You can’t trust vendors!

Have your own domain. Keep your own email archives. And, plan a backup strategy.

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: A real gold standard

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north201.html

Two Kinds of Gold Standards
by Gary North
August 26, 2003

*** begin quote ***

This is why the free market is the only reliable source for the re-establishment of a gold standard. Honest money begins with these steps: (1) the revocation of legal tender laws that require people to accept the State’s money; (2) the enforcement of contracts; (3) laws against fraud, which fractional reserve banking is. The free market can do the rest.

*** end quote ***

Clearly, we can NOT get the Gooferment back inside its Constitutional bounds while it has an unlimited line of credit.

The Gold Standard, a real one, not an ersatz Gooferment one, can restrict that Gooferment to only spend what it has or raises.

The debate over tariffs, taxes, and fees are a separate issue; once you close the “barn door”.

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Posted by reinkefj

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