POLITICAL: BHO44 put us here; dumb

Monday, January 11, 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6957485/Detroit-bomber-singing-like-a-canary-before-arrest.html

Detroit bomber ‘singing like a canary’ before arrest
By Philip Sherwell in New York
Published: 6:27PM GMT 09 Jan 2010

*** begin quote ***

President Barack Obama is under fire over claims that the Christmas Day underwear bomber was “singing like a canary” until he was treated as an ordinary criminal and advised of his right to silence.

*** end quote ***

Elections have consequences and this is one of them.

BHO44 didn’t lie (I don’t think; not like the Obamacare dealings will be on CSpan!) and conceal that this would be his position. But, respectfully, he’s DUMB. Maybe a Harvard lawyer, but this self-inflicted inability to get military intelligence — about this self-evidenced terrorists, his compadres, the higher up, future plans, and collateral information — is dangerous.

A wise man understands the logical extension of his proposals. In this case, we have two choices: (1) he didn’t anticipate where his policies would place us; OR (2) he did and didn’t realize the dangers. Either way, it’s dumb.

We have to quickly convince people to reverse course — before we get hit again with something bigger and badder.

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POLITICS: Name a gooferment program that works

Monday, January 11, 2010

http://libertyunbound.com/article.php?id=449

Bridging the Two Libertarianisms
Carl S. Milsted, Jr.
What does the nonaggression principle really mean for libertarianism?

*** begin quote ***

People routinely send mail by government post, drive on government roads, rely on government food inspections, walk on government sidewalks, and enforce contracts in government courts.

*** end quote ***

I once heard on Free Talk Live http://freetalklive.com/ one of the host expressed the paradigm: “Name one program that works? And, if we can agree it does work, how much does it cost? How much should it cost?”.

So let’s look at your examples:

  1. Mail: Even with funny accounting — they don’t count the cost of capital assets like real estate and equipment depreciation — the cost is absurd. And, they have to enforce the first class mail franchise with a law enforcing their monopoly. (The famous one dollar minimum for express delivery services.) It’s laughable when the USPS compares themselves to FedEx for package delivery since in some areas they subcontract to FedEx. And, let’s talk about lost mail. We have very little statistical information but that doesn’t mean they are flawless.
      
  2. Roads: In New Jersey, the roads are a disgrace. And, we had a gas tax trust fund that was raided by the goofenors of both parties to fund their pet projects. We have no way to know if there is a better way since no one is allowed to try a different way. We can look at the road in Disney World and other amusement parks that are in relatively perfect condition. Hard to imagine that a consortium of WalMart, UPS, and others couldn’t do as well. As a proxy, look at the Air Traffic Control System, that is run totally be the Federal Gooferment. Vintage 1950 computing causes massive delays. The roads are comperable. Where’s the innovation like in computers that makes roads better.
  3. Food Inspections: We can point to the fact that most “inspections” are either not done or don’t protect the people. A recent press story said that the gooferment accepts 10 or 20 times the level of filth in meat than McD’s does. We have no idea how much this “gooferment inspection” costs, but are people relying on that or the fact that they trust WalMart to sell them good stuff.
  4. Sidewalks: Sorry, but those are foisted on the property owner. Even when the gooferment destroys them, the land owner gets stuck fixing them. (I know personal experience.)
  5. Courts: That’s why we have Judge Judy on TV. The gooferment’s courts are backed up and capricious. And, heaven help you, if the gooferment has an interest in the suit. Sue the gooferment in it’s own court and be surprised at the result.

And on, and on, and on.

I have yet to see a gooferment program that works. Or even not working, do it at a reasonable cost.

I notice that the author didn’t cite: schools, dmv, health insurance, health care, foreign policy, DoD, and on, and on, and on.

My solution is to be pragmatic.

Let’s have an exit plan. It may take decades to “unwind” these programs, but let’s start.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Say what you mean

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Argh!

Just got back from Walgreens, and I am annoyed (again).

Walgreens and I have a lot of history.

We’ve had two serious medication errors, many broken promises, and wasted a lot of time with them.

Today, I had a watershed moment. They have a leadership problem!

In a continuing saga, I’ve been trying to get the Old Lady’s insulin rx straight. For months. Originally, I brought the DIABETICDOC’s rxes in. Knowing the system, I had the doc write them for 90 days with three refills. (I promised that the patient would be back.)

The rxes were never recorded. They used the rxes from the old doc. Argh! The result was we’re always running out of insulin.

So I called in and talked through the problem with A pharmacist. She had to call the doc and get replacement rxes. Argh! Then the insurance would pay for it until January 5th. So no problem, we’ll wait until the Fifth. In the meantime, I order other rxes and find another quantity problem. That problem distracted me from the fact that I didn’t get the long awaited insuling rxes.

Argh!

I call. And, talk to some one who doesn’t know anything about it.

Argh!

Go thru it ALL again. He puts the rxes in again. (How did he get rxes if they were “missing”?) Their computer system gets it in and communicates with the insurance company’s computer. My 90 day rx magically becomes a 30 day rx. (Huh?)

At this point, I give up and say fine. (This TRIPLES my copay since I SHOULD get the 90 day supply for one copay of 25$!)

I picked it up.

Get home and find that the dosage instructions are “wrong”. (They were superseded twice already.) And, they charged my a double co-pay.

Argh!

Imagine if we weren’t seriously on top of the rxes in terms of taking the right meds and stuff? If I get frustrated with the insurance, imagine how older folks cope?

And, Obama-care is going to make this all better? Please don’t make me laugh!

Argh!

Back to what set me off.

I pull up to the drive up for a quick pick up. The pharmacist, who voice I recognize because I’ve talked to her so much, say: “Be with you in one minute.” I happened to look at the clock on the dash. It was 8:59. She came to the window at 9:03. That’s not ONE minute. Lest you think that’s no big deal, I disagree. It’s a leadership issue. It’s setting an expectation carelessly that can’t be met.

It’s a “systemic failure”!

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POLITICAL: Start the journey towards liberty

Sunday, January 10, 2010

http://www.michnews.org/2010/01/a-libertarian-vision-for-michigan/

A Libertarian vision for Michigan

*** begin quote ***

Troy – How should we as Libertarians craft our campaign theme for 2010? Here are my thoughts on the subject. I would certainly appreciate yours, too. As a political party we must articulate a positive, persuasive, simple and appealing campaign theme for our candidates in 2010.

*** and ***

# Fair. No bail outs. No hand outs. No special deals for businesses, unions or individuals. Instead, cut spending now by eliminating all incentives, benefits, and programs that don´t benefit the average voter or business. Cut government costs by eliminating all agencies and regulations that impede the creation of jobs and businesses, competition and personal freedom. Eliminate tax abatements, exemptions and discounts for the few preferred businesses, unions and individuals, and cut the tax rates paid by all.

*** end quote ***

“cut spending now by eliminating all incentives, benefits, and programs that don´t benefit the average voter or business”

That don’t benefit “ALL” voters.

The problem is that when gooferment tries to pick winners and losers, funny how they always pick the politicians’ friends.

A libertarian government should be extremely small. Prevent force or fraud. AND, that’s IT!

You don’t need a lot of taxes when you’re not doing a lot!

Slash the spending and taxes and step out of the way. Privatize any “service” or “product” that the government produces.

If it CAN NOT be done immediately, then let’s have a transition out of it. Five, Ten, … heck … even Forty Year plans.

Let’s start the journey to liberty!

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INTERESTING: DNA profiles aren’t unique

Sunday, January 10, 2010

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/01/09/1321219/Scientists-and-Lawyers-Argue-For-Open-US-DNA-Database
“New Scientist has an article questioning the uniqueness of DNA profiles. 41 scientists and lawyers recently published a high-profile Nature article (sub. required) arguing that the FBI should release its complete CODIS database. The request follows research on the already released Arizona state DNA database (a subset of CODIS) which showed a surprisingly large number of matches between the profiles of different individuals, including one between a white man and a black man. The group states that the assumption that a DNA profile represents a unique individual, with only a minuscule probability of a secondary match, has never been independently verified on a large sample of DNA profiles. The new requests follow the FBI’s rejection of similar previous requests.”

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Interesting? I never knew that DNA profiles weren’t unique. Isn’t that what CSI teaches? It would seem that it’s urgent to prove or disprove this very troubling assertion!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: No executive or even management experience!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

FROM THE DRUDGE REPORT, FRONT PAGE:

*** begin quote ***

PAPER: Obama’s anti-terror chief remained on ski slopes…

CIA Panetta Was Also on Vacation All Last Week…

*** end quote ***

Isn’t this “Management 101”?

I remember back in my AT&T days that there was an Executive On Duty list. We were all required to (1) be on duty if our boss was on vacation OR (2) if our Number #2 was on vacation. So if I was on vacation my boss and my Number #2 covered for me. It got a chance for my boss to evaluate my Number #2 and how I did picking a Number #2.

Had something similar at CS First Boston.

QUESTION: How come BHO aka O44 didn’t have the same thing?

ANSWER: No executive or even management experience!

Argh!

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POLITICAL: No consequences for prosecutorial and investigative malpractice

Saturday, January 9, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/45956.html

The FBI, Bullying, and Sloppy Investigations
Posted by Bill Anderson on January 1, 2010 10:56 AM

*** begin quote ***

By empowering police and prosecutors and providing them with immunity from their wrongdoing, the government is encouraging investigators to be sloppy and incompetent. As we have seen in the two linked examples, bullying investigators have managed to botch these investigations, and it is no accident. The political classes tell us that we have to give the “authorities” near-absolute power to keep us “safe.” (Read any of the conservative websites and you will see what I mean. There is near-worship of the police, prosecutors, and federal investigators.) Guess what? When there are no consequences for being wrong, we can expect the police and FBI and others to be wrong, as it is much easier for them to make up their own narratives and then bully people into “agreeing” with them.

*** end quote ***

If we can fault the Dead Old White Guys (and that’s hard to do given their level of understanding at that point in time), then it would be for not putting a penalty in for ALL the INDIVIDUALS who violates some Constitutional rights.

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GUNS: Dial 911 and die

Friday, January 8, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/ybkq58j

NM: Burglary suspect shot by Jarales homeowner

Valencia County News-Bulletin

*** begin quote ***

“Charges are pending against a man who was shot in the chest by a Jarales resident while allegedly trying to break in.Valencia County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Trujillo said the shooting occurred shortly after midnight on New Years Day at a house on Mill Road. According to the deputy, the homeowner, whose name has not been released, heard someone trying to break into his home and called 911. When the suspect entered the house, the homeowner shot him once in the chest, Trujillo said.” (01/06/10)

*** end quote ***

Seems right! Remember “Dial 911 and die”.

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MONEY: Sneering at Ron Paul and “End the Fed”

Friday, January 8, 2010

http://curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2009/12/29/visiting-ron-pauls-fed-free-utopia/?xid=rss-topstories

Visiting Ron Paul’s Fed-free utopia
Posted by Justin Fox
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 2:22 pm

*** begin quote ***

As for his welfare state argument, there’s surely something to it, but not nearly as much as Paul seems to think. In the post World War II era, Germany has followed much more of a hard-money (that is, Ron-Paulish) line than the U.S., yet it has a much bigger welfare state. So the growth of government can be a political choice, not just the result of the machinations of central bankers.

*** end quote ***

It’s hard to imagine the Germans creating their welfare state WITHOUT a fiat currency. That’s what enabled them to create the state without seizing the nation’s wealth silently. If there was a non-fiat monetary base (i.e., gold or competing currencies), then the German politicians would have had to inflict pain on the wealth holders to acquire the funds to give away. With a fiat currency, they can silently inflate away wealth without taxes.

Note that gold isn’t necessary. Repealing the legal tender laws would allow the folks to use a non-inflating alternative.

From times long past, sovereigns always debased the currency to serve their needs. I cite the French Franc from Louis 1 to 17. And rest my case.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Self-reliance?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1240629/At-mercy-deep-freeze-Schools-shut-firms-hit–6-inches-snow.html

Army rescues 1,000 drivers stranded in cars for 12 HOURS as UK is paralysed by heavy snow (with more on its way)
By Sophie Freeman
Last updated at 2:09 PM on 06th January 2010

*** begin quote ***

The 23-year-old said: ‘We went through hell. I am eight months pregnant, I couldn’t go to the toilet all night, I couldn’t warm the bottle up for my baby daughter. It was very frightening.

‘There were loads of cars parked up, just on the motorway. No-one knew what was going on – there was no-one to help.

‘We didn’t see any police, we’ve heard that the Army is out but we didn’t see anyone – it’s not very good really.”

She had set off for Heathrow Airport in West Sussex at 5.30pm yesterday and didn’t arrive until 8am today.

Ms Holt’s father, Mark, attempted to reach his daughter but was prevented from driving up the A3 beause it had been closed because of the weather.

He said: ‘It took my daughter 15 hours to get home and no-one came to help her, they didn’t see anyone.’

*** end quote ***

Totally unprepared Brits, throughout article, whine: “they” didn’t do this for me; “they” didn’t do this for me; wha, wha, WHA! No one takes responsibility for themselves. Maybe it is the welfare state culture?

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