Tag: Common Sense

TINFOILHAT: Pearl Harbor was an “inside job”

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http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/10/the-american-and-british-government-knew-down-to-the-day-of-the-coming-japanese-attack-on-pearl-harbor-and-let-it-happen-to-justify-american-entry-into-wwii.html

The American and British Governments Knew – Down to the Day – of the Coming Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor … And Let It Happen to Justify American Entry Into WWII

Posted on October 15, 2012 by WashingtonsBlog

Military Officers and Code Breakers Speak Out … On Camera

*** begin quote ***

But a full and honest account of World War II shows that some big American banks funded the Nazis. And America dropped nuclear bombs on Japan when top U.S. military officials said it wasn’t needed.

And – as shown below – we probably knew about the coming Pearl Harbor attack, but let it happen to justify America’s entry into World War II.

The White House apparently had – a year before Pearl Harbor – launched an 8-point plan to provoke Japan into war against the U.S. (including, for example, an oil embargo). The rationale for this provocation is that the U.S. wanted to aid its allies in fighting the Nazis and other axis powers, and decided that an attack by Japan would be the most advantageous justification for the U.S. to enter WWII.

Moreover, Honolulu newspapers warned of a possible attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor:

Indeed, as the following must-watch BBC documentary – with interviews with many of the main players, including military officers and code-breakers – shows, the American and British knew of the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbor — down to the exact date of the attack — and allowed it to happen to justify America’s entry into World War II:

And see this short essay by a highly-praised historian summarizing some of the key points. (The historian, Robert B. Stinnett, a World War II veteran, actually agreed with this strategy for getting America into the war, and so does not have any axe to grind).

*** end quote ***

I read Stinnett’s book many years ago. I was convinced with the “smoke” from the gun he laid out in the book.

Now we have testimony!

Seems like this one for the Tin Foil Hats.

Maybe the people won’t be so quick to dismiss suspicions.

Sad that so many people died and so man lives disrupted for so many generations.

We can’t total up all the costs.

Time to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

— 30 —

ECONOMICS: Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumber!

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http://cafehayek.com/2012/10/no-debate-both-are-economically-ignorant.html

No Debate: Both Men are Economically Ignorant

by DON BOUDREAUX on OCTOBER 17, 2012

in SEEN AND UNSEEN, TRADE

*** begin quote ***

Each man insists that America’s economy can be harmed by inexpensive imports – in other words, harmed by opportunities for voluntary exchanges that lower Americans’ cost of living.

By promising to raise taxes on Americans who buy Chinese-made goods, Mr. Romney again promised to break his campaign promise to not raise taxes. That he is unaware of the contradiction isn’t promising.

Mr. Obama is no better. He bragged that he “saved a thousand jobs” with his “tough” trade action that – by raising taxes on Americans who buy Chinese-made tires – ensured “that China was not flooding our domestic market with cheap tires.”

By this logic, the President’s policy is inexcusably lame. If creating more jobs in U.S. tire factories justifies forcing consumers to pay higher prices for tires, the Obama administration should also outlaw the sale of used tires (which, like low-priced imports, are “flooding our domestic market”). Indeed, the president should seek legislation mandating that all rubber used to make tires be non-vulcanized. The resulting decline in tire durability will create even more jobs in U.S. tire factories by “protecting” our market from being “flooded” with cheap tire durability – that is, with tires that last for tens of thousands of miles before needing to be replaced.

*** end quote ***

It’s hard to imagine that there is any rationale for restrictions?

Do we want to be a nation of tire makers?

In the Sixties were more expensive for a poorer quality. Now they are “cheaper” and more durable.

(Remember that the value of money has been inflated away. Gas is up by a multiple of 100 in dollars but about 50% cheaper in silver. Tires in the Sixties ran about $20 each; some more some less. Priced in gold a tire was 20/35 = 4/7 = 0.57 oz. So today, just recently I paid over 100$ per tire; where as I should have paid over a 1k$ each. SO tires have gotten 90% cheaper. It’s the value of money that obscures our vision.)

I want Americans to have cheap tires so they can spend their money on other needs and wants.

If it means the tire industry has to go to China, all well and good.

If the Chinese are so dumb as to give us tires for worthless green pieces of paper, great!

The market will peacefully decide what gives us the most bang for our buck. With out a politician “helping”.

Argh!

—30—

RANT: “Default”? No way, not needed

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

As a political junkie, I’m enraged when some bozo (i.e., politician and /or bureaucrat) is allowed by some talking head to say “default” without opposition.

IMHO any reasonable person would pay the interest on the debt first, then the social security and other mandatory welfare payments, and come up with a “total must pay”. Subtract that total from the budget to come up with “what’s left to pay”. Subtract “total must pay” from current receipts for “what’s left”.

Divide “what’s left” by “what’s left to pay” and that’s the haircut that the budget must be slashed by.

No one is going to be happy, but no default. It’ll set off a lot of wailing and gnashing but that’s what fiscal discipline is all about.

That’s why I say don’t raise the debt ceiling. And, don’t let politicians and bureaucrats scare old people by saying no soc sec or the markets by saying default.

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INTERESTING: Why would some one give the DNC $143,200 for a rubber chicken dinner?

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http://nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/obama-expects-modest-fundraising-quarter-20110517

WHITE HOUSE
Obama Expects Modest Fundraising Quarter
The Democratic National Committee comes first–for now.
By Marc Ambinder
Updated: May 17, 2011 | 11:04 p.m.
May 17, 2011 | 4:22 p.m.

*** begin quote ***

So far the president has attended a dozen fundraisers in six cities since announcing on April 14 his decision to seek reelection. Half have been events where tickets cost $35,800. DNC takes $30,800 of that; Obama’s campaign gets only $5,000.

Donors, generally, have been asked to purchase at least four tickets to high-dollar events such as these. Obama has also attended a number of fundraisers where tickets run $1,000. The president attended a two-tier event in Washington on Monday night, and he will be in Boston on Wednesday.

*** end quote ***

Ignore the headline story. Who cares. Dig deeper.

Simple question.

Why would some one give the DNC $143,200 for a rubber chicken dinner?

It’s corrupt quid pro quo.

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NEWJERSEY: A debate on “public unions”, sigh!

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http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2011/03/public-sector-unions-are-not-problem.html

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=28006963&postID=8825237058296843302&page=1&token=1299496788732

*** begin quote ***

ANONYMOUS:

Well, of course a libertarian would be on the side of our corporate overlords and against unions because libertarianism is the creation of billionaires who don’t want to pay taxes and who hate their workers and regard them as a nuisance to be crushed.

Teachers’ unions negotiate with school boards not the legislators, police and firefighters negotiate contracts with their supervisors, not the state legislators. According to right wingers and libertarian millionaires, public employees have no rights, should be barred from forming unions or being able to negotiate for their wages and benefits. In other words, public employees should be compliant and obedient serfs who know their places and should just shut up and go away. In other words, you lose your first amendment rights in the workplace. Sounds very un-American to me. Unions level the playing field and allow for some say of workers in their place of employment. The unionization rate for the US is about 11.9% and falling because of rampant union busting and laws which throw up road blocks to unionizing. The unionization rates in Canada and western Europe are more than double our rates and in some countries like Finland (80%+), the unionization rates are off the charts compared to us.

Union PAC money is dwarfed by corporate PAC money; the corporations can spend many times more than unions on political campaigns, especially after the Supreme Court ruling which has allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns. Exxon-Mobile alone could outspend all the unions. Corporate America has thousands of lobbyists to assault Congress, it has billions to fund politicians’ campaigns, it has direct access to the politicians, it gets invited in to write the legislation for bills (such as Medicare Part D) and it can blackmail congressmen by threatening to move their businesses out of state or out of country.

Christie and Walker want to bust unions, end of story, it has nothing to do with state budgets or deficits.

*** end quote ***

“Teachers’ unions negotiate with school boards not the legislators, police and firefighters negotiate contracts with their supervisors, not the state legislators.”

While technically correct about teacher’s unions versus school boards, you overlook that the fact is that it’s all about politics. And, the “rules” of the negotiation are set in the various legislative bodies. The legislators are beholding to the unions for contributions, free labor on campaigns, and ultimately votes.

Police and firefighters also negotiate with basically the politicians that they elected.

You can put whatever costumes and lipstick you want on it; it’s still a corrupt process that sticks the taxpayer with the bill.

“According to right wingers and libertarian millionaires, public employees have no rights”

I can only speak for one little L libertarian and no one should have more rights than any one else. No more and no less.

Permit me to ignore all the prattle about how wonderful unions are.

“Union PAC money is dwarfed by corporate PAC money; the corporations can spend many times more than unions on political campaigns”

I’m no fan of corporations. They too are a creation of the Gooferment and the system that allows them to contribute to politicians is corrupt also. “Regulatory capture” and “Political de facto bribery” are well documented.

The root cause of almost ALL problems is the Gooferment.

So why do we allow this to happen?

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INTERESTING: Carlina White, followed her instincts to reunite

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/kidnapped-carlina-white-solves-cold-case-reunites-parents/story?id=12712313

Cold Case Solved: Carlina White Reunites With Parents
White Was Kidnapped as a Baby 23 Years Ago From a New York City Hospital

*** begin quote ***

Carlina White, separated from her family when she was kidnapped as a baby 23 years ago, followed her instincts to reunite with her biological parents, Joy White and Carl Tyson. “Carlina was a missing link and we have gotten her back in the name of Jesus, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,” Pat Conway, White’s godmother, said. On Aug. 4, 1987, worried parents Joy White and Carl Tyson took their feverish baby daughter to Harlem Hospital’s emergency room. The visit turned into horror when…

*** end quote ***

DNA?

As much as I like happy endings, there is a LOT more to the story.

Gooferment screw ups: <1> Hospital; <2> School; … must be others.

It would seem that there are a lot of charges to be investigated and filed in this case.

Technology had a role in finding with the computer aged photos.

Perhaps, this will have a happy ending?

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

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

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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INSPIRATIONAL: Every parent should see this picture!

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1342580/Anorexic-model-Isabelle-Caro-appeared-shock-fashion-campaign-dies-28.html

Anorexic model who appeared in shock fashion campaign dies at 28
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 11:30 AM on 30th December 2010

*** begin quote ***

Isabelle Caro, a French actress and model whose anorexic image appeared in a shock Italian ad campaign, has died at the age of 28.

*** end quote ***

Sad.

The pictures look like she was a concentration camp victim.

We should take this as a wake up call to how we allow women to be treated.

Young girls are obviously at special risk.

“We, The Sheeple” need to speak up and not allow women to be abused.

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RANT: Why is Yankee Stadium snowless while NYC roads ain’t?

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

FROM A FACEBOOK FRIEND

*** begin quote ***

Ok explain this..there are roads throughout NYC that haven’t yet been plowed BUT they are working overtime to get Yankee Stadium ready for a bowl game tomorrow

*** end quote ***

Greed is good! Seriously, human society advances when each of us cooperates. What better way to get someone to do what you want than to reward them with “certificates of appreciation”?

People will drive themselves harder, mostly without the need for an overseer — boss — taskmaster — slavedriver, when they see their own self-interest being satisfied.

So that’s why the Ghost of George Steinbrenner is well pleased. And, when those industrious Yankee Stadium cleaners get their “certificates of appreciation”, they will be happy too. Those certificates not only get cranky humans to cooperate, but the ENSURE that any effort is the BEST use of resources available at the time. After all you don’t really waste your “certificates of appreciation” on your fellow humans who have not satisfied your needs and wants, do you?

Except for the Gooferment! They steal yours; sometimes without your even knowing it. And, they print up their own certificates, even though they haven’t earned them, whenever.

(For those on Facebook who never had “ekkynonics”, “certificates of appreciation” are a placeholder for the word “money”. For a quick remedial, Google “I, Pencil” and read a short expose of how cooperation by often unwilling humans allows society to thrive.)

So greed will ensure that Yankee Stadium is snowless while the rest of the City chokes on the snow. Gordon Gecko was right. Greed does make the world go round.

# # # # # posted 2010-12-29 10:47

INSPIRATIONAL: Express our displeasure in very effective ways

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/07/residents-missouri-town-block-protesters-picketing-soldiers-funeral/?test=latestnews

Residents of Missouri Town Block Protesters From Picketing Soldier’s Funeral
Published November 07, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Members of a small Missouri town banded together Saturday to block a controversial pastor and members of his Westboro Baptist Church from protesting the funeral of a fallen U.S. soldier, Fox4kc.com reports.

*** end quote ***

That’s “We, The People” in action. We don’t need our Gooferment to abridge anyone’s right of free speech. But, we can express our displeasure in very effective ways. No parking available? Gee that’s just too bad.

“Reinforcing that cordon, the locals applied firm pressure to ‘visitors’ not to intrude. The gas station wouldn’t sell gas to the intruders. The local sheriff was issuing warnings for parking violations. There were no rooms available for fifty miles around. And, those that wouldn’t ‘get with the program’ were usually arrested on trespass or violating some MV code or another. Reporters who transgressed were sent to the Guv’s woodshed.” — CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 285

“We, The People” have tremendous power to “instruct” our fellow citizens in proper conduct in so many ways.

As a little L libertarian, there’s no one who is more anti-war more pro-life than anyone, but intruding on the funerals of the military is hust NOT the proper place to conduct essentially a political discussion.

The fact that a town full of people recognized the problem and actioned it without fuss or muss is inspiring to me!

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INSPIRATIONAL: John Taylor Gatto “schooling and education”

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http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/64305.html

John Taylor Gatto: Here he is on the difference between schooling and education.

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Stunning!

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What gets taught in schools:

  1. confusion — everything is interrupted
  2. class position evy fear – contempt — rigged competition
  3. indifference — lesson of bells — nothing is permitted to upset routine
  4. emotional dependency — surrender to the chain of command
  5. intellectual dependency — told what to think
  6. evaluation of experts of what you are worth
  7. you have no privacy — closely watched

Taught to be an Egyptian slave —- stones in a pyramid

Argh

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INSPIRATIONAL: Donate Vital Organs Before He Dies

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://reason.com/blog/2010/08/06/man-wants-to-donate-vital-orga

Man Wants to Donate Vital Organs Before He’s Dead
Ronald Bailey | August 6, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Should a person who is dying of an incurable illness be allowed to donate his organs before the disease kills him? Gary Phebus who is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) wants to do just that: donate his heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, the whole shebang now. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord leading in most cases to complete loss of control of voluntary movement and which eventually kills the patient.

*** end quote ***

Well, as a little L libertarian, I’d suggest that the Gooferment stay out of it and allow the free market to solve the problem.

Clearly we may need some “rules” to ensure an orderly market. We can have “suicide by organ donation”; any more than we want “suicide by cop”. Can’t have kidney’s being “repoed” by bill collectors. Can’t have poor people sacrificing their organs to pay the bills.

By the same token, we are burying and incinerating organs that could save human lives due to stupid public policy. Why shouldn’t a poor man be able to sell his organ and leave his family a legacy? Other people make big bucks out of transplants. Only the donor doesn’t get a check. That’s not fair either.

We have organ tourism. Rich people shop for venues that are most favorable to them.

So let’s not pretend that the current system is “sweetness and light”!

At the very least, these guys have a starting point.

http://www.lifesharers.org/

*** begin quote ***

Welcome to LifeSharers

If you ever need an organ for a transplant operation, chances are you will die before you get one. You can improve your odds by joining LifeSharers. Membership is free.

LifeSharers is a non-profit national network of organ donors. LifeSharers members promise to donate upon their death, and they give fellow members first access to their organs. As a LifeSharers member, you will have access to organs that otherwise may not be available to you. As the LifeSharers network grows, more and more organs may become available to you — if you are a member.

Members Even if you are already a registered organ donor, you should join the LifeSharers network. By doing so, you will have access to organs that otherwise may not be available to you.

By joining LifeSharers you will help reduce the deadly organ shortage. By offering your organs first to other organ donors you create an incentive for non-donors to become donors. As more people register as organ donors, fewer people will die waiting for transplants.

By joining LifeSharers you will also make the organ transplant system fairer by helping registered organ donors get their fair share of organs. About half of the organs transplanted in the United States go to people who have not agreed to donate their own organs when they die. That’s not fair, and it’s one of the reasons there is such a large organ shortage.

Join LifeSharers now. It’s free. It could save your life. Everyone is welcome to join. There’s no age limit, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. Once you’ve joined, you can sign up your children as well.

*** end quote ***

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Encourage+free+market+body+organs/3411193/story.html#ixzz0x5c8EKXu

*** begin quote ***

If there’s a recipient who wants to pay for an organ and a living donor who is willing to sell their organ why prevent it? Is it ethical to play God and forcefully condemn donors to poverty and potential recipients to death?

A person’s autonomy should be respected. It doesn’t matter whether the donation is motivated by charity, financial desperation or unmitigated greed and whether the selling of organs offend the moral sensibilities of the religious, medical or Canadian community, organ donation is a personal choice.

So, let people work out the ethical implications of selling their body parts and increase the supply by allowing a free market in organs.

*** end quote ***

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HARDWARE: Cheap microscopes for developing world

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http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/08/cheap-300-fluorescent-microscopes-for-developing-world.ars

Cheap ($300) fluorescent microscopes for developing world
By Chris Lee | Last updated about 18 hours ago

*** begin quote ***

So, how much would you pay for such a microscope? $500? $750? To build your own using optics out of catalogs will cost you $490. However, given the mark-up on equipment out of optical catalogs, the researchers estimate that a manufacturer could get this out the door for under $300.

Even at $500, this is all right. You can buy three of these for the cost of something from Nikon, and you can put them in traveling clinics to provide point-of-care diagnostics to a much larger number of people compared to a single microscope at a fixed facility. So, even if the researchers are a bit optimistic on the price, it is still a net win for overburdened healthcare systems in developing world countries.

*** end quote ***

You have to admire the ingenuity that can make something that’s good enough to get the job done at a price that get to the people who can use it.

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NEWJERSEY: “Pivatize” DMV; just return it to the Insurance Companies

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http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/070910_Christie_looks_to_privatize_motor_vehicle_inspections.html

Christie looks to privatize motor vehicle inspections, other services
Friday, July 9, 2010 Last updated: Thursday July 8, 2010, 10:20 PM
BY CLAIRE HEININGER State House Bureau

*** begin quote ***

New Jersey would close its centralized car inspection lanes and motorists would pay for their own emissions tests under a sweeping set of recommendations set to be released by the Christie administration today. State parks, psychiatric hospitals and even turnpike toll booths could also be run by private operators, according to the 57-page report on privatization obtained by The Star-Ledger. Preschool classrooms would no longer be built at public expense, state employees would pay for parking and private vendors would dish out food, deliver health care and run education programs behind prison walls.

*** end quote ***

So, now, libertarians in training, pay close attention to another lesson in Gooferment!

Why is the State involved at all in “car inspection”?

Yes, little Johnny, you had your hand up first.

“To steal wealth from the people while forcing them to do what the State wants them to do!”

Verrrry gooood.

Before we had Gooferment car inspections, we people killing themselves deliberately in unsafe cars? Were innocents being killed or injured by unsafe cars? As a matter of fact, if you caused an accident, your lawyer would have to defend that claim in a court. If the plaintiff (i.e., plain “tiff” which is a computer picture format. Funny?) could prove that the defendant’s car was a POS, then the jury would punish plaintiff. And, plantiff’s insurance company. (Do you see where I am going here?)

Fast forward to today. All accidents are “no fault” and the State inspect your car that we all pay for in our taxes.

Who won on that proposition?

Insurance companies (transferring their costs to the taxpayer), politicians (rewarded by the insurance companies while they had contracts and jobs to give their friends), and bureaucrats (who had cushy jobs to earn big bucks and big pensions).

And, “We, The People” get our wealth stolen, while we still have to check our own cars for safety on a regular basis.

(BTW — By The Way — for extra credit, why not take a stab at guessing how the new and used car dealers felt about “mandatory inspections”? Just follow the money and it will all be revealed to you.)

Following along the same logic.

What would happen if “Governor Christie” really wanted to “privatize”?

“My fellow Taxpayers: There’s no reason for the State of New Jersey to be involved in the current auto scam at the behest of the Insurance Companies. So effective <Pick your favorite date. July 4th 2011?> People will be responsible for themselves, their actions, and the consequences of those actions. Good bye ‘no fault’ accidents. Should you have an accident. The police will arrest all involved who can not prove they have adequate in-force insurance. Those arrested will have adequate opportunity to post bond *in the amount of the accident’s cost. I have directed by my Commissioner of Insurance to come up with an easily understood table mapping the number of cars, number of injured, number of killed, and estimated property damage to the bond amount. (In all but the simplest fender benders, it will be in the millions. So if I were you I’d get insurance. Insurance companies, who are recognized by the State as deserving and credit worthy, will be allowed to sell drivers ‘insurance’. Proof of such insurance will be accepted by the police at accidents to be evidence of fiscal responsibility and allow the drivers to proceed without arrest. It will be responsibility of the Insurance company to identify the drivers they insure, the cars then insure, and all processes concerning that. The Gooferment will operate the police and courts as before. OK, now let’s stay safe out there.”

The Taxpayers wouldn’t be subsidizing the Insurance Companies. The politicians and bureaucrats wouldn’t be getting rich off us either.

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INTERESTING: A “bad BB call” versus a “bad PR strategy”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2010/06/04/irrevocable-mistakes-at-work

Irrevocable Mistakes at Work
Posted in June 4th, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Heard about Jim Joyce, right? He is the umpire who cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game…only twenty EVER in major league baseball…with a horrendous call at first base with two out in the ninth inning.

He’s gone from goat to hero. Sportsmanship and all that. I heard Matt Lauer thank him this morning for the “teaching moment” he gave us all. To be fair, Umpire Joyce did admit his mistake right away, took the abuse like the man he undoubtedly is, apologized personally to Armando and did not hide from fans nor media. A class act, even with his outdated Leon Redbone mustache; luckily, there are no pictures of him in his wife beater or we all might not think so nicely about him.

*** end quote ***

http://www.northjersey.com/news/95486624_BP_oil_spill_is_a_public_relations_disaster__too.html

BP oil spill is a public relations disaster, too
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Last updated: Thursday June 3, 2010, 6:13 AM
BY ERIKA BOLSTAD The Record MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

*** begin quote ***

A litany of half-truths, withholding crucial video, blocking media access to the site and a failure to share timely and complete information about efforts to contain the largest oil spill in U.S. history have created the widespread impression that BP is suppressing the facts about the April 20 oil rig blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, if not misleading the public and the government.

*** end quote ***

Imagine the difference.

The head of BP gets up at a twice daily briefing and explains what is being done. Bring in real people to talk. Demonstrate how they are pulling out all the stops. Bring the people into the loop.

May not be a smart legal strategy, but it’s smart PR.

Explain why they had to drill in deep water. Explain about all the regs and safety they have to meet. Explain what the Plan A, Plan B, … Plan Z are.

Imagine the difference.

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MONEY: Changing my position on “emergency funds”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

From time to time, folks ask me for advice and “help”. I try hard to give them the best I can in both areas. Interesting that they don’t follow the advice and ignore the help. Yet, will return for more.

Guess I’m getting cynical.

Part of any financial plan, job search, or almost any kind of advice that I give is about having an “emergency fund”.

A financial plan starts with an emergency fund and then proceeds on to savings and later investments. (For the truly wealthy, after investments come speculation. I only know two people in that category. And they don’t need my advice.)

In the past, I advised an “emergency fund” in a demand deposit account, preferably in a Credit Union, equal to some multiple of the individual’s “burn rate” (i.e., how much you spend every month; what goes out). The multiplier was at least 6 but could be as high as 60 depending upon how secure your employment was, how hot your field was, how hot your industry was, and how old you were. IF you had a large savings and investments portfolio, THEN you could “sanity check” the multiplier.

Now, I’m getting older and wiser. I think that you need an “emergency fund” that’s the equivalent of a 5 year MONTHLY CD ladder. Yes, 60 cds. SIXTY. Each one equal to your burn rate.

It’s a tough world out there.

You could be locked out of your savings and investments. You need more security. You have to build up to this advice and it’s not easy. But we have hard times coming. And, six months of burn rate in nickels stored at home.

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TECHNOLOGY: MEGAMILLIONS site is overwhelmed

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

Winning Numbers – Mega Millions Official Home

Winning Numbers: 4/30/2010. Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. Five balls are drawn from a set of balls numbered 1 through 56; …

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The page cannot be displayed

The request cannot be processed at this time. The amount of traffic exceeds the Web site’s configured capacity.

Please try the following:

   * Click the Refresh button, or try again later.

   * If this error persists, contact the Web site administrator to inform them that this error continues to occur for this URL address.

HTTP Error 500.13 – Server error: Web server is too busy.

Internet Information Services (IIS)

Technical Information (for support personnel)

   * Go to Microsoft Product Support Services and perform a title search for the words HTTP and 500.

   * Open IIS Help, which is accessible in IIS Manager (inetmgr), and search for topics titled Monitoring and Tuning Web Application Performance, Performance Monitoring and Scalability Tools, and About Custom Error Messages.

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SERVICE: “twitter sparks…” a customer service revolution!

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http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/28/cherchez-la-fame

NSFW: Cherchez la fame – or why the media’s obsession with Twitter campaigns will make customer service smell French

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by Paul Carr on Feb 28, 2010

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Time was, companies knew how to keep track of their important customers.

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Two years ago, none of this would have been news. A cult film maker was kicked off a flight? So? What was he going to do? Make a film called ‘Jay and Silent Bob hate Southwest airlines’? (Admittedly that would still have been better than Jersey Girl). An entrepreneur’s got quietly kicked out of a members’ club to make way for more profitable clients? Tough shit: that one’s not even newsworthy enough for the most desperate trade magazine. A little known designer gets ripped off by a gigantic retail chain? Boo hoo. Tell it to someone who cares. Without a major celebrity angle, there was little to no chance of the media picking up a run-of-the-mill intellectual property complaint and forcing the company into action.

*** and ***

Really there’s only one answer – and it’s one that strikes at the very heart of the established hierarchy of customer importance. Companies are going to have to start treating every single customer like a VIP. Actually, no, it’s worse than that – consider the Hidden Eloise example; she wasn’t a customer, but just a humble designer. Companies are going to have to start treating every single person in the world like a VIP.

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Twitter will burn more and more organizations that are inconsiderate, fraudulent, or deceptive.

I love the strategy: form up your ‘David vs Goliath’ story and get people tweeting and retweeting about it.

Then, watch the “blood”!

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JOBSEARCH: Prepare Three Envelopes

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

THE WISDOM OF “THREE ENVELOPES”!

Remember the old joke?

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A newly-hired top executive for a major company is just settling into his new office when he is visited by the form chief, who had been fired. The displaced executive appears friendly, shakes his hand, and says, “Look, if things get really bad for you, I have something that may help.” And he handed the new executive three envelopes. They parted amicably, the new executive quickly dismissing departing executive’s visit as a result of the shock of his situation. The three envelopes he tossed into the bottom drawer of his desk. Six months later, things were in crisis for the new executive. He was worried, and did not know where to turn or whom to call. Then he remembered the envelopes. He opened the bottom drawer, and took out the first envelope. Inside there was one sheet of paper with a single sentence: “Blame your predecessor.” What a great idea! He followed this advice, and things went very smoothly again. About 6 months later there was another crisis. The new executive again was desperate, when he remembered the envelopes. He reached into the bottom drawer and took out the second envelope. The page inside said, “Reorganize.” So the executive completely reorganized the corporation, and things were going quite well again. About 6 months after reorganizing, things began to fall apart. After employing the best consultants and trying everything he could imagine, things were still getting worse. Then he remembered the third letter. He was sure it would save him. He tore it open, and read the message inside. It said, “Make three envelopes.”

*** end quote ***

To my fellow abused corporate “employees”:

May I give you some advice? Painfully learned. From before the time you “get” the job, you must be aware that it will end. Maybe badly. So, my advice is to prepare, from before you start, for it to end badly.

You know of all the hurdles getting in and you need to know all the hurdles in getting your value out. Here are my thoughts:

(1) You must have at home all the things you will need for your “employment” lawyer to review when you bring your claim to him. (And, you will. When your future employer hands you that severance agreement to sign and you feel you’ve been screwed, tattoed, and not even give a t-shirt! You’ll be visiting a very expensive lawyer wnating him to punish that employer.) Carve out a dedicated space for all the material you’ll have to collect.

(2) Every communication from your employer should be captured and catalogued. An index is essential. That’s the initial offer letter, performance appraisals, copies of checks, expense reports, and the final severance offer.

(3) Like the sneaky bastards they are, there will be a lot of stuff that magically doesn’t get put on paper. That extra week of vacation, concessions, comp time, over time, consideration for being on call 24×7, yada, yada! Oral agreements are worth the paper that they are printed on. You must get in the habit of documenting everything. You don’t know what will be that one fact that could weigh in your favor.

(4) You must be the “chronicaler” of all personnel actions. Keep a “desk book” (i.e., that blank book that has one page per day) of every thing that heppens to your co-workers. Layoffs? You need to itemize every name, age, and anything else you can think of. Capture all org charts. No org charts? Make your own. Same for promotions, demotions, laterals, and transfers. You have to be your own HR department!

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TECHNOLOGY: Digital dirt

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/us/09text.html?_r=1&ref=technology

Text Messages: Digital Lipstick on the Collar
By LAURA M. HOLSON
Published: December 8, 2009

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Robert Stephan Cohen, the lawyer who represented Christie Brinkley in her divorce from Peter Cook, said a spouse’s finding out about a cheating partner by reading their personal text messages would have a profound effect on how such cases were played out, both in court and among friends and family. Mr. Cohen predicted that the battles in even the most routine divorces would become uglier with more text messages as evidence.

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People really don’t understand the technology they are using. Nor, do they understand the implications of an “eternal love letter”.

And, in a corporate setting, it’s even worse. Why aren’t they REQUIRED to preserve email forever.

The “digital dirt”, created voluntarily, CAN come back to haunt you.

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INTERESTING: Pain of suicide

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20091015/cm_csm/ynashweb_1

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For Japanese couples forbidden to marry, leaping from Mount Fuji used to be a common place to end their lives, but when the government erected a sign about the pain it was causing survivors, the suicide rate plummeted. Posting on Facebook could have a similar effect.

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I had a boss who committed suicide. It was said that the technology changing scared him. I hope that’s not right. He could have asked for help. THere were a lot of people who liked him for his caring and could have helped ease the transition worries. Maybe life would have been different if he had. Or if we’d known. We’ll never know.

Requiescat In Pacem, Bob, boss in my youth

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MONEY: Stocks go up but the dollar decline negates it

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http://www.cnbc.com/id/33246832

Save the Greenback, Mr. President
Published: Friday, 9 Oct 2009 | 5:01 PM ET
By: Larry Kudlow
Anchor

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All this massive spending and borrowing is killing us. We need to be slashing tax rates on large and small businesses. There’s just no better place to begin job creation. And leave the Bush tax cuts in place for heaven’s sake. This supply-side shock therapy would save the dollar. And it would put real long-term torque into the recovery.

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Unfortunately, the President is not going to defend the dollar. The Fed ain’t either. And, the congress critters are going to spend like those proverbial drunken sailors. (At least the sailor spent their OWN money.)

So what are the little folks to do. Get ready for a lost decade or two. Study Zimbabwe for how tough life is going to be as the world passes us by.

But some bullion to preserve wealth. Just don’t get ripped off by overpaying.

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LIBERTY: How do we get there?

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http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/35350.html

September 8, 2009
On Larken Rose, Libertarian Organizations, and the Means to Achieving Liberty
Posted by Karen De Coster on September 8, 2009 09:17 AM

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I think, at this point, that nothing can be fixed via the political process. No ballots, no politicians, and no libertarian-lite legislation is going to restore liberty, because the political process has become so corrupt and its agents are immensely wealthy and empowered. We don’t have the political power to defeat them outright, but we do have the individual power – working in concert with one another – to resist them, impede them, protest them, deny them, and ally with others who wish to do the same.

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She thinks it’s too late for a peaceful solution. Hope he’s wrong.

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