GAMBLING: Expanding casinos will lead to Chapter 11 all around

Friday, February 12, 2010

— On Tue, 2/2/10, Casino City Times News Desk <newsletter@mail.casinocity.com> wrote:

From: Casino City Times News Desk <newsletter@mail.casinocity.com>
Subject: Casino City Times: Delaware approves table games for racetrack casinos

On Feb 2, 2010, at 8:42 AM, Luddite wrote:

Nice slot strategy, and table games at Delaware Park and Dover? Cool. LV continues to suffer over years from not being the only place to gamble…still has the magic though.

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I think imho that they (the politicians) are going to kill their own “golden goose”. “Gambling” doesn’t help build the mindset of a vigorous energetic people building “wealth”. I have read some stuff that it impoverishes the bottom strata and extracts net 15% from the local economy. In addition, all the venues makes it less “special” and divides the pie in to infinitesimally small slices that can’t support economic activity. Thus, their “slice” wanes over time. imho!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Green Police: Audi Super Bowl Ad

Monday, February 8, 2010

Green Police: Audi Super Bowl Ad

Absolutely hits too close to home. Even the non-political types who were watching the game were upset by the commercial. It may have started a small “tea party” on its own.

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1 Comment | ADMINISTRIVIA, Political | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: 1962 Pa. coal town fire still burns

Sunday, February 7, 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100205/ap_on_re_us/us_centralia_s_final_days

Few remain as 1962 Pa. coal town fire still burns
AP
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, Associated Press Writer Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press Writer
Fri Feb 5, 10:40 am ET

*** begin quote ***

After years of delay, state officials are now trying to complete the demolition of Centralia, a borough in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania that all but ceased to exist in the 1980s after the mine fire spread beneath homes and businesses, threatening residents with poisonous gases and dangerous sinkholes.

More than 1,000 people moved out, and 500 structures were razed under a $42 million federal relocation program.

But dozens of holdouts, Lokitis included, refused to go — even after their houses were seized through eminent domain in the early 1990s. They said the fire posed little danger to their part of town, accused government officials and mining companies of a plot to grab the mineral rights and vowed to stay put. State and local officials had little stomach to oust the diehards, who squatted tax- and rent-free in houses they no longer owned.

*** end quote ***

Interesting in that the gooferment created the problem and can’t solve it.

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Who’s “manning the walls” in the Obama administration?

Sunday, February 7, 2010

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/specialengagements/moviespeechafewgoodmencodered.html

American Rhetoric: Movie Speech
“A Few Good Men” (1992)
written by Aaron Sorkin

Colonel Nathan R. Jessep Addresses the Court on “Code Red”

*** begin quote ***

You can’t handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives…You don’t want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty…we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use ’em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I’d rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you’re entitled to!

*** end quote ***

This rings true more today that ever.

Who’s “manning the walls” in the Obama administration?

Sorry, but the Department of Defense and the National Guard should be deployed here at home. Like the Coast Guard should NOT be off gallivanting.

We have bases in reportedly 170 countries. Time for a base closing commission of taxpayers.

Did you know that the Constitution only authorizes a permanent Navy. The Army is only allowed for two years. Guess the Dead Old White guys understood about the dangers of a permanent army. What do you think they’d have thought about the alphabet agencies: FBI, DEA, BATF, CIA, NSA, yada, yada, and yada?

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

QUOTE: Epitaph on the Politician Himself

Friday, January 29, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/47878.html

*** begin quote ***

Here richly, with ridiculous display,
The Politician’s corpse was laid away.
While all of his acquaintance sneered and slanged
I wept: for I had longed to see him hanged.

   ~Hilaire Belloc, Epitaph on the Politician Himself

*** end quote ***

ROFL!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICS: My SOTUA!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/01/27/a-10-point-libertarian-sotu-address/

A 10-Point, Libertarian, SOTU Address

Posted by Jeffrey A. Miron

*** begin quote ***

1. Abandon Obamacare

2. Forget Cap and Trade

3. Reject the Card Check Bill

4. Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan

5. Legalize Drugs

6. Scrap the tax code and replace with a flat tax

7. Expand free trade and immigration

8. Stop the bailouts

9. Cut spending

10. Cut spending

BONUS – Cut spending

*** end quote ***

1. End the war. Bring the troops home. Close foreign bases. Department of Defense is NOW in charge of national defense. All national defense.

2. Income tax is over. A drastically reduced Federal budget will be funded on import duties and excise taxes.

3. The drug war is now OVER. All non-violent drug offenders are granted a Presidential pardon. All violent drug offenders MAY apply for clemency.

4. The death penalty IS cruel and unusual punishment. All death row inmates are commuted to life without parole.

5. All welfare (including corporate welfare) will be phased out. All immigration rules will be phased out.

6. The Federal Reserve is to be audited. Legal tender laws are NOW unconstitutional.

7. Social Security and government pensions will be securitized by bonds. National assets will be pledged as collateral for these recognition bonds.

8. All “government entities” are suspended effective immediately. All especially the IRS, BATF, etc. etc. etc. will be shutting down. If States wish to fund an entity like the FBI with funding based on population.

9. All bailouts are to be recalled. Automakers will be spun out to the citizens.

10. All “health care” and “health insurance” rules are to be phased out.

That’s my LIBERTARIAN SOTUA (State Of The Union Address)!

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: The police need some moderation

Monday, January 25, 2010

Death by Checkpoint: A Murder in Massachusetts

via LewRockwell.com Blog by William Grigg on 1/24/10

*** begin quote ***

Kenneth Howe of Worcester, Massachusetts was beaten to death by police last November 25. This is the official conclusion by the Essex County Medical Examiner, who ruled that the official cause of death was “blunt impact of the head and torso with compression of the chest.” It is profoundly doubtful that the killing of the 45-year-old Howe– carried out by a swarm of 10-20 tax-feeders at a “sobriety checkpoint” — will be prosecuted as a criminal offense of any kind, let alone murder.

*** and ***

The murder of Kenneth Howe at an East Berlin-style checkpoint in Massachusetts is a sobering illustration of a principle none of us can afford to forget: While government cannot produce anything of value, it excels at making “criminals” out of innocent people, and corpses out of living human beings.

*** end quote ***

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FROM MY LUDDITE FRIEND

On Jan 25, 2010, at 9:05 AM, LUDDITE wrote:

I admit that some of the articles you send are devastating and sad. But I have to believe in the scheme of things it’s just like reporting on the wars…you only see the bad news in the media and hear nothing of the good. You have probably sent me 50-100 articles…they are likely tens of thousands of good endings that no one reported. It appears to me to just represent a microcosm (?sp?) of the bigger populace….we area more angry, more sinful, more violent bunch of people than we were 50 years ago.

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The gooferment is force. And, that is the root of the problem.

In a system of “law and order”, the police are out of control. If you were examining a manufacturing process’ sample, where the incidence of defects is SUPPOSED to be zero, that had a large number of true positive defects, you’d designate the process as out of control. You wouldn’t blame the sample or say that the defects were acceptable because the process was turning out lots of good stuff.

Would you?

I would quibble that the media really only reports the most egregious examples. If they don’t have video, they don’t cover it. Unless there are 51 shots in minutes, (indicating that some had to reload), they don’t cover it.

And, we don’t see all the “little intrusions” into our lives, where we are “scared” into compliance. Argh!

No, I think the police, and the militarization of the police, is unacceptable. The corruption of the political class by money is unacceptable. The failure of civic virtue in the people, as evidenced by 51% are takers, is unacceptable. The failure of the currency, as evidence by all the unfunded gooferment “guarantees” like SocSec, is unacceptable.

We have so much that I find unacceptable, I just don’t know where to start! So I’ll start by convincing you. :-)

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We’ll see if I can convince LUDDITE! I r an injineer; not a politician.

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: Obama made your contribution

Monday, January 18, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/47719.html

January 17, 2010
Obama Promises $100 Million in Aid for Haiti
Posted by Laurence Vance on January 17, 2010 05:12 PM

*** begin quote ***

It sure is easy to spend money when it is not your own. How charitable of Obama to donate $100 million of other people’s money. But shouldn’t America do something to help Haiti? No, America shouldn’t do anything. This $100 million comes out of the pockets of American taxpayers. In a free society, no one should be forced to fund foreign aid to any country for any reason. But what about individual Americans, shouldn’t they do something? Individual Americans may do something and can do something, but it would be wrong to say that they should do something. Who is to say whether John Doe on Main Street in Topeka, Kansas, should donate to the Haiti relief effort? It would be nice if he did, but only God alone can say that he should.

*** end quote ***

This is how I felt when I first heard it — robbed!

There are a lot charities that deserve our support. Voluntarily! SUre, President Obama can pledge 100 million. It’s not “HIS” 100 Million. It was ours.

I have less problem sending some of the military to help out. Like a hospital ship. Like “spare” troops sitting idle, “guarding” Arlington. But we have several wars going on.

I have no problem with VOLUNTARY charities. I do have a problem with “charities” that have no connection to Haiti that are soliciting. And, those with HIGH administrative rake-off. And, those like UNICEF that have an agenda.

I pray for the poor people of Haiti. But, you have to admit that the political corruption down there has made it a worse disaster.

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Sue a government hospital, in a government court?

Monday, January 18, 2010

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/civil/patient-sues-after-learning-uch-records-search-could-top-1-million/1064147

Patient sues after learning UCH records search could top $1 million

By Shelley Rossetter, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, January 9, 2010

*** begin quote ***

TAMPA — A man attempting to learn whether his surgeon made mistakes at University Community Hospital found that access comes at a high price.

To search through years of records for adverse incident reports on his surgeon, William D. Raulerson would have to pay UCH more than a million dollars, he discovered.

*** end quote ***

An “interesting” legal tactic to defend a malpractice suit.

My thought is that after we get Obama-care, who will the injured sue? A government hospital, in a government court. Good luck with that! And who are you expecting to win?

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: Gooferment wants to turn savings into guaranteed income streams

Sunday, January 17, 2010

http://www.newmediajournal.us/government/01152010.htm

Government
Retiree Annuities May Be Promoted by Obama Aides
BusinessWeek.com/Bloomberg

*** begin quote ***

The Obama administration is weighing how the government can “encourage” workers to turn their savings into guaranteed income streams following a collapse in retiree accounts when the stock market plunged.

The US Treasury and Labor Departments will ask for public comments as soon as next week on ways to promote the conversion of 401(k) savings and Individual Retirement Accounts into annuities or other steady payment streams, according to Assistant Labor Secretary Phyllis C. Borzi and Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Mark Iwry, who are spearheading the effort.

Annuities generally guarantee income until the retiree’s death, and often that of a surviving spouse as well. They are designed to protect against the risk that retirees outlive their savings, a danger made clear by market losses suffered by older Americans over the last year, David Certner, legislative counsel for AARP, said in an interview.

*** and ***

Content Editor’s Note: The Obama Administration is going to try to force investors to structure IRA and 401k accounts into what amounts to a US Treasury debt-backed government annuity. This is an attempt to divert hundreds of billions of dollars of private retirement accounts into federal government debt. If the Chinese won’t voluntarily buy more US debt, the government will simply force it on American investors whether they want it or not. Just more freedoms being taken away.

*** end quote ***

Last time, the trial balloon was “enhanced social security”. Considering that “Social Security Insurance” is broke, that was a lead balloon!

Now they are back with another one, “annuities”, in Treasuries, and I’m sure sold by the Administration’s friends at AARP, packaged by Goldman Sachs, insured by AIG, and delivered by a GM car. (OK, the last is a joke! But this whole think is a joke.)

What those unfamiliar with annuities does is ROB the estates of these people. And, make the gooferment your heir. Argh! As if the Death Tax wasn’t bad enough.

OK, for ha has, why not convert social security into annuities? Sure cause then people could sell them out.

BUT, (there is always a big butt), then we would be FORCED to recognized how underfunded all these “insurance” programs are.

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1 Comment | MONEY, SOCIALISM | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

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