Tag: Morality

MONEY: Financial planning with old memes

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http://www.businessinsider.com/the-coming-retiree-crisis-2012-10

Take Action Now To Prepare For The Great Retiree Crisis

Jeff Voudrie, See It Market | Oct. 10, 2012, 8:30 AM

***** begin quote *****

The financial planning community has largely relied on assumptions regarding equity, debt and inflation percentages that have been experienced over the last 30 years.

There are 3 problems with these assumptions:

Equity returns the last 30 years have been extraordinarily high as a result of the longest and greatest Bull market in the history of U.S. stock markets. Accordingly, many financial plans used projections that assumed equity returns of 8-10% a year.

Debt returns over the same period are equally skewed. Remember the double-digit interest rates of the 1980’s? In 1989, as a young broker, I was selling 30-year TVA bonds yielding 10%! Financial plans the last 5-10 years have used interest rate assumptions around 5-6% a year.

The scenarios that led to the historic markets the last 30 years are very unlikely to EVER be repeated in today’s retiree’s lifetime. And those who are taking distributions based on these outdated assumptions may soon run out of money.

For instance, let’s assume that someone retired 5 years ago at age 60 with a $500,000 investment portfolio. Based on financial plans popular at that time, the retiree is taking $2500 a month in distributions—money they need to maintain their current standard of living. Since the plan anticipated the ability to average a 7% return on a portfolio with close to 50% in equities, the retiree expects to be able to take those distributions and never run out of money.

Adjusting those assumptions based on what many believe resembles more reasonable assumptions going forward requires decreasing the rate of return assumption for a similar-risk portfolio to around 4% and increasing the inflation assumption from 1-2% a year to 3-4% a year (which may still be too conservative). Suddenly, the portfolio that should last forever is now projected to be exhausted in only 16.8 years! That means that the entire nest egg and what it earns cannot sustain the current withdrawal rate. Since the retiree started the withdrawals five years ago, now they are down to 11.8 years—running out of money around age 76!

***** end quote *****

Clearly, the political class has screwed up the American economy.

Pity the poor, the elderly, the middle class, those on fixed income.

Inflation is grossly understated by the “official” stats.

Are we headed to be like Europe or pre-WW2 Germany?

Clearly, everyone needs to update their financial plans.

I’ve recommended to my turkeys that they adjust their “money reserve requirements”.

Everyone better plan to work for a longer time.

— 30 —

RANT: “Big Church”, another failed concept

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/diocese-of-orange-raises-bid-for-crystal-cathedral/

Diocese of Orange raises bid for Crystal Cathedral
By Marianne Medlin

*** begin quote ***

Garden Grove, Calif., Aug 11, 2011 / 05:59 am (CNA).- The Diocese of Orange upped its previous bid and signaled openness to new negotiations for the Crystal Cathedral after board members recently announced that the building is no longer for sale.

*** and ***

The liturgist for the Orange diocese, Monsignor Arthur Holquin, said July 26 that several changes would need to take place in order for the Crystal Cathedral to become a Catholic worship space.

Along with a central altar, a tabernacle and a baptismal font, the building would need a “cathedra” or bishop’s chair. While renovations are needed to the building, “not much deconstruction would be required and the iconic personality of the original architecture and design would, for the most part, be retained,” he said.

Purchasing the Crystal Cathedral is an attractive option for the diocese because it provides an instant solution to its building needs and would cost roughly half the $100 million price tag for the planned Santa Ana cathedral.

Though the diocese made an official $50 million bid for the Crystal Cathedral on July 22, the church’s board later voted against selling it and decided to appeal to church members and viewers to donate the funds instead.

*** end quote ***

Guess I just don’t understand.

Couldn’t God be worshiped in an appropriately decorated warehouse?

As far as the “bishop’s chair”, I have a old folding chair to donate. Won’t that hold a butt.

$100M$?

Reminds me of the French’s Maginot Line and Patton’s famous apocryphal remark “fixed fortifications are monuments to man’s stupidity”.

Maybe a cathedral is marketing? Of an idea who’s time has past. “Big Church” must join the dustbin of failed concepts like: Big Gooferment, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Labor, Big Biz, “Too Big To Fail” (2B2F), Social Security “Insurance”, the misnamed Federal Reserve Bank, Wall Street, Fiat Paper aka “monopoly money”, and all such stupidity?

It’s always sad when the illusions and delusions die. And all we are left with is the wreckage.

Is it too late to rebuild from the pieces?

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INTERESTING: Should College Athletes Be Paid?

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http://www.doughroller.net/personal-finance/should-college-athletes-be-paid/

Should College Athletes Be Paid?
by MICHAEL
in PERSONAL FINANCE

*** begin quote ***

It seems every week, I hear of a new scandal involving a college athlete and the reason is always the same … money. For the past few months, the NCAA has been digging their claws into USC and Ohio State, two of the most storied athletic institutions there are in college sports. The consequences of these schools not playing fair have been the loss of championships and current coaching staff members and many in and out of the sport wonder if the simple solution is to pay college athletes for their performance. I vote a big, fat, NO.

*** end quote ***

I disagree.

The Colleges get rich. The coaches get rich. The “industry” surrounding them get rich.

The players MAY get an education.

(I guess they always get an education. Getting screwed is educational.)

Some of the sports are amateur; not the “big” ones.

And, if the athlete gets a career ending injury, then they are screwed.

Would seem like there needs to be a athlete’s union!

I think they should get a percentage. It’s the American way.

# – # – # – # – # 2011-Jul-24 @ 11:00

TECHNOLOGY: CISCO does evil with Gooferment help

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http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/07/a-pound-of-flesh-how-ciscos-unmitigated-gall-derailed-one-mans-life.ars/1

A pound of flesh: how Cisco’s “unmitigated gall” derailed one man’s life

By Ian Mulgrew

*** begin quote ***

In May 2011, nearly a year to the day after his deposition and arrest, Adekeye was vindicated. In a stinging decision, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Ronald McKinnon rebuked both Canadian and American authorities for an appalling abuse of process and, in a rare move, he stayed extradition proceedings against Adekeye.

Justice McKinnon was stunned that a trivial $14,000 civil tort had been transformed into a criminal proceeding so as to engage the full might and resources of two governments and to mislead one of Canada’s senior trial courts. It was shocking, he said.

The justice dismissed three thick volumes of legal precedent filed by Canadian federal government lawyer Diba Majzub, who said that it didn’t matter if Adekeye was falsely characterized. At the end of the last century, after several high-profile requests dragged on for years (some as long as a decade), the government changed the Extradition Act to make the court’s job little more than that of a rubber stamp. It was America’s job, said Majzub, to rule on the merits of Adekey’s case—not Canada’s.

*** end quote ***

Seem like anyone dealing with CISCO should be very careful.

Unlike Google’s “Don’t be evil”, CISCO seems to have a different ethic.

So, ostracize CISCO?

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RANT: “Default”? No way, not needed

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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: What would you do with Jeter’s ball?

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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Fan-returns-3-000th-hit-to-Jeter-team-rewards-h?urn=mlb-wp12123

Sat Jul 09 03:48pm EDT
Fan returns 3,000th hit to Jeter, team rewards his generosity
By ‘Duk

*** begin quote ***

As a 23-year-old cell phone salesman, Christian Lopez had thousands of reasons to hold out for the highest bidder on the baseball from Derek Jeter’s(notes) 3,000th hit. In fact, some estimates put the ball’s worth at $250,000, money that the recent graduate from St. Lawrence University could have certainly used.

And yet when New York Yankees officials found Lopez after he corralled Jeter’s historic home run, the only thing that the big Yankees fan wanted was to return the ball to the man who had hit it.

*** and ***

What would you have done?

*** end quote ***

Wow, that’s a tough one.

I doubt I’d have been as gracious as this fellow.

I’d hope that I’d tie two baseball stories together.

Remember that fan who fell to his death leaving his son an orphan?

I’d have gotten my favorite lawyer to negotiate a deal. The fair value of the ball should wind up in the Texas Rangers’ account that was setup for the child and Jeter should get the ball. And, how it all happens are mere details. Since I had possession of the ball, I’m sure it could all be worked out.

I hope I’d have the stones to make it happen.

That’s what I think I’d have done. Or, what I’d like to THINK that’s what I’d have done. It’s what I HOPE i’d have done.

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RANT: The first item first column on Drudge says it all

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The first item first column on Drudge says it all.

*** begin quote ***

MARCH 19, 2011

OBAMA: ‘Today we are part of a broad coalition. We are answering the calls of a threatened people. And we are acting in the interests of the United States and the world’…

MARCH 19, 2003

BUSH: ‘American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger’…

*** end quote ***

Donna Nobis Pacem!

Would anyone like to go back to the last Presidential campaign? I said here and vocally that the only truly “Peace” candidate was Ron Paul. Everyone told me that BHO44 was that “Peace” candidate.

“barbara streisand”

I told you so. And, it gives me no pleasure to say that. If I was smarter, I would have been more persuasive. But, when I say there is no difference between the R’s and the D’s, everyone tells me there’s a difference. Look at “today’s conservatives” and “today’s liberals”?

Where do we get the moral authority, let alone the Constitutional authority, to wage war on Libya?

IMHO from a moral, strategic, and tactical basis, this is an outrageous disaster.

So what are you going to do about it?

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RANT: Rohrssen fired; MC acts like its competition

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http://www.gojaspers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12500&ATCLID=205112857

Manhattan Announces Change in Men’s Basketball Program
Barry Rohrssen Released as Jaspers’ Head Coach after Five Seasons at the Helm

*** begin quote ***

“Barry is a true gentleman who has represented Manhattan College very well,” explained Byrnes. “As we make a difficult decision to move the program forward, we remain committed to the academic and personal, as well as the athletic development of our student athletes. We wish Barry well and thank him for his service.”

*** end quote ***

FROM A FACEBOOK GIVE AND TAKE

“58-95 while at MC”

Or, is the real objective to live out out version of morality. To serve public witness that we are following a different vision of what its right and proper and invite other to travel that path with us?

(I ranted about Bobby G and his antics despite his winning and results.)

I have blogged about I think it was Arkansas winning the NCAA but their graduation rate was under 10% and they were sued by one of their “graduates” sued for being an illiterate. The NCAA basketball offering is about money. Pure and simple. “Schools”, or organizations purporting to be schools, suck in young poor black men, with the illusion that they can make it to the NBA, supposedly compensate them for their effort with an “education”, create all sorts of “rules” to supposedly keep the game amateur, collect millions operating a meat grinder, all to support the illusion of amateur “Student Athletes”. The only part that’s “amateur” is that the players don’t get paid. And, they said Lincoln freed the slaves. That was an illusion too.

The fact that most of the top sports programs are State funded schools further illustrates the arena that MC is completing against. The deck is stack in sports, and in the economics of free public education. MC will succeed only be being unique and offering that something that I think makes my fellow Jasper “good people”.

Firing a Coach, for not winning, is imho morally wrong. When the NCAA sanctions Schools for “student athletes” being illiterate, then maybe it’s be OK. Till then, have no doubt, it’s about money. Nothing else. To play their game is a mistake.

I apologize to my fellow Jaspers here and on FACEBOOK if this comes off “holier than thou”. Here’s my minority opinion. Like that movie line, “We’re better than that”. … …

… … I think MC is better than that.

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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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RANT: Animal cruelty leds to human cruelty. Stop it!

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http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2010/06/treating_people_like.html

June 13, 2010
Treating people like animals

*** begin quote ***

Cruelty to animals has been implicitly recognised as being a sign of behavioural problems in children for some time as it forms part of the diagnosis of conduct disorder, characterised somewhat glibly as ‘kiddie psychopathy’.

However, research has been slowly accumulating over the last few years that animal cruelty is related to lower levels of general empathy and is a signal that the person concerned may have abusive tendencies that extend towards other people.

*** end quote ***

Now, regular readers know I have very little use for the Gooferment. That being stipulated, there is really ONLY ONE legitimate function.

Protect rights!

Here’s a legitimate function and story about how it should be expanded due to scientific evidence behind it.

Animal cruelty appears to signal cruelty to humans.

So, after conviction on animal cruelty charges, there needs to be an investigation into any abuse of any human within their “reach”. As convicts, they need to be carefully “watched” for abuse. With zero tolerance for transgressions.

Like the famous fable of “the scorpion and the frog”, and the line “that’s what scorpions do”, these folks are abusers and need to be watched. Like pet rattlesnake, eventually a bite will occur.

There’s no excuse for not preventing abuse. And, everyone should be very sensitive and alert to the possibility.

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LIBERTY: What is this thing called “government”; the Gooferment

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“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)

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RANT: Teach them a lesson, Rush. Please!

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http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/10/letter_to_rush_limbaugh.html

*** begin quote ***

October 16, 2009

Letter to Rush Limbaugh

Lloyd Marcus

Dear Rush,

*** end quote ***

Dear Rush,

Sue the bastards.

Drag everyone of them into court. Take there last nickel. (This is Obama’s Amerika. They’ll get a bail out or hand out. Or gooferment pensions.)

It’s the principle of the thing. ( Sean Connery as James Malone (The Untouchables): “You wanna get Capone? Here’s how you get him. He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way. And that’s how you get Capone!”)

They can criticize what you DO say, but they can’t just make it up.

You have to “assist the Universe” and teach them the lesson they need to learn. Else the Universe will keep sending you “teaching moments” until you do.

imho

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Terps get screwed!

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/09/militarys-forgotten-terps-get-some-love/

Military’s Forgotten ‘Terps’ Get Some Love
    * By Nathan Hodge Email Author
    * September 22, 2009

*** begin quote ***

Foust and Hsia aren’t the first ones to take up the cause of the interpreters. Many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have tried to help their interpreters — many of whom face death threats — get special immigrant visas. Writing last year in the New York Post, Marine Corps vet Owen West expressed his frustration with the maddening bureaucratic process. “As a Marine, I was taught never to leave a comrade-in-arms behind on the battlefield,” he wrote. “But that’s exactly what the State Department is doing to men and women who’ve sacrificed everything to help our troops – our Iraqi interpreters.”

*** end quote ***

As usual, the gooferment figures out a way for is to screw some of our few friends.

I bet these “Terps” would be as good a citizen as any U of Maryland grad.

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POLITICS: The last of the imperial Kennedys?

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http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/23/kennedy_should_resign/

Kennedy should resign
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / August 23, 2009
The Boston Globe

*** begin quote ***

RUNNING for reelection in 1982, Senator Ted Kennedy aired a series of sentimental television ads in which longtime supporters spoke of him as an empathetic human being who was no stranger to suffering and sorrow. One of those supporters was 83-year-old Frank Manning, founder of the Massachusetts Association of Older Americans. “He’s not a plaster saint, he’s not without his faults,’’ Manning said in the ad. “But we wouldn’t want a plaster saint.’’

*** end quote ***

They say speak no ill of the dead.

Sorry, but even now we can call them as we see them.

Kennedy’s conduct was an insult to anyone with a shred of human decency. Mary Jo was whitewashed. Any one else would have spent time in jail. What else has been covered over to keep him in office? Disgraceful. More disgraceful to the “liberal leftist” press who failed their sacred trust.

Further, he was a CINO. The classic example of a Catholic In Name Only. He gave public scandal by voting for abortion and everyone gives him a free pass.

It’s not my job to judge. Above my pay grade. But he’s one I don’t understand. Silver spoon and all. He had it all and squandered it.

Eye of the needle.

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SOCIALISM: Take the company for the UAW and screw the killed and maimed

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http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=8016340&page=2

Bankruptcies Leave GM, Chrysler Defect Victims in the Dust
General Motors and Chrysler Are Rebuilding but Those With Injury, Death Claims May Not Get Their Day in Court
By ALICE GOMSTYN
ABC NEWS Business Unit
July 8, 2009

*** begin quote ***

Asked about consumers’ pending claims against GM and Chrysler, the Obama administration, which has worked closely with the companies on their reorganization plans, reiterated its support for both automakers.

“This was a commercial decision by the company, which we are confident will not interfere with the future viability of GM. While the U.S. Treasury was engaged in this process, GM was responsible for determining the best approach going forward,” an administration official said.

Chrysler’s decisions, meanwhile, were “consistent with conventional bankruptcy practice,” according to the official.

*** end quote ***

I thought the Democrats were the party of the working man.

Silly me!

The White House was up to its elbows in this deal which was a payoff to the UAW and seizing the wealth of honest people.

(The majority of the bondholders were banks who received TARP money. Of course, they voted like the whores to the Government they are. I’d be very circumspect about any bond or any claim made by a politician!)

Screw these little people.

Maybe ABC should ask Obama these questions in his next staged press conference that they get to play act in.

(The mainstream media is just as big a whore for the gooferment as the banks.)

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POLITICAL: No right to DNA tests for convicts

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http://tinyurl.com/lxh83p

SCOTUS: No right to DNA tests for convicts
MSNBC

*** begin quote ***

“The Supreme Court said Thursday that convicts have no constitutional right to test DNA evidence in hopes of proving their innocence long after they were found guilty of a crime. The decision may have limited impact because the federal government and 47 states already have laws that allow convicts some access to genetic evidence. Testing has led to the exoneration of at least 232 people who had been found guilty of murder, rape and other violent crimes.” (06/18/09)

*** end quote ***

Guess we can cross out “with justice for all”!

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POLITICAL: USA response to IRAN unrest?

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=537777419&story_fbid=94104019058

Tsvi Gal Y aren’t we marching in front of the UN 2 demand the security council calls iran 2 stop slautering its own? Y all the thousands who r willing 2 come 2 the streets any time a palestinian is killed by israel, terrorist or not (2 clarify: israel also has no right 2 kill innocent people just the right 2 protect itself) show so much understanding 2 Iranian “internal” affairs?

MY RESPONSE:

(1) The UN is an ineffective gang of thugs (i.e., Cuba on the Human Rights committee); (2) we need to be more circumspect about what we beleive versus propaganda. Who REALLY knows what is going on in Iran. (3) Appealing to the UN is asking for trouble. They don’t settle stuff. “Peacekeepers” are trouble. (4) The US has a history of screwing “… Read Morefreedon fighters” (e.g., Hungary). So let’s not kid the people in Iran that we will help. (5) Their country, their freedom. Sad to say. All power does come fromt eh barrel of a gun. They’re most effective weapon is Ghandi. (6) We have our own set of problems here. We’re broke. Drunken sailors in Congress and the White House don’t know it.

Government is the meme that kills and enslaves us.

Peace!

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WRITING: Thou Shalt Not Murder (An index Card Novel)

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Thou Shalt Not Murder (An index Card Novel)

The fat old white man was alone. He felt really old. He began to contemplate his life. Some would call it depression; some would call it the Final Enlightenment. He considered all that he’d learned over his lifetime. Several lessons, several axioms, several bits of wisdom all rushed into his mind. He resumed meditation. When he was a youth, he had studied religion. Later he’d studied science. “The Universe means one song; we each have a part in the chorus.” “Heisenburg: The observer effects that which is observed.” “Everything is created twice, first in the mind, then in the space we call reality.” “God’s metaphoric faculty of speech, being one and the same as action, is mirrored in man’s ability to effect his surrounding reality for the positive or negative.” He final came up with his principle: “Man’s heart connects to his mind and determines the physical reaction.”

Now philosophers will argue for eons about “does man’s collective mind discover or create reality”.

As the fat very old white man sat and thought in deep meditation, he constructed a new meme. He believed that inanimate objects were never truly inanimate. They would take some animation from the higher order mover. The Universe set a new “Law” into place.

+++++

A wave of disturbance radiated out over the sea of consciousness.

A majority were unaware of it. But some were.

The Dali Lama was in his private mediation. He felt the change. Could not express it in words. But gathered his acolytes and told them that the world had changed.

In Trappist monasteries, Shinto temples, Jewish seminaries, Amish meeting houses, and in countless meditation sessions around the globe, people felt that something had changed. Dramatically.

It was reported in the odd ball press but no one could put their feelings accurately into words.

+++++

It was three AM the bar closed. A drunk walks to his car but it will not start.

A would be suicide bomber vest herself in a deadly garment, travels to the nightclub, and presses the detonator. Nothing happens.

A dotty old dictator inspects his nuclear missile. Receives assurances that this will finally wipe Israel from the face of the earth. He orders the immediate launch. It fails completely. He order the execution of the Chief Scientist. The firing squad weapons don’t work.

The religious mob chains the young girl to the rock. She’s accused of being raped. The crown throws rocks but the rocks fall immediately to the ground. Despite prodigious effort, no one can propel them at the girl. One man carries a big one over above her head and lets go. It remains adhered to his hand.

The drug dealer is besieged by outraged addicts. What did he sell them? They can’t get high. Hospitals are overwhelmed with jonesing addicts. Medical supplies work to alleviate suffering. Some addicts get the idea to rob hospital pharmacies; those drugs don’t work.

In a fit of rage, the man takes up a knife to kill his wife. The blade stabs with all the force he can muster. The point stops at her skin. The knife gets so hot it burns his hand. The force breaks his arm as if he’d swung his arm into a granite wall.

A pornographer logs onto his internet server. He checks his earnings. Zero. In fact, his credit card company is charging him back for countless subscriptions. It can’t be? He logs onto the site. All the jpegs are just black. All the movie files don’t play. The duplicate files on his computer are the same. But not every picture is black. The pictures of his wife, kids, and dog are just fine.

A man walks from his car to his office. He is going to move money offshore and bilk his partners. He turns the key in the door. The lock works but the door won’t open. He goes back to his car but it won’t start.

A policeman and a street thug wrestles for the officer’s gun. The policeman squeeze off an errant shot then the thug twists it away. With murder in his eyes, the thug pulls the trigger. Nothing happens. He runs, but the cop catches and subdues him.

+++++

The new is full of reports of a new computer virus that infect cars. The tag line is “Experts mystified”. It’s more than just cars. And all the experts are! It’s like stuff has a mind of its own

Politicians, bureaucrats, and all sorts of crooks can’t make anything work.

The honest car mechanic calls his minister. It seems that people can’t start their cars. But when he makes a service call, it starts right up. He watches them get in and it won’t for them. He’s confused. “Minister, what should I charge?” “What’s fair in your mind?” “My hourly rate. Nothing more nothing less. And when they call, I’ll tell them that I don’t think I can fix their problem.” “That sounds fair. Remember to follow your conscience.”

+++++

The fat very old white man has grokked reality and fundamentally changed it. His work is done. He leaves the planet a better place for his presence. A very confused place. Man must now discover the new fundamental laws of physic and conscience. “The heart tells the mind what laws physical reality will follow.” Like the great mystics throughout the ages, no one knows his name. No one knows the service he has done. Peace reigns; anyone who tries different finds that stuff doesn’t work.

It’s like EMP for bad guys. A partial TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It)!

Peace!

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JOBSEARCH: Another silent hazard in the job search

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http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12514244

Google recruiter: Company kept ‘do not touch’ in hiring list
By Steve Johnson, Elise Ackerman and Sue McAllister
Mercury News
Posted: 06/03/2009 07:00:44 PM PDT
Updated: 06/04/2009 10:14:46 AM PDT

*** begin quote ***

A recruiter who left Google last year says that the company had maintained a “do not touch” list of companies including Genentech and Yahoo, whose employees were not to be wooed to the Internet search giant.

That revelation could be significant in light of this week’s disclosure that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Google, Yahoo, Apple, Genentech and other tech companies conspired to keep others from stealing their top talent.

Although Google declined to comment on the list or other aspects of the investigation, Palo Alto attorney Gary Reback, who has been involved in a number of high-profile antitrust cases, said having such a list is not unheard of and not necessarily illegal.

*** end quote ***

Argh!

Hard enough to get a job and the companies limit the opportunities.

A plague on all their houses.

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INTERESTING: Where’s Alex?

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/06/palin-vs-letterman.html

ABC News: The Note
Palin vs. Letterman
June 11, 2009 8:11 AM

*** begin quote ***

Klein ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:

Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, are swinging back at David Letterman, after the talk-show host made the Alaska governor and her family the focus of a series of off-color jokes.

*** and ***

But it was a line in Letterman’s monologue that set off a firestorm: “One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.”

Palin was in New York with her 14-year-old daughter, Willow.

*** end quote ***

Letterman should get a suspension like Imus.

CBS used have standards!

We haven’t heard from Alex Rodriguez.

If I was Alex, I’d really be torqued.

If anything, he goes for older woman. Phyllis Diller might be more appropriate for Alex. He was “friends” with Madonna.

I’d like to see him nose2nose with Letterman.

Letterman wouldn’t have the stones to say that to Alex’s face. Nor, the Palins.

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MONEY: The Gooferment acts to preserve its monopoly on “dollars”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

Dear Reader:

This is OUTRAGEOUS. Just as Sadam Hussein of Iraq learned when he suggested that oil be trade in gold, don’t mess with the US’s monopoly on the world’s reserve currency.

(Disclaimer, I think the Liberty Dollar is overpriced versus the spot price of the underlying commodity. But, maybe I don’t understand how expensive it is to mint medallions. They are cheaper than what is offered on the late night infomercials to buy “Liberian Silver” or such nonsense.)

Bernard and the Liberty Dollar folks are threatening to take the country back to Constitutional money of gold and silver. Single handedly! Interesting is they are the size of a gnat on a cow’s butt in comparison to the Federal Reserve. The “establishment” is so threatened as it has to persecute and prosecute them.

See the Establishment can NOT afford to have any one “look behind the curtain”! You might ask the question “What is a dollar?”. That question leads to the more “deadly” question — deadly to their ability to delude the people into allowing the Government have the ability to inflate — “What value does a Federal Reserve Banknote intrinsically have?”. That’s the question that puts a stake thru the heart of the vampire known as the Federal Reserve Bank. Inflation is the silent hidden tax.

(The Federal Reserve Bank is a misnomer. IT ain’t “federal”. It reserves nothing. And, it ain’t a “bank”. It is a private cartel of the elite banks run for their benefit and that of the entrenched politicians. )

(As an aside, just look at the reelection rate of incumbent politicians. And, where they are “replaced”, note that their “replacement” is a member of the opposite “major” party that follows the exact same agenda. And, you wonder why stuff doesn’t change. How can it? The elite are very content with the current system. It’s only the “unwashed” who get screwed. Repeatedly.)

So, the Federal Reserve Banknote allows the politicians to take everyone’s wealth by inflation. So they can have a “welfare / warfare” society and the sheeple don’t even known they are being shorn. In the last thirty years, the dollar has lost more than 95% of it’s purchasing power. Watch the old quiz show “Let’s Make a Deal” and see the price of a new car in the Sixties was less than 5,000 “dollars”. Why does a Government Motors car cost 50,000 now? It ain’t the same dollars. My first house cost 8,000 “dollars” when it was built in the Fifties, why is it worth 350,000 “dollars” now. Did the boards suddenly become more valuable? No, the Government money is worth less and they can’t print houses.

So, here we have the Government desperately trying to reign in the whole concept of “honest money”. There’s an old rhyme “Money has functions four: a medium, a measure, a standard, a store.” See in order to be “money”, it has to be a store of value. The Federal Reserve Banknote is: a medium of exchange (as long as the sheeple believe it to be), a measure (as long as you realize each year it’s different; imagine a measure of length getting shorter every year — giving the Government “more” land to sell), a standard (as long as you don’t mind a standard shrinking every year), and a store (where the rats in congress erode your wealth silently).

That’s why they have to surpress anything that reflects badly upon their “dollar” monopoly.

Forewarned is fore armed!

*** begin quote ***

Begin forwarded message:

From: Liberty Dollar <truth@libertydollar.org>

Date: June 5, 2009 2:35:24 AM EDT

To: reinkefj

Subject: FBI Arrests Bernard, Kevin, Sarah & Rachelle

LIBERTY DOLLAR ALERT:

June 2009 Vol. 11 No. 06-A

Urgent News for All Liberty Dollar Supporters!

FBI Arrests Bernard, Kevin, Sarah & Rachelle

The battle for a value based currency has began!

The last two days have been amazing! Just shortly after midnight on Tuesday, the phone started ringing and I let the answering machine take the call. But very soon there was another call… with an even more urgent message! Very quickly, a friend of Kevin Innes, explained to me that Kevin had been “detained” by the local sheriff and was being held for the FBI to arrest him! Holy Cow!! The #2 supporter for the Liberty Dollar and co-instructor at the Liberty Dollar University training sessions was in deep trouble with the Feds! I was sure to be next. But would they arrive in a few minutes or would it be a pre-dawn Nazi style assault?

Finally, I got up at 4:00 AM. I was very concerned for Kevin and wondered when the FBI would hit me. Fortunately the morning was quickly filled with a flurry of calls from Kevin’s friend, other interested parties, the usual business calls and making preparations for the inevitable knock on the door. But nobody came. Then just after noon, Niles, who’s wife, Rachelle, manages the Liberty Dollar Fulfillment Office, called to tell me that Rachelle had been picked up by the FBI at the LD Office and was due to be arraigned in just a few hours! The FBI strikes again!

Luckily, I was able to talk to Rachelle via her cell phone while the FBI was holding her. I was pleased that the FBI agents were the friendly professional types and afforded Rachelle and I quite a few minutes of private conversation. Under the circumstances, Rachelle’s demeanor and resolve was right on target. And very quickly, I learned that a warrant had been issued for my arrest. And just a quickly, Rachelle was off to court to be arraigned.

Much later in the afternoon, I learned to my surprise that three big FBI agents had arrested Sarah at work. She and Rachelle were arraigned together and quickly released to on their own recognizance (OR) before the sun set on a very eventful day for the Liberty Dollar. The quick, professional effort with Sarah and Rachelle were gratifying and encouraging. Unfortunately, I was to learn that Sarah lost her job because of this event.

By last afternoon it was clear that the Liberty Dollar would be best served by my turning myself in to the to the US Marshals, otherwise know as ‘self reporting.’ After a few calls, I found myself talking to Agent Andy (aka Agent F) who was his usual friendly, chatty self. He even recognized my voice although we had only spoken twice and that was over 18 months ago. Sure enough he confirmed that a federal arrest warrant for my arrest had been issued. And after a bit of gamesmanship with Agent Andy, I agreed to report to the US Marshal’s office in Fort Myers, Florida at 9:00 AM on Thursday morning as it was too late to be arraigned, plus an overnight in jail would have wrinkled by clothes :)

The following morning, Thursday, June 3, 2009, I actually arrived at the Marshal’s office at 8:30 due to light traffic. As the saying goes, “If you gotta do time, do federal time.” Quite simply, the federal boys are better educated, better trained and have better manners. I was immediately escorted to a holding cell. After an hour or less, I met with the Pre-Trila Service rep and made it to court at 11:00 in chains and handcuffs. The female judge was businesslike and granted my request to attend my son’s graduation in Physics from UCLA next week. After fingerprinting, signing a $50,000 Appearance Bond, one final meeting with the Pre-Indictment Service rep, I was free.

In general, the arraignment was a pleasant affair. The US Marshals did their job with very little attitude, as they should. After all, I am self reporting, and it is for anything violent, I just want to prove that I have a right to issue my own currency and if any body chooses to use it then it is a “private contract.” It is certainly not a crime.

And so it came to pass, 2009 years after the birth of Christ, that four regular Americans have taken a stand to defend the People’s right to protect themselves from a government currency that has a long and unforgiving history of stealing the people’s purchasing power. This is a test of individual rights, as protected by the Tenth Amendment. It is the deciding moment that a private voluntary barter currency (PVBC) is legal in the great United States of America. This is a test that the Liberty Dollar must and will pass, for that I have no doubt. But it will not be easy or cheap. Please, if you support our efforts, support us with any kind of money you have, including pro bono services. Now that the Liberty Dollar faces a federal criminal trial, it is the US Government v Liberty Dollar ala Bernard, Kevin, Sarah & Rachelle. Please help us win. Please help yourself win. Please help American win.

Very simply this is a Win or Lose battle. In addition to money for this legal fight we need articles that reference non-government currency, such as Air Miles as currency, legal research assistance, expert witnesses, legal assistance, etc. If you support the ideals of the Liberty Dollar, this is the time to get behind the Liberty Dollar. We critically need your help! Please send your digital info to Legal@LibertyDollar.org and your donations of value including other kinds of “currencies” to:

LIBERTY DOLLAR

225 N. Stockwell Road

Evansville. Indiana. 47715

The best news is that the Liberty Dollar finally has the opportunity to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is legal. Over two years ago I sued the US government for a Declaratory Judgment to resolve the legality issue. And how did they respond, they raided the Liberty Dollar and confiscated over $4 million dollars in gold, silver and cash. The US government has done everything possible to kill the Liberty Dollar! And guess what? It has not worked. The mere fact that the Liberty Dollar is still in business is a testament to your demand for Real Money and the ideals that the Liberty Dollar represents.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support! Trust me, the Liberty Dollar is not made up of any fat cats. We are all just regular Americans. And we all just want good money, a lot less government and no damn war!

Click HERE for a stilted Press Release by the DOJ. Its three pages with a whopper by Owen Harris, Special FBI Agent in Charlotte who said, “When groups try to replace the US dollar with coins and bills that don’t hold the same value…” WOW what a telling statement of pure spin.

Click HERE for the 13 page Indictment.

Click HERE for Sarah’s Arrest Warrant.

Guess what?! Liberty Dollar still in business and we need more business! As there has been no Cease and Desist Order, Liberty Dollar remains OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Please visit our shopping cart for all the 2009 Liberty, Peace, Freedom, T-Dollars and more. Don’t be bashful or stupid. Silver is going to the moon, just as sure as the US dollar is going to hell with your purchasing power. Now is the time to protect your purchasing with the “inflation proof” currency and help usher in a new monetary model that provides the only proven, peaceful, and profitable solution to the monetary cancer that has infected America.

OUTSTANDING ORDERS: Please rest assured that we will fill all outstanding orders. Yes, after producing a sizable amount of pre-minted Silver Libertys and finally getting current with most orders, we changed mints and are now behind again. We apologize emphatically! Poor and/or slow delivery is not acceptable business. It hurts everyone. And just when we were about to get current again we were arrested. Please continue to support us with your patience too. We promise to get every order out ASAP. But as I hope you can understand, it is a struggle to run a business, any business, in such an environment and fight a major legal battle for our right to protect our purchasing power

The last few 2009 Arrest Dollars. Are you familiar with the Arrest Dollars? Starting in 2007 and continuing through this year the Arrest Dollar is one ounce Silver Liberty that is specially hand hallmarked with a micro “handcuffs” stamp and my federally registered mintmark. Issued only from the day of the raid to today. The last few 2009 Arrest Dollars are currently on the Shopping Cart. After these are gone, they are gone to eBay for much more money.

The 2009 Tea Party Dollar (T-Dollar) is still available and we are still waiting confirmation on the shipment. We are still expecting to have the first batch order in the first 24 HOURS here for the July 4 events. The T-Dollar is still only a buck for an ounce of copper AND you can still get them for 10% discount to they $1 face value for a 100 or more. Hey, they are only a buck… you can’t go wrong. Plus every copper issue has sold out. Get these while you can and help support our legal efforts tooJ

The 2009 Silver Libertys! The backbone of the Liberty Dollar model is the one ounce .999 fine silver Lib! Just in the last few days, silver has bounced back over $16, soon the 30 day moving average will be $16 and the Liberty Dollar will Move Up again to the $50 Silver Base. PLEASE don’t be dumb and buy silver when it is high. Get it NOW!!! Sure it is not $5 per ounce any more, nor will it ever be again. $5 silver is just not possible with the government spending phony baloney fiat money like a drunken sailor. Please order silver now and protect your purchasing power and profit tomorrow!

Stay tuned to the Liberty Dollar News as we vindicate and validate the legality of the Liberty Dollar. Please take an active role in this exciting and profitable time. Don’t lose out. Get involved with the Liberty Dollar to make money, do good and have fun. I am having as much fun in my 60’s and I did in The 60’s and hope you are too.

Thanks again for your support.

Bernard von NotHaus

Monetary Architect

Editor@LibertyDollar.org

http://www.LibertyDollar.org

888.LIB.DOLLAR

888.421.6181

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RANTING: Men, specifically fathers, not required!

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/133640.html

New at Reason: Cathy Young on Why Single Motherhood is on the Rise
May 21, 2009, 3:00pm

*** begin quote ***

A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics with the dry title, “Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States,” contains startling news: births to single mothers, which had leveled off in the early 2000s, have risen sharply in recent years. Some sociologists believe we have reached a tipping point: the link between marriage and parenthood is no longer the norm. Why is this happening, and what does it mean for women, children, and men? There are no simple answers, writes Contributing Editor Cathy Young, only difficult questions that we ignore at our peril.

*** end quote ***

(1) Families ensured that children were nurtured.

(2) Positive male role models keep young boys in check and reassure young girls that they are valued.

(3) Intergenerational care was assured.

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POLITICAL: Notre Dame accomplished labeling Obama as an abortionist

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=98649

2 points of truth among Obama’s ‘wild word fraud’
Posted: May 20, 2009
Jill Stanek fought to stop “live-birth abortion” after witnessing one as a registered nurse at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill.

*** begin quote ***

But one thing is for sure: Obama has now been branded as radically pro-abortion. What pro-lifers have unsuccessfully attempted since 2004 when Obama ran for U.S. Senate, he and Notre Dame accomplished in a month.

*** end quote ***

I guess we outed two abortion supporters — Notre Dame and Obama.

It was terrible price to pay. The loss of a once great Catholic university.

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Release if he signed papers forfeiting his property

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/05/texas.police.seizures/

Texas police shake down drivers, lawsuit claims

   * Police stop drivers, take their money and jewelry, alleged victims say

   * Drivers threatened with arrest, loss of children if they don’t pay up, plaintiffs say

   * Most targeted drivers are minorities who won’t fight back, lawyer says

   * Town, county officials deny any wrongdoing, say officers follow the law

updated 9:00 a.m. EDT, Wed May 6, 2009

From Gary Tuchman and Katherine Wojtecki

CNN’s “AC360°”

*** begin quote ***

TENAHA, Texas (CNN) — Roderick Daniels was traveling through East Texas in October 2007 when, he says, he was the victim of a highway robbery.

The Tennessee man says he was ordered to pull his car over and surrender his jewelry and $8,500 in cash that he had with him to buy a new car.

But Daniels couldn’t go to the police to report the incident.

The men who stopped him were the police.

Daniels was stopped on U.S. Highway 59 outside Tenaha, near the Louisiana state line. Police said he was driving 37 mph in a 35 mph zone. They hauled him off to jail and threatened him with money-laundering charges — but offered to release him if he signed papers forfeiting his property.

*** end quote ***

Well, my Luddite friend always fights with me telling me that “the police are our friends”. Not my friend, my friend. They are worse than the Mafia. At least, the Mafia doesn’t pretend that they aren’t robbing me.

These armed bureaucrats are nothing more than form filling out clean up squads. Unless they blunder into something.

(Hey, if he can exaggerate, so can I!)

It comes from the basic premise about the use of force. It all comes down to force.

Argh!

# # # # #

RANT: Maureen Dowd repeats the Obama stupidity

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/opinion/03dowd.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Op-Ed Columnist
How Character Corrodes
By MAUREEN DOWD
Published: May 2, 2009

*** begin quote ***

As Mr. Obama said in his news conference, it is in moments of crisis that a country must cleave to its principles. Asserting that “waterboarding violates our ideals,” he said he had been struck by an article describing how Churchill would not torture prisoners even when “London was being bombed to smithereens.”

*** end quote ***

A high school buddy pointed out this link with words that indicated his approval.

I could only shake my head.

Obama’s reference to Churchill was mistaken at best, or perhaps ignorant, and might even have been carefully constructed to mislead.

First, Churchill is NOT held in high regard by the Obama’s. See Michelle’s comments about Churchill and the British treatment of the African natives. So clearly, there is something going on here.

Second, Churchill is an icon of the Republicans. (Even though we KNOW there is no difference between D’s and R’s to those who love our liberty.) Most associated with the Iron Lady Thatcher or Ronald Regan. So, perhaps the D’s are trying to “steal” the icons while the R’s aren’t looking.

Third, and finally, the Churchill as an exemplar of how to treat prisoners is destroyed by three letters. Ready? IRA. Remember cordless drills and the phrase “knee capping”. The Tans. And, the civil repression.

So, not only is Ms. Dowd, again off base. (What does what expect from the NYT? It’s after all the “house organ” of the Obama administration and the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.

My school chum regretted the Bush and how we left the American legacy. I’d merely point out that Bush is just one in a long line of Presidents destroying our liberty and the paper Constitution. It started with Lincoln’s War of Norther Aggression, with stops at Mister Wilson’s War, the creation of the FED, and FDR’s taking us off the gold standard. Kennedy enlarging the VietNam war, Johnson’s atrocity, Nixon’s Watergate, Regan’s Drug Wars, Bush’s “No New Taxes”, Clinton’s asprin bombings and Osama failure, Bush in Iraqi.

Lest my chum think it’s going to be any different for Obama, in 100 days, he’s committed us to lifetime and legacy of debt! In his spare time, he’s started us down the road to Fascism with his actions with Government Motors and Chysler. Think Amtrak?

So we have been on the road to perdition for a long time. And, Ms. Dowd’s article doesn’t do anything to change the course.

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