Bearing false witness: the Katherine Kersten story

Katherine Kersten’s finally experienced a complete break from reality. Here is her version of the year-long healthcare insurance reform battle. These are all direct quotes:

Republicans…were pushed out of the process.

Democrats accused [Republicans] of being in the pocket of special interests….

the folks on Main Street didn’t buy the Democratic line

tactic of ignoring and ridiculing Republican ideas

Is it any wonder that every “solution” that follows this biliously false set up is simply a stalking horse to increase the profits of private insurers even further? Kersten’s solutions:

Allow people to buy health insurance across state lines

Give small businesses, the self-employed and others the power to pool their resources to offer health care at lower prices

Provide health insurance coverage for those who don’t have it

Increase access and affordability for those with preexisting conditions

Enact medical malpractice reform

Her first solution was discussed but didn’t go anywhere because Republicans and Blue Dogs only wanted to open up markets without putting any conditions on the rapacious insurers.

Her second point? I’m self-employed. If I really had to have insurance, I could join the National Writers Union and buy it through them. (They in turn would see their rates go up or, more likely, their insurer would reject me.) I simply do not know of any federal or state encumbrance to pooling resources. All impediments to getting insurance are constructed by insurance companies who are terrified of insuring anyone who doesn’t live on bran and jog five miles a day and comes from a family not renown for their longevity.

Three and four were at the heart of every bill the Republicans peed on.

Enact medical malpractice reform (thereafter followed the usual cut and paste screed on tort reform). But Kersten does have a good point here. The vast majority of malpractice suits target only five percent of our doctors. Let’s take away their licenses so the lawyers don’t have bad doctors to sue anymore.

Stunningly, Kersten gets paid for this: another dishonest argument on behalf of the party that can’t say yes to anything except maybe another heaping helping of slanders, lies and distortions. We all know who killed reform and it wasn’t our side (altho our side certainly enabled their No-istry).

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Texas doesn’t just force their children to read outrageous propaganda in lieu of actual textbooks, they also protect their children from anyone who ever dared criticize our corporate overlords.

Seriously.

Do these people do anything that’s not driven by their fears and hatred?

Even I am not afraid of a 65-year-old nun (despite the fact that she ultimately reports to Pope Natzinger). Nick Coleman reports that it all eventually worked out. Eventually.

But there is no hope Sr. Scully will ever get to use real (non-Stalinized) textbooks. Texas has seen to that.

So-called conservatives. Who knew that lying and censorship were so integral to the agenda of the righteous right?

We tolerate the presence of a propaganda channel that deliberately exacerbates societal discord and which by design drives wedges between Americans. Radio Rwanda Blabfest and their TV affiliate Fox News broadcast 24/7 in this country, and sooner or later they’re going to convince their Hutu followers to wage war against the Tutu “minority” that swept the Kenyan into office.

As with pre-Reich Germany, Foxicans lie openly and dare anyone to disagree with them (which isn’t that easy because after Saturday they’ll never share the stage with a Democrat and an open mic again — except, of course, within the confines of a Sunday morning blatherfest with a corporate media whore to moderate). They also like to gather in groups and wave scary things at the rest of us.

Will people pay attention when windows get broken? Or do we have to wait until they try to burn down the Capitol and start rounding up homosexuals?

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Money. When the banks won’t lend it, others will.

Once upon a time we had laws to protect us from those others. Now we have NYTimes reporters romanticizing outfits that do payday loans for small businesses. (The ones that survived the death of Main Street.)

Odd thing yesterday. Had lunch with my folks in southern Minnesota and we agreed that shopping malls were bad for communities. My point was that money you spend at Wal-Mart leaves the community. My mother’s point, which surprised me, was that my hometown has a vibrant downtown because the locals have never patronized the one and only mall on the edge of town.

My hometown is genuinely conservative, and real conservatives don’t forsake their lifelong business partners because some chain at the mall has better prices. These small town Iowans are still peeved that one of the local banks got bought out by a regional player. Even my parents ended up switching from the Republican (chain) bank to the Democratic (locally owned) bank.

Local is conservative. Chain is corporate. Corporate ≠ conservative, not when your local population has a good school and an educated populace.

But when the schools suck and people are ignorant, my but how the rules change.

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The Roseville Library is about to get almost twice as big, again.

I used to check out CDs back in the day before bittorrent changed my life. It’s already a very large library with a two-story Dunn Bros. coffee shop attached to it.

So is this to make room for new books and media? Not hardly.

When completed, the library will occupy 73,000 square feet — 30,000 square feet more than the old space — and be topped by a second floor. It will also meet Gold LEED certification requirements for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient building design.

The greening of the building added $780,600 to the price and a month to the construction timetable, allowing the heating and air conditioning systems to run in the empty building to detoxify it.

A grand-opening celebration is scheduled for July 10, library director Susan Nemitz said.

“I think the thing that most excites me is standing in the children’s space,” she said, “because it’s large and beautiful already.”

The space eventually will look out on a garden with outdoor reading spaces, Nemitz said, thanks in large part to the Friends of the Ramsey County Libraries. The group stepped in last year to raise money for amenities that were cut when Ramsey County commissioners trimmed some features.

Access to computers will improve, too, with 120 work-stations compared with 30 prior to construction.

Let’s call this what it is: stealth human services. Roseville is using their library system to create public meeting space, quality daycare, internet access and what sounds like a mini park.

All of which is fine by me. Community-provided meeting spaces enable citizen empowerment. Quality daycare means better adjusted kids growing up to be well-adjusted taxpayers. Internet access democratizes a society increasingly stratified by bandwidth access. A mini park makes life better, and gives kids and adults a place to go where they are able to walk and think without being exposed to toxic experiments in branding and other forms of corporate self-aggrandizement.

Now let’s build some libraries like that in St. Paul and Minneapolis proper. Or do only ‘burban kids get gold-plated bookmobiles?

This is why we have government in the first place: to provide us with the things we need to have better lives. This is what progressives do to make all our lives better.

Cue the pickets this summer objecting to the library having a copy of Ann Frank’s notorious diary, the one with the V-word in it.

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I watched Lovely Bones last night. A must see for modern teens, and not a bad flick for adults.

They don’t come right out and say it, but it’s pretty obvious the serial killer down the street is a Republican. And Susan Sarandon makes for a great 21st Century chain-smoking, bottle-hitting grandma who would have voted for the Democrat if only she’d remembered to vote.

And no, no clue why every topic inspired me to write a sermon today. Links later but right now I have to run out to the warehouse as I have a new list.

lemongrass

mangoes

rice

chili paste

galanga

Your list may vary.

[Via http://norwegianity.wordpress.com]

SPY - Technical view

Ok, 2 lines in this one

In a previous post I drew 3 lines. The B level was hit, as I expected. Now what ?

We are testing now the 107 level, and if we break that one, we will go further down to the 102 level (the November correction level)

Some explanations why we have this bad sentiment despite good earnings and a better than expected rise in GDP

[Via http://llman.wordpress.com]

తెలంగాణాలో పరిశ్రమల అభివృద్ధికి కారణాలు

Souce: Telugu gadda first edition. (9-11-1969)

బొంబాయి, కలకత్తాలతో హైదరాబాద్ పోటీ

తెలంగాణాలో పరిశ్రమల అభివృద్ధికి కారణాలు

ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్ అవతరణకు అంటే 1956 సంవత్సరానికి పూర్వమే తెలంగాణా ప్రాంతంలో పరిశ్రమల స్థాపనకు మంచి ప్రాతిపదిక ఏర్పడింది. అంతకు పూర్వం, పారిశ్రామిక ట్రస్ట్ ఫండ్ ద్వారా 50 నుండి 70 శాతం ప్రభుత్వ వాటా ధనం లభిస్తూండడంవల్ల అనేక పరిశ్రమల స్థాపనకు అప్పటి ప్రభుత్వ ప్రోత్సాహం బాగా లభించింది. 300 లక్షల వాటా ధనంతో సింగరేణి బొగ్గుల కంపెనీ, 146 లక్షల వాటా ధనంతో నిజాం చక్కెర ఫ్యాక్టరీ, 49.59 లక్షల వాటా ధనంతో హైదరాబాద్ ఆల్విన్ మెటల్ వర్క్స్, 25.62 లక్షల వాటా విరాళంతో హైదరాబాద్ కెమికల్స్ అండ్ ఫర్టిలైజర్స్, 150.54 లక్షల చెల్లింపు వాటా ధనంతో ప్రొగాటూల్స్ కార్పొరేషన్, 72 లక్షల చెల్లింపు వాటా ధనంతో ఆజంజాహి మిల్సు ప్రభుత్వ కార్యనిర్వహణాధికారంలో నిర్వహింపబడుతున్న పరిశ్రమలు.

కాగితం, రేయాన్, రసాయనాలు, సిగరెట్లు, రేకు ఉత్పత్తులకు సంబంధించిన అనేక పరిశ్రమలను స్వల్ప వాటా ధనం పెట్టుబడులతో ప్రభుత్వం ప్రోత్సహించింది. ప్రణాళికాబద్ధమైన అభివృద్ధి కార్యక్రమానికి ముందుగానే, వీటిలోని అనేక పరిశ్రమలను ఆ ప్రభుత్వం అభివృద్ధి చేసింది. పెద్ద పరిశ్రమల స్థాపనకే ప్రాధాన్యం ఇచ్చినది. లఘు పరిశ్రమల, కుటీర పరిశ్రమల అభివృద్ధి అవసరాన్ని 1951-52 నుండే గుర్తించారు. తెలంగాణాలో ఉపాధి సౌకర్యాల కల్పనకు విశేషావకాశాలు ఉండడం దృష్ట్యా అప్పటినుండి లఘు పరిశ్రమలు, కుటీర పరిశ్రమల అభివృద్ధికి అవసరమైన చర్యలు ప్రారంభించారు. ప్రధమ పంచవర్ష ప్రణాళికాకాలంలో అంటే 1956వ సంవత్సరానికి పూర్వమే తెలంగాణా ప్రాంతంలో కుటీర పరిశ్రమల అభివృద్ధి నిమిత్తం పారిశ్రామిక సహకార సంఘాల ఫెడరేషన్‌కు మూడు లక్షల రూపాయలు కేటాయించారు.

1956 ఆఖరునాటికి తెలంగాణా ప్రాంతంలో 1.45 లక్షల మగ్గాలతో 154 నేత పనివారల సహకార సంఘాలు,891 మగ్గాలతో 24 ఉన్ని పనివారల సహకార సంఘాలు, 987 మగ్గాలతో 10 పట్టు పనివారల సహకార సంఘాలు ఉన్నాయి. లఘు పరిశ్రమల రంగంలో వివిధ వినియోగ వస్తువుల ఉత్పత్తి నిమిత్తం హైదరాబాద్‌లో 200 సహకార ఉత్పత్తి సంఘాలు ఏర్పడ్డాయి. వాటిలో 490 మందికి ఉపాధి కల్పించారు. మాజీ సైనికుల కుటుంబాల నిమిత్తం సహకార సంఘాల అగ్గిపెట్టెల ఫ్యాక్టరీ నెలకొల్పారు. 450 మంది స్త్రీలకు శిక్షణ ఇచ్చారు.

మన రాష్ట్రానికి కేంద్ర రంగం పరిశ్రమలను ఆకర్షించడనికి వీలుగా హైదరాబాద్ జంట నగరాలలో ఉన్న అనువైన అంశాలను పరిశ్రమల స్థాపనకు మనం పూర్తిగా వినియోగించుకున్నాము. రాజధానిలో ఆరోగ్యకరమైన మంచి వాతావరణం, వివిధ సంస్కృతుల సమ్మేళనం పెట్టుబడులైనాయి. ఇందువల్ల హైదరాబాద్‌లో అతిముఖ్యమైన పరిశ్రమలు నెలకొల్పడానికి దోహదం కలిగింది. వాస్తవానికి రేవు పట్టణం అవసరమైన పరిస్రమలు మినహా కేంద్రనగరంలోని మిగతా పరిశ్రమలను హైదరాబాద్‌లోనే నెలకొల్పారు.

భారీ పరిశ్రమల యూనిట్లు

భారత విద్యుచ్చక్తి భారీ పరికరాల పరిశ్రమ, సింథెటిక్ మందుల కర్మాగారం, అణుశక్తి సంఘానికి చెందిన ఎలక్ట్రానిక్ కర్మాగారం, హిందూస్థాన్ వైమానిక మిగ్ యూనిట్ భారీ పరిశ్రమలు నెలకొల్పారు. ఈ పరిశ్రమలలో మొత్తం పెట్టుబడి 65 కోట్లు ఉంటుంది. 15,000 మందికి పైగా ఉపాధి లభించింది. వీటికితోడు, అనేక కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వ

పరిశోధన  కేంద్రాలను ఇక్కడ ఏర్పాటు చేశారు. జియోఫిజికల్ పరిశోధనాలయం, డిఫెన్స్ మెటలర్జికల్ పరిశోధనాలయం, సమాజాభివృద్ధి జాతీయ సంస్థ, లఘు పరిశ్రమల విస్తీర్ణ శిక్షణ సంస్థలు ముఖ్యంగా పేర్కొనదగినవి.

ఈ పరిశ్రమలు భవిష్యత్తులో బాగా అభివృద్ధి చెందగల అవకాశాలు అపారంగా ఉన్నాయి. భవిష్యత్తులో అని ఇంకా ఎక్కువ మందికి ఉపాధి కల్పిస్తాయన్న ఆశ కూడా ఉన్నది. ఈ పరిశ్రమలన్నిటికి దాదాపు 9,800 ఎకరాల భూమి ప్రభుత్వం ఉచితంగా ఇచ్చింది. ఇతర సౌకర్యాలు కల్పించడానికి ప్రభుత్వానికి 157 లక్షలకు పైగా ఖర్చు అయింది. ప్రభుత్వ భూముల ఖరీదు ఇందులో కలపలేదు.

సింగరేణి గనులు

ప్రస్తుతం ఉన్న పరిశ్రమలలో స్థానిక ముడి పదార్థాలపై ఆధారపడినవి, సింగరేణి బొగ్గుగనులు, నిజాం చక్కెర ఫ్యాక్టరీ. నిజాం చక్కెర ఫ్యాక్టరీ స్వంత వనరులతో రోజుకు రెండు వేల టన్నుల చెరుకుగడ క్రష్ చేసే శక్తిగల అదనపు ప్లాంటును చేసింది. హైదరాబాద్ ఆల్విన్ మెటల్ వర్క్సు కర్మాగారంలో రెఫ్రిజిరేటరు, ఇతర పరికరాలను తయారు చేసే పని ప్రారంభమైంది. దినదినము విస్తరిస్తున్నది. హైదరాబాద్ రసాయనాలు, ఎరువుల కర్మాగారం సల్ఫ్యూరిక్ ఆసిడ్, సూపర్ ఫాస్ఫేటు ఉత్పత్తి చేయడానికి మౌలాలిలో కొత్త ప్లాంటులను నెలకొల్పుతున్నది.

ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్‌లో భారీ పరిశ్రమల అభివృద్ధి నిమిత్తం ఏర్పాటయిన ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్ పారిశ్రామిక అభివృద్ధి కార్పొరేషన్, హైదరాబాద్‌లో మూడున్నర కోట్ల రూపాయల ఖర్చుతో బాల్‌బేరింగ్ కర్మాగారం నిర్మించడానికి నిర్ణయించింది. ప్రయివేటు రంగంలో నెలకొల్పదలచిన యీ పరిశ్రమను ఇప్పుడు కార్పొరేషన్ చేపట్టింది. అదే విధంగా 50 లక్షలతో నిర్మించే ఏసిటిక్ ఆసిడ్ పరిశ్రమ యాజమాన్యాన్ని కూడా కార్పొరేషన్ స్వీకరించింది. ప్రయివేటు రంగంలో కేసోరాం కంపెనీ వారు రామగుండంలో 5.5 కోట్ల ఖర్చుతో ఇటీవల కొత్తగా సిమెంటు ఫ్యాక్టరీని నెలకొల్పారు. ఇందులో సంవత్సరానికి 4 లక్షల టన్నుల సిమెంటు ఉత్పత్తి అవుతుంది.

పారిశ్రామిక ప్రాంతం

అనువైన వాతావరణంగల హైదరాబాద్‌లో పెద్ద తరహా పరిశ్రమలకు ఇవ్వడం కోసం ప్రభుత్వం 1,500 ఎకరాల భూమిని సేకరించింది. కేంద్ర రంగ పరిశ్రమలు, ప్రయివేటు రంగ పరిశ్రమలకు కేటాయించడానికి గాను యీ భూమిని పారిశ్రామిక అభివృద్ధి ప్రాంతంగా తయారు చేసింది. ఉప్పల్, మౌలాలి, నాచారం పారిశ్రామిక ప్రాంతం అనేక మంది పారిశ్రామిక వేత్తలను ఆకర్షిస్తున్నాయి.

ప్రాంతీయ సంఘ సహాయం

తెలంగాణ ప్రాంతీయ సంఘం చేసిన సహాయం ఫలితంగా తెలంగాణ ప్రాంతంలో పారిశ్రామిక వాడలు స్థాపించే కార్యక్రమాలు చురుకుగా అమలు జరగడానికి వీలు కలిగింది. రాష్ట్రంలోని 18 పారిశ్రామిక వాడల్లో 13 తెలంగాణ ప్రాంతంలో ఉన్నాయి. అంతేగాక గ్రామీణ పారిశ్రామిక వాడ సహకార పారిశ్రామిక వాడ కూడా ఇక్కడే ఉన్నాయి. రాష్ట్రం మొత్తం మీద ఉన్న 494 రెడీమేడు ఫ్యాక్టరీ షెడ్డులలో 356 షెడ్డులు తెలంగాణ ప్రాంతంలో ఏర్పడ్డాయి. వీటికి తోడుగా తెలంగాణలో పారిశ్రామిక వేత్తల సౌకర్యార్ధం సహాయక ప్రయివేటు పారిశ్రామిక వాడలు, సంప్రదాయక వాడలు, సహకార పారిశ్రామిక వాడల్లో 261 అభివృద్ధి పరచబడిన ప్లాట్లు కూడా ఏర్పడినాయి.

తెలంగాణ ప్రాంతంలో లఘు పరిశ్రమల రంగంలో రేడియో విడి భాగాలు, రిసీవర్లు, స్మాల్‌గేజ్ ఇన్సులేటర్లు, రాగి తీగెలు, ఫ్రాక్షనల్ హార్స్ పవర్ మోటర్లు, ఫర్నిచర్ మిల్‌వుడ్ వర్క్ యూనిట్లు ఆధునిక పద్ధతులలో పనిచేయడానికి వీలుగా కొన్ని పధకాలు ప్రారంభమైనాయి. హైదరాబాద్ నగరంలో నెలకొని ఉన్న అనేక ఫౌండ్రీ ఇంజనీరింగు పరిశ్రమలకు సహాయ పడడానికి వీలుగా సనత్‌నగరం పారిశ్రామిక వాడలో 10 లక్షల ఖర్చుతో టూల్‌రూం కంపోజిట్ సర్వీసింగ్ వర్క్ షాపు స్థాపించారు. నిర్మల్‌లో మూడు లక్షల ఖర్చుతో కలపకోత యంత్రం కలపమిల్లు ఏర్పడింది.

చేతిపనుల పరిశ్రమలు

హైదరాబాదు ఢిల్లీలలో కుటీర పరిశ్రమల విక్రయశాలల ద్వారా తయారయ్యే బిద్రీ వస్తువులు నిర్మల్ వస్తువులు పోచంపల్లి నేత వస్త్రాలకు బాగా ప్రచారం లభించింది.

పారిశ్రామికాభివృద్ధికి మంచి అవకాశాలు కలిగిన తెలంగాణ ప్రాంతం ఈ విధంగా పురోగమిస్తున్నది. ఇక ముందుకూడా సులభంగా అభివృద్ధి చెందడానికి అవకాశాలు కొల్లలుగా ఉన్నాయి. హైదరాబాద్ చుట్టూ ఏర్పడిన అనేక లఘుపరిశ్రమలు మంచి నాణ్యతగల రకరకాల వస్తువులు ఉత్పత్తి చేస్తున్నాయన్న పేరు సంపాదించుకున్నాయి.

ఈ పారిస్రామిక ప్రగతిని గుర్తించి కలకత్తా, బొంబాయివంటి ముఖ్య కేంద్రాలలోని పారిశ్రామిక వేత్తలు హైదరాబాద్‌లో క్రొత్త పరిశ్రమలను నెలకొల్పడానికి ఉత్సాహం చూపుతున్నారు. పారిశ్రామికంగా తెలంగాణకు ఉజ్జ్వల భవిష్యత్తు ఉన్నది.

[Via http://vekuva.wordpress.com]

Mexico GDP down 6.8 percent in 2009

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s economy shrank 6.8 percent in 2009, the worst result in at least 30 years, the Treasury Department said Friday.

The decline in full-year gross domestic product outpaced the 6.2 percent fall during Mexico’s currency and debt crisis in 1995.

A bright spot was a 1.2 percent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2009 from the third quarter, although the level of economic output was 3 percent lower than the same period of 2008, the report said.

Still, it was the second consecutive quarter of GDP growth. The economy expanded 2.9 percent in the third quarter.

The report represented something of a comeback from the steep 10 faxless payday loan.3 percent decline in the second quarter, and officials had previously estimated a full-year 2009 contraction of around 7 percent.

The Treasury Department said it expects GDP to grow about 3 percent for all of this year, while noting “the recent evolution of the economy suggest the probability that growth may be greater than that prediction is considerable.”

It said the country lost 181,271 formally registered jobs in 2009. Many of Mexico’s 107 million people work in the informal sector.

Mexico GDP down 6.8 percent in 2009

[Via http://finbel.wordpress.com]

State of DISASTER Address!!

Did you believe all that PROPAGANDA last night at the State of the DIS-union address? If you did then I want to sell you a bridge in Brooklyn cheap….really cheap! I don’t think I’ve heard so much BULLSHIT ever come out of a President’s mouth at such an event! I’m sure BO would have made the Soviet propaganda machine proud! And did you get a load of the “audience”? Let me clue you in! Senator Harry Reid spent most of the evening yawning! Guess being a Politburo member is hard work. Homeland Security Secretary dammit…Janet Napolitano put here head back and closed her eyes at one point….hmmm…headache dammit…Janet? Stress? Ready to QUIT? And did you get a load of Supreme Court Justice Alito? When BO commented about the courts ERROR in their recent decision to allow UNLIMITED campaign spending by corporations INCLUDING international corporations there was not only applause but a standing ovation from Congress EXCEPT for the Supreme Court Justices who sat quietly not clapping and with SNEARS on their faces! And, Justice Alito mouthed the words “Not true.” Not true Justice Alito? Who the HELL do you think you are fooling? Your decision was PRETTY DAMNED CLEAR wasn’t it? And BTW where was Hillary? Why she jetted over to the UK for a conference sight UNSEEN! I don’t blame her really as having to sit through last nights address was breaking ASS BREAKING!

So, BO is going to do all this nice fuzzy stuff for middle class America and everything is going to be hunky doory….righttttt……he sounded more like he was STILL a candidate than the PRESIDENT of the United States! Ok GROUP HUNG everybody:) BTW group hugs make be totally NAUSEATED!!

So what is the REAL STATE OF OUR UNION?

We have a Treasury Secretary who is a SWINDLER named Lil Tim Geithner. He got GRILLED yesterday when he appeared before a House committee to answer questions about his dealings as NY Fed head with AIG and it’s MEGA-BILLION-DOLLAR BAILOUT! He allegedly told the Fed to COVER UP the details about the AIG bailout. Isn’t that a crime??? Why is this little young SQUIRT still Treasury Secretary? Why is he not being INDICTED? So, the State of the Union on this point is that COVER UPS CONTINUE UNABAITED!!

Next comes the Healthcare SWINDLE. The MAJORITY of the American PEOPLE do NOT want the legislation that is in the House or Senate and they’ve been rather VOCAL about it at the town hall and TEA PARTY rallies! But, BO and CIRCUS Congress STILL don’t GET IT! Fancy Nancy Pelosi is promising to RESURRECT the SWINDLE BILL! She almost sounds like JeSuS trying to RESURRECT Lazarus! Hmm…is she a PROPHET or a PROFIT? I vote for the later!

You see EVEN after the LANDSLIDE VICTORY of Mass. Senator Scott Brown the Dems STILL don’t GET IT! I guess DEMS should now be spelled as DIMS because OBVIOIUSLY they are DIM and DENSE upstairs! What part of WE DON’T WANT IT does Congress not get? Apparently these CHARLATANS in Congress don’t get ANY OF IT! But, they will come NOVEMBER’S ELECTIONS! So on this matter the State of the Union is that Congress COULD NOT CARE LESS what the American people want as they are going to RAM IT down our throats like it or not!!

Turning to the economy, our nation now has an outstanding DEBT of $12.3 TRILLION DOLLARS with COMMUNIST CHINA holding much of that debt and who can CALL IT IN anytime the COMMIE’S so desire, thus, COLLAPSING THE US ECONOMY LITERALLY OVERNIGHT!! And what was BO’s “solution” last night? Barack proposed a 3 year freeze on government agency discretionary spending budgets. THAT is going to do NOTHING! That is not even a drop in the BUCKET! This is an EMPTY approach to make it LOOK LIKE he’s doing something about government spending when, in FACT, he’s doing NOTHING about it at all. BO gave them a 10% raise last year while giving RETIRED and DISABLED people on SOCIAL SECURITY absolutely NOTHING! His proposed freeze on discretionary spending is like shutting the door to the BARN after the COWS have ALREADY go OUT! It’s just PROPAGANDA! Discretionary spending ONLY accounts for $477 billion in the Fed budget. And this has to be approved by Circus Congress yearly. BO’s spending freeze will do NOTHING for the economy as Circus Congress ROUTINELY creates ENTITLEMENTS for various things that members of CIRCUS CONGRESS think are important. This “freeze” is going to be in NAME ONLY I assure you! The FACT is that the national DEBT is so HUGE and STILL GROWING DAILY it represents $113,000.00 that EVERY TAXPAYER in this nation OWES! Can you imagine the RED CHINESE ARMY coming to collect from you? Don’t laugh…COULD HAPPEN!! :0 So on the national debt issue the State of the Union is ABSOLUTE AND UTTER DISASTER! Our nation is BANKRUPT thanks to the UNCONTROLLED spending of our INCOMPOTENT government!! Suggestion to BO……ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FREEZING ALL GOVERNMENT SPENDING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! And, CUT THE PORK!!

Just a few days ago the Pew Research Center released figures that show the TOP CONCERNS of the American People (see: http://roblorinov.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/670/ ). One would have THOUGHT that BO would have at least taken a look at them BEFORE last night but, ALAS NO DICE! The Pew Center cited the ECONOMY, JOBS, and TERRORISM as the TOP 3 concerns of Americans today. Add SOCIAL SECURITY AND EDUCATION to those 3 to get the TOP 5 concerns of the PEOPLE today! Where was healthcare reform? It ranked 8th on the Pew List!! In other words, healthcare SWINDLE is NOT a TOP PRIORITY of AMERICANS!

The REAL State of the Union is the PEOPLE are losing their jobs, homes, cars, savings, and EVERYTHING else they have worked for in their lives! People want SOMETHING done about the ECONOMY in this nation and they want the BAILOUTS and SACKING OF THE US TREASURY by CORPORATE AMERICA to come to an ABRUPT STOP!! But, I guess this all falls on DEATH EARS and especially in the House Chamber last night! The real State of the Union is that our ECONOMY is in SHAMBLES and the People of this nation want it FIXED AND FIXED NOW BARACK!!

The American people want JOBS! Not next year, not in 2012, but NOW! BO claims he’s created thousands of jobs. Really? WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY? Most of what he’s created have been GOVERNMENT jobs which means even BIGGER GOVERNMENT! We the People do NOT want BIGGER GOVERNMENT! We want SMALLER GOVERNMENT!! Don’t you get it BARACK?! One thing BO did say last night that I agree with is we need to STOP giving tax credits to American companies who move their businesses overseas and START giving them to companies who STAY IN THE US AND KEEP EMPLOYING AMERICANS. Amen! REVELATION!…ya think??? Why the HELL have we been giving tax breaks to TRAITOR COMPANIES going overseas in the first place? Don’t you think the tax breaks should have been given to companies who STAY in the US and who EMPLOY Americans in the FIRST PLACE?! The government reports joblessness at around 10% but in REALITY it’s closer to 20%!! And it’s getting WORSE as MORE AND MORE Americans continue to lose their JOBS! Extending unemployement benefits is only a TEMPORARY measure! It does NOT create JOBS!! We need to do something to CREATE JOBS and put AMERICA BACK TO WORK! State of the Union when it comes to jobs? How much to you know about living like a BAG LADY???:)

When it comes to TERRORISM, BO barely said a word! Why? Because in his mind we are STILL not at WAR with these NUT SACKS! He STILL fails to understand that we are dealing with an ENEMY that is PSYCHOTIC and who desires only to KILL Americans! He’s sent MORE TROOPS to Afghanistan alright BUT what he FORGOT to tell you is he and his Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US Military have issued new RULES OF ENGAGEMENT which make it IMPOSSIBLE for our SOLDIERS to KILL the ENEMY!! And what he FORGOT to tell you last night is that HE has FIXED IT so that IF one of our SOLDIERS do their job they will be PROSECUTED LIKE COMMON CRIMINALS!! This is WAR strategy? This is going to lead to VICTORY? I don’t think so! What it is going to do and IS DOING is ENSURING that MORE of our service men and women are coming back home in BODY BAGS!! The new Rules of Engagement are nothing short of QUACKERY designed by all the NIMROD LIE-berals who are advising Barack Obama!! These rules ENSURE THE DEFEAT OF AMERICAN FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN!! What he should have said last night was that he was VETOING all the Rules of Engagement and that there will be NO rules when it comes to KILLING AL QEDA OR THE TALIBAN! What he should have said last night was that America is going to launch a NEW AND FULLY AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVE against TERRORISTS and make it CLEAR that if you SCREW WITH AMERICA YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR IT! And he could have added, just for extra measure, that he intends to BLOW SAUDI ARABIA OFF THE FACE OF THE GLOBE since THEY are the MAIN ONES FINANCING TERRORISM!! But instead we got a bunch of PC BULLSHIT out of his mouth last night on terrorism! So the REAL State of the Union when it comes to terrorism is THEY WIN, WE LOSE…THANK YOU VERY MUCH PRESIDENT OBAMA-NATION!!

Turning to Social Security he had LITTLE to say about that. Here’s a clue for all of you out there! IF you are counting on Social Security for YOUR retirement you are a FOOL! Social Secuirty has ALREADY BEEN SACKED and is on the verge of NONEXISTENCE! You’ll get better retirement out of a GUM BALL MACHINE! The State of the Union when it comes to Social Security is DISASTER ABSOLUTE!!

Looking at EDUCATION, BO cited the FACT that other nations like COMMUNIST RED CHINA are teaching their children READING, WRITING, ARITHMATIC, AND SCIENCE! Really? BINGO!! And what are we teaching our children in America? We are not TEACHING them at all. We are INDOCTRINATING THEM with such issues as GLOBAL WARMING and GROUP HUGS! We are graduating students who CANNOT READ, CANNOT WRITE, and who know NOTHING about SCIENCE or the HISTORY of our GREAT NATION AND PEOPLE! In other words we are teaching our children how to be COMPLETE LEFTIST COMMUNIST IDIOTS! And you wonder why they wear their pants so their little ASSES HANG OUT FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE…..GEEEE??? The FACT is our present EDUCATION system is a JOKE!! The world is LAUGHING at US and especially COMMUNIST CHINA. So the real State of the Union when it comes to education is IT’S A FARCE!

Barack spend a lot of time last night talking about TAX CUTS and LOBBYISTS but according to the report from PEW those two items rank near the BOTTOM of the top concerns of the American people! We know something needs to be done about the lobbyists but there are BIGGER ISSUES which need to be addressed MORE IMMEDIATELY BARACK! As soon as the BUSH TAX CUTS expire EVERYONE is going to get a TAX HIKE! You can COUNT ON IT! So all the CRAP last night about not raising taxes is just that…CRAP! What BO didn’t say is what happens when the Bush tax cuts EXPIRE!! He didn’t LIE to you…he just “forgot” to mention the WHOLE TRUTH!

Last night BO mentioned Global Warming and he made a statement that some of US don’t look at the “hard evidence” when it comes to global warming. That was a JOKE, literally. Pelosi was outright laughing and rolling her little beedie eyes! Congress was histerical at the thought that someone might not believe the global warming BULLSHIT being passed off as “hard evidence.” Oh some of us look at the REAL HARD EVIDENCE Barack and it shows that it is NOT MAN CAUSED and that the rest of the SOLAR SYSTEM is experiencing the SAME climate changes! It has to do with SUN CYCLES NIMROD!! Global warming is FALSE and it’s all HYPE! It’s not about global warming or green tech! It’s about MONEY!! Gore has made MILLIONS off of the SCAM already!! And, notice on the PEW report that global warming is the ABSOLUTE LAST concern of the MAJORITY of AMERICANS?! Yet, BO obviously had NO CLUE!!

So the REAL STATE OF THE UNION is not simply DIS-union but DISASTER and I mean MAJOR DISASTER!! And it is only going to get WORSE as BO does not get it even STILL. Instead of getting a clue from the recent upset and election in Massachusetts of Senator Scott Brown and taking it as the current TEMP of the MAJORITY OF AMERICA, Barack and CIRCUS CONGRESS have decided to listen to that LUNATIC Dem (ie…DIM) chairman Howard Dean and go even MORE to the LEFT! The MAJORITY of America is AWAKENING and they are getting MAD AS HELL over the condition in THEIR NATION! To go even further to the LUNACY ON THE LEFT is a very BIG MISTAKE for the Dim-ocrats!! Hopefully they will LOSE THEIR ASSES COME NOVEMBER!!

So, last night’s speech was nothing more than MORE POLITICAL PROPAGANDA. In other words, MORE LIES, more SMOKE AND MIRRORS! But did any of you really expect it would be anything different? I did not! In fact, BO’s speech last night lived up to ALL of my expectations of him and I knew he would NOT disappoint me in the least! It’s time for CHANGE people! CHANGE that we can NOT simply “believe in” but CHANGE WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE HAPPENING and BEFORE the SECOND COMING OF GOD! Barack Hussein Obama is NOT the deliverer of such CHANGE! Neither is YAWNING Harry Reid or LAUGHING fancy Nancy Pelosi!!

[Via http://roblorinov.wordpress.com]

The January Flatulence aims at USA : "We swear ! We're fighting IP rights violations"

Thailand’s Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Phonlabutr will officially visit the US to discuss with US officials about upgrading Thailand from the current Priority Watch List (PWL) following the country’s serious efforts in continuing crackdown on intellectual property rights violations. [...]

From January to October 2009, Thailand prosecuted 6,731 intellectual property violation cases and seized more than five million exhibits, a 75 per cent increase from the same period in the previous year.

The crackdown indicates that Thailand is sincere about solving the problem on a continuous basis, Mr Alongkorn said, adding that he is confident the US trade agency would definitely remove Thailand from the list. (TNA)

Alongkorn is a liar. And a hypocrite. Like all his friends at the government.

He can throw in the air whatever figures he wants… I mean why not saying : “Thailand seized 500 millions pirated  DVD” ? Or 1 billion ? Or 1 trillion ? Who cares ?

Those figures are POINTLESS and GROTESQUE.

Because :

-since Abhisit, aka The Great Democrator (non elected but UK educated and who loves “the rule of law”), was nominated Prime Minister (thanks to a bozo coup)…  he did nothing to seriously change this situation.

-The government itself continues to break IP rights of pharmaceutical companies (US and europeans), through a grotesque “compulsory licences” program. Abhisit didn’t reverse this policy iniated by the Junta (yes…)  and followed after by Samak.

-Anybody can buy pirated DVD, copied software, T shirt and whatever stuff on Sukhumvit, at Fortune Town (floor 2 and 3), Panthip Plazza, in Phuket, Pattaya etc. Today, yesterday, 5 years ago, 10 years agos. And it’s likely to continue during the 5 next years etc.

-Last may, the US decided to keep Thailand on the Priority Watch List (read here). Since then, nothing has changed.

-Check some of my goodies :

-”Suppressing piracy ? We are working on it” (march 2008)

-Joke Of The Day : in 3 months, no more counterfeit goods (june 2008, Samak)

-Penultimate campaign to “eradicate counterfeit goods” (january 2009, with Abhisit)

-Hundred of thousands of people (maybe millions, all the tourists) are well aware of this situation. And it’’s happening under the nose of the police… The police is of course part of this business, harvesting bribes.

So ?

I repeat : so ?

Does Abhisit have any self esteem ? Or does he really think that he can fool the americans ?

But afterall… Why not ? The “Fuck you policy” is very fashionable nowadays (China is an expert at it, in every aspect). Any small country, any third world banana republic, any dictatorship leaded by lunatics is able today (and apparently willing) to say “fuck you” to the US, to Europe.

Fair enough. It’s unfortunate…. But I guess it’s inevitable… the obvious Fall of Rome, bis repetita.

What is unbearable… is the hypocrisy of the barbarians.

You want to loot Rome ? Do it, make our day ! But don’t try to hide yourself.

Don’t try to find lame excuse.

And as usual, I will finish by the official motto of this blog: Abhisit ? Change Yes We Can(‘t).

[Via http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com]

S.C. Lieutenant Governor "welfare" remarks cause heat.

“My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You’re facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don’t think too much further than that.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. – When things looked their darkest for Gov. Mark Sanford — when he was in danger of being impeached for running off to Argentina to see his mistress — his best insurance policy may well have been South Carolina’s lieutenant governor, Andre Bauer.

Lawmakers knew if they removed Sanford, they would end up with Bauer, a fiercely ambitious Republican with a reputation for reckless and immature behavior.

Read Article

[Via http://donthategcdaz.wordpress.com]

BANK GAGAK: DITUTUP ATAU DISELAMATKAN?

Aris Ananta

Seputar Indonesia, 26 Januari 2010

Saat itu 26 Januari 2020, sepuluh tahun setelah kasus Bank Gagak terjadi. Aku sudah berada di ruangan yang nyaman, sejuk, dan ramah lingkungan.

Namun, hatiku sungguh gugup. Lima orang profesor akan menguji disertasiku yang berjudul Bank Gagak: Ditutup atau Diselamatkan? Ini sidang tertutup dan lebih informal. Namun, hasil di sini sangat menentukan. Kalau aku lolos dengan baik di sidang ini, sidang terbuka sebulan kemudian hanya formalitas belaka.

Sudah empat tahun aku menyiapkan disertasi di universitas universal. Aku ingin tahu, apakah Bank Gagak yang menimbulkan kericuhan politik di akhir 2009 dan awal 2010 itu sebenarnya pantas untuk ditutup atau memang harus diselamatkan oleh penguasa moneter saat itu. Pagi itu aku menerawang kembali ke semua hal yang telah kulakukan dalam penelitian ini.

Aku ingat konsultasiku yang intensif dengan para pembimbingku, yang pagi itu akan menyanggah disertasiku. Prof Matik, ekonom yang ahli matematika, akan menjadi ketua sidang. Kubayangkan, beliau akan mempersoalkan rumusan matematika dalam model simulasiku. Aku telah membuat simulasi dari dua pilihan: menutup atau menyelamatkan Bank Gagak.

Aku menggunakan computable general equilibrium model, dengan jumlah variabel yang amat banyak, agar dapat melihat dampaknya secara nasional maupun global. Aku sungguh bersyukur bahwa pada 2020 ini teknologi komputer sudah demikian canggih. Bayangkan kalau aku harus melakukan penelitian ini pada 2009 dan 2010, apalagi pada 2008 ketika kebijakan yang menjadi isu politik ini dibuat.

Dari Prof Matik, aku ganti membayangkan pertanyaan dari Prof Fina, seorang spesialis analisis untung-rugi dalam pembuatan kebijakan publik. Aku ingat Prof Fina pernah menanyaiku, seandainya Bank Gagak harus ditutup, berapa uang harus dikeluarkan oleh pemerintah untuk mengganti uang para deposan? Kujawab bahwa pemerintah hanya menjamin deposito di bawah Rp2 miliar.

Karena itu, pemerintah hanya harus menanggung Rp5,5 triliun kalau bank ini ditutup. Biaya untuk menyelamatkan bank ini lebih besar dari Rp5,5 triliun, yaitu sebesar Rp6,7 triliun. Jadi, biaya untuk menyelamatkan bank ini Rp1,2 triliun lebih besar daripada biaya untuk menutup bank ini. Aku kemudian menambahkan, uang Rp5,5 triliun untuk menutup bank itu benar-benar akan hilang. Tak akan kembali lagi. Namun, uang untuk menyelamatkan bank itu ternyata kembali ke pemerintah. Bank Gagak, setelah berganti nama menjadi Bank Mas, ternyata tak jadi mati, dan kembali dapat menghasilkan keuntungan. Kita kini tahu bahwa Bank Mas ternyata telah dapat membayar kembali utang yang Rp6,7 triliun itu.

“Saudara sudah menghitung present value nilai utang itu? Jangan lupa!”, pesannya waktu itu.

Aku lalu terbayang betapa Prof Neo, yang sangat percaya pada kekuatan pasar dan menginginkan campur tangan pemerintah yang minimal, akan mengejarku dengan berbagai pertanyaan yang fundamental. Prof Neo juga percaya pada liberalisasi di segala bidang, suatu pemikiran ekonomi yang naik daun di seluruh dunia sejak 1980. Prof Neo pasti akan mengejarku: “Perlukah pemerintah campur tangan pada perekonomian? Kalau mau bangkrut, biarkan bangkrut saja. Pemerintah tidak boleh campur tangan sama sekali. Pemerintah tak boleh membantu, siapa pun, usaha apa pun, yang akan bangkrut.”

“Menurut Undang-Undang Dasar, pemerintah tidak boleh melepaskan pasar begitu saja,” begitu jawabku ketika aku melakukan konsultasi ke beliau. Aku ingat beliau tidak senang dengan jawabanku.

“Saudara sebaiknya memfokuskan ke bidang ekonomi saja. Ini pun sudah akan demikian pelik. Biarlah aspek politik dibahas dalam disertasi atau penelitian lain.”

Kalau benar Prof Neo nanti memberikan pertanyaan dan sanggahan itu, tentu akan ramai. Prof Ken, yang mengikuti paham bahwa pemerintah harus campur tangan dalam perekonomian dan bahwa pasar tidak dapat begitu saja dilepas, juga akan hadir sebagai salah seorang pengujiku.

Aku tahu, Prof Ken dan Prof Neo sering beradu pendapat di berbagai forum ilmiah. Aku akan terjepit. Kalau aku setuju penutupan, seperti aliran Prof Neo, tentu aku akan diserang habis habisan oleh Prof Ken. Kalau aku setuju penyelamatan bank, aku tentu mendapat pertanyaan yang amat berat dari Prof Neo. Meski begitu, dalam sidang itu juga akan ada Prof Jiwo,ahli psikologi massa, terutama dalam sektor keuangan.

Beliau pasti menanyakan mengenai ada tidaknya risiko sistemik saat kebijakan itu dibuat pada November 2008, saat dunia mengalami krisis finansial yang terbesar setelah depresi besar pada 1930an. Beliau pasti menanyakan dampak psikologis dari penutupan bank itu. Aku pun sudah siap dengan jawabannya, yaitu bahwa bank berbeda dengan industri lainnya, yang sangat bergantung pada kepercayaan dan bahkan gosip di masyarakat.

Begitu kepercayaan masyarakat hilang atau beredar gosip mengenai buruknya suatu bank, orang akan berbondong-bondong untuk mengambil uang mereka. Maka bank pun benar-benar akan tutup. Tingkah laku masyarakat memang sering amat tidak rasional. Kejatuhan satu bank di saat krisis internasional yang mendalam, biar pun bank itu kecil, dapat membuat kepanikan di masyarakat, dan mengguncangkan kondisi perbankan nasional. Inilah yang disebut risiko sistemik.

Terbayang, betapa Prof Matik tiba-tiba menginterupsi, menanyakan statistik apa yang aku gunakan untuk mengetahui ada tidaknya gosip dan risiko sistemik itu. Aku jadi makin gugup sebab sampai saat ini pun, pada 2010, belum ada peralatan statistik yang bagus untuk mengukur gosip dan menganalisis secara kuantitatif eksistensi risiko sistemik. Pembuat kebijakan publik juga tidak mempunyai alat canggih itu.

Sulit membayangkan, bagaimana penguasa moneter pada 2008 harus membuat keputusan, tanpa ada alat canggih untuk menganalisis keadaan waktu itu. Sulit pula membayangkan bagaimana orang-orang pada 2009 dan 2010 berusaha mencari “kebenaran” ada risiko sistemik atau tidak.

Akhirnya kusiapkan jawaban. “Walau tak ada data kuantitatif, peneliti harus membuat kesimpulan. Pembuat kebijakan harus tetap membuat kebijakan. Maka, para pembuat kebijakan terpaksa harus mengandalkan pada ‘perasaannya’ mengenai ada tidaknya risiko sistemik. Karena berdasar perasaan, satu kelompok pembuat keputusan dapat berbeda dengan pembuat keputusan yang lain. Selain itu, karena semuanya berdasar perasaan, tidak mungkin pula menentukan perasaan siapa yang benar.”

Aku sudah siap kalau Prof Matik, yang amat kuantitatif, akan dengan sinis mengejarku dengan pertanyaan “Menurut perasaan Saudara bagaimana?”

“Enggak tahu Prof. Kasus ini terjadi 10 tahun yang lalu. Sudah empat tahun saya membaca kepustakaan mengenai kasus seperti ini. Saya pelajari kasus serupa di berbagai negara. Saya pelajari artikel ilmiah dan tidak ilmiah mengenai kasus Bank Gagak. Saya berkonsultasi dengan berbagai ahli. Saya ngobrol dengan mereka yang waktu itu menjadi tokoh sentral dalam pembuatan keputusan. Saya ngobrol dengan mereka yang waktu itu menjadi anggota Pansus Angket Bank Gagak. Saya juga ngobrol dengan para ekonom pendukung dan penolak keputusan penyelamatan Bank Gagak.”

“Ya. Lalu apa kesimpulan Saudara?”, terbayang ketidaksabaran Prof Matik, ketua sidang tertutup ini.

“Kesimpulan saya: perlu penelitian lebih lanjut. Kasus yang terjadi 10 tahun yang lalu itu demikian pelik sehingga saat ini pun saya belum dapat membuat kesimpulan. Pertentangan aliran pemikiran juga memengaruhi kesimpulan mana yang benar. Masalah politik, yang belum dibahas secara mendalam di disertasi ini, juga akan memengaruhi jawaban atas pertanyaan, Bank Gagak: Ditutup atau diselamatkan?”

Lamunanku harus segera selesai. Para profesor sudah tiba. Sidang segera dimulai. Namun, di luar dugaanku, pertanyaan mereka pendek-pendek saja. Rupanya, mereka sudah sangat paham akan disertasiku. Konsultasiku yang mendalam dengan mereka rupanya membuahkan hasil yang menggembirakan.Tak ada pertanyaan di luar dugaan. Mereka menyatakan aku lulus. Dalam kata penutupnya, Prof Matik menyampaikan kepuasannya pada disertasiku.

Kata beliau “Bisa dibayangkan kericuhan politik yang terjadi pada 2009 dan 2010. Sejak kasus ini terjadi, 10 tahun sudah berlalu, sudah begitu banyak penelitian yang dilakukan. Namun, sampai saat ini, dari disertasi ini pun belum dapat diambil kesimpulan, yang mana yang benar. Terbayang, betapa sulitnya, ketika pada 2009, orang harus membuat keputusan, mana yang benar, Bank Gagak itu ditutup atau diselamatkan.”

Secara berbisik, Prof Jiwo memberitahuku bahwa kemungkinan besar aku akan mendapat predikat summa cum laude dalam sidang terbuka pada Februari 2020 di Aula Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Universal. Prof Fina dan Prof Ken tersenyum bahagia. Aku pun superbahagia dengan kesimpulan “tidak dapat dibuat kesimpulan, yang mana yang benar”.(*)

[Via http://mletiko.wordpress.com]

Do we need a Debt Czar?

The Senate is currently trying to raise the statutory debt ceiling for the country. Our debt is projected to reach the limit next month. If we reach the limit, then the government will no longer be able to issue debt, which would mean we could no longer pay our bills.

The U.S. has been on an unsustainable fiscal course for some time. The recession and measures to combat it have exacerbated the situation.

As Congress and the White House seek to calm voters angry over the fiscal recklessness is Washington, as well as markets and creditors concerned about our ability to meet our financial obligations, they are considering several proposals to address a fiscal crisis that many see coming.

So, given the proclivity of this administration to appoint “czars” to address critical issues; do we need a Deficit Czar? My answer is “no,” considering that the numerous czars already in place have little to show in the way of success. Depending on who’s counting, we have between two and three dozen czars dealing with issues such as health care, climate, the economy, and the auto recovery. 

But something needs to be done to prompt action and show that we as a nation are serious about tackling the debt. A more promising idea is a commission to address the long-term fiscal challenges. Granted, commissions in Washington don’t have such a great track record either. Many well-intentioned panels with impressive membership have held hearings, deliberated in earnest, and issued thorough reports, only to see their proposals gather dust.

However, the fiscal commission proposal that the Senate will vote on Tuesday would be different. Under the legislation being considered, Congress would be required to vote up-or-down on the recommendations of a bipartisan fiscal task force.

Since our leaders in Washington have been reluctant to address the dilemma in a responsible way by making the difficult, yet necessary, decisions to get the country’s fiscal house in order. Perhaps a commission with some teeth could spur action.

[Via http://policydaddy.wordpress.com]

Part one. Let's make sense: "How can I win war on "terrorism"?

Part one.  Let’s make sense: “How can I win war on “terrorism”? (Jan. 28, 2010)

            Terrorism is winning by default: people waging war on terrorism failed to make contact with people who have plenty of common sense: they failed to communicate to people with common sense why they are fighting them; they failed to make sense for peace, security, working civil administration, freedom of opinions, and opportunities to learn and work.

            You are reading me: that’s good enough to me.  You have plenty of common sense, regardless of your inherited opinions gathered from your close community and the discrimination tendencies that you are subjected to.  You have the luxury to read; if what you read make sense then you are doubly fortunate: You have the opportunity to connect, gather intelligence, dialogue, and discuss; you are on firm ground to believe that mankind has the potential to think rationally when emotional weighty issues are respected as part of community heritage. 

            You read: you are very fortunate as an individual and fortunate that you live in a society that connects you with the outside world.  If you can transfer your imagination to remote rural regions in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia then we are set to commune common sense.  You are living in a region with no schools (at best religious schools teaching you how to read a Book); no presence of any state civil administration, no infrastructure for clean potable water coming to homes; no waste discharge facilities; no means to communicate with the outside world in your own language; you are living within a close knit tribal and clannish community that extends survival means and protection.

            One morning, a drone drops bombs and missiles targeting “a terrorist” leader in your tribe, killing countless civilians.  How would you react?  The sky is conspiring to destabilize your peace and security; a “foreign” enemy is blatantly provoking you to kneel and submit to an idea or power that were not communicated to you:  all you know is what your community predicator is told you and who taught you at school.  Why should you submit to an opinion that you have no idea what it is and that does not relate to your current way of life?  You do have plenty of common sense but your “ghost” of an enemy is not revealing to you that he is endowed with any common sense.

            Your enemy is a coward savage that cannot speak: he can only make war from a distance. Hell, the sky is conspiring with an enemy that you have never seen his face or heard his voice.  There is total failure of communication. Even if you care less about religion and the value system of your community you cannot help it but to fight this coward enemy playing ghost to frighten the Dejesus out of your mind.

            Islamic extremists are winning by default: they are on the field and the enemy is in the air.  The enemy is setting foot on the moon and exploring the genesis of the Big Bang but he is scared to making eye contact with you: he is fighting you but failed to show up; he has no decency to tell you why he is fighting you; he could at least warn you or declare war!

            War on “terrorism” is a mental attitude: you cannot win this war if the people on the field are disconnected from the outside world.  If you failed to communicate in the language of the land, to learn the customs, and first win the State civil administrations then how can you start military campaigns of intimidation?  If the State civil administration is backward, corrupted, ignorant, and not willing to set foot in remote area then who is to communicate with tribal communities?

            The “terrorist” people didn’t declare war on you: you are doing what suits your ego trip as a superior race.  Time to differentiate between terrorist organizations and those poor and wretched people succumbing to internal obscurantism and external barbaric western military machine.

Part one set the foundations; part two will venture into details.  As I wrote in a previous article “The devil is Never in the details”

[Via http://adonis49.wordpress.com]

The Prez is PO'd

You may have caught some of President Obama’s comments about the banks. It is also hard to avoid seeing that the White House has released a picture of Obama towering over Larry Summers and Sec’y of Treasury Tim Geithner in what appears to be a ‘trip to the woodshed’ conversation.

The belief among the pundit class  is that the Prez is 1. unhappy with the loss in MA to Scott Brown , or 2. unhappy with the bank bonuses or 3. ready to push on banking reform  but Summers and Geithner are not in agreement.

I don’t think that #1 is a strong  reason to be upset. I think that #2 is the likely reason and that #3 is what he is going to do about it. I believe that the Prez has decided that the evil bankers owe him/the government  some respect for bailing them out and he is not getting any.

It is possible, too,  that the Banking War  is not yet over. Somehow I think that Financial Service banks true objective is to control the wealth in America and that the Commercial banks stand in their way. The Federal Reserve definitely stands in the way of Goldman Sachs from becoming the “Official Bank of the US Government”. I also imagine that the FS banks feel snubbed that the Commercial banks refused to loan them money when the market fell last year.

I don’t have a clear vision of all of this but it seems to me that there are four forces at work: 1. Commercial banks are defending their turf and their tradition of being America’s solid bankers, 2. FS banks got their comeuppance last year when commercial banks refused to loan them money and they had to go to Uncle Sam to get bailed out; they are embarrassed but not humbled and they want more , 3. the Federal Reserve saved the Wall Street wealth of America  (the FS banks) and wants to prevent a second occurrence, and 4. Obama’s Administration sees that the FS banks are arrogant and unregulated and that, without Obama’s push on them,  Geithner and Summers would let the  FS banks do what they want.

The Prez is unhappy that this mess was not all sorted out earlier this year and he absolutely will not tolerate any bank thinking that it can snub its nose at the US government. And $16B in bonuses  is a big snub. (Obama may regret not nationalizing  the FS banks when he had an opportunity. He chose capitalism  instead and bailed them out.)

Now that Obama has told the FS banks to “Bring it on”, we will see if he can bring them to heel. They have lots of money and influence. Obama has Congress and the Fed Reserve. A fair fight , I should think.

The FS banks also have Arianna Huffington against them. She is urging people to take their money out of the big banks and put it in community banks. A good idea , I believe. The Commerical banks loan money to corporations and governments and Arianna’s Move Your Money project should not impact them but the FS banks may be hurt by Arianna’s project if their cash on hand is reduced significantly.

[Via http://reasonablecitizen.wordpress.com]

List of posts from Jan. 20 to 26, 2010

621.  Sex: an exclusively personal value (Draft); (Jan. 20, 2010)

 

622.  Save Darfur Movement? Not a cent reached Darfur; (Jan. 21, 2010)

 

623.  “Development programs in Africa are planned poverty”; (Jan. 21, 2010)

 

624.  Do you publish on WordPress.com? Then, you are a public figure; (Jan. 22, 2010)

 

625.  What did come first? (Jan. 23, 2010)

 

626.  Circulating premium Gold-paper currencies (Jan. 24, 2010)

 

627.  I want a listener; (Jan. 24, 2010)

 

628.  How have you been “existing”? (Jan. 25, 2010)

 

629.  “I want to be carried away by my emotions”; (Jan. 25, 2010)

 

630.  Shadows and Booms; (Jan. 26, 2010)

 

631.  Rare heavy dirt?  Premium dirt? (Jan. 26, 2010)

 

632.  Michelle and Barack Obama; (Jan. 27, 2010)

[Via http://adonis49.wordpress.com]

21 January 2010 PM

A bit of mathematics

Check out this article about classical chaos versus quantum level physics. Yes, you might have heard about “uncertainty principles”. Well, that is very different than classical chaos:

Working in a cramped MIT laboratory in 1961, meteorologist Edward Lorenz stumbled upon a new science. Wanting a closer look at the data of a weather simulation he was running, Lorenz restarted it in the middle. Within a few minutes, everything changed and the data he had expected to see had morphed into strange new patterns. A stunned Lorenz checked his inputs. He had rounded the starting values by about .0001, which should have been insignificant. And yet it was not.

At the time, scientists thought small changes in starting values should make only a small difference in most systems. But sometimes such tiny shifts will cause a very different outcome, completely out of proportion with the size of the change—this hypersensitivity to initial conditions is what Lorenz dubbed the “butterfly effect” and what we now call chaos. [....]

But at the level of atoms, our definition of chaos has run into a problem.

Chaos is usually defined by a system’s movement: Set a pendulum swinging, track exactly where it goes, and its motion will reveal whether it is chaotic. Atoms, however, are governed by the uncertainty principle, which means that their location cannot be known precisely. What’s more, the laws of quantum mechanics say that hypersensitivity to initial conditions, which is considered the primary characteristic of a chaotic system, is physically impossible for atoms—at least in the way it’s understood at the classical level.

This presents a serious quandary because quantum mechanics is considered the most basic set of universal laws. Chaos must have some connection with the quantum level, but how it manifests itself, or how to quantify it, has thus far eluded physicists. Work published recently in Nature helps shed light on this problem as researchers working with cooled atoms searched for what they call signatures of chaos.

Now THAT sounds like interesting research.

Ok, there were problems with Coakley as a candidate: I probably wouldn’t have liked her either. But I take issue with what Marc Randazza says: what he implies is that he is actually happy that Coakley lost more than he is happy about Brown winning, and he is, of course, wrong about her “melting” when hit by water (“dissolving” is the correct term)

Why am I joking about that? Well, if you read Randazza’s excellent post about a case which has made the news, you’ll see that not paying attention to detail can provoke outraged when, well, the situation isn’t outrageous at all. In this case, journalists accuse a major cooperation of picking on a kid and claiming that a kid is infringing on one of it’s trademarks. The only problem: that isn’t happening.

In this case, the cooperation isn’t saying “you can’t use that name as it is similar to what we use” but rather “we object to YOU taking out a trademark on that because it is similar to what we use for our brand”. To me, it shouldn’t be too hard to distinguish the two different situations, but …well, I’ll just leave it at that.

Anyway, read the post: it is well written; this guy ought to write a book on popular law. I’d buy a copy!

Anyway, back to politics. Yes, stuff like this makes me ill. But Nate Silver says that panicking only makes things worse.

Mind, Religion and all that

I was mildly amused by this article (though I wasn’t surprised):

Of the many viral-video meltdowns pop culture has endured, few are as viscerally disturbing, as painful to watch, as Michael Richards’ racist rant during a 2006 stand-up appearance. As you’ll no doubt remember, the man better known as Kramer lashed out at a heckler in his audience with a shocking string of slurs, including the brutally memorable line, “Fifty years ago, we’d have you upside down with a fork up your ass.” The breakdown so outraged the general public that even today, if you Google “Michael Richards,” it auto-completes to “Michael Richards racist.”

Shankar Vedantam, a science writer with the Washington Post, uses the Michael Richards incident in his new book, “The Hidden Brain,” to illustrate the way he believes our unconscious can betray us — and reveal biases we wouldn’t even acknowledge to ourselves. Vedantam uses a wide array of vivid true stories to make his point: The tragic tale of a woman who is brutally beaten in front of dozens of onlookers illustrates how a crowd’s inaction can trick our brain into ignoring pleas for help; two transsexuals who’ve experienced both sides of the gender divide help illuminate how unconscious sexism can change lives.

Salon spoke with Vedantam over the phone about the role of the unconscious, why we should be gentler to Michael Richards and the connection between racism and a Republican voting record.

(emphasis mine). By the way, I am well aware of the racist “Democrats” in places like Kentucky and West Virginia; there was a time when the Pat Buchananas of the world WERE mostly Democrats.

Religion I am some issues with semantics here:

Many people believe that Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection poses a threat to religion (specifically to Christianity). Dr. Kitcher suggests that, taken on its own, Darwin’s work can be assimilated by many world religions and many versions of Christianity. There is, however, a deeper problem.

The scientific approach that underlies Darwin’s achievements is inimical to all but the most liberal forms of religion. Once this point is appreciated, it is tempting to believe, as the militant Darwinian atheists of our time triumphantly proclaim, that religious practices should simply be eradicated.

Dr. Kitcher argues that this is incorrect, and that a genuinely humane secularism – a real Secular Humanism – should absorb some characteristically religious attitudes. We need to discard the myths offered by supernaturalist doctrines, but we also need what Dewey called “A Common Faith.”

Here is my issue: once we dismiss “supernaturalist doctrines”, we are no longer in the realm of religion, as far as I am concerned. For example, I have no problem with, say, the “7 principles of the Unitarian Universalists”:

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Truth be told: mostly I gave up going to UU services when it started to conflict with ultra training. Ok, the idea that “ideas” such as homeopathy and dousing are considered worthy of consideration kind of irritates me too.

Yes, most people should be respected, but not all of their ideas should be.

[Via http://blueollie.wordpress.com]

It's still about jobs ...

I just added two articles from today’s Austin American-Statesman to www.AustinMarketInfo.com:

Home construction falls; wholesale prices edge up

Experts see rebound brewing in region’s home sales after slow 2009

Not surprisingly, the first article points out the continuing uncertainty facing the national economy.  With job losses still mounting and many more foreclosures on the horizon, home builders have been reluctant to commit to speculative construction projects.  They gained some traction with last year’s tax incentive for first-time home buyers, and presumably they will benefit this year from the extended and expanded tax credit program.  On the other hand, one has to assume that when the new tax credit ends June 30, 2010 there will be a slow-down in what would normally be the industry’s strongest selling season.  As I have written many times in recent months, the solution is growth in private sector employment.  That is the key to sustainable consumer confidence and spending, and big ticket purchases like homes and hard goods.

That’s where Austin remains different.  The second article points out, as I have a number of times, that the Central Texas employment picture began improving early last summer, and we continue to add employers and employees, and to see investments in the future of our community.  Our growth is undoubtedly constrained by the difficulty selling homes in other parts of the country, keeping people and companies from moving here that might otherwise choose to do so.  Nonetheless, “cautious optimism” remains a good bet in the Austin area.

[Via http://billmorrisrealtor.wordpress.com]

Improve Your Gas Mileage

Here’s How:

1. Stay within posted speed limits. The faster you drive, the more fuel you use.

2. Use overdrive gears. Overdrive gears improve the fuel economy of your car during highway driving.

3. Use cruise control. Using cruise control on highway trips can help you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, reduce your fuel consumption.

4. Anticipate driving situations. If you anticipate traffic conditions and do not tailgate, you can avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, and improve your fuel economy by five to 10 percent.

5. Avoid unnecessary idling. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. No matter how efficient your car is, unnecessary idling wastes fuel, costs you money and pollutes the air.

6. Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

7. Remove excess weight from the trunk. Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car’s fuel economy by one to two percent.

8. Keep your engine tuned. Studies have shown that a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 to 20 percent depending on a car’s condition.

9. Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Underinflated tires cause fuel consumption to increase by six percent.

10. Change your oil. Clean oil reduces wear caused by friction between moving parts and removes harmful substances from the engine.

11. Check and replace air filters regularly. Your car’s air filter keeps impurities in the air from damaging internal engine components. Clogged filters can cause up to a 10 percent increase in fuel consumption.

12. Buy only the octane level gas you need. Remember, the higher the octane, the higher the price. Check your owner’s manual to determine the right octane level for your car.

13. Own a fuel efficient vehicle. The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $1,500 over five years.

Tips:

1. If you’re dissatisfied with a gas-saving product, contact the manufacturer for a refund. Most companies offer money-back guarantees. Contact the company, even if the guarantee period has expired.

2. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage.

3. Don’t be lured by testimonials by satisfied customers using gas-saving products. Few consumers have the ability or the equipment to test for precise changes in gas mileage.

4. No government agency endorses gas-saving products for cars.

5. If the seller claims that its product has been evaluated by the EPA, ask for a copy of the EPA report, or check EPA.gov for information.

http://couponing.about.com/cs/auto/ht/htsaveongas.htm

Quality Mitsubishi

Toll Free (888) 501-4860

[Via http://qualitymitsubishidenver.wordpress.com]

JAL imminent bankruptcy is yet another indication of a changing world economic landscape

I continue to be of the view that we are in the early stages of a revolutionary period and that the companys which survive will not be the ones that composed the DOW/ FTSE/ Nikkei indexes of the last 30 years. There is a shift occurring and the economic crisis is only a symptom, as global balances shift and move in ways we cannot even comprehend today.

Anyhow, in related news, yet another bastion of the old economy is in dire straits. JAL (Japan Air Lines) began in 1951, first flew to San Francisco in 1954, and in 1987 became 100% public owned. In 2002, JAL took over JAS Japan Air Systems). 2009 November was their worst financials.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that even government employees have been abandoning JAL for competitor ANA recently.

Out with the old companys and in with the new .. banks, are you watching?

JAL plans radical cuts as bankruptcy looms

JAL’s expected filing for court protection from its creditors is one of Japan’s biggest corporate failures. The government is preparing at least Y900bn ($9.9bn) in new equity and credit lines to keep the airline operating while in bankruptcy.

[Via http://thebankwatch.com]

Debt Consolidation Loans Affect Your Credit - It This True?

The question of whether consolidation loan debt affects your credit has been mired in controversy recently.

What is the best company for debt consolidation?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Log-PR (Press Release) – January 17, 2010 – While many critics point to these loans because they are the main causes of the shift in American debt is actually not true bachelor psychology degrees. The topic should be discussed soberly and not just hyped by the media debates currently underway.The correct answer to the question above is that loans debt consolidation have negative effects as positive a creditor.Hector Milla Editor of Consolidation Best Debt Services "Website – http://www.ReputableDebtConsolidationCompanies . com – said: "… Even if a short term loan does not reflect an immediate change in the amount of debt or the ratio of debt to income, it will decrease in the long term due in part to the efforts of a company's short-term ready. In addition, loans are shorter so you can pay the enormous debt that you had originally and then the process will reduce the amount of credit owed to you … "Some components of shorter loans could actually affect your credit negatively. A situation in which loans are negotiated by the experts at consolidating debt are recorded as "failed" or "established" on your credit report.While this may act as a blow to you, the effects are only for a limited period, normally not exceed six years. Simply place the loans that you get the short term, will certainly have an interest rate higher, but they will benefit long term to help you reduce your debt.The disadvantage of payday loans is that if you fail to reimbursement of one month, the loan could reach an enormous sum. The main reason is that, because your debt is all classified together, it will be way off your repayment schedule. This is however more the exception t

[Via http://tvidter.wordpress.com]

European Council on International Relations awards Leader of XXI Century prize.

European Council on International Relations will award and in 2010 the important prize LEADER OF XXI CENTURY destined to reward the political personality involved in democracy building, open society construction, support to direct democracy and support for peace and international cooperation. The title is only offered to active or former presidents, prime ministers or key political figures from their country that have a positive influence on international policy arena and a positive influence on internal policy issues (democratization, civil society building) The title will be awarded after two weeks of consultation by an international panel of foreign policy experts, european political figures that will evaluate candidature to this important honor. The candidature could only be filed by official organization as: universities, embassies, consulate, and ministry of foreign affairs or presidential administration. The filed could be sent to European Council on International Relations at general e-mail: office@eucir.com until 30 of January and the final decision will be announced publicly on 10 of February 2010. Leader of XXI Century will be as always an open competition destined to universally acclaim the personalities that shaped our life.  

This year European Council on International Relations will benefit also from the experience of Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation, institute universally acclaimed for international award organizing experience

[Via http://centruldiplomatic.wordpress.com]

Scott Brown: Anti-American

 ”We want the taxpayers’ money back, and we’re going to collect every dime.” So said President Obama, referring to a proposed 0.15 percent tax on America’s top 50 banks; which would generate 90 billion dollars in ten years. With everyone from liberal democrats to Town Hall conservatives up in arms over record bonuses in the financial sector after Bush’s 700 billion dollar bailout, you’d think this would be a slam-dunk.

Not so.

Massachusetts republican Scott Brown, leading contender to fill the senate vacancy of the late Ted Kennedy, has stated he’d vote against such a proposal. With deficits to China in the trillions, and a looming threat that big banks could have another meltdown unless Congress enacts some degree of common sense reform, Brown is 100 percent behind the fat-cat bloodsuckers who live in Ivory Towers, bought and paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of American taxpayers.

What the hell are Massachusetts voters thinking? 

“Nothing in the world is more haughty than a man of moderate capacity when once raised to power.” – Baron Wessenberg

[Via http://pballover.wordpress.com]

US Health Reform Comparison of the final versions of House Bill H.R. 3962 and Senate Bill H.R. 3590 from AAOMS.org

There has been a lot of debate over the House and Senate versions of the US healthcare reform bills, but most people can’t keep up with what the differences are between the two bills or even what’s written into each bill.

Here is a good comparison of the final version of both bills (H.R. 3962 and H.R. 3590) after both bills passed their respective branch of Congress that you can view and download created by the American Association of Oral and Maxofacial Surgeons.

Thanks to 67 Degrees for the above picture. As a bonus, I’ve added the classic Schoolhouse Rock – I’m Just a Bill video from 1975.

Enjoy

Dany

[Via http://raad.wordpress.com]

Forget accuracy or the 5 million lost jobs, Obama wants the credit

White House says stimulus has saved two million jobs

January 13, 2010 by Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s emergency spending measures last year saved up to 2 million U.S. jobs, the White House said on Wednesday, but it warned that the outlook for the economy remained uncertain.

Obama, anxious to reduce double-digit U.S. unemployment which has dented his popularity, has already called for additional government measures to boost jobs on top of the $787 billion stimulus package he signed in February 2009.

Christina Romer, head of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, said she expects positive job creation by the spring, but stressed that there was definitely a need for additional “targeted action” to aid employment.

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The White House, using two different approaches to figure out the impact of the stimulus package, estimates that U.S. employment had been raised by between 1-1/2 and 2 million jobs by the end of 2009 as a result of the stimulus measures.

Romer said she thinks the stimulus measures will have saved up to 3.5 million jobs by year’s end.

Democrats, bailout, budget, bureaucracy, crisis, economics, economy, funding, government, ideology, indoctrination, left wing, liberalism, nanny state, pandering, philosophy, political correctness, politics, propaganda, recession, socialism, spending, stimulus

[Via http://feltd.wordpress.com]

U.S. 2009 foreclosures shatter record despite aid

U.S. foreclosure actions shattered all records in 2009 and will do so again this year, with unemployment and wage cuts overcoming programs to remedy failing home loans, RealtyTrac said on Thursday.

A record 2.8 million properties with a mortgage got a foreclosure notice last year, jumping 21 percent from 2008 and 120 percent from 2007, the Irvine, California-based real estate data company found.{ READ ARTICLE }

[Via http://hiddenagendanews.wordpress.com]

Wall Street Bankers' Bonus Abuse Issue

The notion that Wall Street keeps its gravy train rolling by lining the pockets of our top-tier politicians with money and influence-peddling in order to condone the financiers’ actions is quite disturbing. In addition, the bankers’ claims per the paramount importance of their work as an excuse to enable them to get away with whatever they deem appropriate for themselves (e.g., American tax-payer financed bonuses, etc.) is also disturbing as it smacks of greed and self-centered conceit. In any case, this behaviour on their part is hardly distinguishable from the corruption going on south of the border, with the drug cartel kingpins playing the roll of corrupters and manipulators (albeit in a more forceful manner). But as long as big money talks and remains the primary influence driver in the current socio-political-cultural climate, then people will apparently continue to walk in the direction deemed appropriate by the big money purveyors.

[Via http://ldfry.wordpress.com]

The Harper Agenda

Murray Dobbin points out that the Harper Agenda on the economic front is likely even more important than the prorogation:

It is gratifying to see such widespread opposition to Harper’s assault on Parliament and democracy — from almost every major political columnist, newspaper editorials, over a hundred political scientists, and constitutional experts — including a significant number of unusual suspects. It is a clear sign that Harper has overreached yet again — a character flaw that has saved the country from disaster more than once. Harper now sits at 33 percent in the latest Ekos poll, and if the movement continues to grow, Harper’s plan to force an election over his March budget will have to be put on hold. That might have the effect of postponing the worst cuts.

But the sudden support for democracy by parts of the Canadian elite will not extend to defending the legacy of public services, wealth redistribution and government intervention in the economy. Those are the things that are in Stephen Harper’s crosshairs, and progressives will have to fight the campaign to stop him on their own.  [more of this must read]

Amidst the excitement of the movement against Harper’s prorogation of Parliament, it’s not only important to keep this in mind, it’s important to strategize about effective responses.  Progressives will likely be back on their own at that point.

[Via http://alterwords.wordpress.com]

Hitler Had the Right Idea....About Rebuilding the Economy

I was talking to an associate the other day about the state of the economy and suddenly he blurted out, “Hitler had the right idea!” I gasped as visions of death camps filled my head. He must have noticed my look of horror and he continued,”Seriously, the way Hitler handled the German economy after World War One was ingenious!” He had my curiousity peaked.

And he went on to say that the economy was so bad that to say there was zero employment wasn’t far from an exaggertion. He had just been elected as Chancellor but at the rate he was going he was going to be the leader of a ghost town. So he printed millions of marks and gave interest free loans to all the home owners to have them fix up their homes which were diapitated by this time. These home owners hired people out of work to do repairs and additions on those homes thus putting construction workers back to work. In turn, those workers were able to start buying things for their own families which put retail workers back to work and that trickled down to factory workers making the goods desired by the newly employed retailers. And the money trickled down from there.

At the end when all the money was paid back, Hitler took the money out of circulation, thus preventing any inflationary affect.

Using this same concept, Obama could go and print money as wel, this time about $2 billion, and offer the same loans to homeowners as well as to those who want new homes to be built. Since our economy crashed on the backs of construction, then that’s the first place it should be rebuilt.

And these jobs wouldn’t be temporary jobs since once the ball gets rolling and money starts to flow again, more people would start buying new homes and the economy would be revived. This time the money would have come from a thriving economy. And then Obama could then take that money out of circulation just like Hitler did.

Hitler’s ideology should never be admired, but his economic ingenuity definitely should, because it worked.

[Via http://anationincrisis.wordpress.com]

Un EXPO 2010 da Record: anche USA e EU presenti!!

14 / 7 – E’ stata ufficializzata venerdi, con la cerimonia della firma, la partecipazione anche degli USA al prossimo Expo 2010, partecipazione che fino a ieri sembrava a rischio.

“Noi siamo giusto in tempo!”, ha affermato Jose Villarreal, il nuovo commissario per US EXPO, al momento della firma con Hong Hao, direttore generale dell’ufficio di coordinamento dello Shanghai World Expo, per stigmatizzare il ritardo accumulato dalla partecipazione USA.

Era 3 anni, da quando Wen Jiabao aveva inviato l’invito agli USA, che i Cinesi attendevano un chiarimento ufficiale sulla posizione degli Stati Uniti rispetto l’EXPO, una partecipazione messa a rischio dai vincoli legislativi Americani, che non permettono di utilizzare fondi governativi e quindi necessitava di trovare sponsor privati in grado di sostenere i costi necessari.

Evidente la soddisfazione di entrambe le diplomazie, tanto che il Console Generale Americano in Shanghai, Beatrice Camp, ha affermato “Finalmente possiamo affrontare la sfida da partecipanti!”, anticipando così il tema del padiglione americano: “La sfida”.

Le sfide che gli Usa cercheranno di interpretare in questo EXPO sono connesse alla creazione di comunità sostenibili sotto il profilo ambientale, una salutare qualità della vita e l’uso della tecnologia per migliorare la vita di tutti.

5.600 metri quadri di presenza, una delle più grandi tra quelle presenti al prossimo Expo, attraverso la quale si cercherà di dare la fotografia di come potrebbero essere le città americane nel 2030.

Ora, “possono partire le attività di costruzione del Padiglione”, ha affermato Ellen Eliasoph, co-Presidente della Shanghai World Expo 2010 Inc, la società non-profit che gestirà tutta le attività, raccolta fondi, design, costruzione ed attività operative durante l’EXPO, attività che seguiranno strettamente la raccolta fondi per arrivare ai 61 milioni necessari, di cui un gruppo di finanziatori ha già offerto metà di questa cifra,

Ma come destineranno gli Usa questi fondi per l’EXPO? 20 Milioni di dollari saranno per la costruzione del padiglione, 20 Milioni per gli eventi e la promozione, il resto per qualsiasi tipo di operazione durante i 6 mesi dell’EXPO.

Con la conferma di ieri degli USA, la lista dei paesi partecipanti sale a 240, il doppio dei partecipanti all’ultimo EXPO del 2005 in Aichi in Giappone, con un’ulteriore sorpresa “pesante”: la partecipazione degli EU.

Infatti solo 3 ore dopo la firma degli USA, per la prima volta nella storia dell’EXPO, anche l’Unione Europea ha firmato per la propria partecipazione, fatto da mettere in relazione con gli ottimi risultati e profonda intesa scaturita dall’ultimo vertice Sino – Europeo.

Gli obbiettivi della presenza EU saranno concentrati sulla protezione ambientale, risparmio energetico, trasporti e sicurezza dei prodotti, il tutto sintetizzato dal tema scelto: “Europa Intelligente”.

A differenza degli altri partecipanti, la EU non costruirà però un proprio padiglione, ma occuperà 1000 metri quadri al primo piano del padiglione del Belgio, con il quale condividerà anche i costi, connesso al fatto che proprio al Belgio sarà affidata la Presidenza di turno nel periodo dell’EXPO di Shanghai.

Come sottolineato dagli organizzatori cinesi, anche tutti gli altri 27 paesi partner della EU hanno già confermato la propria partecipazione all’evento che avrà inizio il prossimo 1 Maggio 2010 e che si può ora proprio affermare, sarà un evento da record.

[Via http://yibuyibu.wordpress.com]

Another day, another episode of epic fail

The Democrat / Socialist / Communist triumvirate that is running the country faces ever more evidence of their utter failure. Fellow WordPress blogger Romantic Poet wrote an excellent piece the other day dealing with this very subject, and I would recommend reading it to all of my regular readers.

Using new speak the powers that be try to convince us all that things are improving, and that anything that is not, is racism, or do to the Bush Administration, or to man made global climate change… We the people however, know better than that.

Saying that the economy is better because unemployment isn’t still rising is stupid when the numbers are stagnant because people no longer qualify for benefits and therefore are not counted, or have just given up looking for work is dishonest beyond the pale.

On top of all that we have yet again another example of proprietorial mis-conduct with an officer of the Border Patrol coming under fire for doing his job. Nice shooting Sir!

As various experiments in socialism crash and burn many that supported such nonsense are abandoning ship like rats at sea on a sinking vessel.

The claptrap of Nancy Pelosi about obamacare being discussed in the open aside there is, I believe, a reason that these thugs are shoving all this down our throats. Yes, it is cunning, not at all stupid, and will be close to impossible to reverse. Short of a revolution on a scale that is seldom seen.

The Triumvirate, is getting anything and everything on their agenda completed because come election day they will be destroyed as a functional unit. It is much harder to get any law reversed than it is to get one passed. The other strategic angle that they are playing is to install as many activist Federal Judges as possible because it is all but impossible to get them removed once they are seated. This, after blocking Bush appointments for years, and causing such a tremendous backlog in Federal cases.

How much damage can they do before they are sent packing?

[Via http://patricksperry.wordpress.com]

US Economy to Surge Up in 2010 : Economists

World Largest Economy to Expand in 2010

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Market forecasters and analysts have put forth the view that US economy will most probably turn in its best performance this year since 2004 owing to the factor that companies have increased the investment and hiring. With the increase in the spending of perks, also, it seems a near probability. . Many US economists have  said that the world’s largest economy may expand 3-4% in 2010.

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As per the top economists, the rebound in stocks and rising incomes will prompt Americans to do what they do best — consume.

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Faced with dwindling inventories and growing demand, companies will soon become confident the expansion will be sustained. . Market experts and economists believe that Household spending would pick up the steam as US economy would move into the second half of 2010. . The overall picture for 2010 will be an economy growing rapidly enough to bring down the unemployment rate to an average of 9.6%. The rate will reach about 9% by the end of 2010, major economists quoted.

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US employers expect to hire more new workers in 2010 than they did in 2009, a sign the US recession may be easing its grip, a research showed.

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One-fifth of employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees this year, up from 14% in 2009, according to an online job site that surveyed considerable number of hiring managers and HR professionals. . Just 9% said they plan to cut headcount in 2010, down from 16% in 2009, according to the nationwide survey.

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The number of employers who say they’re going to add full-time workers is up from last year, and that is very good news. There’s definitely an uptick. .

[Via http://smcinvestment.wordpress.com]

Living Hasn't Been Cheaper

Apparently this is bad news:

NEW YORK, Jan 7 (Reuters) – The U.S. apartment vacancy rate rose to an almost 30-year high of 8 percent in the fourth quarter, and rents dropped in the biggest one-year slump in 2009, according to real estate research company Reis Inc.

The report reflects the job market, which so far has stubbornly refused to follow positive economic indicators such as the stock market rebound and improved manufacturing demand.

But that’s only 1 way of looking at it.  Another, of course, is to report that it hasn’t been cheaper to rent in years!  I find it strange that we report falling home prices as bad, when, in fact, it results in allowing more and more people to afford a home of their own.

The world is a funny place.

[Via http://tarheelred.wordpress.com]

Global cotton output may rise over 8%: ICAC

Hello Friends here we come up with the Latest Agri Commodities updates from various parts of the globe.

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Global cotton output may rise over 8%: ICAC

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Global cotton output may rise over 8%: ICAC

Cotton production world-wide is likely to rise by over 8% in the 2010-11 season on higher output in the US and China following high prices, a global cotton body says.

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The global cotton production in the 2010-11 season (October-September ) is projected at 24.1 million tonnes (mt), up 8.5% from 22.2 mt estimated for the ongoing 2009-10 season.

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Above figures were put forth by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

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According to ICAC, cotton production in China is likely to surge by a million tonne to 7.7 million tonne, while in the US it may climb by one tenth to 3 million tonne.

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However in India, production estimates are not changed much from 2009-10 season, it said.

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ICAC had earlier said that India is estimated to harvest 5.3 mt of fibre in this season. Currently, harvesting is in progress across the country.

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In Other major Commodities Updates we can read about the news of fertiliser ministry urging the finance ministry to release the due subsidy payments and the decline of the natural rubber production rate, last year.

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Fertiliser ministry too seeks subsidy payments: . The fertilisers ministry has urged the finance ministry to urgently resolve the liquidity problems faced by the country’s fertiliser industry following no payment of subsidy dues by the government since October 2009.

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The demand for subsidy payments comes even as the government is trying to resolve the issue of subsidy to petroleum companies.

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Industry estimates are that subsidy /concession for the October-March 2010 period will be around Rs 30,000 crore plus, bringing up the total subsidy for the fiscal to well over Rs 70,000 crore.

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The centre has allocated only Rs 49,980.25 crore towards fertiliser subsidy for 2009-10 (BE), including carryovers from 2008-09.

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The industry has argued that non-import of urgently needed raw materials and inputs may be jeopardized if the matter of the subsidies is not tackled on priority.

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Making matters worse, according to procedure, the industry cannot expect any further payment until the third supplementary to the Budget due only in end March.

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Rubber Output declines on dry weather:

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Natural rubber production in India, the world’s fourth-biggest producer, dropped 7.3 per cent last year after dry weather lowered yields in the main growing region, the state-owned Rubber Board said. . The driest monsoon since 1972 lowered latex yield in rubber plantation in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Chandran said. . Production also dropped because of  intense harvesting and ageing plantations,  Rubber Board Chairman Sajen Peter said on November 4. . Stockpiles jumped 26 per cent to 261,400 tonnes at the end of December after exports last year slumped to 14,752 tonnes from 77,004 tons in 2008.

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American job satisfaction's at a new low

A new study says that even for Americans still lucky enough to have jobs in this recession, only 45 percent are happy with their work.

Their dissatisfaction mostly falls into three categories:

• Fewer workers consider their jobs to be interesting.

• Incomes have not kept up with inflation.

• The soaring cost of health insurance has eaten into workers’ take-home pay.

And thanks, BuzzFlash, for the link.

[Via http://datingjesus.wordpress.com]

Editorial: How America is Losing in the Free World...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3ef8f012-f969-11de-8085-00144feab49a.html

Fascinating read.  Makes you think.  This is what Ronald Reagan warned of in his 1964 campaign address on behalf of Goldwater:

“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on Earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.“

[Via http://21nine.wordpress.com]

Rebates for Appliance Buyers in 2010

The 2010 plan to encourage energy efficiency is the government rebate for appliance buyers. The plan lets people swap their old appliances for new energy-efficient models at very low prices.

 

Here are some things to keep in mind 

• State plans vary. For state by state specifics, check out the state-by-state rebate program. 
• Is it really a deal? It may not be worth replacing appliances that are fewer than seven years old, but older models can represent a real deal. Joe McGuire, president of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, says a 20-year-old refrigerator uses three times as much power as a new Energy Star-approved model. 
• Buy now before it ends. There is only about $300 million available and some states got more money than others. It is expected to run out fast.

 Source: The Associated Press, Vinnee Tong (12/30/2009)

[Via http://kennethbargers.com]

This Time I Really Mean It! No...really.

I’ve tried to blog several times but I’ve never managed to keep up with it for very long.  It takes a lot of time, and time is in short supply for law students.

In those past attempts, I really didn’t have much of a point.  I was musing to pretty much nobody and I didn’t feel like I had anything interesting to share.  That’s changed now, though.  This time the topic is interesting.  I think I might even be able to help somebody.

First, a little about me.  I worked in auto insurance for about 10 years before I left for law school.  I left with the blessing of my wife, who has been very supportive of me throughout this entire process.  Together we have five children, so as you can imagine it’s been quite a struggle for both of us.  Seriously, I wouldn’t recommend the same course of action to you or anybody else.  That is, the going-to-law-school-with-five-kids part.  The married-with-five-kids part is great!

Anyway, I left my former career primarily because I wanted to be an entrepreneur.  After I evaluated what I liked and disliked about my job and seriously considered my strengths, weaknesses, skills, and limitations, I decided to go to law school and become a sole practitioner.

That last part probably makes me unusual.  I doubt many law students go to school with the primary purpose of becoming a sole practitioner.  I think most students go to law school with designs on graduating in the top 5% of their class and landing a high paying job in a big law firm.  Obviously not everybody can be in the top 5% of their class, and with something like 200 law schools turning out students at a record clip, much fewer than 5% of all law students can land a high-paying job in a big law firm.  Most of them try for both anyway.  I didn’t.

Oh, I entertained the idea of being in the top 5% of my class for just over one semester, but we have a bell curve and law students are pretty dang smart, so doing “reasonably well” would have to be good enough.  I didn’t apply for a job at a big law firm either because that wasn’t my goal going in.  I don’t know if that was wise or not, but I can honestly say I wasn’t disappointed by on-campus interviews, seeing as I didn’t participate.  Many of my friends were disappointed, and of the few who landed a summer job through on-campus interviews, many were later disappointed when they didn’t get an offer for a permanent job.

So here we are.  The economy stinks, jobs are scarce, and the disappointment on campus is palpable.

I feel really bad for you disappointed students…I really do.  I think I know a little of the insecurity you are feeling.  I’ve agonized for about 2 ½ years now over whether becoming a sole practitioner right out of school is a good idea, and I’m still not so sure.  It’s different for me though, since I don’t have the added insult of dashed expectations.  I sort of sidestepped all that.  I’m sneaky that way.

If you disappointed students can’t or won’t move back in with your parents, you’re probably looking for alternatives to the traditional route of getting a job with a law firm.  Some of you might of necessity be thinking about opening your own practice or forming a partnership with other recently-graduated lawyers.  That probably isn’t the best way to do it—out of desperation—but I fully support rolling with the punches, and I’m here to help in any way I can.

Give me a "meh!"

Understand that I’m not a cheerleader for solo practice.  I do not think that just anybody can do this.  Scratch that…you can all do it, but not all of you can do it successfully and not all of you should try.  This is serious business that involves risk both for yourself and for your future clients.  If you take this lightly or bumble around marketing yourself as the next best thing without taking the time to really learn what you’re doing, you’ll get nailed for malpractice and you’ll hurt a lot of people in the process.  You must be absolutely committed to being the best attorney you can be for your clients, and that usually involves having experienced attorneys you can turn to when you have questions.  Law school isn’t designed to teach you how to be a lawyer; you need to admit what you don’t know and be an adult about it.  Make friends.  Ask questions.  Be humble!  In a later post I’ll give you some pointers on how to develop your own network of attorneys who will act as your substitute for the biglaw partners you don’t report to.

And that’s pretty well the point of my blog: to report my experiences, to discuss the pros and cons of the decisions I’ve made with respect to law school and to starting a solo practice, and to share with you the work I’ve done so that you can criticize it, build on it, or otherwise appropriate it for your own use.  Just remember that I am no expert.  I can only tell you what I know (not much!) and I can guarantee nothing.  Even so, it seems like this sort of thing would be easier if we figured it out together and learned from each other.  To that end, I hope you follow my blog and comment often.  I would really appreciate it.

In my next post, I’ll talk about some of what I’ve done in law school to help prepare for solo practice straight out.  Hope to see then!

[Via http://straightoutsolo.wordpress.com]