What Plagues US

The break between the DOW and Telecom Stocks

2009-10-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

I've been buying and selling in the stock market since I was a kid. First stock was DIS.

Can someone who knows about telecom stocks tell me why there has been a break (one of the first disconnects that I can see) between the DOW 30 and Telecom stock prices?

The DOW just got back to 10,000 last week. Normally (last 20 years or so) there is a relationship between telecom stocks (T, VZ) and the DOW 30. The DOW has outpaced telecom by a factor of 2 - recently (last 5 years) - but the telecoms always follow (or lead) the DOW in gains and losses.

Telecom stocks have headed south.... a distinct break from the DOW 30 - something that hasn't happened in the past. Do we really think that the cell/wireless/pda event is over?

Why.. why...why?

I think that there is an opportunity here. Just like Cramer, I say - let's take our 6.4% dividend and wait for the correction.

Can you get good news on the Internet?

2009-10-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love reading the news.

Unfortunately I have an unquenchable desire to read the commentary after an article.

I'm usually drawn to the Karl Rove op ed pieces in the Wall St. Journal and following comments.

Here is the latest: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574444981640430364.html

Mostly comments from less than knowledgeable liberals, pro-US is the world's policemen kooks and Obama bashers.

But back to the original question. Can you get good news on the Internet?

I usually start with Google news feed to see what has been posted and work on two or three versions of the same news.

1. Christian Science Monitor

2. Fox News

3. Wall St. Journal

3. Press TV (from Iran)

4. SF Gate (if covered)

You will be amazed at the different take on US events.

Let's do it now!

Christian Science Monitor article:

Obama says Iran must take 'concrete steps' on nuclear issues

Basically open article - did Iran get prestige from the meeting and not give up anything. Is this only a first step for meaningful dialog.

Fox News: Not easily found - top story is "Defunding Acorn... Unconstitutional?" Scroll down... rape, strippers, boobs, sex, hate, sex again. Sheesh.. is this news? Closest I can find is "

Clinton Calls Iran Talks Productive, but Incomplete

AP article - are there reporters that work for FOX? Clinton said she got a rundown on the substance of the talks in a telephone call from William Burns - so second hand information and no analysis.

Wall St. Journal:

Paths on Iran Start to Take Shape

Nice quote -Its leaders could decide that being seen talking with world powers helps them "recoup the enormous legitimacy they've ceded domestically" because of the summer's disputed presidential election, says Karim Sadjadpour, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. They also raise the issue - should the US be thinking regime change, not nuclear weapons.

Press TV:

Obama: Iran-P5+1 meeting, constructive beginning

Highlights the defiant Iran, but also includes the salient points of the US negotiation.

SF Gate:

Iran, world powers agree to further nuclear talks
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/01/international/i014704D14.DTL#ixzz0Sk1z4eEa

AP article. Decent depth. Highlighted Obama stating that the US supports Iran's ability to use nuclear power generation. Included Iran's jab at limiting the US power in the UN.

Well - in this quick debate - I would have to give the medal to SFGate AP article. Let me know what you think.

The answer my friends is yes! But you have to sort through the chaff.

Obamacare, Palincare, Medicare!

2009-08-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

My first outrage this morning was to read this:

Sarah Palin:

The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's "death panel" so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their "level of productivity in society," whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.

The response from one blogger was faster than I could write. Here is an example.

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2009/08/its-evil-alright.html

Question to Palin: Have you ever had to buy health insurance? For many of us Americans who's company does not provide medical insurance, purchasing plans on our own is a costly proposition.

Moving - no time to write.

Healthcare Reform 2009 Wait Times

2009-07-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

I recently saw many oponents of healthcare payment reform, using a survey produced by Merrit Hawkins and Associates (linked here) which shows Boston with the highest wait times for physician appointments. Although I applaud using metrics to track basic access to care, I am concerned as to the sample set size - several of these determinations are made with as few responses at ten and at most twenty one per geographic area.

Do they really think that 21 responses is a representative sample of all the physician appointments made?

For 5 years of employment, I was insured with Kaiser Healthplan in California - and I believe I had some of the best care of my life. For a year after, I moved to Anthem (Blue Cross) and was disapointed by the lack of preventative care and the basic lack of access. Now, once again I am happily back at Kaiser. The reason I bring that up is I would much rather use the Kaiser system of total care for health care reform, with mandatory insurance requirements, as opposed to an expansion of the Medicare system as it is currently run.

I've never waited more than a week for care at Kaiser, usually because of my schedule, not the physician's.

HULU paid service?

2009-06-04T19:46:00.001-07:00

I recently came across an InformationWeek article talking about HULU looking to monetize for the content provided, and that consumers would not pay for a service that they have been receiving for free.

I disagree with this article completely.

For many years, I have thought that the added services provided by the cable/satellite companies were superfluous and that they should be simply bandwidth providers, last mile delivery. HULU has a great opportunity to bypass the traditional 'view what you get' television and deliver, true, subscription based, on demand service that many have been craving.

I would gladly pay for a service that brought me the shows that I want to watch - without the added overhead of shows that I don't want. The downfall and direction that I expect HULU to go - is subscription for the complete basket, good and bad, shows. I would prefer pay per subscription to specific series.

Give me Kings! Bring back Serenity!

Of course the great democratization of this process is subscription directly back to the content creators. We will just have to see how this plays out.

Abandoned Tenant Property Laws are stupid

2009-02-05T00:42:00.000-08:00

October 1996. That is the date of the last update to Tenant property law in the state of California as far as I can tell. Law is definately not my baliwick.

So - you wonder why rents are so high? Listen to this...

Your tenant abandons property in your rental. The value of this property is over $300. That's right, $300. You must follow the law to the letter or you will be liable to significant damages.

Here is the simple law:

Where The Property Is Apparently Abandoned

To dispose of apparently abandoned property without risking liability for damages to the landlord, a landlord must follow the steps below. If the tenant left the unit because of a court-ordered eviction, the timing of the steps is slightly different. This difference is discussed below in the bold bracketed [ ] sections.

Steps to follow with abandoned property.

To dispose of personal possessions which apparently have been abandoned, the landlord should take the following steps:¹³

1.a. Write a notice to the former tenant or tenants.¹⁴

[No notice is required for former tenants who were evicted under a writ of possession.¹⁵ A notice already is contained in the writ of possession form which the sheriff is required to serve upon the evicted tenant or tenants.]
b. Write a notice to any other person whom the landlord believes may be the owner of some or all of the abandoned property.¹⁶
The notice¹⁷ must:
1) Give enough information about the property so that the possible owner can identify it.
2) Tell the tenant or other possible owner receiving the notice the place where the property may be claimed.
3) Give the tenant or other possible owner a deadline after which time the property cannot be claimed.

[A tenant who is evicted under a writ of possession has 15 days after the landlord takes possession of the rental unit to pay reasonable costs of storage and to take possession of items left in the rental unit.]¹⁸
4) Tell the tenant or other possible owner what the landlord intends to do with any of the property which is not claimed by the deadline.
5) Tell the tenant or other possible owner whether reasonable costs of storage will be charged before the property is returned.
2. Deliver the notices to the tenants and other possible owners of the property.
3. Meet with the tenant and other possible owners when they come to claim the property.
4. If by the deadline, the tenant or other person pays the landlord any properly demanded storage costs, the landlord must release the property to the tenant or to any other person who the landlord reasonably believes to be its owner.¹⁹
5. If the property is not released and if the landlord stated in his or her notice that he or she intended to sell the property at a public sale, the landlord must release the property to the former tenant if, before the actual sale, the tenant claims it and pays the reasonable costs of storage and of advertising the sale.²⁰
6. If, after the deadline, there is any property which was not claimed by the tenants or any other people notified, depending on the circumstances, the landlord must do one of two things with the remaining property:²¹
a. If the landlord reasonably believes that the property is worth less than $300, he or she may keep it, give it away, sell it or destroy it.
b. If the property is reasonably believed to be worth $300 or more, the landlord should arrange to have it sold at a public bidding sale after giving notice of the sale through publication. Both the landlord and the tenant have a right to bid on the property at the sale. After the property is sold, the landlord may deduct the costs of storage, advertising the sale, and conducting the sale. The remaining money must then be paid over to the county. The county can then give the money to the property owner if the owner claims the money at any time within one year after the date when the county received the money.

What should the notice say?

Under California law, the notice must contain certain information.²² Sample notices (one to a former tenant and one to a person other than a former tenant) are attached. A landlord may use this sample notice, but will have to fill in additional information, such as the description of the property, the place where the property may be claimed, and a date by which the property must be claimed. These are the legal requirements:

1. A description of the property.

The property should be described both in sufficient detail, and in a way which gives all possible owners enough information for them to determine whether or not the property might be theirs. The legal limitations of liability provided to a landlord do not apply to property which is not described in the notice. However, if the property includes a container (for example a trunk, or box) which is secured (that is locked, fastened or tied, in a way which would keep anyone from easily getting into it), then the contents of the container need not be described in the notice.²³
2. A deadline for claiming property.

A date must be specified by which the potential owner must claim the property. The date given must be at least 15 days after the notice was personally delivered or, if the notice was mailed, a date not less than 18 days after the notice was mailed.²⁴
3. Charge for storage.

The property owner may be charged for the reasonable cost of storage of the property, and that the charges must be paid before the property is released to the owner.
4. Where the property is located.

This should include both the address where the property was left and, if different, when the property may be claimed by the owner.

How should the notice be delivered?

The notice may be delivered to the tenant or other possible owner by either:

handing the notice to tenant or other possible owner -- that is, personally delivering the notice; or
mailing the notice by first class mail with postage prepaid to the tenant or other possible owner at her or his last know address.

In addition, if the landlord has reason to believe that the notice sent to the person's last know address will not be received by the person, the landlord also must send the notice to any other address, if known, where it would be reasonable to expect the person to receive the notice.

And, if the notice is sent by mail to the former tenant, one copy of the notice also must be mailed to the tenant at the address of the rental unit that the tenant vacated.²⁵

How should storage costs be charged?

If a former tenant claims the property, the landlord may charge the tenant the reasonable costs of storage for all personal property left at the rental unit, but only to the extent that the tenant has not paid those costs to the landlord previously.²⁶

But, if an owner other than the former tenant claims a portion of the property, the landlord may only require that person to pay the reasonable costs of storage for the property that person claims.²⁷

In any event, the landlord cannot charge more than one person for the same costs.²⁸

If the landlord has stored the personal property at the rental unit, the cost of the storage must be the fair rental value of the space reasonably required for such storage for the term of storage.²⁹

What is the landlord's liability?

Once the landlord has given the proper notices, whether a landlord is liable to anyone for the property depends upon whether the property was released to someone or whether the property was disposed of in another way.

Property was released:

If the property is released to the former tenant, then the landlord is not liable to any person for that property.³⁰

If the property is released to someone other than a former tenant, and if the landlord reasonably believed that person to be the owner of the property, the landlord is not liable for that property to:

any person to whom notice was given; or
any person to whom notice was not given unless such person proves that: (1) prior to releasing the property, the landlord believed or reasonably should have believed that such person had an interest in the property; and, (2) that the landlord knew or should have known, upon reasonable investigation, the address of such person.³¹

Property disposed of in another manner (not released):

If the landlord reasonably believes that the total resale value of all the property is less than $300, the landlord may dispose of the property in any manner.³² However, if the landlord reasonably believes that the total resale value of all of the property is $300 or more, the property must be sold at a public sale by competitive bidding.

If the property is disposed of in either of those ways, the landlord is not liable for the property to:

any person to whom notice was given; or
any person to whom notice was not given unless such person proves that: (1) prior to disposing of the property, the landlord believed or reasonably should have believed that such person had an interest in the property; and, (2) that the landlord knew or should have known, upon reasonable investigation, the address of such person.³³

Did your eyes glaze over? I need to store their stuff for 18 days. Move it. Then sell their crap at PUBLIC auction!

So - get this, I don't know where they are - yet I'm supposed to spend money to get their crap out of my house.

What benefit do I get? None .. any proceeds above costs go to the county.

I'm sure that Sacramento will be right on this one.... as soon as they pass a budget.

Bush halts Global Warming with US Recession

2009-01-14T23:53:00.000-08:00

I am not one to say the US government is a shadow organization, driving policies through non-public decisions, but the recent global downturn had me thinking after reading this article back from March 2008.

The Miller-McCune site states the following regarding which country is now the largest polluter:

"Much of the increase is driven by China. What is sometimes called “the Chinese miracle” may also prove to be a stupendous climatological hex. The country has been powering its record-setting economic growth with a slew of new coal-fired power plants: It builds a new one every seven to 10 days. Last year, China overtook the United States as the planet’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide."

Here is my theory: Scientists working for the US government have come to the conclusion that global warming is going to be really, really, really bad for the US. Examples would include flooding in the plains, washing away of topsoil, lack of snow pack(farms in the West fail without water), complete areas of the southwest are abandoned due to lack of water. They finallyconvince President Bush (or Dick Cheney) that this will crush the US economy and with the backing of the Saudis they decide to stop the Chinese economic growth via a financial meltdown in the US. This results in the US consumer drastically cutting back purchases of cheap Chinese products and idles all these coal-fired power plants. Voila! Greater decreases in global output of carbon dioxide than the Kyoto Protocol ever had a chance ofaccomplishing.

Thank you President Bush, you just bought us 10 more years of food and water.

Then again, perhaps, the Sun may drive our global climate.

The Great Global Warming Swindle, if haven't seen it - it is an excellent watch

Weather.. Weather Everywhere.

2008-12-21T11:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome the the lastest notice from Mother Nature that the planet is warming.

Snow. Snow in Las Vegas, snow in New Orleans, snow in Houston.

Now all you Gore haters are going "What is he talking about? Snow! It must be getting colder - that Global Warming story is all crap!".

Sorry to inform you, this is exactly what was anticipated to happen with global warming. Wetter weather with a little cold snap creates snow - lots of snow.

2008 is the coldest 'warm' year in the last 10 year cycle. This is primarily due to a moderate to strong La Nina in the Pacific. If you want to know what is going on in the artic - check out the Artic Sea Ice News. The most troubling aspect of this to me, is the warming of the artic via the ocean. I am hoping some naturally occurring counter balance to this will happen - perhaps more cloud cover due to increased evaporation.

Even if you don't believe that humans have caused this latest warming cycle - I'm surprised at the lack of preparation for the next 50 years. Watch for the Chinese to start planning - at least they have a historical culture that thinks about multigenerational planning.

We're just happy we're on high ground.

Decision 2008 McCain vs. Obama

2008-11-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to perhaps the billionth blog regarding the upcoming Presidential election.

I live in California. We're more consumed by Proposition 8 than the question if California might go to McCain (very unlikely).

There are several things I've realized with this polarizing election:

1. There are a lot of racist and rather unintelligent people still in the US.

2. My grammar sucks but I still can occationally get my message accross.

3. History has been lost or ignored by many of the McCain supporters.

4. The Internet is pushing opinion beyond analysis.

Look at this lovely post by the North Country Gazette entitled "McCain/Palin—-The Least Of Two Evils".

Here is a great sample: "Quite frankly, Obama turns my stomach. I want a President who is 100% American, who doesn’t have questions about his citizenship lurking in his background, who isn’t trying to buy the election, who doesn’t have questionable ties to voter fraud and ACORN, who doesn’t have family members who are reportedly illegal immigrants and isn’t so consumed with himself."

100% American? WTF? What would 98% American be?

Buy the election? The largest grass roots based fund raising machine ever - that means the MOST people gave money for the intellectually challenged.

The rest of the sentence is just babble. "so consumed with himself." - Arrg. Who do you expect runs for the fecking President of the United States?

Next on my hit list: "It’s been reported that his aunt, Zeituni Onyango (I personally want an good old American name for my President, not a name like Barack Obama that doesn’t even sound American) had been instructed to leave the U.S. by an immigration judge after her request for asylum was turned down four years ago."

Good old American name for my President? My goodness.... someone has seriously missed the idea of what the United States is. What the hell is an good old American name?

Written by a democrat no less. This is a very strange election, I am registered republican and am worried about the changes in taxing and regulation that the Obama Presidency will impact on the US.

Over the Air HD (or the End of Cable?)

2008-07-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

I recently moved to the suburbs and in this time of introspection, I was reviewing my Television options. Now, I've been a strong supporter of satellite tv (via Dish and DirectTV), mostly to counter Comcast - who most likely is the most evil corporation next to record companies. I have become very comfortable with my Dish DVR - which has a simple, intuitive interface and easily records our favorite shows. This costs us approximately $65/month - or $780 per year. Not extravegent in the Bay Area - covers several of the major pay channels, Lifetime, ComedyCentral etc.

On a lark, I purchased a $29 HD antenna from Radio Shack, mounted on a board so it wouldn't blow over and placed it on the roof. Turned on the TV and did a quick scan for Over the Air channels on my Sharp LCD TV.

WOW. Did you know that the networks are broadcasting three channels each? Substantial HD content? Above and to the left is a sample for tonight - just HD - just a few.

Ok -so now I'm feeling a bit more confident on how I'm going to get content. How about a DVR?

Hit up Tivo for a HD 180 hour DVR and Wireless G adapter. On its way.

So with the Tivo, I have on demand, rental, purchase etc. Can watch YouTube videos (got to love a quick Muppet Show Mannnammanna), can display my Google Picasa pictures on the TV, Music, and videos from my computers, etc.

Total cost - about 1/2 a year of Dish. Tivo is ($12.99/month).

I'll let you know if I'm satisfied once I setup the Tivo.

Google Revisited

2008-07-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Google is still wandering after my post in March. The ad revenue piece has vanished from the news - stock regained some of its losses, hanging out around 530. Still, I'll take the 80 points of gain - especially in this market. Move up your stops, in the case that China or the US economy truly tanks.

ECB (Europe Central Bank) raised interest rates this week, but I don't think anything is going to stop the "strong dollar policy" (what a crock - can you say flip-flop?) of the Bush administration. All it took was kicking the US consumers' ass with a lower dollar driving Oil price inflation to get the administration to figure out perhaps a weak dollar isn't what it's all cracked up to be.

Fear the Fearmongers

2008-03-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

I've been watching Google stock over the last several weeks and have noticed an interesting group psychology driven by the news coverage of the last week.

For a quick historical perspective glance at the Motley Fool article from Dec 21, 2006:

The Worst Stock for 2007: Google

Next up - The Sky is Falling! Click-Thrus are lower ... Arrrg.

Google is not about ad revenue. I'll say that again for the slow learners. Google is not about ad revenue.

Oh yes, ad revenue is the current driving force for revenues. Note the word current. Google is an incubator of ideas financed by a rather large bankroll. Forget about the latest 'Facebook' valuation or purchased solution. Google is about transforming the way we interact both in a business perspective and social networking perspective.

Google Apps - what's the fuss?

Microsoft Office (per Jeff Raikes) could hit revenues of $20 Billion by 2010. It's $16 billion now. That's right, MS Office revenues are currently MORE than all of Google's revenues. Cost of the current suite is around $130. Google CAN charge for Apps. No, really. Googles greatest competitor for this space will not be Microsoft - it will be Sun. I imagine that the market space for this type of product will remain steady (around the $16 billion level) for the next 10 years.

The Future is so bright....

Back to the point about incubation. Perhaps just a listing of areas that Google is working will give you a better sense of what opportunities exist for this company.

Google Maps - intersection of data and geography.
Google Earth - being used by more governments around the world.
Book Search
Google Base - Craigslist without the last in, first seen garbage.
Patent Search
Google Health
Android (phone OS)
YouTube - ok first TV show a flop. Break down the barriers to subscription access to TV.
Feedburner - if you don't see the value of RSS metrics integration into Google analytics, you miss the point.
US Government Search - competes with FirstGov
Google Renewable Energy - $10's of millions to make solar,thermal, wind - cheaper than coal.
Search Engine - it is quickly becoming the oracle at Delphi. Fed Ex numbers, flight tracking, patents, Vehicle ID(vins).
Google Apps - Think Education, Healthcare, Legal, Federal, Business.
Google TV
Google Wireless - spectrum for Google use or resale?

Ok - this is not an all inclusive list - I'm just tired.

Is Google just ad revenue? The future will decide.

Open letter to Commissioner Tate of the FCC

2007-07-31T13:44:00.001-07:00

Commissioner Tate,

I know you are under no obligation to share your reasoning as quoted in the WSJ.

"Republican Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, on the other hand, said she was "lukewarm" at best about the so-called open-access conditions that were agreed upon".

But what did you mean by "lukewarm"?

How have we, the public, who own the frequencies, been served by closed systems such as Verizon? Do you feel that an individual company will invest more money into a closed network with a guaranteed return rate vs. open with each company fighting it out for the best product? I look forward to the day of not yet envisioned technology that bypasses the dyed in the wool thought process of the FCC.

Of Oil, Iraq and Saudi Arabia

2007-07-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

In performing research on the interaction between the price of a barrel of oil and the decrease in the relative value of the dollar to world currencies, I came across a interesting article on the decrease of Saudi oil field production rates despite the increased price of oil. It seems that Saudi oil output declined 8% in 2006 - what does this mean? The mighty Ghawar oil field is already in decline, and the Saudis don't want anyone to know.

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2393

How does this fit with Iraq? Who is close enough to the Saudis to have known about this for some time? The Bush Family of course.

How does the US involvement in Iraq help the Saudis - I don't know ... but there are up to 200 billion barrels of oil in Iraq. http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2007/04/19/iraqi_oil_reserves_may_be_twice_as_large/

What will happen if the Saudi's run out of oil by 2010?
Alternative energy sources are looking better all the time.

Fill the Silence!

2007-07-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Fairly recently, some exciting pictures returned from Mars.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) used its High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument to take a lovely photo the apparently very, very deep hole - a feature that may cause more scientists to ponder about potential subsurface biology on Mars.

So far, seven of these holes in various sizes have been found.

Now - the camera used cut off the black data since it was unexpected (they limit the number of bits they are looking at to save bandwidth?).

I look forward to a new picture with full spectral details. When I queried a friend of mine at JPL he quipped that rather than figuring out what they might need logistically to support an expidition to Mars for several years - they just sent up a Wal-Mart and were so shamed they blacked it out.

Somewhere I had seen some Mars night-time thermal imaging showing warm spots where these holes are.

How deep, especially in the heights (like these holes are) would you need to go to start increasing atmospheric pressure "a la Blue Mars".

Death of the Private Server

2007-03-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a news post about the Verizon FiOS service, which will be providing video on demand, TV, HDTV to customers in California. While I applaud 10-30 megabit connections to the internet and fiber to the home, I was concerned about this little piece in their FAQ.

"1. Can I host a Web page?
Verizon FiOS Internet Service consumer packages include 10 MB of personal Web space. The consumer offers do not permit customers to host any type of server, personal or commercial."

So - thinking that maybe you need to buy the "Business" version of FiOS - I hit the Business FAQ.

No mention of Fixed IPs, Servers, etc.

Is this the death knell to private servers, private email? One of the joys I find of the Internet is the idea of universal access. See this article at Free Press: http://www.freepress.net/issues/universalaccess

Now this article focuses on the costs of high speed bandwidth and access for the poor, I would like to focus on who do you trust with your data?

From the Boston Globe in January in reference to subpoenas to ASPs and Search Engine companies from the Federal Government:

"The subpoenas also drew attention to how the major search services have become repositories of their users' personal data. ''They have lots of information," said Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch, an industry trade publication. ''They know what people are clicking on. They know what people are searching for." By analyzing their vast databases of past searches, the companies can improve their software to help users find data more quickly. The companies can also upgrade the lucrative software that places paid advertisements on the search results pages. Currently, Google retains information about Web users' online activity for as long as it deems the data useful, according to a company spokesman." Linked here

Here is the crux of the situation: Comments from Paul Rosenzweig Before the United States House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution

Emphasis is mine:

"Thus, an individual’s banking activity, credit card purchases, flight itineraries, and charitable donations are information that the government may access because the individual has voluntarily provided it to a third-party. According to the Supreme Court, no one has any constitutionally based enforceable expectation of privacy in them. The individual who is the original source of this information cannot complain when another entity gives it to the government. Some thoughtful scholars have criticized this line of cases, but it has been fairly well settled for decades."

Are you voluntarily turning over everything you do on the Internet to your ISP?

Are you voluntarily turning over every IP phone conversation to your ISP?

Are you voluntarily turning over every E-Mail since it is hosted by your ISP?

I for one want to own my servers.

Blog without FEAR.

This Iran thing is bugging me

2007-01-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

The real left-wing media (which I listen to quite faithfully, by the way, and which should not be confused with what the right-wingers call "left-wing media") has been warning of an impending attack on Iran for some time now. Frankly, I didn't give it much credence, mostly because the whole thing seemed so ridiculous that it's hard to take seriously. I watched President Bush's speech two nights ago, and last night I reached a tipping point.

Too many things are happening together at the same time, and I'm starting to get worried that something really ugly might happen: war with Iran.
- Bush ordered the raids against Iranians in Iraq, treading on or near diplomatic boundaries
- This occurred nearly coincidentally with his speech about sending another 20,000 troops to Iraq
- Bush threatened Iran in his speech.
- Bush has deployed a Carrier Group off Iran's coast
- We do not have diplomatic relations with Iran - we don't talk to them, really
- Bush's Iraq plans (adding 20,000 troops to Iraq) won't help the situation in Iraq.

This is not a rational action.

- With Saddam Hussein dead, there is no 'obvious' enemy: Forget al-Qaeda
- Is Iran a substitute Saddam Hussein?
- The Congress has very little power to stop the President in these matters
- It struck me that Bush looked scared during his speech, like he was afraid of what he was about to do.
- Very few people, 'experts' and constituents alike, support the President's 20,000 troop proposal.
- Bush doesn't care what we, or the experts, think. He's single-minded and blinkered in his own decision making.

I think President Bush is not behaving rationally. Maybe he never has.

I am afraid he is trying to push us into a war with Iran. This would result in a lot of death. Both our guys and their guys. And it's not going to accomplish a damn thing, except cement Bush's presidency as the most shameful in the history of the United States.

I've been thinking about what to do, and I'm falling back on my old standards. I've sent a letter to the White House. I am going to be contacting my representatives. I'm going to be talking to my friends; even people I don't know that well. Heck, I'm sending out a mass-email... I don't normally do that. I want to spread the idea that war with Iran is completely wrong and unacceptable. My hope is that if enough people speak out, even Bush will listen.I urge you all to write the President, your Representatives, and Senators to speak out against military action with Iran.

The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/House of Representative: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Here's some of the articles I've read recently that got me so worried:Excerpt from New York Times Article: Rice
Says Bush Authorized Iranians’ Arrest in Iraq http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/13/world/middleeast/13strategy.html

What do Iraq vets think of the 20,000 troops: a real on-the-ground perspective: http://www.iava.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2339&Itemid=116

More military opinions on the 20,000 troop concept: http://www.iava.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2336&Itemid=116

Finally, I wasn't all that hot on the idea of impeachment, as I didn't think it would do much good, but I think it is coming close to the time to play that card. I think we may have a mad dog in the White House. If nothing else, impeachment will so distract him that he won't have time to go to war with Iran and we can get someone else in there in 2008.

This is nuts.
It has to stop.

Pete

Internet Gambling makes Shipping Ports unsafe

2006-10-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101300147.html?nav=rss_politics

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act attached to a port security bill, was sponsored by Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte (R-Va.), http://www.house.gov/goodlatte/; a blowhard who equates online poker playing to money laundering, drug trafficking and TERRORIST FINANCING.

Somehow the legitimacy of PUBLICLY traded companies providing a service such as BetOnSports, http://google.com/finance?cid=696708 is in question because they support gambling which Mr. Goodlatte (Good Latte - I don't even want to go there) vehemetly opposes.

I guess the Online Gambling industry did not contribute to his campaign as much as the agricultural industry. http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00009154&cycle=2006

Annie Duke for Congress!

I really appreciate how this congressman from Virgina has reached into my livingroom and eliminated my ability to enjoy online gambling, yet doesn't put forth the effort to stop the lottery in the State he represents.

Note the "Texas Hold'em Scratcher" http://www.valottery.com/scratchers/scratcher_detail.asp?GameID=752

Opinion "We Have Not Forgotten, Mr. President."

2006-09-12T20:08:00.001-07:00

The Nation Mon Sep 11, 9:49 PM ET
The Nation -- Keith Olbermann is without a doubt the best news anchor on television today. Two weeks ago, echoing the spirit of the legendary Edward R. Murrow, Olbermann took Donald Rumsfeld to task for comparing critics of the Iraq war to Nazi appeasers. Tonight, broadcasting live from above a desolate and still demolished Ground Zero, Olbermann delivered a stirring eight minute commentary indicting the Bush Administration's shameful and tragic response to 9/11. The entire speech is worth watching and reading, so I'm posting the full text below.

Half a lifetime ago, I worked in this now-empty space. And for 40 days after the attacks, I worked here again, trying to make sense of what happened, and was yet to happen, as a reporter.

All the time, I knew that the very air I breathed contained the remains of thousands of people, including four of my friends, two in the planes and -- as I discovered from those "missing posters" seared still into my soul -- two more in the Towers.
And I knew too, that this was the pyre for hundreds of New York policemen and firemen, of whom my family can claim half a dozen or more, as our ancestors.

I belabor this to emphasize that, for me this was, and is, and always shall be, personal.
And anyone who claims that I and others like me are "soft,"or have "forgotten" the lessons of what happened here is at best a grasping, opportunistic, dilettante and at worst, an idiot whether he is a commentator, or a Vice President, or a President.
However, of all the things those of us who were here five years ago could have forecast -- of all the nightmares that unfolded before our eyes, and the others that unfolded only in our minds -- none of us could have predicted this.

Five years later this space is still empty.
Five years later there is no memorial to the dead.
Five years later there is no building rising to show with proud defiance that we would not have our America wrung from us, by cowards and criminals.
Five years later this country's wound is still open.
Five years later this country's mass grave is still unmarked.
Five years later this is still just a background for a photo-op.
It is beyond shameful.

At the dedication of the Gettysburg Memorial -- barely four months after the last soldier staggered from another Pennsylvania field -- Mr. Lincoln said, "we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
Lincoln used those words to immortalize their sacrifice.

Today our leaders could use those same words to rationalize their reprehensible inaction. "We cannot dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground." So we won't.
Instead they bicker and buck pass. They thwart private efforts, and jostle to claim credit for initiatives that go nowhere. They spend the money on irrelevant wars, and elaborate self-congratulations, and buying off columnists to write how good a job they're doing instead of doing any job at all.

Five years later, Mr. Bush, we are still fighting the terrorists on these streets. And look carefully, sir, on these 16 empty acres. The terrorists are clearly, still winning.
And, in a crime against every victim here and every patriotic sentiment you mouthed but did not enact, you have done nothing about it.
And there is something worse still than this vast gaping hole in this city, and in the fabric of our nation. There is its symbolism of the promise unfulfilled, the urgent oath, reduced to lazy execution.

The only positive on 9/11 and the days and weeks that so slowly and painfully followed it was the unanimous humanity, here, and throughout the country. The government, the President in particular, was given every possible measure of support.

Those who did not belong to his party -- tabled that.
Those who doubted the mechanics of his election -- ignored that.
Those who wondered of his qualifications -- forgot that.

History teaches us that nearly unanimous support of a government cannot be taken away from that government by its critics. It can only be squandered by those who use it not to heal a nation's wounds, but to take political advantage.
Terrorists did not come and steal our newly-regained sense of being American first, and political, fiftieth. Nor did the Democrats. Nor did the media. Nor did the people.
The President -- and those around him -- did that.

They promised bi-partisanship, and then showed that to them, "bi-partisanship" meant that their party would rule and the rest would have to follow, or be branded, with ever-escalating hysteria, as morally or intellectually confused, as appeasers, as those who, in the Vice President's words yesterday, "validate the strategy of the terrorists."
They promised protection, and then showed that to them "protection" meant going to war against a despot whose hand they had once shaken, a despot who we now learn from our own Senate Intelligence Committee, hated al-Qaida as much as we did.
The polite phrase for how so many of us were duped into supporting a war, on the false premise that it had 'something to do' with 9/11 is "lying by implication."
The impolite phrase is "impeachable offense."
Not once in now five years has this President ever offered to assume responsibility for the failures that led to this empty space, and to this, the current, curdled, version of our beloved country.
Still, there is a last snapping flame from a final candle of respect and fairness: even his most virulent critics have never suggested he alone bears the full brunt of the blame for 9/11.
Half the time, in fact, this President has been so gently treated, that he has seemed not even to be the man most responsible for anything in his own administration.
Yet what is happening this very night?
A mini-series, created, influenced -- possibly financed by -- the most radical and cold of domestic political Machiavellis, continues to be televised into our homes.
The documented truths of the last fifteen years are replaced by bald-faced lies; the talking points of the current regime parroted; the whole sorry story blurred, by spin, to make the party out of office seem vacillating and impotent, and the party in office, seem like the only option.
How dare you, Mr. President, after taking cynical advantage of the unanimity and love, and transmuting it into fraudulent war and needless death, after monstrously transforming it into fear and suspicion and turning that fear into the campaign slogan of three elections? How dare you -- or those around you -- ever "spin" 9/11?
Just as the terrorists have succeeded -- are still succeeding -- as long as there is no memorial and no construction here at Ground Zero.
So, too, have they succeeded, and are still succeeding as long as this government uses 9/11 as a wedge to pit Americans against Americans.
This is an odd point to cite a television program, especially one from March of 1960. But as Disney's continuing sell-out of the truth (and this country) suggests, even television programs can be powerful things.
And long ago, a series called "The Twilight Zone" broadcast a riveting episode entitled "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street."
In brief: a meteor sparks rumors of an invasion by extra-terrestrials disguised as humans. The electricity goes out. A neighbor pleads for calm. Suddenly his car -- and only his car -- starts. Someone suggests he must be the alien. Then another man's lights go on. As charges and suspicion and panic overtake the street, guns are inevitably produced. An "alien" is shot -- but he turns out to be just another neighbor, returning from going for help. The camera pulls back to a near-by hill, where two extra-terrestrials are seen manipulating a small device that can jam electricity. The veteran tells his novice that there's no need to actually attack, that you just turn off a few of the human machines and then, "they pick the most dangerous enemy they can find, and it's themselves."
And then, in perhaps his finest piece of writing, Rod Serling sums it up with words of remarkable prescience, given where we find ourselves tonight: "The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices, to be found only in the minds of men.
"For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all its own -- for the children, and the children yet unborn."
When those who dissent are told time and time again -- as we will be, if not tonight by the President, then tomorrow by his portable public chorus -- that he is preserving our freedom, but that if we use any of it, we are somehow un-American...When we are scolded, that if we merely question, we have "forgotten the lessons of 9/11"... look into this empty space behind me and the bi-partisanship upon which this administration also did not build, and tell me:

Who has left this hole in the ground?

We have not forgotten, Mr. President.

You have.

May this country forgive you.

Why can't American industry get ahead in the Global Economy?

2006-08-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

If our political leaders wonder why the United States is unable to compete in a global market with US based labor, all we need to look to is the 'broken' healthcare system. Companies continue to limit benefits, insurance and pensions to try to rein in the per employee costs that are largely beyond their ability to control.

Why is healthcare so expensive? What happened to the managed healthcare revolution that was initiated in the early 1990s?

Community based healthcare providers, mostly driven by religious charities and orders that defined healthcare in the 60s and 70s, have been consolidated by market forces into regional healthcare systems. For profit entities, such as HCA, continue to consolidate the marketplace and drive costs out of the system. So where are we failing? The reimbursement process, dominated by the $125 billion disbursed by Medicare, which included fixed price reimbursements for individual procedures, directed healthcare based on profit margins not on outcomes and the general health of the community.

Independent healthcare providers in conjunction with Local and Federal governments need to address this problem as a combined entity. Each rural or metropolitan area has a defined population of citizens, supported by private for profit, non-profit and governmental healthcare providers. Within this defined population a health index and cost of care would be created and financed by local business, taxes and federal funds. Just like the federal highway system, some areas would have to be supported by a broader population base - but the end goal would be healthier populations. Only then will the provider of healthcare have the clout to manage their impact on the profits of the drug companies and insurance providers and still have the proper incentives to drive costs out of the system.