The application of "reason to subjects of central human importance."
Judith Gardom, Cambridge, Cambridgshire
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
sarah losh
The Pinecone: The Story of Sarah Losh, Forgotten Romantic Heroine--Antiquarian, Architect, and Visionary. by Jenny Uglow.
Archaean
She wrote Lunar Men
web of connections--family friends ideas and influences
makes riches out of everything at hand
Archaean
She wrote Lunar Men
web of connections--family friends ideas and influences
makes riches out of everything at hand
3d printer
U washington students used polyethylene from milk containers that they cut up to create a single person plastic boat for Seattle's Milk Carton Derby. They plan to use the technology to build composting toilets and rainwater collectors. Boats may be just as grand an idea for societies that use trees to make small vessels.
A law student at Austin's UT is trying to make ubitquitous 3d printer plans for pistols. The guvment is breathin heavy on him--apparently there are lots of rules about making guns. He reminds them that he is only making the plans--the idea.
The milk drerby team used a 3d printer built around a plasm cutter that is computer controlled. So the extruder's movement is controlled as it melts the plastic flakes and squirts the liquid out. the result is limited to the dimensional movements of the extruder. If the extruder prints fast, the plastic is more likely to cool at once, reducing the stress the object incurs when the cooling plastic shrinks at different times.
A law student at Austin's UT is trying to make ubitquitous 3d printer plans for pistols. The guvment is breathin heavy on him--apparently there are lots of rules about making guns. He reminds them that he is only making the plans--the idea.
The milk drerby team used a 3d printer built around a plasm cutter that is computer controlled. So the extruder's movement is controlled as it melts the plastic flakes and squirts the liquid out. the result is limited to the dimensional movements of the extruder. If the extruder prints fast, the plastic is more likely to cool at once, reducing the stress the object incurs when the cooling plastic shrinks at different times.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Gay Rights Strategy
Here is a thought. Instead of letting hate-mongering con-christians determine the language of the debate as it is being played out politically and legislatively, why not take charge? After all, the discussion of whether an adult can marry another adult is a completely private question. So any other person's expression of rejection of such marriage is committing an act of inequality, unfairness, and invasion of privacy that that bigot does nothave the foundation or right to commit. And, when those that support the right of others to marry whomever they wish, among other very personal life choices, engage in a discussion of the benefits foregone by prohibiting others from marrying, those supporters are missing a golden opportunity to reinvent--and distract, the non-supporters.
Instead, what should be discussed and made into tv soundbites are the contrary religious beliefs. The discussion should be strictly limited to the religious fanaticism that it is, and not be given any sense of "social" or "values" legitimacy. In other words, just by countering the "anti" privacy and fairness factions with talk of benefits, values, etc, the Pro-privacy and Pro-fairness peeps are going down the wrong path.
Imagine, if religious privacy haters were constantly confronted with other self-professed educated "faithful", like religious leaders and ministers, etc, who consistently expressed and cited religious text that supported privacy (and, for example, gay marriage), and loving your neighbor no matter how different he or she is from you. Imagine if the rhetoric was moved to preclude discussion of values. This would have the wild and significant benefit of removing the scrutinizing "lense" of social morality from "gay". At the same time that it limits the discussion as it relates to gays, it broadens the discussion as it relates to the religious, as it turns the "burden of proof" from the gay to the religious.
So, groups like HRC should only make media spots that have other religious people talking about how accepting religions like christianity are, how those that express hostile and hatefilled religious-based sentiments are not really acting upon religious fundamentals, etc.
Instead, what should be discussed and made into tv soundbites are the contrary religious beliefs. The discussion should be strictly limited to the religious fanaticism that it is, and not be given any sense of "social" or "values" legitimacy. In other words, just by countering the "anti" privacy and fairness factions with talk of benefits, values, etc, the Pro-privacy and Pro-fairness peeps are going down the wrong path.
Imagine, if religious privacy haters were constantly confronted with other self-professed educated "faithful", like religious leaders and ministers, etc, who consistently expressed and cited religious text that supported privacy (and, for example, gay marriage), and loving your neighbor no matter how different he or she is from you. Imagine if the rhetoric was moved to preclude discussion of values. This would have the wild and significant benefit of removing the scrutinizing "lense" of social morality from "gay". At the same time that it limits the discussion as it relates to gays, it broadens the discussion as it relates to the religious, as it turns the "burden of proof" from the gay to the religious.
So, groups like HRC should only make media spots that have other religious people talking about how accepting religions like christianity are, how those that express hostile and hatefilled religious-based sentiments are not really acting upon religious fundamentals, etc.
Friday, August 17, 2012
sky
I recently finished another meteorology book. So fascinating....learning about entities bigger than your neighbors, than congress, than the catholic church.
In the last book, the most lasting tidbit I learned was that all precipitation results from condensation forming on one of the abundant dust particles constantly present in the atmosphere. One water condensed water molecule attracts another, and another, and yet another...and many many molecules later, the neighborhood weighs so much more than the other particles and forces can sustain...and what was once a part of our heavenly vision falls, violently or otherwise, to join us in this terrestrial chaos.
The most interesting tidbit from this recent book is that the frozen neighborhoods can be so delicate as to begin its fall in Calais and land in Eastport. So the next time you frolic in the fluff of the first snowfall, ponder that the flakes falling on your face started their life many, many miles away and rode the most efficient and wonderous public transportation available.
In the last book, the most lasting tidbit I learned was that all precipitation results from condensation forming on one of the abundant dust particles constantly present in the atmosphere. One water condensed water molecule attracts another, and another, and yet another...and many many molecules later, the neighborhood weighs so much more than the other particles and forces can sustain...and what was once a part of our heavenly vision falls, violently or otherwise, to join us in this terrestrial chaos.
The most interesting tidbit from this recent book is that the frozen neighborhoods can be so delicate as to begin its fall in Calais and land in Eastport. So the next time you frolic in the fluff of the first snowfall, ponder that the flakes falling on your face started their life many, many miles away and rode the most efficient and wonderous public transportation available.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Scouts of America...Perverts?
With the Scouts of America recently reaffirming the imposition of a ban on gay scouts and leaders, you have to ask yourself "What kind of people are the leaders of the Scouts?" There are a lot of ethical problems with this policy of theirs--regardless of how you feel about gays.
First, did the Scouts' leaders and the alleged parents that supported this policy explore--and explain, how the policy is going to be implemented...how they are going to determine if a nine year old boy is...oh, gay. Are they going to ask scouts if and with whom they have had sex? are they going to ask the leaders to prove their sexual history? And, how is that going to go down? For those boys who aren't sexually active, are they going ask them which gender they are THINKING about having sex with? Does the ban exclude those who are married but having sex with men? virgin boys that SAY they are gay but never end up having same-sex sex? If I send my boy to a scout meeting with remnants of pink paint on him, will he be deemed gay and booted? If he doesn't profess enough attraction to girls, will he be deemed gay and booted? If he wears his bandana slightly to far to the gay side, will he be deemed gay and booted? Well, I haven't heard that they do have a plan here, so this highlights my first concern with the Scouts of America: they committed to a policy that they can't enforce fairly, consistently, and accurately, if they can enforce it at all.
And, second, they can't enforce this policy without violating some pretty important civil rights, like an individual's right of privacy [who are they to make me or my nine year old son reveal our most personal thoughts or activities!] and an individual's right to freedom of speech [why can't my son simply say the two words "I'm gay" in front of a Scout?] Remember, my son may not BE gay or even be sexually active, but he has a right to say those two words.
Third, what kind of society have we created when one person's right to free speech is loudly supported when that speech express' his denigration and hate for others and yet another's right to free speech is trounced upon when he express's an affection for another human being---this is religious and civil liberties hypocrisy at its best and demonstrates why christianity has exhausted its cache as a moral guide.
Fourth, don't you find it kinda creepy that this kind of organization would even have sex this much on their brains. What will the pack leaders be thinking at these meetings from now on...will they be vigilantly on the look out for any signs or expressions of sexual attraction to the same sex?
Or is this a catholic church redux, where the organization relies on its history as a moral compass to avoid actually performing as a social and moral compass? Remember when the mandatory child abuse reporting laws came into existence, and the church fought tooth and nail to be exempt from reporting suspected child abuse. You have to ask yourself, "Why?" On so many levels, that is absolutely the wrong position to take: if you want to uphold your position in society as trustworthy, first, you give the appearance of complying with the larger group's wanted laws; and, second, you show your eagerness to protect kids from abuse.
But we now know that the church's foundation for exemption from these mandatory reporting laws may have really been to protect it, and its staff, from being subject to even another violation of criminal law when the truth about their rampant child sexual abuse and cover-ups were revealed.
Is this what the Scouts of America are doing...do they know something that we don't about their members and leaders..possibly, could this ban (since implementation seems impractical and impossible) really be just a ruse of a future defense if it is revealed that they have had a number of sexual predators "infiltrate" their ranks? Could this be their preparation of a red-herring defense, where they try to blame it "on the gays" that they now "ban."
I just think its creepy that the Scouts of America are actively and very publically admitting that they are thinking about my son's sexual activity--which they have to be if they are going to enforce a ban policy. Creepy.
First, did the Scouts' leaders and the alleged parents that supported this policy explore--and explain, how the policy is going to be implemented...how they are going to determine if a nine year old boy is...oh, gay. Are they going to ask scouts if and with whom they have had sex? are they going to ask the leaders to prove their sexual history? And, how is that going to go down? For those boys who aren't sexually active, are they going ask them which gender they are THINKING about having sex with? Does the ban exclude those who are married but having sex with men? virgin boys that SAY they are gay but never end up having same-sex sex? If I send my boy to a scout meeting with remnants of pink paint on him, will he be deemed gay and booted? If he doesn't profess enough attraction to girls, will he be deemed gay and booted? If he wears his bandana slightly to far to the gay side, will he be deemed gay and booted? Well, I haven't heard that they do have a plan here, so this highlights my first concern with the Scouts of America: they committed to a policy that they can't enforce fairly, consistently, and accurately, if they can enforce it at all.
And, second, they can't enforce this policy without violating some pretty important civil rights, like an individual's right of privacy [who are they to make me or my nine year old son reveal our most personal thoughts or activities!] and an individual's right to freedom of speech [why can't my son simply say the two words "I'm gay" in front of a Scout?] Remember, my son may not BE gay or even be sexually active, but he has a right to say those two words.
Third, what kind of society have we created when one person's right to free speech is loudly supported when that speech express' his denigration and hate for others and yet another's right to free speech is trounced upon when he express's an affection for another human being---this is religious and civil liberties hypocrisy at its best and demonstrates why christianity has exhausted its cache as a moral guide.
Fourth, don't you find it kinda creepy that this kind of organization would even have sex this much on their brains. What will the pack leaders be thinking at these meetings from now on...will they be vigilantly on the look out for any signs or expressions of sexual attraction to the same sex?
Or is this a catholic church redux, where the organization relies on its history as a moral compass to avoid actually performing as a social and moral compass? Remember when the mandatory child abuse reporting laws came into existence, and the church fought tooth and nail to be exempt from reporting suspected child abuse. You have to ask yourself, "Why?" On so many levels, that is absolutely the wrong position to take: if you want to uphold your position in society as trustworthy, first, you give the appearance of complying with the larger group's wanted laws; and, second, you show your eagerness to protect kids from abuse.
But we now know that the church's foundation for exemption from these mandatory reporting laws may have really been to protect it, and its staff, from being subject to even another violation of criminal law when the truth about their rampant child sexual abuse and cover-ups were revealed.
Is this what the Scouts of America are doing...do they know something that we don't about their members and leaders..possibly, could this ban (since implementation seems impractical and impossible) really be just a ruse of a future defense if it is revealed that they have had a number of sexual predators "infiltrate" their ranks? Could this be their preparation of a red-herring defense, where they try to blame it "on the gays" that they now "ban."
I just think its creepy that the Scouts of America are actively and very publically admitting that they are thinking about my son's sexual activity--which they have to be if they are going to enforce a ban policy. Creepy.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Eliminate judicial immunity
The Economist provides the best introduction to this post:
"Judges may be trained...But they are also human, and thus subject to all sorts of cognitive biases..."
See Economist, April 16th, 2011, page 87.
The application of very simple logic to this fact--that the bench is really comprised of fallible animals, reveals that the time for extenive discussion on immunity and accountability has arrived.
First, immunity is unecessary given the availibility of Professional Liability insurance, or "E&O".
Second, judicial immunity creates a culture in which lower standards of judicial behavior can proliferate and thrive.
Third, judicial immunity shields corrupt judges from being prosecuted for their criminal misconduct.
Fourth, immunity prevents victims from pursuing justice or compensation for the more egregious and injurious misconduct.
Fifth, the fallibility of human cognitive functioning (for example, decision fatigue) warrants increased regulation and adherence to principles of accountibility--not decreased opportunity for regulation and accountability. These congnitive issues are addressed in other professions where denial of human imperfectibility could-and will, lead to failure to maintain professional standards, goals, and even to injuries or death. Studies suggest that judges' decision-making ability is increasingly impaired the longer they go from their last meal/snack, showing that even basic chemical/biological factors influence and contribute to a judge's action. See http://www.pnas.org/content/108/17/6889
There simply is no logic behind denying the biological and human aspects of this group of animals--judges.
"Judges may be trained...But they are also human, and thus subject to all sorts of cognitive biases..."
See Economist, April 16th, 2011, page 87.
The application of very simple logic to this fact--that the bench is really comprised of fallible animals, reveals that the time for extenive discussion on immunity and accountability has arrived.
First, immunity is unecessary given the availibility of Professional Liability insurance, or "E&O".
Second, judicial immunity creates a culture in which lower standards of judicial behavior can proliferate and thrive.
Third, judicial immunity shields corrupt judges from being prosecuted for their criminal misconduct.
Fourth, immunity prevents victims from pursuing justice or compensation for the more egregious and injurious misconduct.
Fifth, the fallibility of human cognitive functioning (for example, decision fatigue) warrants increased regulation and adherence to principles of accountibility--not decreased opportunity for regulation and accountability. These congnitive issues are addressed in other professions where denial of human imperfectibility could-and will, lead to failure to maintain professional standards, goals, and even to injuries or death. Studies suggest that judges' decision-making ability is increasingly impaired the longer they go from their last meal/snack, showing that even basic chemical/biological factors influence and contribute to a judge's action. See http://www.pnas.org/content/108/17/6889
There simply is no logic behind denying the biological and human aspects of this group of animals--judges.
The Uncivilized of New Orleans
Hurricane Katrina seems to have demonstrated the horrific capacity of both nature and of humans. Whereas the cycles and processes of nature can be anticipated to produce such ferocity and destruction, when death is perpetuated at the hands of those swearing an oath to protect & serve, society must reflect on its animal form and explore the potential fraudulent mask of our alleged "humanity."
Five New Orleans police officers--aka "peace officers", were tried for their involvement in the fatal shooting of a man several days after Hurricane Katrina hit. The man's body was then burned, and the criminals then proceeded to hide the truth from us and to cover up their misdeeds. The Wheels of Justice took many years to grind out guilty verdicts for three of the five charged.
Two New Orleans police officers beat another man severely, rupturing his spleen, and then also proceeded to lie about and cover up their misdeeds by dropping the victim off at a hospital, where they "reported" that the man received his injuries because he "fell down". The Wheels also turned slowly for this victim too, as these criminals were found guilty many years later.
At least Eleven New Orleans police officers were charged in the shooting of six citizens seeking safety from the storm and its aftermath at the Danziger Bridge. Two died. All were unarmed and were "blameless". The shooters tried to cover up their crimes, with a great deal of cover-up assistance from a number of fellow police officers.
Given these incidents, it is hard to believe that the Justice Department's investigation into this department is only 157 pages long (Go to www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/nopd_report.pdf). However, given the systemic and chronic criminal conduct being perpetuated--and hidden, by police and prosecutors throughout this country, it is not surprising to find that this report is considered the "broadest" investigation ever of a city police department. As it is, the report recharacterizes criminal conduct as less-than criminal. For example, it accuses the department of "overusing force". Well, that kind of conduct is, in this country, is classified as assault, battery, violation of civil rights due to a citizen who is being accused by the government of wrongdoing, etc.
It also recharacterizes aiding and abetting simply as under-investigating potential wrongdoings (criminal activity).
Any inkling of assistance from police officers to other police officers who have commited such atrocities should be considered as heinous and pathologically antisocial as the beatings, the shootings, the murders. Why? Well because to grant one human being the opportunity to impose--without punishment, restrictions and injuries to another human being's life, body, and property is to bestow possibly the most dangerous yet fundamental power necessary for the maintenance of a civilized society. Once that sworn officer betrays the importance of that gift, he/she is, in effect, denouncing his/her willingness to participate in and contribute to the "civilized" aspect of our humanity. The premise is akin to the legal theories that impart special duties on those with special relationships to others, like a parent to a child, or with one spouse to another.
Its not a matter of "bad judgment" or of having a "bad day". Its a failure of the fundamental premise of the relationship that an officer needs to comply with at all times. Once that officer has denounced that relationship by aiding and abetting a criminal, it is imperative that a truly civilized society, one that prides itself on "the rule of law", rip that officer from the ranks and prosecute just as severely as if the officer commited the "predicate" crime.
Five New Orleans police officers--aka "peace officers", were tried for their involvement in the fatal shooting of a man several days after Hurricane Katrina hit. The man's body was then burned, and the criminals then proceeded to hide the truth from us and to cover up their misdeeds. The Wheels of Justice took many years to grind out guilty verdicts for three of the five charged.
Two New Orleans police officers beat another man severely, rupturing his spleen, and then also proceeded to lie about and cover up their misdeeds by dropping the victim off at a hospital, where they "reported" that the man received his injuries because he "fell down". The Wheels also turned slowly for this victim too, as these criminals were found guilty many years later.
At least Eleven New Orleans police officers were charged in the shooting of six citizens seeking safety from the storm and its aftermath at the Danziger Bridge. Two died. All were unarmed and were "blameless". The shooters tried to cover up their crimes, with a great deal of cover-up assistance from a number of fellow police officers.
Given these incidents, it is hard to believe that the Justice Department's investigation into this department is only 157 pages long (Go to www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/nopd_report.pdf). However, given the systemic and chronic criminal conduct being perpetuated--and hidden, by police and prosecutors throughout this country, it is not surprising to find that this report is considered the "broadest" investigation ever of a city police department. As it is, the report recharacterizes criminal conduct as less-than criminal. For example, it accuses the department of "overusing force". Well, that kind of conduct is, in this country, is classified as assault, battery, violation of civil rights due to a citizen who is being accused by the government of wrongdoing, etc.
It also recharacterizes aiding and abetting simply as under-investigating potential wrongdoings (criminal activity).
Any inkling of assistance from police officers to other police officers who have commited such atrocities should be considered as heinous and pathologically antisocial as the beatings, the shootings, the murders. Why? Well because to grant one human being the opportunity to impose--without punishment, restrictions and injuries to another human being's life, body, and property is to bestow possibly the most dangerous yet fundamental power necessary for the maintenance of a civilized society. Once that sworn officer betrays the importance of that gift, he/she is, in effect, denouncing his/her willingness to participate in and contribute to the "civilized" aspect of our humanity. The premise is akin to the legal theories that impart special duties on those with special relationships to others, like a parent to a child, or with one spouse to another.
Its not a matter of "bad judgment" or of having a "bad day". Its a failure of the fundamental premise of the relationship that an officer needs to comply with at all times. Once that officer has denounced that relationship by aiding and abetting a criminal, it is imperative that a truly civilized society, one that prides itself on "the rule of law", rip that officer from the ranks and prosecute just as severely as if the officer commited the "predicate" crime.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Alternatively fueled transportation at the train station
Transportation facility design may be enhanced by "partnering" with local tech schools with alternative fuel education components and research projects, and with the government's Clean Cities initiative.
Monday, May 28, 2012
guns in the home
For the second time this week, and from completely separate sources, I read that, statistically, a gun is a greater risk to family and friends than it is protection as self-defense.
Ummm, so just how stupid is my brother (and his wife): Two years ago, I didn't know the above statistics, but I did know that a teenage boy who commits suicide is predominately more likely to shoot himself with a gun that he obtains from his own home. For that reason alone, I told Chad and Alisha, I would make sure no gun was in the house while there was a kid in the house. They, in usual "pendidiotic" style, argued that they needed a gun to shoot anyone they thought was trying to break in to their house. I mentioned to them the fact that they live in a development with thousands of houses that all pretty much look the same, so that the risk of a neighbor's late-night visitor knocking on the wrong door was pretty high, and why not just give the burglar what they want--was any material possession worth the risk of injury to your children or of facing murder charges? They insisted that they knew how to handle a gun. A year later, on Father's Day even, they fought and ratcheted each other up until Alisha got out the loaded pistol, Chad wrestled it from her, and the witnessing teenage son screamed for help. Yeah, so I guess they know how to handle a gun.
By the way, the loaded pistol was in a shoebox, well within reach of the climbing three year old.
And, a couple of months ago, a guy living close to here shot a young man who was knocking on the man's door to get help for his car that had broken down in front of the man's house. The kid is dead, and the neighbor's homicide trial is already well underway. The kid was shot in the back, his body falling on the walkway, half-way back to the street.
Ummm, so just how stupid is my brother (and his wife): Two years ago, I didn't know the above statistics, but I did know that a teenage boy who commits suicide is predominately more likely to shoot himself with a gun that he obtains from his own home. For that reason alone, I told Chad and Alisha, I would make sure no gun was in the house while there was a kid in the house. They, in usual "pendidiotic" style, argued that they needed a gun to shoot anyone they thought was trying to break in to their house. I mentioned to them the fact that they live in a development with thousands of houses that all pretty much look the same, so that the risk of a neighbor's late-night visitor knocking on the wrong door was pretty high, and why not just give the burglar what they want--was any material possession worth the risk of injury to your children or of facing murder charges? They insisted that they knew how to handle a gun. A year later, on Father's Day even, they fought and ratcheted each other up until Alisha got out the loaded pistol, Chad wrestled it from her, and the witnessing teenage son screamed for help. Yeah, so I guess they know how to handle a gun.
By the way, the loaded pistol was in a shoebox, well within reach of the climbing three year old.
And, a couple of months ago, a guy living close to here shot a young man who was knocking on the man's door to get help for his car that had broken down in front of the man's house. The kid is dead, and the neighbor's homicide trial is already well underway. The kid was shot in the back, his body falling on the walkway, half-way back to the street.
Breakfast tacos
Why are breakfast tacos limited to eggs, potato, sausage, bacon, cheese combinations? Why not any variety of herbs, cheeses, or, for god's sake, vegetables including cactus, avocado, peppers, scallions...How easy to do up "gourmet" or original-content breakfast tacos, or even to sell them from a truck, all day long. Like crepes--sweet versions, savory versions, daily creations....PB&J, pate/chutney/crisp dark greens...
They can be premade, frozen, packaged in bags of 6 each, and marketed in stores or hot trucks....
They can be premade, frozen, packaged in bags of 6 each, and marketed in stores or hot trucks....
Architecture as a process
License-holders see it wrong, they see a building. Its not about the building, its about the phases, and the phases are about the communications between stakeholders.
Airport Concessions maximization
Some studies suggest that long lines at the cash regiser can prompt you to spend more money, which may be why retail stores don't keep all cash registers open as much as possible and why lines are loaded with impulse-buy merchandise.
Why don't airport concessions programs capitalize on this with respect to the security lines at checkpoints? If not to go so far as to provide merchandise to the waiting passengers then to at least to get their "commitment" to a purchase on the secure side. Teaser advertising with a basic map/list of what's available on the other side and whether its to the left or to the right of the checkpoint.
Why don't airport concessions programs capitalize on this with respect to the security lines at checkpoints? If not to go so far as to provide merchandise to the waiting passengers then to at least to get their "commitment" to a purchase on the secure side. Teaser advertising with a basic map/list of what's available on the other side and whether its to the left or to the right of the checkpoint.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Formation Agent
Here's another business idea:
Formation agency specializing in small consulting or professional business' and/or airport concessionaires
Formation agency specializing in small consulting or professional business' and/or airport concessionaires
company formation
Hundreds of formation agents exist today, in spite of regulatory crack-down. Such agents are very hush-hush about their formation services and may not even advertise them. For example, they may advertise their compliance services, and only with deep scrutiny will you find information about their offshore company-formation services. Some companies include Offshore Incorporations (OIL)(for BVI companies), OCRA Worldwide, ILS Fiduciaries (20 locations for companies), CT Corporation and CSC (Delaware companies), Panama law firms Morgan and Morgan and Mossack Fonesca, Orangefield, Intertrust, .
Offshore companies make it look like places like the British Virgin Islands are significant investors in bigger countries, like China. The formation company's own staff may act as the offshore company's directors, bank signatories, legal owners and may perform operational services such as payroll, administrative, and invoicing. Optional additions include offshore company email accounts, mail forwarding, secretarial.
People who have informed knowledge this market include
Chris Eaton
Jason Sharman
Bahamas, Samoa, Seychelles are just a few offshore locations.
"Midshore" locations include Singapore, Hong Kong
Offshore companies make it look like places like the British Virgin Islands are significant investors in bigger countries, like China. The formation company's own staff may act as the offshore company's directors, bank signatories, legal owners and may perform operational services such as payroll, administrative, and invoicing. Optional additions include offshore company email accounts, mail forwarding, secretarial.
People who have informed knowledge this market include
Chris Eaton
Jason Sharman
Bahamas, Samoa, Seychelles are just a few offshore locations.
"Midshore" locations include Singapore, Hong Kong
Extreme piloting in Iceland
Iceland's rugged terrain makes for some nail-biting take-offs and landings.
Just go to you tube or google Iceland extreme landing, approach, cross wind etc, for examples, and see for your self. dabbfilms, on you tube has some nice footage.
Just go to you tube or google Iceland extreme landing, approach, cross wind etc, for examples, and see for your self. dabbfilms, on you tube has some nice footage.
Geothermal
Ever wonder what giant taps into the earth's volcanic geothermal sources do to the earth's crust?
I wonder if Iceland, a country that gets a lot of its energy from geothermal sources, has experienced a measurable change of some sort in its annual average temperature, its elevation, or the mood of its inhabitants? Japan, who is considering going full bore, like Iceland, with its use of geothermal, also has a cultural issue to deal with in that its onsens, or hot springs, are so revered that you can't even go in one with a tatoo and without first cleaning yourself up.
I wonder if Iceland, a country that gets a lot of its energy from geothermal sources, has experienced a measurable change of some sort in its annual average temperature, its elevation, or the mood of its inhabitants? Japan, who is considering going full bore, like Iceland, with its use of geothermal, also has a cultural issue to deal with in that its onsens, or hot springs, are so revered that you can't even go in one with a tatoo and without first cleaning yourself up.
Panama
Panama's canal is expanding its capacity to handle larger cargo ships (from ships with 5000 cars to 12, 000 or more). [Critics say the resulting encouraged through traffic to New York harbors will also result in the loss of tens of thousand of jobs presently needed to receive the freight at CA ports and to then truck/rail them to the east coast. I say good riddance to the pollution, and there will be new jobs needed on the east coast now.]
The EPA as polluter #1
Don't you find it hypocritical that the basic thrust of the Environmental Protection Agency's work is to tell polluters how much they will be allowed to pollute?
They can try to say that their regulations and guidance restrict the contamination of the environment. But when you break down what they actually do to its fundamentals, the US EPA issues communications that actually tell polluters that they can pollute and that they can pollute to "nth" degree.
I am sure that someone out there has already come up with this: "Environmental Polluters Advisory" for the EPA
They can try to say that their regulations and guidance restrict the contamination of the environment. But when you break down what they actually do to its fundamentals, the US EPA issues communications that actually tell polluters that they can pollute and that they can pollute to "nth" degree.
I am sure that someone out there has already come up with this: "Environmental Polluters Advisory" for the EPA
Tulum, Mexico
Here's where one should know that Mexico prohibits foreigners from owning land within 31 miles of the coast or within 62 miles of a national border. So, a bank trust, or fideicomiso, holds your title. Its transferable to heirs and renewable every 50 years. You can still sell, lease, transfer,...
So you want to be an Expat--hang a shingle
Not only can you finance your getaway home by renting it out when you are not there, you can provide services while there yourself.
I know of expats in several international locations that provide yoga (week-long retreats that coincide with the couples own stay at their house), plumbing, nurseries, weddings. The services can cater to fellow expats, tourists or locals.
Panama and Belize are International Living's top picks for entrepeneurial expats.
One business idea is to provide offshore company formation services. This may be viable in a location with heavy tourism attracting small business owners or those with assets to protect or tax liabilities that can be reduced. As a business, renewals act as annuities for the formation company, and the average life of an offshore company is 5 years. Little capital is required for starting a formation agency, although revenue must be shared with the offshore jurisdiction.
I know of expats in several international locations that provide yoga (week-long retreats that coincide with the couples own stay at their house), plumbing, nurseries, weddings. The services can cater to fellow expats, tourists or locals.
Panama and Belize are International Living's top picks for entrepeneurial expats.
One business idea is to provide offshore company formation services. This may be viable in a location with heavy tourism attracting small business owners or those with assets to protect or tax liabilities that can be reduced. As a business, renewals act as annuities for the formation company, and the average life of an offshore company is 5 years. Little capital is required for starting a formation agency, although revenue must be shared with the offshore jurisdiction.
Hong Kong
The locals are so superstitious that they won't buy a property if a previous owner had a gruesome demise. They even will legally classify the property as haunted (or hongza). Ghosts get you a 40% discount!
Blue Marble
Panama
---El Cano, Cocle province, ancient burial sites and artifacts from the "golden chiefs" period.
Sweden
---Abisko, for northern lights viewing at its best, with lectures and updates
April
Early April
---
Mid April
---Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival, Argentina, with the Proa and rooftop restaurant
Late April
---
Mid April
---Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival, Argentina, with the Proa and rooftop restaurant
Late April
March
Early March
---La Noche de las Brujas The Night of the Witches, in Mexico's homoe of the witchcraft industry, Catemaco
---Cherry blossom viewing festival, in Hanami, Japan
--
Mid March
---St. Patrick's Day 3 day festival in Dublin
---St. Patricks Day, Montserrat Island, Lesser Antilles, Carribean, the "Emerald Isle" with lush green forests, black sand beaches and bird watching.
Late March
--Giant Serpent Illusion in El Castillo pyramid on the Equinox, Chichen Itsa, Mexico
---Mangawhai Walking Weekend, New Zealand
---Cuenca International Athletic Festival, 9.3 miles run, Ecuador
---La Noche de las Brujas The Night of the Witches, in Mexico's homoe of the witchcraft industry, Catemaco
---Cherry blossom viewing festival, in Hanami, Japan
--
Mid March
---St. Patrick's Day 3 day festival in Dublin
---St. Patricks Day, Montserrat Island, Lesser Antilles, Carribean, the "Emerald Isle" with lush green forests, black sand beaches and bird watching.
Late March
--Giant Serpent Illusion in El Castillo pyramid on the Equinox, Chichen Itsa, Mexico
---Mangawhai Walking Weekend, New Zealand
---Cuenca International Athletic Festival, 9.3 miles run, Ecuador
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Cuenca, Ecuador
A UNESCO World Heritage site. Residency granted to any retiree over 65 with a pension of over 800 a month.
Watching fireworks over the city at Fogo restaurant.
La Esquina market, with artisanal crafters
Remigio Crespo, the "eat street" cheap and local
Watching fireworks over the city at Fogo restaurant.
La Esquina market, with artisanal crafters
Remigio Crespo, the "eat street" cheap and local
Great Courses
Power over People: political ideas
Peaceful Mind: intro to meditation
Experiencing the Hubble
Healthy mind
Peaceful Mind: intro to meditation
Experiencing the Hubble
Healthy mind
New career as RepoPilot
The other day I read that the aviation business may becoming more like the hotel business in that one firm specializes in owning the phsyical assets and another firm specializes in operating the assets.
So, does that mean that when the operator leasing a plane defaults on the leasing agreement that the owner then needs a "repo-pilot" and copilot to sneak in while the plane is on the ground and fly off with it?
So, does that mean that when the operator leasing a plane defaults on the leasing agreement that the owner then needs a "repo-pilot" and copilot to sneak in while the plane is on the ground and fly off with it?
Ai Weiwei
This Chinese artist has a lot of passion and covers a wide range of media. It is worth you discovering him and his work for yourself.
Pick ur price scheme can lead to higher prices paid
Apparently, a fixed price eradicates the potential buyer's worry about her self-image and looking like a cheapskate, thereby increasing demand (as compared with demand of the item with a "name your price" price).
And, even though through "name your price" pricing you can name a lower price than the fixed price, a lower price risks much embarassment in being labelled, by peers, as cheap and lacking generosity, apparently, and thereby reduces demand.
This from a team of researchers led by Ayelet Gneezy at the University of California.
And, even though through "name your price" pricing you can name a lower price than the fixed price, a lower price risks much embarassment in being labelled, by peers, as cheap and lacking generosity, apparently, and thereby reduces demand.
This from a team of researchers led by Ayelet Gneezy at the University of California.
Timor-Leste, Ermera District
Ok, so apparently some coffee plantations are going belly-up and, as is not surprising in colonialized places, new land laws are changing the opportunity for private land ownership.
Grrls, looking for that androgynous yet well-dressed look? How about some custom made boots or shoes? or, when its really pointless to try to hide the grrl beneath, some beach wear?
Look here:
My favorites:
Esquivelshoes.com (wonderful and custom made)
Shopstyle.com (where you can find most of the names listed below)
Matthew zink (for bikinis)
Brunello cucinelli (for dress wear)
usahermes.com (for cashmere)
allegri
bottega veneta
thecorner.com
piombo
joseph abboud
isaia
church-footwear.com (for linens and bucks)
Kenneth cole
Colehaan (for shoes)
Moorer.it (for jackets and coats)
National geographic (for travel jacket)
John lobb (for shoes)
Ralph lauren black label (for jeans, cotton jackets)
Bloomingdales
Prada (for jeans jackets)
barneys.com
store.zegna.com
tods.com (for shoes)
canali.it
mrporter.com (for pants)
marios.com
Look here:
My favorites:
Esquivelshoes.com (wonderful and custom made)
Shopstyle.com (where you can find most of the names listed below)
Ubatuba brazil
Emilio pucci (for caftans)Matthew zink (for bikinis)
Brunello cucinelli (for dress wear)
usahermes.com (for cashmere)
allegri
bottega veneta
thecorner.com
piombo
joseph abboud
isaia
church-footwear.com (for linens and bucks)
Kenneth cole
Colehaan (for shoes)
Moorer.it (for jackets and coats)
National geographic (for travel jacket)
John lobb (for shoes)
Ralph lauren black label (for jeans, cotton jackets)
Bloomingdales
Prada (for jeans jackets)
barneys.com
store.zegna.com
tods.com (for shoes)
canali.it
mrporter.com (for pants)
marios.com
I see more and more that religious persons are showing less and less ability to respect and show compassion for humanity--their own and that of those around them.
They don't show respect for the expression of differences--whether expressed as thought, action, or organizing life philosophy.
They can't seem to accomodate the internal conflict that they themselves experience in their own lifes without judging it and trying to "excise" it in unhealthy ways.
They justify restricting the pursuit of happiness for those that don't show compliance or bow down to their chosen lifestyle.
They subvert a public official's duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public--not the converted, into a self-serving and unsustainable battle over "morality."
They don't show respect for the expression of differences--whether expressed as thought, action, or organizing life philosophy.
They can't seem to accomodate the internal conflict that they themselves experience in their own lifes without judging it and trying to "excise" it in unhealthy ways.
They justify restricting the pursuit of happiness for those that don't show compliance or bow down to their chosen lifestyle.
They subvert a public official's duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public--not the converted, into a self-serving and unsustainable battle over "morality."
organic stuffed animals
In an effort to honor my promise to myself to eliminate petroleum based stuff from my home, I do two things:
1. I go for the item that either has no packaging or no plastic packaging whenever possible. If I can't do this, I usually find that I can do without the item altogether. Conveniently, I get the same feeling of satisfaction from going through this analysis and putting the item back on the shelf that I get from actually purchasing the item. Pupils dilate and everything.
2. I go for the item that is not made out of some version of petroleum. I went for months without a broom because I just couldn't find one without any petroleum in it. Try to find a litterbox that is not plastic...and not pay an arm and a leg for it. Mop bucket took months to find, too. I finally had a brain storm and went into a Tractor Supply Company and got a feed bucket. Same exact f-n thing--a bucket, so why can't places like a Lowes or HEB carry the item?
So, in case there are others like me out there, let's share our sources and thereby reduce our time looking for things that meet our criteria.
Stuffed animals:
SimplyFido Ironcially, these are marketed as dog toys. Go Figure. But they are purrfect (couldn't resist) sizes for toddlers, even, and are made with organic stuffing, shell, dyes, and packaging. And, they are cute. I showed a bunch of them to my dentist's staff, and walked out without half of what I walked in with. You won't find these at PetSmart--they are pretty committed to plastic everything, it seems. I got my stash at a PetValue store. www.simplyfido.com
1. I go for the item that either has no packaging or no plastic packaging whenever possible. If I can't do this, I usually find that I can do without the item altogether. Conveniently, I get the same feeling of satisfaction from going through this analysis and putting the item back on the shelf that I get from actually purchasing the item. Pupils dilate and everything.
2. I go for the item that is not made out of some version of petroleum. I went for months without a broom because I just couldn't find one without any petroleum in it. Try to find a litterbox that is not plastic...and not pay an arm and a leg for it. Mop bucket took months to find, too. I finally had a brain storm and went into a Tractor Supply Company and got a feed bucket. Same exact f-n thing--a bucket, so why can't places like a Lowes or HEB carry the item?
So, in case there are others like me out there, let's share our sources and thereby reduce our time looking for things that meet our criteria.
Stuffed animals:
SimplyFido Ironcially, these are marketed as dog toys. Go Figure. But they are purrfect (couldn't resist) sizes for toddlers, even, and are made with organic stuffing, shell, dyes, and packaging. And, they are cute. I showed a bunch of them to my dentist's staff, and walked out without half of what I walked in with. You won't find these at PetSmart--they are pretty committed to plastic everything, it seems. I got my stash at a PetValue store. www.simplyfido.com
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Antiquities Loot and Humanity
Here is my solution to the current antagonism in the art/antiquities world:
Unless a country can show an outright theft of an item after it has been un-earthed and was clearly in someone's posession, stop demanding its "return." You can't have it both ways. You can't demand its return because of the loss of your nation's history that is intrinsically represented by this or that artifact that is no longer within your nation's current boundaries AND simultaneously ignore it's intellectual property value to humanity and treat it like it was an improperly mined mineral resource. Let me simplify that: you can't simultaneously argue that its intrinsic value in revealing humanity's history, or even just in revealing your geographic location's humanity's history has no value to humanity, and, thereby, belongs back in, say, Turkey, Egypt, or even Italy.
We don't even have to split the baby here. We just have to split the bundle of property rights associated with this item into an intellectual property right "stick" and a possessory stick. Here's what that may look like:
1. Nation-you provide clear and convincing evidence that the antiquity was un-earthed in an area that is today situated within your nation's boundaries and that it was surreptitiously unearthed (or dug up outside the established protocols in place at the time that it was unearthed);
2. The last entity to have made any profit from a transaction involving the antiquity will share a percentage of that profit.
3. In perpetuity, any current and future possessor will share with you a percentage of any profits that it makes from the antiquity, and that percentage may reflect your willingness to participate in the maintenance of the antiquity (a cost that may be calculated by neutral third parties).
4. The antiquity's provenance will state that the item is "on permanent loan from [your nation] and was unearthed on [date] in [location of item's "reintroduction" to humanity] by [name of excavator and his/her "boss"." The description should also clearly state how the current possessor came into possession of the object.
This is clearly a contractual arrangement, which I think all parties would prefer (as opposed to litigation). Contractual negotiations provide all parties with much greater control over the process and the subject matter. It also provides for other terms, such as reacquisition by the country of origin.
Again, I would like to re-emphasize that the more value that you claim that an antiquity intrinsically possess', the more you are admitting its value to ALL of humanity.
Let me demonstrate this in an even more esoteric way: Egypt claims the Nefertiti bust should be returned to Egypt because it represents a massively poignant part of their--Egypt's, cultural history. Well, what is this thing that we call Egypt? How do we define ancient Egypt? Did Egypt exist in a vaccuum? Is it possible to define Egypt, and its history without using any comparative terminology? By simply using the word "Egypt", aren't we necessarily relying on what the word does AND DOES NOT conjure up, represent, describe? When we say "Egypt", aren't we also saying "not Greece, not Turkey, not Africa"?
The fact is that Egypt did not/does not exist except in a context, a real and a conceptual and a cultural context. What the bust of Nefertiti may say affirmatively about Egypt it also says dispositively about all things NOT Egypt, thereby revealing much more than just what Egypt's "position" on humanity was at the time the bust was created. Nefertiti's value is elementally based on the knowledge that this type of culture and artistry and expression DID NOT EXIST ELSEWHERE, whether in time or in location. In other words, its value is based on its context--its context within all of humanity, not just Egypt's.
And, I haven't even broached the issue of legal title: who commissioned the piece, who was the original owner, how was that title transferred through to today's claimants....It strikes me as compounding the problem today if antiquities are treated simply as a national resource, like fossil fuel, forests, or minerals. The first logical problem is that this conceptual approach leads us right back to the situation described above: if it is a resource, then what is its "resource" value derived from? Well, if its from its representative historical value, then the position really brings up the idea that more than just one group of people derive value from the item. All of humanity derives value from the item, and it owes its value to the history of all of humanity.
Is this conflict just another pitting of tribal mentality against humanitarian mentality? And, if so, how is that working out for these countries, for their women, for their progeny, for their environment? Better yet, how is it working out for antiquities that are currently located within their national boundaries?
Post script: The position that Nefertiti and her husband played in humanity's development of monotheism is profound and interesting. And, early monotheistic cult members were responsble for much destruction of early artifacts by, for example, ripping the noses off of any other belief system's statues of gods/goddesses. Thus, the violence, self-righteousness, and narcissism of early monotheists seemed to be foundational characteristics of the monotheistic cult.
Unless a country can show an outright theft of an item after it has been un-earthed and was clearly in someone's posession, stop demanding its "return." You can't have it both ways. You can't demand its return because of the loss of your nation's history that is intrinsically represented by this or that artifact that is no longer within your nation's current boundaries AND simultaneously ignore it's intellectual property value to humanity and treat it like it was an improperly mined mineral resource. Let me simplify that: you can't simultaneously argue that its intrinsic value in revealing humanity's history, or even just in revealing your geographic location's humanity's history has no value to humanity, and, thereby, belongs back in, say, Turkey, Egypt, or even Italy.
We don't even have to split the baby here. We just have to split the bundle of property rights associated with this item into an intellectual property right "stick" and a possessory stick. Here's what that may look like:
1. Nation-you provide clear and convincing evidence that the antiquity was un-earthed in an area that is today situated within your nation's boundaries and that it was surreptitiously unearthed (or dug up outside the established protocols in place at the time that it was unearthed);
2. The last entity to have made any profit from a transaction involving the antiquity will share a percentage of that profit.
3. In perpetuity, any current and future possessor will share with you a percentage of any profits that it makes from the antiquity, and that percentage may reflect your willingness to participate in the maintenance of the antiquity (a cost that may be calculated by neutral third parties).
4. The antiquity's provenance will state that the item is "on permanent loan from [your nation] and was unearthed on [date] in [location of item's "reintroduction" to humanity] by [name of excavator and his/her "boss"." The description should also clearly state how the current possessor came into possession of the object.
This is clearly a contractual arrangement, which I think all parties would prefer (as opposed to litigation). Contractual negotiations provide all parties with much greater control over the process and the subject matter. It also provides for other terms, such as reacquisition by the country of origin.
Again, I would like to re-emphasize that the more value that you claim that an antiquity intrinsically possess', the more you are admitting its value to ALL of humanity.
Let me demonstrate this in an even more esoteric way: Egypt claims the Nefertiti bust should be returned to Egypt because it represents a massively poignant part of their--Egypt's, cultural history. Well, what is this thing that we call Egypt? How do we define ancient Egypt? Did Egypt exist in a vaccuum? Is it possible to define Egypt, and its history without using any comparative terminology? By simply using the word "Egypt", aren't we necessarily relying on what the word does AND DOES NOT conjure up, represent, describe? When we say "Egypt", aren't we also saying "not Greece, not Turkey, not Africa"?
The fact is that Egypt did not/does not exist except in a context, a real and a conceptual and a cultural context. What the bust of Nefertiti may say affirmatively about Egypt it also says dispositively about all things NOT Egypt, thereby revealing much more than just what Egypt's "position" on humanity was at the time the bust was created. Nefertiti's value is elementally based on the knowledge that this type of culture and artistry and expression DID NOT EXIST ELSEWHERE, whether in time or in location. In other words, its value is based on its context--its context within all of humanity, not just Egypt's.
And, I haven't even broached the issue of legal title: who commissioned the piece, who was the original owner, how was that title transferred through to today's claimants....It strikes me as compounding the problem today if antiquities are treated simply as a national resource, like fossil fuel, forests, or minerals. The first logical problem is that this conceptual approach leads us right back to the situation described above: if it is a resource, then what is its "resource" value derived from? Well, if its from its representative historical value, then the position really brings up the idea that more than just one group of people derive value from the item. All of humanity derives value from the item, and it owes its value to the history of all of humanity.
Is this conflict just another pitting of tribal mentality against humanitarian mentality? And, if so, how is that working out for these countries, for their women, for their progeny, for their environment? Better yet, how is it working out for antiquities that are currently located within their national boundaries?
Post script: The position that Nefertiti and her husband played in humanity's development of monotheism is profound and interesting. And, early monotheistic cult members were responsble for much destruction of early artifacts by, for example, ripping the noses off of any other belief system's statues of gods/goddesses. Thus, the violence, self-righteousness, and narcissism of early monotheists seemed to be foundational characteristics of the monotheistic cult.
Mexican and Immigration
It seems again that our political system is throwing another red herring at us and trying to dupe our vote out of us. As with a woman's right to her private relationship with her doctor and with a person's right to choose the details of his/her personal, most private intimate relationship, immigration appears to be another such example of our government splashing irrelevant arguments at us in order to appeal to some hormonal response that guides our vote, rather than a reasoned response that is intrinsically based on the principals of our american government.
The Pew Hispanic Center recently published a study that shows that net immigration (between US and Mexico) has dropped to net zero or below. Now, whether that is due to the recent changes in US immigration policies is irrelevant: it can be argued that their success led to the net zero flow, just as it can be argued that the changes are really a waste of money and resources because there just aren't the numbers anymore. So, any current politician or political candidate spouting an affirmative position in relation to immigration policy changes is just blowing smoke up our asses.
And, wasting our resources and money...
I heard that California spent millions on a program to facilitate the employment of US citizens in harvesting and farming work to only have about 10 persons apply and about three even try the work. Uhhmm, money well spent? I think not. So there it is, the truth: the truth is that we just don't want to do the work that immigrants are willing to perform and we are so miserable about it when we do show up for the job that we lose the job or quit.
The California experiment is supported by my middle class neighbors' experiences, as I suspect is also most of our experiences. My neighbor's nephew was the laziest fuck of a lawn maintenance guy--my neighbor even had to buy his equipment for him and pay the HOA fines because of his poor work. His Hispanic replacement, on the other hand, was on time, provided his own equipment, and met the HOA's standards. The non-immigrant US citizen guy hired by another neighbor to do drywall work called her a "cunt" when she told him to follow her directions while on her property (she told him at the beginning of his day use the ladders and scaffolding and not to reach. Within an hour, she caught him standing on the 120 year old fireplace mantle and reaching above the fireplace). The Hispanic crew left her a perfectly mudded house in just two days and didn't use one single expletive. Non-mexican US citizens simply don't want to do the work, and, quite frankly, we don't want you to do it either. This is ample demonstration that our recent attitudes towards immigration have led to exceptionally stupid policy decisions and expenditures that really only end up making us look like total asses.
If a politician had any real concerns about this immigration flow and its impact on our culture and country, there are at least two OTHER issues that he/she should be discussing.
The first issue is that a significant percentage (20%) of the flow from US to Mexico that helped get us to net zero are actually US citizens--children born in the US. Children--persons that are a US citizen in exactly the same way that makes me, and likely each politician, a US citizen. Can there be found any other emigration of US citizens in such a large number that we, as a country, as a nation, have approved of? I challenge any politician to find that example.
Further compounding the ethical challenges with this particular issue is that our own government is hiding from us--its constituency and funders, the actual numbers of US citizens that it forcibly and constructively deports to Mexico each year. The US Dept. of Homeland Security may provide some numbers on its acitivies, but it fails to provide numbers on how many US citizen-children that it has forced to relocate from the US to Mexico. Why hide that from us? And why do we tolerate this kind of lack of transparency in our own government?
The second issue that politicians keen on immigration issues should be discussing is how to effect and achieve the maximum beneficial characteristics of a society that is diverse and includes immigrants. How many times have we heard a politician define the "problem" of Mexico-to-US immigration as being one of immigrants failing our society some how. This seems very much like picking on the people who can't defend them selves--and who don't vote. And, more importantly, it seems to be an overly narrow view, since many immigrants provide necessary services that go unprovided without them. Their performance of domestic, farming, construction, and gardening services are just a few examples of their obvious and helpful contribution. Has anyone seen "The Help"....see any similarities?
Instead of talking about putting money into things that make us an antagonistic, pugnacious, and uncaring society, why not talk about putting resources into making sure all elements of our society are educated, have a way to provide for themselves, and have a way to contribute to their chosen society. When you shore up your society's provision of education, you achieve direct and indirect benefits for everyone. When you shore up a truly robust free market economy where everyone--especially the wealthy and the incorporated, pay their way instead of sucking our backbones out of us, everyone benefits.
The Pew Hispanic Center recently published a study that shows that net immigration (between US and Mexico) has dropped to net zero or below. Now, whether that is due to the recent changes in US immigration policies is irrelevant: it can be argued that their success led to the net zero flow, just as it can be argued that the changes are really a waste of money and resources because there just aren't the numbers anymore. So, any current politician or political candidate spouting an affirmative position in relation to immigration policy changes is just blowing smoke up our asses.
And, wasting our resources and money...
I heard that California spent millions on a program to facilitate the employment of US citizens in harvesting and farming work to only have about 10 persons apply and about three even try the work. Uhhmm, money well spent? I think not. So there it is, the truth: the truth is that we just don't want to do the work that immigrants are willing to perform and we are so miserable about it when we do show up for the job that we lose the job or quit.
The California experiment is supported by my middle class neighbors' experiences, as I suspect is also most of our experiences. My neighbor's nephew was the laziest fuck of a lawn maintenance guy--my neighbor even had to buy his equipment for him and pay the HOA fines because of his poor work. His Hispanic replacement, on the other hand, was on time, provided his own equipment, and met the HOA's standards. The non-immigrant US citizen guy hired by another neighbor to do drywall work called her a "cunt" when she told him to follow her directions while on her property (she told him at the beginning of his day use the ladders and scaffolding and not to reach. Within an hour, she caught him standing on the 120 year old fireplace mantle and reaching above the fireplace). The Hispanic crew left her a perfectly mudded house in just two days and didn't use one single expletive. Non-mexican US citizens simply don't want to do the work, and, quite frankly, we don't want you to do it either. This is ample demonstration that our recent attitudes towards immigration have led to exceptionally stupid policy decisions and expenditures that really only end up making us look like total asses.
If a politician had any real concerns about this immigration flow and its impact on our culture and country, there are at least two OTHER issues that he/she should be discussing.
The first issue is that a significant percentage (20%) of the flow from US to Mexico that helped get us to net zero are actually US citizens--children born in the US. Children--persons that are a US citizen in exactly the same way that makes me, and likely each politician, a US citizen. Can there be found any other emigration of US citizens in such a large number that we, as a country, as a nation, have approved of? I challenge any politician to find that example.
Further compounding the ethical challenges with this particular issue is that our own government is hiding from us--its constituency and funders, the actual numbers of US citizens that it forcibly and constructively deports to Mexico each year. The US Dept. of Homeland Security may provide some numbers on its acitivies, but it fails to provide numbers on how many US citizen-children that it has forced to relocate from the US to Mexico. Why hide that from us? And why do we tolerate this kind of lack of transparency in our own government?
The second issue that politicians keen on immigration issues should be discussing is how to effect and achieve the maximum beneficial characteristics of a society that is diverse and includes immigrants. How many times have we heard a politician define the "problem" of Mexico-to-US immigration as being one of immigrants failing our society some how. This seems very much like picking on the people who can't defend them selves--and who don't vote. And, more importantly, it seems to be an overly narrow view, since many immigrants provide necessary services that go unprovided without them. Their performance of domestic, farming, construction, and gardening services are just a few examples of their obvious and helpful contribution. Has anyone seen "The Help"....see any similarities?
Instead of talking about putting money into things that make us an antagonistic, pugnacious, and uncaring society, why not talk about putting resources into making sure all elements of our society are educated, have a way to provide for themselves, and have a way to contribute to their chosen society. When you shore up your society's provision of education, you achieve direct and indirect benefits for everyone. When you shore up a truly robust free market economy where everyone--especially the wealthy and the incorporated, pay their way instead of sucking our backbones out of us, everyone benefits.
Dream
So last night I dreamt that my small shirt-pocket notebook had pages in it with video and audio. These pages were a little shorter at the bottom and were nearly completely filled with a picture that was somewhat lighter or was greyer/foggier than a simple printed picture would be, and, if you put it next to your ear, like you would an earbud, you could hear the audio created at the time of the picture. I remember only thinking how did these pages get bound with the other pages in the little metal spiral--not, "how did I get this stuff on these pages?"
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
extracting resources dry
This weekend I heard a quote on a movie that sticks in my mind. it went womething like this:
"humans are the only creatures that profess a god, and the only one that acts like it doesn't have one, using up the world as if its all theirs."
Coincidentally, a new book has been published that provides a more reasoned description of our behavior. In "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty", authors Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson present the idea that a country's power structure is designed to extract resources from its masses.
Why stop with natural resources? Why not squeeze me and my neighbors for as much as you can too? Uhmm, let's see: I pay 8% in sales tax, 28% in federal income tax, another 4% in local income tax, 3% in gross profits/business privilege tax, and 2% in county earned income tax. Additionally, each year I pay $6000+ in licensing fees and business registration fees, $5995 in professional (E&O) insurance (required by the laws of the states I practice in), and $7000+ in health insurance (also required by my home state). Let's see, the gas I purchase to get from job to job includes anywhere from 30 to 60 cents per gallon in taxes. The one most private spot on the face of this earth, my home, is subject to $4550 property tax per year, and "the church" and the cops have invaded it at least a dozen times in the last year, each time under the false/fictitious claim that I owe them even a minute of my time, or that they can enter upon my property whenever THEY see fit, or that this most private sanctuary of mine is their backyard through-route to a neighbor's house or their religious preaching place.
"humans are the only creatures that profess a god, and the only one that acts like it doesn't have one, using up the world as if its all theirs."
Coincidentally, a new book has been published that provides a more reasoned description of our behavior. In "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty", authors Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson present the idea that a country's power structure is designed to extract resources from its masses.
Why stop with natural resources? Why not squeeze me and my neighbors for as much as you can too? Uhmm, let's see: I pay 8% in sales tax, 28% in federal income tax, another 4% in local income tax, 3% in gross profits/business privilege tax, and 2% in county earned income tax. Additionally, each year I pay $6000+ in licensing fees and business registration fees, $5995 in professional (E&O) insurance (required by the laws of the states I practice in), and $7000+ in health insurance (also required by my home state). Let's see, the gas I purchase to get from job to job includes anywhere from 30 to 60 cents per gallon in taxes. The one most private spot on the face of this earth, my home, is subject to $4550 property tax per year, and "the church" and the cops have invaded it at least a dozen times in the last year, each time under the false/fictitious claim that I owe them even a minute of my time, or that they can enter upon my property whenever THEY see fit, or that this most private sanctuary of mine is their backyard through-route to a neighbor's house or their religious preaching place.
Lillian Hellman
A Difficult Woman: The Challenging Life and Times of Lillian Hellman, by Alice Kessler-Harris
Hellman made some interesting arguments, like arguing that America's repression of communism was more insidious than its actual threat. Its also interesting that she took action to "guide" her reputation, like destroying letters and suppressing documents. I don't really she how her "self-promotion" is self-destructive self-righteousness instead of just confidence and intelligence with a vagina in a cluture and time that approves of that in men, but not in women.
Hellman made some interesting arguments, like arguing that America's repression of communism was more insidious than its actual threat. Its also interesting that she took action to "guide" her reputation, like destroying letters and suppressing documents. I don't really she how her "self-promotion" is self-destructive self-righteousness instead of just confidence and intelligence with a vagina in a cluture and time that approves of that in men, but not in women.
Identity Theft
Mari Frank, an attorney AND a victim of identity theft, experienced first hand how difficult our society has made it for the little person to fight the big companies: it took her a year almost just to show that someone else stole her identity to obtain a loan. Since then, she has created many resources to assist victims of ID theft. Check out this site:
http://www.identitytheft.org/
http://www.identitytheft.org/
Confronting public officials misconduct
For information about prosecutorial misconduct, check out this link at
http://news.change.org/prosecutorial-misconduct
You can also bring misconduct to the public through this website:
https://gripevine.com/node/add/gripevine
CNN Money also provides info about people who the mag calls "heroes" for, perhaps, getting new, protective laws passed or for providing opportunites to reveal and publish misconduct:
http://money.cnn.com/pf/money-heroes/
I will add more links to this as time goes by.
http://news.change.org/prosecutorial-misconduct
You can also bring misconduct to the public through this website:
https://gripevine.com/node/add/gripevine
CNN Money also provides info about people who the mag calls "heroes" for, perhaps, getting new, protective laws passed or for providing opportunites to reveal and publish misconduct:
http://money.cnn.com/pf/money-heroes/
I will add more links to this as time goes by.
Pickpocket offers advice to travellers
The Arnos have done something brilliant. They have taken a unique and creative approach to an age-old profession and were apparently able to make a great living and a fun life from it. They have filmed, interviewed, and taught themselves the art of things like pickpocketing and turned these into comedy routines, books, security briefings to police, tourists, etc. I have often thought that the same things could be done with other topics. That a fun and interesting living may be had from showing people how your insurance company forges your signature or magically creates waivers and selection forms that youhave never seen before, or how attorneys, judges, and cops fake documents, and ways to protect yourself against such shenanigans.
Check out their website at:
http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/theft-thwarter-tips/
Check out their website at:
http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/theft-thwarter-tips/
More on why lawyer disciplinary review boards fail
Unless your complained-of attorney crashes and burns in a very public manner, you will find it very difficult to have a board censure him/her to any degree of satisfaction--your satisfaction.
Second, if your attorney did do something so egregious--and easy for you to prove, then you probably should just initiate a civil action against that licensed professional. Why? Well, for starters, filing a professional complaint will only serve to provide that attorney with notice of what may be to come and to destroy-or erode, the strength of your evidence. Also, think about the financial position that a successful professional complaint, or even a succesful criminal prosecution puts the errant lawyer in: in order for you to maximize your recovery from his/her injuries to you, you want the attorney still licensed, still earning money, and out of jail. You do not want his/her assets diminished by having to pay his/her own defense attorney(s) or by losing his/her license and ability to make money.
Third, the disciplinary complaint process is, effectually, a blood-filled tick-like redundancy that really serves to dissuade victims from filing the civil (and criminal) complaints that these errant legal professionals should really be subjected to and held responsible for.
Second, if your attorney did do something so egregious--and easy for you to prove, then you probably should just initiate a civil action against that licensed professional. Why? Well, for starters, filing a professional complaint will only serve to provide that attorney with notice of what may be to come and to destroy-or erode, the strength of your evidence. Also, think about the financial position that a successful professional complaint, or even a succesful criminal prosecution puts the errant lawyer in: in order for you to maximize your recovery from his/her injuries to you, you want the attorney still licensed, still earning money, and out of jail. You do not want his/her assets diminished by having to pay his/her own defense attorney(s) or by losing his/her license and ability to make money.
Third, the disciplinary complaint process is, effectually, a blood-filled tick-like redundancy that really serves to dissuade victims from filing the civil (and criminal) complaints that these errant legal professionals should really be subjected to and held responsible for.
Attorney Disciplinary Review Boards: Really just partners in crime?
After having researched several states disciplinary review systems (for judges and attorneys), I have learned that the several consistencies throughout demonstrate where these entities' true motives and goals lie.
Although all publish that they are established and work to cull out and discipline errant legal professionals in order so that the public may maintain trust in the profession, several of their methods seriously contradict this position.
For example, let's discuss the mandated confidentiality requirement imposed on complainants...The reason(s) given as justification for this requirement are specious. The possibility of false accusations being submitted as a method of harassing or defaming a licensed professional may exist, but such false accusations are highly unlikely, for several reasons. First, one's successful defense against such accusations, when provided to the public, provide the public with the entire "story." Second, the false complainant can be sued under many legal theories for simply filing the false complaint. Third, and most importantly, there are always "evidentiary" thresholds that need to be met before an investigation is begun. When a complainant can bring forth enough evidence to meet that threshold, then the specious and harassing claims are functionally weeded out, and no further protection is needed.
Indeed, no further protection is logical, if the board's purpose is to maintain the public's trust inthe profession. A thick comprehensive "pre-shield" between the public, established facts, and the truth suggests that the entity really dose NOT want the public to know what is very important for the public to know. Unless, of course, what these boards mean when they tout trust as their goal is that they really mean that they want to create the appearance of trustworthiness, and not actual trustworthiness.
The very real impact of mandated confidentiality from the complainant, from my experience and research, is that it allows a fabric of misdeeds and failing professional standards. It allows lying, stealing, and corrupt judges and lawyers to continue their behavior and hide behind the very entity that professes to cull out and discipline such failures. It is not a matter of an esoteric conflict of ethics. It is straight up lies, theft, and use of the legal system to carry out maliciousness and malfeasance.
If you have a real-life story that demonstrates the failures described above, I would live to post it. Remember, most of these boards are quasi government entities--especially where they report to a court or "discipline" public officials like judges. these boards serve us, the citizenry. Let's make it so.
Although all publish that they are established and work to cull out and discipline errant legal professionals in order so that the public may maintain trust in the profession, several of their methods seriously contradict this position.
For example, let's discuss the mandated confidentiality requirement imposed on complainants...The reason(s) given as justification for this requirement are specious. The possibility of false accusations being submitted as a method of harassing or defaming a licensed professional may exist, but such false accusations are highly unlikely, for several reasons. First, one's successful defense against such accusations, when provided to the public, provide the public with the entire "story." Second, the false complainant can be sued under many legal theories for simply filing the false complaint. Third, and most importantly, there are always "evidentiary" thresholds that need to be met before an investigation is begun. When a complainant can bring forth enough evidence to meet that threshold, then the specious and harassing claims are functionally weeded out, and no further protection is needed.
Indeed, no further protection is logical, if the board's purpose is to maintain the public's trust inthe profession. A thick comprehensive "pre-shield" between the public, established facts, and the truth suggests that the entity really dose NOT want the public to know what is very important for the public to know. Unless, of course, what these boards mean when they tout trust as their goal is that they really mean that they want to create the appearance of trustworthiness, and not actual trustworthiness.
The very real impact of mandated confidentiality from the complainant, from my experience and research, is that it allows a fabric of misdeeds and failing professional standards. It allows lying, stealing, and corrupt judges and lawyers to continue their behavior and hide behind the very entity that professes to cull out and discipline such failures. It is not a matter of an esoteric conflict of ethics. It is straight up lies, theft, and use of the legal system to carry out maliciousness and malfeasance.
If you have a real-life story that demonstrates the failures described above, I would live to post it. Remember, most of these boards are quasi government entities--especially where they report to a court or "discipline" public officials like judges. these boards serve us, the citizenry. Let's make it so.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Those thieving cops
Yea, so not only do we have to deal with our local cops treatingus all like terrorists now, check out how they have been stealing our stuff:
http://www.isil.org/resources/lit/looting-of-america.html
http://fear.org/
Our first place status in the game of democracy has dropped so far as to suggest that the world is questioning our society. See
http://www.economist.com/node/21552137
http://www.isil.org/resources/lit/looting-of-america.html
http://fear.org/
Our first place status in the game of democracy has dropped so far as to suggest that the world is questioning our society. See
http://www.economist.com/node/21552137
Friday, April 13, 2012
LEED: potential sustainability, certain exploitation?
I have decided to let my LEED AP certification lapse.
It seems egregiously unethical to commoditize sustainability principles. Its like selling good parenting skills, or loyalty, or honesty.
It seems egregiously unethical to commoditize sustainability principles. Its like selling good parenting skills, or loyalty, or honesty.
Original Sin
This weekend, I read about the Aztec and the Mayan story about a goddess that was in charge of a beautiful and bountiful garden. She partook of one of the red fruits of the garden and was banished, by the creator of the garden, to live with the humans. Sound familiar?
Its coincidental that I learned of historic original sin stories during the easter holiday, when I also learned that there is an historic ressurection story. In other words, its not surprising to think that monotheism's "Great Stories" are really just plagiarisms.
Its also not far-fetched to restate the intended meaning behind these stories. For example, banishment to live among the human animals for an act of consumption makes a lot more sense, especially to persons living 3000 years ago, when the moral of the story is "Nature provides for you, but don't overdo the consuming of it."
Some "rules" are easy to agree exist and to live by. The sun comes up in the east, it sets in the west. Humans can't breathe immersed in water. Trees make good shade. Birds can fly long distances. Humans can't fly at all. It seems that we have no need to revamp the stories educating us about those facts of existence.
But, with the more complicated or esoteric rules, human's early stories survived the centuries as they continued to prove useful to new peoples, to demonstrate rules that had difficult meaning to teach our youth. There is little doubt that Aztecs and Mayans and Jews had found ways to provide their vessels with nutrition. Techniques, tools, and rituals to provide and to give thanks were apparent. It could not have been that difficult to agree that overconsumption or rampant consumption, or just plain unthoughtful consumption, would prove to be incompatible or unsustainable. So, how to press that point? You remind your people that this nature is a garden of abundance and beauty and that consumption of it must be thoughtful, at a minimum. Some types of consumption are sustainable and are compatible with natural processes, some types are not. Therefore, some types of consumption of nature are allowed, and some types are not.
And what is the consequence of violating this rule? Well, its the old "you get what you ask for" dilemma: if you treat nature as if its all a commodity or consumable, that's what you'll get. You will get a living situation that is more like a market than a natural environment. You will get a place where abundance and beauty is foregone, threatened, etc. Thus, the punishment of banishment from the beauty and abundance to live with the humans is the demonstration of the creation of and immersion in a community or environment in which suffering and struggle--the fight against the failure of abundance and beauty, is the theme.
This historic story has little, if anything, to do with the concept of original sin and the alleged need for us all, as individuals, to repent, to be reborn, or to recognize that any other human has sacrificed himself for any of us. It is a creative reminder that we are but one type of animal in a complicated but satisfying beauty that has the power to deny us a satisfying existence.
Its coincidental that I learned of historic original sin stories during the easter holiday, when I also learned that there is an historic ressurection story. In other words, its not surprising to think that monotheism's "Great Stories" are really just plagiarisms.
Its also not far-fetched to restate the intended meaning behind these stories. For example, banishment to live among the human animals for an act of consumption makes a lot more sense, especially to persons living 3000 years ago, when the moral of the story is "Nature provides for you, but don't overdo the consuming of it."
Some "rules" are easy to agree exist and to live by. The sun comes up in the east, it sets in the west. Humans can't breathe immersed in water. Trees make good shade. Birds can fly long distances. Humans can't fly at all. It seems that we have no need to revamp the stories educating us about those facts of existence.
But, with the more complicated or esoteric rules, human's early stories survived the centuries as they continued to prove useful to new peoples, to demonstrate rules that had difficult meaning to teach our youth. There is little doubt that Aztecs and Mayans and Jews had found ways to provide their vessels with nutrition. Techniques, tools, and rituals to provide and to give thanks were apparent. It could not have been that difficult to agree that overconsumption or rampant consumption, or just plain unthoughtful consumption, would prove to be incompatible or unsustainable. So, how to press that point? You remind your people that this nature is a garden of abundance and beauty and that consumption of it must be thoughtful, at a minimum. Some types of consumption are sustainable and are compatible with natural processes, some types are not. Therefore, some types of consumption of nature are allowed, and some types are not.
And what is the consequence of violating this rule? Well, its the old "you get what you ask for" dilemma: if you treat nature as if its all a commodity or consumable, that's what you'll get. You will get a living situation that is more like a market than a natural environment. You will get a place where abundance and beauty is foregone, threatened, etc. Thus, the punishment of banishment from the beauty and abundance to live with the humans is the demonstration of the creation of and immersion in a community or environment in which suffering and struggle--the fight against the failure of abundance and beauty, is the theme.
This historic story has little, if anything, to do with the concept of original sin and the alleged need for us all, as individuals, to repent, to be reborn, or to recognize that any other human has sacrificed himself for any of us. It is a creative reminder that we are but one type of animal in a complicated but satisfying beauty that has the power to deny us a satisfying existence.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
INperialism
Today I woke up clouded by the irrationality of millions of people claiming to follow the tenents of a desert man who allegedly lived thousands of years ago and never published a thing of what he spoke or thought.
Are we to think that absolutely no one else during this time frame had anything else of value to say?
And why choose him over all the others? Or, why limit living your lives to "follow" one person's tips on morality and community?
I am beginning to think that today's religious "faithful" are really just modern imperialists--albeit, practicing their craft on an individual level rather than on a national level. The totality of today's expressions of religious faith is really just a policy of extending an individual’s authority by economic, social/cultural, and political means over other individuals and doing so in the name of religion.
Are we to think that absolutely no one else during this time frame had anything else of value to say?
And why choose him over all the others? Or, why limit living your lives to "follow" one person's tips on morality and community?
I am beginning to think that today's religious "faithful" are really just modern imperialists--albeit, practicing their craft on an individual level rather than on a national level. The totality of today's expressions of religious faith is really just a policy of extending an individual’s authority by economic, social/cultural, and political means over other individuals and doing so in the name of religion.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Twisted Siblings
Sallie, Fannie, and Freddie
Sallie Mae: Student Loan Debt is at $1,000,000,000,000 ($1 trillion)---exceeding credit card debt!
Like with the mortgage market, the gigantous influx of government money/guarantee into this market has caused a meteoric rise in prices: as schools see more money flooding in and available, tuition and costs skyrocket. Fannie and Freddie has similar effects in their respective markets, driving real property prices through the roof based on no real increase in market value.
Boy, the banks are making an awful lot of money off of us. Well, now, its the Dept of Education that is acting as the student loan bank and making the government a lot of money. Its making so much money, that the federal politicians are using it to pay down the federal debt. Imagine that, our big senators and representatives are transferring all this money to their pet projects, their favorite lobbyists and campaign supporters, and paying for their purchases off of our backs, whether its from our tax dollars or from our student loan payments. How ethical is that, to squeeze us through our need for an education. And, to protect their cash cow--us, they have successfully lobbied congress to remove every fundamental consumer protection for student loans: bankruptcy, statute of limitations,...
Relief in sight? Well, its not debt relief. And, why is it that there are all these articles about Obama's changes, accomplished via executive authority, don't include the name of this move or a link that provides the executive order in its entirety? Well maybe its because they don't really want us to know that we may be able to get our debt forgiven after 20 years.
Even if you go the the Dept of Education website, you still can't find the Obama 10/25/2011 changes-well, you can't find this change from 25 years to 20 years.
I did find this, however:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/discharges.jsp?tab=repaying
Note that it says that, on a rare occassion, you can get the debt cancelled via bankruptcy if undue hardship is found. I don't know what you need to prove to get Undue Hardship...if you have any case law, let me know in a comment.
United States Aid Fund vs. Espinosa
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/25/fact-sheet-help-americans-manage-student-loan-debt
Still no mention of the reduction to 20 years, though.
Sallie Mae: Student Loan Debt is at $1,000,000,000,000 ($1 trillion)---exceeding credit card debt!
Like with the mortgage market, the gigantous influx of government money/guarantee into this market has caused a meteoric rise in prices: as schools see more money flooding in and available, tuition and costs skyrocket. Fannie and Freddie has similar effects in their respective markets, driving real property prices through the roof based on no real increase in market value.
Boy, the banks are making an awful lot of money off of us. Well, now, its the Dept of Education that is acting as the student loan bank and making the government a lot of money. Its making so much money, that the federal politicians are using it to pay down the federal debt. Imagine that, our big senators and representatives are transferring all this money to their pet projects, their favorite lobbyists and campaign supporters, and paying for their purchases off of our backs, whether its from our tax dollars or from our student loan payments. How ethical is that, to squeeze us through our need for an education. And, to protect their cash cow--us, they have successfully lobbied congress to remove every fundamental consumer protection for student loans: bankruptcy, statute of limitations,...
Relief in sight? Well, its not debt relief. And, why is it that there are all these articles about Obama's changes, accomplished via executive authority, don't include the name of this move or a link that provides the executive order in its entirety? Well maybe its because they don't really want us to know that we may be able to get our debt forgiven after 20 years.
Even if you go the the Dept of Education website, you still can't find the Obama 10/25/2011 changes-well, you can't find this change from 25 years to 20 years.
I did find this, however:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/discharges.jsp?tab=repaying
Note that it says that, on a rare occassion, you can get the debt cancelled via bankruptcy if undue hardship is found. I don't know what you need to prove to get Undue Hardship...if you have any case law, let me know in a comment.
United States Aid Fund vs. Espinosa
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/25/fact-sheet-help-americans-manage-student-loan-debt
Still no mention of the reduction to 20 years, though.
Obamacare...Abominable?
Let's not forget that the "health care reform" legislation successfully made into law by Obama is anything but. Its a health insurance business law.
This law is really only guaranteed to accomplish one thing: the fattening of insurance companies at the expense of the citizenry.
Insurers revenues will more than double by 2014--to a wopping $1,200,000,000,000. Yep, thats $1.2 trillion.
Pay attention to the details of the new laws: they have more to do with running of the insurance industry than with the delivery of quality health care to all americans.
This law is really only guaranteed to accomplish one thing: the fattening of insurance companies at the expense of the citizenry.
Insurers revenues will more than double by 2014--to a wopping $1,200,000,000,000. Yep, thats $1.2 trillion.
Pay attention to the details of the new laws: they have more to do with running of the insurance industry than with the delivery of quality health care to all americans.
Mavericks
World Changers: 25 Entrepeneurs Who Changed Business As We Knew It
John Byrne
3 Common Characteristics:
--sees opportunites (vs. problems)
--can live with risk and failure
--determination to run own life
John Byrne
3 Common Characteristics:
--sees opportunites (vs. problems)
--can live with risk and failure
--determination to run own life
The advantage of knowing local systems
All Business is Local:Why Place Matters More Than Ever in a Global Virtual World
John Quelch and Katherine Jocz
...place matters most...need lots of local knowledge to succeed--its about understanding the local systems, like the local distribution system.
For professional services providers at airports, this probably means visiting potential clients frequently and affectionately.
John Quelch and Katherine Jocz
...place matters most...need lots of local knowledge to succeed--its about understanding the local systems, like the local distribution system.
For professional services providers at airports, this probably means visiting potential clients frequently and affectionately.
Basketball
Recently, I had the "pleasure" of staying with some NBA allstars at Orlando's JWMarriot/Ritz-Carlton. No, I wasn't a part of any of their entourages, but I was living in such close quarters with the all-stars and their associates that my suspicions about the degradation of the sport were birthed.
Let's just sumamarize it this way: I stay at places like the Ritz to get away from the "uncivilized" experience of the "outside" world. If I wanted to spend four days around hookers, domestic fights, knife fights, and wildly increased police presence, I'd have camped out in my car in the seedier parts of town.
Is it any wonder that now, whenever I tune in to watch even the college games, all I see are "gang" leaders "in training"--NBA style.
So, for me now, watching basketball today is like watching cleaned-up gangs all dressed in the same clothes-the team uniform. I can't help but ask myself things like "How many is he gonna have in his entourage?, and "How many fights or other salacious or violent activities will he or his associates be involved in?"
These males are simply not so important that we, as a society, need to condone their bubbled-off world of illegal activity. Perhaps, salaries need to be dropped...a lot, the associates "registered" or made to get--and maintain, a business-license in any state in which they appear, or prosecutions and convictions made. Is the IRS making any of these guys pay gift tax or income tax on any of the benefits these associates are receiving? I hope so.
Let's just sumamarize it this way: I stay at places like the Ritz to get away from the "uncivilized" experience of the "outside" world. If I wanted to spend four days around hookers, domestic fights, knife fights, and wildly increased police presence, I'd have camped out in my car in the seedier parts of town.
Is it any wonder that now, whenever I tune in to watch even the college games, all I see are "gang" leaders "in training"--NBA style.
So, for me now, watching basketball today is like watching cleaned-up gangs all dressed in the same clothes-the team uniform. I can't help but ask myself things like "How many is he gonna have in his entourage?, and "How many fights or other salacious or violent activities will he or his associates be involved in?"
These males are simply not so important that we, as a society, need to condone their bubbled-off world of illegal activity. Perhaps, salaries need to be dropped...a lot, the associates "registered" or made to get--and maintain, a business-license in any state in which they appear, or prosecutions and convictions made. Is the IRS making any of these guys pay gift tax or income tax on any of the benefits these associates are receiving? I hope so.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Gardening
Stella Otto
The Backyard Berry Book
The Backyard Orchardist
Southern grape: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn. Univ. of Arkansas
Remove old wood in late winter.
Can pinch vine tips in season to keep in bounds.
Kiwi, and Hardy Kiwi
Hops
Akebias
Seeds
Abundant Life Seeds
Baker Creek (rareseeds.com)
BestCoolSeeds
Botanical Interests
Gourmet Seed
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Raintree Nursery
Seed Savers Exchange
Territorial Seed
Underwoodgardens.com
White Harvest Seed
Willhite Seed
One Green World
(From Hobby Farm Home, March/April 2012)
rareseeds.com
ComstockFerre.com
Seed Savers Exchange
National Heirloom Exposition
Renee's Garden Seeds
Select Seeds
The Backyard Berry Book
The Backyard Orchardist
Southern grape: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn. Univ. of Arkansas
Remove old wood in late winter.
Can pinch vine tips in season to keep in bounds.
Kiwi, and Hardy Kiwi
Hops
Akebias
Seeds
Abundant Life Seeds
Baker Creek (rareseeds.com)
BestCoolSeeds
Botanical Interests
Gourmet Seed
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Raintree Nursery
Seed Savers Exchange
Territorial Seed
Underwoodgardens.com
White Harvest Seed
Willhite Seed
One Green World
(From Hobby Farm Home, March/April 2012)
rareseeds.com
ComstockFerre.com
Seed Savers Exchange
National Heirloom Exposition
Renee's Garden Seeds
Select Seeds
the Economist is twisted on religion
Here again, the Economist has run an irrelevant story. And, again, its about religion.
In its March 3, 2012 issue, it ran a story about churches using school facilities. Worse, to sensationalize even further, the author alleged that a church had no where else to congregate except at the school. I am not buying it. Meet at a house. Meet at another church. Meet at the Y. Rent a conference room. Meet at a bar, the park, Ikea.
Getting back to the issue, the Economist could at least have suggested that this story may have a relevance to its readership. It could have thrown out a few statistics revealing the staggering amount of money federal, state, and local public officials transfer to religious groups. But, no. nothing of the sort.
___________________________________________________
In its March 17, 2012, issue, the Economist printed an article on Southern Baptists' "repositioning" regarding its racism.
Why? There was nothing in the article that even remotely tied it to the Economist's subject matter--business, economics, money...
How offensive--and disturbing, for the Economist to think that its readers would find the actions of southern baptists interesting in and of themself, without even offering a suggestion as to how this group even effects the economy.
In its March 3, 2012 issue, it ran a story about churches using school facilities. Worse, to sensationalize even further, the author alleged that a church had no where else to congregate except at the school. I am not buying it. Meet at a house. Meet at another church. Meet at the Y. Rent a conference room. Meet at a bar, the park, Ikea.
Getting back to the issue, the Economist could at least have suggested that this story may have a relevance to its readership. It could have thrown out a few statistics revealing the staggering amount of money federal, state, and local public officials transfer to religious groups. But, no. nothing of the sort.
___________________________________________________
In its March 17, 2012, issue, the Economist printed an article on Southern Baptists' "repositioning" regarding its racism.
Why? There was nothing in the article that even remotely tied it to the Economist's subject matter--business, economics, money...
How offensive--and disturbing, for the Economist to think that its readers would find the actions of southern baptists interesting in and of themself, without even offering a suggestion as to how this group even effects the economy.
Money
US ended its import tariffs and tax credits on Brazilian ethanol. Tropical (sugar) ethanol vs. corn ethanol. America's senators protected subsidies, ethanol tax credits, and trade barriers for their over-represented states, but corn lobby may be losing ground. By 2023, 21 billion of 36 billion gallons of US ethanol must be non-corn.
So why have Florida's sugar farmers been selling entire farmsand why is the US is already buying ethanol, lots of it, from Petrobras? Brazil's government pressured Petrobras to keep ethanol prices lower that inflation would have pushed them.
Brazil and US don't really need to make ethanol a common cause. The US needs to get politics out of the fuel markets.
So why have Florida's sugar farmers been selling entire farmsand why is the US is already buying ethanol, lots of it, from Petrobras? Brazil's government pressured Petrobras to keep ethanol prices lower that inflation would have pushed them.
Brazil and US don't really need to make ethanol a common cause. The US needs to get politics out of the fuel markets.
Uniformed Criminals
Todays cops have more than just a Public Relations problem. Because there are simply too many of them that have bullied, lied to, or assaulted so many innocent citizens, they have a very tainted reputation on the whole. Which of us has not experienced the Disney-esque pretext that cops issue profusely from their pieholes today. It is common knowledge among adults that cops are allowed to lie to a person--that they are allowed to intentionally commit a criminal act for which you and I would be prosecuted and convicted.
So, is any consent "informed" today if it is obtained verbally by a cop? What part about his/her "informing" can be assumed to be truthful? Isn't there a very legitimate and grounded argument that, because cops are known for being able to lie to us, that we should not--or, can not, assume that anything that comes out of their piehole is NOT a lie. In other words, who are we to be able to tell whether what a cop is telling us, in order to obtain our consent for something that would otherwise need a warrant, is the truth or is telling a lie.
So, is any consent "informed" today if it is obtained verbally by a cop? What part about his/her "informing" can be assumed to be truthful? Isn't there a very legitimate and grounded argument that, because cops are known for being able to lie to us, that we should not--or, can not, assume that anything that comes out of their piehole is NOT a lie. In other words, who are we to be able to tell whether what a cop is telling us, in order to obtain our consent for something that would otherwise need a warrant, is the truth or is telling a lie.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Art
Michael Heizer
Earth Art
Levitated Mass, a 340-ton granite boulder.
His life long project, City, may be the largest piece of contemporary art.
Tate Women Artists
Alicia Foster
2004
Earth Art
Levitated Mass, a 340-ton granite boulder.
His life long project, City, may be the largest piece of contemporary art.
Tate Women Artists
Alicia Foster
2004
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Olympia Snowe
Dear Ms. Snowe,
Although I can't say that I have much respect for today's politics, and although I haven't set foot in Maine in decades, I admit that I am proud of your service as a public official and, whenever the opportunity arose, boasted of you being from the great state of Maine . I am deeply sorry to see one of the rare remaining sources of pride in our political system hang up her hat.
Thank you.
Anon Anon
Although I can't say that I have much respect for today's politics, and although I haven't set foot in Maine in decades, I admit that I am proud of your service as a public official and, whenever the opportunity arose, boasted of you being from the great state of Maine . I am deeply sorry to see one of the rare remaining sources of pride in our political system hang up her hat.
Thank you.
Anon Anon
Deviant Politicians
Well, Virginia's governor and his party pushed through a law that demonstrates that today's American politicians have exceeded their grant of authority under our governmental structure.
Let's do a quick refresher on our government's basis of existence and power in this country: To protect our health, safety, and welfare. It's not to impose their opinions, cultish beliefs, or religious morality on citizens.
So McDonnell and his party feel self-righteous enough to make it one of their governing aims to confront women with the reality of their fetus. Let's forget about the grammatical and realistic problems with their expressed aim. Rather, let's ask, why didn't McDonnell and the Republicans play non-discriminatorily and push legislation that aimed to confront both genders with the reality of their fetus? Its because public officials today have so over-reached, in so many ways, into our private lives (and wallets) and unto our backs, that it can only be seen now as deviance that plays on pathology.
Why, or how, is it that such a powerful group of people still don't understand the innuendo and ramifications of enacting laws that clearly demonstrate that they do NOT assign the same amount of human dignity and respect to women as they do to men and that clearly demonstrate that they have egregiously over-reached? What I have found to be true of human behavior is that the individuals who are the loudest and most political at rejecting others' humanity have dysfunctionally dismissed, cloaked, and internalized their own humanity to the point of pathology and deviancy.
Is this dysfunction a symptom of the moral confusion and selfishness of today's self-professed christian "fellowship" that the Republican party is so attached to and identified with? Or have persons with these dysfunctional tendencies found christianity and republican-ism to be shelters for their pathology?
Either way, today, we are not talking about conservative-ness of any party or public official. Rather, we are talking about deviant behavior that so crosses socially and ethically accepted thresholds as to result in unconstitutional government and pathology--social and individual.
Let's do a quick refresher on our government's basis of existence and power in this country: To protect our health, safety, and welfare. It's not to impose their opinions, cultish beliefs, or religious morality on citizens.
So McDonnell and his party feel self-righteous enough to make it one of their governing aims to confront women with the reality of their fetus. Let's forget about the grammatical and realistic problems with their expressed aim. Rather, let's ask, why didn't McDonnell and the Republicans play non-discriminatorily and push legislation that aimed to confront both genders with the reality of their fetus? Its because public officials today have so over-reached, in so many ways, into our private lives (and wallets) and unto our backs, that it can only be seen now as deviance that plays on pathology.
Why, or how, is it that such a powerful group of people still don't understand the innuendo and ramifications of enacting laws that clearly demonstrate that they do NOT assign the same amount of human dignity and respect to women as they do to men and that clearly demonstrate that they have egregiously over-reached? What I have found to be true of human behavior is that the individuals who are the loudest and most political at rejecting others' humanity have dysfunctionally dismissed, cloaked, and internalized their own humanity to the point of pathology and deviancy.
Is this dysfunction a symptom of the moral confusion and selfishness of today's self-professed christian "fellowship" that the Republican party is so attached to and identified with? Or have persons with these dysfunctional tendencies found christianity and republican-ism to be shelters for their pathology?
Either way, today, we are not talking about conservative-ness of any party or public official. Rather, we are talking about deviant behavior that so crosses socially and ethically accepted thresholds as to result in unconstitutional government and pathology--social and individual.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Exploring Tablets and phones
Tablet wholesalers discovered so far:
HP: TouchPad--webOS based software
Motorola: Xoom---- Android based software
RIM: PlayBook--AT$T and Verizon may not carry
Samsung: Galaxy----based on Google's Android software
stylus-using version allows notes on documents
Apple: iPad. Sorry, but Apple just feels too much like the Catholic Church to me.
Toshiba: ????---has usb port
PHONES
Motorola Droid 4, Verizon, tactile keyboard, 4inch display, lacks international roaming
Samsung Galaxy Note, AT &T (Verizon too), 5.3 inch screen, S Pen and single folder for easy sharing--may be able to use pen to write notes on files.
APPS
Adobe Touch--is this just for Photoshop?
HP: TouchPad--webOS based software
Motorola: Xoom---- Android based software
RIM: PlayBook--AT$T and Verizon may not carry
Samsung: Galaxy----based on Google's Android software
stylus-using version allows notes on documents
Apple: iPad. Sorry, but Apple just feels too much like the Catholic Church to me.
Toshiba: ????---has usb port
PHONES
Motorola Droid 4, Verizon, tactile keyboard, 4inch display, lacks international roaming
Samsung Galaxy Note, AT &T (Verizon too), 5.3 inch screen, S Pen and single folder for easy sharing--may be able to use pen to write notes on files.
APPS
Adobe Touch--is this just for Photoshop?
Ubiquitous Fakery
Given today's technology, any bloke can create a fake document with great ease and in very little time. And that document can be exceptionally important. "Any bloke" includes your insurance provider, your lawyer, your colleague, or your family.
Any paper document can be made into a digital file. Any digital file can be manipulated: text can be changed, signatures added or removed, images added or removed, watermarks added or removed, pages added, rearranged, removed...
Any bloke can use practically any ubiquitously available software (adobe, bluebeam, photoshop, word...) and technology (photocopier, scanner, all-in-one, laptop...) to modify any digital file (pdf, doc, jpeg...) and produce any paper document.
Have you been involved in a car accident only to have your insurance agent miraculously produce "coverage-limiting" documents with your signature on them that you have never, ever, seen before, much less signed?
Have you been involved in a divorce proceeding in which your soon-to-be ex miraculously produces documents that admit something detrimental to your case?
Or, have you been involved in a criminal proceeding where your pro bono defense attorney signed--unbeknownst to you at the time, your name to a waiver of a right?
Drop a comment if you have experienced this type of deception.
Any paper document can be made into a digital file. Any digital file can be manipulated: text can be changed, signatures added or removed, images added or removed, watermarks added or removed, pages added, rearranged, removed...
Any bloke can use practically any ubiquitously available software (adobe, bluebeam, photoshop, word...) and technology (photocopier, scanner, all-in-one, laptop...) to modify any digital file (pdf, doc, jpeg...) and produce any paper document.
Have you been involved in a car accident only to have your insurance agent miraculously produce "coverage-limiting" documents with your signature on them that you have never, ever, seen before, much less signed?
Have you been involved in a divorce proceeding in which your soon-to-be ex miraculously produces documents that admit something detrimental to your case?
Or, have you been involved in a criminal proceeding where your pro bono defense attorney signed--unbeknownst to you at the time, your name to a waiver of a right?
Drop a comment if you have experienced this type of deception.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Primaries Are Not
In the whole spectrum of the US population, the number of people casting votes in the republican primaries is phenomenally small--minute, which speaks volumes about how [ir]relevant the process is to each of us in this group known as U.S. citizens.
The group the process apparently is producing desired results for (i.e. is relevant to) is those funding the superpacs, who, in turn, are funding the tv commercials, the candidates' travels, the candidates' speeches, etc. So, we are a nation whose governing officials are chosen by the people who have enough spare cash laying around to send in to a superpac--the one percent, and not by the people--the 99 percent.
My question is why is the media spending so much time on a process that the people can't, and don't, participate in or effect?
The group the process apparently is producing desired results for (i.e. is relevant to) is those funding the superpacs, who, in turn, are funding the tv commercials, the candidates' travels, the candidates' speeches, etc. So, we are a nation whose governing officials are chosen by the people who have enough spare cash laying around to send in to a superpac--the one percent, and not by the people--the 99 percent.
My question is why is the media spending so much time on a process that the people can't, and don't, participate in or effect?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Art
Albrecht Durer, Nuremberg, early 1500's. Made and sold copies of prints from woodcuts and engravings.
"Praying Hands"
He imposed himself into the essence of the work, inscribing his trademark, for example, on the nail heads depicted in a croosyfikshun.
Engravings included marble tablets with his explanation of his genius.
"Praying Hands"
He imposed himself into the essence of the work, inscribing his trademark, for example, on the nail heads depicted in a croosyfikshun.
Engravings included marble tablets with his explanation of his genius.
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