COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

FCC 891 - Serving our corporate masters and societal control. The surveillance state is a multi-headed hydra. Corporate spying is intimately linked to the surveillance state, an omnipresent system consisting of federal, state and local security agencies. This spying system is made up of many of the leading private telecommunications and Internet companies working closely with the Department of Justice (DoJ), NSA, FBI, DHS, FCC and still other entities. This increasingly integrated federal system is complemented by an ever-growing army of state and local police “intelligence” agencies.



America's Spy State: How the Telecoms Sell Out Your Privacy

Your seemingly private information is a public commodity, subject to the dictates of the security state and market opportunists.


May 29, 2012  |  



You need to know one simple truth: you have no privacy with regard to your electronic communications.
Nothing you do online, via a wireline telephone or over a wireless device is outside the reach of government security agencies and private corporations. Your ostensible personal communication -- whether a phone call, an email, a search, visiting a website, a credit card purchase, a 140 character Tweet, a movie download or a Facebook friending -- is a public commodity, subject to the dictates of the security state and market opportunists.
Corporate surveillance has begun to raise consumer, Congressional and regulatory concerns – a major case, Amnesty v. Clapper, is now before the Supreme Court. One can only wonder why it is not an issue in this year’s election?
Corporate spying takes a variety of forms. GPS tracking over a wireless device is widespread. Google’s efforts to commercialize its users’ keystrokes resulted in a $25,000 fine from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Potentially more consequential, a growing chorus of criticism over its recently introduced data-harvesting program seems to have contributed to a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation of Google; the FTC retained Beth Wilkinson, a high-powered outside counsel, to oversee a possible anti-trust prosecution of the company. On March 1st, Google introduced a new program that collects user data from its 60 services. Google stores “cookies” (i.e., code that compiles a record of an individual’s web browsing history) on a growing number of communications devices, whether a home PC, tablet, smartphone and a growing number of TV sets. These cookies track every website a person visits or function s/he uses. As the New York Times wrote, “The case has the potential to be the biggest showdown between regulators and Silicon Valley since the government took on Microsoft 14 years ago.
The surveillance state is a multi-headed hydra. Corporate spying is intimately linked to the surveillance state, an omnipresent system consisting of federal, state and local security agencies. This spying system is made up of many of the leading private telecommunications and Internet companies working closely with the Department of Justice (DoJ), NSA, FBI, DHS, FCC and still other entities. This increasingly integrated federal system is complemented by an ever-growing army of state and local police “intelligence” agencies. Individual entities work either on their own, together with others and/or with private companies, many that financially benefit from commercial data harvesting.
Jon Michaels, a law professor at UCLA, warned in an invaluable 2008 study: “[P]articipating corporations have been instrumental in enabling U.S. intelligence officials to conduct domestic surveillance and intelligence activities outside of the congressionally imposed framework of court orders and subpoenas, and also outside of the ambit of inter-branch oversight.” His warning rings louder in 2012.
“All the President's Spies: Private-Public Intelligence Partnerships in the War on Terror,” 
The attacks of 9/11 provided the rationale for the institutionalization of the security state. Now, a decade later, the U.S. is in a perpetual state of war, fighting threats both foreign and domestic, thus providing the ongoing rationale for expanding surveillance.
The principle vehicle for this policing action is the National Security Letter (NSL), an administrative demand letter or subpoena requiring neither probable cause nor judicial oversight. In effect, an NSL overrides 4th Amendment guarantees safeguarding an American’s right from unreasonable search and seizure. Between 2000 and 2010 (excluding 2001 and 2002 for which no records are available), the FBI was issued 273,122 NSLs; in 2010, 24,287 letters were issued pertaining to 14,000 U.S. residents. (Nicholas Merrill received an NSL; his experience should be a warning to us all.)

86 comments:

  1. in the United States, holding “anti-government” views is protected by the First Amendment. And everyone in the United States, not just its citizens, is protected by the First Amendment and the rest of the Bill of Rights.

    Disliking the government isn't a crime. But that's not stopping many fusion centers from associating dissent with terrorism.

    “Fusion centers,” according to the Department of Homeland Security, “conduct analysis and facilitate information sharing, assisting law enforcement and homeland security partners in preventing, protecting against, and responding to crime and terrorism.” Yet after a two-year investigation into fusion centers, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs permanent subcommittee stated that it "could identify no reporting which uncovered a terrorist threat, nor could it identify a contribution such fusion center reporting made to disrupt an active terrorist plot." Furthermore, fusion centers "often produced irrelevant" and "useless" intelligence reports. "Many produced no intelligence reporting whatsoever." It was also confirmed by a former fusion center chief, who said, "There were times when it was, 'what a bunch of crap is coming through'."

    DHS fusion center facts state, “Both Fusion Center Directors and the federal government identified the protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties (P/CRCL) as a key priority and an important enabling capability to ensure fusion centers protect the privacy and other legal rights of Americans, while supporting homeland security efforts.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The "Fusion Centers" should be closed, they are an expense that does not generate results.

      A poor way to spend borrowed money

      Delete
    2. .

      Heck, if you've got more than a week of food in the house you can be considered a terrorist.

      .

      Delete
  2. US defense secretary Chuck Hagel has recommended that Congress change military law so that commanders can no longer overturn convictions in military court for sexual assault and other major offences, he announced on Monday.

    The proposed changes follow widespread outrage over the overturning of the conviction of a US air force officer found guilty of aggravated sexual assault, in a case which victims groups said was symptomatic of the military's failure to address an "epidemic" of sexual assault. Lt Col James Wilkerson, of Aviano air base in Italy, was found guilty and sentenced to a year in prison, but his conviction was overturned by Lt General Craig Franklin, the 3rd air force commander, and he was quietly re-assigned.

    Article 60 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice gives power to "convening authorities" or commanders to set aside a conviction or decrease punishment after a court-martial, a power that has come under increased scrutiny following the Wilkerson case. In a statement, Hagel said the proposal would strip the ability of a convening authority to dismiss the verdicts of a court martial, except for certain minor offences. The accused would still be able to appeal their cases.

    Victims groups welcomed the proposed changes, but said that it fell short of the measures necessary to combat the "epidemic of sexual assault".

    In a statement, Nancy Parish, of Protect Our Defenders, said that while the changes would would stop commanders overturning convictions, they would still allow them to reduce sentences.

    Parish said: "The Aviano case has shown the world that our military's justice system is fundamentally flawed. Article 60 in the UCMJ is only one part of much larger fundamental problems. Today's proposed changes from the Pentagon fall short of the necessary fixes to end the epidemic of sexual assault in the military."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Forget Margaret Thatcher

    Heartbreaking news comes from Disney family. Annette Funicello, one of the first Mousekeeters who helped pave the way for Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus and other stars who kicked start their career on the Mickey Mouse Club, has died. She was 70.

    The former child actress passed away at a Bakersfield hospital after losing a long battle with multiple sclerosis. "She's on her toes dancing in heaven... no more MS," her daughter Gina Gilardi told Extra. "My brothers and I were there, holding her sweet hands when she left us."

    Before she was taken off life support, she had been in a coma for years due to complications of her illness. She had suffered MS for about 25 years but didn't reveal it to public until 1992. She could no longer walk in 2004, lost her ability to speak by 2009 and needed round-the-clock care ever since.

    ReplyDelete
  4. http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/08/why-iran-isnt-the-soviet-union/

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Department of Homeland Security, DOJ, and FBI know who their Masters are. They will protect their Rich Masters from the American People.

    ReplyDelete
  6. How is shitbird Jon Corzine doing?

    A friend of the president gets invited to great parties, the chance to hobnob with Hollywood celebrities and sometimes, if the friend gets in trouble, he can pull out a “Get out of jail free” card.
    There’s little else to explain how Jon S. Corzine, the former Democratic governor of New Jersey, appears to pay no price for “negligent conduct” that cost clients at the Wall Street firm MF Global Holdings nearly $2.1 billion. This comes from new findings by Louis Freeh, the former head of the FBI, who investigated the role of Mr. Corzine in the collapse of the financial firm.
    The 124-page audit determined the company collapsed because of risky financial deals that spiraled out of control. “Corzine and his management team failed to strengthen the Company’s weak control environment,” Mr. Freeh writes, “making it almost impossible to properly monitor the liquidity drains on the Company caused by Corzine’s proprietary trading strategy.” This backs the findings of an earlier House Financial Services Committee investigation.
    MF Global went belly up in 2011, taking with it billions of dollars belonging to customers, creditors and shareholders. “The company repeatedly transferred funds into and out of segregated accounts,” the House report explains, “amplifying the risk that it would miscalculate account balances for regulatory purposes.” Those who questioned Mr. Corzine were shown the door, including the company’s risk assessment officer, who made the mistake of assessing the company’s risks.
    Mr. Corzine and his crew continue to deny responsibility as the lawsuits for breaches of fiduciary duty and negligence are filed. A Corzine spokesman, borrowing a cliche from Sunday afternoon football, calls the Freeh report “Monday morning quarterbacking.”
    The Justice Department has been eerily silent about the MF Global case. The administration of George W. Bush created the Corporate Fraud Task Force to punish the guilty, winning nearly 1,300 corporate fraud convictions. Those convicted included more than 200 chief executives, company presidents and chief financial officers. Mr. Corzine has so far escaped criminal scrutiny under the current administration.


    Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/8/the-corzine-standard/#ixzz2PxhxiY6B
    Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Mr. Corzine and his crew continue to deny responsibility as the lawsuits for breaches of fiduciary duty and negligence are filed. A Corzine spokesman, borrowing a cliche from Sunday afternoon football, calls the Freeh report “Monday morning quarterbacking.”
      The Justice Department has been eerily silent about the MF Global case. The administration of George W. Bush created the Corporate Fraud Task Force to punish the guilty, winning nearly 1,300 corporate fraud convictions. Those convicted included more than 200 chief executives, company presidents and chief financial officers. Mr. Corzine has so far escaped criminal scrutiny under the current administration."

      THIS CANNOT BE TRUE!

      GW IS ALL BAD, JUST LIKE BHO IS ALL GOOD! (like the current AG, MR DICKHOLDER.)

      GIVE LIL RUFIE AND 'RAT THEIR CANDY AND RAT MEAL!

      Delete
  7. Long time past to put a stake in the heart of Nato - Nato prepared to repeat the magic in Syria that it wreaked upon Libya

    Nato plan to end the conflict in Syria
    WASHINGTON
    Thursday 21 March 2013
    The commander of Nato forces in Europe has said several countries in the alliance are working on contingency plans for possible military action to end the two-year civil war in Syria.

    US Admiral James Stavridis said a number of military operations were being looked at to end the deadlock and assist opposition forces. These included imposing a no-fly zone, providing military assistance to the rebels and imposing arms embargoes.

    But he added a UN Security Council resolution and agreement among the alliance's 28 members would be necessary before Nato took on a military role in Syria.

    He said: "We are prepared if called upon to be engaged, as we were in Libya."

    As the conflict in Syria enters its third year, US military and State Department officials and the UN high commissioner for refugees delivered a dire assessment of a deteriorating situation.

    They warned that even if President Bashar al Assad leaves, the Middle East nation could slip into civil strife similar to the Balkans in the 1990s.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Assad said much the same thing a couple of days ago...

      "A fight in Syria would affect countries in the region. And perhaps with a domino effect will impact faraway countries as well," al-Assad said. "The Arab states that have not supported the Syrian regime are those that are not independent actors but rather (act) under the guidance of foreign countries."

      He is, of course, speaking of Qatar, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. All in the US camp from Assad's perspective, all fermenting civil war in Syria. As they did in Libya.

      The US and its' NATO proxies ready to follow suit, but for the Russians.
      Who enforces a no fly regime on their military and civilian aircraft?

      Delete
    2. “Everybody knows that if the disturbances in Syria reach the point of the country’s breakup, or terrorist forces control Syria, or if the two cases happen, then this will immediately spill over into neighboring countries first, and later there will be a domino effect that will reach countries across the Middle East,” he said.

      He also lashed out at Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was a close ally of Assad before the crisis began but then turned into one of his harshest critics.

      “When the prime minister (Erdogan), or the government or officials get involved in shedding Syrian people’s blood there is no place for bridges between me and them or the Syrian people that don’t respect them,” Assad said.

      Turkey has been one of the strongest backers of the Syrian Islamist “opposition,” and has provided it with logistical support and shelter.

      “The Arab League lacks legitimacy. It’s a league that represents the Arab states, not the Arab people, so it can’t grant or retract legitimacy,” he also stated in reference to the recent move by the league to give Syria’s seat to the Doha coalition headed by Moaz al-Khatib.

      The president also used the interview to quash rumors that he had been killed by one of his guards in the capital Damascus.

      Asked by a journalist whether he is still alive, Assad told Ulusal Kanal: “I am present in front of you and not in a shelter. These are mere rumors.”

      He said he is living as usual in Syria and is not hiding in underground shelters.

      Source: Ulusal Kanal


      http://www.globalresearch.ca/bashar-al-assad-interview-foreign-powers-are-supporting-the-entry-of-terrorists-in-syria/5330089

      Delete
  8. As we are well into year five of the Obama era it is refreshing to see that many of the predictions of doom that were made have failed to materialize.

    The military has not been "gutted", neither has Federal law enforcement.

    Wall Street has not been robbed.

    Taxes have not risen. The inequities of the Federal tax system remain entrenched.

    The US remains committed to conflict in the Middle East. Continuing the fight for the Saudi cause.

    The border zone now extends 100 miles into the US, in the effort to "Control" it, as demanded by the "Right", before the immigration system could be reformed, comprehensively...

    After five years the evidence is clear.
    The promise of "Change" has fallen short, from both sides of the aisle
    Federal debt continues to balloon, with Republicans in control of the purse for three of the five years.

    Predictions of doom ring hollow.
    Promises of a better tomorrow ...

    Well, under President Obama the US

    Stayed the Course

    GW Bush can stand proud, his legacy intact.

    Life is a beach.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All's Well, Full Speed Ahead.

      Nitwit indeed.

      More like Sicko.

      Delete
  9. .

    Federal debt continues to balloon, with Republicans in control of the purse for three of the five years.


    Nitwit.

    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, Q, here we go again.

      The Federal debt does continue to balloon.
      This is not a debatable point.

      The GOP has controlled the House, which controls the purse, for the past three years, inclusive of this, the third year of their majority. Not debatable.

      To combine the two, common sense.

      Predictions were made that if the GOP were given the power of the purse, government spending would be reined in. This quest for power was accomplished, but the results fell short.

      The sequester being their primary accomplishment, in that regard, which falls far short of the prediction. The sequester, which many in the GOP try to credit Obama with. Which, if true, makes the GOP totally ineffectual.

      When Newt had control of the House, in a similar political situation, he managed to produce a Federal cash flow surplus. It is possible.

      In Newt's case his Party constituents in the House turned on him.
      Slowing the growth of Federal debt, not the GOP's concern.
      Not then, not now.

      Delete
  10. Around 150 games in total, but that's relatively small compared to our users. Don't leave the landscape designing and terrain optimization to the last
    moment. It fizzles as the lights go out, and she says it's been great talking to you.

    Look at my page; kostenlos spielen

    ReplyDelete
  11. .

    The GOP has controlled the House, which controls the purse, for the past three years, inclusive of this, the third year of their majority. Not debatable.

    You are right only when you say 'here we go again'. You seem to have no idea of the budgetary process or how it works.

    Check it out and then get back to me.


    The sequester being their primary accomplishment, in that regard, which falls far short of the prediction. The sequester, which many in the GOP try to credit Obama with. Which, if true, makes the GOP totally ineffectual.

    First, you again seem ignorant of who came up with the idea of the sequester and pushed it. Secondly, even if the above statement were true, it is beside the point as to how the budgetary process is intended to work, it was an outlier concocted by the White House and agreed to by the Democrats as well as the GOP.

    When Newt had control of the House, in a similar political situation, he managed to produce a Federal cash flow surplus. It is possible.

    Again irrelevant to your initial point and to the current situation.

    You might also want to check out the term 'checks and balances'.

    .



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All spending legislation originates in the House.

      This is the first step and is a powerful one, if used.

      After the Senate does its' magic on the House legislation a committee merges the disparate parts.
      The combined legislation than must pass the House, once more. Another choke-point, but not as strong as originating ALL spending legislation.

      The power to originate spending, is ALL the power.
      The GOP refuses to utilize it.

      The originator of the "idea" of the sequester is of little consequence. It became a "solution" to a GOP induced "Crisis". The GOP gets credit for inducing the crisis and thus, for the solution to it.

      Delete
    2. .

      You ignore the law and practical reality. The budget and/or continuing resolutions (that is what's passed in an emergancy or when the dicks of both parties can't do their job under the law) are what drives the budget deficits you bemoan.

      However, the budget is the main driver and for the past five years the budgetary process has been a bi-partisan clusterfuck. To blame it on one party is either blatantly partisan or obtuse.

      The Constitution merely states that Congress has to the power to raise money to pay its bills. It says nothing about the budgetary process or deficits. Laws passed by Congress starting in 1921 and later spell out the responsibilities of all parties involved in the budget process. The law says the process starts with the president submitting a proposed detailed budget listing revenues and spending proposals by the beginning of February. The president has ignored this part of the law for the past four years.

      The CBO breaks down the budget and provides estimates of the costs under different scenarios.

      The House AND the Senate begin diliberating the budget with input from the various appropriations committees and each submits their own budget resolution. Once appropriation committees complete their work, the Senate and House versions of the budget have to be reconciled by another joint committe and then the final version has to be voted on and approved separately by both houses of Congress. This final joint resolution is then sent to the president for approval or veto. In the past thirty years there have been about thirty vetos issued.

      From WikI (the description of the bi-partisan nature of the budget process)

      href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_budget_process

      I'll leave it to anyone who reads the link to judge whether or not the budgetary process is bi-partisan or not (whether for good or evil). Anyone who blames the current problems in OZ solely on one party is, IMO, either misinformed or a partisan hack.

      .

      Delete
    3. .

      The originator of the "idea" of the sequester is of little consequence. It became a "solution" to a GOP induced "Crisis". The GOP gets credit for inducing the crisis and thus, for the solution to it.


      :)

      Perhaps, in rat-World.

      In the normal world, it is pure nonsense lacking logic.


      .



      Delete
    4. .

      You will note that of the many things you posted above, the only one I took exception with was your implication that deficits were the responsibility solely of the GOP since they have control of the House.

      ...Federal debt continues to balloon, with Republicans in control of the purse for three of the five years...


      On the sequester issue, I argued with you mainly because of the logic you used in laying out your case that it was the GOP's fault. However, there are numerous Republicans that think the sequester was a great thing. And it's hard to argue it won't eventually cut into the deficit. That's not to say I like the way it was implemented as it is once again a cop out by Congress, and both sides of the aisle.

      .

      .

      Delete
    5. Not at all, Q.

      The fellas that create a crisis get to bear responsibility for the solution to it.

      The GOP manufactured a debt ceiling crisis, the sequester solution is their baby.
      As it solved their crisis.

      If the crisis had not been GOP induced, there'd have been no crisis. Thus no need to have any solution, at all. The GOP created a crisis point and settled for sequester as the remedy to it.

      Delete
    6. Everything is ALWAYS the Pubs fault in the twisted minds of Rat and Rufie.

      ...since BHO, Pelosi, Wasserman, Waxman, Schumer, Reid, et al are Faultless Gems.

      Delete
    7. "If the crisis had not been GOP induced, there'd have been no crisis. Thus no need to have any solution, at all. The GOP created a crisis point and settled for sequester as the remedy to it."

      Yes, the Federal Govt will starve to DEATH if we spend a little more this year than last.

      Even tho we've spent a Trillion more plus each year than we did before Obama took office.

      Why you feel the need to completely warp reality is the interesting question.

      Delete
    8. .

      Much too simplistic, rat.

      The battle over the debt limit was admittedly a stupid play by the GOP. I denounced it at the time. However, the solution was two-fold, with sequestration being the fall-back position. The sequestration was conceived by the Dems as a cynical ploy that they figured the GOP would never allow to play out due to the military cuts. That was their first mistake as anything is possible in OZ these days.

      However, the primary agreement was on the Supercommittee, a bi-partisan group empowered to come up with a budget solution, something they failed at miserably. The next stage in this ongoing saga was again a bi-partisan clusterfuck. Both parties had from the middle of 2011 until the end of 2012 to come up with a negotiated compromise to solve the sequestration issue. Both parties punted. You can say it was election year politics, I call it an abdication of responsibility.

      However, there was still a little time to cut a deal. Again, both sides punted until the 11th hour. And who ended up giving in? The GOP. They gave Obama the tax increases he wanted. In exchange, they got nothing. Zip. Later, the GOP was also the party that submitted the extending resolution to prevent a further confrontation on the debt limit.

      What dis Obama then ask for? More tax increases to solve the sequestration issue. Having already been stiffed by Obama, the GOP declined. However, there was no negotiation on either side. After his first proposal Obama pretty much treaded water.

      No, there is plenty to of blame to go around and the Dems are as guilty as the GOP.

      To say otherwise is just plain silly.

      .

      Delete
  12. How does Solar work in a "marine" environment?

    You tell me

    ReplyDelete
  13. BTW, depending on which definition of debt one uses, our debt/gdp ratio is either through expanding, or is within a year, or so, of ceasing to expand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you use the widest measure of debt (this includes debt owed to the public, And bonds owned by other government entities, ie social security, etc,) then debt will expand this year at about the same percentage as gdp will increase (about 5%.)

      If you use only the debt held by the public in the form of treasury bonds, notes, etc, then we're still a year or two away from stasis.

      Delete
    2. Well, rufus, since you math skills far surpass mine, give this a thought.

      If gross Federal spending were capped at 2012 levels, how long would it take to close the current revenue gap, at 4% growth?

      Delete
    3. Maybe, 7 yrs?

      All other things being equal

      Which, of course, they never are. :)

      Delete
    4. 4% being a pretty optimistic revenue growth target as well...

      Delete
    5. Remember, you're dealing with Nominal GDP, not Real (inflation adjusted) GDP.

      Looked at in "Nominal" terms, 4% is probably about right (at present, anyway.)

      Delete
    6. Do Federal revenues track in line with Nominal GDP growth?

      Delete
    7. You pay taxes on your income, not your income minus inflation.

      Delete
    8. But how tightly wed, I wonder, is Gross Domestic Product and income? Then there those other taxes the Feds get...

      I'm sure the Stats are out there but I'd be surprised if 1% of GDP increase parallels 1% in Fed revenue. It could but...

      Delete
    9. BTW, I'm not saying "all is hunky-dory in utopiaville;" I'm just saying that when it comes to this particular aspect, things might not be quite as bad as some are making them out to be.

      Delete
    10. .

      Seven years?

      I'm still waiting for that $20 natural gas.

      .

      Delete
    11. Yeah, I wouldn't want to get caught too far out on that particular limb - but you gotta start somewhere, right? :)

      Delete
    12. It's Doubled inside of a year.

      And, don't smirk too much; nat gas is capable of some truly harrowing runs.

      Delete
    13. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    14. The Math is quite straight forward if assumptions are correct. Federal Deficit (capped) minus increased revenues each year. What's the Federal deficit? What's Federal revenue number? Increase Fed revenue by 4% each year. Calculate number of years till deficit erased.

      Delete
    15. Go ahead; I'm taking a nap. :)

      Delete
    16. Deficit was $1.09 Trillion last yr.

      The CBO is expecting it to be $850 Billion this year.

      Which means, I assume, that they're expecting tax receipts to be in the $2.7 Trillion range.

      GDP is around $16 Trillion.

      Have fun.

      Delete
    17. I thought you did the math and came up with 7, or did you just pull that number out of your hat?

      Delete
    18. I closed my eyes, and fought off sleep long enough to come up with the number 7. I wouldn't want to bet big money on it. :)

      Ash, I really can't take it very seriously. It's such a fluid, dynamic situation, absolutely anything could (and is liable to) happen.

      For instance, the CBO is, Now, saying the deficit for this year will be around $850 Billion. I don't think they were within $200 Billion of that number this time last year. It's really just a game for mugs, and insomniacs. good night. :)

      Delete
    19. He has no hat...

      Everything he pulls out comes from his ass.

      ...when he's not too busy kissing Obamas.

      Delete
    20. Only 90 million not working, Rufie, 10 million more than when he too office.

      Labor participation rate lowest since 1979.

      ...your other hero, James Carter.

      Record high Foodstamps tho, for our underfed, highly deserving folks.

      Thatcher will be spinning in that grave from day one.

      Delete
    21. AshTue Apr 09, 02:26:00 PM EDT

      The Math is quite straight forward if assumptions are correct. Federal Deficit (capped) minus increased revenues each year. What's the Federal deficit? What's Federal revenue number? Increase Fed revenue by 4% each year. Calculate number of years till deficit erased.

      ---

      Good luck, look at the Growth Curves of entitlement programs.

      Maybe start w/Medicare, which is a jewel compared to Obamacare.

      Delete
    22. nobody said capping spending was easy it was simply one of Rat's assumptions.

      Rufus 7 number isn't too bad really. Wiki says 2.3 trillion in revenue. 4% of that is 92 billion. Roughly 10 years close off a 900 billion deficit with years lopped off for the compounding factor which I didn't do.

      Delete
  14. Everything is very open with a precise explanation of the issues.
    It was truly informative. Your website is very useful.
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    ReplyDelete
  15. BHS robotics team members keep cool, take FIRST in final.

    The Baldwin High School robotics team members found themselves in a David vs. Goliath match against perennial champion Waialua High School of Oahu this past weekend at the FIRST Hawaii Regional robotics competition on Oahu.
    Albright and Suter explained that their robot was built to shoot frisbees with pinpoint accuracy, which helped them finish with 500 total points in the qualifying - second only to Waialua.

    ---

    "It was like a minihowitzer," Suter said. "That thing could hit the same spot over and over again. . . . I think that's why they chose us."

    Albright estimated that the robot could shoot frisbees about 75 feet.

    "It could definitely do some damage," he said.

    Their decision to create an offensive-oriented robot had its drawbacks.

    Sophomore Jacques Arnoult, who was in charge of the air-powered pistons that load the frisbees, said their robot got roughed up a bit during the qualifying rounds.

    The Bears built their robot to be fast and agile, he said, and had to rely on their sturdier allies to clear a path for their robot. The team even drew up basketball and football plays as part of their strategy, he said.

    In the quarterfinals against an alliance led by Iolani, they created a strategy specifically aimed at negating the Raiders' robot.

    "Iolani had such a tremendous blocking machine that the kids were referring to it as 'Mutombo,' '' Suter said, referencing famous NBA shot-blocker Dikembe Mutombo. "They got overconfident though, and I talked with the kids, and we came up with a strategy that worked out really well."

    The strategy was to use Kalani and Leilehua as lead blockers, or "fullbacks," while their robot followed closely behind and scored goals, Suter said.

    Their strategy carried them into the finals match against Waialua's alliance, which included Punahou School and Sacred Hearts Academy, both of Oahu...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bet there weren't a whole lot of Gurlls.

      ...our PC Police will fix that quick-like, like they did for them Female Marines that sucked on their infantry tests.

      Delete
    2. Actually, they simply flunked out:

      "Two more women have washed out of Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course, putting a quick end to the latest iteration of an experiment into which roles female Marines might be able to fill in combat.

      The women failed the introductory Combat Endurance Test, a punishing test of physical strength and endurance, officials at Marine Corps headquarters said Tuesday. The latest class began March 28 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., with 110 lieutenants participating. Ninety-six men passed the initial endurance test. Twelve men and two women — the only female Marines taking part — failed.

      The 13-week course is considered among the toughest in the U.S. military, and is part of the Pentagon’s ongoing effort to determine which additional jobs in combat units should be opened to women. Recently retired Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, announced in January the Pentagon would open about 237,00 jobs across the services, including 53,721 in the Corps. However, the services will continue to conduct their own experiments to determine if certain military occupational specialties should be kept closed to women.

      The New York Times reported that one of the women who flunked out of IOC last week had served as an enlisted Marine before becoming an officer. She failed to make it over a horizontal bar on an obstacle course. The second woman was a recent Naval Academy graduate. She did better with the obstacle course, but ran out of time, the Times reported."

      http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20130402/NEWS/304020020/Two-more-female-Marines-flunk-infantry-officers-training

      Delete
    3. .

      Only a fool would think allowing women into some of these combat units won't compromise standards. It's a matter of biology and physics. Obviously, I am speaking in general terms. Someone, will always come up with an anecdote on some distaff mutant with the abilities of Mighty Mouse.

      When the subject recently surfaced, I recall reading a few articles pointing out the current differences in standards between men and women in terms of repetitions, amount of weight lifted, etc. However, the real issues will be political.

      This is a new high-profile objective. People will end up being judged (and rewarded) on how successful the program is. To think that the rules won't be bent is to think that rules weren't bent in trying to meet the 'No Child left Behind' standards in Atlanta.

      .

      Delete
    4. We couldn’t be number one without diversity. OOrah!

      Delete
  16. OBAMACARE NAVIGATORS - Obamacare's costly navigators

    Just who is eligible to become a navigator? Although the rule declares that navigators “must not have a conflict of interest during their term” and “must provide information and services in a fair, accurate, and impartial manner,” it provides little other guidance. “The rules allow navigators to come from the ranks of unions, health providers and community action groups such as ACORN and Planned Parenthood,” Bedard states. In fact, they require each exchange to have “at least two different types of entities as Navigators, one of which must be a community and consumer-focused non-profit group.”

    How many navigators will be needed? The final number has not yet been determined, but according to Bedard, California alone has requested 21,000 of them. It’s no exaggeration to suggest that there may be hundreds of thousands of these tax eaters when all is said and done.

    And taxes they will consume. HHS estimates that navigators will make anywhere from $20 to $48 per hour, depending on their positions. Assuming California got its 21,000 navigators and they all made just $20 an hour for a 40-hour week, they would cost taxpayers over $873 million a year — and that’s for just one state. The day after the proposed rule was released, Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing his concern over the navigators’ “inflated hourly wages,” particularly “at a time when thousands of current federal employees are being placed on furloughs to reduce our budget deficit.” (An administration official told Bedard that the $20-per-hour assumption used in the rule “is an estimate, not a recommendation or a requirement” and that “states and organizations are not required by the federal government to set any payment levels for these employees.”)

    Additionally, taxpayers will have to foot the bill for translators for non-English-speakers who seek insurance on an exchange. The proposed rule requires exchanges and navigators to “provide consumers with information and assistance in the consumer’s preferred language, at no cost to the consumer, which would include oral interpretation of non-English languages and the translation of written documents in non-English languages when necessary to ensure meaningful access.”

    The exchanges themselves are supposed “to have a strong customer-service component, including call centers and physical offices,” according to The Hill. This, too, will undoubtedly take taxpayers for a pretty penny — and provide customer service similar to that of the Internal Revenue Service.

    Then there’s the matter of voter registration. The draft ObamaCare application asks the applicant if he would like to register to vote; if so, it directs him to a voter registration form...

    ReplyDelete
  17. 21,000 needed FOR CALIFORNIA ALONE!

    And taxes they will consume. HHS estimates that navigators will make anywhere from $20 to $48 per hour, depending on their positions. Assuming California got its 21,000 navigators and they all made just $20 an hour for a 40-hour week, they would cost taxpayers over $873 million a year — and that’s for just one state!

    --

    Perfection in Government has been acheived
    - just ask 'Rat and Rufie.

    You two are pieces of work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A Trillion here, a Trillion there, no big deal.

      Delete
  18. Then there’s the matter of voter registration. The draft ObamaCare application asks the applicant if he would like to register to vote; if so, it directs him to a voter registration form. Republicans are none too happy with this, fearing that it could be used to encourage people to register as Democrats — especially since Democrat-aligned activists may well be serving as navigators — or to retaliate against those who don’t. (Democrats might want to consider this, too: At some point a non-Democrat will move into the White House and become privy to the data HHS has collected.) Rep. Charles Boustany, Jr. (R-La.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee, wrote to Sebelius on March 25, seeking more details on the voter-registration matter. In his letter he reminded her that the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) does not mention voter registration and that the Paperwork Reduction Act “requires that Federal agencies gather only appropriate information as required by legislation.”

    Navigating ObamaCare is going to be a costly, labor-intensive, intrusive, and politically charged task.

    In no conceivable way does it improve the quality or reduce the cost of healthcare.

    It does, however, vastly extend the reach of the federal government and the party that controls its executive branch. And that, more than anything else, explains why the law was passed and why it is proving so difficult to repeal.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Replies
    1. Don't get excited, Rufus:

      The Mayor is a REPUBLICAN!

      Can't be good.

      Delete
    2. The biggest power payoff came with the school system. After the Lancaster school board rejected an offer from SolarCity, saying it was unaffordable, the city created a municipal utility. It bought 32,094 panels, had them installed on 25 schools, generated 7.5 megawatts of power and sold the enterprise to the school district for 35 percent less than it was paying for electricity at the time. Another 8 megawatts now come from systems operating at the local high school and Antelope Valley College.

      Not surprisingly, the private companies in Lancaster’s collection of public-private partnerships praise him. “It’s so business friendly here, it’s not even funny,” said Jim Cahill, a regional vice president at SolarCity.

      “A lot of what we’re doing appears to be public relations,” the mayor conceded. “It has that taint to it. But what we’re doing is scalable and portable.” Lancaster is already marketing its power to other municipalities.

      Getting a permit for a solar installation, he said, takes 15 minutes.

      Delete
    3. The average time in LA, and San Diego runs about half a year, I think.

      Delete
    4. LA Prides itself on running off businesses.

      Even Hollywood Movie Types.

      ...although they recently relented on that a bit, I think.

      Delete
  20. ...Geeze:

    Talking to a Neurologist/Brain Surgeon about my back for 30 min cost 346 bucks!
    ...I pay $15.

    ...I know it's hard to imagine, but think if there was something wrong w/my Brain and he had to operate!

    Hard to imagine the need, AND the cost.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...maybe if I got run into by a drunk driver and banged my head.

      But I don't get out much at nite.

      But still...

      Delete
  21. I'd like to thank you for the efforts you've put in writing this blog.
    I am hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well.
    In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me
    to get my own blog now ;)

    Here is my homepage: oakleyfreeshipping.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. ...I think he's refering to my comments, yes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Well, I must admit that at times your writing is definately 'creative'.

      :)

      .

      Delete
    2. D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y

      www.d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y.com/

      D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y. The correct spelling is definitely. Not definately. Not definatly. Not definantly. Not definetly. Not definently. And certainly not defiantly.

      Hall of shame

      Delete
  23. FCC 891

    As I said before:

    RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Safe from Sequester: NATO Ambassador's Home Alotted $700K -- for Gardening!

    ReplyDelete
  25. A million here a million there.

    Raise Taxes!

    Spend More!

    Go Team Rufus!

    ReplyDelete
  26. "President Barack Obama, who traveled on Monday to Hartford, Conn. to speak in favor of gun control legislation, will speak critically of the threats of a filibuster from Senate Republicans, according prepared remarks

    Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/mitch-mcconnell-joins-senate-gun-filibuster-89773.html#ixzz2Q1GV6IRJ"

    ...Rufus has volunteered to Grab Guns for Obama.

    For Free.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Abengoa SA has announced its demonstration plant in Babilafuente, Spain, has begun operations. The facility uses Abengoa’s waste-to-biofuels (W2B) technology convert municipal solid waste (MSW) into ethanol. The demonstration plant has the capacity to process 25,000 metric tons of biomass into 1.5 million liters (396,258 gallons) of fuel annually.

    According to information released by Abengoa, its W2B technology features a fermentation treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis.” During the transformation process, the organic matter is subjected to various treatments to produce organic fiber that is rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, which can subsequently be converted into bioethanol,” said Abengoa in a statement.

    The company has already proven out the process on a pilot scale at its facility in Hugoton, Kan. A 100 MMly commercial-scale facility is also under development in Hugoton. That facility is scheduled to be operational by the end of the year.

    The operation of the demonstration plant also marks . . . . . . .

    Abengoa

    ReplyDelete
  28. Billabong International BBG.AU -26.03% fell 26% as investors were unimpressed with a renegotiated take over bid from private equity bidder Sycamore Partners that valued the company at 60 Australian cents per share.

    South Korea's Kospi Composite rose 0.5%, led by gains in exporters. However, investors remained cautious amid continued geopolitical risks from North Korea.

    Hyundai Motor 005380.SE +1.01% rose 1.0% and Doosan Infracore gained 2.2%.

    ReplyDelete
  29. On this day in 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, a move that effectively ended the Civil War.

    ReplyDelete