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(The following was written in response to a hacked story posted as a comment on George Rebane's blog.)
What isn't in The Union newspaper is that Lucas himself had no beef with amateur stills. Within 3 weeks a search for Sith on Flickr.com, show 70,000 different pictures from the movie posted. Obviously no other patrons of theaters were arrested, once the bounty was claimed.
What else isn't in the Union and Getz isn't mentioning is that the MPAA had set up a bounty for the first "filmer" caught. So well oiled was the machine that it was not The Union that scooped the story, but rather an AP reporter out of San Francisco.
There is no doubt in my mind that Getz called MPAA immediately and they called the reporter, and he had it on the wire across 300 outlets before The Union could even get a reporter to give me a call. What did Getz do with his bounty, and how come he goes around begging the public for money to repaint the mural? Seems to me it would be a good use of the cash.
BTW, case diverted, 30 hours community service at a non profit I volunteer for anyway. Big Deal, no mugshot, camera and photos returned intact, guess they could see where they might have been sued, I've got better things to do.
Like enjoy the investment in our home theater, since we no longer go to any Getz theaters. Should I ever get an apology, we'll reconsider. We are neighbors on the North San Juan Ridge (3 air miles, but there's only 3,000 people up here).
Lemme Guess, AR or AlwaysRyghty of The Union posted this story. BTW, check the GVPD logs, I surrendered myself to them, after the movie was over, 3 blocks away. No use of video was ever found.
My wife adds that the new laws (1996, I think) for teachers allow for "fair use," and I am still active in my profession, as is she.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Racism Alive and Well in Modern Germany
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Germany's Prime Minister and the head of another "Christian" party there have come out against letting Barack Obama make a speech at the Brandenburg Gate, Fortunately many other groups are welcoming him, including the City Fathers of Berlin.
When I was 11 years old, in the winter of 1955, I attended German schools as the son of a Fullbright (sp?) Exchange professor. When Christmas rolled around, it was time for the Christmas play. My teacher, a kindly man, (amazing, I haven't thought about him in 40 years, but I can see his face now, can't quite get the name yet) asked me, somewhat gingerly, if I would play the part of the "Schwartziger Koenig" (sp?) or the black king or wise man. I agreed, saw nothing unusual in the request, but did note that many of the other children were quite relieved and laughing about the situation. Came the night of the play, we were all dressed up and I was made up in blackface for the part. Again much tittering, and "Er ist die Schwarziger Koenig" (He is the black king)
In thinking back later on, I realized that this was my introduction to the world of racism. I'm proud to have been the Black King, and I've always chosen black when playing chess. As a partially deaf person, I've experienced plenty of discrimination first hand, even though I am white, except on the days when I am AmerIndian. (Keachie, K'itsai tribe in Lousiana, related to Pawnee)
In this case I have no doubt that racism is present, and I wonder if the new Germany will beat out the old Germany I knew... Would they have complained about McCain? I doubt it. Thin excuse about him not bringing down the wall, he was hardly old enough to be involved. If they want to make it off limits to one of freedom's most precious process, electioneering, on the grounds that it is vulgar, they might as well go back to a dictatorship. You know who was a class "A" racist, but died in his bunker not far from the Gate (Tor). I know. I went to both places as a child (special permission to cross to East Berlin for the bunker, then a non-descript pile of rubble and cobbles).
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Germany's Prime Minister and the head of another "Christian" party there have come out against letting Barack Obama make a speech at the Brandenburg Gate, Fortunately many other groups are welcoming him, including the City Fathers of Berlin.
When I was 11 years old, in the winter of 1955, I attended German schools as the son of a Fullbright (sp?) Exchange professor. When Christmas rolled around, it was time for the Christmas play. My teacher, a kindly man, (amazing, I haven't thought about him in 40 years, but I can see his face now, can't quite get the name yet) asked me, somewhat gingerly, if I would play the part of the "Schwartziger Koenig" (sp?) or the black king or wise man. I agreed, saw nothing unusual in the request, but did note that many of the other children were quite relieved and laughing about the situation. Came the night of the play, we were all dressed up and I was made up in blackface for the part. Again much tittering, and "Er ist die Schwarziger Koenig" (He is the black king)
In thinking back later on, I realized that this was my introduction to the world of racism. I'm proud to have been the Black King, and I've always chosen black when playing chess. As a partially deaf person, I've experienced plenty of discrimination first hand, even though I am white, except on the days when I am AmerIndian. (Keachie, K'itsai tribe in Lousiana, related to Pawnee)
In this case I have no doubt that racism is present, and I wonder if the new Germany will beat out the old Germany I knew... Would they have complained about McCain? I doubt it. Thin excuse about him not bringing down the wall, he was hardly old enough to be involved. If they want to make it off limits to one of freedom's most precious process, electioneering, on the grounds that it is vulgar, they might as well go back to a dictatorship. You know who was a class "A" racist, but died in his bunker not far from the Gate (Tor). I know. I went to both places as a child (special permission to cross to East Berlin for the bunker, then a non-descript pile of rubble and cobbles).
Friday, July 11, 2008
Unscrambling the Latest Microsoft "Upgrade" and ZoneAlarm
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I use ZoneAlarm as a firewall. I pay for it, It's supposed to be better than the native Windows Firewall. On July 8th Microsoft upgrades my computer. When I go to use it again, via tethered cell phone to USB cable, it slows to a crawl, useless. I call Verizon, they don't have a clue. I shut down the Zonealarm, and speed picks up, and I implement Microsoft native firewall. Next time I start the machine, ZoneAlarm kicks in again, and I'm back to square one. This is not all as obvious as it seems. I've been having issues with PCTools Spyware doctor that will involve messing around in the registry. That's where I'm thinking the problem may lie.
Eventually I do the right thing. I go to the Zone Alarm website and discover that, low and behold, they know of the issue, and have a cure. Did ZoneAlarm bother to tell me via email??? Nooooo! Did Microsoft say anything??? Noooo! Bad service from both of them. How much productivity did the country lose over their inattention to customer service? Probably a million man hours, easily.
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I use ZoneAlarm as a firewall. I pay for it, It's supposed to be better than the native Windows Firewall. On July 8th Microsoft upgrades my computer. When I go to use it again, via tethered cell phone to USB cable, it slows to a crawl, useless. I call Verizon, they don't have a clue. I shut down the Zonealarm, and speed picks up, and I implement Microsoft native firewall. Next time I start the machine, ZoneAlarm kicks in again, and I'm back to square one. This is not all as obvious as it seems. I've been having issues with PCTools Spyware doctor that will involve messing around in the registry. That's where I'm thinking the problem may lie.
Eventually I do the right thing. I go to the Zone Alarm website and discover that, low and behold, they know of the issue, and have a cure. Did ZoneAlarm bother to tell me via email??? Nooooo! Did Microsoft say anything??? Noooo! Bad service from both of them. How much productivity did the country lose over their inattention to customer service? Probably a million man hours, easily.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
"Unattended Mailbox" Let the Revolution Begin with Me!
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Got another email from some stupid survey group, that wound up with, "don't try to reply, the mailbox is unattended.."
Sort of the ultimate in your face note. Guess what? I just created a filter in Eudora, my mail client, that looks at the body of the text of every incoming email. If it detects the word "unattended" it transfers the email to a folder called "zzz_unattended" because 99.9% of the time such emails put me to sleep, and are a waste of time. Now a quick glance and they are trashed as a group, without wasting my time. I won't even see them unless I open that folder.
You give me an unattended mailbox, I give you an unattended folder to sleep in. What's fair is fair.
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Got another email from some stupid survey group, that wound up with, "don't try to reply, the mailbox is unattended.."
Sort of the ultimate in your face note. Guess what? I just created a filter in Eudora, my mail client, that looks at the body of the text of every incoming email. If it detects the word "unattended" it transfers the email to a folder called "zzz_unattended" because 99.9% of the time such emails put me to sleep, and are a waste of time. Now a quick glance and they are trashed as a group, without wasting my time. I won't even see them unless I open that folder.
You give me an unattended mailbox, I give you an unattended folder to sleep in. What's fair is fair.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Winston Churchill Says It Best
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"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
Sir Winston Churchill
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"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
Sir Winston Churchill
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Weasal Lawyering on Copyrights at The Union?
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The Union newspaper recently removed a photo of mine which I had copyrighted, both very lightly in the image area, and in the file area reserved for such purposes. I had noted with joy in their section on the "new Website" that while huckstering their own staff images via prints available, they had made it clear that the submitted readers photos were, "available for the readers' viewing pleasure," which I assumed meant that the copyrights of the submitters were being respected.
When the photo was removed, Zuri Berry sent me a link to the website where the legalese "weaselese" is stored. There I read the following:
" 5. Proprietary Rights in Content
By displaying or posting any messages, text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, profiles, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, "Content") on or through the Services, you hereby grant us, a non-exclusive, fully-paid and royalty-free, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense through unlimited levels of sublicenses) to use, copy, modify, adapt, translate, publicly perform, publicly display, store, reproduce, transmit, and distribute such Content on and through the Services. This license will terminate when you remove such Content from the Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a back-up or residual copy of the Content posted by you may remain on back-up servers after you have removed the Content from the Services, and we retain the rights to those copies. You represent and warrant that: (i) you own the Content posted by you or otherwise have the right to grant the license set forth in this section, and (ii) the posting of your Content does not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, contract rights or any other rights of any person. You agree to pay for all royalties, fees, and any other monies owed to any person by reason of any Content posted by you."
Note very carefully the following weasel mode:
"This license will terminate when you remove such Content from the Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a back-up or residual copy of the Content posted by you may remain on back-up servers after you have removed the Content from the Services, and we retain the rights to those copies. "
The first part of the state sounds like you get to retain your copyrights, as long as you remove it from the services. While the right hand giveth, the left immediately takes it away, in the final clause. For all practical purposes, they retain the copyrights under all circumstances. They make it sound like it is "just a backup" but the way it reads, they retain the rights.
This sucks.
BTW, all my other submitted photos had the visual copyrights posted on them, and never caused a problem. Could their be a problem with the content, a tiedyed hippydude flashing the "V" signs against a backdrop of the American flag?
Here is The Union copyright link:
http://apps.theunion.com/utils/uiincludes/termsofuse.php.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Mortgage Blowup? The Dems Fault?
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I do most of my writing these days at The Union, our local paper. (www.theunion.com)
One of our pesky Ryghtys declared that the mortgage crisis was caused by the Dems in Congress since 2006, so I responded as follows:
Mortgage blowup? The seeds were sown and fertilized and tended with great enthusiasm by large and small businesses, and a Republican government that wanted a county to think that it could pay for a greedy war and that Peak Oil would never come.
Bush and Ryghtys estimates of possible barrels of oil at prices below $4/ gallon are as accurate as Bush's assessment of WMD. It ain't there folks, not even at $9.11/gallon, which will be Bush's and the Republicans real legacy from the years of 2001 - 2006, when the foundations were laid, and so was America. History will call it rape.
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I do most of my writing these days at The Union, our local paper. (www.theunion.com)
One of our pesky Ryghtys declared that the mortgage crisis was caused by the Dems in Congress since 2006, so I responded as follows:
Mortgage blowup? The seeds were sown and fertilized and tended with great enthusiasm by large and small businesses, and a Republican government that wanted a county to think that it could pay for a greedy war and that Peak Oil would never come.
Bush and Ryghtys estimates of possible barrels of oil at prices below $4/ gallon are as accurate as Bush's assessment of WMD. It ain't there folks, not even at $9.11/gallon, which will be Bush's and the Republicans real legacy from the years of 2001 - 2006, when the foundations were laid, and so was America. History will call it rape.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Civil War Revisited: Elections, 2008
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I think that phrase sums it all up. And, like last time, there will be blood. I will probably put more into this election than I put into all other elections and protests combined, even though California should handily go to Barack Obama.
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I think that phrase sums it all up. And, like last time, there will be blood. I will probably put more into this election than I put into all other elections and protests combined, even though California should handily go to Barack Obama.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
End Iraq How? Brown, Barack Now!
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This is a slogan for those of us in the 4th Congressional District of the Great State of Californeya. Charlie Brown is running against Tom McClintock, a Ryght WingTipper Dipper if there ever was one. He maintained a residence in Southern California where his District was, while moving his home and family permanently to easy driving distance to Sacramento, the state capitol. He has since collected $300,000 for living "so far away," ($170/day) while cutting veterans benefits, and he lies with every campaign mailer he produces. Guided by God? I think not.
Charlie Brown is giving 5% of his campaign money to veterans groups, has a son in Iraq, and is retired from the Air Force himself, and has been a school teacher.
"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!"
You all know Barack, and I'm glad to see my Barack Effect come alive so quickly in the Black Community. If you recall one of my arguments for him was that it would lift test scores in inner city schools without spending a dime. I saw evidence of uplifted spirits in kids and adults alike throughout all communities on TV last night. Now we will have a country we can all be proud of, regardless of who wins in November, but I have no doubt that Obama will sweep, and racists will weep, the few that are still around.
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This is a slogan for those of us in the 4th Congressional District of the Great State of Californeya. Charlie Brown is running against Tom McClintock, a Ryght WingTipper Dipper if there ever was one. He maintained a residence in Southern California where his District was, while moving his home and family permanently to easy driving distance to Sacramento, the state capitol. He has since collected $300,000 for living "so far away," ($170/day) while cutting veterans benefits, and he lies with every campaign mailer he produces. Guided by God? I think not.
Charlie Brown is giving 5% of his campaign money to veterans groups, has a son in Iraq, and is retired from the Air Force himself, and has been a school teacher.
"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!"
You all know Barack, and I'm glad to see my Barack Effect come alive so quickly in the Black Community. If you recall one of my arguments for him was that it would lift test scores in inner city schools without spending a dime. I saw evidence of uplifted spirits in kids and adults alike throughout all communities on TV last night. Now we will have a country we can all be proud of, regardless of who wins in November, but I have no doubt that Obama will sweep, and racists will weep, the few that are still around.
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Union Newspaper vs the Commenting Readers
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The Union newspaper in Grass Valley California has had an active core of commentors over the last couple of months. The software they were using was clunky, but it did offer the abiltiy to see what the most recent comments were. This element was key in getting live wore discussions and debates going. They have now introduced a "new and improve coke" which lacks this feature.
Many of us have asked to have the feature restored, but to no avail. I've finally made a post that make s it clear we are not happy campers. Here it is:
"Powered by Pluck
A bit of research reveals that this is no fly by night company, and that The Union can certainly ask for "most recent comments" and get it, IF The Union wants it. Pluck has even designed a an online debating software for the Economist, as well as full fledged forums, with all the kinds of interactivity I'm sure Union posters would enjoy.
Bottom line here may be "page views." Advertising revenue is determined by the number of page views, and the more we have to search, the more page views we rack up. It's like the mouse click farms in India, which used to drive up revenues for Google and Yahoo. Sometimes competitors would hire them to cost the other side for "page views." Amount of page views from me will soon drop to ZERO if this isn't fixed.
Also, I'd look into setting up forum software that references The Union articles without violating laws, and then allows for full featured discussions. Web 2.0 is Here. Your users ARE interactive and not oblivious to the technologies and marketing strategies involved.
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The Union newspaper in Grass Valley California has had an active core of commentors over the last couple of months. The software they were using was clunky, but it did offer the abiltiy to see what the most recent comments were. This element was key in getting live wore discussions and debates going. They have now introduced a "new and improve coke" which lacks this feature.
Many of us have asked to have the feature restored, but to no avail. I've finally made a post that make s it clear we are not happy campers. Here it is:
"Powered by Pluck
A bit of research reveals that this is no fly by night company, and that The Union can certainly ask for "most recent comments" and get it, IF The Union wants it. Pluck has even designed a an online debating software for the Economist, as well as full fledged forums, with all the kinds of interactivity I'm sure Union posters would enjoy.
Bottom line here may be "page views." Advertising revenue is determined by the number of page views, and the more we have to search, the more page views we rack up. It's like the mouse click farms in India, which used to drive up revenues for Google and Yahoo. Sometimes competitors would hire them to cost the other side for "page views." Amount of page views from me will soon drop to ZERO if this isn't fixed.
Also, I'd look into setting up forum software that references The Union articles without violating laws, and then allows for full featured discussions. Web 2.0 is Here. Your users ARE interactive and not oblivious to the technologies and marketing strategies involved.
Monday, May 19, 2008
My Lost Weekend with Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection
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That's the name of the product on the box. The sales lady on the phone vehemently denies it is a collection on the phone when challenged about the actual product with just one serial number, instead of a full "collection of individual disks, each with their own numbers. Suffice it to say, another software company has taken a few more days of my life, NEEDLESSLY!
Wrtten Monday Morning:
My wife was using a trial edition of Photoshop CS3 Extended to take a course. The software was to expire on Saturday evening, and so on Thursday I called up to get a serial number to place in the appropriate spot, as the trial software had been prompting me. As my wife has plans for taking additional courses, we wanted to get the whole Master Creative Suite. It wasn't until I contacted Adobe to finalize the purchase that evening, that we learned that it was not going to be a case of giving a credit card, getting a serial number, and typing it in, a 5 minute transaction.
In my wife's instructor's intro to class I must admit she did warn people to have it installed and running. My wife and I took this to mean not to spend the money elsewhere. I've been installing software since 1980, as a tech and a teacher myself. The only events, that the problems involved with this, are comparable to, are Win95 and SoftImage 4. The first because, as we all know, it was broken form the start.
Suffice to say they did make it clear to stop applications, but they also seem to suggest that you needed to be connected to the internet for the install to succeed. Accordingly I prepared the machine by completely cleaning out every former Adobe program, and making 44 gigs of space on a 2 gig of RAM, duo processor, Sony VAIO laptop. This is double the requiements listed on the box, and usually handles the manufacturers' screwups. I wanted a clean and solid install.
That was Saturday afternoon. I had driven to UC Davis to pick up the collection, as it turned out that not only couldn't they give serial numbers over the phone, they couldn't download the software either. Davis is a five hour round trip from here, but it was the closest copy.
By Saturday night I had screwed up the machine so badly the the Internet connection was behaving erratically. It still is and Verizon will be back to me this afternoon. This email will be going out over land line phone. Sunday afternoon the Verizon EVO line started working again, and I continued to read and ponder the enormous amount of information Adobe has for failed installs, including the notion of copying the DVD's to the Hard drive, and messing with the registry, stuff I would still assume the average consumer is not going to be familiar with.
Tech support was closed till Monday, and appeared to cost $39 per incident. The website does not mention free installation support. I would consider these two things one and the same, so it never occurred to me to ask. I only learned about this by threatening to take the product back and forget about Adobe forevermore.
This morning I was finally able to get through to install support, where a young Chinese dude and I slowly worked our way through a ton of steps to clear away the mess, and begin a fresh install with absolutely no Internet, and no applications of any kind running, including tiny calendars and timers and Netmeter.
It took 30 minutes on hold with just music (no reassuring, "somebody will answer"), and 1 1/2 hours of working with the tech to get the process to start again from the beginning. With EVERYTHING shut down, the install went off as you would expect, taking about 35 minutes.
As of 10 minutes ago, at 11:18 Am Monday, May 19th, 2008, my wife again has use of Adobe Photoshop, but she is of course at school, teaching, in Yuba City an hour and 1/2 from here.
Takeaways:
Adobe Suite Looks Like a Bargain, but is not all of the individual softwares, but rather a giant one serial number software. Installing it takes forever. Installing it wrong takes forever and a day to fix. It is very easy to install it wrong. They call it a "Suite" and not a "Collection" I was informed, even though it says "collection" right on the box..
Even when installed at first it looks just like Photoshop CS3, with no extended. The "extended" part only shows up after activation.
The product is only shipped from Atlanta, or available in your college bookstores, sometimes. Students need photo ID and course schedule current or tuition bill current. Faculty need photo ID, paystub, bsuiness cards, the more stuff the better. I wound up taking in our marriage license to prove the connection, as well as birth certificates and driver's licenses.
The phone number for free Installation support is:
1-866-772-3623
1-800-642-3623
They are open only M - F , 6 Am to 5PM, PST and PDT
No weekends.
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That's the name of the product on the box. The sales lady on the phone vehemently denies it is a collection on the phone when challenged about the actual product with just one serial number, instead of a full "collection of individual disks, each with their own numbers. Suffice it to say, another software company has taken a few more days of my life, NEEDLESSLY!
Wrtten Monday Morning:
My wife was using a trial edition of Photoshop CS3 Extended to take a course. The software was to expire on Saturday evening, and so on Thursday I called up to get a serial number to place in the appropriate spot, as the trial software had been prompting me. As my wife has plans for taking additional courses, we wanted to get the whole Master Creative Suite. It wasn't until I contacted Adobe to finalize the purchase that evening, that we learned that it was not going to be a case of giving a credit card, getting a serial number, and typing it in, a 5 minute transaction.
In my wife's instructor's intro to class I must admit she did warn people to have it installed and running. My wife and I took this to mean not to spend the money elsewhere. I've been installing software since 1980, as a tech and a teacher myself. The only events, that the problems involved with this, are comparable to, are Win95 and SoftImage 4. The first because, as we all know, it was broken form the start.
Suffice to say they did make it clear to stop applications, but they also seem to suggest that you needed to be connected to the internet for the install to succeed. Accordingly I prepared the machine by completely cleaning out every former Adobe program, and making 44 gigs of space on a 2 gig of RAM, duo processor, Sony VAIO laptop. This is double the requiements listed on the box, and usually handles the manufacturers' screwups. I wanted a clean and solid install.
That was Saturday afternoon. I had driven to UC Davis to pick up the collection, as it turned out that not only couldn't they give serial numbers over the phone, they couldn't download the software either. Davis is a five hour round trip from here, but it was the closest copy.
By Saturday night I had screwed up the machine so badly the the Internet connection was behaving erratically. It still is and Verizon will be back to me this afternoon. This email will be going out over land line phone. Sunday afternoon the Verizon EVO line started working again, and I continued to read and ponder the enormous amount of information Adobe has for failed installs, including the notion of copying the DVD's to the Hard drive, and messing with the registry, stuff I would still assume the average consumer is not going to be familiar with.
Tech support was closed till Monday, and appeared to cost $39 per incident. The website does not mention free installation support. I would consider these two things one and the same, so it never occurred to me to ask. I only learned about this by threatening to take the product back and forget about Adobe forevermore.
This morning I was finally able to get through to install support, where a young Chinese dude and I slowly worked our way through a ton of steps to clear away the mess, and begin a fresh install with absolutely no Internet, and no applications of any kind running, including tiny calendars and timers and Netmeter.
It took 30 minutes on hold with just music (no reassuring, "somebody will answer"), and 1 1/2 hours of working with the tech to get the process to start again from the beginning. With EVERYTHING shut down, the install went off as you would expect, taking about 35 minutes.
As of 10 minutes ago, at 11:18 Am Monday, May 19th, 2008, my wife again has use of Adobe Photoshop, but she is of course at school, teaching, in Yuba City an hour and 1/2 from here.
Takeaways:
Adobe Suite Looks Like a Bargain, but is not all of the individual softwares, but rather a giant one serial number software. Installing it takes forever. Installing it wrong takes forever and a day to fix. It is very easy to install it wrong. They call it a "Suite" and not a "Collection" I was informed, even though it says "collection" right on the box..
Even when installed at first it looks just like Photoshop CS3, with no extended. The "extended" part only shows up after activation.
The product is only shipped from Atlanta, or available in your college bookstores, sometimes. Students need photo ID and course schedule current or tuition bill current. Faculty need photo ID, paystub, bsuiness cards, the more stuff the better. I wound up taking in our marriage license to prove the connection, as well as birth certificates and driver's licenses.
The phone number for free Installation support is:
1-866-772-3623
1-800-642-3623
They are open only M - F , 6 Am to 5PM, PST and PDT
No weekends.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Believe in the Devil? Every bit as much as I believe in God
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Patti Ann, a Commenter on The Union Online www.theunion.com, challenged me on my religious like beliefs, and I came up with this:
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Patti Ann, a Commenter on The Union Online www.theunion.com, challenged me on my religious like beliefs, and I came up with this:
As a Optimistic Hopeful Agnostic, all thing beyond the flesh and blood biosphere will be revealed as you make the transition, if there is anything to be revealed at all. From age 13 there have been 3 possibilities:
the same
better
or worse
and two out of three is not bad
Given the ridiculous numbers of different people all yammering about their one and only possibilities, I take this as a sign from the Prime Cause of Existence, if Such a Person/Thing exists, to be patient, and behave in a manner that would be pleasing to such a construct, or at least behave in a way that keeps most fellow humans and myself reasonably happy. Golden Rule rediscovered, for the umpteenth time. So there you have it. Martha Stewart Style Exoduses with folded clothing and all non believers being microwaved seems like one of the odder manifestations of human creativeness in explaining the currently unknown/unknowable.
I mean really, let's say God and Jesus show up tomorrow at the Miner's Foundery and start performing all kinds of miracles, and then turned out to be aliens from Mars in disguise? How could you tell the difference? Aliens with Photoshopping morphing capabilities are not outside the realm of possibility.
Can I celebrate the possibility that some such uberGott crtter with benevolent thoughts for all of us exists? Of course, and in fact I really hope one does, and that we all have souls, or whatever, that allow us to continue existence after we hit the decayed hamburger state. Most of the time, I enjoy existing.
OK, so much for Religion 101, version 6.3 billion (one version for each person on the planet). I only answer such questions when directly asked.
the same
better
or worse
and two out of three is not bad
Given the ridiculous numbers of different people all yammering about their one and only possibilities, I take this as a sign from the Prime Cause of Existence, if Such a Person/Thing exists, to be patient, and behave in a manner that would be pleasing to such a construct, or at least behave in a way that keeps most fellow humans and myself reasonably happy. Golden Rule rediscovered, for the umpteenth time. So there you have it. Martha Stewart Style Exoduses with folded clothing and all non believers being microwaved seems like one of the odder manifestations of human creativeness in explaining the currently unknown/unknowable.
I mean really, let's say God and Jesus show up tomorrow at the Miner's Foundery and start performing all kinds of miracles, and then turned out to be aliens from Mars in disguise? How could you tell the difference? Aliens with Photoshopping morphing capabilities are not outside the realm of possibility.
Can I celebrate the possibility that some such uberGott crtter with benevolent thoughts for all of us exists? Of course, and in fact I really hope one does, and that we all have souls, or whatever, that allow us to continue existence after we hit the decayed hamburger state. Most of the time, I enjoy existing.
OK, so much for Religion 101, version 6.3 billion (one version for each person on the planet). I only answer such questions when directly asked.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Let's Make a Deal --> Visiting Workers for Idiots on Both Sides of the Borders
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I'm still hot for my ship off of Acapulco which serves as the place where working visitors to the USA can receive the rest of their cash.
This is all, of course, tied into major fines for those who hire illegals without the appropriate USB chip and good verification procedures.
A working visitor shows up at our border and is biometrically ID'd right down to the eyeballs and DNA, as well as the usual photos and fingerprints. The person is then given a USB storage chip that contains that info, plus a few security routines to make sure that when he or she shows up at an employer, the employer can plug it in and do a few more verifications as needed, on line.
Employee works, employer pays employee 1/2 to 2/3rd of the expected salary, less taxes, and a good health coverage plan, etc. The remainder is placed in an account that the employee can view anytime, online, at terminals at libraries and other public places. This gives the employee a place to check up and make sure that the employer is being honest and covering those bases. You'd need an ombudsman here to cover the screw-ups.
To get the rest of the money the employee has to go to Mexico, and take a trip out to the USA ship, out beyond Mexican territorial waters. The reason for this location is to keep the Mexican government out of the equation. If Mexico wants to provide a dock, and no hassles, fine, we'll use it, but we won't be over a barrel for it.
During the first year the money draws interest for the employee. During the second year it draws no interest. At the end of two years, the money goes into the general USA Social Security funds, as a hedge against the employee eventually being amnestied into citizenship. The employee then loses the money.
Exceptions:
If the visiting worker takes steps that would improve his chances of becoming a citizen, or his value as a worker, then it is possible to:
Get an extension on the two year forfeiture clause.
Use those funds for tuition/books/computers/software in legitimate training programs.
Other items which serve the USA as much as the visiting worker, which I haven't thought of.
So, where's the problem with this scheme?
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I'm still hot for my ship off of Acapulco which serves as the place where working visitors to the USA can receive the rest of their cash.
This is all, of course, tied into major fines for those who hire illegals without the appropriate USB chip and good verification procedures.
A working visitor shows up at our border and is biometrically ID'd right down to the eyeballs and DNA, as well as the usual photos and fingerprints. The person is then given a USB storage chip that contains that info, plus a few security routines to make sure that when he or she shows up at an employer, the employer can plug it in and do a few more verifications as needed, on line.
Employee works, employer pays employee 1/2 to 2/3rd of the expected salary, less taxes, and a good health coverage plan, etc. The remainder is placed in an account that the employee can view anytime, online, at terminals at libraries and other public places. This gives the employee a place to check up and make sure that the employer is being honest and covering those bases. You'd need an ombudsman here to cover the screw-ups.
To get the rest of the money the employee has to go to Mexico, and take a trip out to the USA ship, out beyond Mexican territorial waters. The reason for this location is to keep the Mexican government out of the equation. If Mexico wants to provide a dock, and no hassles, fine, we'll use it, but we won't be over a barrel for it.
During the first year the money draws interest for the employee. During the second year it draws no interest. At the end of two years, the money goes into the general USA Social Security funds, as a hedge against the employee eventually being amnestied into citizenship. The employee then loses the money.
Exceptions:
If the visiting worker takes steps that would improve his chances of becoming a citizen, or his value as a worker, then it is possible to:
Get an extension on the two year forfeiture clause.
Use those funds for tuition/books/computers/software in legitimate training programs.
Other items which serve the USA as much as the visiting worker, which I haven't thought of.
So, where's the problem with this scheme?
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Is Obama "American-enough?"
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This is a portion of a response I made at The Union newspaper, to a guy questioning Obama's loyalty and 'Americaness."
When I see what I perceive as racist, and I do see your posts as racist, I react, as every "good" American should. It seems to me that if it was a shot of a drunken young Bush or McCain, failing to follow protocol, you would consider it a gaffe or faux pas. Because he's black and you are scared, you see it as an insidious plot to overthrow the entire country. I think your attitude is both silly and rude.
As I pointed out before, it would seem as though he is now "doing the body motions and words," otherwise U-Tube would have run out of space on their servers from hyper-videotaping Republicans eager to prove their ridiculous case.
In case you missed it, Obama is much more of an American than a person who goes around questioning if he is an "American," or perhaps to use his phrasing from a comment about Hillary, he is, "American-enough."
Go to his website and find some substantive issue to disagree with, and stop the ES about whether or not he is an American. By questioning whether or not an American Senator is an American or not, you drown yourself in obvious stupidity. He's been carded already, he's an American, trust in your government to have done the background checks, after all this is still a Republican administration...
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This is a portion of a response I made at The Union newspaper, to a guy questioning Obama's loyalty and 'Americaness."
When I see what I perceive as racist, and I do see your posts as racist, I react, as every "good" American should. It seems to me that if it was a shot of a drunken young Bush or McCain, failing to follow protocol, you would consider it a gaffe or faux pas. Because he's black and you are scared, you see it as an insidious plot to overthrow the entire country. I think your attitude is both silly and rude.
As I pointed out before, it would seem as though he is now "doing the body motions and words," otherwise U-Tube would have run out of space on their servers from hyper-videotaping Republicans eager to prove their ridiculous case.
In case you missed it, Obama is much more of an American than a person who goes around questioning if he is an "American," or perhaps to use his phrasing from a comment about Hillary, he is, "American-enough."
Go to his website and find some substantive issue to disagree with, and stop the ES about whether or not he is an American. By questioning whether or not an American Senator is an American or not, you drown yourself in obvious stupidity. He's been carded already, he's an American, trust in your government to have done the background checks, after all this is still a Republican administration...
If Elected, without Spending a Single Dime,
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Obama as a role model will improve the test scores in inner city schools by at least 20%. His election would finally give the No Race Left Behind score for the USA a "pass."
Happy smarter kids become happy smarter workers. What works for cows will work for people.
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Obama as a role model will improve the test scores in inner city schools by at least 20%. His election would finally give the No Race Left Behind score for the USA a "pass."
Happy smarter kids become happy smarter workers. What works for cows will work for people.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Why Doesn't the USA Publish the Total Possible USA Reserves
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as both a Conservative Estimate and a Wild Man Estimate, and as a "drill within our current eco laws," vs "drill everywhere possible?"
It seems to me that the powers that be have no interest in you and me.
These are numbers that should be known as well as Brittany Spears, yet they are hidden in swamps of propaganda, causing FUD like crazy. (Fear, Uncertainity, and Doubt.) It must be serving the leaderships of both parties to keep us all in FUD on these issues. That's why I really don't trust any of them to tell the Truth. They've all got enough staff to analyze this stuff and publish it on the Web, and they don't.
On the topic of legislating the economy, did you know the Sugar Lobby (sounds like some hiphop group, doesn't it?) blocked bringing in sugar-based ethanol from Brazil? I love our "free malarky economy," with protectionism only for the rich.
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as both a Conservative Estimate and a Wild Man Estimate, and as a "drill within our current eco laws," vs "drill everywhere possible?"
It seems to me that the powers that be have no interest in you and me.
These are numbers that should be known as well as Brittany Spears, yet they are hidden in swamps of propaganda, causing FUD like crazy. (Fear, Uncertainity, and Doubt.) It must be serving the leaderships of both parties to keep us all in FUD on these issues. That's why I really don't trust any of them to tell the Truth. They've all got enough staff to analyze this stuff and publish it on the Web, and they don't.
On the topic of legislating the economy, did you know the Sugar Lobby (sounds like some hiphop group, doesn't it?) blocked bringing in sugar-based ethanol from Brazil? I love our "free malarky economy," with protectionism only for the rich.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Iraq, the Economy, Health Care, and Education, No Racist Crap
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Welcome to the Democratic talking points!
Has it occurred to any Republicans that they are dependent on having an energized workforce?
Do Republicans have any idea how disheartened and discouraged their workforce will be if they are allowed to retain the Presidency? Are they planning on going over to a robotic and overseas workforce, and a bunch of reeks and wrecks for an underclass, a la Kurt Vonnegut's "Player Piano?"
If the workers feel that they have no part of the American Dream, and no way of getting it, the USA will have Marvin, the Paranoid Android for workers. Ryss and Savage and the like do their best to propagandized that the Repubs have the workingmans' interests at heart, but reality is filling their tanks just barely half way these days.
I spotted a kid with a shiny new black Ford 150, stalled out on the side of the road, walking away from it with a 5 gallon can. He'd obviously run out of gas, and he'd obviously done it before, because he had a nice shiny new 5 gallon can. He, and the rest of the American workers, are getting tired of, "Walking from New Orleans." I wonder how soon that truck will be repo'd? Who wants to pay for a truck that drives from the carport with just enough gas to get to the next destination?
If Republicans want this country back on track in the global rat race, it's time for a Democrat to breath the air around the White House.
And no racist crap about Wright, thank-you.
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Welcome to the Democratic talking points!
Has it occurred to any Republicans that they are dependent on having an energized workforce?
Do Republicans have any idea how disheartened and discouraged their workforce will be if they are allowed to retain the Presidency? Are they planning on going over to a robotic and overseas workforce, and a bunch of reeks and wrecks for an underclass, a la Kurt Vonnegut's "Player Piano?"
If the workers feel that they have no part of the American Dream, and no way of getting it, the USA will have Marvin, the Paranoid Android for workers. Ryss and Savage and the like do their best to propagandized that the Repubs have the workingmans' interests at heart, but reality is filling their tanks just barely half way these days.
I spotted a kid with a shiny new black Ford 150, stalled out on the side of the road, walking away from it with a 5 gallon can. He'd obviously run out of gas, and he'd obviously done it before, because he had a nice shiny new 5 gallon can. He, and the rest of the American workers, are getting tired of, "Walking from New Orleans." I wonder how soon that truck will be repo'd? Who wants to pay for a truck that drives from the carport with just enough gas to get to the next destination?
If Republicans want this country back on track in the global rat race, it's time for a Democrat to breath the air around the White House.
And no racist crap about Wright, thank-you.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A Modest Transit Proposal
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My system for transit utilizes a personally owned passenger compartment, and state owned (or private companies meeting standards) engines, steering, powertrain, wheels, and guidance system. The passenger compartment mates with the other half the same way a camper mates with a pickup, except with more connections.
For long distance travel, the compartment is popped off the powertrain assembly and plunked on a flatcar like railcar with enough room for a passageway to restrooms, bar/dining/workspace cars,etc. Each flatcar holds many passenger compartments. Roadways and track gauge would be widened.
The powertrains would rent for different rates, depending on power and comfort desired.
You want to drive for fun in a gas powered vehicle you drive? Great, we have courses for that, but they are not cheap. It's a game like golf, high maintainence.
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My system for transit utilizes a personally owned passenger compartment, and state owned (or private companies meeting standards) engines, steering, powertrain, wheels, and guidance system. The passenger compartment mates with the other half the same way a camper mates with a pickup, except with more connections.
For long distance travel, the compartment is popped off the powertrain assembly and plunked on a flatcar like railcar with enough room for a passageway to restrooms, bar/dining/workspace cars,etc. Each flatcar holds many passenger compartments. Roadways and track gauge would be widened.
The powertrains would rent for different rates, depending on power and comfort desired.
You want to drive for fun in a gas powered vehicle you drive? Great, we have courses for that, but they are not cheap. It's a game like golf, high maintainence.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Differences Between Republicans and Democrats
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A Republican and a Democrat are on a high hill, overlooking a vast plain, and they both see what appears to be a wall of bushes growing across the valley below, broken hither and yon by clumps of trees.
Beyond the giant hedge appears to be a land of Democracy, wealth and happiness. A road appears to go down to the wall, and on beyond it to the land of milk and honey.
They both start riding down the slope, and as they draw closer they notice the wall seems higher than they thought. They ride onwards.
Getting closer they still see bushes, but now the bushes are beginning to look more like gnarly vines, covered with ivy, and stretch even ominously higher.
At this point the Democrat will say, "let's stop and check this out carefully. The Republican will say, "no let's ride onwards, we've already determined that the wall is just a bunch of bushes, and we'll pass through easily."
The ride onwards. Soon it is apparent to the Democrat that the giant hedgerow actually conceals an underlying wall of titanium stones, and that it is sheer folly to continue to gallop towards it at full speed. The Republican, however, continues to do just that. Once he had decided on anything, he is incapable of changing his mind, as that would prove he wasn't made by God and therefore infallible.
The Democrat continues to process new information constantly, and changes his position as new data becomes available. Republicans seem incapable of doing so. They rather be Right, even if it means being DEAD. Or run over as road kill by the Global Economy and Global Warming.
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A Republican and a Democrat are on a high hill, overlooking a vast plain, and they both see what appears to be a wall of bushes growing across the valley below, broken hither and yon by clumps of trees.
Beyond the giant hedge appears to be a land of Democracy, wealth and happiness. A road appears to go down to the wall, and on beyond it to the land of milk and honey.
They both start riding down the slope, and as they draw closer they notice the wall seems higher than they thought. They ride onwards.
Getting closer they still see bushes, but now the bushes are beginning to look more like gnarly vines, covered with ivy, and stretch even ominously higher.
At this point the Democrat will say, "let's stop and check this out carefully. The Republican will say, "no let's ride onwards, we've already determined that the wall is just a bunch of bushes, and we'll pass through easily."
The ride onwards. Soon it is apparent to the Democrat that the giant hedgerow actually conceals an underlying wall of titanium stones, and that it is sheer folly to continue to gallop towards it at full speed. The Republican, however, continues to do just that. Once he had decided on anything, he is incapable of changing his mind, as that would prove he wasn't made by God and therefore infallible.
The Democrat continues to process new information constantly, and changes his position as new data becomes available. Republicans seem incapable of doing so. They rather be Right, even if it means being DEAD. Or run over as road kill by the Global Economy and Global Warming.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Why Obama Calls Himself a "Black Man"
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Our local paper had a whiney comment about this topic, so I answered it as follows:
The Racist Society, which doesn't include many white folks, identifies anyone who "looks black" as being black, whatever that is supposed to mean. The joke is that there are many, many individuals with one black parent and one white parent, that look "so white," that the Racist Society members accept them as "white." This is known as "passing." Sort of a NCLB for skin melanin content and body features.
Obama has failed this NCLB test.
No wonder Bush lovers hate him.
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Our local paper had a whiney comment about this topic, so I answered it as follows:
The Racist Society, which doesn't include many white folks, identifies anyone who "looks black" as being black, whatever that is supposed to mean. The joke is that there are many, many individuals with one black parent and one white parent, that look "so white," that the Racist Society members accept them as "white." This is known as "passing." Sort of a NCLB for skin melanin content and body features.
Obama has failed this NCLB test.
No wonder Bush lovers hate him.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
If You're Worried About Obama, Maybe You Should
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watch Current TV, on DirecTV at channel 366.
They just had a show produced by a guy who traveled to Russia to interview a NeoNazi who prides himself on yet another form of underground TV. Snuff films, against anyone they don't like, and that's just about everybody who isn't one of them, done for REAL!
I kid you not. Russia is supposedly home to 50,000 to 70,000 neoNAZI's, complete with Swastika's, who go out as gangs, and kill people at random, and make videos as they do it. Then they make duplicates and send them to their friends, who watch the DVD's on their laptops.
The guy who "starred" in this video was busted a couple of weeks later. In this case I would forgive the journalist for becoming part of the story, which I suspect he might have. I know I would have turned in these creeps.
If Obama has a hate agenda, he will be impeached. We are electing just one man here, not 535 Obama's and a Supreme Court full of Obama's. Is he going to help out the Black and minority communities? Yes. Is that morally bad or illegal?
Not as long as the help is color blind, and whites in the same socio-economic straits can get the same help. How will he do it? Not with testing a'la No Child Left Behind, but rather with educational programs that work and give students and workers a new foothold in the global economy.
Current TV is on Directv at 366. It consists of short, 2 to 16 minute long productions, made by amateurs with talent, from all over the world. The range of material is breathtaking, and a lot of it is very positive. Fresh, young, and a window on the world you don't get anywhere else. It's sort of YouTube with a quality control. ( www.current.com for more information)
The point of this post? If neoNAZI's are that blatant in Russia, you can bet we probably have the full spectrum from Russia's worst to the person who secretly hopes that none of the black people getting on the plane will sit next to them. This is a problem that won't be solved in one Presidency, as Obama has said, but trying to hide it under the covers is silly.
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watch Current TV, on DirecTV at channel 366.
They just had a show produced by a guy who traveled to Russia to interview a NeoNazi who prides himself on yet another form of underground TV. Snuff films, against anyone they don't like, and that's just about everybody who isn't one of them, done for REAL!
I kid you not. Russia is supposedly home to 50,000 to 70,000 neoNAZI's, complete with Swastika's, who go out as gangs, and kill people at random, and make videos as they do it. Then they make duplicates and send them to their friends, who watch the DVD's on their laptops.
The guy who "starred" in this video was busted a couple of weeks later. In this case I would forgive the journalist for becoming part of the story, which I suspect he might have. I know I would have turned in these creeps.
If Obama has a hate agenda, he will be impeached. We are electing just one man here, not 535 Obama's and a Supreme Court full of Obama's. Is he going to help out the Black and minority communities? Yes. Is that morally bad or illegal?
Not as long as the help is color blind, and whites in the same socio-economic straits can get the same help. How will he do it? Not with testing a'la No Child Left Behind, but rather with educational programs that work and give students and workers a new foothold in the global economy.
Current TV is on Directv at 366. It consists of short, 2 to 16 minute long productions, made by amateurs with talent, from all over the world. The range of material is breathtaking, and a lot of it is very positive. Fresh, young, and a window on the world you don't get anywhere else. It's sort of YouTube with a quality control. ( www.current.com for more information)
The point of this post? If neoNAZI's are that blatant in Russia, you can bet we probably have the full spectrum from Russia's worst to the person who secretly hopes that none of the black people getting on the plane will sit next to them. This is a problem that won't be solved in one Presidency, as Obama has said, but trying to hide it under the covers is silly.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Terrorists, Home Grown, Attack BarBeQues
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I just fired up my barbeque for the first time this season, after buying a 20 lb bag of Kingsford brickettes at K-Mart on sale. I built my little pile, squirted on the lighter, and waited until I had a nice glowing pile.
Then I went to spread them around, and a good one third of them fell through the grate to the catch pan below! ARRRgh!
I looked at the bag. Kingsford, each brickette with a "K" on it. I've used the stuff for fifty years with no problems. I looked closer at my 20 lb bag......hmmmmm.......it's now an 18 pound bag. No wonder it was on sale at a price just slightly below last season's 20 pounders.
I looked at the brickettes. They seemed, skinnier????? Could that be?????
I still had an older bag back in the shed. I took it out. It was a 20 lb bag. I looked at the brickettes. They seemed...thicker. Quickly I lined up a bunch from each bag, and indeed the new brickettes are thinner on average than the older ones. This means that they will burn up faster, fall through the grates more easily, greatly add to the air pollution and CO2 levels, and force me to go locate a crossway grate to catch the falling brickettes, and hold them at the right height.
I've been told that K Mart and the other big box stores get specially packaged inferior products of brand names. Is this evidence of that? My dogs seem to need to eat more Pedigree dog food than they used to. Is it less nutritional now that gas has gone up?
Nathan Hotdogs on special, but that's a 12 oz package, not a 16 oz package. Seven skinny dogs, also subject to "fall through," not 8 dogs as before. "We have met the enemy, and they is us," Walt Kelly of Pogo fame.
It's time to see if http://consumerist.com with take up the story.
it's obvious that both companies want to sell more product at less cost. And Kingsford doesn't care how much they pollute the environment. I think I will go to natural wood style charcoal for the duration.
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I just fired up my barbeque for the first time this season, after buying a 20 lb bag of Kingsford brickettes at K-Mart on sale. I built my little pile, squirted on the lighter, and waited until I had a nice glowing pile.
Then I went to spread them around, and a good one third of them fell through the grate to the catch pan below! ARRRgh!
I looked at the bag. Kingsford, each brickette with a "K" on it. I've used the stuff for fifty years with no problems. I looked closer at my 20 lb bag......hmmmmm.......it's now an 18 pound bag. No wonder it was on sale at a price just slightly below last season's 20 pounders.
I looked at the brickettes. They seemed, skinnier????? Could that be?????
I still had an older bag back in the shed. I took it out. It was a 20 lb bag. I looked at the brickettes. They seemed...thicker. Quickly I lined up a bunch from each bag, and indeed the new brickettes are thinner on average than the older ones. This means that they will burn up faster, fall through the grates more easily, greatly add to the air pollution and CO2 levels, and force me to go locate a crossway grate to catch the falling brickettes, and hold them at the right height.
I've been told that K Mart and the other big box stores get specially packaged inferior products of brand names. Is this evidence of that? My dogs seem to need to eat more Pedigree dog food than they used to. Is it less nutritional now that gas has gone up?
Nathan Hotdogs on special, but that's a 12 oz package, not a 16 oz package. Seven skinny dogs, also subject to "fall through," not 8 dogs as before. "We have met the enemy, and they is us," Walt Kelly of Pogo fame.
It's time to see if http://consumerist.com with take up the story.
it's obvious that both companies want to sell more product at less cost. And Kingsford doesn't care how much they pollute the environment. I think I will go to natural wood style charcoal for the duration.
Polically Correct Concepts, The Republican Versions
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Try Going Against the "Politically Correct for Republicans" issues Below:
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Try Going Against the "Politically Correct for Republicans" issues Below:
The USA is always right.
Any Flag is .........
Private Property is ..........
The police are perfect .........
Republicans are perfect .........
Anyone or any idea not promulgated by a Republican must be bad, wrongheaded, or worse.
The environment will take care of itself.
The homeless deserve it.
The bottom end of the pay scale deserves it.
Those in medical need without coverage deserve none.
Roads will never be gridlocked.
We will always have enough food, and water doesn't have to be that clean.
Nor does food.
Mass transit must pay for itself.
Anyone not a RightThinkingRepublican is delusional.
There are no innocent victims when it comes to firearms discharged by government agents.
The military industrial complex will never bankrupt this country.
China will never reach Mars with a human first. If they do, they will never get them back.
Should Japan or China or Germany patent super cheap solar panels first, our economy will be just as prosperous as if we had.
It's OK to give banks free money, but not the mortgagees.
The schools cost too much and never give us genius employees who will work for nothing and be grateful for the chance.
I "deserve" an SUV, a golf club, and everything else you can think of.
My God is Better than Your God.
In fact, your God is dead or a liar.
And so are you.
Any Flag is .........
Private Property is ..........
The police are perfect .........
Republicans are perfect .........
Anyone or any idea not promulgated by a Republican must be bad, wrongheaded, or worse.
The environment will take care of itself.
The homeless deserve it.
The bottom end of the pay scale deserves it.
Those in medical need without coverage deserve none.
Roads will never be gridlocked.
We will always have enough food, and water doesn't have to be that clean.
Nor does food.
Mass transit must pay for itself.
Anyone not a RightThinkingRepublican is delusional.
There are no innocent victims when it comes to firearms discharged by government agents.
The military industrial complex will never bankrupt this country.
China will never reach Mars with a human first. If they do, they will never get them back.
Should Japan or China or Germany patent super cheap solar panels first, our economy will be just as prosperous as if we had.
It's OK to give banks free money, but not the mortgagees.
The schools cost too much and never give us genius employees who will work for nothing and be grateful for the chance.
I "deserve" an SUV, a golf club, and everything else you can think of.
My God is Better than Your God.
In fact, your God is dead or a liar.
And so are you.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Charter Schools are Cheaper, You Betcha!
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So Open a School with a class size of 20
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Cali spends $6200 per pupil per year. NY upwards oof $14000....It is amazing what gets done w/ the these lackluster funding.
report this | replyby bucalum on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:16:09 PDT
report this | replyby bucalum on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:16:09 PDT
You are the teacher, of all subjects, at all levels. you have that kinds of smarts.
$124,000 less rent of a classroom. We'll dispense with a playground, and use the public parks (done often, BTW).
You need at least 1,000 sq feet, plus a restroom. At $1/sq ft, that leaves you with $112,000. Oh, the building has to conform to all fire codes (sprinklers in ceiling, earthquake proof), be handicapped accessible, etc. to be usable as a school. You also need drop off and pickup spaces. Maybe $2/sq ft, including a bit of storage.
Did you plan to offer science or shop? Gas lines and more space needed, add another 500 sq feet at least, but fancier, so $2.50 sq/ft. $100,000 left.
How about 21 laptops at $600 each, every three years. or about $12,000/3 or $96,000 left.
How about a few books, typically $50 each per subject, times four major subjects, times 21, $91,600 left.
Art and music supplies and instruments, make the parents buy those, ooops, can't do that with the poor kids, so at least $100/kid, $89,600 left.
Now there is a little thing called liability insurance, another thing called theft and vandalism, and a whole bunch more things I don't even know the names of from the same kind of company. Do you think you could get by with less than $4,600/ I doubt it. $85,000 left.
Did you ever buy health insurance on your own, good health insurance? -$12,000 for the year. $73,000.
Did you plan on getting rich doing this, and retiring? -12,000 again, for the old nest egg. $61,000.
Were you going to take the kids on field trips, at least one with a bus? -$500 $60,500.
Ooops, light, heat, water, power for computers, phones -$6,000 $54,500.
How did you plan on getting parents to sign up?
Advertising, mailings, and your time going to every kid related event you can think of. -$4,000 $50,500 left.
What happens if you don't get 20 kids to stay the entire year, or even sign up in the first place? Can you order a lot of those items one off without incurring horrendous shipping charges? You need a reverse fund. -$5,500 won't even cover the loss of one kid.
Are you getting rich yet? Go Charter School founder, more power to you!
And how many people do you know who would be smart enough to teach all those subjects for that little money, at that high a risk? Right, NONE!
Buckle Up, Bucalum, Your Kia is the Public School down the street. The Mercedes is for sale, at $40,000/year, at Exeter Academy, where daddy Bush sent GeorgiePorgie.
$124,000 less rent of a classroom. We'll dispense with a playground, and use the public parks (done often, BTW).
You need at least 1,000 sq feet, plus a restroom. At $1/sq ft, that leaves you with $112,000. Oh, the building has to conform to all fire codes (sprinklers in ceiling, earthquake proof), be handicapped accessible, etc. to be usable as a school. You also need drop off and pickup spaces. Maybe $2/sq ft, including a bit of storage.
Did you plan to offer science or shop? Gas lines and more space needed, add another 500 sq feet at least, but fancier, so $2.50 sq/ft. $100,000 left.
How about 21 laptops at $600 each, every three years. or about $12,000/3 or $96,000 left.
How about a few books, typically $50 each per subject, times four major subjects, times 21, $91,600 left.
Art and music supplies and instruments, make the parents buy those, ooops, can't do that with the poor kids, so at least $100/kid, $89,600 left.
Now there is a little thing called liability insurance, another thing called theft and vandalism, and a whole bunch more things I don't even know the names of from the same kind of company. Do you think you could get by with less than $4,600/ I doubt it. $85,000 left.
Did you ever buy health insurance on your own, good health insurance? -$12,000 for the year. $73,000.
Did you plan on getting rich doing this, and retiring? -12,000 again, for the old nest egg. $61,000.
Were you going to take the kids on field trips, at least one with a bus? -$500 $60,500.
Ooops, light, heat, water, power for computers, phones -$6,000 $54,500.
How did you plan on getting parents to sign up?
Advertising, mailings, and your time going to every kid related event you can think of. -$4,000 $50,500 left.
What happens if you don't get 20 kids to stay the entire year, or even sign up in the first place? Can you order a lot of those items one off without incurring horrendous shipping charges? You need a reverse fund. -$5,500 won't even cover the loss of one kid.
Are you getting rich yet? Go Charter School founder, more power to you!
And how many people do you know who would be smart enough to teach all those subjects for that little money, at that high a risk? Right, NONE!
Buckle Up, Bucalum, Your Kia is the Public School down the street. The Mercedes is for sale, at $40,000/year, at Exeter Academy, where daddy Bush sent GeorgiePorgie.
I Suspect that as the Oil Runs Out, We will Find that
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I Suspect that as the Oil Runs Out, We will Find that
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I Suspect that as the Oil Runs Out, We will Find that
the MegaCorps in the energy and motor vehicle production areas have been preparing for this for much longer than we might have guessed.
Have you noticed the really charming ads on tv from GE? They know who to hire and how much extra cash it takes to really effect a cultural change. In their case they want to be seen as the "heros" who save the day as oil nee gas becomes the uneconomical environmentally damaging fuel that it's been all along.
From the standpoint of the interlocking directorships of the major corporations (think Hillary/Walmart) they merely want two things:
To get as much money as possible out of the old technologies in which they have so much invested. This is why no new oil refineries have been built. They already knew that technology was dead years ago.
To remain in control of whatever it is that replaces those old technologies, and continues to produce cash. Like planned obsolescence, they merely want to take the slightest step upwards in energy efficiency and independence. Taking a big leap would mean they would not have the cash or the control of the technolgies involved. Many minor leaps, with the customers stuck for each upgrade, keeps them in control.
Initially, what we can expect is cars and trucks running off of solar, at a cost of about the equivalent of $6/gallon. This will seem a bargain in comparison to gasoline, which will hover around $9.11/gallon, and be used for antique vehicles by afictionados who can afford the luxury. And, of course, by the military and the New Feudal Lords, who get whatever they want, with the taxpayer footing the bill.
These people have been playing these games for 150 years now. They are getting very good at screwing the consumer and John Q. Public, and they are not going to stop out of the goodness of their hearts.
To counter act this behavior:
Let people know they are being screwed and by whom and in what ways.
Let young people know this is happening, in no uncertain terms. Then, encourage them to get educated as much as possible, so as to not only understand the mechanisms of culture, but also to have the skill sets that earn the kind of money needed to change culture, and to create the inventions we need to stabilize planet Earth.
Population stabilization is a key player here, but generally only occurs when women become educated, and, to a certain extent, "Westernized." Making underground videos available in Russia had a lot to do with the fall of the Soviet dictatorship. Making western culture available via satellite tv will probably be viewed, in the ancient future, as the number one item, just after Internet access, that brought about population stabilization.
BTW, even just one nuke going off, anywhere on the planet, will be catastrophic, so that fear is still right there, at least for us older folks. because if one goes off, you cannot prove who set it off, or where it came from. Most importantly, since you can't prove A and B, you have NO IDEA WHEN AND WHERE the NEXT ONE might blow.
Consider, for example, some part of the Iranian desert goes up. Was it their lab, or a plant by the USA? The evidence one way or the other would be destroyed, in the explosion itself. How could you prove there wasn't a lab located underneath Tehran, to make this even twichier? That's where I'd put it, if I were Iranian. very hard to detect, with all the background noises. Just tunnel in from an industrial suburb, and dump the tailings into a river underwater, and keep on dredging the river.
Good Luck Everybody!
Have you noticed the really charming ads on tv from GE? They know who to hire and how much extra cash it takes to really effect a cultural change. In their case they want to be seen as the "heros" who save the day as oil nee gas becomes the uneconomical environmentally damaging fuel that it's been all along.
From the standpoint of the interlocking directorships of the major corporations (think Hillary/Walmart) they merely want two things:
To get as much money as possible out of the old technologies in which they have so much invested. This is why no new oil refineries have been built. They already knew that technology was dead years ago.
To remain in control of whatever it is that replaces those old technologies, and continues to produce cash. Like planned obsolescence, they merely want to take the slightest step upwards in energy efficiency and independence. Taking a big leap would mean they would not have the cash or the control of the technolgies involved. Many minor leaps, with the customers stuck for each upgrade, keeps them in control.
Initially, what we can expect is cars and trucks running off of solar, at a cost of about the equivalent of $6/gallon. This will seem a bargain in comparison to gasoline, which will hover around $9.11/gallon, and be used for antique vehicles by afictionados who can afford the luxury. And, of course, by the military and the New Feudal Lords, who get whatever they want, with the taxpayer footing the bill.
These people have been playing these games for 150 years now. They are getting very good at screwing the consumer and John Q. Public, and they are not going to stop out of the goodness of their hearts.
To counter act this behavior:
Let people know they are being screwed and by whom and in what ways.
Let young people know this is happening, in no uncertain terms. Then, encourage them to get educated as much as possible, so as to not only understand the mechanisms of culture, but also to have the skill sets that earn the kind of money needed to change culture, and to create the inventions we need to stabilize planet Earth.
Population stabilization is a key player here, but generally only occurs when women become educated, and, to a certain extent, "Westernized." Making underground videos available in Russia had a lot to do with the fall of the Soviet dictatorship. Making western culture available via satellite tv will probably be viewed, in the ancient future, as the number one item, just after Internet access, that brought about population stabilization.
BTW, even just one nuke going off, anywhere on the planet, will be catastrophic, so that fear is still right there, at least for us older folks. because if one goes off, you cannot prove who set it off, or where it came from. Most importantly, since you can't prove A and B, you have NO IDEA WHEN AND WHERE the NEXT ONE might blow.
Consider, for example, some part of the Iranian desert goes up. Was it their lab, or a plant by the USA? The evidence one way or the other would be destroyed, in the explosion itself. How could you prove there wasn't a lab located underneath Tehran, to make this even twichier? That's where I'd put it, if I were Iranian. very hard to detect, with all the background noises. Just tunnel in from an industrial suburb, and dump the tailings into a river underwater, and keep on dredging the river.
Good Luck Everybody!
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