Archive for September, 2008

• Here she is, Ms. Artic Whale Blubber… err something

  Date: 2008.09.26 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  VP candidate Palin struts her stuff in this ancient video. Remember, she takes over when McCain dies.

• The image says it all

  Date: 2008.09.26 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  

  McCain promo

• The bailout

  Date: 2008.09.25 | Category: ahh the news | Response: 3

  It’s been all over the news and I’ve been watching the developments over the last few days but I still have my reservations with the plan. Over the past 80 years we have created a number of social programs to help fellow Americans that were unable to reach acceptable living standards. The degree of these programs varies based upon the scope and many are short term programs with specific eligibility requirements.

  To my knowledge, we have never created a social program for failed businesses. Government incentives and grants have been given to businesses that work in specific fields. They needed short term support because the initial cost of operation were far too prohibitive. The businesses in the bailout plan need long term support because they had a failed business plan.

  I want to know whether it would be more expensive to pay for the social programs for the individuals that would be affected if these businesses should fail or if it would be cheaper to bailout the businesses.

  I don’t know if anyone else has actually looked at this issue from this viewpoint. If it would cost more to bailout the businesses we should let them fail. If it would cost more for social programs we should do the minimum to keep businesses in the financial sector alive. Additionally, the legislation should include provisions for fully recouping our investment. This investment would be one in our neighbors next door and across town – we’ve just got to make sure that we make the right decision.

  If the bailout is passed in congress and subsequently signed we should quickly create further legislation that would prevent this from happening again. All business is a risk – the taxpayer shouldn’t pay the price when one of them fails – no matter how big or old they might be.

• This is amazing

  Date: 2008.09.25 | Category: videos | Response: 0

  This has got to be the best catch I’ve seen in a year – probably better than the catch made during the Giants game winning drive in the super bowl.

  
  

• Air traffic simulation

  Date: 2008.09.24 | Category: videos | Response: 0

  Someone made this model of air traffic across the globe. Quite cool to watch. You’ll notice a surge across the Atlantic heading in opposite directions twice per day.

• What was that?

  Date: 2008.09.24 | Category: ahh the news | Response: 0

  If this information in this video is correct I’m probably not the only one that is confused. According to her report, an active duty army unit is going to be assigned to northern command and will be specifically stationed within the US Borders. They will respond to domestic threats as required. Don’t we have a national guard that is designed specifically for that purpose? Don’t they fall under the command of their respective governors for such a purpose? Are we stretching the guard units so much that we’ve got to draw a unit from active duty units? Some think this could be a precursor to martial law – that’s going a bit far but it is an interesting thought.

• Economists on the bailout plan

  Date: 2008.09.23 | Category: ahh the news | Response: 0

  A group of over 100 leading economists sent a letter to congress outlining their reservations with the proposed bailout plan. Their concerns mirror my own – I need more answers before anything is done. The full text is below

  As economists, we want to express to Congress our great concern for the plan proposed by Treasury Secretary Paulson to deal with the financial crisis. We are well aware of the difficulty of the current financial situation and we agree with the need for bold action to ensure that the financial system continues to function. We see three fatal pitfalls in the currently proposed plan:

  1) Its fairness. The plan is a subsidy to investors at taxpayers’ expense. Investors who took risks to earn profits must also bear the losses. Not every business failure carries “systemic risk.” The government can ensure a well-functioning financial industry, able to make new loans to creditworthy borrowers, without bailing out particular investors and institutions whose choices proved unwise.

  2) Its ambiguity. Neither the mission of the new agency nor its oversight are clear. If taxpayers are to buy illiquid and opaque assets from troubled sellers, the terms, occasions, and methods of such purchases must be crystal clear ahead of time and carefully monitored afterwards.

  3) Its long-term effects. If the plan is enacted, its effects will be with us for a generation. For all their recent troubles, America’s dynamic and innovative private-capital markets have brought the nation unparalleled prosperity. Fundamentally weakening those markets in order to calm short-run disruptions is desperately short-sighted.

  For these reasons, we ask Congress not to rush, to hold appropriate hearings, to carefully consider the right course of action, and to wisely determine the future of the financial industry and the U.S. economy for years to come.

• Bill Maher makes the best point ever

  Date: 2008.09.22 | Category: ahh the news, videos | Response: 0

  He’s got a good point – well worth the 3:41

• I’m laughing out loud

  Date: 2008.09.17 | Category: links! | Response: 1

  Corporate responsibility is a joke – obviously. A man was recently inundated with fax spams multiple times per day on his personal line. He tracked down the phone number for the company and requested they remove him from the list. They didn’t want to remove him from the fax list because they were far too busy. So, he called his VOIP provider and had them redirect the incoming faxes at the telephone switch to the receptionists that told him they were far too busy. I love irony! It took a little legwork but he will surely be able to sleep through the night without interruptions.

  You can read the complete version at the Consumerist.

• Here goes nothing

  Date: 2008.09.17 | Category: Life as we know it | Response: 0

  Billy Madison said it best “Back to school! Back to school, to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool! I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don’t get in a fight! Ohhhh, back to school! Back to school! Back to school! Well, here goes nothing!”

  Jessica is done with classes and I have no pending deployments so it’s time to head back to school. I took a DANTES test today on world religions and I’ll find out in a few weeks how bad I failed. When I do fail it will reaffirm the need to take a humanities course and one math course to get my associates degree.

  I registered for a US History class today and I’ll start the online portion of that as soon as my book arrives in the mail. If that goes well, I’ll register for some actual sit in a seat and stare at a professor class that will start in the middle of Oct. I’m looking at taking “The Problem of Evil” and “Business and Society.” I want to work on an economics degree but the most convenient school only offers it as a minor. If I really want to make it work I can always go to UW and transfer the needed credits. Why business and economics in light of our poorly performing financial sector? They obviously suck at what they are doing and it might be time for some fresh input or… the title of your degree really doesn’t matter it just means that you won’t get cut in the first round of resume sorting.

  The interesting bit of my education is that I won’t be getting my credits from one institution. I’m going to try and knock out prerequisite and some general education all online at school “A” while I take classes that actually interest me in front of a real live talking person at school “B.” We live in a wired society and its all possible now. They’ll probably keep me on midshift for a while so I know that I’ll have adequate time to do my schoolwork. Even if they shift me to days I’ll still have ample time to work. I need to keep the distractions minimal – I need to moderate goofing off. Its all good if it comes in the right sized doses.