Trump expresses his great financial ability and knowledge.
He "lost" $916 million in 1995.
The money is not lost, It is not around here waiting to be found.
The crazy thing about this is that are winners and losers in this deal.
The winners are the guys who got paid. These people may feel that they were taken care of. Someday favors may be called in.
The losers are the people who did not get paid and will not get paid.
The losers are the people who no longer have jobs, but cannot claim their lack of income as"losses".
The losers include the government who does not get the tax income for the next years.
And remember, Trump was able to take this business deduction because people like him made donations to the politicians, who wrote the tax laws. The average person does not have the ability to change the tax laws, so cannot deduct the excess medical bills, the damage to his house not covered by insurance, or the loss in his 401K due to manipulation of the stock market.
These deductions go to people who say, without them they would not take risks. Except the game is rigged to prevent the risks from being risks at all.
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Sunday, May 01, 2016
Don't send a Thank you e-mail.
I get enough e-mails that I don't need a seperate one just to say thank you.
Include it in you next e-mail to me.
Include it in you next e-mail to me.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
2 Years And What Has Changed
A quote from the May 2015 issue of "Fast Company":
Stow your iPhone
"I try to hide, go dark. It's a great ritual to unplug for three hours and delete five apps on my phone-so I can stop. Phones are designed to be addictive."
John Maeda, Design partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufiled & Byers
Stow your iPhone
"I try to hide, go dark. It's a great ritual to unplug for three hours and delete five apps on my phone-so I can stop. Phones are designed to be addictive."
John Maeda, Design partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufiled & Byers
Monday, May 27, 2013
Brain Strain
A local pastor forgets the menu at a church event he set up. A radio DJ says Labor Day when he means Memorial Day. A TV weather man says July instead of June. A National News show gives the wrong winner of a NASCAR race. Isolated incidents? Normally I would say yes, but I wonder if something bigger is afoot. Electronics are rewiring our brains. Smart phones, tablets, instant messaging, e-mails, web pages, blogs (even this one?) and videos are affecting the way we think. For example, we don't know how to spell anymore, we wait for the computer to correct our spelling. We don't remember phone numbers, we rely on the look up in our smartphones. (Of course we have so many more to keep track of, how could we remember them all.) We zone out to an overload of videos, rather that letting out brains relax and rebuild after a long day. We make more mistakes, waste more time, get less sleep.
How do we fix this? We need to step away from the electronic devices and let our brains recover. We need to find other ways of work that help our brains, not tax them. As I come up with more ideas I will publish them, but for now I need to go for a bike ride...
ChrisZ
How do we fix this? We need to step away from the electronic devices and let our brains recover. We need to find other ways of work that help our brains, not tax them. As I come up with more ideas I will publish them, but for now I need to go for a bike ride...
ChrisZ
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Surprise, Surprise, Suprise
"Due to doping allegations at the time, SCA initially refused to pay Armstrong $5 million in bonus money that Tailwind Sports, the owner of Armstrong's U.S. Postal team, had promised him if he won a sixth Tour title in 2004. Tailwind Sports took out insurance coverage with SCA."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/07/us-usa-armstrong-lawsuit-idUSBRE91615Y20130207
Okay - let me get this right - One company waives 5 million dollars in front of someone and then is surprised that this person may have cheated to win. Hmmmmm.
ChrisZ
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/07/us-usa-armstrong-lawsuit-idUSBRE91615Y20130207
Okay - let me get this right - One company waives 5 million dollars in front of someone and then is surprised that this person may have cheated to win. Hmmmmm.
ChrisZ
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Timing is everything
For some reason there is a push to reinstate the draft. While it might be a good idea, it has missed its mark. The time to do that was while we were in the middle of two wars in the early 2000's. Right now, with fiscal problems and winding down the existing war, there is no money or time to train extra recruits.
One thing it would do is to spread the load of the military around and by that get more families involved. Right now the military is almost an exclusive club, with may people not even knowing someone serving. Out of sight, our of mind means most people do not care what is happening around the world.
My question is would the draft provide the best talent we need? The job of the military has changed from quantity to quality and the training is more intense and costly today, would a draft provide us with better people as we tap into those who might not consider a military career?
My bottom line is if you want to put together a youth service program - great - just make sure you can pay for it. But to re institute the draft at this time does not make any sense.
ChrisZ
One thing it would do is to spread the load of the military around and by that get more families involved. Right now the military is almost an exclusive club, with may people not even knowing someone serving. Out of sight, our of mind means most people do not care what is happening around the world.
My question is would the draft provide the best talent we need? The job of the military has changed from quantity to quality and the training is more intense and costly today, would a draft provide us with better people as we tap into those who might not consider a military career?
My bottom line is if you want to put together a youth service program - great - just make sure you can pay for it. But to re institute the draft at this time does not make any sense.
ChrisZ
Sunday, February 03, 2013
Real Job Killing Policy
The real elephant in the room:
Help no longer wanted - Republican American 2/1/2013
The Republicans and Democrats can argue till they are blue in the face about whose policies are killing jobs, but the real answer is in the article - Technology.
In recent history, we have had a similar change in our society, during the Industrial Revolution, when people left farming to go work in the factories. The problem this time is that there is no alternative for people whose jobs disappear as the new jobs are for robots!
Short term, both the Republicans and the Democrats know that increased taxes and government spending will ease the transition, but the question still is "What work will the majority of people do that creates value?"
This is the question we need to be asking - this will also be what drives government health care (even if run by private companies with will be highly regulated) or will we decide to accept 10+ unemployment as normal and just keep paying people who cannot find work? NOT!
Chris Z
Help no longer wanted - Republican American 2/1/2013
The Republicans and Democrats can argue till they are blue in the face about whose policies are killing jobs, but the real answer is in the article - Technology.
In recent history, we have had a similar change in our society, during the Industrial Revolution, when people left farming to go work in the factories. The problem this time is that there is no alternative for people whose jobs disappear as the new jobs are for robots!
Short term, both the Republicans and the Democrats know that increased taxes and government spending will ease the transition, but the question still is "What work will the majority of people do that creates value?"
This is the question we need to be asking - this will also be what drives government health care (even if run by private companies with will be highly regulated) or will we decide to accept 10+ unemployment as normal and just keep paying people who cannot find work? NOT!
Chris Z
Saturday, November 24, 2012
We are wealthy
Standing on a street corner - watching cars go by, I realized we are a wealthy country. The age, quality and condition of our cars shows that. For the most part we have very new cars in very good condition. The "rust buckets" and smoking junk I remember in my youth have pretty much been replaced by very efficient safe transportation. But at what cost? One of the reasons we are in the predicament we are in today is that most of these nice cars are on credit, borrowed against a future that is not materializing. 30 years ago, you borrowed for a new car, gambling in a sense that inflation would increase the value of your house, the wages your were paid, while making the dollars you paid to your bank cheaper. However, with inflation at a standstill, wages frozen or dropping and house values plummeting, this system is no longer working. My feeling is that the cars will start to fall apart, the air conditioners will stop working, cell phones sales will slow down... or maybe we are so addicted to these items that we will stop investing in the future to pay for the present.
ChrisZ
ChrisZ
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Achievement
Pros and Cons
Pro - You can be anything in life you want to be
Con - You cannot be everything in life you want to be
ChrisZ
Pro - You can be anything in life you want to be
Con - You cannot be everything in life you want to be
ChrisZ
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Were's Woodward
40 years since Watergate - where are the investigative journalists? Fast and Furious - surely someone in the press can work on finding out the truth. Wall Street meltdown? Why are we not flooded with stories from the inside. Health care law - by now someone could have read it and told us what is in it.
People are lazy - why do I have to do all the work for them?
ChrisZ
PS - Here is one that is getting alot of flack: http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2012/06/27/fast-and-furious-truth/
People are lazy - why do I have to do all the work for them?
ChrisZ
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Health Care Debate
I am watching a debate on health care and want to give you two things to think about. When thinking about then remember virtually all health care is arranged through your work and private instance (like when you buy auto insurance) is virtually non-existent).
Preexisting conditions - this show compared preexisting conditions to a rickety old house vs a new house. The proper analogy is you loose your house and the insurance company for your new employer refuses to cover you because you have high blood pressure or are overweight. This would be like the auto insurance companies only deciding that you cannot have coverage after having an accident, whether it was your fault or not. Having more people in the insurance pool is the purpose of spreading the risk around.
Keeping kids on insurance until they are 26. The reason for this is not to soak insurance companies, but rather to insure a group that is not in the job place. Right now, these people get thrown of their parents policy at 21 and unless they are able to get student insurance, often work part time or minimum wage jobs were they cannot get insurance. Both of my children are are under 26 but have found a way to be insured, but if they were unemployed then how would they get coverage? This is not free, the parents have to have them on a family policy and and pay extra. Since young people have lower claims for the most part this is where insurance companies may be making more money - money that can balance out the older population.
So think twice when you here people talking about health care reform and how some of these changes are detrimental the people they are trying to help.
BTW: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/business/14health.html?_r=1
ChrisZ
Preexisting conditions - this show compared preexisting conditions to a rickety old house vs a new house. The proper analogy is you loose your house and the insurance company for your new employer refuses to cover you because you have high blood pressure or are overweight. This would be like the auto insurance companies only deciding that you cannot have coverage after having an accident, whether it was your fault or not. Having more people in the insurance pool is the purpose of spreading the risk around.
Keeping kids on insurance until they are 26. The reason for this is not to soak insurance companies, but rather to insure a group that is not in the job place. Right now, these people get thrown of their parents policy at 21 and unless they are able to get student insurance, often work part time or minimum wage jobs were they cannot get insurance. Both of my children are are under 26 but have found a way to be insured, but if they were unemployed then how would they get coverage? This is not free, the parents have to have them on a family policy and and pay extra. Since young people have lower claims for the most part this is where insurance companies may be making more money - money that can balance out the older population.
So think twice when you here people talking about health care reform and how some of these changes are detrimental the people they are trying to help.
BTW: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/business/14health.html?_r=1
ChrisZ
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Who volunteers?
Now that I am on the road working, it has given me a new perspective on who volunteers.
When I was a Cub Scout leader, Little League coach, Religious Education teacher, I was always frustrated in getting more volunteers. I think I have the answer.
In the 50's and 60's most people workedm either in factories or offices. They worked normal 9 - 5 jobs and were home for dinner. This was the peak time for volunteers. People worked 40 hour weeks and had spare time.
Today, with downsizing and technology, people are working odd hours and are always reachable. People cannot dedicate the time to volunteering when they don't know when they will have free time.
We are either going to have to change our expectations on traditional volunteer jobs, or change our economic system to accommodate them. Ironically, it was predicted that by this time we would all be working less than 40 hours and flex time would allow us to participate more in activities serving our communities.
Stop and think about when you were growing up and will your children and grand children have the same experiences.
Chris Z
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Why there is more oil drilling
Times Article:
"And not just here. Across the country, the oil and gas industry is vastly increasing production, reversing two decades of decline. Using new technology and spurred by rising oil prices since the mid-2000s, the industry is extracting millions of barrels more a week, from the deepest waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the prairies of North Dakota."
"At the same time, Americans are pumping significantly less gasoline. While that is partly a result of the recession and higher gasoline prices, people are also driving fewer miles and replacing older cars with more fuel-efficient vehicles at a greater clip, federal data show."
"How the country made this turnabout is a story of industry-friendly policies started by President Bush and largely continued by President Obama — many over the objections of environmental advocates — as well as technological advances that have allowed the extraction of oil and gas once considered too difficult and too expensive to reach. But mainly it is a story of the complex economics of energy, which sometimes seems to operate by its own rules of supply and demand."
The higher the price of oil, and the more stable that price is, the more technology and investments will go find that oil that was either abandoned or perceived too expensive to recover.
ChrisZ
"And not just here. Across the country, the oil and gas industry is vastly increasing production, reversing two decades of decline. Using new technology and spurred by rising oil prices since the mid-2000s, the industry is extracting millions of barrels more a week, from the deepest waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the prairies of North Dakota."
"At the same time, Americans are pumping significantly less gasoline. While that is partly a result of the recession and higher gasoline prices, people are also driving fewer miles and replacing older cars with more fuel-efficient vehicles at a greater clip, federal data show."
"How the country made this turnabout is a story of industry-friendly policies started by President Bush and largely continued by President Obama — many over the objections of environmental advocates — as well as technological advances that have allowed the extraction of oil and gas once considered too difficult and too expensive to reach. But mainly it is a story of the complex economics of energy, which sometimes seems to operate by its own rules of supply and demand."
The higher the price of oil, and the more stable that price is, the more technology and investments will go find that oil that was either abandoned or perceived too expensive to recover.
ChrisZ
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Peak oil or Peak Economy
After reviewing the statistics on oil reserves and prices, I want to put forth the the following observation:
If US oil production peaked in the 70's, that probably meant that our control over oil ended shortly after that - probably after the fall of the Shah of Iran. With the loss of control over the price of oil, came the world economic competition we find ourselves in now. Thus the US "Golden Age" might have passed with this event.
"But we are not out of oil - what about all the oil that is still in the ground?" There is more oil in the ground, and technology will allow us to recover more and more of that - the question is at what price. With many other countries having greater known reserves of conventional oil, it is hard to justify spending the money to drill or extract our own oil, unless there was a strategic reason like a world war or embargo (this is the reason for the Strategic Oil Reserve).
Right now energy costs are taking a greater toll of the middle class budget. Energy cost affect everything from food, to transportation to wages. The upper class has seen wages and other income climb faster than energy costs so they have not been as affected. So you can add energy costs to the problems today, along with the decline in unions, technology changes and international competition. All are related and inseparable.
We will of course attain a sense of balance. That balance will be a new reality of what makes someone prosperous and economically comfortable. The struggle will be between forces trying to decide if this balance is natural or has to be legislated.
ChrisZ
If US oil production peaked in the 70's, that probably meant that our control over oil ended shortly after that - probably after the fall of the Shah of Iran. With the loss of control over the price of oil, came the world economic competition we find ourselves in now. Thus the US "Golden Age" might have passed with this event.
"But we are not out of oil - what about all the oil that is still in the ground?" There is more oil in the ground, and technology will allow us to recover more and more of that - the question is at what price. With many other countries having greater known reserves of conventional oil, it is hard to justify spending the money to drill or extract our own oil, unless there was a strategic reason like a world war or embargo (this is the reason for the Strategic Oil Reserve).
Right now energy costs are taking a greater toll of the middle class budget. Energy cost affect everything from food, to transportation to wages. The upper class has seen wages and other income climb faster than energy costs so they have not been as affected. So you can add energy costs to the problems today, along with the decline in unions, technology changes and international competition. All are related and inseparable.
We will of course attain a sense of balance. That balance will be a new reality of what makes someone prosperous and economically comfortable. The struggle will be between forces trying to decide if this balance is natural or has to be legislated.
ChrisZ
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The lost art of communication
As technology gives us more ways to talk to each other, I wonder if it is having just the opposite. Instant messaging, e-mails, texting, Facebook - maybe the only technology that actually enhances communication is face to face conversation like Skype and Facetime.
Consider the other forms of communication - words with no sound, no meaning, no inflection. No reading of the other person's facial expression or body language. How much misinterpretation comes from reading an e-mail and assuming you understand the person's intentions.
As we text and twitter, we are in such a hurry to get our message out, that we don't spend the time to choose the correct words, or write in complete sentences so that we can properly communicate.
How are you using the new tools to communicate? Are they having the intended effect?
Consider the other forms of communication - words with no sound, no meaning, no inflection. No reading of the other person's facial expression or body language. How much misinterpretation comes from reading an e-mail and assuming you understand the person's intentions.
As we text and twitter, we are in such a hurry to get our message out, that we don't spend the time to choose the correct words, or write in complete sentences so that we can properly communicate.
How are you using the new tools to communicate? Are they having the intended effect?
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Trip to Chicago Auto Show
Things I learned from my trip to the Chicago Auto Show:
1. Metra stations - you do pay for parking - $1.50 a day - remember your parking number
2. Train stations are not open on weekends for the most part so you end up buying tickets on the train (weekend pass is $7.00 in 2012)
3. Buses are tough to understand - Chicago streets are no like NYC - I looked for the AutoShow shuttle and followed the crowd - $2.25 (exact change for the bus unless you get a transit card. NOW I find out the CTA machine was in the Metra Ticket area in Union Station. You can order on line - just need to order 10 days in advance.
4. After show, the shuttle is at one of the gates underneath - don't go outside and try to find the bus.
5. The ride home on the train - get there early to get a seat down in the lower level.
1. Metra stations - you do pay for parking - $1.50 a day - remember your parking number
2. Train stations are not open on weekends for the most part so you end up buying tickets on the train (weekend pass is $7.00 in 2012)
3. Buses are tough to understand - Chicago streets are no like NYC - I looked for the AutoShow shuttle and followed the crowd - $2.25 (exact change for the bus unless you get a transit card. NOW I find out the CTA machine was in the Metra Ticket area in Union Station. You can order on line - just need to order 10 days in advance.
4. After show, the shuttle is at one of the gates underneath - don't go outside and try to find the bus.
5. The ride home on the train - get there early to get a seat down in the lower level.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
D$@&/:?(:/
Curse words are nothing new. The problem today is that they are used so commonly that they lose their meaning and just become obnoxious.
During the 60's and 70's certain words had an enhanced effect. When they were used, you realized the seriousness of their use. Now, these 4 letter words are thrown out like salt on the ice, random and more than is probably needed.
As words losse their meaning, something else has to take it's place. I am not sure the physical violence is directly related, but once at a loss for words,
Maybe the only thing left is physical.
During the 60's and 70's certain words had an enhanced effect. When they were used, you realized the seriousness of their use. Now, these 4 letter words are thrown out like salt on the ice, random and more than is probably needed.
As words losse their meaning, something else has to take it's place. I am not sure the physical violence is directly related, but once at a loss for words,
Maybe the only thing left is physical.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Hot Air strikes again
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/12/30/another-obama-donor-convicted-of-fraud/
From a news story:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/senior-managers-of-gdc-acquisitions-holding-company-charged-in-brooklyn-ny-with-bank-fraud-conspiracy-99138264.html
"This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes."
From a news story:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/senior-managers-of-gdc-acquisitions-holding-company-charged-in-brooklyn-ny-with-bank-fraud-conspiracy-99138264.html
"This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes."
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
The New(est) Party
We have the Green Party and the Libertarian Party, the Conservative Party and many others (yes, even the American Communist Party). Now we have two more, one maturing and one just getting started.
The Tea Party has been around for a few years. It seems to have started out with the cry, "What about me!" (1) and has morphed into more specific creeds. Constitutionality. smaller government, less taxes. It has not been absorbed by the Republican Party but rather attached more like a Siamese Twin.
The 99 Percent Movement is just starting out. It's rallying cry is "What about me!" - wait - where have I heard that before?? It is coming from the Left but it is not happy any more with the establishment left, just as the Tea Party is not happy with the establishment Right.
So what do we have? I think the initial movement on both sides is a reaction from the radical right and left. As the movements mature, they tone down the rhetoric and develop game plans. As this gets out they start picking up people who are are closer to the center. All movements by their nature become more centrist in order to keep attracting new followers. Where will the 99 Percent end up? I don't know - but I do know they need a better name.
==============================================
(1) For those who think the Tea Party is not the "about me" party - here are some links to peruse - two from definitely conservative sites. Rick Santelli's (former hedge fund manager) rant asks "who wants to pay for your neighbors mortgage, who has an extra bathroom and can't pay their bills?" Well if you got rich on taking your neighbor's money when YOU knew he could not pay his bills, then maybe you should.....he was railing against the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan - not the stimulus by the way. Ironically, if the government had focused on solving the mortgage problem, maybe jobs would have appeared and we would not be in this mess today...
http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/258258/short-history-tea-parties
Look at the signs on this site:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/15/a-tax-day-tea-party-cheat-sheet-how-it-all-started/
http://www.slate.com/articles/video/slate_v/2010/11/the_history_of_the_tea_party_in_four_minutes.html
The Tea Party has been around for a few years. It seems to have started out with the cry, "What about me!" (1) and has morphed into more specific creeds. Constitutionality. smaller government, less taxes. It has not been absorbed by the Republican Party but rather attached more like a Siamese Twin.
The 99 Percent Movement is just starting out. It's rallying cry is "What about me!" - wait - where have I heard that before?? It is coming from the Left but it is not happy any more with the establishment left, just as the Tea Party is not happy with the establishment Right.
So what do we have? I think the initial movement on both sides is a reaction from the radical right and left. As the movements mature, they tone down the rhetoric and develop game plans. As this gets out they start picking up people who are are closer to the center. All movements by their nature become more centrist in order to keep attracting new followers. Where will the 99 Percent end up? I don't know - but I do know they need a better name.
==============================================
(1) For those who think the Tea Party is not the "about me" party - here are some links to peruse - two from definitely conservative sites. Rick Santelli's (former hedge fund manager) rant asks "who wants to pay for your neighbors mortgage, who has an extra bathroom and can't pay their bills?" Well if you got rich on taking your neighbor's money when YOU knew he could not pay his bills, then maybe you should.....he was railing against the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan - not the stimulus by the way. Ironically, if the government had focused on solving the mortgage problem, maybe jobs would have appeared and we would not be in this mess today...
http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/258258/short-history-tea-parties
Look at the signs on this site:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/15/a-tax-day-tea-party-cheat-sheet-how-it-all-started/
http://www.slate.com/articles/video/slate_v/2010/11/the_history_of_the_tea_party_in_four_minutes.html
Sunday, September 18, 2011
If I hear this one more time....
I am getting tired of hearing "The wealthy already pay too much in taxes - most people pay nothing at all....."
Okay, the wealthy do pay most of the FEDERAL income taxes in this country. Never mind that when it comes to disposable income, most people who consider themselves middle class pay more taxes that the wealthy, when you throw in sales, payroll, state, property and other misc taxes.
But forget about that. How do we get the tax burden off of the wealthy and back on the middle class where the numbers are much larger? Well, let's say that there are 140 million tax payers (returns) in 2008. The top 1 percent equal about 1.4 million of this. That leaves 138.6 million others. Now let's assume the top 1% pay $392.1 billion in income tax paid in 2008. If you were to take 50 million of the others and they had to just equal the $392.1 billion, that would mean they would have to pay $7840 in taxes. In going back to the 2010 tax tables, that means an adjusted income of $45,000. Now assuming normal deductions, that would be about $55,000 in income for an individual. That is about $26. per hour. So if you want the wealthy to stop paying to much, all you have to do is create 50 million jobs that pay over $26. per hour. More that three and a half times the minimum wage.
Got any ideas???
ChrisZ
Okay, the wealthy do pay most of the FEDERAL income taxes in this country. Never mind that when it comes to disposable income, most people who consider themselves middle class pay more taxes that the wealthy, when you throw in sales, payroll, state, property and other misc taxes.
But forget about that. How do we get the tax burden off of the wealthy and back on the middle class where the numbers are much larger? Well, let's say that there are 140 million tax payers (returns) in 2008. The top 1 percent equal about 1.4 million of this. That leaves 138.6 million others. Now let's assume the top 1% pay $392.1 billion in income tax paid in 2008. If you were to take 50 million of the others and they had to just equal the $392.1 billion, that would mean they would have to pay $7840 in taxes. In going back to the 2010 tax tables, that means an adjusted income of $45,000. Now assuming normal deductions, that would be about $55,000 in income for an individual. That is about $26. per hour. So if you want the wealthy to stop paying to much, all you have to do is create 50 million jobs that pay over $26. per hour. More that three and a half times the minimum wage.
Got any ideas???
ChrisZ
The Basis of the Economy
Some people question why I feel there should be higher taxes on the wealthy, even if temporarily.
Well try to follow this:
For years we have been an ultra-consumer society. We bought beyond our means. Some of this was greed, some of this was advertising. Some of it was trying to keep up with the Joneses. Some was pushed on us (remember one way were supposed to react after 9/11 was to go out and keep buying things like nothing had happened...) and some we brought upon ourselves (I deserve a new car).
So we kept spending. We ran up credit card debt, home equity debt, we even borrowed from our 401K to make ends meet. Yes the economy did well - but it was all based on a bill that had to come due soon. So, the companies had their money - right from the bank - but where did the bank get it? From the IOUs that we gave them. When the day of judgment came and we decided we didn't want to spend anymore, the house of cards came down. When we decided to keep that car one more year and not buy a new one, auto sales dropped. When we decided the house we were in was big enough, new home sales stopped. When we decided to stay home rather than go out to eat, restaurant sales slowed. In each business, less sales equaled less workers needed. Less workers means less people with money and less sales. And the spiral begins.
Now when does it stop? When all the debt accumulated gets paid down, written off, or blown away. When people, not businesses, feel comfortable in spending money again and then instead of a downward spiral, you have a climbing flight.
Now how can the wealthy help? Well the reason they have the money is that we traded it for debt. Now depending on who you feel is right or wrong will determine your solution to the problem. But anyway you look at it, if money does not move from the wealthy to the debtors, the economy will not grow. How and why is not for this post. But somehow we have to figure out how to do it.
ChrisZ
Well try to follow this:
For years we have been an ultra-consumer society. We bought beyond our means. Some of this was greed, some of this was advertising. Some of it was trying to keep up with the Joneses. Some was pushed on us (remember one way were supposed to react after 9/11 was to go out and keep buying things like nothing had happened...) and some we brought upon ourselves (I deserve a new car).
So we kept spending. We ran up credit card debt, home equity debt, we even borrowed from our 401K to make ends meet. Yes the economy did well - but it was all based on a bill that had to come due soon. So, the companies had their money - right from the bank - but where did the bank get it? From the IOUs that we gave them. When the day of judgment came and we decided we didn't want to spend anymore, the house of cards came down. When we decided to keep that car one more year and not buy a new one, auto sales dropped. When we decided the house we were in was big enough, new home sales stopped. When we decided to stay home rather than go out to eat, restaurant sales slowed. In each business, less sales equaled less workers needed. Less workers means less people with money and less sales. And the spiral begins.
Now when does it stop? When all the debt accumulated gets paid down, written off, or blown away. When people, not businesses, feel comfortable in spending money again and then instead of a downward spiral, you have a climbing flight.
Now how can the wealthy help? Well the reason they have the money is that we traded it for debt. Now depending on who you feel is right or wrong will determine your solution to the problem. But anyway you look at it, if money does not move from the wealthy to the debtors, the economy will not grow. How and why is not for this post. But somehow we have to figure out how to do it.
ChrisZ
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Solyndra - Putting the Puzzle together
I am still trying to put together the pieces of this puzzle together but here is what people want me to believe:
The President - in an attempt to reward one of his campaign donors, forces the DOE to loan 500 million taxpayer dollars to a company that they know will go bankrupt, thus costing the government (taxpayers) and the investors (campaign donor) millions of dollars of losses. This will discredit the Solar Energy Industry, and at the same time end up giving tax credits to the (campaign donor) who's fortune derives from the oil industry.
How Machiavellian! And you claim that the President is a Socialist Liberal, when this proves in fact that he is a capitalistic stooge! Wow!
Here are some things to watch for:
"Under terms of the February loan restructuring, two private investors - Madrone Partners LP and Kaiser's Argonaut Ventures I LLC - stand to be repaid before the U.S. government if the solar company is liquidated.
The two firms gave Solyndra a total of $69 million in emergency loans. The loans are the only portion of their investments that have repayment priority above the U.S. government.
Argonaut is an investment vehicle of the Tulsa-based George Kaiser Family Foundation. Through Argonaut, the foundation holds a 39 percent stake in Solyndra.
George Kaiser, chairman of BOK Financial Corp., raised between $50,000 and $100,000 for Obama's 2008 campaign, federal election records show. Kaiser has made at least 16 visits to the president's aides since 2009, according to White House visitor logs.
Madrone Partners is affiliated with the Walton family, descendants of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Rob Walton, the eldest son of Sam Walton, contributed $2,500 last year to the National Republican Congressional Committee."
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=592&articleid=20110917_49_E1_WASHIN711341
So $69 million is ahead of the $535 million of taxpayers money. Should no be a problem with a company that might be worth a at least $500 million - right? Not if the first companies buy the full assets under a fire sale which might happen. This needs to be followed - not to find any scandal, but rather to see how money makes money and tries to make a silk purse out of a sows ear....
There will be incompetence and criminality if you look for it. It will not rise to the level of an Enron or TRW (if it does it shows that businessmen are the most ego oriented people [It can't happen to me!] and that we need more regulation not less.)
So keep watching and take it all in but don't expect it to prove anything - on either side.
ChrisZ
The President - in an attempt to reward one of his campaign donors, forces the DOE to loan 500 million taxpayer dollars to a company that they know will go bankrupt, thus costing the government (taxpayers) and the investors (campaign donor) millions of dollars of losses. This will discredit the Solar Energy Industry, and at the same time end up giving tax credits to the (campaign donor) who's fortune derives from the oil industry.
How Machiavellian! And you claim that the President is a Socialist Liberal, when this proves in fact that he is a capitalistic stooge! Wow!
Here are some things to watch for:
"Under terms of the February loan restructuring, two private investors - Madrone Partners LP and Kaiser's Argonaut Ventures I LLC - stand to be repaid before the U.S. government if the solar company is liquidated.
The two firms gave Solyndra a total of $69 million in emergency loans. The loans are the only portion of their investments that have repayment priority above the U.S. government.
Argonaut is an investment vehicle of the Tulsa-based George Kaiser Family Foundation. Through Argonaut, the foundation holds a 39 percent stake in Solyndra.
George Kaiser, chairman of BOK Financial Corp., raised between $50,000 and $100,000 for Obama's 2008 campaign, federal election records show. Kaiser has made at least 16 visits to the president's aides since 2009, according to White House visitor logs.
Madrone Partners is affiliated with the Walton family, descendants of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Rob Walton, the eldest son of Sam Walton, contributed $2,500 last year to the National Republican Congressional Committee."
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=592&articleid=20110917_49_E1_WASHIN711341
So $69 million is ahead of the $535 million of taxpayers money. Should no be a problem with a company that might be worth a at least $500 million - right? Not if the first companies buy the full assets under a fire sale which might happen. This needs to be followed - not to find any scandal, but rather to see how money makes money and tries to make a silk purse out of a sows ear....
There will be incompetence and criminality if you look for it. It will not rise to the level of an Enron or TRW (if it does it shows that businessmen are the most ego oriented people [It can't happen to me!] and that we need more regulation not less.)
So keep watching and take it all in but don't expect it to prove anything - on either side.
ChrisZ
Sunday, August 07, 2011
A Place to Start
They say the longest journey begins with the first step. Everyone is looking for that ONE idea to fix the economy. The partisan bickering is keeping us from accomplishing anything. So let's set up some guidelines for National Policy:
The priorities of any law should be:
1. National Defense
2. Immediate Environmental Damage
3. American Economy (jobs)
All expenditures that don't meet these criteria should be suspended (not repealed) for 5 years.
All elected officials will take a 10% salary cut - I know this is mostly symbolic to them but isn't that the definition of what symbolic is?
There will be a temporary tax surcharge on those making over $500,000.
$500,000 +1%
$1,000,000 + 2%
10,000,000 +3%
Capitol Gains for individuals will go up to the level of income tax for individuals in 3, 1 year steps.
Capitol Gains for business owned by more than 3 people will drop 5% and a tax credit issued for the amount put back into the business to employ workers - not to buy machines.
Money for the arts will be cut to the amount it does not directly employ people and at a rate no more than $100,000 per worker. This is no money to employ a $1,000,000 head of a non profit art organization.
Home interest deduction is to be caped at $25,000 per year per family.
Medical deduction capped at 8% of income with no minimum.
The Military budget will be cut by 20% and 50% of that money put aside for the health care of our current and past servicemen and women.
Taxpayers will have to pay Social Security taxes on the first $150,000 of salary up from the current $107,000, and all income is calculated against your SS earnings limit. The government has to freeze borrowing against the SS fund and start returning 1% per year to the fund.
Able-bodied welfare recipients will be required to spend up to 50% (20 hours) per week performing assigned work. The government will have the ability to overrule union regulations as long as the additional workers do not affect the working hours of the existing workers too less that 40 hours. Any company that hires a person currently on welfare would be eligible for a tax credit for one year, up to the amount the person would have received in welfare had they stayed on. The person would be subject to all the responsibilities of any other employee - so special consideration.
This is just a start of what can be done - we need people with ideas to get us out of this problem, not fight over who got us in.
ChrisZ
The priorities of any law should be:
1. National Defense
2. Immediate Environmental Damage
3. American Economy (jobs)
All expenditures that don't meet these criteria should be suspended (not repealed) for 5 years.
All elected officials will take a 10% salary cut - I know this is mostly symbolic to them but isn't that the definition of what symbolic is?
There will be a temporary tax surcharge on those making over $500,000.
$500,000 +1%
$1,000,000 + 2%
10,000,000 +3%
Capitol Gains for individuals will go up to the level of income tax for individuals in 3, 1 year steps.
Capitol Gains for business owned by more than 3 people will drop 5% and a tax credit issued for the amount put back into the business to employ workers - not to buy machines.
Money for the arts will be cut to the amount it does not directly employ people and at a rate no more than $100,000 per worker. This is no money to employ a $1,000,000 head of a non profit art organization.
Home interest deduction is to be caped at $25,000 per year per family.
Medical deduction capped at 8% of income with no minimum.
The Military budget will be cut by 20% and 50% of that money put aside for the health care of our current and past servicemen and women.
Taxpayers will have to pay Social Security taxes on the first $150,000 of salary up from the current $107,000, and all income is calculated against your SS earnings limit. The government has to freeze borrowing against the SS fund and start returning 1% per year to the fund.
Able-bodied welfare recipients will be required to spend up to 50% (20 hours) per week performing assigned work. The government will have the ability to overrule union regulations as long as the additional workers do not affect the working hours of the existing workers too less that 40 hours. Any company that hires a person currently on welfare would be eligible for a tax credit for one year, up to the amount the person would have received in welfare had they stayed on. The person would be subject to all the responsibilities of any other employee - so special consideration.
This is just a start of what can be done - we need people with ideas to get us out of this problem, not fight over who got us in.
ChrisZ
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Raise you hand if you agree
Well we are 2 1/2 years into President Obama's term.
What has he and his administration done right:
1. Pretty much reestablished our credibility or at least acceptability around the world.
2. Got Osama bin Laden and working on dismantling Al Qaeda.
3. Rescued the American car manufacturers.
4. Gotten health care reform going (although see below)
5. Gotten serious discussion going on the economy.
Now, what he has done wrong:
1. Gave health care to Congress to screw up - so instead of a national health care plan supported by a national sales tax, we end up with a convoluted system balancing on a future Supreme Court ruling on the individual mandate.
2. Took his eye off the tax code - When the Bush tax cuts expired, he should have changed the brackets and raised taxes on the top earners. This would not have solved the deficit (although it would help) but would have restored faith in the average man that the President is not just a puppet of corporations and Wall Street.
Instead, we will end up in the same place we started, with the rich getting richer though no effort on their part.
3. Gave in on the stimulus and did not direct enough money to reforming he housing crisis. The little tax break that dominated 1/3 of the stimulus did nothing, and the money to infrastructure did little on the money spent per job created chart. We forget that today, infrastructure repairs are done with big machinery and not many laborers.
So what can he do in the second part of his term?
If he lets the deficit ceiling deal go off without a plan to increase revenue from the wealthy and the big corporations, then he is doomed. How do you cut social services, when so many of your constituents need to be on them???
What we need is a 5 and 10 year plan, that can be modified as we go along, in order to reinvent our economy to what will be needed in the technology age.
He will have to open up a discussion of immigration - he has to take a bold step in 2012 whether it helps or hurts his election changes.
He needs to bring a substantial number of soldiers home (disclaimer - I have a son who should be deployed in 2012 - I would stick to this even if he ended up in Montana....) and reduce the amount we are spending on foreign wars and end the hidden costs. We are still losing many brave, young men and women and too many are coming back injured. Maybe some of the money form the higher taxes on the wealthy can be invested in our returning veterans, as they have made it possible for this increased wealth.
ChrisZ
What has he and his administration done right:
1. Pretty much reestablished our credibility or at least acceptability around the world.
2. Got Osama bin Laden and working on dismantling Al Qaeda.
3. Rescued the American car manufacturers.
4. Gotten health care reform going (although see below)
5. Gotten serious discussion going on the economy.
Now, what he has done wrong:
1. Gave health care to Congress to screw up - so instead of a national health care plan supported by a national sales tax, we end up with a convoluted system balancing on a future Supreme Court ruling on the individual mandate.
2. Took his eye off the tax code - When the Bush tax cuts expired, he should have changed the brackets and raised taxes on the top earners. This would not have solved the deficit (although it would help) but would have restored faith in the average man that the President is not just a puppet of corporations and Wall Street.
Instead, we will end up in the same place we started, with the rich getting richer though no effort on their part.
3. Gave in on the stimulus and did not direct enough money to reforming he housing crisis. The little tax break that dominated 1/3 of the stimulus did nothing, and the money to infrastructure did little on the money spent per job created chart. We forget that today, infrastructure repairs are done with big machinery and not many laborers.
So what can he do in the second part of his term?
If he lets the deficit ceiling deal go off without a plan to increase revenue from the wealthy and the big corporations, then he is doomed. How do you cut social services, when so many of your constituents need to be on them???
What we need is a 5 and 10 year plan, that can be modified as we go along, in order to reinvent our economy to what will be needed in the technology age.
He will have to open up a discussion of immigration - he has to take a bold step in 2012 whether it helps or hurts his election changes.
He needs to bring a substantial number of soldiers home (disclaimer - I have a son who should be deployed in 2012 - I would stick to this even if he ended up in Montana....) and reduce the amount we are spending on foreign wars and end the hidden costs. We are still losing many brave, young men and women and too many are coming back injured. Maybe some of the money form the higher taxes on the wealthy can be invested in our returning veterans, as they have made it possible for this increased wealth.
ChrisZ
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Chris's Law #1
Chris's Law # 1 is:
Never update the Operating System a computer comes with. You will never recover the time involved in increased productivity. If you need a new operating system, you need a new computer.
Never update the Operating System a computer comes with. You will never recover the time involved in increased productivity. If you need a new operating system, you need a new computer.
Friday, November 05, 2010
How do you create wealth?
There was a post on another site on how wealth is created.
Well, let's try MY explanation:
Wealth = Money x Time x Effort x Knowledge
Now the neat thing about Money, Time, Effort and Knowledge is that it does not have to be yours!
A business owner makes money off the effort of others. A stock broker uses knowledge to make money for others. Someone who inherits money and invests it over time also can become wealthy.
The problem that I see is what if people don't have access to the basic formula. If someone does not have access to knowledge then they cannot develop wealth. Or if some one has special access to money, they are ahead of the game. Too much of today's economic war is keeping people from the tools to create wealth, rather than improving your own situation.
The old saw that money makes money is probably truer today than ever before. The question is how do we restore the balance so everyone at least has access to the formula. If we admit that is not possible, where do we go from here?
ChrisZ
Well, let's try MY explanation:
Wealth = Money x Time x Effort x Knowledge
Now the neat thing about Money, Time, Effort and Knowledge is that it does not have to be yours!
A business owner makes money off the effort of others. A stock broker uses knowledge to make money for others. Someone who inherits money and invests it over time also can become wealthy.
The problem that I see is what if people don't have access to the basic formula. If someone does not have access to knowledge then they cannot develop wealth. Or if some one has special access to money, they are ahead of the game. Too much of today's economic war is keeping people from the tools to create wealth, rather than improving your own situation.
The old saw that money makes money is probably truer today than ever before. The question is how do we restore the balance so everyone at least has access to the formula. If we admit that is not possible, where do we go from here?
ChrisZ
Friday, October 22, 2010
The NPR Story
Maybe you have heard about Juan Williams being fired from NPR. Maybe you are wondering what the fuss is or maybe you are infuriated about it. Maybe a little background would help.
But first, a quiz:
1. How much money does NPR get directly from the Government?
a. 100%
b. 60 %
c. 20 %
d. 2 %
2. How many companies was Juan Williams working for?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. More than 3
3. NPR does not allow it's workers to criticize the government?
a. Yes
b. No
4. Fox News never fires anyone for what they say.
a. Yes
b. No
Okay, a little background on NPR. It was created in 1970 after the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. It is a both privately and publicly funded although the majority of it's funding now comes from members and corporate donations. Federal monies comes to about 2% of NPR's direct annual budget. Because member stations pay a fee to NPR, and they are sometimes funded through government grants, this figure is debated. More information can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Public_Radio
Now Juan Williams was a contract worker, although he was not solely employed by NPR. He also worked for FOX, wrote newspaper columns and also was an author. Under his contract, NPR could fire him if they felt he breached their code of ethics, and since he had been warned before about statements on FOX, it seems that this was legal.
Now, people are calling for the government to cut all funding to NPR. As above, there is very little direct funding. Indirect funding would be harder to stop, without affecting many small community radio stations. It might be interesting to know that in recent years, NPR has come under fire for being too conservative, based on money flowing in from corporate sponsors. Here is a peak at their 2008 sponsors. Note that Fox Broadcasting was a donor in the $50 - $99 thousand dollar range.
Of course Fox has had some firings also, but not so famous. They fired one of their on air staff , E.D. Hill, after comments about the President and his wife. Also fired as another commentator who might have protested too much against another FOX commentator. Mark Lamont Hill got in a "dispute" with David Horowitz and was soon gone. Guess to be on FOX your name cannot be Hill!
So, in the end, what is the result?
1. Juan Williams gets fired for something he was warned about. (my personal opinion was it was overdue)
2. NPR gets a lot of bad press at a time they are doing fund-raising.
3. Juan Williams gets $2 million dollars to stay at FOX. (I wonder how long this will last not that he does not have Liberal ties)
4. His First Amendment Rights are certainly not violated, and considering NPR's budget, he will be paid only a little less than the government money that goes directly to NPR.
What a Country!
Oh, the answers to the quiz?
1. d
2. d. (counting himself as author)
3. a. Actually a trick question - they are not to give any comment based on the section" VIII. Politics, community and outside activities" in the ethics code.
4. b.
ChrisZ
But first, a quiz:
1. How much money does NPR get directly from the Government?
a. 100%
b. 60 %
c. 20 %
d. 2 %
2. How many companies was Juan Williams working for?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. More than 3
3. NPR does not allow it's workers to criticize the government?
a. Yes
b. No
4. Fox News never fires anyone for what they say.
a. Yes
b. No
Okay, a little background on NPR. It was created in 1970 after the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. It is a both privately and publicly funded although the majority of it's funding now comes from members and corporate donations. Federal monies comes to about 2% of NPR's direct annual budget. Because member stations pay a fee to NPR, and they are sometimes funded through government grants, this figure is debated. More information can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Public_Radio
Now Juan Williams was a contract worker, although he was not solely employed by NPR. He also worked for FOX, wrote newspaper columns and also was an author. Under his contract, NPR could fire him if they felt he breached their code of ethics, and since he had been warned before about statements on FOX, it seems that this was legal.
Now, people are calling for the government to cut all funding to NPR. As above, there is very little direct funding. Indirect funding would be harder to stop, without affecting many small community radio stations. It might be interesting to know that in recent years, NPR has come under fire for being too conservative, based on money flowing in from corporate sponsors. Here is a peak at their 2008 sponsors. Note that Fox Broadcasting was a donor in the $50 - $99 thousand dollar range.
Of course Fox has had some firings also, but not so famous. They fired one of their on air staff , E.D. Hill, after comments about the President and his wife. Also fired as another commentator who might have protested too much against another FOX commentator. Mark Lamont Hill got in a "dispute" with David Horowitz and was soon gone. Guess to be on FOX your name cannot be Hill!
So, in the end, what is the result?
1. Juan Williams gets fired for something he was warned about. (my personal opinion was it was overdue)
2. NPR gets a lot of bad press at a time they are doing fund-raising.
3. Juan Williams gets $2 million dollars to stay at FOX. (I wonder how long this will last not that he does not have Liberal ties)
4. His First Amendment Rights are certainly not violated, and considering NPR's budget, he will be paid only a little less than the government money that goes directly to NPR.
What a Country!
Oh, the answers to the quiz?
1. d
2. d. (counting himself as author)
3. a. Actually a trick question - they are not to give any comment based on the section" VIII. Politics, community and outside activities" in the ethics code.
4. b.
ChrisZ
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Up is down and black is white
The new economic report came in and the job numbers were not good. Private business created 64,000 jobs and the feeling is that over 200,000 are needed each month to keep the economy going. But the interesting news is that government CUT jobs, buy over 100,000, so there was a net loss for the month. Now on one hand, some are saying what a terrible job the Democrats are doing, while calling for MORE job cuts in government. You can't have it both ways. Either cutting jobs in government is cutting spending and is a good thing; or cutting jobs is a bad thing - period.
So if you take the government jobs out - the economy gained 64,000 jobs - good.
BTW - the Stock Market was so depressed by the news that the Dow broke 11,000.......
So if you take the government jobs out - the economy gained 64,000 jobs - good.
BTW - the Stock Market was so depressed by the news that the Dow broke 11,000.......
Sunday, September 12, 2010
What do I have to do?
I am tired of repeating the mantra:
"The President did not say that passing the stimulus would keep the level of unemployment under 8 percent!"
I keep hearing it left and right. For the record. The 8 percent figure came from a report his economic advisers released in January 2009, BEFORE he was elected.
If you want more info on this - check out:
Politifact - George Will
I would not even give it a "Barely True" - I would give it a false.
The unemployment rate in February, when the stimulus passed was already at 8%
So how can the stimulus hold the rate to something lower than it already is???!!!
"The President did not say that passing the stimulus would keep the level of unemployment under 8 percent!"
I keep hearing it left and right. For the record. The 8 percent figure came from a report his economic advisers released in January 2009, BEFORE he was elected.
If you want more info on this - check out:
Politifact - George Will
I would not even give it a "Barely True" - I would give it a false.
The unemployment rate in February, when the stimulus passed was already at 8%
So how can the stimulus hold the rate to something lower than it already is???!!!
Is the Recession over?
Today on a Fox News Roundtable - Bill Kristol kept saying that it would be wrong to raise taxes during a recession. Well Bill, I have news for you, the recession is over:
Is the Recession Over?
Technically it was over last year (2009). The problem is that people feel that since unemployment is still high, that the recession is no over. Actually, lots of companies are making profits and lots of people are making insane amounts of money again. They are doing okay while many are still fighting for the few jobs out there.
Now, I am not saying that there are not problems. The concept of a jobless recovery, but its own definition is a problem. But let us not say that we can't raise taxes because we are in a recession, because that is technically not correct.
ChrisZ
Is the Recession Over?
Technically it was over last year (2009). The problem is that people feel that since unemployment is still high, that the recession is no over. Actually, lots of companies are making profits and lots of people are making insane amounts of money again. They are doing okay while many are still fighting for the few jobs out there.
Now, I am not saying that there are not problems. The concept of a jobless recovery, but its own definition is a problem. But let us not say that we can't raise taxes because we are in a recession, because that is technically not correct.
ChrisZ
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Questions for New Yorkers
1. How far does ground zero extend - 1 block? 2 blocks? 10 blocks? 100 blocks? The entire city?
2. The people we are fighting to free in Iraq and Afghanistan - what religion are they?
Thanks
2. The people we are fighting to free in Iraq and Afghanistan - what religion are they?
Thanks
Monday, July 05, 2010
The story of the economy
I will give a simple view of the current economy.
Supply and demand - with very few exceptions (fads like iPhones and Beanie Babies) supply follows demand.
For the last 20 years, the American consumer has been on a buying spree, fueled by artificially low interest rates and availability of cheap credit.
Cars, houses, consumer electronics, vacations; all purchased on credit, without a corresponding savings to back them up, led us to this economic bubble.
As we overspent the economy went into overdrive and incomes, home values, government, health care all spiralled up as no one cared about the end of free money.
Well the end has come. Jobs have been cut, salaries are frozen if not going down, home values have crashed, and next; government jobs, salaries and benefits will have to be cut to bring things back into balance.
Once that happens, and people get their savings and lifestyle back into balance, then the economy will start to properly grow.
There are new factors that will affect this however. Technology will create a problem as it displaces traditional jobs. Education and especially mathematical and scientific knowledge will be necessary for the worker of the future.
The question is, what to do about the person who cannot work and will not continue to learn.
That is for another post.
ChrisZ (10 min)
Supply and demand - with very few exceptions (fads like iPhones and Beanie Babies) supply follows demand.
For the last 20 years, the American consumer has been on a buying spree, fueled by artificially low interest rates and availability of cheap credit.
Cars, houses, consumer electronics, vacations; all purchased on credit, without a corresponding savings to back them up, led us to this economic bubble.
As we overspent the economy went into overdrive and incomes, home values, government, health care all spiralled up as no one cared about the end of free money.
Well the end has come. Jobs have been cut, salaries are frozen if not going down, home values have crashed, and next; government jobs, salaries and benefits will have to be cut to bring things back into balance.
Once that happens, and people get their savings and lifestyle back into balance, then the economy will start to properly grow.
There are new factors that will affect this however. Technology will create a problem as it displaces traditional jobs. Education and especially mathematical and scientific knowledge will be necessary for the worker of the future.
The question is, what to do about the person who cannot work and will not continue to learn.
That is for another post.
ChrisZ (10 min)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Paul Ryan Lies
I don't think I can express my feelings. It is one thing to go on Sean Hannity's show and agree with a nod and a wink, but to blatantly tell lies, or deliberately confuse people with numbers, when you are accusing others of doing the same thing is unbelievable. I guess Congressman Paul Ryan decided that if you can't educate people with logic and facts, then the only way to go is to fabrications to get them excited.
From this date on he is totally worthless in my book.
ChrisZ
From this date on he is totally worthless in my book.
ChrisZ
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Keep Geithner away from the press
Timothy Geithner is a very smart man. I believe he has worked very hard to keep the financial system afloat. Maybe in later years we will find how close we really came to a complete financial breakdown but for now I will assume that everything we did was necessary for the country.
Having said that the man should not be on TV, the radio, or quoted in the papers. He has no concept of public speaking. I just watched an interview with him on one of the Sunday shows and he either did not hear any of the questions, or he avoided them. He was very self congratulatory (which might be true - maybe he did all those things) when he needed to be more humble. He needed to give confidence and hope and what he gave was a technical dissertation.
He needs a good speech coach.
Chris Z
5 min
Having said that the man should not be on TV, the radio, or quoted in the papers. He has no concept of public speaking. I just watched an interview with him on one of the Sunday shows and he either did not hear any of the questions, or he avoided them. He was very self congratulatory (which might be true - maybe he did all those things) when he needed to be more humble. He needed to give confidence and hope and what he gave was a technical dissertation.
He needs a good speech coach.
Chris Z
5 min
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Checking in
Too little time, too many thoughts.
Random thoughts
Research, research, research - people keep sending me things that are easy to research and rebut. Don't just forward something unless you check it out first.
Government cannot create jobs - unless they are government jobs. Tax cuts don't create jobs - unless they are targeted to specific industry. So how do you create jobs? You get the economy moving by inspiring hope, trust and a purpose. When people share these feelings then jobs will come out of the woodwork.
I like term limits, I like restricted benefits for elected government service (no big pensions), I like government funded web sites for candidates (they can spend all the money they want on their own) and I would love a portable lie detector on all politicians and talk show hosts!
ChrisZ
5 min
Random thoughts
Research, research, research - people keep sending me things that are easy to research and rebut. Don't just forward something unless you check it out first.
Government cannot create jobs - unless they are government jobs. Tax cuts don't create jobs - unless they are targeted to specific industry. So how do you create jobs? You get the economy moving by inspiring hope, trust and a purpose. When people share these feelings then jobs will come out of the woodwork.
I like term limits, I like restricted benefits for elected government service (no big pensions), I like government funded web sites for candidates (they can spend all the money they want on their own) and I would love a portable lie detector on all politicians and talk show hosts!
ChrisZ
5 min
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong
There is a TV commercial where your day trading skills can be improved by plotting and watching trends on stock values. My belief is that this is wrong - a capitalistic sin. People are making trades not on the intrinsic value of a stock, but rather the lemming mentality of it going up or down. No wonder we end up with overvalued stocks and ready to burst bubbles. Why we keep ending up with the rich getting richer and the rest of us with nothing to show for it - not even products of worth.
ChrisZ
ChrisZ
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cash for Clunkers - good or bad?
Do I like Cash for Clunkers? I would if I had a vehicle to trade in and I needed another car....
I have 2 vehicles I would like to get rid of. First, an old Ford Taurus that is rusting away but gets too much MPG to qualify. Second is a Dodge truck that I use to haul my race car around with. It qualifies, but I can't afford the $15,000 extra to get a new truck after the rebate. Besides, I ride a motorcycle or bicycle to offset the times I do use the truck.
So, I don't qualify, but are there some myths out there to debunk? Maybe.
1. This program takes valuable vehicles off the road. If you visited the local car dealer back lot and saw the trade ins for this program, you would not want to drive them. Most are old, rusty, trucks and SUVs. Very few good small cars are there. Either they get too good MPG or they are worth more as fuel efficient cars. There are some odd cars here in there, but you are not going to find a mint BMW there, because they are worth more than $4500!
2. If a guy trades in an old SUV that gets 12 mpg and gets another SUV that gets 18 mpg, he has still reduced his fuel usage by 1/3rd - not too shabby.
3. Does it take good cars out of the used car market? Maybe a few, but most of these cars were in too bad a shape anyway. Plus the used car market is already glutted. Plus this leaves better cars that get better mileage - The price may be a little higher, but will be more than made up for with better cars and mpg.
Could the program be done a little bit better? Yes, scrap the engines but leave the rest of the car for the auto recyclers. Make a sliding scale to is is better to purchase a high mileage car rather than a truck, and handle the pr and interface with the dealers better. Is it the best program, no, but as long as it goes away in November it will be fine.
15 min
I have 2 vehicles I would like to get rid of. First, an old Ford Taurus that is rusting away but gets too much MPG to qualify. Second is a Dodge truck that I use to haul my race car around with. It qualifies, but I can't afford the $15,000 extra to get a new truck after the rebate. Besides, I ride a motorcycle or bicycle to offset the times I do use the truck.
So, I don't qualify, but are there some myths out there to debunk? Maybe.
1. This program takes valuable vehicles off the road. If you visited the local car dealer back lot and saw the trade ins for this program, you would not want to drive them. Most are old, rusty, trucks and SUVs. Very few good small cars are there. Either they get too good MPG or they are worth more as fuel efficient cars. There are some odd cars here in there, but you are not going to find a mint BMW there, because they are worth more than $4500!
2. If a guy trades in an old SUV that gets 12 mpg and gets another SUV that gets 18 mpg, he has still reduced his fuel usage by 1/3rd - not too shabby.
3. Does it take good cars out of the used car market? Maybe a few, but most of these cars were in too bad a shape anyway. Plus the used car market is already glutted. Plus this leaves better cars that get better mileage - The price may be a little higher, but will be more than made up for with better cars and mpg.
Could the program be done a little bit better? Yes, scrap the engines but leave the rest of the car for the auto recyclers. Make a sliding scale to is is better to purchase a high mileage car rather than a truck, and handle the pr and interface with the dealers better. Is it the best program, no, but as long as it goes away in November it will be fine.
15 min
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Will the rich get richer?
I was reading an article in the new Wired magazine called "Socialism - redefined". It looked at how people were pooling their talents for free in what were traditionally paying jobs - like Wikipedia instead of Encyclopedia Britannica. So I got thinking. If people don't have to work harder to earn more money to but things - if day to day items get less expensive and more common - think of i-Tunes instead of a record collection, or digital photos instead of paying for film; what will the average wage earner look like in 10 years? In the past, rising wages came from people making things - manufacturing items that other people bought. Now we find ourselves in the information age and sharing, renting and combining resources. For example, the average car is idle for 80 % of its life. What if we shared cars instead of owning them. The cars would be used to 100% of its capability, but we would only need 20% of them. Who is is going to make money on that? The person who organizes it, the person who designs the tools that allow us to share. In that sense, there will be fewer and fewer people making more money. How is this going to affect our life? Our tax system? Some things to think about.
ChrisZ
15 min
ChrisZ
15 min
Sunday, March 22, 2009
They still don't get it
The outrage over the AIG bonuses (real or not) just points out how out of touch everyone is.
AIG (and Wall Street in General) - Okay they had contracts, and you have to remember that even on a losing baseball team, you could have a superstar that needs to get paid, but guys, did you ever take a course in marketing? You had a whole year to inform everyone, temper the reaction, explain the situation, cut back or renegotiate the bonuses - did you really think nobody would notice?
The Government - Same marketing question as above, if you give out money (and those blaming the Democrats, remember; this deal for TARP was under the previous administration, this was a modification in the stimulus plan to restrict compensation, with the infamous clause). Keep you mouth shut till you know the facts and then be honest - If AIG pulled one over on us, shame on them. If it happens again shame on you.
The Average Citizen - Give me a break - the last place Baltimore Orioles in 2008 had more that 10 players who made over 1 million dollars. The highest player made over 8 million. Do you think that they shouldn't be paid? What about all the financial companies that went out of business? Did those guys get bonuses? We don't even know what the people who got the bonuses did. Maybe they saved the company billions of dollars. Grow up and start being responsible yourself.
The real problem, and nobody has spoken about this, is the salary gap between the average person and the highest wage earners. Where was all this outrage when things were good? They were getting even more obscene bonuses then, but nobody cared, because times were good. If we are going to make any changes we have to be consistent and vigilant. Learn from our mistakes and not keep making the same ones over and over and over.....
ChrisZ
10 min
AIG (and Wall Street in General) - Okay they had contracts, and you have to remember that even on a losing baseball team, you could have a superstar that needs to get paid, but guys, did you ever take a course in marketing? You had a whole year to inform everyone, temper the reaction, explain the situation, cut back or renegotiate the bonuses - did you really think nobody would notice?
The Government - Same marketing question as above, if you give out money (and those blaming the Democrats, remember; this deal for TARP was under the previous administration, this was a modification in the stimulus plan to restrict compensation, with the infamous clause). Keep you mouth shut till you know the facts and then be honest - If AIG pulled one over on us, shame on them. If it happens again shame on you.
The Average Citizen - Give me a break - the last place Baltimore Orioles in 2008 had more that 10 players who made over 1 million dollars. The highest player made over 8 million. Do you think that they shouldn't be paid? What about all the financial companies that went out of business? Did those guys get bonuses? We don't even know what the people who got the bonuses did. Maybe they saved the company billions of dollars. Grow up and start being responsible yourself.
The real problem, and nobody has spoken about this, is the salary gap between the average person and the highest wage earners. Where was all this outrage when things were good? They were getting even more obscene bonuses then, but nobody cared, because times were good. If we are going to make any changes we have to be consistent and vigilant. Learn from our mistakes and not keep making the same ones over and over and over.....
ChrisZ
10 min
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Future is the Past?
Where to we go from here? Is Suburbia dead? This article thinks so:
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106732/Suburbia-R-I-P
And the recent concept of Suburbia may be dead. Of people living in bigger and bigger houses with more land, living farther and farther away from the center of cities. But is there a new model of suburbia that will work? Here is my idea:
1. Cities will build new communities within their center. Projects like Co-op city in NY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-op_City,_Bronx) but on a much smaller scale. These communities will house many different people. There will be students, young singles, married couples with small families, professionals and some older residents. The buildings will have garages, playgrounds, pools and open space area.
There will be small, multi family housing, this may go back to the days of families living in separate houses but on common property. Zoning laws will need to be changed to accommodate this. In addition, some larger houses will need to be modified to multiple occupancy. The challenge to zoning laws is will this be restricted to relatives or opened up to anyone?
For standard single family housing, children will stay longer and contribute to the household costs. Houses will be retrofitted with energy saving devices. There will be more solar collectors for heating. Second floors will be converted to storage and sealed off with doors to keep the main floor either cool or warm depending on the location. People will live simpler, with less grandiose houses. Americans will start looking around the world for ideas and then in our own manner, adapt and expand on them to suit our desires.
As the infrastructure changes, transportation will also change. Highway design will freeze as extra lanes will no longer be necessary. Car will be come smaller with rentals becoming more popular with shorter rental times. You might carry an entertainment center and plug it into a generic rental car. These rental centers will be centrally located. So you may take your car to a train, take the train to destination nearby where you want to go, and then rent a car locally. Or maybe, we will see more auto trains that can carry smaller autos between common destinations, like New York to Boston, or New York to Chicago.
Industrial Parks will move back within city lines and production will move back closer to the final distribution point. There will be more car pooling and buses, but only where the volume of use will make economic sense. In other locations, people will still have multiple cars, but they will be more diverse in thier function. One might be a small truck and the other a high mileage hybrid.
More ideas on the city of the future to come.....
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106732/Suburbia-R-I-P
And the recent concept of Suburbia may be dead. Of people living in bigger and bigger houses with more land, living farther and farther away from the center of cities. But is there a new model of suburbia that will work? Here is my idea:
1. Cities will build new communities within their center. Projects like Co-op city in NY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-op_City,_Bronx) but on a much smaller scale. These communities will house many different people. There will be students, young singles, married couples with small families, professionals and some older residents. The buildings will have garages, playgrounds, pools and open space area.
There will be small, multi family housing, this may go back to the days of families living in separate houses but on common property. Zoning laws will need to be changed to accommodate this. In addition, some larger houses will need to be modified to multiple occupancy. The challenge to zoning laws is will this be restricted to relatives or opened up to anyone?
For standard single family housing, children will stay longer and contribute to the household costs. Houses will be retrofitted with energy saving devices. There will be more solar collectors for heating. Second floors will be converted to storage and sealed off with doors to keep the main floor either cool or warm depending on the location. People will live simpler, with less grandiose houses. Americans will start looking around the world for ideas and then in our own manner, adapt and expand on them to suit our desires.
As the infrastructure changes, transportation will also change. Highway design will freeze as extra lanes will no longer be necessary. Car will be come smaller with rentals becoming more popular with shorter rental times. You might carry an entertainment center and plug it into a generic rental car. These rental centers will be centrally located. So you may take your car to a train, take the train to destination nearby where you want to go, and then rent a car locally. Or maybe, we will see more auto trains that can carry smaller autos between common destinations, like New York to Boston, or New York to Chicago.
Industrial Parks will move back within city lines and production will move back closer to the final distribution point. There will be more car pooling and buses, but only where the volume of use will make economic sense. In other locations, people will still have multiple cars, but they will be more diverse in thier function. One might be a small truck and the other a high mileage hybrid.
More ideas on the city of the future to come.....
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Working hard just to keep up
When we are young, we spend most of our time trying to improve ourselves. Like a new car we put on fancy hub caps, install new radios, maybe even a exciting new paint job. The problem is we are not interested in the basic maintenance or strengthening the chassis. I am now finding that this relates to our bodies also. Rather than eating well and working out, keeping our blood pressure low and watching how we act; we do crazy things and they rely on our young body to pull us through. Then, when we get old, we spend just as much time just trying to maintain what is falling apart, that we have no time for improvement. Oh the follies of youth......
3 min
3 min
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Chris's Words of Wisdom (WOW)
“This country will collapse economically, when the government cannot pay for the seemingly reasonable demands of the people .”
ChrisZ
1 min
ChrisZ
1 min
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Out in the 'Burbs
I have been reading about the move back to the cities from the suburbs. While I an not going to make a blanket statement, I want to throw out some observations about suburban living and how it has changed.
Disclaimer - I grew up in Mineola, Long Island. At one time it was farm country, then was developed, not so fast as Levittown to the east, but it was considered the suburbs. My friends in the city called it the "sticks" because you could not walk out your door and get on the subway, although we did have a bus stop at the corner and the train was within walking distance.
The suburbs have changed in the last 50 years. What was once 1/4 acre lots have become 2 - 3 acre lots. What was once grid style road layouts have become mazes of cul-de-sacs and dead ends. Town like Torrington, where I currently live, even have a fading suburbs, as growing out from a central town, the developments change as they finally fade into real rural areas.
The families have changed also. From the, father works while the mother stays home, modern suburbia is a virtual ghost town during the day, and actually, most all of the time. As families got smaller, kids no longer could find entertainment in their own house or neighborhood, but now have to be driven to group activities, whether band or soccer. Older people no longer retire to Florida or an apartment or move in with their kids, but hang on to their homes much longer.
Financially, taxes are going up as municipal services are stretched thin, citizens are less connected to their government (despite the advent of the Internet), and schools are dealing with kids needing extra services.
Now is any of this bad? If so, what needs to be done? That is for another time.
ChrisZ
10 min
Disclaimer - I grew up in Mineola, Long Island. At one time it was farm country, then was developed, not so fast as Levittown to the east, but it was considered the suburbs. My friends in the city called it the "sticks" because you could not walk out your door and get on the subway, although we did have a bus stop at the corner and the train was within walking distance.
The suburbs have changed in the last 50 years. What was once 1/4 acre lots have become 2 - 3 acre lots. What was once grid style road layouts have become mazes of cul-de-sacs and dead ends. Town like Torrington, where I currently live, even have a fading suburbs, as growing out from a central town, the developments change as they finally fade into real rural areas.
The families have changed also. From the, father works while the mother stays home, modern suburbia is a virtual ghost town during the day, and actually, most all of the time. As families got smaller, kids no longer could find entertainment in their own house or neighborhood, but now have to be driven to group activities, whether band or soccer. Older people no longer retire to Florida or an apartment or move in with their kids, but hang on to their homes much longer.
Financially, taxes are going up as municipal services are stretched thin, citizens are less connected to their government (despite the advent of the Internet), and schools are dealing with kids needing extra services.
Now is any of this bad? If so, what needs to be done? That is for another time.
ChrisZ
10 min
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
We've come so far - so far to go
At this time in history - a point that will not just be a sidebar in future history books, there are signs that, as far as we have come, we have a long way to go.
Listening to the callers and "conservative" talk show hosts I realize that we have been divided so savagely, that I don't know how it can be healed. In the age of information, the flood of mis-information is so great, and people are so willing to believe what they want to believe, that the truth is still hostage.
I have hope, but it will take another generation.
Listening to the callers and "conservative" talk show hosts I realize that we have been divided so savagely, that I don't know how it can be healed. In the age of information, the flood of mis-information is so great, and people are so willing to believe what they want to believe, that the truth is still hostage.
I have hope, but it will take another generation.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
My House - Is a Very Fine House
I was always wondering where I could put the combined wealth of knowledge I have accumulated during the course of owning a house - well here is the perfect venue.
Maybe nobody reads it, maybe no one will ever head my pleas, but here goes:
1. If you are going to buy a house, try to look at it in the fall - especially when leaves fall off. Raking leaves can be a big expense, either monetarily or in time. (It seems like all the leaves in the neighborhood blow to my property!)
2. Never have a perfectly flat driveway if you live in an area of snow or freezing rain. Also, if you pick one with a flat drive or walkway, make sure it is on the south or west side. Nothing more interesting that to shovel snow in the morning, have in melt and then freeze in the afternoon (no sun) and come home to an ice rink.
cmz - 5 min
Maybe nobody reads it, maybe no one will ever head my pleas, but here goes:
1. If you are going to buy a house, try to look at it in the fall - especially when leaves fall off. Raking leaves can be a big expense, either monetarily or in time. (It seems like all the leaves in the neighborhood blow to my property!)
2. Never have a perfectly flat driveway if you live in an area of snow or freezing rain. Also, if you pick one with a flat drive or walkway, make sure it is on the south or west side. Nothing more interesting that to shovel snow in the morning, have in melt and then freeze in the afternoon (no sun) and come home to an ice rink.
cmz - 5 min
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Deja Vu all over again
After listening to the reviews of the VP presidential debate, I wondered where I heard it before - right -the presidential debates of 2000. The bar was set so low for now President Bush that any show of competence was seen as a win. hmmmmm.
ChrisZ
5 min
ChrisZ
5 min
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Pay not attention to the man behind the curtain!
During the last several Presidential terms, there has been some crisis or another near the end of their term.
This is because the country rode a wave of success that was an illusion, and it had to crash eventually.
President Reagan rode the buildup in the defense industry. It is fairly well accepted that we beat the Soviet Union by outspending them. At some time it had to come to an end, and in this case the loser was President Bush (I) who paid the price when the economy could not sustain the spending.
President Clinton rode the Internet bubble. I remember sitting with the CFO of the company I was with and we were watching the stock market (and our 401K's) go through the roof, and thinking "what is wrong with this picture?" We we found out. Besides Tyco and Enron, many companies were built up with paper profits and speculation. When it started to crash, President Bush (II) and maybe Al Gore had to take the fall - at least President Bush could claim to be of the other party and thereby dodge some of the blame.
Now President Bush has been riding the housing boom. We don't know who is ultimately to blame, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that at the least, the current administration was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they pushed for regulation, they would be going against the tide of less government regulation. If they didn't push for regulation, they knew the house of cards would come down, could they just not have it on their watch. My feeling is that we will find they took the middle road. They talked a good game in order to cover themselves, but at the same time did nothing to push for changes.
The next president is going to have to convince people to lower their expectations, to return to a simpler life, to put value in actions rather than possessions, so we can dig ourselves out of this mess.
ChrisZ
10 min
This is because the country rode a wave of success that was an illusion, and it had to crash eventually.
President Reagan rode the buildup in the defense industry. It is fairly well accepted that we beat the Soviet Union by outspending them. At some time it had to come to an end, and in this case the loser was President Bush (I) who paid the price when the economy could not sustain the spending.
President Clinton rode the Internet bubble. I remember sitting with the CFO of the company I was with and we were watching the stock market (and our 401K's) go through the roof, and thinking "what is wrong with this picture?" We we found out. Besides Tyco and Enron, many companies were built up with paper profits and speculation. When it started to crash, President Bush (II) and maybe Al Gore had to take the fall - at least President Bush could claim to be of the other party and thereby dodge some of the blame.
Now President Bush has been riding the housing boom. We don't know who is ultimately to blame, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that at the least, the current administration was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they pushed for regulation, they would be going against the tide of less government regulation. If they didn't push for regulation, they knew the house of cards would come down, could they just not have it on their watch. My feeling is that we will find they took the middle road. They talked a good game in order to cover themselves, but at the same time did nothing to push for changes.
The next president is going to have to convince people to lower their expectations, to return to a simpler life, to put value in actions rather than possessions, so we can dig ourselves out of this mess.
ChrisZ
10 min
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Trust but verify
This was supposedly the mantra of Ronald Reagan. Not a bad one to apply to the Internet.
Everyone assumes that if something is on the Internet it is true. Far from it.
When someone wrote a book, there was at least a process that they had to go through, and this separated the serious person verses the joker. Today, anyone with a computer and a blog can set off a firestorm before anyone else can confirm or deny the accusation.
Rather than take things you see as fact, maybe the new mantra, at least as it relates to the Internet, is "look and research".
ChrisZ
5min
Everyone assumes that if something is on the Internet it is true. Far from it.
When someone wrote a book, there was at least a process that they had to go through, and this separated the serious person verses the joker. Today, anyone with a computer and a blog can set off a firestorm before anyone else can confirm or deny the accusation.
Rather than take things you see as fact, maybe the new mantra, at least as it relates to the Internet, is "look and research".
ChrisZ
5min
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Ground rules
7. Nothing radical happens overnight.
8. No one person is to be congratulated or blamed. (similar to #2)
1 min
8. No one person is to be congratulated or blamed. (similar to #2)
1 min
Monday, June 02, 2008
They just don't get it
>>Ramping up its efforts to build search market share, Microsoft signed a deal to embed a Live Search toolbar on all Hewlett-Packard consumer PCs in North America starting next year.
In addition, Live Search will be the default search engine on browsers on the computers, the companies said. Both features will be included in HP PCs in January 2009.<<
From:
Microsoft, HP Do Search Deal for PCs
>>Some Microsoft competitors have cried foul at previous efforts by the software giant to tie its search platform into its browser. Two years ago when Microsoft launched IE7 in beta, it set Live Search as the default search provider in a toolbar in the browser, although users can hit a drop-down menu to change the search provider to a handful of other companies. At the time, Google complained to the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice that the default setting removes choice for users. Google has a similar setup in Mozilla's Firefox browser, which comes with Google as the default search bar. The DOJ found that Microsoft makes it easy enough for users and computer makers to change the default setting. <<
The problem is not that it is easy to change the default setting - it is that it is the default setting at all! Imagine a car that would only run on a particular brand of gas until you took it somewhere and had the default changed. Most people do not have the ability or the patience to change the default - they will just leave it as it is. Way back when, you had a choice of three or more browsers when you bought a computer - now it is handed to you and you are told to use it.
Sorry, but they just don't get it.
6 min
In addition, Live Search will be the default search engine on browsers on the computers, the companies said. Both features will be included in HP PCs in January 2009.<<
From:
Microsoft, HP Do Search Deal for PCs
>>Some Microsoft competitors have cried foul at previous efforts by the software giant to tie its search platform into its browser. Two years ago when Microsoft launched IE7 in beta, it set Live Search as the default search provider in a toolbar in the browser, although users can hit a drop-down menu to change the search provider to a handful of other companies. At the time, Google complained to the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice that the default setting removes choice for users. Google has a similar setup in Mozilla's Firefox browser, which comes with Google as the default search bar. The DOJ found that Microsoft makes it easy enough for users and computer makers to change the default setting. <<
The problem is not that it is easy to change the default setting - it is that it is the default setting at all! Imagine a car that would only run on a particular brand of gas until you took it somewhere and had the default changed. Most people do not have the ability or the patience to change the default - they will just leave it as it is. Way back when, you had a choice of three or more browsers when you bought a computer - now it is handed to you and you are told to use it.
Sorry, but they just don't get it.
6 min
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Next Blog
I am very dissapointed that Google has no way of qualifying content on their blogs. While I do not fall into the catagory of all web content should be restrictive, I do feel that you should be warned if content is for adult eyes only.
In that I have removed the "Next Blog" feature from some of my blogs, especially the ones that I do for other people or organizations. This way they don't accidentally click on something they don't want to see.
I have left it active on this page but will be putting in a warning. I hope Google and Blogger see this and make some changes soon.
ChrisZ
4 min
In that I have removed the "Next Blog" feature from some of my blogs, especially the ones that I do for other people or organizations. This way they don't accidentally click on something they don't want to see.
I have left it active on this page but will be putting in a warning. I hope Google and Blogger see this and make some changes soon.
ChrisZ
4 min
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Great Quote for Life
From the movie "Grand Prix" (1966)
Scott Stoddard: Y'know one of the most beautiful things about a car? If it isn't working properly, you can strip the skin off, expose the insides, find out exactly where the trouble is, take out the faulty part and replace it with a new one. If only we could do that with people!
2 min
Scott Stoddard: Y'know one of the most beautiful things about a car? If it isn't working properly, you can strip the skin off, expose the insides, find out exactly where the trouble is, take out the faulty part and replace it with a new one. If only we could do that with people!
2 min
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Driving in the snow
This is both for my general blog and my driving blog
Driving Professor
Here in the Northeast, people do not prepare their cars for the snow.
Specifically, here is the story on tires:
1. You must use snow or all season tires
2. The tread must be at least 6/32 deep (The Lincoln penny test is only 2/32, you need 3 times this to drive in snow).
3. The tires should not be over 5 years old.
If you don't meet all 3 criteria - YOU SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD IN THE SNOW.
ChrisZ
4 minutes
Driving Professor
Here in the Northeast, people do not prepare their cars for the snow.
Specifically, here is the story on tires:
1. You must use snow or all season tires
2. The tread must be at least 6/32 deep (The Lincoln penny test is only 2/32, you need 3 times this to drive in snow).
3. The tires should not be over 5 years old.
If you don't meet all 3 criteria - YOU SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD IN THE SNOW.
ChrisZ
4 minutes
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
He's back
Yes,
It had been many weeks since I have written anything. It was so long I even forgot my password....
There is a lot going on in my life and in the world - trying to make sense of them will be the topics for the next few entries
ChrisZ
3 minutes
It had been many weeks since I have written anything. It was so long I even forgot my password....
There is a lot going on in my life and in the world - trying to make sense of them will be the topics for the next few entries
ChrisZ
3 minutes
Monday, October 22, 2007
Top Ten Movies
Everyone as a top ten movie list. So here, in no specific order, are my top 10 movies:
1. Twelve O'Clock High
2. It's a Wonderful Life
3. Stairway to Heaven
4. Inherit the Wind
5. Chariots of Fire
6. Three days of the Condor
7. Horse Feathers
8. Mr Blandings builds his Dream House
9. Apollo 13
10. To Sir with Love
These are the ones off the top of my head.
I will add and subtrack as required. In fact here are some that just missed the cut:
Harvey
Sleeper
The Wrath of Kahn
Local Hero
The Swimmer
Cool Hand Luke
The verdict
A Few Good Men
12 Angry Men
Patterns
Command Decision (1948)
My Life
The Battle of Britain
The Money Pit
Catch me if you can
Operation Petticoat
More will be added as necessary....
20 min
1. Twelve O'Clock High
2. It's a Wonderful Life
3. Stairway to Heaven
4. Inherit the Wind
5. Chariots of Fire
6. Three days of the Condor
7. Horse Feathers
8. Mr Blandings builds his Dream House
9. Apollo 13
10. To Sir with Love
These are the ones off the top of my head.
I will add and subtrack as required. In fact here are some that just missed the cut:
Harvey
Sleeper
The Wrath of Kahn
Local Hero
The Swimmer
Cool Hand Luke
The verdict
A Few Good Men
12 Angry Men
Patterns
Command Decision (1948)
My Life
The Battle of Britain
The Money Pit
Catch me if you can
Operation Petticoat
More will be added as necessary....
20 min
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Facts of Life
No not those, but ideas that I have found to be 95% true and usable as practical methods of living your life.
Don't worry about missing something on sale. More often than not it will be back on sale next week or even cheaper in the future.
Corollary: That once in a lifetime offer isn't. Your life may or may not change but you should not have any guilt about passing something up.
Don't worry about missing something on sale. More often than not it will be back on sale next week or even cheaper in the future.
Corollary: That once in a lifetime offer isn't. Your life may or may not change but you should not have any guilt about passing something up.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Easy Rider - Not!
I passed my road test for my motorcycle license today. However; it was not as easy as it sounds - let me explain.
In Connecticut, you can apply for a motorcycle learners permit by paying $40 and passing a written knowledge (computer) test. Actually there is another $15 to update your regular license also. Why? I don't know......
Now you have 2 months to practice your craft with a few restrictions. You must wear a helmet (CT has no helmet law normally), stay off the highways, can't ride after dark and cannot carry passengers. Besides that you are on your own. At the end of the 2 months you can renew the permit for another $15., but you can only renew it once in a calendar year. This leads to problems that I will get to later.
After you feel capable of passing the road test, you make an appointment. Here is gets complicated. Road tests seem to be scheduled at the DMV branches on a rotating basis. Now I live 3 miles from a branch, but they did not have a test day scheduled before my permit (renewal) ran out. So I had to schedule a time at a location 50 miles away. Now, since I had already renewed my permit, if I failed, I would have to have the bike trailered back home; I decided to bring it in the back of my pickup. So I built a ramp and wheel holder and got straps to secure the bike. Not a fun thing but I was not the only one to do this.
I was scheduled for 8:30 and arrived a little after 8am. I got the bike off the truck (easy) and got in line in the DMV. I had to fill out some forms and they sent me out to wait for a few more riders to show up. Note - since we were the first ones there, we could have ridden the course - but we didn't know that - if you can do a practice ride, it would help.
They lined us up an we went through a series of exercises. Now there are some penalties. Putting your food down was 2 points, stalling was 3, I think, dropping the bike was a go home and not obeying instructions was 5. If you get more than 10 points you fail.
We all went through the first exercise, which was a sharp turn and stopping with the front tire in a 2 x 2 foot box. So far, so good. The next exercise was a slalom though a series of cones followed by a "U" turn in a half box. The first person was taking the test on scooter (Hint - I think it must be 125cc but this is a great idea - you will see why soon). The second person had a large cruiser and had to put his foot down twice in the exercise. 4 points already. I went next and went through clear (note under 500 CC and you have a slightly smaller half box to turn around in - so the smaller the bike, the better). The 4th person put their foot down twice and went wide in the turn and was told to try again another time. The fifth driver went through the cones the wrong way (after watching 4 people before him) and then went wide in the box. Bye bye to him also. Now, I will admit, that this is the toughest part of the test and really not representative a real world riding. More on this later.
Now there were 3. The next test was a quick stop. You had to accelerate up to 15 - 20 mph and then at a certain point make a "panic stop". The instructor could not see the brake lights but the riders ahead of me were braking too early. So I said I would do it right. I went up to 15 mph and then hit the brakes. The inspector came over and said I was going too slow! So he allowed me to do it again (he seems to give one mulligan to each rider per test). This time I went too fast and but still stopped fairly short, but he gave me 5 points for a long stop. I didn't know this until later.
The last test was swerve through a set of cones. I felt comfortable but there was always that doubt in your mind. After completing the maneuver, the inspector gave me my score sheet and told me to go inside. After parking the bike I looked at the sheet and it said "PASS" with the 5 point deduction. Now the guy on the scooter got a perfect score (0) and the other rider a 6 so I felt pretty good.
After await of about 45 minutes back in the DMV office, I walked out with my motorcycle endorsement on my license. Wheeew! Put the bike back on the truck and head on home.
Now there is an alternate way of getting your license - that is to take a safe rider course put on by the state. Here you don't need a permit, you take the course on their motorcycles and if you pass the course, the road test requirement is waived. The cost of this basic course is $165 or there about. This is a great program and how I would do it if I had to do it over.
If you are going to go the private route, make sure you practice and also pick a bike that you can handle. At this DMV (I understand each test course is a little different) the slalom was VERY tight. Renting or borrowing a scooter is a sure way of passing.
Now the editorial - Virtually nothing on the road test has anything to do with riding on the road. It is a purely skills test and a low speed test at that. Maybe the assumption is that if you can handle a bike at these speeds and show balance and coordination it will transfer to street riding. But there is no test of speed, lane presence, signalling, handling traffic, etc. I know it is complicated since you cannot take an instructor with you, however; maybe a State Trooper could follow you through a designated road and observe as part of the test. If I had just practiced the skills for the test, I would have passed, but be in no shape to ride on the street.
Also, if you don't time your permit and road test right, you might find yourself waiting a year to do it again. The 2 months is not enough time to properly learn and being able to renew it only once in a calendar year is impractical. I can see they don't want to have "professional permit riders", but unless they are going to force you to take a test after a certain time, that is what you end up with. People will get a permit for the summer and never have to take the test. Oh, and the bikes were not inspected as was expected, nor was rider gear required (besides a helmet). I think having full gear has to count for something, so I would wear it anyway.
So good luck and safe riding. Later, more reflections on the difference between a motorycle and a car - things I did not expect.
ChrisZ
PS: I just found this on the DMV web site:
"If your motorcycle permit has expired, the permit can be renewed once, for an additional 60 days, during the same calendar year in which it was issued. If this additional permit expires, you may obtain an additional one-day permit on the day of your test. "
http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=805&q=244752
This has magically appeared and evidently the operators who schedule the tests are not aware of this. I have sent a e-mail asking for a explanation as to why I had to take a day off from work needlessly, when I could have taken the test a mile from where I work...... TBC
1 hour
In Connecticut, you can apply for a motorcycle learners permit by paying $40 and passing a written knowledge (computer) test. Actually there is another $15 to update your regular license also. Why? I don't know......
Now you have 2 months to practice your craft with a few restrictions. You must wear a helmet (CT has no helmet law normally), stay off the highways, can't ride after dark and cannot carry passengers. Besides that you are on your own. At the end of the 2 months you can renew the permit for another $15., but you can only renew it once in a calendar year. This leads to problems that I will get to later.
After you feel capable of passing the road test, you make an appointment. Here is gets complicated. Road tests seem to be scheduled at the DMV branches on a rotating basis. Now I live 3 miles from a branch, but they did not have a test day scheduled before my permit (renewal) ran out. So I had to schedule a time at a location 50 miles away. Now, since I had already renewed my permit, if I failed, I would have to have the bike trailered back home; I decided to bring it in the back of my pickup. So I built a ramp and wheel holder and got straps to secure the bike. Not a fun thing but I was not the only one to do this.
I was scheduled for 8:30 and arrived a little after 8am. I got the bike off the truck (easy) and got in line in the DMV. I had to fill out some forms and they sent me out to wait for a few more riders to show up. Note - since we were the first ones there, we could have ridden the course - but we didn't know that - if you can do a practice ride, it would help.
They lined us up an we went through a series of exercises. Now there are some penalties. Putting your food down was 2 points, stalling was 3, I think, dropping the bike was a go home and not obeying instructions was 5. If you get more than 10 points you fail.
We all went through the first exercise, which was a sharp turn and stopping with the front tire in a 2 x 2 foot box. So far, so good. The next exercise was a slalom though a series of cones followed by a "U" turn in a half box. The first person was taking the test on scooter (Hint - I think it must be 125cc but this is a great idea - you will see why soon). The second person had a large cruiser and had to put his foot down twice in the exercise. 4 points already. I went next and went through clear (note under 500 CC and you have a slightly smaller half box to turn around in - so the smaller the bike, the better). The 4th person put their foot down twice and went wide in the turn and was told to try again another time. The fifth driver went through the cones the wrong way (after watching 4 people before him) and then went wide in the box. Bye bye to him also. Now, I will admit, that this is the toughest part of the test and really not representative a real world riding. More on this later.
Now there were 3. The next test was a quick stop. You had to accelerate up to 15 - 20 mph and then at a certain point make a "panic stop". The instructor could not see the brake lights but the riders ahead of me were braking too early. So I said I would do it right. I went up to 15 mph and then hit the brakes. The inspector came over and said I was going too slow! So he allowed me to do it again (he seems to give one mulligan to each rider per test). This time I went too fast and but still stopped fairly short, but he gave me 5 points for a long stop. I didn't know this until later.
The last test was swerve through a set of cones. I felt comfortable but there was always that doubt in your mind. After completing the maneuver, the inspector gave me my score sheet and told me to go inside. After parking the bike I looked at the sheet and it said "PASS" with the 5 point deduction. Now the guy on the scooter got a perfect score (0) and the other rider a 6 so I felt pretty good.
After await of about 45 minutes back in the DMV office, I walked out with my motorcycle endorsement on my license. Wheeew! Put the bike back on the truck and head on home.
Now there is an alternate way of getting your license - that is to take a safe rider course put on by the state. Here you don't need a permit, you take the course on their motorcycles and if you pass the course, the road test requirement is waived. The cost of this basic course is $165 or there about. This is a great program and how I would do it if I had to do it over.
If you are going to go the private route, make sure you practice and also pick a bike that you can handle. At this DMV (I understand each test course is a little different) the slalom was VERY tight. Renting or borrowing a scooter is a sure way of passing.
Now the editorial - Virtually nothing on the road test has anything to do with riding on the road. It is a purely skills test and a low speed test at that. Maybe the assumption is that if you can handle a bike at these speeds and show balance and coordination it will transfer to street riding. But there is no test of speed, lane presence, signalling, handling traffic, etc. I know it is complicated since you cannot take an instructor with you, however; maybe a State Trooper could follow you through a designated road and observe as part of the test. If I had just practiced the skills for the test, I would have passed, but be in no shape to ride on the street.
Also, if you don't time your permit and road test right, you might find yourself waiting a year to do it again. The 2 months is not enough time to properly learn and being able to renew it only once in a calendar year is impractical. I can see they don't want to have "professional permit riders", but unless they are going to force you to take a test after a certain time, that is what you end up with. People will get a permit for the summer and never have to take the test. Oh, and the bikes were not inspected as was expected, nor was rider gear required (besides a helmet). I think having full gear has to count for something, so I would wear it anyway.
So good luck and safe riding. Later, more reflections on the difference between a motorycle and a car - things I did not expect.
ChrisZ
PS: I just found this on the DMV web site:
"If your motorcycle permit has expired, the permit can be renewed once, for an additional 60 days, during the same calendar year in which it was issued. If this additional permit expires, you may obtain an additional one-day permit on the day of your test. "
http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=805&q=244752
This has magically appeared and evidently the operators who schedule the tests are not aware of this. I have sent a e-mail asking for a explanation as to why I had to take a day off from work needlessly, when I could have taken the test a mile from where I work...... TBC
1 hour
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Teach a man to fish
There is an old saying:
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and he will feed himself for life."
In today's world, it is more like:
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, and he will come back every day because he forgot how...."
3 min
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and he will feed himself for life."
In today's world, it is more like:
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, and he will come back every day because he forgot how...."
3 min
Monday, June 04, 2007
What were they thinking?
A new entry - What were they thinking?
School workers suspended in fake attack
"During the last night of a weeklong trip to a state park, staff members convinced 69 sixth-grade students from Scales Elementary School that there was a gunman on the loose. One official has said the exercise was intended as a teaching tool."
It worked as a teaching tool - it taught two people to look for other jobs.
ChrisZ
5 min
School workers suspended in fake attack
"During the last night of a weeklong trip to a state park, staff members convinced 69 sixth-grade students from Scales Elementary School that there was a gunman on the loose. One official has said the exercise was intended as a teaching tool."
It worked as a teaching tool - it taught two people to look for other jobs.
ChrisZ
5 min
Sunday, March 25, 2007
No time on my hands
There seems to be a pattern developing. Young adults don't wear wrist watches anymore. Their excuse is that they have the time on their cell phone so they don't need a watch. Ironically, if my experience is any indication, they are also late for appointment and don't have a sense of time. Most of the time (pun intended) they don't look at their cell phone, or use the alarm feature on it.
I am going to speculate that their attitude will get them in trouble. While I realize you can get caught up in paying attention to the time, it is a measure of our society. Our work day is based on time, schools are based on time, our cars get repaired on time, etc. If time is not important to you, you will get left behind by those who do value it. While time is not something that you can change, you can to a certain point control it. Planning is an important part of life these days and by ignoring it you may be setting yourself up for failure.
-------------------
BTW - Religious connection - If religion is not something that you "wear on your wrist" and check every once in a while, you will find your life slowly getting out of control. Religion is not just something that you take out of your briefcase on Sunday (or Sabbath) but something that is a guide on how to live your life.
7 min
I am going to speculate that their attitude will get them in trouble. While I realize you can get caught up in paying attention to the time, it is a measure of our society. Our work day is based on time, schools are based on time, our cars get repaired on time, etc. If time is not important to you, you will get left behind by those who do value it. While time is not something that you can change, you can to a certain point control it. Planning is an important part of life these days and by ignoring it you may be setting yourself up for failure.
-------------------
BTW - Religious connection - If religion is not something that you "wear on your wrist" and check every once in a while, you will find your life slowly getting out of control. Religion is not just something that you take out of your briefcase on Sunday (or Sabbath) but something that is a guide on how to live your life.
7 min
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Just like a New Year's Resolution
My intention was to write a blog entry per day over the last month. Well, it worked out well until life caught up to me. Between shoveling snow (about 10 hours + last 30 days, Work with the Boy Scouts, and dealing with taxes and my son's college financial aid, I had neither the energy or enthusiasm to update my blog. Not that I didn't have much to write about, I just didn't care about sharing my thoughts. I did this blog as a learning experience and boy am I learning. Glad I am not being paid to do this......
5 min
5 min
Friday, March 09, 2007
Leaf me alone
This has been so serious lately I thought I would inject a little levity.
I went to sweep out my garage the other day. Now you have t know we have had 6" of snice (snow and ice) on our lawns for a least 3 weeks. So what do you think I swept out of the garage? Dirt? Salt? Snow? No - Leaves! Where did they come from? There hasn't been a leaf on a tree for 5 months. I am beginning to think there is someone in the neighborhood who saved a bag of leaves and dumps them in front of my garage, where they blow in when it is opened. If you have a better explanation, let me know.
5 min
I went to sweep out my garage the other day. Now you have t know we have had 6" of snice (snow and ice) on our lawns for a least 3 weeks. So what do you think I swept out of the garage? Dirt? Salt? Snow? No - Leaves! Where did they come from? There hasn't been a leaf on a tree for 5 months. I am beginning to think there is someone in the neighborhood who saved a bag of leaves and dumps them in front of my garage, where they blow in when it is opened. If you have a better explanation, let me know.
5 min
Sunday, March 04, 2007
What do you believe?
I was watching a Sunday religious show "Give Me and Answer". I enjoy Cliff's discussions and while there may be some points we don't agree on, to the 5 nines we agree. One thing he challenges people on is their beliefs. I said this blog was going to have a religious tint to it during Lent, so he is your homework. Take out a blank piece of paper and write down up to ten statements. These should be what you believe in order to live your life. Then ask yourself "Where did these come from or who did I learn them from". Then challenge yourself and ask "What if they are wrong?" No grading, just an exercise in thinking.
5 min
5 min
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Bumper Crop of Lies
Like the title? It is sweeps week so I am using a little journalistic license.
CBS News Story
I was going to blame this on Consumer Reports, however; it was done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Every year they drag out the contention that car makers are making cars that are not designed to withstand simple parking lot accidents. Now, was anything they said a lie? No, just a streching of the truth. For example,
>>The institute tested the bumpers of 17 mid size cars. The tests were done at 6 miles per hour on the front and rear bumpers and 3 miles per hour on the corners — about the speed of a toddler walking. <<
Now 6 miles per hour is like running a 10 minute mile - I doubt many toddlers can generate that speed. Also the test were done with what looked like a fixed bumper simulator. This would have the effect of doubling the speed.
So while they are not lying, they are also not telling the truth, which is a shame. There are problems with bumpers; cars are not designed to be repaired inexpensively after minor accidents. My problem is that the sensationalism over the problem is a 15 minute story; there is no attempt to propose how to change it.
The noise becomes so great that you cannot make a rational judgement. Ironically, on their own web site, there is a more practical analysis:
Q&A Bumpers
So I report - you decide (what to do)
10 minutes
CBS News Story
I was going to blame this on Consumer Reports, however; it was done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Every year they drag out the contention that car makers are making cars that are not designed to withstand simple parking lot accidents. Now, was anything they said a lie? No, just a streching of the truth. For example,
>>The institute tested the bumpers of 17 mid size cars. The tests were done at 6 miles per hour on the front and rear bumpers and 3 miles per hour on the corners — about the speed of a toddler walking. <<
Now 6 miles per hour is like running a 10 minute mile - I doubt many toddlers can generate that speed. Also the test were done with what looked like a fixed bumper simulator. This would have the effect of doubling the speed.
So while they are not lying, they are also not telling the truth, which is a shame. There are problems with bumpers; cars are not designed to be repaired inexpensively after minor accidents. My problem is that the sensationalism over the problem is a 15 minute story; there is no attempt to propose how to change it.
The noise becomes so great that you cannot make a rational judgement. Ironically, on their own web site, there is a more practical analysis:
Q&A Bumpers
So I report - you decide (what to do)
10 minutes
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Time is not fast enough
Entry for February 28, 2007
Time is the eternal enemy. It moves forward at a steady pace with a force that nothing on earth can slow it down. Yet there are some for whom time does not go fast enough.
We have to have things right now! There is not room for a flower to bloom or a project to take shape. If we don't have results right now we give up and move on to something else. We forget that most of the time it is the trip and not the destination we remember. That going though the motions - as negative saying as there is - has purpose. Think about "practice makes perfect" and "slow and steady wins the race". We will finally get to the point were we can do nothing, as we don't have the patience to even start?
8 min
Time is the eternal enemy. It moves forward at a steady pace with a force that nothing on earth can slow it down. Yet there are some for whom time does not go fast enough.
We have to have things right now! There is not room for a flower to bloom or a project to take shape. If we don't have results right now we give up and move on to something else. We forget that most of the time it is the trip and not the destination we remember. That going though the motions - as negative saying as there is - has purpose. Think about "practice makes perfect" and "slow and steady wins the race". We will finally get to the point were we can do nothing, as we don't have the patience to even start?
8 min
See it through
For February 27
There are times that things just don't go the way you want them to. It is easy to quit. It is not easy to see it through. But you can't change the past, you can only affect the future. Rather than quitting, try taking a deep breath and change your mind to keep on going. You may be surprised about the experiences you will have on your travels.
5 min
There are times that things just don't go the way you want them to. It is easy to quit. It is not easy to see it through. But you can't change the past, you can only affect the future. Rather than quitting, try taking a deep breath and change your mind to keep on going. You may be surprised about the experiences you will have on your travels.
5 min
Blog Etiquette
Originally for February 26, 2007
When I started this blog my goal was not to become famous, but to learn about blogs and how they work. I have just had a learning experience. It took a while but I finally got a comment (or two) to one of my posts. Then came the question, "Do I respond or not?" I did respond but then realized if I respond to all the comments, the responses will exponentially grow until I can never write another blog entry. So I am going to start my own set of blog rules and see how they work out.
First rule: - Never respond to comments, unless in a main blog entry.
Second rule: - I reserve the right to remove any comments which I feel are false or not in the spirit of my blog, which is intelligent, thoughtful discussion.
I will add others as I go along.
Below are some links to other blogs and sites for Blog Etiquette. I do not endorse them (I may take them off if I find better ones). They are there for reference only.
(I will clean up the links later)
http://www.cafemama.com/etiquette.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1204.asp
http://www.practicaletiquette.com/blog-etiquette.html
http://www.dmwmedia.com/blog/rohit/introducing-the-golden-rules-of-blog-etiquette-writeboard
10 min
When I started this blog my goal was not to become famous, but to learn about blogs and how they work. I have just had a learning experience. It took a while but I finally got a comment (or two) to one of my posts. Then came the question, "Do I respond or not?" I did respond but then realized if I respond to all the comments, the responses will exponentially grow until I can never write another blog entry. So I am going to start my own set of blog rules and see how they work out.
First rule: - Never respond to comments, unless in a main blog entry.
Second rule: - I reserve the right to remove any comments which I feel are false or not in the spirit of my blog, which is intelligent, thoughtful discussion.
I will add others as I go along.
Below are some links to other blogs and sites for Blog Etiquette. I do not endorse them (I may take them off if I find better ones). They are there for reference only.
(I will clean up the links later)
http://www.cafemama.com/etiquette.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1204.asp
http://www.practicaletiquette.com/blog-etiquette.html
http://www.dmwmedia.com/blog/rohit/introducing-the-golden-rules-of-blog-etiquette-writeboard
10 min
Monday, February 26, 2007
I am not obsolete
There is a great Twilight Zone episode called "The Obsolete Man". While this deals with each human beings worth as a person, the notion of being obsolete is interesting on how it relates to mechanical things also. I just had to upgrade because my computer was "obsolete". It was no longer to keep up with the new programs and services that I need to interface with the modern world. At the same time, programs that I have been using, that have been serving me very well, are not working. Files than have critical data are not able to be opened. Are they obsolete? Or in our quest to move forward are we forgetting what got us here?
On a more practical matter, when you upgrade a computer or operating system, make sure you upgrade everything at the same time. As long as you stay reasonably current with your programs and files you should be able to keep them. However; do not underestimate the effort involved to do this. The computer gives you power but at a price.
10 min
On a more practical matter, when you upgrade a computer or operating system, make sure you upgrade everything at the same time. As long as you stay reasonably current with your programs and files you should be able to keep them. However; do not underestimate the effort involved to do this. The computer gives you power but at a price.
10 min
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Something Old - Something New
I bought a new computer today. What a life changing episode. It takes a full day plus to introduce the new computer. First you have to move the old one out of the way and then hook the new one up. Once up and running you still need the old one to transfer all the files over. It is like you have a clean sheet of paper and you can control how all the things that went before are entered. Wouldn't it be nice if we could do the same thing with our life. That we could pick a date and start anew, what happened before happened, but it was not going to affect us going forward. We could look back on all the chaos and neatly reorganize it and proceed forward. However; life is not that clean and neither is the new computer. You find things that you forgot to transfer, some old programs don't work. Some things you can't bring with you and you are forced to leave them behind. Choices - we have to make them and move forward. Moving forward is better than standing still.
More on the computer tomorrow....
8 min
More on the computer tomorrow....
8 min
How much is enough?
How little in not enough? Jesus quoted the Old Testament when he said the "poor are with you always". Did he mean that people will always be poor? Can you really be poor if you have a house over your head,an (old) car in the driveway and your kids have the latest video game? Capitalism has always relied on "the poor" for labor. Currently this is supposedly the illegal aliens from Mexico and the like. What we need to look at is the economic justice in our society. Then decide if we can live with the status quo or keep trying to improve it.
5 min
5 min
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The more we think we know
I studied the Bible in high school and have continued on and off most of my life. Yesterday I sat down and was reading Genesis, source of much talk, if you follow the evolutionary wars. As I read it, I found contradictions, great foresight, challenging questions, unexpected twists and in the end I realized I do not understand the first book of the Bible, much less some of the lesser known books. How does this relate to today's life? How many of us think we are experts on the topics of today, when in reality we have opinions, but not knowledge. I cringe when someone says they know everything about a subject. What I have found is that the more you know, the more you realize there is so much more to learn. So a little humility please, and keep up the quest.
5 min
5 min
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
How much won't power
The nex few weeks of this blog will take a definite religious turn. Since it is Lent and I am a Catholic, I will be looking at secular issues from a religious point of view.
Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent - for most Christians Lent is associated with giving up things - candy, cookies, dessert etc. Even though the rules have been relaxed, for most Catholics it also means fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstaining from meat on those days and also all other Fridays during Lent. As I am halfway through Ash Wednesday, my fasting is doing well, but my hunger isn't. Everytime I pass the candy jar, or think of cookies, the urge to cheat taps me on the shoulder. So far, my won't power (that is I won't give in) is holding up. But how is your won't power? Can you say no to that new video game, can you stop spoiling your grand kids with the latest toys, can you stop and help that person in need, instead of just walking by. In order to have won't power we have to stop and think what are the results of our decisions. In today's society we make decisions without thinking, either because we have jumped in the stream and let others steer our choices, or because we have too many choices to make quality decisions. So try slowing down and start using your won't power.
10 min
Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent - for most Christians Lent is associated with giving up things - candy, cookies, dessert etc. Even though the rules have been relaxed, for most Catholics it also means fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstaining from meat on those days and also all other Fridays during Lent. As I am halfway through Ash Wednesday, my fasting is doing well, but my hunger isn't. Everytime I pass the candy jar, or think of cookies, the urge to cheat taps me on the shoulder. So far, my won't power (that is I won't give in) is holding up. But how is your won't power? Can you say no to that new video game, can you stop spoiling your grand kids with the latest toys, can you stop and help that person in need, instead of just walking by. In order to have won't power we have to stop and think what are the results of our decisions. In today's society we make decisions without thinking, either because we have jumped in the stream and let others steer our choices, or because we have too many choices to make quality decisions. So try slowing down and start using your won't power.
10 min
Friday, January 19, 2007
Who is running the car companies?
From the Ford Website (Re the 2008 Ford Focus):
>>>Solid, sporty and stylish exterior
You won’t be shy about giving Focus a good once over. (Shoot, this little number might even warrant a twice-over now and again.) That’s because the styling on the ’08 Focus is brand, spanking new. It’s no simple upgrade or update, it’s a complete personality change.
For starters, it’s stylish and sporty. Designers on this vehicle took cues from the super popular Ford Fusion and borrowed the prominent chrome bar grille design. (Which besides being cool is also quite helpful for those last minute “spinach-in-the-teeth” checks before meetings.) Other design cues taken from Focus older sister, Fusion, are the flared wheel lips and sweeping, crisp lines of the body.
Headlights, taillights and other distinct design cues
Now that Focus has a bunch of revamped styling, we should probably delve into the details for a second. Focus headlights have horizontal bars with a matte surface running through the reflection area—an instant visual connection to the line of the chrome-bar grille. The taillamps are no slouches either. Borrowing design sense from big brother, the ‘08 Ford Escape, these illuminati feature the stark contrast of a white arc cutting across the red lens, and an LED center high-mounted stop lamp. Other hot spots to note on Focus are: the front fender appliqué integrated just behind the front wheel well on the SEL model and the bold, italic badging on the deck lid scuff plates and instrument panel on both the SE and SEL.
Yep, stylish and small really does say it all.<<<
No - reliable and good gas mileage says it all and they must not have it. This is the same stuff that got Detroit in trouble in the 70's and it looks like they brought back the same guys.
Now I like Ford products for the most part, but they are going to get their clocks cleaned by Toyota and Honda with copy like this.
5 min.
>>>Solid, sporty and stylish exterior
You won’t be shy about giving Focus a good once over. (Shoot, this little number might even warrant a twice-over now and again.) That’s because the styling on the ’08 Focus is brand, spanking new. It’s no simple upgrade or update, it’s a complete personality change.
For starters, it’s stylish and sporty. Designers on this vehicle took cues from the super popular Ford Fusion and borrowed the prominent chrome bar grille design. (Which besides being cool is also quite helpful for those last minute “spinach-in-the-teeth” checks before meetings.) Other design cues taken from Focus older sister, Fusion, are the flared wheel lips and sweeping, crisp lines of the body.
Headlights, taillights and other distinct design cues
Now that Focus has a bunch of revamped styling, we should probably delve into the details for a second. Focus headlights have horizontal bars with a matte surface running through the reflection area—an instant visual connection to the line of the chrome-bar grille. The taillamps are no slouches either. Borrowing design sense from big brother, the ‘08 Ford Escape, these illuminati feature the stark contrast of a white arc cutting across the red lens, and an LED center high-mounted stop lamp. Other hot spots to note on Focus are: the front fender appliqué integrated just behind the front wheel well on the SEL model and the bold, italic badging on the deck lid scuff plates and instrument panel on both the SE and SEL.
Yep, stylish and small really does say it all.<<<
No - reliable and good gas mileage says it all and they must not have it. This is the same stuff that got Detroit in trouble in the 70's and it looks like they brought back the same guys.
Now I like Ford products for the most part, but they are going to get their clocks cleaned by Toyota and Honda with copy like this.
5 min.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Do I feel a Draft?
Lately there has been much talk about a draft. Today I read an article from Walter Williams on why a draft is economically unjustified.
He tries to reduce a political issue to economic terms. Now, I agree all life has economic links, but when he says an all volunteer army is a better economic use of people's time than a draft.....
He is dancing around the point. The proponents of a draft feel this will incite the people to demand a quick end to the war and a more judicious use of the military. Right now it is too much "out of site, out of mind".
I believe that military families are paying a disproportionate price for this war, and the rest of us are just disinterested bystanders.
5 min.
btw the spel cheker is not wurking today.
He tries to reduce a political issue to economic terms. Now, I agree all life has economic links, but when he says an all volunteer army is a better economic use of people's time than a draft.....
He is dancing around the point. The proponents of a draft feel this will incite the people to demand a quick end to the war and a more judicious use of the military. Right now it is too much "out of site, out of mind".
I believe that military families are paying a disproportionate price for this war, and the rest of us are just disinterested bystanders.
5 min.
btw the spel cheker is not wurking today.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
I am confused...
Who said this:
"The Bush administration has hoarded authority, bungled diplomacy, pushed allies to the margins, and divided rather than multiplied the strength we need to win the war on terror," he said. "I won't tie my tongue, nor should any American tie his tongue, because our Secretary of Defense thinks dissent encourages the terrorists."
Lamont?
Michael Moore?
No
Joe Lieberman:
Link (and I gave you a right wing link!)
Why did he not use this during his campaign?
5 minutes
"The Bush administration has hoarded authority, bungled diplomacy, pushed allies to the margins, and divided rather than multiplied the strength we need to win the war on terror," he said. "I won't tie my tongue, nor should any American tie his tongue, because our Secretary of Defense thinks dissent encourages the terrorists."
Lamont?
Michael Moore?
No
Joe Lieberman:
Link (and I gave you a right wing link!)
Why did he not use this during his campaign?
5 minutes
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Wheels off the train
Tonight (8/2/2006) Oliver North and former hostage David Jacobsen almost bragged abut how during the Iraq/Iran war, we provided intelligence to Iraq while providing arms to Iran - and we wonder why these people hate us? After we play games with their lives and their countries?
2 min.
2 min.
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