Back in the 90’s, one of my favorite commercials used the tagline, “At BASF, we don’t make a lot of the products you buy; we make a lot of the products you buy better.” Well my friends, when thinking about our government’s response to the continued pouring of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, I can only think that our government didn’t make the crisis in the Gulf; they made the crisis in the Gulf more catastrophic.

First, let’s ask the most simple question. How much oil is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico?

We don’t know. Right after the explosion, we were told that 42,000 gallons per day were leaking into the Gulf. Shortly after that, the number was corrected to 210,000 gallons daily. On Thursday, May 27th, that number was increased to more than 500,000 gallons a day (with some estimates at more than 1 million gallons daily).

Now, here’s the kicker. The spill at this time, with whatever semantics we want to call it, is under the control of BP. Right now, it is what it is. It’s BP’s mess and they’re the ones that have been told to fix it. Now, when you have the same person in charge of reporting about and cleaning up the problem they created, I would think that a reasonable person would expect the problem to be under-reported.

Why wouldn’t it be? I mean, let’s think look at the Tennessee coal ash disaster of 2008. Remember it? It was described as the biggest natural disaster in US history and was originally estimated at 1.7 million cubic yards. It was actually 3 times that — 5.4 million.

But, any idiot with a problem knows that sometimes, you may not be the most qualified person to clean your own mess. If you cause a small fire in the kitchen, you might be able to handle it with the fire extinguisher. Hopefully, you’re smart enough to realize when it’s time to call the Fire Department. If you’re not, chances are any one of your neighbors will do it for you.

Of course, we don’t have an Oil Department. Oh wait, we kind of do. You know the one that approved the permits (while watching porn and accepting gifts and jobs from the oil companies). We also have a coast guard, a military, an Environmental Protection Agency, and countless other governmental entities paid by our tax dollars. Are we saying that our government, the United States Government that put humans on the moon, doesn’t have any capabilities of stopping this leak? Is the only entity with the technology and resources to stop this issue British Petroleum?

If this is true, then we’re fucked. Stick a fork in me. Throw in the towel, and get Aretha Franklin a microphone (if it’s time for a fat lady to sing, it might as well be good).

Is there a reason that while we were sitting, watching BP try this “top kill” that we didn’t tell them to star to drilling relief wells just in case? Is there a reason our government cannot start drilling one or two wells themselves? I mean even Bruce Willis knows that you don’t just send one team to drill (and he was right, because Ben Affleck saved his ass… well not his ass, but the world’s ass. Yes. Armageddon. And, yes. I liked that movie.)

BP is effectively in charge of the entire Gulf cleanup and I see us doing nothing. We have a live feed from their cameras. Their cameras. Their feed. I’m thinking step one should have been sending our own crew down there and installing our own monitoring, but that’s just me.

Of course, BP would never limit access to the media or the government, right?

Oh wait… there was that CBS team that was threatened with arrest if they didn’t leave a beach. And that photographer who wasn’t allowed to fly above the Gulf at lower than 3,000 feet. And that 500 foot zone around any BP vessel, and…

Obama promised to “…establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.” It hasn’t happened yet, and he’s not doing shit about it. Not doing jack shit.

Of course, I’m not looking at Obama to waive a magic wand and make this better. Although I am not looking to him to make this worse, either.

So what do I want him to do?

At this point, anything. Just DO something. Don’t talk about what you’re going to do. Don’t tell me what you’re planning. Just shut up and do something. Whatever credibility the government had, is eroding at the rate of a Grecian dollar. I value talk from government in bullshit. More talk, is more bullshit. Unless this bullshit can be used to plug the leak, I respectfully ask that the bullshit stop. Dig some wells. Get a sub down there and monitor it. Do something and then tell us what you’re actually doing.

The government didn’t make this crisis. But they surely helped make it more catastrophic.

More reading:

• ‘Top Kill’ Fails to Stop Flow of Oil From Gulf Leak (The Wall Street Journal)
• Oil Spill May Be Still Bigger (The Wall Street Journal)
• Gulf oil leak rate much higher than reported, professor says (Los Angeles Times)
• Flow Rate Group Provides Preliminary Best Estimate Of Oil Flowing from BP Oil Well (US Dept. Of Interior)
• Limits on access to oiled waters, coast frustrates journalists (nola.com)
• Oil spill taking toll on BP’s credibility — and the government’s (Miami Herald)

Sick, Poor? No thanks.

You already know where I’m going— it’s in the title after all. At this time, I do not support the health care bill. Now before I get into the many reasons why I do not support this legislation, let me spell out the following disclaimers.

I am a small business owner. I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat. I proudly check the NPA (no party affiliation), when I register to vote for one simple reason— I vote along my ideals and conscious; not along some party mantra. As a general rule, I feel that the government continually mismanages money and our current news media fails to account the statements of government officials to any fact check or truth test.

With that introduction out of the way, I can now describe why I believe our government failed us— as we should expect it to. After all, the Founding Fathers did not want us to depend on our government; and for good reason.

Money, Money, Money

First thing, let’s talk money. The government told us that the new bill will significantly bring down insurance premiums. Sadly, this is wrong. At BEST, the new model brings down premiums $100.00/year. And that’s ONLY if you’re in the “small group family market” or “large group single market.” Individual families will see an increase of $2,100.00/year on their plan. The majority of us will pay either the same, or slightly more for coverage (unless you’re a business).

Let’s remember this: The bill that passed was basically written by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). You know AHIP, right? They’re the national organization representing roughly 1,300 health insurance companies.

You can’t turn on the news or walk down the street today without hearing about recessions and lost income. Unless of course, you’re in the business of health care. Since October 2009, health care stocks have risen almost 30%. Our new health care laws, written by the health care industry, requires us to purchase health care insurance from the companies that pooled together and wrote the law. The health care companies also significantly contribute to most of the people who voted for the law as well.

How does this boil down for the middle class? Under the new bill, a family of four living on $66,000 will be paying more than $5,000.00 for insurance premiums and be responsible for another $5,800.00 in out of pocket expenses. Of course, they’re also paying another $16,000.00 in federal taxes. So before any out of pocket expenses, this family has $4,125.00 per month to cover all of their living expenses. Bottom line: Middle class will be paying approximately 9.5% of their income on mandated insurance that will cover approximately 70% of their medical expenses.

The bill was touted to stop medical bankruptcy. But, with this bill there’s an $11,900.00 max on out of pocket fees (on top of premiums). Let’s remember, even in 2009, 62% of the bankruptcies filed were medical related (and 75% of those people had insurance). There’s nothing this bill provides that will financially help an average family that must endure a serious medical problem.

You know, the Revolution started in Massachusetts

Massachusetts implemented their health care reform in 2007 and it’s very similar to our new Federal plan. A “3 years later” review from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 3/4 of Massachusetts’ uninsured had obtained insurance— which is great. Of course, 21% of the population went without needed care because they could not afford it. Also, wait times for seeing doctors increased and health care costs rose.

Massachusetts needed to find many ways to handle the increased health care costs. This included terminating coverage for 30,000 immigrants (legal immigrants with green cards who pay taxes), no longer automatically enrolling low-income residents, and adding $100 million in new fees to private companies.

Of course, with recent Federal overhauls, these same legal immigrants are not entitled to Medicaid or other Federal aid. Nothing says “Welcome to America” better than forcing people to pay taxes and fees for services you then prohibit them from using. Of course, I guess it’s easier to pick on a group of taxpayers that aren’t allowed to vote.

With Massachusetts as the model, we’re in for a great ride.

Let’s wrap it up.

I think the item that bothers me most has to be our Federal Government forcing us to buy health insurance from private companies. I understand the states do this for things like auto insurance — but there’s also a big catch. If I don’t own a car, I don’t need car insurance… How do you do the same for health insurance?

As an American in favor of limited government, any law requiring loss of freedom angers me. Our government passed laws, written by the health insurance companies, requiring us to pay those same companies for health insurance. The much promised transparency for this process never saw sunshine, and sadly there is too much rhetoric going by without adequate investigation by our “free” press.

AT&T, Verizon, 3M and many other large companies have already warned shareholders of profit reduction (in billions) from new health care costs. Our new bill is estimated to cost $1 trillion dollars and from what I can see, not only hits us in taxes— but also in out of pocket expenses.

I’ve had health insurance since I started working full time in 1994. I’ve switched jobs (many times) and have started several businesses along the way. I’ve maintained health insurance the entire time.

This law costs me more while providing me with less. Should I choose to buy better insurance to cover the weak areas, I will be taxed an additional 40% for having a “Cadillac” plan.

So let me ask this: How are you benefiting from this new law?

References/Resources

• Massachusetts Takes a Step Back From Health Care for All (NYT)
• Massachusetts Health Care Reform: Three Years Later (KFF)
• The hype behind the healthcare reform bill (AnnArbor.com)
• Fact Sheet: The Truth About the Health Care Bill (Huffington Post)
• IRS.gov
• AT&T to Book $1 Billion Cost on Health-Care Reform (Business Week)
• An Analysis of Health Insurance Premiums Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (CBO)

Tell me about you.

On a recent trip to Target, I decided to add some compressed air to my cart. Working in electronics, I find compressed air to be almost a necessity. The servers, computers, switches, and other equipment I use routinely need a good “spritz” of compressed air to keep the dust from accumulating.

But I digress.

When I went to check out, my cashier advised that I needed to scan my ID to purchase the compressed air. Not just show her my ID, but rather have my driver’s license scanned into their register. This of course allows Target to scan, read, and store my personally identifiable information. Although just someone’s full name fulfills the criteria of personally identifiable information, a Driver’s License barcode and/or magnetic stripe contains much more. By scanning the driver’s license, Target retains my full name, date of birth, address, gender, race, driver’s license number, license information (restrictions, endorsements), organ donation, and issue date.

First, let’s look at the obvious…

Why does Target need my Personally Identifiable Information?

When I was told that I was required to have my license scanned, I asked very simply, “why?” The cashier told me that Target required my age when purchasing the product. I told the cashier, that I’m almost 40 years old and asked how old I needed to be to purchase the can of compressed air.

While she called her manager (and told her that someone refused to identify themselves), she told me that the age restriction was 18. Let’s face it… I’ve posted pictures here. I’m not mistaken for a teenager. I haven’t been mistaken for a teenager in 20 years. Even though the cashier believed I was over the age of 18, she said she was not allowed to sell my the item without my driver’s license being scanned.

The manager arrived and very abruptly and confidently told me that I was required by law to scan my license. I told her that I knew of no such law and asked her if this was a Florida law or a Federal law? She called her Security team and told me, “the security guy said you can google it.”

I didn’t allow my ID to be scanned and I didn’t get to purchase the item. Incidentally, not once have I had my ID scanned for Alcohol (purchased at Target), R rated movies, or other items that are restricted by age.

Here’s the bottom line

There’s no reason that you should show or give your personally identifiable information to Target. Especially when they do not provide you with any information on how this information will be stored, protected, used, and shared. They did not provide any summary of Fair Information Practices or describe to any degree of cause as to why this information was needed.

The United States of America, at one point, greatly valued personal freedom. Sadly, this doesn’t seem to be the case today. I believe that your personally identifiable information needs to be protected, whenever possible. I don’t let people take my ID and walk away with it, and I won’t let Target scan it in their cash registers.

Instead, I’ll choose to no longer shop at Target.

Can you guess which WiFi network is mine?

Passive Agressive? Yes. Funny? Perhaps.

I’m no stranger to the fun and joy that comes from dog ownership. Let’s not forget that Forrest was 115lbs and as regular as could be. We tried (well, he couldn’t care actually, more realistically I tried) to be very considerate of private property when making our rounds. Now I don’t want to go off on a rant here, but… 

Letting your dog leave a big turd directly next to a driver’s door is one of two things: 1. It’s on purpose or 2. It’s by accident. However both have one thing in common — the asshole who walked away without doing a single thing (and I’m not talking about the dog).

Yes, I can see the humor in it. After all, I’m the guy that’s in his thirties and still find farts hilarious. That being said, leaving your dog’s shit on a driveway, walk, sidewalk, etc. is just a dick move. Bad form and one of the most un-neighborly actions a neighbor could take.

So yes, I’m the asshole who renamed his network “Pick up your Dog Shit.” I admit, this is also a dick move… but for the time being, I think it adequately expresses my current state of mind. And, well… I think a geek reaction is better than a few other ways I could think of handling the gift we received.

I really don’t like Huckabee. I had figured when someone he pardoned brutally killed police officers that maybe we had seen the last of him… but no. For some reason, the powers that be feel that I care what Huckabee thinks. Apparently he wants me to vote for Marco Rubio for Senator.

Here’s the funny thing — I can’t. I’m not a registered Republican. You see, I’m NPA; because I vote for who I like, not a party. Anyway, I guess they feel that I would want to donate to Rubio. They’re wrong. And, an endorsement from Huckabee really is the icing on the cake. Sure, I don’t like Crist’s support of the stimulus, but I do like Crist.

Anyway, if you want, you can read the 5 page donation request here (huckacrap.pdf).

The best way to keep our skies safe.

So, let’s pretend you’re with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The TSA, created shortly after 9/11, provides security for the nation’s transportation systems. Employing approximately 50,000 people, the TSA “ensures your travels – by plane, train, automobile or ferry – are safe and secure.”

After the recent “incident” (this is what the TSA calls it) where an airline passenger successfully brought an explosive device onto an American bound plane, the TSA initiated new travel directives. Apparently, one of these directives includes the seizing of computers owned by bloggers who discuss the new directives.

Steven Frischling, a well respected photo-journalist, received a visit from several TSA agents who seized his laptop and “promised to return it.” Mr. Frischling recently published directive SD-1544-09-06, which basically described pat-downs and physical inspections on 100% of all passengers (read the full text below). As to why Mr. Frischling posted this memo, he stated:

I received it, I read it, I posted it. Why did I post it? Because following the failed terrorist attack on the 25th of December there was a lot of confusion and speculation surrounding changes in airline & airport security procedures.

We are a free society, knowledge is power and informing the masses allows for public conversation and collective understanding. You can agree or disagree, but you need information to know if you want to agree or disagree. My goal is to inform and help people better understand what is happening, as well as allow them to form their own opinions.

Chris Elliot, a seasoned journalist, also received a visit from the TSA, who presented Mr. Elliot with a subpoena requesting all documents, emails, and faxes concerning TSA Security Directive 1544-09-06. The subpoena, complete with spelling errors, required this information no later that December 31, 2009.

Mr. Elliot advised the TSA agent that he would be consulting his attorney before answering any questions or responding to the subpoena.

What the fuck is wrong with the TSA?

Note: I actually tried to come up with a different phrase for that tagline; I truly did. Every time I think about the TSA investigating bloggers for publishing a government directive, the initial thought springing to my mind is still… “what the fuck???” So, the tag line remains.

In my opinion, the TSA simply does not work. I’ve quoted it before, and I’ll quote it again. One of my personal heros, Benjamin Franklin, said it best:

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

After the December 25th “incident,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated “the system worked.” Let’s think about that. But, let’s also crudely summarize the “incident:”

1. A father calls the US Embassy in Nigeria and says he’s worried about his son’s (Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab) extremist views. (An investigation is started)
2. Much later, Abdulmutallab boards a plane to America with explosive materials.
3. Abdulmutallab unsuccessfully detonates his explosive devise during landing.
4. A passenger on the plane (Jasper Schuringa) jumps on Abdulmutallab (now on fire), tries to put out the fire, and physically restrains Abdulmutallab until he can be handcuffed.
5. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano states “the system worked.”

Unless the system means placing Jasper Schuringa in the same row as someone who has brought an explosive device onto a plane, then I’m at a loss for how the system worked.

Then again, I would not expect anything different. Saying that the system worked was meant, I assume, to make passengers feel safe, and continue flying. This essentially is exactly the entire purpose of the TSA.

The TSA provides only an illusion of security. The liberties you sacrifice to the TSA provide you nothing more than a “feeling” of safety. They are the David Copperfield of security. You leave thinking something magical happened, but it’s just an illusion.

That being said, wouldn’t it be great if instead of a David Copperfield approach, the TSA modeled themselves after Penn & Teller. Talk about a 180. I’d volunteer my bags to Penn & Teller. Those guys are just amazing.

Transparency in Government

My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government.  We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government. — Barack Obama

When someone tries to blow up an airplane, one expects there to be actions against that individual. One should not expect to subject themselves to a physical search by the government simply to board an airplane.

Reporting the actions of the government and publishing the directive that 100% of passengers are to be searched cannot be considered a crime. If anything, it’s the most American action taken since 12/25.

As we head into 2010, I wish everyone a safe New Year’s. I hope you enjoy the Holiday as freely as you wish, and maybe, if you would, take the time to send some support to Chris Elliot and Steven Frischling.

Suggested Readings:

• Flying with Fish’s posting of Security Directive 1544-09-06
• Chris Elliot’s Blog of Security Directive 1544-09-06
• Subpoena sent to Chris Elliot
• Flying with Fish
• NYT: TSA Subpoenas Bloggers, Demands Names of Sources
• Huffington Post: TSA Seizes Computer from Travel Blogger

The great thing about government? No accountability for failure.

Things that make you go hmmmmm

In the late 1800′s, after an explosion of immigration to the United States, a new metaphor started circulating — The Meting Pot. Referring to the fusion of different cultures, nationalities, backgrounds, and ethnicities, “The Melting Pot” became part of American culture in the early 1900′s. Although the metaphor intends to help create a national identity, many today see the phrase as antiquated and insulting. People want to keep their heritage, culture, traditions, and not be formed into a new being.

Personally, I like to look at the metaphor differently. I like to believe that the Melting Pot allows you to retain your uniqueness, but at the same time, not segregate you from the plate. Yes, the plate in this “Fred” metaphor is America.

With this extremely long winded introduction, even more so than usual, I want to talk about exclusion, labeling, classification, and Fox News. Wait, Fox News?

First, before all my friends and family start yelling… I do not watch Fox News. Also, I am not a Republican. I’m also not a Democrat (should you want to know). I am a registered voter classified (notice I must be classified) as NPA, or No Party Affiliation. You see, I like to vote for the candidate I like. Sometimes its a Republican. Sometimes a Democrat. And sometimes, it’s none of the above.

“But wait Fred,” you say, “didn’t you mention something about Fox News?”

Recently, the White House has been going to the mattresses† with Fox News. After describing Fox as “not a news network,” the White House through both spokespersons and the President, compared the channel to “talk radio” and well, just basically said they were not a news organization.

I don’t have a problem with this. Although I’d like to see the White House take a “higher stand,” I truly believe that Fox News is harsh on the President and if the President wants to criticize the channel, I honestly could care less. Again, I’d like to think that the White House would be above name-calling, but eso si que es (it is what it is).

But here’s the problem…

Kenneth Feinberg, Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation (aka the “Pay Czar”), provided a round of interviews recently and Fox News was excluded. If not for the actions of ABC, NBC, CBS (and others), Fox News would have effectively been blocked from the interview. The other networks, wisely, told the White House that this action was unacceptable and as CBS Correspondent Chip Reid stated, “All the networks said, that’s it, you’ve crossed the line.”

The White House initially denied blocking access, but in an even more unacceptable response stated through White House spokesman Josh Earnest, “This White House has demonstrated our willingness to exclude Fox News from newsmaking interviews, but yesterday we did not.”

Truly, this is a moment that makes me just want to say… What the Fuck?

I’m extremely glad that we’ve solved the war in Iraq, our economic issues, and have secured the health and wealth of our nation for the next generation. Oh wait, we haven’t? Then why the hell is our government wasting time with a stupid, name-calling, elementary-level war with Fox News?

The first amendment… The FIRST amendment of the constitution is very simple:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I don’t care if Fox News is biased. I truly think they are. But that’s not the point (I also think other networks can be biased, and I also don’t care). The point, simply, remains that Fox News retains the Freedom to say what they wish. They can speak to their heart’s content, as loudly as they wish, in any manner that they wish. If you don’t like what they say, change the channel. If you disagree, then you can either speak what you feel, argue with them directly, or ignore them.

But do not, do not, do not, DO NOT EVER EVER EVER attempt to stifle their speech. And not providing equal access, in my opinion, clearly attempts to stifle them. Plus, if the White House truly wishes to “exclude” certain members of the press from future “newsmaking” activity, then they should not be in control of our country. Any person that believes its acceptable to exclude members of the press from press activities (for reasons that they don’t like their message) should not be in charge of defending our constitution.

Let’s face it… The media today is a joke. When Michael Jackson died they went ape shit. Anderson Cooper had a feature on what happened to Bubbles the Monkey. And they did this for more than a week. If Fox News wants to criticize the President and the White House, I don’t care. If Anderson Cooper wants find out where Bubbles is living, I don’t care.

Sometimes I even find it entertaining. Heck, I like a good Oberlmann monologue, but I know that he’s biased. Everyone knows he’s biased. He even says he’s biased. And you know what? Olbermann doesn’t get excluded from the White House.

Fred, didn’t you make some comment about the Melting Pot?

I think when we label, we exclude. Saying the Fox News is the mouthpiece of the Republican Party labels them as non-Democratic. Red states. Blue states. Liberals. Democrats. Pro-gun. Pro-Bush. It never stops.

When we make statements like this, we are separating ourselves. Oh, he’s Pro-Bush and we’re not. If I say something critical of Obama, I’m labeled a Republican. Some people reading this right now will assume that I must be “Pro-Bush” because I would criticize the White House.

Those of us LUCKY enough to be living in the United States have the freedom to say and think what we want. We can criticize our government at will. Some of the greatest Americans practiced this freedom regularly.

Getting into this idea that we must classify people by politics, religion, race, region, or any other factor infuriates me. We are who we are. Take us or leave us.

Some of my greatest friends and I disagree on politics regularly. But I love them. They love me. We disagree, we love each other, and we, despite our differences, actively include ourselves in each others lives. That is how I chose to see the Melting Pot metaphor. Despite our differences, we remain a united group. And our differences only help make the group better.

I am a registered No Party Affiliation American, and I vote. I’m neither Democrat nor Republican. I was born in New York City and consider myself Floridian. I am who I am. You can label me however you want. You can hate me, dislike me, or feel anyway you want about me.

But if you try to take away my freedom or my rights, I will fight. And when I fight, I fight to win. I don’t like to fight. I’d rather you just change the channel.

† Going to the Mattresses. Godfather reference. If you don’t get it, please go watch the Godfather. I implore you. Please, please, please watch the Godfather over and over. Nothing bad can happen from this.

Suggested Readings

• Huffington Post: White House’s Fox News Boycott Attempt Prompts Network Revolt
• TPMDC: WH: We’re Happy To Exclude Fox, But Didn’t Yesterday With Feinberg Interview
• NYT: Behind the War Between White House and Fox

Fourth Amendment? Buh Bye

I absolutely hate the sacrifice of freedom in the name of security. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

I believe in those words and wish we would keep those in mind whenever, without probable cause or due process, the TSA (the government) searches your belongings — like mine were this past week (both checked and carry on).

I do not like it on a plane. I do not like it on a train. I do not like it on a boat. I do not like it with a goat. I do not like being searched Uncle Sam I Am.

Opening my checked bag and finding this neither made me feel safe nor secure.

The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The TSA:

During the inspection, your bag and its contents may have been searched for prohibited items.

I don’t think Benjamin Franklin would be happy.

Read the mailing...

Ever watch Penn & Teller’s Bullshit? Man I love that show. If you haven’t watched Bullshit on Showtime, check it out… it’s great… but I digress, and in the tradition of Penn & Teller…

And then there’s this Asshole…

Meet Jim Risch, United States Senator

I don’t know how I get on these lists, but I get on them. Out of nowhere, Jim Risch sent me a manilla envelope explaining to me how “Big Labor” exploits its members, placing “handpicked candidates” in political power, etc.

I’m no fan of unions (not anti-union, not pro-union, just not union), but this kind of crap is just ridiculous. Anti-Presidential rhetoric doesn’t impress me; no matter who the President or Subject happens to be.

So what I like to do with these propaganda mailings is send it back to them in the postage paid envelope.

Document attached.

Enjoy

My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government.  We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government. — Barack Obama

Meet the new boss.
Same as the old boss.
— The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

-START RANT-

Today I got irked. Irked as hell and totally cannot understand why more people do not express frustration. Maybe people just gave up. Maybe we’re approaching an American society that doesn’t view democracy and freedom in the same way that our founders dreamed. My state of mind comes from three main sources: taxes, information, and accountability.

Yes, the economy sucks. You know what? It did before. You know what? It will again. Somehow, the world’s survived every economic crisis since the dawn of time to, well simply put, to create the set of circumstances that allowed me to be alive to rant here today.

Growing up, if my parents had given me $20 to buy something at the store I was expected to buy only what I was told. And when I returned home, I was held accountable for the purchase. If I didn’t have enough change, I was asked for the receipt. The bottom line: If I spent money that wasn’t mine, I was held accountable. We need to remember, following my analogy, that we are the parents and the government is a child that needs to be held accountable.

Our federal government, with the Cash for Clunkers program, spent a billion dollars so quickly that they literally cannot understand how it happened. Their response? Triple the money and account for it later.

The reasonable parent would first look over the receipt, make sure the money was spent properly, and then (hopefully) choose one of three logical choices. If the money was spent properly, the parent might choose to give the child more money. If the money was spent properly, the parent might instead choose to say, “ok, let’s wait a bit and then ask me again.” And if the money was not spent properly, the child would be held accountable.

Barack Obama pledged transparency in government and a program initiated under his watch that spends a billion dollars should be transparent. He issued a memorandum committing to unprecedented openness of Government and yet while Obama’s one hand pushes the senate to add $2 billion dollars to the program, his other hand is refusing to show us the receipts. When the Wall Street Journal calls your program “crackpot economics,” it’s time to prove them wrong.

And yet, people don’t care. There’s no outrage. There’s no protests over freedom of information. There’s no… there’s nothing.

I work too damn hard to have my money stolen from me in this way.

Have you actually thought about how much money you spend in taxes? I mean seriously… how much did you give the federal government last year? How much? (Actually think for a minute and think of a number)

If you made $100,000, you gave Uncle Sam more than $20,000 in just income tax alone. If you made $50,000, you gave the feds almost $10,000. Think about it… if you made 50k last year you gave the feds almost TEN THOUSAND dollars.

Now ask yourself this: What was your largest single purchase last year? Was it your taxes? Does your payment to Uncle Sam cost more than your rent or mortgage? Did you get your money’s worth?

My attitude is simple. Taxes are evil. The government continuously mismanages your money, and giving them more money makes you a bad parent. Unless you have looked at the receipts, you are raising a horrible child and should be ashamed of yourself. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

Vote no on every single tax increase. I’m certain that if you looked at the receipts, you will find the there is already money available for everything needed. And that when everything needed is paid for, you should have a tremendous amount of change coming back to you.

But this isn’t a rant about just taxes. And yes, I am in favor of removing the income tax completely; replacing it with a national sales tax (aka fair tax). This is a rant about change and lack thereof.

There has been no change. There has been no transparency.

It’s time to hold your government accountable. If you don’t, you’re just as bad as those who make empty promises.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

-END RANT-

GRRRRR Telemarketers!

Today I posted some recordings I made using something I like to call the “Annoyatron.” Basically, using Asterisk (the open source Internet Telephony software) allows me to handle incoming calls based on a variety of issues.

Bottom Line: If I know you’re a telemarketer, you get the annoyatron.

The full article is posted on VoIP Tech Chat.

You know… while you’re checking out the link above, try other articles on VoIP Tech Chat… lots of great things to read. Some are even… dare I say… entertaining?

Take for example that link above… it has audio of the annoyatron in action. And not just one example. Please, that would be amateur. Friends, I say friends, we here have for your listening pleasure not 1 but 2, I say TWO great examples of the FIS Annoyatron. Come one, come all, welcome to the show!

UPDATE — Monica Conyers has resigned from Detroit City Council effective July 6, 2009. Detroit News Article

This morning, in a Detroit Federal Court, Monica Conyers plead guilty to charges of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery. The presiding judge, Avern Cohn, advised the court that “the defendant now stands convicted.”

At this point, Conyers is still a councilwoman for the Detroit City Council. The Detroit city charter requires Conyers to resign “immediately” the minute she is convicted of a felony, but apparently, in Federal Court this is viewed as when the Defendant is sentenced.

Detroit Rock City shines again. The bottom line though…

Monica Conyers Pleads Guilty

She took bribes. She is married to US Congressman John Conyers (who had not commented as of yet).

Great article here for more information.

DETROIT, MI — The Detroit News reports that my favorite politician, Monica Conyers, reportedly needs to consider a plea offer from the Federal Government regarding a corruption investigation of City Hall. Apparently, the feds want an answer from Conyers by the end of the day (June 16th).

The short story concerns Rayford W. Jackson’s recent guilty plea in Federal Court on Monday. Jackson pleaded guilty to a bribery conspiracy in which “Council Member A” was given more than six grand in bribes in connection with a 1.2 billion dollar contract. This same “Council Member A” had also been bribed by another person, James R. Rosendall, Jr.

And speculation points to Monica Conyers as Council Member A. It’s a interesting read… please read the Detroit News article.

My favorite quote in the article comes from Council President Kenneth Cockrel, Jr.:

I know in my experience with federal investigations, they tend to be slow and meticulous, but when they come, they come like a ton of bricks.

Update – It looks like Monica Conyers doesn’t want to go to jail.

I don’t know why, but watching Monica Conyers is like watching a train wreck… you just can’t stop watching… you know it’s coming… you know it… but you just can’t stop.

Both the Associated Press and Detroit News report that Monica Conyers appears reluctant to take a plea deal. And today, coinciding with the taping of her television show (Ask the Councilwoman with Monica Conyers), the councilwoman stated:

All these things that are going on right now … I believe in my heart that God will deliver me from them. And so I say to all of the people out there: If you’re not praying for me, then you’re just adding to the problem.

Well, I guess that means I’m adding to the “problem,” because there’s no chance that I’m praying for her.

Incidentally, Monica Conyers is 44 and her husband, who is 80 years old, happens to be none other than US Representative John Conyers… aka the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (that oversees the FBI and US Attorney’s Office).

Monica Conyers did give the AP a statement, however:

I’m not going to talk to you today, tomorrow, next week. What difference does it make?

PS -> I have some great video of Monica Conyers in an earlier post.

Yet Another Update — Monica Conyers has been convicted in the bribery scandal

Remember when flying was fun?

As a boy, I loved going to the airport. I remember being fascinated by the TWA terminal at JFK, awed by the escalator down from LAX, and excited to see the ocean immediately after take off from Fort Lauderdale. Airports also meant seeing family, visiting new places, and let’s not forget all the cool planes. I associated air travel with very positive emotions.

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to Detroit…

Today’s world finds me loathing any experience with airports, airlines, or at this point just air travel. For the third time in a year, US Airways cancelled my flight. I like numbers, so let’s look at it this way… I’ve taken 3 trips on US Airways since April 2008. Each of the three have had a cancelled flight, and, two of the three delayed overnight; requiring a hotel stay. So, in percentage… 100% of trips on US Airways have a cancelled flight and 67% delay arrival by a day or more.

After my last trip on US Airways, I became so upset with the way I had been treated that I promised to boycott them forever. On this recent trip, my client purchased the tickets to LAX and I neglected to mention “any airline other than US Airways, please.” I justified the flight thinking to myself, “Well Fred, you didn’t give any money to US Airways, so it’s still ok.”

Flying from Los Angeles to Detroit yesterday, the schedule had me traveling to Phoenix, spending 2 hours in the Phoenix Airport, and then continuing to Detroit. I checked in, went to the gate, and waited. Boarding time (4 p.m.) came, and no announcement. The next gate also had a flight to Phoenix, and I watched that plane take off into the clear, blue sky (very similar to my Newark experience). At 4:30 p.m., the representative said there was a slight delay and not to worry, the staff would be taking care of connecting flights and ensuring we make it to Phoenix very shortly. Some of us started to form a line and were told to “just sit and wait” by the manager (no please, no sorry, only “just sit and wait sir/ma’am”).

Well, 5:00 p.m. came and the representative announced the flight had been cancelled. The manager told us to form a single file line and we would be booked on new flights. When my turn arrived, the representative booked me on an American Airlines flight to Detroit via Dallas. I’d arrive at 7am, and yet… I was happy to just go home. The representative printed an itinerary and told me to head out to American. I asked for my confirmation number, and was told to “just show them the itinerary.” I asked again, “can you please give me a confirmation number?” The manager cam over and said, “Sir, you have an itinerary and it’s time to go. They will help you at American Airlines.” I thought about it, and well… Yeni’s been encouraging me to “be nice” and there were other people needing help… so I went off to American.

I will say this: The people at the American Airlines ticket counter were beyond friendly. Very nice. Sadly, US Airways did not book me on an available flight. The flight, being full, could not accept the booking which is why US Airways had not given me a confirmation number. American tried to get me on a different flight, but simply couldn’t find a seat. They said they were truly sorry and let me know I needed to go back to US Airways.

I arrived at the US Airways ticketing counter at 6:30 p.m (it was a very, very long walk from Terminal 4 back to Terminal 1). Fellow passengers from my cancelled flight (493) greeted me in line — each with a similar story. Whether American, United, Delta, or others, each of the fellow passengers in line had been improperly booked on another airline. The line moved at a snail’s pace as only 2 agents were assisting us. At 7 p.m., our “friendly” manager strolled to the counter; drink and cellphone in hand.

A guy about 5 people in front of me yelled “Hey, that’s the stupid bitch who told me it was ok.” Which, in turn, had many people in line agreeing. When it was his turn, the man received news he didn’t like and literally had a meltdown. The police came; he calmed down, left, and was out of sight / out of mind from the rest of us.

At 7:30 p.m. or so, my turn had finally come. I walked up to the counter and was given a flight leaving LAX at noon (the next day), flying to Philadelphia, then to Chicago, and then to Detroit. I would be arriving in Detroit after midnight on the next day. I believe my exact words were “You’re kidding me, right? Can you just put me on a train instead?” She laughed. “I’m not making a joke. I don’t think you’ll get me there without canceling another flight.”

I told her to put me on the flight that gets me to Detroit the fastest. Not what leaves the earliest, but rather what arrives the soonest. While she was typing away (for what seemed like an eternity, but was actually less than 20 minutes), our friendly manager returned to the area. She was getting a little bitchy with three passengers and I had had enough. Sure I was hesitant with the police already called, but I figured “I gotta be me” and just maybe keep it down a notch.

I told her, “Excuse me. You know what? You need to apologize.”

“I’m sorry your plane had technical problems.”

I continued, “No. We’re all fine with that. You need to apologize because you’re a horrible manager and you did a bad job.”

“I didn’t.”

I was thinking to myself that this is nice… she argues like a 6th grader. So I continued, “Yes, you did. You’re a horrible manager and you did a bad job. All of us are here because you are a horrible manager and did a bad job. You didn’t even call American Airlines to make sure any of us had confirmed flights. You wasted our time and caused us further delays.”

“I did call.”

“No, you really did not.”

“I did call —”

Now a bunch of people were watching. “You’re kidding me here. No, you didn’t call. And there’s a whole bunch of us here as proof. You never once picked up a phone. I know. I was there. You are simply lying. You are a horrible manager. You did a bad job, and you need to apologize to us now.” (People clapped, which I gotta say, was pretty awesome)

“I’m not going to argue with you sir.”

“You are arguing with me, and you’re not winning. You are a horrible manager. You did a bad job. Now apologize.” She just stared at me. No words, nothing. “Did you go to manager training?” Nothing. “Well, if you didn’t, you need to go. And if you did, you need to get your money back, because you’re a horrible manager and you did a bad job.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For…”

“For being a horrible manager.”

“And for doing what?”

“A bad job.”

“Thank you.”

With that, they gave me a hotel voucher for a local airport, a ticket to a Northwest Airlines flight (the next day), a $10 meal voucher, and I was on my way. You know, when it comes down to it, I know that planes have problems. Hell, if it’s a machine, chances are there will be a technical issue now and then. And, I’m much happier being safe then sorry when it comes to air travel. That being said… sometimes it’s not what you say or do, but how you handle the situation that makes the difference.

In the last year, 100% of my US Airways flights have had at least one cancelled leg. That number is ridiculous. And in my entire life, I have had 0 flights cancelled on other airlines.

When I was delayed for 4 hours in December, American Airlines handled it perfectly. When I exited the plane, I was told to please go to the assistance counter. They had already booked me on a new plane and gave me priority standby on the next flight to my destination. And even more, they sincerely apologized.

To make a long story longer, there’s a reason why I have so many road trip photos and blog posts. With carriers like US Airways, flying simply doesn’t appeal to me. I’d much rather drive to where I need to go and enjoy the flexibility, ability to use a phone while traveling, and a nice comfy ride where I’m not treated poorly. When it comes down to it, I can usually drive to where I need to go for less than plane ticket (plus no rental car needed of course and I can take as many bags as I can fit).

As a child, I would have never dreamed that one day I’d prefer to take long trips in the car than a flight in a big, shiny airplane. Sometimes, I miss seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

Last night, after watching the ER finale, the news showed me something I could not believe. The President of the Detroit City Council, Monica Conyers, provided an interview to Fox News giving a statement which I would only expect to be heard on Jerry Springer. Monica Conyers stated:

No, I did not. I did not say she needs to get a man. But does she? And not be with everyone else’s man. Does she? I am just asking you. This is what her people say about her. I don’t know. (yes, there’s a video)

The news story is only 2 minutes long, go ahead and click play. You know you want to… after all, how often do you get to hear the president of a city council tell a widow to “get a man.”

Luckily, Councilwoman Conyers provides us with an example of why we need to completely change Detroit. If this is the chosen representative of Detroit, time to start packing up the house. But hey… it’s not like she would, I don’t know… debate an 8th Grader (seriously, you tell me the 8th Grader didn’t win)

The smartest thing I have ever done was not leave Florida permanently. After spending 20 plus years living and working in Florida, I’ve certainly seen my share of embarrassment. From Terry Schivo to Elian Gonzalez, the 2000 election to the Anna Nicole Smith Baby Daddy trial, Florida certainly helps give late night talk show hosts a punch line now and then.

But this isn’t a post about Florida. This is a post about two law makers in Michigan that want to raise income tax.

Right now, the State of Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the United States. Right now (March 2009), the Michigan unemployment rate is 12%. And with GM getting ready to lay off thousands more in May, this number will rise quicker than it will fall.

So, with 12% of the state unemployed and (as the media reminds us hourly) one of the hardest economic times we’ve seen, Representatives lma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Township) and Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) are proposing that income tax be raised by more than a percentage point.

You see, unlike Florida, Michigan taxes the income of residents. So after you pay your Federal Income Tax, you get to make another check for the State. Right now the income tax for Michigan is 4.35% of your income. If Representatives Smith and Warren have their way, it will rise to 5.5 percent. What will this money go to you ask? They want to provide free college tuition to residents.

Don’t get me wrong… I’m all for higher education. But, I’m also someone who worked full-time while finishing my degree. I believe that college serves a great purpose but also isn’t for everyone. And more importantly, it’s not for the hard working citizens to pay for everyone to get a college education. The majority of students either work hard to get loans, get money from Mom and Dad, use financial aid to pay for college. The nice thing there is that when you have to answer to yourself (or to Mom and Dad) you hold some accountability. But that’s another discussion…

What I truly don’t understand here is how, when unemployment is so high, two lawmakers can actually believe that raising taxes will be a good idea. Here’s an immediate idea… all state representatives should earn a salary of $1 per year. Instead of making the position a full-time job, Representatives should be required to earn their income like the common citizen and instead serve the republic out of honor, pride, and sense of duty.

The Founding Fathers of our country expected Congress to be a sacrifice and not a full-time job. The pay rate of a Federal Representative in 1789 was $6 a day (and payment was only while Congress was in session). In today’s world, that would amount to around $1,500 a year. Sadly, the State and Federal representatives earn considerable more.

Perhaps this is a perfect time for nostalgia. After all, perhaps the best way for State and Federal lawmakers to better the economy is for them to depend on the economy for their livelihood — you know, like the citizens do.

The government who robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. — George Bernard Shaw

Once upon a time, government budgets were balanced, our money was sound, the streets were safe, and taxes imposed by all levels of government took less than 10% of our income. — Harry Browne

So, back in 2007 I actually liked what Ron Paul had to say. I liked how he answered questions, but who knows… I also liked what Ross Perot had to say. In fact, maybe it’s just the R.P. initials that makes me interested. We’ll find out for sure if Ru Paul becomes a candidate…

Anyway… I made the mistake of contributing a very small donation to Ron Paul’s campaign. Well, Ron Paul became the Campaign for Liberty and now, they somehow think I want to be a member. And they won’t stop calling me.

I’ve asked them 5 times, left messages, sent emails… but the calls keep coming. So, today I tried a new approach. I’m demanding money from them. Here’s the letter:

Let’s see what happens.

Ann Arbor . com website

The Ann Arbor News (in Ann Arbor, MI of course) recently announced it’s closure. After 174 years, the Ann Arbor News could not see a way out of economic difficulties and will be relaunching as an online media company — AnnArbor.com. But this post isn’t about the closure… for information on that check out:

• AnnArbor.com
• The News to Fold in July
• Why We Grieve the Ann Arbor News

This post is on why I do not grieve the Ann Arbor News closure.

To be in business for 174 years is truly an amazing feat, and congratulations is due. Of course, the business became part of Mlive.com and was more of a conglomerate lately than a truly local paper.

This weekend, Yeni and I went to Meijer’s (the local supermarket) twice (long story). Both times we entered Meijer’s, we were greeted by two salesmen in a booth selling subscriptions to the Ann Arbor News. The approach was that one individual would stand in the entrance way and ask you to talk with him. When you said “No, thank you.” (like I did) he continued his pitch, and his style was effective — many elderly people were signing up for new subscriptions.

Businesses can and will fail. It’s the nature of, well, it’s the nature of business. Surely we can feel sadness for the persons who will lose their jobs and we can also feel sadness for the closure of a local institution, but to me, I feel more of a loss for the new subscribers I saw this weekend.

Traditionally, the elderly do not get their news online. I feel that selling subscriptions “hard” over the weekend for a business announcing it’s closure on Monday is in poor taste. And sadly, sometimes the last taste in your mouth is how you remember the meal.

I asked The Ann Arbor News what would happen to these new subscribers. They said:

“You’ll keep getting the paper as you do through July. We’re still working out what happens after that. You won’t lose what you paid though.”

To me, if they want my support, they’ll issue immediate refunds to anyone that bought a subscription this month. Full and immediate refund.

But, as Dennis Miller would say… That’s just my opinion.

Dealing with Ann Arbor’s Downtown Development Authority (the A2DDA) definitely elicits an emotional response. Sadly, the happy emotions did not make the cut. Anyway, the experience finds me recollecting some of my favorite government quotes…

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. — Thomas Jefferson

The point to remember is that what the government gives it must first take away. — John S. Caldwell

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. — Benjamin Franklin

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. — Thomas Jefferson

I am for doing good to the poor, but…I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed…that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer. — Benjamin Franklin

It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority. — Benjamin Franklin

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. — Benjamin Franklin

Never trust a government that doesn’t trust its own citizens with guns. — Benjamin Franklin

Once upon a time, government budgets were balanced, our money was sound, the streets were safe, and taxes imposed by all levels of government took less than 10% of our income. — Harry Browne