Monthly Archives: May 2009

On Holiday

Posted on by

Dearest Readers:

I sit now at a small table on the top floor of a hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  The sun is about to set and, from the veranda, I can hear the foghorn.  
I customarily live in a PC world but write this from a MacBook Pro laptop — one my wife purchased for me earlier this year.  I’m still not facile, in any way, on this thing because I use it so rarely at this point.  I have a PC at work and at home; the MacBook has been reserved for trips and so-called special occasions.  My wife “inherited” my 17″ HP Pavilion zd8000 laptop; I now have the MacBook for my portable needs.  I can still barely make it work.  I’m suspecting I’ll have to take some classes at my local Apple Store.  I purchased the “Teach Yourself Visually MacBook” book, the “Rough Guide to Macs & 10.5 Leopard.”  It still hasn’t sunk in.  Yes, I really am that thick.
In any event, my point: I’m away from easy posting but I’ve backed up a number of drafts so that I am “not gone,” so to speak.  I did this in case I couldn’t figure out how to post new photographs.  But that is immaterial because, in my rush to pack, I only included my smallest camera — you know, the one with the DEAD BATTERIES.
I am literally on holiday from Thursday, May 21st to Wednesday, May 27th.
And May 27th is the day my father’s house is turned over to its new owners.
But that’s another topic entirely.
A topic I’m seeking to escape for a few days.
BZ
 Share

Credit Cards: Screwing The Conscienscious, Reliable Payer

Posted on by

WHAT YOU DIDN’T READ ABOUT S.235 and H.R.627:

Sure, there have been changes proposed to the credit card industry.

But what you likely didn’t hear is this (from the NYTimes):

Now Congress is moving to limit the penalties on riskier borrowers, who have become a prime source of billions of dollars in fee revenue for the industry. And to make up for lost income, the card companies are going after those people with sterling credit.

It is estimated that the average American credit card debt is $10,000. My credit card debt: $0. I pay off my card every month. I’ve done this for almost 30 years. I’ve worked long and hard to establish my credit rating of 830. As of this writing, my one credit card has a limit of $58,000.

But that result didn’t come without a price itself; I “did without” many things for many years because I held to this tenet: if I couldn’t pay it off in one month — I either didn’t make the purchase or, rarely, I applied for a small loan from my credit union. I established a pattern of paying off small loans rapidly. I worked overtime or other jobs in order to accomplish this. The amounts my lender made available to me gradually increased to the point where, with sterling credit, the real purchasing power — when absolutely necessary — lay with me and not the store, dealership or business.

How will the screwing of conscientious card users be accomplished? To continue:

Banks are expected to look at reviving annual fees, curtailing cash-back and other rewards programs and charging interest immediately on a purchase instead of allowing a grace period of weeks, according to bank officials and trade groups.

People who routinely pay off their credit card balances have been enjoying the equivalent of a free ride, he said, because many have not had to pay an annual fee even as they collect points for air travel and other perks.

“Despite all the terrible things that have been said, you’re making out like a bandit,” he said. “That’s a third of credit card customers, 50 million people who have gotten a great deal.”

So you’ve done without, you’ve sacrificed, you’ve handled your credit like an adult, eh?

BOHICA, Reliable American Consumer.

Thank you, Mr Obama. Thank you, federal government.

BZ
 Share

The Sheep Dare To Baa — A Little

Posted on by

Voters just handed Demorat-led Fornicalia politicians in Sacramento their ass in a special election of six propositions that, in essence, sought to keep recent taxes and/or add taxes. And this in a time of nasty, economic turmoil.

Let me also write this: those propositions wanted to keep and add taxes — on top of Fornicalia’s having recently doubled the vehicle registration fees and increased state and income taxes — to the tune of roughly an additional $1,600 per family per year!

Would you be shocked and appalled that Fornicalia voters rejected EVERY tax proposition, and only supported a measure which would curb politicians’ pay hikes in budget deficit years?

Under Arnold Schwarzenegger, the best governor the states contiguous to California have ever had, people and businesses have been relocating to those states. For four consecutive years, more Americans have moved out of California than have moved in. California’s business costs are more than 20 percent higher than the average state’s. In the past decade, net out-migration of Americans has been 1.4 million. California is exporting talent while importing Mexico’s poverty. The latter is not California’s fault; the former is.

If, since 1990, state spending increases had been held to the inflation rate plus population growth, the state would have a $15 billion surplus instead of a $42 billion budget deficit, which is larger than the budgets of all but 10 states. Since 1990, the number of state employees has increased by more than a third. In Schwarzenegger’s less than six years as governor, per capita government spending, adjusted for inflation, has increased nearly 20 percent.

Governor Schwarzenegger had promised to cut police and fire services if these propositions were rejected. I voted no. I work in local law enforcement. But I could NOT vote for additional taxes and fee hikes just to see these funds pissed away by Sacramento Demorats and Republicans. Perhaps I have helped to hold the knife which will slit my own throat. But I could not have voted any other way.

Sacramento politicians: the sheep are beginning to baaaaa just a little louder. Keep pushing and you just might see a transformation to sheepdogs — and then wolves.
THIS JUST IN: FORNICALIANS, PREPARE FOR AN ADDITIONAL GAS TAX —
From the Hogue Blog:

My sources inside of the Capitol have told me that the majority party is ready to offer a statewide emergency “gas tax” to back-fill the general fund. It will be done without the super majority vote of two-thirds, and be labeled as a temporary gas fee (tax) hike – something that can be done with a simple majority vote because it is revenue neutral. The Democrats will simply lower another fee (tax), and increase the “gas tax” from 44-cents to 57-cents per gallon of gas.

As WMD recently out-pointed: the politicians will screw you sheep for the cash they demand, one way or the other.

BZ
 Share

My Day Job

Posted on by

This is what I used to do for my day job. I supervised a major EVOC facility on the Left Coast and instructed both law enforcement and fire personnel in non-emergency, emergency response and pursuit driving. We would instruct emergency responders in fire apparatus, cars, box medic rigs and authority motorcycles.
As you might suspect, I didn’t hate my job.
In July of 2009, my job was eliminated.  Now I supervise 80+ deputies in a much different non-training environment.  I have over 30 years on the job.  My department is strongly hinting that I should retire.  They can hint all they want.  I’m not.
BZ
 Share

Fornicalia Special Elections & Pursuit Question:

Posted on by

Fornicalia residents are voting today, Tuesday, on six propositions, numbered 1A through 1F. They are essentially ALL scams to squeeze cash out of Fornicalia taxpayers so that Sacramento politicians can waste MORE of it. Bottom line?

VOTE NO ON ALL PROPOSITIONS.

Even Prop 1F: vote NO. It doesn’t go far enough.

Residents of other states: if this crap starts here in Fornicalia, it’s coming soon to your state, if not there already. Scrutinize your propositions very carefully; the trend is now to squeeze in tax hikes couched under the guise of “making up” for the current budget deficit.

YOU ARE THE WATCH COMMANDER:

You are the Lieutenant or Watch Commander for the police department on whose shift your officers are conducting a pursuit. Watch the pursuit video here for background information, first.

You are responsible for the actions and conduct of the officers on your shift.

After watching the above video, you will have some decisions to make. I would like you to make your decisions not necessarily on what you think the policy is for this particular department, but instead on what you personally believe is proper or improper conduct for officers in your area.

Your decisions should consider:
  • How was the pursuit itself conducted?
  • Would you have allowed the pursuit to continue and, if not, at what point would you have ordered the pursuit to cease?
  • Once the suspect exited the vehicle and took leg bail, then decided he couldn’t jump the fence in time to escape officers and gave up, was the response of the initial contact officer appropriate? Was the application of force, in your opinion, acceptable, borderline, or egregious?
Consider also, as you must, that you realize this video will appear on your local media.

Now, read the full article here, and also here. Then:

What are your decisions with regard to this officer, and why?

BZ
P.S.
Another local and recent pursuit for you to view; this time a drunk chick fled and received the PIT. Check it out.
 Share