Thursday, April 14, 2011

 
The US national debt spending limit
      As we move into midyear, the perennial credit limit authority
seems to always come to the forefront. In these times of heightened
awareness  of the dangers of unmanageable debt, new vigor appears
in the media and the halls of congress. I am sure,as our ever
vigilant lawmakers begin the process of tough love, that the
unserviceable limits of the past will begin to be reduced. As they roll the
limit back, say by 500 billion per year, and install a strong enforcement
law, call it a constitution amendment,   in 20 years our children and
grandchildren will be returned to a time of financial comfort.
     That brings me to a sub point. Large debts are not only held by
governments, but also are carried by many families. This must also be
brought under some reasonable level. The subtle lure of instant
satisfaction has seduced mankind for centuries. Debt is spoken about in
the holy books of every religion, and often in very unflattering terms.
There is no need to reinvent the wheel here, just follow the wise
instruction of our grandparents, and avoid unneeded indebtedness
and save a bit for hard times. This simple wisdom, if followed, will 
always lead to peace of mind. Now that is worth something, security 
and peace, what a deal.              David A   8-)

Saturday, March 26, 2011

 
Inflation rate in USA 1960-2011














I must not have much to do, I thought it might be nice to think of a
little financial history. The market hubbub of late is ripe with opinions
and pontification on the future of our economy, especially the
devaluation of the dollar. As a currency’s value falls, it Is natural
more of these dollars are required to purchase goods and services.
A classic definition of inflation if ever there was one.  It is my
understanding that the US inflation rate is inexorably tied to the
interest rate. This ‘monetary policy” is set by the Federal Reserve.
During my short life there have been only 6 of these esteemed Fed
chairmen.

 

 For the period 51-70 we had Fed chairman
William McChesney Martin, Jr.    He served
under Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson,
and Nixon. Inflation was mostly stable (1% to 3%)
until 1968, it then started a dramatic rise. 19 years of stability.

  


 
Arthur F. Burns came onboard in Nixon’s
second term, 1970 until 1978. That took us
thru Gerald  Ford and Carters first term.
Inflation really was nuts, 6%,4%,3%,
6%,11%,9%,6%,7% during his tenure.





G. William Miller lasted 6 months before
He was tapped for the job at Treasury.
Hard to blame him for anything at the
Fed, but his Keynesian belief at treasury
Sent the dollar down 34% in a year.




 
Paul A. Volcker 1979-1987 finished off
Carter and did a term with Reagan. He
surely saved the financial system in this
country. His first 3 years were 11%,14%,
And 10%, thereafter tapered off greatly.


Alan Greenspan came in Reagan’s 2ndTerm, 
staying thru George HW Bush,
Bill Clinton, and George W Bush. The
19 years (1987-2006) saw the level
decrease from 5% then hold in the 2%
 to 3% range.


 And here we come to Ben Bernanke,
 a Bush 2 appointment, he serves even
to the present. The data shows we have
gone from a nominal 3% to deflation,
only coming up to 1% last year.



 The interest rate follows/drives the inflation rate, and we are
in a time, like under Miller, that the money supply has been
expanded greatly. As the chart demonstrates, we have been
in a relatively stable inflationary period for 2 decades.







Under his leadership, “helicopter Ben” as he is known for dropping
large amounts into the money supply, the goal is to reduce the size
of our debt relative to the now bloated supply. Thus, the theory goes, keeping interest and inflation low. This is a good theory,
but I remember our old friend Mr. Greenspan once said ~ When
we make even a small move at the Fed, I can feel the very
foundations of the building shake.  

Finally, these are not small moves, QE1 + QE2 with #3 on the way














 This shows ~ 8 trillion $ around double in just 10 years.
All of this looks rather benign until one looks into a
part of the money supply that sits in an obscure nook,
that is the synthetic money in currency and credit
derivatives. That number is ~ $ 574 trillion. I only worry
of unintended consequences and oversights because it
appears we have built an extremely large construct
that depends for balance on a moody population. If
the system breaks down in some way, what is plan B?








Wednesday, March 23, 2011

 

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
     If we take the President at his word, the action this week in Africa is
not war and we have no enemy. I will give him that. Some in congress 
howl of broken laws, as even Pres Obama did during his short stint in 
that group. My how the tables turn when one becomes the ships captain. 
Some time ago I posted, with a different bias, on the same legal 
authorities, in some depth, this subject. One thing that is true, and will 
never be tested, is that the war powers act is unconstitutional. 
<1973 (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548)>   Our beloved lawmakers often forget 
the vow they take as they come into office. This can be seen in the 
stretching of the verbally vague, albeit written with clear intent, interstate
commerce and public welfare sections of the constitution. The erosion 
continues, giving nearly unlimited free range for congressional action. 
At some point this may be addressed, but I digress.

      In cases of international intelligence foreign relations, and conduct 
of war, the coequal constitutional powers of the executive are not 
necessarily subject to laws written by congress. The president, as 
commander in chief, has full authority to intern whole groups of people 
to camps, nationalize the entire steel industry, drop bombs on people, 
even declare martial law if necessary.If you look at the constitution- 
the President, not Congress or the courts, is the supreme authority. In 
Fleming v. Page, 9 How. 603, 615 (1850), the Supreme Court wrote 
that the President has the Constitutional power to "employ [the Nation's 
armed forces] in the manner he may deem most effectual to harass and 
conquer and subdue the enemy."

     One would be hard pressed to say this is not war when bombs and 
missiles are launched from vessels called “war ships”. Still, I have no 
complaint with our administration exercising it’s power. As someone 
said recently “elections have consequences” which lends to a level of 
legality. There many things these actions may lead our country into, 
these are a different issue. It is an honorable thing to try to stop mass 
murder. If that goal puts us in the middle of a bar fight, then so be it. 
The outcome will never be what one may imagine, many  less than
good things may come to pass. Knowing we tried will at least ease the 
stress on our collective consciousness.

Monday, February 14, 2011

 
        I am sorry this page has been neglected for so long, my hosting provider and page editor became incompatible. This is fixed now by the magic of routing and redirection, of which I know little. The summer, fall and most of the winter have passed by with just a few events of import. The mind can scarcely be slowed though, and rivers of thought flow into our senses, some even imprinting on our memory forever. The passing of friends and loved ones impinges as surely as the wild adventures of trips to exotica. Less memorable might be the low rumble that ever emits from the political circle in the various capitals. More unlikely than remembering this noise, would be any real change of the Status Quo. I have studied politics from Societies to Voinovich, finding that expedience rules the day. The Pharaoh was removed from Egypt again and the pharisee of SF demoted in the US., but call me providential if I might wax some wisdom here. The good son is eager for correction, hungry for knowledge, selfless for his family, working endlessly for their good.
       It may be my failing to see the enlightened view, but I have heard it is unwise to live on borrowed monies. Our politics lead us here, think about this little dept of labor data thingy . --->
                                                       WWW.USDEBTCLOCK.ORG

Saturday, April 10, 2010

 
Looking for the good news on the dozens of networks I follow is oft a tedious endeavor. The fact we are alive to think of things like this is not a small piece of really good news. The recent Passover and Easter observances also remind that an entire world of joy and thanksgiving thrives in the midst of the bleak.
On a trip over the last couple weeks, I queried many and found some common views.
(1) The transition to a different kind of economy in this country is unnerving.
(2) It seems that everyone believes the US public debt levels will bring us to
crisis.
(3) The lack of confidence goes even to distrust of the leaders of old institutions.
(4) Most people think a major not so good change is soon coming.
Where is the good news in this?
I also found everywhere, folks working away at the tasks at hand with resolve.
Many were very polite and helpful, even cheerful.
The doom and gloom, like the elephant in the room, may be obvious, but there is a faith that constant work at the job at hand will overcome. I believe that too. The adult is us sees the danger looming ahead, but rather than alarming the innocent, we try to face it leaving the children to grow up slowly. What a joy it is to be a child finding an egg on that strange and exciting Easter activity. How powerful was the message sent in the Colosseum when early Christians, singing their songs, were fed to the lions. I think we lead best by example, a positive example reaches thru time and space.

Monday, December 28, 2009

 

So many ideas over time take on enthusiastic heralds.

Proponents trumpet "this is the way, follow me and you will

find truth". Entire theologies, call them precepts, are developed,

signaling the way to some nirvana, ultimate peace, or 47 virgins.

The more sturdy movements have developed logical, even elegant

roadmaps to a way of thinking or acting along their prescribed

pathway. My goal here is to discuss one popular idea, that

concept labeled 'Objectivism' brought to the mainstream by

Ayn Rand in 20th century. I do not propose to criticize, debunk

or proselytize, but instead, speak to its strengths and explore

possible limits. Here you will learn some of the what, why,

and how of Rand's philosophy. I cannot presume to cover but

a fraction of the subject here, I instead will attempt to lead the

reader into his own exploration.

 

Ayn Rand (Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum) at 21, came to the

US in 1926. The Soviets confiscated her father's successful

pharmacy in Saint Petersburg so she was educated in Crimea

after and then Petrograd University where she graduated in

1924. Her studies in social pedagogy exposed her to the

Greek writers Aristotle and Plato, which became major

players in the formation of her thinking.

 

Ayn wrote two major novels. The Fountainhead in 1943

made Howard Roark a household name, selling 6.5 million

copies by 2008. Her primary Objectivist work, Atlas Shrugged

was published in 1957. The hero's name can be seen on bumper

stickers even today. "Who is John Galt ?"

 

She writes "My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a

heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life,

with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his

only absolute." She wrote in 1962, the individual "must exist for his own

sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself."

This seems to be moderated slightly (LOL) from her writing in

We the Living, where she said "What are your masses but mud to be ground

underfoot, fuel to be burned for those who deserve it?

 

Would a dictionary type definition of the subject help here, I think so:

"Objectivism" derives from the principle that human knowledge and values

are not created by the thoughts one has, but are determined by the nature of

reality, to be discovered by man's mind"

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/business/15atlas.html

 

Just look at Modern Library's 100 best novels list from today.

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

where 4 of the top 10 are Rand's works. When a 1991 survey by the Library

of Congress and the Book-of-the-Month Club asked what

the most influential book in the respondent's life was, Rand's Atlas Shrugged

was the second most popular choice, after the Bible.

 

Now, after all this, which seems to sound like a giant unintended

sales pitch, my personal feelings. Just a few thoughts.

 

  1. Yes, Rand's works have been formative in my life where I would also rate them on my top 10 must read list, behind the scriptures and Bill Bryson. A guy has got to laugh.

     

  2. Yes, Aristotle developed ideas of reason, choice, and individuality, which are the basis of a man. Suffice this, you can read more. Do you do Greek?

     

  3. Plato's idea that reality is unknowable is antithetical to reason. His view of stateism and tyranny are classical collectivism. It is the height of defeatism to believe man is powerless. A hopeless condition leading nowhere. Everyone can do something. Everyone can have purpose. I can't believe I'm criticizing Plato. It becomes clear why Rand contrasted these two teachers.

     

  4. Ayn's experience from her Soviet youth informs us greatly to the bitterness and injustice of that system. Her writing in Anthem shows a world without individuals. Without achievement.

 

  1. Rand's belief "Man must exist for his own sake" is not incorrect in itself. I am reminded of a phrase "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" In the end, without identity, man can't exist. Selflessness is powerless without self, we only have lessness left, what is that.

     

  2. "happiness as the moral purpose of his life" is a truly relative phrase. To achieve "happiness" as purpose might require some clarification or at least personal definitions. You know what, it is not any ones business what might make me happy, satisfied, or fulfilled. Me getting my YaYa's is what makes me me. I am afraid that the purpose of my life may be beyond the scope of this blog. I am not unwilling to discuss this if you can provide a useful definition of "purpose". I dare you to try.

     

  3. "reason as his only absolute." This is tough, I know some things for sure, I also fully understand I am biased, and many ways blinded by prejudging. Reasonableness is not absolute, a fine goal for sure, but absolutism in a physical world is non sequitur.

 

I might conclude that "Objectivism" as proclaimed by the Randites

is not the be all guiding light of life. Also, to look here for salvation

from whatever comes up short for those absolute values needed when reason fails. But also, I am happy to have Rand's work to help motivate

me to be all I can be. To treat myself and my ideas with respect.

 


Friday, November 20, 2009

 

Betting on the US economy

Betting on the US economy has been a good one most of the time.

With modern financial markets we have come to the point where

risk can be controlled very tightly. Not only can an investor profit

from growth of companies, but also he can bet the other way and

gain from a companies demise. Short selling, put options, and covered

calls are some methods to reduce the risk of loss in an investment.


 

It seems to me that one major key to maintaining and growing an

investment is to understand the direction that instrument is headed.

Wouldn't it be great to know that tidbit of information. Some hints

are gleaned from trends and policies of the sector and even the

national political direction. It is no secret that the US national debt

is increasing exponentially of late, and that has a direct effect on the

value of the dollar. Equities such as (UUP + UDN) US dollar up, US

dollar down, reflect these changes albeit inversely to each other.

You might use this knowledge to build a strategy giving positive

return in the face of the debts affect on the dollar.


 

The successful portfolio will be the one that looks at the world the

way it is, not the way we want it to be. If you put your dollar under the

bed, you will lose for sure. If you invest it wisely, you may still lose, but,

chances are it will grow thus making Bob your uncle. Dave 8-)


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

 

YouTube Enlists Users as Newscasters

"YouTube Enlists Users as Newscasters", this is to fill a void that followed the state takeover of most of our traditional news companies. It isn't as if they were bought off, but instead, they gave up questioning because they have fallen in love. The explosion of amateur-produced content will fill the need for independence that was enjoyed variously in the past, but now seems like the good old days. For example, two young filmmakers completely destroyed "acorn" exposing the systemic corruption of that group, and by the way, the press, who to this day has not covered the scandal. Even congress was so outraged that they pulled millions in funding and kicked them out of dozens of programs slated for their involvement. It is not hopeless for the "not so big anymore" networks, but as you know, trust is not easily earned and when it is betrayed, given back begrudgingly. It takes a lot to earn my automatic mute button, but once you have it, the honored speaker never gets to talk again. That is death to a politician, as they live by the minions eating up their bs.


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

 

Has perspective got the flu?


 

Questions and Answers Regarding Estimating Deaths

from Influenza in the United States

How many people die from flu each year in the United States?


 

The number of influenza-associated (i.e., flu-related) deaths

varies from year to year because flu seasons often fluctuate

in length and severity. CDC estimated that about 36,000 people

died of flu-related causes each year, on average, during the

1990s in the United States

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm


 

My math says 36000 dead/365 days is 100 dead per

day or 4 per hour. But this in a small country of less

than 360 million this is only 1 in 1000 per year, if

the Lotto only had that good of odds.

Here is another source--à


 

In the U.S., an estimated 25–50 million cases of the flu

are currently reported each year — leading to 150,000

hospitalizations and 30,000–40,000 deaths yearly. If

these figures were to be estimated incorporating the

rest of the world, there would be an average of

approximately 1 billion cases of flu, around 3–5

million cases of severe illness, and 300,000–500,000

deaths annually.


http://www.flufacts.com/impact/statistics.aspx


 

So we can conclude 1 in 10 get the flu each year

in this country, but only 1 in 1000 die. But also

we know that 2.55 million die here each year

which is about 4000 per hour going home. This

means we have 1000 times better chance of

perishing by something other than the flu like

the 20+ people that die on the highway each hour.


Monday, December 29, 2008

 

Some arguments not so easy to win

I have found it very easy of late to settle arguments using the

Internet. Oft times we wonder—How tall is the president?

well a quick search gives 5' 11", argument settled. Other times

the answer comes with much more effort. For example—

What is the industry sector contribution to the US gross national

product? The answers come back too broad to be useful, like:


 



 

So trying to dig deeper we find tons of data and few

useable graphs, what is this, do I need to build my own?

Where are the government number crunchers?


 

Well I find these to start our chart:


 

GDP (official exchange rate): $13.84 trillion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 19.8%
services: 79% (2007 est.)

Imports: $1.968 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.

Exports: $1.148 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Military expenditures: 4.06% of GDP (2005 est.)


 

So this needs a lot of work-what industries did what part?


 


Thursday, August 21, 2008

 

Watched the public policy forum hosted by Saddleback's Rick

Warren last weekend. What a deal that was! Here the general

public got to see our presidential hopefuls in the raw. For an

hour each started out with very personal and reveling questions

to answer and they got no easier as the interview progressed.

Not having knowledge of the others answer, our guys showed

their thinking on a long list of identical lines of questions.

This was the best and most helpful set of interviews I have

seen in a political race. Not only did we see the social inclination

of each, but also, their demeanor while on the spot. I did not

look for a winner and loser, but instead was interested in

the vision for our future each holds. Intellectual or gut,

convinced or decided, the core holdings of each. I saw what I

wanted to see and encourage you to check out for yourself.

A overall good deal. Dave 8-)


Monday, August 18, 2008

 

Was just thinking about my friend Shawn and his cat races. You

know, where you give them a few seconds head start before

jumping from the skydiving plane. The cats always win. What

brought it up was my perfect record in the stock market. I watch

an equity spiral to its death, and when it bounces I buy it. Every

time without fail, I find that one can fall much farther than all the

way. It almost seems that the stockholders end up in debt to the

company for having invested. Don't get me wrong, the market is

the only game in town and if used wisely will provide good returns,

somewhat safe parking, and endless entertainment. Just remember

the old blues songs about the killing floor, these players eat meat,

so if you play, as Miller says "grow some snickers". Don't worry, it's

an inside joke.

A quick thought about risk tolerance, what raises your brows?


+ 10% tight wad banker w/ no snickers


+ 20% the market does this all the time


+ 40% riding the waves w/ no vest


+ 60% kahoona flavored snickers


+ 80% betting the farm and the horses


+ 100% pure faith, you will lose everything several times

Every single living person can be "rich beyond the dreams of

Averist" but so often they value the useless and forget the gem.

Here is a little test, lookup "saddleback social forum question rich"

take two and call me in the morning. LOL Dave 8-)


Thursday, June 12, 2008

 

fabric of space

My 17 year old is at that age of many questions. This in a western society, accustomed to instant gratification, one might imagine the necessary effort is not expended in pursuit of answers to his "why is that " inquires.

One of the wonders of his magical world is the way large bodies attract each other like bowling balls dropped from the roof onto my car. This is often called gravitation, from the Latin gravitatem used first like, well like when they spoke Latin. I made the big mistake to think I would look it up and find out about this gravity stuff so I could explain it to him. Ha, that would just figure, for like 6000 years of written history and unknown more time than that, mankind has ask this question. From the start I will say, no one has a clue. From Newton back to Kanada 8000 BC, it was determined that things fell because they were heavy.

Now don't get me wrong, the physics of acceleration and attraction in the post Newtonian world has become very sophisticated. One might even predict the path of a moon, a space shuttle, or a bowling ball and know with precision the impact speed and force to be absorbed by the now a convertible. As far as the pre20th century, this thing worked as far as it went. Just a few little bugs in the system, you know how a bug bugs a theorist. Anyway a couple of out of the box types moved physics past Newton like AutoCAD smoked Euclid's protractors. Albert did the quantum dance, the universe became a very jerky place, always hopping up and down the stairs. Ahem, they are even setting the GPS satellite cesium clocks like 0.00000003 sec slow because time runs slower when you get up there 50 miles from the earth. It's something about the space time fabric bending near large masses.

I have come to know that space is not flat, time not linear, and that gravity is an illusion because of where you are standing. They should make a law or something, what the heck am I to tell him now? I could try the "old people don't know anything", but he already knows that.


Wednesday, June 11, 2008

 

New Tech had me befafilated

But even now I type into this Word editor and after years of usable and intuitive menus, now long searching often gives no joy. Any way, Hi all, if this configuration and test meets with success, Bob has become my uncle. Is that rambling or what. Again the phone lines are back up, the dialup account makes me wish I had a high back chair, and my questions have taken on quantum jerk function analogues. Luckily this will not go thru relieving you of much blather.


Monday, September 03, 2007

 

I’ve been lazy / overwhelmed

The pressures of family, job, and lack of ambition have conspired

to keep me offline during Gonzales entire term. I have not been

dead though, and continue to grow in heart and mind. With the

changing of the guard at the top cop office, It would seem

to be a natural place to jump back into the fire.


 

First, As I watched the mob attack and overcome even the

apologetic public persons, my attitude has changed to one

of asking forgiveness only in the privacy of the confessional.


 

Second, My weakness of dissecting everything down to the

subatomic level often halts the putting down of markers along

the way. this stops today. If my judgments appear half-baked,

on some issue or another, drop me a line, we can cook it a few

more minutes for that metaphysically perfect cookie.


 

And on the problem I have been working on even from last year,

that is , how does one define "purpose" ?, how does it come about?,

What are the rules?. Can we go and get some of it?, is there more or

less in this or that ? Are there larger and smaller purposes?

Is purpose a physical thing like a hammer or nail one can get and use?

As you might have guessed, this question is not being ask the first

time, and moving thru Aristotle, Kant, Husserl, Heidegger, Sellers,

Mohanty, Sokolowski, Lask, McDowell, and even Crowell, or in a

different vein, Rick Warren, one might be confused or even derailed

on the way to finding this answer. We already know purpose exists,

you can see it everywhere. Like a US Supreme court justice said

"I can't define it, but I know it when I see it" speaking on another subject.


 

So here goes, I must needs be first to put this into context in order to

begin any rational definition. A distinction must be made between

speaking of the purpose for a physical (natural) thing and that of the

ethical (free will) . I am only looking to define the purpose of living and

as such, must leave aside questions of "why is the rock". Can one know

a definition of the purpose of life, is there more than one ? Does it change?


 

The answer is yes we can know our purpose in life, there is only one,

it never changes. I found the answer to my question about purpose,

even after much research, in what I already knew. The problem of putting

this into words still is burdensome for me, so I am reduced to quoting others.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose

under the heaven"


 

This is not my final word on the purpose of life. Dave 8-)


 


 


 


Monday, May 29, 2006

 

West Point speech

     I found it very informative to read Pres Bush's commencement address at West Point.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060527-1.html
As expected, we see the informed humor to warm up, and a recap of the Academy's changes over the years. A long section on the "new war" and how
much it has not changed. “ideological struggle between tyranny and freedom.” Often the course material offered reflects the needs of the workplace and this caught my eye. "hired new faculty with expertise in Islamic law and culture" + "  identifying IEDs, conducting convoy operations and running checkpoints"
      These new leaders have different fight than did our parents, but the 1950 directive of President Truman remains operative even 56 years later.
http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/nsc-hst/nsc-68.htm 
      I understand  that  "Truman was deeply unpopular at the end of his two terms in office and that it took a generation to appreciate his achievements."  and think it
could be the heroes who step up often only later receive their due.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/washington/28bush.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Saturday, April 08, 2006

 

Our Backdoor

Our back door is open:

As the hand wringing continues in Washington, the
population shift continues at our southern border.
There is no doubt that in many places outside of the USA
conditions are desperate. The hopes of large parts of the
Latino world are not at home but instead in the promise
of the American way. It is a natural result of success and
bounty in one place that populations move in that
direction. This normal shifting in itself is not good or bad,
but there are some very real consequences when it
happens. One thing is the wholesale violation of the
immigration laws. This seemingly minor transgression
has a major effect on both the citizens in the USA and on

the incoming population. Ignoring and not enforcing
established laws degrades the respect for law that is the
basis of civilization. Also, the migrating population, by not
having a legal path to the work that calls them, are forced
into an illegal underworld. This state of affairs has
continued for decades and given rise to much division
within the USA.
This problem of legal/illegal is just one of many that
comes when discussing the issue of worker migration.
But these problems have been in the press for years and I
am not going to speak of them. The way forward may be
the only discussion of value. First the US must find out
who is here. The national ID card with strong biometrics
should be rolled out. This ID would be the key to the tax,
welfare, and retirement systems. By providing legal
residents services keyed to their ID, the distribution of
entitlements and citizen benefits would be controlled. It is
now grounds for detention for not providing identification
to law enforcement. Not much time would be needed to
find all but the most reclusive residents. I maintain this
identification issue could be completed at the same time
as the next census.
The second step needed to address illegal immigration
into the USA is to hold employers responsible for who they
hire. The US IRS that sees employer tax statements where
labor expenses are paid to unknown persons is looking the
other way. This ignoring of known violations of tax law is
being done as a mater of policy and can be changed. To do
these things without disruption of the economy must
include a path for the migrants to become legal workers.
The talk of citizenship and migrant workers are two different
issues, we can have millions of non-citizen workers here,
we already do. The real problem is we don’t know who is
here and what we don’t know we can’t control.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

 

Attorney General Gonzales

______________________________________________________
    Today we saw general Gonzales try all day to give our congress a
way to avoid a constitutional fight in the courts. It looks like their
view is that the congressional role is the supreme authority and the
executive is subservient to them.
    This view, and both parties seem to be arguing this, defies basic
common sense because everyone knows that the executive has many
extra-legal powers. Take the example of the speed limit, this
regulation applies to the drivers on the highway system, but, when
law enforcement is operating  here, no one would argue they must
follow those rules.
    Or a more serious example would be that, a loaded commercial
jet that is found to be commandeered and headed into say the
superbowl. Does anyone really think any written law would govern
our president’s decision to protect the safety of this mass of people.
That jet would be shot down in a heartbeat. Where does congress
think the authority to make that decision comes from, maybe the
president could apply to a court and get an order.
    I have great hopes that they will take a lesson from the courts
decision in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld   and not press this issue. The
complete transcript of attorney general Gonzales is at the WP
site Part 1 and Part 2
_____________________________________________________

Friday, January 20, 2006

 

Ghost in the machine

Technology has brought so much efficiency to our lives that
often we tend to overlook it until some malfunction shows up.
One thing that vividly demonstrates this is the inability of
modern drivers to function in older automobiles. One thing
that I find remarkable, is most can not even name the systems
that saves their asses. See a great thread about this here ---->
High-tech Cars Replacing Driver Skill?

Today I worked on a relatively simple

optical infrared thermal measurement device

Not a new technology or modern by today’s standards, but
this box resists definite and repeatable diagnosis. It seems
that with each path our team went down,
new or different manifestations of “the problem” appeared.
Often the mindset is to throw new parts at a problem, and
sometimes that is the cost effective solution. Especially
this “tube jockey” mentality comes out when no other
solution presents itself. First you replace the most likely
parts, then the parts you don’t know what they do. Of course,
like today, that didn’t work, and created new problems so,
now you replace every part and the box that holds them. Well
that does not do it either, then replace everything within 10 feet
of the box, no joy. I give a call to Rod Sirling at
The twilight zone , he knocks over my nickel, and the
whole thing goes to work, go figure. One must realize that
the system will continue to function until I get 100 miles
away from the location, and at that exact moment, well
you get it, the life of a field service technician.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

 

The last few days

I have really wanted to post an article
(1) about the state of Christianity,
(2) about the world conflict with anarchy,
(3) about the cost of freedom,
(4) about crime and punishment,
(5) the path to peace,
(6) personal growth, or maybe
(7) something about modern communication
methods and its effectiveness.
It becomes clear to me, and probably you too, that all
of that could, each one, become lifetime treatises.
Additionally, like many working men, I have a regular
job, must listen to all of the senate hearings on
Judge Alito,
follow every bit of news from the US
liberation of Iraq and
Afghanistan, read as much as
time permits of the technology
advancements in science.
It also occurs to me that some
of these might be more
important than others.

Here is the short version, follow links for more:
(1) It’s good or academic or bad choose you own
(2)
It’s a long road but not much choice
(3)
It’s expensive and thousand little steps
(4)
No comment a little frustrating
(5)
It’s simple may require thinking
(6) Choose boss carefully
For we have thought the longer thoughts
And gone the shorter way.
And we have danced to devil's tunes
Shivering home to pray;
To serve one master in the night,
Another in the day.
Ernest Hemingway
(7)
very fast and depends
That should take about 4 hours.
You get done with this, in the words of a famous babysitter
“I’ll be back”

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

 

sticky clumps

I have just finished up the outline for another of my unwritten novels. It is a story of intrigue and political dirty tricks. Like all unwritten works, it has sold little.

    Dark, cigar smoke filled room at country club where the plotters forge a grand scheme. Just shadows of faces, strong drinks, and whispered voices.
    Flash to several law office meetings and upscale dinners where gambling interests are sold the abilities of our star, a flamboyant Washington lawyer and lobbyist, to provide real progress on capital hill on their behalf. The very deep pockets of these clients, I will call them tribes, start to make real progress in the legislative bodies. Money and favors flow like trinkets at a trade show. Soon, enough pockets are lined and the plot begins to thicken.
     It seems our star has been grafting off a lot of money for himself and the tribes feel shafted. Now comes the justice department, they are easily able to show this has occurred. Jack, our star, is faced with big time problem of a long time in jail or squeak for a deal. Like all good crooks he offers to give up information on whom he paid in congress to forward his clients interests.  
     The fan starts spraying out odoriferous clumps of  sticky and fear is spotted in the congressional offices. The many resignations and prosecutions that follow clean house on the hill. As luck would have it, only the outright dishonest and stupid are forced out, and the good servants of the peoples are left.
     As Jack, our star, is taken off to jail, we see a long black limousine roll the window down. Just a brief glimpse by Jack, our star, over to the car, and we see a big smile and thumbs up from Tom, the guy from the smoke filled country club room. Just another sting, another soldiers selfless work, and the limo drives off.

When I turn this into a screenplay, might need to change the names to protect the guilty.            ©2006 DASCOM

Saturday, December 31, 2005

 

And the debate goes on

And the debate goes on among the confused and with
those in the know.                    850+ deep thread here

Here is a reply I gave to one spinning mirrors type this
week:

It's a good thing OJ didn't have you as a lawyer.
    In cases of international intelligence foreign relations, and conduct of war, the coequal constitutional powers of the executive are not necessarily subject to laws written by congress. The president, as commander in chief, has full authority to intern whole groups of people to camps, nationalize the entire steel industry, drop bombs on people, even declare martial law if necessary. If you look at the constitution-
    Article II makes the President Commander in Chief of the armed forces. As such he is preeminent in foreign policy, and especially in military affairs. This was no accident; as Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 74, "Of all the cares or concerns of government, the direction of war most peculiarly demands those qualities which distinguish the exercise of power by a single hand."   The federal courts have long recognized that when it comes to waging war, the President, not Congress or the courts, is the supreme authority. In Fleming v. Page, 9 How. 603, 615 (1850), the Supreme Court wrote that the President has the Constitutional power to "employ [the Nation's armed forces] in the manner he may deem most effectual to harass and conquer and subdue the enemy."
    As for your Fourth Amendment argument that: 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 key here is unreasonable. One of the many situations where warrantless searches have been approved is when the government is seeking foreign intelligence information, such as information relating to potential terrorist threats. Next to the Constitution itself, of course, the highest authority is the United States Supreme Court. At least three Supreme Court cases have discussed this subject.
    In 1967, the Court decided Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347. Katz involved the warrantless interception of a conversation held by a criminal defendant in a phone booth.
    U Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507 (2004) nited States v. United States District Court, 407 U.S. 297 (1972)
    This specific question was first addressed by the Fifth Circuit in United States v. [Cassius] Clay, 430 F.2d 165 (5th Cir. 1970). "we do not read the section as forbidding the President, or his representative, from ordering wiretap surveillance to obtain foreign intelligence in the national interest."
    In 1974, the Third Circuit decided United States v. Butenko, 494 F.2d 593 (3rd Cir. 1974) "prior judicial authorization was not required since the district court found that the surveillances of Ivanov were "conducted and maintained solely for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence information."
    Three years later, the Ninth Circuit decided United States v. Buck, 548 F.2d 871 (9th Cir. 1977 "Foreign security wiretaps are a recognized exception to the general warrant requirement...."
    1980, the Fourth Circuit decided United States v. Truong For several reasons, the needs of the executive are so compelling in the area of foreign intelligence, unlike the area of domestic security, that a uniform warrant requirement would, following [United States v. United States District Court, 407 U.S. 297 (1972)], "unduly frustrate" the President in carrying out his foreign affairs responsibilities. "
    United States v. Duggan, 743 F.2d 59 (1984) "Prior to the enactment of FISA, virtually every court that had addressed the issue had concluded that the President had the inherent power to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance to collect foreign intelligence information, and that such surveillances constituted an exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment."
    2002, the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review decided Sealed Case No. 02-001 "The Truong court, as did all the other courts to have decided the issue, held that the President did have inherent authority to conduct warrantless searches to obtain foreign intelligence information. It was incumbent upon the court, therefore, to determine the boundaries of that constitutional authority in the case before it. We take for granted that the President does have that authority and, assuming that is so, FISA could not encroach on the President's constitutional power."
    And don't forget that the September 11 Authorization for the Use of Military Force reads: "use all necessary and appropriate force," covers intercepting communications, since intelligence gathering is just as much a "fundamental and accepted incident of war" as detaining enemy combatants.
all kudos go to John Hinderaker for his great work on this research. All the credit is his ----complete article is here --> http://powerlineblog.com/archives/012631.php
     If common sense were common everyone would have it.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

 

Grand Challenge

I have been following this story for a couple of years now, and it looks like there is finally a winner.

In 2003, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency offered $1 million to anyone who could build a self-driving vehicle capable of navigating 300 miles of desert. Dubbed the Grand Challenge, the robot-vehicle race was hyped for months. It was going to be as important as the 1997 Kasparov-Deep Blue chess match. But on race day in March 2004, the cars performed like frightened animals.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.01/stanley.html

The natural progression of this science is for a future where robots fight the wars, that way the good guys don’t get hurt.

The UGV/S JPO has several systems under development:          - Man-Portable Robotic Systems  (MPRS.),          - Standardized Robotic System      (SRS),          - Robotic Combat Support System (RCSS), and          - USMC Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle
                                                                      (GLADIATOR)

To get involved, or help in this effort look here

The code 237 land based systems are going forward with
research, development, test and evaluation in command and control architectures, sensor data processing, wireless communications, operator machine interface and integration for robotic, physical security, torpedo fire control, coastal surveillance, law enforcement technology and deployable sensor systems.

The thing I often think about is that these independent platforms and software systems may act in ways not intended. This unintended behavior is often seen in complex system design. As I saw in the description of one program “Software that enables unmanned systems to autonomously determine its best course of military action”<snip>
Don’t want to get in the way of that nice little puppy.

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