I’ve been using a Kindle for a little less than a year and it’s been great. I skipped the first generation Kindle because it was so damned ugly so my first experience with this ereader was with the Kindle 2. Prior to that I was using the Sony PRS-505 eReader for a couple years so I’m not new to reading on electronic book readers.
The Kindle 3, as I’m calling it because I don’t see that designation anywhere else, is a vast improvement over the Kindle 2. Some tech blogs are saying it’s not that big a difference but I whole heartedly disagree. Kindle 3 is smaller, lighter, faster, better looking, more readable, and has a better feel in your hand than Kindle 2 and it is much closer to the size of my Sony (I’ve always preferred the form factor of the Sony). So, in my opinion, it is improved as the Kindle 2 was over the original Kindle.
Have you ever tried to cancel service on a Tivo box? Ugh. What a freaking pain in the ass. I have three Tivo boxes in my house because back in the day when I had kids living at home we all had shows that we liked to watch. So, having several Tivos from which to record allowed me to be able to record shows that were on simultaneously on different networks. All I would have to do is transfer the program from one Tivo to another.
My kids are gone and there is one Tivo box that is rarely used to record anything. So, I decided to save the monthly fee and cancel the service. Tivo makes cancellation as painful as an emergency tooth extraction. You can’t cancel online. Nooooooo, that would be far to easy and convenient. You have to call. Read the rest of this entry »
Remember this date and remember which American President did nothing to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear power. President Barrack Obama cannot blame a nuclear Iran on President George W. Bush. Let’s hope all Iran’s talk about being a peaceful nuclear nation was not just talk.
Iran has long declared it has a right like other nations to produce nuclear energy. The country’s nuclear chief described the startup as a “symbol of Iranian resistance and patience.”
“Despite all pressure, sanctions and hardships imposed by Western nations, we are now witnessing the startup of the largest symbol of Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities,” Ali Akbar Salehi told reporters inside the plant with its cream-colored dome overlooking the Persian Gulf in southern Iran.
In several significant ways, the Bushehr plant stands apart from the showdowns over Iranian uraniumenrichment, a process that can be used both to produce nuclear energy or nuclear weapons. It also could offer a possible test run for proposals to ease the impasse.
The Russian agreement to control the supply of nuclear fuel at Bushehr eased opposition by Washington and allies. Bushehr’s operations are not covered by U.N. sanctions imposed after Iran refused to stop uranium enrichment. And last week, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the Russian oversight at Bushehr is the “very model” offered Tehran under a U.N.-drafted plan unveiled last year.
This is random but hilarious. Jed Whedon, Joss Whedon’s brother, just put out an album. While searching for someplace other than iTunes (Amazon.com would have been good Jed) to get the album I stumbled upon an “interview” Joss did with Jed for his album. This is from the interview and made me crack up:
Joss: You have Felicia Day playing and singing on the album. Is she too pale to live? Also, you’ve collaborated with her in every medium except macaroni art. Do you feel sorry for her paleness, or is it a “talent” thing?
Jed: She lives nearby, is close friends with my wife and has some talent. That’s my excuse, what’s yours? That, and Maurissa and I like to invite her over so we can project Super-8 movies onto her face.
In the forthcoming paragraphs I and I alone will settle the debate over net neutrality. Yes, I am that much of a genius.
Let’s start with the American public, American users, aka all those people geographically located within the United States of America (continental or otherwise). We, and I say we because I’m part of the American user group, have grown used to an Internet where everything is free except that pesky monthly access charge. This has been fantastic for users. We are able to find answers to questions to just about anything that crosses our minds in nearly an instant. We’re able to get news and information from all corners of the globe. All kinds of entertainment, professionally produced or otherwise are just a click away. And, we’re able to voice our opinions (this one included) and expose that to anyone in the world that can find it. It has been a wonderful decade and a half or so.
Now, let’s move to the gate keepers to the Internet aka the Internet Service Provider (“ISP”). AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner, and many other small and large telcos, cable, and satellite companies. Each and every one of these companies depend on the use of public space in order to provide Internet access. Cable and telco companies utilize so-called “right of way” space or public easements that border our properties and public roads. Wireless carriers (cellular, WiMax, and various municipal wireless broadband companies) and satellite companies utilize what is widely referred to as “spectrum” or broadcast frequencies that are regulated by the FCC. Each company is either granted a license or permit to use these public spaces in which to build their networks. This has been a great business for them because it limits the number of companies with which they compete. A small number of competitors with a user base of up to approximately 300 million users makes for big profits. Read the rest of this entry »
This story takes place in New Jersey but it applies to employers all across the country. The higher the taxes in your state the worse this is.
Employing Sally costs plenty too. My company has to write checks for $74,000 so Sally can receive her nominal $59,000 in base pay. Health insurance is a big, added cost: While Sally pays nearly $2,400 for coverage, my company pays the rest—$9,561 for employee/spouse medical and dental. We also provide company-paid life and other insurance premiums amounting to $153. Altogether, company-paid benefits add $9,714 to the cost of employing Sally.
Then the federal and state governments want a little something extra. They take $56 for federal unemployment coverage, $149 for disability insurance, $300 for workers’ comp and $505 for state unemployment insurance. Finally, the feds make me pay $856 for Sally’s Medicare and $3,661 for her Social Security.
When you add it all up, it costs $74,000 to put $44,000 in Sally’s pocket and to give her $12,000 in benefits. Bottom line: Governments impose a 33% surtax on Sally’s job each year.
The general public like to blame the nameless/faceless greedy “corporation” for all of societies ills. But, in fact, it is the corporation that employs most of the people in this country. Businesses are not bottomless pits of money. When the minimum wage goes up jobs go down. When taxes go up jobs go down. When costs go up jobs go down. When regulations go up jobs go down. These are facts of life.
As illustrated in this story it’s not easy or cheap at all to hire someone. Often times it’s cheaper and easier just to add a few more hours to existing employees than to take on the risk of adding another to the payroll.
To ease the pain our friendly federal government is offering a $7,500 tax credit (tax credit is another term for a targeted tax cut) if you buy the car. This is insulting. First the taxpayers of the United States funded the bailout of General Motors. And, as far as I’ve heard GM has not paid this money back to the government yet. So, in effect, the people of the United States are still 60% owners of GM. Second, the feds offer a tax credit to promote this car further taking money from the taxpayers .
How about this, if the Volt is a car that people really want let them pay for it. Sales will determine the success or failure of that car not government (aka taxpayer) subsidies.
This is one of the latest ads run by the Republican nominee for Senate from the State of Illinois. Watch and cringe.
Mark Kirk is counting on voters to be ignorant of basic tax law. This may be a smart move though given that we have reached a point where most people effectively pay no income tax. It’s common for people in business, regardless of their wealth (wealth and income are totally different things), to either pay no tax or receive a refund of an overpayment of tax during the year (a tax refund is the government giving you back the amount you overpaid and not some benevolent gift from the government) if their business or businesses lost money.
Given the recession and how many businesses have gone under including Giannoulias’ Broadway Bank it’s no wonder why Giannoulias received a sizeable refund. So this is total bullshit that Mark Kirk is dragging this issue out presenting it as if Giannoulias has broken the law. If Mr. Kirk could prove that the refund was obtained by breaking the law it would be a different story. But by all accounts Giannoulias followed the tax code. Read the rest of this entry »
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs in response to a question from a reporter about comments made by President Obama’s recess appointment to be director of Medicare and Medicaid, Dr. Donald Berwick, sure has the ringing sound of someone trying to be a Class A Asshole.
Instead of evading the question being asked, Mr. Gibbs trotts out a quote he has at the ready by Republican Congressman Paul Ryan. The quote goes, “rationing happens today; the question is who will do it”. The image Mr. Gibbs tried to portray is that a Republican Congressman, one known particularly for opposing President Obama’s health care plan, also talks about rationing health care as if this is something common and no big deal.
Have you ever tried to cancel service on a Tivo box? Ugh. What a freaking pain in the ass. I have three Tivo boxes in my house because back in the day when I had kids living at home we all had shows that we liked to watch. So, having several Tivos from which to record allowed me to be able to record shows that were on simultaneously on different networks. All I would have to do is transfer the program from one Tivo to another.
Remember this date and remember which American President did nothing to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear power. President Barrack Obama cannot blame a nuclear Iran on President George W. Bush. Let’s hope all Iran’s talk about being a peaceful nuclear nation was not just talk.
