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Excellent article in Real Clear Politics

May 3rd, 2009

An excellent read.

The Same Old Equality of Result

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Share of the deficit

April 30th, 2009

Current US deficit is 11 Trillion, IRS reports 90 million taxpayers

IRS – Individual Income Tax Rates and Shares, 2005

Each taxpayers share is > $122,000 – get out your checkbook….

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Billions to AIG – some went to banks overseas

March 9th, 2009

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that about $50 billion of more than $173 billion that the U.S. government has poured into American International Group Inc since last fall has been paid to at least two dozen U.S. and foreign financial institutions.

The newspaper reported that some of the banks paid by AIG since the insurer started getting taxpayer funds were: Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Deutsche Bank AG, Merrill Lynch, Societe Generale, Calyon, Barclays Plc, Rabobank, Danske, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Banco Santander, Morgan Stanley, Wachovia, Bank of America, and Lloyds Banking Group.

Full Article

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Monday morning…

March 9th, 2009

Well – I’m up early and having coffee, Fox comes on with an expert in string field theory explaining the new satellite they just launched to explore the universe. So I googled string field theory, makes me feel like I’ve lost too many brain cells to alcohol fubuse (new word – means fun/abuse) or climbing at high altitudes. Maybe I’ll read some more after the coffee kicks in.

Also – I hope when we find other intelligent life in the universe we don’t send a message before we know if they are friendly. A comment I heard once was “let’s hope other intelligent life is kind in nature and treats us like pet’s rather than seeing us as food”. Ugh – I just reminded myself of the movie Hanibal….

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What makes a democrat?

February 28th, 2009

Zombie in the political realm

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Yeager, The Lonely Sky

February 28th, 2009

I’ve been on a bit of a book tear this week, reading a couple of books about test pilots, both really interesting. I have some more autobiographies in my queue, Colin Powell and Jack Welch.

Yeager was a good book, although I’m sure some in the Air Force were a bit dismayed by Chuck exposing the Air Force as a very political organization. Yeager at least realized he was stepping on toes during his active time, and didn’t discount the effect it had on his career.

The Lonely Sky was more focused on the testing at Muroc (later Edwards AFB) of the successors to the X-1 reaching for Mach II.

An amazing time for aeronatics…and America

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Media bias

February 23rd, 2009

Accept the fact that no media outlet is with out some bias – they all color the news to some degree.

Just understand the coloring is there and adjust your perception of the truth.

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SANS CWE top 25

February 23rd, 2009

If you do programming – you need to be aware of the most common programming vulnerabilities.

The SANS Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) list is being used to write software specifications and compliance is required as a function of performing work under contracts.

SANS CWE top 25

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Pearl Harbor & 9/11

February 22nd, 2009

I watched an old movie tonight called “Tora, Tora, Tora” about the attack on Pearl Harbor, which reminded me of the feeling I had watching 9/11. Sixty years apart but the two sneak attacks on America probably were very similar in the reaction among Americans.

image012

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Watched the Tour of California race finish

February 22nd, 2009

Lots of fun being at the finish of the race – glad to have something cool in the neighborhood.

Watching the race on the web before I went down for the finish I was impressed by the tracking web site. Live video feeds, course map with positions of the peloton and main riders, and course hill profile all in real time. That’s the kind of web application I’d love to work on.

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