Unemployment, 2002-2012

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

By the end of 2008, at the end of President George Bush's watch, the economic nasty was hitting the fan. On president-elect Barack Obama's radio address of January 10, 2009, he observed, "...given the magnitude of the challenges we face, none of this will come easy. Recovery won't happen overnight, and it's likely that things will get worse before they get better." Fair enough.

But after almost four years in office, unemployment is worse than when President Obama took office.

It's fair to question why the economy tanked on President Bush's watch.

It's also fair to question President Obama's performance in light of today's economy.

Samsung BD-ES6000 Blu-ray player gets an 'F'

A week ago we bought a Samsung BD-ES6000 Blu-ray player with built-in WiFi.


http://tinyurl.com/SamsungBluRayStinks

Here's why we're returning it for a refund:

Pros:

• Blu-ray and DVD discs played well. No complaints about picture or sound.
  
• Pandora (when it was working) sounded great.
  

Cons:

• User Interface
  
  • The user interface is SLOW. You click the remote to select a function, and there's no response for two or three seconds for some options, or twenty seconds or more for others. If everything else worked great, I doubt I'd be willing to put up with such a slow user interface.
    
  • The front panel is minimalistic, offering controls only for Power, Stop, Play/Pause, and Eject. They are not backlit, and hard to read without good lighting. You're stuck doing almost everything via the sad remote.
    
  • Setting up the WiFi and account information for Pandora, Hulu Plus, and other services is very tedious because You have to use the remote control to hunt-and-peck letters on Samsung's on-screen keyboard. This is slow, clumsy, and unforgiving. I tried connecting a mouse to the USB port, and was happy at first to see that I could navigate and click the keyboard a little faster than with the remote, but then frustrated to find that only part of the keyboard would respond to the mouse! No character along the right edge of the menu would respond to the mouse.
    
  • The crummy on-screen keyboard is implemented differently in different apps. Not dramatically differently, but enough to suggest sloppy execution of the user interface. Again, the mouse works with a portion of one keyboard, but not at all with at least one other keyboard.
    
  • Some of the on-screen messages invite laughter. Samsung needs to hire some better English translators.
    
  • Probably the last straw was connecting my Blackberry phone to the Samsung player via USB, and viewing photos. I was able to view a few photos and part of a video. Then I disconnected the cable, and immediately my phone gave a message saying that my 16GB micro-SD card was damaged. As it turns out, the SD card is totally destroyed, and even the phone is damaged, too! Even after replacing the SD card, the phone daily reports a 'USB memory error'.
    Yes, the Samsung manual advises You to select the 'Safely Remove USB' function, and no, I did not obey this. But in many years of using USB memory devices and not always using the 'Eject' function, this is the only time I've ever had a SD memory card damaged by any USB host device. A pox on You, Samsung!
    

• Streaming
  
  • Persistent "connection problems" would cause Hulu Plus or Pandora to not start properly, or to fail after working for a little while. Hulu Plus repeatedly would get stuck while trying to load commercials. Both apps were slow to load, and often would not successfully log in with the credentials we had already set up. It frequently asked us to log in again. Thinking the problem might be our WiFi coverage, I connected the Samsung directly to our router via cable... no improvement.
    
  • I find the internet browser practically useless because of the awful on-screen keyboard. Can You add a USB keyboard and mouse with the browser? I don't know, but based my poor success using a mouse with the keyboard, I'm not optimistic an external keyboard would work at all.
    

In summary: two thumbs down on this thing. It's going back for a refund this weekend, and we'll be scratching Samsung off our list of candidates when we look again for a Blu-ray player.

The Private Sector's Doing Just Fine

Yesterday on national television President Obama announced that "The private sector is doing fine." This wonderful news has come as a great relief to the millions of middle and lower class families facing unemployment, collapsing home values, increased taxes, a stagnant stock market, and crushing national debt. Later in the day, President Obama offered a clarification of his statement in the form of a this stirring ballad, just in time for the annual Country Music Television Music Awards:

-Barry O and the Good News Band-

The private sector's doing just fine.
It was ruined by George Bush but it's much better since '09.
The middle class is feasting on caviar and wine,
'cuz the private sector's doing just fine.

The private sector's strong, as you know,
even if investor confidence is low.
Those bankers are the problem and they really need to go.
I'd love to get my hands on their dough.

Some claim that unemployment's too high.
That's only 'cuz we're lacking jobs and now I'll tell you why.
Republicans would rather that those jobless folk just die,
so I sit here in the White House and cry.

I've got re-election on my mind,
but the economic indicators indicate a bind.
So I'll simply say that things are getting better all the time, that's why
the private sector's doin' fine.

Yes, that Mormon fellow's causing my pearly whites to grind,
but the private sector's doing just fine.
We could use more public spending, let's increase my credit line,
but the private sector's doing just fine.


(All rights reserved.)

Stand Up for Religious Freedom!

My family and I attended this rally in Chicago's Federal Plaza, and it was inspiring and tons of fun!  Well worth the hours taken off of work to be there!




...and more pix!...

Jackie the Dog (~2007-2011), RIP

Today we had to put down little Jackie, who was sick but still in good spirits. She was a great and devoted little dog, full of lots of enthusiasm, fun, and affection. She'll be missed. I'm pretty sure she's gone where all good dogs go, and we won't be surprised to see her again.

This video was taken about two years ago, when she was about two years old.

Pro-aborts censor pro-life message

Q: Why can't the anonymous vandals pay for their own billboard and express their own message, like the pro-lifers did?

True Answer #1: Because these pro-abortionists apparently don't respect free speech or tolerate diverse viewpoints any more than they respect the lives of the unborn who neither speak, vote, nor pay taxes.

True Answer #2: Because what they defend -the legally tolerated killing of unborn children by parents and physicians- is so barbaric and inhuman that any discussion of its reality tends to be an intolerable outrage to pro-aborts.

True Answer #3: Unlike the pro-lifers, who openly identified themselves and peacefully attempted to advance public discouse on the abortion issue, these pro-aborts -perhaps at heart ashamed of the reality of their position- resorted to anonymously trespassing, defacing private property, and censoring their opponents. They'll use the law to protect their own position, but happily disregard private property laws when it's to their advantage.

Pro-life billboard ignites controversy

We'll see how long it is before the billboards and their sponsors are attacked by individuals provoked to teeth-clenching fury by this peaceful exercise of civil discourse and free speech.


After all, suggesting openly that it might not be good for parents to kill their children is an outrageous thought. And observing that the epidemic of elective abortion is a plague particularly in the black community is an offense sure to enflame the righteous indignation of those who, well, profit handsomely from killing the unborn.

Fukushima radiation levels

1) Fukushima Update

2) radiation risks -Wikipedia

3) Low Levels of Radioactive Material Begin to Be Detected Across Pacific -Wall Street Journal

Source 1 claims that a radiation level of 21.4 uSv/h (microSieverts per hour) was detected on 17 March 2011 at Fukushima City, 60km (~38 miles) west of the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Source 2 claims that 100 mSv/yr (milliSieverts per year) are the "lowest clearly carcinogenic level".

Source 3 claims, "As a rule, doubling the distance from the source cuts exposure by a factor of four, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."

Conclusions:

1. 100mSv/year = ~11uSv/hour, which, accumulated over a year, represent a dosage at a "clearly carcinogenic level".
2. The 21.4uSv/h level reported at Fukushima City, 38 miles west of the nuclear accident, is approximately twice the "lowest clearly carcinogenic level". Note that this assumes a constant dosage at this level for an entire year.

House votes to defund Planned Parenthood

House votes to defund Planned Parenthood - David Nather and Kate Nocera - POLITICO.com"

That's great news. Now what's the chance of success in the Senate?

Why does Fido shake?

The Wet Dog Shake: Scientists (apparently don't) Uncover Secret Formula - ABC News: "
An important physical factor not mentioned in the article: wet fur physically is "loosely coupled" to the interior of the dog. The "wet fur shake" is similar to a flywheel driven by a spring, and made to oscillate rotationally. The rotational intertia of the fur and the nature of its coupling to the dog's musculature result in a resonant system which oscillates easily at one frequency and with greater difficulty at different frequencies. Increasing the radius of the flywheel tends to increase its rotational intertia and reduce the resonant frequency of the system.

Why does Fido shake himself dry at a particular rotational frequency? Because he can get enough rotational velocity to disperse the water only if he shakes near the system's resonant frequency. In other words: why does he shake at that frequency? Because he can. Why doesn't he shake at a different frequency? Because it's hard, and it doesn't do anything for him. Good dog.

Clarendon Hills Middle School wind turbine blows $51,000

Middle school starts up new wind turbine — Hinsdale news, photos and events — TribLocal.com: "

Sanity check: $51,000 for a wind turbine that produces $582 per year will recover its initial cost in 87 years, if we naively assume it can be maintained at zero cost. Even if we assume steep growth in the cost of electricity (7% per year) and zero maintenance, the break-even point still is at least several decades, much longer than the equipment will actually survive. Economically this project is unjustifiable, and amounts to $51,000 that no longer can be spent usefully inside the school building on teachers, books, lab equipment, or computers.

Who are the wind turbine's biggest beneficiaries? Follow the money.

Middle school wind turbine benefits equipment makers, not students

Turbine whips up interest - Triblocal - Voice of the town

Dear Editor,

The new, $24,000 wind turbine at Thomas Middle School poses some thorny questions: What is its economic value, and what is its educational value?

With a peak rated output of 2.4 kilowatts, this wind turbine can generate 57 kWh (kilowatt-hours) per day if there is constant wind. But wind isn't constant, and wind turbines typically operate at about 30% peak capacity.[1] This offers the school electricity worth about $1.38 per day at today's electric rates. Let's figure out when the turbine will "pay for itself". We start with several assumptions biased in favor of the wind turbine:

1. The equipment never requires repair or maintenance -such an assumption wouldn't be optimistic so much as foolish.
2. The total upfront cost of the installation is $24,000, or $10,000 per kW. Yes, $10,000 of this came through a State of Illinois grant, but we taxpayers still foot the entire cost. And let’s assume that if this sum were invested elsewhere, it could earn about 3% annually.
3. All the generated power is used productively by the school or returned to the grid. (Whether this is the case, the Trib article doesn't reveal.)
4. The cost of electricity today is about 8 cents per kWh. Let's assume it will increase steeply at 7% every year.

"Honey... did we buy the extended warranty?"

Given these assumptions, our wind turbine will “break even” in the year 2044, when today's 7th graders are 46 years old: that is, after 34 years operation without repair or maintenance, and only after a hypothetical tenfold increase in electric rates. Using more realistic assumptions, there's no reasonable hope that this project ever will recover its cost to taxpayers.

How will the wind turbine benefit our students educationally? Will they learn how wind turbines generate electricity? Great! But this can be taught in the classroom, and in hands-on labs with much less expensive equipment.

Will the wind turbine be used to teach students how to think critically, how to estimate the costs and benefits of such a project? Will they learn that some projects advertised as "green" actually waste more resources than they conserve: that sometimes "green" is only skin deep?

True conservation, true "green renewal", requires good use of our resources, and minimizing economic waste is part of the environmental equation. Our science students need to learn this, and we can teach the concept, but wasting money on unneeded equipment teaches a perverse lesson: that waste is good. In fact, we can teach science much better without our own turbine, because the funds wasted on this equipment could be better used to augment faculty, books, and labs... or to supplement next year's budget.

The solar panels installed at the school three years ago failed to generate much interest. Their economic benefit also has been uninspiring: a total generated output of 1252 kWh[2], worth only $100. Dare we ask what the solar panels cost to purchase and install? Have they proved to be a good investment either educationally or economically? Who profited most from the solar panels: the students, or those who sold the system? What other educational opportunities were lost when the solar panels were funded? What reason is there to believe the wind turbine will provide any greater benefit than the solar panels? How long will the wind turbine capture attention before there are proposals to buy the next New Thing?

Education dollars are precious and we can't afford to squander them. For the sake of our children we need to urge our schools to sharpen their priorities and make the best possible use of the available funds. We shouldn’t tolerate wasteful spending at the expense of our children.

________________________________________

[1] American Wind Energy Association: http://www.awea.org/faq/wwt_basics.html.
[2] As of 9/13/2010. Arlington Heights School District 25: http://www.ahsd25.k12.il.us/schools/thomas/science/solarPanel.php, http://view2.fatspaniel.net/PV2Web/merge?view=PV/detailDC/HostedAdmin&eid=88637.

CBS2 News can find no Obama critics in Chicago

As Economy Struggles, Confidence In Obama Wanes - Jay Levine, cbs2chicago.com:

You wrote, "[People] understand President Obama didn't create the crisis; he inherited it..." Nothing like unbiased journalism!

This article acknowledges the Chicago public's decreasing confidence in our president's policies, but seems desperate to conceal just how pervasive and deep is the discontent. You claim he enjoys a 51 percent approval rating in Chicago, yet quote only Obama supporters and reluctant critics, and say, "it's hard to get people here to criticize him". That's ridiculous! With only 51% approval in the Chicago area there are no critics to be found? You’d be more truthful to write, "it's hard to get the media here to criticize him." Your article is a case in point.

This article isn’t serious journalism. It's apologetic fluff, the sort of softball propaganda that merits little but ridicule, and a search elsewhere for some real news coverage.

Christopher Hitchens: I'm sorry that I probably won't live to see the death of 'elderly criminal' Benedict XVI

Christopher Hitchens: I'm sorry that I probably won't live to see the death of 'elderly criminal' Benedict XVI

The bitter figs that fall from Mr. Hitchens' branches may be a sign that the harvest is near. I pray that this tree bears more happy fruit before it's too late.

Ahmadinejad's favorite hits

"Ring of Fire", from Ahmadinejad's favorite hits

Verse 1:
War -it's a lovely thing,
and it makes a fiery ring.
I can start one, watch me try.
Then, watch my enemies cry.

Refrain:
I will set the mid-East on fire.
My enemies will burn while I climb higher.
And Iran will rule from amidst the pyre,
Amidst the pyre.

Verse 2:
The race for nukes is sweet
With centrifuges beneath my feet.
Lots of uranium I've refined
For the holy war I have in mind.

Verse 3:
The Zionists will soon be gone,
Just as I've promised all along.
America will not defend,
and both will come to a fiery end.

Final Refrain:
I will set the whole world on fire.
The mushroom clouds will go high, high, higher.
And soon you'll know I ain't no liar,
I ain't no liar.

(-thanks to Johnny Cash)

Kim Jong-il ...a saber-rattlin' man

Refrain:
I was born a saber-rattlin' man.
Tryin' to be a tyrant and doin' the best I can.
When it comes to diplomacy I hope you'll understand
I was born a saber-rattlin' man.

Verse 1:
My daddy was a commie down in Chŏnju.
He traded in his Bible for a gun.
And I was born in the backseat of a Pyongyang bus
rollin' down Highway Mao Tse-Tung.

Verse 2:
I've purged the country of my adversaries,
all troublemakers and their friends and sons.
My only enemy is every country in the world,
my hobby is provokin' them for fun.

Verse 3:
I've rockets I can launch when I get angry,
I've nukes in case they make me really mad.
My people might be starvin' but they love me.
I'm sure they'd let me know if times were bad.

Verse 4:
My Taepodongs have better range than ever.
I aimed one over Japan and let it fly.
Their knees down south were knocking when they saw it overhead,
I laughed so hard I swear it made me cry!

Verse 5:
I'm itchin' for a war, there's no mistakin',
Four million hungry troops at my command.
The imperialists have lots to lose, I'm thinkin',
and bad boys always get what they demand.

Ramblin' Man, Allman Brothers Band

How Mayor Daley's administration contributes to the killing

Latest police slaying under investigation - chicagotribune.com

God bless and comfort the families of these murdered, heroic officers.

Mayor Daley, however, should be called to account for how his administration and policies have contributed to Chicago's ongoing orgy of murder.

• Many areas of the city need more police protection, protection the city can not financially afford. Yet millions of dollars are wasted by this corrupt political machine, dollars that are badly needed for additional police and other vital services.
  
  
• Mayor Daley has armed police guards to protect him, and even the police are not safe from murderers. Most citizens don't have such protection. Yet the mayor has been a constant enemy of the constitutional right of citizens to own handguns to protect their families and homes.
  
  
• The mayor's support for elective abortion, and his big government, tax-more spend-more policies have cultivated an anti-life atmosphere corrosive to families, hostile to hope, and conducive to violent crime.

Abortion protest set at Aurora clinic following free speech victory

Abortion protest set at Aurora clinic following settlement - Chicago Tribune

It's OK to kill babies inside the Planned Parenthood chop shop, but for some reason the company doesn't like demonstrators displaying pictures of what actually happens to the babies.

Blood, guts, and the truth... can't be good for business.

Busting out the economy -since 1934

 

1934 Cartoon from Chicago Tribune

"What's past is prologue." -William Shakespeare

Mother and baby dead: abortion clinic says everything went "well"

Queens clinic A1 Medicine probed after Alexandra Nunez is fatally injured while undergoing abortion

Detectives are investigating a Queens clinic where a 37-year-old woman was fatally injured while undergoing an abortion, officials said Tuesday.

Alexandra Nuñez began bleeding heavily during the procedure at A1 Medicine in Jackson Heights on Monday, officials said.

One of Nuñez's arteries was inadvertently severed and she went into cardiac arrest, according to police sources.

She was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where she died a short time later.
...
An employee at the clinic - a one-stop gynecology and plastic surgery clinic that was still seeing patients yesterday - insisted that everything had gone well at the second-floor medical facility.

"The patient was transferred to the hospital, she didn't die at the clinic," said the woman, who refused to give her name. "Nothing happened here."

And what is the clinic's concern after evidently causing the death of a patient? ...that they're not to blame. "Nothing happened here."