It seem MySpace has taken upon themselves to ban two of my blogs, this one on my Mt. Rainier NP photo guide blog. And they never informed me when or why this decision and action took place, only hyper links to them goes to a "naughty" Web pages which doesn't apply to either of these two. I have not and am not violating any MySpace policy, but their unilateral artitrary action seems to fit their style. We act and don't care what you think or want to say.
Did they really check the blogs out? I doubt it because the Mt. Rainier NP blog is harmless and provides information for visitors and photographers going to Mt. Rainier NP. There's nothing else there, no phishing, viruses, userid/password stealing, etc. And the news and opinion blog is just that, stuff I find interesting to read and present my view. The same applies, harmless with nothing else there. So what's the story?
Well, if that is the case, and I have an e-mail into them to explain their actions, I will likely leave and become a vocal critic here about them. I joined them to follow some friends, some of whom have left, and I found some new friends too. But damned if I'll tolerate such censorship without an explanation or due process to appeal. Right now to me, they and their decisions and actions suck.
At least right now. And I'll keep you posted what happens.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Seattle P-I
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper quit publication this last Tuesday (3/17/09), timely huh? Well, they're now an entirely on-line paper at http://www.seattlepi.com/. So, what do I think of it? Like my opinion is going to matter beyond this post?
Well, for starters, there's nothing new or innovative about it, and it's trying to reach everyone at the front page. That's a big mistake, and likely the worst mistake of a new on-line Website. It only drives people away with all the clutter and noise. It's simply too much in too small a space.
For another, it's overkill. It has no clear focus or plan other than the first criticism, simply splashing lot of news on the home page and hope something attracts your attention to stay awhile. It won't because it's too much, it looks like all the other newspaper Websites, most of which are like that. And so it's simply a lot of reposted news stories.
They need a vision about who they are and what they want to present. They need a clean, clear Home page. Right now it looks like the computer geeks designed, it's the, "Let's see how much news we can squeeze into one Web page." concept. It doesn't work and the ad space is overkill and distracting.
They need to make it like the print where you can open pages, or not, scroll through pages, scan headlines, and so on. They don't need to replicate the print edition, but they need the features and functions. They forget many readers are old-time print readers, not the younger generations readers who don't mind all the clutter and noise, and will search for what they want.
We read papers from start to finish. We'll read on-line news Websites we can decipher the structure and organization to scan and read, but don't make us wade through a lot of news crap and ads to get there. We also read the P-I for what the paper was and says and for what it covered about Seattle and western Washington. We didn't read it to hear the crowd.
Right now, the P-I Website is simply another commercial news service, like Google, Yahoo, MSN, etal. As as they have shown, you don't make money on the Internet being a copy of someone else. You need to have a dedicated audience and customer base to start. You had that with the print edition. Then you expand into other areas wihtout betraying your history and loyal readers.
But you didn't do that, did you? And now you have your Website. I wish you luck, but will I come back? Right now. No way in the world when the other news Websites are better designed with the same news. The only thing I like right now is the Thursday Getaway section. Everything else is just more of the same I've read elsewhere. And simply wasting my time.
I wish the P-I well. But until they get something unique to themselves and for their readers, I don't see it. The die-hard new Web junkies will love it, that's not why I read the P-I then and won't now. As they said, the announcement of your death was a litttle premature, it's in your future as the Web version slowly dies too, as the old reader simply mouse click somewhere else.
Well, for starters, there's nothing new or innovative about it, and it's trying to reach everyone at the front page. That's a big mistake, and likely the worst mistake of a new on-line Website. It only drives people away with all the clutter and noise. It's simply too much in too small a space.
For another, it's overkill. It has no clear focus or plan other than the first criticism, simply splashing lot of news on the home page and hope something attracts your attention to stay awhile. It won't because it's too much, it looks like all the other newspaper Websites, most of which are like that. And so it's simply a lot of reposted news stories.
They need a vision about who they are and what they want to present. They need a clean, clear Home page. Right now it looks like the computer geeks designed, it's the, "Let's see how much news we can squeeze into one Web page." concept. It doesn't work and the ad space is overkill and distracting.
They need to make it like the print where you can open pages, or not, scroll through pages, scan headlines, and so on. They don't need to replicate the print edition, but they need the features and functions. They forget many readers are old-time print readers, not the younger generations readers who don't mind all the clutter and noise, and will search for what they want.
We read papers from start to finish. We'll read on-line news Websites we can decipher the structure and organization to scan and read, but don't make us wade through a lot of news crap and ads to get there. We also read the P-I for what the paper was and says and for what it covered about Seattle and western Washington. We didn't read it to hear the crowd.
Right now, the P-I Website is simply another commercial news service, like Google, Yahoo, MSN, etal. As as they have shown, you don't make money on the Internet being a copy of someone else. You need to have a dedicated audience and customer base to start. You had that with the print edition. Then you expand into other areas wihtout betraying your history and loyal readers.
But you didn't do that, did you? And now you have your Website. I wish you luck, but will I come back? Right now. No way in the world when the other news Websites are better designed with the same news. The only thing I like right now is the Thursday Getaway section. Everything else is just more of the same I've read elsewhere. And simply wasting my time.
I wish the P-I well. But until they get something unique to themselves and for their readers, I don't see it. The die-hard new Web junkies will love it, that's not why I read the P-I then and won't now. As they said, the announcement of your death was a litttle premature, it's in your future as the Web version slowly dies too, as the old reader simply mouse click somewhere else.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Veterans care
Update.--The Obama Administration and retracted this idea. That is good, a good decision and action. And I hope never to surface again. But it doesn't change my view which will stay as a matter of record against it.
There are stupid ideas and then there are dumb ideas. And on occasion there are even worse, ideas which are dumb and stupid on the face of them, wihtout going into any further discussion. Meaning, maybe an interesting thought, but something you quickly resort to the mental trash can.
And that's what the recent Obama administration's idea to use private healthcare providers and private insurance to care for war-related injuries sustained by veterans. The VA can now use private insurers for non-military related conditions and healthcare, and that's seems reasonable to me, especially if the individual can or does have health insurance.
But never for any war-related healthcare. I won't save money, only where the money goes, into the hands of for-profit health insurance carriers and healthcare providers, usually hospitals. It's belongs in and with the Veterans Administration. The VA should only be allowed when it benefits the veterans, usually because of distance due to family, work or other concerns, and the provider can provide equal or better healthcare than the VA can.
It's really very simple. It's what the American people do for their veterans. I am a veteran, and while I never needed to use the VA healthcare system, it doesn't change how I feel about my fellow veterans, especially those who served in a war zone and were injured. They risked their life for us and our country.
It's always the right thing to do for our veterans. I want my tax money to do that, support them as we always have and even better and more so now.
There are stupid ideas and then there are dumb ideas. And on occasion there are even worse, ideas which are dumb and stupid on the face of them, wihtout going into any further discussion. Meaning, maybe an interesting thought, but something you quickly resort to the mental trash can.
And that's what the recent Obama administration's idea to use private healthcare providers and private insurance to care for war-related injuries sustained by veterans. The VA can now use private insurers for non-military related conditions and healthcare, and that's seems reasonable to me, especially if the individual can or does have health insurance.
But never for any war-related healthcare. I won't save money, only where the money goes, into the hands of for-profit health insurance carriers and healthcare providers, usually hospitals. It's belongs in and with the Veterans Administration. The VA should only be allowed when it benefits the veterans, usually because of distance due to family, work or other concerns, and the provider can provide equal or better healthcare than the VA can.
It's really very simple. It's what the American people do for their veterans. I am a veteran, and while I never needed to use the VA healthcare system, it doesn't change how I feel about my fellow veterans, especially those who served in a war zone and were injured. They risked their life for us and our country.
It's always the right thing to do for our veterans. I want my tax money to do that, support them as we always have and even better and more so now.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Comments
Some off-hand comments on or about the news of late.
To Mr. Cheney. Please go back into the rabbit hole you're living in. You're not worth the $.02 anyone gives you for your opinion.
To AIG. You don't give failures bonuses, you fire them. Especially the subsidary company that caused your near-demise and required government bailout. And you don't give bonuses with taxpayer's money.
To the media. Dr. Kissinger isn't relevant anymore outside the historical perspective. He's in the camp with Cheney, let him stay in his rabbit hole.
To the FDA. If you can certify overseas reserch and production facilities for drug companiies to import those drugs at US prices, then American should be able to directly import those same drugs too.
To TSA. American citizens aren't the enemy, so stop treating us like we are.
To Chrysler. Since you're privately owned, go get your own bailout money.
To China, Free Tibet. It wasn't and still isn't your country.
To Amy Winehouse. Please stay in rehab. Not because you need it, which you do, but because we don't want to hear or see you in public.
To the Seattle P-I. You'll be missed. And the company owners are idiots.
To Marianne Faithful. Please stop singing. I didn't like your voice then and it's worse now.
To anyone. 300 million people live in poverty in Africa, the equivalent of the entire population of the US. Why?
To supporters of AIG. Smart and stupid aren't mutually exclusive. The financial service guys were very smart but horribly stupid.
To anyone. Why does everything in the world today have to relate to terrorism? It wasn't before 9/11 but now people automatically connect imaginary dots.
Just some thoughts in passing while reading the news the last few days. I'm sure I'll think of more this week as I read the papers again.
To Mr. Cheney. Please go back into the rabbit hole you're living in. You're not worth the $.02 anyone gives you for your opinion.
To AIG. You don't give failures bonuses, you fire them. Especially the subsidary company that caused your near-demise and required government bailout. And you don't give bonuses with taxpayer's money.
To the media. Dr. Kissinger isn't relevant anymore outside the historical perspective. He's in the camp with Cheney, let him stay in his rabbit hole.
To the FDA. If you can certify overseas reserch and production facilities for drug companiies to import those drugs at US prices, then American should be able to directly import those same drugs too.
To TSA. American citizens aren't the enemy, so stop treating us like we are.
To Chrysler. Since you're privately owned, go get your own bailout money.
To China, Free Tibet. It wasn't and still isn't your country.
To Amy Winehouse. Please stay in rehab. Not because you need it, which you do, but because we don't want to hear or see you in public.
To the Seattle P-I. You'll be missed. And the company owners are idiots.
To Marianne Faithful. Please stop singing. I didn't like your voice then and it's worse now.
To anyone. 300 million people live in poverty in Africa, the equivalent of the entire population of the US. Why?
To supporters of AIG. Smart and stupid aren't mutually exclusive. The financial service guys were very smart but horribly stupid.
To anyone. Why does everything in the world today have to relate to terrorism? It wasn't before 9/11 but now people automatically connect imaginary dots.
Just some thoughts in passing while reading the news the last few days. I'm sure I'll think of more this week as I read the papers again.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Easy Money
It seem AIG thinks taxpayers' money is free and easy to spend, and with the approval and help of the former President Bush administration cabinet secretaries, especially Secretary of the Treasury Paulsen, political appointees, and staffers. They used $75 Billion of the total $170 Billion to pay off debts and failed investments, incluiding to their own subsidary company which created the financial mess.
On top of that they paid $165 Million in bonuses to employees made the bad investments, because, "It's in their contract." To what reward losing money? Like that's, "Hey, don't worry about your really bad decisions which bring the company to the point of bankruptcy, you'll still get your bonus." Who wouldn't want that deal, be so stupid, don't worry, you'll still get paid.
Somehow through all the polticial rhetoric all I see of the economic stimulus is the bunches of billions we're giving corporations under the guise of stimulating their business back into the economy and finding the money is going elsewhere, and we're getting a handful of billions to make us feel better, except they want us to spend the money too to help the economy, meaning those same corporations.
Is this what we wanted? Obviously not, but our elected representatives in Congress thought we wanted, or they wanted after all the campaign money and lobbying they got from the financial services and banking industry. We're on the hook, Representatives and Senators look good, and the financial folks get richer, at our expense. We were duped and still being duped, but we don't have any recourse now.
Let's not forget all the Bush appointees and the Secretary of the Treasury came from the financial service industry. They stacked the deck with their own people who conned with our investment money then and out tax money now. The money is gone, unaccounted, and lost in the profits of companies and bonuses of the corporate thieves.
On top of that some of the companies used the money to buy other companies. Yup. Bank of America bought CitiGroup and then used some for advertising, including sport contracts for endorsements. And many other banks and financial companies used their money to expand by buying banks and services companies on the brink of collapse. That's because the government doesn't want banks to fail, so they allowed the failing ones to be bought with the money.
And what's worse, like it can get worse, is that it's only the beginning. If things don't change, we'll be asked to pump more money into the economy, excuse me, companies, to shore them up from failure. And around we go with the money which gets lost in the accounting of those very companies who sell their need and then take it and run.
Maybe Woody Allen could do a movie on this?
On top of that they paid $165 Million in bonuses to employees made the bad investments, because, "It's in their contract." To what reward losing money? Like that's, "Hey, don't worry about your really bad decisions which bring the company to the point of bankruptcy, you'll still get your bonus." Who wouldn't want that deal, be so stupid, don't worry, you'll still get paid.
Somehow through all the polticial rhetoric all I see of the economic stimulus is the bunches of billions we're giving corporations under the guise of stimulating their business back into the economy and finding the money is going elsewhere, and we're getting a handful of billions to make us feel better, except they want us to spend the money too to help the economy, meaning those same corporations.
Is this what we wanted? Obviously not, but our elected representatives in Congress thought we wanted, or they wanted after all the campaign money and lobbying they got from the financial services and banking industry. We're on the hook, Representatives and Senators look good, and the financial folks get richer, at our expense. We were duped and still being duped, but we don't have any recourse now.
Let's not forget all the Bush appointees and the Secretary of the Treasury came from the financial service industry. They stacked the deck with their own people who conned with our investment money then and out tax money now. The money is gone, unaccounted, and lost in the profits of companies and bonuses of the corporate thieves.
On top of that some of the companies used the money to buy other companies. Yup. Bank of America bought CitiGroup and then used some for advertising, including sport contracts for endorsements. And many other banks and financial companies used their money to expand by buying banks and services companies on the brink of collapse. That's because the government doesn't want banks to fail, so they allowed the failing ones to be bought with the money.
And what's worse, like it can get worse, is that it's only the beginning. If things don't change, we'll be asked to pump more money into the economy, excuse me, companies, to shore them up from failure. And around we go with the money which gets lost in the accounting of those very companies who sell their need and then take it and run.
Maybe Woody Allen could do a movie on this?
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