Mental Retardation
Justice Department seeking lawyers with ‘mental retardation’
In its ostensible attempt to create a nondiscriminatory application process, the Department of Justice is inviting candidates with "mental retardation" to pursue attorney posts.
A DOJ job listing at its official Web site reveals that its Civil Rights Division is seeking 10 "experienced" trial attorneys for its Voting Section in Washington, D.C. and is encouraging "qualified applicants with targeted disabilities to apply."
The targeted disabilities it mentions include "mental retardation" and "mental illness," among others such as blindness and deafness.
This is so wrong and lovely on so many levels.
Jon Stewart Warns Dems: Republicans Are “F**king With You!”
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
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It's really amazing how politics is so fucked up. You have to ask yourself, how much of it is real? What part is purely peacock distractions?
Better Off Deadbeat: Craig Cunningham Has a Simple Solution for Getting Bill Collectors Off His Back. He Sues Them.
Cunningham armed himself with this knowledge, and the next time a debt collector called, the trap was set.
It didn't take long. Cunningham had canceled a home alarm service with ADT Security after two months, and the company had billed him a $450 early termination fee, which he disputed. ADT sent his account to Equinox Financial Management Solutions, a third-party debt collector. The collection agency sent him a letter asking that he call back immediately. He dialed, armed with a voice recorder.
"Can you garnish my wages if I don't pay?" he asked.
"Yes," the voice on the other end of the line said.
"Can you put a lien on my house?"
"Yes."
Wrong answers. Turns out, Texas consumer rights laws are some of the most consumer-friendly in the country. And according to a federal consumer protection law, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), debt collectors are prohibited from threatening legal action that would violate state laws. In this case, garnishing wages or putting a lien on Cunningham's house would violate the Texas Debt Collection Act.
Cunningham knew he had a good enough case to file a lawsuit against the debt collection agency, and for his first lawsuit, he decided to enlist the help of a lawyer. Two months later, he had a check in his hand for $1,000.
"It's like discovering fire," says Cunningham, thumbing through the stack of lawsuit papers on his table.
....
Like Cunningham, Smith now armed himself with voice recorders and began keeping meticulous financial files. His file cabinet grew quickly. "I mean there's nothing I don't document now and that's probably the best thing a consumer can do."
Find out the laws in your state and take action. This is not a bad idea.
NAU Federal Reserve Notes – 2009 Series – Initial Release
I just came across these. The North American Union Federal Reserve Notes 2009 Series Initial Release:
These claim to be the "Initial Release - 2009 Series"
Given that the 2010 series hit the web first and had a LOT of flaws in them as far as currency goes, I'll have to say my initial impression is that these are the new and improved fakes.
The see through alignment of the denominations is much better but there are still some problems with the "semi-transparent" nature of these bills...
If you look at a real bill, even more so under intense light, you won't see anything showing through. It's clear from these bills that the creator wanted you to see through it to make it appear "real." Do the test yourself. Get a bill out of your wallet and put it on a table or counter. Do you see the reverse side showing through? How about even a little? What about under the beam of a flash light?
In this series they added the word "Dollar" to the bill to tell you what currency it actually is unlike the last version they released. The designs between the denominations have been standardized too. This is a major improvement in the believability of these bills.
There is a clear lack of continuity between the 2010 and 2009 series. This suggests to me that these are indeed fakes.
Another problem with these bills is the confusion of the designer over the the Note Number Position and the Federal Reserve District Number. These are the numbers associated with these bills:
One - L1
Two - JP Morgan - F6 (previously on the $200 bill for the supposed 2010 series)
Five - B2
Ten - L12
Twenty - A1
Fifty - E5
One Hundred - B2
The Note Number Position on the ten is not even close to possible on the Federal Reserve bill printing presses. Just see this webpage on what these are. If these are meant to be Federal Reserve District Numbers then each of these bills would be coming off their respective presses in San Francisco, Atlanta, New York, Boston, and Richmond. If this is the initial release, they wouldn't have printed them at different locations if they are just "specimens" as the text across each bill states. That's massively expensive to print them at all those locations for just a specimen. Another note worthy catch is that the One Dollar Bill is L1 which is an illegal combination of the District Number. It would be A1 or L12 not L1 unless it was a very large sheet of paper being printed and it was the Note Number Position.
Another thing, they took out the $200 bill and added the $2. JP Morgan is a highly esteemed member of the bankers club and would be placed much higher than the morbid and mostly unused $2 bill. This is just laziness on the part of the designer.
These are not high enough detail to analyze the security strip or the roman numerals on the pyramid. Also, a sheet of bills is not provided as it was the last time. I deemed those to be fake because the note number positions were all the same as were the "holograms." (If the A2 was the Federal Reserve District Number then it would have been illegal: B2 or A1 would be fine but not A2.) This may be a calculated aspect of these images. If you don't put them out in high res they can't be dissected very well for flaws like the ones found in the 2010 series.
My last piece of evidence is that these are 2009 series. There is about 35 days left in 2009. Are they really planning on getting the NAU going within this time period? Given that the 2010 series is so completely under-developed, I find it impossible to believe that 2009 is the year of the NAU.
So, the 2009 series are much better fakes. They are still fakes.
If you designed these fake pieces of trash and are reading this, you better keep your day job. These are awful.
It's worth noting, again, why put so much effort into this? Who are they trying to fool and why? Cointel pro maybe. Why indicate 2009 on these bills?
Another unanswered question is why use important people to the Federal Reserve? This may be designed to make people more angry at the Federal Reserve. I'm not having it. There are plenty of reasons to be angry with the Federal Reserve... this is not one of them.
You shouldn't take these seriously... just like Sarah Palin.
Texas Accidentally Bans All Marriage
This is what the Texas Constitutional Amendment says:
"This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
From the article:
One thing that is "identical…to marriage," of course, is marriage
It's clear that this needs to be flushed out by the Supreme Court of Texas.
Seriously, if someone was getting a divorce and the partner demanded 50% of everything they totally could argue that the marriage was invalid due to this State Constitutional amendment. Technically, they would win based on the letter of the law. The spirit of the law is another thing all together.
Sarah Palin like the Dollar
Both are going out of style like tulip mania. But you say it's winter... Not on Wall Street: it's sizzlin' hot!
Sarah Palin "Going Rogue": Takes Aim At McCain Campaign, Steve Schmidt
This review of her book is not promising. I have never heard Palin put together such words with any degree of elegance. Just from the samples in the article you can sense a ghost writer.
Now, can we please stop giving Sarah Palin any media attention? Eventually she'll get it and go away. Her drivel is mind numbing. *wink*
I feel very sorry for the people of Alaska. Having her as Governor? Let me put it this way, anywhere else would be better.
At least she no longer has any political capability. Her only political skill was that of those around her and they've given up completely.
Harrods to sell gold bullion for first time
Harrods to sell gold bullion for first time
In a sign that the credit crisis has left his gilded customer base largely untouched, Harrods owner Mohamed Fayed has teamed up with Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux (PAMP), the Swiss refiner, to sell gold in the store.
Aimed at private investors, the gold will be sold at the Harrods Bank branch on the lower ground floor of the West London store.
Mehdi Bakhordar, managing director of PAMP, said: "Harrods stock our full range and are now the only location in London where investors can purchase a 12.5kg gold bar 'off the shelf'."
Harrods, famed for its gold and green livery, has never sold bullion before.
This is an AMAZING move by Harrods. It shows that wealthy people are very worried about the value of fiat currency. It shows that companies are recognizing this fact and providing the market place with supply because the demand is there. It shows that companies are starting to not believe, or at least not care, what the government is saying.
How long before the merely well-to-do people start understanding, seeing, or copying what the wealthy are doing?
So, a 12.5kg gold bar weighs 27.6 lbs. That's 440.923 oz. At the going market rate of about $1100/oz, that bar costs $485,016.98. Harrod's is also going to mark it up to for profit. Imagine walking in and charging half a million dollars to your credit card and walking out with a gold bar in a suit case? Would Harrod's be kind enough to drive the bar around in a security truck to your destination of choice?
Dollar’s Doom Puts a Face on New $1 Million Bill: David Reilly
Dollar’s Doom Puts a Face on New $1 Million Bill: David Reilly
The dollar may not easily snap back. U.S. policy makers and economists “actually argue for depreciation of the dollar to bail out America and make it more competitive,” Marc Faber, publisher of the Gloom, Boom & Doom report, said during a recent Bloomberg News interview. “Nobody in the world has ever become rich by devaluing the currency, but that’s what they’re advocating in America.”
This raises for some the prospect of a dollar crash and runaway inflation. That is why it may pay to start thinking about the design of a $1 million bill.
At least it's kind of a positive spin on the ugliness that looms...
So whose face should adorn this new bill? Here are some candidates with the winner at the end.
Ben Bernanke
Bernie Madoff
George W. Bush
Wen Jiabao
Henry Paulson
Richard Nixon
Jay-Z
Barney Frank
Alan Greenspan
That's the short list. The reasoning for the celebrating these people is spot on. There is even a video
So this is on Bloomberg. This is "opinion" but that source is legitimizing the sentiment that this is indeed a shared common feeling of being screwed.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Reacts to Apple’s Withdrawal Over Climate Change Policies
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Reacts to Apple's Withdrawal Over Climate Change Policies
This is what the Chamber of Commerce said about Apple Withdrawal
"It is unfortunate that your company didn't take the time to understand the Chamber's position on climate and forfeited the opportunity to advance a 21st century approach to climate change," U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Tom Donohue wrote in a letter to the Apple chief executive. He said that the business group is committed to the environment but also to preserving the competitiveness of American business.
This is what you should read:
We never liked you and your hippie California attitude anyway and we don't care about your children's future earth because we won't be there. He said that, besides, we were paid off by the corporations to keep this stuff from being regulated.
Sotomayor Asks More Questions In An Hour Than Thomas Has In Years
Sotomayor Asks More Questions In An Hour Than Thomas Has In Years
Just how vocal was Sotomayor on the Monday? According to McClatchy she managed to ask more questions in an hour than the extremely taciturn Clarence Thomas has asked "over the course of several years."
I'm quite glad that we have a new Supreme Court Justice that knows what being a judge is actually about. Asking questions, being curious, trying not to apply bias by looking at the facts and really getting down to business.
Can we get rid of Thomas now? What a pathetic excuse for a judge. On her first day she put him out of business.