End of Month Roundup

I have been spending quite a bit of time over at CombatEffective.us (see link on the right side of this page). In the mean time, I try to get stuff written here when I can.

A year ago, I was asking if Sony BMG got a sweetheart deal and this year, I have to say yes. And it looks like the lawyers who should have been looking out for our intrests were only looking out for their paycheck. While this isn't completely over, it is over for the bulk of their victims. Sony hacked (root kit style) a lot of peoples computers and basically got fined $8 for each count. Between the EFF, which rides a fence between our rights and corporate greed, and the press, which is asleep at the switch on this one, Sony is getting off pretty lightly.

Background links:
Sweetheart deal
EPIC Lawsuit
The EPIC page discussing all of this
(EPIC is the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and EFF is the Electronic Frontier Foundation)

In other news - expect gas prices to spike upwards in the next couple of weeks. Looks like they will jump about 40 cents initially - then more later. Still waiting for that next refinery fire.

The border fence is still stalled.
Despite multiple studies and multiple demonstrations that wherever fences are strengthed and observers (such as the Minutemen) are posted, illegal activities decrease - the loony liberals still insist on pretending the fence will not work. This is also probably the biggest reason you can't call me a libertarian. True libertarians believe in open borders - and I do not. Also, Bank of America, or banco-amigo, has now joined with the crimminals who help perpetuate illegal imagration.


I find this humorous:

The Mexican Chamber of Deputies condemned the intrusion in strong words and was then followed by the Mexican senate in a clear bid to stiffen the spines of Mexican negotiators.

At issue is the stepping over the border last week by U.S. workers as they were busily building the border fence. The work zone is approximately 30 feet into Mexican territory between Douglas, Ariz., and the Mexican border city of Agua Prieta.

Border Important to Mexico?

I guess a couple people stepping just a few feet over the line into their country is a bigger deal than millions of them sneaking miles into ours.



TRex

I heard

On the news they are saying they found the bones of Jesus.

Well, in many latin american countries, there are many
grave markers with that name on them.

"So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. Matt 24:26 (NASB)

Just another hoax by the decievers.

UPDATE: Took another look at this.
Found story here: WorldNetDaily
Wrong deception. Should have quoted Matt 28:12-15.

12: And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

13: and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.'

14: "And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble."

15: And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

TRex

terror in Boston

The police and government in Boston seem to be the greatest threat since Barney Fife.

I would have loved to have had the time when this happened to have written the following blog entry. No matter how much time I had, I would never have been able to do it so well, however. Thus it is good that Bruce Schneier, whom I call THE Guru of security has written it.

non-terror

I also believe the following is some of the best security advice written since 911.

schneier-essay-124

Somehow, he always sums everything up nicely about ten paragraphs in.

In the first article it is:
"For heavens sake, don't let her [Massachusetts Attorney General] inside a Radio Shack"

In the second, it is:
"we're doing exactly what the terrorists want."


'nuff said.
TRex

gas prices going up

As I said in my previous post ("tis the season") this morning, gas prices have begun to rise. How high will they go? I can't say exactly - but it is looking like $3.00 a gallon will be fairly common in many places in late April. After June begins, if there are no disasters, they should drop back 20 t0 30 cents from their high.

I said this morning, I am looking at adjusting my formula for forcasting next spring's gas prices. Right now, the following looks promising:

Take the price of a barrel of oil as it stands
throughout most of July, devide by 30.

If the price runs about $60 a barrel for most
of the month - that would be $2.00.

Then add the tax. This is what is written
on the pump. Around here it says something
like (and I haven't looked lately) 50 cents.

Add those two numbers to get the price to expect
next April. In the example that would be $2.50

Using that formula, the April prices for last April
and this April would have been $2.73 and $2.90

This seems like it might be a little low, so I may have to adjust it. I would like some commentary, as to what more to do to make these numbers more useful. Right now they are aimed at allowing, for instance, police departments and schools to forcast their fule budgets.

TRex