You're probably thinking "Unidentified Flying Object", but I was thinking more "Unidentified Faction of Obfuscation".
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/05/18/20090518abrk-ufosightings0518.html
I guess I have a real hard time with stories like this one. People all over the State of Arizona saw something, unidentfied, in the sky on Monday, the 18th. I, too, saw something hovering NNW of Phoenix. I even tried to take pictures of it, but each time there was a buildup of light that obscured the actual shape I saw when I looked through my view finder. Now you're probably wondering what could I possibly say about this article. Well...plenty!
Let's consider the facts in question. According the article above, a 4,000 pound balloon was launched on Sunday from New Mexico and landed around Kingman on Monday evening. Okay, that's plausible. And, based on picture attached to the article, it does look like a big bubble from the Wizard of Oz, as one witness described it. The acticle further states that a NASA organization is the agency behind this device.
So my questions are: Why does NASA, or any other agency, always wait until AFTER the device in question is "sighted" and UFO reports start flooding in? Why wait to issue a press release that a large, unfamilar device may be seen in the sky during the next few days?
As with all politically-based agencies, you must watch carefully what the right hand is doing while the left hand is waiving and showing off. In this case, they, the NASA organization, is explaining what happened after the fact. That would be the left hand. Where is the right hand?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
It's hard to be humble...when I'm RIGHT
I bet you're wondering what I was right about, huh? Check this out: http://www.scribd.com/doc/14999927/Phoenix-Coyotes-Bankruptcy-Petition. As you may recall from my earlier post, actually, just look down the page a bit, I was ranting about the free pass the Coyotes were getting from the City of Glendale. Well, as stated, the only way they were going to get out of their penalty was to file bankruptcy. And there it is!
It's sad, though. I honestly believe they could have pulled it off if they weren't so damn arrogant about their business. When they first moved to Glendale, I contacted them to offer a small business proposition. I had noticed on their website a PDF application that wasn't form-fillable. So I made a sample form-fillable and sent a copy to the head IT guy and offered a business deal. He refused to respond. So I tried to contact him on the phone. He still refused to respond. Then I contacted the General Manager who was more concerned that I contacted him then about his staff not making nice. Short story: the IT contacted me and flatly said "NO!". He made such a funny comment. It went something like, "Do you think we have lots of money or something?". So I answered, "Yeah, I do.".
So I believe the Coyotes were very happy to get OUR money and a NEW building, but they were unwilling to give back to the people and businesses of Glendale. That elitist attitude that you can only get it better somewhere else will get you in the end! Oh wait...it did.
It's sad, though. I honestly believe they could have pulled it off if they weren't so damn arrogant about their business. When they first moved to Glendale, I contacted them to offer a small business proposition. I had noticed on their website a PDF application that wasn't form-fillable. So I made a sample form-fillable and sent a copy to the head IT guy and offered a business deal. He refused to respond. So I tried to contact him on the phone. He still refused to respond. Then I contacted the General Manager who was more concerned that I contacted him then about his staff not making nice. Short story: the IT contacted me and flatly said "NO!". He made such a funny comment. It went something like, "Do you think we have lots of money or something?". So I answered, "Yeah, I do.".
So I believe the Coyotes were very happy to get OUR money and a NEW building, but they were unwilling to give back to the people and businesses of Glendale. That elitist attitude that you can only get it better somewhere else will get you in the end! Oh wait...it did.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
My Toaster has an Opinion Too
I have had just about enough! Why is it so important for celebrities and the like to tell me what I should be thinking? For years now, actors and entertainers, have been telling the people of the United States the Iraq War is wrong. Why? Because Sean Penn went to Iraq and saw for himself there were no weapons of mass destruction? Yeah, like they would pull them out for him to view and discuss! What an overly inflated sense of self-importance.
How about when the Dixie Chicks bashed America DURING their concert in another country. So you're telling me that when I buy a toaster, that I paid for with my hard-earned cash, I can expect a 20 minute diatribe (or bitch-fest for those academically challenged) about how my country sucks. Do I get a discount or a refund if I disagree?
Perhaps it is when Barbara Streisand decided to tell everyone how bad, sick and wrong President Bush was about the Iraq War. From her website, http://www.barbrastreisand.com/index.php?page=statements&n_id=112, she asks questions about it. Number 5 is especially enlightening, "How much of this war is about oil?". I recall in recent, and I do mean recent, history, where Americans were spending as much as $4.00 per gallon for gas. Apparently we didn't get to keep the oil we were supposedly fighting for. And what about Number 6, "How much of this war is a vendetta against "the man who tried to kill my dad"?". Why does it have to be personal? Wasn't it enough that Saddam Hussein was killing hundreds, thousands, and possibly millions of people for his own pleasure and service? I seem to recall when another crazed leader that was killing millions of people, the whole world banded together to stop him. Oh, what was his name? It's on the tip of my tongue. Wait for it... I remember, it was Adolf Hitler. When did "not being a good citizen" and "not sticking up for the little guy" become vogue?
My absolute favorite was when celebrities threatened to move out of the country because they didn't get their way.
'Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon says "anywhere but here" if Republican John McCain wins November's election. She says she will "be checking out a move to Italy. Maybe Canada, I don't know. We're at an abyss."'
This can be found at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361023,00.html.
So...did they move? Of course not. It's only popular to bash America publicly. They count their money PRIVATELY...in America...in American Banks...
Now, don't go and get me wrong. I truly believe that EVERYONE is entitled to express their opinion, just like I have done here. I also believe that speaking your mind without consequences is unfounded and ridiculous. Besides, why is it such a good thing to make America look bad? What could someone hope to gain? More money from overseas sales of their movies? Last I knew, America was THE most prosperous nation on the planet. Who else is going to give them that kind of money?
All in all, I believe that opinions should be expressed and accepted by all parties. We don't have to agree, just respect. And I will respect my toaster's opinion, if, and only if, it will accept my right to disconnect it and fail to use it in the future for its stated position. Hmmm...do you think I can get ANY celebrity to respect MY opinion? Naw! I didn't think so.
How about when the Dixie Chicks bashed America DURING their concert in another country. So you're telling me that when I buy a toaster, that I paid for with my hard-earned cash, I can expect a 20 minute diatribe (or bitch-fest for those academically challenged) about how my country sucks. Do I get a discount or a refund if I disagree?
Perhaps it is when Barbara Streisand decided to tell everyone how bad, sick and wrong President Bush was about the Iraq War. From her website, http://www.barbrastreisand.com/index.php?page=statements&n_id=112, she asks questions about it. Number 5 is especially enlightening, "How much of this war is about oil?". I recall in recent, and I do mean recent, history, where Americans were spending as much as $4.00 per gallon for gas. Apparently we didn't get to keep the oil we were supposedly fighting for. And what about Number 6, "How much of this war is a vendetta against "the man who tried to kill my dad"?". Why does it have to be personal? Wasn't it enough that Saddam Hussein was killing hundreds, thousands, and possibly millions of people for his own pleasure and service? I seem to recall when another crazed leader that was killing millions of people, the whole world banded together to stop him. Oh, what was his name? It's on the tip of my tongue. Wait for it... I remember, it was Adolf Hitler. When did "not being a good citizen" and "not sticking up for the little guy" become vogue?
My absolute favorite was when celebrities threatened to move out of the country because they didn't get their way.
'Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon says "anywhere but here" if Republican John McCain wins November's election. She says she will "be checking out a move to Italy. Maybe Canada, I don't know. We're at an abyss."'
This can be found at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361023,00.html.
So...did they move? Of course not. It's only popular to bash America publicly. They count their money PRIVATELY...in America...in American Banks...
Now, don't go and get me wrong. I truly believe that EVERYONE is entitled to express their opinion, just like I have done here. I also believe that speaking your mind without consequences is unfounded and ridiculous. Besides, why is it such a good thing to make America look bad? What could someone hope to gain? More money from overseas sales of their movies? Last I knew, America was THE most prosperous nation on the planet. Who else is going to give them that kind of money?
All in all, I believe that opinions should be expressed and accepted by all parties. We don't have to agree, just respect. And I will respect my toaster's opinion, if, and only if, it will accept my right to disconnect it and fail to use it in the future for its stated position. Hmmm...do you think I can get ANY celebrity to respect MY opinion? Naw! I didn't think so.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A Pandemic Lie
Oh no, Swine Flu! Quick, see that you are unprotected. Run. Hide. Close everything.... and on and on the media drones on. Perhaps it's time to take a more pragmatic, nay, realistic, look at this Pandemic.
In the article posted here:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/04/30/20090430azswine-ON-CR.html
It states, "There are now more than 110 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States; people have fallen ill in 15 states." So let's do some math. I'll even jack up the numbers to illustrate my point. Let's say there are 30,000 cases in the US. Now, based on some estimates, there are 300 million people, legal or otherwise, living in the US. So the math would be 30,000 divided by 300 million to derive the percentage of the population affected by this Pandemic.
The answer is...
No peeking...
Doesn't even reach 1%. In fact it is: .01%. And remember, there are ONLY 110+ cases, NOT 30,000!
Now, let's take a look at last year. Boy howdy, this is gonna shock you! According the CDC, and here's the link:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5725a5.htm
During September 30, 2007--May 17, 2008,** World Health Organization and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System collaborating laboratories in the United States tested 225,329 specimens for influenza viruses; 39,827 (18%) were positive (Figure 1). Of the positive specimens, 28,263 (71%) were influenza A viruses, and 11,564 (29%) were influenza B viruses. Among the influenza A viruses, 8,290 (29%) were subtyped; 2,175 (26%) were influenza A (H1N1), and 6,115 (74%) were influenza A (H3N2) viruses. The proportion of specimens testing positive for influenza first exceeded 10% during the week ending January 12, 2008 (week 2), peaked at 32% during the week ending February 9, 2008 (week 6), and declined to <10%>
So what does it mean? Well, there are two things. First, the data was collected from Sep 30th, 2007 to May 17th, 2008, where just over 250,000 (¼ million) samples were tested. Of that, 28,263 were Influenza A and 11,564 were Influenza B, for a total of 39,827 positive tests. Okay, that could be considered a lot in the US where, again, there are 300 million people. Not! so are you ready for the shocker? Here it is: of the 28,263 Influenza positives, there were "2,175 (26%) were influenza A (H1N1)". Doesn't that H1N1 look familiar some how? Oh yes, I remember now. The CDC says it's, "H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)". Here's the link: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/. Don't take my word for it; they wrote it.
So how is it we have a International Pandemic, which was elevated yesterday, when we haven't even reached last year's recorded levels?
I'm thinking the Obama Administration is trying to play a "slight of hand" act. Something else must be going on if we're all concerned with a 100+ cases of the flu when we've already achieved THAT flu in the thousands last year. What's that I hear? Hmmm, my money being flushed down the toilet...again!
In the article posted here:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/04/30/20090430azswine-ON-CR.html
It states, "There are now more than 110 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States; people have fallen ill in 15 states." So let's do some math. I'll even jack up the numbers to illustrate my point. Let's say there are 30,000 cases in the US. Now, based on some estimates, there are 300 million people, legal or otherwise, living in the US. So the math would be 30,000 divided by 300 million to derive the percentage of the population affected by this Pandemic.
The answer is...
No peeking...
Doesn't even reach 1%. In fact it is: .01%. And remember, there are ONLY 110+ cases, NOT 30,000!
Now, let's take a look at last year. Boy howdy, this is gonna shock you! According the CDC, and here's the link:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5725a5.htm
During September 30, 2007--May 17, 2008,** World Health Organization and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System collaborating laboratories in the United States tested 225,329 specimens for influenza viruses; 39,827 (18%) were positive (Figure 1). Of the positive specimens, 28,263 (71%) were influenza A viruses, and 11,564 (29%) were influenza B viruses. Among the influenza A viruses, 8,290 (29%) were subtyped; 2,175 (26%) were influenza A (H1N1), and 6,115 (74%) were influenza A (H3N2) viruses. The proportion of specimens testing positive for influenza first exceeded 10% during the week ending January 12, 2008 (week 2), peaked at 32% during the week ending February 9, 2008 (week 6), and declined to <10%>
So what does it mean? Well, there are two things. First, the data was collected from Sep 30th, 2007 to May 17th, 2008, where just over 250,000 (¼ million) samples were tested. Of that, 28,263 were Influenza A and 11,564 were Influenza B, for a total of 39,827 positive tests. Okay, that could be considered a lot in the US where, again, there are 300 million people. Not! so are you ready for the shocker? Here it is: of the 28,263 Influenza positives, there were "2,175 (26%) were influenza A (H1N1)". Doesn't that H1N1 look familiar some how? Oh yes, I remember now. The CDC says it's, "H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)". Here's the link: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/. Don't take my word for it; they wrote it.
So how is it we have a International Pandemic, which was elevated yesterday, when we haven't even reached last year's recorded levels?
I'm thinking the Obama Administration is trying to play a "slight of hand" act. Something else must be going on if we're all concerned with a 100+ cases of the flu when we've already achieved THAT flu in the thousands last year. What's that I hear? Hmmm, my money being flushed down the toilet...again!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Offerings
I am so proud of my son, Rusty. Today, while preparing his tithing, and since it is Fast Sunday, Marie and I explained the process of Fast Offerings. We explained how the bishop of our ward would use that money to help those who could not afford food or rent. After this, Rusty was given the choice to pay this offering or not. He promptly went into his room and retrieved his last $5 bill and brought it out to add to his tithing as a Fast Offering, and even used that money for the Humanitarian Aid and Temple Construction as well. It is such a pleasure to see the Holy Ghost move in a child's life!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
WE Want OUR Money Back!
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/03/19/20090319aig-outrage0319-ON.html?&wired
Headline: House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses
"We want our money back and we want our money back now for the taxpayers," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Well, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK Speaker Pelosi! Unfortunately, the way the liberal mind works, they are doing us a favor by giving our hard-earned money to other countries, both domestic and foreign businesses, and people who just...don't...work! Do we get to pass a special tax over the Democratically-controlled Congress to tax them into oblivion to get our money back? Why is it that AIG, Citigroup, and the like, get millions, nay, billions of our needed money? What about my business? Isn't it worth something?
Truly, if ever there were a definition of the Gadianton Robbers (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadianton_robbers), Congress has just filled it. They are a not-so-secret criminal organization that is operating right under America's nose.
It was only a couple hundred years ago when we Americans had the Boston Tea Party for, what was it...oh yes, Taxation without Representation. Isn't that what is happening now. America is being taxed to death and they don't even know it. Where are these trillions of dollars going to come from? Certainly, you can't borrow money without repaying it. Yep, you guessed it, the next four generations are going to be paying for these decisions.
But wait, isn't there a problem with this "special legislation" that Congress is enacting? Could it be a violation of the very core of the Constitution? Aren't all laws supposed to be enacted for the good of ALL Americans, not a select few? And how does a special tax work? When in history have special taxes ever worked? Let's review, the Sheriff of Nottingham? Hitler? Rome? Nope. I don't see it ever working.
Once again, the American people have been robbed!
Headline: House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses
"We want our money back and we want our money back now for the taxpayers," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Well, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK Speaker Pelosi! Unfortunately, the way the liberal mind works, they are doing us a favor by giving our hard-earned money to other countries, both domestic and foreign businesses, and people who just...don't...work! Do we get to pass a special tax over the Democratically-controlled Congress to tax them into oblivion to get our money back? Why is it that AIG, Citigroup, and the like, get millions, nay, billions of our needed money? What about my business? Isn't it worth something?
Truly, if ever there were a definition of the Gadianton Robbers (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadianton_robbers), Congress has just filled it. They are a not-so-secret criminal organization that is operating right under America's nose.
It was only a couple hundred years ago when we Americans had the Boston Tea Party for, what was it...oh yes, Taxation without Representation. Isn't that what is happening now. America is being taxed to death and they don't even know it. Where are these trillions of dollars going to come from? Certainly, you can't borrow money without repaying it. Yep, you guessed it, the next four generations are going to be paying for these decisions.
But wait, isn't there a problem with this "special legislation" that Congress is enacting? Could it be a violation of the very core of the Constitution? Aren't all laws supposed to be enacted for the good of ALL Americans, not a select few? And how does a special tax work? When in history have special taxes ever worked? Let's review, the Sheriff of Nottingham? Hitler? Rome? Nope. I don't see it ever working.
Once again, the American people have been robbed!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Glendale Charges the Little Guy, Gives the Big Guy a Pass
http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2009/03/04/20090304gl-coyotes0304-ON.html
Headline: No penalty for Coyotes' missing payments to Glendale
The Phoenix Coyotes won't have to pay any penalties to Glendale for missing eight months of rent and other charges at Jobing.com Arena. Glendale's contract with the team doesn't stipulate any fines for late payments. The Coyotes have an "unlimited" amount of time to repay or rectify any missed payments, the contract reads, as long as the team "commences to cure such breach within 30 days after the team's receipt of such notice."
So what does 8 months of payments look like? The NHL team shells out $42,708 each month to Glendale for rent at the city-owned ice hockey arena, as well as a percentage of parking fees, sales taxes, security costs and repairs. That's $341,664.00 in rent alone, not counting the "other fees" Glendale is not getting. Mind you, this total continues to increase when another month is not paid.
So what happens when you or I miss our monthly water payment, that is around $75.00? We get disconnected! Let's look at this. We'll assume 1,000 Glendale utility customers don't pay their monthly bill of $75.00 and they get disconnected two weeks later. That comes to: $75,000.00 due. Now factor in that an employee of Glendale must make physical contact with each address to disconnect the water, so now we're adding in gas, trip time, employee wages, printing of the little piece of paper they hang on the door to say your service was disconnected, and finally, maintenance on a fleet of vehicles to do all of this. And let's not forget the multiple mailers with paper, envelopes, postage, and the person who now assembles everything. Now they are losing money. Have no fear, if they can't get YOUR money for the $75.00 bill, which now adds a disconnect/reconnect fee, adding another what, $50.00, they go after the rental landlords (see http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2009/01/30/20090130gl-rental0130-ON.html, "Glendale wants landlords to pay tenants' overdue utility bills"), if there is one, now incurring legal and court fees, attorney's fees, and who knows what else. Now the deficit is probably hovering over $140,000.00, or more, to collect those 1,000 customer's due.
Wow! That's amazing! All that for a thousand customers in default. For the Coyotes, they send a well-worded letter that costs maybe a buck total to produce and then just wait...and wait....and wait...and WAIT.
Have no fear, though, if the Coyotes ever leave Glendale "early" we are entitled to a $750 million penalty. Of course, if the Coyotes ever leave, it'll probably be because no one is attending their games and they are bankrupt. You see, those same 1,000 customers who can't pay their measly $75.00 water bill can't afford the $15.00 to $300.00 dollar tickets, plus parking, plus the heavily taxed food and beverages, and any memorabilia, that, oh wait, the Coyotes aren't giving to Glendale anyways.
Explain to me again how Glendale made a good choice to bring the Coyotes here.
Headline: No penalty for Coyotes' missing payments to Glendale
The Phoenix Coyotes won't have to pay any penalties to Glendale for missing eight months of rent and other charges at Jobing.com Arena. Glendale's contract with the team doesn't stipulate any fines for late payments. The Coyotes have an "unlimited" amount of time to repay or rectify any missed payments, the contract reads, as long as the team "commences to cure such breach within 30 days after the team's receipt of such notice."
So what does 8 months of payments look like? The NHL team shells out $42,708 each month to Glendale for rent at the city-owned ice hockey arena, as well as a percentage of parking fees, sales taxes, security costs and repairs. That's $341,664.00 in rent alone, not counting the "other fees" Glendale is not getting. Mind you, this total continues to increase when another month is not paid.
So what happens when you or I miss our monthly water payment, that is around $75.00? We get disconnected! Let's look at this. We'll assume 1,000 Glendale utility customers don't pay their monthly bill of $75.00 and they get disconnected two weeks later. That comes to: $75,000.00 due. Now factor in that an employee of Glendale must make physical contact with each address to disconnect the water, so now we're adding in gas, trip time, employee wages, printing of the little piece of paper they hang on the door to say your service was disconnected, and finally, maintenance on a fleet of vehicles to do all of this. And let's not forget the multiple mailers with paper, envelopes, postage, and the person who now assembles everything. Now they are losing money. Have no fear, if they can't get YOUR money for the $75.00 bill, which now adds a disconnect/reconnect fee, adding another what, $50.00, they go after the rental landlords (see http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2009/01/30/20090130gl-rental0130-ON.html, "Glendale wants landlords to pay tenants' overdue utility bills"), if there is one, now incurring legal and court fees, attorney's fees, and who knows what else. Now the deficit is probably hovering over $140,000.00, or more, to collect those 1,000 customer's due.
Wow! That's amazing! All that for a thousand customers in default. For the Coyotes, they send a well-worded letter that costs maybe a buck total to produce and then just wait...and wait....and wait...and WAIT.
Have no fear, though, if the Coyotes ever leave Glendale "early" we are entitled to a $750 million penalty. Of course, if the Coyotes ever leave, it'll probably be because no one is attending their games and they are bankrupt. You see, those same 1,000 customers who can't pay their measly $75.00 water bill can't afford the $15.00 to $300.00 dollar tickets, plus parking, plus the heavily taxed food and beverages, and any memorabilia, that, oh wait, the Coyotes aren't giving to Glendale anyways.
Explain to me again how Glendale made a good choice to bring the Coyotes here.
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