Comments for Not-A-Pundit: The Renaissance

Comment on US Diplomat In Near Collision With Kazakh Presidents’ Motorcade by News Wrap-Up | KZBlog

News Wrap-Up | KZBlog — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:45:56 +0000

[...] from the US side: The AP story So maybe it was just a screw up–so this guy stopped peacefully or he was jumped and forced to [...]

Comment on Supreme Court Roundup: Domino’s And Post Office Lawsuits by N. J. Olivieri

N. J. Olivieri — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:20:29 +0000

can an owner of a Post office where there are two options to purchase by the post office sue for relief as the Post office takes the stance that that either option to purchase works for them so they can choose the purchase price which affords them the lowest price. It seems that the option to purchase was modified from a fixed price to a market price because the Post office received a lower lease price for the second option which was to be determiined by an outside appraiser versus a fixed price that was so far out dated and negotiated over 50 years ago. The market price was negotiated into the lease agreeemnt about 27 years ago.

Comment on Aging US Baby Boomers To Have Major Economic Effect – Fed Paper by LAILA

LAILA — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:22:19 +0000

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF THE BABY BOOM ON SOCIETY!!

Comment on US Senate Votes To Open Student Loan Consolidation Market by Renata555

Renata555 — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:19:40 +0000

I was looking for some info on student loan consolidation and this post is really great. I’m writing a blog about it and trying to collect as much details as I can.
Life, for us students is getting really complicated…

Thanks

Comment on UN Report Says Arab World Must Improve Status Of Women by pSeUd0_TeKnOcRaT

pSeUd0_TeKnOcRaT — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:41:44 +0000

!~Ya as my opinion Arabic culture is quite backward and the status of the women shud be elevated a bit so that they also can participate in the coming future nd work as a whole in devlopment of tha Arab ..my grlfriend too lives in UAE , dubai .she says that the purdah system is yet prevalent thr .. which shud be discarded as soon as possible

Comment on Supreme Court Roundup: Domino’s And Post Office Lawsuits by alecia smith

alecia smith — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:13:09 +0000

question not related to these cases. Can an employee sue the post or members of management for non payment of wages, steaming from wrongly being docked pay in an Awol status.

Comment on Poll: Legal Immigrants Feel Illegal Immigrants Take Jobs Americans Don’t Want by patriot

patriot — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:39:26 +0000

Both of you are absolutely correct! I am so glad to know that at least some of my fellow Americans have not been misguided by the damned politically correct media! Thank you so much for your opinions. If it were up to me I would personally kick every damned illegal out of the country or force them to get fluent in English. America is not a multicultural nation and we should not change our culture to suit them.

Comment on Cocaine-Laden Homemade Submarine Captured Off Costa Rica by steve

steve — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:15:10 +0000

i just want a submarine

Comment on FDA Panel Rejects Proposed Limit On Platelet Donations by Gerald Glasner

Gerald Glasner — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:26:46 +0000

Donation centers give donors credit for their donation in increments of one (1) pint per donation. I currently have a certificate for nineteen gallons donated but since most have been multiple pint donations by apheresis the recognition doesn’t accurately represent the total number of pints donated. Certificates should represent the total amount of donations not just the number of times donated.

Comment on US Senator Seeks US Inquiry Into AWB-Iraq Kickbacks by DARRYL

DARRYL — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:07:30 +0000

DARRYL KINNEY 7301 98TH AVE
UNITD
KENOSHA.Wi. 53142 April 28,2008

MEMO ADDRESSED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE

I am a citizen of the United States and have been addressing several Senators with the issues and problems to follow
including Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama as well as several others and will in the near future be speaking in front of
you all because of Americans being held hostage by Navy personnel from Great Lakes Navy base as well as by
veterans used to Stalk and intimidate by the abuse of Power of the IRS and the United States Dept. of Justice. I
have been taken out of and kept from employment by them as they attempt a hostile search for money, i have my
phones tapped and computer hacked by government personnel spending alot of government budget following me
everyday for at least 8 months, all my family and past associates has been paid by them to create some ftctious story
because of a conspiracy, initated by the FBI from Chicago and brought to Wisconsin. All of this is a clear violation of
my Civil Rights and also the rights of my daughter who has been questioned and harrassed at school by them, she
is 5 years old. I have had to replace my computer 3 times because they are camped upstairs and i listen to them thru
the vents as they call themselves strategizing but not very well if I hear your every attempt to play on American
citizens.My family has had their cars as well as i have tampered by them in and attempt to get us or me to spend
money, they have raised bills above normal, been in my garage leaving lights on in an order to do so stopped my
emails from reaching their intended destinations and faked as the recipient, they have acted as operators and
fake being the person I called on the other line, I have been told by the police that they would not do anything
because they know who it is which is fither showing the attempt to keep me hostage. I have filed lawsuits and will
continue because I believe even that was manipulated by them as everything and everyone else has been, I have
talked to the security chief after calling the Chief of Great Lakes Navybase, no cooperation, Bush is who I believe
brought this because of corrupt judges from Chicago, after I brought this out to officials. American citizens who are
not terrorist being treated as if they are, I say send some more troops to war since we have so many of them to follow
people around everyday, someone is reimbursing them for this large price tag of surviellance. I see the plan must
be to discredit or in gov. terms attempt to burn me or ruin my career because they have some corrupt people in
the government.
sincerly,
Darryl Kinney 7301 98th Ave. UnitD
Kenosha,WI 53142 262-237-1310

Comment on Minimum Wage Tip Credit Clouds US Estate Tax Vote by George and millions of tipped employees nationwide

George and millions of tipped employees nationwide — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:43:38 +0000

Imagine working in a restaurant where you receive $40 in tips every day. Now imagine your employer being allowed to reduce your hourly wages by $40 a day because you received tips.

When employers are allowed to reduce the tipped workers wages because he has receives tip income, employers are actually allowed to take their employee’s tips through paycheck deductions. While the employee’s tips are not directly being taken, the worker’s tips are indirectly being taken. It should not matter whether employers are taking their employee’s tips directly or whether employers are taking their worker’s tips indirectly, for in both cases the employee’s tip are undeniably being taken and I believe a crime is being committed.

EXAMPLE:
You tip an employee $20.00
Because of the tip credit, this employee’s employer has been allowed to pay the employee $20.00 less for his day’s work. Instead of paying the worker $5.15 an hour times 8 hours, for a total of $41.20 for his day’s work, his employer has been allowed to apply your tip of $20 towards the $41.20 required by law and can now pay the employee $21.20 for his day’s work. The employee will be paid $21.20 for his days work instead of $41.20.

The employee who was given a tip will now go home with the same amount he would have had you not tipped him. You see, if you would not have tipped him, his employer, by law, would have to pay him $41.20. Since you tipped him $20.00, he will now go home with your $20.00 tip but instead of taking home his normal hourly pay of $41.20 for 8 hours work, his hourly pay will only consist of $21.20 for that 8 hours of work.

Who is benefitting from your tips? The employee or the employer? While the employee will go home with no more in his pocket had you not tipped him, his employer will see a decrease in payroll expenditures and go home with $20 additional money in his pocket.

The question that remains is,
Who is benefitting from your tip when an employer is allowed to decrease his employee’s hourly wages because of your tip?

The answer is, Employers are benefitting themselves to your tips. While some may use the money to pay other workers higher wages, the bottom line is, there is nothing preventing employers from taking the money for themselves.

Should employees really be subjected to an allowance that makes it possible for their employer to steal their tip?

The tip credit should be repealed on the grounds that it blatantly allows employers an ability to steal the financial benefit of the customer’s tip.

Comment on Poll: Legal Immigrants Feel Illegal Immigrants Take Jobs Americans Don’t Want by Eddie Smith

Eddie Smith — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:47:19 +0000

All I keep hearing is that immigrants are taking jobs that Americans don’t want. Well, my thoughts are that is bogus. It is hard enough to live off of minimum wage, but when you have large companies paying below than how do you expect Americans to survive. People say immigration is good for the economy. The people who are making this statement are the ones who are capitalizing on immigration. The ones who are losing out are the people who need it the most and there the people living below the poverty line. The problem is that it is being allowed. The reason is because most of the immigrants are poor and there only affect the poor. Image if all of the immigrants were doctors and lawyers and there all rush the border by the thousandth and there charge people have the price those American doctors and lawyers did how long you think massive influx of immigrants would be allowed to come let alone stay in America. Until it is a problem for the people on top, than it’s not a problem.

Comment on Poll: Legal Immigrants Feel Illegal Immigrants Take Jobs Americans Don’t Want by Dave

Dave — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:40:08 +0000

It is not true that illegal immigrants only take the jobs Americans don’t want. Most illegals work day labor or cash for labor jobs. They work for many construction and that type of work which many many Americans do for a living and are being underbid by these immigrants who will work for half the pay. Also, restaurants hire them by the truck load. Millions of American citizens work in restaurants for a living. What about custodians? Millions of American citizens are janitors or custodians. Illegals take these jobs for less pay as well. Our economy is in the toilet right now and to say that the millions of illegal immigrants are not having an effect on that would be just plain stupid of anyone. How can anyone say that these major jobs in the United states are jobs that we do not want? We do them, have done them for hundreds of years before they all got here right? Now all of a sudden we do not want these jobs? How ridiculous.

Comment on Tennessee Senate Passes Anti-Abortion Amendment Proposal by James Conner

James Conner — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:44:20 +0000

“Of the 50,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade, how many of those were for ‘legitimate’ reasons (rape-incest, and the actual ’save the life of the mother’ theme we hear so much about?) and how many were actually for after-the-fact birth control? That’s the vast majority of abortions…those that could have been avoided in the first place.”
-http://serr8d.blogspot.com/2008/01/tennessee-state-senate-passes-anti.html
I would now like to provide another link.
http://tourolaw.edu/Patch/Roe/
“The Texas statutes that concern us here are Arts. 1191-1194 and 1196 of the State’s Penal Code. 1 These make it a crime to “procure an abortion,” as therein defined, or to attempt one, except with respect to “an abortion procured or attempted by medical advice for the purpose of saving the life of the mother.”" (This sounds like the ideal law for Pro-life)
So the state’s law was that no abortion be legal unless to save the life of the mother.
“Roe alleged that she was unmarried and pregnant; that she wished to terminate her pregnancy by an abortion”
Sounds like one of those “after-the-fact birth control” moments…
“the District Court held that the “fundamental right of single women and married persons to choose whether to have children is protected by the Ninth Amendment, through the Fourteenth Amendment,” and that the Texas criminal abortion statutes were void on their face”
Wait, they have the RIGHT to CHOOSE to have children according to our constitution? And it was a “After-the-fact birth control” lady who brought forth this change?
I would also like to point out that the Does were told to avoid pregnancy but should she become pregnant she would not have been in the “save the life of the mother’ theme ” even though a State sanctioned Doctor had told her to avoid pregnancy. Which suggests that a pregnancy though not, “high risk” would have still presented with a more than normal danger to the mother and/or the child. In case you are not following my arguement, Im saying that we cannot accurately put into law how much risk a woman must take take upon herself in the event of pregnancy.
Should law be passed to undermine Roe Vs Wade we are allowing ourselves to return to the the era before Roe Vs Wade. Pro-life will not be satisfied with just a “48 hour waiting period” to them that’s just a step in the right direction. The arguement of a particular Pro-life is to get back on track and only allow abortions to occur in instances of “rape-incest, and the actual ’save the life of the mother’ theme”
I would also like to know what steps the state is willing to take help prevent teenage pregnancy and to help teenage parents?
I would also argue that if you were to prevent abortions in a state what would prevent people from merely crossing state borders and having it done there? What would the state do about preventing fear of having an unwanted child? (There are cases of women performing abortion on themselves but since most women are not doctors, their venture into medice doesnt bode well and sad things happen, I want to know what would be done to prevent that.)

Comment on Minimum Wage Tip Credit Clouds US Estate Tax Vote by MARK

MARK — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:24:24 +0000

Where is this petition to sign. I have been working in this business AS A SERVER since 1980 and our minimum wage (server wage) in 1980 was $2.01/hr with tip credit. It’s 2008 and it’s $3.38 now. It still is ripping us off to-this-day. This past summer I WOUND UP PAYING MY EMPLOYER $2,505.39 in tip credit just to work in THEIR restaurant in our Top Nat’l Park. Yeah it hurts, it shows up in the Deductions column on my pay check. Everyone’s hand is in our pockets these days, including MY EMPLOYER! Here’s how it breaks down:$2,505.39 was deducted from my tips taken-in, not to mention I paid-out approx. 6,100.00 in manditory tip shares to co-workers as well, now add to that taxes both state and federal, social security and medicare. Healthcare, what healthcare? ANY Seasonal restaurants as in the National Parks are TOTALLY EXEMPT from having to provide healthcare or 401k’s yet they CHARGE ME TO WORK IN THEIR RESTAURANTS. IT’S TRUE! 100% TRUE. People think we make a lot. NOT TRUE! Per person average is $18.and this is a very busy restaurant, 480 guests/night–8 servers–4 bussers–1 bartender.
Try this on for size:

Season: may 15 to Oct 15

Gross wages & tips received: $25,744.42
tips paid-out to co-workers -6,100.00
tip credit paid to employer -2,505.39
———–
17,139.03
Tax(state,fed,s.s.medicare) -4,207.68
_____________
MY NET TAKE HOME PAY 12,931.35 = MY TAX BRACKET
A TOTAL OF 50.22%
OF MY GROSS EARNINGS!

THIS IS TRUTH, THIS IS MY SUMMER 2007 FIGURES.
What’s even worse is most servers make a little more than
this in a year. That’s it!

WHERE DOES IT END? PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US ?????

Comment on GETTING PERSONAL: Reverse Mortgages Expected To Grow by Jack Johnsen

Jack Johnsen — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 09:50:07 +0000

Interesting. It will be interesting to see how that growth will turn out. I know that congress is looking at FHA reform soon.

Comment on First Cartoon Of Iranian Leader In 25 Years Published by Cartooning and Iran… « poldraw

Cartooning and Iran… « poldraw — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:27:08 +0000

[...] the country have considered the medium to be over the years, only go back to last year when we saw the first cartoon of an Iranian president, published by an Iranian newspaper, for 25 years, after the Culture Ministry (which controls newspapers) finally allowed the use of caricatures of [...]

Comment on IN THE PIPELINE: A Pill That Can Stop Women’s Periods by Tania

Tania — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:32:43 +0000

I am on Depo shot every three months to stop my periods. I have endometriosis and would love an alternative to getting a shot every 3 months and still not cycle so my endometriosis doesnt get worse. The shot hurts for about 3 days and of course is given in the butt. Ouch 4 times a year. I was on the pill for years but only switched when i found out i had endometriosis.

Comment on IN THE PIPELINE: A Pill That Can Stop Women’s Periods by rita

rita — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:47:00 +0000

i’ve read that a woman’s eggs may run out as she approaches her 40’s . will this pill prevent the loss of eggs , so that a woman will have more eggs as she gets older ; enabling her to get pregnant later in life ?

Comment on GETTING PERSONAL: Private Annuity Trusts Under Fire by Bruce Halvax

Bruce Halvax — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 22:12:18 +0000

PAT RESCUE

There are a number of income tax problems associated with the earnings within the PAT and negative income tax consequence on distributions from these trusts.

Apparently many large clients associated with PAT transactions are suffering from these negative consequences.

I am putting together a study group that will develop PAT-Rescue programs. If you have large clients that are or will experience these income tax problems inherent in the PAT structure, please call to join the study group.
Bruce Halvax President of the Strategic Planning Group 949 337 0267

Comment on IN THE PIPELINE: A Pill That Can Stop Women’s Periods by Jenny

Jenny — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:03:06 +0000

I was put on the pill when i was 12 the first time i started at 9 having periods they were normal except i had no pain and no problem but bleeding all the time the dr.s put me on the pill they finally stopped my periods after the 4or 5 pill try the dose was wrong for my body from being able to have a child i went to maybe you may never have one this was fine i delt with it at 12 as one does with life you face it and get over it any way they had to give me pills to start and when they did the pain the blood clots the heavy periods the rest i am looking at this new one to stop them for good lets face it i can not have kids from the doctors already and if i go on any pill it just cuts my chances all the time so why not try something that if the pay off is no kids this is fine with me where can i sign up? and is there a doctor here is Spokane that can do it?

Comment on Shell Downplays US Probe Threat Over $4.3 Billion Iran LNG Deal by Terror-Free Oil

Terror-Free Oil — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 01:11:08 +0000

Please sign petition to Shell to stop doing business with terrorist regime of Iran! http://www.terrorfreeoil.org/projects/petition_shell.php If you have a website, please feel free to post the petition.

Comment on Poll: Legal Immigrants Feel Illegal Immigrants Take Jobs Americans Don’t Want by Pat r

Pat r — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:13:26 +0000

An interesting debate might be formed between the legal immigrants, and illegal immigrants if they knew the ramifications of accepting illegals as citizens after some fashion. That America hasn’t heard from them, and only from polticians touting an array of programs is clouding the issues rather than clarifying them.

Further, the persons who benefit from illegal immigrants and hyper-wealthy for whom they work might have interesting perspectives on America’s toleration of illegal immigrants that it is important for the entire nation to understand, and evalutate within the dynamics of how America does democracy, and economics.

The issue is far from solved, and does definitely impact all of Americans trying to save or survive today’s approach to American survival, much less trying to capture a measure of American prosperity.

Comment on US Senator McCain Defends His Support For Iraq War by parley hall

parley hall — Thu, 31 May 2007 13:52:35 +0000

well i’m not much for war i would like it to stop

Comment on Toyota Unveils Full-Size Tundra Pickup; Takes On GM, Ford by Toyota Fans' Blog

Toyota Fans' Blog — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:04:08 +0000

Does The Redesigned Tundra Really Need Incentives

Let the Japanese car maker Toyota answer that. Well, I guess they don�t have to. The news that I caught early this morning when I was researching about what a Gibson exhaust is that the car company will be using incentives to sell its retuned Tundra …

Comment on Arkansas Ex-Governor Mike Huckabee to Explore Presidential Bid by Janis Jordan

Janis Jordan — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:45:09 +0000

We support you. The goverment needs a Godly man as our leader
One you understands the significance of our time.

Comment on GOP Blocks Full-Fledged US Senate Debate Over Iraq by DJCERCONE

DJCERCONE — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:22:30 +0000

FELLOW AMERICANS. WE NEED A THIRD PARTY. WE NEED TERM LIMITS.
NO RWETIREMENT PACKAGES, SERVE 6 YRS AND GO. IF YOU STEAL, A STATE PEN AND BUBBA AWAIT.
NO NEED FOR FUND RAISERS, ONE TERM ONLY.GOOD BYE LOBBIESTS.
LOBBIESTS WANT POLITICIANS AND TRY, LET THEM SHARE A CELL.
ONE MAN OR WOMAN IS THE RULE. NO CORPERATE OR UNION OR
TRADE ASSNS SHALL BE ALLOWED TO LOBBY. ONE MAN ONE VOTE.
THEY CAN PRESENT THEIR MONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND WE WILL PAY FOR ELECTIONS. EACH CANDIDATE GETS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THEY WILL GO TO JAIL EVEN IF THEIR IS A MISTAKE IN SPENDING. NO OOPS, ILL GO INTO COUNSILING. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER.

Comment on GOP Blocks Full-Fledged US Senate Debate Over Iraq by DJCERCONE

DJCERCONE — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:02:48 +0000

NOW, FOR YOU REPUBLICANS WHO EVEN CONSIDER ANY KIND OF NOT BACKING THE SOLDIERS FULLY. YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE POLITICAL COWARDS, EACH IN HIS OWN WAY STARTING WITH HAGEL GOING THRU WARNER, SO CALLED EXPERTS ON DEFENCE. DO YOU NOT REALIZE THIS CUTS THE KNEES OUTOF OUR TROOPS, PRESIDENT AND THE NEW GENERAL SENT TO MAKE THE SURGE WORK. DONT YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY I HAVE RESERVATIONS ABT THE SURGE AND THEN SHUT YOUR MOUTH. NO ONE KNOWS HOW DUMB YOU ARE UNTIL YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND TELL THEM..YOU ARE A DISGRACE AND AS STUPID AS THE DEMOCTRPS.

Comment on GOP Blocks Full-Fledged US Senate Debate Over Iraq by DJCERCONE

DJCERCONE — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:53:42 +0000

REID AND DEMOCRAPS, CUT OFF THE FUNDS TO THE WAR LIKE YOU DID DURING VEIT NAM, IT WORKED SO WELL BEFORE, I AM SURE YOU ARE FOAMING AT THE MOUTH TO DO IT AGAIN….OH AND WHEN THEY ARE BLOWING UPI BUSES IN NEW YORK, CHICAGO, BOSTON, PHILLY I AM CERTAIN YOU WONT HAVE FINGERS POINTED AT YOU.
SO DONT WORRY, JUST CUT OFF THE FUNDS AND BRING THE SOLDIERS HOME, THEY CAN BE IN THEIR POSTS IN THE STATES BY EASTER AND YOU WILL HAVE FUFILLED YOUR PROMISES MADE TO DA VOTERZ, ALL OF DEM,KUZE THYE AER YUS LIK DA RST OF DA DEMOCRAPS, DEY WILL UNDERSTAND

Comment on Ohio Election Workers Convicted Of Rigging 2004 Presidential Recount by anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 02:05:02 +0000

OHIO 2004: 6.15% Kerry-Bush vote-switch found in probability study.

Defining the vote outcome probabilities of wrong-precinct voting has revealed, in a sample of 166,953 votes (1 of every 38 Ohio votes), the Kerry-Bush margin changes 6.15% when the population is sorted by probable outcomes of wrong-precinct voting.

The Kerry to Bush 6.15% vote-switch differential is seen when the large sample is sorted by probability a Kerry wrong-precinct vote counts for Bush. When the same large voter sample is sorted by the probability Kerry votes count for third-party candidates, Kerry votes are instead equal in both subsets.

Article with graphs of new findings:

The 2004 Ohio Presidential Election: Cuyahoga County Analysis
How Kerry Votes Were Switched to Bush Votes

http://jqjacobs.net/politics/ohio.html