tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-337023702024-03-12T23:32:34.204-05:00Satellite SkyCommentary on current events, politics and law.
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Copyright © Fred Roper 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.comBlogger620125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-38549040316911752292011-03-06T11:39:00.002-06:002014-09-03T21:54:55.416-05:00Social Security as a National Pension, Part 2First, a satirical take on the disparity between how wealthy people (business and financial executives) see their compensation versus what their employees and public service employees should receive:
The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook
Back in 2007, I proposed that Social Security should become a full pension system. OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-35179943181942556222010-10-14T19:35:00.000-05:002010-10-14T19:35:28.873-05:00Tidal PowerA recent news story, Catching Waves, details how a new green energy source seeks to capture untapped energy sources in oceans and rivers.
The potential for harnessing ocean waves, currents and tides to produce electricity is vast.
The technical potential for ocean wave power in the U.S. is 90,000 MW, according to estimates by the Electric Power Research Institute. If the U.S. adopted a nationalOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-18633301760161693622010-10-12T19:39:00.007-05:002010-10-12T20:14:48.916-05:00Machiavellian EconomicsHere is a great video for discussion:OK, some thoughts on this video:At about the 6:00 mark, the speaker talks about the system as a "Ponzi scheme." I think this is inaccurate. I think it is more accurate to describe it as "parasitical." I think this is a more accurate way of thinking about it as those who loan money live off of the production of others. Granted, a Ponzi finance system is a OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-54429887231707526592010-09-26T10:02:00.002-05:002010-09-26T10:04:54.313-05:00Sunday Music: Appalachian MelodyIt's the beginning of autumn here in the United States, and it looks like someone posted one of Mark Heard's early songs on YouTube. Enjoy.Appalachian MelodyOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-23573413523978393292008-04-13T09:16:00.003-05:002008-04-13T09:59:20.312-05:00Earth Day Sunday Music: John DenverEven though Earth Day 2008 is still more than a week away (technically it is April 22, 2008), I wanted to get a jump on a post about it. There are many events planned around the world next weekend. The zoo in Houston, Texas will be holding an event this coming Saturday, April 19. Anyway, last year, when I was searching for a song that had an environmental theme to it, Charles Hugh Smith of Of OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-68249232181974110902008-02-20T18:38:00.003-06:002008-02-20T18:50:07.285-06:00The Greatest Happiness Principle60 Minutes: HappinessWe could learn a lot from the Danes (and all Scandinavians for that matter). A new study shows that they are the happiest people in the world.I consider myself a Utilitarian in this sense: we should strive to create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. I am not a purist, mind you. There obviously are values that would more important (where it would OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-62773181074072237292008-02-10T19:13:00.000-06:002008-02-10T19:26:34.816-06:00Sunday Music: Major TomThere are a few reasons why this video seems appropos right now:1. I recently visited the Houston Space Center. I'll get around to posting the pics eventually. I promise.2. Hellasious yesterday wrote a post on his blog, Sudden Debt, called "Space Oddity" where he referred to David Bowie's Major Tom lyrics. Why am I not using David Bowie's song, then? Because I like this song more.3. There OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-87518211812831353082008-01-31T06:56:00.000-06:002008-01-31T06:59:02.053-06:00My Recent Blog PostsI haven't been posting much over here lately. Most of my recent posts have been over at DailyKos. Click here if you want to see some of my more recent writings.OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-10607354229855522052008-01-31T06:51:00.000-06:002008-01-31T06:56:18.163-06:00A Beautiful Model for FraudTake a look at this:A Beautiful Model for Fraud and here is the accompanying article:The great credit unwind of '08.OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-49364949306399594042008-01-19T22:11:00.000-06:002008-01-19T22:27:01.667-06:00Sunday Music: Play the Game TonightIn this Kansas video, a chess game between white and dark-hooded creatures seemingly representing the forces of Life and Death (playing the white and black chess pieces accordingly) is the backdrop to this rock hit video.Kansas -- Play the Game TonightOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-74831947593302338582008-01-19T21:32:00.000-06:002008-01-19T21:50:58.428-06:00Dancing At the Policeman's BallPrior to Mark Heard's final three CDs, Dancing At the Policeman's Ball was Mark's biggest "hit." It was featured in the movie Dakota starring Lou Diamond Phillips. Although not a dance song, it was featured in the scene of a policeman's dance.As I posted recently, Mark said that:"Policeman's Ball" is speaking about the isolationism to which I've referred earlier - how we as Christians can get OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-30270026690810110462008-01-19T11:33:00.000-06:002008-01-19T11:42:20.714-06:00How To Spot A Scam, Part 6: Roommate ScamThis is the way the scam works:A person claiming to be a potential roommate sends a check for an amount far above the amount owed (this is a HUGE red flag). They then request that the balance be sent back to them so that they can buy an airline ticket or some other expense (which is bogus). The check they send is fake.Check the links and instructions I provide in this post.Also, go to OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-83706317752398187592008-01-18T06:22:00.000-06:002008-01-18T06:56:23.460-06:00American World Chess Champion, Bobby Fischer, Has DiedIn late breaking news this morning, American World Chess Champion, Bobby Fischer, has died in a Reykjavik hospital, announced by his spokesman Gardar Sverrisson. According to the latest news reports at the time I am writing this, he died of an unspecified illness.I never met Bobby Fischer, but his 60 Memorable Games was one of the two first chess books I ever owned and studied.In later years, OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-54107759129510694852008-01-11T12:59:00.000-06:002008-01-11T13:05:32.672-06:00Nothing Is Bothering MeHere is a satirical Mark Heard song with a serious message. Mark explained what he meant in the liner notes of his Victims of the Age album:On this album, "Nothing is Bothering Me," "Dancing at the Policeman's Ball," and "Everybody Loves a Holy War" are all satires touching on problems. The first one is about the lie we can live as people by not seeing what's happening in the world around us. WeOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-58067084973190690312008-01-11T06:02:00.000-06:002008-01-11T06:11:39.923-06:00How To Spot A Scam, Part 5: Tax Scam UpdateThere is a new phishing e-mail scam going around involving tax "refunds."The letter says this:Internal Revenue ServiceUnited States Department of the TreasuryAfter the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we havedetermined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $496.23.Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-9 days in order toprocess it.A refund can be delayed OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-31076461598016442472008-01-09T05:53:00.000-06:002008-01-09T06:30:43.887-06:00How To Spot A Scam, Part 5: Tax ScamsBankrate.com has a list of the "dirty dozen" tax scams and how to spot them. Here are the list of tax scams covered:1. Telephone tax refund abuses 2. Abusive Roth IRAs 3. Tax-related identity theft phishing 4. Disguised corporate ownership 5. Zero wage claims 6. Return preparer fraud 7. American Indian employment credit8. Illegitimate trusts9. Structured entity credits10. Improper charitable OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-27511693208638759182008-01-05T20:40:00.000-06:002008-01-05T21:08:30.440-06:00The Air CarTalk about environmentally friendly! It only goes 200 kilometers on a tank (about 125 miles), but it is filled up with air. The first video is a BBC news report.And here is an Australian report:OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-47457474490450952922008-01-03T23:30:00.000-06:002008-01-03T23:34:47.582-06:00New Foreclosure Fraud ScamForeclosure Fraud Scam PSADon't fall prey to scam artists to promise to "save" your home from foreclosure. The answer they promise will be worse than the disease. If you are having a problem, call your lender or talk to a bankruptcy attorney.Hat tip: Tanta at Calculated RiskOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-83177162400039740502007-12-22T10:00:00.000-06:002007-12-22T10:09:22.005-06:00Sunday Music: 21st Century ChristmasThe Christian pop singer Cliff Richard (also known as the "Elvis of Great Britain") came out with a new Christmas song last year. I hope you like it.I am back home in Oklahoma for the Christmas weekend and I stayed in my home that I am selling for the last time last night (with no heat except for the fireplace as the pilot light went out on the central heating and air while I was gone -- brrr!).OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-83599235491607935452007-12-16T19:58:00.000-06:002007-12-16T20:27:58.891-06:00American Gata Kamsky Wins FIDE World Cup Chess ChampionshipShirov and Kamsky discuss the final game post-mortem.From ChessBase.com: American GM Gata Kamsky has won the FIDE World Cup.Normally, the winner of the FIDE World Cup would be crowned the FIDE World Champion, but ChessBase.com reports that last year FIDE changed the rules so that the winner of the World Cup would have to play the previous winner -- Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov -- to become FIDE's OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-88886465072628719422007-12-16T08:41:00.000-06:002007-12-16T08:48:16.394-06:00Sunday Music: Christmas WrappingHow about some Christmas Wrapping from The Waitresses to with those Amazon.com Gift Certificates?OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-85410270179934225002007-12-16T08:21:00.000-06:002007-12-16T08:33:33.090-06:00Don't Know What To Buy? Try Amazon.com Gift CertificatesAmazon.com has sent me an e-mail with a special announcement: I get a whopping 6% return if you buy a Gift Certificate through my site (this month only). So, if you are one of those people who have trouble thinking of what to buy for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any other special occasion, would you consider a Amazon.com Gift Certificate?OkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-76998723349757648402007-12-14T19:25:00.001-06:002007-12-14T19:41:57.164-06:00Chess World Cup Update: Kamsky Wins Game 2American Gata Kamsky won the second game of the finals match over Spain's Alexei Shirov for the FIDE World Cup Chess Championship. The first game was drawn. With two regular games yet to be played, Kamsky is in a very strong position as Shirov will have to win one of them to send it to a playoff. Kamsky started out with the black pieces and won his game today while playing the white pieces.YouOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-17059550043175220832007-12-14T19:17:00.000-06:002007-12-14T19:19:35.951-06:00Nice New Ad By John EdwardsOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702370.post-64619401823334524452007-12-13T19:14:00.000-06:002007-12-13T20:14:31.404-06:00Eating the Seed CornAfter reading this short article today, Employees Raiding 401(k)s, CFOs Say (hat tip Calculated Risk), all I could do was shake my head. From the short article:The survey finds that nearly 20 percent of companies have seen increased hardship withdrawals from 401(k) accounts, often to cover mortgage payments or to avoid personal bankruptcy."In the last four or five months we have seen an absoluteOkieLawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17071917464425173379noreply@blogger.com0