From Yahoo! Finance: 2019-01-04
AAPL
CNBC Videos • Fri 1:57 PM
Trump: China is paying us tremendous tariffs
AAPL
Fox Business Videos • Fri 1:59 PM
Trump: I want Apple to make their products in the US
AAPL
CNBC • Fri 2:53 PM
Trump says he's not concerned about Apple because it builds products in China
Who is paying the “tremendous tariffs? It is not the Chinese. They just pass those tariffs on to the U.S. customers.
But the complexity gets worse. Do U.S. manufacturers cut their costs by manufacturing in other countries. If they cut their costs, do they pass those savings on to their customers or do they just add them to their profits.
If the savings are passed on, the customers benefit. If the savings are considered profits, do those at the top get bigger bonuses or do the share-owners get bigger dividends or bigger profits when they sell their stock.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
How to lose friends and be influenced by dictators
A new book by Donald Carnage.
Inspired by Max Boot (Corrosion of Conservatism) and George Will (“The shabbiest President ever is an Inexpressibly sad specimen”) https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-a-misery-it-must-be-to-be-donald-trump/2019/01/18/d0e05eea-1a82-11e9-8813-cb9dec761e73_story.html?utm_term=.7bf9d512df93
When “conservative” columnists don’t like “conservative” presidents, something must be wrong with the “conservative” president.
Inspired by Max Boot (Corrosion of Conservatism) and George Will (“The shabbiest President ever is an Inexpressibly sad specimen”) https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-a-misery-it-must-be-to-be-donald-trump/2019/01/18/d0e05eea-1a82-11e9-8813-cb9dec761e73_story.html?utm_term=.7bf9d512df93
When “conservative” columnists don’t like “conservative” presidents, something must be wrong with the “conservative” president.
Friday, January 04, 2019
Justice Thomas and the Second Amendment
Justice Thomas and others seem to believe the Second Amendment reads "The people have no right to regulate a militia of one person".
Do they also believe that that one person has a right to fire into a crowded theater? The Supreme Court long ago limited free speech by stating that a person cannot yell "Fire" in a crowded theater.
If someone were to claim that Justice Thomas was getting paid one million dollars a year from the arms industry, wouldn't Justice Thomas be justified in suing to limit that persons right to free speech?
On the other hand, Justice Thomas should get an honorarium from the Federalist Society to cover travel expenses.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/opinion/guns-second-amendment-supreme-court.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage#commentsContainer, Linda Greenhouse
Do they also believe that that one person has a right to fire into a crowded theater? The Supreme Court long ago limited free speech by stating that a person cannot yell "Fire" in a crowded theater.
If someone were to claim that Justice Thomas was getting paid one million dollars a year from the arms industry, wouldn't Justice Thomas be justified in suing to limit that persons right to free speech?
On the other hand, Justice Thomas should get an honorarium from the Federalist Society to cover travel expenses.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/opinion/guns-second-amendment-supreme-court.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage#commentsContainer, Linda Greenhouse
Wednesday, January 02, 2019
Netflix: To boycott or not to boycott
This afternoon my wife read an article in the Daily Kos about a boycott of Netflix. The reason is that Netflix bowed to a Saudi Arabian request not to make available an episode of a series that was critical of Saudi Arabia.
I cancelled our Netflix account which was rather easy.
But then I did my own reading about the boycott. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hasan-minhaj-responds-netflix-saudi-arabia_us_5c2cf80be4b0407e90875e85.
The request was limited to not making it available in Saudi Arabia. Still, I think I’ll let the cancellation stand. If I get any meaningful explanation from Netflix, I’ll consider re-subscribing. Meanwhile, we’ll visit the public library more often for DVDs.
I cancelled our Netflix account which was rather easy.
But then I did my own reading about the boycott. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hasan-minhaj-responds-netflix-saudi-arabia_us_5c2cf80be4b0407e90875e85.
The request was limited to not making it available in Saudi Arabia. Still, I think I’ll let the cancellation stand. If I get any meaningful explanation from Netflix, I’ll consider re-subscribing. Meanwhile, we’ll visit the public library more often for DVDs.
Monday, December 03, 2018
Professed non-experts claim to be experts
Many climate-change deniers claim not to be scientists. If they are not scientists, how can they claim to know with certainty there is no climate change?
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that's all.”
- Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
In other stories, Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall and all the king’s men and all the king’s horses couldn’t put him back together again.
When Trumpty Dumpty falls off the wall, how many of us will he take with him?
Saturday, December 01, 2018
Global warming: quote of the day: "Don't be a fossil fool"
Climate Change Protest Draws Thousands of Australian Students
Frustrated by their government’s failure to curb carbon emissions, students across the country quit school for a day to protest instead.
One of the signs was "don't be a fossil fool".
See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/world/australia/student-strike-climate-change.html.
Frustrated by their government’s failure to curb carbon emissions, students across the country quit school for a day to protest instead.
One of the signs was "don't be a fossil fool".
See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/world/australia/student-strike-climate-change.html.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Negativity blinds us from seeing angels.
When you have a negative attitude it is hard to see all the angels you meet in the world.
I thought about this after hearing two men in complaining in the locker room. The older complained that his friends were less willing to give him rides. I kept quiet, but I wondered if his friends were unwilling to listen to his negative comments. When I related this to my wife, she suggested that fewer of his friends drove anymore.
The negativity made me think of the couplet
When you laugh, the whole world laughs with you.
When you cry, you cry alone.
The actual couplet is
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone:
…”
The poem is “Solitude” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox”. You can find it at
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45937/solitude-56d225aad9924
I thought about this after hearing two men in complaining in the locker room. The older complained that his friends were less willing to give him rides. I kept quiet, but I wondered if his friends were unwilling to listen to his negative comments. When I related this to my wife, she suggested that fewer of his friends drove anymore.
The negativity made me think of the couplet
When you laugh, the whole world laughs with you.
When you cry, you cry alone.
The actual couplet is
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone:
…”
The poem is “Solitude” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox”. You can find it at
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45937/solitude-56d225aad9924
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Politics: don’t do as I do, do as say
See comments to https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/20/opinion/sunday/nafta-mexico-trump-ambassador.html.
Many “conservatives” complain about “liberals” attacking Trump and the Republicans. Have they forgotten their obstruction of many of Obama’s initiatives and the false claims about his birth?
After years of obstruction of Obama’s appointees, why are they in such a rush to appoint judges?
It seems to me that many “conservatives” only want to conserve their power. They completely ignore the Constitution, Washington’s Farewell Address (foreign entanglements), Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (government of the people, by the people, and for the people), and Eisenhower’s Farewell Address (military-industrial complex).
What would we call a party that considered these important thoughts in their own governance of our country?
Many “conservatives” complain about “liberals” attacking Trump and the Republicans. Have they forgotten their obstruction of many of Obama’s initiatives and the false claims about his birth?
After years of obstruction of Obama’s appointees, why are they in such a rush to appoint judges?
It seems to me that many “conservatives” only want to conserve their power. They completely ignore the Constitution, Washington’s Farewell Address (foreign entanglements), Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (government of the people, by the people, and for the people), and Eisenhower’s Farewell Address (military-industrial complex).
What would we call a party that considered these important thoughts in their own governance of our country?
Tuesday, October 09, 2018
Abortion: Judgment or Compassion
“Beta O’Rourke May Benefit From an Unlikely Support Group: White Evangelical Women”, Elisabeth Dias, New York Times, 2018-10-09
This shift is that these women are seeing O’Rourke as a “stark moral contrast to Mr. Trump.” They are seeing other moral values that Trump does not have; values that are just as important as opposing abortion.
The problem with abortion as a political issue is that it ignores many problems that are not controlled by an “unwilling” mother.
Shall a teen-age girl be responsible for a child fathered by force, whether by a known or unknown male?
Shall a woman of any age be forced to bear a child whose birth will kill her? What would that do to any previous children she had?
We really cannot make any sweeping pronouncements about abortion without knowing all facts in each individual case.
If we make all abortions illegal, who will be punished? Will it be the unwilling mother? Will it be the “back alley abortionist”? Will it be the not present father?
Ironically, some of these “value” voters are supporting a party that is quite willing to cause unwanted abortions in other countries. How many pregnant women are killed in wars? How many of these pregnant women even support the wars in their countries? And some of these politicians with the “big buttons” are quite willing to obliterate large numbers of women and children.
This shift is that these women are seeing O’Rourke as a “stark moral contrast to Mr. Trump.” They are seeing other moral values that Trump does not have; values that are just as important as opposing abortion.
The problem with abortion as a political issue is that it ignores many problems that are not controlled by an “unwilling” mother.
Shall a teen-age girl be responsible for a child fathered by force, whether by a known or unknown male?
Shall a woman of any age be forced to bear a child whose birth will kill her? What would that do to any previous children she had?
We really cannot make any sweeping pronouncements about abortion without knowing all facts in each individual case.
If we make all abortions illegal, who will be punished? Will it be the unwilling mother? Will it be the “back alley abortionist”? Will it be the not present father?
Ironically, some of these “value” voters are supporting a party that is quite willing to cause unwanted abortions in other countries. How many pregnant women are killed in wars? How many of these pregnant women even support the wars in their countries? And some of these politicians with the “big buttons” are quite willing to obliterate large numbers of women and children.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Intrusive online ads
Some months ago, I believe it was the online Duluth News Tribune that had intrusive ads for Amazon that took over the screen and the browser tab. the only way I made the ads disappear was to close the tab and open a new tap. I complained about it several times and they haven’t appeared since.
Today, the online Washington Post had two of these same intrusive ads for Amazon. The only way I got rid of them was to close the tabs.
It is one thing to have ads in a sidebar or interspersed in stories. We have the same in print media. The ads help cover some of the costs of putting out the publications so that we pay less. We can skip the ads or we can read them; it is our choice. But these ads are not our choice.
No matter what online publication you are reading, if this happens to you be sure to let the publishers know.
In the case of the Washington Post, send email to readers@washpost.com.
Today, the online Washington Post had two of these same intrusive ads for Amazon. The only way I got rid of them was to close the tabs.
It is one thing to have ads in a sidebar or interspersed in stories. We have the same in print media. The ads help cover some of the costs of putting out the publications so that we pay less. We can skip the ads or we can read them; it is our choice. But these ads are not our choice.
No matter what online publication you are reading, if this happens to you be sure to let the publishers know.
In the case of the Washington Post, send email to readers@washpost.com.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
I had a dream
My apologies to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for using a variation of the title of one of his major speeches.
My dream early this morning was about a similar nemesis: those whose only interest is ruling with a false idea of conservatism and a misuse of religion.
The false idea of conservatism is holding on to power, irregardless of how it affects the vast majority of the citizens. This conservatism puts the interests of some large corporations over the interests of large segments of the population. The misuse of religion is to claim to have the truth even as it acts contrary to the teachings of its greatest prophet.
My dream was that teams of journalists met all over the country to unite against the attacks by false conservatives on the journalists integrity and professionalism. Interestingly, many of these journalists being attacked are real conservatives, like George Will and Jennifer Rubin.
What is a real conservative? We can start by naming a few: Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower. All of these have given warning about the order of men that is not to be trusted.
Adam Smith warned about those who live by profit. Edmund Burke warned about the folly of not allowing the colonies to govern themselves. George Washington warned about factions and about foreign entanglements (letting both friends and enemies control our judgment). Abraham Lincoln stated that we had to think anew with new circumstances. Dwight Eisenhower warned about the military-industrial complex.
The best way to counter these false conservatives is to vote in each and every election. These false conservatives do all they can to dissuade people from voting from gerrymandering to false statements about their opponents.
Until such time as real conservatives appear on the scene, I’ll just have to keep voting for Democrats. I don’t support many of the issues of the Democrats, but these issues are not so destructive of our country as the issues proclaimed by false conservatives.
My dream early this morning was about a similar nemesis: those whose only interest is ruling with a false idea of conservatism and a misuse of religion.
The false idea of conservatism is holding on to power, irregardless of how it affects the vast majority of the citizens. This conservatism puts the interests of some large corporations over the interests of large segments of the population. The misuse of religion is to claim to have the truth even as it acts contrary to the teachings of its greatest prophet.
My dream was that teams of journalists met all over the country to unite against the attacks by false conservatives on the journalists integrity and professionalism. Interestingly, many of these journalists being attacked are real conservatives, like George Will and Jennifer Rubin.
What is a real conservative? We can start by naming a few: Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower. All of these have given warning about the order of men that is not to be trusted.
Adam Smith warned about those who live by profit. Edmund Burke warned about the folly of not allowing the colonies to govern themselves. George Washington warned about factions and about foreign entanglements (letting both friends and enemies control our judgment). Abraham Lincoln stated that we had to think anew with new circumstances. Dwight Eisenhower warned about the military-industrial complex.
The best way to counter these false conservatives is to vote in each and every election. These false conservatives do all they can to dissuade people from voting from gerrymandering to false statements about their opponents.
Until such time as real conservatives appear on the scene, I’ll just have to keep voting for Democrats. I don’t support many of the issues of the Democrats, but these issues are not so destructive of our country as the issues proclaimed by false conservatives.
Friday, July 20, 2018
Trumpty Dumpty falls off his wall
Trumpty Dumpty sat on his wall.
Trumpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Neither Russian enablers
Nor Republican hacks
Could put Trumpty Dumpty together again.
A collaberation of Melvyn and Janet Magree. That’s collaberation on this bit of doggerel. We didn’t push Trumpty Dumpty. This was from 2016!
And just when you think you have something original, you find that many others had a similar idea. My first inkling was finding Trumpty Dumpty' and Other Trump Poems | HuffPost https://www.huffingtonpost.com/orel-protopopescu/trumpty-dumpty_b_9500428.html. This was from 2016! And if you do a web search, you will find dozens of references more, including T-shirts.
Trumpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Neither Russian enablers
Nor Republican hacks
Could put Trumpty Dumpty together again.
A collaberation of Melvyn and Janet Magree. That’s collaberation on this bit of doggerel. We didn’t push Trumpty Dumpty. This was from 2016!
And just when you think you have something original, you find that many others had a similar idea. My first inkling was finding Trumpty Dumpty' and Other Trump Poems | HuffPost https://www.huffingtonpost.com/orel-protopopescu/trumpty-dumpty_b_9500428.html. This was from 2016! And if you do a web search, you will find dozens of references more, including T-shirts.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
I am smarter than Donald Trump
I know that I can’t govern the country by my every whim.
I also know that many leaders of other countries are not ready to dance to the tune of the American piper. Especially since the American piper hasn’t gotten rid of the rats in high places.
I also know that many leaders of other countries are not ready to dance to the tune of the American piper. Especially since the American piper hasn’t gotten rid of the rats in high places.
Monday, July 09, 2018
Majority rules...
...but only if the majority votes.
Too many votes are decided by too small a portion of the eligible voters.
I thought of this because of the misnamed Freedom Caucus and Tea Party.
We have the freedom to govern ourselves, not to do as we please without any consideration of other people.
We have the ability to tax ourselves with representation instead of by some government we have no right to vote for.
Would it better to call the Freedom Caucus and the Tea Party anarchists?
Monday, June 18, 2018
Immigration
Comment to “Trump cannot get its story straight…”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/06/18/daily-202-trump-team-cannot-get-its-story-straight-on-separating-migrant-families/5b2701f030fb046c468e6ef6/?utm_term=.4fad262b503d
Gosh, the inhabitants of this continent over a thousand years ago had a lousy immigration policy. First they let those drunken, war-mongering Vikings in. Then they let some murderous Spaniards in.
Pete Seeger captured this mistake with his tale of two Indians watching a little boat come ashore from a bigger boat. A man stepped out of the little boat and said "Buenos dias, señores." One Indian looked at the other and said, "Well, there goes the neighborhood!"
And this invasion from Europe just grew and grew until it was a flood that overwhelmed and often killed the original inhabitants.
I think these illegal aliens should go back where they came from.
Gosh! What am I going to do? I am a descendant of these illegal aliens. But how can I "go back where I came from"? I would have to be sent back in pieces. I have known ancestors from England, Germany, and Poland, and probably as my name suggests, from Ireland.
Interestingly, many of the ancestors of these "illegal" immigrants once upon a time freely crossed the Rio Grande, moving back and forth for trade and for better weather. Then a bunch of these Europeans decided they wanted the land north of the Rio Grande, and...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/06/18/daily-202-trump-team-cannot-get-its-story-straight-on-separating-migrant-families/5b2701f030fb046c468e6ef6/?utm_term=.4fad262b503d
Gosh, the inhabitants of this continent over a thousand years ago had a lousy immigration policy. First they let those drunken, war-mongering Vikings in. Then they let some murderous Spaniards in.
Pete Seeger captured this mistake with his tale of two Indians watching a little boat come ashore from a bigger boat. A man stepped out of the little boat and said "Buenos dias, señores." One Indian looked at the other and said, "Well, there goes the neighborhood!"
And this invasion from Europe just grew and grew until it was a flood that overwhelmed and often killed the original inhabitants.
I think these illegal aliens should go back where they came from.
Gosh! What am I going to do? I am a descendant of these illegal aliens. But how can I "go back where I came from"? I would have to be sent back in pieces. I have known ancestors from England, Germany, and Poland, and probably as my name suggests, from Ireland.
Interestingly, many of the ancestors of these "illegal" immigrants once upon a time freely crossed the Rio Grande, moving back and forth for trade and for better weather. Then a bunch of these Europeans decided they wanted the land north of the Rio Grande, and...
Monday, May 14, 2018
Donald Trump’s New Book
How to Make Enemies and Squander Influence.
This was my reaction to Trump’s opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
With apologies to Dale Carnegie’s How to Make Friends and Influence People.
This was my reaction to Trump’s opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
With apologies to Dale Carnegie’s How to Make Friends and Influence People.
Wednesday, May 09, 2018
Comment to “Kofi Annan and populists”
Those of us who have the interest or the time can access a large variety of news and make some sense between opinion and facts.
Unfortunately, too many people get their news and opinion from a half-hour or an hour of watching a rather limited number of facts or opinions.
See
Monday, April 23, 2018
This is justice?
The pickpocket who steals a rich man’s wallet may be sent to jail.
The rich man who steals a widow’s savings might never see the inside of a jail.
Doesn’t happen? Think of the housing crisis of the 90’s.
Thursday, April 05, 2018
Character, content, Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that we should all be judged by the content of our character. Unfortunately, President Donald Trump is a character without content.
Shame on Wisconsin stay-aways
In the election for a Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge, Rebecca Dallet, a Democrat, beat Michael Screnock, a Republican, 56 to 44 percent.
No matter what your party affiliation is, this is very bad news. The turnout was 22 percent!! This means that just over 12 percent of the voters supported Dallet with their time.
No matter what your party affiliation is, this is very bad news. The turnout was 22 percent!! This means that just over 12 percent of the voters supported Dallet with their time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)