I have changed my mind. I now think the states should be free to allow this if they want to, and if leagues want to keep the sports betters away from the teams, they can hold their events in states that don't allow sports betting. That way states can choose which they would rather have. Low paid jobs in gambling or slightly higher paying but sporadic service sector jobs in the event business.
This is how it works in the U.K. and they have honest sports. It is not as if we don't have a breaking of the rules and enforcement of penalties in sports already. Look at the NCAA, the New Orleans Saints, suspensions for supplements in any number of sports. Throwing of games would be just something else for the enforcers to be on the look out for. Heck, I now remember an NBA referee fired for something to do with trying to fix the spread. And that was with sports betting only in Nevada.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Injuries
That is all I read about the Yankees. Fortunately, so far, none of the pitchers are injured so that part of the team will be deep. They'll probably start going down when the injured position players are ready. I think it is Toronto or Baltimore's year in the AL East. Also, it is too cold to start baseball. They should wait another 10 days or play all the games on the road in the south and west.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
House GOP wants East Coast Missile Defense
How many billions will this cost? Will they raise revenues to pay for this.
I heard last night that the Iraq War cost the U.S. government $2.5 trillion, all financed by debt. Add in the cost of Afghanistan and I would guess we need to raise revenues by at least $4.0 trillion to pay off the accumulated debt (without interest) of the War on Terror before we can start to pay for an East Coast defense against Iran and a West Coast defense against North Korea.
I heard last night that the Iraq War cost the U.S. government $2.5 trillion, all financed by debt. Add in the cost of Afghanistan and I would guess we need to raise revenues by at least $4.0 trillion to pay off the accumulated debt (without interest) of the War on Terror before we can start to pay for an East Coast defense against Iran and a West Coast defense against North Korea.
Friday, March 15, 2013
I'm Exhausted by D.C. Posturing
But at least I now have a current clear explanation from the Washington Post's Greg Sargent on the inherent truth to the situation.
"1) Obama can’t sell entitlement cuts to his base, or indeed Democrats in general, without Republicans agreeing to new revenues, and has offered them a straightforward compromise — one that would anger the base on both sides — based on the premise that total victory for the GOP is not an acceptable or realistic outcome."
"1) Obama can’t sell entitlement cuts to his base, or indeed Democrats in general, without Republicans agreeing to new revenues, and has offered them a straightforward compromise — one that would anger the base on both sides — based on the premise that total victory for the GOP is not an acceptable or realistic outcome."
"2) Republican leaders can’t even begin to acknowledge that Obama has offered them a real compromise, because they can’t sell their base on the idea that the President is being flexible, let alone get them to seriously entertain accepting any compromise with him, because the base sees total victory over Obama as the only acceptable outcome."
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Work is Slowing Down my Posting
Funny how that is.
The Lexington column in the Economist this week outlines the argument by many politicians that the US is becoming more like Europe in terms of government policies. He goes on to lay out why that is not the case except in one very important way.
That way is the very reason I started writing this blog. Europeans don't know how to compromise very well when it comes to difficult political decisions and can carry outright hate into such discussions. He fears that the U.S. focus on "my way or the highway" from the Tea Party and Hard Left is permeating the middle as exhibited by the lack of willingness to compromise in Washington. This is setting the U.S. down that familiar European road for good.
We will see if a Grand Bargain is possible and whether the Congress starts to process Presidential appointments so the government can function.
The Lexington column in the Economist this week outlines the argument by many politicians that the US is becoming more like Europe in terms of government policies. He goes on to lay out why that is not the case except in one very important way.
That way is the very reason I started writing this blog. Europeans don't know how to compromise very well when it comes to difficult political decisions and can carry outright hate into such discussions. He fears that the U.S. focus on "my way or the highway" from the Tea Party and Hard Left is permeating the middle as exhibited by the lack of willingness to compromise in Washington. This is setting the U.S. down that familiar European road for good.
We will see if a Grand Bargain is possible and whether the Congress starts to process Presidential appointments so the government can function.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Truer Words Were Never Spoken
"What I really hate about the sequester is the way it confirms the conventional wisdom that “both sides are wrong.” This is usually the kind of lazy pseudoanalysis that drives me up the wall. But it took both Obama and the Republicans to get us into this mess — and nobody has a clue how to get us out of it."
Eugene Robinson The Washington Post 3/5/13
Eugene Robinson The Washington Post 3/5/13
Friday, March 1, 2013
Prior Unread & Unloved Blogs all in one place
The Keystone Pipeline Decision Written on 2/18/13
It is better to pay Canada for the oil rather then pay anyone else for the oil because they do not spend the money on helping America's enemies (like the Middle East exporters) and they do not cozy up to our enemies like Venezuela does.
Another pipeline is not going to prevent any development of alternative energy. That will develop or not develop based upon its own economics and this pipeline will only replace other oil that would have been imported from somewhere else.
The pipeline will be no more polluting than any other pipeline, of which there are thousands of miles already in place through out the nation. We don't have an economy without these pipelines. We don't have gas heat, hot water or stoves without these pipelines.
This part of the midwest needs a pipeline to bring the oil down from North Dakota as well as Alberta.
Mr. Obama should approve the Keystone Pipeline.
Another pipeline is not going to prevent any development of alternative energy. That will develop or not develop based upon its own economics and this pipeline will only replace other oil that would have been imported from somewhere else.
The pipeline will be no more polluting than any other pipeline, of which there are thousands of miles already in place through out the nation. We don't have an economy without these pipelines. We don't have gas heat, hot water or stoves without these pipelines.
This part of the midwest needs a pipeline to bring the oil down from North Dakota as well as Alberta.
Mr. Obama should approve the Keystone Pipeline.
WSJ Editorial Page Acknowledges Global Warming
Written on 2/19/13
I figure I should pull this out of another posting and shout it from the roof top.
In an editorial on another topic ( and I did pull it out of context, but the statement stands on its own),
the Saturday 2/19 Wall Street Journal Editorial page contained the following line written by the Editorial Board.
"We're all for studying the climate and doing what can be done within economic reason to cope with temperature changes."
For the record, The WSJ Editorial Board generally supports everything the GOP stands for today. They appear to be changing their minds about this topic.
In an editorial on another topic ( and I did pull it out of context, but the statement stands on its own),
the Saturday 2/19 Wall Street Journal Editorial page contained the following line written by the Editorial Board.
"We're all for studying the climate and doing what can be done within economic reason to cope with temperature changes."
For the record, The WSJ Editorial Board generally supports everything the GOP stands for today. They appear to be changing their minds about this topic.
Are the Helfenstine's committing The Perfect Crime?
Written on 2/24/13
No, this is not a political comment.
I have become sick and tired of these anonymous calls offering to lower my credit card interest rate. I have tried to get my phone numbers removed and found the people to always just hang up on me and move on to the next one. Yes, my numbers are on the "Do Not Call List", but that doesn't seem to work on these people.
Today in The Haggler column in the NYT business section, we find out the depth of the problem in trying to reach these people who have figured out a way to use far off phone numbers, shell companies, and other forms of anonymity to commit fraud with no ready way to find them guilty of a crime.
Believe it or not, some people have fallen for these guys and paid them $1,000 or $2,000.
How do they do it? Well the column has not yet gotten to the bottom of it, but they did learn a few things. The person who was part of the fraud gave up a name of the company: Account Management Assistance ("AMA"). The phone number that started the trail was on a website called "800notes.com" and had a lot of complaints. The Haggle posted a note and invited people to contact him.
One woman who was defrauded out of $1,000 had a P.O. Box in Florida and had tried to get Florida's anti-fraud enforcers to help her. She also had the name of someone at AMA and a phone number to call him. When The Haggler tried to reach that person he was given the run around and when asked what company he had reached, was told Elephant, Inc and that they were in Hawaii.
The AMA does not have a website, and no existence beyond the P.O. Box. The Florida Better Business Bureau does a have record for AMA and shows it to be owned by another Florida company called Your Financial Ladder, and includes another company called Economic Progress. Economic Progress was created by someone known as Brenda Helfenstine. She and her husband Tony were sued by the Arkansas Attorney General, but it is not clear what became of that lawsuit. Since the Helfenstine's hide their identity, that may not even be there real names.
The Haggler's research found an address for them and a phone number, but phone calls were not answered nor returned after messages were left.
So The Haggler tried to prompt Florida consumer protection people to find the Helfenstine's. They did investigate a bit finding the address for one company was a residence with no evidence of a business being conducted there so they stopped. But The Haggler found out the address is where the Helfenstine's live. So Florida could at least start to investigate these people. There certainly is enough evidence for that. I don't know about a conviction. You would have to prove who ordered all those false phone numbers, PO Boxes, and any real incorporation documents.
That is why this may be the perfect crime. If you can hide everything under false names, how do the authorities come up with the hard evidence to convict. Right now, they seem so strapped for funds due to government financial woes, they cannot even investigate the crime.
As for the Helfenstine's, you are despicable human beings. I hope you rot in hell.
I have become sick and tired of these anonymous calls offering to lower my credit card interest rate. I have tried to get my phone numbers removed and found the people to always just hang up on me and move on to the next one. Yes, my numbers are on the "Do Not Call List", but that doesn't seem to work on these people.
Today in The Haggler column in the NYT business section, we find out the depth of the problem in trying to reach these people who have figured out a way to use far off phone numbers, shell companies, and other forms of anonymity to commit fraud with no ready way to find them guilty of a crime.
Believe it or not, some people have fallen for these guys and paid them $1,000 or $2,000.
How do they do it? Well the column has not yet gotten to the bottom of it, but they did learn a few things. The person who was part of the fraud gave up a name of the company: Account Management Assistance ("AMA"). The phone number that started the trail was on a website called "800notes.com" and had a lot of complaints. The Haggle posted a note and invited people to contact him.
One woman who was defrauded out of $1,000 had a P.O. Box in Florida and had tried to get Florida's anti-fraud enforcers to help her. She also had the name of someone at AMA and a phone number to call him. When The Haggler tried to reach that person he was given the run around and when asked what company he had reached, was told Elephant, Inc and that they were in Hawaii.
The AMA does not have a website, and no existence beyond the P.O. Box. The Florida Better Business Bureau does a have record for AMA and shows it to be owned by another Florida company called Your Financial Ladder, and includes another company called Economic Progress. Economic Progress was created by someone known as Brenda Helfenstine. She and her husband Tony were sued by the Arkansas Attorney General, but it is not clear what became of that lawsuit. Since the Helfenstine's hide their identity, that may not even be there real names.
The Haggler's research found an address for them and a phone number, but phone calls were not answered nor returned after messages were left.
So The Haggler tried to prompt Florida consumer protection people to find the Helfenstine's. They did investigate a bit finding the address for one company was a residence with no evidence of a business being conducted there so they stopped. But The Haggler found out the address is where the Helfenstine's live. So Florida could at least start to investigate these people. There certainly is enough evidence for that. I don't know about a conviction. You would have to prove who ordered all those false phone numbers, PO Boxes, and any real incorporation documents.
That is why this may be the perfect crime. If you can hide everything under false names, how do the authorities come up with the hard evidence to convict. Right now, they seem so strapped for funds due to government financial woes, they cannot even investigate the crime.
As for the Helfenstine's, you are despicable human beings. I hope you rot in hell.
Why Both Parties Need to Educate the Voters with Facts
Written 2/24/13
From the Pew Research Center
19% of the population wants only spending cuts.
76% want spending cuts and revenue increases with more spending cuts than revenue increases.
OK, a balanced approach until you get to the details, which is why both parties need to be honest with the voters.
49% want to increase spending on the world's needy. 48% decrease
60% want to increase spending on the State Department. 34% decrease
65% want to increase spending on the Unemployed. 32% decrease
73%...........increase.........on the military. 24% decrease
71% ............................on aid to the needy. 24% decrease
72%...........increase...............health care. 22% decrease
76% ....................................environment. 22% decrease
74%.....................................energy. 21% decrease
77%..................................science research. 20% decrease
76%..................................agriculture. 20% decrease
77%...................................anti-terrorism. 19% decrease
81%....................................infrastructure. 17% decrease
82%....................................medicare. 15% decrease
82%................................anti-crime. 14% decrease
83%................................food&drug. 14% decrease
84%.................................FEMA. 12% decrease
89%..................................education. 10% decrease
87%.................................social security. 10% decrease
91%..........increase..........Veteran's Benefits. 6% decrease
Is it any wonder the GOP's effort to starve the beast and get what they want has failed when there is so little popular support for cutting anything in detail? Clearly something needs to give and the only way for that to happen is for both political parties to educate the voters about reality and not go for the easy spin.
There are many places where this education process has gone off the rail, but the death knell in my opinion was the Death Panel hoop-de-doo during the passage of Obamacare. Now the GOP is committed to patients getting whatever care they need without question and their only solution is to give medicare to the private health insurance companies that have fostered the very things that are bankrupting the country.
It makes me as sick as Rush Limbaugh is. That is the first time I ever agreed with him.
19% of the population wants only spending cuts.
76% want spending cuts and revenue increases with more spending cuts than revenue increases.
OK, a balanced approach until you get to the details, which is why both parties need to be honest with the voters.
49% want to increase spending on the world's needy. 48% decrease
60% want to increase spending on the State Department. 34% decrease
65% want to increase spending on the Unemployed. 32% decrease
73%...........increase.........on the military. 24% decrease
71% ............................on aid to the needy. 24% decrease
72%...........increase...............health care. 22% decrease
76% ....................................environment. 22% decrease
74%.....................................energy. 21% decrease
77%..................................science research. 20% decrease
76%..................................agriculture. 20% decrease
77%...................................anti-terrorism. 19% decrease
81%....................................infrastructure. 17% decrease
82%....................................medicare. 15% decrease
82%................................anti-crime. 14% decrease
83%................................food&drug. 14% decrease
84%.................................FEMA. 12% decrease
89%..................................education. 10% decrease
87%.................................social security. 10% decrease
91%..........increase..........Veteran's Benefits. 6% decrease
Is it any wonder the GOP's effort to starve the beast and get what they want has failed when there is so little popular support for cutting anything in detail? Clearly something needs to give and the only way for that to happen is for both political parties to educate the voters about reality and not go for the easy spin.
There are many places where this education process has gone off the rail, but the death knell in my opinion was the Death Panel hoop-de-doo during the passage of Obamacare. Now the GOP is committed to patients getting whatever care they need without question and their only solution is to give medicare to the private health insurance companies that have fostered the very things that are bankrupting the country.
It makes me as sick as Rush Limbaugh is. That is the first time I ever agreed with him.
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