I’m lucky enough to live in the same town as my three grandchildren, and lucky enough that their parents allow them to have overnight visits on a regular basis. I love my grandkids and enjoy spending as much time with them as I can.
Month: January 2006
Wireless Is Strange
I’ve had a wireless network for several years, and until a couple of months ago, it operated perfectly, with an Apple Airport as the router.
Kerry and Alito
John Kerry’s quixotic vow to filibuster Samuel Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court has mean-spirited Republicans gyrating with glee and some left-of-center pundits shaking their heads.
Chertoff – Out of Sync with Bush?
Homeland Security Michael Chertoff put the kibosh on a plan by an agency of the Mexican GOVERNMENT to provide MAPS of the Arizona desert to migrants who want to cross the border illegally into the US.
You read that right: the Mexican government was planning to distribute 70,000 maps of highways, rescue beacons and water tanks to encourage its own citizens to enter our country illegally.
They have since dropped the idea, fearing that anti-immigration groups here would use the maps for their own evil purposes, like keeping US citizens safe from unlicensed drivers who drive unregistered and uninsured cars, preventing non-taxpayers from using publicly-funded services, pissing on people’s lawns, driving down wages, etc.
Freaking unbelievable, whot?
As noted in this entry’s title, I’m wondering how Chertoff got away with voicing his objections. After all, isn’t the Bush Administration all about granting amnesty, encouraging the depression of wages and salaries to benefit their “Base”, and adding to the roles of Republican voters, with or without the help of the Diebold Corporation?
So I Ask, Who ARE These People?
The Economic Policy Institute and the Center on Budget Priorities ranks Massachusetts number 11 out of the 50 states in having the widest income gap between the top 5% and lowest 20% of families: $233,108 versus $19,690.
In other words, the wealthiest Mass. residents have almost 12 times the income of the lowest 1/5.
That’s ONE FIFTH – one out of every five families gets by on about 1/12 the amount of the richest among us, or should I say the richest among THEM.
Massachusetts may be one of the worst cases, but this income gap was seen in literally every state in the US. In Wyoming, the “best” case, the income of the lowest 20% of families is still only 1/8 of the income of the wealthiest.
Angel and Demons
Pure good and unredeemable evil are real: MSNBC reported the unbelievable story of an Atlanta woman whose purity of heart and flawless instincts saved two children from a pair of low-life child molesters.
Hamas
So far, the fundamentalist political party/terrorist group Hamas has won 76 of 132 seats in the Palestinian legislature, which gives them control of the government.
A Good Son
Yesterday, while crossing one of the bridges over Fort Point Channel, I called Peter to tell him something long overdue, that he is a good son, and I appreciate him.
McLean’s Laws of Meetings
Individual meetings should last no more than 45 minutes.
If you can’t finish a meeting in 45 minutes, then you weren’t prepared for it in the first place, so have mercy on the participants and announce as soon as diplomatically possible that you are scheduling a follow-on.
A Little Snow Goes a Long Way
Yesterday, we were hit by a morning snowstorm that turned rush hour traffic into a misery. The road conditions in Southeastern Mass. and the Boston area weren’t bad, but visibility was way, way down.