Archive for September 18th, 2006


HP spying was elaborate

The NY Times has the details. Attempted bugging of a journalist’s computer, gathering of phone records and spying on their own board members - all with “some degree of supervision” from the CEO and general counsel, and happening earlier and more extensively than previously thought.

The more HP stonewalls this, the worse it will be for them.

Amusingly, the NY Times article is clearly the result of leaks from inside HP.

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That road goes nowhere

Two people Sue and I know have recently cratered their lives by going back to the crack pipe after being clean and sober for a while.

One committed credit card fraud to pay for his habit, the other has vanished after she started using last week. No one has seen her, and her apartment appears unused. The first one had a successful business and is now living at a rescue mission, the second, a good job, and she’s blown that up.

“All a friend can say is, ain’t it a shame,” and I say that as one who has been clean and sober a long time now. But there’s nothing you can do until they want to quit.

Someone who made it- Ann Richards, former governor of Texas, who by her own words used to “drink like a fish”, died with nearly 26 years of sobriety - and as governor she started rehab programs in Texas prisons too.

PS. A joke maybe only those familiar with alcoholism and drug addiction can appreciate.

“What’s the difference between an alcoholic and an addict?”

“An alcoholic will steal your money, spend it on booze, come back, and tearfully admit he stole the money. An addict will steal your money, spend it on drugs, come back, and help you look for the money.”

[tags]alcoholism,drug addiction[/tags]

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Will the Pope semi-apologize for this too?

“We preach the crucified Christ - a scandal for the Jews, a folly for the pagans”.

That’s the verse from the Bible the Pope cited shortly after semi-apologizing for his remarks about Islam. This is a politically savvy and well-educated man. Such remarks coming as they did have to be assumed to be deliberate and not a lapse of judgment. But then, he did used to head the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a veritable bastion of true believers that once ran the Spanish Inquisition.

A rabbi responded, saying the Pope’s comments “may be unwise in the current climate.” Indeed.

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Excesses of capitalism

When predatory greed is the accepted norm…

Insurance

Blue Cross in California apparently has devised a novel way to save money. If claims get too high, they cancel the policy retroactively. The State of California is expected to bring action against them quite soon, and a multitude of lawsuits have been filed. Meanwhile, those whose policies have been cancelled might lose their homes.

Many years ago, I worked at a small insurance agency. The owner had a cartoon on his wall, drawn by a friend. It showed him saying to a client, “You’re covered for everything but claims.” Yuck, yuck. However, he was kidding. Blue Cross, it appears, isn’t.

Mining

Mining companies in Illinois plan to use the “longwall” method to get coal. This causes the earth to sink several feet, causing homes, roads, and cropland to sink. The companies say they’ll get around to fixing the sinkholes (how?), so stop the jabbering about your house foundation being askew.

Why is this even allowed? Why is private profit so clearly being put above the public good? Houses should not be allowed to sink so someone else can make a profit. Nor should insurance companies be allowed to cancel policies because it costs them too much. We need an economic system where the health and welfare of the people is foremost, not one where the profit motive works to their detriment.

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D’oh

A Wisconsin group is linking hot temperatures to global warming.

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US government set to free terrorist

Luis Posada Carilles has boasted of blowing up a plane with innocents aboard. Now the U.S wants to free him, and thus, not extradite him to stand trial.

Take action!

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