Protect yourself and your family with knowledge-----Researchers reveal that millions of ‘secure’ Kwikset smartkey locks can be opened with simple tools

Researchers reveal that millions of ‘secure’ Kwikset smartkey locks can be opened with simple tools | End the Lie – Independent News:
"If you are one of the millions of people who have Kiwkset smartkey locks on your home, it’s time to seriously consider changing those out for something a bit more secure.

Despite the security claims made about the smartkey locks, researchers demonstrated the ability to bypass the locks with “a screwdriver and a paper clip” and will present the technique at the DefCon hacker conference today."

Free enterprise=Compassion -----------------Chart of the greatest and most remarkable achievement in human history, and one you probably never heard about

Chart of the greatest and most remarkable achievement in human history, and one you probably never heard about | AEIdeas:
It turns out that between 1970 and 2010 the worst poverty in the world – people who live on one dollar a day or less – that has decreased by 80 percent (see chart above). You never hear about that.

It’s the greatest achievement in human history, and you never hear about it.

80 percent of the world’s worst poverty has been eradicated in less than 40 years. 

That has never, ever happened before.

So what did that? What accounts for that?

 United Nations? 

US foreign aid? 

The International Monetary Fund? Central planning? 

No.

It was globalization, free trade, the boom in international entrepreneurship. 

In short, it was the free enterprise system, American style, which is our gift to the world.

I will state, assert and defend the statement that if you love the poor, if you are a good Samaritan, you must stand for the free enterprise system, and you must defend it, not just for ourselves but for people around the world. It is the best anti-poverty measure ever invented.

We have a president embracing America's defeat----- Al-Qaeda force captures Fallujah amid rise in violence in Iraq

Al-Qaeda force captures Fallujah amid rise in violence in Iraq - The Washington Post:

BEIRUT — A rejuvenated al-Qaeda force asserted control over the western Iraqi town of Fallujah on Friday, raising its flag over government buildings and declaring an Islamic state in one of the most crucial areas that U.S. troops fought to pacify before withdrawing from Iraq two years ago.
The capture of Fallujah came amid an explosion of violence across the western desert province of Anbar in which local tribes, the Iraqi security forces and al-Qaeda militants have been fighting one another for days in a confusingly chaotic three- way war.
Elsewhere province, local tribal militias claimed they were gaining ground against the al-Qaeda militants who surged into urban areas from their desert strongholds earlier this week after clashes erupted between local residents and the Iraqi security forces.
But in Fallujah, where Marines fought the bloodiest battle of the Iraq war in 2004, the militants appeared to have the upper hand, underscoring the extent to which the Iraqi security forces have struggled to sustain the gains made by U.S. troops before they withdrew in December 2011.

Think twice before "investing" time and money in kollege-----Peter Thiel’s Graph of the Year

Peter Thiel’s Graph of the Year: "Wonkblog
 For 2013, we asked some of the year's most interesting, important and influential thinkers to name their favorite graph of the year — and why they chose it. Here's Peter Thiel's."

"Knowledge may be priceless, but a higher education is clearly not. 
University administrators keep hiking tuition, the wages of graduates keep falling, and a whole generation of Americans is struggling under the crushing burden of debt as they postpone their dreams for a tomorrow that may never come."

15 Fast Food FAILS!!

Life Clock-How long you got?

Life Clock:

History for January 4 - Perihelion, Brilliant and Caring, a whole bunch of "How'd that work out for ya?"

History for January 4 - On-This-Day.com:

Earth at perihelion—that point in its orbit when it is closest to the sun (about 91,400,000 miles).

Birth anniversary of physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727).

Birth anniversary of Louis Braille (1809-52)

1884 - The socialist Fabian Society was founded in London.














1951 - During the Korean conflict, North Korean and Communist Chinese forces captured the city of Seoul.










1965 - In his State of the Union address, U.S. President Johnson proclaimed the building of the "Great Society."

1974 - U.S. President Nixon refused to hand over tape recordings and documents subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.

1999 - Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura was sworn in as Minnesota's 37th governor.

2006 - Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She was the first woman to hold the position.

Amazing American. Amazing life.--------WWII Veteran Aviator Bill Overstreet and His P-51 Mustang, "Berlin Express"

Bill passed away Dec. 29, 2013
He was 92.
WWII Veteran Aviator Bill Overstreet and His P-51 Mustang, "Berlin Express"
Bill relates, “Not long after (the March 6th Mission), I had a freak accident. 
I think it was a mission to southern France. 
While over enemy territory, a burst of flak cut my oxygen line. 
Since I was at about 25,000 feet, I soon passed out. 
The next thing I knew, I was in a spin, engine dead since the fuel tank it was set on was dry. 
Somehow, I recovered from the spin, changed fuel setting, got the engine started, and dodged the trees that were in front of me. 
Then, I looked at my watch. 
Ninety minutes were not in my memory. 
I had no idea where I was, but remembered where I had been headed so I reversed it. 
I was able to find the coast of France and headed for Leiston. 
By this time, I was low on fuel, so I landed at the Fourth Group base.  – Lowell Thomas on radio, newspapers and TIME magazine.“

Now they tell us.

Great Moments in Border Control

Great Moments in Border Control | Cato @ Liberty:
"One reader recalled the travel woes of distinguished Polish pianist Kristian Zimerman, as recounted by the L.A. Times:
Zimerman has had problems in the United States in recent years.
He travels with his own Steinway piano, which he has altered himself. 
But shortly after 9/11, the instrument was confiscated at JFK Airport when he landed in New York to give a recital at Carnegie Hall.
Thinking the glue smelled funny, the TSA decided to take no chances and destroyed the instrument.  
Yes, by all means, let’s put federal agencies in charge of as many aspects of our lives as possible."

WeMOG-Kayak training!

For anyone interested in practicing with their kayak in a swimming pool, or learning to roll their kayak,  I will be supervising pool sessions and providing instruction in Grandville this winter. 

The next sessions are January 18 and 25 from 3 - 5 p.m.

The cost is $15 the first time, and $10 each time after that.
You can read about more details at this website: http://www.wmcka.org/events.php
Call me if you have any questions. (231) 893-6905
I have extra equipment if you don't have enough, or don't have the right type.
Roger Starring

The Obama Box

The Obama Box | Washington Free Beacon:
"The dramas the president favors are soap operas with sophisticated vocabularies.
Left unmentioned is the difference between the shows Shears poo-poos and the shows Obama watches.
It is the same difference between a juicer bought at Wal-Mart and one bought at Williams-Sonoma: the latter is a luxury good.
It takes cash to afford the cable connections, premium channels, and Netflix subscriptions required to watch all of the titles on the president’s viewing list.
It is also necessary to have leisure time, which, disturbingly, the president seems to have a lot of. 
No wonder he finds out about everything from the newspapers."

Kim Jong-Un had uncle stripped naked, thrown into a cage and eaten alive by dogs

Kim Jong-Un had uncle stripped naked, thrown into a cage and eaten alive by dogs | Mail Online:
"How Kim Jong-Un killed his 'scum' uncle:
-Dictator had him stripped naked, thrown into a cage and eaten alive by pack of dogs
-A pack of 120 starving dogs were set on Jang Song Thaek and five aides
Kim Jong-Un and 300 officials watched horrific execution
-Punishment, called 'quan jue', or execution by dogs, lasted an hour
-Uncle was accused of treachery and corruption by the brutal regime
Kim has carried out a 'massive purge' of threats to consolidate his grip"

IMF paper warns of 'savings tax' and mass write-offs as West's debt hits 200-year high

IMF paper warns of 'savings tax' and mass write-offs as West's debt hits 200-year high - Telegraph:
"Much of the Western world will require defaults, a savings tax and higher inflation to clear the way for recovery as debt levels reach a 200-year high, according to a new report by the International Monetary Fund.
The IMF working paper said debt burdens in developed nations have become extreme by any historical measure and will require a wave of haircuts, either negotiated 1930s-style write-offs or the standard mix of measures used by the IMF in its “toolkit” for emerging market blow-ups.
“The size of the problem suggests that restructurings will be needed, for example, in the periphery of Europe, far beyond anything discussed in public to this point,” said the paper, by Harvard professors Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff.
The paper said policy elites in the West are still clinging to the illusion that rich countries are different from poorer regions and can therefore chip away at their debts with a blend of austerity cuts, growth, and tinkering (“forbearance”)."

Yikes! There may be hope for Dead City------Detroit police chief: Legal gun owners can deter crime

Detroit police chief: Legal gun owners can deter crime | The Detroit News

Detroit— If more citizens were armed, criminals would think twice about attacking them, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Thursday.

Urban police chiefs are typically in favor of gun control or reluctant to discuss the issue, but Craig on Thursday was candid about how he’s changed his mind.

“When we look at the good community members who have concealed weapons permits, the likelihood they’ll shoot is based on a lack of confidence in this Police Department,” Craig said at a press conference at police headquarters, adding that he thinks more Detroit citizens feel safer, thanks in part to a 7 percent drop in violent crime in 2013.

Craig said he started believing that legal gun owners can deter crime when he became police chief in Portland, Maine, in 2009.

“Coming from California (Craig was on the Los Angeles police force for 28 years), where it takes an act of Congress to get a concealed weapon permit, I got to Maine, where they give out lots of CCWs (carrying concealed weapon permits), and I had a stack of CCW permits I was denying; that was my orientation.

“I changed my orientation real quick. Maine is one of the safest places in America. 
Clearly, suspects knew that good Americans were armed.”

Isn't being mugged and taxed to death "not humane" too?-------------NYC Aims to Ban Horses, Create Stable of Electric Cars

NYC Aims to Ban Horses, Create Stable of Electric Cars | CNS News:

When it comes to horse-drawn carriages in NYC, Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio says, “It’s over.”

Sworn into office by Bill Clinton yesterday, de Blasio aims to replace the horse-drawn carriages that have historically pulled visitors through Central Park with electric cars.

Antique-style design electric cars are currently what are being considered. The mayor's team says the plan to go retro in style and modern electric in horsepower will help save the carriage workers' jobs that would otherwise end with the ban.

So possibly in the near future, during a trip to NYC tourists can look forward to - getting into an electric car.

“No tourist comes to New York City just to ride on a horse carriage," Allie Feldman, executive director of NYCLASS, an animal rights group, told CNN.

De Blasio says horse carriages are “not humane” and are cruel to the animals.

Next election (TAX INCREASE) Feb. 25, 2014-----Muskegon County Clerk

Muskegon County Clerk:

Barry wants to up it to $30 BILLION????? -------------------Americans Spent $7.45B in 3 Years Helping Other Countries Deal With ‘Climate Change’

Americans Spent $7.45B in 3 Years Helping Other Countries Deal With ‘Climate Change’ | CNS News:
 "American taxpayers spent $7.45 billion to help developing countries cope with climate change in fiscal years 2010 through 2012, according to a federal government report submitted to the United Nations on a subject that Secretary of State John Kerry described as “a truly life-and-death challenge.”

That sum of $7.45 billion, which reached more than 120 countries through bilateral and multilateral channels, met President Obama’s “commitment to provide our fair share” of a collective pledge by developed nations to provide a total of nearly $30 billion in “fast start finance” (FSF), the report stated."

Important news! -----------------Dogs Poop in Alignment with Earth's Magnetic Field

Dogs Poop in Alignment with Earth's Magnetic Field | Motherboard:
"Dogs seem to have an awful lot of ritual before hunkering down and soiling the sidewalk.
It’s not uncommon to see a dog owner—plastic bag in hand—rolling his eyes as his furry companion sniffs and spins, getting just so before hunkering down to do the least considerate thing possible.

But for whatever its worth, all that spinning is far from arbitrary. 
What dog owners witness is a small and furry version of the aurora borealis and a link between species and environment that’s as holistic and beautiful as a dog pooping can be.
A team of Czech and German researchers found that dogs actually align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field when they poop."

Inept socialists can't even run a little power plant-------Lansing outage sparks calls for more oversight

BINGO!
Lansing outage sparks calls for more oversight | The Detroit News:
"Power issues remain for the utility, which is overseen by an eight-member board appointed by Lansing’s mayor and approved by the council. "

Is ANYONE surprised?-------------'They had no idea if my insurance was active or not!': At Virginia hospitals, Obamacare confusion reigns as frustrated patients walk out

'They had no idea if my insurance was active or not!': At Virginia hospitals, Obamacare confusion reigns as frustrated patients walk out | Mail Online:
"'They had no idea if my insurance was active or not!': Obamacare confusion reigns as frustrated patients walk out of hospitals without treatment
MailOnline spoke with patients who were told they would have to pay their bills in full if they couldn't prove they had insurance
One was faced with a $3,000 hospital room charge and opted to leave the hospital after experiencing chest pains
'Should I be in the hospital?
Probably,' she said
Another, coughing in the cold, walked out without receiving a needed chest x-ray
Consumers face sticker-shock from medical costs under the new Obamacare system, made worse if they can't prove they're insured
As many as one-third of new enrollees' applications have seen problems when the government transmits them to insurance companies"

Walgreens, WalMart Offer Free Prescriptions to ObamaCare Customers

Data Goldmine: Walgreens, WalMart Offer Free Prescriptions to ObamaCare Customers
In what you can interpret as either an act of corporate altruism, corporate lobbying, or a mix of both, two giant retailers -- Walmart and Walgreens -- have agreed to save the Obama Administration from who knows how many horror-story anecdotes by agreeing to fill 30 days of free prescriptions for ObamaCare enrollees. 
The question is, though, what happens to the data and patient information these retailers collect?

When you have two of the biggest retailers in the country collecting untold amounts of personal health information from who knows how many people seeking free prescriptions, in the wake of revelations surrounding domestic NSA and Justice Department spying (on reporters!), it is not unreasonable to worry about this.
We also know that a number of large corporations have apparently cooperated with the federal government's data grabs.

According to one Walgreens pharmacist Breitbart News spoke with Tuesday, in April the DEA started requiring pharmacies to ask an increased number of medical questions and show a photo ID for certain medications. 
There have also been reports that through ObamaCare the federal government is compiling data based on a series of new and intrusive question doctors are required to ask.

Big Business has already shown a willingness to share data with the government and to help big government programs like ObamaCare succeed and there is just no question that the federal government is escalating its intrusion into what should be the most personal information of all -- the status of our personal health. 

Economic fascism---Stop the bailout, now

Charles Krauthammer: Stop the bailout, now - The Washington Post
First order of business for the returning Congress:
The No Bailout for Insurance Companies Act of 2014.
Make it one line long: “Sections 1341 and 1342 of the Affordable Care Act are hereby repealed.”
End of bill.
End of bailout.
End of story.

Why do we need it?
On Dec. 18, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers was asked what was the administration’s Plan B if, because of adverse selection (enrolling too few young and healthies), the insurance companies face financial difficulty.

Jason Furman wouldn’t bite.

“There’s a Plan A,” he replied. 

Enroll the young.
But of course there’s a Plan B. 

It’s a government bailout.