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From naive simplicity we arrive at more profound simplicity.
-- Albert Schweitzer
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The Universal Music Group is retarded. They have utterly no clue how to market. What could have been an engaging and cute way of making people feel good about Prince's music, they turn the music into a negative. A "source" in the article says that it was Prince's doing, but um, he was giving away his new album. I'm skeptical of the "source," especially since it's Universal Music Group that has been pulling all of its artists songs from YouTube unless it's through Universal's YouTube account, and they don't allow us web site owners to embed the video into our site. For them, it's their channel or no channel. |
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I'm up late working on the development project, and during a break, I read that Rep. Charlie Rangel (D) of New York wants to raise the taxes of the top income bracket. The bill may propose that high-income filers would pay at least a 4 percent surtax on adjusted gross incomes above $100,000 ($200,000 for joint-filers). Now, I wonder why this is necessary, because I recently read that the budget deficit is the lowest it's been in 5 years because of rising tax revenues at the current tax rates. If current tax revenue is getting closer to bringing about a balanced budget, why increase the tax rates?Part of Rangel's proposal is to get rid of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) - a mechanism by which upper-income people pay more tax than normal rates. The problem with the AMT is that it hits a lot of voters. Hey, I'm good with the idea of dropping the AMT. But again, I argue: why raise rates at all? If the budget gets closer to being balanced, why not drop the AMT and stave off higher taxes for everyone? A tax hike is unnecessary - unless of course Democrats plan on a Democrat president and increased government spending in 2009. Oink. Look... the highest income folks pay the most in taxes already. The top 1% pay more income tax than the bottom 90%, according to the IRS. So why penalize the successful? Since when was that what America was all about? Answer: It's not. ETC: Pale Rider chimes in with a great comment. I'll quote him in full... Get ready for socialism courtesy of Hillary. Dems have been wanting this for years. If they get both houses and the presidency they may finally get their wish. To be fair though they should run as a socialist party. Although the republicans have slid so far left they should run as democrats. There really aren't any conservatives left. Kind of funny to watch them argue about who is more republican. Seeing how I am of fair mind today I'll also say we don't have to wait until 2009 for more spending. Bush has spent more than Bill Clinton ever dreamt of. He's dead on balls accurate.(It's an industry term...) MORE ETC:I found this at Ann Althouse's place via Glenn Reynolds.  Yep... Hillary said, "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." Socialism is right. |
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So, on this project I've mentioned a couple of times, I needed a new domain and a logo. I bought 247toolset.com (goes nowhere yet, so don't bother) and created a logo tonight.  Feels good. Now, back to work programming. And just sayin', the best pipes in the business these days is Christina Aguilera. Damn, that girl can sing. |
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My step-daughter, Tess, was in a movie/documentary and we drove to Baltimore to take her to see its premier.  I'll reference the film when it comes out. Here are some other pictures of the trip...     |
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There's comes a point in every project where you're knee-deep into it and it seems like an ever-increasing amount of work and you know you have aspects of it yet to figure out and it's a bit daunting. But you keep putting one foot in front of the other. That's how a project comes to pass: one step at a time. And then there's my favorite part of the project: that part where things are really coming together and you begin to see it as it really is...  From that point forward, it gets fun and easy. Effortless, almost. A couple of months back, I mentioned that I was undertaking a secret project. A few people know about it, and it's been an evening and weekend effort, stuffed between time with my beautiful wife and the kids. Lots of imagination, scenarios, a few meetings, emails, coding, analysis, and - most importantly - optimism. I do a demo of it this week to my partners, and with their tweak requests and the last phase of coding, I'll have not much left but testing and previewing to customers - who've already expressed interest and want to see it. Nice when that happens before you even finish. Today, as I finish each two-hour shift of programming, I get up from the chair and bounce around the house, excited. I feel like I could stop bullets... I love this part of projects. |
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Glass Ceiling? I Don't Think So... |
To pave the way for Iowa to elect Hillary Clinton, I guess someone figured that an article needed to be written to goad us into it. Iowa is one of only two states - Mississippi is the other - that have never sent a woman to Congress or the governor's mansion. That may be true, but it's not due to a glass ceiling. Iowa has a greater percentage of women in its statehouse than the US Congress does - by about twice.Here in Iowa, most of the managers with whom I've worked have been women. In fact, most of the managers where I now work are women, including the president of the company. If Hillary gets into office, let it be for the fact that she is the best person for the job (she's not), and not for the token that she happens to be a woman. Iowa typically votes Democrat in its choice for president anyway, so I don't know why this article was necessary, but evidently someone thought so. |
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Our two boys are graduating this year. I went out tonight and took their senior pictures.   Nick's turned out well. I'm pleased with the results. Tyler's pictures showed more of his style. The next one isn't so much a senior picture as it is just a good picture.  And this:  His grass shots will probably be his senior pictures...    It was cool to do this with them. We might shoot some more later in a different light. |
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This guy's take on the Republican debate last night kills me. Paul tried to interrupt, but failed. His voice was so high this time, that my dog went nuts and wet on the carpet.Romney is fielding yet another question. He's smoother than a smoothie smoothed over with fine-grit sandpaper, then sent out for further smoothing to Kruger Industrial Smoothing. Second commercial break, third martini. Can I keep up this pace? Can I hear a hallelujah? Love it! |
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