Category: News

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ExpressToll in Colorado will charge $7 to verify account holders

ExpressToll will charge $7 to verify account holders : Traffic : The Rocky Mountain News
I just want to say that this is the worst thing that I have ever heard of.  Charging people to verify that their license plate & vehicle is in the system.

I am paying to use the road and they keep an amount of cash in my account.  When I go through the toll booth, they deduct the toll.

Now if their (emphasis added) system does not pick up the transponder in my vehicle, they look at my license plate and see if it is registered in the system.  If it is, they deduct the amount from my account.  If not, they send out a ticket.

There have been several times where I have seen a VToll on my account. That means that my transponder failed to trigger the sensor and they had to verify it with my license plate.

If I get charged $7 for that, I will definitely be fighting it.  I think it is ridiculous to charge that additional fee.  Now if you don’t keep your account updated, that is another thing.

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On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble

Talking Business – On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble – NYTimes.com
Google gets positioned as the company that everyone wants to work for because of all they do for their employees.  But in the case of day care, they are falling through the cracks.

By raising the cost of day care, they are creating an elitist atmosphere and a division within their employee ranks.  In creating this division, employees are not happy and many of the brightest are now leaving for other companies.

I am hoping that this shows other companies how not to treat their employees.

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I’ll miss Tim Russert

I just want to say that I’ll miss Tim Russert.
I enjoyed watching “Meet the Press” and listening to his thoughts and insight into political activities on NBC News and MSNBC.  It was quite entertaining and he made it fun because he enjoyed it.

For those of you who don’t know, he passed away today at the age of 58.

I remember back to the Bush-Gore election and Russert was on the news speculating on the electoral college and who was going to win.  It was back-and-forth and he kept erasing his white board.  I was up late that night and Tim was still there with his white board.

I had the opportunity to see Tim speak in person at the PRSA International Conference last fall in Philadelphia.  It was quite a speech and most of it spoke of the upcoming Presidential election.  But he was most proud when he was talking about his book and his dad.

Tim Russert will be missed, especially as we go through this upcoming election.  He made politics fun while educating us and providing a look into the campaigns.

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University of Idaho President Leaves for UC Riverside, why?

University of Idaho President Tim White has announced that he is leaving to take over as Chancellor of the University of California Riverside.  My question is why?
There is no way that UC Riverside is better than the University of Idaho.  UC Riverside has more students (17,000 to about 12,000), but that is about it.  They will be getting a medical school soon, but that is about it. The one negative at Idaho is that you are under much more of a microscope than other schools.

The quality of life and a residential community is so much better at the University of Idaho.  There is a lot more to do, the weather is better, the traffic is non-existent in Moscow compared to Riverside.

At least I can breathe in Moscow, Idaho.  At Riverside you breathe nothing but 100% pure California smog.

President White did a great job at Idaho and I guess he thought it was time to move on. I hope that the Idaho State Board of Education moves quickly, but deliberately in getting someone who will take the University of Idaho to the next level.

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Recession? No! Economy grows by .6%

Despite popular discussion, we are not in a recession, the economy grew by 0.6% in the first quarter of this year. This is the same growth that occurred in the fourth quarter of last year.
The economy is limping along, mainly being pulled down by the housing and credit markets, but it still grew.

I think the media needs to stop the gloom and doom. The keep putting the “R” word out there when it is not really a recession.

So what is a recession. I have found two relevant definitions of what a recession is. Continue reading “Recession? No! Economy grows by .6%”

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In Zimbabwe Jail: A Reporter’s Ordeal

In Zimbabwe Jail: A Reporter’s Ordeal – New York Times
This is a really good article about the oppression, violence, torture and craziness of what is happening in Zimbabwe.  It is really just sad what Robert Mubabe has done to this country.

Barry Bearak was covering the presidential election in Zimbabwe for the New York Times when he was arrested for “committing journalism.”  The story follows his experiences through the process in jail, being freed, being re-arrested, and then escaping the country.

The main thing now is what is going to happen with the election.  The final results have not been announced and they are doing a recount.  The opposition is being beaten, arrested, and/or murdered.  But it is a pretty good bet that Mugabe did not win the election.

Let’s hope that this repressive government leaves soon, but it is doubtful.  They will probably come up with something to keep them in office.  We all know that recount is a scam.

There are good people in this country, but one tyrant is suppressing and scaring a country so he can remain as the President.

Thanks Barry Bearak for the great article.

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Joking students called on the carpet, The Monthly Bag deemed threatening

Joking students called on the carpet – The Denver Post
The students, staff, and leadership at Colorado College need to get a clue, a life, and a sense of humor. The students who wrote “The Monthly Bag” were just trying to raise awareness and do a parody of a publication, “The Monthly Rag.”

“The Monthly Rag” is a feminist publication by the feminist and gender studies program at Colorado College had a discussion on feminist pornography, information on gender-bending practices, and a tidbit about a myth involving male castration.

“The Monthly Bag” was the parody publication that discussed chainsaw etiquette, different sexual positions from Men’s Health Magazine, and trivia about a sniper rifle. Staff from Colorado College started removing copies of the “The Monthly Bag” soon after it was published because the received reports that it was threatening. Continue reading “Joking students called on the carpet, The Monthly Bag deemed threatening”

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Blogging a stressful lifestyle, people need to lighten up

Well people are starting to realize and see that blogging and trying to get the views and clicks is causing a lot of problems for people.
In a story in the New York Times, In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Until They Drop, the stress is getting to people who blog and try to get ahead.  It has even taken the life of two bloggers.

I just need to say no job is worth that much.  You need to have a balance so there is a break for people so that they can relax and have fun.  Sitting at a computer 24/7 is not healthy and will cause you to leave this earth a lot earlier than you should.

As an employer, they bear some of the responsibility in this.  They should be working to take care of the people that are making them loads of money.  If they don’t, they are greedy little bastards and their blogs should not be read.

That is why I don’t read Gizmodo.  The stupid stunt they pulled during CES was just wrong.  That is just plain wrong.  But they are some of the worst offenders by paying writers based upon how many views their posts get.

Some sanity needs to come into this, otherwise people will burn out, the blog owners will lose good writers, and then they will lose revenue.

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Boulder woman ticketed for dyeing her poodle pink

Boulder woman ticketed for dyeing her poodle pink:The Rocky Mountain News
This is just nuts and would only happen in the People’s Republic of Boulder. This is a community that allowed someone to steal property from someone else because those landowners were not around to stop it.

The People’s Republic seems more intent showing that they have power and will use it than using common sense in carrying out there jobs. Now someone has to waste their own time and city has to waste the courts time in deciding on this issue.

A women is using beet juice and sometimes kool-aid to dye the dog’s hair. The dog is not having a reaction to it.

Common sense needs to prevail in this issue and the court needs to throw it out. Maybe they should personally charge the humane society for the wasted time of the court also.