2009 archive
Stray Thought 3
The cat is coming between me and my blog.
Conflickted 2
To downadup or not to downadup:
Also known as Downadup or Kido, Conficker turns infected PCs into slaves that respond to commands sent from a remote server that effectively controls an army of computers.
The fears of an attack, however, may have been a windfall for anti-virus software makers, who warned consumers about the worm, industry analysts say.
In my Linux world, we do not have to worry about this stuff.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
The Republicanist hangover worsens:
U.S. private sector job losses accelerated in March to 742,000, more than economists’ expectations, according to a report by ADP Employer Services on Wednesday. February’s number was revised up to 706,000 job losses from a previously reported 697,000.
Bushism: The Monument 0
The Guardian:
Why We Need the ACLU 2
Playing doctor behind the barn is not the same thing as being a pornographer.
Without the ACLU, these kids might have felony records already.
U.S. District Judge James Munley ruled against Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick Jr., who has threatened to pursue felony charges against the girls unless they agree to participate in a five-week after-school program.
Support the ACLU here.
They Got Nothin’ 0
Dick Polman analyzes the current contestants for leading the Republican Party and concludes
No surprises here. To lead, one needs ideas.
Republican Economic Theory is not an idea. It is an ideology, and, as an ideology, does not grow with nor learn from events.
Dustballs 0
Waiting to get bitten:
The FDIC processed a total of 45 orders in February. These included twenty-one cease and desist orders; seven removal and prohibitions; one order modifying section 8(E) order of prohibition; ten civil money penalties; one prompt corrective action; one termination of insurance; one Order Granting Permission to File Application and Approving Application for Consent to Participate in the Affairs of any Insured Depository Institution (Section 19); and three orders terminating orders to cease and desist.
The Los Angeles Times explains as regards the Cali banks listed in the FDIC press release:
Bottom line: It’s not over yet.
Via Atrios.
Mark to Market: Permission To Make Stuff Up Dept. 0
From Bloomberg:
Later on in the same article:
Citigroup had $1.6 billion of losses last year for so- called Alt-A mortgages, according to the company’s annual report. That loss would be erased with the new FASB rules, Dietrich said.
Bank of America Corp. in Charlotte, North Carolina, reported “income before income taxes” last year of $4.4 billion. The FASB proposal on impaired securities would increase that figure by about $3.5 billion, or the amount of “other- than-temporary” losses that the company recognized,
Now, I’m just a simple country boy–a simple country boy with a webserver, true, but a simple country boy.
It appears to me that, when this stuff is translated in to plain English, it means that companies can use “fair market value” to account for their assets . . .
. . . except when they don’t want to.
Drinking Liberally 0
Tuesday, Triumph Brewing Company, Chestnut east of 2nd, Philadelphia, Pa., 6 p.
Travel day for me, so hoist one for me.
Why “Cloud Computing” Is Not the Answer 0
I’m too lazy to write it twice, so read about it at Geekazine.
Travel Restrictions 0
The Pinochet Principle lives:
(snip)
The move represents a step toward ascertaining the legal accountability of top Bush administration officials for allegations of torture and mistreatment of prisoners in the campaign against terrorism. But some American experts said that even if warrants were issued their significance could be more symbolic than practical, and that it was a near certainty that the warrants would not lead to arrests if the officials did not leave the United States.
For some idea of what they did, listen to the Mark Danner interview on Fresh Air. From the website:
Follow the link to the website and search for March 25, 2009, Hour Two, or listen here (mp3).
Via the Booman.
Vacation Day 0
Light bloggery.
Needlework 1
Created by Sassafras.
Dustbiter 0
Omni National Bank, Atlanta, Ga.