Random Thoughts Waiting For IT

Yesterday my hard drive crashed, the dreaded blue screen "scanning disk" message appeared followed by the "unable to read" message.

Good bye data! Thankfully I have subscription to great backup program. Unthankfully hours and money are spent to restore the many software programs I use and then the data. Ay-yi-yi.

While waiting for different steps and procedures in the process I started a list of very random thoughts to occupy myself, here they are in no order...since they are random!

When heading into, in the midst of or coming out of a recession job growth and creativity is a very good idea. Most jobs in America are created by small and medium sized businesses. Because of their margins they are generally the most susceptible to changes in tax rates and fees. Point A.

There are many in America who feel health care is a right, as is health insurance to assist in paying for medical care. Some feel the government should take on the responsibility of providing health insurance, many feel that employers should take on the responsibility of providing health insurance. While it is not the employers responsibility to ensure employees have auto insurance or homeowners coverage or life insurance, it has become not only common practice but often a requirement for employers to offer and/or provide health care insurance for their employees and their families. This costs employers money. Point B.

The word on the street is that President Obama will not propose it, but he will definitely support it. What is it? Some Democrats in Congress looking for more revenue they can shovel as pork to their donors are proposing removing the tax-free status of employer provided benefits. Point C.

Connecting the dots, let's force employers to offer, and in many cases pay for, health care insurance to their employees and let's also make them pay taxes on it. Points B and C do not connect to Point A, creating jobs. Points B and C lead to Point D: job loss, which is loss in income taxes, and continued recession. Simple geometry.

Having worked on an alien laptop (a 2001 Toshiba Satellite) for a day and a half I realized how much I hate using a mouse and will most likely never again have a computer/laptop that does not have a touchpad mouse. As efficient as computers make our lives how inefficient is it to take one's hand off the keypad to manipulate a mouse and then return to the keyboard? I love my Synaptics Pointing Device!

Several upper level appointments derailed from taking office due to personal responsibility issues, failure to live up to promises, inability to extemporaneously communicate with ease and substance, senior advisers and authorities making statements against core values and beliefs, consistent marketing that presents product in a negative tone and light. If these actions were the actions of the CEO of a company where you held a lot of stock in your portfolio would you buy more, hold or sell your position? Anyone out there who supported Obama getting buyer's remorse fifty days in? For many Republicans buyer's remorse set in with President Bush when he joined forces with Teddy Kennedy and pushed through No Child Left Behind which expanded the role of the Federal government; some came back after 9/11, some stayed away. What is the sentiment from lukewarm supporters after Obama's appointment gaffes, handing his fiscal policy to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, having a Secretary of State seemingly unconcerned about human rights, signing a spending bill with almost 9,000 earmarks despite campaign promises to go line by line through all spending bills and eliminate earmarks, not to mention the pork in his stimulus bill, increasing our nation's debt 200% in 40 days, and in virtually every speech has nothing but negative messages about our nation's present and future after wagging his finger at the "politics of fear" from Republicans. Again, anyone having any buyer's remorse?

After working on Internet Explorer 6.0 I missed the tabbies of IE 7.0. How did we manage on IE 1.0??

Darwin's theory of evolution was that species over time, a lot of time, adapted to the environment--thicker or thinner fur, change in colors to avoid or promote detection, gills. Man has undergone changes to walk upright and having to shave some parts. As I was without keyboard based email and utilizing my Blackberry more the last few days I noticed a significant adaption I had made that was missing. I had clipped too short my thumbnail. This dramatically changed my ability to type using the left side of my Blackberry keypad, I am eager for this nail to grow rapidly so I might have a more normal texting experience.

How come the Democratic politicians are taking the road with the California Teachers Association to protest cuts to education in California? Didn't they cause the fiscal situation we are in--albeit with complicity from a handful of Republicans with each budget. CTA has exclusively funded Democrats for office in California, Democrats have completely controlled the budget process, spending has gone up over 40% in the past five to six years, and they have the cojones to protest? An example of chutzpah is a teenager who has murdered his parents pleading for mercy because he is an orphan--Democrats and the teachers' unions in California have killed the fiscal health of our state and now are claiming they are underfunded: chutzpah. If one were to list the three parties most responsible for our fiscal mess I would say the Democrats in the legislature, the public employees unions who funnel millions and millions into their campaigns, and the blind California voters who just look for the (D) when punching a ballot.

I think I have found a great cheesecake recipe, but I have only made it once. It was terrific but was it a fluke? I am hoping to find out this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed.

Don't forget to check out my weekly rate and mortgage market updates on my professional website at www.DennisCSmith.com/MyBlog, though this week it may be delayed due to previously noted computer issues.