Home › Archive for Not Workers Compensation › Page 6

Not Workers Compensation

Oct
24
2008
Author, Free, Javascript, MySQL, Not Workers Compensation, Open Source, PDRater, PHP, Technobabble, Website Updates, Wordpress

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Wordpress Upgrade
Wordpress Upgrade

Quick Update

or those of you keeping score at home, I’ve updated to WordPress v2.6.3 last night. 1  This version was released as a security fix.  Unlike other WordPress upgrades, this one took only a few seconds.

Less Quick Updates

Admittedly, prior updates probably only take about 10 minutes, max.  This 10 minutes includes roughly 9 minutes of backing the website and database up and 1 minute of actually uploading the new version.  Since the 9 minutes of backing up is essentially all processing/downloading time, there’s nothing for me to monitor which makes the whole process very painless.

Upcoming Updates

The kind folks over at WordPress have been hard at work on the version 2.7. 2  If you scan through the above link, you’ll get to see what the new WordPress 2.7 control panel/dashboard is supposed to look like.

Best Thing About WordPress

(If you just can’t wait, skip down two paragraphs.)  Regular readers have heard me go on and on about the virtues of WordPress. 3  The interesting thing about new versions of WordPress is that any upgrades would be seamless to a website visitor. 4

A website that is easy to read is a function of the author

Website content is really all that matters to a website visitor.  Visitors don’t care about what software a website owner is using – just as long as the content is useful. 5

A website that is easy to write is a function of the program

The single best thing about WordPress is that this program makes maintaining a website a breeze.  I would recommend WordPress to absolutely anyone interested in creating a website.  For the novice, the program makes it easy to write, edit, and delete single pages or the entire website without any knowledge of programming.  For the tech-minded, the program makes it easy to install, upgrade, and personalize a website.

If you know a little PHP, MySQL, and javascript you could do some c-r-a-z-y things with WordPress. 678

  1. Talk about unnecessary decimal places. [↩]
  2. I call them “kind” since a lot of these people are working for free. [↩]
  3. You know, you three should really form some kind of support group for people who read unnecessarily nerdy and self-referential blogs. [↩]
  4. I think its interesting, anyhow. [↩]
  5. If they don’t care about what kind of software, they sure as heck don’t care its version 2.6.3. [↩]
  6. You could even put together your own workers compensation calculators and EAMS search engines! [↩]
  7. Am I going overboard with these footnotes? [↩]
  8. The answer is “No, I’m not going overboard.”  In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “You can never go too far.” [↩]
Oct
21
2008
Free, Not Workers Compensation, Open Source, Technobabble, Workers Compensation Resources

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For some reason MS Remote Desktop refuses to work intermittently.  Every 90 days, to be precise.  Like clockwork.1

Among the myriad of incompatibilities between Microsoft’s various products and operating systems is the mind bending error thrown by Remote Desktop.  Remote Desktop should work between any version of Windows starting with XP.  Even when using full versions of MS operating systems, you will likely still get this error:

The remote computer disconnected the session because of an error in licensing protocol.

89 days and counting...
89 days and counting...

There are two reasonable ways around this.

  • First, if you’re not an advanced Windows user, you should really try TightVNC.  Its small, free, open source, uses very little bandwidth, and is easy to install and use.  It will do probably 90% of everything Remote Desktop will do.  As a bonus, you won’t have to monkey with it every 90 days.
  • Second, if you are an advanced Windows user and are comfortable using Regedit, there is another option.  If you’ve never heard of Regedit, you really really should not use this option.  If your Windows registry settings get fouled up, and it is incredibly easy to do, you can kiss your Windows install goodbye.  In any case, the solution is to go to, “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSLicensing” and delete everything under that heading.  The only downside is that this must be performed every 90 days.

FYI, this second ridiculous work around is from the official MicroSoft website!  You’d think that if your product stopped working every 90 days you’d, you know, try to fix it.  Instead their game plan is to actually suggest users delete vital parts of the operating system.

For what its worth, I use a combination of the two solutions.  I fire up Regedit every 90 days so I can use Remote Desktop and I use TightVNC when I can.

  1. Photo courtesy of Laffy4k [↩]
Oct
16
2008
Not Workers Compensation

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Obama vs McCain: Round 3
Obama vs McCain: Round 3

Obama was calm and succinct while McCain was impassioned and aggressive. 1 Impassioned and aggressive  are not bad qualities – but they are less ideal during a debate.  Ultimately, Obama came out slightly ahead in the debate because he held his own and didn’t make any big blunders (I love that video!).

How about those predictions, huh?

  • McCain came out swinging for the fences.  He was interrupted Obama and brought up specific grievances with Obama’s past and campaign.  Heck, McCain even interrupted and corrected the moderator!
  • McCain was clearly passionate about his positions.
  • McCain looked directly at Obama as he challenged and questioned him.
  • Obama had witty retorts handy for most of McCain’s challenges.  At least once he actually chuckled during McCain’s monologues.
  • Obama ignored many of McCain’s direct attacks, not making eye contact during most of these challenges.
  • Obama responded to attacks, but didn’t counter-attack.

Not surprising, given the latest headlines:

  • Obama compared McCain to Bush.  Shocking!
  • McCain brought up Bill Ayers, ACORN, and Lewis.  Shocking!

What I could not have predicted:

  • “Joe the plumber.”  No one except foreign dictators has ever enjoyed as much mention during a presidential debate as Mr. Joe Wurzelbacher.
  • McCain said Palin’s baby has Autism.  He should know her newborn son has Down’s Syndrome.
  • Obama dumbed down his language.  Obama, you went to Harvard.  HARVARD.  Pronounce the goddamn G’s.  Don’t say,” workin’ ” say, “working.”
  • Obama wore an ugly tie.  There I said it.  It could have been my TV, but that was an ugly tie.
  • McCain’s eyes and tounge???  Palin was winking and McCain was blinking.  I can ignore the blinking, but why was he sticking out his tounge?
  • Obama and McCain are both lefties!  I didn’t know that.
  • Obama would be the one wearing a flag pin while McCain didn’t.
  • “Troops to Teachers.”  McCain wants to remove tests and qualifiying exams for former members of the armed forces who want to be teachers?  Um – why?
  • A man would name his newborn “Sarah McCain Palin.”  He put the name on the birth certificate without without telling his wife.

And, a very special thank you goes to Bob Schieffer.  Moderators are there to keep the candidates on topic.  If you can’t reign in the candidates, you have no business sitting between them.  I’m looking at you Tom Brokaw.

  1. Photo courtesy of DaveHogg.  Photo editing, all me! [↩]
Oct
15
2008
Insurance, Not Workers Compensation

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

There are two types of “smell tests.”1

Smell test: Good or bad investment?
Smell test: Good or bad investment?

The first type of smell test is a very literal smelling test.  A bachelor smells an article of clothing to determine whether said article of clothing could be worn on that day around the people said bachelor anticipates being near.  Doesn’t smell bad?  Put it on!  Smells bad?  Turn it inside-out and put it on!

The second type of “smell test” is where you evaluate a situation based upon your gut reaction.

Some blame “credit default swaps” for our current financial crisis.  (Disclaimer: I have no special knowledge about finance – I just listen to NPR constantly).  So, here’s what happened:

  1. Investors (Company A) buy up lots of sub-prime mortgages through a trust.
  2. Company A, looking to make money as investors are wont to do, sell pieces of the trust as if they were stocks.
  3. Other people (Company B), having seen these investors buying up risky sub-prime mortgages, have a great idea – “credit default swaps.” (Or, as they are known on NPR, “CDS’s”).
  4. Company B promises Company A that, in exchange for a very reasonable sum, if one of the people living in one of those sub-prime mortgage homes stops paying that mortgage, Company B will be responsible for that lost asset and income.
  5. Company B tells Company A that this wonderful product is called a “credit default swap,” and that it is definitely-not-insurance.  In fact, its significantly cheaper than buying insurance.
  6. Since Company B is not selling insurance they don’t have to be regulated like insurance.  Insurance companies are required to hold “reserves.”  A “reserve” is simply money that can’t be spent in case an insurance company be required to honor some of their insurance policies.
  7. There are so many Company A‘s looking to hedge their bets that all the Company B‘s CDS’s are selling like hotcakes.  The people that own Company B are so pleased with themselves that they don’t really bother with reserves.
  8. In a few years those sub-prime mortgages with adjustable rates were finally out of their introductory rate period – and thousands of people start defaulting on their loans.
  9. Company A‘s portfolio is now worthless, but they are very happy they had so much foresight as to take out not-insurance policies with Company B.
  10. Company B‘s doesn’t pick up the phones.  Their offices are boarded up, the e-mails bounce back, and Company A stops getting Christmas cards from Company B.

The problem is that Company B went out of their way to invent something that was definitely-not-insurance so they wouldn’t be regulated like insurance companies.  Obviously, Company B didn’t use the “smell test” when they designed their product.  If they had, they would have charged more or kept more money in reserve.

Unfortunately, Company A didn’t use the “smell test” either when shopping around for a way to insure their investments.  You don’t insure your home, car, or life with the cheapest or newest insurance company.  You choose a company that has been around a while and charges reasonable rates for reasonable risk.

When people stop performing the “smell test” $62,000,000,000,000.00 evaporates overnight.

  1. Photo courtesy of Charles & Clint.  Photo editing: All me! [↩]
Oct
14
2008
Not Workers Compensation

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
"I want to be big"*
"I want to be big"

I recently posted my impressions on the vice presidential debate as well as the first and second presidential debates.  But, let’s not live in the past.  Why not jump on the prognostication bandwagon and make a few predictions?1

  • Prediction: Obama will be calm, cool, and collected.  He will appear aloof and superior throughout the debate.  He will also not go on the attack.
    • Conventional wisdom says that a candidate that is ahead in the polls has nothing to gain and everything to lose by directly engaging the opposition.
    • By not directly attacking McCain, Obama gives up the possibility of an additional rhetorical gain against McCain – but he’s so far ahead in the polls that he doesn’t need those possible gains.
    • The flip-side is that by not attacking Obama can appear to be above the fray and petty partisan politics.
    • Instead of attacking and counter-attacking, Obama will have a witty retort for every point McCain makes.
    • Obama will essentially ignore, or make light of, McCain’s attacks.  He will direct his remarks to the moderator and camera.
    • Obama will make a few vaguely sniping attacks.  Look out for extremely subtle references to McCain’s age or McCain’s actions as being inconsistent, unreliable, unpredictable or erratic.
  • Prediction: McCain will be clawing like a cornered wolverine.  We will see him attacking and challenging Obama relentlessly.
    • McCain has to walk a fine line – appearing to be conservative enough to keep (or, rather, win back) the red states Bush won in 2004 – while being moderate enough to pick up blue states.  In order to retake those red-states, McCain will stress his experience and commitment to core Republican values.
    • McCain doesn’t say “maverick” nearly as much as Palin.  While being a “maverick” is a decent way to collect undecided or Democratic voters, its a serious turn-off for Republicans.  As a friend and staunch Republican recently told me, “Maverick is a word for someone who screws their own party.”  I’m fairly certain Democrats feel the same way about Joe Lieberman.
    • Its easy to see McCain becoming impassioned during his speeches and debates.  However, McCain faces a special dilemma when pressing the attack.  If he attacks too strongly, he risks being seen as desperate or hot-headed.  Neither is an attractive quality for a possible president.
    • McCain is so far behind in the polls that he needs to score some big points.
    • During the first debate we saw McCain bring the attack to Obama.  Obama was forced to play defense much of the time, accusing John of getting the facts wrong.
    • We’re going to see McCain pressing the attack, posing questions directly to Obama, and trying to draw him into a head-on discussion.
    • Unlike Obama who will be speaking to the moderator and audience, we’re going to see McCain addressing most of his remarks to “that one.”  McCain will also take every opportunity to highlight when Obama doesn’t answer a question or gives a vague response.

So, there you have it, my totally ill-informed predictions based on nothing more than what I saw in the coffee grounds this morning.

  1. Photo courtesy of Zesmerelda. [↩]
Oct
10
2008
Business, Not Workers Compensation

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,
Obama and McCain on heathcare
Obama and McCain on heathcare

I subscribe to ConsumerReports magazine for a variety of reasons.  I believe they are fair and balanced and that, having relied on their recommendations, it has also saved me a lot of time and money.  The November 2008 issue takes a close look at the details behind the Obama health plan for America and the McCain health plan for America.1

In order to view the full five pages of in depth analysis and review, you have to be a subscriber.  However,

A surprising amount of their analysis on these two plans is available for free on their site.

I learned some interesting things about Obama’s and McCain’s respective health plans from reviewing their websites.  Here are some of the things I’ve learned about thier plans:

  • McCain offers $2,500.00 tax credits per individual or $5,000.00 per family.  These tax credits go directly to the insurance company of your choice.  McCain’s plan would tax employee health benefits as income.  Under ConsumerReports’ analysis, the taxes and tax credit may be a wash in most circumstances.
  • Obama’s plan prevents insurers from rejecting anyone with a pre-existing condition, from raising prices for the sick, and from canceling policies as long as you’ve paid up your premiums.
  1. Original photos courtesy of richardmasoner, C_Dave, and mikewade.  Photo editing: me. [↩]
Oct
8
2008
Not Workers Compensation

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Obama McCain Fight*
Obama McCain Fight

First, my advice for the candidates (you know, from my years of political experience):

  • Obama: Way way too many “uh’s”.  It makes you look unprepared.
  • McCain: Don’t wander around in the background.  At best it is disrespectful, at worst it makes you look befuddled and lost.

By any of the polling numbers, Obama went into last night’s debate so far ahead in the polls that the only way for McCain to really come back would be for Obama to commit some terrible blunder. 1 I imagine it would have taken something like this:

My impressions from the debate:

  • McCain said last night he wants to purchase all the bad loans in the United States and renegotiate them?  He’s suggesting resetting these loans to the present value of these homes.
    • First of all, where the hell was this guy before we spent $700,000,000,000.00???
    • Second, this sounds like a really tragically flawed idea.  If you buying loans high and then forgive hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, you’re basically giving hundreds of thousands of dollars per bad loans to those banks who had poor judgment in the first place.
    • Third, if you’re going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per bad loan, why not just give them to the people who purchased the homes rather than the bank?
    • Fourth, if you’re going to buy the loans and then forgive a large chunk of them, why do you need to buy them?  Just tell the bank to adjust those loans.
  • Obama thinks the government invented computers so our defense department could communicate over long distances.  The defense project DARPA was invented that way, not computers.  I’m wondering if Obama lost the nerd vote there.
  • McCain wants to put medical records on the internet.  We can NOT put medical records online.
    • Government and business websites get hacked every day.  The last thing we need are our records posted on Craigslist.
    • As it stands, medical records enjoy a special protection in our system.  If that information is all online, it would be a simple task for our government to tap into that information.  This may sound paranoid until you recall that the NSA under the Bush administration has already done something far more invasive.
  • Tom Brokaw is a terrible, terrible moderator.  When someone is over their time, you cut them off.  Better yet, shut off their mike.  Don’t whine about it after they stop – that just invites apologies and “witty” comments.
  • McCain says he’ll double the tax exemption for each child.  Yay!  More babies!
  1. Photo courtesy of DaveHogg.  Photo editing, all me! [↩]
Oct
6
2008
Not Workers Compensation, PDRater

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
McCain & Palin
McCain & Palin
Obama & Biden
Obama & Biden

I love watching political debates with a DVR.  There’s nothing like being able to pause the debate so the candidates can benefit from my sage advice or criticism developed over my many years of political, economic, and foreign policy experience.

That said, I have the following debate advice for the candidates:

  • Barak Obama
    • Stay focused and be concise.
  • John McCain
    • Keep your arguments and comments accurate.
  • Joe Biden
    • Eye contact with the camera.
  • Sarah Palin
    • Never, EVER wink at the camera again if you want to be taken seriously.
    • Not answering the question doesn’t make you a maverick, it makes you look uninformed.

Overall, the presidential debate of 9/26 was a dead heat.  I don’t think either side won ground that day.  It was one of the best presidential debates I have ever seen.  Frankly, both McCain and Obama did a great job.  The last time I enjoyed a debate as much was Clinton v G.H. Bush.

Historically, the vice presidential debate is hardly ever a deal maker or breaker – and its just as well for both parties.  When speaking in interviews off the cuff, Biden can make ridiculous and wildly historically inaccurate claims.  On the other hand, the Palin – Couric interviews made it clear that Palin can’t speak off script.

I can’t wait for the next debate tomorrow night!

Oct
3
2008
Business, Not Workers Compensation

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Quick, how are rum distillers, stockcar race track owners, wool researchers, TV and movie producers, and wooden arrows different from middle class home owners?1

Why's the rum gone?
Why's the rum gone?

Give up?  The home owners aren’t benefiting one dime from the bailout legislation!

Obviously, (almost) no one has the time to read 451 pages of this proposal – and that’s what some people are counting on.  Thankfully, someone read it and found some startling things.

I’ve taken the liberty of putting together a list of the citations to my favorites:

  • Rum distillers (p279:11-19)
  • Stock car race track owners (p290:1-9)
  • Wool research (p295:7-296:13)
  • TV and movie producers (p298:6-300:19)
  • Wooden arrows (p300:20-301:18)

Wool research???  Its warm and itchy.  What’s to research???

  1. Photo courtesy of ryaninc.  I just can’t pass up an opporutnity to quote The Pirates of the Carribean… [↩]
Oct
2
2008
Author, Free, Laptop, Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble

Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Nerds
From Uncool Nerds...

Yeah, I said it. And, I don’t care that it sounds ridiculously self-serving. Frankly, I think iTunes, MySpace, and instant messaging are to blame. These three things, more than anything else, made computers cool.

You think mechanics and handymen were always considered cool manly-men?  No way.  First cars and home improvement had to be cool. THEN the guys who fix/maintain those things became cool.

There was a day when computers and the internet were only good for word processing and searching libraries.  When these things were not indispensable, there were no real uses for nerds.  You know, besides copying their homework.

I think the first time anyone ever thought I was cool for being a nerd was when I was in law school.  A fellow law student had a floppy disk (yeah, it was that long ago…) that stopped working.  The campus tech guys were unable to do anything about it.  I asked if I could take a look – and was able to recover the data.

To Cool Nerds
...To Cool Nerds

These days a nerd can save your iPod, iPhone, laptop, recover your lost passwords, convert your files, and set up your wireless network.  They keep your computers virus free, network humming along, and your e-mails arriving right on time.

Heck, sometimes they even build online web-based workers’ compensation calculators which crank out permanent disability ratings and let everyone use them for free.

So, why not hug a nerd today?

This Public Service Announcement has been brought to you by Huey Lewis and the News, because it really is “Hip To Be Square.”