truesee's Blog

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/20/obama-on-cnbc_n_731917.html

    Those born on September 20th are convinced of their ability to manage almost any situation.  They are greatly concerned with the interests of their group, and will to any degree possible to insure the harmonious running of the projects in which they are involved.  For some women this can mean family dedication and home values, for others the cohesiveness of their social or business organization.  For men it may mean the guidance of their family, which they like to think of more as companions than subjects, and in their working life on this day know that running a tight ship financially can guarantee many benefits, and consequently they tend to be adept not only at earning money but at making good buys and shrewd investments particularly when it comes to the beauty of their home, which they often prize above all else.

    When things go wrong, September 20th people have great faith in their capacity to repair or heal.  Healing for them may mean anything from patching up quarrels to actually helping a loved one get well using means ranging from prayer to traditional arts and massage.  In this respect they must be careful not to go off the deep end and come to believe their powers are greater than they actually are which can have dangerous consequences not only for themselves but for those close to them.

    September 20th people usually display sound judgment but must also avoid being over self confident or blind concerning their ability to recognize the truth of any situation.  The crucial point is whether they are capable of acknowledging that they have made mistakes, and having done so correcting their methods and points of view.  Those September 20th people who can learn from their errors and

    Those born on the 20th of the month are ruled by the number 2 (2 +0 =2 ), and usually gentle and imaginative, and easily hurt by the criticism or intention of others.  Those ruled by the number 2 are impressionable and emotional. 

  Advice:   learn from your mistakes.  Examine results and take stock of your methods either they work or they don’t.  Do not hesitate to change course if necessary.  Keep your emotions a bit more guarded and lean the value of patience.

Strengths:     Organized, shrewd and observant.

Weaknesses:     Over confident, overemotional and inflated.

Born on This Day:  Red Auerbach, Sophia Loren, Richard McDermott and Sister Elizabeth Kenny

Famous Inventions:   1938 Patent #2,130,948 was granted for "synthetic fiber" (nylon) to Wallace Carothers.

This Day in History:     Sep 20, 1973: King triumphs in Battle of Sexes

On this day in 1973, in a highly publicized "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match, top women's player Billie Jean King, 29, beats Bobby Riggs, 55, a former No. 1 ranked men's player. Riggs (1918-1995), a self-proclaimed male chauvinist, had boasted that women were inferior, that they couldn't handle the pressure of the game and that even at his age he could beat any female player. The match was a huge media event, witnessed in person by over 30,000 spectators at the Houston Astrodome and by another 50 million TV viewers worldwide. King made a Cleopatra-style entrance on a gold litter carried by men dressed as ancient slaves, while Riggs arrived in a rickshaw pulled by female models. Legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell called the match, in which King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. King's achievement not only helped legitimize women's professional tennis and female athletes, but it was seen as a victory for women's rights in general.

http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/region_northern_kentucky/newport/woody-smith-says-he-murdered-his-wife-because-he-was-high-on-caffeine_5136345

Obama To Tea Party: 'Identify, Specifically, What Would You Do?'

First Posted: 09-20-10 01:44 PM   |   Updated: 09-20-10 01:44 PM

White House advisers on Monday pushed back hard against a New York Times report that the administration is ready to launch a full-frontal assault on the Tea Party movement as the November elections approach. No such plans are being made, insisted senior advisers. And, sure enough, the Times quickly modified its story into something a bit duller.

In a town hall meeting broadcast live by CNBC on Monday, however, President Obama seemed to be reading off the initial script. Pressed by an audience member to weigh in on what exactly drives the Tea Party, Obama, in no uncertain terms, accused the movement's members of refusing to talk in specifics.

If there is anger over the economic or political landscape, he added, it is being misdirected in his direction.

"The problem that I've seen in the debate that's been taking place and in some of these Tea Party events is, I think they're misidentifying sort of who the culprits are here," said Obama. "As I said before, we had to take some emergency steps last year. But the majority of economists will tell you that the emergency steps we take are not the problem long-term. The problems long-term are the problems that I talked about earlier. We had two tax cuts that weren't paid for, two wars that weren't paid for. We've got a population that's getting older. We're all demanding services, but our taxes have actually substantially gone down."

"So the challenge, I think, for the Tea Party movement is to identify, specifically, what would you do?" he added. "It's not enough just to say get control of spending. I think it's important for you to say, I'm willing to cut veterans' benefits or I'm willing to cut Medicare or Social Security benefits or I'm willing to see these taxes go up. What you can't do, which is what I've been hearing a lot from the other side, is we're going to control government spending, we're going to propose $4 trillion of additional tax cuts, and that magically somehow things are going to work. Now, some of these are very difficult choices."

Obama does seem to operate at his best when facing inherently adversarial questions (recall the positive coverage he received for going to a Republican conference in Baltimore during the height of the health care debate). And while several questioners at the CNBC event were sympathetic to the president, the answers that seemed to resonate best came when the pro-business or anti-government questioners were pressing him.

His direct questioning of the Tea Party's motives came just moments before he acknowledged that being "healthfully skeptical about government" is in "our DNA."

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2015763,00.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/business/economy/20older.html?_r=2&hp

updated 9/18/2010 6:45:29 PM ET

"As I got near the area, the caller told me to pull off onto the side of the road into the parking lot of some businesses that were dark and nobody was around," Raney said.

The sheriff says that was a warning sign and he became suspicious, eventually calling Garden City Police for help.

"I called Garden City Police and talked to Sergeant Little there and said, 'I think this is a robbery that's going to happen, so you come in from that side and I'll come in from this side and let's see what happens.'"

After spotting the men and a brief chase, the sergeant and the sheriff were able to arrest the two robbers.

Most popular NYT: 'The new unemployables': Workers over 50 3 children found fatally shot in Houston area 'Very large' Hurricane Igor passes Bermuda Witnesses say they saw person fall from sky Igor brings 'tremendous' beach erosion to Bermuda

"In this case, I'm thankful that it was me, that I was prepared to react, that I used good common sense, but it could have been somebody innocent there that could have been hurt, but [the suspects are] in jail, and that's where they ought to be," said Raney.

A strange coincidence, to say the least

The irony of the situation isn't lost on Raney who laughs at the strange coincidence.

"I think it's hilarious," Raney said. "I kept myself safe the whole time. I was never in danger. I was smart enough to do that. And they went away [to jail]. The only thing better than laughing at arresting criminals is laughing at arresting dumb criminals."

September 17, 2010 3:26 PM

JOHN C. ENSSLIN

THE GAZETTE

A Colorado Springs man was sentenced Friday to one year in federal prison after he was found guilty of filing false liens against an IRS agent.

Judge Marcia Krieger imposed the sentence on Ronald Ray Hoodenpyle, 68, in U.S. District Court in Denver She also ordered him to submit to electronic monitoring within 72 hours. Hoodenpyle remains free on bond until he reports to prison on or before Oct. 29.

On July 17, a jury convicted Hoodenpyle following a three-day trial. He was charged with placing false liens against the agent’s property in Jefferson County in retaliation for IRS liens placed against Hoodenpyle’s property for unpaid taxes.

ORIGINAL STORY

Ronald Hoodenpyle gets jail time for bogus lien on IRS agent's home

J. David McSwane

Mon., Jun. 21 2010

3:56PM

Colorado Crimes

  One gutsy Colorado Springs man is facing hard time after he filed a fraudulent lien against the home of an IRS agent in retaliation for a lien the IRS placed on his home.

Ronald Roy Hoodenpyle, come on down!

Hoodenpyle, 68, was convicted after a three-day trial last week of filing a false lien on the Jefferson County home of an IRS Revenue officer who he said owed an excess of $1 million in April 2008. He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

You've gotta give this Springs rebel credit for putting his (fake) money where his mouth is.

It's one thing to not pay taxes, and it's another thing to fight the IRS (and probably lose). But all-out war on the tax man is nothing short of legendary.

Get more details from the U.S. Attorney's Office release below:

COLORADO SPRINGS MAN FOUND GUILTY OF FILING FALSE LIEN AGAINST IRS EMPLOYEE

DENVER -- A jury in U.S. District Court in Denver yesterday found Ronald Roy Hoodenpyle, age 68, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, guilty of filing a false lien against an IRS employee, U.S. Attorney David Gaouette and Special Agent in Charge of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Denver Field Division, Greg Jaramillo announced. The three day jury trial was before U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger. Hoodenpyle, who is free on bond, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Krieger on September 17, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on January 6, 2009.

According to the indictment, as well as facts presented to the jury during trial, on April 2, 2008, the defendant, Ronald Roy Hoodenpyle, filed a false lien against the real property owned by an IRS Revenue Officer. The false lien was filed in Jefferson County, Colorado, and stated that the Revenue Officer owed the defendant in excess of $1,000,000. Hoodenpyle knew that this statement was false.

Also during the trial, the prosecution played a videotape of an interview of Hoodenpyle in which he stated that he did not owe any income tax. It was then revealed that the IRS had filed liens against Hoodenpyle's property stating that he owed the IRS over $1,160,000. The government presented evidence that the defendant filed the false lien in retaliation for the IRS Revenue Officer's performing his professional duties.

Hoodenpyle faces not more than 10 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. He could also be ordered to pay restitution to the IRS.

"Paying income tax is the responsibility of every single American," said U.S. Attorney David Gaouette. "If you intentionally evade paying taxes, there will be civil and criminal consequences. In this instance, the consequence is a potential federal prison sentence."

"I am very pleased with the guilty verdict," said Greg Jaramillo, Special Agent in Charge of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Denver Field Division. "This should send a strong message to those individuals who would use intimidation and harassment against IRS employees to attempt to impede tax administration."

The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kirsch.

Jason Linkins| HuffPost Reporting

Oh, these are just some of my favorite moments in the Obama presidency:

PRESIDENT OBAMA, at a DNC event last night in Greenwich, Conn.: "[A]fter being in this job for two years, I have never been more optimistic about America. I am optimistic partly because we did some really tough things that aren't always popular but were the right things to do. Š Democrats, just congenitally, tend to get -- to see the glass as half empty. (Laughter.) If we get an historic health care bill passed -- oh, well, the public option wasn't there. If you get the financial reform bill passed -- then, well, I don't know about this particularly derivatives rule, I'm not sure that I'm satisfied with that. And gosh, we haven't yet brought about world peace and -- (laughter.) I thought that was going to happen quicker. (Laughter.) You know who you are. (Laughter.)

Fun fact! This fundraiser took place at the home of a "Rich Richman." Make of that what you will!

First of all, I commend the president on some touches to this schtick that speak to historical accuracy. You see, when this usually gets trotted out, we hear that the left is too insistent that we have a single-payer health care system. That's when I have to step in and point out the obvious -- that the left-most health care activists and legislators actually conceded single-payer in advance in an effort to have a health care reform package that stood a fighting chance of passing Congress.

Usually, the left gets little credit for how tremendously accommodating they were during that debate, so it's nice to see the President acknowledge that the point of contention eventually became the public option and the way he screwed over everyone who had originally accommodated him. Snide humor, about what a dick you are, works best when it's a little bit accurate!

Now, to be fair, there have also been those times where I've interjected my body between the White House and their despised "professional left" and reminded the President's critics that the President doesn't have magic powers to close GITMO or to give Ben Nelson a brain, and that it's actually illegal to drown Evan Bayh in a mop bucket, even though the soapy water and his bloated remains would each make better legislators than he is now. They'll point out, "But Obama could have fought harder!" And I'll point out that yes this is true, but Congress and its powers nevertheless exist, and whether he would have succeeded or failed is going to have to be a tale we'll have to tell our children, from inside Carl Paladino's Prison For The Poors, between the gruel feeding and bedtime.

Mostly, however, the so-called "professional left" has a string of very good cases. Obama is to the right -- let me repeat: TO THE RIGHT -- of President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, John Yoo, Jay Bybee, et al. -- on the issues of state secrets, warrantless surveillace, and detainee policy in Bagram, and has even come up with something that gives his predecessors pause: the claimed right to assassinate an American citizen at his whim! Obama, and his most idiotic defenders, seem to think that all of the people who built a career criticizing Bush for abuse of executive powers should just give Obama a pass -- never mind that he ran on a platform of dismantling those powers.

Another good example: he's also slowly ceding ground to the Republicans on matters of LGBT rights. Actually, all Democrats are slowly ceding this ground! But it was the Obama White House that raced to get some anonymous sources to reporters to remind them on the same day same-sex marriage proponents won a great civil rights victory that the White House was opposed to the civil right, itself.

Dick move. I mean, he could have waited! Let the LGBT community have a day to celebrate!

But look, the joke here is on Obama. While Robert Gibbs was yelling at the "professional left," the "amateur left" -- that is to say, the Democratic base, was sticking by Obama, steadfastly. Traditional Democratic voters don't actually see the glass as half-empty and they aren't upset that world peace hasn't been obtained and they don't hold it against Obama that the world isn't perfect for everyone forever. Insert joke about the relative, real-world influence of progressive bloggers and I shall raise a chorus of titters along with you, even as I encourage you to not be dismissive -- but the fact remains, the liberal vote seems to be sticking by Obama through thick and thin.

Where Obama is shedding support by the metric ton, is within the cohort of the electorate known as "independent voters." They are either going to stay at home in November or go looking for alternatives. Do you think it's likely that independent voters care whether we have a Canadian style health care system or not? Do you think that independent voters are the ones who base their decisions on what progressive blog critics have to say? The answer to both questions is "not bloody likely."

What's eating the indies? Well, I have to imagine that a large part of it is that the boldness that attracted them to the Obama campaign has only shown itself in fits and starts since. And so, they drift away. Part of what amuses me in this whole situation is that the White House has obviously felt this criticism, but they've assigned it to the wrong people. It's a great way of potentially alienating yourself to both groups without substantively addressing the criticisms of either.

At any rate, November is just a few weeks away. So, laugh it up while you still can!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/18/odonnell-witchcraft-politically-incorrect_n_722035.html

     Those born on September 18^th are very private, even secretive people who for one reason or another often find themselves in very public careers. Their world is a highly personal one to which entrance is not granted easily. They can be depended on, but perhaps not forever, because with finality and suddenness they are capable of closing the door on a friendship or love relationship. Thus they may be dangerous people to get involved with unless their partners are prepared for their changes of heart.

     Those born on this day are capable of attaining tremendous success, but they can equally be hounded by repeated failure and plain bad luck. The theme of beauty is central to their lives. They are highly sensitive to any kind of strife, violence or bitter competition, which they would just as soon avoid. The fact is that September 18^th people are not capable of handling a lot of stress and despite their often imposing or attractive appearance may also not be blessed with the highest degree of self confidence.

   Most September 18 people have a special relationship with worship or belief, whether realized in personal development, artistic expression or social interaction because of their devotional nature; they do well with studies and lifestyles which demand unbroken concentration and attention, as well as a submerging of their own ego.

     September 18^th people are often found far from their original home, either geographically or emotionally, and some born on this day refer not to be reminded of their past. In general, they what is past behind them and rarely reopen a closed issue or failed relationship.

   Those born on the 18^th of the month are ruled by the number 9 (1+8=9, have a quick mind, but also have a tendency to be undiplomatic, even tactless.

Advice: learn to be more perseverant. Conflict is sometimes necessary. Try to understand what your body is telling you, don’t ignore physical symptoms. Your mysterious nature may be keeping out the light.

Strengths:Thoughtful, serious and aesthetic

Weaknesses: Isolated, troubled and negative

Born on This Day: Greta Garbo, Robert Blake, Edwin McMillan and Eddie Anderson

Famous Inventions: 1915 Louisa May Alcott's book, "Little Women" (first published October 3, 1868) was registered.
1984 Software Arts and Visi Corp settled their lawsuit over VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program. VisiCalc, invented in 1979, was the first "hot-selling software product" for the personal computer.

This Day in History: Sep 18, 1793 Capitol cornerstone is laid

On this day in 1793, George Washington lays the cornerstone to the United States Capitol building, the home of the legislative branch of American government. The building would take nearly a century to complete, as architects came and went the British set fire to it and it was called into use during the Civil War. Today, the Capitol building, with its famous cast-iron dome and important collection of American art, is part of the Capitol Complex, which includes six Congressional office buildings and three Library of Congress buildings, all developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42310.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/galleries/guinness_book_world_records/guinness_book_world_records.html

Rush Limbaugh Falls For Wikipedia Hoax About Judge Roger Vinson

First Posted: 09-16-10 01:40 PM   |   Updated: 09-16-10 02:01 PM

 

The paper reports that, on his Tuesday show, Limbaugh spent some time discussing Roger Vinson, a District Court judge for the Northern District of Florida. Vinson had recently announced that he was likely to allow a full hearing for a challenge to the federal health care bill. Limbaugh told his listeners that the judge was a longtime hunter and amateur taxidermist, and that he had once killed three brown bears and mounted their heads above the entrance to his courtroom--in order, Limbaugh said, to "instill the fear of God into the accused."

"This would not be good news" for supporters of the health care law, he added.

Unfortunately, none of that information is true.

It came from a Wikipedia user called Pensacolian--Vinson's court sits in Pensacola, Florida--who, on Sep. 13, updated Vinson's page to include these sentences:

"Vinson is an avid hunter and amateur taxidermist. After a 2002 hunting trip during which he killed three brown bears, Vinson had their heads mounted over the door through which defendants must pass to enter the courtroom. The heads were later removed following complaints by local defendants' rights groups."

The information was removed on Tuesday afternoon. Pensacolian named as the source for this information a news article which the Times found did not exist. The paper also spoke to Vinson, who corrected the record:

"But, in fact, Judge Vinson has never shot anything other than a water moccasin (last Saturday, at his weekend cabin), is not a taxidermist and, as president of the American Camellia Society, is far more familiar with Camellia reticulata than with Ursus arctos...'I've never killed a bear,' he said Wednesday, 'and I'm not Davy Crockett.'"