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Look Ubiquitous or Be Watched

Travelling? Think twice about taking a picture out the window at 30,000 feet. Don’t shift those eyes at the security gate! Definitely do not joke with the staff. These are things that could get you on Homeland Security’s watch list! Just like those annoying end of the month traffic violations that aren’t given to you to match a quota, federal air marshals "don’t have quotas."

The air marshals, whose identities are being concealed, told 7NEWS that they’re required to submit at least one report a month. If they don’t, there’s no raise, no bonus, no awards and no special assignments. [Source]

The top dogs deny it of course.

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Of Being Poor

A nice article explaining why our system keeps the poor down.

So, let’s have a little less talk about how the poor should learn to manage their money, and a little more attention to all the ways that money is being systematically siphoned off. Yes, certain kinds of advice would be helpful: skip the pay-day loans and rent-to-pay furniture, for example. But we need laws in more states to stop predatory practices like $50 charges for check cashing. Also, think what some microcredit could do to move families from motels and shelters to apartments. And did I mention a living wage?

If you’re rich, you might want to stay that way. It’s a whole lot cheaper than being poor.

See also (exact same text as the link above).

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I need a Boston Legal fix!

I’ve forgotten my question. I don’t like this feeling.

This morning I turned a cheery Tommy at 8:01 into a teary, upset child at 8:27. I left the house with the 4 year old in shaky tears, the 10 year old hiding in his room, and the 13 year old withdrawn. Why? I made the greatest parental mistake of all; I lost my temper and yelled. I figure it will take months if not much longer to reverse the damage done in a brief moment of lack of self-control and regain my children’s trust. I felt it coming. Had I simply asked, "What would Alan Shore do?" this could have been prevented.

I am guessing that maybe I have 30 years left in me. I don’t want to do any more yelling for those 30 years. I’ve had enough.