Mirrors...*!

NY police commissioner Ray Kelly declared that striking down the city's "stop and frisk" policy would cost lives. It appears to have been an effective city-wide strategy against murder resulting in a drop of  statistics.

In a decision filed in federal court in Newark, U.S. District Judge William Martini dismissed a lawsuit brought in 2012 by eight Muslims who alleged that the NYPD's surveillance programs were unconstitutional because they focused on religion, national origin and race. 

The judge was not convinced that the plaintiffs were targeted solely because of their religion. "The more likely explanation for the surveillance was to locate budding terrorist conspiracies," he wrote. The surveillance was stopped.

Bratton adopted a “zero tolerance” policy for petty crimes, and a renewed focus on “quality of life” issues. The theory maintains and monitors urban environments which may stop further vandalism and escalation into more serious crime. He established the controversial CompStat system.

Seems like Kelly and Bratton are similar in many plicies.
Today I see more cops in the street. Hope the elderly are safer today more than yesterday.  
Just a thought

Corporate Tax,

 

U.S. corporations are at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to Taxes of 39.1 percent.  Other industrialized countries face an average rate of 25 percent.  Belgium and France (34.4 percent), Sweden (22 percent). 

The IRS allows business deductions for ordinary and necessary business expenses. Capital expenses such as investments and real estate also qualify for deductions. 

The company bottom line is faring a lot better these days than the average American’s weekly paycheck. In 2012, corporate profits as a share of the economy hit the highest level since World War Two, but the overall Compensation of workers fell to a 57-year low.

The profit of corporations rose to 12.4% of gross domestic product. That was up slightly from 12.1% in 2011 and marked the highest rate since 1943.

Corporate tax reformers rightly point out the large amounts of U.S. corporate equity income trapped overseas to avoid extra U.S. taxes on top of taxes already paid abroad.

Reform is difficult without broader business income tax review – that is, reducing tax rates on business income more generally while broadening the tax base. The gains from overall tax reforms would be very large and the corporation will do better. Time to do it.

Just a thought

Basketball Dilemma

TMZ.com released a tape, Sterling scolding his girlfriend for bringing African-Americans to Clippers games and posting photos with Magic Johnson, to her Instagram.

Sterling was born to Jewish immigrants fled Eastern Europe.  Arrived in L.A. with his parents as a child, raised in East L.A.’s then-predominantly Jewish neighborhood.
He is 80-year-old while his GF reportedly 31-year-old, a black and Mexican.

Donald Trump said....'He got set up by a very, very bad girlfriend, let’s face it. She’s called ‘the girlfriend from hell.' 

The Clippers held a silent protest against Sterling. Basketball Commissioner slapped him with a lifetime ban and a $2.5 million fine. The court may likely decide.

Is any body concerned about an 80 Year old having a GF of 31 year old? Is there other secret tapes that may better explain this fiasco? Is recording someone without permission against the law?? It should.

Just a thought.

Dream Big...*!

“If you truly expect to realize your dreams, abandon the need for blanket approval. If conforming to everyone’s expectations is the number one goal, you have sacrificed your uniqueness, and therefore your excellence.”     Hope Solo.

With the world cup soccer next month in Brazil, here is a song of someone trying to be one's own.  

Am I wrong for thinking out the box from where I stay?

Am I wrong for saying that I choose another way?
I ain't trying to do what everybody else doing
Just cause everybody doing what they all do
If one thing I know, I'll fall but I'll grow
I'm walking down this road of mine, this road that I call home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmEJZofz2s&feature=kp

A horse is a...

Dixon is a northern Illinois community of 16,000 and a budget of $8 million a year. Dixon is best known for being the site of Ronald Reagan's boyhood home.

For more than two decades as comptroller, Crundwell siphoned city funds [$53 millions] to pay for properties, vacations, luxury cars and a horse-breeding operation that became nationally renowned.  She crisscrossed the nation attending horse shows and acting every bit the wealthy horse owner, while Dixon had to borrow $3 million to pay city bills.

As the town's comptroller, Rita Crundwell earned an annual salary of $80,000.

She was sentenced to 19 1/2 years in prison for what authorities have called the largest municipal fraud in the country’s history.

The judge ordered Crundwell to pay full restitution – $53.7 million – as per the terms of her deal.

This is not a story I can trust. You can't steel 25% of the town's revenue for twenty years without others noticing. The investigation must continue.

Just a thought.

Boston Marathon...!

On April 15, 2013, two pressure cooker bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon at 2:49 pm EDT, killing 3 people and injuring an estimated 264 others.

After the bombing, the perpetrators went back to their lives and some went to the gem as if nothing happened...

Shortly after the FBI released the images, the suspects killed an MIT police officer, carjacked an SUV, and initiated an exchange of gunfire with the police in Watertown, MA.

The killer (Claimed) self-radicalized and unconnected to any outside terrorist groups. The older brother killed in a fire fight with the police. The younger most likely will get the death penalty for his role, for his complete disregard of human lives, before and after bombing the finish line.

What a waste!!!

Make no mistake about it, having  highly qualified Security Services, Police, FBI, etc. is what make us safe, prevent some from doing harm, and catch those who dare. Let us recognize their contribution.

These two killers were let in. But if you are in the shoes of the injured or killed, you may think twice.

Just a thought.

Buying everybody...!

Pfizer has reportedly made overtures offering to buy pharma giant AstraZeneca for $101 billions, the first mega matchup in pharma land in years.

Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert in 2000 for $90 billions, Pharmacia in 2003 for $60 Billions, and Wyeth, for $68 billions in 2009.
Sold for $16.6 billions its consumer-products division to Johnson & Johnson in 2006,

Big money is moving back and forth on minimum new medications of real benefits to the patients.

Pfizer should be looking for more Research and Development to add more drugs into its pipeline.  The market place see minor amount of new drugs in general. Diversify its business model is also important.

The structure and laws in USA must be changed. The market structure should be geared into profitable R&D not marketing and Financial Engineering of the same back and forth. This is the hardest thing to do.

Just a thought.

Firing Up-Gun Safety

Michael Bloomberg is once again taking aim at one of his favorite targets, the NRA.

He plans to spend $50 million of his fortune at influencing women to push for stricter anti-gun violence laws.

Every town for Gun Safety. The strategy takes a long view of how to produce change on gun reform and is designed to beat the National Rifle Association at its own game. Developing the political clout needed to get lawmakers to back the group’s agenda  and to punish those (politicians) who don’t.

He plunked down $1.1 million to fund campaign ads last year for Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe in Virginia, an advocate of stricter gun control, in his hotly contested race with Republican Ken Cuccinelli. McAuliffe won.

So much this 71 year old man can do. He has the ammunition for it with all the shootings in schools and elsewhere and all the mothers that aren't happy with guns laws.

Those who shouldn't have guns shouldn't be able to buy it, borrow it, or use it.

Just a thought

Hire Me

 

 

 

More jobs were created [288k] in April than forecasters expected. Unemployment nationally dropped to 6.3%. from 10.2% in 2009. Hiring last month was broad-based and included higher-paying jobs.

 

Average hourly pay was unchanged. Average wages have risen  just above the annual inflation rate.  That is not bad as the fed is eyeing inflation.

 

Since 2005, U.S. production has risen 35% for natural gas and 44% for crude oil.  The United States is poised to surpass Saudi Arabia as the world’s top oil producer.

 

Consumption of petrol is well below previously expected trends, as tighter energy efficiency standards come into place.

Inflation is controlled so much by the cost of oil. In 2007 the cost was $147 a Barrel. Today is $100. The money is rerouted in the economy rather than paid to foreign countries. A major difference.

The Federal Reserve Bank is holding the interest rate to 0.25%, and the balance sheet to $4 Trillions.

This year will be the best time for new hire, job expansion, the market and the economy. Count on it.

Just a thought

Flight Lost...

Many Countries are searching for the missing Malaysian airplane. Cost is piling up as it goes day by day. US navy outsource the search of wreckage to a private company. 

On the other hand families of the passengers in attendance at the Beijing briefing exploded in anger and stormed out. This is the habit now.

"We will request their team of experts to come to Beijing to conduct face-to-face communications and fulfill their commitment,"  "What Is the truth? What problem do they want to cover up?"

What keep the search going? The cooperation, training and the possibilities.

The black box is in one spot, while the wreckage is moving for hundreds of miles.

The lesson from this tragedy is learned and being implemented by all parties but the airline will bankrupt leaving these problems to other nations.

At one point, soon, searching efforts will dwindle and then seized and no body can do anything about it. But the anger at some continues.

Just a thought