Hyper-Intelligent Shade of the Color Blue

I just have to say that after a couple of weeks trying out Trillian I'm very impressed. All of my personal chat and email in one convenient window (except gmail). It really is "The Swiss Army Knife of Instant Messaging." And I'm using the free version. Give those hoopy Cerulean froods a pat on the back. They really know where their towels are.

*I've noticed a lot of people coming here on a search for "hyper-intelligent shade of the color blue" and I don't explain much about it here. I assume you know that this is a reference to The Hitchhiker's books by Douglas Adams. If you want some Guide kitsch, they have a nice supply over at CafePress.*

7/15/07 Update: You can also check out the entry for the Hooloovoo on Wikipedia. If you would like to leave a comment to tell me WHY you were searching on the Hooloovoo (the hyper-intelligent shade of the color blue) it will help me put the info here that you and others will want to find. I get about five hits per week on that search phrase. If you can't comment on blogger you can also email me at cmdrsue@gmail.com.

It's a Fools Game

Bush intends to exercise rarely used constitutional powers to confirm his choice of ambassador while the Senate is on its August break after Bolton failed to win the approval of enough senators for a straightforward vote. The “recess appointment” would allow Bolton to serve until January 2007 when the current session of Congress ends. ~ TimesOnline

Well, I'm glad to see that the balance of power that our Nation prides itself on is working so well.

Yes, that's sarcasm.

I'd rather have MICHAEL Bolton at the UN.

Desperately Seeking Susan

Well, the count is in and it's official. I'm not acting like myself. What I would like to know is who I'm acting like and, furthermore, who is acting like me and soaking up all that good me-ness that I could be enjoying.

I don't know what's up. I mean, I don't see why I should be depressed or angry or outraged or... Well, ok, there are plenty of reasons for that.

I guess there's nothing else for it but to go on a quest for myself. I'm going to check the basement first. If you don't hear anything for a few days send a search party. And if you find me, hold me until I get back. ;)

Important Starfleet Communication

To: Cmdrs. USS Bob

It is with extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of Captain Montgomery Scott (James Doohan). Captain Scott passed away at 5:30 a.m. this morning at his Redmond, Wash., home with his wife of 28 years, Wende, at his side, Los Angeles agent and longtime friend Steve Stevens said. The cause of death was pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease. He will be missed.


Sincere regrets,
Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Pope
Starfleet Command


To: Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Pope

Thank you for the update, Pope. Yours was the most detailed report that I have received. We are deeply saddened by his passing. I will always treasure the autograph that you obtained for me from Captain Scott. Hopefully someone in a nearby system will hold a Scottish wake for him that we can attend.

Sincerely,
Commander Sue London
USS Bob, NCC-0000
Location Classified

I'm a FLAPPY BIRD!!!!

You may (or may not) remember that a few months ago I declared that my goal was to become a Marauding Marsupial in the TTLB Blogosphere Ecosystem. Today I just noticed that I am one step closer to my goal - a Flappy Bird! After a month and a bit of pretty much NOT posting. What am I supposed to make of this? I don't know.

But to all of you who have taken me one step closer to my dream - thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my little Flappy Bird heart.

Goodbye, New York!

I've certainly enjoyed my time here, not least of which because I can blog without fear of recrimination. Although I did have a paper delivered to my hotel room door with an article titled "Bloggers Need Not Apply." The subtitle is, "Job seekers need to eliminate as many negatives as possible, and in most cases a blog turns out to be a negative." It's starting to smell like Salem around here, isn't it?

Here Comes Da Judge

I took Matt's "What Type of Judicial Conservative Are You?" test and came up with a three way tie.

You scored as... we don't know what you are . libertarian 65% pragmatist 65% textualist 65% traditionalist 40% judicial deferent 15% What type of judicial conservative are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Toto, I Don't Think We're in the Nineteenth Century Anymore...

Today the United Church of Christ voted to endorse same sex marriage. If there is a UCC in your town consider taking some time this Sunday to stop by and tell them that you appreciate their progressiveness.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about same sex marriage. I was married for years and I've been the same sex all my life." ~ George Carlin

The Lord and Fifth Avenue

Today I took a little stroll down to Fifth Avenue to see what I could see. For a girl whose first dream was to move to New York and write I was suitably impressed to be walking past publishing houses on the way. I headed towards Saks Fifth Avenue in a sort of shopping tribute to my mom. She would be so proud. I got the friendly advice from a native to "start at the top and work my down." I think I managed four floors out of nine because it was sooooo not my store. Cool, but not me. I did find a wonderful suede duster in lavender (my close friends know that I would dub it "Trazelle purple") that was $798 and 30% off. If I had money falling out of my pockets I probably would have considered it. I said to myself, though, that if I were going to drop upwards of $800 on a coat (ok, so it was $560 after discount) that I would have to donate an equal amount to ending world hunger or some other worthy cause. I ended up leaving Saks by a different door than I entered - and standing looking at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I skipped up the steps and was immediately invited to drop some money into a box to help the poor of the world. Entertaining. The irony of a church next to Saks didn't get past me. Neither did the irony that the church looked like it was even more expensive to build than Saks. I guess there were a lot of guilty shoppers dropping change in the donation box over the years. I have to say, though, that if I were God I would certainly spend a lot more time in St. Patrick's than Sak's. Unless they marked down that coat again...

Start Spreadin' the News, I'm Leavin' Today....

Actually I both left and arrived today. I'm in the Big Apple! I waved to all ya'll blogging compatriots that I knew were in the area while I zipped past you on the highway. Hey sixthdoctor! Hey GD! Hey Blondesense Liz! Hey Fixer!

I'm in Manhatten for a couple of days to do a presentation for a conference. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do a bit of sightseeing, although it won't be nearly as much fun as it would have been if my One True Love had been able to come with me. Oh well. I'll try not to cry while I watch the fireworks IN MANHATTEN!

Happy Independence Day!

Make it Stop!

The New York Times
July 1, 2005

The Nontaxpaying Affluent Grew by 15% in One Year

By DAVID CAY JOHNSTON

The number of affluent individuals and married couples who paid no federal income taxes jumped more than 15 percent in 2002, to 5,650, new government data showed yesterday.

The chances of having a large income but not paying taxes on any of it are growing, according to the data, issued in the Internal Revenue Service's annual report to Congress on well-to-do Americans who live tax free. About one in every 436 high-income Americans paid no taxes in 2002, up from one in 531 in 2001 and one in 1,010 in 2000.

Over all, the top 2 percent of earners, the 2.5 million filers with income of $200,000 or more, paid almost 27 cents in taxes for each dollar of income they reported in 2002, other I.R.S. data showed. This group accounted for 53.5 percent of the income tax paid by all Americans.

Among that high-income group, however, almost 83,000, or one in 33, paid less than a dime in taxes for every dollar of income. An additional 79,000 paid less than 15 cents. The average for all Americans was 13 cents.

Congress taxes Americans on their worldwide income. Of the 5,650 individuals and couples who paid no income taxes to the United States, only 728 paid any to a foreign government, while 4,922 lived completely free of income tax.

The I.R.S. measured income in two ways.

One was by adjusted gross income, the last line on the front page of the Form 1040 tax return. By this measure, 2,959 affluent individuals and married couples paid no federal income tax, down from 3,385 in 2001, but up from 2,328 in 2000. There were 60 such examples in 1977, when a dollar was worth three times as much as in 2002.

On a worldwide basis, 2,551 such individuals and couples paid no tax in 2002, down from 2,875 in 2001, but up from 2,022 in 2000. There were 37 such examples in 1977, the first year the agency disclosed such data.

The second measure, giving a fuller picture, was expanded income, which also includes money from sources like tax-exempt interest and untaxed Social Security benefits. By this measure, 5,650 well-to-do individuals and married couples paid no federal income tax in 2002 , up from 4,910 in 2001 and 2,766 in 2000. There were 85 such examples in 1977.

Worldwide on this basis, there were 4,922 individuals and couples who lived tax free in 2002, up from 4,119 in 2001 and 2,320 in 2000. There were 64 such examples in 1977.

The I.R.S. report said that "the most important item in eliminating tax" was taking income in the form of tax-exempt interest on state and municipal bonds. Nearly two-thirds of those who lived tax free reported income from such bonds.

The four largest items that reduced income subject to taxation, the I.R.S. said, were miscellaneous deductions; interest paid on borrowing to finance investments; various tax credits; and large medical bills, which can be deducted once they exceed either 7.5 percent or 10 percent of adjusted gross income, depending on the taxpayer's circumstances.