European SIM card

Watch out for Vodafone Italy.  They have a very nice SIM with essentially unlimited data for 3 euros per day. BUT!!!, these low lifes add services and charges to your account without you approval and refuse to reverse the charges.

I last used my sim in December of 2013.  I had a positive balance when I was done.  B UT, when I went to recharge it for an upcoming trip, I found my balance was negative.  It turns out that Vodafone IT had added services to my account without my approval.  These 'services' ate up my balance and left me negative.

So ... use Vodafone IT at your own risk.  They are unscrupulous and insensitive.

Top 10 Signs You're a Christian

by jim62 on Yahoo regarding the Unsupreme court's decision to allow religious beliefs to trump women's health care.

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other
religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and “dehumanized” when scientists say that people evolved from
other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were
created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the “atrocities” attributed to Allah,
but you don’t even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the
babies of Egypt in “Exodus” and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in
“Joshua” including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods
sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit
impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life
and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the
scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing
wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents
and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of
those who share your beliefs — though excluding those in all rival sects – will
spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the
most “tolerant” and “loving.”

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to
convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in “tongues”
may be all the evidence you need to “prove” Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a “high success rate” when it comes to answered prayers. You
consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining
99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the
Bible, Christianity, and church history – but still call yourself a Christian

Congress harms small and medium sized businesses.

Let's talk about small to medium sized businesses.  Congress has absolutely no appreciation for how much small to medium sized businesses impact our economy.  In particular, how badly the Big Banks and credit card associations are ripping us - and by that I mean everyone - off.  Please explain to me why it is a good idea to throw over 4 percent of our gross product at the credit card association and Big Banks?  Just exactly what have they done for the middle class, lately.  Nothing - with a big fat zero. In fact, less than zero.  They are the 'people' (according to our infantile Un-Supreme Court) who brought us the mortgage crisis.  And even though they are 'people' - I don't see anyone going to jail. This court, the majority of whose members were appointed by 'conservatives', has been not only a disaster - but a laughing stock.  But I digress.

But our congressional members are extremely proud of the Credit Card Act of 2009.  Which is a magnificent piece of legislation dreamed up by the credit card association and Big Banks, written for the credit card associations and Big Banks, written by the credit card association and Big Banks, and benefiting ONLY the credit card association and Big Banks.

Oh .. and let's not forget that the credit card associations are just that ... associations. Association of who, you ask?  I'll give you three guesses and the last 2 don't count.  The associations are comprised of the Big Banks!  Duh.

Please explain to me why, as a small business, I have to pay almost twice as much 'interchange' to MasterCard ans Visa for the 'privilege' of accepting an business purchase card as I do to accept a personal credit card.  It costs me almost a full 1.5 percent more to accept credit cards from businesses and government agencies.

And why should I be paying extra to let consumers accumulate airline mileage?

The whole credit card industry is upside down.  But at the very least, the cost of processing a credit card is the same - no matter who owns it.  But does Congress think this is Wrong?  Nope.  They passed that abortion know as the Credit Card Act of 2009 that 'protects' us from rapacious fees.

Too bad our elected officials are so beholden to the Big Banks.  They really needed to follow Australia's example.  They actually put a crimp in the pockets of the banks.

   

It is time for us to take back our country.

The sleaze bags in Washington have no interest in what is really important to us - only in getting elected - or reelected.  In particular, they have zero respected for the men and women in our armed services.  Congress pays our soldiers (soldiers - not officers) an abysmally small salary.  And then they refuse to pay for things that they require the private sector to provide their employees.  Like uniforms.  Our enlisted men and women have to a) pay for their own uniforms b) pay for food even if they live on base c) pay for their housing - even when they live in the barracks.  And don't get me going about how badly our soldiers overseas are treated. They cannot get what they need in Afghanistan.  In fact, they have to get basic sundries from the British base, next door.