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Lamplighter 04-16-2013 02:33 PM
Oooops...
 
I think we need a thread for public blunders...

Los Angeles Times
Michael Hiltzik
4/16/13

How an Excel error fueled panic over the federal debt
Quote:
One of the most fearsome statistics in the war against the federal deficit
has always been the country's ratio of debt to gross domestic product.
When this ratio reaches 90%, the argument goes, watch out --
<snip>

This idea comes from Harvard economists Ken Rogoff and Carmen Reinhart,
who featured it in a 2010 paper and popularized it in a book entitled
"This Time is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly."<snip>

A new study by three researchers at the University of Massachusetts finds
that Rogoff and Reinhart made several mistakes that invalidate their thesis.<snip>

Most important, they made a spreadsheet error that resulted in their leaving five countries
out of an all-important average of countries with higher than 90% debt-to-GDP ratios.
By restoring the full average, the UMass authors say, the growth rate for countries
in that range becomes 2.2%, not the -0.1% cited by Rogoff and Reinhart.
That makes the average growth rate at that ratio "not dramatically different
than when debt/GDP ratios are lower."<snip>

Rogoff and Reinhart haven't yet responded to the UMass paper.
But if the new analysis holds up, it knocks a key leg out from under the argument
that our economic growth depends on cutting the deficit and reducing the national debt without delay.
<snip>
Now, who will be the first to quote Regan and Chenney

infinite monkey 04-16-2013 02:51 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamplighter (Post 861026)
I think we need a thread for public blunders...

How an Excel error fueled panic over the federal debt


Now, who will be the first to quote Regan and Chenney
You mean Reagan and Cheney? Is that a public blunder? ;)

I couldn't help it. All I could think was "I know what love is, Chenney."

And it was ironic. Wasn't it? Is that ironic? Everyone gets all weird about what is really ironic but it seems kind of ironic and therefore worth a chuckle. :p:

Lamplighter 04-16-2013 02:58 PM
:blush:

BigV 04-16-2013 06:11 PM
spelling matters

footfootfoot 04-16-2013 06:42 PM
not as much as speling

elSicomoro 04-17-2013 12:30 AM
Our esteemed village idiot governor here in Kansas had a spreadsheet error himself recently:

Quote:
Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget director said Friday that he offered his resignation after a $2 billion error on a spreadsheet found its way into a chart the governor used to claim credit for spending cuts that never happened.

...

While the actual state budget book was accurate, the $2 billion error in spending was incorporated into a PowerPoint chart that Brownback used for months, as he sought support for his fiscal policies from influential groups across the state, including the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Brownback’s chart showed state all-funds spending peaking at $16 billion in 2010, the last year of Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson’s administration. Spending that year actually was $14.04 billion.

Based on the incorrect number, Brownback claimed credit for the "first bending down of the cost curve in 40 years for the state."

However, the corrected figures showed the state spent more under Brownback’s administration than Parkinson’s.
full story

tw 04-17-2013 03:08 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by footfootfoot (Post 861045)
not as much as speling
Did you mean an early example? Aaron's daughter? Eventually, even she learned.

Lamplighter 06-07-2013 10:04 AM
Mitt Romney held a political retreat in Utah yesterday.
Billed as a Republican strategist, Nicolle Nikpour said on a tv talk show today:

"Romney is the adult Chucky, he just keeps on coming back"

Oooops !

Lamplighter 06-16-2013 11:20 PM
Forbes
6/15/13

He's Not Dead! Reuters Publishes Premature Obituary Of George Soros
Quote:
Reuters published an obituary of billionaire investor
and philanthropist George Soros on Thursday.
Only one problem: he’s not dead.

In a wide-ranging 1,222 word report written by reporter Todd Eastham,
Reuters eulogized Soros with this fill-in-the-blank lede: “George Soros,
who died XXX at age XXX, was a predatory and hugely successful financier and investor,
who argued paradoxically for years against the same sort
of free-wheeling capitalism that made him billions.”

It was his older brother, Paul, who died. :rolleyes:

Lamplighter 06-23-2013 09:08 AM
Tom's Hardware
By Jane McEntegart
June 23, 2013

Facebook Security Flaw Exposed Details of Six Million
Quote:
Facebook says it recently received a report about a bug
that allowed some of a user's contact information to be accessed
by people who either had some contact information about that user
or some connection to them.
<snip>
Facebook says that roughly six million users had email addresses
or numbers shared as a result of this bug.
<snip>
Facebook is emailing affected users and regulators in Canada,
the U.S. and Europe have been notified about the incident.
Don't worry, the info was exposed only to people who want to be your friend.
.
.

Lamplighter 07-04-2013 07:48 AM
BBC
'Master key' to Android phones uncovered
Quote:
A "master key" that could give cyber-thieves unfettered access
to almost any Android phone has been discovered by security research firm BlueBox.

The bug could be exploited to let an attacker do what they want
to a phone including stealing data, eavesdropping or using it to send junk messages.

The loophole has been present in every version of the Android operating system released since 2009.

Google said it currently had no comment to make on BlueBox's discovery.

Oh, by the way, there is this too...

BBC
3 May 2013

US military approves Android phones for soldiers
Quote:
The approval is the start of a process that will see
many different types of mobile devices used by US soldiers.

Approval for other Android devices as well as Apple phones
and tablets is expected in late May.

Before now, phone maker Blackberry was the only firm
whose products were approved for use by US service personnel.
<snip>

Lamplighter 07-04-2013 08:31 AM
I'm sorry this rocket launch failed, but the video is spectacular.

tw 07-04-2013 10:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamplighter (Post 869354)
I'm sorry this rocket launch failed,
The Proton M has destroyed about 10 satellites in the past few years. This one destroyed, I believe, three satellites.

ZenGum 07-13-2013 07:48 AM
I'm not sure if this is a public blunder or just being an enormous jerk, but:

http://www.forwardprogressives.com/t...amber-guns-ok/

Quote:
The Texas Department of Public Safety forced women to hand over their tampons and pads before entering the Senate chamber today. Not only that, but they were also forcing diabetics to hand over sugar packets and other diabetes supplies which are lifelines when dealing with low blood glucose levels.

And the kicker — those with concealed handgun licenses who wanted to enter the Senate chamber were not only allowed to keep their handguns, but they were allowed to bypass the long lines and enter through a “special” CHL (concealed handgun license) line.

xoxoxoBruce 07-13-2013 09:40 AM
That makes sense.
Everyone knows women are dangerous at that time of the month.
Diabetics shouldn't have a problem if they are calm and not causing trouble, but if they do they'll fall over dead.
Now the persons with concealed carry permits are obviously there to prevent trouble.

Oh, and it's Texas. ;)

Adak 07-14-2013 03:35 PM
It's very common (in prison), for women to hide shiv's and other contraband, inside tampons.

An insulin injection can kill someone quite quickly, if you inject it into a non-diabetic, in a large dose.

I haven't read the article, but the abortion debate they've had, has been very heated. I'm sure they're looking to take all possible precautions.

Clodfobble 07-14-2013 03:56 PM
Except a woman with a concealed carry license had her tampons taken away, and not her gun. Not really taking all possible precautions, are they? Perhaps we should license only those responsible enough to carry tampons without misusing them.

footfootfoot 07-14-2013 04:36 PM
"You can have my tampon when you pry it from my cold, dead..."

footfootfoot 07-14-2013 04:38 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adak (Post 870287)
It's very common (in prison), for women to hide shiv's and other contraband, inside tampons.

An insulin injection can kill someone quite quickly, if you inject it into a non-diabetic, in a large dose.

I haven't read the article, but the abortion debate they've had, has been very heated. I'm sure they're looking to take all possible precautions.
As can a lead injection.

I believe the reason for confiscating the tampons was because someone tipped them off that the tampons were going to be hurled at the speakers as a form of protest.

No idea what the insulin is about. Seems improbable that one could inject someone with insulin that easily unless they've been watching the godfather.

Clodfobble 07-14-2013 04:44 PM
And the insulin supplies, well, those just looked sneaky. (Actually, I'm pretty sure it was only one case of a security guard confiscating a woman's sugar packets, thinking they might also have been thrown, not realizing--or not believing the story--that diabetics may carry them around for a quick glucose adjustment.)

Lamplighter 08-11-2013 08:07 PM
1 Attachment(s)
The athletic club membership is quite low,
but the facilities are on the 40th floor.
They have bungy cords for rent.


NY Daily News
Julian Arenzon
8/9/13

Spanish skyscraper missing elevators in monster goof:
‘Standard for the Future’ or sign of current decline?

Quote:
The InTempo, a 47-story building in Alicante, Spain,
has had its construction fraught with problems, including allegations of fraud
from both customers and suppliers, who are owed $3.3 million.

In what will surely go down in history as one the greatest architectural blunders,
the town of Benidorm in Alicante, Spain, had almost completed its 47-story skyscraper
when it realized it excluded plans for elevator shafts.

BigV 08-12-2013 10:41 AM
that story's hard to believe, but the article seems legitimate. still... :facepalm: wtf~!

Lamplighter 08-12-2013 10:55 AM
Other articles say that elevators were installed up to the 20th floor.
But then financial (whatever ?) problems stopped the construction.
When construction was re-started, they used an elevator and cranes
on the outside of the building.

So, their may well be the elevator shafts in the design, but not the
where-with-all to move people the rest of the way up to the top floors

Lamplighter 08-14-2013 09:45 AM
If this was the only time such a thing happened it would be surprising.
But it's not...

The Independent
Heather Saul
8/14/13

US gun-safety instructor shoots a student during demonstration
Quote:
A gun instructor in Ohio accidentally shot a student whilst
leading a class for people seeking permits to legally hold a concealed firearm.

73-year-old Terry Dunlap was demonstrating with a 38 calibre pistol
when it went off and shot Michael Piemonte, 26.
He and his wife were attending the all day class on how to carry guns
for their own safety, he reportedly told local media.
<snip>
The police have ruled the shooting an accident and Mr Dunlap has not been charged.

xoxoxoBruce 08-14-2013 02:10 PM
Now now, let's be fair.
Piemonte caught a ricochet, not a straight shot.
And Dunlap said he didn't know the .38 was loaded.







:smack: :rolleyes: :facepalm:

Lamplighter 08-14-2013 02:30 PM
Quote:
...And Dunlap said he didn't know the .38 was loaded.
Didn't they write a song about that ?

"I didn't know the gun was loaded.
"And I'm so sorry my friend.
"I didn't know the gun was loaded.
"And I'll never do it again.
....

BigV 08-14-2013 03:22 PM
she shot the sherriff

Lamplighter 08-17-2013 11:02 PM
According to Robert Burns, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Union Bulletin
8/17/13

No special treatment for Congress in health-care law
Quote:
No matter whether you support or oppose the 2010 Affordable Care Act,
you may take some comfort in knowing the bill puts members of Congress and their staffs
in the same situation as many of their constituents.

The law allows everyone to keep their health-care plan if they want to.
Everyone except the federal lawmakers and their employees.
They will have to find a plan sold through the new exchanges in their districts or place of residence.

Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, added this amendment
in the hope it would serve as a poison pill and kill the bill.
While Grassley opposed the health-care bill he said he believed politicians
should live with their own laws.

Since the bill was passed and signed into law, members of Congress
and their staffs will lose their federal coverage on Dec. 31.
They will begin an open enrollment period on Oct. 1.
<snip>
And then too, sometimes you've just got to keep a sense of humor...

richlevy 08-18-2013 09:46 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigV (Post 873039)
that story's hard to believe, but the article seems legitimate. still... :facepalm: wtf~!
We used to live in Havertown School District. They were adding a wing to a building when they noticed towards the end of construction that the addition was higher (or lower) than the main building by several inches. The legal circus that followed would have been a lot funnier if I wasn't paying for it.:mad:

Lamplighter 09-01-2013 12:08 PM
The internet is now legally illegal in Florida

Huffington Post
7/8/13
Florida Accidentally Banned All Computers, Smart Phones
In The State Through Internet Cafe Ban: Lawsuit
Quote:
In April Florida Governor Rick Scott approved a ban on slot machines
and Internet cafes after a charity tied to Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll was shut down
on suspicion of being an Internet gambling front
-- forcing Carroll, who had consulted with the charity, to resign.

Rick Scott reportedly called the ban, "the right thing to do for our state."

The ban defines illegal slot machines as any
"system or network of devices" that may be used in a game of chance.

Florida's 1,000 Internet cafes were shut down immediately,
including Miami-Dade's Incredible Investments, LLC, a café that
provides online services to migrant workers, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The owner, Consuelo Zapata, is now suing the state after her legal team found
that the ban was so hastily worded that it can be applied to any computer or device
connected to the Internet, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Miami Herald.
If the internet is outlawed, only outlaws will have the internet.
.
.

Lamplighter 09-12-2013 09:15 PM
Where have all the flowers gone ?

The POLITICS forum seems to be my own personal space lately.
So I ask myself this question:

With the ubiquitous N.S.A. spying on telephone and internet and US Mail
and street camera's and facial recognition software and Google- and
MicroSoft- and Apple- and Facebook- data collections and back-doors
to proprietary software and who knows what else...

... why did NSA not detect and stop the Boston Bombers ?

Incompetence - too much $ - or just Oooops ?

xoxoxoBruce 09-12-2013 09:27 PM
Because they have neither the manpower nor the money to analyze all the info they have. They file it, then when something happens they go back and try to ferret out everyone involved from the stored information.

sexobon 09-12-2013 09:40 PM
And here I thought they just didn't want to tip their hand about having mind reading capability until something bigger was going to happen.

Lamplighter 09-12-2013 11:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 875909)
Because they have neither the manpower
nor the money to analyze all the info they have.
They file it, then when something happens they go back and
try to ferret out everyone involved from the stored information.
I hope that's not the case (i.e., the NSA program design).

That would be like banning high capacity assault rifle magazines.
... We'll give you the first 6 or10 or 20 shots for free,
but then you have to re-load if you want more ... or carry more guns

It's hard for me to believe the NSA doesn't have the manpower or money (2013 - $53billion),
but it is believable to me that for whatever reason, NSA dropped the ball with Boston,
or that will be all they can do after future bombs have gone off.

That is hardly the level of protection the current NSA budget should provide.

Lamplighter 09-12-2013 11:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by sexobon (Post 875911)
And here I thought they just didn't want to tip their hand about having mind reading capability until something bigger was going to happen.
... or CYOA

Griff 09-13-2013 05:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamplighter (Post 875908)
Where have all the flowers gone ?
I think you answered your own question. The joke about getting on a government list doesn't seem so funny anymore.

tw 09-13-2013 08:54 AM
I could not even get on Nixon's enemy's list. Does that mean the NSA also cannot list me?

sexobon 09-13-2013 11:04 PM
NSA is checking its list
And checking it twice
Gonna find out if tw's
Been naughty or nice

tw 09-14-2013 06:47 AM
OMG! Only 100 days till Christmas. Soon we will have non-stop weeks of this music. Enough to make me want to rip the christ out of Christmas.

Lamplighter 09-14-2013 09:25 AM
tw, some people already beat you to it...


Modern Readers
David Romanski
September 14, 2013

United Airlines Shuts Down Site After Posting $0-10 Fares
Quote:
<snip>The airline said that it erroneously filed certain fares for $0.
This has happened to a number of airlines before, and is typically due to an airline
accidentally dropping a digit when entering fare prices into its online system.

Customer Maura Leahy was able to book a ticket from Houston to
Washington, D.C. (at Christmas, no less) for a whopping $5.
“It was $5 round trip, no fees, nothing. This is nuts,” she said.
She also noted that two of her co-workers learned about the glitch
and bought their own discount tickets for the holidays.

United won’t say yet whether or not it will honor the zero-cost tickets it sold.
“As always, we will do what is appropriate,” company spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said.

United experienced a similar outage in 2008. In that instance,
the airline mistakenly dropped its fuel surcharge,
which reduced ticket prices by as much as $130.
It ultimately decided to honor the tickets that were sold during that period.

xoxoxoBruce 09-14-2013 01:46 PM
Quote:
“As always, we will do what is appropriate,” company spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said.
:smack: Bwahahahahahaha :lol2: Ahahahahahahaha :rotflol:

Lamplighter 10-09-2013 07:28 PM

Washington Post
10/9/13
Oops: Azerbaijan released election results before voting had even started
Quote:
Azerbaijan's big presidential election, held on Wednesday,
was anticipated to be neither free nor fair.
President Ilham Aliyev, who took over from his father 10 years ago,
has stepped up intimidation of activists and journalists.
<snip>
Even still, one expects a certain ritual in these sorts of authoritarian elections,
a fealty to at least the appearance of democracy, if not democracy itself.

So it was a bit awkward when Azerbaijan's election authorities released vote results
– a full day before voting had even started.

The vote counts – Aliyev was shown as winning by a landslide –
were pushed out on an official smartphone app run by the Central Election Commission.
It showed Aliyez as "winning" with 72.76 percent of the vote.
That's on track with his official vote counts in previous elections:
he won ("won"?) 76.84 percent of the vote in 2003 and
87 percent in 2008.

BigV 10-11-2013 11:52 AM
bwaaaahahahahahahhahaha!!

glatt 10-11-2013 12:04 PM
It's like something from a Saturday Night Live skit.

Lamplighter 10-12-2013 04:15 PM
1 Attachment(s)
NY Times
GAIA PIANIGIANI
October 11, 2013

Coins Celebrating Pope Misspell Name Above All Names
Quote:
ROME — It seems absurd that any official Vatican memorabilia would misspell the name Jesus.
Or that the Italian institute that mints coins, passports and postage stamps would make such an error.
And yet the fact remains: a new series of special commemorative coins honoring Pope Francis got it wrong.

They call him Lesus.

Attachment 45666

“Everybody makes mistakes,” said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, on Friday.
“Even people who make coins.” <snip>

The sentence, by the Venerable Bede, a seventh-century theologian,
contains Pope Francis’ self-chosen motto, “miserando atque eligendo,
which loosely translates as “lowly but chosen.”<snip>

Daniel Burke, who co-edits a religion blog on CNN.com, wrote,
“For the love of Lesus, the Vatican could sure use an infallible copyeditor.”

sexobon 10-12-2013 05:51 PM
I saw that yesterday. They were struck by the Italian State Mint; however, by all other accounts I've seen they're papal commemorative mint medals and not coins. Much lower interest.

Lamplighter 10-29-2013 09:12 AM
1 Attachment(s)
October Surprise...

infinite monkey 10-29-2013 09:49 AM
I'm in the middle of enrolling. I've been confused by a couple questions (for instance I used my pers payout to pay off student loan, etc) but so far it's working.

BigV 10-29-2013 09:51 AM
are you using the federal website?

infinite monkey 10-29-2013 09:52 AM
I'm really confused as to the options I pick from. I think I'll stop now and look into it later.

infinite monkey 10-29-2013 09:53 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigV (Post 881900)
are you using the federal website?
healthcare.gov? Yeah.

Is there another one??????????

BigV 10-29-2013 10:43 AM
There are state run exchanges that let you shop for a health insurance plan, distinctly different from the federal online exchange. I was not sure where you're shopping. For example, here in Washington, the online marketplace is:

https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/

BigV 10-29-2013 10:46 AM
so, I followed your link IM, just to see it, see where it took me. I was just browsing, and after a couple clicks, it sent me to the same place I'd just posted about, https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/.

infinite monkey 10-29-2013 11:05 AM
I started out at healthcare.gov. It asked me what state I'm in. OHIO tells you you are going to use healthcare.gov. I suppose in WA they tell you they will be transferring you to your state site.

So it obviously varies state to state. I was in some part of HEALTHCARE.GOV the entire time.

BigV 10-29-2013 11:41 AM
thanks for the clarification. I'm keenly interested to hear about your experience with the whole process. Good luck and please keep us posted. :)

glatt 10-29-2013 12:00 PM
Just as another data point:

I just got our first email regarding open enrollment for health insurance with my employer. My current insurance plan is going to increase about 7% in the next year. That's a little higher than it has increased in previous years, but not dramatically higher.

I bet my pay will increase by about 1% next year. Another year, another opportunity to figure out how to tighten the belt some more.

An interesting new plan option is a very high deductible, low cost plan paired with a pretax medical savings account that will rollover unspent contributions from one year to the next. I wonder if we should gamble on our health?

The family deductible will be $3000/year under the new plan. I wonder how much cheaper the premiums will be? It would have to be at least $250/month cheaper for me to even consider that gamble.

xoxoxoBruce 10-29-2013 05:39 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by glatt (Post 881923)

I just got our first email regarding open enrollment for health insurance with my employer. My current insurance plan is going to increase about 7% in the next year. That's a little higher than it has increased in previous years, but not dramatically higher.
Does that include the refunds you've gotten?

orthodoc 10-29-2013 05:50 PM
I tried out the healthcare.gov web site for a relative in PA. It transferred me to PA and I was able to find the available plans. Everything worked fine.

glatt 10-29-2013 06:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 881962)
Does that include the refunds you've gotten?
It should. The refunds were a lot smaller this year. They warned us about that.

Big Sarge 10-29-2013 07:07 PM
keep us posted on how this works. so far in Mississippi, only 35 people have been able to register. i'll have to pick up insurance for the kids next year when I lose tricare


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