Tuesday, March 13, 2012

B-A-N-N-E-D by DAILY KOS for my views on gun rights fanatics – Part 3


Daily Kos gun rights fanatics

This is the third and last post in my series on being banned by Daily Kos for my views on gun rights fanatics.  You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.  So far the major reaction is the typical wacko comments from DK diarists, but one from a reader who agrees with my take on gun control.  I’m disappointed!  Had hoped for more of the imbecilic comments like I illustrated in yesterday’s post so you could witness more of the feeble-mindedness of this select breed of morons.

They are a pedigree unto themselves; more like a pack of mongrels.  But more important is the fact that this pro-gun gang is clearly on the march to silence anyone who disagrees with their gun-worshipping beliefs and will do anything to reach their goal.  That is scary!  And what is even scarier is the fact that Daily Kos lets these hybrid idiots run amok, to the extent that they can drive someone right off the DK blog because he disagrees with their views.


Gun control advocate on Daily Kos

To illustrate my point that these people will do anything to silence the opposition, there was a commenter who appeared to be educated, at least compared to those listed in yesterday’s post, who actually made a threat to disrupt my Nasty Jack blog.  The guy, online name Phoenix 182, among several other aliases, his real name, according to him, is Kristin Guttrormsen.  His comments were left on my NJ blog but later learned he was a Daily Kos diarist.

He made the following statement when he thought I had deleted one of his comments (I hadn’t): “Fortunately I save all posts I make, and can repost them an infinite number of times, from an infinite number of id's.”

When I told him I would report him for spamming, he said he didn’t care and that he had broken no laws.  It is one thing to be illegal but another to be blatantly unethical, and proud of it.  Pathetic!  It was basically because of this jerk that I had to start moderating comments.  This yahoo claims to have “…done so many interviews, lectures, written so many published pieces, etc.”  Thank God I wasn’t there or forced to read any of his pablum.

See video below as Ladd Everitt, Director of Communications at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, addresses the crowd at a Lie-In outside the U.S. Supreme Court on 4/16/08, the one-year anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech.  The Jared Loughner Tucson massacre would occur less than three years later:

 


And finally there is a harebrained comment that came up repeatedly on DK by another “anonymous” dimwitted diarist, afraid to use his or her real name:

“If you began taking your meds again according to the prescription (read the bottle), your understanding of this matter would greatly improve.”

Throughout all this, Daily Kos diarists kept up the divisive comments as if they disagreed with everything I said, but continued to read every one of my diaries, as evidenced by my high daily readership on DK.  As an example kestrel9000, alias Eddie Garcia, the “sap” from Vermont, ranted that my diaries weren’t worth reading, yet, he continued to read them and leave comments. 

I came to the conclusion that, based on the substance and tenor of my Daily Kos comments on gun control, you would think the blog had been infiltrated by a secret cult of gun zealots, had almost become an extension of the National Rifle Assn.

Now with the repugnant stuff out of the way, there were some encouraging comments that lead me to believe that diarists do exist on Daily Kos that are intelligent, sophisticated and reasonable in their reaction to gun control issues, although at times outspoken.  See them below: 

·       POed Lib said: “NJ: Excellent post. I used to be on DK, but was driven off mostly by posses of gunsel gunwacks, who would show up on comments and TR me. The gunwacks on DK have the pretense of civility and reason, but they are just a bunch of lying snakes who are no more reasonable than is LaPierre that massive pile of shit. I asked once for a single gun restriction that they would agree to, and they have none. They do not agree that the gun show loophole and private sale loophole should be closed. They don't agree with restrictions on number of sales, on restrictions on high capacity magazines, none of that stuff. They are just shills for the NRA and are all liars.”

·       Frank Blau said: “You won't get any love from the rkba nuts at Daily Kos... but I made my way here to tell you that there are SOME people (like me) on your side. :)”

·       Anonymous said: “You are likely to get shelled and take heavy fire on DK. I used to be there, before the Gun Lunatic Posse TRed me off. I tried on several occasions to get responsible limits consider: limits on rapid change magazines, # gun purchased/month, etc. No limit was acceptable, yet the gunsels continued to proclaim their ‘reasonableness’. Lying morons.”

·       Brasilaaron said: “Why would any sane person pretend that allowing random people to carry guns on planes is a good idea?  While in one's home, the 2nd amendment is a perfectly valid Right to admire.  Public safety while in public trumps the 2nd amendment; life, liberty and pursuit of happiness not life, liberty and the pursuit of firearms (i know, one's the Dec. of Independence the other the Constitution).”

·       IceMilkCoffee said: “Guns are bad for the same reasons why an arms race is bad. If a bunch of loons are allowed to come into our state with their guns and play Nimrod, then I, a non-gun owner, will now have to escalate and get a gun for myself.  If you agree that the arms race is a bad idea, then so is this escalation of gun ownership. It's bad for everyone except the gun sellers.”

What more can I say?  Goodbye and good riddance Daily Kos!

Monday, March 12, 2012

B-A-N-N-E-D by DAILY KOS for my views on gun rights fanatics – Part 2

New Daily Kos diarist
In the first article in this series, I supplied some background on Daily Kos and how I was banned from that blog.  Unless DK wants to be more specific, the only explanation is that I was drummed out by a gang of guns rights fanatics.  But I doubt the blog can refute the fact that the reaction to my articles on gun control were the reason the Daily Kos “community” kicked me out, unless DK elects to censor me further by deleting all my posts and their comments. 

Right up front I will admit that many of my articles were reproachful against gun owners, but were based on my prior experience where gun extremists have reviled my writing using language fit only for a sailor (I was a swabbie).  They were very similar to some you will see here today.  And it is hard for anyone to ignore the daily blasts from the media by gun worshippers who love their guns more than life.  I live in Arizona, the seat of loose gun laws.

See MSNBC's Chris Matthews on gun control below:




Eddie Garcia at work in Vermont

I’ll start the Daily Kos comments with a guy from Vermont who must be sucking too much maple syrup from the trees in his yard.  He goes by the online name of kestrel9000 but his real name is Eddie Garcia and apparently his mother never washed his mouth out with soap.  That is, if he had one.  As an example he commented on my DK articles:

  • “What in the sequined fuck are you talking about?” in reply to another DK diarist who had made an asinine comment on one of my diaries.

  • “Some would say it's fucking weird to come armed to a coffee shop, and if you don't like it, go somewhere else.  it's fucking weird for a black guy to date a white woman.  Others would say it's fucking weid (SIC) for a black woman to date a white woman.  You would ban things on the basis of them being fucking weird?”

  • “you had the stones to answer comments on Daily Kos where you vomited out this piece of shit, minus the pictures and youtubes (wtf are you, lame?) you'd see you're getting your ass handed to you by both sides of the issue, but I bet you don't. Your tipjar now stands at +1/-8. This will be my first and last comment on this blog. You are being hiderated for spamming, hit and run diarying, and bigotry. I'm outta here.”

  • “Another lie: There is no gun show loophole.  The rules regarding private sales do not change regardless of where they take place.”  Now only a complete idiot would make this statement.

But what could you expect from someone whose most recommended diary is Rush Limbaugh.

Here’s one from someone with only the online name of labwitchy:

  • “Well kestrel9000, if people weren't so darn dark there'd be no need to control what they can or can't possess.  i know you get that as snark kes. you know where i stand.  when slaves own guns, masters are in major trouble.  Republicans ARE cooties!” An apparent reply to “gun mouth” re. my post on how racism had been connected to gun control.

Pavepusher’s comment, below, is further evidence of the fact that I was banned from Daily Kos for my views on radical gun rights:

  • “Pack of lies in that ‘video,’ of course.  ‘Concealed assault weapon’ my ass.  You really are a vile fuckwad.  Congrats on getting kicked out of DKos, took you long enough.  Bet you don’t have the intestinal fortitude to let this comment stay.”  I did.


Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas

Looking back on my Daily Kos article comments, you would think that all these people have to do is sit around all day making derogatory statements about anyone who they think wants to take away their precious guns.  It makes me wonder if this is the majority of DK’s traffic, which would indicate a very low-brow profile.  The site’s founder, Markos Moulitsas, might want to take the time to evaluate this…before his advertisers do.

NEXT: More on Daily Kos with additional comments, many from the pro-gun control group.

Friday, March 9, 2012

B-A-N-N-E-D by DAILY KOS for my views on gun rights fanatics

Daily Kos Web page

In case you aren’t aware, Daily Kos is a supposed liberal blog that encourages readers to join them by writing articles called “diaries.”  Now these folks are also participating in something called a “community,” which is made up of the diarists.  Apparently a diarist is required to take part in the community, a rule that is not made clear by DK, and, based on my experience, is enforced entirely by other diarists.  I started as a diarist on Daily Kos July 18, 2011, publishing daily.

I have averaged around 100 views per day doing progressive articles on a wide range of subjects from religion to guns.  On my first day I had nine comments on an article about controlling your personal data that was read by 50 people.  On the fourth day I did an article about challenging the 2nd Amendment; not repealing it mind you, just some adjustments like restricting gun carrying in public by inexperienced gun owners.  The proverbial bullets hit the fan.

Small gun...small mind
I had 332 readers and received 163 comments.  Up until the moment I started reading the comments, I had thought I could expect a somewhat left to left-center reaction to my views on sane gun control.  Not so.  Daily Kos is a hotbed of angry, narrow minded, often crude gun rights fanatics.  A few were in favor of my piece, most against, with none that were really vindictive.  There was also plenty of inane arguing among diarists.  But this was simply the quiet before the storm.

As I became more familiar with gun violence around the country, I suddenly realized that I was sitting in the middle of the state that was the nucleus of bad gun laws with state politicians that had no regard for public safety.  All they cared about was the appetite of Arizona’s gun worshippers who wanted more guns and wanted to carry them damn well anywhere they wanted to.  People like recalled state Sen. Russell Pearce, state Sen. Ron Gould, and spacey Gov. Jan Brewer.

Daily Kos founder, Markos Moulitsas, should know better after being banned himself from MSNBC in video below:



At Daily Kos I proceeded, cross-posting from this blog, which DK encouraged.  It took me a while to get going on gun advocacy but once I had done a fair amount of research, I was ready to plow ahead with data even I couldn’t believe.  I quickly realized that my residence in Arizona would supply me with a lifetime of material on the issue and I have never been disappointed.  It seems there are one or more shootings each day in this state, some that result in death.

Most recently, I was averaging at least one gun control article a week.  At the same time I was also writing similar pieces and cross-posting from Nasty Jack for the Phoenix Examiner.com.  It was on Examiner that I first experienced a volley of vitriolic comments on anything written against gun control.  But it was expected in the town and state that loves guns more than life itself.  The comments from Daily Kos had become equally nasty. 

And then it happened on February 27, of this year.

On that day I started as usual to post my article on Daily Kos and received a message, "Not authorized to create article."  DK had not contacted me by email, nor had they left me anything on the message board.  I sent an email to DK and asked why I received this message.  Elaine replied and said only, “It's because you've been banned.”  No explanation…zip, so I asked why I had been banned.  Elaine, again, said, “You were autobanned, meaning that the community voted that you were disruptive to discussion.”

The “community,” meaning the other diarists, had kicked me out of DK for being “disruptive?”  Poor babies!  And the community Elaine was talking about could only be the gun rights fanatics that regularly spewed venom in comments about my articles.  I couldn’t have been disruptive because I never answered one of their comments.  Unless they were trying to censor my articles on gun control advocacy, which is the only answer in this case. 

NEXT: Comments from the Daily Kos community turn vile but also inept

Thursday, March 8, 2012

New poll shows wide Hispanic support for more gun control

It was back in November of 2011 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) announced a new poll commissioned through Lake Research Partners that shows Latino voters want more gun control.  From the survey: 86 Percent Support Requiring a Background Check on All Gun Sales; 76 Percent Support Obama Administration Program Requiring Firearms Dealers in Border States to Report Bulk Sales of Assault Rifles.

Hispanics also want stronger laws to govern the sale of guns and believe that states, not the feds, should control who carries a concealed weapon.  This is in direct opposition to the Nat’l Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act currently going through the U.S. Congress.  They want their state of residence to control who can carry there, not the potential loose laws from a state like Arizona where almost anyone can buy a gun and carry it just about anywhere.

More findings:

  • 69 percent of Latino voters believe laws governing the sale of guns should be stronger
  • 
    Universality of concealed carry
    
  • A large majority of Latinos, including more than 70 percent of Latino Republicans, Latino gun owners and Latinos over 50, believe that people from other states should  not be allowed to carry a loaded and concealed gun in their state unless they meet their state's legal requirements
  • 86 percent of Hispanics support requiring all gun buyers to pass a criminal background check, no matter where they buy the gun and no matter who they buy it from
  • 76 percent of Latinos favor a new Obama Administration program requiring gun dealers in border states to report when someone attempts to buy more than one semi-automatic assault rifle within a five-day period

The beauty of this philosophy is that it comes from the fastest growing minority group in the U.S.; with over 16.3 percent of the population, Hispanics number over 50 million people.  According to the Pew Hispanic Center, a record 9.7 million Latinos (50% of Latino eligible voters) cast a vote in the 2008 presidential election.  In the 2010 midterm, 6.6 million Latinos voted—31% of Latino eligible voters. 

Pew estimates that more than 21.7 million Hispanics are eligible to participate in November or 22.6 percent of total U.S. voters.  Does that mean we can expect more activism on gun control in the future?



The Lake research poll also backs up a recent nationwide survey that shows Americans “overwhelmingly” oppose the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity act, H.R. 822.  Here’s an interesting comment from one of my blog posts on the carrying of concealed weapons:

“Guns are bad for the same reasons why an arms race is bad. If a bunch of loons are allowed to come into our state with their guns and play Nimrod, then I, a non-gun owner, will now have to escalate and get a gun for myself.  If you agree that the arms race is a bad idea, then so is this escalation of gun ownership. It's bad for everyone except the gun sellers.”

I have said this before but it bears repeating.  I have never been in a position myself—nor have I ever known anyone who was in a position—to need a weapon to protect myself.  And even if I was, I still would not want some “Nimrod” to come to my rescue.  I think I would be more afraid of their likely untrained actions than my attacker.  

Perhaps we should herd all the gun worshippers onto their own exclusive reservation, which would mean more protection for the rest of us by law enforcement.  Now that’s a law I could support.

Here’s an article you might want to take a look at: “Guns easily get in the hands of people who go on deadly shooting sprees.”

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Arizona’s hiatus on illegal immigration offers respite for Hispanic voters

In Arizona there is ongoing fear by undocumented immigrants to speak up or participate in the general population because of the racist attitudes of many of the state’s residents.  Not to mention bigots like former state Sen. Russell Pearce, author of anti-immigration bill SB-1070, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.  This even spills over into the legal immigrant community that isn’t quite sure they are actually safe in a state known for its intolerances.

But the New York Times says that illegal immigration is on the “back burner” in Arizona and that is a good sign to help turn out the Latino vote in the November election.  Russell Pearce was thrown out of office in disgrace and now the feds are stepping up their investigation of practices in Arpaio’s office.  At the same time, Pinal County Sheriff, also a staunch foe of illegal immigration, has been outed as being gay and his lover has filed a million-dollar lawsuit against him.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer slapped a bigot’s label on Mitt Romney just by endorsing him recently since she ranks right up there with Pearce and Arpaio in Jim Crowism.  And it is pretty significant that all the GOP primary candidates have stayed away from the immigration issue, although it is quite clear that Republicans are anti-illegal immigrants.  Most of them just don’t have the guts to admit it since it will certainly cost them votes.

Political consultant Chip Scutari said: “Many of the voters who support 1070 also support an earned path to citizenship.  I think border issues are in the mix. But because there’s been such a quagmire, it’s lost some of its sex appeal.”  This bothers the anti-immigration group—the economy and jobs are in the forefront now—but they think this will change when illegals start crossing the border again looking for work.



Many pro-immigrationists are convinced the GOP has done irreparable damage in the Hispanic community, which will translate into record voter registration for Latinos in November, most of which will probably vote for Barack Obama.  And although Arizona hasn’t yet suffered the disastrous effects Alabama’s anti-immigration law had on that state—crops are rotting in the fields—the Sunshine State has made budget cuts that have significantly affected residents.

I did an article for Phoenix Examiner.com last December that looked at the issue from the standpoint of how Arizona could have a positive impact on the Hispanic vote in November.  With all the opposition, the Latino voting-age population has jumped from 455,000 nine years ago to 845,000 today, 19 percent of the state’s population eligible to vote.  One recent show of force was indicated by Latino firefighter Daniel Valenzuela beating a white businesswoman for a spot on the Phoenix City Council.
Democrats are hoping to register approximately 300,000 new Hispanics to vote prior to November 2012.  Add to that the 455,000 already registered and you have a potentially formidable force.  If they can be convinced to vote.  Colorado may be a forewarning of what is to come.  The state was able to sign up 225,000 new Hispanics who voted in the 2008 election turning the state from red to blue, thanks to the alienation of former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo.

Then closer to home, Within 6 months of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signing anti-immigration law SB-1070 in 2010, 43,000 new Latinos were registered to vote in Colorado.  As the sayings go, ‘the monkey is on your back’ or, ‘you’ve got the ball, now run with it.’  The question is which way will the Latinos run, whether many of them will run at all, and just how much Arizona’s results will jolt the rest of the country.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

As school shootings increase, Arizona rushes to make guns legal on college campuses


Gun on college campuses legislation

There was a recent article titled “Why does America lead the world in school shootings?” by Dr. Frank Ochberg, a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Michigan State University and former Associate Director of the National Institute of Mental Health.  With notable credentials like that, the gun industry, particularly the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), should pay attention to his findings. 

One in particular was, “Access to guns is a significant factor in American school shootings. If kids could not and did not bring guns to school, we wouldn't have Columbine, Virginia Tech or Chardon, Ohio.”  He continues, “But the reason we have an American school shooting problem that exceeds other nations has to do with access to loaded weapons by kids who should not have that access.”
   
Other factors include peer warning signs, bullying gone unchecked, lack of recognizing mental illness, and violent role models and drugs.  Each is significant but without that access to the weapon there would be no killings or injuries, at least by guns, which are most prevalent in these incidents. 

What is most interesting about Dr. Ochberg’s study is that the U.S. has the worst problem in the entire world.  That is tragic for a civilized nation when compared to some third-world countries. 


AZ Sen. Ron Gould...finger pointing

But damn the killing of young adults and children, full speed ahead to force guns onto Arizona college and university campuses when both the educators and law enforcement are dead-set against it and have vociferously voiced their opinions.  The drive for Senate Bill 1474 is led by Arizona State Sen. Ron Gould who, some have indicated, has as his main intention to fire up the gun nuts in Arizona so they will vote for him in his run for a U.S. House seat.

The Arizona Republic says, “Currently, it is illegal in 22 states to carry a concealed weapon on a college campus. In 25 states, including Arizona, the decision is left to the individual college or university. No Arizona college or university allows guns on campus.  Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Mississippi require campuses to allow concealed weapons on campus.”  Another NRA promoted law forcing guns down the throats of those who don’t want them.

See video below on Arizona campus guns bill:



And while the Arizona gun bubbas are forging ahead with their campus legislation, there were two more shootings in the state, one at a Wilcox high school, the other at a Tempe (Phoenix suburb) nightclub, which wounded at least 14 people.  Tempe is the home of Arizona State University two miles from the club.  The shooters were not ASU students, who have said repeatedly that they do not want guns on their campus.


Chardon, OH shooter

Most of the focus lately has been on Chardon, Ohio’s High School where student
T.J. Lane
opened fire on February 27, in the Cafeteria, killing three and injuring two others, one paralyzed.  It wasn’t even his school, which turned out to be the Lake Academy, where a fellow student said he was “…being picked on for everything from his hair, to his clothes, to his quiet personality.”  Lane used a 22 caliber pistol and had a record of violence in the past.

But returning to the Arizona campus gun legislation, local Phoenix columnist Laurie Roberts puts the blame squarely on the National Rifle Assn. (NRA) exclaiming that if the NRA wants it, they will get it in Arizona.  And why not?  They have already been responsible for diluting the state’s gun laws to the extent that they are the loosest in the nation. 

Roberts says: “But then this bill isn't about making college campuses safe. It's about making the NRA -- and the sizable block of reliable Republican voters it can deliver (or take away) -- happy.”

And finally there’s the cost that will have to come from the university budgets that are already strained to the limit.  It is estimated that the legislation will result in one-time costs of $13 million for lockers to store guns that can’t be brought into buildings, with annual maintenance of $3 million.  The Arizona legislature has offered no support.  Pathetic!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Aides finally muzzle Arizona Governor Jan Brewer


NY Sen. Chas. Schumer

First Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer was invited to testify before New York’s Democratic Senator Charles Schumer’s Senate Judiciary’s Committee’s immigration subcommittee.  She was invited the day before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the state’s anti-immigration bill SB-1070 on April 25.  

Schumer said to Brewer that she was always asking President Obama to come to the border to discuss immigration problems; why not come before his committee and air her concerns.  She declined, saying that it was a publicity stunt.

Talking of the new increased security at the border that has drastically decreased border crossings, Schumer wanted to know: 1) why you signed SB 1070 in 2010; 2) whether you still believe SB 1070 is necessary in light of the substantially increased security situation along our southern border; and 3) whether you favor SB 1070 being made a permanent law irrespective of whether conditions further improve along the southern border," as reported in the Huff Post.


President Obama in OZ

Next, just a few days later, Brewer declined an invitation from Obama to attend the G honoring the nation’s governors just before the Nat’l Governors Assn. conference, which Brewer attended on Feb. 27.  She told her staff that she didn’t want to “participate in a ‘social’ event.”  But when quizzed about not attending the dinner, aides whisked her away before she could speak and mouthpiece Matthew Benson answered questions.

Someone is finally waking up to the fact that every time Jan Brewer opens her mouth she puts every resident of Arizona’s foot in it, not just hers.  It has become so embarrassing that those around her that have propped her up in the past are at last realizing they must put a muzzle on her to try and prevent more ridicule of the state of Arizona.  Unfortunately the country’s most incompetent governor doesn’t even realize what’s going on and simply muddles on.

Satirist Fran Lebowitz, who appeared recently in Scottsdale, AZ, talking about Brewer’s finger pointing at the President said: “Arizona has not endeared itself to me. I have to say, truly, the president of the United States deserves respect… On top of everything else, it's morally crass. Not just from an etiquette standpoint, but it shows a kind of moral vulgarity.”

Brewer spokesperson Matthew Benson said to the Washington Times, “It doesn’t appear that this would be the most productive hearing for Governor Brewer to attend,” talking about Sen. Schumer’s committee hearing.  My take is that Jan brewer is always willing to shoot off her mouth when she won’t be pressed for hard answers, or can just walk away from a media event as she has in the past.  But she can’t walk away from Schumer, fully realizing she will be in way over her head.


Russell Pearce RECALLED

But it all fell into place when disgraced recalled Arizona Sen. Russell Pearce, who is known as one of the state’s biggest racist bigots, offered to replace Brewer at Schumer’s hearing.  He agreed to go to Washington on April 24, as a replacement for Brewer saying he knew more about SB-1070 than the Gov since she “…only signed the bill that was sent to her.”  That in itself is an insult from the man known as the de facto governor since Brewer was elected.

Charles Schumer press aide Brian Fallon comments, noting Pearce’s offer: “It is interesting that other Arizona officials responsible for this law are willing to come and defend it, but not Gov. Brewer."  Fallon is simply being diplomatic, knowing full well that Brewer’s former 16 seconds of silence could easily turn into hours, starting with the first question of Sen. Schumer’s committee.

Friday, March 2, 2012

What U.S. company do you hate the most?

In today’s environment where big business is focused entirely on profits, it would be near impossible to determine just how many companies are hated for their lack of concern for their customers.  But
24-7 Wall St
.
, through “substantial” research, has determined those that are “loathed” the most.  Their results are based on customer care and satisfaction and the way the company conducts its business, such as profits, earnings, products development and brand valuations.

According to MSN Money, online businesses take a big hit with their unhappy number of enemies, no doubt due to the fact that much of the time it is impossible to reach someone for satisfaction.  This compared to smaller companies with less customers.  There’s also the current economic situation where employers have had to fire or lay off their workers.  A large variety of sources were used to determine the results, which you can see in the above link.

The results are arranged in no particular order and here are the
24-7 Wall St.
5 most hated companies.


Facebook's Mark zuckerberg

1.    Facebook: There are 800 million online users of this social network so there is plenty of room for unrest.  It is no doubt that a great deal of the problem is the arrogant founder Mark Zuckerberg’s flamboyant attitude toward his customer’s privacy.  “Facebook has the lowest customer satisfaction score from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.“  The company’s customer service was described as poor by 25.9 percent of users in 2011.
2.    American Airlines: This airline has had its problems, currently being in bankruptcy, having lost $234 million in January.  As reported by the Wall Street Journal, American was picked as the worst airline for customer service by the annual Middle Seat scorecard.  “For the past five years, American has been among the worst three airlines at on-time performance.”  They are at the bottom of the American Customer Satisfaction Index with a score of 63.
3.    AT&T: JD Power gave them the lowest score in their wireless customer care performance.  The feds accused them of trying to form a monopoly with the buyout of T-Mobile and Consumer Reports gave them their lowest satisfaction rating for cellphone standard service providers.  MSN-Money-IBOPE Zogby International says that 26 percent of AT&T’s customers rate their service as poor.
4.    Nokia: Unhappy shareholders here with market share dropping repeatedly with their stock declining 50 percent this past year.  The company was tied for lowest overall satisfaction in JD Powers 2011 Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study and also received the lowest ACSI score for wireless telephones.  Interbrand reports that Nokia’s brand value has dropped 15 percent from last year.
5.    Goldman Sachs: You knew we had to get around to Wall Street with this company one of the largest offenders during the financial crisis.  The government sued GS for fraud in 2010.  Fraud accusations continued with two lawsuits for selling mortgage products valued at $15.8 billion. The Federal Housing Finance Agency just this past Fall made another accusation that Goldman Sachs embellished the quality of $11.1 billion of another group of mortgage-backed securities.

Later, the next five most-hated companies according to
24-7 Wall St.
and reported by MSN Money.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) uses Super Bowl to launch latest drive for more gun control

The Giants beat the Patriots 21 to 17 in the 2012 Super Bowl where no one turns down the sound on commercials that can sometime be as interesting as the game itself.  One in particular stood out on February 5, showing New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino vying for their local teams, food etc.  But the real focus of the 30 second commercial was a new push by Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) for more gun control.

Bloomberg and Menino co-founded the organization in 2006 which currently has more than 600 mayors nationwide participating.  Their main thrust is to keep criminals from getting illegal guns. 



A good example of their work is the recent sting by MAIG at an Arizona gun show, a state where gun laws are the loosest in the nation.  MAIG investigators bought guns from a private weapons dealer there without anything but the money it took to make the purchase.  They even told the seller they probably could not pass a background check.  The seller simply laughed at their comment and sold them the guns, which is illegal.

MAIG plans to keep the heat on for more gun control right through the November election, although the Democrats still cringe at the thought of supporting any gun discipline legislation.  Unfortunately, there are more people in the U.S. with guns now and these newly created National Rifle Assn. gun worshippers are fixated on no control so anyone can buy a gun and take it anywhere.  And there lies the problem.


Arizona gun show sting

According to a Reuters report, “Members of the MAIG says it is not trying to take guns away from their legal owners, just to close loopholes that allow criminals to get guns and move them around undetected.”  Although murder is down in New York and nationwide, the mayors also comment that they still see too many killings of cops and teens.  It is rare for a day to go by in Arizona without a shooting, some of which end up as deaths.

This gun show loophole/background checks issue is one area that needs fixing.  But another is required education and training before you can own a gun.  Arizona has nothing, zip.  Most states don’t.  I decided to ask an expert so I contacted Ladd Everitt, Director of Communications for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and asked the following question: “Can you tell me the average gun training/education a gun owner is required to have?”  His answer below.

“If they're simply purchasing firearms, none whatsoever.  If they are going to be carrying that gun in public, they MIGHT be required to have training.  In 28 states you can now openly carry a loaded gun in public with no permitting, screening or training.  Four states now require no permitting, screening or training to carry a concealed firearm in public. 

And even in ‘Shall Issue’ states that require one to obtain a permit to carry a concealed firearm in public, several have no training requirement.  In Arizona, it is wide open.  Law enforcement would have no idea what the background of a gun carrier is until he opens fire (unless that individual voluntarily obtained a permit to carry a firearm into certain sensitive public spaces).”

Phew!  That means a mentally unstable person from Arizona could walk into a gun store there and buy a Glock 19 with a 15-round clip, hop in his car, and assuming Congress passes HR 822, the federal open-carry bill, with a carry permit drive to any state and commit mass murders like Jared Loughner in Tucson and Seung Hui Cho at Virginia Tech.  Assuming he wasn’t caught, he could be on his merry way to another state to commit more mayhem.  Only in America.

More on MAIG later.

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