If you can read this

then you are much too close. You cheated to find out who Madeline Albright was...

Happy Halloween

Our village holds trick or treating from 1 pm until 5 pm on the Sunday before Halloween, or on Halloween if it falls on Sunday, like today. Our little Mickey Mouse went the rounds for an hour with his father, had a piece of candy when he got home, watched a little TV and was out like a light. He's almost four and really needed a nap. Not too many visitors today. Lots of ghouls, a tiny giraffe (15 months old), several Spidermen, various Disney Princesses and a Care Bear. I was glad to see that most the trick or treaters had at least one adult with them. Leftover candy, but all in all a nice Halloween.

Schratwieser Consulting

Office and Administrative Services on an as-needed basis. 100% Woman Owned Business Service Connected Disabled Veteran Owned Business Contact us: info *at* schratwieserconsulting *dot* com Experience Data Entry Data entry services, into a database, spreadsheet, etc. Mailing list generation. Word Processing Correspondence, reports, memos. Editing and Proofreading A "fresh set of eyes" to avoid potentially embarrassing errors in spelling and grammar. Desktop Publishing Menus, flyers, postcards, direct mail pieces, etc. Custom Spreadsheets Custom Excel spreadsheets with "built-in" formulas and automation. Custom Templates and Automation Word forms and templates (contacts, dunning letters, etc.) Database Design Access database and report design. Crystal Reports Design Using Crystal Reports with various databases to show the data you want in the format of your choice. Transcription Both standard and medical transcriptions services are available. Medical transcription in the SOAP format.

Experience

Schratwieser Consulting Accounts Receivable/Cash Applications Allocating payments to invoices Transferring payments between client accounts Running Accounts Receivable Aging Reports Accounts Payable Vouchering vendor invoices Running Accounts Payable aging reports Selecting, printing and mailing checks to vendors. Commissions Analyst Create, maintain and administer several Access databases Prepare weekly commission reports for Channel Sales Partners Prepare weekly accounts receivable aging reports for Channel Sales Partners Calculate and prepare monthly statements for Branch Sales Reps and Regional Managers for both Branch and Channel Sales Publish reports using Crystal Reports, Access and Excel spreadsheets Prepare ad hoc reports Reduced "advanced" commissions account by $250,000 (85%) after identifying the problem and working with the JD Edwards IS team on a solution Reduced man hours needed to process commissions by automating several processes Create and modify JDE WorldWriters for use in ad hoc and standard reporting. Sales Coordinator Created, maintained and administered Access database of customer information Administer and process Annual Product Return Program Assist with administration of Sales Incentive Program Prepare confidential Sales Reports and Analyses Create and administer Crystal Reports Administer Customer Purchase Objective Program Administer GoldMine Contact Manager Created Access database and accompanying Crystal Report for company phone directory Customer Support Customer service representative for medical products company and children's products company Solving problems customers had with their orders Preparing Excel spreadsheets on an as needed basis for the Customer Service Manager Evening customer service for medical company for field sales representatives Changing orders per sales rep instructions Entering faxed orders Wrote SAP r/3 training manual for evening customer service representatives Medical Transcription Medical Transcription in SOAP format for large University Medical Group Office Office Manager Managing all office functions for clock sales and repair shop Executive Secretary Providing secretarial services to President and Vice President of import/export company Working with Traffic Manager to ensure that invoices matched letter of credit requirements Operating Telex machine and fulfilling reception duties

"Jumping to Conclusions" On Beltway Boys

I was watching Beltway Boys earlier and Mort and Fred were discussing Kerry and Bush's accusing each other of "jumping to conclusions". The comment made in answer to this was (paraphrased): Bush may have "jumped to conclusions" regarding WMD's, but it was based on CIA and other intelligence reports and was conventional wisdom. Kerry jumped to conclusions based on a front page story in the NY Times.

Bush at 50% in New Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll

Just heard on Fox News: Newest Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll shows Bush 50% Kerry 45% Nader negligible +/-3% margin of error. Link.

Fox has the Assam The American Video - Updated

Just now on Special Report with Brit Hume, they showed part of the Assam the American Video that ABC is holding on to. Steve Centanni said that Fox News had obtained it independently. There is no link to the story yet, just this link to Special Report (scroll down). Update: Link to Fox News. Link to video from there.(hat tip Polipundit)

Good Reading

Anything by Edward Rutherfurd. Sarum, London, Russka, The Forest, The Princes of Ireland - The Dublin Saga. All these books take you on a grand journey through the history of a specific area. You see the area through the eyes of several families through the centuries. Sorry, that's a lot of "through"s. Edward Rutherfurd is an excellent writer who helps you "live the history".

Iraq equals Bay of Pigs?

The Captain's got the story. Deeper, deeper.

World Series or White House

When John Kerry was asked whether he'd choose a World Series win for the Boston Red Sox or a move to the White House, he chose the White House. Now that the Boston Red Sox have won the World Series, does that mean he won't get the White House?

We need a clear victory

The one thing we need on November 2nd is a clear victory. We need a victory that is more than the polls' margin of error. A victory that is clearly more than the Dem's "spoiler" vote. You do notice don't you that according to the Dem's a vote for Nader is a vote lost for them, not for the Republicans.

I should believe him?

Why does John Kerry think that I should believe him? I can list the reasons I shouldn't: The "magic hat", Christmas in Cambodia, the signing of the 1st Gulf War agreement, meeting with the UN Security committee, the 16 point buck, the Boston Marathon, I could go on and on.... So why should I believe that he has a better plan? That he could do a better job in the White House? Update: Forgot that Red Sox game.

I've Been Offline for a bit

Friday I went to the dentist for some major dental work, and there was pain. Didn't feel up to writing. Saturday was my cousin's wedding. He was the groom and his bride looked like a princess. Sunday and yesterday was writing the two essays that were due for class. Yesterday I cleaned the front of the fridge too. Threw away about 60% of what was on there, mostly expired coupons that I never used. I you haven't used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, go buy one. They are the only product I've found that DOES work as advertised. Also they have absolutely no cleaning product in them and are safe for children to use.

Public Editor at Chicago Tribune says Readers are intelligent!

In today's Chicago Tribune, Don Wycliffe, the Public Editor writes an essay regretting the lack of unexpurgated news printed in today's papers. He says that papers used to print entire speeches and reports and let the reader decide what was going on. He says papers print too many analyses and interpretations instead of verbatim transcripts and he feels that the papers ought to do more. Quote: "It's ironic isn't it? As our readers have become better educated, more literate, more able to to think for themselves and more insistent on doing so, we in the industry have given them less of what they need to do so. Instead, we give them more analyses and interpretation, which they distrust because analyses and interpretation, by definition, depart from the objective ideal of the newspaper, which we have taught them to expect."

Kerry Speaks

I'm watching Kerry speak on FOX right now and he is just reiterating the No WMD line - completely avoiding the fact that Saddam was ready to restart his program the moment that the sanctions were lifted and that Saddam was bribing French and Russian officials to end the sanctions as soon as possible.

This is Attempted Terrorism - updated

I say attempted because I don’t think it’ll work. Terrorism: Use of terror especially as a means of coercion Terror: 1. state of intense fear; 2c. a cause of anxiety; worry. Synonym see Fear Terror: 4. violence (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands definitions from M-W.com Sure, this isn’t killing kids, or beheading hostages, but it is still attempted terrorism. These people are attempting to scare people as a means of coercion. Protestors Ransack Bush/Cheney Headquarters in Orlando (via ByrdDroppings) New Photos: Shots Fired Into Knox Bush/Cheney Headquarters Republican Campaign Signs Vandalized Swastika Burned Into Grass On Bush/Cheney Supporter’s Lawn Wanted: Attackers of Campaign Signs Laptops Stolen from Bush Campaign Office Here We Go Again – Political Sign Theft, Vandalism on Rise Vandals Target GOP Campaign Signs Vandals Hit GOP Office in North Central Wisconsin Update: The Kerry Spot has more... The Duluth, Minn story in the Kerry Spot post has this (emphasis mine):

"It was not an act of hate," said Dustin "Dusty" Dzuck, 17, a senior at Denfeld High School. "My mom called me a terrorist. It wasn't terrorism; it was activism. It was for a cause.... The whole thing is, basically, I just wanted to get the word out there that in my opinion Bush isn't doing this country any good."

His mom was right. Dusty - Over three thousand people died on September 11th for a cause. People are being taken hostage and beheaded for a cause. And the MSM just doesn't help by labeling these terrorists as anything but.

Kerry Campaign Timeline

Chris over at A Large Regular has expanded his most excellent No Way to Run a Campaign Timeline into October. See also August and September.

Re the NYT story on "what did they know..."

Prestopundit has post regarding this: Two mindsets, crystallized. The money quote, for me is: RICE: George, the fact is that what you know today can affect what you do tomorrow, but not what you did yesterday. John Kerry needs to get this thought "seared, seared" into his brain.

Letters to the editor

In reading the Chicago Tribune’s letters to the editor this weekend, one really stood out:

Shane Willmon Published October 3, 2004 Gurnee -- Before the debate, one candidate talked to hurricane victims and one candidate got a manicure. For me, the debate is over.

I agree.

Kerry in Hampton, NH UPDATED

John Kerry said Monday that President Bush has sacrificed hopes for disease cures offered by stem cell research to "extreme right-wing ideology."

This is from an ABC report.

Does John Kerry realize that George Bush is the first president to publically fund stem cell research? Sure, it's limited to those lines created before Aug 9, 2001, but only public funding. There are no limits to privately funded research on any lines (even those created after Aug 9, 2001).

Once again, he's using fear tactics.

Captain Ed has more.

Global Test

From Rand Simberg, via Instapundit, (via ByrdDroppings) here is the Global Test. See how you score on it. Via ByrdDroppings: UPDATE: See the new "global test" ad here.

Give Iran Nuclear Fuel

John Kerry wants to give Iran nuclear material. From the debate: "I think the United States should have offered the opportunity to provide the nuclear fuel, test them, see whether or not they were actually looking for it for peaceful purposes. If they weren't willing to work a deal, then we could have put sanctions together. The president did nothing." This is like leaving a four year old in the kitchen with a full cookie jar in reach. "Don't eat any of the cookies, little one." Come back in a hour and see the evidence of oreos all over his face and then impose "sanctions". Most parents will make sure the cookie jar is out of reach so there will be no need to "test" to see if he will eat or not eat the cookies.

X-Prize has been Won!

SpaceShipOne has won the Ansari X-Prize, setting a new record of 360,000 feet. See story in the San Jose Mercury News (free sub).

Debate - first thought

I was trying to get my reading in for my first class and then I had a dental appointment so I haven't had a lot of time to think about the debate yet. My first thought about the debate: Kerry held off in entering the stage just enough that he made Bush walk further to meet him. He also tried to keep Bush next to him longer than Bush wanted to be there. I'll have further thoughts after I re-read the transcript and look around a little to see what others are saying. Hugh Hewitt is going to have a symposium on the debate.