Thursday, June 30, 2011

Amazon ends deal with 25,000 California websites

Amazon ends deal with 25,000 California websites amazon, affiliate, california - The Orange County Register
"Board of Equalization Member George Runner blasted Brown for signing the law.
'Even as Governor Jerry Brown lifted his pen to sign this legislation, thousands of affiliates across California were losing their jobs.
The so-called 'Amazon tax' is truly a lose-lose proposition for California.
Not only won’t we see the promised revenues, we’ll actually lose income tax revenue as affiliates move to other states.'"

Turtles shutdown runway at Kennedy Airport as they crawled across tarmac heading for seasonal breeding grounds

Turtles shutdown runway at Kennedy Airport as they crawled across tarmac heading for seasonal breeding grounds - NYPOST.com

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

On Behalf of Eyebrow Threaders, The Institute for Justice Goes Up Against The AZ Cosmetology Cartel

CARPE DIEM: On Behalf of Eyebrow Threaders, The Institute for Justice Goes Up Against The AZ Cosmetology Cartel
"'Eyebrow threading is a natural and safe method of hair removal that uses a single strand of cotton thread to remove unwanted hair, most commonly from the eyebrows, with no chemicals, dyes, hot wax or sharp objects.
But state bureaucrats have decided that threaders cannot practice their trade without first obtaining an unnecessary and expensive government license.
The Arizona Board of Cosmetology is now requiring skilled threaders to obtain an aesthetician license, which requires at least 600 hours of classroom instruction—not one hour of which teaches or tests threading—and that can cost over $10,000."

Tap the nation's true oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico

Tap the nation's true oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico: An editorial NOLA.com
"The Obama administration has come under criticism for its decision to drain 30 million barrels from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, purportedly in an effort to address Libya's unrest and ease prices at the pump."

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Just One Michigan Republican Votes for Labor Union Monopoly Over Government Construction Work

Just One Michigan Republican Votes for Labor Union Monopoly Over Government Construction Work [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"Big Labor bosses seeking protection from non-union competition on government construction jobs had a two-front fight going on last week in both Washington, D.C., and Lansing.
Votes to determine the fate of project labor agreements occurred in both the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and the GOP-dominated Michigan Senate.
When it was all over, a total of 34 Republican lawmakers from Michigan had cast votes on these legislative battlefields, and just one voted on the side of the labor unions to protect PLAs: Congressman Thad McCotter, R-Livonia."

Monday, June 27, 2011

Sears to leave People's Republic of Illinois to Michigan over high taxes

theblogprof: Sears to leave People's Republic of Illinois to Michigan over high taxes

The Local Government Pension Squeeze

Steve Malanga: The Local Government Pension Squeeze - WSJ.com
"But U.S. Census surveys show that in the typical town or school district, employee pay and benefits can consume from 70% to 80% of the budget."

Girls as young as ONE 'forced to have sex change operations in India'

Girls as young as ONE 'forced to have sex change operations in India' Mail Online
"Girls as young as one are being forced into sex change operations in India by parents desperate for a son.
Surgeons in the city of Indore are reported to be 'converting' hundreds of girls a year, who are subsequently pumped full of hormone drugs.
A report in the respected Hindustan Times newspaper said the 'shocking, unprecedented trend, catering to the fetish for a son, is unfolding at conservative Indore's well-known clinics and hospitals on children who are one to five years old."

Recent Sightings: Family Portraits

Recent Sightings: Family Portraits:
"A friend told me about this family of Eastern Screech-owls at an undisclosed Muskegon County location.
Mama Mallard with her 11 ducklings at Muskegon State Park, along with the Brown Thrasher and Snapping Turtle."

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Obama Recovery Is WORST EVER Since Great Depression

Obama Recovery Is WORST EVER Since Great Depression - HUMAN EVENTS
"Spending your way out of a recession is not such a great idea."

Atop TV Sets, a Power Drain That Runs Nonstop

Atop TV Sets, a Power Drain That Runs Nonstop - NYTimes.com
"Those little boxes that usher cable signals and digital recording capacity into televisions have become the single largest electricity drain in many American homes, with some typical home entertainment configurations eating more power than a new refrigerator and even some central air-conditioning systems."

They're coming for our TVs?

Blue State Schools: The Shame Of A Nation.

Instapundit » Blog Archive » WALTER RUSSELL MEAD: Blue State Schools: The Shame Of A Nation.:
"When it come to excellence in education, red states rule — at least according to a panel of experts assembled by Tina Brown’s Newsweek.
Using a set of indicators ranging from graduation rate to college admissions and SAT scores, the panel reviewed data from high schools all over the country to find the best public schools in the country.
The results make depressing reading for the teacher unions: the very best public high schools in the country are heavily concentrated in red states."

The right's ideas are winning

The right's ideas are winning - JSOnline
"True to this, they've not just protested Walker's reforms.
They've occupied the Capitol, they've shouted 'fascist' from the gallery, they've shut down public schools to protest, they've harassed Walker's kids, they've f-bombed a 14-year-old girl giving a speech.
Not all progressives do this, nor even most.
Many creditably deplore it.
But such excess is not the antonym of their favorite metaphor for politics but its overextension.

This comes after the most progressive president in half a century won his job by wooing the nation's center with a promise to end politics-as-combat.
Yet for six months, public-sector unions at the heart of progressivism have reminded everyone that combat is their default mode.
They also persist in the hysterical claim that being given a much nicer deal than the private-sector middle class or even Barack Obama's federal workforce amounts to being cheated.
They've conceded the role of calm adulthood to conservatives."

Expert says Michigan's one-state recession is over

Expert says Michigan's one-state recession is over MLive.com
"From 2002-2007, much of the U.S. enjoyed economic prosperity while Michigan's economy was mired in a one-state recession.
The rest of the nation joined Michigan in economic misery during the Great Recession, which began in 2007 and officially ended in 2009.

And although it may not feel like it to the 500,000 or so people in the state still without a job, Michigan's one-state recession is definitely over as well, said Ken Darga, Michigan's state demographer, in his analysis entitled 'Is Michigan’s Economic Recovery Real?'

Michigan's one-state recession might have ended in 2007 if not for the beginning of the national recession, Darga said.

Darga's analysis doesn't explain why Michigan saw job gains shrink among new and expanding businesses from 2002-07, despite economic prosperity elsewhere in the country."

Interviewing Ann Coulter About Her New Book, “Demonic”

Interviewing Ann Coulter About Her New Book, “Demonic” Right Wing News
"Last but not least, how about dashing off a quick sentence or even just a word or two about the following individuals…
Al Sharpton: The media’s designated spokesman on civil discourse.
GOProud: No longer supporting gay marriage, God bless them.
Charles Manson: Would be teaching at Northwestern if he hadn’t killed Sharon Tate.
Mitt Romney: Christie might want to consider him for vice president.
Rachel Maddow: The second openly crazy anchor to host a prime-time news program in the United States.
Anthony Weiner: Who? Name doesn’t ring a bell.
Andrew Breitbart: A great American.
Barack Obama: The second-worst black president in U.S. history.
Meghan McCain: A dumber, bustier John McCain.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz: I think these programs to mainstream the learning disabled may have gone too far."

What is Freedom to Work?

Michigan Freedom to Work—What is Freedom to Work?
"Of the five most successful states in job growth from 1999-2009, all were Freedom to Work states, while the biggest losers were all forced-unionism states:

The Biggest Winners
(all Freedom to Work)The Biggest Losers
(all forced-unionism)
1. Texas+866,00046. California-170,400
2. Florida+291,60047. Indiana-225,300
3. Arizona+194,00048. Illinois-332,700
4. Virginia+138,40049. Ohio-508,200
5. Nevada+124,50050. Michigan-687,600"

Will Atlas Shrug?

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Will Atlas Shrug?
"Atlas is shrugging in the US. Capital is relocated to regions where it is treated more favorably.
Within the country, we see capital and jobs leaving the overtaxed, overregulated Blue states and migrating to smaller government Red states."

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Forecasts for Growth Drop, Some Sharply

Forecasts for Growth Drop, Some Sharply - CNBC
"Macroeconomic Advisers, a research firm, projected 3.5 percent growth back in April and is now down to just 2.1 percent for this quarter."

Five Reasons Why I Believe Texas Governor Rick Perry Will Be Our President In 2013

Five Reasons Why I Believe Texas Governor Rick Perry Will Be Our President In 2013 - FoxNews.com
"Recently Governor Perry allowed his Labrador Retriever to accompany him on his daily six mile jog.
While on his run, he and his pet were accosted by a menacing coyote.
After remaining still and waiting to see what the wild coyote would do, the governor pulled out a .380 Ruger and shot the coyote dead when it become apparent the coyote was after his pup.

When he returned to the governor's office he was queried about his 'heartless' actions towards 'innocent' animals.
After answering more than one question on the matter, and in a mildly exasperated manner he replied, 'Don't go after my dog!'
In other words while the press was confused about his value system, he saw it in very simple terms."

Friday, June 24, 2011