Monday, June 30, 2008

No Sun Intended

No Sun Intended
"Washington has placed a moratorium on solar power projects on federal land. Is this the work of evil oil companies? No, it's the fault of environmentalists."

Let us make no mistake! The democrat party has been taken over by extremist enviro-nuts and will fight EVERY idea to provide energy for humans. EVERY IDEA!

How Bear Stearns Died



"The 28-day line, in other words, was a 28-day line in name only: There's a good chance that Paulson and Geithner never signed off on its length, only on its size. And then decided that the last thing they needed was the risk of Bear Stearns bankruptcy hanging over the market's head for a month."


Interesting insight into the collapse of a once great financial firm.

Surprising fact: Half of gun deaths are suicides

Surprising fact: Half of gun deaths are suicides
"research shows that surprisingly often, gun owners use the weapons on themselves.
Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation's nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

"surprisingly"?
That fact has been known for decades.

As a stand alone info-bit, it is worthless.
Just like most drivel spewed from the liberal MSM.

NRA-ILA :: Legislation

NRA-ILA :: Legislation

Take just one minute

Video of Take just one minute

Never forget the sacrifice of these brave heroes.

YouTube - Oregon firefighters fired for speaking english

YouTube - Oregon firefighters fired for speaking english

Medicare fees to doctors to fall starting Tuesday

Medicare fees to doctors to fall starting Tuesday
"Just two years ago, after a cut had taken effect, Congress froze payments retroactively at the previous year's levels. In 2002 doctors had to live with a 5.4 percent cut."

No problem!
Just "retroactively cut payments"!
Now, why can't they do the same with federal employee's pay, benefits and their own spending?

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Now health and safety cut number of holes in chip shop salt shakers

Now health and safety cut number of holes in chip shop salt shakers
"Pot-holed roads, crumbling schools, litter-strewn streets – there’s no shortage of problem areas crying out for their attention.
But councils believe they have found a better use for their money: reducing the number of holes in chip shop salt shakers.

Research has suggested that slashing the holes from the traditional 17 to five could cut the amount people sprinkle on their food by more than half."

Beachwood Cancels All-Star Game to Raise Players Self Esteem

Beachwood Cancels All-Star Game to Raise Players Self Esteem
"The City of Beachwood has decided to break tradition and cancel a Little League All-Star game for children ages 9-12.

In March, Beachwood Mayor Merle Gordon sent a letter to parents of children involved in the Little League program stating the city was canceling the All-Star game based on information provided in an article written by the founder of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Fred Engh.

The article suggested that All-Star games take away from sportsmanship and hurts the self esteem of players, especially younger players.
In the article Engh states, 'There's nothing like sticking a dagger into a youngster's self-esteem the first season he plays the sport by letting him know that he's not good enough or considered worthy to be part of this elite group of teammates. That's not the message we want to send to children who are already less active and more obese than any previous generation in history.'"

What "message" do you think those wusses want to sent to our children......

Friday, June 27, 2008

Gun ban ruling has Chicago thinking it's next

Gun ban ruling has Chicago thinking it's next
"Nine people were killed in 36 shootings during one weekend this spring. The next week, five people were found shot to death inside a South Side home.
Chicago Public Schools officials say 27 students have been killed by gunfire since September."

This is the result of Chicago's current gun and crime control laws.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

San Francisco may name sewage treatment plant after Bush

San Francisco may name sewage treatment plant after Bush
"a group going by the regal-sounding name of the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is planning to ask voters here to change the name of a prize-winning water-treatment plant on the shoreline to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant."

Oh, how sophisticated!
Those SanFranciscan "treats" are so..... like really ........ well.... you ...know...... dude.....

My Way News - Bush moves to take N.Korea off terrorism blacklist

Bush moves to take N.Korea off terrorism blacklist
"'I'm under no illusions that this is the first step,' Bush said. 'This isn't the end of the process. This is the beginning of the process of action for action.'"

Huh?

YouTube - Barack Obama - Blithering Idiot - Bristol, VA 6/5/08


YouTube - Barack Obama - Blithering Idiot - Bristol, VA 6/5/08
"Barack Obama - Blithering Idiot - Bristol, VA 6/5/08"

This man is an idiot!

Norton Shores to seek 1.5-mill road tax

Norton Shores to seek 1.5-mill road tax
"Public Works Director Jerry Bartoszek said it would be difficult at this stage to create a street improvement list. Although the city has an inventory of the condition of local and major streets, the worst streets might not necessarily be targeted. Streets in bad shape may be too far gone for easy fixes. Other streets may not have deteriorated to the point where they cannot be repaired. He said the staff will issue recommendations after the millage vote"

They already have the street list.
Why won't they tell us what they're gonna do?
Not a good way to begin their quest for our money....

Great Muskegon "spending" site!

MuskegonTaxDollars!
"Muskegon County Commissioners want to raise our taxes again. They are crying poverty, to fund a special mileage. Did you know Muskegon County has had a General Fund Surplus ever year for the past seven years. Fiscal year 2007 it was $8.7 million (18% of General Fund revenues)"

US economy logs better GDP growth-No recession, yet!

US economy logs better but still subpar growth
"The 1 percent annualized increase in gross domestic product, announced by the Commerce Department on Thursday, marked a slight improvement from the government's previous estimate of 0.9 percent growth for the January-to-March quarter."

Don't believe the liars in the liberal MSM as they lie about the American "recession".

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Cindy McCain praises Diana as 'inspiration' - Times Online

Cindy McCain praises Diana as 'inspiration' - Times Online: "The woman who wants to be the next Republican First Lady pledged today to expand her humanitarian work if she makes it into the White House, taking inspiration from the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Speaking ahead of a political fundraiser in London tonight, Cindy McCain said that she felt 'very honoured' to serve on the board of the Halo Trust, the Anglo-American anti-landmine charity endorsed by Diana and which organised her controversial walk through an Angolan minefield in 1997, the year of her death.
Speaking to The Times, Mrs McCain said of Diana: 'She was (a) great inspiration to me and to the British people as well. She was a remarkable person and had a loving heart.”"

Understand that the only folks who will withhold their land mines will be our soldiers....... the bad guys will put them everywhere.....
Thankfully, Cindy will be spending her future in plastic surgery rather than as First Lady.

What a bummer.....

College raises price, saves jobs, programs - mlive.com

College raises price, saves jobs, programs
"The Muskegon Community College board of trustees voted Tuesday to raise student tuition and a registration fee, apparently sparing teaching and other staff positions from being axed.
Those budget-making decisions drew loud applause from many of the dozens of school employees and students who attended Tuesday night's board meeting.
The board's actions were part of the approval of an overall 2008-09 operating budget of $36.2 million. The school's general fund budget was set at $30.2 million."

States ask for citizenship from welfare recipients

States ask for citizenship from welfare recipients
"Michigan is one of the few states that give health care coverage automatically to children and adults on welfare. But there's a catch: Proof of citizenship is required.
Michigan and Nebraska appear to be the only states so far that won't give cash assistance unless proof of citizenship is shown, although Missouri is joining their ranks. Some states, such as Virginia, require applicants to show a birth certificate or Social Security number. But they allow applicants to sign an affidavit of citizenship if they can't provide the documents. Michigan and Nebraska don't have that out."

Zimbabwe's President Mugabe stripped of knighthood

Zimbabwe's President Mugabe stripped of knighthood
"Queen Elizabeth II stripped Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe of his ceremonial knighthood on Wednesday - a highly unusual move meant to show Britain's revulsion with the human rights abuses of his regime."

Who!
How brave of those Brits!
And thank god for the UN!

Court rejects death penalty for raping children

Court rejects death penalty for raping children
"A second Louisiana man, Richard Davis was sentenced to death in December for repeatedly raping a 5-year-old girl in Caddo Parish, which includes Shreveport. Local prosecutor Lea Hall told jurors: 'Execute this man. Justice has a sword and this sword needs to swing today.'"

Golly, the chick probleee enjoyed it..........heck she ain't even dead!
This is what we get with liberal judges making our laws.
Disgusting!

How Many of Me

How Many of Me

How many people share your name?
Nifty!

WeatherMate

WeatherMate

Excellent little applet for current weather and forecasts. Plus a live weather map!

Housing rescue plan passes key Senate test

Housing rescue plan passes key Senate test
"The mortgage aid plan would let the Federal Housing Administration back $300 billion in new, cheaper home loans for an estimated 400,000 distressed borrowers who otherwise would be considered too financially risky to qualify for government-insured, fixed-rate loans."

$300 BILLION dollars?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Nuclear Hourglass

Nuclear Hourglass
"WMD: Only last fall, the head of the U.N.'s nuclear 'watchdog' said Iran would need three to eight years to acquire an atomic bomb. Now he says six months to a year. Is he dishonest or incompetent — or both?"

Locklear seeking treatment for anxiety, depression

Locklear seeking treatment for anxiety, depression
"Heather Locklear is seeking treatment for anxiety and depression. 'Heather has been dealing with anxiety and depression,'"

When your entire self image is based on your looks, time will be your deadly enemy..... bummer dudette....

Monday, June 23, 2008

McCain disavows aide's comment about terrorism

McCain disavows aide's comment about terrorism
"Charlie Black, an adviser already in the spotlight for his past lobbying work, is quoted in the upcoming July 7 edition of Fortune magazine as saying such an attack 'certainly would be a big advantage to him.' Black said Monday he regretted the comment."

Not a Big deal... except that it is an indication of who the folks that McCain will surround himself with.....

Not good at all....

Will you support Jim?

Help change America!

http://www.news3online.com/index.php?code=2gu21Bfw398jyC825KT1

Gas Prices - MSN Autos

Gas Prices - MSN Autos

Stuff White People Like

Stuff White People Like: "White people also appreciate the irony of ugly sweaters that usually feature things like reindeer and snowmen. Though it seems unlikely, white people have even been able to turn this into a theme for parties. Typing in “ugly sweater party” into google will return a wealth of images and a dearth of diversity. However, there is one notable exception."

Democrat eager to take down congressional Goliath

Democrat eager to take down congressional Goliath
"Johnson said he hopes state and national Democrats, who have given little financial assistance to Hoekstra's challengers in recent elections, will invest in his campaign.
'I'm hoping that will come,' he said. 'I know they are aware of me. I've been to Washington, D.C., I've talked to Howard Dean and I've talked to people in Lansing.
'The feedback has been positive, but I'm not aware (of party financial support) as of yet.'"

Put oil firm chiefs on trial, says leading climate change scientist

Put oil firm chiefs on trial, says leading climate change scientist
"James Hansen, one of the world's leading climate scientists, will today call for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer."

Friday, June 20, 2008

Officials Pull Plug When Grad's Speech Criticizes School

Officials Pull Plug When Grad's Speech Criticizes School
"'I know this is a community that values education,' she said. 'That is why you need to know what is really going on behind the walls of Mainland's administrat-'
At that point, Chau's microphone was cut off and school principal Robert Blake told her she would have to leave.
Chau left to chants of 'Let her speak!' and 'Finish!'"

Gotta love the "free speech" academic left...

warmlist

warmlist: "A complete list of things caused by global warming"

George Will on "Hannity & Colmes"

George Will on "Hannity & Colmes"
"WILL: Well, the problem is you don't want to get into a position of playing defense because as long as you're playing defense, you're, by definition, not on offense. And you can't go through a campaign saying no, no, I didn't say that.
......... But he does have to say that the logic of their position is that we should withdraw not just from Iraq, but from Korea, Germany, Japan, and elsewhere.
And that would make it very clear that what we're talking about here is not an argument about Iraq, but an argument about whether or not the United States should be engaged in the world at all."

Gingrich: 3 practical, realistic ways to lower the cost of gasoline

Gingrich: 3 practical, realistic ways to lower the cost of gasoline

Newt truth

CBS Pulls Unvetted Story Blaming Earthquakes on Global Warming

CBS Pulls Unvetted Story Blaming Earthquakes on Global Warming
"The 'study' even offers a rather compelling (at first glance) graph of Earthquake energy per year relative to 1973, which shows a distinctly upward trend between 1990 and 2007. But what it fails to show is a longer ranged chart which would have immediately silenced the alarm by betraying a much greater energy release in quakes of the 1st half of last century."

Nationalize This!

Nationalize This!
"A Rasmussen Poll released Tuesday showed that 37% of Democrats think nationalizing the oil companies is a good idea. Only 32% disagreed with that.
Which makes us wonder: Do they even know that socialism — state ownership of the means of production — has been completely discredited by history?"

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Internet addiction is a 'clinical disorder' - Telegraph

Internet addiction is a 'clinical disorder' - Telegraph: "Obsessive internet use is a public health problem which is so serious it should be officially recognised as a clinical disorder, according to a leading psychiatrist."

Oh boy!
We're gonna get free money soon 'cause we're "disordered"!!!!!!!!
Ain't government "free" healthcare great!

Finally: Big Ten Network and Comcast reach a deal

Finally: Big Ten Network and Comcast reach a deal: "Finally, the Big Ten Network and Comcast reached a deal."

Nebraska Plans to Stop Funding Erectile Dysfunction Treatment, Says Sex Is Not Medically Necessary

Nebraska Plans to Stop Funding Erectile Dysfunction Treatment, Says Sex Is Not Medically Necessary
"Poor Nebraskans seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction may soon be turned away by state government.
State officials are proposing state Medicaid rules be changed so that the insurance program does not pay for penile implants."

No boner doners allowed?
More "free" healthcare from your government.
But we all know that things will be better after some government mandated "change"..... don't we...?

GasBuddy.com - Find Low Gas Prices in the USA and Canada

GasBuddy.com - Find Low Gas Prices in the USA and Canada

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Obama’s Shifting Positions on Iraq: A Rezko Connection?

Obama’s Shifting Positions on Iraq: A Rezko Connection?: "The time line of Obama's flip-flops on Iraq just happens to correlate to his friend's business dealings in that country."

Report: Michigan fails to defend poor suspects

Report: Michigan fails to defend poor suspects
"report conducted by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association in conjunction with the State Bar of Michigan."

Let me get this right.....
TheNational Legal bla bla group says that their "study" says "Michigan" (us taxpayers) is not doing enough but but if "Michigan" (us taxpayers) drop a tsunami of money on them (TheNationalLegal blablabla group) everything will be just great.
Do I have it right?
Why does this seem like something I've heard before......

Michigan's jobless rate hits 8.5 percent in May

Michigan's jobless rate hits 8.5 percent in May
"Thousands of summer job seekers who couldn't find work helped push Michigan's jobless rate to 8.5 percent in May, the highest monthly mark in the state since October 1992."

Let's raise taxes on business and really grow this unemployment rate!

Michigan unemployment highest since 1992

Michigan unemployment highest since 1992: "Michigan's jobless rate has been the nation's highest for some time now. The national rate in May was 5.5 percent.
Part of the reason for the higher rate is the rush of people looking for summer jobs. That swelled the size of Michigan's labor force.
Many of those looking for work couldn't find a job."

Jeepers, meebee da giant increase in the minimum wage jest might be a cause for no jobz fer kidz?
Naa, it's probably Engler's fault.
Let's have a rally condemning Engler and Bush!

Muskegon saves jobs by dipping into savings

Muskegon saves jobs by dipping into savings
"That draw could have been significantly less -- about $350,000 -- if the board chose to eliminate the five jobs, which include a teacher and aide in a specialized kindergarten program for struggling students, a science para-professional who helps teachers throughout the district prepare science lessons and 'student specialists' who work on behavior and other students issues at McLaughlin Elementary and Steele Middle School.
'The area is so depressed, we need to try to save those jobs,' said board Treasurer Billie Bruce. 'Those are people who live in the city, pay taxes and have children in the district.'"

Democrats call for nationalizing refineries!

Breaking News
"the Democrats called for the government to own refineries so it could better control the flow of the oil supply."

My God.....they are nuts!

More moolah to firefighters!

Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com: "Norton Shores firefighters have a new five-year contract that includes pay raises and a clause that requires participation in a wellness program.
The Norton Shores City Council Tuesday approved the contract, which has been ratified by the firefighters' union.
According to the contract, which covers 13 full-time firefighters, a 2.5 percent wage increase will be given the first two years and 2.75 for the third, fourth and fifth years."

Group wants dime deposit on bottled water, juice

Group wants dime deposit on bottled water, juice
"A group is reviving efforts to expand Michigan's 10-cent deposit law to include bottled water and juice containers."

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Barack Obama: The Undistinguished Gentleman [Karl]

Barack Obama: The Undistinguished Gentleman [Karl]: "In his first race for the state Senate in 1996, Obama employed Chicago rules to invalidate the voting petition signatures of three of his challengers, thus running unopposed on the Democratic ticket in a heavily Democrat district:
“That was Chicago politics,” said John Kass, a veteran Chicago Tribune columnist. “Knock out your opposition, challenge their petitions, destroy your enemy, right? It is how Barack Obama destroyed his enemies back in 1996 that conflicts with his message today. He may have gotten his start registering thousands of voters. But in that first race, he made sure voters had just one choice.”
Nothing illegal about it, but nothing particularly inspiring about it, either."

Judge OKs $11M settlement in Va Tech shootings

Judge OKs $11M settlement in Va Tech shootings
"A judge on Tuesday approved an $11 million state settlement with families of most of the victims in last year's Virginia Tech slayings that will avoid a court battle over whether anyone but the gunman was to blame."

A monster invades a university...... and the taxpayers must pay?

America's Homegrown Troop Killers

America's Homegrown Troop Killers
"a new congressional report finds that the U.S. government has no 'coordinated strategy' to deal with grass-roots jihadists who more and more are meeting, training and conspiring to kill troops over the Internet."

Charter Power

Charter Power
"But charters may actually be a greater long-run threat to union power because they empower groups of teachers to run their own schools collegially, without the need for collective bargaining.
If these schools really work for the students, they may be unstoppable. So do they work? In L.A. at least, a new study says they do."

Obama's Red Roots

Obama's Red Roots
"Obama should come clean on why he sought these radicals' support and, better still, disclose just how he intends to pay them back."

Interesting.
If you're gonna vote, worth a bit of research.

Buying Michigan foods helps keep money in state


Buying Michigan foods helps keep money in state
"As jobs disappear from Michigan, with workers being forced to take big pay and benefit cuts and as gasoline prices and home foreclosures hit record levels, we look around for anything we can do to combat the helplessness."

Interesting article that acknowledges cuts in worker pay and benefits..... anyone know of any cuts in the public sector pay and benefits?

It is the enormous growth in pay and benefits at every level in Michigan, state/county/city/township/village/schools/etc that is killing our future.

Just like the unions and their greed destroyed the American auto industry.

Will we never learn?

Al Dente: Tater Tots for Adults


Al Dente: Tater Tots for Adults: "Pity those who went to grade school before 1954.

In the same year that 'under God' was added to the Pledge of Allegiance, Tater Tots were added to supermarkets, school lunches, and our nation's gastronomic heritage. Americans now eat 70 million pounds of Ore-Ida's french fry by-product.
For those who think Tater Tots are just for kids, think again. Tots have popped up everywhere from Burger King to your local bar and the interwebs are full of recipes for more grown-up versions of this popular cafeteria staple."
Ummmm, tater tots that taste EVEN better!!!!!

Obama advisers say bin Laden can appeal to U.S. courts


Obama advisers say bin Laden can appeal to U.S. courts
"Barack Obama's foreign policy advisers said Tuesday that Osama bin Laden, if captured, should be allowed to appeal his case to U.S. civilian courts, a privilege opposed by John McCain."

Well, BHussein IS promising "change".....

"You are NOT robbing this bank!"


Man Who Pulled Gun on Bank Robber
"Fawzi, who spent six years in the Lebanese army, took matters into his own hands.

He tells WXYZ.com he pulled out a .9 mm handgun (for which he had a CCW permit), racked a bullet in the chamber, pointed it at the man and announced, 'You are not robbing this bank!'

The startled Washtenaw County man countered with, 'but, I have a bomb' -- but Fawzi wasn't impressed. 'I don't care. You are not robbing this bank!' was the reply from the other side of the gun. He then forced the would-be robber into chair and held him at gunpoint until police arrived."

YES!

Off the hook for 'monkeys' remark


Off the hook for 'monkeys' remark
"She's said she told the boys to get out of a small tree because she was concerned about their safety and tree damage. The delegate says she told the boys they shouldn't climb in the tree like monkeys. Afterward, one boy's mother called police."

State may ban free parking


State may ban free parking
"In its latest drive to curb the use of cars, Norway's government is considering forcing shopping centers to charge customers for parking in the centers' lots or garages"
Fear our lib/enviro loonies who think this is a great idea!

District must cut spending or jobs

District must cut spending or jobs
"Save money or save jobs -- that's the decision facing Muskegon school board members as they plan for the next school year.
Five jobs are on the line, which, if eliminated, would hurt children's education, said Muskegon Public Schools Superintendent Colin Armstrong"

Interesting.
Armstrong admits his move will "hurt children's education" but refuses to explore reducing the increases in teacher pay and benefits in order to save those jobs.
Maybe he's just not serious?

Heights hires new DDA chief

Heights hires new DDA chief
"A longtime Muskegon-area economic development official -- Norm Cunningham -- has been picked as the new director of Muskegon Heights' Downtown Development Authority.
Cunningham, 57, was selected by the city's DDA board last month. He started his new job last week. His $40,000 salary will be paid for through DDA funds.
'I'm excited about working with the DDA and city of Muskegon Heights,' Cunningham said. 'The potential here is unlimited."

Norton taxpayers to foot bill for Henry St. bridge


Norton taxpayers to foot bill for Henry St. bridge"Norton Shores will not be getting help paying for repairs to a portion of Henry Street that eroded earlier this year after a storm drain burst and forced closure of a portion of the Merrill S. Bailey Bridge."

Gordo has a few questions:
1. This potential problem must have been foreseen. Who is/was responsible to check, occasionally, to see if the drain was free from debris?

2. Was there a policy in place to check drains and culverts for blockage?

3. Is there now a policy to check for drain/culvert blockage?

4. Who is now responsible for guaranteeing that this type of disaster will not reoccur?

$1 million grant focuses on patient care

$1 million grant focuses on patient care
"If you're black and live in West Michigan, your risk of losing a leg to diabetes is five times greater than for white residents.
That statistic, released today, points out a glaring inequity in the area's medical system, a gap a national foundation and local leaders hope to fill with a new program aimed at improving health care for all area residents."

Construction decline hits municipalities

Construction decline hits municipalities
"Whitehall Township Supervisor Dennis Babcock said he wonders if the department needs to cut back on some of its costs, since the downturn is becoming a trend. He doesn't want this to become an annual payment."

What a concept!

County to hire coordinator to cut jail crowds

County to hire coordinator to cut jail crowds
"Muskegon County commissioners kicked off a major effort to reduce chronic jail overcrowding Tuesday when they agreed to allow the county sheriff to create the position of 'jail population coordinator.'
And more help in the same area could be on its way soon, when the federal government releases more than $300,000 for the county to hire a special inmate screening staff that will work with the new coordinator to determine who belongs in jail and who doesn't."

Stupid Gordo!
I thought judges and juries made that decision.....

Standing Tall


Standing Tall
"'We are in a time, in Muskegon, of creating new things that will last for the ages,' said Chris McGuigan, president of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. 'We know today we are likely dedicating Muskegon's iconic structure, what the arch is to St. Louis or the Calder is to Grand Rapids.'"

The people who are spending Muskegon into bankruptcy are delusional!

City bypasses bidding policy on road work

City bypasses bidding policy on road work
"The Muskegon City Commission this week bypassed its bidding policy, rejecting the lowest bidder -- and even the second-lowest bidder -- to give a street-paving project to Muskegon-based Jackson-Merkey Contractors."

The fix is in!

County buying land for man-made marsh

County buying land for man-made marsh
"The county is buying the property for $87,000 from David and Angela Eklund, who are expected to remain on the land for the next year, according to John Warner, the county's deputy director of public works.
It was the seventh parcel along the 8500, 8600 and 8700 blocks of Apple to be bought by the county for the wetland project. All the parcels have houses on them. Some will be demolished, while others will be sold and moved to other sites, Warner said.
The county has spent approximately $722,000 on land for the marsh thus far, and several more parcels will be needed, according to Warner. The money for the land is coming from the county's solid waste fund, he said."

The county is broke..... they say we need more taxes...... they tell us the budget is too lean for any more cuts......

Multiple sites offer free meals for kids

Multiple sites offer free meals for kids
"There are no income guidelines for meal recipients of the Summer Feeding Program. Free breakfast and lunch are available to children 18 and under, or persons up to age 26 who are determined by the state or a local public agency to be mentally or physically handicapped."

Take a look at the enormous list of free food sites.
Why aren't we providing free dinners for the tots?
gimmee a break.....

Montague school board to weigh proposed budget cuts

Montague school board to weigh proposed budget cuts
"Sipka is expected to recommend to the school board today some $420,000 in budget cuts, including teacher and paraprofessional positions. The proposed cuts are part of administrators' plan to eliminate a $750,000 shortfall from the 2006-07 budget."

Why are automatic increases in teacher pay and benefits not even discussed?

GH council supports study of transit system linking West Michigan cities

GH council supports study of transit system linking West Michigan cities
"The Grand Haven City Council is on board with a study of a regional transit system that would link Grand Haven, Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Holland.
The $110,000 West Michigan Transit Linkage Study, which will be paid through a Michigan Department of Transportation grant, is expected to begin this summer and be completed by fall."

Our state is broke....... and "studies" like this are a major reason.

Monday, June 16, 2008

A U.N. Khan Job

A U.N. Khan Job: "Blueprints for a nuclear weapon compatible with the ballistic missiles of Iran, North Korea and other rogue states were found on computers of the notorious Khan smuggling ring. Will a complacent world wake up?"

Culpable Congress

Culpable Congress
"Prices: The big jump in the consumer price index on Friday scared a lot of people. But the sad fact is, much of inflation's recent rise is due to the upward spiral of energy prices. And guess whose fault that is?"

Pre-war memory lapse.....

Instapundit.com -: "If Democrats wish to contend they were 'misled' into war, they should vent their spleen at the CIA.
In 2003, top Senate Democrats -- not just Rockefeller but also Carl Levin, Clinton, Kerry and others -- sounded just as alarmist."

click to see the video facts.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

John Coleman vs Al Gore

John Coleman vs Al Gore
"Hello Al Gore; Hello UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Your science is flawed; your hypothesis is wrong; your data is manipulated. And, may I add, your scare tactics are deplorable. The Earth does not have a fever. Carbon dioxide does not cause significant global warming."

Saturday, June 14, 2008

American Murder Mystery

American Murder Mystery: "Why is crime rising in so many American cities? The answer implicates one of the most celebrated antipoverty programs of recent decades"

WaterMark plans film, TV studio

WaterMark plans film, TV studio
"The new Michigan financial incentives for filmmakers in the form of 42-percent refundable tax credits for film production costs is expected to bring the state $400 million in economic activity, WaterMark Studio officials said."

Something smells here.
Too bad The Chronicle has no curiosity about the "refundable" part of our tax credit offer.

Friday, June 13, 2008

MSU hikes tuition nearly 7 percent

MSU hikes tuition nearly 7 percent
"Michigan State University's Board of Trustees has approved a 6.8 percent tuition increase for the 2008-09 school year.
The increase approved Friday will add $639 to tuition for in-state freshmen and sophomores. Tuition for out-of-state students will increase by 7.1 percent.
Freshmen taking a total of 30 credits and living in dorms will pay about $17,240 for the year.
Tuition and fees increased by 9.6 percent at Michigan State last fall when the average tuition increase at a Michigan public university was more than 10 percent."

Doesn't anyone wonder where all that money is going?
Isn't it time to take a close look at how our tax dollars are being spent?

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Robert Mugabe Militia Hacks, Burns Alive Opposition Leader's Wife

Robert Mugabe Militia Hacks, Burns Alive Opposition Leader's Wife
"The men who pulled up in three white pickup trucks were looking for Patson Chipiro, head of the Zimbabwean opposition party in Mhondoro district. His wife, Dadirai, told them he was in Harare but would be back later in the day, and the men departed.
An hour later they were back. They grabbed Dadirai Chipiro and chopped off one of her hands and both her feet. Then they threw her into her hut, locked the door and threw a petrol bomb through the window."

And the UN focuses on Guantanamo?

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

House Subcommittee Rejects Plan to Open U.S. Waters to More Oil Exploration

House Subcommittee Rejects Plan to Open U.S. Waters to More Oil Exploration
A House subcommittee on Wednesday rejected a Republican-led effort to open up more U.S. coastal waters to oil exploration.
Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., spearheaded the effort. His proposal would open up U.S. waters between 50 and 200 miles off shore for drilling. The first 50 miles off shore would be left alone.
But the plan failed Wednesday on a 9-6, party-line vote in a House appropriations subcommittee, which was considering the proposal as part of an Interior Department spending package."

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Will Media Ask Questions on Obama's Pledge To Prosecute War Criminals? | NewsBusters.org

Will Media Ask Questions on Obama's Pledge To Prosecute War Criminals? NewsBusters.org
This is pretty serious stuff that the American public surely would like more details on. Can we expect the MSM to follow up on this with some questions? Probably not, but they need to.
Marc Ambinder notes how the Democratic Justice Department will be interested in making a case against senior Bush adminstration officials in the future.
Thomas Lifson reminds us of Obama’s take on this:
Barack Obama’s plan for imposing unity on the nation after he takes office apparently entails a close look at war crimes trials for Bush administration officials. He has even said so in an interview with Will Bunch of the Philadelphia Daily News.
This kind of change — putting your predecessors on trial for their conduct of policy — may not be what most Americans really want or expect from someone with Obama’s gauzy rhetoric of unity. But unity has a dark side in the hands of people who regard their opponents as criminals. America has two centuries-plus of history lacking the totalitarian practice of jailing the predecessors when a new president takes office.
This is the sort of proposal one might expect from a man steeped in Marxism at his church, from his friends like Ayers, and as a member of the Alinsky Left. But I am surprised he let this slip.
Obama:
Obama said that as president he would indeed ask his new Attorney General and his deputies to “immediately review the information that’s already there” and determine if an inquiry is warranted — but he also tread carefully on the issue, in line with his reputation for seeking to bridge the partisan divide. He worried that such a probe could be spun as “a partisan witch hunt.” However, he said that equation changes if there was willful criminality, because “nobody is above the law.”

Cocky Ignorance::By Thomas Sowell

Cocky Ignorance::By Thomas Sowell
"All this sounds very plausible, as so many other things that Senator Obama says sound plausible. But, like so many of those other things, it will not stand up under scrutiny.
What has been widely publicized in the media is that suicides among American troops have gone up. What has not been widely publicized is that this higher suicide rate is still not as high as the suicide rate among demographically comparable civilians."

JunkScience.com -- Steven Milloy, Publisher

JunkScience.com -- Steven Milloy, Publisher
"Let's consider a few facts.
CO2 is a colorless and odorless gas in the atmosphere that is measured in parts per million, or ppm. The vast majority of CO2 emissions, about 97 percent, comes from Mother Nature.
CO2 is nowhere near the most important greenhouse gas; water vapor holds that distinction. An astounding 99.9 percent of Earth's greenhouse gas effect has nothing to do with manmade CO2 emissions.
If that's not enough, we can look at graphs of the historical relationship between carbon dioxide and global temperature. Ice core data going back 650,000 years show that global temperatures increase before CO2 levels. Data from the 20th century indicate no particular relationship between CO2 emissions and global temperature.
Finally, there is no scientific proof that the current level of atmospheric CO2 or that levels projected by the United Nations -- about 700 ppm by 2095 if no greenhouse gas regulations are put in place -- has or will cause any harm to the environment."

YouTube - Obama campaign rep STUMPED on legislative accomplishments

YouTube - Obama campaign rep STUMPED on legislative accomplishments

Monday, June 09, 2008

Mean To Teens

Mean To Teens: "When Democrats in Congress finagled a jump in the minimum wage last year, they crowed about their victory. Now Americans are finding out what it cost as the unemployment rate shoots up."

Bernanke: Danger of downturn appears to have faded

Bernanke: Danger of downturn appears to have faded:
"Despite a recent spike in the nation's unemployment rate, the danger that the economy has fallen into a 'substantial downturn' appears to have waned, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday."

'GMA' Features Professor Who Blames Greenhouse Gases for Current Heat Wave

'GMA' Features Professor Who Blames Greenhouse Gases for Current Heat Wave
"Ironically, in 1971, Schneider co-authored a research article that explored both warming and cooling of the Earth, warning that a certain level of aerosols entering the atmosphere could trigger an ice age."

FOX News Documentary Shows Congressmen Sent Millions in Earmarks to Their Own Families

FOX News Documentary Shows Congressmen Sent Millions in Earmarks to Their Own Families
"A number of U.S. congressmen and their families — including former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert — have personally profited from congressional earmarks they slipped into federal legislation, a FOX News documentary reveals.
The documentary, “Porked: Earmarks"

Fred Hiatt - 'Bush Lied'? If Only It Were That Simple. - washingtonpost.com

Fred Hiatt - 'Bush Lied'? If Only It Were That Simple. - washingtonpost.com: "On Iraq's nuclear weapons program? The president's statements 'were generally substantiated by intelligence community estimates.'
On biological weapons, production capability and those infamous mobile laboratories? The president's statements 'were substantiated by intelligence information.'
On chemical weapons, then? 'Substantiated by intelligence information.'
On weapons of mass destruction overall (a separate section of the intelligence committee report)? 'Generally substantiated by intelligence information.' Delivery vehicles such as ballistic missiles? 'Generally substantiated by available intelligence.' Unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to deliver WMDs? 'Generally substantiated by intelligence information.'"

lgf: At the Official Obama Site: 'How the Jewish Lobby Works'

lgf: At the Official Obama Site: 'How the Jewish Lobby Works': "Here’s yet another disgusting antisemitic page at the official Barack Obama campaign web site, by a group calling itself “Socialists for Obama.” This group of Jew-haters has apparently been at his site since April, and there are numerous comments from Obama supporters that are indistinguishable from the hate speech you’ll find at neo-Nazi sites: Barack Obama : : Change We Can Believe In Socialists for Obama: How the jewish lobby works.
There’s something deeply wrong with a presidential candidate who attracts so many of these hateful psychotics. Read the comments; you just won’t believe what is allowed to be posted at Barack Obama’s web site."

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Obama’s New Advisor Stained by Clinton Pardon Scandal

Obama’s New Advisor Stained by Clinton Pardon Scandal
"Eric Holder, recently appointed by Barack Obama to his vice presidential search committee, played a leading role in one of the most infamous events of a presidency filled with infamy: the pardon of billionaire fugitive Marc Rich. Morris dubbed the decision to select Holder as Obama’s “first clear, serious mistake.”
Rich, of course, was the commodities trader who fled the country in 1983 to escape prosecution for tax evasion, racketeering, and trading with the enemy. Rich’s attorneys circumvented normal procedures, took the pardon to the White House attorneys, and gained pardon for their client, whose wife just happened to be a friend and major donor to the Clinton library, the Democratic Party, and Clinton’s legal defense fund. A firestorm ensued as did congressional investigations in which Democrats as well as Republicans excoriated the Clintons’ conduct."

perpetual progress?

Instapundit.com -: "JOHN TIERNEY: Why not perpetual progress? 'Yes, there are physical limits to what can done with computer chips. But for a century now, each time computer engineers ran into previous physical limits — with the original electro-mechanical machines, with vacuum tubes, with transistors — they jumped to a new technology, and they’re already working on successors to today’s chips. It may seem naive to expect continuing leaps forward, but I think it’s naive to ignore the trend of the past century — or the past 10,000 years.'"

Lucianne.com News Forum

Lucianne.com News Forum: "Comments:
The ''problem'' with these drugs is that the NHS (which runs a yearly surplus) has judged them to be too expensive or too new to be judged as effective on a per capita basis. Think Ted Kennedy would like to travel to the UK for his cancer treatment instead of staying in the US? I don't know why he isn't over there now because that's the kind of healthcare system he repeatedly has been pushing."

Mpls. limits vehicle idling to 3 minutes

Mpls. limits vehicle idling to 3 minutes
"The Minneapolis City Council and Mayor R.T. Rybak approved changes Friday, to the city’s vehicle idling ordinance that aims to reduce air pollution. The ordinance limits most vehicle idling to three minutes, except in traffic.
'Most of the air pollution in Minneapolis comes from vehicles and cutting down in idling is one easy thing we can all do for our environment, our health, and the health of our neighbors,' said Mayor R.T. Rybak."

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Now dustmen won't take your rubbish away if wheelie bin is too heavy to pull with two fingers | Mail Online

Now dustmen won't take your rubbish away if wheelie bin is too heavy to pull with two fingers Mail Online: "Binmen have put two fingers up to common sense by issuing an astonishing warning to council-tax payers.
'If we can't pull your wheelie bin using just two fingers it is too heavy - and won't be emptied.'
Bins that need three or more fingers, they claim, constitute a health and safety risk as they could fall from the lorry while being emptied.
The edict from binmen is the latest salvo in a continuing battle between householders and bureaucracy."

Friday, June 06, 2008

Masked men caught on church roof stealing lead... but that's not enough evidence, say police | Mail Online

Masked men caught on church roof stealing lead... but that's not enough evidence, say police Mail Online: "When three masked men were caught on the roof of an ancient church that had been stripped of lead worth £100,000, villagers felt their prayers had been answered.
Police arrived in time to catch the trio - in balaclavas and masks - red-handed.
Lead had been taken off and rolled up nearby ready to be taken away.
But to the astonishment of residents they only got a caution because officers decided they may just have been admiring the view."

McCain Tv-Ad Accountable

YouTube - Tv-Ad Accountable

McCain's new TV ad.

John McCain the socialist!

$45 trillion needed to combat warming

$45 trillion needed to combat warming
"The world needs to invest $45 trillion in energy in coming decades, build some 1,400 nuclear power plants and vastly expand wind power in order to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to an energy study released Friday."

Hey, America!
Do you know what this will do to your standard of living?

Liberal Scrooges

The American Spectator
"Many modern liberals like to openly discuss their altruism. Garrison Keillor explains that 'I am liberal and liberalism is the politics of kindness.' But it rarely seems to turn into acts of kindness, especially when it comes to making charitable donations."

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Statue of Jesus Stolen Off Cross in Detroit

Statue of Jesus Stolen Off Cross in Detroit
Thieves seeking copper to sell as scrap may have stolen an 8-foot statue of Jesus Christ off a crucifix in Detroit. Problem is, it's made of plaster."
Thankfully, Detroit has an African American as its mayor......

Obama connected to Marc Rich pardon?

Holder's reputation dinged by Marc Rich pardon
"The last time Washington attorney Eric Holder participated in a high-profile vetting, it was for fugitive financier Marc Rich.
The episode in 2001 became the final scandal of the Clinton administration and landed Holder, at the time the No. 2 official at the Justice Department, in the middle of a congressional investigation.
Now Holder, a co-chairman of Barack Obama's campaign, is one of three big names who will lead the search for a potential running mate for the presumed Democratic presidential nominee."

New contract for GRPS support staff

New contract for GRPS support staff
"While Grand Rapids Public Schools teachers wait for a contract deal for this school year, three other employee groups have a tentative deal for next school year.
The three unions represent support staff.
The deal gives those employees a one-half percent pay increase plus any built-in 'step' raises based on seniority"

Report: Mich. graduates low percentage of blacks, Hispanics

Report: Mich. graduates low percentage of blacks, Hispanics
"A new report says Michigan high schools have graduation rates well below the national average for black and Hispanic students."

Joe Soucheray - TwinCities.com

Joe Soucheray - TwinCities.com: "I am waiting for the day when Big Educators are dragged before congressional committees and treated like oil company executives, who in turn are treated like the Cosa Nostra. Let the Big Deans and the Big Chancellors sit under the hot lights. It would be delightful to see, say, the presidents of all the Big Ten schools summoned to Washington and grilled about why they should be allowed to raise tuition year after year while also accumulating untold wealth in their endowment accounts.
Year after year those higher-education costs go up and the only response from politicians has been to figure out a way to redistribute more wealth so that tax credits go to the people who can't afford to go to college"

Why We Went to Iraq

Why We Went to Iraq
"Of all that has been written about the play of things in Iraq, nothing that I have seen approximates the truth of what our ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, recently said of this war: 'In the end, how we leave and what we leave behind will be more important than how we came.'"

Ed McMahon fighting foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home

Ed McMahon fighting foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home
"McMahon, 85, has been unable to work as a pitchman for various products since he broke his neck 18 months ago, said his spokesman, Howard Bragman.
'There are plenty of people affected by the weak economy, bad housing market or bad health,'"

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

'Carbon Belch Day' promotes un-green actions | Green Tech - CNET News.com

'Carbon Belch Day' promotes un-green actions Green Tech - CNET News.com: "Smoke cigars, do a partial load of laundry, drink bottled water, and feel no shame. That's what a campaign against a carbon trading bill is urging.
The latest parody of the proliferation of 'green' social-networking sites and eco-friendly events comes via 'Carbon Belch Day,' a campaign from the conservative Grassfire.org alliance that encourages people to pollute as much as possible on June 12."

French screen icon Bardot fined for anti-Muslim remarks

French screen icon Bardot fined for anti-Muslim remarks
France's 1960s screen icon Brigitte Bardot received a 15,000-euro (23,000 dollar) fine on Tuesday for inciting hatred against Muslims.
In December 2006, the film star-turned-animal rights activist wrote a letter to France's then interior minister, current President Nicolas Sarkozy, arguing that Muslims should stun animals before slaughtering them during the Aid al-Kabir holiday.
She outraged anti-racist groups by saying: "I've had enough of being led by the nose by this whole population which is destroying us, (and) destroying our country by imposing their ways."
Bardot, now 73 and suffering from arthritis, was absent from Tuesday's court hearing in Paris. She wrote to the court saying: "I'm sickened by how (these organisations) are harassing me."
She added: "I will not shut up until stunning is carried out" on animals before their ritual slaughter.
Bardot already has four convictions on similar charges. In 2004 she was fined 5,000 euros for inciting racial hatred in her book "Un Cri Dans le Silence" (A Cry in the Silence).
France is home to Europe's largest Muslim community, estimated at five million people.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Dumb luck?

The Corner on National Review Online: "Iraq and the General War on Terror [Victor Davis Hanson]

How odd (or to be expected) that suddenly intelligence agencies, analysts, journalists, and terrorists themselves are attesting that al-Qaeda is in near ruins, that ideologically radical Islam is losing its appeal, and that terrorist incidents against Americans at home and abroad outside the war zones are at an all-time low—and yet few associate the radical change in fortune in Iraq as a contributory cause to our success."

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Going green means having green to spend

Going green means having green to spend
"The dirty secret of the environmental movement is how indifferent it can be to the poor.

Consider the widespread ban on DDT. As environmental groups celebrated the recovery of bald eagles, parents in poor countries buried 20 million children who died from the ensuing malaria outbreak.

Now we see another crisis looming from the fight against global warming. Food riots are breaking out in poor countries as motorists in wealthy countries burn grains and oils in gas tanks"

Cancer patient Linda O'Boyle dies after NHS ends free care over top up - Telegraph

Cancer patient Linda O'Boyle dies after NHS ends free care over top up - Telegraph
"A woman who was refused free NHS cancer treatment after she paid for extra drugs has died, reigniting the debate over whether patients should be allowed to 'top up' their care.
Linda O'Boyle and her husband Brian, both retired health workers, decided to pay for treatment in addition to that available on the NHS in order to prolong her life.
Mrs O'Boyle was told that meant she was considered a private patient and so had to pay for all her treatment.
Government guidelines currently ban patients from mixing public and private care."

Getting Oil From A Stone

Getting Oil From A Stone
"Exxon Mobil's CEO says his energy company's 'corporate social responsibility' is to produce more energy. While Congress wants to tax oil profits, he wants to spend them to find more oil. What a concept."

A Bleak Future

A Bleak Future
: "Politics: Imagine an America where the government decides what profits are acceptable. Imagine our country with the oil industry nationalized. Impossible? Not with Democrats in control of Washington.
One California Democrat, saying out loud what many on her side of the aisle have been thinking for some time, has threatened to seize the oil industry.
'This liberal will be all about socializing, uh, uh . . . would be about . . . basically taking over and the government running all of your companies,' Rep. Maxine Waters told oil executives on May 22 during yet another show-trial congressional hearing."

Op-ed column: U.S. must tap its own oil resources or face even greater energy crisis

Op-ed column: U.S. must tap its own oil resources or face even greater energy crisis: "A great oil discovery was made in Alaska during the mid-1960s. It would prove to be the largest oil field in North America. But in order to exploit that oil, a pipeline 800 miles long had to be constructed over difficult terrain. A consortium of energy companies planned to build this $8 billion pipeline. But because sections of pipeline rights-of-way would pass through federal lands, the project required congressional approval. Congress, neither the House nor the Senate, would not approve the project. After all, didn’t the nation have excess producing capacity? And what about the environment — how could the pipeline be constructed across frozen ground, hundreds of streams, including the great Yukon River?"

American Preaching in a vacuum

American Preaching in a vacuum: "Holier-than-thou AAR constantly rails on corporate greed and dishonesty, yet it was a poster child for both even before it broadcast its first mindless assault on the vast right-wing conspiracy. Its backers lied to investors when they claimed they had $30 million in venture capital when they only had $6 million. Five weeks after the network's debut, its chairman and co-founder, Evan Montvel-Cohen, was forced out. Only later was it disclosed that to help get Air America off the ground, he looted the nonprofit organization where he was director of development out of $875,000 in taxpayer funds that were supposed to be spent helping children and the elderly in the Bronx."

Mother who defied the killers is gunned down

Mother who defied the killers is gunned down
Five weeks ago Leila Hussein told The Observer the chilling story of how her husband had killed their 17-year-old daughter over her friendship with a British soldier in Basra. Now Leila, who had been in hiding, has been murdered - gunned down in cold blood. Afif Sarhan in Basra and Caroline Davies report on the final act of a brutal tragedy"

Man admits 'having sex' with 1,000 cars

Man admits 'having sex' with 1,000 cars
"Edward Smith, who lives with his current 'girlfriend' – a white Volkswagen Beetle named Vanilla, insisted that he was not 'sick' and had no desire to change his ways."