Saturday, January 31, 2009

OUTRAGE: Obama and FEMA leave Americans to die in Kentucky. Media firestorm in . . . well, never….

OUTRAGE: Obama and FEMA leave Americans to die in Kentucky. Media firestorm in . . . well, never….
"January 31, 2009
OUTRAGE: Obama and FEMA leave Americans to die in Kentucky. Media firestorm in . . . well, never.

Plus, “Obama dozed, people froze.”

And Juliette Ochieng emails: “President Obama doesn’t care about white people…and neither do the MSM.”

Well, that wouldn’t fit the narrative.

The Myth of the ‘Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor’


The Myth of the ‘Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor’:
"It gets repeated so frequently and so persistently that many assume it must be true: the rich are getting richer and the poor have been left behind in ever-larger numbers, especially during the eeeeeevil Bush administration.

Baloney."

CARPE DIEM: Superbowl Tickets $1000 Less Than Last Year


Superbowl Tickets $1000 Less Than Last Year
"That means on the low end you're finding tickets going for about $1,400 and they're going to be coming down even farther as the weekend goes on,' said Pate."

Wow!

Things must be REALLY bad if the cheap seats are only $1,400.

...what do the hotdogs cost.....
....is this still Bush's fault or Engler's..... cause of the Lions mess?....

Liberal media dumber than 128 year old woman!


Uzbekistan Claims World's Oldest Woman
"Uzbekistan officials say they have found the world's oldest woman and, if her age proves to be accurate, she would be the oldest documented person to have ever lived, according to the BBC News.
Tuti Yusupova's birth certificate says she was born in 1880, officials told the BBC.

Wow!

This is big! (I wonder what type of yogurt she eats)

Uzbekistan records are known to be the most accurate of any birth records in the liberal media world!

Nice to see the tradition of "fact" checking continues!

global economic traffic jam has Muskegon backed up


Economist George Erickcek says global economic traffic jam has Muskegon backed up

'We find that the best and the brightest are going to Chicago and other areas,' Erickcek told the chamber breakfast crowd. 'It's a challenge we have to work on in Muskegon County.'"

But let's not address the ever increasing taxes, never accountable schools, crime rate, ornery city/county government services and the Frauenthalians who waste precious tax dollars on personal projects.

No. Let's not do that.

Don't want to offend anyone.... ya know.....

Cause and Effect - Part 1


Cause and Effect - Part 1:
"We can learn from them. ..Or can we?

Consider the basic and fundamental reason for the current financial (housing based) crisis. It started many years ago with one of the most incompetent presidents this country has ever seen. See if you can guess from the following multiple choice:
A. Jimmy Carter
B. Jimmy Carter
C. Jimmy Carter
D. All of the above.

I believe the answer is somewhere along the lines of 1977: Jimmy Carter rams the Community Reinvestment Act through Congress.

Note that it has since been reinforced by Democrat (Clinton) and Only slightly rebuffed by a distracted Republican Bush white house, however note that even Bush’s administration Mankiw warned of trouble:

“2001: Bush administration warns of impending doom. In Bush’s first year in office, the White House’s chief economist, N. Gregory Mankiw, warned Fannie and Freddie’s loans to unqualified borrowers and other complications at the two institutions were creating a huge risk for the entire financial system.
Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) denounced Mankiw, accusing him of having no “concern about housing.” ”"

OBAMA’S PLAN HAS ALREADY BOOSTED TAX COLLECTIONS!


OBAMA’S PLAN HAS ALREADY BOOSTED TAX COLLECTIONS!

In office less than two weeks, President Barack Obama has already increased tax receipts at the U.S. Treasury with an innovative plan to get tax-dodgers to pay up, in full, immediately.
“The president’s plan is simple but ingenious,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, “He targets wealthy individuals who filed inaccurate tax forms, cheating the government out of tens of thousands of dollars. Then he just nominates them for cabinet positions. They suddenly see the error of their ways, and they cut checks for the full amount owed, plus interest.”"

Wow!

This man, Obama, is deep!

Our health system basically "broke"

Our health system basically "broke"
"THE full extent of the disease plaguing the NSW health system can be revealed, with an analysis showing every one of the state's 220 public hospitals is either battling to pay bills, struggling to attract staff or short of beds."

This is the SAME system that demo-crook leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed want to force on our seniors!

And have the kids pay for!

Obama's Animal Farm Cabinet


Obama pushes economic plan
"Obama was facing a new political distraction -- the disclosure that Tom Daschle, picked to spearhead U.S. health care reform, failed to pay more than $128,000 in taxes.
It was the latest glitch in Obama's effort to complete his cabinet and focus on his administration's top priorities. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's nomination was held up earlier by criticism over late payment of $34,000 in taxes."


I guess Prez Barry is telling us that :

"All animals (democrats) are equal but some are more equal than others"

We cut, they buy bigger belts!


The Intellectual Redneck
"If this doesn't make you want to fly to Washington and slap your legislator, nothing ever will. Congress gives itself a $93,000 raise to stimulate the economy"

more adulation from the NYT


White House Unbuttons Formal Dress Code
"Mr. Obama’s work habits are already becoming clear. He shows up at the Oval Office shortly before 9 in the morning, roughly two hours later than his early-to-bed, early-to-rise predecessor."

Imagine how the NYT would report this if Bush had showed up for work at 9:00AM!

Is this a "community organizer" thing or something congenital?

White House Unbuttons Formal Dress Code

White House Unbuttons Formal Dress Code
"Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, who occupies the small but strategically located office next door to his boss. “He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”
Thus did an ironclad rule of the George W. Bush administration — coat and tie in the Oval Office at all times"

I recall the wonderful results when teachers dressed down from coat/tie and professional dresses for women.

Maybe the operative phrase should be "change we can believe didn't work before"?

Iran says Obama's offer to talk shows US failure




Iran says Obama's offer to talk shows US failure
"US President Barack Obama's offer to talk to Iran shows that America's policy of 'domination' has failed, the government spokesman said on Saturday.
'This request means Western ideology has become passive, that capitalist thought and the system of domination have failed,' Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency."

Wait, wait!

I thought this was Barry Hussein's great leap forward in communication and peace in our time with the Iranians!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth - For Good rehersal PBS

It is just too good a video!

The Williams girls!

My Way - Sports News
"Serena Williams warmed up for Saturday night's women's final against Dinara Safina by combining with sister Venus to win the doubles title. They beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova and Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-3 under the roof at Melbourne Park.
It was the eighth Grand Slam doubles title and third in Australia for the Williams sisters, who also won the doubles gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.
Serena is aiming for her 10th singles major and to continue a sequence that includes an Australian title in every odd-numbered year since 2003."

Amazing!

Michael Steele becomes first black RNC chairman


Michael Steele becomes first black RNC chairman
"The Republican Party chose the first black national chairman in its history Friday, just shy of three months after the nation elected a Democrat as the first African-American president."

I can't wait for the liberal media to swoon over our first black ...... sorry.... African American RNC chairman!

Man, this is gonna be great.......

yeah right...

Instead of waiting for the MSM, click this link to see a classy Republican American!

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=11797280&ch=4226716&src=news

Imagine Spot 1 - Super Bowl Ad NBC Rejected

Powerful.

No wonder the liberal media rejected it.

Sad.

Michigan gets D-plus on teacher-quality programs


Michigan gets D-plus on teacher-quality programs

Remember!

These are the same folks who want us to give them more of our hard earned income to their early retirement fund!

They don't make enough?

Not by their standards!

They win if we don't scream bloody murder!

Proposed Bond 2009

Proposed Bond 2009
"Approval of this bond will generate approximately $13 million."

We must understand what "generate" means.

It means "take money from homeowners and renters and business owners and give it to the Mona Shores School board".


They will then take our money and give it out as pork to their friends.

EXPLAINING THE STIMULUS MYTH

EXPLAINING THE STIMULUS MYTH
"EXPLAINING THE STIMULUS MYTH"

A Hypocrite? Moi, Barack?

Power Line - A Hypocrite? Moi, Barack?
"But wait! Isn't the planet in peril? Isn't it incumbent on all of us to minimize our carbon footprints by turning down our heat and air conditioning? And how about this Obama quote from the campaign:

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times . . . and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK."

I guess he meant your home, sucker, not his.

Barry likes his 77 degree home and office but not yours!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Grand Haven City hall picketed, but deer kill continues

Update: Grand Haven City hall picketed, but deer kill continues
"Earlier in the day, a handful of residents protested the city's recent killing of 19 deer on Harbor Island by picketing outside City Hall.
Three to five residents held signs throughout the morning urging city leaders to reverse the decision to hire certified sharpshooters to kill deer. Protesters said it's an unsafe and cruel way to manage the urban deer population."

We must understand the lib media.

"three to five residents" protesting old news is enough to get 2 posts on Mlive.

And we conservatives can't get 3-5 to show for anything?

Who Pays Income Taxes? See Who Pays What


Story about Mr. B's Pancake House makes national news

Story about Mr. B's Pancake House makes national news
"She even heard from other business owners who are envious of the pancake house's dedicated employees.
'They said they wished their staff would do the same thing,' she said. 'Just think of the ripple effect this could have if employees in every business gave back just one day.'"

Interesting that on the same day the Michigan teachers union unveiled their scheme to increase teacher pensions, buyouts and increase retirement costs to all taxpayers.

http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2009/1/28/10010/0192


Postmaster General: Mail days may need to be cut

Postmaster General: Mail days may need to be cut
"Massive deficits could force the post office to cut out one day of mail delivery, the postmaster general told Congress on Wednesday, in asking lawmakers to lift the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days a week."

If the PO won't do the job, their monopoly on mail delivery will end so other companies can do the job the feds have so failed at?

Yeah right....

And these are the same folks who tell us their ready and able to run our national health care!

Another sad Detroit story.


Detroit disaster
"A newspaper says it took three calls to Detroit authorities over two days before they recovered the body of a man frozen in ice in the elevator shaft of a vacant warehouse."

This is typical and really not new.

After all, the city of Detroit died years ago and no one will admit it.

Parole Board Chairhuman

CORRECTIONS - Parole Board: "Parole Board
Barbara Sampson, Parole Board Chairperson
Charles Sinclair, Administrator
PO Box 30003
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 373-0720
(517) 335-0039 FAX"

Why not give 'em a call and ask why someone who (LeFevre) "has 11 misconducts since her capture in the spring" is being released.

I've got a request in for the contact numbers of the rest of the board.

And how one gets appointed to the board.

California mom who escaped prison in 1976 will be released from Michigan prison

California mom who escaped prison in 1976 will be released from Michigan prison
"Corrections Department spokesman Russ Marlan says the Michigan parole board voted unanimously Wednesday to release Susan LeFevre.
She was captured in 2008 living a comfortable life under a different name in the San Diego area. LeFevre escaped from a Detroit-area prison in 1976 after serving about 14 months of a 10-year drug sentence.
Marlan says LeFevre's prison conduct will be closely watched until her release date. She has 11 misconducts since her capture in the spring."

11 "misconducts" in 9 months?

Just who sits on the parole board?

Grill-top distributor is getting ready to sizzle




Grill-top distributor is getting ready to sizzle
"So which college team has been the most popular?
'Definitely, Ohio State. Their retailers buy like clockwork. They fax in their order every three weeks. Their fans are buying,' she said."

I want an MSU one for my birthday!

Who pays for the Stimulus?


"I wanted to know who will PAY for the stimulus. I have heard numbers tossed out such as $6,700 per household, but not all households pay the same taxes. Most households pay nothing at all. So, I took the breakdown of who pays federal taxes by percentage of income and then looked at how many people that represents.
The top 1% of taxpayers pay 39% of all federal income taxes. It stands to reason that those same earners will be required to pay the same or similar percentage of the stimulus. How much is that going to be?
Bottom line: if you are in the top 1%, you can expect to pay almost $240,000 dollars of the stimulus.
Here’s the chart."

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Rush purge?


THE WAY RUSH LIMBAUGH HAS BEEN BATTED AROUND LATELY
"On the other hand, Limbaugh’s influence doesn’t seem to be waning. “The Republicans are so bereft of elected leadership that the leader of the loyal opposition is an unelected talk show host on AM radio.” Ouch."
Gotta love our "free speech" libs in gov'ment and the MSM.

Hoping for failure isn't much of a strategy for the Republicans


Hoping for failure isn't much of a strategy for the Republicans

"It worries me that so many Republicans remain unhinged by the change of their fortunes during the last several election cycles."

The Chronicle's newly unemployed and always unhinged, ex-editorial page editor exemplifies the left's need for more private sector produced pharma!

Is Kolb nuts?

Maybe he'll buy a gun to protect himself from the great "unhinged" masses of republicans he's so fearful of?

Kolb shares with us his "worries about so many unhinged Republicans".

Quick, Davy...name a republican you've had a conversation with in the last...... meebeee 40 YEARS who is "unhinged".

That's a pretty big charge, "so many republicans remain unhinged".
Do you mean like AlGore or most democrat governors?

Gimme a break.

Mr ex-editor Kolb, you can lie to yourself and your ubber-lib comrades but you appear to be a fool to all when you spout your instantly disprovable lies.

And your column is proof of your self delusion.

Enjoy your retirement.

Parking ramp documents

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance
"Note the '1-year' expense estimate and the '10 year expectation' of an almost full-all-the-time-ramp.

And ya gotta love the increase in year 4, bingo 'a nice increase!'."


The Frauenthalians don't want you to see this.

Thwart the Frauenthalians!

"waive" good bye to your tax dollars

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance:

"The county 'hiring freeze' is pure myth.
7 'waives' last meeting alone!"

Whitmer, Senate Dems vote for $1.235 billion in higher taxes

RightMichigan.com Whitmer, Senate Dems vote for $1.235 billion in higher taxes: "But then there are the important stories that don't get told.
Little things like the fact that yesterday in the state Senate, Republicans successfully moved through committee Senate Bill 0001. Sponsored by Senator Mark Jansen and approved by Republican Senators Jansen, Nancy Cassis, John Pappageorge and Jud Gilbert on a 4-3 party line vote, the bill kills the hated Michigan Business Tax surcharge.
Dollars and cents, the move would save job makers and working moms and dads $166.1 million in FY 2009, $475.5 million in 2010 and $593.4 million in 2011. That's a grand total of $1,235,000,000 reinvested in the Michigan economy without one dollar of expanded government spending or newer, bigger government programs."

Another scam by the teacher's union thugs

RightMichigan.com Collaborative Media for the Masses
"The Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, is set to unveil a legislative plan today that will create a burden-shifting incentive for older teachers to retire by actually increasing pensions for retiring workers."

If we let them take more money from us, they will!

Note-use this link:
http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2009/1/28/10010/0192

Hey Bam, that's not the door!


Hey Bam, that's not the door!

"Bush laughed off the blunder, but the pictures still live on as part of Bush's lame duck legacy. However, there was little note taken of Obama's rookie mistake."
Oh, our forgivable liberal media....

Ed Marinaro great talk at Ivy event

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8970365086043311392

This is funny!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Stop the Muskegon Madness!


I believe it is everyone's civic duty to try to stop expensive, pork-laden projects that will benefit few and actually hurt the city of Muskegon.

And the "concrete canyon" (derived from the suicidal "CoolCities" debacle) design for the remains of "downtown" Muskegon fits my description of civic duty.

Here's why:


This entire porkfest is a quest to build an $8.6 million dollar multistory parking ramp across from the downtown Muskegon Holiday Inn.


This ramp will replace a failed, similar sized ramp just torn down LAST year. 150 yards away from the new $8.6 millions proposal!


It also includes the tearing down of the current Herman Ivory Bus Terminal.


Which is 50 yards from its NEW proposed location!


So why would anyone, even old GordoMuskegon be against this "brilliance"?

1. Few will benefit. All will pay.

This expensive boondoggle of a parking ramp is purely for the benefit of the "Frauenthalians".

The "Frauenthalians" are:

Those devotees of the Frauenthal theater and the now defunct City Cafe.

http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/downtown-city-cafe-closes.html

Add in the Chamber of Commerce, the Community Foundation, Baker Culinary bigwigs and the few (if any) folks who have an equity interest in the three new buildings that now make up the "Concrete Canyon".

And the few, sad reminents of The Muskegon Chronicle editorialists.

And oh yeah, that group bought us the "Muskegon Can opener" as a testament to their cultural superiority.

This is a city issue, NOT a county issue.

But the entire county will pay for it.

And only the Frauenthalians will benefit.

2. It isn't need now.

Our city looks like Beruit.

There is parking potential everywhere.

But "parkers" are nowhere to be seen!

If they don't build a multi-million dollar ramp but instead build a nice, open parking lot, across from the totally-subsided-by-taxpayers-Holiday-Inn, there is plenty of parking now.

3. It will be crime central.

The old ramp was never used because it wasn't needed AND because it was "all crime all the time".

Zero police protection then and thugs figured it out instantly.

Our new ramp has NO police protection in the plan.

4. It will cost "someone" $150,000/year to operate.

Their bogus spreadsheet shows a net profit.

It will have a major net loss every year.

And the "someone" who will pay will, again, be the residents of Muskegon county.

5. The Frauenthalians have already spent $200 MILLION dollars of our tax dollars on downtown Muskegon.

And the $8.6 million, that is SO important now, wasn't important enough to include in the $200 million? Why?

Something smells here.

6. The "Concrete Canyon" will make the lake winds even more powerful.

That will make downtown even windier, colder and less attractive to visit.

7. The city of Muskegon and the Frauenthalians have shown their disinterest in a quality downtown by making any visitor to our downtown unwelcome.

The street lights aren't synchronized.

The roads aren't plowed.

The sidewalks aren't shoveled.

They want to charge for parking in a town that has never needed to pay for parking in the past.

And isn't stupid enough to pay for it in the future.

The city and the "Frauies" simply don't understand what brings customers into a shopping/entertainment district.

Their actions are to be believed more than their words.

8. More taxes are coming because of this boondoggle!

And now we see the true spirit of the Frauenthalians!

This same group that has masterminded the $200,000,000 "rising" of downtown Muskegon has a new idea.

They're out of (our) money so the NEW IDEA is Increasing the taxes on any business that would be foolish enough to exist in the tax hell that Muskegon currently is.

This is supposed to attract new businesses and new visitors to Muskegon?

9. We just don't trust them!

Remember the same folks who champion this Canyonizing of our town were the same folks who masterminded the last enormous millage that "saved" the Walker arena, the Frauenthal and the Community Foundation offices.

How did that work out folks?

The Walker went from a site that paid $1/year to put on events into a sinkhole where millions of dollars were paid by the city/county (US!) and resulted in the end of most events in our arena.

The wonderful Frauenthal redo was nice but ...same result. Nifty place but no reason to go to since there were no shows and the Frauenthalian restaurant bellied up even when SUBSIDIZED!

These same "promisers" of "trust us again" sound more like Bernie Madoff than Warren Buffet.


No wait!

They sound just like Governor Jenny Granholm, "In five years, you're gonna be blown away!"
http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2008/12/9/12133/9591


There is still time to stop this giant tax sucking machine!


Call your county commissioner.


Now!

M-Live=liberal MSM

This post got me banned from the M-Live Muskegon forum:

These fools tell us they can run our entire health care system?

They can't even get $40 rebates right!

Little pieces of paper is too hard for that crowd.

Gimme a break!

http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/digital-tv-coupons-in-short-supply.html

Interesting how the religion of "free" "health care" requires them to destroy their customers.

But consistent!

Downtown City Cafe closes

Downtown City Cafe closes
"Located in the basement off the main lobby of the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, City Cafe historically has had a strong lunch business and drawn large crowds for evening events at the Frauenthal Theater. But it closed for business Wednesday.
The Frauenthal owner and operator is the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

Well, duh!
A tax-exempt foundation subsidizing (running!) a tax-paying restaurant in a dying city..... what did they expect?

Kent County group offers tax preparation help for low- and moderate-income families

Kent County group offers tax preparation help for low- and moderate-income families
"The coalition includes Heart of West Michigan United Way, the Kent County Department of Human Services, the City of Grand Rapids, and the IRS."

Nice gimmick!
Make the tax forms so complicated you can convince yourself to increase spending (politically connected employees) to "help" out "the "poor".

Simply making the tax forms easier never occurred to them, did it?

Mr. B's Pancake House staff works for free to help boss

Mr. B's Pancake House staff works for free to help boss
"In a world yearning for good news, meet Mary VanDam who decided to help out her boss during tough economic times by working a Sunday shift for free.
Then, just to put icing on the cake, she convinced her fellow employees at Mr. B's Pancake House to do the same."

Ummmm, not a bad idea..... I'm sure Prez Barry has this in mind for federal employees....

I wonder if the Chronicle writer had it in mind for the county/teachers too?

Yeah right!

After The Crisis: A Parody of 15 Corporate Logos



Digital TV coupons in short supply


Digital TV coupons in short supply
"The national switch to digital TV broadcasting is getting bumpy.
Federal coupons for digital converter boxes have run out, making it increasingly likely that many Americans won't be ready for the Feb. 17 switch.
Requests for the coupons, which are worth $40, are being placed on a waiting list that stretches more than a million names long. Coupons are expected to become available when money from expired coupons returns to the federal government, although no date has been set."

Remember!
These "federal" folks will be the same "federal" folks who will run our Nationalized "health care" if we let them!

Monday, January 26, 2009

MSU hockey players Corey Tropp, Andrew Conboy suspended for season

MSU hockey players Corey Tropp, Andrew Conboy suspended for season
"Michigan State University suspended hockey players Andrew Conboy and Corey Tropp for the rest of the season Monday evening after their attack of Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer during the teams' game at Yost Ice Arena on Saturday night."

Special assessment would help fund Muskegon downtown's promotional arm

Special assessment would help fund Muskegon downtown's promotional arm
"Downtown Muskegon already has a special taxing district with its Downtown Development Authority. Tax funds raised in that district are used to pay off bonds associated with the former Muskegon Mall property. Since the mall has closed, the DDA has raised enough money to pay off the bonds but not enough to help promote the downtown, city officials say.
'Most cities have something to keep their downtowns going,' said Cathy Burbaker-Clarke, the city's planning and economic development director. 'We are already using DDA money for other reasons. We don't want to slow down our progress downtown.'"

FANTASTIC!

Just what downtown Muskegon needs most, MORE TAXES!

The phrase that jumps into my mind is "death spiral".

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Gay Portland Mayor Won't Resign Over Lying About Relationship With Teen

Gay Portland Mayor Won't Resign Over Lying About Relationship With Teen
"Mayor Sam Adams publicly apologized this past week for lying early in his campaign about the relationship with an 18-year-old man in 2005."

Gotta love the news distorters.

An 18 year old in Iraq is a kid.

An 18 year old with a democrat dick up his ass is "a Man".

That's liberal America, folks.....

Departing Chronicle veterans helped shape paper

Departing Chronicle veterans helped shape paper

"Reporters Susan Harrison Wolffis, Clayton Hardiman, Bill Iddings, Robert Burns, Lisa Medendorp and Terry Judd leave Friday. Editorial Page Editor David Kolb leaves in mid-February.
Reporters Susan Treutler and Steve Gunn left us a few weeks ago.
We'll also be bidding farewell to some people whose names you may not be quite as familiar with, but who have contributed much to our newspaper, often without bylines or the reader recognition that goes with them."

Michigan prisons snuff out tobacco products on Feb. 1

Michigan prisons snuff out tobacco products on Feb. 1
"Mel Grieshaber, executive director of the Michigan Corrections Organization union that represents corrections officers, said classifying tobacco as a controlled substance inside prison walls has its drawbacks.
'It creates a new contraband,' he said. 'Tobacco is a high-level bartering item"

Another insane move by the idiots who are determined to kill our state.

Cigs will be the new currency in our prisons.

The scum who run our state don't even ban smoking outside of the Capital building.

Sick, disgusting cowards!

Air Foil International in expansion mode

Air Foil International in expansion mode
"AFI Machining received a tax abatement on $1.3 million of new equipment, while AFI Drill Hole received a similar tax break for $576,536 worth of new equipment. Combined, the companies are projected to increase employment from 6 to 12 employees, company officials told the Muskegon City Commission.
Currently, all of the Air Foil International operations employ 28 workers, according to city records. The larger estimates of up to 150 new workers in the next three to five years is based upon attracting new contracts from existing customers such as Alcoa Howmet Castings in Whitehall along with turbine engine builders General Electric, Rolls Royce, Siemens and Pratt & Whitney."

$1.9 million works out to $67,000 per employee!

Something is wrong here.... or simply consistent with business as usual in Muskegon.

The Harbor Theater

The Harbor Theater
"Muskegon's Only Source of Independent and Foreign Cinema"

Save this link!

The Harbor Theater is getting it!

OPENING FEBRUARY 6th - ALL 10 Oscar Nominated Shorts
Auf der Strecke (2007): Reto Caffi
Manon sur le bitume (2007): Elizabeth Marre, Olivier Pont
New Boy (2007): Steph Green, Tamara Anghie
Grisen (2008): Tivi Magnusson, Dorthe Warnø Høgh
Spielzeugland (2007): Jochen Alexander Freydank

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Newspaper claims car thief transformed into a goat


Newspaper claims car thief transformed into a goat
"One of Nigeria's biggest daily newspapers reported that police implicated a goat in an attempted automobile theft. In a front-page article on Friday, the Vanguard newspaper said that two men tried to steal a Mazda car two days earlier in Kwara State, with one suspect transforming himself into a goat as vigilantes cornered him."

This is "BIG" as Barry H has Nigerian roots!

Is B. Hussein Obama a goat?

This is BIG!

CARPE DIEM: Interesting Charts of the Day

CARPE DIEM: Interesting Charts of the Day
"As the chart shows, there has been a general downward trend in government employees as a percent of total payrolls since the mid-1970s, from more than 19% in 1975 to below 16% by 1998, with a slight reversal of the trend since 2000.
As much as we hear about the growth in government, it seems like the jobs data tell a different story. Comment welcome.
One explanation for the top chart is that there have been so many productivity gains in manufacturing that we can produce increasingly higher levels of output over time with fewer and fewer manufacturing workers?"

VERY interesting charts.

This site is a MUST every day.

Cut cable costs by watching TV online for free

Cut cable costs by watching TV online for free
"Your television service probably isn’t high on that list. But maybe it can be.
Most major television networks are putting their shows online. You can watch the latest episodes whenever you want. For some shows entire seasons are available."

This is cool!

All animals are equal . . .


All animals are equal
"“All animals are equal” read the original sign in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, but shortly after Napoleon and his fellow porcine commissars take over that motto is emended to “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”"
Meebee some are hearing the new sound of "change"?

Accessorizing the Wine-Box Revolution


Accessorizing the Wine-Box Revolution
"I have it on good authority that boxed wine is cool again. No, really."

CARPE DIEM: More On $71 Per Hour vs. $49 Per Hour


CARPE DIEM: More On $71 Per Hour vs. $49 Per Hour: "What do employees of the United Auto Workers cost auto makers in salary and benefits?"

Despite the hot air, the Antarctic is not warming up


Despite the hot air, the Antarctic is not warming up
"This instantly became the warmists' chief icon, made the centrepiece of the IPCC's 2001 report. But Mann's selective use of data and the flaws in his computer model were then so devastatingly torn apart that it has become the most comprehensively discredited artefact in the history of science."

Obama lie at the begining?

How did the media ignore this?

Obama to Republicans on Stimulus Package: I Won:

True, but Obama won by, among other things, promising a net decrease in federal spending.
Here he is during the third debate: 'what I've done throughout this campaign is to propose a net spending cut.... What I want to emphasize ... is that I have been a strong proponent of pay-as-you-go. Every dollar that I've proposed, I've proposed an additional cut so that it matches.'
Obama would have a much better case for Republican deference to his spending plans if he had actually campaigned in favor of the most massive increase in federal spending, ever, instead of as a budget-cutter."

PREZ ZINGS GOP FOE IN A $TIMULATING TALK

PREZ ZINGS GOP FOE IN A $TIMULATING TALK
"President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration.
'You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done,' he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package.
One White House official confirmed the comment but said he was simply trying to make a larger point about bipartisan efforts."

Imagine if President Bush told democrat politicians they "can't just listen to Oprah, The View, Olbermann, AirAmerica, etc."!

To simply make a "larger point".

President "B Hussein Obama" is quickly morphing into "President Hussein" WAY too quickly!

Chrysler jobs bank ends Monday

Chrysler jobs bank ends Monday
"The controversial jobs bank -- a program that allowed UAW workers to receive pay while not working -- ends Monday at Chrysler, the union has told its members.
"In a letter obtained by the Free Press, General Holiefield, the UAW's vice president of the Chrysler department, told members that the change was to comply with the terms of the federal loan agreement that gave Chrysler $4 billion to stay afloat.
"Without this loan, the corporation would most certainly" have "been forced to file for bankruptcy protection," he wrote in the letter dated Thursday.
"In order to be in compliance with the mandate, the jobs bank will be eliminated effective Jan. 26," he added. "Employees that are either in the jobs bank or would have been in the bank will be placed on unemployment ... until such time that we have a clarification of all of the stipulations ... in the 'terms of agreement.' "

What the heck does "until such time that we have a clarification of all stipulations" mean?

Is there weasel room in this deal?

Wolverine World Wide tannery closure means higher sewer rates

Wolverine World Wide tannery closure means higher sewer rates
"In anticipation of the footwear factory's closure, Rockford officials plan a 25 percent rate hike for sewer users"

Every utility bill in Michigan will be increasing significantly as our governmental leaders realize that we consumers will take any increase they foist on us with silence.

The "poor" and "minorities" will be spared the increases as they have a loud voice.

Take from the "rich", give to the poor.

Robin Hood, dudes!

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton cooperating with probe into denied access at inauguration

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton cooperating with probe into denied access at inauguration
"charging that there had been a 'failure in planning and organization and one that must be explained.'"

Remember, these are the same people who want to control our entire health care system!

Downtown Muskegon sculpture cleaned of graffiti

Downtown Muskegon sculpture cleaned of graffiti
'Muskegon, Together Rising,' the large-scale sculpture symbolizing the rebirth of the city's downtown, is as good as new.
The graffiti recently spray-painted on one side of the welded stainless steel sculpture was successfully removed."

Finally!

Friday, January 23, 2009

A LETTER FROM THE BOSS


A LETTER FROM THE BOSS
"Here is what many of you don’t understand … to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn’t need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now."

Excellent and chilling.

Read the entire letter.

I know of 3 business owners here in Muskegon thinking the EXACT same thing.

Exactly as Ayn Rand proffered in Atlas Shrugged.

DAVE PICKS GILLIBRAND AS LIBERAL DEMS HOWL

DAVE PICKS GILLIBRAND AS LIBERAL DEMS HOWL
"has chosen little-known, NRA-backed, upstate Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton as New York's junior senator, it was learned last night.
The surprising - and, for many Democrats shocking - decision to pick the conservative Gillibrand, 42"

Holy moley!
NY goes from a brain-dead Kennedy to a woman with REAL intelect and spunk.
Who'd of thunk?

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Graffiti mars downtown sculpture


Graffiti mars downtown sculpture
"The vandals who spray painted graffiti on the downtown Muskegon sculpture, 'Muskegon, Together Rising,' have not only disrespected its artist but also 'offended an entire community,' said the president of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County."

This crime happened Monday and it's still not repaired.

Just a sad blot on a sad, expensive, enormous can opener, in the land of grant writers, earmarks and unemployment.

Lotta folks who cheered President Obama's call for action seem to prefer others do the "action".

Explosive Video Reich, Obamas economic advisor no "White Male Construction Workers"

Explosive Video Reich, Obamas economic advisor no "White Male Construction Workers"

Holy shittake!

My letter to my local newspaper

A question to the managers of The Muskegon Chronicle

I've attached a link to an article about a local newspaper that is thriving in today's tough newspaper market.

Their formula is simple;
1. Don't give your product away for free
2. Make your product worth the customer's money

http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/12/us-newspaper-shuns-web-and-thrives.html

Also attached is another link

http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/newspapers-commit-suicide-read-all.html

It includes this letter to the WSJ that exemplifies what most of my friends say about our local paper:

" Exactly right, except the media do not take reports and put them into understandable context. They distort reports completely out of context, and call it truth. Papers are not going out of business because bloggers will do reporters' work for free; papers are falling because they are confirming readers' belief that we cannot trust the mass media, ever, on anything, so why pay for lies? The blogosphere did not do this to you; you did it to yourselves."

We simply don't get the real news from The Muskegon Chronicle therefore we won't pay for it any longer.

I've been a Chronicle subscriber since 1976.

When I recently dropped my subscription I wasn't asked why. There was no follow up call to see why they had lost another customer.

I sensed there really was no interest in hearing the truth.

Monopolies tend to produce inferior product and the loss of competitive skills.

Our county, cities and townships have serious problems ahead.

Muskegon County will lose approximately $3 million in state funding within 14 months.

There are offers from private companies to take over our airport and Brookhaven that could save the county $millions per year.

The county seems to be on the verge of tearing down the Herman Ivory Bus Terminal and building a very expensive multi-story parking ramp 50 yards away. And about 150 yards away from the parking ramp they just tore down!

Our schools are not educating our children, according to the MEAP scores.

And what do we hear from The Chronicle?..............zzzzzzzz

Where is the expose on the Hilton/Holiday Inn bond debacle?

Instead we get COLOR comics!

There is serious news to be reported and The Chronicle is a no show at every event.

Do I sound angry?

You bet!

A once great newspaper that provided essential information to our community has abrogated its responsibility and in so doing destroyed the jobs of its employees and soon, it seems, will finalize its own destruction.

I doubt there is the business acumen or the will, this late in the game, to become the trusted source of facts and truth that The Chronicle once was.

I'd sure love to be proven wrong.

GordoM-sad-to-see-a-future-similar-to-the-present-"journalism"

Patient care needs to be No. 1 priority

Patient care needs to be No. 1 priority
"Does any of this apply to the current layoff announcement? Only if fewer nurses translates into less attention to detail within the Mercy Health Care system."

Interesting editorial from the remains of the once great Muskegon Chronicle.

The editorialist seems to advocate for greater "attention" for patients yet past editorials have shown our local paper to be a tireless champion of government run health care.

Like our post office?
Our wonderful state unemployment office?
Our US Treasury?

Just where in the world is a government run health care system better than the USA?

The crocodile tears of The Chronicle betray their contempt for the patient in need of quality care.

Not Warming As Much as We Thought

Not Warming As Much as We Thought
"John Ray over at the Greenie Watch site found a little nugget from James Hansen and NASA: the warming trend has been projected downward. Since Hansen’s GISS data always seems to be at odds with satellite observations, it has come under close scrutiny as of late. The latest revision from Hansen and company is downward, to 0.15 degrees C per decade, which is a full 25% lower than the IPCC’s “gold standard” predictions (with 95% accuracy) of 0.20 degrees C per decade. No press release yet on this, however."

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance: "Today 3:30 commissioners meet!
The big one here today is the Transportation committee and will they continue their quest to tear down the Herman Ivory bus terminal and replace it 50 yards away in the new parking ramp across from the Holiday Inn."

Today Thursday 3:30 4th floor County Building

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Geithner apologizes for not paying taxes

Geithner apologizes for not paying taxes
"Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner said Wednesday he was careless in failing to pay $34,000 in Social Security and Medicare taxes earlier this decade but declared 'I have paid what I owed' and apologized to Congress.
He told the Senate Finance Committee he was sorry that his past transgressions were now an issue in his confirmation at a time of deepening economic distress

This man will be our Treasury Secretary?
He got caught and now apologizes?
And that's OK?
What a way for Obama to start!

Snarky Huntress: Lessons In Reality: Bitches With Guns

Snarky Huntress: Lessons In Reality: Bitches With Guns
"But his size was not the only ominous thing.
He had a rope, coiled up on his arm in big circles.
Maryann recognized it right away as the type of rope used in rodeos and ranches.
He was grinning, but it was a cruel kind of grin.
Her surprise clearly registered on her face, and the giant man began to laugh, but his laugh was as mean as his smile.
Then he spoke.'I'm gonna have some REEEEEEAL fun now!!'"

Yikes!
Read it all and tell yourself you support "gun control".

GRCC hires Muskegon football coach Tony Annese

GRCC hires Muskegon football coach Tony Annese
"Grand Rapids Community College's search for a new head football coach has ended with the man the school wanted all along.
Tony Annese, who led Muskegon High School to state Division 2 championships in 2004, 2006 and last season, signed a one-year renewable contract Wednesday"

(hat tip to KegonMan at the Muskegon Forum)

Judge Obama on Performance Alone

Judge Obama on Performance Alone
"For example, Mr. Obama was forced to give a speech on race as a result of revelations that he'd long attended a church led by a demagogue. It was an ordinary speech. At best it was successful at minimizing a political problem. Yet some in the media equated it to the Gettysburg Address."

The liberal media will never judge Obama on merit alone.

They have judged him purely on the color of his skin and will continue to judge him on the deepness of his socialism.

All the while preaching to us about the racism of anyone who would criticize.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters needs mentors

Big Brothers, Big Sisters needs mentors
"Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore has launched a campaign to find mentors willing to help at-risk children who need positive role models.
Right now, there are 78 children on a waiting list in Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa and Mason counties."

This is an excellent program, though far more effective for Little Brothers than Little Sisters.

If you have the time and want to truly help a young person, give it a try.

You'll feel better about yourself and our entire community.

Making Michigan MORE expensive!

Making Michigan more expensive!
"Lastt week, Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm signed into law a measure that should make Michigan's Great Lakes cleaner.
Beginning July 1, 2010, retailers can sell dish and laundry detergents only if they contain no more than 0.5 percent phosphorus. Right now, amounts are as high as 8.7 percent....

Legislators shouldn't stop with just soap. They should take a close look at Bay County, where a ban on phosphorus-based lawn fertilizers went into effect Jan. 1. Then the next logical step is to examine the economic impact of mandating environmentally friendly fertilizers for agriculture use.
In any case, the phosphorus detergent law is a good one -- and a good start."

Way to go Jenny!

We don't have any other problems in our state so more enviro-interference is just what the fiscal doctor ordered!

For the benefit of Indiana and Ohio that is.....

Michigan Chamber of Commerce upset over jobless claims logjam

Michigan Chamber of Commerce upset over jobless claims logjam
"But the Michigan Chamber of Commerce said Michigan's unemployment insurance agency and Gov. Jennifer Granholm's office should have anticipated the problem but instead focused on less pressing issues such as renaming the labor department. The unemployment system is financed through employer payroll taxes.
Callers to a phone line handling applications for jobless benefits sometimes can't get through. The Internet system for jobless claims is operational but at times has been slowed by heavy volume."

Don't worry Jenny, it's Engler's fault!

Climate Confusion

Climate Confusion :
"Here are three indisputable scientific facts about climate that are sufficient on their own to throttle any claims of manmade global warming.
First, we know from studies of Antarctic ice that, over the last 650,000 years or so, warmer temperatures have preceded increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by hundreds, if not thousands of years. The ice studies indicate that the carbon-dioxide-causes-global warming theory is precisely backwards.

Second, during the 20th century, there is simply no correlation between carbon dioxide emissions and global temperature. Not only did most of the century’s temperature rise occur before most of the century’s manmade greenhouse gas emissions, but during 1940-1975 global temperatures actually declined while atmospheric carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide emission levels steadily increased.

Finally, the ultimate test of a scientific theory is whether it has predictive value. We used Newton’s laws of physics, for example, to land men on the moon. Unfortunately, there are no climate models that predict trends and changes in global climate with any degree of accuracy. Think about the recent failures with hurricane season predictions or even the risk of relying on what your local weatherman predicts for tomorrow’s weather - and you’ll start to get an idea of how far away science is from predicting global climate 10, 50 and 100 years from now."