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

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!

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".

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

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!

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?

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

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."

Michigan "works"?

Students For A Free Economy:
"MichiganWorks! office somewhere in the Great Lakes State:"

click for a laugh...... and a groan.

(hat tip to the excellent http://www.rightmichigan.com/)

Alone among networks, Fox News gives Bush homecoming cheer

Alone among networks, Fox News gives Bush homecoming cheer
"Fox News was the only major national TV outlet that carried a live telecast of former President Bush's homecoming speech to cheering supporters in Midland, Texas."

Little surprise here from the "unbiased" main stream media.

Mission 1 Accomplished

Mission 1 Accomplished

This is needed

You may not agree with everything President Bush has done but he HAS kept us all safe from the Islamic monsters who have vowed to kill us all.

Click on this site and thank our President for standing tall when most cowered in fear.

Click further on to see the thousands of others who share your sentiments.

We are not alone!

My note of thanks:

Mr. President,

You have been our STONEWALL in the face of unbearable pressure. From friends and foe alike.

And your stalwart determination to make the world a better place for all God's children will be remembered forever.

Thank you, President Bush and Laura, for your strength and high honor over these last eight years.

God speed

Skier Gets Summons for Hit-and-Run

Skier Gets Summons for Hit-and-Run on Aspen Slope
"A Massachusetts man has been issued a summons for allegedly leaving the scene of a skiing accident in Aspen.
A Pitkin County sheriff's deputy served the summons to 61-year-old William Marsh at a condominium complex where he was staying on Saturday.
Marsh is accused of colliding with a skier earlier that day on Aspen Mountain.
Sheriff Patrol Director Ann Stephenson says Marsh stopped to give the other skier his contact information, but left the accident scene before the ski patrol arrived. That's a violation of the Colorado Skier Safety Act.
The other man, who was not identified, was treated for a shoulder injury at Aspen Valley Hospital, where a nurse reported the alleged safety act violation."

America passes a milestone!

America passes a milestone!
"We now have more poeple employed in government than manufacturing."

Tom Phillips - Humor Index "Plus"

Tom Phillips - Humor Index "Plus"

WHY KIDS LOVE BIODIESEL

WHY KIDS LOVE BIODIESEL
"When it gets cold it turns to goo... and they get a day off. Turns out the stuff wasn't realy made for our kind of winter. Who'd a thought?"

Verizon Femtocell Coming Soon

Verizon Femtocell Coming Soon
"Verizon Wireless is nearing the launch of its femtocell product, based on the Samsung Ubicell design already available from Sprint Nextel.
Employees at Verizon retails stores said they expect to be trained on the product imminently, as it’s due in stores as soon as next week. Various sources stated its price in the $199 to $249 range.
That would leave AT&T as the only U.S. Tier-1 wireless operator without a femtocell on the market. Testing is under way, the company said last month.
Even smaller T-Mobile has an in-home signal booster, although it works by using Wi-Fi instead of traditional home broadband systems."

This sounds great!

Detroit approves $27M plan for Tiger Stadium

Detroit approves $27M plan for Tiger Stadium
"The city of Detroit has granted preliminary approval to a nonprofit group's plans to preserve the remaining portion of historic Tiger Stadium.
The city's Economic Development Corp. approved a plan and budget by the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy in a letter to the group dated Friday.
The conservancy wants to develop the old ballpark as a commercial and community space at an estimated cost of $27 million."

And where will the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy get the $27 million?
Earmarks anyone?

Michigan Gas Utilities increases rates

Michigan Gas Utilities increases rates
"'Due to inflation, our costs have risen over the past five years, so we need this increase to recover those increased costs,' said utility President Chuck Cloninger. 'We are sensitive to our customers' frustration at energy costs, and we have held the increase to a minimum.'"

Wouldn't it be nice if this reporter told us of the "how much" and "when" about the last increase?

Grant to fund second phase of dock replacement at Grand Haven Municipal Marina - Muskegon News - The Latest News, Blogs, Photos & Videos – MLive.com#more#more#more

Grant to fund second phase of dock replacement at Grand Haven Municipal Marina
"The Grand Haven City Council Monday accepted a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for the second phase of a dock replacement project at the Municipal Marina."

Is this the time to expand a marina?

The state tells us there is no money to plow the highways but lots-o-bucks for pork!!!!

And this waste goes on in every township, city and county in our state EVERY DAY!

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"

Maybe police protection and public safety ARE important?

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance: "The Ways and Means Committee:
More waving of the freeze!
Golly, it's almost like going to Florida for the sun!
How did we EVER survive without a deputy drainer?
WM09/01 - 05 To waive the hiring freeze and allow the Drain Commissioner to fill the vacant Deputy Drain Commissioner, position #X27001."

New post at Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance: "'I don't get it. We had an empty supervisor position we didn't need and now they use that non-needed position to create two new positions we didn't need before.
HR09/01 - 07 To authorize the reclassification of the one (1) vacant full time Community Mental Health Residence Care Supervisor position (N69006) and two (2) hourly Resident Care Supervisor positions, effective January 1, 2009.'"

ABC News: What Recession? The $170 Million Inauguration

ABC News: What Recession? The $170 Million Inauguration: "The country is in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, which isn't stopping rich donors and the government from spending $170 million, or more, on the inauguration of Barack Obama ."

The federal government estimates that it will spend roughly $49 million on the inaugural weekend. Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland have requested another $75 million from the federal government to help pay for their share of police, fire and medical services.
And then there is the party bill.
"We have a budget of roughly $45 million, maybe a little bit more," said Linda Douglass, spokeswoman for the inaugural committee.

Friday night news

If you missed Friday afternoon's news that Governor Granholm had appointed former Republican state Representative Ed Gaffney to a cushy $82,000 job on the Liquor Control Commission, it's because you were supposed to miss it.
You see, politicians hide unpopular news by announcing it on Friday afternoons. The major print media is mostly done writing their Sunday editions, talk show hosts don't return until Monday, and the public's attention has turned to weekend activities.
So, Granholm hopes nobody notices her appointment of recently term-limited Rep. Ed Gaffney. Why? Not because Ed Gaffney isn't a nice guy (he's well liked by Lansing's political class) but because Ed Gaffney was one of only two Republicans in the state House to vote for Granholm's unpopular income tax hike just over a year ago. She owes him - and now she appears to have delivered.
Media and political observers remember how furiously Granholm lobbied Republican House members to support the tax hike. The Governor wanted the income tax increase to be "bipartisan" and House Speaker Andy Dillon wanted to allow politically vulnerable Democrat House members to vote against it. Every 'yes' vote from a Republican meant one more Democrat was free to vote 'no'.
I watched from the House balcony during Granholm's lobbying efforts. One by one, Granholm called Republican lawmakers into the privacy of her Capitol office. 'Privacy' in Lansing is a relative thing, because leaks are more prevalent than on the Lion's defensive line. The Capitol media and lobbying community spread every rumor about what Granholm was offering each lawmaker in exchange for their 'yes' vote on her tax hike. Rep. Gaffney, a term-limited Republican who wouldn't face reelection and with a reputation as a moderate deal-maker, was one of Granholm's prime targets.
A judgeship was what Granholm supposedly offered Gaffney, who is also an attorney. No one except Granholm and Gaffney knows exactly what went on in the Governor's office.
After meeting with Granholm, Republican Ed Gaffney voted to raise your state income tax by 12%, a vote that cost citizens at least $750 million last year.
Now, Ed Gaffney will enjoy his new salary for years to come as a member of the state Liquor Control Commission. Very little press covered his appointment (Detroit Free Press story here.)
Of course, the Senate must first confirm Gaffney's appointment; but they certainly will. After all, Ed Gaffney is a nice guy, well liked by Lansing's political class...
Leon DroletMI Taxpayers Alliance

It's time to pray for global warming

It's time to pray for global warming, says Flint Journal columnist John Tomlinson
"If you're wondering why North America is starting to resemble nuclear winter, then you missed the news.

At December's U.N. Global Warming conference in Poznan, Poland, 650 of the world's top climatologists stood up and said man-made global warming is a media generated myth without basis. Said climatologist Dr. David Gee, Chairman of the International Geological Congress, 'For how many years must the planet cool before we begin to understand that the planet is not warming?'
I asked myself, why would such obviously smart guy say such a ridiculous thing? But it turns out he's right.

The earth's temperature peaked in 1998. It's been falling ever since; it dropped dramatically in 2007 and got worse in 2008, when temperatures touched 1980 levels."

Education reform [Mackinac Center for Public Policy]

Education reform [Mackinac Center for Public Policy]


Other than those grants required by the courts or by federal law, eliminate all "categorical grants" for state-specified school spending items, and use that money to increase unencumbered per-pupil foundation allowances.» www.mackinac.org/8584
57
Eliminate intermediate school districts (ISDs).» www.mackinac.org/5678
58
Expand public school choice programs to allow all students in all districts, not just those students within a certain proximity, to attend public schools outside their district.» www.mackinac.org/3272
59
Adopt a "Michigan Teachers' Bill of Rights" that frees individual teachers from standardized union contracts and gives them the choice to be judged and compensated based on their performance.» www.mackinac.org/1660
60
Repeal teacher certification requirements.» www.mackinac.org/1651
61
Revise the Michigan Teachers' Tenure Act to allow school districts to adopt a full-fledged teacher merit-pay system.» www.mackinac.org/9804

Harbor Theater this week!

231-457-4274(showtimes)

http://www.theharbortheater.com

"Just in time for the announcement of the Oscar nominations on January 22nd, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED has arrived in Muskegon. Come see for yourself and judge whether or not Anne Hathaway and Rose Marie Dewitt's performances are worthy of all the critical hype and awards they have been in contention for the past few months.

Look for Bill Idding's 4 star review of RACHEL GETTING MARRIED in the Muskegon Chronicle on Thursday

Also opening at The Harbor this weekend, a pickup film, which we normally don't do, but had to make an exception at least this one time. The film is DOUBT, and with it being a posisble major contender in this years Academy Awards, we felt it needed to stay in Muskegon just a little bit longer.

Don't forget, we will be open on MONDAY January 19th at 2:00 PM in the afternoon for a free screening of the documentary DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.

We will also host a special screening this Thursday, January 22nd, of Alfred Hitchcock's BLACKMAIL. This was Hitchcock's first "talkie" film. He began filming the thriller as a silent movie, but midway through filming, the use of sound became available to filmmakers for the first time. The producers of the film originally only wanted the final reel of the film to feature sound, but director Hitchcock thought that idea was absurd and secretly refilmed almost the entire movie with a soundtrack behind their backs. The film will play Thursday night at 7:15 PM.

Tuesday, January 20th is your last chance to see the gorgeous animated feature from France, AZUR AND AZMAR. The final showtime will be at 7:15 PM. Don't miss this wonderful film from the New York International Children's Film Festival.

On January 25th, we will have a free screening of Roberto Rosselini's THE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS at 3 PM. As always, a discussion will follow this screening. The film chronicles the life story of St Francis of Assisi, known as "the people's saint.""

Circuit City-total bummer!

Circuit City: "Liquidators will start arriving in our 567 stores across the U.S. over the weekend, and closing sales will start as early as Saturday, January 17. Closing sales will run as long as it takes to sell existing inventory, but are expected to wrap up by the end of March. When the liquidation sales are completed, the stores will be closed.

Associates at our company headquarters will be asked to come back on Monday, January 19, to find out more about their status and to retrieve their personal belongings."

Elderly NYC Lobster in Restaurant Tank Gets New Lease on Life in Mainews | US News

Elderly NYC Lobster in Restaurant Tank Gets New Lease on Life in Maine
"Lobsters typically live to be 100-plus. PETA, using a rule of thumb based on weight, estimates George is about 140.
The lobster was caught off Newfoundland, Canada. He lived in the restaurant's tank for about 10 days. He is to be released Saturday near Kennebunkport, Maine, in an area where lobster trapping is forbidden."

So, umm, like isn't it gonna die soon anyway.....

Editorial: CalPERS made a bet – and lost

Editorial: CalPERS made a bet – and lost - Sacramento Opinion
"CalPERS made aggressive investments in real estate at the worst possible time, when inflated property values had peaked and were already beginning to decline.
As The Sacramento Bee's Dale Kasler detailed in a recent article, one CalPERS real estate misstep stands out in particular. In February 2007, CalPERS invested $922 million in a deal with LandSource Communities Development LLC that involved thousands of homes and lots in seven states including Florida, Arizona and California.
A month before the investment was finalized, Lennar Homes, a principal partner in the LandSource deal, announced it was writing off $500 million in real estate assets because of deteriorating market conditions. That should have served as a clear warning to CalPERS, but it did not.
Sixteen months later, LandSource filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Depending on what assets the partnership sells to pay off creditors, CalPERS could lose its entire investment, nearly $1 billion."

Can we Save Our Secret Ballot from political and union stealth?

Can we Save Our Secret Ballot from political and union stealth?: "One of the more odious efforts of American business affairs is about to take center stage in the very early days of our new Congress. And as when the word ‘odious’ is associated with business affairs, it can almost always signal that labor unions are involved. Be prepared America for one of the biggest farcical rip-offs ever attempted, even by shoddy union standards."

More people leaving Michigan than any other state

More people leaving Michigan than any other state
"Michigan saw the nation’s most outbound migration in 2008, with 67.1% of interstate moves heading out, according to a migration study released Wednesday.
It marked the third straight year that Michigan, hard hit by the economy and layoffs in the auto industry, has seen the highest percentage of outbound migration."

State economists predict $1.6-billion deficit in 2010

State economists predict $1.6-billion deficit in 2010
"The state budget is almost $200 million out of whack now and faces an estimated $1.6 billion deficit in 2010 unless spending is cut, according to state economists today."

Why a Tiny Alabama Town Wants a $375 Million Chunk of the Stimulus

Why a Tiny Alabama Town Wants a $375 Million Chunk of the Stimulus
"The tiny town, located near the Georgia border and 26 miles from the nearest 'big city' of Anniston (population: 24,276), added 33 proposals—about two thirds of them related to 'green' energy—to the list of 'ready- to- go' projects assembled by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Total sum: $375,076,200.
That comes out to nearly $2 million per Edwardsville resident,"

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon indicted on perjury, theft charges

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon indicted on perjury, theft charges
"Baltimore Mayor Sheila A. Dixon was charged today with 12 counts of felony theft, perjury, fraud and misconduct in office, becoming the city's first sitting mayor to be criminally indicted."

Another democrat bites the dust!

Need snow shoveling help?

Tonight at about 9:00PM two 40ish women knocked on my door.....AGAIN!

I'm at the age where that normally would "make my day" ..... but sadly, they only wanted to blow my driveway...... well you get my drift.......

These last 2 years two super quality gals have been knocking on my door to see if i needed my driveway cleared.

Snow-blowed!

These hard working entrepreneurs are what America is all about!

If you need someone who will do the job, call Amy 670-3397 or Denise 798-1327.

They do a GREAT job and are dependable!

Muskegon County Board of Commissioners

Muskegon County Board of Commissioners
"Click here if you have a high speed internet connection
and would like to view/search all 2008 meeting minutes in one PDF document."

This link has ALL of the Muskegon County Commissioners meeting minutes in a searchable format.

Try searching for "floor scrubber".

Have fun!

New Muskegon bus depot "riding floor scrubber"!

No sweat. The County has oodles of extra money for a RIDING floor scrubber!

click here:
http://co.muskegon.mi.us/clerk/11252008_board_minutes.pdf
and scroll down to the bottom of page 270-271


2008-580 AWARD THE BID FOR MUSKEGON AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM
CYLINDRICAL RIDING FLOOR SCRUBBER
TR08/11-43
The Transportation Committee recommends, moved by Gill, seconded by Engle, to award
the bid for Muskegon Area Transit System cylindrical riding floor scrubber to Hull Lift Truck,
Inc. for a price of $19,995.00.
Muskegon County Board of Commissioners November 25, 2008
Regular Meeting 3:30 p.m.
271
(Continued)
2008-580 AWARD THE BID FOR MUSKEGON AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM
CYLINDRICAL RIDING FLOOR SCRUBBER
Roll Call
Ayes: Wade, Snider, Scolnik, McMurray, Mahoney, Gill, Engle, Derezinski, Collins,
Buzzell
Nays: Aley

Take a drive by our bus station and imagine a riding floor scrubber just chuggin' along.......how did we EVER live without it?

Coach accused of having sex with 8th grade girl

Coach accused of having sex with 8th grade girl
"WHITEHALL, Mich. (WZZM)- Whitehall High School Girls Basketball coach Jared Bays is accused of having sex with an 8th grade girl.
'She recently divulged the information to her mother and her mother contacted police,' says Muskegon county Prosecutor Tony Tague.
Bays faces 3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct charges.
He is suspended from his job as a coach and teacher at the Whitehall Alternative School."

Nice "alternative".

U.S. companies face $409 billion pension deficit

U.S. companies face $409 billion pension deficit
"Volatile markets have saddled U.S. companies with a $409 billion deficit on pension plans, reversing a $60 billion surplus a year earlier, and will cut into earnings in 2009,"

Café Scientifique in Muskegon

Café Scientifique in Muskegon

"A fun, interesting, and FREE discussion!January 20, 2009
A discussion on anaerobicdigesters as a means to makeAmerica energy independent
Presenter: Sarah JenanDirector, Renewable Energy Group, Reynolds, Inc."

'The truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources-it's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it's inconvenient-especially when it's inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us.'
-Barack Obama"

If you are interested in Obama's view of science, here is Muskegon's forum of believers on stage.

I'll be there.

Location: Carmen's878 Jefferson St.Muskegon, MI 49440January 20, 20096:00 to 7:30 pm
click here for directions

Madoff is a Piker

Madoff is a Piker
"Politicians go on and on about Wall Street 'greed' and 'irresponsibility.'
But Madoff's scam was small compared to Ponzi schemes the government itself runs: Social Security and Medicare."

Mucho MSM and politician anger at profit making, job creating, product & services creating corporations. Oh yeah. They pay taxes too!

But not much interest or anger at the political ponzis who use the power of government (at EVERY level) to steal from us who have legally earned our money. And are spending our country (at EVERY level) into bankruptcy.

Governor Granholm's trip to Washington

Fact Finder: Governor Granholm's trip to Washington
"How exactly did Governor Granholm get to Washington for her appearance on Meet the Press last weekend? And more importantly, who paid for it? A viewer emailed me wondering exactly that, and the answers I found are the subject of this Fact Finder Report."

The liberal press simply hates business leaders who are crook/hypocrites. They love government leaders who are crook/hypocrites.

Same old, same old.

JetBlue, TSA Officials Pay $240G in Damages Over Arab T-Shirt Flap ews | US News

JetBlue, TSA Officials Pay $240G in Damages Over Arab T-Shirt Flap
"Jarrar was approached by security officials who told him to remove his T-shirt with the words 'We will not be silent' as he waited near the front of a JetBlue flight at JFK Airport because it apparently made other passengers feel uncomfortable."

Seriously, where can I get one of those T-shirts?

4 JetBlue flights in an offensive T-shirt and $960,000 bucks for your effort?

Sure beats frequent flier miles.....

Skier Suffers Exposure - January 6, 2009

Serious "Doh!"

Skier Suffers Exposure - January 6, 2009: "JANUARY 6--In a bizarre incident that will surely lead to litigation (or an out-of-court settlement), a skier at Colorado's ritzy Vail resort was left dangling upside down and pantsless from a chairlift"

Skeptics Global Warming

Skeptics Global Warming: "Some scientists have recently remarked that 2008 could be the coolest of this century. While this does appear so, sans December data, it’s also one of the coolest of the last 25 years. In fact, year-to-date, the University of Alabama at Huntsville temperature data set suggests that 2008 will be only very slightly ..."

Obama's Science Team: A Change Of Climate? : NPR

Obama's Science Team: A Change Of Climate? : NPR: "President-elect Barack Obama filled two top science jobs Saturday. In the process, he signaled a new White House emphasis on climate change.
Harvard professor John Holdren will be the chief White House science adviser and marine biologist Jane Lubchenco will run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Obama said his White House is determined to turn back toward science."

Be afraid..... very afraid....

Climate Change Fraud - Because the debate is not over - Wind-Farm Problems Blowin' In The Wind

Climate Change Fraud - Because the debate is not over - Wind-Farm Problems Blowin' In The Wind: "As an over-the-road truck driver, I often pass wind farms all over the country,
and usually try to make an estimate, especially on windy days, of what
percentage of the wind turbines are actually working. Typically, between 20%
and 50% of the wind turbines are NOT working, and on one wind farm in Kansas
containing at least 100 windmills, NONE of them have been working for several
months. I'll bet this knocks the hell out of the payback estimates used to
justify the massive expenditure of taxpayer dollars to build these things."

Muskegon Heights council, residents, business owners lock horns over budget

Muskegon Heights council, residents, business owners lock horns over budget
"Despite the pleas and concerns expressed by the crime victim and other residents, the city council on Monday reiterated that the city doesn't have the money to continue employing that many officers. Other budget-cutting options just don't exist, frustrated city officials said repeatedly.


Think about that.

The city leaders of Muskegon Heights are telling their citizens and businesses that every other city spending area is MORE IMPORTANT than adequate police protection.

The city is doomed.

Why is the city of Muskegon following the same plan?

Term limits law churns Michigan Legislature

Term limits law churns Michigan Legislature
"The 110-member Michigan House will have 46 new lawmakers when it reconvenes for a new session this month. Forty-four of the seats were open in last year's election because the incumbents were term-limited.
Michigan's term limits law restricts House members to three terms of two years, or six years total.
The 38 members of the Michigan Senate are limited to two terms of four years, or eight years total. Senate seats were not up for election last year. Both the House and Senate will be up for election in 2010."

And our "progressive" Chronicle tells us that those 38 term limiteds are too important and have been too successful to look for new employment.

Yeah, right....

Huge success declared in effort to stamp out hunger

Huge success declared in effort to stamp out hunger
"All any sponsoring group had to do was put up 25 percent of the $780 it takes to buy and distribute 10,000 pounds of food from the Gleaners. The foundation promised to pay the rest.
'I was just astounded at how much could be done with so little funding,' Cherin said. 'This was something we could readily wrap our arms around.'
Since their decision, the foundation has 'statistically' rid Newaygo County of hunger, said John Arnold, executive director of the Gleaners"
According to a formula he's devised that uses, as factors, the number of people in poverty in a county, the pounds of food needed to feed them, and the amount actually distributed, Arnold has declared the Newaygo County Hunger Initiative's initial goal met.

Michigan approves online, off-campus courses for 12 school districts

Michigan approves online, off-campus courses for 12 school districts
"State education officials have given 11 school districts and one charter school permission to let some students take part or all of their required classes on line and off campus......
The Avondale district in Auburn Hills received its waiver last month.
Avondale Superintendent George Heitsch tells the Detroit Free Press the online classes offers struggling students 'a shot at catching up.'"

I sure hope there is more to this story.... or less.

I do have a few observations:

1. Do our school districts already have an on line class program set up? When did that happen?

2. Or is this going to be another new bureaucracy that must be funded, and staffed and started from scratch? At enormous cost?

3. As Avondale Superintendent Heitsch so eloquently stated "the online classes offers struggling students "a shot at catching up."

What! Moving "STRUGGLING" kids from the teacher assisted classroom to their own home computer gives them " a shot at catching up"? !!!!!!!!!!

4. If computers are the answer for struggling students, will there be reductions in teaching positions? (little joke there...)

5. What if the little strugglers don't have a computer? A nifty high-speed internet connection.... any freakin' self control to keep them on their algebra lesson instead of all-day porn!!!!!!

6. Who authorized this idiocy? Seriously, what are their names!

Our state is broke.

Our school systems are broke.

And total loons are running the asylums.

EPA 'Cow Tax' Could Charge $175 per Dairy Cow to Curb Greenhouse Gases

EPA 'Cow Tax' Could Charge $175 per Dairy Cow to Curb Greenhouse Gases
"Farm Bureau warns just this one rule may increase milk production costs up to 8 cents a gallon."

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?
"An open letter to the local daily paper -- almost every local daily paper in America:
I remember reading All the President's Men and thinking: That's journalism. You do what it takes to get the truth and you lay it before the public, because the public has a right to know.
This housing crisis didn't come out of nowhere."

Newspapers Commit Suicide! Read All About It! - WSJ.com

Newspapers Commit Suicide! Read All About It! - WSJ.com: "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."

Instapundit » Blog Archive » I’VE OFTEN ARGUED that the relationship between blogs and Big Media should be thought of as symbioti…

Instapundit » Blog Archive » I’VE OFTEN ARGUED that the relationship between blogs and Big Media should be thought of as symbioti…: "Smart news people — like Lail — are more interested in getting bloggers to deliver traffic than in complaining about blogger competition. And smart news organizations will take advantage of new technology to facilitate their hard-news reporting ability via the “Army of Davids” approach, rather than complaining that people who post breaking-news reports on blogs or Twitter don’t have journalism degrees."

InsideCatholic.com - The Christmas Classic that Almost Wasn't

InsideCatholic.com - The Christmas Classic that Almost Wasn't: "As a result, one of the great Christmas films of all time is once again protected by the law -- ironic, considering that it became a classic in significant part because it was legally unprotected. But God works in mysterious ways -- and sometimes the law does, too."

1-800-GOOG-411: Find and connect with local businesses for free from your phone.

1-800-GOOG-411: Find and connect with local businesses for free from your phone.

This is pretty cool.

I've tried it.
(thanks to Al M for the tip)

New Jersey Is the Perfect Bad Example

New Jersey Is the Perfect Bad Example
"Of course, there was one area where jobs did grow. From 2000 to 2007, says the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, the government added 54,800 jobs. To put that in proper perspective, that works out to 93% of all jobs created in New Jersey over those seven years."

Beware Third-Hand Smoke and Junk Science - Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld

Beware Third-Hand Smoke and Junk Science
"Researchers have identified 'third-hand smoke,' an invisible evil that acts like a deadly Ghost of Cigarettes Past: Polluting the air, killing innocent babies and ottomans — even if they aren't present at the time."

Daly said...... the PGA Tour suspended him for six months.

My Way - Sports News
"John Daly smashed one tee shot off the top of a beer can during a pro-am. At another tournament, he returned from a rain delay with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden as his caddie. And his most memorable photo this year came in an orange jail suit, eyes half-closed....
Daly said .....'Is it fair that I got suspended?' he said. 'It's not fair in reality, but it's probably fair in perception.'"

Baltimore not as bloody in '08 with fewer killings

Baltimore not as bloody in '08 with fewer killings
"Police in the city once nicknamed 'Bodymore, Murdaland,' are going after the most entrenched criminals and are starting to see success. As of midnight Thursday, there were 234 homicides in 2008, down from 282 killings a year ago."

Suspicious packages force mass evacuation in Aspen

Suspicious packages force mass evacuation in Aspen
"Suspicious packages and threatening notes were found at two banks, forcing the evacuation of a 16-block downtown area. A fireworks show was pushed back from 8:30 p.m. until midnight and then canceled altogether."

The lightbulb of the future?

The lightbulb of the future?
Luxim's plasma lightbulb
Silicon Valley's Luxim has developed a lightbulb the size of a Tic Tac that gives off as much light as a streetlight. ..."

Government aid could save U.S. newspapers, spark debate | Special Coverage | Reuters

Government aid could save U.S. newspapers, spark debate Special Coverage Reuters