Thursday, February 09, 2012

White firefighters are awarded $2.7 million in bias case

White firefighters are awarded $2.7 million in bias case - City of Buffalo - The Buffalo News
Twelve white Buffalo firefighters will get an average of $230,430 each in back pay, pension benefits and damages -- a total of almost $2.77 million -- for emotional distress because the City of Buffalo illegally passed them over for promotions, a state judge has ruled.
The 12 men sued the city in 2007, contending that the city illegally allowed two promotional lists to expire because minority firefighters had fared poorly on civil service exams.

Green Economy Sputtering

Green Economy Sputtering Washington Free Beacon
The Chronicle reports:
The green economy that California officials hoped would add jobs during the depths of the recent recession actually lost positions instead, according to a new report. …

Solyndra fire sale

Solyndra fire sale Washington Free Beacon
The Washington Times reports that Solyndra, the failed solar panel company on the receiving end of a $535 million taxpayer-guaranteed loan, made a series of suspicious inventory sales just month before filing for bankruptcy, in an effort to stay afloat:

The ‘People’s’ Convention?

The ‘People’s’ Convention? Washington Free Beacon
DNC in Charlotte to Feature Million-dollar tickets, luxury suites, concierge services for the 1 Percent

Freeze forces Germany to restart nuclear reactors

Freeze forces Germany to restart nuclear reactors: Report - The Times of India
BERLIN: The cold snap gripping Europe has forced Germany, which last year decided to abandon nuclear power, to restart several reactors taken off line, the daily Handelsblatt reports in its Thursday issue.

Hoyer: ‘The Fact Is You Don’t Need a Budget’

Hoyer: ‘The Fact Is You Don’t Need a Budget’ CNSnews.com
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that Congress does not need an official federal budget because it can just adopt appropriations bills and authorization policies as needed to keep operating.

» Immigration and Customs Enforcement Hires Officer to Chat With Detainees

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Hires Officer to Chat With Detainees - Big Government
In a time when America’s immigration system is swamped – when illegal immigrants are routinely caught and released, many of whom are dangerous – it seems that one of ICE’s top priorities is public relations with illegal immigration advocates.
Yesterday, Andrew Lorenzen-Strait announced via the Department of Homeland Security website that he had been named ICE’s “first-ever public advocate.”
Lorenzen-Strait
His job will be to “serve as a point of contact for individuals, including those in immigration proceedings, NGOs, and other community and advocacy groups, who have concerns, questions, recommendations or important issues they would like to raise.”

Navy SEAL chief Bill McRaven warned to keep operations secret

Navy SEAL chief Bill McRaven warned to keep operations secret Mail Online
The commander of the Navy SEALs raids which killed Osama bin Laden and rescued hostage Jessica Buchanan has been berated by a retired Lt General for publicising such operations - and putting future deployments at risk.
Admiral Bill McRaven, who led the bin Laden raid and heads the U.S. Special Operations Command, was told by retired Army Lieutenant General James Vaught to 'get the hell out of the media' to safeguard the secrets and security of special operations.
According to ABC News, Vaught told McRaven: 'Since the time when your wonderful team went and drug bin Laden out and got rid of him, and more recently when you went down and rescued the group in Somalia, or wherever the hell they were, they’ve been splashing all of this all over the media.
'I flat don’t understand that.'

Halftime in America: Remy Chrysler Ad Parody

A National Scandal

A National Scandal - 620 WTMJ
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday that President Obama has no opinion on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s assessment that not having a budget creates uncertainty and could damage the economy.

Michigan, Pennsylvania put limits on families seeking food aid

Michigan, Pennsylvania put limits on families seeking food aid MLive.com
Now, Michigan lets families exclude one vehicle and apply for food stamps as long as their second vehicle isn't worth more than $15,000 and they don't have more than $5,000 in assets.
The Moores and about 1,484 households were able to apply for aid again after the guideline was relaxed.

Washington Footing the Cell Phone Bill for Millions of Low Income Americans

Washington Footing the Cell Phone Bill for Millions of Low Income Americans - Yahoo! News
As many as 5.5 million residents in Pennsylvania alone could qualify for the program, which is funded primarily by the Universal Service Fund fee added to the bills of land-line and wireless customers.

The CIA Digs In

The Volokh Conspiracy » The CIA Digs In
But we should probably add two things. First, in Afghanistan – the strategically more important theatre – the CIA’s role is likely to be much more than simply gathering intelligence and engaging in paramilitary strikes, either using drones or its agents and Special Forces teams.
It is likely to be deeply involved in the coordination and funding of various local Afghanistan forces – in something that I suspect will look, in terms of the Agency’s historical role, much more like reversion to the mean.

America's Amazing Shovel-Ready Energy Stimulus; And It's Happening Despite U.S. Energy Policy

CARPE DIEM: America's Amazing Shovel-Ready Energy Stimulus; And It's Happening Despite U.S. Energy Policy
MP: What makes this energy stimulus even more remarkable is that it came about in spite of, not because of, any intended government energy policies.

Developer says his project to renovate four Grand Rapids elementary schools fills a housing demand

Developer says his project to renovate four Grand Rapids elementary schools fills a housing demand MLive.com
Ojibway hopes to raise more than $16 million from investors and through a complex series of tax credits that will allows them to buy the old buildings and convert them into apartments.

Maybe there’s something to the idea that Eastwood’s Chrysler commercial was an Obama campaign ad?

Maybe there’s something to the idea that Eastwood’s Chrysler commercial was an Obama campaign ad? The Daily Caller
Several members of the Wieden+Kennedy team that produced the Eastwood spot were among the creative professionals who privately supported Obama’s first election campaign.

Right-to-Work Revolution Takes on Big Labor#page1

Right-to-Work Revolution Takes on Big Labor
First, it had been more than a decade since any state adopted right-to-work laws.
But more importantly, Indiana is the first rust belt state – where manufacturing provided most of the economy and unions controlled large portions of the labor force – to pass such laws.

D.C. deploys plows to ease feds' early commute

D.C. deploys plows to ease feds' early commute - WTOP.com
WASHINGTON - Federal employees can take unscheduled leave or telework from home on Wednesday in anticipation of what many forecasts believe could be a non-event.

Michigan Must Decide What to Do With an Unexpected Surplus

Michigan Must Decide What to Do With an Unexpected Surplus - NYTimes.com
Even more surprising: Revenues, which had sunk or had been mostly flat for all but one year since 2000, have grown. Not a lot, but grown.

NYT?

'Forced Unionization' Employer Out of the Picture, But Dues Keep Flowing To SEIU

'Forced Unionization' Employer Out of the Picture, But Dues Keep Flowing To SEIU [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
But even with the dummy employer admitting it isn't the home health care workers' employer, the major effect of the forced unionization continues.

Breaking Global Warming Taboos: 'I Feel Duped on Climate Change'

Breaking Global Warming Taboos: 'I Feel Duped on Climate Change' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International
Will reduced solar activity counteract global warming in the coming decades?

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Muskegon's Bonfire Restaurant closes

Muskegon's Bonfire Restaurant closes; next restaurant concept in planning stages MLive.com
Saturday was the last day of operation for Joe Grimm’s restaurant at 2536 Henry.

Benefit Costs Sunk Benton Harbor's Finances

Benefit Costs Sunk Benton Harbor's Finances [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski said the city of Benton Harbor’s property tax revenue was fairly steady from 2002 to 2008.
But he said the city has so many tax-free enterprise zones that it was difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison of property tax revenue from year to year.

The Himalayas and nearby peaks have lost no ice in past 10 years, study shows

The Himalayas and nearby peaks have lost no ice in past 10 years, study shows Environment The Guardian
The world's greatest snow-capped peaks, which run in a chain from the Himalayas to Tian Shan on the border of China and Kyrgyzstan, have lost no ice over the last decade, new research shows.
The discovery has stunned scientists...

» Chrysler Is Back? Great. Then Why Hasn’t It Repaid Taxpayers the $1.3 Billion It Still Owes Them?

» Chrysler Is Back? Great. Then Why Hasn’t It Repaid Taxpayers the $1.3 Billion It Still Owes Them? - Big Government
Amid the controversy over Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime In America” Super Bowl commercial, a glaring question remains: if Chrysler is back on top and so strong, then why hasn’t it repaid taxpayers the $1.3 billion it still owes them?

And our moolah didn't go to "Chrysler", it went to the unions.

CDC: Bread beats out chips as biggest salt source

News from The Associated Press
Bread and rolls are the No. 1 source of salt in the American diet, accounting for more than twice as much sodium as salty junk food like potato chips.

GOP lawmakers protest removal of 'God' from Air Force unit's patch

GOP lawmakers protest removal of 'God' from Air Force unit's patch - The Hill's DEFCON Hill
The patch logo was changed after a military atheist group, the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, protested the reference to God on the patch.

Dependent Nation: Dependency Index Surges 23% Under President Obama; 67 Million Get Aid

Dependent Nation: Dependency Index Surges 23% Under President Obama; 67 Million Get Aid - Investors.com
The American public's dependence on the federal government shot up 23% in just two years under President Obama, with 67 million now relying on some federal program

Eisenhower Family Raises Objections to Planned Memorial

Eisenhower Family Raises Objections to Planned Memorial - NYTimes.com
But the Eisenhower family objects to the design and is attempting to delay approval of the project in a dispute that has pitted a leading American family against one of the country’s most recognized architects.
The family says Mr. Gehry should portray Eisenhower as a man in the fullness of his achievements, not as a callow rustic who made good.

Poll: Voters back plan to link university funding hikes to meeting goals

Poll: Voters back plan to link university funding hikes to meeting goals MLive.com
State residents back the idea of linking state aid increases for state universities to meeting goals tied to graduation rates and other measures, according to a poll released today from Business Leaders for Michigan.

Charles Murray: Why We Dislike the New Upper Class

Charles Murray: Why We Dislike the New Upper Class TIME Ideas TIME.com
The new upper class is different.
It consists of the people who run the country.
By “the people who run the country,”
I mean two sets of people.

Norton Shores approves tax abatement for $2.5 million industrial expansion

Norton Shores approves tax abatement for $2.5 million industrial expansion MLive.com
The council also passed a resolution agreeing to pay any costs of resurfacing Norton Avenue beyond the $669,000 covered by a state grant.
The estimated cost is $1,020,800, so if the project is on budget, the cost to Norton Shores would be $351,800.
Only half of Norton Avenue would be reconstructed this year, with the other half repaired next year, City Manager Mark Meyers said.
The cost of working on both sides at once would strain the city’s budget, he said.
“We phase it over two years instead of one year to be able to budget for it,” he said.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

'Germany's George Monbiot' turns climate sceptic

'Germany's George Monbiot' turns climate sceptic – Telegraph Blogs
"Imagine if George Monbiot were suddenly to declare himself a climate sceptic.
That's how massive this story is!"

Stuff Obama's campaign says vs. Stuff that is true

Stuff Obama's campaign says vs. Stuff that is true Campaign 2012 Washington Examiner

"Go Ahead. Make My Halftime..."

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/driveby/go_ahead_make_my_halftime.php
"Go Ahead. Make My Halftime..."
Eastwood and Obama Get Theirs Today from Limbaugh

link to the best parody!

Six Things Everyone Should Know About The HHS Mandate

USCCB: Six Things Everyone Should Know About The HHS Mandate National Petition to Stop HHS Mandate

NUGENT: The Great Keystone XL Pipeline Massacre

NUGENT: The Great Keystone XL Pipeline Massacre - Washington Times
President Obama’s decision to put a bullet in the back of the head of the Keystone XL pipeline is all the proof you need to know that his modus operandi is to sidle up to environmental green-energy crackpots instead of creating thousands of American jobs and honestly pursuing energy independence for America.

Occupy DC Plans Mayhem for Major Conservative Conference

Exclusive: Occupy DC Plans Mayhem for Major Conservative Conference
The “Occupy DC” protest group is planning to disrupt the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference using a range of potentially illegal tactics that could even include violence against participants...

As predicted.
What, no MSM TV frowny faces or major consternation..........?

Pete Hoekstra's Super Bowl ad message on China failed because of racial uproar, expert says

Pete Hoekstra's Super Bowl ad message on China failed because of racial uproar, expert says MLive.com
In the damage control, Hoekstra has not apologized, and instead continues to track back to the record of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the Democrat who Hoekstra hopes to unseat in November.
Hoekstra, a Republican from Holland, first needs to defeat competitors in the August Republican primary.

Stand tall, Pete!

Portage Schools Turns Down $270K Savings

Portage Schools Turns Down $270K Savings [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
Portage Public Schools had an odd reaction to some good financial news this week, telling a company that could save it $270,000 a year "no thanks."
That offer came from Grand Rapids Building Services, a facilities cleaning contractor that proposed taking over the school district’s first shift custodial duties.

And there is this: http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/02/ex-mona_shores_high_school_jan.html

Michigan School Funding Myths

Michigan School Funding Myths [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
Public school special interests groups uniformly lobby for the state to give more money to school districts.
To sell this idea to policymakers and taxpayers, these groups often claim that schools need "adequate," "stable," and "equal" funding.
These talking points give rise to some common myths about school funding in Michigan.

The short video below examines one of these myths: The Unequal Funding Myth.

Britain had to plead with US to take part in Iran flotilla

Britain had to plead with US to take part in Iran flotilla - Telegraph
The disparity in vessel numbers means the British and French presence in the flotilla was of greater diplomatic than military significance.
.....After the French intervention, the UK Government “was basically forced to plead with Washington for the Navy to be allowed to tag along. “ said the source.

Yeah, like both countries have Obamasized their military and don't have any ships of value left.
Great.
Just like the 1930s.

State of Mona Shores schools topic of upcoming meeting with superintendent

State of Mona Shores schools topic of upcoming meeting with superintendent MLive.com

In addition, Mona Shores, like other districts in the state, is preparing to move from half-day to all-day kindergarten in anticipation of state aid being cut in half for those districts without full-day instructional programs.

‘We the People’ Loses Appeal With People Around the World

‘We the People’ Loses Appeal With People Around the World - NYTimes.com
There are lots of possible reasons. The United States Constitution is terse and old, and it guarantees relatively few rights.

....In a television interview during a visit to Egypt last week, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court seemed to agree. “I would not look to the United States Constitution if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012,” she said.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can Belle Isle Aquarium reopen? Organizers say huge turnout at open house proves demand

Can Belle Isle Aquarium reopen? Organizers say huge turnout at open house proves demand MLive.com
But more than anything, they want to reopen.
"People care," Boardman said.
"People are going to come out.
They want it reopened" too.

"Demand" without concern for cost is what caused it to close.
I'm thinkin' they still don't get it.

There are a variety of restaurants in downtown Muskegon, really

There are a variety of restaurants in downtown Muskegon, really MLive.com
As for a downtown grocery store, FLYBOY is right.
That is something that has been lacking for decades to serve both visitors and for downtown residents.

Ah, the liberal's ultimate dream, a government owned food distribution center to replace Walmart and Meijers.....

Vigilante justice on the rise in Detroit as 'justifiable homicides' jump 79 per cent in last year

Vigilante justice on the rise in Detroit as 'justifiable homicides' jump 79 per cent in last year Mail Online
Wild West Motown:

Vigilante justice on the rise in Detroit as 'justifiable homicides' jump 79% after police budget is slashed34 self-defence killings in Michigan city last year

2,200% above U.S. average as police cuts get worse

Response times average 24 minutes for priority calls

Precincts and district HQs closed to public after 4pm


Maybe everyone would get along better if everyone was urban farming?

Muskegon Heights Fire Department unveils new pumper truck

Muskegon Heights Fire Department unveils new pumper truck MLive.com
The truck was paid for with a $300,000 federal grant and a $15,000 local match by the city.

Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright discusses legislature's plans for personal property tax in North Muskegon

Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright discusses legislature's plans for personal property tax in North Muskegon MLive.com
“I’m real nervous about that and probably you should be too,” she said.
“It’s huge for police, fire, schools, everything.”

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling in favor of 'recycling' city -- not shrinking it

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling in favor of 'recycling' city -- not shrinking it MLive.com
Some of Walling's suggestions for reusing those spaces included city parks and naturalized green space.
He also discussed urban farming.

Tell me, Mr. mayor, where has "urban farming" succeeded at providing anything other than sucking tax dollars to politicians supporters?

Make parks accessible to people with disabilities first, North Muskegon recreation plan says

Make parks accessible to people with disabilities first, North Muskegon recreation plan says MLive.com
If the city tackled all projects, the cost would be about $2.3 million, according to the plan.
If only the top three objectives were attempted, the cost would be at least $41,000, though some costs have yet to be determined.

Setting spending priorities based on importance and available funds.
What a concept!

Distracted-driving crashes, Day 5: From the police files

Distracted-driving crashes, Day 5: From the police files MLive.com

The attack on your ability to communicate continues.
Who do you think will pay?

Letters: Ludington mayor responds to Badger debate -- it's about jobs

Letters: Ludington mayor responds to Badger debate -- it's about jobs MLive.com
This topic should not be about one business over another; it should be about how we can help keep 700 good paying American jobs in West Michigan.

Judge: State team reviewing Detroit finances must comply with Open Meetings Act

Judge: State team reviewing Detroit finances must comply with Open Meetings Act MLive.com

Poll: How should we address Muskegon County jail issues?

Poll: How should we address Muskegon County jail issues? MLive.com
The county has saved about $8 million for the project, but would have to seek additional funding.

Lansing Police Department unveils new online reporting system for non-emergency crimes

Lansing Police Department unveils new online reporting system for non-emergency crimes MLive.com
“Online crime reporting is designed to fit the busy lifestyles of our citizens by making it more convenient to file a police report in cases where there is not an immediate need for a police officer to respond to the scene,”

New Yorkers back Andrew Cuomo pension fix

New Yorkers back Andrew Cuomo pension fix—Editorial - NYPOST.com
The unions may be dead set against it, but New Yorkers overwhelmingly support a new pension system for future government employees.

Clint Eastwood defends Chrysler ad in wake of political scrutiny on 'O'Reilly Factor'

Clint Eastwood defends Chrysler ad in wake of political scrutiny on 'O'Reilly Factor' (video) MLive.com
To date, the Obama administration has completely exited Chrysler and has recovered $11.2 billion of its $12.5 billion bailout, but still holds a 26.5 percent stake in GM as part of its $49.5 billion bailout.

Mayor Dave Bing nears union deals, guarantees Detroit will have enough cash for fiscal year

Mayor Dave Bing nears union deals, guarantees Detroit will have enough cash for fiscal year MLive.com
"This is something that's almost unheard of," Bing told radio host Paul W. Smith. "
To get a union -- or several unions -- to sit down, open up their contracts, to take reductions.
I don't know that's ever happened here."

More Muskegon and Ottawa county law enforcement agencies using Nixle to notify public

More Muskegon and Ottawa county law enforcement agencies using Nixle to notify public MLive.com
Several police agencies in both Ottawa and Muskegon counties are offering a new public notification system to instantly inform the public on accidents, road closings and emergencies.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Proposed Oil Export Curbs Reek of N. Korean Economics

RIGZONE - API: Proposed Oil Export Curbs Reek of N. Korean Economics

SEIU Sent Key GOP Senator $5K on Day Bill to End 'Forced Unionization' Arrived in Senate

SEIU Sent Key GOP Senator $5K on Day Bill to End 'Forced Unionization' Arrived in Senate [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Roger Khan, R-Saginaw, received $5,000 from the Service Employees International Union on June, 9, 2011.
That was the day House Bill 4003 was sent to the Senate, one day after its passage in the House.

L.A. Teacher Accused of Molesting 23 Children to Keep Lifetime Health Benefits; Not His First Investigation

» L.A. Teacher Accused of Molesting 23 Children to Keep Lifetime Health Benefits; Not His First Investigation - Big Government
A teacher charged with 23 counts of lewd conduct for allegedly molesting and abusing children in his classroom evaded actual termination from the Los Angeles Unified School District enabling him to retain his lifetime health benefits.

Obama's made-up jobless numbers

CURL: Obama's made-up jobless numbers - Washington Times
No one in the mainstream media, busy rewriting the government’s press release on Friday, will bother to question the newest number, or explore what trimtabs.com CEO Charles Biderman said that very day:
“Actual jobs outstanding, not seasonally adjusted, are down 2.9 million over the past two months.
It is only after seasonal adjustments — made at the sole discretion of the Bureau of Labor Statistics economists — that 2.9 million less jobs gets translated into 446,000 new seasonally adjusted jobs for January and December.

Pensioner with aneurysm that could kill her any minute told NHS won't fund £15k op

Pensioner with aneurysm that could kill her any minute told NHS won't fund £15k op Mail Online
But 10 days ago, the 72-year-old received a letter which said her local NHS trust would not pay for the treatment.

Food Gestapo Seek A Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Sugar

Researchers Seek To Tax And Regulate Sugar Like Alcohol And Tobacco - Investors.com
"researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (where else?) said worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled over the last 50 years and is now contributing to 35 million annual deaths"

Cops use stun gun on woman blocking McDonald's drive-thru

Cops use stun gun on woman blocking McDonald's drive-thru - NYPOST.com
Authorities say 37-year-old Evangeline Lucca bypassed the order screen and line and pulled directly up to the pick-up window Friday afternoon at the restaurant

'The Mahdi does not negotiate. Neither should we'

'The Mahdi does not negotiate. Neither should we' TBO.com
The asset interrupted me. "You really don't have any idea who you are dealing with, do you?" he asked.

UCSF scientists declare war on sugar in food

UCSF scientists declare war on sugar in food
Like alcohol and tobacco, sugar is a toxic, addictive substance that should be highly regulated with taxes, laws on where and to whom it can be advertised, and even age-restricted sales, says a team of UCSF scientists.

"Hidden" mortgage fee paying for payroll tax cut

"Hidden" mortgage fee paying for payroll tax cut - CBS News
But there's something the politicians weren't bragging about - the fact that they're paying for the two-month tax cut with what has turned into a brand new fee on home buyers.
The new fee is a minimum of one-tenth of 1 percent on Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed loans, and is likely to go much higher.
It will be imposed for the next 10 years on most mortgages and refinancings and it lasts for the life of the loan.

Ford to GM: Pull '2012' Chevy Silverado Super Bowl ad

Ford to GM: Pull '2012' Chevy Silverado Super Bowl ad MLive.com
Officials from the Dearborn-based automaker asked crosstown rival General Motors Co. to stop showing its Super Bowl commercial for the Silverado, which hints that if the world is coming to an end and your driving a Ford, you will die (or not make it to your destination for Twinkies, see video).

Homeland Security Lexicon: You’re All ‘Militia Extremists’ Now

PJ Media » Homeland Security Lexicon: You’re All ‘Militia Extremists’ Now
So what drives militia extremism according to DHS now is “belief that the government deliberately is stripping Americans of their freedoms.”


It is demonstrated by opposing “many federal and state authorities’ laws and regulations, (particularly those related to firearms ownership).”

Even more scary is the MSM totally on board with this attitude.

Red-light cameras boost coffers, rile drivers

Red-light cameras boost coffers, rile drivers
California has the most expensive red-light camera tickets in the world - the fine is so steep that one camera in Oakland generates more than $3 million a year

Government at war with the people.

Sunday, February 05, 2012

It's takers versus makers and these days the takers are winning

It's takers versus makers and these days the takers are winning Glenn Harlan Reynolds Columnists Washington Examiner
If you tried to hold a series of potluck dinners where a majority brought nothing to the table, but felt entitled to eat their fill, it would probably work out badly.
Yet that’s essentially what we’re doing.

Uphill battle

Uphill battle Aspen Daily News Online
I find fault with your articles recently misinforming the public about uphill skiing at our local ski hills.
Uphill travel on all public land is very much a right and not a privilege.

Michigan's 'right to work' debate intensifies

Michigan's 'right to work' debate intensifies - chicagotribune.com
Right-to-work laws prohibit labor contracts that require workers to pay union representation fees.

Lighting up the night: Stunning time-lapse images of fireflies that blaze beautiful patterns in the dark

Lighting up the night: Stunning time-lapse images of fireflies that blaze beautiful patterns in the dark Mail Online

This is pretty cool!

11 injured in massive crowd for band LMFAO

My Way News - 11 injured in massive crowd for band LMFAO
Overwhelming "human gridlock" in Indianapolis' Super Bowl Village was causing police to rethink crowd control Saturday on the eve of the big game.
Eleven people were injured Friday night as an estimated 50,000 people flooded downtown streets for a free outdoor concert by the band LMFAO.

New BS BLS Report Shows Obama Costs US $20 Trillion

New BS BLS Report Shows Obama Costs US $20 Trillion - John Ransom - Townhall Finance
Hey folks, good news!
Another 1.2 million people dropped out the workforce, which means that Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) economists can say that unemployment has moved down to 8.3 percent without that messy job-creation thing getting in the way.

Muskegon County election season begins with focus on new districts

Muskegon County election season begins with focus on new districts MLive.com
One challenger has made his intentions known regarding the upcoming election.
Jim Riley, an outspoken fiscal conservative from Norton Shores, said he plans on running against Scolnik for that county board seat.
Riley regularly attends the county board meetings and is sometimes critical of the board’s actions.

Valley teens have easy access to marijuana

Valley teens have easy access to marijuana AspenTimes.com

Aspen Colorado | AspenTimes.com News

Aspen Colorado AspenTimes.com News
Poll
Which Republican presidential candidate do you support?

I don't want any of these candidates to be president 51.74%
(371)
Mitt Romney 22.32%
(160)
Ron Paul 13.11%
(94)
Newt Gingrich 7.81%
(56)
Rick Santorum 5.02%
(36)
717 votes

Aspen, super rich.
Super liberal.

Hoosiers Post-Game

Hoosiers Post-Game - WSJ.com
Now that Indiana has passed the first right-to-work measure in a decade, the state's Democrats are trying to find their new footing with organized labor.
After GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the law on Wednesday, the Democrat most likely to challenge him in 2012 was backpedaling from his party's obstruction.

"Coming Apart" Author Charles Murray Answers Reader Questions on America's Growing Class Divide

Transcript: "Coming Apart" Author Charles Murray Answers Reader Questions on America's Growing Class Divide - Ideas Market - WSJ

The most important book of the year.
Maybe the most depressing book of the year.

Saturday, February 04, 2012

Obama goes Christianist on tax policy

Obama goes Christianist on tax policy United Liberty Free Market - Individual Liberty - Limited Government
But President Obama’s invocation of Jesus and religion to push tax hikes is sickening and it makes him no different from someone like Rick Santorum, who frequently uses his faith to justify authoritarian social policies.

100 Tories revolt over wind farms

100 Tories revolt over wind farms - Telegraph
“In these financially straitened times, we think it is unwise to make consumers pay, through taxpayer subsidy, for inefficient and intermittent energy production that typifies onshore wind turbines,” they say.
The MPs want the savings spread between other “reliable” forms of renewable energy production.

You Should Find the Anti-Komen Backlash Disgusting, Even If You’re Pro-Choice

You Should Find the Anti-Komen Backlash Disgusting, Even If You’re Pro-Choice - By Daniel Foster - The Corner - National Review Online
"You know, I’m not a big fan of Komen’s brandification of breast cancer, I dislike seeing pink ribbons plastered over everything, and I think Planned Parenthood is real swell, abortions and all.
So I’m not especially inclined to come to Komen’s aid.
But I’ll be damned if this doesn’t look a bit like PP throwing it’s weight around, knocking a few pieces of china off the shelves, sending a message to its other donors: “Nice foundation you got there. Wouldn’t want anything to, you know, happen to it.”

The Wrath of the Abortion Movement Unleashed on Komen

Articles: The Wrath of the Abortion Movement Unleashed on Komen
But Komen did not completely cut Planned Parenthood out of current funding or exclude Planned Parenthood from future funding.
Nor did they reverse the original decision and decide to re-fund Planned Parenthood in the future.

They merely reversed their decision in favor of considering Planned Parenthood's eligibility for future grants.

The Komen foundation is rightfully concerned that Planned Parenthood is the focus of federal and state investigations for financial irregularities, fraud, sex trafficking, failure to comply with laws requiring reporting minor's sexual abuse and parental notification for abortion, as well as substandard medical care.

The extreme liberal backlash is out of proportion to Komen's largely symbolic $600,000 grant to Planned Parenthood.
This is a relatively trivial amount when compared to Planned Parenthood's billion dollar budget.
The Komen grant allows Planned Parenthood to pretend that it is an authentic women's health care provider and immunizes the organization from the reality that the organization is mainly about abortions.
Planned Parenthood provided 332,278 abortions in 2009, about one-quarter of those performed in the USA.

Why French Parents Are Superior

Why French Parents Are Superior by Pamela Druckerman - WSJ.com
Could it be that teaching children how to delay gratification—as middle-class French parents do—actually makes them calmer and more resilient?
Might this partly explain why middle-class American kids, who are in general more used to getting what they want right away, so often fall apart under stress?

Global warming: James Delingpole claims green zealots are destroying the planet

Global warming: James Delingpole claims green zealots are destroying the planet Mail Online
The turning point towards some semblance of sanity in the great climate war came in November 2009 with the leak of the notorious Climategate emails from the University of East Anglia.
What these showed is that the so-called ‘consensus’ science behind Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) — ie the theory that man-made CO2 is causing our planet to heat up in a dangerous, unprecedented fashion — simply cannot be trusted....
But if anthropogenic warming is not the threat environmentalists would have us believe, why do so many people believe it is?
And how come so many disparate groups — from the hair-shirt anti-capitalist activists of Greenpeace and Friends Of The Earth to the executives of big corporations, to politicians of every hue from Gordon Brown to David Cameron to scientists at NASA and the UEA — are working together to promote this pernicious myth?
The short answer is ‘follow the money’.
Phil Jones, head of the Climatic Research Unit at the UEA which was at the centre of the ‘Climategate’ scandal, for example, was given £13.7 million in grants for his department’s research work; the environmental non-governmental organisations such as Greenpeace came on board because scaremongering helps them raise revenue.

Rosy jobs report a ruse

Rosy jobs report a ruse - NYPOST.com
A loss of jobs that isn’t as bad as expected turns into a job gain.
Does that mean there really are 243,000 new jobs out there?
Absolutely not.
Let’s say there are rumors in your company that 300 people are going to be laid off.
Instead, management decides to fire just 200.
Two hundred people, of course, have lost their jobs.
But, adjusting it for expectations, 100 people didn’t get fired.
Using this analogy, the government would say that, on an expectation-adjusted basis, 100 jobs were created.

Taxpayer Costs For Average State Employee Increased From $79K in 2001 to $95K in 2011

Taxpayer Costs For Average State Employee Increased From $79K in 2001 to $95K in 2011 [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
Taxpayer Costs For Average State Employee Increased From $79K in 2001 to $95K in 2011Dems claims state employees 'gave back' $500 million in concessions — facts say otherwise

Michigan Democrats can vote in presidential primary and caucus, party says

Michigan Democrats can vote in presidential primary and caucus, party says MLive.com

Some blacks insist: 'I'm not African-American'

My Way News - Some blacks insist: 'I'm not African-American'
"I don't like African-American.
It denotes something else to me than who I am," said Smith, whose parents are from Mississippi and North Carolina.
"I can't recall any of them telling me anything about Africa.
They told me a whole lot about where they grew up in Macomb County and Shelby, N.C."

Why the official 8.3 percent unemployment rate is a phony number—and what it means for Obama’s reelection

Why the official 8.3 percent unemployment rate is a phony number—and what it means for Obama’s reelection « The Enterprise Blog
Then there’s the broader, U-6 measure of unemployment which includes the discouraged plus part-timers who wish they had full time work.
That unemployment rate is still a sky-high 15.1 percent.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Why Are the Chinese Buying Record Quantities of Gold?

Why Are the Chinese Buying Record Quantities of Gold? - Forbes
“people inside China seem to be losing faith in the Chinese growth story that we’ve been hearing so much about for the past few years.”

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Sugar should be regulated like alcohol, tobacco, commentary says

Sugar should be regulated like alcohol, tobacco, commentary says - HealthPop - CBS News

Why wind won't work

Why wind won't work Australian Climate Madness
Wind farms are expensive, inefficient and ugly.
And that’s just their good points.

Do Wind and Solar Work?

Do Wind and Solar Work? Power Line
Everyone knows that wind and solar energy are inefficient sources of energy compared to fossil fuels.
But, as the Science and Environmental Policy Project points out in the current The Week That Was, the extent to which “green” energy actually works is surprisingly opaque:

White House Panic: Gruesome 2012 Economic Forecast Could Doom Obama

White House Panic: Gruesome 2012 Economic Forecast Could Doom Obama - Guy Benson
If the CBO estimate is correct, it would mean that the United States recorded a deficit of more than $1 trillion for every year of Obama’s first term. The deficit was $1.4 trillion in 2009, $1.3 trillion in 2010 and $1.3 trillion in 2011.
The largest deficit recorded before that was $458 billion in 2008.