Retiree benefits and ObamaCare collide

Retiree benefits and ObamaCare collide: Column:
" Then there's the very real uncertainty surrounding the ACA's ultimate cost — illustrated by the impact of Medicare alone, which the Office of the Chief Actuary of Medicare estimates could cost cost $10 trillion more than claimed."

States that offer extremely generous health benefits for government retirees, and which have little to no pre-funding for those benefits, could choose to move their retirees into the Affordable Care Act's new exchanges. 

.......The impact doesn't end with a collection of states relieved to have better balance sheets and financial positions. What does it mean for taxpayers?

It's not as if taxpayers in those states will suddenly be free of the financial burden of providing retiree health care benefits. A significant portion of the tab would be passed on to the federal government. But the overall tax burden will shift, and in ways that Americans in other more fiscally responsible states may not appreciate. Since the exchanges are federally sponsored, much of their cost will ultimately be shared among all the nation's taxpayers. So residents in those states who push retirees onto the exchanges will get to off-load some of their financial burden to the rest of us.

....So the impact of the insurance exchanges could be good news for some state and local governments and residents, while not so good news for the rest of us. 

Greece Slides Into The "Fourth World" - The Full Photo Album

Greece Slides Into The "Fourth World" - The Full Photo Album | Zero Hedge:
"With Greek government bonds at multi-year highs (up 300% in the last year), the Athens Stock Index still up 100% in the last year, and leaders all over the Euro-zone proclaiming the crisis is over (and that Greece has "made big strides"); we thought it perhaps useful to look at the reality behind the propagandized talk and manipulation.
The sad truth is Greece is rapidly dissolving into a 'fourth world' nation with unemployment rates (broad and youth) at unprecedented levels, poverty widespread, and homelessness rife.
Perhaps, as Germany today stated that there will be no more debt reduction for Greece, it is 'math' in the first image that the TROIKA and the Greek representatives should pay special attention to..."

Online 'Fairness' Tax Could Hit Your 401(k)

Online 'Fairness' Tax Could Hit Your 401(k) - Investors.com:

Additional concerns include the indirect impact on middle-class investors — the tax would hit trades done by mutual funds and retirement plans such as 401(k) accounts — and the competitive effects on particular jurisdictions, as the tax creates incentives for such transactions to move across borders.

Given these concerns, one would think that the U.S. Congress would carefully debate the merits of a financial transaction tax, not rush to approve it. Yet the U.S. Senate just passed a bill that may enable states to impose their own financial transaction taxes — a recipe for increasing economic uncertainty.

Supporters of the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA), which the U.S. Senate passed on May 6 on a 69-27 vote, claim that online retailers enjoy an unfair advantage over their brick-and-mortar competitors. The bill, they maintain, addresses this imbalance by allowing states and localities to require "remote sellers" to collect taxes for "sales" to their residents.

However, the bill is silent on the particular products and services of "sellers" and "sales" it covers. Thus, it could open the door for state and local governments to tax financial transactions they deem as "sales" on businesses throughout the country.

County plans 60-day stop-work order on Detroit jail project

County plans 60-day stop-work order on Detroit jail project | Crain's Detroit Business:
"The highest "worst estimates" for the jail's final price tag were $391 million, Lee said, almost double the original estimated price of $220 million. "

Spanish Sub Too Heavy Thanks to Math Mistake

Spanish Sub Too Heavy Thanks to Math Mistake | TheLedger.com:
"A new, Spanish-designed submarine has a weighty problem:
The vessel is more than 70 tons too heavy, and officials fear if it goes out to sea, it will not be able to surface.
And a former Spanish official says the problem can be traced to a miscalculation — someone apparently put a decimal point in the wrong place."

5 Michigan cities may qualify for $100M in federal funds for home demolitions

Report: 5 Michigan cities may qualify for $100M in federal funds for home demolitions | MLive.com:
"The fund is designed to help homeowners in states hit hardest by the recent housing crisis by providing mortgage assistance for the unemployed, matching funds for principal reduction and other assistance to avoid foreclosure."

Supt. Mike Flanagan: 55 Michigan school districts have budget deficits

Supt. Mike Flanagan: 55 Michigan school districts have budget deficits | MLive.com:
"Three schools, Muskegon Public Schools, Romulus Community Schools and Aisha Shule/DuBois Preparatory Academy, began the year in the black but are projected to end the year with deficits, according to MDE analysts."

Red light cameras could come to a Michigan intersection near you under proposed legislation

Red light cameras could come to a Michigan intersection near you under proposed legislation | MLive.com:
"Bipartisan legislation before the House Transportation Committee would allow local municipalities to install red light cameras at intersections of their choosing and use the evidence to issue civil infractions when a vehicle fails to stop."

No one told the UN conference that there’s been no warming for 16 years

No one told the UN conference that there’s been no warming for 16 years

Back on the beaches one final time: D-Day heroes return to Normandy to mark the 69th anniversary of the landings

Back on the beaches one final time: D-Day heroes return to Normandy to mark the 69th anniversary of the landings | Mail Online:
When freedom came ashore: Stunning shots of Allied troops storming Omaha Beach in Normandy by war photographer Robert Capa and how they were almost lost forever

The ghost fleet of Truk Lagoon: World's biggest ship graveyard discovered at site of WW2 battle where US crushed Japanese fleet

The ghost fleet of Truk Lagoon: World's biggest ship graveyard discovered at site of WW2 battle where US crushed Japanese fleet — www.dailymail.co.uk — Readability

14th Fighter Group-Honor Roll

14th Fighter Group-Honor Roll

Remember All Those Passwords? No Need

Remember All Those Passwords? No Need - NYTimes.com:
"Dashlane has two primary features.
First, yes, it’s a password memorizer. Every time you type your account name and password into a Web page and press enter, Dashlane pops up, offering to memorize that information and fill it in the next time."

How to Use Safe Mode to Fix Your Windows PC (and When You Should)

How to Use Safe Mode to Fix Your Windows PC (and When You Should)

Michigan has 2 top violent cities in US; search preliminary FBI crime data

Michigan has 2 top violent cities in US; search preliminary FBI crime data | MLive.com:
"It also shows that Flint is the most violent city in the U.S. for the third year running, followed in second place by Detroit."

The Daily Caller presents: The first annual College Stupidity Awards

Daily Caller first annual College Stupidity Awards | The Daily Caller:
"Lehigh University: Most outrageous lawsuit
Lehigh University graduate Megan Thode sued Lehigh for $1.3 million because she was unhappy that she got a C+ in a class in 2009.
Thode, 27, said the grade ruined her dream of becoming a licensed professional counselor.
Her civil suit alleged breach of contract, sexual discrimination and a broader attempt to force her to abandon the graduate degree she had been pursuing.
The Pennsylvania judge in the case ruled in favor of Lehigh.
(RELATED: Lehigh University student got a C+ and now seeks $1.3 million)"

Atheists Want Their Own Military Chaplains

Atheists Want Their Own Military Chaplains:
"For weeks now Breitbart News has reported on religious liberty in the military, both the freedom of service members to share their faith and also the plight of military chaplains being censored on what they can say in religious counseling.
Now atheists are demanding their own chaplains. "

What Enron and the IRS Have in Common

Steven Law: What Enron and the IRS Have in Common - WSJ.com:
Any good CEO will tell you that ethical meltdowns like the IRS political-targeting scandal are rarely the work of a few rogue employees. Such messes are the result of a toxic culture that has been allowed to fester.

When I was chief of staff at the Labor Department, we investigated the ethical and financial disintegration of Enron in connection with the collapse of its pension funds in 2001. What we found was a small circle of certifiably bad actors who acted without regard for the law or for anyone else. Surrounding this inner circle was a culture that gave these employees tacit permission to run roughshod over others and break the law.

While lower-level Enron employees did their jobs honorably, senior management cultivated a malignant esprit de corps that corroded the company's ethics. The C-Suite view was that no one was smarter, faster or more aggressive than these executives. Mortals couldn't possibly understand what they did. That belief created its own closed-system logic, leading to deceptive accounting schemes, self-dealing and, ultimately, a battery of criminal convictions for Enron's top brass.

What does Enron's collapse have to tell us about the shocking revelations of IRS political targeting?
Plenty.

The Hidden Jobless Disaster

Edward Lazear: The Hidden Jobless Disaster - WSJ.com:
"First, the better measure of a strong labor market is the proportion of the population that is working, not the proportion that isn't.
In 2006, 63.4% of the working-age population was employed.
That percentage declined to a low of 58.2% in July 2011 and now stands at 58.6%.
By this measure, the labor market's health has barely changed over the past three years."

Increase In CO2 Means A Greener Earth, Say Researchers

Increase In CO2 Means A Greener Earth, Say Researchers - Investors.com:
"Carbon dioxide concentrations in our atmosphere recently hit the 400 parts-per-million mark.
So is all that CO2 scorching the planet?
No.
But it does seem to be making our deserts greener.
Listening to the global warming alarmists, one would think that man-made CO2 emissions are threatening the globe.
But that's speculation.
Let's deal in reality.
And the reality, according to Australian research, is that in this era of higher carbon concentrations, plant life in dry regions has grown lush.
The greening of the deserts is due to the "fertilization effect" — the impact carbon dioxide has on plant life."

RNC hires Facebook manager as chief technology officer

RNC hires Facebook manager as chief technology officer - The Hill's Hillicon Valley

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has hired a Facebook engineering manager as its new chief technology officer (CTO).

“Pleased to announce we have hired Andy Barkett as the RNC's CTO,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus tweeted Thursday evening.

“Excited to get to work growing digital operation,” Priebus continued.

After suffering a tough loss in the 2012 presidential election, the RNC in March said the Republican Party must close the digital divide between the GOP and Democrats if it wanted to win the upcoming midterm elections and 2016 presidential race.

As part of that effort, the RNC said it wanted to hire a chief technology and digital officer by May 1 who would be responsible for recruiting a team of savvy data scientists, tech and digital advocates who would build a new data and digital operation for the upcoming contests.

Barkett's profile on the University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management website also lists experience as senior director of engineering at Livescribe, senior management consultant at Taos Mountain and technical program manager at Google.

On that page, Barkett is described as a “Renaissance man!” who is “[d]eeply interested in philosophy, literature, film and economics.”

Barkett received his Master of Business Administration from UC Davis in 2009. He also holds a bachelor's degree in political economy from the University of California, Berkeley.

How do you spell "mole"?

........yet another example of school idiocy

Instapundit » Blog Archive » THIS STORY WAS TOO LATE FOR MY USA TODAY COLUMN, but it’s yet another example of school idiocy: Boy…:
 "THIS STORY WAS TOO LATE FOR MY USA TODAY COLUMN, but it’s yet another example of school idiocy:
Boy suspended for talking about guns on school bus.
“The principal told me that with what happened at Sandy Hook if you say the word ‘gun’ in my school you are going to get suspended for 10 days.”
The principal’s name is Darrel Prioleau.
But wait, there’s more: “The boy was questioned by the principal and a sheriff’s deputy, who also wanted to search the family home without a warrant.”
Sue ‘em and shame ‘em.
Posted by Glenn Reynolds at 11:31 pm"

Average Teacher Salaries Climb

Average Teacher Salaries Climb [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"New data released by the Michigan Department of Education shows that the average public school teacher salary in Michigan increased slightly for the 2011-2012 school year to $62,631.
This was up 1.7 percent from 2010-2011 year, but 0.6 percent less than the all-time high of $63,024 reported by the MDE for 2009-2010.
These figures include both conventional school districts and public charter schools, but the difference between these two types of schools was large, according to the data.
The average salary for charter school teachers was $42,864,[1] while the average for just conventional school teachers was $63,094.
Below are the 20 districts (with more than 100 pupils) that had the highest average teacher salaries in the state:"

VA disability claims for sleep apnea reach $1.2 billion per year

VA disability claims for sleep apnea reach $1.2 billion per year | The Daily Caller

Steyn wrong about the root of terror attacks | Full Comment

Steyn wrong about the root of terror attacks | Full Comment | National Post:
Incredible comments-read 'em.

Ex-DMC CEO Porter was visiting Panama on business, colleague says

Ex-DMC CEO Porter was visiting Panama on business, colleague ays | Crain's Detroit Business:
"Former Detroit Medical Center CEO Arthur Porter had both legitimate business reasons to visit Panama, and health concerns that could prevent him from making a similar trip to Montreal, where he awaits prosecution on corruption charges, some of his colleagues told Crain's this week."

Jefferson County, Ala., Reaches Bankruptcy Deal

Jefferson County, Ala., Reaches Bankruptcy Deal - NYTimes.com:
"The refinancing agreement covers debt held by creditors that include JPMorgan Chase, which holds about $1.22 billion of the sewer debt, the biggest block; three bond insurers; and seven hedge funds, according to a term sheet circulated in a meeting of the county commission on Tuesday.
The terms call for these creditors to receive about $1.84 billion for the $2.4 billion of debt they now hold. The concessions were weighted most heavily toward JPMorgan, the term sheet said, “to increase the recovery of other sewer creditors.”
The bank is giving up $842 million, or about 70 percent, of the face value of its debt, according to people briefed on the negotiations. "

Tax credit bonanza for illegal immigrants?

Tax credit bonanza for illegal immigrants? | The Daily Caller:

It pays to get Schumerized! Did you know that previously illegal immigrants who are legalized–like the 11 million immigrants granted Registered Provisional status by the Schumer-Rubio Gang of 8 bill–not only qualify for the Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) when they go to work (which seems reasonable enough to me) but may also get to apply for retroactive credits for previous years in which they were working illegally? Lawprofessor Jan Ting of  Temple University has the story.  … Meanwhile, the Gang of 8 seems to have abandoned the idea of actually collecting back taxes from the vast majority of newly legalized (despite all the talk about how legalization isn’t “amnesty” because there are penalties etc,). But, hey, that doesn’t mean the IRS can’t send them back refunds!

A visit to the IRS could actually be quite lucrative for many of newly Schumerized “provisionals.” The maximum annual EITC refund is a little over $5,000 per year for a person with two children who earns between about $13,000 and $17,000. You can can get $6,000 per year if you have three or more children. That means a potential refund check in the $15,000 range for three years of illegal, pre-amnesty work.

‘Muskegon Bike Time’ Potentially in Danger, Organizers Say

‘Muskegon Bike Time’ Potentially in Danger, Organizers Say | FOX17online.com:

If the new farmer’s market moved in, it would be at the heart of the 10 block ‘Bike Time’ route.  David Burlingame, the Vice Chair of ‘Bike Time,’ said the board is trying to keep both.

“We’re working to resolve how the farmer’s market and ‘Bike Time’ can operate on the same Saturday of the year,” he said.

According to Warmington, he said they started talking with the city three weeks ago about how they can make it work for next year but, “they have indicated to us that they won’t be closing Western Ave.” and will not be making the farmer’s market available.

During that weekend, parking is already at a premium without the farmer’s market. Organizers say it’s crucial to keep Western Ave. open to allow that loop of motorcycles to flow around downtown.

On Monday, Muskegon Mayor Stephen Gawron said he is working on getting a meeting together to figure out a plan to have both events.

“We’ll be laying out some different possibilities with the ‘Bike Time’ festival and again I think we will allot many of their concerns,” he said.

Organizers say it needs to happen sooner rather than later, though.

“We have sponsors whose contracts are up and we have vendors who are coming here for seven years and we want to assure them that everything is going to remain the same,” Warmington said.  “Even though city hall doesn’t think so,  timing is of the essence, we need to have this put into place.”

This Is the Perfect Pinterest Picture, According to Science

This Is the Perfect Pinterest Picture, According to Science | Wired Business | Wired.com:
"Curalate, which helps companies optimize and monitor the images they post to Pinterest and Instagram, has a vested interesting in figuring out what Pinterest users like.
Their research found that the following characteristics were common among popular images — and all over Aunt Peggy’s salad."

This picture, attached to Paula Deen’s recipe for cucumber, tomato, and onion salad, embodies the chracteristics of the ideal popular Pinterest image. It has been repinned 307,000 times. 
Photo: PaulaDeen.com

Vancouver's Free Heroin Clinic

SALOME: Vancouver's Free Heroin Clinic:
"Every day, Randy McKinley walks into a nondescript building located in downtown Vancouver to shoot up. For no cost at all, an examiner provides him with a sterilized syringe and pure narcotic, which he then injects into his blood stream.
After about 20 minutes or so, McKinley gets up and leaves, only to return two more times before the day is over."

Census Bureau Refutes “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” Mantra—Obama Won Because Of Old Black Ladies (And Turned-Off Whites)

Census Bureau Refutes “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” Mantra—Obama Won Because Of Old Black Ladies (And Turned-Off Whites) | VDARE.com:
"In contrast to the fervent black effort to re-elect Obama, whites were strikingly unmotivated by Romney. The total white vote dropped from 100 million in 2008 to 98 million in 2012 (down two percent). Only 64.1 percent of eligible whites voted in 2012, down from 66.1 percent in 2008 and 67.2 percent in the recent high-water mark year of 2004. This was the first time in the history of the Census survey that whites were not the highest-ranking group in terms of their rate of voting.

Among Hispanics eligible to vote, gross numbers continued to rise—but the rate of those taking the trouble to vote dropped from 49.9 to 48.0 percent. The number of Hispanics who claimed to be eligible but didn’t bother to get to the polls soared from 9.8 million to12.1 million."

DOJ on ‘gays’: ‘Silence will be interpreted as disapproval’

DOJ on ‘gays’: ‘Silence will be interpreted as disapproval’:
"The document is chilling.
It’s riddled with directives that grossly violate – prima facie –employees’ First Amendment liberties.
Following are excerpts from the “DOJ Pride” decree.
When it comes to “LGBT pride,” employees are ordered:
“DON’T judge or remain silent. Silence will be interpreted as disapproval.” (Italics mine)
That’s a threat.
And not even a subtle one."

A Veteran’s Tale

A Veteran’s Tale

Reasons to Mute Talk of Housing Recovery

Reasons to Mute Talk of Housing Recovery | Heartlander Magazine:
"The Case-Shiller index has never measured a 15.4 percent increase as seen in new home prices in a single month. It increased only 1.1 percent in March.
It would be uncanny if the April numbers showed a larger spike.
In contrast, the new home sales average price published by the U.S. Census Bureau has been extremely volatile since the housing downturn began.
Just in March, it had experienced an 8.8 percent drop in the average price for a new home"

Student Hilariously Redeems Himself After Failing With the Cymbals During the National Anthem

Student Hilariously Redeems Himself After Failing With the Cymbals During the National Anthem | Video | TheBlaze.com:
"One might think that not much could go wrong for the band member charged with playing the cymbals.
But for an Illinois junior high student playing the clashing instrument during a school’s concert, something did go wrong, and he reacted in the only way he felt appropriate for the time."
I wouldn't call this "hilarious", just wonderful.
Watch the video and be proud of this young man.

Aircraft Carriers In The Great Lakes?

Aircraft Carriers In The Great Lakes? — Military Forum | Airliners.net
"I'm amazed that I had never heard about this before ! How many knew that at one point, the U.S. Navy operated aircraft carriers in the Great Lakes ? I just recently heard about this in an email from a friend.

Either shortly before or shortly after Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy realized that they were going to need a lot of carrier qualified pilots as quickly as possible, and Commander Richard Francis Whitehead came up with the brilliant idea to train them aboard two aircraft carriers in the Great Lakes.

The decision was made to take two old excursion steamships, the "Greater Buffalo", and the "Seeandbee" and convert them into aircraft carrier training ships. The Greater Buffalo became the U.S.S. Sable, and the Seeandbee became the U.S.S. Wolverine.

There were several reasons that two carriers were specially built for carrier pilot training on the Great Lakes. First, aircraft carriers were at a premium with none that could be spared for pilot training. Second, by having two carriers on the Great Lakes the Navy would not have to provide escort ships for their security. There would also be no need for armor or armament. This idea was the brainchild of Commander Richard Francis Whitehead (later Vice Admiral), aviation aid to the commandant, Ninth Naval District. The Chicago area was ideal for supporting such a carrier training program with the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Naval Air Station, Glenview, and Naval Aviation Mechanics' School on the Navy Pier.

One of the new pilots who trained on the U.S.S. Sable was former President George H.W. Bush."

Peer-Reviewed Study Finds CO2 Not Responsible for Recent Warming

Peer-Reviewed Study Finds CO2 Not Responsible for Recent Warming | Heartlander Magazine:
"Conventional thinking says that the emission of human-made non-CFC gases such as carbon dioxide has mainly contributed to global warming.
But we have observed data going back to the Industrial Revolution that convincingly shows that conventional understanding is wrong," said Lu in a press release accompanying his study."

Glacial Retreat Shows Warmer Temps 400-600 Years Ago

Glacial Retreat Shows Warmer Temps 400-600 Years Ago | Heartlander Magazine:
"A retreat of glaciers in the Canadian Arctic shows temperatures were at least as warm as today 400-to-600 years ago.
Scientists carbon-dated plant life exposed by glacial retreat in the Canadian Arctic and found the plants were between 400 and 600 years old. Meteorologist Anthony Watts explained how the carbon dating shows temperatures 400 to 600 years ago must have been at least as warm as today:
“[T]hese plants had to have a warm environment to grow in first, then they were covered by ice, emerging again after the LIA [Little Ice Age] ended."

The Absolute Worst States for Job Hunting Law School Grads

The Absolute Worst States for Job Hunting Law School Grads - Jordan Weissmann - The Atlantic:
"New research shows which corners of the country have the biggest oversupply of young lawyers."
We're #1 again!
Oversupply of law school graduates by state. The darker the shade of red, the worse the surplus. Nevada, Wyoming, and Alaska technically have an under-supply. 

Torching Utopia-Sweden’s problem is not Islam, it’s multiculturalism.

Torching Utopia | National Review Online:
"The extent of the material damage was some 200 cars set on fire, in addition to a number of burned schools (including a nursery) and cultural centers.
 This toll does not include the psychological cost of a bruised Swedish self-image."

America’s Cup Sailing Race Faces Challenges in San Francisco

America’s Cup Sailing Race Faces Challenges in San Francisco - NYTimes.com:
"Only four teams have signed up because of the costs, the smallest contingent in the race’s modern history and far fewer than the 15 organizers had predicted in selling the event to city officials hungry for its economic benefits."

John Kelly's Speech About Marines In Ramadi

MUST READ!
John Kelly's Speech About Marines In Ramadi - Business Insider:

You can watch the last six seconds of their young lives. Putting myself in their
heads I supposed it took about a second for the two Marines to separately come to the same conclusion about what was going on once the truck came into their view at the far end of the alley. Exactly no time to talk it over, or call the sergeant to ask what they should do. Only enough time to take half an instant and think about what the sergeant told them to do only a few minutes before: “… let no unauthorized personnel or vehicles pass.”

The two Marines had about five seconds left to live. It took maybe another two seconds for them to present their weapons, take aim, and open up. By this time the truck was half-way through the barriers and gaining speed the whole time. Here, the recording shows a number of Iraqi police, some of whom had fired their AKs, now scattering like the normal and rational men they were—some running right past the Marines. They had three seconds left to live.

For about two seconds more, the recording shows the Marines’ weapons firing
non-stop…the truck’s windshield exploding into shards of glass as their rounds take it apart and tore in to the body of the son-of-a-bitch who is trying to get past them to kill their brothers—American and Iraqi—bedded down in the barracks totally unaware of the fact that their lives at that moment depended entirely on two Marines standing their ground. If they had been aware, they would have know they were safe…because to 11 Marines stood between them and a crazed suicide bomber.

The recording shows the truck careening to a stop immediately in front of the two Marines. In all of the instantaneous violence Yale and Haerter never hesitated. By all reports and by the recording, they never stepped back. They never even started to step aside. They never even shifted their weight. With their feet spread should width apart, they leaned into the danger, firing as fast as they could work their weapons. They had only one second left to live.

The truck explodes. The camera goes blank. Two young men go to their God. 
Six seconds. Not enough time to think about their families, their country, their flag, or about their lives or their deaths, but more than enough time for two very brave young men to do their duty…into eternity. That is the kind of people who are on watch all over the world tonight—for you

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/john-kellys-speech-about-marines-in-ramadi-2013-6#ixzz2VG1kSThS

CAIR Demands School Accommodate Muslim Prayers, Attacks Voluntary Bible Lesson…

CAIR Demands School Accommodate Muslim Prayers, Attacks Voluntary Bible Lesson… | Weasel Zippers:
"How is the radical Council on American-Islamic Relations bending public school policy to its will?
Two stories from Michigan tell the tale."

Monsanto modified wheat mystery deepens in Oregon

Monsanto modified wheat mystery deepens in Oregon - environment - 03 June 2013 - New Scientist:
"Investigations continued this week into how unauthorised genetically modified wheat ended up on a farm in Oregon.
No varieties of GM wheat have been cleared for commercial use anywhere in the world.
The wheat plants in question are believed to be the legacy of a research programme that was abandoned nine years ago.
How and why they have resurfaced is unclear.
...The GM wheat was developed by Monsanto, an agricultural biotech giant based in St Louis, Missouri. Like many of Monsanto's plants, the wheat was developed to be resistant to the company's broad-spectrum weed-killer glyphosate, marketed as Roundup. 
The wheat was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2004 as safe for human consumption, but Monsanto abandoned commercial development the same year, citing a drop in demand."

Fighting education fanatics

Fighting education fanatics: Column:
"The people running these schools are providing considerable evidence that they are not especially bright.
Or, at any rate, that they have little respect for American culture.
And the way they back down when these cases comes to light indicates that they know they're out of step with the public.
Which raises the question: 
Why are we giving them so much money? 
If public schools are places where kids can be persecuted for being kids -- especially if, gasp, they're boys acting like boys -- what's their claim on our support?
Increasingly, parents are exiting public schools for private schools, charter schools, online schools or homeschooling. (Hey, the guy who sold Tumblr to Yahoo for a billion dollars was homeschooled.)
This steady stream of stories involving what can only be called institutional child abuse can only speed that trend along.
And once large numbers of parents are no longer sending their kids to public schools, how long will the tax money keep coming?
That's the question I'd be asking myself, if I were running public schools. 
The people who actually are running them, however, seem to be oblivious. 
Fanatics usually are."

5 topics to track at Michigan's Capitol this week -- including state budget, Medicaid, education

5 topics to track at Michigan's Capitol this week -- including state budget, Medicaid, education | MLive.com:
"Detroit Institute of Arts: Senate Bill 401 aims to try and protect assets of the Detroit Institute of Arts, which could become an issue if the city of Detroit were to end up in a Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy.
The DIA-related legislation is up for a hearing Tuesday in the Senate Government Operations Committee.
It's not clear how a state law on this topic might play out in a federal bankruptcy court."

Report shows Michigan schools only graduating 52 percent of special education students

Report shows Michigan schools only graduating 52 percent of special education students | MLive.com:
"An annual report of special education performance in Michigan shows that only about 52 percent of special-needs students are graduating with high school diplomas."

25 Facts That Make Chicago The Most Depressing Big City In America

Chicago Is The Worst American City - Business Insider

Michigan Republicans About to Raise Your Taxes? Yes, They Are Unless You Stop Them

Michigan Republicans About to Raise Your Taxes? Yes, They Are Unless You Stop Them:
"They could be voted out to the floor Wednesday. Please contact Representatives Kowall and VerHeulen and tell them to reconsider their legislation.
Let them know you do not favor this additional burden on thousands of small business owners and consumers in this state."

'Whites need not apply' at D.C. labor board?

Op-Ed: 'Whites need not apply' at D.C. labor board? | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"Harris said he was "rebuked" by Wasserman for hiring white male employees despite the fact that no challenge was ever made by the board members to their professional "qualifications, competency, or efficiency."
In fact, Wasserman told Harris to "refrain from hiring white men" in the future to fill open attorney slots, according to Harris."

Social Security Faces $9.6T in Unfunded Liabilities--$83,894 Per Household

Social Security Faces $9.6T in Unfunded Liabilities--$83,894 Per Household | CNS News:
"The Social Security program faces $9.6 trillion in unfunded liabilities over the next 75 years, which is up $1 trillion from last year’s projection of $8.6 trillion, according to the latest report from Social Security’s board of trustees."

Crazy Images That Are Actually Real

Crazy Images That Are Actually Real - Likes:

The Green Jobs Chimera: Europe is mulling import tariffs…

Instapundit » Blog Archive » WALTER RUSSELL MEAD: The Green Jobs Chimera: Europe is mulling import tariffs on cheap Chinese s…:
"WALTER RUSSELL MEAD: The Green Jobs Chimera:
Europe is mulling import tariffs on cheap Chinese solar panels to protect its own manufacturers; it could learn something from America’s attempt to do the same last year.
Hint: it didn’t work. . . .
The market is heavily distorted at this point; governments are propping up a nascent technology that can’t compete on price on its own.
States can continue to subsidize producers and tax imports all they want, but that doesn’t fix the underlying problem: this technology isn’t ready for market.
The greens have deluded themselves into thinking that somehow market forces didn’t apply to manufacturing “clean” tech. 
It just illustrates the lack of policy competence in the green community, and the cleverness of crony capitalists, who know the silly greens will lobby for your sweetheart deal if you sprinkle some of their favorite phrases into the promotional literature.

I think this is a charitable assessment.
Posted by Glenn Reynolds at 6:28 pm"

'via Blog this'

Fire chief $550K pension was a mistake

Fire chief $550K pension was a mistake - CSMonitor.com

Snyder declares financial emergency in Hamtramck

Snyder declares financial emergency in Hamtramck | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"In its report, the team cited a $3.3-million general fund deficit, which exceeds 5% of total general fund revenues of just more than $16 million.
The report also cited $1.6 million in delayed pension fund contributions."

Feds toss Michigan complaint to ban Indian mascots for sports teams

Feds toss Michigan complaint to ban Indian mascots for sports teams | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"The complaint, filed earlier this year by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, could have had national implications and would have forced schools to choose new mascots, names of imagery."

747 Cargo Plane Crash in Afghanistan: Cause Determined

747 Cargo Plane Crash in Afghanistan: Cause Determined | Video - ABC News:
" the big armored vehicles on board, likely broke loose and slid to the back of the plane.
I think that the load they had these machinery floating inside the aircraft.
They might have moved or some of the locks broken and caused the vehicles to move back.
Reporter: Investigators say they found broken buckles that were supposed to hold the mraps in place. "

The 11 Most Fascinating Charts From Mary Meeker's Epic Slideshow of Internet Trends

The 11 Most Fascinating Charts From Mary Meeker's Epic Slideshow of Internet Trends - Derek Thompson - The Atlantic

A new bait and switch farm bill

A new bait and switch farm bill:
 "But more importantly, despite eliminating the Direct Payments waste, the new bill might actually make things worse. Instead of simply eliminating this outdated expense, Senate lawmakers replaced it with a new one that could very likely be more costly: the Shallow Loss Agricultural Risk Coverage program (ARC). As reported in the AEI paper, “Field of Schemes: The Taxpayer and Economic Welfare Costs of Shallow Loss Farming Programs,” authored by Bruce Babcock, Barry Goodwin, and myself, this program essentially guarantees that farmers receive approximately 89% of their expected incomes — a program about which no other business in America could dream. In effect, the program would issue payments to farmers when crop prices (and thus revenues) fall."

Journalism professor says execute treasonous NRA members

Journalism professor says execute treasonous NRA members | The Daily Caller:
"Swindell is an associate professor of broadcast journalism at public, taxpayer-funded Marshall University. According to the school’s website, he has expertise in many areas including television news, media pop culture and automotive journalism."

Laura Ingraham Shocks Chris Wallace With Syria Comments

Laura Ingraham Shocks Chris Wallace With Syria Comments | Fox News Insider:
"Laura Ingraham stunned host Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday with her stance on this contentious topic. She pointed out that Syrian rebels have attacked Christians in the country.
“The idea that we are going to send arms to these people who are slaughtering Christians and have one goal which is to establish an Islamic caliphate throughout the Middle East […] is ludicrous.”
Host Chris Wallace interjected, “So wait, are you saying let [President Bashar al-Assad] stay in?”
Ingraham began to respond, “I’m saying America has got to grapple with this idea of limited power in a world where the parties are unknown, where their intentions are unknown and when we see their intentions…”
But a shocked Wallace interrupted once again, saying, “You sound like a congressman. Are you saying let Assad rule?”
“I say let them figure it out,” she answered bluntly."

Course ... adjustment

Course ... adjustment | Crain's Detroit Business:
"Liberal arts colleges add degrees, sports, incentives to contend in highly competitive market"

Frustrated By Traffic, People Leave Cars And Walk On Expressway To O’Hare

Frustrated By Traffic, People Leave Cars And Walk On Expressway To O’Hare « CBS Chicago

The zero-tolerance war on kindergarteners

The zero-tolerance war on kindergarteners - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion:
"3. 5-year old talks — yes talks — about Bubble Gun
Pennsylvania girl, 5, suspended for talk of ‘shooting’ a Hello Kitty ‘bubble gun’:
A 5-year-old girl chats up classmates while waiting for the bus after school. 

The topic: Playing with a Hello Kitty “bubble gun” that, with the flick of a finger, blows bubbles everywhere.
“I’ll shoot you, you shoot me, and we’ll all play together,” the kindergartner says.
The next day, that remark — which was made innocently, according to the lawyer for the girl’s family, who related the story — landed the young central Pennsylvanian child in the principal’s office.
Soon after, she was sent home after being issued a 10-day suspension for a “terroristic threat,” as indicated on the suspension form signed by Mount Carmel Area Elementary School Principal Susan Nestico. That and other documents were provided to CNN by Robin Ficker, the lawyer representing the girl and her mother."

Medicare Will Be Exhausted in 2026, Social Security in 2033

Medicare Will Be Exhausted in 2026, Social Security in 2033

Legislators? | Minds of Liberty

Legislators? | Minds of Liberty:
"House Joint Resolution O – this is a resolution to enshrine campaign finance laws in the State constitution. 
The opening paragraph states, “The People Of The State Of Michigan Declare That They Have A Right To Know When Corporations Spend Money To Influence Elections Or Government Officials So They Can Make Informed Decisions And Hold Their Leaders Accountable.” 
Read the entire proposal if you are so inclined, but here are some high points:
This would include any for-profit or nonprofit corporation, limited liability company or partnership, joint venture, joint stock company, company, firm, or any enterprise incorporated in this state or another. 
Except for corporate municipalities and LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. (my emphasis)"

LST 393 plays host to Muskegon business leaders as chamber provides tourism update

LST 393 plays host to Muskegon business leaders as chamber provides tourism update | MLive.com:
"The future of tourism in Muskegon County will rely on a number of projects that are now under development, he told the chamber group.
They include the Michigan Heritage Park at Hilt’s Landing, three announced microbreweries, completion of the Russell Block Market and Unruly Brewing Co., HighPoint Flats apartments, a new public transit center downtown, relocation of the Muskegon Farmer’s Market to West Western Avenue and future redevelopment of the former Sappi paper mill property, Lukens said."

Worthless Degree Awarness Month

Captain Capitalism: Worthless Degree Awarness Month:
"I finally figured it out, and if you follow me on this, I think we might actually be able to do some good.

Today, I declare June to be "Worthless Degree Awareness Month."

It may sound funny, but it really is no laughing matter.
The single worst thing we do to our young kids is cripple them financially for the rest of their lives by telling them to waste 4-8 years of their youth and anywhere between $50,000-$150,000 on worthless degrees. Economically, the education bubble is on par with the housing bubble, but this time it is within our own control to stop it.
Since most kids graduate from high school during early June, it's the perfect time to "raise awareness" (I always wanted to use that vile phrase for something that's actually good, legit and noble) about the threats and dangers of majoring in a worthless field.

All we have to do is get the word out there.

Got a blog? Start linking and citing articles about worthless degrees.
Got a child or a family member? Sit down and have a chat with them.
Got a PTA group you know? Have someone come speak to them.
And as always if you don't know how to broach the subject with your children, buying them a copy of "Worthless" is definitely a diplomatic and caring way to tell them about the economic realities of choosing a good degree."

Wales Police Order Removal of “Obey Our Laws / Respect Our Beliefs / Or Get Out of Our Country”

The Volokh Conspiracy » Wales Police Order Removal of “Obey Our Laws / Respect Our Beliefs / Or Get Out of Our Country”

Wales Police Order Removal of “Obey Our Laws / Respect Our Beliefs / Or Get Out of Our Country”

Eugene Volokh • June 1, 2013 10:36 am

So reports the South Wales Argus (thanks to Prof. Bill Poser for the link):

A NEWPORT shopkeeper has been forced by police to remove a T-shirt from his shop window because they felt it “could be seen to be inciting racial hatred.”
Matthew Taylor, 35, the owner of Taylor’s clothes store on Emlyn Walk in the city, printed up and displayed the T-shirt with the slogan: “Obey our laws, respect our beliefs or get out of our country” after Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, was killed in near Woolwich barracks in London last week.
But following a complaint from a member of the public, police came to his store and threatened to arrest him unless he removed the Tshirt from sight....
A spokeswoman for Gwent police confirmed: “We did have a call from a member of the public. We visited the shop and asked him to remove it (the T-shirt) as it could be seen to be inciting racial hatred.” ...
Newport city councillor, Majid Rahman said: “I believe in freedom of speech and defend his rights to say what he wants, but once it starts offending people then it’s a police matter and it’s up to them whether they think it’s broken any laws.”

But of course — freedom of speech is all well and good, but once it starts offending people ....

Union, company to pay $10k to truck driver Washington Free Beacon

Union, company to pay $10k to truck driver | Washington Free Beacon: "
The Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) and Penn Line Service agreed to pay a West Virginia man $10,000, acknowledging that he was wrongfully terminated from his job after refusing to make the political donations."

HOUSE PANEL: REPORT FINDS $50M FOR IRS CONFERENCES

News from The Associated Press:
"That total included $4 million for an August 2010 conference in Anaheim, Calif., for which the agency did not negotiate lower room rates, even though that is standard government practice, according to a statement by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Instead, some of the 2,600 attendees received benefits, including staying in expensive presidential suites.
In addition, 15 outside speakers were paid a total of $135,000 in fees, with one paid $17,000 to talk about "leadership through art," the House committee said."

Jury acquits Brandon man in killing of wife's lover

Jury acquits Brandon man in killing of wife's lover | Tampa Bay Times:

TAMPA — As she learned her septuagenarian husband would not be punished for killing her 32-year-old lover, Johnna Lynn Flores, 41, cried tears of joy.

Once Wald was released from jail, she said, he had promised her a special celebration. "Because my husband puts me first, he's taking me to the Waffle House," Flores said.

It was what amounted to a happy ending for the starring couple in a tragic and inimitably Floridian morality tale involving sex, liquor, self-defense law, erectile dysfunction and a man shot to death with his pants around his knees.

After two days of testimony in Hillsborough Circuit Court, a jury decided Wald committed no crime when he fatally shot Walter Conley, a man less than half his age, on March 10. 

Wald woke around midnight in his Brandon home and found Conley and Flores having sex on the floor in the living room. 

He took a .38 revolver from his bedroom and shot Conley in the stomach and head.

Cops say they have photos of teacher having sex with dog

Cops say they have photos of teacher having sex with dog | The Daily Caller

The top 12 most bizarre college courses offered in America

The top 12 most bizarre college courses offered in America:

The Many Ways That Cities Cook Their Bond Books

Steve Malanga: The Many Ways That Cities Cook Their Bond Books - WSJ.com:
"The Harrisburg charges are part of a broader SEC effort to scrutinize state and local government issuers in the nation's $3 trillion municipal-bond market.
"Anyone who follows municipal finance knows that budgets can sometimes be a work of fiction," says Anthony Figliola, a vice president at Empire Government Strategies, a Long Island-based consulting firm to local governments.
"Harrisburg is the tip of the iceberg."
And a mighty iceberg it is.
The 2012 State of the States report, released in November by Harvard's Institute of Politics, the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government and the American Education Foundation, found state and local governments are carrying more than $7 trillion in debt, an amount equal to nearly half the federal debt.
Often, the report said, "States do not account to citizens in ways that are transparent, timely or accessible."

"People With Financial Assets Are All Doomed"

Marc Faber: "People With Financial Assets Are All Doomed" | Zero Hedge

Marc Faber: "People With Financial Assets Are All Doomed"

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/01/2013 18:18 -0400

• China
 
• Detroit
 
• Hong Kong
 
• Housing Bubble
 
• Marc Faber
 
• NASDAQ
 
• Purchasing Power
 
• Real estate
 
• Reality
 
• Switzerland

As Barron's notes in this recent interview, Marc Faber view the world with a skeptical eye, and never hesitates to speak his mind when things don't look quite right. In other words, he would be the first in a crowd to tell you the emperor has no clothes, and has done so early, often, and aptly in the case of numerous investment bubbles. With even the world's bankers now concerned at 'unsustainable bubbles', it is therefore unsurprising that in the discussion below, Faber explains, among other things, the fallacy of the Fed's help "the problem is the money doesn't flow into the system evenly, how with money-printing "the majority loses, and the minority wins," and how, thanks to the further misallocation of capital, "people with assets are all doomed, because prices are grossly inflated globally for stocks and bonds." Faber says he buys gold every month, adding that "I want to have some assets that aren't in the banking system. When the asset bubble bursts, financial assets will be particularly vulnerable."

Excerpted from Barron's:

On the error of the Fed's ways:

The Fed has been flooding the system with money. The problem is the money doesn't flow into the system evenly. It doesn't increase economic activity and asset prices in concert. Instead, it creates dangerous excesses in countries and asset classes. Money-printing fueled the colossal stock-market bubble of 1999-2000, when the Nasdaq more than doubled, becoming disconnected from economic reality. It fueled the housing bubble, which burst in 2008, and the commodities bubble. Now money is flowing into the high-end asset market - things like stocks, bonds, art, wine, jewelry, and luxury real estate.

Money-printing boosts the economy of the people closest to the money flow. But it doesn't help the worker in Detroit, or the vast majority of the middle class. It leads to a widening wealth gap. The majority loses, and the minority wins.

...

The neo-Keynesians would argue that if the Fed hadn't flooded the system with money, things would have been much worse. That might be true, but they would have been worse for a shorter period of time.

On the Bubble:

I am suggesting that in the fourth year of an economic expansion, near-zero interest rates will lead to a further misallocation of capital. I thought the U.S. market would have a 20% correction last fall, but it didn't happen. I also said the market might explode to the upside before the correction occurred. We might be in the final acceleration phase now. The Standard & Poor's 500 is at 1650. It could rally to 1750 or even 2000 in the next month or two before collapsing. People with assets are all doomed, because prices are grossly inflated globally for stocks, bonds, and collectibles.

On China:

There has been a huge credit bubble in China, and it isn't going to end well. Its economy officially grew 7.7% in the first quarter. In reality, it is growing 4% a year, at best. Figures on Chinese exports to Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore don't agree with the import figures of those countries. In each case, reported exports are much larger than reported imports.

On wealth divides and Social Unrest:

Again, the economy of the rich is booming. There has been huge wealth accumulation in Asia in recent years. But the middle class has experienced diminishing purchasing power. Throughout history, growing wealth inequality has been corrected either peacefully, through taxation and wealth redistribution, or by revolution, as in Russia.  I am not sure we will have a revolution in the Western world, but I can see European voters turning against the arrogance of the bureaucracy.

On Europe:

Investors don't fully comprehend what happened in Cyprus. In the event of future bailouts, bank depositors will lose a percentage of their money. Money in the bank isn't 100% safe anymore.

On Gold:

Gold is down 30% from its 2011 peak of $1,921, but has far outperformed financial assets since 1999. A correction was overdue. I have about a 25% allocation to gold and buy some every month. I want to have some assets that aren't in the banking system. When the asset bubble bursts, financial assets will be particularly vulnerable.

Gold is easier to carry than a Lamborghini.

Most of my gold is in a safe-deposit box in Switzerland, but I am shifting it to Asia.

Michigan bill would allow Vietnam vets to get diplomas

Michigan bill would allow Vietnam vets to get diplomas | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"The bill would allow high school boards to award diplomas to Vietnam veterans aged 65 and older.
Michigan law already allows World War II and Korean War veterans to get diplomas."

Some felons could get records erased under bill heading to Michigan House

Some felons could get records erased under bill heading to Michigan House | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"The bill would allow an ex-offender of any age to be eligible for an expungment if they have up to two misdemeanors and one felony, as long as the crimes were nonviolent.
They wouldn’t become eligible to apply for an expungement until five years after they finished their parole or probation.
And the judge in the case would still have discretion over whether to grant the request."

In Michigan, a stagnant achievement gap

In Michigan, a stagnant achievement gap | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"The percentage point gap between African-American (17%) and white (47%) students in Michigan public schools who were proficient in the MEAP’s math test last year was 30."

Forget "the gap".
47% of white students in Michigan are proficient in math?!!!!!
And that's the "good" news?
But they all know "teachers are underpaid" and "the rich don't pay their fair share".
Gimme a break.......

Michigan's Rep. John Dingell will set record as longest-serving congressman

Michigan's Rep. John Dingell will set record as longest-serving congressman | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"John David Dingell Jr., at age 86, is in much the same spot he has been in since Dec. 13, 1955, representing a congressional district in southeast Michigan and performing all the tasks that come with it: answering constituent requests, appearing in parades and, as always, passing legislation."

Detroit Zoo giraffe? Belle Isle? Detroit's treasure trove could be vulnerable to sale to settle debt

Detroit Zoo giraffe? Belle Isle? Detroit's treasure trove could be vulnerable to sale to settle debt | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"Detroit is teetering on the brink of the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. 
The city’s emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, and his team have said they want to evaluate everything owned by the city as they begin negotiations with creditors in the face of $15 billion to $17 billion in debt and future pension obligations."

Muslim Prayer Coming to a School Near You

Muslim Prayer Coming to a School Near You:
"A high school near Washington DC has taken a rare step of accommodating Muslim prayer during class hours. Parkdale High School now allows a handful of its students to be excused to pray.
The decision has made some Christian staffers "unhappy".
Prince George County High School Principal Cheryl J. Logan said the initiative is in response to the “needs of the growing Muslim community,” the Washington Post reported. "

Indy 500 trip nourishes the soul

Indy 500 trip nourishes the soul | Las Vegas Review-Journal:
"Naturally, we have a grilled Hoosier tenderloin sandwich for lunch at Bobby Plump’s Last Shot in historic Broad Ripple Village, where David Letterman used to bag groceries at the Atlas Supermarket.
Bobby Plump is the guy who sank the winning basket for Milan High, enrollment 161, when it beat mighty Muncie Central in the 1954 Indiana state championship game upon which “Hoosiers” is based."

Nice story.
Read it all.

School says deaf boy's name sign looks too much like a gun

School says deaf boy's name sign looks too much like a gun:
"Brace yourselves, because this is the dumbest thing you'll hear all day.
The Grand Island (Neb.) school district is forcing a 3-year-old deaf boy to change the way he signs his name, because they say his gestures violate their weapons policy"

Canadian relief for Moore tornado victims denied at border…

Instapundit » Blog Archive » THE COUNTRY’S IN THE VERY BEST OF HANDS: 
Canadian relief for Moore tornado victims denied at border.
“A Canadian shipment of relief goods bound for storm-ravaged Oklahoma has been stopped at the Canada-U.S. border in Windsor, Ont.
American officials will not allow the 20,000 kilograms of food, blankets and diapers into the country until every item on board is itemized in alphabetical order and has the country of origin of every product noted.”

Ohio Poll Worker Who Admitted to Voting Twice for Obama Is Convicted of Voter Fraud, Faces 6 Years in Prison

Ohio Poll Worker Who Admitted to Voting Twice for Obama Is Convicted of Voter Fraud, Faces 6 Years in Prison | Video | TheBlaze.com

Obama Was Crafting 'Cover Story' Before Benghazi Victims Were Dead

Krauthammer: Obama Was Crafting 'Cover Story' Before Benghazi Victims Were Dead:
"Charles Krauthammer "I think there is a bigger story here that will in time come out.
The biggest scandal of all, the biggest question is what was the president doing in those eight hours. 
He had a routine meeting at five o’clock.
He never after during the eight hours when our guys have their lives in danger, he never called the Secretary of Defense, he never calls the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he never called the CIA Director,
Who does he call?
But five hours in he calls the Secretary of State.
And after the phone call she releases a statement essentially about the video and how we denounce any intolerance.
It looks as if the only phone call is to construct a cover story at a time when the last two Americans who died were still alive and fighting for their lives. 
There’s the scandal and that has to be uncovered.”"

Allegedly unlicensed driver charged in fatal March 2012 rollover crash at Muskegon River flats

Allegedly unlicensed driver charged in fatal March 2012 rollover crash at Muskegon River flats | MLive.com:
"Timothy Maat, chief Muskegon County assistant prosecutor, said the reasons for the long time lag between the accident and the charging were a lengthy investigation of what caused the accident, including an examination of the car for any mechanical failures, and an investigation of whether Balderas was licensed to drive in any other state or in Mexico.
No license turned up, Maat said."

Feds suggest anti-Muslim speech can be punished

Feds suggest anti-Muslim speech can be punished - POLITICO.com:
"A U.S. attorney in Tennessee is reportedly vowing to use federal civil rights statutes to clamp down on offensive and inflammatory speech about Islam.
Bill Killian, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, was quoted by the Tullahoma News this week suggesting that some inflammatory material on Islam might run afoul of federal civil rights laws.
"We need to educate people about Muslims and their civil rights, and as long as we’re here, they’re going to be protected," Killian told the newspaper."

25,000 Muslims March in England Calling for Laws to Silence Critics of Islam

25,000 Muslims March in England Calling for Laws to Silence Critics of Islam: