Local reaction to Granholm's proposed budget

Local reaction to Granholm's proposed budget
"Rep. Mary Valentine, D-Norton Shores, candidate for the 34th State Senate District:

'I am pleased to see that the budget restores funding for education and the Promise Scholarships.

A strong education system is key to creating a world-class work force that will attract job providers and prepare our children for jobs in the 21st Century economy."

This retired teacher (on a VERY posh pension) is bonkers!

Our secondary "education" system is a disaster and our college graduates are leaving the state like ........well... like employers, jobs and investment!

The only "attraction" generated by the Granholm/Valentine big union give-away scheme is our graduates and jobs being attracted to other states.

This woman is a menace to anyone hoping for job in our state.

Or hoping to provide private sector jobs to our citizens.

Angela Merkel dashes Greek hopes of rescue bid

Angela Merkel dashes Greek hopes of rescue bid
"Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, mounted stiff resistance tonight to any swift bailout of Greece, as a rift opened up between European capitals over how best to tackle the risks posed to the euro."

This could be the tip of an iceberg.......with the EU as a big, stupid boat.

Tunnel assault on girl sparks security debate

Tunnel assault on girl sparks security debate

"Public safety is our top priority"

Another 10 Far-out Valentine's Gift

Another 10 Far-out Valentine's Gifts - Oddee.com

More West Michigan schools offer free breakfast to all students

More West Michigan schools offer free breakfast to all students

"As students filed into the cafeteria one recent morning at Godwin Heights Middle School, custodian-turned-breakfast-pitchman Jose Rivera welcomed them with food.
'Here, you like cheese? Take a milk, too.'
Then, when a boy slipped past the table empty-handed, Rivera called him back.
'Free breakfast! Come on down, buddy. Take one of each, please.'"


WHY IT MATTERS
Benefits of breakfast
Academic and nutritional claims for students who eat a morning meal:
• Less tardiness and fewer abscences
• More energy
• Fewer disciplinary problems
• More attentiveness in the classroom
• Lower body-mass index
• Higher standardized test scores
• Better diet of nutrients, vitamins and minerals

This is so wrong on so many levels:

1. We are paying an adult to cajole kids into putting food on their tray that the kids don't want.

Nice carbon footprint of uneaten food going to the dump, right.

2. Let's teach our kids that "free food" is the normal way of life in America at an early age!

3. With SOOO many reasons ("Why it matters") to give more free food to kids, why aren't we already seeing all the wondrous benefits from "free lunch"? Oh, it's a bogus lie? OK.

4. If free lunch and breakfast are producing such marvelous benefits to our children's education, why not free dinner?

5. Where is all this "free" money coming from?

Gimme a break!

CARPE DIEM policy vs politics

CARPE DIEM
Michael Barone -- About one-third of the $787 billion stimulus package was directed at state and local governments, which have been facing declining revenues and are, mostly, required to balance their budgets.

The policy aim, Democrats say, was to maintain public services and aid.

The political aim, although Democrats don't say so, was to maintain public-sector jobs -- and the flow of union dues to the public employees unions that represent almost 40% of public-sector workers."

United Solar Ovonics reports $39 million loss in second quarter

United Solar Ovonics reports $39 million loss in second quarter
"USO's parent company, Energy Conversion Devices Inc., reported a grim $39 million loss for its second quarter Tuesday, disappointing analysts and sending its stock to record lows."

No homeowner or any company would buy their worthless products so they depend on "extra" government money (like Jenny's mansion) to pay for their boondoggle.

And government mandates that energy producers to use 10% "green" energy.

Just another way to say "tax" to us fools who vote for the AlGore koolaid drinkers in our state government.

Most of whom are are in the democrat party.

Yes Virginia. There is a Santa Clause...but he ain't in government.

10 of the Dumbest Cops Ever

10 of the Dumbest Cops Ever - Oddee.com

You've GOT to click on the first video.

Big Government: Big Labor's "Bread and Butter"

Big Government: Big Labor's "Bread and Butter"
"In it, NILRR points out that in 2008 and the first 11 months of 2009, unionized private-sector workers lost their jobs at more than double the rate than their private-sector non-unionized colleagues.
Meanwhile, for the first time ever, more than half of our nation's government workers are now under union boss monopoly bargaining control and the number is growing with disastrous consequences:"

State Pension Funds Fall Off a Cliff

ALEC State Pension Funds Fall Off a Cliff
"The financial crisis encountered over the past decade reveals that many state pension plans are fundamentally fawed.
Using more realistic assumptions regarding the rate of return on assets, as well as assumptions regarding the actuarial value of liabilities, it is highly unlikely that these plans will achieve actuarial balance over the amortization period.

The solution to the funding crises in state pension plans will require fundamental reform.

Everything should be on the table, including changes in benefits and increased employee contribution rates, as well as employer contribution rates.
These plans should consider replacing their defined benefit plans with defined-contribution plans for new employees."

Snowpocalypse now?

Snowpocalypse now?
Watch hilarious weather video and heed National Weather Service's winter storm warning

Patrick Henry Hughes

Beautiful!