Ron Paul: "The Great Cyprus Bank Robbery" | Zero Hedge:
"The elites in the EU and IMF failed to learn their lesson from the popular backlash to these tax proposals, and have openly talked about using Cyprus as a template for future bank bailouts.
This raises the prospect of raids on bank accounts, pension funds, and any investments the government can get its hands on.
In other words, no one's money is safe in any financial institution in Europe.
Bank runs are now a certainty in future crises, as the people realize that they do not really own the money in their accounts.
How long before bureaucrat and banker try that here?"
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Montague group to hold nonpartisan presentation on fracking | MLive.com
Montague group to hold nonpartisan presentation on fracking | MLive.com
"Resolving Our American Democracy, or ROAD, based in Montague, is a nonpartisan civic group and doesn't advocate for specific positions or political candidates, said ROAD Co-chairman Dave Frederick. ROAD holds monthly meetings with informational presentations.
"It's basically to inform people on the issue and do it in a nonpartisan way," Frederick said.
Frederick said that the presenter, Thompson, is a retired corporate researcher and writer who has promised to try to give a balanced presentation.
But, Frederick, said, there will be an opportunity at the end of the meeting to hear from Joy Smith of the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan, and sign the committee's petition to ban fracking.
"That will be an option for those at the end who have made up their minds," he said."
"Resolving Our American Democracy, or ROAD, based in Montague, is a nonpartisan civic group and doesn't advocate for specific positions or political candidates, said ROAD Co-chairman Dave Frederick. ROAD holds monthly meetings with informational presentations.
"It's basically to inform people on the issue and do it in a nonpartisan way," Frederick said.
Frederick said that the presenter, Thompson, is a retired corporate researcher and writer who has promised to try to give a balanced presentation.
But, Frederick, said, there will be an opportunity at the end of the meeting to hear from Joy Smith of the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan, and sign the committee's petition to ban fracking.
"That will be an option for those at the end who have made up their minds," he said."
Why are Michigan's energy costs so high?
Why are Michigan's energy costs so high? | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com:
While Michigan's average electricity rate increase of 29 percent since 2007 is not much different than the 28 percent average increase in Indiana and 22 percent average increase in Wisconsin, it is double the 14 percent average increase in Ohio and dramatically different than the 1 percent increase in Illinois.
If each of these states had similar declines in demand, why have price changes been so different?
The answer is Illinois and Ohio have competitive retail electric markets. Indiana and Wisconsin have clung to traditional monopoly regulation and Michigan, in 2008, abandoned its movement toward market-based pricing in favor of government price-setting.
.....Michigan's high rates are the result of the 2008 reversal of the customer choice and competition program begun in 2000.
While Michigan's average electricity rate increase of 29 percent since 2007 is not much different than the 28 percent average increase in Indiana and 22 percent average increase in Wisconsin, it is double the 14 percent average increase in Ohio and dramatically different than the 1 percent increase in Illinois.
If each of these states had similar declines in demand, why have price changes been so different?
The answer is Illinois and Ohio have competitive retail electric markets. Indiana and Wisconsin have clung to traditional monopoly regulation and Michigan, in 2008, abandoned its movement toward market-based pricing in favor of government price-setting.
.....Michigan's high rates are the result of the 2008 reversal of the customer choice and competition program begun in 2000.
Michigan's two largest utilities, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, were keenly aware that during an economic slowdown they would have to charge lower prices to meet the competition.
Their solution was to outlaw customer choice except for a fortunate handful of customers accounting for just 10 percent of electricity usage, mainly larger businesses and government.
Monopoly regulation stands the world on its head — prices rise when demand drops.
Muskegon county board meetings: April 2013-video links
No more "I can't make the meetings" excuses.
They're spending us into bankruptcy and you sit at home.
OK.
Now you can sit at home, watch your computer screen and see them at "work".
You silence simply supports their scams.
Do SOMETHING before there is nothing left to do anything about!
County main page: http://www.co.muskegon.mi.us/
2013-4-2 Human resources
http://youtu.be/2VCqeKYiCrE
2013-4-2 Courts-Public safety
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK6dMN71DlE
2013-4-4 Ways and means
2013-4-9 Full board
2013-4-9 Board Planning Session
When: Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - 1:00 PM
Location: South Campus Training Center, 133 E. Apple, Room #205
2013-4-11 Public works
2013-4-16 Ways and means
2013-4-18 Transportation
2013-4-18 Comm dev/Strategic planning
2013-4-23 Full board
Emergency manager: Muskegon Heights schools debt retirement plan jeopardized by water system woes
Emergency manager: Muskegon Heights schools debt retirement plan jeopardized by water system woes | MLive.com:
"Emergency Manager Donald Weatherspoon told the Muskegon Heights school board Monday that he felt his concerns expressed to city officials last month were brushed off.
Board President Trinell Scott, who was at the meeting of city officials, agreed.
“The city manager basically said Dr. Weatherspoon didn’t really know what he was talking about, to sum it up in a nutshell,” Scott said.
“To me, I felt like they kind of didn’t want to hear what we had to say.”"
"Emergency Manager Donald Weatherspoon told the Muskegon Heights school board Monday that he felt his concerns expressed to city officials last month were brushed off.
Board President Trinell Scott, who was at the meeting of city officials, agreed.
“The city manager basically said Dr. Weatherspoon didn’t really know what he was talking about, to sum it up in a nutshell,” Scott said.
“To me, I felt like they kind of didn’t want to hear what we had to say.”"
Pension fight heats up in Pontiac as emergency manager looks to reorganize board
Pension fight heats up in Pontiac as emergency manager looks to reorganize board | MLive.com:
"Schimmel cited $5.5 million in failed investments, a $2,200-a-month office space rental and trustee travel as reasons for his intervention."
"Schimmel cited $5.5 million in failed investments, a $2,200-a-month office space rental and trustee travel as reasons for his intervention."
Stockton, Calif. Goes Bankrupt, Raising Question: Who Gets Paid?
Stockton, Calif. Goes Bankrupt, Raising Question: Who Gets Paid? | CNS News:
"But the case is also being watched closely because it could answer the significant question of who gets paid first by financially strapped cities — retirement funds or creditors.
"I don't know whether spiked pensions can be reeled back in," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein said while making the ruling.
"There are very complex and difficult questions of law that I can see out there on the horizon."
The potential constitutional question in the Stockton case is whether federal bankruptcy law trumps a California law that says money owed to the state pension fund must be paid."
"But the case is also being watched closely because it could answer the significant question of who gets paid first by financially strapped cities — retirement funds or creditors.
"I don't know whether spiked pensions can be reeled back in," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein said while making the ruling.
"There are very complex and difficult questions of law that I can see out there on the horizon."
The potential constitutional question in the Stockton case is whether federal bankruptcy law trumps a California law that says money owed to the state pension fund must be paid."
Obama’s continued use of the claim that 40 percent of gun sales lack background checks
Obama’s continued use of the claim that 40 percent of gun sales lack background checks - The Washington Post:
Why wouldn’t we want to close the loophole that allows as many as 40 percent of all gun purchases to take place without a background check?”
— President Obama, remarks on gun safety, March 28, 2013
“FACT: Nearly 40% of all gun sales don't require a background check under current law. #DemandAction”
— tweet from @BarackObama, March 28
The Facts
There are two key problems with the president’s use of this statistic:
The numbers are about two decades old, yet he acts as if they are fresh, and he refers to “purchases” or “sales” when in fact the original report concerned “gun acquisitions” and “transactions.”
Those are much broader categories of data.
.....Digging deeper, we found that the survey sample was just 251 people.
(The survey was done by telephone, using a random-digit-dial method, with a response rate of 50 percent.)
With this sample size, the 95 percent confidence interval will be plus or minus six percentage points.
Moreover, when asked whether the respondent bought from a licensed firearms dealer, the possible answers included “probably was/think so” and “probably not,” leaving open the possibility the purchaser was mistaken. (The “probably not” answers were counted as “no.”)
The numbers are about two decades old, yet he acts as if they are fresh, and he refers to “purchases” or “sales” when in fact the original report concerned “gun acquisitions” and “transactions.”
Those are much broader categories of data.
.....Digging deeper, we found that the survey sample was just 251 people.
(The survey was done by telephone, using a random-digit-dial method, with a response rate of 50 percent.)
With this sample size, the 95 percent confidence interval will be plus or minus six percentage points.
Moreover, when asked whether the respondent bought from a licensed firearms dealer, the possible answers included “probably was/think so” and “probably not,” leaving open the possibility the purchaser was mistaken. (The “probably not” answers were counted as “no.”)
Maryland Moves Forward with Controversial Chicken-Waste Electricity Project
Maryland Moves Forward with Controversial Chicken-Waste Electricity Project | Heartlander Magazine:
“Wide-Ranging Economic Harm
In addition to taxpayers and consumers worrying about the negative economic impacts of taxpayer subsidies and higher electricity prices, farmers fear the diversion of rich organic fertilizer to electricity production will create fertilizer scarcity and drive up fertilizer prices.....
...“I have a positive opinion of turning poultry waste into energy where it is cost-effective,” said Daniel Simmons, director of regulatory and state affairs at the Institute for Energy Research.
“Wide-Ranging Economic Harm
In addition to taxpayers and consumers worrying about the negative economic impacts of taxpayer subsidies and higher electricity prices, farmers fear the diversion of rich organic fertilizer to electricity production will create fertilizer scarcity and drive up fertilizer prices.....
...“I have a positive opinion of turning poultry waste into energy where it is cost-effective,” said Daniel Simmons, director of regulatory and state affairs at the Institute for Energy Research.
“But the real key is that these projects should compete in the market for electricity like everyone else and not receive above-market rates for their electricity.
“Sadly, it looks like Maryland is subsidizing waste-to-energy and costing Marylanders in the process,” Simmons added.
“This facility would not be built if government allowed free-market pricing mechanisms to work without government intrusion.”
Tonight is the last night of 'Doggy Style' gathering for Detroit's gay community and friends
Tonight is the last night of 'Doggy Style' gathering for Detroit's gay community and friends | MLive.com
"DETROIT, MI - Tonight is the last night of Doggy Style at the Park Bar – at least until the end of October.
During Major League Baseball’s off-season, Tuesday nights at the Park Bar in downtown Detroit bar have been known as Doggy Style nights, a weekly party for Detroit's gay community.
Joe Posch, owner of Midtown's Hugh, founded Doggy Style night at The Park Bar with Canine to Five owner Liz Blondy in 2007 because of what he says is "disjointed" gay community.
There's a relatively strong gay presence in Ferndale, but the city of Detroit itself lacks any cohesive or strong LGBT community, he said."
"DETROIT, MI - Tonight is the last night of Doggy Style at the Park Bar – at least until the end of October.
During Major League Baseball’s off-season, Tuesday nights at the Park Bar in downtown Detroit bar have been known as Doggy Style nights, a weekly party for Detroit's gay community.
Joe Posch, owner of Midtown's Hugh, founded Doggy Style night at The Park Bar with Canine to Five owner Liz Blondy in 2007 because of what he says is "disjointed" gay community.
There's a relatively strong gay presence in Ferndale, but the city of Detroit itself lacks any cohesive or strong LGBT community, he said."
Detroit Electric to unveil first EV sports car tonight
Detroit Electric to unveil first EV sports car tonight | MLive.com:
"When announcing the vehicle and company last month, Graunstadt said the vehicles will be produced in Metro Detroit, and the production facility is expected to have an annual capacity of 2,500 sports cars and about 180 employees."
"When announcing the vehicle and company last month, Graunstadt said the vehicles will be produced in Metro Detroit, and the production facility is expected to have an annual capacity of 2,500 sports cars and about 180 employees."
Widespread arsons in Flint rarely result in criminal charges
Widespread arsons in Flint rarely result in criminal charges | MLive.com:
"Over a five-year span that saw 1,631 suspicious fires to vacant buildings in the city and more than 1,000 confirmed arson cases reported to the state, just 135 arson-related charges were filed in Flint District Court."
"Over a five-year span that saw 1,631 suspicious fires to vacant buildings in the city and more than 1,000 confirmed arson cases reported to the state, just 135 arson-related charges were filed in Flint District Court."
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