Michigan road funding: House plan takes shape with wholesale fuel taxes, higher registration fees | MLive.com: "
As our economy is rebounding, now is the time to double down and get our transportation system working," Schmidt said after this morning's hearing, explaining his motivation to jumpstart the process.
"I think that will speed up our progress here in Michigan."
One of Schmidt's bills would increase gasoline and diesel taxes but levy them at the wholesale level, allowing for prices to rise or fall with inflation.
A gallon of gas that currently costs $3.75 would cost about 8 cents more under the new plan, he said, while generating an estimated $700 million a year in new revenue.
Schmidt also plans to introduce legislation that would raise vehicle registration fees, and he said future discussions could include higher rates for hybrid, electric or alternative fuel vehicles that use less gasoline and therefore pay fewer taxes at the pump."
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
NJ’s ‘$100K Club’ of retirees growing
NJ’s ‘$100K Club’ of retirees growing « Watchdog.org:
"All of the Top Five pensioners are retired school executives."
"All of the Top Five pensioners are retired school executives."
Letters: Gentrification of the Farmers Market has racist overtones
Letters: Gentrification of the Farmers Market has racist overtones | MLive.com:
"City Commissioner Spataro, a privileged, white, middle-class man, does not get to decide what is racist. Pretending gentrification is not racist is racist.
Deciding to move a desirable component of a historically black and working class neighborhood to a new location for the benefit of an imaginary future wealthy (white) condo-living people and thus, deciding to take from the working class and people of color to give to wealthy white people is racist.
Making decisions based on money and profit without regard for the destructive racial and economic consequences for working class communities and communities of color is racist.
If you are not capable of recognizing, understanding, respecting and conversing about the racial and economic consequences of development, you should not be making decisions for anyone, but especially not people of color and working class people who make up the majority of downtown Muskegon.
WENDY SAMPSON/Muskegon"
"City Commissioner Spataro, a privileged, white, middle-class man, does not get to decide what is racist. Pretending gentrification is not racist is racist.
Deciding to move a desirable component of a historically black and working class neighborhood to a new location for the benefit of an imaginary future wealthy (white) condo-living people and thus, deciding to take from the working class and people of color to give to wealthy white people is racist.
Making decisions based on money and profit without regard for the destructive racial and economic consequences for working class communities and communities of color is racist.
If you are not capable of recognizing, understanding, respecting and conversing about the racial and economic consequences of development, you should not be making decisions for anyone, but especially not people of color and working class people who make up the majority of downtown Muskegon.
WENDY SAMPSON/Muskegon"
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
It's true: Men can't read women's emotions, study confirms
It's true: Men can't read women's emotions, study confirms - The Body Odd:
"It's a cliché that men just don't understand women.
Now, new research suggests men really do struggle to read women's emotions — at least from their eyes.
The research, published Wednesday (April 10) in the journal PLOS ONE, showed that men had twice as much trouble deciphering women's emotions from images of their eyes compared with those of men.
Parts of the male brain tied to emotion also didn't activate as strongly when the men looked at women's eyes."
"It's a cliché that men just don't understand women.
Now, new research suggests men really do struggle to read women's emotions — at least from their eyes.
The research, published Wednesday (April 10) in the journal PLOS ONE, showed that men had twice as much trouble deciphering women's emotions from images of their eyes compared with those of men.
Parts of the male brain tied to emotion also didn't activate as strongly when the men looked at women's eyes."
Due to ObamaCare, Nation's Largest Movie Theater Chain Cuts Employee Hours
Due to ObamaCare, Nation's Largest Movie Theater Chain Cuts Employee Hours:
"In a memo to employees, management was blunt:
“To comply with the Affordable Care Act, Regal had to increase our health care budget to cover those newly deemed eligible based on the law's definition of a full-time employee.”
Fox News reports that, as a result of cutting employees' work hours (which is, of course, the same as a pay cut), full-time Regal managers have resigned in "a wave" after their hours and pay checks were slashed by as much as twenty-five percent.
"In a memo to employees, management was blunt:
“To comply with the Affordable Care Act, Regal had to increase our health care budget to cover those newly deemed eligible based on the law's definition of a full-time employee.”
Fox News reports that, as a result of cutting employees' work hours (which is, of course, the same as a pay cut), full-time Regal managers have resigned in "a wave" after their hours and pay checks were slashed by as much as twenty-five percent.
Lawsuit Alleges Wind Power A Threat To Health And Safety
Lawsuit Alleges Wind Power A Threat To Health And Safety [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
In 2008, then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the legislature mandated that 10 percent of the energy generated in Michigan come from alternative energy sources.
Although alternative energy sounded as though it included multiple sources, it largely means wind power.
In 2008, then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the legislature mandated that 10 percent of the energy generated in Michigan come from alternative energy sources.
Although alternative energy sounded as though it included multiple sources, it largely means wind power.
Experts have said no other alternative energy source could generate enough energy to provide a semblance of meeting the 10 percent quota.
The term “semblance” is used because less than one-third of wind power is actually alternative energy.
The term “semblance” is used because less than one-third of wind power is actually alternative energy.
In Michigan, the turbines can only be counted on to turn an average of 30 percent of the time.
The other 70 percent of time, they must be backed up by energy generated by fossil fuels.
Because of the 10 percent mandate, utilities like Consumers Energy and DTE Energy are forced to find land on which to place the wind farms.
Because of the 10 percent mandate, utilities like Consumers Energy and DTE Energy are forced to find land on which to place the wind farms.
To accomplish this they have to convince local governments that proposed wind farm projects will be installed in a manner that does not adversely impact residents.
"The mandate forces the utility to basically try to sell local officials on the idea of accepting a wind farm," Martis said.
"The mandate forces the utility to basically try to sell local officials on the idea of accepting a wind farm," Martis said.
"Local officials, who are rarely up to speed on wind power technology, are in a poor position to question or challenge the utility's claims about the safety and advisability of the project.
But where can they turn for unbiased advice?
They're not likely to find it at the state level, where the bureaucracy remains saturated with wind power activists and enthusiasts."
Question of the day: Has Muskegon succeeded in becoming a "premier, vibrant" shoreline city?
Question of the day: Has Muskegon succeeded in becoming a "premier, vibrant" shoreline city? | MLive.com:
“A premier, vibrant, affordable and ethnically diverse Shoreline City where citizens feel safe, enjoy their neighborhoods and access their city government,” reads the new city of Muskegon vision statement.
"the city commission also has seven goals it continues to work on despite shrinking revenues and the size of city staff. They are:
• Being a leader in improving race relations and diversity
• Fostering opportunities for city youth
• Promoting economic stability, diverse economic growth and redevelopment
• Sustaining natural, cultural and recreational resources of the community
• Strengthening stronger ties among local governments and agencies
• Developing and maintaining city roads, sewer, water and other facilities
• Maintaining and enhancing the city’s residential neighborhoods"
“A premier, vibrant, affordable and ethnically diverse Shoreline City where citizens feel safe, enjoy their neighborhoods and access their city government,” reads the new city of Muskegon vision statement.
"the city commission also has seven goals it continues to work on despite shrinking revenues and the size of city staff. They are:
• Being a leader in improving race relations and diversity
• Fostering opportunities for city youth
• Promoting economic stability, diverse economic growth and redevelopment
• Sustaining natural, cultural and recreational resources of the community
• Strengthening stronger ties among local governments and agencies
• Developing and maintaining city roads, sewer, water and other facilities
• Maintaining and enhancing the city’s residential neighborhoods"
The Party of Surrender
The Party of Surrender :: SteynOnline:
"From RNC honcho Reince Priebus, from the senator from Swing-State Central Rob Portman, and even from the great Charles Murray, the same mournful dirge echoes through the cavernous emptiness of the Republican big tent:
Give it up, losers — give it up on illegal immigration, gay marriage, abortion, and maybe Americans under 30, 50, whatever, will consider voting for you, or at any rate consider finding you marginally less repellent."
"From RNC honcho Reince Priebus, from the senator from Swing-State Central Rob Portman, and even from the great Charles Murray, the same mournful dirge echoes through the cavernous emptiness of the Republican big tent:
Give it up, losers — give it up on illegal immigration, gay marriage, abortion, and maybe Americans under 30, 50, whatever, will consider voting for you, or at any rate consider finding you marginally less repellent."
80-year-old Flint man fires shots at five robbery suspects
80-year-old Flint man fires shots at five robbery suspects | MLive.com:
"All the suspects fled eastbound from the home towards Ballenger Highway.
The homeowner thought he may have shot one of the suspects, but no shooting victim was found by police."
"All the suspects fled eastbound from the home towards Ballenger Highway.
The homeowner thought he may have shot one of the suspects, but no shooting victim was found by police."
Great Lakes oil proposals threaten repeat of Kalamazoo spill, environmentalists say
Great Lakes oil proposals threaten repeat of Kalamazoo spill, environmentalists say | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"We have six pipelines that cross the (U.S.-Canadian) border now," said Denise Hamsher, director of project planning for Enbridge's major projects group.
"They've been transporting crude oil since the 1950s and have been transporting oils from the Canadian oil sands for decades."
What's often being shipped isn't the oil seen gushing out of Texas oil towers in old movies.
It's tar sands crude or dilbit, a semisolid form of petroleum also known as diluted bitumen.
The sludgy product requires mixture with chemicals or other petroleum products to move through pipelines. Environmentalists argue it's a far harsher product on pipelines, and much more difficult to clean up when spills happen.
It was dilbit that spilled during the worst inland oil spill in U.S. history, a July 26, 2010, pipe breach in Marshall that devastated wetlands, Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River.
The product combined with river sediments and sank to the bottom, making traditional oil cleanup booms and surface skimmers ineffective."
"We have six pipelines that cross the (U.S.-Canadian) border now," said Denise Hamsher, director of project planning for Enbridge's major projects group.
"They've been transporting crude oil since the 1950s and have been transporting oils from the Canadian oil sands for decades."
What's often being shipped isn't the oil seen gushing out of Texas oil towers in old movies.
It's tar sands crude or dilbit, a semisolid form of petroleum also known as diluted bitumen.
The sludgy product requires mixture with chemicals or other petroleum products to move through pipelines. Environmentalists argue it's a far harsher product on pipelines, and much more difficult to clean up when spills happen.
It was dilbit that spilled during the worst inland oil spill in U.S. history, a July 26, 2010, pipe breach in Marshall that devastated wetlands, Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River.
The product combined with river sediments and sank to the bottom, making traditional oil cleanup booms and surface skimmers ineffective."
Gosnell: It’s Come to This at CNN
Ed Driscoll » Gosnell: It’s Come to This at CNN
“Philly-area columnist: CNN journo said ‘small staff’ means he can’t send reporter to cover Gosnell trial,” Twitchyreports:
Unreal.
J.D. Mullane is the Bucks County Courier Times columnist who took the photo of the empty rows of media seating at the Kermit Gosnell trial. His column titled “What I saw at the Gosnell trial” is a must-read.
According to Mullane, someone from CNN called to question the accuracy of his courtroom photo. Mullane’s pitch-perfect response was boom-worthy: “Go to Philly & see.” That’s when he says he was told a “small staff” made sending a reporter impossible.
It took an incredible social media push by online activists to shame the national media into covering the murder trial of Kermit Gosnell. CNN’s Jake Tapper, Erin Burnett and Anderson Cooper devoted segments to the Gosnell trial on Friday. But will CNN have a reporter in the courtroom on Monday?
CNN, which made its bones with live feeds from Baghdad during Operation Desert Storm, and can beam propaganda back from Pyongyang when it wants to, is reduced to claiming that it can’t put a reporter and a cameraman on the Amtrak Acela and send them to Philadelphia to cover the Gosnell trial. Note that CNN is but one component in aglobe-girdling corporation with Time magazine — can’t they send a reporter and cameraman with a portable HD camera and provide coverage for CNN? HBO is also part of that conglomerate. I bet they have a cameraman they could loan out on assignment if asked nicely.
Is anyone at CNN still wondering why it’s getting clobbered in the ratings?
“Philly-area columnist: CNN journo said ‘small staff’ means he can’t send reporter to cover Gosnell trial,” Twitchyreports:
Unreal.
J.D. Mullane is the Bucks County Courier Times columnist who took the photo of the empty rows of media seating at the Kermit Gosnell trial. His column titled “What I saw at the Gosnell trial” is a must-read.
According to Mullane, someone from CNN called to question the accuracy of his courtroom photo. Mullane’s pitch-perfect response was boom-worthy: “Go to Philly & see.” That’s when he says he was told a “small staff” made sending a reporter impossible.
It took an incredible social media push by online activists to shame the national media into covering the murder trial of Kermit Gosnell. CNN’s Jake Tapper, Erin Burnett and Anderson Cooper devoted segments to the Gosnell trial on Friday. But will CNN have a reporter in the courtroom on Monday?
CNN, which made its bones with live feeds from Baghdad during Operation Desert Storm, and can beam propaganda back from Pyongyang when it wants to, is reduced to claiming that it can’t put a reporter and a cameraman on the Amtrak Acela and send them to Philadelphia to cover the Gosnell trial. Note that CNN is but one component in aglobe-girdling corporation with Time magazine — can’t they send a reporter and cameraman with a portable HD camera and provide coverage for CNN? HBO is also part of that conglomerate. I bet they have a cameraman they could loan out on assignment if asked nicely.
Is anyone at CNN still wondering why it’s getting clobbered in the ratings?
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