Money for Nothing

Money for Nothing [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
At a press conference Wednesday, Gov. Rick Snyder explained why he wants to give $350 million in state money — which he insists is not a bailout — to Detroit.

Details are lacking, but Gov. Snyder says he wants an "investment" from state tobacco revenue settlement funds to match a generous offer of support from private foundations. He says this would protect Detroit pensioners and the Detroit Institute of Arts collection.

Gov. Snyder says this is not a "bailout" but a "settlement" because a bailout (I am paraphrasing) involves giving money to bankers and not getting anything in return. This seems a bit of a stretch.

Dictionary.com’s second entry on "bailout" reads: "an instance of coming to the rescue, especially financially: a government bailout of a large company." (Emphasis in the original.)

Last week, I listed just some of the reasons Detroit should not be bailed out. Among them, taking precious state resources that could be used for other state spending (road funding, for example) to give to Detroit is fundamentally unfair to all those Michigan residents who were never part of the Detroit equation. It requires statewide residents to give up something of value (future government services or tax cuts) to cover the bad policy decisions and mismanagement of Detroit.

US Pacific Commander Warns "Risks Are Growing" Between China & Japan

US Pacific Commander Warns "Risks Are Growing" Between China & Japan | Zero Hedge:
"While it is becoming increasingly clear that tensions between Japan and China (and in fact most of the Asian nations) are escalating; the fact that Admiral Samuel Locklear - commander of US forces in the Pacific - believes "risk calculations are growing," as the two large powers have a disagreement but are not willing to talk to each other, shows this is more than just talk.
As The AP reports, Washington's treaty obligations to its ally Japan mean it could be sucked into a conflict."

Tammy D now weekly at The Muskegon Tribune----Where will you be?

Where will you be?:

"Unfortunately, our first line of fact checkers, the press, went over to the dark side years ago. 

If we would have been paying attention, we would’ve realized the press was no longer a good source of information.

Had we checked out the information ourselves, we would’ve been armed for the next round.

 Instead, we’re standing in the middle of the ring, blindfolded with our hands tied behind our back."

Say it ain't so!-------------------------The Days Of $7.99 Netflix May Soon Be Over

The Days Of $7.99 Netflix May Soon Be Over:

 "Netflix is finally talking seriously about increasing prices.

 For years, the streaming service in the U.S. has cost $7.99 per month.

But analysts have said that in order for Netflix to cover its high content and expansion costs -- and more recently, to cover potential increased costs due to net neutrality issues -- it would only be a matter of time before the streaming video service had to increase its prices.

 That time may be soon.

 In its letter to shareholders on Wednesday, Netflix said that it hopes "to offer new members a selection of three simple options to fit everyone's taste.""

So, if I take 2, the constipation will offset the diarrhea and everything will be "just right"?

For the Consumer

Applies to cyclobenzaprine: oral capsule extended release, oral suspension, oral tablet

Along with its needed effects, cyclobenzaprine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Some side effects of cyclobenzaprine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common or rare

• Bloated feeling or gas, indigestion, nausea or vomiting, or stomach cramps or pain
• constipation
• diarrhea

History for January 24

History for January 24 - On-This-Day.com:

Birth anniversary of actor/comedian John Belushi (1949-82).

 Happy Birthday! Neil Diamond, Mary Lou Retton, Yakov Smirnoff

1908 - In England, the first Boy Scout troop was organized by Robert Baden-Powell. 


1965 - Winston Churchill died at the age of 90. 


1972 - The U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws that denied welfare benefits to people who had resided in a state for less than a year. 


1989 - Ted Bundy, the confessed serial killer, was put to death in Florida's electric chair for the 1978 kidnap-murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach. 

De Blasio ‘getting back at us’ by not plowing: UES residents

De Blasio ‘getting back at us’ by not plowing: UES residents | New York Post:

"It really is a tale of two cities — this time with the tony Upper East Side getting the shaft!

Huge swaths of the city’s wealthiest neighborhood had been not been plowed by early Tuesday evening, leaving 1-percenters out in the cold, according to the city’s own map of snow-plower activity. 

“He is trying to get us back.

He is very divisive and political,” said writer and life-long Upper East Side mom Molly Jong Fast of Mayor de Blasio."

What could possibly go wrong.......Snyder seeks 50,000 work visas to lure immigrants to Detroit

Snyder seeks 50,000 work visas to lure immigrants to Detroit | Crain's Detroit Business:
 "During a morning event at the IDEAL Group, a family-owned manufacturing and construction company in southwest Detroit whose founder is the grandson of Mexican immigrants, Snyder announced his plans to try to secure 50,000 work visas for the city over five years. 
The type of visas involved are not currently allocated by region or state, but rather go to legal immigrants who have advanced degrees or show exceptional ability in certain fields.
Under the governor's unique proposal, one-quarter of the nation’s 40,000 annual EB-2 visas would be designated for such immigrants willing to live and work for five years in Detroit."

Fact-Free Left Turns Blind Eye To Socialism's Failures Of The Past

Fact-Free Left Turns Blind Eye To Socialism's Failures Of The Past - Investors.com

President Obama seems completely unaware of how many of the policies he is trying to impose have been tried before, in many times and places around the world, and have failed time and again.

Economic equality? 
That was tried in the 19th century, in communities set up by Robert Owen, the man who coined the term "socialism." 
Those communities all collapsed.

Media shocked that criminals not flooding legal checks-----Colorado gun checks surge in 2013, but only 1.8 percent are rejected

Colorado gun checks surge in 2013, but only 1.8 percent are rejected - The Denver Post:
"While Colorado politicians went head-to-head under the gold dome in 2013 over gun-control legislation, firearms dealers made money hand over fist.

More people tried to buy a gun in 2013 than in any year in the state's history.
Nearly 400,000 criminal background checks were processed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for would-be gun purchasers — or 16 percent more than in 2012, itself a record-breaking year.

Despite a new law that expanded background checks to include all gun sales, 2013 data show that only 1.9 percent of checks were denied.
The denial rate is lower than it was in 2012, prior to the new law.
In 2012, 2.1 percent of sales netted denials."

Here It Comes - More Leading Economists Call For Capital Controls

Here It Comes - More Leading Economists Call For Capital Controls | Zero Hedge:

In a speech to the American Economic Association earlier this month, the pair suggested that rich economies may need to resort to the tactics generally reserved for emerging markets.

This is code for financial repression and capital controls.

The idea behind capital controls is simple: create barriers to restrict the free flow of capital. And if you’re on the receiving end, capital controls can be enormously destructive.

But for politicians, capital controls are hugely beneficial; once they trap funds within their borders, the money can be easily taxed, confiscated, or inflated.

Historically, capital controls have been used in ‘desperate times’. Too much debt. Too much deficit spending. Wars. Huge trade deficit. Intentional currency devaluation. Etc.

Does any of this sound familiar? It’s no surprise that policymakers have once again turned to this ‘desperate measure’. They’re already here.

Iceland has capital controls, over five years after its spectacular meltdown. We can also see capital controls in Cyprus, India, Argentina, etc.

I’ve been writing for years that capital controls are a foregone conclusion. This is no longer theory or conjecture. It’s happening. And every bit of objective evidence suggests that the march towards capital controls will quicken.

This is a HUGE reason to consider holding a portion of your savings overseas in a strong, stable foreign bank where your home government won’t as easily be able to trap your savings.

Our schools are more babysitter than educational----When Kids Get A Snow Day, Working Parents Forced To Scramble

When Kids Get A Snow Day, Working Parents Forced To Scramble « CBS Philly:
 "MALVERN, Pa. (CBS) — It’s always a stress for working parents when schools are closed, trying to figure out how to care for the kids while still having to work.
......“But it generally does require some shuffling and some, ‘Hey, it’s time to be quiet, Mom has some conference calls.’ “"

Even Big Labor Leftists say real unemployment number is over 10 percent

Ken Braun: Even Big Labor Leftists say real unemployment number is over 10 percent | MLive.com

A pool of “missing workers” as large as the economy of Illinois is being ignored by the official unemployment rate, according to a think tank run by America’s big labor unions.

These workers have disappeared from the labor force since the start of the Great Recession in 2008, having given up looking for work. 

If their plight were counted accurately the December 2013 unemployment rate would zoom from the “official” 6.7 percent to a whopping 10.2 percent.

An official number this high has not been recorded since 1940, the year before American entry into World War II.

Using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that factor out changing demographics - such as a growing number of retirees - the Economic Policy Institute reportconcludes nearly 6 million additional Americans would be looking for work today if we used the labor force participation standard in effect for 2008 and earlier.

New App Will Scan Your Date’s Face to See If They’re a Sex Offender

New App Will Scan Your Date’s Face to See If They’re a Sex Offender | Betabeat:
"There’s a soon-to-be-released app that identifies strangers by using a creepshot a user uploads of them, to further enable your cyberstalking ways.
This latest advancement in technology is an app called NameTag.
It works by users uploading a snapshot of a person, where it’s then scanned and compared to publicly available social media accounts and dating website profiles. 
It also scans criminal databases, like the National Sex Offender Registry, to identify pervs.
What results is a detailed dossier of your subject, allowing you to commence your private browser-backed creeping."

Obama 'Threatens Fox News Reporter's Career' For Digging Too Deep into the Benghazi Story.

BREAKING: Obama 'Threatens Fox News Reporter's Career' For Digging Too Deep into the Benghazi Story... | RedFlagNews.com
Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren charges that the Obama administration tried to press her to shut down a colleague’s reporting on the jihadist attack in Benghazi, Libya, that cost the lives of a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.

Van Susteren asserted recently on her blog that the administration made an extensive effort to conceal what happened in Benghazi. She cited U.S. officials’ refusal to include the Fox News Channel in several Benghazi briefings along with a warning that her colleague’s career would be ruined if she persisted in her reporting on the attack.

The Fox News host recalled a “disturbing phone call from a good friend in the Obama administration” shortly after the Sept. 11, 2012, attack, which the administration initially blamed on a protest of an anti-Islam video.

“In this call, my friend told me that my colleague Jennifer Griffin, who was aggressively reporting on Benghazi, was wrong and that, as a favor to me, my friend in the administration was telling me so that I could tell Jennifer so that she did not ruin her career,” Van Susteren wrote.

Van Susteren said that in her 20-plus years in the business, she had never received a call to try to shut down a colleague.

What do we do when we don't believe most anything our governor says?----------Snyder recommends state contribute $350 million to help settle Detroit bankruptcy

Snyder recommends state contribute $350 million to help settle Detroit bankruptcy | Crain's Detroit Business

Gov. Rick Snyder recommended Wednesday that the state contribute $350 million over 20 years to a settlement offer to help resolve Detroit's bankruptcy.

"This is a settlement," Snyder said. 
"This is not a bailout. I want to be very, very clear about that.

"The money, which would require legislative approval, would not pay off the banks, other creditors or the city's debts, he said. 

It is meant to minimize the harm to the city's retirees and to protect assets.

"This is about getting Detroit to be stable, to grow again, to give good services to its citizens, to help people in all parts of Detroit," Snyder said.

It's dem vs RINO. It's Americans vs american government-------We’re All Suspects in Barack Obama’s America

We’re All Suspects in Barack Obama’s America | Alternet:
"Barack Obama’s speech Friday on surveillance was his worst performance, not as a matter of theatrical skill, though he clearly did not embrace his lines, but in its stark betrayal of his oft proclaimed respect for constitutional safeguards and civil liberty.

 His unbridled defense of the surveillance state opened the door to the new McCarthyism of Mike Rogers and Dianne Feinstein, the leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees, who on Sunday talk shows were branding Edward Snowden as a possible Russian spy.

Instead of crediting Snowden for forcing what the president concedes is a much-needed debate, Obama bizarrely cited the example of Paul Revere and the other early American rebels in the Sons of Liberty to denounce their modern equivalent.

But the “secret surveillance committee” Obama referenced that Revere and his fellow underground conspirators established was intended to subvert rather than celebrate the crimes of the British controlled government in power."

Crony capitalists. A pox on their house!---------Chamber of Commerce Spent Over $50 Million Pushing Amnesty, Common Core in 2013

Chamber of Commerce Spent Over $50 Million Pushing Amnesty, Common Core in 2013:
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent more than $50 million on lobbying efforts last year and will surpass that this year as it ramps up its efforts on amnesty, Common Core, and the destruction of the Tea Party that is opposed to both measures. 
According to disclosure reports, the Chamber of Commerce spent about $52.7 million last year, and much of that was spent on what has been described as the "top legislative priority for the business community"--amnesty for illegal immigrants.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that the pathway to citizenship provision in immigration reform legislation would lower the wages of American workers."

5+ years of Obamamercia----"Zombie subdivisions," abandoned in downturn, plague Colorado counties

"Zombie subdivisions," abandoned in downturn, plague Colorado counties - The Denver Post:

""Zombie subdivisions" — some platted but vacant land, others partially built and then abandoned — plague parts of the Intermountain West, siphoning valuable resources from struggling local governments, dragging down property values and causing blight.
Millions of these undeveloped lots exist, many requiring public services in remote neighborhoods that generate little tax revenue. 
The unfinished developments have become the "living dead of the real estate market," according to a report released Wednesday by the Cambridge, Mass.-based Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
The problem is especially prevalent in states including Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Arizona — where wide-open spaces and booming economies drew new residents and developers before the recession began."

The tree huggers ain't gonna like what happens to trees when Barry triples energy costs------NH Thieves Raiding Woodpiles For Firewood

NH Thieves Raiding Woodpiles For Firewood « CBS Boston:

"CANDIA, N.H. (CBS) — Janine Richardson couldn’t believe it when she and her husband went to bring in some firewood to heat their home and it was all gone.

“We don’t use oil at all,” said Richardson. 

“We heat by wood solely so it was cold, it was cold that night, luckily we had little scraps around so we burnt that for the night.” 

Police in Candia New Hampshire says it’s happened at least twice this month. Heavy piles of firewood have been stolen from people’s property.

“I haven’t seen that in this area,” said Candia Police Chief Mike McGillen. “I can’t recall having many investigations like this.”"

Well, pot education coming to our schools? I sure hope it'll be as effective as "sex ed" was in preventing unwanted pregnancies----Sheriff to launch discussion on the impacts of legal marijuana

Sheriff to launch discussion on the impacts of legal marijuana | Aspen Daily News Online:
"How can the Aspen School District encourage students to delay marijuana use until their brains have fully matured?
How can Aspen pot shops discourage naïve tourists from eating enough cannabis-infused products to induce a bad trip?
And should the Aspen Skiing Co. be worried about more people chiefing on its chairlifts?
Those are just a few of the questions that Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo is hoping to shed light on when he convenes a community roundtable discussion about the impacts of legal marijuana on Monday."

This is very cool---His Daughter Started A Modeling Career At Age 5. Sounds Wrong, But It’s Not What I Thought…

His Daughter Started A Modeling Career At Age 5. Sounds Wrong, But It’s Not What I Thought… | Distractify: