Sunday, April 13, 2008

WeatherMate

http://ravib.com/wm

This is a really neet little weather aplet with no ads.

I have it on all my computers.

Enjoy.

GordoM-likes-weather

The Harbor Theater "thoughts"


Some thoughts on the Harbor Theater:


I haven't been yet and I hope I'm dead wrong but here are my thoughts.

It seems The Chronicle ad department isn't giving them much help.


1. I saw their ads this week in The Chronicle. Not terrible but about twice the size (and cost?) of the old ads the previous owners of the Harbor used. And less effective, in my opinion.


2. They have no web address of any kind in the ad. Why not?
Their own site isn't too bad.

They could learn much from their competitor's sites.
http://www.hope.edu/arts/knick/


3. The schedule is too dang confusing! They are new. They don't need new customers sitting in empty theatres on Sat. morning or 3 shows per day.


I'd suggest 2 shows on Sat/Sun and 1 on Wed/Thurs until they get some traction in the community.


4. The "non-profit" obsession is a turn-off to those of us who understand that privately generated "profit" is what pays for ALL the governmental functions of all of our governments....and there is that question about their definition of "non-profit".


5. A giant opportunity is the ability to rent their theatre for private events. I'd love to support a Tues night or afternoon showing of an art film or a political film like "An Inconvenient Truth" or "indoctrinate-u.com/" style DVD movies.


6.Are they contacting Rotary, Muskegon Community Foundation etc to offer their building for private shows?
7.Persnickety but it used to be spelled "Theatre" now "Theater".
Sad......


Maybe more of us can add positive advice.


GordoM-hopes-they-succeed

Turmoil Hits Mont. Club for Ultra Rich


We were in Big Sky 2 years ago. Ritzy!


"For the ultra-rich, the Yellowstone Club is a private retreat like no other. It boasts its own ski resort, security provided by ex-Secret Service agents and a deep-pocketed membership that includes Bill Gates and former Vice President Dan Quayle.
However, a bitter divorce fight between the club's billionaire founders as well as a lawsuit by a group of investors led by cycling legend Greg LeMond have revealed all is not well behind the tony club's gated entrance in southwestern Montana's Gallatin Mountains, according to recent court testimony and documents reviewed by The Associated Press"

Alicia Keyes: 'Gangsta Rap' Created to Convince Black People to Kill Each Other

Alicia Keyes: 'Gangsta Rap' Created to Convince Black People to Kill Each Other
"There's another side to Alicia Keys: conspiracy theorist.
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter tells Blender magazine: ''Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. 'Gangsta rap' didn't exist.'
Keys, 27, said she's read several Black Panther autobiographies and wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck 'to symbolize strength, power and killing 'em dead,"

Lonely Planet's bad trip | The Daily Telegraph

Lonely Planet's bad trip The Daily Telegraph: "THE Lonely Planet guidebook empire is reeling from claims by one of its authors that he plagiarised and made up large sections of his books and dealt drugs to make up for poor pay."

Serial Subway Groper Arrested Once Again

Serial Subway Groper Arrested Once Again
"About two weeks after he was released from prison, Freddie Johnson boarded a crowded subway train in Manhattan and illegally rubbed up against a woman, authorities said.

It is a fairly common crime on subways in New York. But this was no common criminal.

Johnson has been arrested a staggering 53 times -- the majority for groping women on the subway, police and prosecutors said."

Saturday, April 12, 2008

FEMA Issues New Limits on Formaldehyde Levels in Trailers

FEMA Issues New Limits on Formaldehyde Levels in Trailers
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency is setting strict new limits on formaldehyde levels in the mobile homes it buys for disaster victims.
After insisting that existing trailers are safe, the agency said Friday it will take 'extraordinary precautions' by buying trailers with formaldehyde emissions comparable to that of conventional housing. The requirement will cover a three-year contract to purchase up to 3,300 units and a smaller contract for units intended for disabled residents."

School spending out of control!


CARPE DIEM: "real Per Pupil Expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools has increased from $6051 in 1985-86 to $9295 in 2005-2006, a 53.61% increase (see graph above). Over the same period, real inflation-adjusted gas prices rose by only 10.9% according to EIA data, from $2.24 per gallon in January 1986 to $2.484 per gallon in January 2006 (the mid-point in the school year)."

Friday, April 11, 2008

FOXNews.com - Lawyers: Families of Virginia Tech Victims to Get $11M Settlement - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

FOXNews.com - Lawyers: Families of Virginia Tech Victims to Get $11M Settlement - Local News News Articles National News US News: "Families of the victims in the Virginia Tech shootings have reached an $11 million settlement with the state, lawyers said Thursday. The deal is designed to prevent future lawsuits.
Peter Grenier and Douglas Fierberg, who represent 21 families, said they would not discuss terms of the settlement until final papers are drawn"

Flying the Oberstar Skies - WSJ.com

Flying the Oberstar Skies - WSJ.com

Higher state tax on beer? - San Jose Mercury News

Higher state tax on beer? - San Jose Mercury News: "Joe Six-pack will have to pay a lot more to get his buzz on if Assemblyman Jim Beall has his way.
The San Jose Democrat on Thursday proposed raising the beer tax by $1.80 per six-pack, or 30 cents per can or bottle. The current tax is 2 cents per can. That's an increase of about 1,500 percent."

YouTube - 236.com: SwiftKids- The Pantsuit

YouTube - 236.com: SwiftKids- The Pantsuit

Thursday, April 10, 2008

My Way - Sports News

My Way - Sports News: "Self's new deal is likely to make him one of college basketball's highest-paid coaches. Florida coach Billy Donovan is believed to be the highest among coaches at public universities, after he signed a six-year contract worth $3.5 million per year in 2007."

Michigan Girl's Birthday Hope Comes True

Michigan Girl's Birthday Hope Comes True
"At her seventh birthday party, Amber Birdsall thought the huge gift box wrapped in pink paper likely hid a pair of bicycles.
She was wrong. Inside was something she wanted even more - her stepfather, a soldier who had been deployed overseas.
'This is way better than bikes,' Amber said"

Annual balloon festival postponed until 2009

Annual balloon festival postponed until 2009: "JACKSON, Mich. (AP) -- The annual Hot Air Jubilee in Jackson has been canceled this year.
Chairman Dean Anderson tells the Jackson Citizen Patriot that the committee wants to reorganize the event following years of financial problems and poor weather.
It was scheduled for July 18-20. Anderson says the event will return in 2009"

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences - Michigan State University

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences - Michigan State University: "Why doesn't the regular MSU soil test include nitrogen analysis?
Soil nitrate levels are the best indicator of nitrogen availability. Because these levels fluctuate widely depending on rainfall and soil temperature, the best time to take soil nitrate samples in while the crop is growing. within two weeks of supplemental nitrogen applications.
A soil sample taken months ahead of this time will not provide an accurate measure of the nitrogen available to the plants."

U.N. Official Calls for Study Of Neocons' Role in 9/11 | The New York Sun

U.N. Official Calls for Study Of Neocons' Role in 9/11 The New York Sun: "Mr. Falk said, 'It is possibly true that especially the neoconservatives thought there was a situation in the country and in the world where something had to happen to wake up the American people. ......... All we can say is there is a lot of grounds for suspicion, there should be an official investigation of the sort the 9/11 commission did not engage in and that the failure to do these things is cheating the American people and in some sense the people of the world of a greater confidence in what really happened than they presently possess.'"

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Muskegon could fix 'missing link' on Lakeshore Trail - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com

Muskegon could fix 'missing link' on Lakeshore Trail - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com: "Al-Shatel said the job could be done using less than $100,000 of Major Street funds, and could begin this summer, if the commission approves."

Insiders: Confessions Of A Hedge Fund Manager Redux

Insiders: Confessions Of A Hedge Fund Manager Redux: "So can you tell me what happened with Bear Stearns? What were the steps?"

New FEMA map for Grand Rapids could cost residents big time

New FEMA map for Grand Rapids could cost residents big time: "If FEMA gets its way, roughly 6,000 homes and businesses would be added to the floodplain on both sides of the river.

'A lot of residential properties, a lot of commercial properties in this area both north and south of I-196 and west of 131 would be affected,' said DeLong.

Michael Smith bought his house in Walker years ago. At that time, he made sure his house was not in a floodplain.

'Ten years down the road, they're suddenly changing the ball game on me and it doesn't make me happy at all,” says Michael.

Thousands of homeowners may have to purchase flood insurance.

Angie Rinock of State Farm Insurance says, 'The average cost of flood insurance is about $400 a year, about $35 to $40 extra dollars a month.'

But that's just the average, some estimates put the number between $1000 and $4000 dollars a year."

Michigan State Police Suffering Through Trooper Shortage

Michigan State Police Suffering Through Trooper Shortage: "Scott Wilber is a trooper and a representative for the Trooper's Association. He says the Michigan State Police hasn't trained any new recruits in six years.

As a result, the department is down about 400 people statewide."

Teacher breaks wall of silence at state's Muslim public school

Teacher breaks wall of silence at state's Muslim public school: "Why does the Minnesota Department of Education allow this sort of religious activity at a public school? According to Zaman, the department inspects TIZA regularly -- and has done so 'numerous times' -- to ensure that it is not a religious school."

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

My Way News - NY Union Members Charged With Extortion

My Way News - NY Union Members Charged With Extortion: "A dozen leaders and members of a construction union were arrested Tuesday and charged with a decade of attacks against nonunion workers and their families, and prosecutors said some of the crimes were aided by the local's access to state motor vehicle records"

GAO: Millions Wasted on Gov't Cards

GAO: Millions Wasted on Gov't Cards: "Federal employees charged millions of dollars for Internet dating, tailor-made suits, lingerie, lavish dinners and other questionable expenses to their government credit cards over a 15-month period, congressional auditors say."

Obama Delegate Resigns After Remark

Obama Delegate Resigns After Remark: "'I calmly said the tree is not there for them to be climbing in there like monkeys.'
The mother of one boy called police.
Cmdr. Michael Kilbourne said Tuesday a ticket was issued because the ordinance bans conduct that disturbs or alarms people. One of the boys told police he was scared by her comment and a mother said she was disturbed, he said."

Monday, April 07, 2008

JS Online: Pension twist costs county millions

JS Online: Pension twist costs county millions: "Hundreds of Milwaukee County workers have pumped up their pensions by a total of at least $50 million through an obscure program that skirted county laws and federal tax rules, a Journal Sentinel investigation found."

Chicago Boyz » Blog Archive » Britain and Electricity

Britain and Electricity: "There is a looming electricity crisis that is about to overtake the United States. While our demand for electricity continues to increase due to construction, computers (data centers take up a significant portion of electricity demand), and potentially even electric cars, essentially no new “base load” supply of electrical generation is being added to the market."

Confederate Yankee: MSNBC Games McCain Speech with Irrelevant "Breaking News"

MSNBC Games McCain Speech with Irrelevant "Breaking News": "MSNBC needs to justify this 'breaking news' event by proving that they have broken into other live events on their network to cover minor Green Zone mortar attacks during the campaign season.
Somehow, I doubt they can."

College Isn’t Worth a Million Dollars

College Isn’t Worth a Million Dollars
"the shocking conclusions that American higher education today has gotten too expensive for what it produces; that it has become too costly for the typical student ... that education (a college degree) does not pay!”"

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Cattle feeders feel effects of ethanol's need for corn

Cattle feeders feel effects of ethanol's need for corn
"Ask John Van Pelt his thoughts on ethanol, and he's likely to pull out his adding machine and let the numbers speak for themselves.
Van Pelt, the manager of a cattle feedlot in this town 50 miles south of Amarillo, is now paying $215 a ton for cattle feed — double what he spent just three years ago. With 20,000 cattle in his yard, that works out to about $25,000 per day, just in feed, and what could become several million dollars in added costs this year."