Thursday, July 16, 2009

Albert -- the Not-So Great -- Gore

Albert -- the Not-So Great -- Gore
"Think what you want about George W. Bush, but he did do this: he saved us from a Gore Presidency. Is there a greater smelly stew of vanity, vacuity, ignorance, arrogance, and hubris in Washington than Albert Gore Jr.?"

Indictment paints portrait of Sam Riddle as middle man for Monica Conyers

Indictment paints portrait of Sam Riddle as middle man for Monica Conyers
"'Defendant Riddle and Monica Conyers,' the Detroit corruption indictment reads. Over and over again.
Conyers resigned from the Detroit City Council last month after pleading guilty to conspiracy commit bribery."

Michigan unemployment rate jumps again to 15.2 percent in June

Michigan unemployment rate jumps again to 15.2 percent in June
"Michigan's unemployment rate soared to 15.2 percent in June, the state's highest monthly rate since the spring of 1983."

House Speaker Andy Dillon proposes Michigan's 400,000 public employees receive same health insurance coverage

House Speaker Andy Dillon proposes Michigan's 400,000 public employees receive same health insurance coverage
"State employees pay between 5 and 10 percent of the cost of their health care depending on coverage type, according to report compiled by Dillon's office.
Despite a trend toward more cost-sharing at the local school district level, the report said many school employees 'pay no premiums or very small premiums for their health care.'"

Train bound for nowhere? Amtrak too costly

Train bound for nowhere? Amtrak too costly
"Our issue here is twofold: Is the $7.3 million now spent on Amtrak the best use of dwindling financial resources for a state mired in a persistent fiscal crisis; and who is using the train to Chicago?"

Mitch Ryder ready to roar into Bike Time festival

Mitch Ryder ready to roar into Bike Time festival
"The creator of such well-known hits as 'Devil With a Blue Dress On,' 'Jenny Take a Ride,' and ''Sock It To Me Baby,' Ryder plans to deliver his no-frills, high-energy classic-rock grooves to Muskegon's Bike Time festival 8:30 p.m. Saturday."

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Michigan Budget Deficit Swells To Almost $2 Billion - CURRENT YEAR!

Michigan Budget Deficit Swells To Almost $2 Billion - CURRENT YEAR!
"But now, it appears that it will be closer to $2 billion. Boy was I way off.
With the growing deficit, it will be time once again for Granholm to kick the can, backfilling the shortfall with stimulus dollars that will evaporate in a year and a half, leaving a huge chasm for the next Governor."

Bride's bouquet brings down plane

Bride's bouquet brings down plane

"However, the flowers were sucked into the plane's engine causing it to catch fire and explode.

The aircraft plunged into a hostel. One passenger on the plane was badly hurt.
But about 50 people who had been in the hostel escaped unscathed, as did the pilot."

Nice wedding planner touch?

House bill to hit millionaires with 5.4 pct surtax

House bill to hit millionaires with 5.4 pct surtax
"sweeping overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system to be announced on Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives will include a surtax on millionaires of 5.4 percent, congressional sources said"

Let's see, take more money from rich folks, give it to Barney Frank and his buddies, and we'll have more jobs?

Just how dumb are they... or is it us?

Minority Broadcasters Seek Federal Aid

Minority Broadcasters Seek Federal Aid
A group of minority broadcasters asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Monday for financial assistance akin to the aid that has been extended to the financial and auto industries."

This is GREAT! No one listens to their stations so the rest of us will live with more pot holes to subsidize the millionaire owners cuz their black?

White males gotta be gettin' close to being a minority.... right?

Meeting to focus on migrants' civil rights




Meeting to focus on migrants' civil rights
"Civil rights officials will be available to take reports on potential civil rights violations and discrimination incidents faced by migrant workers.

Reports can be conducted privately and anonymously.

Spanish-language interpreters will be available.

The civil rights agency is also accepting testimony from representatives of government and social service agencies."

So our government is goin' on a fishin' trip with the big fish being "anonymous" testimony from spanish folks given to "civil right" apparatchiks.

Folks, something is wrong here.

Port St. Lucie apologizes to Treasure Coast Tea Party

Port St. Lucie apologizes to Treasure Coast Tea Party
"About 75 members of the anti-tax group attended the City Council’s Monday night meeting looking for an apology.
They have said their civil rights were violated when they were singled out at the festival by being put into a special area with a sign nearby stating Port St. Lucie did not back their views or opinions.
Members got the apology they wanted and more Monday night the offer from Cooper to cover the cost of the city sign himself, rather than taxpayers, and the promise of no more signs at city-sponsored events."

Tea Parties in parks are nice.
75 Tea Partyers in politician's offices gets the job done!
Duh!

Nearly all my professors are Democrats. Isn't that a problem?

Nearly all my professors are Democrats. Isn't that a problem?
"What I didn't realize is that journalism that examined the dominance of liberal ideas on campus would be addressed with hostility.
A professor who confronted me declared that he was 'personally offended' by my column. He railed that his political viewpoints never affected his teaching and suggested that if I wanted a faculty with Republicans I should have attended a university in the South. 'If you like conservatism you can certainly attend the University of Texas and you can walk past the statue of Jefferson Davis everyday on your way to class,' he wrote in an e-mail."

Ain't no problomo as long as we keep the cons out....right?

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

GM Bankruptcy Frees Up Millions for Buick Marketing

GM Bankruptcy Frees Up Millions for Buick Marketing
"Having a bigger budget to promote Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC was among GM’s goals in shedding Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab in its 40-day restructuring. The $27,085 LaCrosse was one of about a half-dozen models featured last week when GM left Chapter 11 as a new company.
“They can spend that much now because they have half the brands to cover,” said Aaron Bragman, an analyst at IHS Global Insight Inc. in Troy, Michigan. “That’s the beauty of it.”"

Didn't Obama's car czar cut Chrysler's ad budget in half when he took over the company?
Now GM will double (relatively) its ad budget?

Thank god for CZARS.....

You call that a knife? This is a knife!

You call that a knife? This is a knife!
"A Stanley knife wielding bandit had the tables turned on him when he attempted to rob a Brisbane convenience store attendant who was cutting vegetables.
The attendant, who had a much larger kitchen knife, chased the man out of the Cut Price Supermarket store on Aminya Rd, Mansfield, about 2.50pm (AEST) on Monday.
He did not make off with any money or goods."

Monday, July 13, 2009

Tim Geithner: recession will be over within months - Telegraph

Tim Geithner: recession will be over within months - Telegraph

Business Week sale may fetch only $1

Business Week sale may fetch only $1: "Business Week sale may fetch only $1
By Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson in New York
Published: July 13 2009 20:09 Last updated: July 13 2009 23:28
McGraw-Hill could reap just $1 from a sale of Business Week, according to people familiar with the 80-year-old financial magazine’s losses"

7 day cruise $459!!!!


CruCon Cruise 800-493-6609
"NCL Pearl – 7 nt.
Eastern Caribbean -
RT Miami
(Miami, Samana, St Thomas, Tortola, Great Stirrup Cay, Miami)
Sailing DateInside Oceanview BalconyMini-Suite
10/10/09 $ 569 pp $ 729 pp $ 979 pp$ 1249 pp
10/17/09 $ 469 pp $ 599 pp $ 899 pp$ 1199 pp
10/24/09 $ 459 pp $ 559 pp $ 859 pp$ 1149 pp"

PALIN-BASHING IS WOMEN-BASHING? Don’t be silly. She’s not a woman, she’s a Republican….

PALIN-BASHING IS WOMEN-BASHING?
"PALIN-BASHING IS WOMEN-BASHING? Don’t be silly. She’s not a woman, she’s a Republican.
Posted at by Glenn Reynolds at 2:56 pm"

Public-employee pensions put cities, states in tight squeeze - Opinion - USATODAY.com

Public-employee pensions put cities, states in tight squeeze - Opinion - USATODAY.com

As Americans slaving away at private-sector jobs have watched their 401(k) retirement accounts pulled down about one-third by the stock market, they might have found some comfort in thinking everyone's in the same boat.
The comfort is not only small; it's false:
More than 80% of state and city government workers are guaranteed a pre-set, generous pension, and most also can retire early.
Such "defined benefit" pensions generally went out of style in private business and the federal government in the 1980s because of their cost.
They're a main reason why cities and counties across the country are in dire financial straits. Vallejo, Calif., filed for bankruptcy protection last year.
El Monte, Calif., narrowly avoided it June 30.
Others are considering it.
In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said last month that the pension system is "out of control."

Recent stock market declines have left public and private pension plans alike underfunded, but the problem is deeper for public plans because they offer bigger pensions and make them available earlier, particularly to public safety employees. Three-fifths of state-government pension funds owe at least 20% more money than they have. According to the National Association of State Retirement Administrators, the shortfall is $430 billion, or about $3,800 for every U.S. household. Other estimates put the number above $1 trillion