Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Today's debate: 'Double dipping' -- Public sector 'retirees' draw a pension -- and a paycheck


'Double dipping' -- Public sector 'retirees' draw a pension -- and a paycheck
"Taxpayers, younger workers suffer when pensioners go back on payroll.

Consider this career choice faced by tens of thousands of teachers, police officers and other government workers across the USA:
Work past the age when you can collect a guaranteed pension (often 50 or 55), or retire that year and come back to your old desk or one nearby to collect the pension and a crisp new paycheck to boot.
Collecting both checks is a no-brainer, and in most states it's also legal. This 'double dipping' is financed by the 100 million private-sector workers who have no such option themselves,
and in several states they've started expressing some well-placed anger."

In the "Two America's" of today, we in the private sector tighten our belts so the public sector employees can let out their belts.

How long will we let this continue?

How long will the young americans be silent?

Woman gives birth on pavement 'after being refused ambulance'


Woman gives birth on pavement 'after being refused ambulance'
"A young mother gave birth on a pavement outside a hospital after she was told to make her own way there.
Mother-of-three Carmen Blake called her midwife to ask for an ambulance when she went into labour unexpectedly with her fourth child"

Thousands of surgeries may be cut in Metro Vancouver, leaked paper reveals


Thousands of surgeries may be cut in Metro Vancouver, leaked paper reveals: "Vancouver patients needing neurosurgery, treatment for vascular diseases and other medically necessary procedures can expect to wait longer for care, NDP health critic Adrian Dix said Monday.
Dix said a Vancouver Coastal Health Authority document shows it is considering chopping more than 6,000 surgeries in an effort to make up for a dramatic budgetary shortfall that could reach $200 million."

Anyone notice the liberal's old popular phrase "Canadian style health care" seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth?

Unintended consequences of government


Unintended consequences of government
"the economic role of government is to create the conditions whereby businesses can compete freely and openly.
This may sound benevolent at first glance, but isn't legislation that just singles out new 'businesses' an assault on every existing small business?
Wouldn't the unintended consequence of this legislation be to unfairly penalize existing, struggling small businesses?"

There will be a large group of Republicans hoping to replace Con. Pete Hoekstra next year.

Muskegon's Bill Cooper is in that group and has an interesting take on government grants or legislation that targets specific companies ("oh yeah, free money") and leaves the rest out in the cold.

It's a good article from one of Muskegon's more successful entrepreneurs.

My additional observation is that when companies see that their competitive advantage is best improved by political connections and contributions rather than their own innovation, their creative capital will shift to influencing political decisions instead of focusing on more competitive products and services.

In other words, if you want more tainted money flowing to more ethically challenged politicians (of any party), give the politicians MORE power in choosing "winners" or "losers" in Michigan businesses.


Brinks Security now Broadview Security?

Brinks is a well known name, even to criminals.

No one has ever heard of Broadview.

Why the name change?

Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform


Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
"CBS News has learned that up to 60,000 people have cancelled their AARP memberships since July 1, angered over the group's position on health care"

I sent them my "cancel my membership" e-mail this morning!

You can cancel your AARP membership here: http://www.aarp.org/aarp/contact_aarp1/

Here's the link for the conservative friendly American Seniors Association (ASA):
http://tinyurl.com/q78gcu

ASA’s Four Pillars
• Social Security Reform

• Medicare Reform

• Tax Reform (Fair Tax)

• Keeping Citizen Benefits out of the hands of illegal aliens

Do it now!

You'll feel healthier all week!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Climate change we CAN believe in!

Tim Pawlenty foresees GOP surge if health plan is rejected
It appears that President Obama is making great progress on climate change, he is changing the political climate in the country back to Republican,” Pawlenty said during a speech to the second annual GOPAC conference in Chicago."

Rethinking Canada's pension problem

Rethinking Canada's pension problem: "A 2007 report by consulting firm Towers Perrin, found the private sector workforce grew by 26% in Canada between 1992 and 2005, but overall pension coverage fell from 49% to 42%. It's the perfect storm for a pension crisis."

Michigan School Databases: Union Contracts, Revenues, Expenditures, and More

Michigan School Databases: Union Contracts, Revenues, Expenditures, and More
"Much of the day-to-day life of Michigan’s public schools is shaped by
their district's union contracts, spending choices and available revenues.
Michigan School Databases, hosted by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy,
provides a revealing look at public school districts across the state."

Falling Boulder Kills Man in ColoradoRock Smashes Windshield; Wife Drives 3 Kids to Safety

A 45-year-old Missouri man died Friday afternoon when a boulder fell off a Colorado mountain and landed on his car, according to the Aspen Daily News.
Tom Murphy was driving his wife and three boys home to Kansas City following a weeklong vacation in Snowmass when the accident happened along Route 82 near Aspen. According to authorities, a boulder the size of a cooler fell off a mountain and crashed through the windshield of the family's SUV, hitting Murphy on the head and knocking him unconscious.

Canada's doctors-"We all agree that the system is imploding

Overhauling health-care system tops agenda at annual meeting of Canada's doctors: "The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says this country's health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it.
Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care and she adds that physicians from across the country - who will gather in Saskatoon on Sunday for their annual meeting - recognize that changes must be made.
'We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,' Doing said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
'We know that there must be change,' she said. 'We're all running flat out, we're all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands.'"

Sunday, August 16, 2009

The Associated Press: Obama birthplace flap evokes Chester Arthur debate

The Associated Press: Obama birthplace flap evokes Chester Arthur debate
Finding the "birthplace" of President Chester A. Arthur is easy: Turn left at Town Hall and its Chester A. Arthur Conference Room, go past Chester's Bakery and turn right on Chester A. Arthur Road.
Nearly five miles up the winding two-lane country road, past rolling hills and dairy farms, is the tiny Chester A. Arthur Historic Site, proclaiming the spot where the nation's 21st president was born in a cottage.
Or was he?
Nearly 123 years after his death, doubts about his U.S. citizenship linger, thanks to lack of documentation and a political foe's claim that Arthur was really born in Canada — and was therefore ineligible for the White House, where he served from 1881 to 1885.
Long before "birthers" began questioning the citizenship of President Barack Obama, similar questions were raised about the early years of Arthur, an accidental president who ascended to the job after President James Garfield was assassinated.
"It's an old rumor that won't die, political slander," said John Dumville, who runs Vermont's historic sites and knows well the legend. "It's a fun story, and it comes up every year. People latch on to it and they've read about it somewhere and they want to know more."
The U.S. Constitution says you must be a "natural-born citizen" to serve as president. The issue has received renewed interest due to legions of Obama doubters who say his Hawaiian birth certificate is fake and that he was born in Kenya.
But the Arthur birthplace question came up before the Internet was around to spread such theories.
Known as Vermont's "other president" — Calvin Coolidge was born in Vermont — Arthur was the son of a Baptist minister whose first assignment was this small town (pop. 1,916) in the heart of northern Vermont dairy country.
He was born Oct. 5, 1829, but later in life, he lied about the year. Even his gravestone lists 1830, though Arthur family bibles at the Library of Congress in Washington say 1829.
The family moved often, and by 1835 had left Vermont. Arthur went on to become a teacher, lawyer and political operative, serving as quartermaster general for the state of New York during the Civil War and later Collector of the Port of New York, appointed by President Ulysses Grant.
The focus on his place of birth became an issue in the 1880 presidential campaign, when Arthur was tapped to be the running mate for Garfield.
According to historical accounts, Republican bosses wanted him to provide proof of his birthplace, but he never did.
Democrats, meanwhile, hired a lawyer named Arthur Hinman who sought to discredit Arthur, claiming he was born in Dunham, Quebec, about 47 miles north of Fairfield. Hinman traveled to Vermont and Canada to research Arthur's past, eventually concluding that Arthur was born in Canada but appropriated the birth records of a baby brother who was born in Fairfield, but died as an infant.
He later incorporated the findings into a book titled "How A British Subject Became President of the United States."
Arthur, who served from 1881 to 1885, never publicly addressed the allegation.
Vermont officials hold fast to their claim on Arthur's birth, but have little to back it up.
The state of Vermont didn't begin receiving birth records until 1857, according to state archivist Gregory Sanford. The birth records at the Town of Fairfield go back no further, Town Clerk Amanda Forbes said.
Arthur biographer Thomas C. Reeves, a former University of Wisconsin history professor who wrote "Gentleman Boss" in 1975, debunked the born-in-Canada claim.
"This was a little campaign trick, in an era when politics were just as dirty as they are now," Reeves said in an interview. "It didn't threaten him in anyway. He was lying about his age, which complicated things. Like so many people, he just lopped a year off his life."
But the legend lingers, like a salacious rumor too juicy not to repeat.
In 1998, the Ottawa (Ont.) Citizen newspaper published a story asserting Arthur was born in his grandparents' home in Dunham but "probably" appropriated the birth records of the dead brother.
"The great impostor, the ultimate spoilsman, has never been defrocked. Not bad for a Canadian, eh?" said the newspaper, which called Arthur "our man in Washington."
At the Chester A. Arthur Historic Site, which draws about 400 visitors a year despite its remote setting, the topic is the first thing on people's lips, said caretaker Shirley Paradee.
"That's usually pretty much the most-asked question — if he was born here or in Canada," she said. "And I don't really have an answer for that because there isn't anything, any proof anywhere, where he was born."
If anything, the display boards inside a two-room replica of the parsonage where Arthur spent some of his early years fan the controversy. One contains a quote from a "J.H. Corey" who asserted in 1881: "I am positive C.A. Arthur was born in Canada."
Another reads, "Today, in an era when virtually every detail of a politician's life is open to public view, there is no concrete proof of the location of President Arthur's birthplace. Records and recollections lend strong support to the claim that Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vt."
For his part, Dumville says Vermont is proud to call Arthur a native son. Until someone proves otherwise.
"There's no way to prove he was not born in Vermont. It's a little boosterism for Vermont, having a U.S. president born here," Dumville said.

5,000 fewer guns turned in under city program

5,000 fewer guns turned in under city program

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
Fewer than 2,000 guns were turned in for gift cards Saturday as part of Chicago's annual gun buy-back event.
This year's total -- 1,887 -- was significantly lower than last year's take of 6,800 guns, officials said

75 War Movies to See Before You Die

75 War Movies to See Before You Die

Copyright(c) 2009 Ad Gardener, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ads belong to their respective owners.

Copyright(c) 2009 Ad Gardener, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ads belong to their respective owners.: "When it comes to having past views that should frighten every American citizen, Ezekiel Emanuel (see above editorial) has nothing on the president's ''chief science adviser, John P. Holdren. (Snip) The question naturally arises why President Obama chooses to surround himself with extremists like Mr. Holdren or Dr. Emanuel. No matter how much they claim their views have ''evolved,'' health and science under Obamacare would be a frightening prospect with people like this advising the

Comments:
[companion piece to preceding Wash Times editorial] Indeed, the entire nation and some real person who actually gets to ask a question in an 0bama town hall, if there is such a person, needs to ask why 0bama has surrounded himself with radical freaks with such outlandish ideas. What kind of message is he trying to send the American people?"

American Thinker: Manufactured Healthcare Crisis

American Thinker: Manufactured Healthcare Crisis

Hawaii plans quiet, sobering 50th anniversary

Hawaii plans quiet, sobering 50th anniversary
"Hawaii turns 50 years old as the 50th state Friday, but there will be no grand parades, no dazzling fireworks, no lavish displays of native culture.
Organizers of the observation are not even willing to call it a party. It is simply a 'commemoration,' one that is sensitive to a painful history of the Hawaiian monarchy's overthrow and unresolved claims of Native Hawaiians.
The main event is a low-key daylong conference reflecting on Hawaii's place in the world. Behind the tourist-friendly tropical images of beaches and sunshine, many remain uncomfortable with the U.S. takeover of the islands and the idea that businesses have exploited Hawaiians' culture.
'Instead of state government having huge parties and fireworks, we're having a convention,' said Manu Boyd, cultural director for the Royal Hawaiian Center, a shopping and entertainment area in Waikiki. 'That shows the strength and spiritual power of the Hawaiian people, whose shattered world has not yet been addressed.'
When statehood came calling in 1959, it ushered in an era of economic prosperity through tourism and the side effects that came with it: resort high rises, more than 500,000 monthly tourists and an emphasis on hokey luaus rather than the authentic host culture.
Sovereignty groups advocating independence from the United States make up a minority, but many residents recognize the long-standing issues associated with the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy, the islands' annexation and past harms to the Native Hawaiian people."

Drinking the Kool-Aid: Failing to lead, Hillary follows the President in placating the world

"Clinton's moral equivalency moment came when she told a group of Nigerian activists that, 'In 2000, our presidential election came down to one state where the brother of the man running for President was the governor of the state. So we have our problems, too.'
The reference to Florida, where Jeb Bush was governor, was inappropriate, no matter the context Clinton had in mind.
The election ultimately was decided by the Supreme Court and all but wing nuts on the Democratic left accepted the court's historic decision."

And the Sec of State of the USA is a wingnut!
Sleep well, America but be forewarned!

This is NOT a victory.

"If they get anything at all, they are looking at this as the camel’s nose under the tent.
They will increment and “improve” anything they can get passed until it is socialized medicine.
That is the ultimate goal.
That is what Clinton pushed and that, very, very clearly, is the message of this article.
This is not a victory.
We have to keep focused and keep fighting.
We have to."

Do not reduce your vigilance!

Palin Wins

Palin Wins
"The first we heard about Sarah Palin's 'death panels' comment was in a conversation last Friday with an acquaintance who was appalled by it.
Our interlocutor is not a Democratic partisan but a high-minded centrist who deplores extremist rhetoric whatever the source.
We don't even know if he has a position on ObamaCare.
From his description, it sounded to us as though Palin really had gone too far.
A week later, it is clear that she has won the debate."

A rally with troubling aspects

A rally with troubling aspects
"The rebound is based on restocking of inventories but, once that is complete, there are concerns about sustainability of growth in 2010 as the consumer remains burdened by high debt, rising job losses and sharply lower housing prices."

Russian Jets Collide During Air Show Rehearsal

Russian Jets Collide During Air Show Rehearsal
"Two Russian air force fighters collided Sunday as they rehearsed for an air show near Moscow, killing a pilot and sending one jet crashing into houses below, a military official said.
The Su-27 fighters were members of the elite Russian Knights flying group preparing to perform at the MAKS-2009 air show. The largest and most important exhibition for Russia's aerospace industry opens Tuesday.....
The RIA-Novosti and Interfax news agencies reported that the dead pilot was the Russian Knights' commander."

The Obamas: Stopping Traffic in Yellowstone

The Obamas: Stopping Traffic in Yellowstone
"For a brief, clattering moment on Saturday morning, Bald Eagles nesting along Yellowstone National Park's Firehole River Saturday had to share their sky with three Marine helicopters ferrying the First Family down to Old Faithful.
The Obamas had lunch and views of the famous geyser, most likely oblivious to the ripple effect caused by extensive security measures for their visit on the Park's busy, fee-free weekend.
On the narrow two-lane highway between Old Faithful and Midway Geyser Basin, however, motor traffic came to a standstill, eventually backing up vehicles for nearly two miles."

More Trouble in Cash for Clunkers?

More Trouble in Cash for Clunkers?
"The program started late, cost $50 million to administer, crashed computers and ran out of money.
All to see people spend money now that they would likely have spent later.
Now, this story says dealers are becoming frustrated that the government hasn't paid them for their deals - so frustrated that some believe it is no longer worth it to participate."

Town halls not resulting in more presidential threats

Town halls not resulting in more presidential threats
"There has been no increase in the number of security threats to President Barack Obama despite the contentious town hall meetings taking place around the country, according to the White House.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs also said Friday there has been no change in the security precautions.
'We haven't viewed any increase in threats, and there's been no change in any of that,' Gibbs said."

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Unplugging Grandma isn't the problem

Unplugging Grandma isn't the problem
Obamacare means treatment rationing, so getting Grandma plugged in in the first place is the greater peril."

Chicago City Government Closed For Business Monday, Due To Budget Constraints

Chicago City Government Closed For Business Monday, Due To Budget Constraints
"If you planned to check out a library book, visit a city clinic or have your garbage picked up on Monday, you're out of luck.
The City of Chicago will basically be closed for business on Aug. 17"

Comming soon to a town near you!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Obama's Safety: Hate Groups Thrive Amidst Town Hall Health Care Debates - ABC News

Obama's Safety: Hate Groups Thrive Amidst Town Hall Health Care Debates - ABC News

REMEMBER, IF YOU OPPOSE OBAMA’S POLICIES, YOU’RE A RACIST, FASCIST HATER

REMEMBER, IF YOU OPPOSE OBAMA’S POLICIES, YOU’RE A RACIST, FASCIST HATER:
Fear for Obama’s Safety Grows as Hate Groups Thrive on Racial Backlash.
As others have noted, we didn’t see this kind of concern when people were saying the same kinds of things about Bush.
This storyline seems like a pretty transparent effort to delegitimize the protesters particularly when you see who’s quoted.
But perhaps — as some did during the Bush era on the few occasions when they deigned to notice the hate — we should ask what Obama has done to so divide the country?
Meanwhile, Matt Welch notes a lot of pundits who seem eager to turn Obama-opposition into race-war.
And here I thought the Obama presidency was supposed to usher in a post-racial America.
How’s that working out so far?
Plus, watch out for all those anti-Obamacare fascists!
And Jesse Walker called it: The Paranoids Are Out To Get Me!

'Meet the Spartans' coming up on Tuesday

'Meet the Spartans' coming up on Tuesday
"Members of the Michigan State football team will be available for photographs and autographs next Wednesday at the Meridan Mall in Okemos, but there's a catch.
The seventh annual 'Meet the Spartans is geared toward children 12 and under. Players and coaches will be available near the south entrance of the mall from 5:45-7:15 p.m."