Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Ninth Justice -- How Republican Justices Evolve Leftward

The Ninth Justice -- How Republican Justices Evolve Leftward
"their more liberal Republican-appointed colleagues have been moved neither by wisdom, nor by legal principle, nor by general public opinion, but by the leftward march of the intellectual elite, especially in the media and academia.......

.....The justices' reputations are determined in large part by mostly liberal news reporters, commentators and law professors and by liberal feminist, civil rights and professional interest groups such as the American Bar Association.
Newly appointed justices who vote conservative are often portrayed as uncompassionate right-wing ideologues. Those who move leftward win praise for enlightenment. ('I ain't evolving,' the aggressively conservative Thomas has reportedly told clerks.)
And the bright young law clerks -- the justices' closest professional collaborators -- tend to come from elite law schools where conservative professors are rare birds and general public opinion is widely seen as benighted."

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Is the U.S. Killing Green Jobs?

Is the U.S. Killing Green Jobs?

Incentives Not to Work

Incentives Not to Work - WSJ.com
"'The second way government assistance programs contribute to long-term unemployment is by providing an incentive, and the means, not to work.
Each unemployed person has a 'reservation wage'—the minimum wage he or she insists on getting before accepting a job.
Unemployment insurance and other social assistance programs increase [the] reservation wage, causing an unemployed person to remain unemployed longer.'"

Englers buy Mich. home, fueling talk of political run

Englers buy Mich. home, fueling talk of political run
"Former Michigan Gov. John Engler and his wife, Michelle, have bought a lakefront home in Shiawassee County, fueling speculation about a return to politics."

Please God nooooooooo....

States Skimp on Pension Payments

States Skimp on Pension Payments
"State governments from New Jersey to California that are struggling to close budget deficits are skipping or deferring payments to already underfunded public-employee pension plans.
The moves could help ease today's budget pressures, but will make tomorrow's worse.

New Jersey's governor, a fiscal conservative, has proposed not making the state's entire $3 billion contribution to its pension funds because of the state's $11 billion budget deficit."

The Municipal Market

Rick Bookstaber: The Municipal Market
"Once a few municipalities default, there is a risk of a widespread cascade in defaults because the opprobrium will be lessened, all the more so if the defaults are spurred along by a taxpayer revolt – democracy at work."

This is scary!

The Teaparty Movement, The Democrat Party, Racism and Incitement!

The Teaparty Movement, The Democrat Party, Racism and Incitement! • Looking at the Left
"Democrat leaders describe Teapartyers as Nazis, evil-mongers , racists, and un-American.
In an attempt to provoke an ugly incident Congressional Black Caucus members went fishing for racism on Capitol Hill.
They paraded in the midst of a Teaparty protest immediately before the final vote on the healthcare bill.

The MSM has endlessly reported that Teapartyers hurled the “n” word at congressmen.

There exists no photo or sound-bite evidence despite the sea of cameras present at the time and a $100,000 reward for proof."

What Gov't Can't Do

What Gov't Can't Do
"Federal Failure: Auditors say the Postal Service's business model isn't viable, and a magazine reports that GM leads the league in producing the worst-made cars on the road. Big government breeds big incompetence.
The post office, which has a government-protected monopoly on first-class mail delivery, could lose at least $238 billion over the next decade."

Late bill would ban most private gun sales in Wisconsin

Late bill would ban most private gun sales in Wisconsin
"A fast-tracked bill introduced in the state Legislature at the end of March would ban the private sale of most firearms in Wisconsin and would for the first time extend a prohibition on the possession of firearms to those convicted of certain misdemeanors."

Visualizing Obama's budget cuts

Visualizing Obama's budget cuts. [VIDEO]

This is GREAT!
(thanks JudgeO)

Government Employee Political Clout Obstructs Budget Reform

Analysis: Government Employee Political Clout Obstructs Budget Reform [Mackinac Center]
"The Legislature returns today after a two-week break to take up perhaps the greatest challenge facing state government since 1983: an estimated $1.5 billion budget shortfall.
Making this all the more difficult is the apparent inability of lawmakers to adopt what most struggling private sector workers and small business owners view as modest reductions in state employee pay and benefits.
That failure was highlighted in three separate events just before the break."

New Dow high ahead? Happy talk feeds sheep

New Dow high ahead? Happy talk feeds sheep Paul B. Farrell - MarketWatch
"BusinessWeek, Kiplinger's and USA Today reported on the false predictions made before the 2008 subprime credit meltdown spread rapidly across America and the world:

Bernanke: 'I don't anticipate any serious [failures] among large internationally active banks.'

Ken Fisher: 'This year will end in the plus column ... so keep buying.'

'Mad Money' Jim Cramer: 'Bye-bye bear market, say hello to the bull.'

Goldman Sachs' Abby Joseph Cohen: 'The fear priced into stocks is likely to abate as recession fears fade.'

Barney Frank: 'Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are fundamentally sound.'

Barron's: 'Home prices about to bottom.'

Worth magazine: 'Emerging markets are the global investors' safe haven.'

Kiplinger's: 'Stock investors should beat the rush to the banks.'"

Monday, April 12, 2010

worst-made-cars-on-the-road:

worst-made-cars-on-the-road
"Four of the seven vehicles on our list of the worst-made cars on the road come from GM brands.
And all of the cars on the list -- including Chrysler's Dodge Nitro and Jeep Wrangler -- are made by Detroit's Big Three."

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Crashing Tea Party Events - Bing

Crashing Tea Party Events - Bing:
"Crash the tea parties! - Infoshop News"

Don't "reporters" have google and Bing?

Marathon Pundit: Obama's union pals plotting pension bailouts

Marathon Pundit: Obama's union pals plotting pension bailouts
'We spent a fortune to elect Barack Obama -- $60.7 million to be exact -- and we're proud of it.'
SEIU President Andy Stern.

The payback for Barack Obama's union pals continues.

The silent but economically devastating agenda of organized labor is attended to daily at the highest levels within the White House.

Turning to their friends for help with under-funded and mismanaged pension plans, government contracting policies, and initiatives that weaken workers' rights and force unionization on small businesses, Big Labor's looking for payback and they are receiving it.

Just last week, Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania introduced a bill that would dump the burden of union pension plans, which are going bankrupt, on the federal government; therefore, placing the costs at the feet of taxpayers."

The 2010 Masters Tournament - Leaderboard

The 2010 Masters Tournament - Leaderboard

Tea Party Express Stops at Capitol

Tea Party Express Stops at Capitol
"Tea Party Express Stops at CapitolBy Tom Gantert April 11, 2010

Fresh off the retirement of Bart Stupak, the Michigan congressman who became the face of tea party wrath over the federalized health care bill, the national Tea Party Express rolled into Lansing on Satuday and was met by about 1,800 people."

This College Says: Get a Job -- or Get Your Money Back

This College Says: Get a Job -- or Get Your Money Back
"Lansing Community College in Lansing, Mich., offers six-week training courses for students interested in careers as call-center specialists, pharmacy technicians, quality inspectors and computer machinists.

The cost for each of these certificate programs is is $2,400, but a special money-back guarantee program is being offered to 61 students.

If they attend every class, complete every assignment, and make a good-faith effort to get a job, if they are unable to find employment within a year after graduation, they'll get their tuition back."

This seems to be a safe bet from the LCC perspective:

The "attend every class, complete every assignment, and make a good-faith effort to get a job" isn't likely the norm for ANY LCC student who can't get a job.

It's sorta the key to success without worrying about getting your money back.

Like, isn't that the reason a kid goes to college..to get a job?

But it sure sounds like an excellent idea for most major universities.

If this was the rule, imagine how many communications or black studies programs would shut down right NOW.

Crash The Tea Party!

Crash The Tea Party!

These are the scum who accuse the real Tea Party Patriots of racism, etc.

Be very aware of the rot that the left will bring to our patriotic protists!

About Last Night:

About Last Night
"TT: So you want to see a show?

Here's my list of recommended Broadway, off-Broadway, and out-of-town shows, updated weekly.
In all cases, I gave these shows favorable reviews (if sometimes qualifiedly so) in The Wall Street Journal when they opened.
For more information, click on the title.

Warning: Broadway shows marked with an asterisk were sold out, or nearly so, last week."

LA utility at center of city's financial meltdown

LA utility at center of city's financial meltdown
"When the city's Department of Water and Power spent $50,000 on lactation consultants two years ago to assist breast-feeding employees, the utility said it was a humanitarian move aimed at cutting absenteeism."

Increasing crime rates and shrinking NYPD headcounts remind New York City of the 'bad old days'

Increasing crime rates and shrinking NYPD headcounts remind New York City of the 'bad old days'
"Memories of that grim era resurfaced recently as the city's murder rate jumped 22.5% in the first three months of 2010."

Saturday, April 10, 2010

When Civil Rights Make Civil Hands Unclean

American Thinker: When Civil Rights Make Civil Hands Unclean
"The advocates of 'social justice' masquerade as partisans of civil rights, but they are actually practitioners of civil wrongs.

Some people in this country think that they have a right to use government compulsion to overcome the free will of their fellow citizens.

In the name of 'social justice,' they claim to have a 'civil right' to health care, and they assert that their fellow citizens have a corresponding civil duty to finance that civil right.

If their fellow citizens disagree, the proponents of 'social justice' have no qualms about using government power to compel their fellow citizens to submit to their notion of civil rights."

» California Dreamin’ — Rachel Maddow and Gov. Moonbeam Cover Up the Real ACORN Scandal - Big Journalism

» California Dreamin’ — Rachel Maddow and Gov. Moonbeam Cover Up the Real ACORN Scandal - Big Journalism: "Did those employees commit a crime in offering to help O’Keefe and Giles themselves? Of course not, because O’Keefe and Giles weren’t actually a pimp and prostitute. All conspiracy crimes (which this would have been) require that there be an underlying criminal act – if no such criminal act exists, then conspiracy cannot be prosecuted. This makes sense. If you and I have a conspiracy to go to Baskin-Robbins, it is not a criminal conspiracy because no criminal act was ever in the offing. If a guy solicits an undercover police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl online, that’s not a crime unless the state legislature has specifically carved out such a situation. Similarly, in this case, no criminal act was in the offing because O’Keefe and Giles were never going to set up a whorehouse."

SPREADING THE WEALTH

SPREADING THE WEALTH
Charlie Sykes: "SPREADING THE WEALTH"

This is good.
It's also sad as it exemplifies the disconnect between our college student's education and the realities of post graduate life.

Arialink Broadband :: Muskegon

Arialink Broadband :: Muskegon:
"Muskegon County Update
Rates
Now providing fast, affordable internet! Residential pricing starts at $18.99! No contract, no introductory pricing, just one simple price for fast reliable broadband. Business pricing starts at $59.00! Arialink has over 7 years of experience in providing business class solutions and superior customer support.

Coverage Map
Currently Under Construction - Please check back for the updated Map
."

The good news: Another choice for consumers and competition for Verizon and Comcast.

The bad news: They don't have their coverage map up.

That seems odd to me.

If they have pricing and "experience", why not give future customers a heads up?

And this link came from the Muskegon county main website,
http://www.co.muskegon.mi.us/.

Is this an inside deal with the county commissioners and county money?

I'll try to find out.

Court's sidewalk ruling may impact cities, villages

Court's sidewalk ruling may impact cities, villages
"On Thursday, the high court ruled against Lansing in deciding municipalities no longer can seek to dismiss slip-and-fall cases with a defense known as the '2-inch rule.'"

The trial lawyers win another one!
And we the people will pay, again.

In Iraq: When the Music Stopped—the National Anthem

In Iraq: When the Music Stopped—the National Anthem
"This was written by Chaplain Jim Higgins LSA Anaconda.
He currently is serving at the Ballad Airport in Iraq, north of Baghdad.
“Please share only if you are so inclined, he wrote.”
I am inclined."

Spring Football Game, Youth Clinic Scheduled For April 24

Spring Football Game, Youth Clinic Scheduled For April 24
"Michigan State football concludes its 15 spring practices under fourth-year head coach Mark Dantonio with the Green-White intrasquad game on Saturday, April 24 at 1:30 p.m. in Spartan Stadium.

Admission is free."

Who’s Looking Out For You: Is the American Media Corrupt?

Who’s Looking Out For You: Is the American Media Corrupt?
"Today, we have a problem in America.
Entire news operations are devoting themselves not to reporting events honestly, but to promoting a certain ideology or party.

The Fox News Channel, where I work, has been accused of this.
But a study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs found that FNC’s coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign was tough on both candidates, while most other news networks blatantly favored Obama."