Monday, April 22, 2013

Earth Day’s Big Lie

Earth Day’s Big Lie

A global propaganda campaign will glorify Earth Day and its message is that you must change your life to accommodate the lies that sustain the environmental movement and permit government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency to strangle the economic life of the nation.
On Earth day there will be thousands of events to promote its anti-energy, anti-technology, and anti-humanity message.
There are thousands, of environmental organizations. Here, for example, are some Earth Day recommendations from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
  • Wash clothing in cold water. According to the NRDC, “this saves a great deal of money as the bulk of the energy tied to clothes washing is used to heat water.”
  • Cut clothes dryer energy by 20 to 40 percent. “It is more efficient to spin waterout of clothing than bake it out in the dryer.”
  • Select the ‘normal’ or ‘standard’ picture setting on your TV.
An environmental group called the Food Tank recommends the following:
  • Get in touch with agriculture. “This time of year, many people are starting to plan vacations.” Forget Disney Land; instead choose a “farm-stay” in which participants spend a few days or weeks living with a host family…helping around the farm in exchange for free food and lodging.”
  • “Buy food with less packaging.” This ignores the fact that modern packaging ensures the safety of the foods you purchase. Even ancient civilizations either burned refuse or created landfills.
  • Do-it-Yourself projects such as “turning old t-shirts into produce bags to save plastic, starting seeds in eggshells…”
Behind the many Earth Day suggestions is the environmentalists’ insistence on a general return to an era when household tasks were undertaken without machines that used electricity, before the ubiquitous benefits of plastic, and less cars were on the roads. In the 1940s my late mother had to wash clothes by hand and hang them in the back yard or basement to dry. Food was kept cool in an ice box before the invention ofrefrigerators. This is Earth Day’s idea of saving the Earth.
Everyone wants clean air and clean water. We have it. The Clean Air and Clean WaterActs of the 1970s have achieved their goals. Substituting “clean energy” such as solar and wind power has proven to be expensive and impractical as neither of these produce sufficient energy (about 3% at present) to power America. Taxpayers have lost billions in the government loans made to solar and wind power companies while traditional sources of power contribute billions to the economy.

The Earth is not endangered, nor should it be worshipped as a pagan religion

Behind environmentalism is panoply of schemes intended to enrich those who advocate “global warming” and/or “climate change.” Governments around the world are abandoning “clean energy” programs and returning to traditional and abundant forms of energy.
The “science” behind climate change and the claim of a “consensus” among the world’s scientists is a lie. Computer models have been rigged to produce “warming” data while the planet has been in a natural cooling cycle for the last seventeen years!
On Earth Day, you will be assailed by these and countless other claims, but you will do yourself and the Earth a big favor if you ignore them.

Eye on Muskegon 4-21-13 VIDEO!

http://youtu.be/XGstUBTWyv8

Sunday, April 21, 2013

An American savors the language of Margaret Thatcher's funeral

An American savors the language of Margaret Thatcher's funeral by Andrew Malcolm - Investors.com:
"Bishop Chartres certainly lived up to his charge.
Here's Chartres' very first sentence: "After the storm of a life lived in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm." 
And there was in his ensuing pause, a great calm in that historic church at that moment."

A Brief History of Our Deadly Addiction to Nitrogen Fertilizer

A Brief History of Our Deadly Addiction to Nitrogen Fertilizer | Mother Jones:

Obama's plan for $25 Trillion in Debt

Obama's plan for $25 Trillion in Debt | Do It Yourself Capitalism
Well, thanks to some overworked aide in Paul Ryan's office, we now have a reasonable summary of what the President would like to do to us if he gets his way. Ready for this?
 
(1) $8.2 Trillion in New Debt
(2) $1.1 Trillion in New Taxes
(3) $964 Billion in New Spending above Projected Growth
(4) Total U.S. debt in 2023: $25.4 trillion, up from the current $16. 8 trillion.
(5) The President's Budget Never Balances—Ever.
 
Now we never again have to wonder whether President Obama respects the lawful ministerial obligations of his office. He has no respect for his legal duty to propose a timely, conscientious budget to the American people. Secondly, we never need to debate whether President Obama ever intended to do anything to lower the crushing national debt. As of last Tuesday, we know that the President wants this country to increase the national debt load from its current $16.8 trillion at this writing to $25.4 TRILLION.

Hey Joe: What mattered about Michigan State’s spring game, in order

Hey Joe: What mattered about Michigan State’s spring game, in order | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
 "3. The MSU offense has a long way to go.
It needs better quarterback play, better running back play, better receiver play and someone to step up at tight end.
That’s all."

Arrested 396 times, woman knows how to work the system

Arrested 396 times, woman knows how to work the system - Chicago Sun-Times:
 "The frustrating truth: The system — strapped by overcrowded prisons and cuts to mental health funding — hasn’t been able to save Miles from herself or to help the communities she menaces.
Nothing has worked.
Not jail.
Not prison.
Not countless psychological exams for the woman described as being “acutely psychotic.”

Under-fire state agency director vows to go after fraud at $3,500 threshold

Under-fire state agency director vows to go after fraud at $3,500 threshold | Crain's Detroit Business:
"Steve Arwood, director of Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and the state Unemployment Insurance Agency, was grilled by lawmakers recently after a report in the Detroit Free Press showed that his agency was dealing only with fraud claims above $15,000.

According to the report, agency officials were told not to show up at administrative hearings for fraud cases unless the amount of fraudulently claimed benefits was at least $15,000.

That upset lawmakers because they passed a law last year that made such fraud a potential felony for anything above $3,500. The lawmakers were not happy that the agency decided not to follow suit with enforcement. "

EyeOnMuskegon 4-21-2013

http://youtu.be/kfAO0aRHbGE

Prom 2013: North Muskegon High School performs 'Harlem Shake' at prom (video)

Prom 2013: North Muskegon High School performs 'Harlem Shake' at prom (video) | MLive.com:

Axe Does Not Get Men Laid, Axe makes a high school student sick in PA

Axe Does Not Get Men Laid, Axe makes a high school student sick in PA

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Former Flint schools financial chief claims district fired her because she is black

Former Flint schools financial chief claims district fired her because she is black | MLive.com:

Pabst alleged that Flint schools Interim Superintendent Lawrence Watkins told Derricks after the Lansing meeting that the district had difficulty interacting with state education officials because "there were a lot of white faces looking at the poor blacks from Flint Community Schools."
"They just got a white face to interface with the Lansing people," Pabst said of the district's decision to remove Derricks.
Flint school' spokesman Bob Campbell declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Attorneys representing the district filed a motion seeking a more definitive statement in Derricks' complaint, arguing the lawsuit is "so vague or ambiguous that (the district) can not properly prepare a response," to the allegations, according to court records. 
School board members in January approved contracting financial services to Linda Holloway, a Certified Public Accountant with CIVA, LLC. The board will pay Holloway $120 per hour for financial work and $150 per hour for attending to "board meetings and consultation," according to the board resolution.
The decision to hire Holloway came following the departure of former district Superintendent Linda Thompson. Prior to Thompson's departure, the board criticized her for poor management and financial oversight.
But, Pabst said that Derricks did a satisfactory job with the district.
"They never told her she did anything wrong," said Pabst. 

Fact-Free Crusades

Fact-Free Crusades | RealClearPolitics:
"Amid all the heated, emotional advocacy of gun control, have you ever heard even one person present convincing hard evidence that tighter gun control laws have in fact reduced murders?"

ACLU: Detroit Police Dumping Homeless Outside City

ACLU: Detroit Police Dumping Homeless Outside City « CBS Detroit:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan says Detroit police are removing homeless people from the popular Greektown entertainment district downtown and dropping them off miles away — sometimes outside the city.
Following a year-long investigation, the ACLU filed a complaint with the U.S. Justice Department and sent a letter to Detroit police demanding an end to what they call a “disturbing practice.”
“DPD’s practice of essentially kidnapping homeless people and abandoning them miles away from the neighborhoods they know – with no means for a safe return — is inhumane, callous and illegal,” said Sarah Mehta, ACLU of Michigan staff attorney. “
The city’s desire to hide painful reminders of our economic struggles cannot justify discriminating against the poor, banishing them from their city, and endangering their lives. 
A person who has lost his home has not lost his right to be treated with dignity.”
The organization says it started receiving complaints last year and that the homeless are told they are not welcome in Greektown, which is popular with visitors to Detroit. 
The people are then forced in to vans, driven away and then deserted.

City of Boston gave 'subsidy' to bombing suspects' mosque

City of Boston gave 'subsidy' to bombing suspects' mosque | The Daily Caller:
"The Boston Redevelopment Authority, which is the city’s municipal planning agency and which is comprised of mayoral appointees, conveyed the land for the ISB’s purchase in 2000 at more than $400,000.
However, the city of Boston only charged ISB $175,000 for the land, with an agreement that the ISB perform other services for the city to make up the $225,000 remainder.
The ISB agreed to deliver a series of lectures at Roxbury Community College, to assist the Roxbury Community College Foundation in its fundraising efforts, and to maintain a Boston “play area.”
The deal was later described in media coverage as “an apparent financial handout” and a “possible government subsidy” from the city of Boston to the ISB.
The ISB has raised concerns in the past for its ties to radical figures in the Muslim world."

U.N. Committee Says: This Speech Must Lead to a Criminal Prosecution of the Speaker

The Volokh Conspiracy » U.N. Committee Says: This Speech Must Lead to a Criminal Prosecution of the Speaker:

The German government decided not to prosecute the speaker based on this speech, but the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has recently stated the contrary, TBB v. Germany (Feb. 26, 2013). Here’s the speech that, according to the Committee, must lead to a criminal prosecution in countries that have ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. (I am pleased to say that the U.S. has not recognized the competence of the Committee to enforce the Convention, though most European countries have; the U.S. has also ratified subject to a specific reservation in favor of the freedom of speech.)
The German cultural journal Lettre International (2009 fall edition, number 86)3 published an interview with Mr. Thilo Sarrazin, the former Finance Senator of the Berlin Senate (from 2002 to April 2009, Social Democratic Party) and member of the Board of Directors of the German Central Bank (from May 2009), entitled “Class instead of Mass: from the Capital City of Social Services to the Metropolis of the Elite”. In this interview, Mr. Sarrazin expressed himself in a derogatory and discriminatory way about social “lower classes”, which are “not productive” and would have to “ disappear over time” in order to create a city of the “elite”. In this contex alia:

BOW NOT promises to oppose plans for a Whitehall Township Wal-Mart, calls for April 24 protest

BOW NOT promises to oppose plans for a Whitehall Township Wal-Mart, calls for April 24 protest | MLive.com:
"The opponents have created a group called Back Off Walmart – Not Our Town, which goes by BOW NOT. The group has created a Facebook page and used a Change.org website petition which has received more than 900 “signatures” from across the country asking that plans for a Whitehall Township Wal-Mart be rejected.
A pro-Wal-Mart in Whitehall Township petition on change.org has 26 signatures.
But when it comes to more traditional protest, BOW NOT will be playing that game as well.
The group has asked Wal-Mart opponents to gather Wednesday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. for a rally at the Whitehall Township Hall, 7644 Durham Road, before the 7 p.m. special Whitehall Township Planning Commission meeting."

In residential real estate, bid farewell to the 'master bedroom'

In residential real estate, bid farewell to the 'master bedroom' - Baltimore Business Journal:

The “master suite” is being phased out — not from our homes, but from our lexicon.
A survey of 10 major Washington, D.C.-area homebuilders found that six no longer use the term “master” in
their floor plans to describe the largest bedroom in the house. They have replaced it with “owner’s suite” or
“owner’s bedroom” or, in one case, “mastre bedroom.”
Why? In large part for exactly the reason you would think: “Master” has connotation problems, in gender (it
skews toward male) and race (the slave-master).
Enter the owner's suite.4/19/13 Inresidential real estate, bidfarewell tothe'master bedroom' - BaltimoreBusiness Journal
m.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/04/16/homebuilders-scrap-racist.html?r=full 2/3
“I imagine it’s not only a more accurate description but also a more politically correct term of art,” said Steve
Nardella, senior vice president of operations for Bethesda-based Winchester Homes Inc.
Either way, the “master suite” has been linguistically shoved aside.
Winchester, Pulte Homes, NV Homes and Ryan Homes (both under the NVR Inc. umbrella), Van Metre Cos.
and D.R. Horton Inc. have allreplaced “master” in their floor plans, some more recently than others.
Richmond American Homes, Shulz Homes Corp. Sekas Homes Ltd. (in some of its models) and Quaker
Custom Homes LLC continue to employ the word “master” in their designs.
In general, said Grant Johnson of Sekas Homes, “we’re using owner suite, but sometimes it will come through as
master.”
Over time, “master” will be filtered out entirely, he said. The change is “just working through the industry, and
finally, bingo, we got it.”
Randy Creaser, owner of D.C.’s Creaser/O’Brien Architects PC, said he ditched “master” in the early 1990s in
his home designs. He vaguely recalled a few lawsuits brought against builders over the phrase. Pulte
spokeswoman Valerie Dolenga said Pulte made the shift maybe three or four years ago.

Detroit EM Kevyn Orr letter could indicate end to collective bargaining with unions

Detroit EM Kevyn Orr letter could indicate end to collective bargaining with unions | MLive.com:

Unions in general are at odds with the 2012 emergency manager law that empowers state-appointed officials to trump and unilaterally amend existing bargaining agreements.
Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr on Thursday issued a letter to state labor officials saying he has no obligation to collaborative bargaining or arbitration, which some speculate could be a hint that he intends to circumvent traditional bargaining mechanisms and make changes to the pay and benefits of Detroit employees with or without their consent, Reuters reports (full story).
"It's obvious what they're trying to do," Dan McNamara, president of the firefighters' unions, told Reuters. "They don't plan to negotiate with us."
Days after Orr took office, a federal lawsuit was filed challenging the sweeping emergency manager powers.
It's Orr's intention to restructure the city's budget and expenses to ensure it doesn't go bankrupt.
Detroit is running a $100 million annual budget deficit and has $14 billion in long-term debt. There are nearly 50 unions that contract with the city.
"Everything is on the table," Orr said when he was appointed March 17. "I hope to be inclusive... I am going to make decisions and move forward."

Lawmakers Call for Abolishing ‘Corruption-Infested’ Pennsylvania Turnpike

Lawmakers Call for Abolishing ‘Corruption-Infested’ Pennsylvania Turnpike | Heartlander Magazine:
"Pennsylvania has two transportation agencies.
One controls more than 40,000 miles of state roads and 25,000 bridges, and another maintains 545 miles of tolled highway.
The former has seven executives, one for every 5,857 miles of roadway; the latter nine executives, one for every 60 miles of roadway.
For a group of Republican lawmakers, this doesn’t add up, especially when one of those agencies was the subject of a 44-month long grand jury investigation over alleged bid-rigging."

Snyder defends secret project to reform education system

Snyder defends secret project to reform education system | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday defended his administration's involvement in a secret project that is trying to develop a cheaper way to deliver public education through a voucher-like funding system.
The education reform advisory team's existence had been secret until The Detroit News reported Friday about a months-long "skunk works" project to design a new "value school" that costs $5,000 per child annually to operate — $2,000 less than the state's minimum per-pupil funding. The group includes employees of software companies, charter school advocates and five state employees.
"There's people in the executive branch and any parts of government, actually in the general community, that get together and try to come up with new ideas and try to innovate and bring those ideas forward," Snyder told reporters Friday after the 14th annual Leadership Luncheon at the Renaissance Center in Detroit.
"That's what I would view a group like that — just working together to say they want to come up with new ideas and throw them out there. That's how you come up with new ideas. Most of them don't go anywhere, but you don't want to discourage people from trying and being creative."

Add Boston Marathon Bombing to pile of Failed Eliminationist Narratives

Add Boston Marathon Bombing to pile of Failed Eliminationist Narratives - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion:

It started with Bill Sparkman, the part-time Census worker who went missing and then was found dead, setting off an avalanche of mainstream media and left-blogosphere accusations that he was the victim of anti-government “right-wing” hate.  It turned out that Sparkman killed himself, but there were few if any apologies coming.
The Sparkman accusations were based on nothing more than a desire to demonize the newly formed and rapidly growing Tea Party movement as terrorists and un-American.  It was as if theywere hoping for an act of Tea Party violence.
Yet there was a theory behind the madness, the Eliminationist Narrative created by Dave Neiwart of Crooks and Liars about an “eliminationist” radical right seeking to dehumanize and eliminate political opposition.  It was a play on the over-used narrative of Richard Hofstadter’s “paranoid style” in American politics.
The Eliminationist Narrative was aided and abetted by an abuse of the term “right-wing” to include groups who are the opposite of conservatism and the Tea Party movement.
In the case of Sparkman, the accusations were just Another Failed Eliminationist Narrative.  And the Eliminationist Narrative would fail time and time again:
We can now add the Boston Marathon Bombing to the pile.  The wild speculation that there was a Tea Party or “right-wing” connection proved false

Muskegon man shot at, home struck by gunfire in early morning shooting

Muskegon man shot at, home struck by gunfire in early morning shooting | MLive.com:
"The shooting incident occurred as two subjects were walking toward the victim.
One of the subjects was armed and fired several shots in the victim's direction, police said."

4 shot in basement in Ohio

4 shot in basement in Ohio - UPI.com:
"Four people were found shot in the head in the basement of a townhouse in an Akron, Ohio, public housing complex on Thursday, according to police.
A friend found the bodies shortly before 3 p.m., after entering the home and seeing signs of something amiss, reports NBC News.
All four appeared to be shot in the head execution style."

The 18 Worst Things For Left-Handed People

The 18 Worst Things For Left-Handed People

Friday, April 19, 2013

Massive University of Wisconsin Slush Fund Discovered

BREAKING NEWS - Massive University of Wisconsin Slush Fund Discovered - Right Wisconsin - Conservative politics and perspective powered by Charlie Sykes:
"UPDATE:  From a Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo confirming the existence of the massive UW Slush Fund:
The UW System had a tuition balance of $414.1 million as of June 30, 2012.
By comparison, the UW System's tuition balance was $212.8 million as of June 30, 2009.
During this time period, base resident undergraduate tuition increased by 5.5% annually. 
It should be noted that the UW System's tuition balance increased significantly at the same time that the UW System has been subject to significant GPR funding reductions and lapses.
While the University of Wisconsin has been raising tuition and clamoring for more taxpayer support they have been stockpiling hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent tuition and federal grant monies.
Sources in Madison familiar with the discovery tell RightWisconsin that the total of non earmarked funds in the massive UW Slush Fund is at least $450 million."

Oops! Feds Underestimate Court Project by $2 Billion

Oops! Feds Underestimate Court Project by $2 Billion | Judicial Watch:
"For example the Federal Judiciary told Congress that 12 courthouse projects would cost around $1 billion when in fact it will take a whopping $3.2 billion to finish the job.
This means that the project masters likely planned to squeeze the extra $2.2 billion out of Congress mid construction, when lawmakers had little choice but to allocate the funds for completion.
The audit, conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), flat out says that the document the judiciary uses to request money for courthouse construction projects “lacks transparency and key information” about their “cost.”

Unlike Boston, with Benghazi ...

Twitter / SharylAttkisson: Unlike Boston, with Benghazi ...:
Follow Sharyl Attkisson ‏@SharylAttkisson
"Unlike Boston, with Benghazi the govt never released the promised surveillance video. And no suspects identified or arrests to date.
Reply Retweet Favorite More
203
RETWEETS
27
FAVORITES
7:17 AM - 19 Apr 13
Joe Bua ‏@JoeWatchesTV 1h
.@SharylAttkisson That's quite the fixation you have. You must be reading your email from Tea Party Express.
'via Blog this'

Boston Bomber Could Have Been Deported After 2009 Conviction

Boston Bomber Could Have Been Deported After 2009 Conviction | Judicial Watch:
"Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the 26-year-old killed in a wild shootout with police, was a legal U.S. resident who nevertheless could have been removed from the country after a 2009 domestic violence conviction, according to a Judicial Watch source.
That means the Obama administration missed an opportunity to deport Tsarnaev but evidently didn’t feel he represented a big enough threat.
Adding insult to injury, the other bomber, little brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was rewarded with American Citizenship on September 11, 2012 in Boston, according to JW’s source.
The 19-year-old, who is still on the run, was granted asylum in Arlington Virginia on September 27, 2002, JW’s source reveals."

Zombie foreclosure statistics scary

Zombie foreclosure statistics scary - chicagotribune.com:
"In a zombie foreclosure, the owner has gotten a foreclosure notice and subsequently packed up and moved, apparently thinking it's over — the banks will finish the job.
But many banks, for various reasons, haven't followed through with the rest of the process, and the homes languish in the absent homeowners' names.
And the homeowners, sometimes years later, find out they're still on the hook for property taxes.
There are about 302,000 "zombies," according to RealtyTrac, a housing data company that studies foreclosure activity."

Twitter feed suggests Boston Marathon terrorist was an Obama supporter

Twitter feed suggests Boston Marathon terrorist was an Obama supporter « Bob Owens
"Boston Marathon terrorist suspect Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev is still on the run, but his real Twitter feed @J_tsar has been discovered.
Most of it is the sort of superficial fluff you’d expect from someone his age, but he did make statements alluding to drug use, terrorist, and his political beliefs.
Here are some supportive retweets he made in the wake of Barack Obama’s reelection.

Excerpt from November Twitter feed of terrorist Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev.
They “are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” and they are both Islamic terrorists and leftists"

Detroit 3 may be exempted from vehicle fees for Regional Transit Authority

Detroit 3 may be exempted from vehicle fees for Regional Transit Authority | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
"Critics are blasting a bill that would exempt thousands of automakers’ test vehicles that drive metro Detroit’s roadways from potential taxes meant to pay for southeast Michigan’s new Regional Transit Authority before the effort gets off the ground.
A bill introduced in the state Senate this week would exempt up to 11,000-12,000 General Motors vehicles alone registered in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties from having to pay a tax that hasn’t been proposed yet.
Similar numbers for Ford and Chrysler weren’t immediately available."

Cellphone Video of Shootout with Boston Bombers, and Did the Younger Brother Tweet Supporting Gun Control?

The PJ Tatler » Cellphone Video of Shootout with Boston Bombers, and Did the Younger Brother Tweet Supporting Gun Control?:
"UPDATE: According to BuzzFeed, Dzhokhar is a registered voter.
Update: Both were evidently registered voters. 
Neither were/are citizens of the US."

What is CISPA, and what does it mean for you? FAQ

What is CISPA, and what does it mean for you? FAQ | ZDNet

CISPA passes U.S. House: Death of the Fourth Amendment?

CISPA passes U.S. House: Death of the Fourth Amendment? | ZDNet:
"CISPA will allow private sector firms to search personal and sensitive user data of ordinary U.S. residents to identify "threat information," which can then be shared with other opt-in firms and the U.S. government — without the need for a court-ordered warrant.
This means a company like Facebook, Twitter, Google, or any other technology or telecoms company, including your cell service provider, would be legally able to hand over vast amounts of data to the U.S. government and its law enforcement — for whatever purpose it deems necessary — and face no legal reprisals.
And despite numerous amendments and changes, there are no requirements that personal data, such as health records or banking information, should be anonymized before sharing it with the government."

Thursday, April 18, 2013

An Indecent Proposal That Just Might Solve the Primary Care Crisis: Meet the 35 Hour Work Week

An Indecent Proposal That Just Might Solve the Primary Care Crisis: Meet the 35 Hour Work Week | 
The Health Care Blog: "Structuring the job of Medicare PCPs into a 35 hour work week would probably attract more clinicians to the job.
It would also help PCPs maintain the cognitive and emotional resources needed to do the job consistently well, and could reduce burnout in this group of key clinicians."

Former Muskegon Community College cashier charged with embezzling nearly $4,000

Former Muskegon Community College cashier charged with embezzling nearly $4,000 | MLive.com:
"According to Senior Assistant Muskegon County Prosecutor Matt Roberts, Boucher’s employers became suspicious when a bank deposit that should have been made, wasn’t.
Roberts said Boucher allegedly had been taking money from payments made to her at the college. "

24 IRS workers in TN accused of theft

24 IRS workers in TN accused of theft | The Tennessean | tennessean.com:
"First it was the families of dead people and state employees.
Now, authorities say Internal Revenue Service employees in Tennessee were stealing unemployment and other benefits while fully employed.
On Thursday, 13 of those employees were indicted on federal charges that they lied to get unemployment, food stamps, welfare and housing vouchers.
An additional 11 have been indicted on state charges of theft greater than $1,000.
In all, authorities say the workers improperly received more than $250,000 in government benefits."

Legislature targets drug users, lottery winners seeking state assistance

Legislature targets drug users, lottery winners seeking state assistance | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"Low-income people are a big topic of conversation in Lansing this week, from cracking down on public assistance recipients who happen to collect on winning lottery tickets, to impending discussion of bills that would require suspicion-based drug testing for people who are applying for public assistance.
Even store owners are facing harsher penalties if they continuously sell liquor or lottery tickets to people who are illegally paying for the goods with bridge cards, which replaced food stamps.
While the bills are labeled as commonsense solutions to fraud and abuse in the public assistance benefit rolls, other see them as the opening salvos of a war on poor people, punishing many for the sins of a few."

Poll: Most say redistribute wealth

Poll: Most say redistribute wealth - Kevin Robillard - POLITICO.com:
"Nearly 6 in 10 Americans say wealth is distributed unfairly in the United States, and a majority want the federal government to play Robin Hood to fix the problem, according to a poll released Thursday.
Only 33 percent of Americans think the current distribution of wealth in this country is fair, according to the Gallup Poll, while 59 percent say it is not.
Fifty-two percent said the United States should redistribute wealth through heavy taxes on the rich, while 45 percent disagreed.
While the percent of Americans who said the current distribution of wealth is unfair is down from 68 percent in 2008, the number of Americans who favor federal redistribution is at an all-time high."

Your Tax Dollars at Work: Subsidizing the Security of Wealthy Allies

Your Tax Dollars at Work: Subsidizing the Security of Wealthy Allies | Cato Institute:
"The average American spends $2,300 on the military, based on the latest data available. 
That is roughly four and a half times more than what the average person in other NATO countries spends. 
These countries boast a collective GDP of approximately $19 trillion, 25 percent higher than the U.S. 
They obviously can afford to spend more.
So why don’t they?
Because Uncle Sucker picks up nearly the entire tab.
Looked at another way, U.S. alliances constitute a massive wealth transfer from U.S. taxpayers (and their Chinese creditors) to bloated European welfare states and technologically-advanced Asian nations."

Times may be tough, but Green Bay schools still spending big on travel, cell phones and restaurant tabs

Times may be tough, but Green Bay schools still spending big on travel, cell phones and restaurant tabs - EAGnews.org :: Education Research, Reporting, Analysis and Commentary
That’s why the district was forced to make spending cuts and pay freezes in employee compensation in the current school year to erase a $9 million budget deficit
....That list includes nearly $200,000 for travel, mostly for hotel and airline costs; food service expenses that included more than $240,000 for restaurant-prepared pizza and Pepsi-Cola products; more than $112,000 on cell phones for school staff; nearly $300,000 in payments to law firms; and more than $30,000 spent at various restaurants.
The district also dropped more than $40,000 to hire a consultant that works with school staff on cultural sensitivity issues.

Muskegon Public Schools finances to be overseen by intermediate school district

Muskegon Public Schools finances to be overseen by intermediate school district | MLive.com:
"Muskegon Public Schools is turning its financial operations over to the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, a move officials said isn’t directly related to the district’s budget deficit but one that will help address the deficit.
The board of education on Tuesday agreed to a “financial services agreement” with the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District.
The agreement will save the district between $100,000 and $200,000 per year, said Muskegon Public Schools Superintendent Jon Felske."

Muskegon Public Schools are out of money, board approves $2.6 million budget deficit

Muskegon Public Schools are out of money, board approves $2.6 million budget deficit | MLive.com:
"The Muskegon school board originally adopted a $52.47 million budget last June that estimated the district’s fund balance at $545,546 at June 30, the end of this fiscal year.
However, the latest amendment, approved by the school board Tuesday, calls for $3.88 million more in spending – anticipated at $57.27 million – than revenues. That more than eats up the district’s $1.3 million fund balance.
Muskegon school board President Louis Churchwell said the community should be “aware, not alarmed,” by the budget crisis and said the board is ready to make the tough decisions necessary to eliminate the deficit.
“What the community needs to know is we’ll be OK,” Churchwell said.
“If we don’t do anything, it can become something bigger.”

Michigan kids rank near bottom in improving test scores

Michigan kids rank near bottom in improving test scores | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
■Michigan ranks 39th out of 50 states in overall improvement in fourth-grade reading

■Michigan ranks 41st out of 50 states in overall improvement in eighth-grade math

■Michigan’s ranking declined over time. In fourth-grade reading, for instance, Michigan went from being ranked 28th in 2003 to being ranked 30th in 2011. In contrast, Maryland’s rank rose from 30th to 3rd in the same time period."

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Dem proposes federal regulation of nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals

Dem proposes federal regulation of nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals - The Hill's Floor Action:
"Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) on Tuesday proposed legislation that would require hospitals to maintain a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio at all times, and allow the government to audit and penalize hospitals that fail to comply with this rule."

Republicans pull plug on Mark Sanford

Republicans pull plug on Mark Sanford - Alex Isenstadt - POLITICO.com:
"Republicans said they were caught off guard by news of Jenny Sanford’s complaint.
They worry other damaging revelations about Mark Sanford’s personal life that they aren’t aware of could come out in the coming weeks."

New lithium-ion battery design that’s 2,000 times more powerful, recharges 1,000 times faster | ExtremeTech

New lithium-ion battery design that’s 2,000 times more powerful, recharges 1,000 times faster | ExtremeTech
"Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a new lithium-ion battery technology that is 2,000 times more powerful than comparable batteries.
According to the researchers, this is not simply an evolutionary step in battery tech,
“It’s a new enabling technology… it breaks the normal paradigms of energy sources.
It’s allowing us to do different, new things.”

My ride in a New Standard D-25

http://youtu.be/Sm3TU7oJwkY

2 dogs maul Detroit woman

2 dogs maul Detroit woman | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"A Detroit woman is in critical condition today after being attacked by two dogs in front of her house, according to police and a neighbor."

Napoleon's office isn't responding to 911, but 61 workers get cars in case of emergency

Napoleon's office isn't responding to 911, but 61 workers get cars in case of emergency | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
"The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t take 911 calls, but 61 employees have take-home cars in case they’re called out to an emergency.
That total, which is down from 80 take-home cars just a few weeks ago, is equal to Oakland County and higher than Macomb County, which combined handle 911 calls from 22 cities, villages and townships with more than 535,000 residents.
The vast majority of the take-home cars in Wayne County are assigned to command staff — unlike the other two counties, where more cars are assigned to detectives and officers on specialized units.
Some civilian employees also receive cars in Wayne County, whereas only sworn officers get vehicles in Oakland and Macomb counties."

p r e s i d e n t i a l h a i k u

p r e s i d e n t i a l h a i k u:

Millard Fillmore:
Forgotten Millard
You will rock the mutton chops
And precede Pierce

Gerald Ford:
Named Leslie Lynch King
You changed your name to Gerald
Then fell off a plane

For the Yellow Jacket in my room:
stingy bug of hate
have you met my flyswatter?
death can be sudden

my eyes were too big
i am one with the desserts
now i must digest

Obama administration has SLASHED budget for domestic bombing prevention by 45 per cent, says former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary

Obama administration has SLASHED budget for domestic bombing prevention by 45 per cent, says former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary | Mail Online:
"$20 million budget under Bush became $11 million under Obama"

The Other Talk™ - Talking about the rest of your life with your family

The Other Talk™ - Talking about the rest of your life with your family | Talking to your adult kids about decisions surrounding your finances, health care, living arrangements and the end of life.

Let’s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American

Let’s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American - Salon.com:
 "In those awful episodes, a religious or ethnic minority group lacking such privilege would likely be collectively slandered and/or targeted with surveillance or profiling (or worse) if some of its individuals comprised most of the mass shooters.
However, white male privilege means white men are not collectively denigrated/targeted for those shootings — even though most come at the hands of white dudes."

Boston bombings: Pressure cooker bombs used in past by militants

Boston bombings: Pressure cooker bombs used in past by militants | MLive.com:
 "Homemade bombs built from pressure cookers, a version of which was used in the Boston Marathon bombings, have been a frequent weapon of militants in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Al-Qaida's branch in Yemen once published an online manual on how to make one, urging "lone jihadis" to act on their own to carry out attacks."

Tax preparers lobby heavily against simple filing

Tax preparers lobby heavily against simple filing - Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group:

Triple your income? Pay 10 TIMES as much toward national defense and food stamps, but Obama tax-day 'receipt' website makes it nearly impossible to find out

Triple your income? Pay 10 TIMES as much toward national defense and food stamps, but Obama tax-day 'receipt' website makes it nearly impossible to find out | Mail Online:
"Triple your income?
Pay 10 TIMES as much toward national defense and food stamps, but Obama tax-day 'receipt' website makes it nearly impossible to find out
Examples provided for $25k-$80k earners, but not for wealthy taxpayers
White House won't comment on failure to show massive tax burden of the 'one percent'
Watchdog says administration is hiding entitlement spending to make the Defense budget look bigger"

The calculator makes it easy to see numbers associated with its $80,000 example, along with four others ranging in income down to $25,000.
But no examples are provided for upper-income earners, despite the President's frequent argument for a 'Buffett Rule' tax that would ensure Americans who make $1 million or more would pay at least 30 percent of their income to the federal government.
While taxpayers who make more than $80,000 per year can consult their own tax returns for the numbers required to operate the calculator, lower-income earners would need to know how to use several online tools in order to estimate those numbers for someone who earns dramatically more than they do.

State: Some Michigan lottery winners lose welfare assistance, but 'loopholes' allow others to continue getting benefits

State: Some Michigan lottery winners lose welfare assistance, but 'loopholes' allow others to continue getting benefits | MLive.com:
"Certain programs – including food assistance, cash assistance and some types of Medicaid programs – have established asset limits and testing of those assets.
But other welfare programs don’t have asset testing – including certain child development and care programs, along with some types of Medicaid programs.
The Department of Human Services says that more than 2,000 cases involving lottery winners or other members of their household remain open because certain welfare benefits are not covered by asset tests.
“It’s inconceivable that this is what the legislature had in mind when passing those laws in 2012,” Maura Corrigan, Michigan’s DHS director, said in a statement.
“With the match system, we can now identify substantial winnings, but the loopholes that allow lottery winners to continue to collect various benefits need to be closed, through amending state and federal law and policy.”
DHS officials said data indicates nearly 14 percent of all lottery winners are either welfare recipients themselves or reside in a household with welfare recipients. "

Michigan road funding: House plan takes shape with wholesale fuel taxes, higher registration fees

Michigan road funding: House plan takes shape with wholesale fuel taxes, higher registration fees | MLive.com: "
As our economy is rebounding, now is the time to double down and get our transportation system working," Schmidt said after this morning's hearing, explaining his motivation to jumpstart the process.
"I think that will speed up our progress here in Michigan."
One of Schmidt's bills would increase gasoline and diesel taxes but levy them at the wholesale level, allowing for prices to rise or fall with inflation.
A gallon of gas that currently costs $3.75 would cost about 8 cents more under the new plan, he said, while generating an estimated $700 million a year in new revenue.
Schmidt also plans to introduce legislation that would raise vehicle registration fees, and he said future discussions could include higher rates for hybrid, electric or alternative fuel vehicles that use less gasoline and therefore pay fewer taxes at the pump."

NJ’s ‘$100K Club’ of retirees growing

NJ’s ‘$100K Club’ of retirees growing « Watchdog.org:
 "All of the Top Five pensioners are retired school executives."

Letters: Gentrification of the Farmers Market has racist overtones

Letters: Gentrification of the Farmers Market has racist overtones | MLive.com:
"City Commissioner Spataro, a privileged, white, middle-class man, does not get to decide what is racist. Pretending gentrification is not racist is racist.
Deciding to move a desirable component of a historically black and working class neighborhood to a new location for the benefit of an imaginary future wealthy (white) condo-living people and thus, deciding to take from the working class and people of color to give to wealthy white people is racist.
Making decisions based on money and profit without regard for the destructive racial and economic consequences for working class communities and communities of color is racist.
If you are not capable of recognizing, understanding, respecting and conversing about the racial and economic consequences of development, you should not be making decisions for anyone, but especially not people of color and working class people who make up the majority of downtown Muskegon.
WENDY SAMPSON/Muskegon"

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

It's true: Men can't read women's emotions, study confirms

It's true: Men can't read women's emotions, study confirms - The Body Odd:
"It's a cliché that men just don't understand women.
Now, new research suggests men really do struggle to read women's emotions — at least from their eyes.
The research, published Wednesday (April 10) in the journal  PLOS ONE, showed that men had twice as much trouble deciphering women's emotions from images of their eyes compared with those of men.
Parts of the male brain tied to emotion also didn't activate as strongly when the men looked at women's eyes."

Due to ObamaCare, Nation's Largest Movie Theater Chain Cuts Employee Hours

Due to ObamaCare, Nation's Largest Movie Theater Chain Cuts Employee Hours:
"In a memo to employees, management was blunt:
“To comply with the Affordable Care Act, Regal had to increase our health care budget to cover those newly deemed eligible based on the law's definition of a full-time employee.”
Fox News reports that, as a result of cutting employees' work hours (which is, of course, the same as a pay cut), full-time Regal managers have resigned in "a wave" after their hours and pay checks were slashed by as much as twenty-five percent.

eye on muskegon 4-14-13

http://youtu.be/dgn494q8WS8

Lawsuit Alleges Wind Power A Threat To Health And Safety

Lawsuit Alleges Wind Power A Threat To Health And Safety [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
In 2008, then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the legislature mandated that 10 percent of the energy generated in Michigan come from alternative energy sources.
Although alternative energy sounded as though it included multiple sources, it largely means wind power. 
Experts have said no other alternative energy source could generate enough energy to provide a semblance of meeting the 10 percent quota.
The term “semblance” is used because less than one-third of wind power is actually alternative energy. 
In Michigan, the turbines can only be counted on to turn an average of 30 percent of the time. 
The other 70 percent of time, they must be backed up by energy generated by fossil fuels.
Because of the 10 percent mandate, utilities like Consumers Energy and DTE Energy are forced to find land on which to place the wind farms. 
To accomplish this they have to convince local governments that proposed wind farm projects will be installed in a manner that does not adversely impact residents.
"The mandate forces the utility to basically try to sell local officials on the idea of accepting a wind farm," Martis said. 
"Local officials, who are rarely up to speed on wind power technology, are in a poor position to question or challenge the utility's claims about the safety and advisability of the project. 
But where can they turn for unbiased advice? 
They're not likely to find it at the state level, where the bureaucracy remains saturated with wind power activists and enthusiasts."

Question of the day: Has Muskegon succeeded in becoming a "premier, vibrant" shoreline city?

Question of the day: Has Muskegon succeeded in becoming a "premier, vibrant" shoreline city? | MLive.com:
“A premier, vibrant, affordable and ethnically diverse Shoreline City where citizens feel safe, enjoy their neighborhoods and access their city government,” reads the new city of Muskegon vision statement.

"the city commission also has seven goals it continues to work on despite shrinking revenues and the size of city staff. They are:
• Being a leader in improving race relations and diversity
• Fostering opportunities for city youth
• Promoting economic stability, diverse economic growth and redevelopment
• Sustaining natural, cultural and recreational resources of the community
• Strengthening stronger ties among local governments and agencies
• Developing and maintaining city roads, sewer, water and other facilities
• Maintaining and enhancing the city’s residential neighborhoods"

The Party of Surrender

The Party of Surrender :: SteynOnline:
"From RNC honcho Reince Priebus, from the senator from Swing-State Central Rob Portman, and even from the great Charles Murray, the same mournful dirge echoes through the cavernous emptiness of the Republican big tent:
Give it up, losers — give it up on illegal immigration, gay marriage, abortion, and maybe Americans under 30, 50, whatever, will consider voting for you, or at any rate consider finding you marginally less repellent."

80-year-old Flint man fires shots at five robbery suspects

80-year-old Flint man fires shots at five robbery suspects | MLive.com:
"All the suspects fled eastbound from the home towards Ballenger Highway.
The homeowner thought he may have shot one of the suspects, but no shooting victim was found by police."

Great Lakes oil proposals threaten repeat of Kalamazoo spill, environmentalists say

Great Lakes oil proposals threaten repeat of Kalamazoo spill, environmentalists say | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"We have six pipelines that cross the (U.S.-Canadian) border now," said Denise Hamsher, director of project planning for Enbridge's major projects group.
"They've been transporting crude oil since the 1950s and have been transporting oils from the Canadian oil sands for decades."
What's often being shipped isn't the oil seen gushing out of Texas oil towers in old movies.
It's tar sands crude or dilbit, a semisolid form of petroleum also known as diluted bitumen.
The sludgy product requires mixture with chemicals or other petroleum products to move through pipelines. Environmentalists argue it's a far harsher product on pipelines, and much more difficult to clean up when spills happen.
It was dilbit that spilled during the worst inland oil spill in U.S. history, a July 26, 2010, pipe breach in Marshall that devastated wetlands, Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River.
The product combined with river sediments and sank to the bottom, making traditional oil cleanup booms and surface skimmers ineffective."

Gosnell: It’s Come to This at CNN

Ed Driscoll » Gosnell: It’s Come to This at CNN


“Philly-area columnist: CNN journo said ‘small staff’ means he can’t send reporter to cover Gosnell trial,” Twitchyreports:
Unreal.
J.D. Mullane is the Bucks County Courier Times columnist who took the photo of the empty rows of media seating at the Kermit Gosnell trial. His column titled “What I saw at the Gosnell trial” is a must-read.
According to Mullane, someone from CNN called to question the accuracy of his courtroom photo. Mullane’s pitch-perfect response was boom-worthy: “Go to Philly & see.” That’s when he says he was told a “small staff” made sending a reporter impossible.
It took an incredible social media push by online activists to shame the national media into covering the murder trial of Kermit Gosnell. CNN’s Jake Tapper, Erin Burnett and Anderson Cooper devoted segments to the Gosnell trial on Friday. But will CNN have a reporter in the courtroom on Monday?
CNN, which made its bones with live feeds from Baghdad during Operation Desert Storm, and can beam propaganda back from Pyongyang when it wants to, is reduced to claiming that it can’t put a reporter and a cameraman on the Amtrak Acela and send them to Philadelphia to cover the Gosnell trial. Note that CNN is but one component in aglobe-girdling corporation with Time magazine — can’t they send a reporter and cameraman with a portable HD camera and provide coverage for CNN? HBO is also part of that conglomerate. I bet they have a cameraman they could loan out on assignment if asked nicely.

Is anyone at CNN still wondering why it’s getting clobbered in the ratings?

Eyewitness: Authorities “Must Have Known” About Bombing

» Eyewitness: Authorities “Must Have Known” About Bombing Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!:
"When Bidondi again attempted to ask police about why people were being told to remain calm before the bombs exploded, there was no response.
“They kept making announcements saying to the participants ‘do not worry, this is just a training exercise’” said Stevenson, who is the University of Mobile’s Cross Country Coach.
“Evidently, I don’t believe they were just having a training exercise, they must have known,” Stevenson told Local15 News.
“They must have had some sort of threat or suspicion called in,” adding that spotters were stationed on roofs of buildings and that bomb sniffing dogs were going up and down the finish line.
Stevenson said the level of security he witnessed was unlike anything he had experienced as a marathon runner before in major cities such as Chicago, Washington D.C., and London."

Let the river run: Dam removal accelerates across Michigan

Let the river run: Dam removal accelerates across Michigan | MLive.com:
"Michigan may be the Great Lakes State, but its 36,000 miles of rivers are becoming popular commodities for cities looking to revitalize downtowns, attract visitors and lure new businesses."

Sequester effects in Michigan: See which programs, agencies will be hit hardest by federal cuts

Sequester effects in Michigan: See which programs, agencies will be hit hardest by federal cuts | MLive.com
"Federal funding accounts for roughly $20 billion of the state's $48.2 billion budget, and the sequester-related loss of $150.5 million represents less than four-tenths of one percent of total state spending.
The sequester will directly affect needy children, according to the state, due to elimination of a federally-funded program that provides a $137 clothing allowance to $21,000 kids each August.
Schools stand to lose $56 million in federal funding next year, likely forcing reductions in after-school programs, vocational training and more."

Report: Scottville man arrested for allegedly driving 'super drunk,' causing accident

Report: Scottville man arrested for allegedly driving 'super drunk,' causing accident | MLive.com:
"The driver and passenger were taken to Memorial Medical Center with reportedly minor injuries."

Muskegon County meetings this week

Muskegon County, Michigan:
"Ways & Means Committee Meeting
When: Tuesday, April 16th - 4:00 PM (new start time)
Location: Hall Of Justice, Board Room, 4th Floor, 990 Terrace St., Muskegon, MI 49442
Click Here for Agenda

Jail and Juvenile Transition Center Committee meeting
When: Thursday, April 18th - 2:00 PM
Location: Hall Of Justice, Board Room, 4th Floor, 990 Terrace St., Muskegon, MI 49442

Port Advisory Committee Meeting
When:  Friday, April 19, 2013, 1:30pm
Location:  GVSU MAREC, 200 Viridian Drive, Muskegon "

Drive-in Theaters Start Kickstarter Campaigns, Ask for Donations to Pay for Digital Projector Conversions

Drive-in Theaters Start Kickstarter Campaigns, Ask for Donations to Pay for Digital Projector Conversions | TIME.com:
"Yes, there are still drive-in theaters in existence, though it’s rare for a state to have more a handful left. For example, there are eight drive-in theaters in Michigan, according to MichiganDriveIns.com.
MLive reported that at least one of the existing theaters, the Capri Drive-In, just paid $144,000 to upgrade two of its projectors to digital.
It’s unlikely that all of the other drive-ins will be able to do the same.
Drive-ins are hardly big money makers; more than 150 others in the state have closed over the years."

The 10 Absolute Worst Media Reactions To The Boston Marathon Bombings | Mediaite

The 10 Absolute Worst Media Reactions To The Boston Marathon Bombings | Mediaite:
"IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, below are the 10 worst media reactions to the Boston bombings "

'via Blog this'

Breaking media silence

Breaking media silence: Column

Yes. So why wasn't it news? Pro-choice writer Megan McArdle of The Daily Beastnotes that it's about fear of where the story would go, and what it would require writers to confront: "Gosnell is accused of grisly crimes that I didn't want to think about. ... I understand why my readers suspect me, and other pro-choice mainstream journalists, of being selective -- of not wanting to cover the story because it showcased the ugliest possibilities of abortion rights. The truth is that most of us tend to be less interested in sick-making stories -- if the sick-making was done by 'our side.' "
It was fine to dwell at length on the Newtown, Conn., shootings, because those could be blamed on the evil NRA. But writing about these dead innocents might be a political liability instead of a political asset. It might have been awkward for President Obama.
It's also true that in our polarized -- and moralistic -- political culture, shouts of Have you no decency? are so common that it's easy to assume that pretty much any such story is probably exaggerated and politicized. And the reports in the Gosnell case were ghoulish enough that it was probably especially easy to believe that they were exaggerated. Alas, that turned out not to be the case. It was no doubt Powers' status as a liberal, and as a woman, that let her break through the wall of denial in a way that others might not have been able to.

Climate scientists struggle to explain warming slowdown

Climate scientists struggle to explain warming slowdown | Reuters:
"My own confidence in the data has gone down in the past five years," said Richard Tol, an expert in climate change and professor of economics at the University of Sussex in England.
Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius first showed in the 1890s how man-made carbon dioxide, from coal for instance, traps heat in the atmosphere.
Many of the exact effects are still unknown.
Greenhouse gas emissions have hit repeated record highs with annual growth of about 3 percent in most of the decade to 2010, partly powered by rises in China and India.
World emissions were 75 percent higher in 2010 than in 1970, UN data show."

5 Unacknowledged, Unexpected, and Unavoidable Facts about Govt Spending and the Economy

5 Unacknowledged, Unexpected, and Unavoidable Facts about Govt Spending and the Economy - Reason.com

Gillespie argues that:
  1. We’re spending too much. Two wars, entitlement growth, and a massive stimulus are the results of a spending frenzy over the last decade.
  2. We’ve got too much debt. Every level of government is in over their heads. The literal and figurative bankruptcies of cities such as Stockton, California and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania are the canaries in the coal mine.
  3. Debt overhang kills growth. The latest studies are clear: excessive debt, sustained over long periods of time, hurts economic growth. Beyond the cost of higher interest rate payments, increasingly higher debt loads – which Gillespie calls “a ziggurat of doom” – promises to reduce opportunities for everyone.
  4. Spending growth is driven by entitlements. Since the Great Society programs of the 1960s, the government has switched from providing infrastructure and basic services, to being a national insurance broker. The consequences of this are dire because, as statistician Nate Silver notes, "most of us don't much care for our insurance broker."
  5. Trust in government is at historic lows. This kind of distrust is an inevitable result of a mismanaged economy. Yet it's also cause for optimism. Public discontent sow the seeds of reform, allowing the possibility of meaningful fiscal reform.

The Fact-Free Gun-Control Crusade

The Fact-Free Gun-Control Crusade | National Review Online:
"Amid all the heated, emotional advocacy of gun control, have you ever heard even one person present convincing hard evidence that tighter gun-control laws have in fact reduced murders?"

EEOC Probes Employer Use of Criminal Background Checks

EEOC Probes Employer Use of Criminal Background Checks - Executive Branch Project

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to recent news reports, is making a particular effort to restrict allegedly discriminatory use by employers of criminal background checks. Because African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be arrested or convicted of crimes than members of other racial and ethnic groups, the EEOC’s thinking goes, an employer policy that excludes job applicants based on past arrests or convictions will have a disparate impact on African-Americans and Hispanics and, if not job-related and justified by business necessity, may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
But critics raised both substantive and procedural concerns about the new guidance. Substantively, critics noted that the new policy does not do enough to make clear in what circumstances an employer may use a background check; it notably contains no “safe harbors” and may chill some lawful use of checks. The Guidance was also criticized for claiming to pre-empt state laws requiring some types of employers to conduct criminal background checks, placing firms in  “a damned if you check, damned if you don’t” bind. Because the Guidance may encourage employers to change their hiring procedures to benefit one racial group, it may also violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Some social science research also suggests that use of criminal background checks may actually lead to increased hiring of African-Americans. Employers barred from checking criminal histories may be inclined to wrongfully use race as a proxy for criminal history. (Disclosure: I work at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for Gail Heriot, one of the signatories to this letter. But the views expressed in this blog post are my own and not necessarily those of the Commission on Civil Rights or Gail Heriot.)
The EEOC appears committed to rigorous enforcement of the new Guidance. At a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, EEOC member Victoria Lipnic emphasized the EEOC’s commitment to pursuing these cases, noting that “Criminal background checks are ripe for the picking.”
Although the EEOC does not ordinarily make investigations public until a case has been filed,  news stories about recent targets of EEOC investigation suggest that the agency is  setting a fairly high bar for “business necessity.” Such investigations include a probe into the use of checks at  a company that provides security services, and also an unnamed firearms retailer, although the employer believes that federal law requires him as a federal firearms licensee to conduct such checks.

Eric Holder's family papers over his ties to abortion doctor

Eric Holder's family papers over his ties to abortion doctor - Conservative News:
"Eric Holder Jr.’s family is moving fast and furiously to bury the U.S. Attorney General’s ties to one of Georgia’s most notorious abortion doctors.
Just cleared by an internal report in the “Fast and Furious” gunrunning debacle, the nation’s top lawman now faces allegations that his connection to Dr. Tyrone Cecil Malloy is a conflict of interest that helps explain Holder’s failure to prosecute abortion providers who run afoul of federal law.
Critics say it may also explain why Holder has been eager to prosecute pro-life advocates who counsel women outside abortion clinics.
Documents obtained by Watchdog show that Holder’s wife and sister-in-law co-own, through a family trust, the building where Malloy operated.
A Georgia grand jury indicted Malloy on Medicaid fraud charges in 2011.
A state medical board twice reprimanded the doctor."

DNR stocks Red Cedar River on Michigan State campus with 3,000 steelhead trout

DNR stocks Red Cedar River on Michigan State campus with 3,000 steelhead trout | MLive.com:
"Scott Hanshue, fisheries management biologist for the DNR, said his agency took 3,000 steelhead with which it usually stocks the Grand River in Lansing and put them in the Red Cedar River.
The steelhead will reproduce and multiply, improving fisheries in the Red Cedar River at MSU, he said."

Opponents dominate public hearing on White River Township dune driveway proposal

Opponents dominate public hearing on White River Township dune driveway proposal | MLive.com:
"A generally respectful, polite tone deteriorated a bit in the last half-hour, when the DEQ officials present opened it up to questions from the public.
Some in the audience didn’t like being told the DEQ was considering the proposed project to be a driveway.
One of the opponents’ claims is that it’s really a road falsely characterized as a driveway, which is more difficult for the DEQ to reject under new rules.
Others considered the fact that the DEQ will discuss the public comments with the applicants, possibly leading to revisions in the application based on the complaints, to be what one called an “inside process” without further public input."

Congress Quietly Repeals Congressional Insider Trading Ban

Congress Quietly Repeals Congressional Insider Trading Ban · NYU Local:
"While Congress might be stuck in a deadlock on just about every issue imaginable, there’s one piece of legislation that both Democrats and Republicans hate unanimously: the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, a law passed last year designed to prevent insider trading among lawmakers and government officials by requiring them to post disclosures of their financial transactions online.
Both parties and both houses of Congress hated the disclosure portion of the law so much that it was repealed on Friday without debate—the measure was sent to the president by unanimous consent.
The ordeal took about 10 seconds in the Senate and 14 seconds in the House, according to official records."

Margaret Thatcher funeral: President Obama won't send envoy - and leaves it to her old allies from Reagan era

Margaret Thatcher funeral: President Obama won't send envoy - and leaves it to her old allies from Reagan era | Mail Online:
"Sir Gerald Howarth, chairman of the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward group of MPs and peers, said: 'The bonds forged between the UK and the US through Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher was instrumental in ending the Cold War and liberating millions of people.
'That the present administration feels unable to be represented as the world marks the extraordinary contribution Margaret Thatcher made will be a source of disappointment to those who served with her in that great endeavour.'"
"That's fine. One only wants friends at such occasions.
"If you set out to be liked, you would be
prepared to compromise on anything at any time."

Monday, April 15, 2013

Report: No top-down oversight for state travel

MLive.com: The Wire

Report: No top-down oversight for state travel

April 14, 2013, 1:50 p.m. EDT
Lansing State Journal
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state of Michigan spends at least $40 million a year for employees' travel, but there are inconsistencies in reporting and no high-level oversight, a newspaper investigation found.
The Lansing State Journal reported (http://on.lsj.com/ZiQCHX) Sunday that nobody in state government is responsible for analyzing actual costs incurred by departments for employees' work-related travel expenses. Each agency or department handles its own expenses.
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's spokeswoman Sara Wurfel says they "do a solid job of monitoring travel" and are "well-equipped to make decisions" about their needs.
"We have communicated clear standards, along with the guiding principle of fiscal responsibility," Wurfel said.
The newspaper reported the $40.5 million the state spent last year for such travel is an "inconclusive, minimum figure." Although that's about one-tenth of 1 percent of the state's $48.2 billion budget, it represents enough money to cover the operations of some smaller departments and the auditor general's office has not conducted an independent review of statewide travel costs.
The newspaper also found that the State Budget Office, a division of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget, doesn't keep some of the out-of-state travel reports it's required to receive for more than a few months. They aren't reviewed by the budget office or by the state's legislative appropriations committees, which also get them as required by law.
In one instance, total travel costs listed online for fiscal year 2012 did not match a report submitted to legislators. The state attorney general's office reported it spent about $356,000 on travel but the office's website reported about $655,000.
Attorney general spokeswoman Joy Yearout said the difference comes from which costs are reported as travel expenses. The office didn't include state-owned vehicle usage in its legislative report because workers don't receive money back for that.
The newspaper found discrepancies among other departments related to how various expenses are reported.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Tip Line: Did Your Editor Spike Kermit Gosnell Coverage? Report It Here Anonymously

Lucianne.com News Forum - Thread:
"Reply 26 - Posted by: angelesgift, 4/14/2013 11:07:05 AM     (No. 9274812)
This is not being covered both because of the obsession with "choice" and because this occurred in a Black neighborhood.
Can you imagine this continuing for so long in a White neighborhood, no matter how poor?
Poor Blacks have been treated as a Useful Idiot voting bloc for so long, the Dems have nothing but contempt for them.
They get the welfare pittance to buy their vote and if they need to kill a baby or three to feed the rest, who cares?
So, heaven knows, liberals don´t want this murder/abortion mill exposed.
But we´re the racist ones for exposing this and telling Black people that they are NOT children or idiots and can learn to take care of themselves."