For The First Time, Average Michigan Government Employee Compensation Exceeds $100K [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"The average combined cost of salary and benefits for a state worker jumped to $104,067 in 2011-12, increasing from $97,883 in 2010-11."
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
No change: Consumers Energy president reiterates utility's plans to close Muskegon's B.C. Cobb plant
No change: Consumers Energy president reiterates utility's plans to close Muskegon's B.C. Cobb plant | MLive.com:
"Federal Clean Air Act regulations on the amount of particulates, nitrogen dioxide and mercury stiffen for coal-power plants in 2015.
Consumers Energy’s expected move to close B.C. Cobb, which employs 116 people, is a significant blow to the Muskegon community.
The plant is Muskegon County’s largest taxpayer, although its value diminished to $134.5 million in 2012 for taxing purposes under an agreement with the city of Muskegon and the company."
"Federal Clean Air Act regulations on the amount of particulates, nitrogen dioxide and mercury stiffen for coal-power plants in 2015.
Consumers Energy’s expected move to close B.C. Cobb, which employs 116 people, is a significant blow to the Muskegon community.
The plant is Muskegon County’s largest taxpayer, although its value diminished to $134.5 million in 2012 for taxing purposes under an agreement with the city of Muskegon and the company."
Economists: Business Tax Reform Helping, Not Hurting, Michigan
Economists: Business Tax Reform Helping, Not Hurting, Michigan [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"Swift's statements are inaccurate, says James Hohman, a fiscal policy analyst for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
The state didn't give $1.4 billion to "corporate special interests."
Instead, it eliminated the Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a corporate income tax.
Hohman said Swift's comment about "corporate special interests" makes it appear big business, industries and companies favored by politicians received some of that $1.4 billion in special deals, something similar to the state's film incentives in which the state gives money to out-of-state movie producers.
In reality, it was mostly small businesses that ended up with the tax cut because they are not corporations and hence don't pay the corporate income tax."
"Swift's statements are inaccurate, says James Hohman, a fiscal policy analyst for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
The state didn't give $1.4 billion to "corporate special interests."
Instead, it eliminated the Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a corporate income tax.
Hohman said Swift's comment about "corporate special interests" makes it appear big business, industries and companies favored by politicians received some of that $1.4 billion in special deals, something similar to the state's film incentives in which the state gives money to out-of-state movie producers.
In reality, it was mostly small businesses that ended up with the tax cut because they are not corporations and hence don't pay the corporate income tax."
Legislators eye changes to high school graduation requirements
Legislators eye changes to high school graduation requirements | Bridge Michigan:
"So came into being the Michigan Merit Curriculum – a detailed set of state requirements for high school grads.
In June, the third set of graduates taught under the curriculum will graduate.
It could be the last.
Nearly 10 bills have been filed in the Legislature to modify the state standards, most of which target foreign language and algebra II requirements.
On Wednesday, the House Education Committee took testimony on two of those bills, HB 4465 and 4466.
Mike Foster, a former superintendent at Laingsburg and supporter of the bills, said more options were needed in the requirements to allow for vocational courses – and that the existing option for a “personal curriculum” under the MMC was too restrictive.
By contrast, Justin Jennings, principal at Holland High School, speaking in opposition to the bills, said his school already was working in partnership with furniture maker Herman Miller on career training under the existing curriculum rules."
"So came into being the Michigan Merit Curriculum – a detailed set of state requirements for high school grads.
In June, the third set of graduates taught under the curriculum will graduate.
It could be the last.
Nearly 10 bills have been filed in the Legislature to modify the state standards, most of which target foreign language and algebra II requirements.
On Wednesday, the House Education Committee took testimony on two of those bills, HB 4465 and 4466.
Mike Foster, a former superintendent at Laingsburg and supporter of the bills, said more options were needed in the requirements to allow for vocational courses – and that the existing option for a “personal curriculum” under the MMC was too restrictive.
By contrast, Justin Jennings, principal at Holland High School, speaking in opposition to the bills, said his school already was working in partnership with furniture maker Herman Miller on career training under the existing curriculum rules."
Surprise runoff fees roil Detroit biz
Surprise runoff fees roil Detroit biz | Crain's Detroit Business
A DWSD internal review found the department had not been billing about 1,200 commercial businesses in the city for stormwater drainage, said Bill Johnson, a spokesman for the DWSD.
....The charges affect only Detroit businesses because the DWSD is not responsible for stormwater drainage services in suburban communities.
...."These are people that never received any sort of invoice ever for stormwater runoff," Gold said.
....While the exact amount the DWSD is owed for the unbilled drainage charges is unknown, it "could ultimately be in the millions," Johnson said.
....One city business owner, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the stormwater drainage portion of the monthly bill he recently received was for $4,500, which will amount to $54,000 annually on his 8-acre property.
"It's going to run people away," he said. "It's a rain tax -- that's really what it is."
...Susan Harvey, senior vice president of the Canton Township office of New York-based Ashley Capital LLC, an industrial and office real estate acquisition firm, said she believes the stormwater runoff charges "are excessive and they influenced our decision not to buy any more industrial property in the city of Detroit."
A DWSD internal review found the department had not been billing about 1,200 commercial businesses in the city for stormwater drainage, said Bill Johnson, a spokesman for the DWSD.
....The charges affect only Detroit businesses because the DWSD is not responsible for stormwater drainage services in suburban communities.
...."These are people that never received any sort of invoice ever for stormwater runoff," Gold said.
....While the exact amount the DWSD is owed for the unbilled drainage charges is unknown, it "could ultimately be in the millions," Johnson said.
....One city business owner, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the stormwater drainage portion of the monthly bill he recently received was for $4,500, which will amount to $54,000 annually on his 8-acre property.
"It's going to run people away," he said. "It's a rain tax -- that's really what it is."
...Susan Harvey, senior vice president of the Canton Township office of New York-based Ashley Capital LLC, an industrial and office real estate acquisition firm, said she believes the stormwater runoff charges "are excessive and they influenced our decision not to buy any more industrial property in the city of Detroit."
NPR’s Dina Temple Raston Blames Boston on ‘Right-Wing Individuals’
ViralRead » NPR’s Dina Temple Raston Blames Boston on ‘Right-Wing Individuals’:
"On NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’ yesterday, Counterterrorism Correspondent Dina Temple Raston concludes that the Boston Marathon tragedy was more than likely “a domestic extremist attack” citing April as a “big month for anti-government, right-wing individuals.”
In her segment, she notes that Hitler’s birthday and the anniversaries of the Columbine attack, the Oklahoma City bombing and the assault on the Branch-Davidian compound in Waco, TX all fall in April."
"On NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’ yesterday, Counterterrorism Correspondent Dina Temple Raston concludes that the Boston Marathon tragedy was more than likely “a domestic extremist attack” citing April as a “big month for anti-government, right-wing individuals.”
In her segment, she notes that Hitler’s birthday and the anniversaries of the Columbine attack, the Oklahoma City bombing and the assault on the Branch-Davidian compound in Waco, TX all fall in April."
Muskegon County schools pursuing September technology millage
Muskegon County schools pursuing September technology millage | MLive.com:
Eleven school districts have petitioned the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District to seek the 1-mill property tax increase to pay for technology improvements.
The districts, which do not include the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System, would share proceeds of the millage estimated to raise about $4 million per year.
The first step in getting the 10-year “enhancement millage” on a Sept. 24 ballot is collecting signatures of registered voters. At least 3,000 valid signatures need to be collected by July 2.
The MAISD was obligated to pursue the millage after the boards of education representing at least half of the 29,000 students in the county's traditional public school districts asked it to do so.
Under state law, only intermediate school districts can seek enhancement millages.
The MAISD was obligated to pursue the millage after the boards of education representing at least half of the 29,000 students in the county's traditional public school districts asked it to do so.
Under state law, only intermediate school districts can seek enhancement millages.
A phone survey conducted in February by a research group found that 68 percent of 400 registered voters in the county supported a 1-mill school technology enhancement millage.
......Software and support services cannot be paid with traditional school bonds sought by school districts, including those to pay for technology improvements.
.......Charter schools, including the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System, would not benefit from the millage.
Monday, April 22, 2013
My favorite Earth Day video
My favorite Earth Day video. | Jen Kuznicki:
"I can’t stop laughing.
I have a few things to point out.
Did you see how they were depriving the grass and sprouts and seedlings of CO2 and sunlight by sitting their fat asses down around the tree stump?"
MUST SEE VIDEO!
"I can’t stop laughing.
I have a few things to point out.
Did you see how they were depriving the grass and sprouts and seedlings of CO2 and sunlight by sitting their fat asses down around the tree stump?"
MUST SEE VIDEO!
Mich. Court Backs Anonymity for Former Student Who Trashed Law School Online
Mich. Court Backs Anonymity for Former Student Who Trashed Law School Online | Inside Higher Ed:
"A former student who created a website that harshly criticized Thomas M. Cooley Law School is protected by the First Amendment and should not have his identity revealed, a Michigan state appeals court ruled this month. Cooley, a freestanding law school in Michigan, had sued the former student in state court, saying that the site the ex-student created, Thomas M. Cooley Law School Scam, defamed the institution.
Cooley officials obtained a California subpoena compelling the company that hosted the website to reveal his identity, and a lower state court refused to block the subpoena.
But the appeals court ruled that Michigan law protects such speech, and sent the case back to the lower court for further review."
"A former student who created a website that harshly criticized Thomas M. Cooley Law School is protected by the First Amendment and should not have his identity revealed, a Michigan state appeals court ruled this month. Cooley, a freestanding law school in Michigan, had sued the former student in state court, saying that the site the ex-student created, Thomas M. Cooley Law School Scam, defamed the institution.
Cooley officials obtained a California subpoena compelling the company that hosted the website to reveal his identity, and a lower state court refused to block the subpoena.
But the appeals court ruled that Michigan law protects such speech, and sent the case back to the lower court for further review."
I Saw Something, So I'm Saying Something
Articles: I Saw Something, So I'm Saying Something:
"I've seen Obama stand before the United Nations after the jihad-crazed slaughter of four Americans in Benghazi, including our ambassador, and proclaim "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."
So much for America's right of free speech!
And freedom of religion!
Can you find anything in that bizarre sentence with which the Boston bombers would disagree?
No wonder Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was an Obama supporter."
"I've seen Obama stand before the United Nations after the jihad-crazed slaughter of four Americans in Benghazi, including our ambassador, and proclaim "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."
So much for America's right of free speech!
And freedom of religion!
Can you find anything in that bizarre sentence with which the Boston bombers would disagree?
No wonder Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was an Obama supporter."
Liberal Professor: We Used “Too Much Force” Capturing Boston Bomber
Liberal Professor: We Used “Too Much Force” Capturing Boston Bomber. // Mr. Conservative:
"This said, the mortuary pictures of the older brother of the two are extremely disturbing, raising questions as to whether the Boston Police Department captured him with too much force.
…Boston has great resonance for terrorists.
Selecting the Boston Marathon has great impact and it is going to be felt among the upper middle class: healthy, white, high-income earners who are non-smokers and non-drinkers (though maybe pancake-and-syrup eaters) — those who attend the Boston Marathon or watch it.
I do hope we all watch the cleanup or the damage control and hear the words Obama uttered – we should be careful not just to bracket the motives of these terrorists – but also make sure to remember that we are an immigrant nation."
"This said, the mortuary pictures of the older brother of the two are extremely disturbing, raising questions as to whether the Boston Police Department captured him with too much force.
…Boston has great resonance for terrorists.
Selecting the Boston Marathon has great impact and it is going to be felt among the upper middle class: healthy, white, high-income earners who are non-smokers and non-drinkers (though maybe pancake-and-syrup eaters) — those who attend the Boston Marathon or watch it.
I do hope we all watch the cleanup or the damage control and hear the words Obama uttered – we should be careful not just to bracket the motives of these terrorists – but also make sure to remember that we are an immigrant nation."
New Hockey Stick Sent to the Permanent Penalty Box
New Hockey Stick Sent to the Permanent Penalty Box | Heartlander Magazine:
"Climate expert Ross McKitrick this week in the Financial Post published perhaps the best summary of the spectacular death of the 4,000-year hockey stick paper.
The final death blow of the paper, as McKitrick reports, is the author’s admission,
“[The] 20th-century portion of our paleotemperature stack is not statistically robust, cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes, and therefore is not the basis of any of our conclusions.”
Wow! According to the author of the paper himself, the very portion of the paper alarmists and the media have been proclaiming as the climatic equivalent of the Zombie Apocalypse “cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes.”
So all we are left with is a temperature reconstruction that shows temperatures by 1900 A.D. had sunk to their coldest levels since the last ice age epoch ended 11,000 years ago.
Perhaps maybe a little twentieth century global warming may have been just what the planet needed after all."
"Climate expert Ross McKitrick this week in the Financial Post published perhaps the best summary of the spectacular death of the 4,000-year hockey stick paper.
The final death blow of the paper, as McKitrick reports, is the author’s admission,
“[The] 20th-century portion of our paleotemperature stack is not statistically robust, cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes, and therefore is not the basis of any of our conclusions.”
Wow! According to the author of the paper himself, the very portion of the paper alarmists and the media have been proclaiming as the climatic equivalent of the Zombie Apocalypse “cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes.”
So all we are left with is a temperature reconstruction that shows temperatures by 1900 A.D. had sunk to their coldest levels since the last ice age epoch ended 11,000 years ago.
Perhaps maybe a little twentieth century global warming may have been just what the planet needed after all."
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.
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."
"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."
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.
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."
"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."
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