Monday, August 05, 2013
ATTENTION AL SHARPTON: Black Dude in White Hoodie Viciously Stabs White Teenage Girl
ATTENTION AL SHARPTON: Black Dude in White Hoodie Viciously Stabs White Teenage Girl - Doug Giles
"Did you hear about the seventeen-year-old Queens resident, Natasha Martinez, who was stabbed eleven times last week by a black male wearing a white hoodie?
Yep, just a few days ago, as this young lady was walking home from her job at Mickey D’s, and right in front of her house, Natasha was jumped by a black dude in a white hoodie and suffered eleven stab wounds -- she is in serious condition.
Her state was so grave the doctors at Jamaica Hospital had to remove her spleen and confiscate a vein from her leg and implant it into her arm.
Back to my original question: Did you catch that story last week?
You didn’t?
Yeah, I didn’t think so."
"Did you hear about the seventeen-year-old Queens resident, Natasha Martinez, who was stabbed eleven times last week by a black male wearing a white hoodie?
Yep, just a few days ago, as this young lady was walking home from her job at Mickey D’s, and right in front of her house, Natasha was jumped by a black dude in a white hoodie and suffered eleven stab wounds -- she is in serious condition.
Her state was so grave the doctors at Jamaica Hospital had to remove her spleen and confiscate a vein from her leg and implant it into her arm.
Back to my original question: Did you catch that story last week?
You didn’t?
Yeah, I didn’t think so."
Genesee County delaying bond sale, Wayne County rating cut shows Detroit bankruptcy penalty spreads
Genesee County delaying bond sale, Wayne County rating cut shows Detroit bankruptcy penalty spreads | Crain's Detroit Business:
"Standard & Poor's may adjust ratings on general-obligation bonds from issuers throughout Michigan depending on how Detroit's debt is dealt with in bankruptcy, Jane Ridley, the New York-based company's primary Detroit analyst, said in an online presentation Thursday."
"Standard & Poor's may adjust ratings on general-obligation bonds from issuers throughout Michigan depending on how Detroit's debt is dealt with in bankruptcy, Jane Ridley, the New York-based company's primary Detroit analyst, said in an online presentation Thursday."
Michigan left turn gets boost from Wayne State University
Michigan left turn gets boost from Wayne State University | MLive.com:
"DETROIT (AP) — Wayne State University engineers will help spread the gospel of the Michigan left turn around the world, thanks to a grant from the Science Applications International Corp.
The median U-turn is common on Michigan roads as a way to avoid accident-generating left turns at intersections.
Wayne State says it isn't used widely in other states and countries in part because the design isn't yet included in standard manuals and software that highway designers use.
The university says it's received a $78,000 grant from Scientific Applications to develop equations, text and software so the Michigan left turn and three other designs can join the next edition of the Highway Capacity Manual that highway designers use.
Civil engineering department chairman Joseph Hummer heads the effort."
"DETROIT (AP) — Wayne State University engineers will help spread the gospel of the Michigan left turn around the world, thanks to a grant from the Science Applications International Corp.
The median U-turn is common on Michigan roads as a way to avoid accident-generating left turns at intersections.
Wayne State says it isn't used widely in other states and countries in part because the design isn't yet included in standard manuals and software that highway designers use.
The university says it's received a $78,000 grant from Scientific Applications to develop equations, text and software so the Michigan left turn and three other designs can join the next edition of the Highway Capacity Manual that highway designers use.
Civil engineering department chairman Joseph Hummer heads the effort."
Could this prevent drownings? Bluffton couple proposes beach signage for rip current days
Could this prevent drownings? Bluffton couple proposes beach signage for rip current days | MLive.com:
"Not long after she came up with the idea, Kathleen shared the idea on Facebook, where it drew support from members of the community.
The Community Foundation for Muskegon County also connected them to donors who had an interest in beach safety.
The city, however, was less supportive, according to the Kallens.
Officials, including those from the Planning, Zoning and Recreation Department, told them that city ordinances prohibited them from placing the signs on the beach and that they would be fined if they violated the ordinances, the Kallens said.
Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, the city's department director, did not return phone calls and messages left by MLive and the Muskegon Chronicle."
"Not long after she came up with the idea, Kathleen shared the idea on Facebook, where it drew support from members of the community.
The Community Foundation for Muskegon County also connected them to donors who had an interest in beach safety.
The city, however, was less supportive, according to the Kallens.
Officials, including those from the Planning, Zoning and Recreation Department, told them that city ordinances prohibited them from placing the signs on the beach and that they would be fined if they violated the ordinances, the Kallens said.
Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, the city's department director, did not return phone calls and messages left by MLive and the Muskegon Chronicle."
Futures flat despite upbeat GDP, private sector employment report
Futures flat despite upbeat GDP, private sector employment report:
"GDP growing at a 1.7 percent annual rate, up from the first-quarter's downwardly revised 1.1 percent expansion pace,"
"GDP growing at a 1.7 percent annual rate, up from the first-quarter's downwardly revised 1.1 percent expansion pace,"
Unions get creative to halt decline in membership
Unions get creative to halt decline in membership | MLive.com:
"Unions are helping non-union fast-food workers around the country hold strikes to protest low wages and poor working conditions.
They are trying to organize home day-care workers, university graduate students and even newly legalized marijuana dealers.
Members of a "shadow union" at Wal-Mart hold regular protests at the giant retailer, which long has been resistant to organizing."
"Unions are helping non-union fast-food workers around the country hold strikes to protest low wages and poor working conditions.
They are trying to organize home day-care workers, university graduate students and even newly legalized marijuana dealers.
Members of a "shadow union" at Wal-Mart hold regular protests at the giant retailer, which long has been resistant to organizing."
Brown bag banned | chink in armor
Brown bag banned | chink in armor | language police:
"Here are some prior examples we have considered: Black List, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Rejigger, Providence Plantations, Black Friday, Gobbledygook, Illegal Immigrant, Undocumented Immigrant, Master Bedroom, and even the use of white copy paper.
We also addressed the idiom Chink in the Armor after a sportscaster was suspended and a copywriter (who happened to be married to an Asian woman) was fired for using the phrase in connection with discussing basketball player Jeremy Lin’s on-court weaknesses.
The controversy was contrived, but it drove race into the headlines:"
"Here are some prior examples we have considered: Black List, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Rejigger, Providence Plantations, Black Friday, Gobbledygook, Illegal Immigrant, Undocumented Immigrant, Master Bedroom, and even the use of white copy paper.
We also addressed the idiom Chink in the Armor after a sportscaster was suspended and a copywriter (who happened to be married to an Asian woman) was fired for using the phrase in connection with discussing basketball player Jeremy Lin’s on-court weaknesses.
The controversy was contrived, but it drove race into the headlines:"
America: Where Hard Working, Productive Members Of Society Pay For The Health Care Of Everyone Else
America: Where Hard Working, Productive Members Of Society Pay For The Health Care Of Everyone Else:
"It would be bad enough if hard working Americans just had to pay for their own health insurance.
But no, they are also expected to pay for the health care of members of Congress, employees of the IRS and other federal agencies, state and local government employees, their adult kids (because they can't afford health insurance), the elderly, the poor, and now under Obamacare they will also be expected to subsidize the health plans of tens of millions of other Americans that are not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.
When you add it all up, the hard working, productive members of society are at least partially subsidizing the health care of well over half of all Americans while having to pay for their own health care at the same time."
"It would be bad enough if hard working Americans just had to pay for their own health insurance.
But no, they are also expected to pay for the health care of members of Congress, employees of the IRS and other federal agencies, state and local government employees, their adult kids (because they can't afford health insurance), the elderly, the poor, and now under Obamacare they will also be expected to subsidize the health plans of tens of millions of other Americans that are not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.
When you add it all up, the hard working, productive members of society are at least partially subsidizing the health care of well over half of all Americans while having to pay for their own health care at the same time."
The Kindle has turned me off paper books
The Kindle has turned me off paper books | Books | theguardian.com:
"It has been a few years since I read an actual book on a plane, and I was astonished at how cumbersome, how intractably wrong, it felt in my hands.
I found myself – which I have never done before and heartily disapprove of – folding the book in half so that only the page I was reading was visible.
That gave me a cramp in my right hand, and the pages wouldn't stay still, quite, as I read. I found myself swaying slightly, as if at the Wailing Wall. Then I went back to the two-handed double-page-opened position – even describing it makes it seem like an obscure sort of manoeuvre, rather than a natural function – but I still couldn't settle down.
The book was too fat.
It was too heavy.
It spread out too widely.
It was as if I had taken an unruly small pet onto the plane and couldn't keep it under control."
"It has been a few years since I read an actual book on a plane, and I was astonished at how cumbersome, how intractably wrong, it felt in my hands.
I found myself – which I have never done before and heartily disapprove of – folding the book in half so that only the page I was reading was visible.
That gave me a cramp in my right hand, and the pages wouldn't stay still, quite, as I read. I found myself swaying slightly, as if at the Wailing Wall. Then I went back to the two-handed double-page-opened position – even describing it makes it seem like an obscure sort of manoeuvre, rather than a natural function – but I still couldn't settle down.
The book was too fat.
It was too heavy.
It spread out too widely.
It was as if I had taken an unruly small pet onto the plane and couldn't keep it under control."
Climate change focus of national bus tour
WGVU Broadcasting:
"The bus tour is making stops in 27 states at local communities as part of an effort to promote local and federal action to address climate change.
Sponsored by Progress Michigan, the tour follows recent action by President Obama on climate changes, including limits on carbon pollution, infrastructure improvements to tackle the effects of climate change, and investments in clean energy and energy efficiency.
The “I Will Act On Climate" Muskegon Stop is scheduled for Monday August 5th, at 10:00 AM at the Renewable Energy Center on Viridian Drive in Muskegon. "
"The bus tour is making stops in 27 states at local communities as part of an effort to promote local and federal action to address climate change.
Sponsored by Progress Michigan, the tour follows recent action by President Obama on climate changes, including limits on carbon pollution, infrastructure improvements to tackle the effects of climate change, and investments in clean energy and energy efficiency.
The “I Will Act On Climate" Muskegon Stop is scheduled for Monday August 5th, at 10:00 AM at the Renewable Energy Center on Viridian Drive in Muskegon. "
Sunday, August 04, 2013
Professor says kids don't need to learn spelling and grammar
Professor says kids don't need to learn spelling and grammar | The Daily Caller:
"Sugata Mitra, a professor of educational technology at Newcastle University in northeast England, announced that traditional language rules are out of fashion, reports the Daily Mail. Kids don’t need to waste time on those things, see. State-of-the-art computers and mobile phones can make the necessary corrections."
"Sugata Mitra, a professor of educational technology at Newcastle University in northeast England, announced that traditional language rules are out of fashion, reports the Daily Mail. Kids don’t need to waste time on those things, see. State-of-the-art computers and mobile phones can make the necessary corrections."
Your Help Is Hurting: How Church Foreign Aid Programs Make Things Worse
Your Help Is Hurting: How Church Foreign Aid Programs Make Things Worse - Forbes:
’Your help is hurting’ is an incredibly powerful four-word sentence.
And I’m just kind of wondering, why is it that the philanthropic world is so slow to see this, because I think......., I think a lot of philanthropy is hurting.
A whole lot of well-intentioned help is hurting, and yet global philanthropy is a huge, huge business.
So why isn’t this whole industry of helping people picking up on the fact that in many cases, their help is hurting?”"
’Your help is hurting’ is an incredibly powerful four-word sentence.
And I’m just kind of wondering, why is it that the philanthropic world is so slow to see this, because I think......., I think a lot of philanthropy is hurting.
A whole lot of well-intentioned help is hurting, and yet global philanthropy is a huge, huge business.
So why isn’t this whole industry of helping people picking up on the fact that in many cases, their help is hurting?”"
New York Times Sells Boston Globe at 93% Loss
New York Times Sells Boston Globe at 93% Loss:
"After purchasing the Boston Globe in 1993 for a then-record $1.1 billion, the financially troubled New York Times just announced it sold the 141 year-old paper to Boston Red Sox owner John Henry for a mere $70 million.
That's a straight 93% loss.
Figuring in two decades of inflation would only make it worse -- as does the fact the Times retains the Globe's pension liabilities, estimated at over $100 million."
"After purchasing the Boston Globe in 1993 for a then-record $1.1 billion, the financially troubled New York Times just announced it sold the 141 year-old paper to Boston Red Sox owner John Henry for a mere $70 million.
That's a straight 93% loss.
Figuring in two decades of inflation would only make it worse -- as does the fact the Times retains the Globe's pension liabilities, estimated at over $100 million."
City of Detroit switching to high-deductible health care plan for employees
City of Detroit switching to high-deductible health care plan for employees | Crain's Detroit Business:
"City employees will see increased deductibles under a new health care plan proposed Friday by Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr designed to save $12 million per year in the city's budget.
Annual deductibles for a single city employee with no dependents would increase from $200 to $750.
There would be a $1,500 cap on annual out-of-pocket expenses.
For a married city employee with a family, the annual deductible would increase from $500 to $1,500.
The cap on out-of-pocket expenses would increase from $3,000 to $4,500."
"City employees will see increased deductibles under a new health care plan proposed Friday by Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr designed to save $12 million per year in the city's budget.
Annual deductibles for a single city employee with no dependents would increase from $200 to $750.
There would be a $1,500 cap on annual out-of-pocket expenses.
For a married city employee with a family, the annual deductible would increase from $500 to $1,500.
The cap on out-of-pocket expenses would increase from $3,000 to $4,500."
Trip to update paperwork strands immigrants at the Ambassador Bridge
Trip to update paperwork strands immigrants at the Ambassador Bridge | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"The bus, chartered by the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, was carrying 47 Mexicans who live in Michigan to the Mexican Consulate in Detroit so they could update their immigration paperwork.
The bus driver took a wrong turn and accidentally took the Ambassador Bridge exit off I-75.
Federal border officials took all the immigrants, six of them children, into custody and detained most of them for 12 hours.
Three were arrested and sent to the Calhoun County jail, where they remain.
Others were given notices that could lead to future court dates."
"Immigrants"?
"The bus, chartered by the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, was carrying 47 Mexicans who live in Michigan to the Mexican Consulate in Detroit so they could update their immigration paperwork.
The bus driver took a wrong turn and accidentally took the Ambassador Bridge exit off I-75.
Federal border officials took all the immigrants, six of them children, into custody and detained most of them for 12 hours.
Three were arrested and sent to the Calhoun County jail, where they remain.
Others were given notices that could lead to future court dates."
"Immigrants"?
North Pole Sees Unprecedented July Cold – Arctic Sees Shortest Summer On Record
North Pole Sees Unprecedented July Cold – Arctic Sees Shortest Summer On Record — ‘Normally the high Arctic has about 90 days above freezing. This year there was less than half that’ | Climate Depot:
"North Pole Sees Unprecedented July Cold
– Arctic Sees Shortest Summer On Record
—‘Normally the high Arctic has about 90 days above freezing.
This year there was less than half that’"
"North Pole Sees Unprecedented July Cold
– Arctic Sees Shortest Summer On Record
—‘Normally the high Arctic has about 90 days above freezing.
This year there was less than half that’"
Saturday, August 03, 2013
Ken Braun: Michigan's Certificate of Need helps hospitals, hurts patients
Ken Braun: Michigan's Certificate of Need helps hospitals, hurts patients | MLive.com:
"But in Michigan, we have the Certificate of Need Commission.
The job of this powerful but obscure bit of meddling is to determine how much medicine is too much medicine.
On its website, the Michigan Department of Community Health says the CON program balances “cost, quality and access issues, and ensures that only needed services are developed in Michigan.”
In plain-English, this means even highly-qualified medical providers must beg for permission before adding hospital services ranging from MRI scanners and transplant surgery, down to just basic hospital beds.
If the CON Commission thinks too many hospital beds or MRIs exist already, it will say “no.”
"But in Michigan, we have the Certificate of Need Commission.
The job of this powerful but obscure bit of meddling is to determine how much medicine is too much medicine.
On its website, the Michigan Department of Community Health says the CON program balances “cost, quality and access issues, and ensures that only needed services are developed in Michigan.”
In plain-English, this means even highly-qualified medical providers must beg for permission before adding hospital services ranging from MRI scanners and transplant surgery, down to just basic hospital beds.
If the CON Commission thinks too many hospital beds or MRIs exist already, it will say “no.”
More Bankruptcies Won’t Solve Cities’ Crises
More Bankruptcies Won’t Solve Cities’ Crises - Bloomberg:
"That is why, despite their well-documented pension problems, the three recent California bankruptcies either didn’t seek (Vallejo) or aren’t currently seeking (Stockton and San Bernardino) pension cuts through the Chapter 9 process.
Detroit is seeking pension cuts in bankruptcy as a result of the state’s emergency-manager law, not the bankruptcy process itself."
"That is why, despite their well-documented pension problems, the three recent California bankruptcies either didn’t seek (Vallejo) or aren’t currently seeking (Stockton and San Bernardino) pension cuts through the Chapter 9 process.
Detroit is seeking pension cuts in bankruptcy as a result of the state’s emergency-manager law, not the bankruptcy process itself."
Villainous Company: Racism, Conversations, and the Sound of One Hand
Villainous Company: Racism, Conversations, and the Sound of One Hand Clapping:
The racial experiences of blacks are poignant and touching: the young man who feels alienated by the suspicious glances of complete strangers, the father who finds it exquisitely painful to explain to his teenaged son that he mustn't give the police cause to arrest him, are meant to elicit sympathy.
The racial experiences of whites, on the other hand, are deemed not germane to this "honest" and frank racial discussion.
The racial experiences of blacks are poignant and touching: the young man who feels alienated by the suspicious glances of complete strangers, the father who finds it exquisitely painful to explain to his teenaged son that he mustn't give the police cause to arrest him, are meant to elicit sympathy.
The racial experiences of whites, on the other hand, are deemed not germane to this "honest" and frank racial discussion.
For reasons not explained, they simply don't signify.
Actual experiences like being robbed or threatened illustrate no larger theme about race relations in America.
In this, they are different from the woman clutching her purse or the click of a car door.
These more privileged experiences clearly underscore Deep, Racial Truths.
The experiences of white folk, on the other hand, are treated as isolated incidents with no deeper meaning. Bringing them up is Not Helpful - it can only lead to forbidden thoughts and proscribed ideas (like the notion that people of all races are slow to forget unpleasant experiences, or that we all have an unfortunate tendency to generalize from particulars).
The President is right to think purse-clutching women are indicative of some larger problem.
Hanson is wrong to think that menacing teens are symbolic of anything.
Allen Park Churches, Unions Team Up To Promote Tax Increase
Allen Park Churches, Unions Team Up To Promote Tax Increase [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"When it comes to local politics, churches often stay on the sidelines.
That was not the case in Allen Park where the city's two largest churches staged a "unity rally" in support of a tax increase request.
Allen Park is being overseen by an emergency manager for overspending — most notably on union contracts and a film studio deal that went bad."
"When it comes to local politics, churches often stay on the sidelines.
That was not the case in Allen Park where the city's two largest churches staged a "unity rally" in support of a tax increase request.
Allen Park is being overseen by an emergency manager for overspending — most notably on union contracts and a film studio deal that went bad."
Pontiac Public Schools has financial emergency, review team announces
Pontiac Public Schools has financial emergency, review team announces | MLive.com
A review team has declared Pontiac Public Schools to be in a financial emergency, the last step before an emergency manager could be appointed to take over the district.
......Pontiac Public Schools has a budget deficit of $37.7 million for fiscal year 2012, a 53.6 percent increase over the deficit for fiscal year 2011, the review team found.
Additionally, the district has $33 million in unpaid bills to vendors and defaulted on a $1.4 million bond payment in May.
The district is also facing a $7.8 million judgment against it for unpaid premiums to the Michigan Education Special Services Association, which provides health coverage for employees. That judgment was spread over a 10-year period
The 50 most dangerous neighborhoods --- a personal note
The 50 most dangerous neighborhoods --- a personal note | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"I note with sadness that the single most dangerous neighborhood, identified as W Chicago/Livernois Ave in Detroit, is within two or three blocks of the church where my parents were married in 1943.
The violent crime rate is reported to be 149.48 per 1,000 people, which suggests that your chance of being a victim of violent crime is something like 1 in 7."
"I note with sadness that the single most dangerous neighborhood, identified as W Chicago/Livernois Ave in Detroit, is within two or three blocks of the church where my parents were married in 1943.
The violent crime rate is reported to be 149.48 per 1,000 people, which suggests that your chance of being a victim of violent crime is something like 1 in 7."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)