Here's the WeMOG info-Join up and get fit... or fitter ..... or at least have some fun!

All about the WeMOG!  -  West Michigan Outdoor Group

So, we hope this helps you know more about us.  To join us, send a message to WeMOG.Central@Gmail.com with your name and  contact information, and come join in our fun!"

"During the winter of 2004-05, several folks of the Muskegon area (many from the old Muskegon Hiking Club) often talked about the need for a meeting place for people interested in participating in outdoor activities.  They needed a place to "meet-up" with like-minded people and to share their love of enjoying the many outdoor activities that are available to us here in our wonderful state.  They wanted to have available a support system and safety in numbers for their outings.

In March of 2005, their dream came true.  The YMCA of Muskegon graciously donated the use of one of their rooms to meet.  Between 15 - 20 people showed up to discuss how to continually connect up with each other... how to keep the word going, how to share information about area events, and how to support each other.

As we are not an official club, having no officers or newsletter, we devised a plan using the wonderful world of "communicating with computers."  We communicate about gatherings, ideas and plans in a "round-robin" system, sending and sharing information to each other through our e-mails.  (We do have some members who do not have computers; they make arrangements to get their information from another member who does.)

Interested people can join us by sending a message to our shared e-mail ID (wemog.central@gmail.com) with their name and contact information.  They are added to the WeMOG Central e-mail list maintained for members' use.  They watch their computer mailings for all the "scoop."  Then it is up to them to become as involved as they want to be.  

Meetings are held every 4th Tuesday of the month, with a notification about the time, place, and other details sent to members by e-mail within a week of the meeting. During the summer we have been meeting at parks so we can have a potluck supper followed by a short meeting. Summer meeting times commonly start at 6:30pm and, often, some come earlier to participate in their activity before the meeting. (around 3:00 or 3:30pm).  Kayaking and hiking are now the most popular meeting activities. During the winter we meet at 6:00 pm at area restaurants for dinner and a meeting to schedule events for the coming month.

The group is a very loose knit group.  No by-laws, no commitments, no fees, and no elected officers.  We are a gathering place to share outdoor interests and activities.  (To be considerate of others participating, we ask that children and pets be left at home.)  Special organized events to include families and their 4-legged friends can be planned.  :)  

We have opted to call ourselves the West Michigan Outdoor Group (WeMOG), with smaller-interest groups within it.

The Bike Group currently meets on Monday mornings.  Each week, they bike between 15 to 35 miles, depending on their selected route. They bike at about 10 mph, often stop to enjoy the sights, and bring lunch/drinks to have along the way. 

The purpose is to "support ride" in case of a break down, etc.  If you want to participate and not go the entire ride, bring a friend who can turn back with you.  It's a buddy system for safety....(the whole purpose of participating in the group)... always two people biking together.  Each week someone sends the details of the next ride around to the e-mail list of friends.

The Kayaking Group currently meets Wednesday mornings.  Each week is different, depending on the location - lake or river and time available. Each week, someone sends the details around about where to meet, time, etc.

Each year we have also organized and held a few two-day to week-long events held at more distant locations in Michigan or other states. Attending members each take the responsibility for researching, planning, and making reservations for the event. The shared planning has made for pleasant and fruitful enjoyment of national parks and other interesting areas of the country.

There are responsibilities to making this a success.  When there is a need, someone "volunteers" to fill that need.  Volunteers are:  making arrangements for our monthly meeting places, taking notes at meetings, and recapping the monthly meetings and happenings.  Volunteers keep everyone informed on these events.  Volunteers put together information sheets, resource lists, and member lists.  Several have helped with organization contacts, meeting arrangements and programs.  If you see a need, please volunteer.

We maintain activity interest lists for bicycling, hiking, kayaking, downhill skiing, cultural events, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.  We encourage anyone and everyone to organize or suggest events and outings at a time and place they choose. We can only benefit from the knowledge and experience of folks that might enjoy the outdoors in little-known locations. One can lead the group or just suggest a new place to gather and explore together.  It can be as informal or formal as one wants it to be. 

Just organize an event, place, date, time, directions, equipment list if needed, etc., and list a contact person and number to call.  Type up a short message and send it to the appropriate activity group(s).  And let the fun begin!

When attending an activity, we request that you call ahead to the contact person.  This will give the person heads-up on who to count on and also so they can let you know if the event needs to be canceled.  It will also give you the opportunity to recheck all the important information.

We also encourage folks to suggest and organize monthly meeting programs.  One can invite a business to come and demonstrate, share tales and pictures of one of their own adventures, or bring in a knowledgeable person on a specific topic. This will be especially helpful for those winter months when we're not so busy.  However, winter brings time to ski and snowshoe!

Several in our group are members of Michigan outdoor organizations.  They often will list and share information with others so they can attend their events.  Most notable are:

1)  Sierra Club;  2)  North Country Trail Association;  3)  Ottawa County Parks and Recreation;  4)  WMCKA West Michigan Coastal Kayaking Association;  5)  Adopt a Beach Program - Lake Michigan Federation  

These are great organizations for you to join also.  We make available a resource list with web sites, etc. for these organizations and other places of interests.  

So, we hope this helps you know more about us.  To join us, send a message to WeMOG.Central@Gmail.com with your name and  contact information, and come join in our fun!"

                   (Sorry, we don't have a web site.)

Hope To See You On The Trail!!  

Sessions: 'For Every One Job Added, Nearly 5 People Left the Workforce'

Sessions: 'For Every One Job Added, Nearly 5 People Left the Workforce' | The Weekly Standard: ""Today’s jobs report underscores a deeper problem facing our economy: a large and growing block of people who are chronically jobless and completely outside the workforce.
In December, the economy added only 74,000 jobs – not nearly enough to keep up with population growth –and 347,000 left the workforce.
That means for every one job added, nearly 5 people left the workforce entirely. 
There are now nearly 92 million Americans outside the workforce, resulting in the lowest participation rate in 36 years. 
The President’s immigration plan will only make things dramatically worse – and no amount of ‘promise zones’ will be a sufficient remedy for the millions of displaced workers."

History for January 11 -Founding Father, Cobra Father, Birds man, Why?, pre-Mitten, Victory!, Better as a department store, Wonderful!, Blub, Now they tell us.....

History for January 11 - On-This-Day.com

Birth anniversary of Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), American founding father, coauthor of The Federalist papers, first secretary of the Treasury.

Birth anniversary of  auto racer/sports car designer Carroll Shelby (1923-2012).

Happy Birthday! Rod Taylor

1770 - The first shipment of rhubarb was sent to the United States from London.


1805 - The Michigan Territory was created.


1815 - U.S. General Andrew Jackson achieved victory at the Battle of New Orleans. The War of 1812 had officially ended on December 24, 1814, with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. The news of the signing had not reached British troops in time to prevent their attack on New Orleans.


1913 - The first sedan-type car was unveiled at the National Automobile Show in New York City. The car was manufactured by the Hudson Motor Company.



1922 - At Toronto General Hospital, Leonard Thompson became the first person to be successfully treated with insulin.


1958 - "Seahunt" debuted on CBS-TV. The show was aired on the network for four years.


1964 - U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry released a report that said that smoking cigarettes was a definite health hazard.

TaxProf Blog: The IRS Scandal, Day 246

TaxProf Blog: The IRS Scandal, Day 246

The IRS Scandal, Day 246

By Paul Caron

 Share

• The Blaze:  Why This Congressman Says the IRS Investigation Is ‘Compromised’ by the Justice Department
• CBN News:  Obama Supporter Heads IRS Probe, GOP Cries Foul
• Fox 19:  New IRS Commissioner's Visit to Cincinnati
• Fox News:  Republicans Call for Removal of Obama Supporter Leading IRS Targeting Probe
• Government Executive:  House Republicans Clash with Justice Over Pick to Head IRS Probe

Deny, deny, deny----Pelosi Chides Reporter: Call It the Affordable Care Act, Not Obamacare

Pelosi Chides Reporter: Call It the Affordable Care Act, Not Obamacare | The Weekly Standard

Stephen Dinan reports at the Washington Times: 

On Thursday, at her weekly press conference, Mrs. Pelosi was asked by a reporter whether Democrats would vote with Republicans to impose new privacy safeguards in health care, and if so, whether that would be a signal Democrats are worried about the politics of the law.

“Absolutely not,” Mrs. Pelosi said. “First of all, it’s called the ‘Affordable Care Act.’ If that’s what you’re referencing, yeah, they are going after the Affordable Care Act.”

As you can see in the this video compiled by David Rutz at the Washington Free Beacon, Pelosi, President Obama, and other top Democrats used to refer to the health care law as Obamacare:

As recently as Nov. 8, Obama predicted to a laughing crowd in New Orleans that his political opponents would stop using the term once the law became popular.

“I know health care is controversial, so there’s only going to be so much support we get on that on a bipartisan basis — until it’s working really well, and then they’re going to stop calling it Obamacare,” he said. “They’re going to call it something else.”

Do stickers cause climate whatever?---------Climate change warning stickers on gasoline pumps?

Fuel Fix » Climate change warning stickers on gasoline pumps?:
"SAN FRANCISCO — Buy a pack of cigarettes, and a printed warning from the surgeon general will remind you that smoking causes cancer.

Obviously, you’ve chosen to smoke anyway. But maybe one day you’ll look at that message, printed on the pack, and resolve to change your ways.

Now, apply that idea to global warming.

Oil CEO: Humans are involved with climate change

A group of Bay Area environmentalists wants to slap warning stickers on gasoline pumps, telling drivers that the fuel they’re buying is cooking the planet. The stickers would constantly remind consumers of the link between driving and climate change.

“Human beings are not really wired for seeing the cause and effect of climate change,” said Jamie Brooks, with the Bay Area chapter of 350.org. “The cause is burning fossil fuels, but we’re not going to feel the effects until well into the future. There’s no immediate signal to a consumer of gasoline to show their effects on climate.”

That’s where the labels would come in."

Minimum Wage, Minimum Employment

Minimum Wage, Minimum Employment [Mackinac Center]:
"If the government mandates a higher price for employing workers, fewer of them will be demanded.
If simply commanding higher wages helped more than it hurt, why wouldn’t advocates just demand a mandate of $100 an hour?
The answer may be all too easy: supporters know they might price themselves out of a job.
Indeed, in the state of Washington, the recent “SeaTac” ballot proposal for a minimum wage hike to $15 an hour conveniently exempted the very unions who supported the hike. 

The law of demand is a very simple but powerful concept. "
Theory and evidence very clearly point to minimum wage policies doing great economic harm, including minimizing employment opportunities.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Urges Welfare Name Change: “Transitional Living Fund”

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Urges Welfare Name Change: “Transitional Living Fund” - Freedom Outpost | Freedom Outpost:
"The Texas Congresswoman who once urged a Congressional oversight panel to study how Christian militants and other radicals might bring down the country has some new progressive ideas she’d like House members to begin implementing.
In a brief speech on the House floor about safety nets that touches on all manner of government assistance, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee suggested that the term “welfare” is no longer politically correct, and like all masters of doublespeak, wants Congress to change its name to a “transitional living fund.”"

OMG, they've lost MSNBC: December Jobs Report Is 'Awful,' 'Very Bad,' and 'Ugly'

MSNBC: December Jobs Report Is 'Awful,' 'Very Bad,' and 'Ugly' | Washington Free Beacon:
"MSNBC admitted that the December jobs report was dismal Friday.

CNBC’s Michelle Caruso-Cabrera announced the newly released report number. Only 74,000 jobs were created in December, a number that fell significantly short of the 200,000 anticipated created jobs.

Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough commented “That’s a horrific number” and said that the newly added jobs number is the lowest seen in years.

Caruso-Cabrera confirmed Scarborough’s statement, saying that the newly added jobs number is in fact the lowest since January of 2011 and the number was “very, very bad.”"

Trust them?---------------Ford exec apologizes for saying company tracks customers with GPS

Ford exec apologizes for saying company tracks customers with GPS | The Detroit News:
"Ford Motor Co. marketing chief Jim Farley on Thursday apologized for a remark he made Wednesday saying the Dearborn automaker tracks customers through in-car navigation devices.
Farley, the headliner at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, said Ford knows where and when customers drive their vehicles, but does not sell that information to third parties.
“We know everyone who breaks the law, we know when you’re doing it,” Farley said, according to a report in Business Insider. 
“We have GPS in your car, so we know what you’re doing. 
By the way, we don’t supply that data to anyone.”
Ford on Thursday denounced those comments."

Hillary's protection racketeers--TV gives 'Bridgegate' 17 times more coverage in 1 day than IRS scandal in 6 months

TV gives 'Bridgegate' 17 times more coverage in 1 day than IRS scandal in 6 months | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"The Big Three networks, in a frenzy over New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's traffic headache dubbed “Bridgegate,” have devoted a whopping 34 minutes and 28 seconds of coverage to the affair in just the last 24 hours.
By comparison, that's 17 times the two minutes, eight seconds devoted to President Obama's IRS scandal in the last six months, according to an analysis by the Media Research Center."

HowStuffWorks "5 States with Unusually High Auto Insurance Rates"

HowStuffWorks "5 States with Unusually High Auto Insurance Rates"

3

Michigan

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Image Gallery: Car Safety

There are many factors that go into determining your auto insurance premium, including driving record, age and vehicle safety features. But one of the most important factors that goes into the calculation is your location. See more car safety pictures.

Hemera/Thinkstock

If you watch any amount of television in America these days, chances are you've viewed countless car insurance ads. They feature talking geckos, cavemen, perky sales people and "mayhem" personified as a car-wrecking villain. Ad spending by the insurance industry now tops $4 billion, andauto insurance makes up a big part of it. Insurance companies are getting aggressive with their ad campaigns because of increasing competition in the field, and because they want to attract new clients who, perhaps dissatisfied with escalating premiums, are increasingly taking to the Web to search for insurance quotes [source: Schultz].

There are many factors that go into determining your auto insurance premium, including driving record, age and vehicle safety features, but one of the most important factors that goes into the calculation is your location. Insurance companies tend to view some places as higher risk than others, and as a result, they require drivers in those places to pay more -- sometimes significantly more -- for insurance.

But isn't that undemocratic? Shouldn't everyone pay the same rate for the same service? Well, that's not how the insurance companies see it, as shown by the great disparity between the costs of car insurance in different parts of the country. For example, the average driver in Maine pays just $889 per year for car insurance, while a driver in Detroit, the nation's priciest city, pays a whopping $5,941 per year. But Detroit isn't the only place in the U.S. where people need to empty their wallets to cover their cars. Keep reading to see five states with unusually high auto insurance.

WHO PAYS THE LEAST?

Maine consistently ranks as one of the nation's least expensive states to insure a car, at just $889 annually because the population is relatively spread out, which creates fewer opportunities for accidents, and it hasn't suffered from many major natural disasters in recent years [source:Marquand]. It's followed by Iowa ($985), Wisconsin ($987), Idaho ($1,011) and North Carolina ($1,022).

The first entry to our little list of states with unusually highauto insurance isn't a state at all -- it's the District of Columbia. But as D.C. residents will tell you, The District functions like a state, with its own governance and a Department of Motor Vehicles that is separate from Virginia and Maryland. Washington, D.C. has a lot going for it -- great museums, history and the Cherry Blossom Festival -- but affordable auto insurance isn't one of them. Those corporate lobbyists must be to blame!

As far as cities are concerned, Washington, D.C. actually isn't in that bad shape; it hasn't cracked the top 10 of most expensive cities in recent years, and it's nowhere near Detroit, the country's most expensive city for car insurance. But at an average of $1,866 per year in 2012, the nation's capital is still pretty pricey.

The main reason that car insurance costs so much in D.C. is that it's generally more expensive to insure a car in a city than it is in a small town or rural area, and the entire district happens to be urban. Why do the insurance companies have against city-dwellers? For one thing, cities tend to have higher rates of theft and accidents, so they view them as higher risks. Also, cities and nearby suburbs tend to be the places where wealth is concentrated, and because of that, city dwellers often buy pricier cars than people who live in the country. The more expensive the car is, the more expensive it is to insure.

If having high car insurance rates were a contest, West Virginia would be the Cinderella story, climbing from the middle of the pack to become one of the top five most expensive states in America. From 2010 to 2012, West Virginia shot up in the rankings from No. 19 in 2010 to No. 14 in 2011, and all the way up to No. 4 in 2012. But of course, skyrocketing auto insurance isn't a contest that any state wants to win, and West Virginia residents have been feeling the pain.

Insurance premiums always result from a combination of factors. Like some of the other states that made Insure.com's top five list, West Virginia has experienced more than its fair share of natural disasters in recent years, including floods, mudslides, snow storms and tornadoes. That alone probably doesn't account for why rates are on the rise in West Virginia, but it's almost certainly a factor. The other factor that is sure to contribute to the escalating rates is the number of uninsured drivers on the road. In 2011, roughly one in seven West Virginia drivers was uninsured. When tens of thousands of people are driving with no auto insurance, those who do buy insurance end up pulling more than their own weight [source: Mothershead].

DETROIT DOESN'T ROCK

There are lots of reasons why auto insurance costs so much in the great state of Michigan, but the single biggest thing driving up the statewide average is Detroit. The average annual premium in the Motor City in 2012 was an obscene $5,941, which is caused by high rates of unemployment, uninsured drivers and crime. All of which probably lead to high rates of outrage when Detroit residents receive their monthly insurance bill [source: Loose].

Michigan is the state that is most closely identified with automobiles, and the car's impact can be felt at all corners of the state. The roads are wider in Detroit than most cities to encourage driving, and many Michigan residents work at Ford and GM plants. So, you might assume that in a place with such a doting relationship to the automobile auto insurancewould be fairly affordable, right? Wrong. Michigan consistently ranks among the top five states in the nation for high auto insurance, and in recent years the average price for car insurance in Michigan has remained more than $2,000 per year.

Part of the reason for Michigan's pricey auto insurance is a state law that provides unlimited medical benefits to accident victims for life. That's great for victims of car accidents, but for the average driver, it can take a hit on your wallet. Additionally, Michigan car owners are required to buy personal injury protection coverage as part of their policy, which cost $145 per vehicle in 2012.

Michigan has been hit harder than most places by the recent economic recession, and one possible consequence of Michigan's high car insurance costs is people who can't afford to pay the rates. For example, in 2011, 17 percent of drivers in Michigan had no insurance. That puts a pinch on insurance companies, because they have to absorb the losses when uninsured drivers get in accidents, and possibly results in a negative feedback loop that makes a bad situation worse.

What if you could restore veterans' pensions, fund jobless benefits, and stop illegal immigrant fraud, all at once? Democrats would block it.

What if you could restore veterans' pensions, fund jobless benefits, and stop illegal immigrant fraud, all at once? Democrats would block it. | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"Two of the most pressing concerns on Capitol Hill are 1) finding a way to restore cuts in veterans' pensions that were included in the budget deal brokered by Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Paul Ryan; and 2) figuring out a plan to pay for extended emergency unemployment insurance for 1.3 million Americans whose benefits have run out.

They are vexing problems, but Republicans, led by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, came up with a proposal to solve them. The only difficulty was, the solution -- finding billions to pay for the restored pensions and unemployment insurance -- involved cracking down on a tax credit program in which illegal immigrants have fraudulently collected billions of dollars in improper payments. 
Stop the fraud, Ayotte argued, and then use the money saved to pay for pensions and unemployment insurance. It seemed like an elegant solution."
...Except that Democrats would have none of it. Putting an end to the fraudulent collection of tax credits by illegal immigrants would hurt the most vulnerable, they argued. "This idea of going after children is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard," Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer said in floor debate Thursday. "I am shocked — I am shocked. You're going to hurt children. You're going to take away food out of their mouths."

The Unbelievable High Cost of Maintaining Michelle Obama’s Dignity as First Lady

The Unbelievable High Cost of Maintaining Michelle Obama’s Dignity as First Lady - A Sheep No More

“In my own life, in my own small way, I have tried to give back to this country that has given me so much,” she said. 

“See, that’s why I left a job at a big law firm for a career in public service,” says Michelle Obama. 

Mrs. Obama’s license to practice law was rendered “voluntarily inactive” due to a court order in a Insurance malpractice case. 

Since the First Lady holds no official “public office” nor does she receive any kind of salary, I find her statement quite puzzling.

Here is a list of staff members to help the First Lady in “maintaining the dignity of her office” and their salaries:

• Natalie F. Bookey Baker, executive assistant to the chief of staff to the first lady, $45,000;

• Alan O. Fitts, deputy director of advance and trip director for the first lady, $61,200;

• Jocelyn C. Frey, deputy assistant to the president and director of policy and projects for the first lady, $140,000;

• Jennifer Goodman, deputy director of scheduling and events coordinator for the first lady, $63,240;

• Deilia A.L. Jackson, deputy associate director of correspondence for the first lady, $42,000;

• Kristen E. Jarvis, special assistant for scheduling and traveling aide to the first lady, $51,000;

• Camille Y. Johnston, special assistant to the president and director of communications for the first lady, $102,000

• And this list goes on and on.....

So, to sum it all up, let’s imagine just for a moment that you had in your possession, an EBT card, one with no spending limit, and whatever you did spend, you’d never have to pay back. Then you’d know what it was like to walk a mile in Michelle Obama’s designer shoes.

Crooks, murderers, thieves, sexual perverts, drowners of young women all OK unless they're GOPers-----24 Underreported Democrat Scandals That Make News Media's 'Bridgegate Mania' Look Like a Joke

24 Underreported Democrat Scandals That Make News Media's 'Bridgegate Mania' Look Like a Joke | Independent Journal Review:
"Whatever happened in New Jersey under Governor Chris Christie in regards to the already-infamous “bridgegate,” the open gloating by the media over the unacceptable behavior of the Republican governor’s staffers is extremely revealing.

Regardless of one’s views on Governor Chris Christie, this coordinated political feeding frenzy is liberal hypocrisy at its finest. Take a look at some of these over-the-top headlines:"

Here are 25 underreported stories that most news media barely reported on, or blew by as quickly as possible because Democrats are involved.

1. Fast & Furious

Swartz Creek man suing over anti-Obamacare robocalls that featured Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz

Swartz Creek man suing over anti-Obamacare robocalls that featured Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz | MLive.com

SWARTZ CREEK, MI -- A Swartz Creek man has filed a lawsuit claiming that a conservative-leaning political action committee violated federal law by calling him with recordings from high-profile conservatives soliciting money and railing against Obamacare.

Andrew Campbell filed the lawsuit Dec. 6 in Flint U.S. District Court against the Restore America's Voice Foundation and it's political action committee after Campbell alleges he received more than a dozen unsolicited calls on his cellphone from the organization that featured recorded messages from prominent conservatives such as Glenn Beck, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. 

.....In his lawsuit, Campbell claims that the calls violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act. 

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, placed limits on telemarketers and prohibits calls being made that include a recorded voice to any cellphone number without the consent of the individual being called. 

......Flint-native Mark A. Dotson, a professor at Cooley Law School in Lansing, said recent changes have strengthened the act, forcing telemarketers to have written consent from individuals prior to placing marketing calls. 

Dotson said written consent is not needed for political and informative calls, but questioned the legality of political messages that ask an individual for money without written consent.

10 Most Stoned Cities in America

10 Most Stoned Cities in America - PolicyMic:
"With recreational marijuana legalization having gone into full effect in Colorado on Jan. 1, it's no surprise to anyone that Amendment 64 has officially turned Denver into the highest city in America.
But what about the other 19,000+ cities across the rest of the nation?

Movoto cracked the numbers, and here's the rankings of the top 10 highest cities in America:

1. Denver, CO

Denver actually isn't the first in per-capita dispensaries; that honor goes to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 

That said, Denver actually has one marijuana store for every 3,780 residents, and there's at least a hundred more opening in the near future. 2.1% of residents have a medical marijuana card. (Hmm.)"

Huge Group Of Texas Teens Rob Convenience Store, Twerk Outside

Video: Huge Group Of Texas Teens Rob Convenience Store, Twerk Outside

A rowdy twerk mob descended on a Texas convenience store on Saturday night and stole over $200 worth of snacks.

The group, comprised of 30-40 teenagers, was caught on surveillance tape running in and out of the store for around 20 minutes while two store clerks were left overwhelmed. Outside,some of the teens were seen dancing, twerking, and doing the splits.

19-year-old Chevron clerk Terry Polsgrove was present for the whole thing. He spoke to Texas-based newspaper The Eagle about what it was like dealing with the crowd.

“Within a matter of 20 minutes, I was overwhelmed by kids ages 8 to 17, I mean it was crazy,”he said. “I've never seen anything as crazy as that.”

Holy crapoli! "Double dip" on the way!--------------US Dec. nonfarm payrolls total 74,000 vs. 200,000 est.; unemployment rate at 6.7% vs. 7% est.

US Dec. nonfarm payrolls total 74,000 vs. 200,000 est.; unemployment rate at 6.7% vs. 7% est.:
"This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.
Job creation stumbled in December, with the U.S. economy adding just 74,000 positions even as the Federal Reserve voted to take the first steps in eliminating its stimulus program.
The unemployment rate dropped to 6.7 percent, below economist estimates and due primarily to continued shrinkage in the labor force."

The Best (and Worst) Airlines

The Best (and Worst) Airlines - WSJ.com

"I'm from the government, you can trust me with your family's lives......."Tepco "Explains" Plumes Of Smoke Above Exploded Fukushima Reactor 3

What do we do when we don't believe ANYTHING the powerful say?
Tepco "Explains" Plumes Of Smoke Above Exploded Fukushima Reactor 3 | Zero Hedge

Naturally, fears arose that more uncontrolled meltdowns were in process at the exploded reactor.

This morning, probably in order to assuage fears that it has lost control more than usual, TEPCO released the following statement: 

"Regarding Certain Overseas Reports on Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station." TEPCO's soothing words - "We found no abnormalities in the measured values (indicating the temperature and condition of the Reactor Building), or in the value of the monitoring post (monitoring the amount of radiation), even when the steam-like gas was being generated, therefore we are certain that there has been no influence on the outside. In addition, we measured the amount of radiation at the point from which steam-like gas was generated, and found that its amount was almost the same as for the other neighboring points."

And as everyone knows by now, TEPCO would never lie.

You knew they'd use "Global Warming/Change/whatever as an excuse to tax ya more. Didn't ya?-------How Grand Rapids street tax ties into city's outlook on climate change

How Grand Rapids street tax ties into city's outlook on climate change | MLive.com

The city’s new climate resiliency report suggests that Grand Rapids in future winters will experience more volatile weather patterns that increase freeze-thaw cycles, and it advises that streets “will increasingly be subject to climate-driven stresses and require increased resources even to maintain status quo conditions.”

Grand Rapids City Commissioners this week took a step toward obtaining those resources, giving support for an income tax proposal to go on the May 6 ballot. Final approval of ballot language is expected later this month.

“Because water is our biggest enemy and water freezes, it’s important to maintain our assets now before we get to the point of spending so much money (on road reconstruction),” Second Ward City Commissioner Ruth Kelly said. “The longer we wait, the more it’s going to cost us. We really don’t have a choice.”

"I know nothing" only works for democrats-----Christie and the IRS

Christie and the IRS - WSJ.com

Which brings us to the Obama Administration, which quickly leaked to the media that the U.S. Attorney is investigating the lane closures as a criminal matter. Well, that sure was fast, and nice of Eric Holder's Justice Department to show its typical discretion when investigating political opponents.

This is the same Administration that won't tell Congress what resources it is devoting to the IRS probe, and appears to be slow-rolling it. It has also doubled down by expanding the political vetting of 501(c)(4) groups seeking tax-exempt status. Lois Lerner, who ran the IRS tax-exempt shop and took the Fifth before Congress, was allowed to "retire," presumably with a pension. Acting IRS commissioner Steven Miller resigned under pressure but no other heads have rolled. 

Yet compared to using the IRS against political opponents during an election campaign, closing traffic lanes for four days is jaywalking.

Educrats Replace 'Racist' School Discipline With "Restorative Justice'

Undisciplining Kids Through 'Restorative Justice'in

Re-education: Under new federal guidelines for reforming "discriminatory" school discipline, the disruptive will learn quickly that their teachers must now tolerate even more disruptive behavior.

This is about the only learning that will be going on, especially in inner-city schools, once this insane policy is fully implemented.

This week the Education Department warned the nation's school administrators it's not a good idea to remove unruly kids from the classroom. What about the violent ones? Suspend them only as a "last resort." Think twice about even sending them to the principal, and whatever you do, don't call the cops.

Obama's educrats say minorities bear the brunt of these "draconian" practices. And based on statistics they've cooked up showing racial "disparities" in punishment, they smell school racism on a national scale.

Principals who want to avoid lawsuits and hold on to their funding would be well advised to adopt a "non-punitive" approach to handling discipline problems called "restorative justice," a remedy recommended in the guidance package the department released Wednesday.

This is when irresponsible social policy-making turns dangerous.

Restorative justice, also called reparative justice or distributive justice, is part of a fringe civil rights movement that demands the abolition of prisons. Under this approach to justice, there are no offenders. Just victims. It trivializes crime and has increased recidivism wherever it has been applied.

Intimidated by federal investigations, hundreds of school districts across the country already have hired civil rights activists to train faculty in the finer points of restorative justice.

White staffers are taught to check their "unconscious racial bias" — also known as their "whiteness" — when dealing with minority students who act out. They are told to open their eyes to "white privilege" and have more empathy for black kids who may be lashing out in frustration. They're trained to identify "root causes" of black anger, such as America's legacy of racism. Teachers are advised to avoid "trigger" words, and watch their "tone."

They're also told to respect black "culture," which is described as more "emotional." (Talk about racism.) Restorative justice tells teachers to give disruptive students a pass when they curse and threaten them because "African-American boys are demonstrative" and that's just how they "engage in learning."

In other words, if black students are acting out, it's your fault. You didn't validate their victimhood.

Of course victims don't deserve punishment. So troubled kids under this approach are allowed to negotiate the consequences for their bad behavior, which usually takes the form of rehabilitation through counseling and therapy. Often, teachers and students sit in "talking circles" and develop "empathy and respect" for one another. Talk invariably turns to racism and white privilege.

Detroit Police probe why Councilman George Cushingberry wasn't arrested after run-in near topless bar

Detroit Police probe why Councilman George Cushingberry wasn't arrested after run-in near topless bar | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
Detroit’s newly elected City Council President Pro Tem George Cushingberry Jr. was pulled over by police Wednesday night and given a citation after he was spotted driving away from a topless bar on Livernois, according to a police spokesman.

Neither the spokesman nor Police Chief James Craig would confirm reports by WDIV Channel 4 and the Detroit News that Cushingberry was driving with an open intoxicant and marijuana in his car.
But the former state legislator and ordained Baptist minister told the Free Press the report is “a scurrilous story.”

Fascinating life------Walter Oi, 1929 – 2013

Walter Oi, 1929 – 2013 at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics:
"That’s what it was like working with Walter Oi, who died peacefully in his sleep on Christmas Eve after a long illness.
Walter loved odd facts, and he loved to share them.
It was Walter who told me that when all frozen pies had 12 inch diameters, apple was the most popular flavor — but when 7 inch pies came on the market, apple immediately fell to something like fifth place. 

His explanation:
When you’re buying a 12 inch pie, the whole family has to agree on a flavor, and apple wins because it’s everyone’s second choice.
With 7 inch pies, family members each get their pick, and almost nobody chooses apple."

History for January 10 - Burgers, Buns, Oil. Joke, Double Joke, Viny, Final, Snip, Nuke

History for January 10 - On-This-Day.com:

Happy Birthday! George Foreman, Rod Stewart

1870 - John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil.


1920 - The League of Nations held its first meeting in Geneva.


1946 - The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly took place with 51 nations represented.


1949 - Vinyl records were introduced by RCA (45 rpm) and Columbia (33.3 rpm).


1990 - Chinese Premier Li Peng ended martial law in Beijing after seven months. He said that crushing pro-democracy protests had saved China from "the abyss of misery."


1994 - In Manassas, VA, Lorena Bobbitt went on trial. She had been charged with maliciously wounding her husband John. She was acquitted by reason of temporary insanity.


2003 - North Korea announced that it was withdrawing from the global nuclear arms control treaty and that it had no plans to develop nuclear weapons.