Senate blocks census US-citizenship question

Senate blocks census US-citizenship question
"Senate Democrats have blocked a GOP attempt to require next year's census forms to ask people whether they are a U.S. citizen."

Yes, there is a difference between the democrat and republican party.

Tell your friends!

Prichard Alabama Files Bankruptcy Over Pensions

Prichard Alabama Files Bankruptcy Over Pensions;
"Inquiring minds are noting another city has been driven to bankruptcy because of pension promises that cannot possibly be met.
Please consider Prichard Alabama Files For Bankruptcy."

15 Fascinating World WII Vintage Ads & Posters

15 Fascinating World War II Vintage Ads & Posters

Warren Buffett: Tax Hypocrite?

TaxProf Blog: Warren Buffett: Tax Hypocrite?
Warren Buffett's Tax Hypocrisy:
When Warren Buffett criticized President Bush's tax cuts while plumping for the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, he garnered prominent, adulatory headlines ... Consider that as the context for two pieces of information:
First, the observation, amid a column in today's Wall Street Journal, about Berkshire Hathaway's cash mountain: 'Mr. Buffett would rather not resort to the simplest way of solving this problem -- paying excess cash out to shareholders in the form of a dividend. Since he owns roughly 26% of Berkshire's shares, a cash dividend would saddle Mr. Buffett with one of the largest personal-income tax bills in American history. That's not the kind of thing at which he likes to excel. Mr. Buffett's reluctance to pay a dividend leaves him with little choice but to buy big companies outright.'
Second, the news (again, from the Wall Street Journal) that Mr. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is joining in a bid to buy $3 billion in tax credits from Fannie Mae. Reports the Journal: 'The credits are virtually worthless to Fannie Mae and require the company to take losses each quarter as their value declines. Companies such as Berkshire Hathaway and Goldman Sachs could use them to offset federal tax expenses.'
Neither Journal article places the news in the context of Mr. Buffett's stated support for higher taxes.
Prior TaxProf Blog coverage"

Clunker pickups traded for new pickups

Clunker pickups traded for new pickups
"The most common deals under the government's $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program, aimed at putting more fuel-efficient cars on the road, replaced old Ford or Chevrolet pickups with new ones that got only marginally better gas mileage, according to an analysis of new federal data by The Associated Press.
The single most common swap - which occurred more than 8,200 times - involved Ford F150 pickup owners who took advantage of a government rebate to trade their old trucks for new Ford F150s. They were 17 times more likely to buy a new F150 than, say, a Toyota Prius. The fuel economy for the new trucks ranged from 15 mpg to 17 mpg based on engine size and other factors, an improvement of just 1 mpg to 3 mpg over the clunkers."

A deathblow to ObamaCare

A deathblow to ObamaCare
"But Virginia results are the most important.
More than 80 Democratic congressmen and 20 senators come from states that John McCain carried in 2008.
For them, the sudden switch in Virginia, a swing state that Obama actually carried, heralds tough political times ahead.

New Jersey is the quintessential blue state.
If it goes Republican, blue state congressmen needn't worry.
Their districts are likely still safe.
But when a Republican in Virginia wins by 20 points, it sends a message to red-state Democratic congressmen to take cover"

Persistent Errors in Stimulus Job Count

Persistent Errors in Stimulus Job Count
"President Barack Obama's economic recovery program saved 935 jobs at the Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, an impressive success story for the stimulus plan. Trouble is, only 508 people work there.

The Georgia nonprofit's inflated job count is among persisting errors in the government's latest effort to measure the effect of the $787 billion stimulus plan despite White House promises last week that the new data would undergo an 'extensive review' to root out errors discovered in an earlier report.

About two-thirds of the 14,506 jobs claimed to be saved under one federal office, the Administration for Children and Families at Health and Human Services, actually weren't saved at all, according to a review of the latest data by The Associated Press.
Instead, that figure includes more than 9,300 existing employees in hundreds of local agencies who received pay raises and benefits and whose jobs weren't saved.

That type of accounting was found in an earlier AP review of stimulus jobs"

Philip Greenspun’s Weblog » The Coming Collapse of the Municipal Bond Market

Philip Greenspun’s Weblog » The Coming Collapse of the Municipal Bond Market: "Sheehan starts off by noting that a lack of panic by the ratings and government agencies does not indicate health for a financial market. He cites the fact that the Fed did not anticipate how bad the subprime collapse was likely to be and obviously the Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s ratings were ridiculous.
Sheehan notes that “spending is rising and revenue is collapsing” for all levels of government. Pension fund losses will require governments to double their contributions to pension plans (see my blog posting on public employee pensions). Spending is rising, e.g., in New York City from an average of $65,401 in compensation per public employee in 2000 to $106,743 in 2009."

Family has impact on U.S. House bill tackling Huntington's disease

Family has impact on U.S. House bill tackling Huntington's disease
"A local family has influenced federal legislation.
After hearing from the Mikula family about the effects of Huntington's disease, Rep. Peter Hoekstra added his name as co-sponsor of a House bill that would revise medical criteria for it.
The Mikula family has lost five members to the disease, and two more have it."

This wonderful family runs a John Deere dealership and runs the lawnmower racing contest in Sparta.
They also own numerous lawnmower racing championships.

Molecular Sunglasses for Macular Degeneration

Molecular Sunglasses for Macular Degeneration
"Molecules designed to slow the production of toxic byproducts in the eye by making it less sensitive to light are now being tested in patients with macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people age 50 and older.
If successful, the compounds would provide a much needed therapy for the disease, which affects more than 15 million people in the United States."

Proposed law would require pay for sick workers

Proposed law would require pay for sick workers
"U.S. employers who tell workers to stay home when they are sick will have to give them paid time off for up to five days under new federal legislation proposed on Tuesday.
The emergency law would cover pandemic H1N1 flu or any other infectious disease, said California Representative George Miller, a Democrat who chairs the House Education and Labor Committee and who introduced the bill."

Outside the Wire - Free Speech on the Cheap

Outside the Wire - Free Speech on the Cheap


Written by JD Johannes
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
This line from a Washington Post story jumped out at me:

"The arrival of war dead at Dover has long pitted free speech advocates against the government, which had been accused of using the ban to hide the horror of war from the public--especially as casualty rates in Iraq and Afghanistan began to climb."

The article is by Christian Davenport.

I'm at a little outpost in northern Iraq, fresh back from a patrol where we met with a local Sheik. The previous day I had rode with US Soldiers to a logistics base on a resupply run and while there picked up a few back issues of Stars and Stripes where I read the story.

In the story, a previous graph has a quote from University of Delaware Journalism Professor Ralph Begleiter one of the above mentioned free speech advocates. Begeleiter said, "Taking pictures of the returning casualties to Dover is a measure of the human cost of war. Do you want the government ultimately to have control over what we see or not see? Or do you want independent observers, an independent press or media, relaying those images?"

Mr. Begleiter if you really want to understand the human cost of war, don't stand on a fucking tarmac, get embedded and see the human cost of war up close and personal where the price is actually paid.

But many of the free speech advocates have no desire to put themselves at risk to tell the stories of the women and men who have willingly put themselves in harms way.

They want to do it on the cheap, standing on concrete in the US at a scheduled time rather than face the capricious hazards of war standing on the sands of Iraq or rocks of Afghanistan.

Many of those free speech advocates are interested only in the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines as props. As the story illustrates, very few of the arrivals at Dover are covered by the media.

When a reporter is embedded with US forces they at least have to share some of the risks and possibly themselves become another account in the human cost of war.

I have been ready to pay that price for the last five years and nearly had to pay it a few times. How many of the so-called speech advocates have been willing to pay that price?

Large Hadron Collider ready to roll again ... unless God stops it first

Large Hadron Collider ready to roll again ... unless God stops it first
"What is even scarier about the Large Hadron Collider, however, is that one of the CERN physicists working on the project (his name has not been released) was arrested Oct. 12 on suspicion of having Al Qaeda connections."

Muskegon crime rates and statistics

Muskegon crime rates and statistics
"3 (out of 100)
100 is safest

This city is safer than 3% of the cities in the US."

And we wonder why this city is dying?

News from The Harbor Theater

News from The Harbor Theater
"The Harbor Theater is thrilled to present two of the most anticipated indie films of the year this week!

'The September Issue' follows Vogue editor Anna Wintour as she puts together Vogue's legendary September issue. Anna Wintour was portrayed devillishly by Meryl Streep in the semi-fictional 'The Devil Wears Prada' back in 2006, this is her chance to show the world her true self."

The Harbor Theater has really made it happen!
Proving me wrong, again.....and I'm glad to be wrong on this one.
Click their site and sign up for their excellent weekly newsletter.
It really is one of the best e-mails I've ever seen!

Muskegon County Clerk

Muskegon County Clerk
Election results link

My voting experience today

I walked up to the voting desk and an elderly lady told me to fill out the "Application to Vote" form and show my ID.

I told her I had no ID and her partner at the desk said that OK, just fill out BOTH sides of the little form. The back side was an affidavit affirming I was not in possession of picture identification.

I filled out both sides, signed and returned it to her.

As I waited to get my voting form I mentioned how wonderful it was that we didn't need to show photo ID to vote.

The nice lady replied, "you must have photo ID to vote" and pointed to a card that read "Must have photo ID to vote".

I then pointed to the Application to Vote that she was approving.

She seemed befuddled.

I voted.

I wonder how many times each ACORN voter will vote today.

here's the application:
http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/01/state-of-michigan-protection-against.html

Will Corzine Allies Steal the Election in New Jersey? ACORN, Dirty Tricks and Absentee Ballot Fraud

Will Corzine Allies Steal the Election in New Jersey? ACORN, Dirty Tricks and Absentee Ballot Fraud
"New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is locked in the political fight of his life.
With just hours left before voting, polls show a neck-and-neck race between Corzine and GOP candidate Chris Christie, with Independent candidate Chris Daggett pulling significant support. Obama and VP Biden are making last ditch pitches for the embattled governor.
But evidence is building that Corzine’s campaign may see its only salvation is in rigging the election."

I voted today without showing any ID at all.
I simply signed a slip promising I was me.
Nifty....right?

click this link to see how our vote is "protected" from fraud:
http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/01/state-of-michigan-protection-against.html

Aide's pay: $149,000 -- plus $100,000 pension

Aide's pay: $149,000 -- plus $100,000 pension
"James Dencek was 54 when he retired in 1994 from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Not quite three years later, Dencek landed a new job.
Under a $100,000 consulting contract, he was hired to be chief of staff to the district's new president, Terrence J. O'Brien, who used to work for Dencek at the agency.
Dencek's one-year consulting deal has stretched into 13 years.
His annual contract is now worth $149,374 -- nearly double O'Brien's salary as part-time president.
He also gets a $100,392 yearly pension from the district -- which he couldn't collect if he had come back as an employee of the district rather than a consultant."

This is happening EVERYWHERE in our country!

vegemite-contest-draws-protests

vegemite-contest-draws-protests

"It all began in July when jars of caramel-brown Vegemite mixed with cream cheese began appearing on supermarket shelves with brightly colored labels inviting consumers to “Name Me.”"

Editorial: Here's our endorsements

Editorial:
"Editorial: Here's our endorsements"

My golly, they can't even get the grammar correct.

Mum hid bomb kit in her burka | The Sun |News

Mum hid bomb kit in her burka The Sun News: "A MUSLIM woman who had a 'DIY terrorism kit' hidden in her burka was jailed for two years yesterday.
Houria Chentouf, 41, was carrying a computer pen-drive containing 7,000 documents, including a detailed explosives manual and extreme religious material.

House ... where she was arrestedAnd investigators later found letters in which the mother of six admitted she had considered using herself and her children as suicide bombers."

House Democrats bristle at more bailouts - Washington Times

House Democrats bristle at more bailouts - Washington Times: "House Democrats are balking at an Obama administration plan that would put taxpayers on the hook for up to five years to dismantle any giant financial firm whose failure could repeat last year's Wall Street collapse."

Robert J. Samuelson - Robert J. Samuelson on whether America could go broke - washingtonpost.com

Robert J. Samuelson - Robert J. Samuelson on whether America could go broke - washingtonpost.com

Controversial New Video of Obama’s Pastor

Controversial New Video of Obama’s Pastor: "A new video of Jeremiah Wright has surfaced, showing Barack Obama's pastor of 20 years praising Marxism and discussing his ties to communists in El Salvador and Nicaragua and the Libyan government. Equally important, Wright is being introduced in the video by Robert W. McChesney, co-founder of Free Press, an organization which has come under scrutiny for its links to the Obama Administration and dedication to the transformation and control of the private media in the U.S."

Poster Girl

Oh my golly!
This woman's beautiful anthem from the begining of the war will live forever.

BLACKFIVE: Beccy Cole - "Poster Girl" on the Wrong Side of the World

BLACKFIVE: Beccy Cole - "Poster Girl" on the Wrong Side of the World

Another re-post of Beccy Cole's beautiful song.
A song that supported our coalition victory for the freedom loving people of Iraq!

You go Beccy!

Lindsey Graham's Sordid Self

Lindsey Graham's Sordid Self
"Today, Graham is little more than the ever-eager turn-to guy whenever the hard left needs a squishy sycophant to carry its water through the corridors of Congress.
As evidenced most recently by his teaming up with liberal totem John Kerry to co-author a New York Times op-ed endorsing the highly controversial, disastrously costly cap-and-trade legislation.
As the green web site Grist.com breathlessly enthused:
“It’s hard to overstate the significance of this joint declaration.
It ensures that the Senate bill will be bipartisan.
It demonstrates that there is a pathway to 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.
And it establishes comprehensive energy and climate legislation as the next item on the Senate agenda after health care reform, meaning there is a very real shot at Senate passage prior to Copenhagen.”
In short, in one fell stroke, Graham betrayed scores of his Senate colleagues and tens of millions of Americans who know that the cap-and-trade bill will paralyze American industry and cost the average household as much as $3000 a year"

WHO: nearly 5,000 swine flu deaths worldwide

WHO: nearly 5,000 swine flu deaths worldwide
"Nearly 5,000 people have reportedly died from swine flu since it emerged this year and developed into a global epidemic, the World Health Organization said Friday."

This is a "pandemic"?
This is a FRAUD!

Chris Christie's Next Case: Who Stole My Election?

Chris Christie's Next Case: Who Stole My Election?
"Meanwhile, the Democratic Party in New Jersey is taking advantage of a new loosely written vote-by-mail law to pressure county clerks not to vigorously use signature checks to evaluate the authenticity of absentee ballots, the only verification procedure allowed.
The state has received a flood of 180,000 absentee ballot requests.
On some 3,000 forms the signature doesn't match the one on file with county clerks.
Yet citing concerns that voters would be disenfranchised, Democratic Party lawyer Paul Josephson wrote New Jersey's secretary of state asking her 'to instruct County Clerks not to deny applications on the basis of signature comparison alone.'
Mr. Josephson maintained that county clerks 'may be overworked and are likely not trained in handwriting analysis' and insisted that voters with suspect applications should be allowed to cast provisional ballots.
Those ballots, of course, would then provide a pool of votes that would be subject to litigation in any recount, with the occupant of New Jersey's highest office determined by Florida 2000-style scrutiny of ballot applications."

This is the plan for the ACORN-democrat party EVERYWHERE!
Imagine the nice old ladies at the polling places in ...Detroit or Muskegon Heights et al disputing the signature of a brotha or sista.
It won't happen.
Precincts that used to have 2% turnout are now showing 50%, 97%, 110% turnout.
When will America fight back?