Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Real Tea Party Story: Community Builders vs. Community Organizers

American Thinker: The Real Tea Party Story: Community Builders vs. Community Organizers

The Coming Greek Debt Bubble

The Coming Greek Debt Bubble « The Baseline Scenario
"The French and Germans are apparently actually encouraging banks, pension funds, and individuals to buy these bonds – despite the fact senior politicians must surely know this is a Ponzi scheme, i.e., people can get out of Greek bonds only to the extent that new investors come in."

American Thinker: 'Are Liberals, Atheists More Evolved than Conservatives?'

American Thinker: 'Are Liberals, Atheists More Evolved than Conservatives?'
"The National Geographic headline is therefore characteristically absurd, but it's also typical of the cultural Left today -- and of its hopeless cravings to validate itself as being smarter, better-educated, and of course, more compassionate than those conservative throwbacks to a brute past.
Somehow the Left always needs to boast, and like any other compulsive boaster, it is compensating for its own feelings of inferiority.
I suspect that that's the real inner nature of the Left:
Most of its followers worry about their personal adequacy in life."

IRS visits Sacramento carwash in pursuit of 4 cents

Bob Shallit: IRS visits Sacramento carwash in pursuit of 4 cents - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News Sacramento Bee
"The really odd part of this: The letter that was hand-delivered to Zeff's on-site manager showed the amount of money owed to the feds was ... 4 cents.
Inexplicably, penalties and taxes accruing on the debt – stemming from the 2006 tax year – were listed as $202.31, leaving Harv's with an obligation of $202.35."

The Big Wind-Power Cover-Up

The Big Wind-Power Cover-Up - Investors.com
"Scandal: Spain exposed the boondoggle of wind power in 2009, discrediting an idea touted by the Obama administration. In response, U.S. officials banded with trade lobbyists to hide the facts.
It was a cold day at the Energy Department when researchers at King Juan Carlos University in Spain released a study showing that every 'green job' created by the wind industry killed off 4.27 other jobs elsewhere in the Spanish economy."

Friday, March 12, 2010

Firefighters told to 'use common sense' - The Scotsman

Firefighters told to 'use common sense' - The Scotsman
"Fire services will be told to follow new 'non-bureaucratic' guidelines and take a 'sensible' approach to hazardous incidents under a new policy unveiled by the Health and Safety Executive.

HSE chiefs said the guidelines aimed to ensure firefighters could do their jobs properly without employers flouting safety legislation. Brigade unions welcomed the ruling, saying a balance had to be struck between safety rules and allowing fire crews to do their job.

But one MP called for a complete overhaul of safety guidelines and their impact on rescues after the conclusion of a fatal accident inquiry into the death of Alison Hume.

The 44-year-old, from Galston in Ayrshire, spent six hours at the bottom of a pit because Strathclyde Fire and Rescue was banned from using rope equipment to rescue members of the public.

Mrs Hume, who suffered head and chest injuries after plunging 60ft, died shortly after being brought to the surface from the disused shaft 120 yards from her home."

Divided board votes for new school history standards

Divided board votes for new school history standards Houston & Texas News Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"Mary Helen Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi, said the standards ignore the Ku Klux Klan in Texas, Texas Rangers “killing Mexican-Americans without justification” and the U.S. Army's role in the attempted extermination of American Indians.

“Until we are ready to tell the truth about history, we don't have a good history or a good social studies curriculum for Texas,” she said.

She had failed in an attempt earlier in the meeting to get the history standards to identify Tejanos who fell defending the Alamo."

We sometimes forget that some of our elected officials HATE our country.
We must not let them redefine our American history!
Will we continue to let them brainwash our children?

Health Care BS - MASSA: HOUSE PASSES GOP RESOLUTION TO INVESTIGATE WHAT PELOSI KNEW & WHEN

Health Care BS - MASSA: HOUSE PASSES GOP RESOLUTION TO INVESTIGATE WHAT PELOSI KNEW & WHEN
"Needless to say, the Republicans smelled a rat. A senior GOP aide put it as follows:
This is completely unacceptable … What are Democrats on the ethics committee afraid of? What is the Democratic leadership hiding?
To find out what ”leadership” knew and when, the GOP offered a privileged resolution calling for an investigation of how Massa’s case was handled—and it passed:
The GOP’s privileged resolution on an investigation of what members of Congress knew about Rep. Eric Massa’s (D-N.Y.) problems has passed the House, on a 360-2 vote. Both “no” votes came from Republicans.

My bet?
Pelosi & Co. are covering up the fact that they tried to blackmail Massa into supporting Obamacare.
His sudden ouster probably happened because he wouldn’t “stay bought.”"

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Obamaganda: Another School Sings Praises to Dear Leader

Obamaganda: Another School Sings Praises to Dear Leader « Publius Forum

The Frisky

Jacques Magazine Sports Issue The Frisky:
"Jacques Magazine “Sports” Issues More About Skivvies Than Squash"

I used to play squash.... and this is EXACTLY how I remember my most memorable matches!

UC Tuition Hikes and Public Employee Pensions - WSJ.com

UC Tuition Hikes and Public Employee Pensions - WSJ.com: "The California legislature? Good luck with that. In 1999, the Democratic legislature ran a reckless gamble that makes Wall Street's bankers look cautious. At the top of a bull market, they assumed their investment returns would grow at a 8.25% rate in perpetuity—equivalent to assuming that the Dow would reach 25,000 by 2009—and enacted a huge pension boon for public-safety and industrial unions.
The bill refigured the compensation formula for pension benefits of all public-safety employees who retired on or after January 1, 2000. It let firefighters retire at age 50 and receive 3% of their final year's compensation times the number of years they worked. If a firefighter started working at the age of 20, he could retire at 50 and earn 90% of his final salary, in perpetuity. One San Ramon Valley fire chief's yearly pension amounted to $284,000—more than his $221,000 annual salary."

Daley: Day of reckoning for financial crisis

Daley: Day of reckoning for financial crisis
"Mayor Daley warned today that the day of reckoning has arrived for a financial crisis that’s choking local taxpayers: underfunded city pensions."

Gov't workers feel no economic pain - Washington Times

Gov't workers feel no economic pain - Washington Times: "The recession and the ongoing jobless recovery devastated much of the private-sector work force last year, sending unemployment soaring, but government workers emerged essentially unscathed, according to data released Wednesday by the Labor Department.
Meanwhile, the compensation for state and local government employees continued to easily outdistance the wages and benefits for workers in private business, a separate Labor Department report showed."

Motion to force Prichard to pay pensioners denied by judge

Motion to force Prichard to pay pensioners denied by judge al.com
"A bankruptcy court judge denied a motion Tuesday that would force Prichard to pay its pensioners, saying they do not qualify as administrative claims -- or day-to-day obligations -- of the city."

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

SO IS THIS THE HOPE, OR THE CHANGE? Monthly deficit hits $220 billion, highest in U.S. history.

Instapundit » Blog Archive » SO IS THIS THE HOPE, OR THE CHANGE? Monthly deficit hits $220 billion, highest in U.S. history.
“According to CBO, based on an analysis of the deeply deceitful numbers presented to it by Reid and Obama, the national panacea of health-care reform will save us $132 billion over the next 10 years.

"Which means the feds blew through our big decade-long ObamaCare refund in about … 17 days last month.”"

Muhammad cartoon republished




Muhammad cartoon republished
"At least three Swedish newspapers on Wednesday published a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog after an alleged plot to murder the artist who created it was uncovered in Ireland."
‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing."

Greece warns of worse downturn as strikes loom

Greece warns of worse downturn as strikes loom - swissinfo
"The Greek economy is set to shrink by more than expected this year, the government said on Wednesday, as it braced for nationwide strikes protesting its plans for bringing the country's budget deficit under control.

Greece, grappling with a ballooning deficit and a 300 billion euro (272 billion pound) debt pile, told the European Union that 2010 gross domestic product (GDP) would 'most likely' shrink by more than the 0.3 percent currently forecast."

MEA's sabotage kept Michigan out of Race to Top finalists

MEA's sabotage kept Michigan out of Race to Top finalists
"It's hard to argue with the White House's decision not to include Michigan among the 16 finalists for the first round of federal Race to the Top education grants.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said repeatedly that heavy weight was given to applications from states where all parties were committed to reform.

Michigan can't even pretend to qualify under that standard.
It bickered for months about whether to adopt the required reforms.
Even after it did, the arguing and obstruction continued.

Place the blame for the loss of the much-needed grants squarely on the Michigan Education Association.
It sabotaged the state's application at every step."

Ionia kindergartner suspended for making gun with hand


Ionia kindergartner suspended for making gun with hand
MLive.com:
"To the little boy's mother, it was just a 6-year-old boy playing around.

But when Mason Jammer, a kindergarten student at Jefferson Elementary in Ionia, curled his fist into the shape of a gun Wednesday and pointed it at another student, school officials said it was no laughing matter.

They suspended Mason until Friday, saying the behavior made other students uncomfortable, said Erin Jammer, Mason's mother. "

Drones and Terrorism


American Thinker: Drones and Terrorism
"One question that has not arisen is the possibility of drones being used against us."

This entire article is fascinating.

Read it all.

The Associated Press: Roberts: Scene at State of Union `very troubling'


The Associated Press: Roberts: Scene at State of Union `very troubling'
"U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Obama's State of the Union address was 'very troubling' and the annual speech has 'degenerated to a political pep rally.'

Obama chided the court, with the justices seated before him in their black robes, for its decision on a campaign finance case."

Seriously, the boy-president has NO class.

And not much more in the intellect area either.

Well.
At least it's "change"......right?

Video: Real life Bridezilla? Violent brawl breaks out inside Lathrup Village bridal shop

Video: Real life Bridezilla? Violent brawl breaks out inside Lathrup Village bridal shop

This "mentality" is what's enveloping the Detroit suburbs, folks.

Run while you still can get away!

Poll: Nerd ads lift Rick Snyder to second place, Democratic voters undecided, what John Engler could win in 2012


Poll: Nerd ads lift Rick Snyder to second place, Democratic voters undecided, what John Engler could win in 2012
"If businessman Rick Snyder is a nerd, it probably won't help him -- or hurt him -- in the Republican primary for governor.

But the TV ads in which he lays claim to the moniker have snagged him attention.
And in an election year, attention can be an uplifting thing.

A new statewide public opinion survey released exclusively to Booth Newspapers on Wednesday showed Ann Arbor-based Snyder, with the support of 18 percent of Republican voters, is second to U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland, with 28 percent.
State Attorney General Mike Cox dropped to third with 12 percent."

The voters want "change" and nerds are certainly change.

Of course, so is a REAL conservative, ex-chairman of the house intelligence committee.
Congressman Hoekstra.

I'll go with Pete.

Muskegon Commissioner Clara Shepherd accused of misusing position


Muskegon Commissioner Clara Shepherd accused of misusing position
"“We couldn’t believe what had happened,” Jamie Paquin said. Jeremy Paquin added: “We were appalled and very uncomfortable.”

The couple who opened the upscale breakfast and lunch restaurant in early summer 2008 said they did not want to press the issue with authorities.

“We weren’t going to say much, but our customers must have reported what happened,” Jamie Paquin said."

Do we really deserve the leadership we elect?

The next election will tell more about the soul of Muskegon than most other elections.

If Muskegon citizens want to avoid morphing into a doppelganger of Muskegon Heights, they MUST elect competent and honest leaders.

Otherwise, our central city will continue its slide into bankruptcy and despair.

The citizens will make that decision.

No one else.

2,000 grades boosted at CPS' Hyde Park Academy


2,000 grades boosted at CPS' Hyde Park Academy :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education
"Last school year at struggling Hyde Park Academy High, more than 2,000 grades were boosted at least one notch — including more than 870 F’s that were changed to passing marks, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis shows.

And this school year, blanket A’s were ordered issued to all students of five new Hyde Park teachers after the students suffered through a string of substitute teachers for most of the first quarter, a letter obtained by the Sun-Times shows."

The stench that emanates from this "profession" has engulfed our children, country wide.
The little ones learn "ethics" from the ethic-less.
And no wonder there is no time left for reedin', riten or nummers.

Banking On Corruption In The Windy City


Banking On Corruption In The Windy City - Investors.com
"Another bank failure is nothing new these days — except if the bank is run by the family of a U.S. Senate candidate who profited handsomely and lent millions to a convicted felon. But then, that's the Chicago way.
'I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat-cat bankers on Wall Street,' President Obama said in a recent interview with '60 Minutes.' Speaking to those bankers, he said: 'You guys are drawing down 10, 20 million dollar bonuses after America went through the worst economic year that it's gone through in — in decades, and you guys caused the problem.'

Not all those fat cats, apparently, are on Wall Street. Some are on Main Street in the president's hometown.
One of those 'guys' recently won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat once held by Obama.

He's an Obama protege and fundraiser.
His name is Alexi Giannoulias, and his family runs the Broadway Bank in Chicago, a financially troubled institution that the feds appear ready to seize and shut down.
He is running for U.S. Senate from Illinois."

Power Line - Obsession


Power Line - Obsession
"Matt Drudge is trumpeting the fact that Senate staffers have been warned to stay away from the Drudge Report on the theory that it may be spreading computer viruses. (If the old rules apply, that is libel per se, isn't it?)

What I thought was even more entertaining was the Drudge Report's traffic totals:

The [Drudge Report] was seen 149,967 times since March 1st from users at senate.gov and 244,347 times at house.gov.
[There were] 10,825 visits from the White House, eop.gov,' the Drudge Report wrote.

These numbers appeared on March 8; do the math:
18,750 times a day, Senators and their staffers visit the Drudge Report--
187.5 times a day for each Senator;
30,543 times a day Congressmen and their staffers check in on Drudge--
70 times a day for each Congressional office;
and, most comical of all, 1,353 times a day President Obama's White House staffers log on to the Report.

The war is over.
Drudge won it."

Future of F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II




Future of F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II - Popular Mechanics
"Now that the F-22 is canceled (freezing the fleet at 186 airplanes), the F-35 program faces even more scrutiny.
Aerospace analysts, press and the discussion-board community frequently ask why a superior airplane like the F-22 is being axed while the problematic F-35 limps along during development.
Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said this week that the F-35 would not be ready until 2015, rather than 2013."

LEE HARRIS: Weak Tea Or Strong Tea?

LEE HARRIS: Weak Tea Or Strong Tea?
"Too many of those currently ‘analyzing’ the Tea Party movement seem to have no genuine interest in grappling with its potential historical significance.
Plus, David Brooks’ appeal to snobbery.

UPDATE: They expected 600, but over 2000 showed up at this anti-Obamacare meeting."

Gov. Pat Quinn to propose borrowing or tax hike in budget


Gov. Pat Quinn to propose borrowing or tax hike in budget - chicagotribune.com
"Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday unveiled a caustic budget plan that would borrow billions of dollars to stay afloat and push even more debt down the road, hoping to persuade leery lawmakers to instead raise taxes in an election year."

Illinois is "California" here in the midwest.
They will implode.
The question is how will that affect the rest of us in Michigan....and it will affect us in some way.