Saturday, May 08, 2010

We Are Out of Money

We Are Out of Money - Reason Magazine
"According to E.U. rules, member countries cannot maintain budget deficits above 3 percent of gross domestic product; nor can their total debt rise above 60 percent of GDP.

As Veronique de Rugy points out in this issue, the U.S. budget deficit in 2009 was three times the E.U.’s limit, and total debt will zoom past the 60 percent threshold sometime this year.

Washington makes Paris look frugal."

Venezuela annual inflation rate hits 30 percent

Venezuela annual inflation rate hits 30 percent
"Venezuela's annual inflation rate has surpassed 30 percent after consumer prices surged in April."

Release the Blagojevich tapes: Target the Chicago '5'

Release the Blagojevich tapes: Target the Chicago '5'

Last week, redacted portions of Blagojevich’s Motion to Subpoena President Obama came to light, indicating that Obama had contacted SEIU labor officials to lobby the Senate seat for Valerie Jarrett.

If true, this would potentially contradict the President’s public statements.

NUGENT: Profile or die

NUGENT: Profile or die
"My name is Ted Nugent, and I profile.
And it is good.
We are sick and tired of the soulless condition of denying factual, clear and present danger in the name of feel-good backpedaling."

Stinko de Mayo

EDITORIAL: Stinko de Mayo
"The question is: Who taught these kids to hate America so much?"

4 ways Congress caused the financial crisis

4 ways Congress caused the financial crisis
"Bankers may have rushed to create fancy new securities, but it was legislators who enabled risky behavior by housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — and failed to instill watchdogs like the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission with the backbone needed to rein in risky activities.

In detail, Levine makes these points that illustrate the role of Congress:"

Metra boss Phil Pagano's suicide a repeating pageant for Illinois

Kass: Metra boss Phil Pagano's suicide a repeating pageant for Illinois - chicagotribune.com
"When politicos play musical chairs in Illinois, what happens after the music stops and there's no safe place to sit?

There have been four dead in recent years, unrelated cases of suicide, different except for the acts of the common pageant: The corruption investigators call. The music ends abruptly.

Two were done in by guns, one on a beach, the other under a bridge. A third was by pills in a construction trailer.

The fourth came Friday morning during rush hour, announced by that body under that white sheet on the Metra tracks in McHenry County."


oh yeah!

Ill. rail chief dies in apparent suicide by train

Ill. rail chief dies in apparent suicide by train
"Pagano was under investigation and that he had been placed on paid administrative leave from his $269,000-a-year job. Metra had hired an attorney to investigate allegations that the Metra executive director of 20 years had received an unauthorized $56,000 bonus."

Let's hope the other government crooks give this a try too.

State Senator Sylvia Allen responds to SB1070

State Senator Sylvia Allen responds to SB1070 - The Cholla Jumps
"I’m Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen.
I want to explain SB 1070 for which I voted yes.
Rancher Robert Krentz was murdered by the drug cartel on his ranch a month ago.
I participated in a senate hearing two weeks ago on the border violence, here is just some of the highlights from those who testified."

This is one of the most frightening letters I've ever read.

“I never thought I’d be on national TV for wearing an American flag shirt.”

VIDEO: “I never thought I’d be on national TV for wearing an American flag shirt.”
“What seems to elude people in this incident is that everyone has the right to express themselves on every day of the year in the US, and that ’some people may be offended’ is no just cause for censorship.”"

The Greek Economy Explained

The Greek Economy Explained
"In terms of overall ease of doing business, Greece comes in 109 out of 183 countries around the world.

It is dead last among the 27 members of the European Union as well as the advanced economies in the OECD.
You have to go up 30 slots to find the next worst EU performer, Italy. The U.S. ranks fourth and Singapore is first.
At 109, Greece ranks below such models of transparency and free enterprise as Egypt (106), Zambia (90), Rwanda (67) and Kazakhstan (63).

A country has to work hard to do this poorly.

The Doing Business survey reveals an economy that's hostile to free enterprise and private property, primed for corruption, lacking in labor and capital mobility, stifled by powerful trade unions and unlikely to grow without deep-rooted changes."

Friday, May 07, 2010

FOXNews.com - 2 People Shot to Death in Old Navy in Chicago

FOXNews.com - 2 People Shot to Death in Old Navy in Chicago: "Authorities say two people were shot to death at the Old Navy clothing store in the heart of the city's Loop retail corridor.
Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford says a man and a woman were shot inside the store. He says they were dead when emergency responders arrived Friday morning at the scene, just blocks from Chicago's City Hall."

MAJOR MEDIA FAIL

MAJOR MEDIA FAIL: Note this poll on Arizona:

The new poll finds 61 percent of voters nationally think Arizona was right to take action instead of waiting for the federal government to do something on immigration.

That’s more than twice as many as the 27 percent who think securing the border is a federal responsibility and Arizona should have waited for Washington to act. . . .

Significantly more voters think the Obama administration should wait and see how the new law works (64 percent) than think the administration should try to stop it (15 percent).

Forget the Arizona bill itself.
What this poll says is that despite weeks of national-media coverage that was unrelentingly negative, calling the bill racist, drawing Nazi analogies, etc. — only 15 percent are really against it.

Sorry guys — you’re still talking, but people aren’t listening.

UPDATE: A reader asks why I didn’t just use the favor/oppose numbers, which support the bill but in a less lopsided way.
Because if the bill is really a racist, Nazi enactment, people should want to actually do something about it, not just register opposition.
Right?"

Take Action! Vote on Bridge Boondoggle Looming!

Take Action! Vote on Bridge Boondoggle Looming!
"The Michigan House of Representatives is likely to vote on House Bill 4961 next week. Your State Representative needs to hear from taxpayers like you today to avoid a massive waste of your tax dollars.

The Ambassador Bridge, built and maintained for 80 years by the Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC), carries one-quarter of all trade between the U.S. and Canada. DIBC has begun a $1 billion project to build a second span using no taxpayer funds.

But the state has sued to stop construction so they can build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) – using taxpayer money only.
Building the DRIC would cost American taxpayers billions of dollars, forcibly relocate hundreds of families and businesses, and be another example of Michigan’s fiscal failure."

Butler bummer!

Butler bummer!
"Butler coach Brad Stevens finally got the answer he needed Friday, even if it was bad news.
Star forward Gordon Hayward is heading to the NBA, and Stevens can now turn his full attention toward next season."

Broader U-6 Unemployment Rate Increases to 17.1% in April

Broader U-6 Unemployment Rate Increases to 17.1% in April
The U.S. jobless rate rose to 9.9% in April, the first increase in three months, but the government’s broader measure of unemployment ticked up for the third month in a row, rising 0.2 percentage point to 17.1%.

The hopey changey thing is really workin'...doncah think?

L.A. Times Declines to Endorse Sen. Boxer in California Primary

L.A. Times Declines to Endorse Sen. Boxer in California Primary
"The editors at the biggest newspaper on the West Coast, who were expected to endorse Sen. Barbara Boxer in her primary campaign against token opposition, have decided to remain neutral, saying the California Democrat doesn't display enough intellectual firepower."

That's gotta hurt....if she knew what "intellectual firepower" meant.

Two People Who Deserve to be Fired

Two People Who Deserve to be Fired - WSJ This Morning
"There are two people who should be out of work for their poor decisions lately."

Retired Park Township surgeon charged with stealing hotel furniture in Florida

Retired Park Township surgeon charged with stealing hotel furniture in Florida
"A retired surgeon with stately homes in Park Township, Michigan, and affluent East Naples is charged with walking off with about $7,000 worth of furniture and wall art from a hotel."

Interesting story of a fruitcake doctor who has his anger control issues ready as an excuse.

JAPAN ACTIVATES the Monju Fast-Breeder Reactor. If we’d started building these in the 1970s, the wo…

JAPAN ACTIVATES the Monju Fast-Breeder Reactor.
If we’d started building these in the 1970s, the world’s energy probems would be largely solved, and carbon emissions would be much lower.
But environmentalists blocked them.
Thanks for nothin’, guys"

......The Clunk in Clunkers

......The Clunk in Clunkers - Counts Consulting, Ltd.
"Ok, on to the issue at hand.
If you run a full service recycling business, did you get in on the Clunker rage last fall?
You know that deal where taxpayers subsidized people who were willing to get rid of a paid-for asset and go in debt for something they already had, which was a running vehicle.
You know that program that cost the U.S. tax payers over $40,000 per vehicle.
If you run a full service recycling business and wonder if you missed out by not jumping in on this deal, be at peace, you made the right decision.
If metal had not gone up recently, it would have put a lot of recyclers out of business and it still may be the beginning of the whirlpool for others.

If you are wondering why I'm writing about something that has already happened, then be advised that the administration is thinking about doing this again!
Therefore, I would like to see recyclers have a plan if this comes our way in the future."

Read this excellent article!

(HT ClunkerKing)

MEA-owned insurance carrier using rate hikes to replenish coffers?

Hello Michigan: MEA-owned insurance carrier using rate hikes to replenish coffers?
"MEA-owned insurance carrier using rate hikes to replenish coffers?

WOW!!! What a deal for the Teachers Union.

Let me see, WE paid into their retirement fund and WE paid for their insurance, and WE pay their salaries.

Now because MESSA, the NEA Teachers Union lost money in the market, we get to cover their losses for them???"

Athens or Washington, It's the Size of Government

RealClearPolitics - Athens or Washington, It's the Size of Government
"This is more than a financial crisis.
This is a national meltdown.
And while facile comparisons to the U.S. must be avoided, there are nonetheless lessons for us --particularly in light of the direction the Democratic Party wants to travel."

Field trip for black students sparks controversy at Ann Arbor elementary school - AnnArbor.com

Field trip for black students sparks controversy at Ann Arbor elementary school
"An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students."

Imagine a school trip for white students only!

Imagine the mentality of the educators who think that a trip for black students ONLY is a great idea!

Someone needs a new job!

Teachers unions fight “for the kids?” Not exactly.

The Free Enterprise Nation - Teachers unions fight “for the kids?” Not exactly.
"The National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers stood up alongside Senator Tom Harkin, asking Congress to pass the Keep Our Educators Working Act.

The bill provides $23 billion in federal funding to local school districts so they can avoid having to make job cuts for the 2011 school year.
Harken said “This bill is an investment in our kids, in our economy, and in our future.”

We agree that nobody wants to see students in overcrowded classes, which could happen if the predicted 300,000 teaching job cuts were to happen.

However, if we, the American taxpayers, are giving one select group of people $23 billion to save their jobs, it would only be fair if we were able to receive some concessions from the teachers unions in exchange for our generosity."

We've seen where the teacher's unions love points.
And it don't point to even one kid.
It is self-love at its worst.

Jobs up 290,000; jobless rate rises to 9.9 pct.

Jobs up 290,000; jobless rate rises to 9.9 pct.
"All told, 15.3 million people were out of work in April."

No amount of TV happy talk about 290,000 new jobs (many of which are government "jobs") will help the 15.3 million Americans.

Remember in November!

FNC's Hume Chides Media Misinformation on AZ Immigration Law

FNC's Hume Chides Media Misinformation on AZ Immigration Law
"During Fox News Sunday's 'Roundtable' segment, regular panel member Brit Hume chided the news media for spreading misinformation about the new law in Arizona aimed at enforcing federal immigration laws, as he charged that 'It's turned out that a lot of the news stories simply flat had it wrong, and a lot of the critics of the bill itself have also got it wrong.'

After recounting that the law requires 'that there be a legitimate law enforcement incident, a stop, a detention, or arrest,' and 'reasonable suspicion,' he concluded that 'all the hysteria about it is grossly overdone, in my judgment.'"

Sadly, all the hysteria was done for a specific purpose.
Votes for democrats.

NUGENT: Is the kettle black enough?

NUGENT: Is the kettle black enough? - Washington Times
"The truth is that the federal government, as always, has overtly wasted, lost and blown far more of our hard-earned tax dollars than Wall Street crooks could have ripped off in their wildest Bernie Madoff imaginations.

Our politicians are the real bandits and culprits of our economic calamity."

State Government Loses Nearly 10,000 Workers in 9 Years

State Government Loses Nearly 10,000 Workers in 9 Years
"Leaders in the Republican-led Senate fell a few votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to repeal a 3 percent pay raise scheduled to take effect Oct. 1 for most state workers.
The proposal never came up for a vote in the Democrat-led House.
The increase will cost the state an estimated $45 million.

That could come back to bite some state workers.
Lawmakers don't appear likely to raise taxes, so layoffs or furlough days are a distinct possibility as the battle continues over balancing the budget.

Rep. Chuck Moss of Birmingham, the highest-ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, would like to see state employee compensation decreased so the state can keep more workers to deal with citizens' needs.
He's frustrated by the failure of efforts to trim workers' pay and benefits, saying the state's ongoing budget woes will require more sacrifice.
'We have more government than we can afford right now,' Moss said."

We have 10,000 less workers but are spending more on workers now than we did before.
Anyone smell something fishy here?

New light shed on Kent State killings - Washington Times

New light shed on Kent State killings - Washington Times
"'We did it,' one man exulted, according to the inquiry.
'We got the riot started.'

The second man expressed disappointment at being excluded from the riot's planning.
'Wait until tomorrow night,' the leader replied excitedly.
'We just got the word.
We're going to burn the ROTC building.'"

A worthy read with the SEIU and other Obama thug bands running around.