Union equates lavish benefits to black civil rights Byron York Politics Washington Examiner
"Fresh from defeat in Wisconsin, union leaders are planning a new campaign not just to head off future challenges to their collective bargaining powers but also to make the case that organized labor's benefits and prerogatives -- wages, health care, and pensions that are more generous than those of comparable workers in the private sector -- are the moral equivalent of rights won by black Americans during the civil rights movement."
Friday, March 18, 2011
Grand Rapids school board candidate says budget cuts require closer look at privatization, pension reform
Grand Rapids school board candidate says budget cuts require closer look at privatization, pension reform MLive.com
"Her three point plan includes the following:
1- Better fiscal management: Let’s privatize non-essential services. We need to eliminate collective bargaining because all we are really doing is bargaining away our children’s
education.
2. Common sense cost cutting: We must use a defined contribution plan. MESSA (union-owned teacher health insurance) is a Cadillac plan that teachers pay nothing or next to nothing for. We must also roll back administrative extras such as vehicle allowances and monthly stipends.
3. More teacher accountability: We must reform teacher tenure."
Whoa nellie!
The education establishment will hate these 3 points!
Imagine an outsider who thinks cost and performance ought to be major considerations!
This woman may be the most articulate hope for our children's financial future.
Christine Jurrians.
Remember her name.
"Her three point plan includes the following:
1- Better fiscal management: Let’s privatize non-essential services. We need to eliminate collective bargaining because all we are really doing is bargaining away our children’s
education.
2. Common sense cost cutting: We must use a defined contribution plan. MESSA (union-owned teacher health insurance) is a Cadillac plan that teachers pay nothing or next to nothing for. We must also roll back administrative extras such as vehicle allowances and monthly stipends.
3. More teacher accountability: We must reform teacher tenure."
Whoa nellie!
The education establishment will hate these 3 points!
Imagine an outsider who thinks cost and performance ought to be major considerations!
This woman may be the most articulate hope for our children's financial future.
Christine Jurrians.
Remember her name.
20 Days of Left-Wing Thuggery in Wisconsin: When Will Obama, Democrats, and MSM Call for Civility?
» 20 Days of Left-Wing Thuggery in Wisconsin: When Will Obama, Democrats, and MSM Call for Civility? - Big Government
"Below, you’ll find a compilation of 20 days worth of the death threats, vandalism, and intimidation practiced by pro-union thugs opposed to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill."
"Below, you’ll find a compilation of 20 days worth of the death threats, vandalism, and intimidation practiced by pro-union thugs opposed to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill."
Chevy Volt: The Car From Atlas Shrugged Motors
"Volt sales are anemic:
326 in December,
321 in January, and
281 in February.
GM announced a production run of 100,000 in the first two years.
Who is going to buy all these cars?"
326 in December,
321 in January, and
281 in February.
GM announced a production run of 100,000 in the first two years.
Who is going to buy all these cars?"
Muskegon County law enforcement agencies interested in body cams, can't afford them
Muskegon County law enforcement agencies interested in body cams, can't afford them MLive.com: "While some police agencies nationwide have begun using tiny body cameras to record actions of officers and those with whom they have contact, Muskegon County jurisdictions aren’t on board.
The biggest roadblock? The cost to maintain them, authorities say."
The biggest roadblock? The cost to maintain them, authorities say."
The Libyan Tea Party
EL SENUSSI: The Libyan Tea Party - Washington Times
"My traveling companion intimated to me,
“This must be the Libyan version of the Tea Party.”
If tea is synonymous with reform, then I hope it is."
"Libyan tea Party"?
That sorta explains Barry O'Carter's "support", doesn't it?
"My traveling companion intimated to me,
“This must be the Libyan version of the Tea Party.”
If tea is synonymous with reform, then I hope it is."
"Libyan tea Party"?
That sorta explains Barry O'Carter's "support", doesn't it?
Ray Nagin clone in the White House
American Thinker Blog: Ray Nagin clone in the White House
"Fortunately this inept mayor, Ray Nagin, is now out of office and unable to inflict upon his constituents his monumental incompetence any longer.
Unfortunately for America, his federal counterpart is very much in power for another two years and is inflicting the similar damage of his Nagin-like cluelessness and ineptitude on not just New Orleans, but America and the entire world."
"Fortunately this inept mayor, Ray Nagin, is now out of office and unable to inflict upon his constituents his monumental incompetence any longer.
Unfortunately for America, his federal counterpart is very much in power for another two years and is inflicting the similar damage of his Nagin-like cluelessness and ineptitude on not just New Orleans, but America and the entire world."
One driver cut off another in U.S. 131 road-rage incident that led to wrench assault
One driver cut off another in U.S. 131 road-rage incident that led to wrench assault MLive.com
"The 50-year-old Grand Rapids area man sought his own treatment Wednesday night after another motorist hit him in the head with a 15-inch ratchet after both vehicles had pulled off the freeway at West River Drive."
"The 50-year-old Grand Rapids area man sought his own treatment Wednesday night after another motorist hit him in the head with a 15-inch ratchet after both vehicles had pulled off the freeway at West River Drive."
Arne Duncan: No March Madness for NCAA teams with poor graduation rates
Arne Duncan: No March Madness for NCAA teams with poor graduation rates MLive.com
"Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told USA Today that Duncan's proposal is “completely nuts.”
He told the paper that because basketball teams have small rosters, it takes only two or three players to bring a team below the cutoff.
“Any good school can have a bad class and fall below,” Boeheim said.
“It's a lot more difficult than it looks.
What looks to be simple on paper isn't as simple as it looks.
If three guys leave (school) and your other seven guys are 'A' students, that still puts you below.
It's hard to recover from that.”"
"Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told USA Today that Duncan's proposal is “completely nuts.”
He told the paper that because basketball teams have small rosters, it takes only two or three players to bring a team below the cutoff.
“Any good school can have a bad class and fall below,” Boeheim said.
“It's a lot more difficult than it looks.
What looks to be simple on paper isn't as simple as it looks.
If three guys leave (school) and your other seven guys are 'A' students, that still puts you below.
It's hard to recover from that.”"
Diversity panel wants military to look like U.S.
Diversity panel wants military to look like U.S. - Washington Times
"The commission says it wants the military to resemble the ethnic makeup of America.
It is urging the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to “validate” the standards — such as education, test scores, criminal records and drug use — that disqualify large numbers of blacks and Hispanics.
“Racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to meet eligibility requirements than are non-Hispanic whites, and that gap is widening,” the report says."
"The gap is widening" so our betters in government now tell us we need to dumb-size our military?
Why should our military resemble America?
Has most of America been trained to kill bad guys?
"The commission says it wants the military to resemble the ethnic makeup of America.
It is urging the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to “validate” the standards — such as education, test scores, criminal records and drug use — that disqualify large numbers of blacks and Hispanics.
“Racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to meet eligibility requirements than are non-Hispanic whites, and that gap is widening,” the report says."
"The gap is widening" so our betters in government now tell us we need to dumb-size our military?
Why should our military resemble America?
Has most of America been trained to kill bad guys?
Detroit News critic who quit over edited Chrysler review: 'A matter of principle'
Detroit News critic who quit over edited Chrysler review: 'A matter of principle' MLive.com
"Burgess' online review did not include this passage, which was in the print version:
'If this car came in tortoise shell, the EPA would have to put it on the endangered sedan list to prevent trappers and automotive enthusiasts from rightfully shooting it into extinction.'"
"Burgess' online review did not include this passage, which was in the print version:
'If this car came in tortoise shell, the EPA would have to put it on the endangered sedan list to prevent trappers and automotive enthusiasts from rightfully shooting it into extinction.'"
Muskegon-area unemployment rate rises in January
Muskegon-area unemployment rate rises in January MLive.com
"In January, Muskegon County's labor force continued to decline to 81,600, 600 fewer workers than December.
Total employment in January was 71,900, a 1,000 drop from December.
The number of unemployed rose 400 to 9,700."
"In January, Muskegon County's labor force continued to decline to 81,600, 600 fewer workers than December.
Total employment in January was 71,900, a 1,000 drop from December.
The number of unemployed rose 400 to 9,700."
Chrysler suing Pure Detroit over 'Imported from Detroit' slogan
Chrysler suing Pure Detroit over 'Imported from Detroit' slogan detnews.com
Chrysler Group LLC is suing Pure Detroit, accusing the clothing retailer of improperly using the automaker's "Imported from Detroit" slogan that rocketed to popularity in the two-minute Super Bowl ad featuring hometown rapper Eminem.
Chrysler Group LLC is suing Pure Detroit, accusing the clothing retailer of improperly using the automaker's "Imported from Detroit" slogan that rocketed to popularity in the two-minute Super Bowl ad featuring hometown rapper Eminem.
Grand Rapids man charged with polygamy after first wife saw his wedding photo on Facebook
Grand Rapids man charged with polygamy after first wife saw his wedding photo on Facebook MLive.com: "When Richard Leon Barton Jr., 34, got married to a Grand Rapids woman last July, police say there was a big problem: his first wife, living in Rhode Island."
Fighting Inflation With Inflation
Fighting Inflation With Inflation - WSJ.com:
"Great news in the war on obesity!
'The 3.9 percent increase in food prices last month is the largest monthly jump since 1974,' reports Washington's WUSA-TV:
9NEWS NOW bought eggs, milk, and bread at a Giant supermarket in Washington, DC, on October 1st. The same items at a Wisconsin Avenue Giant in the city on Wednesday night showed the increases.
Milk had increased 15 percent. Bread was up 19 percent.
Eggs remained at the same price.
Economists were predicting Wednesday that American consumers will be paying about five percent more for food next fall than they did last fall."
"Great news in the war on obesity!
'The 3.9 percent increase in food prices last month is the largest monthly jump since 1974,' reports Washington's WUSA-TV:
9NEWS NOW bought eggs, milk, and bread at a Giant supermarket in Washington, DC, on October 1st. The same items at a Wisconsin Avenue Giant in the city on Wednesday night showed the increases.
Milk had increased 15 percent. Bread was up 19 percent.
Eggs remained at the same price.
Economists were predicting Wednesday that American consumers will be paying about five percent more for food next fall than they did last fall."
Eight Out of Ten Illegal Aliens Apprehended in 2010 Never Prosecuted
Eight Out of Ten Illegal Aliens Apprehended in 2010 Never Prosecuted, Says Border Congressman
"An illegal alien apprehended by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency during the last fiscal year had an estimated 84 percent chance of never being prosecuted,"
"An illegal alien apprehended by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency during the last fiscal year had an estimated 84 percent chance of never being prosecuted,"
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Michigan St.-UCLA Preview
Michigan St.-UCLA Preview - March 16, 2011 - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
"It's the first ever meeting in the NCAAs between the 10th-seeded Spartans (19-14) and No. 7 seed Bruins (22-10), which is difficult to fathom considering the success they've had the past decade-plus on college basketball's biggest stage."
"It's the first ever meeting in the NCAAs between the 10th-seeded Spartans (19-14) and No. 7 seed Bruins (22-10), which is difficult to fathom considering the success they've had the past decade-plus on college basketball's biggest stage."
Places to go, things to do this weekend
My picks: Places to go, things to do this weekend MLive.com
"• It's going to be a 'Dancing Queen' sort of weekend, starting off 7:30 p.m. Friday with ABBAMANIA at the Frauenthal.
Your ticket back to the days of disco will benefit United Way of the Lakeshore."
I can't go to ABBAMANIA but "your ticket back to the days of disco"?
"• It's going to be a 'Dancing Queen' sort of weekend, starting off 7:30 p.m. Friday with ABBAMANIA at the Frauenthal.
Your ticket back to the days of disco will benefit United Way of the Lakeshore."
I can't go to ABBAMANIA but "your ticket back to the days of disco"?
CNN's 'Expert on Extremism': 'Radical Right' Bigger Threat Than Jihadis
CNN's 'Expert on Extremism': 'Radical Right' Bigger Threat Than Jihadis NewsBusters.org
"Mark Potok of the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center claimed on Monday's Newsroom on CNN that radical Islam wasn't 'our biggest domestic terror threat,' that instead, 'that pretty clearly comes from the radical right in this country.'"
"Mark Potok of the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center claimed on Monday's Newsroom on CNN that radical Islam wasn't 'our biggest domestic terror threat,' that instead, 'that pretty clearly comes from the radical right in this country.'"
The New Civility: Blogger Ann Althouse’s ‘Madison Privileges Have Been Revoked’
The New Civility: Blogger Ann Althouse’s ‘Madison Privileges Have Been Revoked’
"In an unsigned “Operation: Countertroll” screed, they declare, “Your city of Madison privileges have been revoked.”
The foul-mouthed message of intimidation is crystal-clear.
This passage is (almost) profanity free:
“We are at every coffee shop on State, open to close, all the time.
We will hang up wanted posters of you everywhere you like to go.
We will picket on public property as close to your house as we can every day.
We will harass the ever-loving sh*t out of you all the time.
Campus is OCCUPIED.
State Street is OCCUPIED.
The Square is OCCUPIED.
Vilas, Schenk’s Corners, Atwood, WillyStreet — Occupied, Occupied, Occupied, Occupied.”"
"In an unsigned “Operation: Countertroll” screed, they declare, “Your city of Madison privileges have been revoked.”
The foul-mouthed message of intimidation is crystal-clear.
This passage is (almost) profanity free:
“We are at every coffee shop on State, open to close, all the time.
We will hang up wanted posters of you everywhere you like to go.
We will picket on public property as close to your house as we can every day.
We will harass the ever-loving sh*t out of you all the time.
Campus is OCCUPIED.
State Street is OCCUPIED.
The Square is OCCUPIED.
Vilas, Schenk’s Corners, Atwood, WillyStreet — Occupied, Occupied, Occupied, Occupied.”"
Welcome to the Third World
Welcome to the Third World NetRight Daily
"As Britain suffered through its coldest December in a century, families were forced to choose between keeping homes warm and feeding their children nourishing meals — thanks to climate policies that have forced extensive reliance on wind power and deliberately driven energy prices skyward.
Barely two months later, the UK’s power grid CEO informed the country that its days of reliable electricity are numbered.
Families, schools, offices, shops, hospitals and factories will just have to “get used to” consuming electricity “when it’s available,” not necessarily when they want it or need it.
A new “smart grid” will be used to allocate decreasing electricity supplies, on a rolling basis or according to bureaucratic determinations as to which consumers most need available power — mostly from wind turbines that provided a pitiful 0.04% of Britain’s electricity during its coldest days last December."
"As Britain suffered through its coldest December in a century, families were forced to choose between keeping homes warm and feeding their children nourishing meals — thanks to climate policies that have forced extensive reliance on wind power and deliberately driven energy prices skyward.
Barely two months later, the UK’s power grid CEO informed the country that its days of reliable electricity are numbered.
Families, schools, offices, shops, hospitals and factories will just have to “get used to” consuming electricity “when it’s available,” not necessarily when they want it or need it.
A new “smart grid” will be used to allocate decreasing electricity supplies, on a rolling basis or according to bureaucratic determinations as to which consumers most need available power — mostly from wind turbines that provided a pitiful 0.04% of Britain’s electricity during its coldest days last December."
Some nuance on destruction
Some nuance on destruction
"In the aftermath of the quake and tsunami in Japan, Larry Summers talked about the human tragedy and then gave his thoughts on the economic impact:
“If you look, this is clearly going to add complexity to Japan’s challenge of economic recovery,” Summers said.
“It may lead to some temporary increments, ironically, to GDP, as a process of rebuilding takes place.
In the wake of the earlier Kobe earthquake, Japan actually gained some economic strength.”
In Parts I and Part II I discussed why I thought this conclusion was bizarre.
It unmistakenly suggests without qualification, that there can be a positive financial impact from destruction.
As some commenters pointed out, GDP is a flow and wealth is a stock.
That is, GDP compares the change in output over time while wealth is a snapshot.
So it is possible to lose wealth (destroy buildings) while GDP goes up.
It’s possible.
I don’t think it’s very likely but it’s possible."
"In the aftermath of the quake and tsunami in Japan, Larry Summers talked about the human tragedy and then gave his thoughts on the economic impact:
“If you look, this is clearly going to add complexity to Japan’s challenge of economic recovery,” Summers said.
“It may lead to some temporary increments, ironically, to GDP, as a process of rebuilding takes place.
In the wake of the earlier Kobe earthquake, Japan actually gained some economic strength.”
In Parts I and Part II I discussed why I thought this conclusion was bizarre.
It unmistakenly suggests without qualification, that there can be a positive financial impact from destruction.
As some commenters pointed out, GDP is a flow and wealth is a stock.
That is, GDP compares the change in output over time while wealth is a snapshot.
So it is possible to lose wealth (destroy buildings) while GDP goes up.
It’s possible.
I don’t think it’s very likely but it’s possible."
Michigan will receive detailed Census 2010 data next week
Michigan will receive detailed Census 2010 data next week MLive.com#cmpid=v2mode_be_smoref_face#cmpid=v2mode_be_smoref_face#cmpid=v2mode_be_smoref_face: "The first detailed information for Michigan from the 2010 Census will be released next week, documenting a decade of change in the only state to lose population."
Royal Caribbean rolls out 'all-you-can-drink' packages
Royal Caribbean rolls out 'all-you-can-drink' packages - USATODAY.com
Worried about keeping track of your spending on drinks on your next cruise?
Royal Caribbean hopes to allay your fears with a trio of new one-price, all-you-can-drink packages
Worried about keeping track of your spending on drinks on your next cruise?
Royal Caribbean hopes to allay your fears with a trio of new one-price, all-you-can-drink packages
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