Monday, April 04, 2011

Michigan School Funding Still Above National Average

Michigan School Funding Still Above National Average [Michigan Capitol Confidential] "Even if Gov. Snyder's proposed spending reductions are passed by the Republican Legislature, Michigan schools on average will still get more state and local tax dollars than schools in 28 other states"

Despite The Scary Warnings, U.S. Not Running Low On Oil

Despite The Scary Warnings, U.S. Not Running Low On Oil - Investors.com
"Our proven reserves are much lower than our actual reserves because government has blocked access, onshore and offshore.
It's silly to argue that there is no point to easing restrictions on drilling because 'proven reserves' aren't there.
There'd be a lot more proven reserves if the restrictions were eased.

Just in the past few years, we've started the process to extract a century-long supply of clean-burning natural gas we didn't even realize existed."

U.S. wants states to reveal more about pension funding

U.S. wants states to reveal more about pension funding Reuters "A federal board will soon propose that U.S. states disclose more about their pension funding as worries grow whether states and municipalities can pay for their employees' pensions"

Why Bankers Want a Muni Bond Taxpayer Bailout

Chriss Street: Why Bankers Want a Muni Bond Taxpayer Bailout "All that hoopla ended yesterday, when Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank, acknowledged at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event in Washington D.C., that hundreds of tax free municipal bonds issues will 'not make it' and default."

Jim Calhoun Owns Reporter

This is GREAT!

Iain Duncan Smith justifies raising retirement age

Iain Duncan Smith justifies raising retirement age: 'People don't want to retire at 65' Mail Online "Most workers want to work on when they reach 65, Iain Duncan Smith claimed yesterday. He insisted that higher life expectancy meant people should – and usually want – to work for longer before taking their pension. The Work and Pensions Secretary made the extraordinary claim on the eve of unveiling reforms that could push the retirement age beyond 70."

Second thoughts about that birth certificate

Second thoughts about that birth certificate Matt Patterson Op Eds Washington Examiner "Then there is the stubborn issue of Hawaii's governor -- and Obama family friend -- Neil Abercrombie, who had vowed upon taking office to once and for all prove that Obama was indeed born in Hawaii, thereby neutralizing the issue in advance of the 2012 campaign. Abercrombie claims to have found ... something. 'It [the proof] was actually written I am told, this is what our investigation is showing, it actually exists in the archives, written down,' he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Written down? What on earth does that mean? Did some anonymous government employee scribble on a napkin: 'On this day, Barack Obama was born?' Either an original, hospital-generated, long-form birth certificate exists or it doesn't, and either the governor has found it or he hasn't."

Sunday, April 03, 2011

2011 Budget Battle in Perspective

2011 Budget Battle in Perspective Downsizing the Federal Government "Record spending levels…trillion dollar plus deficits…mountainous debt…a weak economy… What, Congress worry?"

How Snyder’s income tax plan impacts YOU

How Snyder’s income tax plan impacts YOU

EAT THE RICH!

The Scratching Post: Determining Soil pH

The Scratching Post: Determining Soil pH "Maybe I should have gone this way, but the cost doesn't seem to warrant it."

Ryan-Rubio 2012

Ryan-Rubio 2012 The Weekly Standard

The F-35, Its Engine, and the Philosophy of Second Sources

The F-35, Its Engine, and the Philosophy of Second Sources « Uncommon Misconceptions "Gates says we can’t afford the extra $3 billion for the 2nd engine. The GAO says that we’ll make the money back. ........It’s also cheap insurance against Pratt & Whitney continuing their poor cost and schedule performance. Does Pratt & Whitney really care that they have a competitor? Oh yes, just look at this site, where article after article talks about their hope that the alternate engine program will die."

Ron Arnold: Human tsunami to plunge America into new dark age

Ron Arnold: Human tsunami to plunge America into new dark age (not an April Fool trick) Ron Arnold Columnists Washington Examiner "The radical network that shut down the World Trade Organization in 1999's 'Battle of Seattle' is being reincarnated to shut down global fossil fuel production on April 20. 'Aggressive protests and civil disobedience' will animate the 'International Day of Direct Action Against Extraction' says protest organizer Rising Tide North America, a coalition of environmental, climate and 'social justice' groups."

Graham: Explore limits on Quran burnings

Graham: Explore limits on Quran burnings - POLITICO Live "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a military lawyer, is the first member of Congress to say the legislature needs to explore the possibility, however unlikely, of limiting some kinds of free speech - like Terry Jones' Quran burning - that help America's enemies. 'I wish we could find a way to hold people accountable. Free speech is a great idea, but we're in a war,' he told CBS's Bob Schieffer on 'Face the Nation. ' 'During World War II, we had limits on what you could do if it inspired the enemy,' Graham said, adding that he wanted to do 'anything we can to push back here in America against acts like this that put our troops at risk.'"

Tweeting from the Civil War

Tweeting from the Civil War - CharlotteObserver.com "My grandfather was furious, worried that he might fall and suffer injury. But he just wanted, my Dad said, to take one last ride."

The Tea Party vs. John Boehner

Saturday, April 02, 2011

Our Workforce Lost 2.33 Million People in One Year?

Our Workforce Lost 2.33 Million People in One Year? - By Jim Geraghty - The Campaign Spot - National Review Online "The number of people who were “not in the labor force” In March 2010 was 83,264,000 (seasonally adjusted). In March 2011, it was 85,594,000 (seasonally adjusted). If you want to know how unemployment dropped a point, look no further than this statistic. If you remove 2.33 million people from the labor force within one year, that will indeed help lower the unemployment rate. It is, however, not the same as helping the unemployed find jobs."

Frances Fox Piven and Richard Trumka Join Forces April 5th - Kyle Olson

Frances Fox Piven and Richard Trumka Join Forces April 5th - Kyle Olson - Townhall Conservative "They include demonstrations or sit-ins at banks, “fights over the public sector,” (whatever that means), and protests against home foreclosures. She explained that all of these tactics are part of the fight against the “corporate campaign to take down America.”"

Friday, April 01, 2011

Funded Ratios For States' Pensions Continue To Weaken

S&P: Funded Ratios For States' Pensions Continue To Weaken "Meanwhile, demand for government services and the tab for public-worker pensions and health care have continued to grow."

Costly Union Worker Special Favor Barely Survives With Help of Two Michigan Republicans

Costly Union Worker Special Favor Barely Survives With Help of Two Michigan Republicans RIONism is a cancer and it infects even those that we call conservatives after at time. Case in point: Costly Union Worker Special Favor Barely Survives With Help of Two Michigan Republicans

Wisconsin Unions Get Ugly

Review & Outlook: Wisconsin Unions Get Ugly - WSJ.com "Having lost their fight in the legislature, Wisconsin unions are now getting out the steel pipes for those who don't step lively to their cause. A letter we've seen that was sent to businesses in southeastern Wisconsin shows that Big Labor's latest strategy is to threaten small businesses with boycotts if they don't publicly declare their support for government union monopoly power."

WHAT COUNTRY IS THIS? | Newsradio 620 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin News, Talk, Sports, Weather | Charlie Sykes

FRIDAY HOT READ: WHAT COUNTRY IS THIS? Newsradio 620 - Charlie Sykes "We learn that Supreme Court candidate Joanne Kloppenburg used her position as environmental prosecutor to jail an 80-year old farmer, soon after he recovered from heart surgery, because he refused to plant native vegetation on his own property. What country is this? The answer Wisconsin gives April 5th will have deep and lasting consequences far beyond this state. The government unions, the mayor who takes sides against the taxpayers, and the green prosecutor who jails elderly farmers are not tyrants, but they’d dearly love to be, and they hope to make an example of those who want reform next Tuesday"

Wisconsin Judicial Tyranny

Wisconsin Judicial Tyranny - Page 1 - Kyle Olson - Townhall Conservative "Our Founding Fathers warned against 'the tyranny of the minority.' This must have been the type of situation they had in mind."

Retired Teachers in California Earn More Than Working Teachers in 28 States

Retired Teachers in California Earn More Than Working Teachers in 28 States « Hot Air "In other words, the average retired teacher in California made more than the average working teacher in 28 states, according to the salary rankings published by NEA."

Top 10 Google April Fool’s Day Hoaxes

Top 10 Google April Fool’s Day Hoaxes Top 10 Lists TopTenz.net

Raises dropped in Fruitland budget

White Lake Beacon - Whitehall and Montague, Michigan "At the time, the decision by Fruitland Township Supervisor Sam St. Amour to include in the 2011-12 budget a three-percent raise for all salaried township employees created quite a stir. Yet, the decision to drop the wage raise request at the board’s March 21 regular meeting seemed to raise little attention."

President Barack Obama's First Ad of 2012

Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon expects inflation

Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon expects inflation - USATODAY.com "U.S. consumers face 'serious' inflation in the months ahead for clothing, food and other products, the head of Wal-Mart's U.S. operations warned Wednesday."

We've Become a Nation of Takers, Not Makers

Stephen Moore: We've Become a Nation of Takers, Not Makers - WSJ.com "Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). This is an almost exact reversal of the situation in 1960, when there were 15 million workers in manufacturing and 8.7 million collecting a paycheck from the government."