Wednesday, May 11, 2011

From the comments: Fighting for education funding | MLive.com

From the comments: Fighting for education funding MLive.com
"Commenter equality believes no cuts are acceptable.

If we value education, no cuts are acceptable.
Period.
Schools have already been cutting for ten years -- many critical programs have been eliminated.
When asked recently at a public forum if he would vote for cuts, the only thing Senator Hansen would say is 'There will be cuts.'
He repeated it several times without indicating how he would vote.
We also cannot further cut funding to our public colleges and universities -- our students are already buried in debt at graduation.
Close tax loopholes to oil and gas companies.
Straighten out our regressive tax code.
But don't cut education.
The Chronicle should be demanding this."

The liberal mind is almost childlike when it comes to money.
When they take the last drop and there is no more they have a temper tantrum.
The tea partiers seem to be the only adults in the room.

School board candidate loses election because she didn't vote for herself; calls not voting a 'dumb move'

School board candidate loses election because she didn't vote for herself; calls not voting a 'dumb move' MLive.com
"BURTON, Michigan — One vote was all Burton resident Lisa Osborn needed to win a seat on the Bentley Board of Education.
She didn’t get any, not even one from herself."

Tax the rich, Feed the poor, ‘Til there are No rich no more

Tax the rich, Feed the poor, ‘Til there are No rich no more NetRight Daily
"An incredible 15.5 million of these tax filers actually received more money in a refund than was paid in by either themselves or their employers through various payroll taxes.
These working Americans did not ask for a welfare handout, but the tax code is written to pay extra money to people who federal lawmakers have determined don’t make enough money on their own.
In doing so, the federal government has created a whole new welfare class, a working welfare class."

Best alternative to grad school

Best alternative to grad school Penelope Trunk
"I've spent three years writing about how graduate school is a waste of time and money (yes, business school and law school too).
So now when radio and TV producers need someone to bitch about graduate school, they call me.

Here I am on NPR today.
I don’t usually post my interviews, but this one is notable because I completely lost patience for people still defending grad school.
It’s so clear, even to defenders of grad school, that grad school is a bad financial decision, that this guy has resorted to saying that you need to go to grad school to be a good person.
Of course, I went nuts on him."

Climate Change: an emetic fallacy

Climate Change: an emetic fallacy – Telegraph Blogs
"The big difference between this and almost any other Climate Change conference is that it was the first – in Britain, anyway, so far as I know – to field a solid team of scientists from both sides of the debate."

'Eat your broccoli': Moms demand it. Can government?

'Eat your broccoli': Moms demand it. Can government? - USATODAY.com
"'If you were to allow Congress to force the purchase of health insurance on the private market,' he said, 'you would therefore have to allow Congress to regulate the food industry to force certain kinds of food to be consumed.'"

Killing Manufacturing

The American Spectator : Killing Manufacturing
"One of the greatest threats facing our country today doesn't come from outside our borders.
It's not the possibility of a terrorist attack.
It is not the continually increasing illegal immigration across our southern border.
It's not even the likelihood of a disrupted oil supply.

The greatest problem we face is the self-imposed cost and regulatory burden placed on the development of manufacturing businesses."

Has the internet finally killed the U.S. Postal Service? Agency reports $2BILLION loss in just three months

Has the internet finally killed the U.S. Postal Service? Agency reports $2BILLION loss in just three months Mail Online
"The Postal Service is continuing to haemorrhage money - $2billion over the first three months of 2011, to be exact."

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The $39 Billion Bill for 'One of the Best Public Pensions Around'

The $39 Billion Bill for 'One of the Best Public Pensions Around' [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"The first sentence of the official handbook produced by the state of Michigan for teachers and other public school employees says the following about their pension plan: “As a member of Michigan’s Public School Employees Retirement System, you are eligible for one of the best public pensions around.”"

As a (forced) member of Michigan's Public School Employees Retirement System taxpayers, you are required to contribute to one of the most expensive public pensions around".
Pretty simple.
They take.
We pay.
They take more.....

Ill. lawmaker says raising obese kids should cost parents at tax time

Ill. lawmaker says raising obese kids should cost parents at tax time
"lawmaker says parents who have obese children should lose their state tax deduction.
'It's the parents' responsibility that have obese kids,' said state Sen. Shane Cultra, R-Onarga.
'Take the tax deduction away for parents that have obese kids.'"

This is why GOPers lose elections.
Big government idiot!

Muskegon County Road Commission board vacancy filled by Muskegon Heights firefighter, not tea partier

Muskegon Taxpayers Alliance: Muskegon County Road Commission board vacancy filled by Muskegon Heights firefighter, not tea partier
"Violate your own rules.
Change the rules in the middle of the game.
Have no clue what your own policies are.
Business as usual in our broken county.
$100 million dollars in unfunded pension and health benefits, that's Muskegon dudes!"

Former state representative to conduct financial forum at Whitehall library

Former state representative to conduct financial forum at Whitehall library MLive.com
"Valentine's presentation is expected to examine policy decisions and legislation from the past decade.
She said the “financial crisis has been 10 years in the making because of tax cuts, tax credits and loopholes which enabled big businesses to avoid paying their fair share.”"

Nancy will tell us how the few remaining businesses in Michigan are ripping off the public.
Let's tell Nancy what we think of her anti-business attack!
She's running hard for something, state rep. against Holly Hughes I'd suspect.
Try to make this meeting!

Crack Pipes Often Disguised As Novelty Items At Stores

Crack Pipes Often Disguised As Novelty Items At Stores « CBS Detroit

SEIU drops mask, goes full commie

Zombie » SEIU drops mask, goes full commie
"A May Day rally in Los Angeles, co-sponsored by the SEIU and various communist groups, as well as other unions, reflected yet another step in the normalization of self-identified communist and socialist ideologies in the Obama era.
Not only did the SEIU help to organize the rally in conjunction with communists, they marched side-by-side with communists, while union members carried communist flags, communists carried union signs, and altogether there was no real way to tell the two apart."

A “Third Income Tax” To Fund Public Education?

A “Third Income Tax” To Fund Public Education? - Austin Hill - Townhall Conservative
"As Gina Rodriquez, vice president of the California Taxpayers Association noted, this would pit “school district against school district.”"

That has not stopped schools from taxing whenever or wherever that can.

Synthetic turf at Hackley Stadium pulled off August ballot

Synthetic turf at Hackley Stadium pulled off August ballot MLive.com
"But school board and foundation board members alike became uneasy with the prospect of asking district residents to pay for stadium improvements in a time when so many are struggling with unemployment and underemployment."

My golly!
How did ANYONE ever play outside games before artificial grass?

Gallup poll sees growing support for third party in GOP, Tea Party

Gallup poll sees growing support for third party in GOP, Tea Party - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
"A majority of Republicans said for the first time that a third party was needed in American politics,"

The republican party can't possible lose to BarryO'Carter again....could it?
You betcha, if the country club moderates take over.

Muskegon County group whittles proposals for county board size to nine or 11

Muskegon County group whittles proposals for county board size to nine or 11 MLive.com
"The apportionment commission is expected to make a final decision at its 1 p.m. Wednesday meeting at the Hall of Justice, 990 Terrace."

LAST CHANCE!

Another Nail In the Keynesian Coffin

RealClearMarkets - Another Nail In the Keynesian Coffin
"The BEA reported that its first estimate of 1Q2011 real GDP growth was 1.8%.
This represented a dramatic fall from 4Q2010 growth of 3.1%.
What no one seems to have noticed is that the slowdown occurred in the face of another large dose of Keynesian stimulus"

Monday, May 09, 2011

Moore’s Law Lives: the Future Is Still Alive

Pajamas Media » Moore’s Law Lives: the Future Is Still Alive
"put simply, Intel Corp. announced Wednesday that Moore’s Law isn’t going to end anytime soon.
Because of that, your life and the lives of your children and grandchildren are going to be a whole lot better than they might have been."

Chris Wallace Bin Laden Waterboarding

Chris Wallace Bin Laden Waterboarding Bin Laden Unarmed Video Mediaite
"Why is it legal and “proper” to shoot an unarmed man in the face, while enhanced interrogation methods, such as waterboarding, are deemed improper?
You might recall, in fact, that waterboarding was banned by President Barack Obama back in January of 2009"

How to Make PBS Pledge Week Even More Insufferable

How to Make PBS Pledge Week Even More Insufferable - By Mark Steyn - The Corner - National Review Online
"Of course.
If you look at these decisions in toto – from “climate change” to “public service broadcasting” – we are about two judges away from having the entire program of leftist conventional wisdom ruled a state church."

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Local Police/Fire Millage Votes Show Local Politicians’ Bad Faith

Local Police/Fire Millage Votes Show Local Politicians’ Bad Faith [Michigan Capitol Confidential]

Yes, they do!
Cuz they can.
Until we stand up to the bullies.

Inevitability of Greek Default on Sovereign Debt

Instapundit » Blog Archive » Inevitability of Greek Default on Sovereign Debt
“The trading patterns of Greek bonds indicate that traders expect a restructuring, and they think it will be messy.”
And note to International Business Transactions law students – choice of law and forum clauses matter. “Greece’s negotiating position is improved by the fact that about 90 percent of its outstanding bonds specify that Greek law will determine any disputes — and of course Greece can change its laws if needed.”"

It seems the Greeks are taking a page from Barry's rules of finance.

The U.S. Coast Guard orders some boat operators to allow fewer passengers as people gain weight

The U.S. Coast Guard orders some boat operators to allow fewer passengers as people gain weight. - chicagotribune.com
"starting in December, the Coast Guard will require passenger boats to increase the average weight of passengers to 185 pounds from 160 pounds."

The Coast Guard must never have visited Muskegon.....

Philippine city holds mass circumcision for youths

Philippine city holds mass circumcision for youths - Yahoo! News
"'I'm a big boy now,' one boy who had just finished the surgery bragged."

Crazifornia: California leads the nation … in failure

Crazifornia: California leads the nation … in failure The Daily Caller
"At least Californians who live in Riverside County will be getting some relief from the public employee pension crisis.
No, the county hasn’t successfully shut down employee demands; rather, it’s shut up its board of supervisors.
The supervisors just voted 3-2 that they should avoid publicly discussing the details of ongoing talks with the county’s unions, including not telling the public what they’d like to see happen at the negotiating table.
The two supervisors who have been most vocal about having to curb the rising cost of public employee pensions voted against the measure, while the three who voted for it tried to explain how they’re not muzzling the public debate"

Amazing!
Muskegon's county commissioners have NEVER publically discussed public union details before or AFTER the contracts are signed.
Just silence from those elected and given the responsibility....and the compensation to represent the citizens.

Tea party activists say they sniffed out some

"It's bad enough that teachers unions at the local, state and national level have become more preoccupied with politics than they are with students and education.
Now it appears they are willing to bend or break laws and regulations to guarantee victory
."

Saturday, May 07, 2011

Royal wedding: the fashion fallout from Princess Beatrice's fascinator fiasco

Royal wedding: the fashion fallout from Princess Beatrice's fascinator fiasco - Telegraph: "As the public inquiry into those distinctive Philip Treacy front-of-forehead hats at the royal wedding continues – particularly the one that arose from Princess Beatrice’s head like the beige antlers of a baroque stag – few debates have exposed so clearly the national disagreement over what fashion is for."

Interbred and on the public dole.

WSJ: If Supermarkets Were Like Public Schools

theblogprof: WSJ: If Supermarkets Were Like Public Schools
"Of course, none of this would be happening if we had school choice.
Bad schools would die. Good schools would thrive"

plus this gem:

"UPDATE: Another prior post where I mentioned the above analogy:
Now they tell us: Detroit School Board President Otis Mathis was a D-student in high school, went to college in a program for the academically unqualified, now resigned in disgrace after habitually masturbating in front of School Superintendent."