Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Judicial Misconduct in the Sixth Circuit

Judicial Misconduct in the Sixth Circuit The Heritage Foundation
"The four nominees represent a quarter of the judges authorized on the Sixth Circuit, which hears appeals from Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Senator Carl Levin's crusade to thwart the nominations of a substantial portion of a circuit's bench -- a move which appears to be motivated by nothing more than sour grapes over the Senate's failure to confirm his cousin's wife to the bench"

Why The Left's Global Warming Agenda Is Wrong

Barack Obama to ask New York governor Andrew Cuomo to be his 2012 running mate for vice president

Barack Obama to ask New York governor Andrew Cuomo to be his 2012 running mate for vice president: sources - NYPOST.com

The Most Important Historical Gun In History Of United States

The Most Important Historical Gun In History Of United States - Hani Sarji - Estate of Confusion - Forbes
"The video is titled, Lewis and Clark: Girandoni Air Rifle.
In the video, Phil Schreier (Senior Curator, National Firearms Museum) explains why the Girandoni air rifle is “one of the most historically significant guns in the collection.”
He states, “This gun, it could be said, changed the entire history of the United States of America in the 19th century and perhaps the histories of the world in the 19th and 20th centuries.”"

Public Pension Cuts Ruled Permissible in Colorado and Minnesota

Public Pension Cuts Ruled Permissible in Colorado and Minnesota - NYTimes.com
"Judges in Colorado and Minnesota have dismissed court challenges by retired public workers whose pensions had been cut — developments that may embolden other states and cities to use pension reductions as a tool to help balance their budgets."

The Demand For Concealed Weapons In Michigan

The Demand For Concealed Weapons In Michigan - Transterrestrial Musings
"There’s a very interesting graphic there.
The highest percentages of women getting permits is Wayne County (Detroit) and Barry County (Grand Rapids).
I would have thought that Genessee (Flint) and Oakland (Pontiac) Counties would be equally high, but they’re slightly less.
I wonder why?"

4th of July: Should the Democrats celebrate Independence Day?

4th of July: Should the Democrats celebrate Independence Day? - International Business Times
"'The political right has been more successful in appropriating American patriotism and its symbols during the 20th century.

Survey evidence also confirms that Republicans consider themselves more patriotic than Democrats.
According to this interpretation, there is a political congruence between the patriotism promoted on Fourth of July and the values associated with the Republican Party.
Fourth of July celebrations in Republican dominated counties may thus be more politically biased events that socialize children into Republicans.

The document also suggests that Democrats gain nothing from July 4th parades, which will certainly anger many of the democrats politicians who regularly participate in the event"

Bathroom attendants rationing toilet paper

Bathroom attendants rationing toilet paper - NYPOST.com
"Hey buddy, can you spare a square?
The city is so hard up for cash that it's rationing toilet paper in women's public restrooms -- to the point where bathroom attendants are doling out a few measly squares per patron -- along the world-famous Coney Island boardwalk."

Our socialist paradise!
Enough money for unionized bathroom attendants but not enough for TP.
Gimme a break!

Coal-burning China cools the planet

Coal-burning China cools the planet Mail Online
"Burning coal releases carbon dioxide which traps heat from the Sun, raising temperatures.
But it also emits particles of sulphur that help block the Sun’s rays and cool the Earth."

Monday, July 04, 2011

“Michigan’s Public Employment Relations Act: Public-Sector Labor Law and Its Consequences,”

Executive Summary [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"This report outlines a variety of ways the Michigan Legislature can address the damaging impact of PERA.
These options range from modest, targeted reforms to an outright ban on collective bargaining in local units of government.

Among the targeted reforms to correct at least some flaws in the law are the following:

Establish additional statutory limits on the subject matter of collective bargaining, backed by a strong enforcement mechanism, to ensure that the public retains control over important policy decisions.
At a minimum, the state Legislature should require that collective bargaining agreements conform with state laws and local ordinances.

Suspend collective bargaining privileges and agreements when government employee unions flagrantly violate PERA by going on strike.
Collective bargaining for government employees is a privilege, not a right.
“Abuse the privilege, lose the privilege” is a sound rule.

Bar agency fees from public-employee collective bargaining agreements — in other words, an “open government employment” rule — to end what has essentially become a taxpayer subsidy of union politics."

Almost a Fourth of Americans Do Not Know When the U.S. Declared Independence

Almost a Fourth of Americans Do Not Know When the U.S. Declared Independence - The Note
"A Marist poll released Friday shows that only 58 percent of Americans know when the country declared independence.
Nearly a fourth of respondents said they were unsure and sixteen percent said a date other than 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Young people posted the most troubling scores with 41 percent of people ages 18 to 29 saying they were unsure when the Declaration of Independence was signed and 27 percent saying the wrong date.

One in four Americans do not even know which country the U.S. gained independence from. The correct answer, of course, is Great Britain, although 20 percent of respondents were unsure of that fact."

And there is this:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/6323145-418/vice-president-biden-to-teachers-you-are-not-the-problem.html

Worst Performing Sovereign CDS

Worst Performing Sovereign CDS
"Among the lists it put out: The countries who have seen their CDS widen the most.
So these aren't necessarily the worst countries, just the countries who had the worst quarter"

10 cities that will take a decade to recover

10 cities that will take a decade to recover - Business - Local business - msnbc.com

Best Patriotic Songs in Country Music

Best Patriotic Songs in Country Music - The Boot

'I want to punch him in his head'

'I want to punch him in his head' - Maggie Haberman - POLITICO.com
"“This is all about him being a bully and a punk,” he said in an interview Friday.
“I wanted to punch him in his head.”

....“You know who he reminds me of?” Sweeney says. “Mr. Potter from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ the mean old bastard who screws everybody.”"

Ah, the civility of democrat leaders.....

Motorcyclist Killed While Riding Without Helmet to Protest New York Helmet Law

Motorcyclist Killed While Riding Without Helmet to Protest New York Helmet Law - FoxNews.com

Obama’s Economists: ‘Stimulus’ Has Cost $278,000 per Job

Obama’s Economists: ‘Stimulus’ Has Cost $278,000 per Job The Weekly Standard
"In other words, the government could simply have cut a $100,000 check to everyone whose employment was allegedly made possible by the “stimulus,” and taxpayers would have come out $427 billion ahead"

The Ugliest Face of Unionism

The Ugliest Face of Unionism - 620 WTMJ - Milwaukee's Source for Local News and Weather
"a re-enactment of the famous photo of three firefighters raising the American flag amid the rubble of the World Trade Center - created a rush of emotions as it passed through three parade routes in Milwaukee County back in 2002.
Crowds spontaneously rose to their feet, offering thunderous applause.

With the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks coming up later this year, Gorniak and his church's youth group decided to revive the float in Racine's upcoming Independence Day parade, one of the biggest in the area.

Unexpectedly, the request set off a debate among the leaders of the Racine firefighters union.
The problem: Gorniak had recently invoked a little-used provision in his union contract and opted out of membership in the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association.

Members of the executive board of the Racine firefighters union ultimately decided not to support or march with his float."

ah, the civility of the left.....

Macomb County inmate suing Snyder, the state over pornography ban in prison

Report: Macomb County inmate suing Snyder, the state over pornography ban in prison MLive.com

New Transformers Flick Costs Each Michigan Taxpayer $1.36

New Transformers Flick Costs Each Michigan Taxpayer $1.36 [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"it is effectively a subsidy check from the state treasury.
According to the Michigan Film Office press release, 'Transformers' received $6.1 million in refundable tax credits from the state"

Friday, July 01, 2011

Corporate Jets and Tax Breaks

RealClearPolitics - Corporate Jets and Tax Breaks
"Indeed, no one asked why, if it is such an affront to the liberal conscience, it was part of Obama's stimulus bill, which was passed without any Republican votes in the House and only three in the Senate (which means Nancy Pelosi voted for special tax breaks for corporate jets and the GOP didn't)."

Woman's Dead Body Found In Massachusetts Public Pool After 2 Days

Woman's Dead Body Found In Massachusetts Public Pool After 2 Days
"A woman's body might have been left in the cloudy water of a public swimming pool for more than two days, without lifeguards, health inspectors or other swimmers noticing it, officials said Thursday."

The Jobless Summer

Review & Outlook: The Jobless Summer - WSJ.com
"instead of learning valuable job skills—getting out of bed before noon, showing up on time, being courteous to customers, operating a cash register or fork lift—millions of kids will spend the summer playing computer games or hanging out."

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Amazon ends deal with 25,000 California websites

Amazon ends deal with 25,000 California websites amazon, affiliate, california - The Orange County Register
"Board of Equalization Member George Runner blasted Brown for signing the law.
'Even as Governor Jerry Brown lifted his pen to sign this legislation, thousands of affiliates across California were losing their jobs.
The so-called 'Amazon tax' is truly a lose-lose proposition for California.
Not only won’t we see the promised revenues, we’ll actually lose income tax revenue as affiliates move to other states.'"

Turtles shutdown runway at Kennedy Airport as they crawled across tarmac heading for seasonal breeding grounds

Turtles shutdown runway at Kennedy Airport as they crawled across tarmac heading for seasonal breeding grounds - NYPOST.com

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

On Behalf of Eyebrow Threaders, The Institute for Justice Goes Up Against The AZ Cosmetology Cartel

CARPE DIEM: On Behalf of Eyebrow Threaders, The Institute for Justice Goes Up Against The AZ Cosmetology Cartel
"'Eyebrow threading is a natural and safe method of hair removal that uses a single strand of cotton thread to remove unwanted hair, most commonly from the eyebrows, with no chemicals, dyes, hot wax or sharp objects.
But state bureaucrats have decided that threaders cannot practice their trade without first obtaining an unnecessary and expensive government license.
The Arizona Board of Cosmetology is now requiring skilled threaders to obtain an aesthetician license, which requires at least 600 hours of classroom instruction—not one hour of which teaches or tests threading—and that can cost over $10,000."

Tap the nation's true oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico

Tap the nation's true oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico: An editorial NOLA.com
"The Obama administration has come under criticism for its decision to drain 30 million barrels from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, purportedly in an effort to address Libya's unrest and ease prices at the pump."

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Just One Michigan Republican Votes for Labor Union Monopoly Over Government Construction Work

Just One Michigan Republican Votes for Labor Union Monopoly Over Government Construction Work [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"Big Labor bosses seeking protection from non-union competition on government construction jobs had a two-front fight going on last week in both Washington, D.C., and Lansing.
Votes to determine the fate of project labor agreements occurred in both the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and the GOP-dominated Michigan Senate.
When it was all over, a total of 34 Republican lawmakers from Michigan had cast votes on these legislative battlefields, and just one voted on the side of the labor unions to protect PLAs: Congressman Thad McCotter, R-Livonia."