Obama’s whopper about Rutherford B. Hayes and the telephone

Obama’s whopper about Rutherford B. Hayes and the telephone - The Washington Post

The Pinocchio Test

It’s bad enough for one president to knock another one for not being on Mount Rushmore, but it’s particularly egregious to do so based on incorrect information.
....Our final ruling was swayed in the end by this:
The president in particular has a responsibility to get historical facts right, and in this case he got them completely backwards.
Obama mocked Hayes for “looking backwards ... not looking forwards.”
In reality, Hayes embraced the new technology.
He should be an Obama hero, not a skunk.
Hayes is dead and buried, but he deserves an apology.

Four Pinocchios

Puerto Rico’s Governor Confident About Statehood

Puerto Rico’s Governor Confident About Statehood - Fox News
But, they will vote on a statehood referendum on that day. Gov. Luis Fortuno tells Fox News it will be a process but he is confident it will happen.

EyeOnMuskegon 3-18-2012

School districts get $22.2 million in 'edujobs' cash, much of it coming at the expense of charter schools

School districts get $22.2 million in 'edujobs' cash, much of it coming at the expense of charter schools | MLive.com
State Education Department spokesman Martin Ackley said districts can use the money to cover an existing salary or hire someone new, but the money must be used for salaries – for people employed by the district itself.
That was a problem for charter schools, which often use teachers who technically work for a management company – resulting in the extra $17.5 million.

Millions Could Receive Insurance Rebates In 2012, Despite Industry Opposition

Millions Could Receive Insurance Rebates In 2012, Despite Industry Opposition | Fox News
The insurance industry, along with a slew of state officials, have been fighting the policy.
Based on rules that were issued at the end of last year, Washington will require insurers to spend between 80 and 85 percent of premium dollars on medical care.

Insurance companies that violate the rule will be required to effectively refund their customers.
But while insurers say the rules could jeopardize plans across the country, customers are nevertheless expected to receive a rebate windfall starting this year.
Preliminary estimates indicate as many as 9 million Americans could receive up to $1.4 billion in rebates.
That's an average of roughly $160 a person, though the amounts are likely to vary.

Minnesota Moves on Right-to-Work, Taps Mackinac Center For Bill Wording

Minnesota Moves on Right-to-Work, Taps Mackinac Center For Bill Wording [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
To be placed on the ballot, either bill would have to be passed by both the Minnesota House and Senate by simple majority votes.
In contrast, for the Legislature to put a proposal on the ballot in Michigan, two-thirds super-majority votes are required in both the House and Senate.
Union protesters are turning out at the Minnesota Capitol building for each step in the process.
The unions are already targeting six Republican senators over the issue.

New Report Names Newspapers as the Fastest Shrinking Industry in America

New Report Names Newspapers as the Fastest Shrinking Industry in America
While renewables grew 49.2%, the Internet 24.6% and online publishing 24.3%, newspapers led the way in a downward direction, shrinking a whopping 28.4%.

Cheeseburgers adverts same as sex and violence say SNP

Cheeseburgers adverts same as sex and violence say SNP - Politics - Scotsman.com
ADVERTS for cheeseburgers should join sex, violence and bad language and be banned from TV before 9pm, according to the Scottish government.
The SNP claim that making it illegal to show advertisements for foods with high fat, sugar or salt content before the 9pm sex and violence watershed will protect the health of children and reduce obesity.
Public health minister Michael Matheson has written to the UK government calling for the introduction of such a ban, which would affect adverts for fast-food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC

Pope Of Egypt's Coptic Christian Church Dies

Pope Of Egypt's Coptic Christian Church Dies | Fox News
Pope Shenouda III, the patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church who led Egypt's Christian minority for 40 years during a time of increasing tensions with Muslims, has died.

Interesting timing, doncha think?

Bleak outlook for US newspapers

Bleak outlook for US newspapers - FT.com
the Council of Economic Advisers have reported that the press is “America’s fastest-shrinking industry”, measured by jobs lost;
 the Newspaper Association of America has shown that advertising sales have halved since 2005 and are now at 1984’s level;
and the Pew Research Center has found that for every digital ad dollar they earned, they lost $7 in print ads.

Proposed Muskegon County Jail project to get input from citizens committee

Proposed Muskegon County Jail project to get input from citizens committee | MLive.com
Those interested in being a candidate for the Citizens Review Committee should fill out an application, which is available on the county’s website at www.co.muskegon.mi.us.
Once on the website’s main page, click on the County Government link, then the County Board of Commissioners link, then the Citizen Appointments link and finally at the bottom of the page is a link to an application form.

American Flag With President Obama's Image Sparks Outrage At Florida Democrats

American Flag With President Obama's Image Sparks Outrage At Florida Democrats | Fox News
An American flag with President Obama's image in place of the stars flew over a Florida county's Democrat headquarters long enough to enrage local veterans who called the altered banner "a disgrace."

'Pink slime' sounds gross, but how does it taste?

My Way News - 'Pink slime' sounds gross, but how does it taste?
"pink slime, a term coined by a federal microbiologist grossed out by it and now widely used by critics and food activists."

The Myth Of Scarce Oil — U.S. Has 60 Times More Crude Than President Obama Claims

The Myth Of Scarce Oil — U.S. Has 60 Times More Crude Than President Obama Claims - Investors.com:
The U.S. has 22.3 billion barrels of proved reserves, a little less than 2% of the entire world's proved reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration.
But as the EIA explains, proved reserves "are a small subset of recoverable resources," because they only count oil that companies are currently drilling for in existing fields.

What corporate earnings would look like without Apple

What corporate earnings would look like without Apple - Mar. 15, 2012
Strip out Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) 116% profit surge, and that growth falls to just 3%.
And if you also exclude AIG's (AIG, Fortune 500) 77% earnings pop, which was driven by a tax-related accounting gain, overall S&P 500 growth gets slashed to a measly 1.2%.

Broadcasters Object to FCC Proposal to Post Costs of Political Ads

Broadcasters Object to FCC Proposal to Post Costs of Political Ads - WSJ.com
Congress decreed in 1971 that candidates must get the lowest price for ads in the weeks before an election.

Muskegon County set to consider larger community role in transportation

Muskegon County set to consider larger community role in transportation | MLive.com
The goal of the Muskegon-area study was to use the area’s transportation services as a test case to identify potential barriers within and between federal programs and to seek possible solutions to local transportation issues.
In addition, the study came at a time of discussions concerning the possible expansion of the bus system to the White Lake area and the eastern portion of the county.
Along those same lines, the Muskegon Area Transit System is seeking board approval to develop a Mobility Management program and to hire a Mobility Coordinator, who would have a salary range of $42,918 to $54,346.
The new position for the county's bus system would be funded through federal money (80 percent) and state money (20 percent).

Our county is beyond broke. ($100 million in unfunded employee pension/benefits)
They tell us their #1 issue is a new jail.
There is no money for a new jail.
But plenty of "free" money for $1000 iPads and free internet for the county commissioners.
And now it seems there is plenty of money for new buses and an entire new "mobility coordinator" and staff.
And every county commissioner will vote for this new spending today.
How dumb are we to allow this never ending spending?

Thursday is 'Poolmageddon' for trial lawyers

Thursday is 'Poolmageddon' for trial lawyers | Washington Examiner
The DOJ has been issuing a growing wave of such guidelines over the years, reaching an ever larger portion of business activities.
In September 2010, the DOJ issued guidelines for "recreational facilities," including a new rule that all public access swimming pools must provide a lift capable of moving disabled patrons from their wheelchairs into the water.

HOPE AND CHANGE: IRS to Mom and Pop: Drop Dead.

HOPE AND CHANGE: IRS to Mom and Pop: Drop Dead. Doing your taxes sucks. Paying someone else to …
Last year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) got into the business of licensing tax preparers.
The IRS wasn’t granted the authority to do this by Congress, they just decided to go for it.

And you thought the IRS couldn't get worse?

Vermont officials call for criminal inquiry into video that claims to show voter fraud

Vermont officials call for criminal inquiry into video that claims to show voter fraud | Burlington Free Press | burlingtonfreepress.com
The video, released via the Breitbart.com website by conservative activist James O’Keefe, shows a series of exchanges at voting precincts where an individual identifies himself as a person whose name is on the voter checklist.
The individual, however, is not asked to show identification to prove who he is before being given a ballot.
“You said who you are,” one local voting official tells the individual when asked why no identification had to be shown.
“Your name is on there.”

City of Muskegon: Get those cars off the front yard

City of Muskegon: Get those cars off the front yard | MLive.com
“I don’t know what direction we need to go but we are getting so many complaints,” Gawron said at Monday’s commission work session about his Nims Neighborhood.
“Even without a lot of snow, we have cars all over the place.”

Study Finds Heart Disease Drug Combats Racism

Study Finds Heart Disease Drug Combats Racism « CBS DC
Researchers from Oxford University released a new study in the international medical journal Psychopharmacology showing that taking propranolol reduces “implicit negative racial bias.”

Christians have no right to wear cross at work, says Government

Christians have no right to wear cross at work, says Government - Telegraph

Obama signs anti-protest Trespass Bill

Obama signs anti-protest Trespass Bill — RT
Only days after clearing Congress, US President Barack Obama signed his name to H.R. 347 on Thursday, officially making it a federal offense to cause a disturbance at certain political events — essentially criminalizing protest in the States.

President Obama, I am not a Racist, Uncle Tom, I am an American

Three Ways To Cope with the Coming Plague of Obama Bumper Stickers

PJ Media » Three Ways To Cope with the Coming Plague of Obama Bumper Stickers
What you may do that’s perfectly legal is what many pizza chains and other businesses do in parking lots: gently lift the windshield wiper and place a written message to the driver where he or she cannot avoid seeing it.

I have three suggestions:
It’s devilishly simple.
You type two sentences and print out as many as you like.
Keep them in your car at all times.
Here’s a little inspiration:
Dear Friend:
Some unknown socialist put an Obama bumper sticker on your car.
I’m letting you know so that you can remove it before it causes you any further embarrassment.
That’s it.
Simple, friendly, concerned, considerate.
What’s not to like?

Cat mom hugs kitten

Cat mom hugs kitten - One Cute thing - One Cute Thing a Day

Greek Students Fight Stray Dogs and Despair Amid College Cuts

Greek Students Fight Stray Dogs and Despair Amid College Cuts - Bloomberg
“Greece has a high consumption of higher education withouteffective application,” Ruby said.
“It’s not being used ineconomically productive terms.
The state is not getting a returnon investment.”

What You Lose When You Sign That Organ-Donor Card

What You Lose When You Sign That Organ-Donor Card - WSJ.com
"I like my dead people cold, stiff, gray and not breathing," says Dr. Michael A. DeVita of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
 "The brain dead are warm, pink and breathing."

The Real Entitlement Mentality

Roger’s Rules » The Real Entitlement Mentality
What’s shocking is not that Mitt Romney is ahead.
A syphilitic camel should be ahead.
What’s shocking is that the distance is only 5 points.