Saturday, March 24, 2012

Bill Maher’s Attacks on Women

Bill Maher’s Attacks on Women - NYTimes.com: Maher’s Attacks on Women

To the Editor:
Re “Please Stop Apologizing,” by Bill Maher (Op-Ed, March 22):       
We’re both women who have worked in Democratic politics and the media for decades and find Bill Maher’s misogynist treatment of women candidates deeply disturbing.
Coincidentally we both hail from Alaska — where women are treated as equals — so perhaps our threshold for this kind of behavior is less than here in the Lower 48.
       
Mr. Maher has implicitly attempted to tie his own demeaning attacks on women to the unrelated issue of partisan-motivated fake outrage, which we agree is tiring.
While others have been held to account for their sexism, Mr. Maher remains unrepentant for his attacks on women in public life.
       
How can we expect women to run for office when they are essentially told to “lighten up about” and accept misogynist attacks?
The Women’s Media Center has found that such attacks on women candidates have a measurable negative effect on how voters view them.

Muskegon set to host open house for program-built home

Muskegon set to host open house for program-built home | MLive.com
The city’s program is designed to revive areas and stimulate neighborhoods by fixing up homes and, in some cases, building a new home.
As part of the program, the home is set to be sold to a qualified buyer at a relatively low price.
The new home at 1543 Hoyt was built by Kramer Builders, based in Spring Lake.

Teachers targeted? MEA looks to restore clout after flurry of union-focused legislation

Teachers targeted? MEA looks to restore clout after flurry of union-focused legislation | MLive.com: That effort, “Protect Our Jobs” petition drive, is intended to add a constitutional amendment protecting collective bargaining and repealing many of the GOP reforms.
It will likely draw national attention and out-of-state resources, Ballenger said.

Muskegon County administrator, Hammersley, gets glowing evaluation and contract extension

Muskegon County administrator, Hammersley, gets glowing evaluation and contract extension | MLive.com
Hammersley also will receive basically the same fringe benefit package that is provided to county department heads.

And the cost of that package is....?
No one who voted for the "package" has a clue what it costs.
Heck, it ain't their money.

Superintendent: Emergency manager process 'in jeopardy' for Muskegon Heights schools

Superintendent: Emergency manager process 'in jeopardy' for Muskegon Heights schools | MLive.com
Most significantly, the manager would not be able to force a reduction in employee salaries that Sipka and his deputy say is critical for the district to have enough money to operate.
Public Act 4 allows emergency managers, with the approval of the state treasurer, to reject, modify or terminate collective bargaining agreements.
They also can suspend collective bargaining for up to five years.

Sipka and Deputy MAISD Superintendent Marios Demetriou have asked staff to agree to salary and benefit cuts of 35 percent to 40 percent, but couldn’t get an agreement.

Demetriou told the governor's financial review team, which recommended Snyder appoint an emergency manager, that without concessions the district may not survive.
“The school district barely survives right now,” Demetriou said.
“It cannot continue past this year.
Changes need to take place right away.”

Demetriou also told the review team that the staff has no copays for health insurance, other than $10 for generic prescriptions and $20 for brand name ones.

Princess Juliana Int'l Airport - St. Martin

Norton Shores City Council invokes right to bore new water main

Norton Shores City Council invokes right to bore new water main | MLive.com
Norton Shores city attorney Douglas Hughes blamed the failure to reach an agreement on owners who live out of state and lack “community pride” and interest in improvements.

Ex-Mona Shores choir assistant facing big court day in choirboy sex cases

Ex-Mona Shores choir assistant facing big court day in choirboy sex cases | MLive.com
In each of those cases, involving two different boys than in the earlier case, D'Oyly is charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The Sun Also Sets

The Sun Also Sets - Mark Steyn - National Review Online
Presumably they mean that, right now, our national debt, which crossed the Rubicon of 100 percent of GDP just before Christmas, is not as bad as that of Athens, although it’s worse than Britain, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, and every other European nation except Portugal, Ireland, and Italy.

Or perhaps they mean that America’s current deficit-to-GDP ratio is not quite as bad as Greece’s, although it’s worse than that of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and every other European nation except Ireland.

Al-Qaeda Loves MSNBC, Wishes Death Upon Fox News

Al-Qaeda Loves MSNBC, Wishes Death Upon Fox News
In the final six months of his life, Osama bin Laden received a 21-page letter from his media advisor, U.S.-born jihadist Adam Gadahn, that lamented the firing of MSNBC host Keith Olbermann and wished death upon Fox News:

Flash Frozen: Weird science from St. Joseph Island, Canada

The Witches of Le Roy

The American Spectator : The Witches of Le Roy
So it wasn't long before Erin Brockovich was in towntrying out for her next movie role and assuring everyone thatenvironmental contamination was the likely culprit.
Why environmental contamination would only affect teenage girls,particularly cheerleaders, was something left for the newspaper andTV reporters to figure out.
And of course they didn't.
So it wasn'tlong before the cameras and notebooks were following Brockovich allaround, barging onto the school grounds at one point to collectsamples proving her theory that a railroad accident that hadspilled an organic solvent forty years before must be theperpetrator.
When school officials turned them away, there wasanother TV moment in which Brockovich told CNN, "Usually when I'mconfronted by officials barring access to something, they usuallyhave something to hide."
The whole town was in general agreementand soon public officials were hooted down and accused ofcover-ups.

Friday, March 23, 2012

A modern day mission: Lancaster bomber crew prepares for action 70 years on in remarkable set of airfield pictures

A modern day mission: Lancaster bomber crew prepares for action 70 years on in remarkable set of airfield pictures | Mail Online
Forty four per cent of the men who served in the Command were killed in action.

Gun Boom Continues Despite Florida Shooting

Gun Boom Continues Despite Florida Shooting | Washington Free Beacon
Shares of Sturm Ruger & Co. (RGR) were up as high as 14 percent Thursday afternoon after CEO Michael Fifer announced the company was temporarily suspending its acceptance of new orders in an effort to meet a dramatic surge in demand for its products.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Will California Unions Force Cities Into Stockton Syndrome?

Will California Unions Force Cities Into Stockton Syndrome? - Investors.com
As one California city slogs toward bankruptcy, others may soon try to avoid the same fate by passing pension reforms — that is, if a pro-union state government will let them.

Ready to Run? Michigan needs more women in elected office, experts say

Ready to Run? Michigan needs more women in elected office, experts say | MLive.com

"Experts" say!
Say what?

Muskegon County prosecutor set to reorganize department staff positions

Muskegon County prosecutor set to reorganize department staff positions | MLive.com
However, the overall impact is unclear at this time. The Sheriff’s Office is expected to recommend a change to cover the administrative duties there.

Something stinks with this one.
Hey, Chronicle!
How 'bout a little investigative journalism here!

Muskegon school board approves new elementary sex ed curriculum

Muskegon school board approves new elementary sex ed curriculum | MLive.com
The new curriculum expands the information provided to fourth- and fifth-graders to include sexual intercourse and homosexuality.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Media Scrubs 'Malia In Mexico' Story From Web

Media Scrubs 'Malia In Mexico' Story From Web
Consequently, at the very same time American citizens are being discouraged from traveling to Mexico, Obama has no trouble loading down his 13 year-old daughter Malia with a 25 man security team, along with an adjunct unit from the Mexican government, and shipping her off for a visit.
Do you think that might be newsworthy if Bush did it?
Come to think of it, perhaps John Edwards was actually onto something with that "Two Americas" rhetoric of his, after all.

Algae Alimony

Algae Alimony | Washington Free Beacon
President Obama’s most recent green energy fixation—algae—may suffer from the accusations of cronyism that have plagued his broader effort to promote non-fossil fuel energy sources through massive federal subsidies.

A pretty long list of rich cronies......and no frowny faces on ABC/NBC/CBS et al.

Proposed Muskegon County Jail project to get input from citizens committee

EyeOnMuskegon: Proposed Muskegon County Jail project to get input from citizens committee
Better link for the application:
http://co.muskegon.mi.us/boardofcommissioners/citizens.htm
Scroll down to the end and print!

Two vehicle crash at Getty and Skyline in Muskegon under investigation

Two vehicle crash at Getty and Skyline in Muskegon under investigation | MLive.com
The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on eastbound Skyline Drive at Getty Street in the city of Muskegon.

What the heck is "Skyline Dr."?

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Salazar Lied About Oil Production on Federal Lands

Salazar Lied About Oil Production on Federal Lands - By Jim Geraghty - The Campaign Spot - National Review Online
Not only is Salazar wrong, he’s wrong for every type of fossil fuel produced on federal lands.

A Sit-Down with Muskegon's Sheriff: Why isn't the county's $7.4 million jail fund spent on fixing the current Muskegon jail?

A Sit-Down with Muskegon's Sheriff: Why isn't the county's $7.4 million jail fund spent on fixing the current Muskegon jail?
The sheriff is happy to answer additional questions regarding the sheriff's office operations. J
ust send me an email at hpeters@mlive.com or post your question as a comment under the story and I’ll be sure to send them his way.

Muskegon 'early college' would offer five year high school-associate degree combo

Muskegon 'early college' would offer five year high school-associate degree combo | MLive.com
The program is for first generation college students and students from groups that are underrepresented in higher education, she said.

The American Shengnu

The American Shengnu - WSJ.com
for every hundred men who have a bachelor's degree by age 24, a whopping 148 women of the same age do. . . .

Europe’s Real Crisis

Europe’s Real Crisis - Magazine - The Atlantic
Southern Europe is already living in Twilight City.
And those of us who live in Morningburg or Afternoonville should pay close attention to what happens next, because eventually, we’re all heading to that neck of the woods.
The United Nations estimates that by 2030, the number of people older than 60 will be growing more than three times as fast as the general population.
By 2050, one in every five people will be over 60. In the developed world, the proportion will be more like one in three.
Europe (along with Japan) is at the forefront of an unprecedented shift.

“The problem,” says Canning, “is that aging is a new thing.
We know quite well what the effects of going to low fertility are—but we’ve never seen this sort of aging before, so it’s hard to make predictions.”
One prediction is safe, however: aging will present challenges that, as of now, no nation has adequately prepared to face

Alexis Garcia: Obama Administration's Crusade Against Voter ID Laws

Alexis Garcia: Obama Administration's Crusade Against Voter ID Laws | Fox News Latino
Yes, Attorney General Eric Holder and the ideologues at the DOJ think its wrong for states like Texas to ask you to prove your identity to vote – but don’t object to the fact that you need a photo ID to get in to the actual Department of Justice building.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Tinnitus silenced by retuning brain

Tinnitus silenced by retuning brain - Telegraph
Trials of the new therapy, called called Acoustic Coordinated Reset (ACR), have shown that it reduces the loudness and annoyance caused by tinnitus in seven out of 10 patients.
The treatment is now being made availabe to British patients at a Harley Street clinic.

Doctor who can’t speak English will see you now

Doctor who can’t speak English will see you now | The Sun |News
One would-be doctor told The Sun in broken English: "I need to earn money to feed my tummy."
Rashid Hussein, 40, has medical qualifications from his native Pakistan but has not worked as a doctor here.
Yet under EU rules, he does not have to take English tests because he has moved in with his brother in Basingstoke, Hants, and has been working in another EU country, Spain, for more than three months.