Saturday, May 05, 2012

Why Michigan's presidential vote matters in 2012

Why Michigan's presidential vote matters in 2012 | MLive.com
If Michigan appears to be still up for grabs later this year, you can also expect to be subjected to a lot of nasty television and radio ads during the summer and fall.
That is the price we will pay for being in the middle of the action.
Knowing which issues will sway voters isn’t easy to discern this far out.

Secretary of State's proposed voting reforms miss the mark

Letter: Secretary of State's proposed voting reforms miss the mark | MLive.com
However, stricter photo ID requirements and regulating volunteer groups, like the League, that conduct voter registration drives are not necessary and will make it more difficult for some people to vote.
Michigan already has voter identification methods that work very well and that meet national standards. There is no evidence of voter impersonation fraud in our elections.

Editorial: Fisherman's Landing swap deserves a thorough review

Editorial: Fisherman's Landing swap deserves a thorough review | MLive.com
The Chronicle Editorial Board urges city commission to allow city staff members to thoroughly review this proposal because of the major impact it could have on both job development and tourism in our community.
To dismiss the plan before staff can review it would be a mistake.

iowahawk: Julia's Circle of Life

iowahawk: Julia's Circle of Life
The continuing adventures of Barack Obama's favorite eyeless, mouthless government dependent

The Whole Truth

Friday, May 04, 2012

From Michigan to Illinois to Ohio, teacher pension problems -- and changes -- fuel political debate

From Michigan to Illinois to Ohio, teacher pension problems -- and changes -- fuel political debate | MLive.com
As dire as conditions are for the Michigan Public Employee Retirement System, be advised it could be worse.
Just look at Illinois.

Wisconsin Recall Amnesia

Review & Outlook: Wisconsin Recall Amnesia - WSJ.com
But it speaks volumes that Democrats are running on everything except their real goal—which is to restore the political dominance of government unions.

Recycling Eyeglasses Is a Feel-Good Waste of Money

Recycling Eyeglasses Is a Feel-Good Waste of Money - Bloomberg
In a paper published in March in the journal Optometry andVision Science, four researchers compare the full costs ofdelivering used glasses to the costs of instead deliveringready-made glasses in standard powers (like my drugstorereaders, but for myopia as well).
The authors find that recycledglasses cost nearly twice as much per usable pair.

Lake Express and GVSU water institute team up May 5 to celebrate Lake Michigan

Lake Express and GVSU water institute team up May 5 to celebrate Lake Michigan | MLive.com
The public will have a chance to tour the 192-foot passenger and vehicle catamaran ferry at its dock in Lakeside, 1918 Lakeshore, on Muskegon Lake.
There is limited seating for two afternoon excursions into Lake Michigan at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

People Not In Labor Force Soar By 522,000, Labor Force Participation Rate Lowest Since 1981

People Not In Labor Force Soar By 522,000, Labor Force Participation Rate Lowest Since 1981 | ZeroHedge
it is just getting sad now.
In April the number of people not in the labor force rose by a whopping 522,000 from 87,897,000 to
88,419,000.
This is the highest on record. The flip side, and the reason why the unemployment dropped to 8.1% is that the labor force participation rate just dipped to a new 30 year low of 64.3%.

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

White Lake Beacon - Whitehall and Montague, Michigan

White Lake Beacon - Whitehall and Montague, Michigan
Jim Riley, host of WKBZ radio’s EyeOnMuskegon, has filed suit against the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners for alleged violations of the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

Occupiers Have Big Plans for Big Communist Holiday

Occupiers Have Big Plans for Big Communist Holiday - By Jim Geraghty - The Campaign Spot - National Review Online
It’s the May Day edition of the Morning Jolt.
According to Wikipedia, May Day “has been an important official holiday in countries such as the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba and the former Soviet Union” — and of course, with company like that . . . the Occupy Crowd.

True cost of obesity in America: $190 billion

True cost of obesity in America: $190 billion - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com
U.S. hospitals are ripping out wall-mounted toilets and replacing them with floor models to better support obese patients.
The Federal Transit Administration wants buses to be tested for the impact of heavier riders on steering and braking.
Cars are burning nearly a billion gallons of gasoline more a year than if passengers weighed what they did in 1960.

Monday, April 30, 2012

If I Wanted America to Fail: Free Market Agitprop With a Lesson

RealClearMarkets - If I Wanted America to Fail: Free Market Agitprop With a Lesson
Finally, I'd like to ask my liberal friends:
 If failure is not your objective then why are you demanding that failed policies be continued, and even expanded?
I recommend you invest the four minutes and 39 seconds it takes to watch this video, even if you are a radical environmentalist.
Especially if you are a radical environmentalist.
Because this guy is your worst nightmare.
Ignore him at your peril.

Feds eye retirement-fund tax to cut $16 trillion-plus deficit

Feds eye retirement-fund tax to cut $16 trillion-plus deficit - NYPOST.com
Uncle Sam, in a desperate attempt to fix its $16 trillion-plus deficit, is leering over Americans’ retirement nest egg as its new bailout fund.
Capitol Hill politicians are assessing tax changes that could let the Internal Revenue Service lay claim to a portion of the $18 trillion sitting in 401(k) accounts and other tax breaks used by middle-class workers, including cutting the mortgage tax deduction.

BRITAIN BATTLES NEW BRUSSELS ORDER TO FLY EU FLAG EVERY DAY

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | UK News :: Britain battles new Brussels order to fly EU flag every day
The regulations would require any organisation managing European funds to display permanently the EU’s blue and yellow pennant.
This is a dramatic scaling up of rules which already force the Communities and Local Government Department in Whitehall to fly the flag for a week a year from Europe Day on May 9.

SmartMeters cost more, could save money

SmartMeters cost more, could save money | WOOD TV8
The meters automatically report usage six times a day to Consumers Energy and can allow the company to control power to customers.
The new SmartMeters are more expensive than traditional meters -- Consumers will spend about $300 each, and that cost will get passed on to customers.

What a concept!
We pay more to give them (and the government!) more control over our lives!

GVSU pays 5x market value for Admiral

GVSU pays 5x market value for Admiral | WOOD TV8
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Valley State University paid $1 million for a gas station near their downtown Grand Rapids campus and will tear it down in the summer to expand their footprint in the area.
But the Admiral Gas Station at 346 West Fulton is worth approximately $200,000, according to city records.
The assessed value of the property is $94,400, meaning the actual value is $188,800.

Huh?

Anything The Government Gives You, The Government Can Take Away

Guest Post: Anything The Government Gives You, The Government Can Take Away | ZeroHedge
A majority of doctors support measures to deny treatment to smokers and the obese, according to a survey that has sparked a row over the NHS‘s growing use of “lifestyle rationing”.

Kids Count report looks at infant, maternal health

Kids Count report looks at infant, maternal health | mlive.com
A report on Michigan maternal and infant health says the number of low-birth-weight babies and babies born to unmarried women statewide is increasing.
The Michigan League for Human Services' Kids Count in Michigan report released Monday also says the state saw lower rates of teenage births and fewer premature births between 2000 and 2010.
The report calls for more funding to implement suggestions from a state infant mortality summit.

Follow the money!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Wind Farms Warming Texas

Wind Farms Warming Texas : Discovery News
New research finds that wind farms actually warm up the surface of the land underneath them during the night, a phenomena that could put a damper on efforts to expand wind energy as a green energy solution.

EyeOnMuskegon 4-29-2012

Parts of Port Austin harbor to close this year

Parts of Port Austin harbor to close this year | mlive.com
PORT AUSTIN, Mich. (AP) — Renovations will close portions of Port Austin State Harbor this boating season.
Boat ramps, East Dock slips, some slips along the West Dock at the harbor in Huron County will be closed for the duration of the project.
Some West Dock slips will be available for transient boaters.
The three-phase project started in 2010.

Steven Malanga: How Retirement Benefits May Sink the States

Steven Malanga: How Retirement Benefits May Sink the States - WSJ.com
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently offered a stark assessment of the threat to his state's future that is posed by mounting pension and retiree health-care bills for government workers. Unless Illinois enacts reform quickly, he said, the costs of these programs will force taxes so high that,
"You won't recruit a business, you won't recruit a family to live here."

Feds eye retirement-fund tax to cut $16 trillion-plus deficit

Feds eye retirement-fund tax to cut $16 trillion-plus deficit - NYPOST.com
Uncle Sam, in a desperate attempt to fix its $16 trillion-plus deficit, is leering over Americans’ retirement nest egg as its new bailout fund.

Fruitport school board makes nearly $1 million in cuts, ends principal contract

Fruitport school board makes nearly $1 million in cuts, ends principal contract | MLive.com
The school board’s budget reductions Monday cut the district’s anticipated shortfall for next year from $2.5 million to $1.56 million.
Superintendent Bob Szymoniak said other anticipated cuts will reduce the deficit to $700,000, which will be taken from the district’s estimated $2.5 million fund balance.

Departing Muskegon Heights High principal had mixed results as 'turnaround specialist'

Departing Muskegon Heights High principal had mixed results as 'turnaround specialist' | MLive.com
Hired to “turn around" academic performance at Muskegon Heights High School, Kathryn Curry had mixed results in her two years with the district.

Michigan Legislative Black Caucus: GOP push to change voting laws suppresses 'black, Latino and possibly Arab' voters

Michigan Legislative Black Caucus: GOP push to change voting laws suppresses 'black, Latino and possibly Arab' voters | MLive.com