Detroit wades into uncharted territory with possibility of bankruptcy | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"As Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr meets with creditors of the deeply indebted city this week, bankruptcy lawyers, credit analysts, lenders and government officials around the country are keeping a close eye on whether he can prevent a municipal bankruptcy and, if not, what legal precedents might be set for other cities in crisis."
Monday, June 10, 2013
Livonia officials' conduct scrutinized after council candidates drop out
Livonia officials' conduct scrutinized after council candidates drop out | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"Livonia’s ethics committee will examine three elected officials’ conduct after they made phone calls to City Council candidates who subsequently dropped out of the race."
"Livonia’s ethics committee will examine three elected officials’ conduct after they made phone calls to City Council candidates who subsequently dropped out of the race."
Romulus: 'A great little town' with big scandals
Romulus: 'A great little town' with big scandals | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"Then came March — and a raid of Mayor Alan Lambert’s house on Mario Ann Court as part of a Michigan State Police investigation.
“We were just coming out of a cloud with the police department, some of the charges that were made there,” said Romulus Mayor Pro Tem LeRoy Burcroff.
“Trust is at an all-time low.
We’ve got some work to do to regain that.”
The raid, troubling on its own, further magnified the string of high-profile controversies and scandals the city of nearly 24,000 is facing.
In addition to its former police chief going on trial later this year, city officials are trying to keep a prominent businessman facing corruption allegations from reopening a pair of hazardous-waste deep-injecton wells in the community, and are still fighting to get a casino."
"Then came March — and a raid of Mayor Alan Lambert’s house on Mario Ann Court as part of a Michigan State Police investigation.
“We were just coming out of a cloud with the police department, some of the charges that were made there,” said Romulus Mayor Pro Tem LeRoy Burcroff.
“Trust is at an all-time low.
We’ve got some work to do to regain that.”
The raid, troubling on its own, further magnified the string of high-profile controversies and scandals the city of nearly 24,000 is facing.
In addition to its former police chief going on trial later this year, city officials are trying to keep a prominent businessman facing corruption allegations from reopening a pair of hazardous-waste deep-injecton wells in the community, and are still fighting to get a casino."
When everything is a crime, government data mining matters
When everything is a crime, government data mining matters - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
Prosecutors have become kings, with the ability to find a crime committed by just about anyone.
Data mining and access to internet activity can help find terrorists, but it also can be used to find crimes which were not previously known to have been committed by political opponents.
A “find the target first, then find the crime” political approach requires access to information of an unprecedented level.
Which is exactly what is happening.
The issue goes beyond the NSA programs.
Obamacare is a form of data mining.
Obamacare will put into the hands of the IRS medical and health information of an unprecedented level. As bad as leaks as to which websites you visit would be, the threat of leakage of your medical information could be equally devastating to freedom of speech and the political process.
It would take a mere nod and a wink to convince someone that participation in the political process was not worth it if the result was the exposure of sensitive medical issues.
You can’t separate the data mining, the culture of intimidation, and criminalization of daily life.
......Obama’s response is that we should trust the government.
The Obama scandals tell us otherwise.
From the phony Benghazi talking points, to IRS targeting, to deceptive measures to obtain journalist phone and email records, the Obama administration at multiple levels and in multiple agencies has proven that it is not worthy of our trust.
Or of our information.
BOMBSHELL… Legendary Columbia University Professor Claims That None of His Colleagues Remember Obama
BOMBSHELL… Legendary Columbia University Professor Claims That None of His Colleagues Remember Obama | The D.C. Clothesline:
" Graff said, “I taught at Columbia for 46 years.
I taught every significant American politician that ever studied at Columbia.
I know them all.
I’m proud of them all.
Between American History and Diplomatic History, one way or another, they all had to come through my classes.
Not Obama.
I never had a student with that name in any of my classes.
I never met him, never saw him, never heard of him.”
Even more importantly, Professor Graff knew the other history and political science professors.
“None of the other Columbia professors knew him either” said Graff."
" Graff said, “I taught at Columbia for 46 years.
I taught every significant American politician that ever studied at Columbia.
I know them all.
I’m proud of them all.
Between American History and Diplomatic History, one way or another, they all had to come through my classes.
Not Obama.
I never had a student with that name in any of my classes.
I never met him, never saw him, never heard of him.”
Even more importantly, Professor Graff knew the other history and political science professors.
“None of the other Columbia professors knew him either” said Graff."
Women's suffrage - Today in history
| 6-10-1920 | The Republican convention in Chicago endorsed woman suffrage. |
"The key vote came on June 4, 1920, when the Senate approved the amendment by 56 to 25 after four hours of debate, during which Democratic Senators opposed to the amendment filibustered to prevent a roll call until their absent Senators could be protected by pairs.
The Ayes included 36 (82%) Republicans and 20 (54%) Democrats.
The Nays comprised 8 (18%) Republicans and 17 (46%) Democrats.
It was ratified by sufficient states in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment, which prohibited state or federal sex-based restrictions on voting.[94]"
CALIFORNIA VOTES To Allow BOYS TO SHOWER WITH GIRLS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CALIFORNIA VOTES To Allow BOYS TO SHOWER WITH GIRLS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS – Secrets of the Fed:
"But the kicker is this statement contained in the bill:
“SECTION 1. Section 221.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:”
“(f) A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and facilities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”
In other words, any boy who claims he is a girl, even though he is anatomically still a boy, would be allowed to use the same locker rooms and showers that the girls use.
On the opposite side, a girl claiming to be a boy but is still anatomically a girl would be allowed to shower with all the boys.
They don’t even have to be undergoing any form of sex change therapy, just say they are the opposite sex from what they really are and they can parade around in all their glory in either locker room or shower."
"But the kicker is this statement contained in the bill:
“SECTION 1. Section 221.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:”
“(f) A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and facilities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”
In other words, any boy who claims he is a girl, even though he is anatomically still a boy, would be allowed to use the same locker rooms and showers that the girls use.
On the opposite side, a girl claiming to be a boy but is still anatomically a girl would be allowed to shower with all the boys.
They don’t even have to be undergoing any form of sex change therapy, just say they are the opposite sex from what they really are and they can parade around in all their glory in either locker room or shower."
Military told not to read Obama-scandal news
Military told not to read Obama-scandal news:
"The notice applies to users of the Air Force NIPRNET (Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network), which is the only way that many troops stationed overseas and on bases in the U.S. are able to access the Internet.
The last line of the executive summary states:
“Users are not to use AF NIPRNET systems to access the Verizon phone records collection and other related news stories because the action could constitute a Classified Message Incident."
"The notice applies to users of the Air Force NIPRNET (Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network), which is the only way that many troops stationed overseas and on bases in the U.S. are able to access the Internet.
The last line of the executive summary states:
“Users are not to use AF NIPRNET systems to access the Verizon phone records collection and other related news stories because the action could constitute a Classified Message Incident."
Sunday, June 09, 2013
He Treats Her Like an Equal and She Gets Enraged
Captain Capitalism: He Treats Her Like an Equal and She Gets Enraged:
"An "environmental" engineering major (and yes, the quotes were on purpose, because "environmental" engineering isn't a real degree - note "chemistry and calculus is tough!") asks a man for his opinion.
And not only does he obey her, he tells her...
the truth."
"An "environmental" engineering major (and yes, the quotes were on purpose, because "environmental" engineering isn't a real degree - note "chemistry and calculus is tough!") asks a man for his opinion.
And not only does he obey her, he tells her...
the truth."
Hitler's Teapot Stirs Up Strong Sales for JC Penney
Hitler's Teapot Stirs Up Strong Sales for JC Penney:
"But putting a bird on it doesn't make the same amount of noise on the Internet as an accidental trompe l'oeil when it involves a dead dictator who has already seen his share of Internet ridicule. (See "Hitler Finds Out …" and CatsThatLookLikeHitler.com.)"
I just got mine!
"But putting a bird on it doesn't make the same amount of noise on the Internet as an accidental trompe l'oeil when it involves a dead dictator who has already seen his share of Internet ridicule. (See "Hitler Finds Out …" and CatsThatLookLikeHitler.com.)"
I just got mine!
NSA Surveillance Heat Map: NSA Lied To Congress
NSA Surveillance Heat Map: NSA Lied To Congress - Slashdot:
"anagama writes
"NSA officials have repeatedly denied under oath to Congress that even producing an estimate of the number of Americans caught up in its surveillance is impossible.
Leaked screenshots of an NSA application that does exactly that, prove that the NSA flat out lied (surprise). Glenn Greenwald continues his relentless attacks with another bombshell this time exposing Boundless Informant. Interestingly, the NSA spies more on America than China according to the heat map.
Representative Wyden had sought amendments to FISA reauthorization bill that would have required the NSA to provide information like this (hence the NSA's lies), but Obama and Feinstein demanded a pure reauthorization of FISA, which they got at the end of 2012."
And if you don't mind that you might have your name on yet another special list, you might enjoy this Twitter-based take on the ongoing news."
"anagama writes
"NSA officials have repeatedly denied under oath to Congress that even producing an estimate of the number of Americans caught up in its surveillance is impossible.
Leaked screenshots of an NSA application that does exactly that, prove that the NSA flat out lied (surprise). Glenn Greenwald continues his relentless attacks with another bombshell this time exposing Boundless Informant. Interestingly, the NSA spies more on America than China according to the heat map.
Representative Wyden had sought amendments to FISA reauthorization bill that would have required the NSA to provide information like this (hence the NSA's lies), but Obama and Feinstein demanded a pure reauthorization of FISA, which they got at the end of 2012."
And if you don't mind that you might have your name on yet another special list, you might enjoy this Twitter-based take on the ongoing news."
Red light: Traffic cameras bring Ohio town to screeching halt
Red light: Traffic cameras bring Ohio town to screeching halt | Fox News:
"But not only do motorists hate the cameras, local merchants complain that they make potential customers steer clear of shopping districts - and even entire towns - where the cameras lurk, waiting to dispense costly citations."
"But not only do motorists hate the cameras, local merchants complain that they make potential customers steer clear of shopping districts - and even entire towns - where the cameras lurk, waiting to dispense costly citations."
IRS can’t find $4M in conference receipts
IRS can’t find $4M in conference receipts: Report - Washington Times:
"The Internal Revenue Service can’t find the receipts from a $4 million agency conference in 2010 — meaning, it can’t provide the same documentation for business-related travel it requires Americans to include on tax filings."
"The Internal Revenue Service can’t find the receipts from a $4 million agency conference in 2010 — meaning, it can’t provide the same documentation for business-related travel it requires Americans to include on tax filings."
Brace Yourself for Stimulus' End
Brace Yourself for Stimulus' End - TheStreet:
"Now we have a socialized bond market.
As a result of its bond buying, the Fed today owns a record 30.5% of the U.S. bond market, including 30.32% of all outstanding 10-year equivalents, Zerohedge reports. This reduces the amount of bonds available to the private sector.
"America may or may not be becoming increasingly socialist and/or nationalized," Zerohedge concluded, "but there is no doubt about it: Its bond market most certainly is."
"Now we have a socialized bond market.
As a result of its bond buying, the Fed today owns a record 30.5% of the U.S. bond market, including 30.32% of all outstanding 10-year equivalents, Zerohedge reports. This reduces the amount of bonds available to the private sector.
"America may or may not be becoming increasingly socialist and/or nationalized," Zerohedge concluded, "but there is no doubt about it: Its bond market most certainly is."
Vegetable oil is good for you, experts say
Vegetable oil is good for you, experts say:
"In the study, "Effect of Dietary Linoleic Acid on Markers of Inflammation in Healthy Persons: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials," researchers at the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois found that no link exists between vegetable oil consumption and circulating indicators of inflammation that are often associated with diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma and arthritis.
While earlier animal studies have shown that a diet rich in LA can promote inflammation, MU animal sciences researcher Kevin Fritsche says that humans respond to LA differently."
"In the study, "Effect of Dietary Linoleic Acid on Markers of Inflammation in Healthy Persons: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials," researchers at the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois found that no link exists between vegetable oil consumption and circulating indicators of inflammation that are often associated with diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma and arthritis.
While earlier animal studies have shown that a diet rich in LA can promote inflammation, MU animal sciences researcher Kevin Fritsche says that humans respond to LA differently."
'I Was Born This Way'
Articles: 'I Was Born This Way':
"There is pretty persuasive evidence that what determines sexual orientation, at least for some homosexuals, is environmental.
At a minimum, the evidence of a connection between being sexually abused as a child and homosexual or bisexual orientation as an adult is so widespread that the refusal of the scientific community to seriously consider a causal connection suggests a willful blindness."
.......And the high suicide rate among gay young people is supposed to be because of our homophobic society? Maybe there is another cause -- one that causes high suicide rates among young straight CSA victims, too?
There is a well-known connection between CSA and later aubstance abuse.
There is also a well-known and thoroughly studied connection between homosexuality and substance abuse.
"There is pretty persuasive evidence that what determines sexual orientation, at least for some homosexuals, is environmental.
At a minimum, the evidence of a connection between being sexually abused as a child and homosexual or bisexual orientation as an adult is so widespread that the refusal of the scientific community to seriously consider a causal connection suggests a willful blindness."
.......And the high suicide rate among gay young people is supposed to be because of our homophobic society? Maybe there is another cause -- one that causes high suicide rates among young straight CSA victims, too?
There is a well-known connection between CSA and later aubstance abuse.
There is also a well-known and thoroughly studied connection between homosexuality and substance abuse.
How they voted: Hunting fees, vehicle sales taxes among issues tackled by Michigan Legislature
How they voted: Hunting fees, vehicle sales taxes among issues tackled by Michigan Legislature | MLive.com: "Hunting and fishing licenses: The Michigan House approved a bill that would raise hunting and fishing license fees in the state. The measure is expected to raise nearly $20 million in additional money to help hire more conservation officers and make other improvements.
House Bill 4668 was approved by a 77-32 vote in the House.
All Republicans voted ‘yes’ in favor of the bill.
House Bill 4668 was approved by a 77-32 vote in the House.
All Republicans voted ‘yes’ in favor of the bill.
Saturday, June 08, 2013
Horrible timing: National Security Agency lists 'Digital Network Exploitation Analyst' internship opening as controversy swirls over digital snooping scandal
Horrible timing: National Security Agency lists 'Digital Network Exploitation Analyst' internship opening as controversy swirls over digital snooping scandal | Mail Online:
"It's either a cruel joke or the world's worst timing:
An internship listing for a 'Digital Network Exploitation Analyst' appeared Thursday on the National Security Agency's job-opening Twitter feed, just as the cyber spy directorate was caught up in an international scandal involving snooping on millions of telephone, email and social networking accounts."
"It's either a cruel joke or the world's worst timing:
An internship listing for a 'Digital Network Exploitation Analyst' appeared Thursday on the National Security Agency's job-opening Twitter feed, just as the cyber spy directorate was caught up in an international scandal involving snooping on millions of telephone, email and social networking accounts."
The All-Seeing State-Mark Steyn
The All-Seeing State | National Review Online:
It took Congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina to get to the heart of the matter: “With all due respect, this is not a training issue,” he said. “This cannot be solved with another webinar. . . . We can adopt all the recommendations you can possibly conceive of. I just say it strikes me — and maybe it’s just me — but it strikes me as a cultural, systemic, character, moral issue.”
He’s right.
If you don’t instinctively know it’s wrong to stay in $3,500-a-night hotel rooms at public expense, a revised conference-accommodations-guidelines manual isn’t going to fix the real problem.
So we know the IRS is corrupt.
What happens then when an ambitious government understands it can yoke that corruption to its political needs?
What’s striking as the revelations multiply and metastasize is that at no point does any IRS official appear to have raised objections.
If any of them understood that what they were doing was wrong, they kept it to themselves.
When Nixon tried to sic the IRS on a few powerful political enemies, the IRS told him to take a hike.
When Obama’s courtiers tried to sic the IRS on thousands of ordinary American citizens, the agency went along, and very enthusiastically.
This is a scale of depravity hitherto unknown to the tax authorities of the United States, and for that reason alone they should be disarmed and disbanded — and rebuilt from scratch with far more circumscribed powers.
Top Science Journal Rebukes Harvard's Top Nutritionist
Top Science Journal Rebukes Harvard's Top Nutritionist - Forbes:
"Willett was the co-author of a study published last fall that generated enormous controversy when its dramatic conclusions were retracted at the last minute by the publicity team at Harvard’s teaching hospital, Brigham and Women’s. The study had been promoted to the media as showing a link between aspartame and cancer: “The truth isn’t sweet when it comes to artificial sweeteners,” said the press release. But the truth was that the statistical findings were so weak and confusing that no such claim could be supported, especially given that many systematic reviews of the evidence on aspartame had not found any such link.
At the time, Dr. Steven Nissen, chair of the Cleveland Clinic’s cardiovascular medicine department told NBC News: “Promoting a study that its own authors agree is not definite, not conclusive and not useful for the public is not in the best interests of public health.” As NBC’s Robert Bazell put it, “the situation is a great example of why the public often finds science confusing and frustrating.”
....This is more than merely unsporting: Such a brazen double standard is a warning that what counts as “science” in public health is a mixture of data – good, bad and middling –, methodological limitations, and interpretation. The goal – to save the public either from themselves or external threats – influences what is researched and how that research is interpreted. Given the complexities of the problems and the challenges of measurement (think about how much “evidence” is generated in nutrition from people recalling what they eat), the political need for clear conclusions and recommendations, combined with the academic need for findings to be published in scholarly journals that want positive findings, means that public health messages are often scientifically weaker than they sound."
"Willett was the co-author of a study published last fall that generated enormous controversy when its dramatic conclusions were retracted at the last minute by the publicity team at Harvard’s teaching hospital, Brigham and Women’s. The study had been promoted to the media as showing a link between aspartame and cancer: “The truth isn’t sweet when it comes to artificial sweeteners,” said the press release. But the truth was that the statistical findings were so weak and confusing that no such claim could be supported, especially given that many systematic reviews of the evidence on aspartame had not found any such link.
At the time, Dr. Steven Nissen, chair of the Cleveland Clinic’s cardiovascular medicine department told NBC News: “Promoting a study that its own authors agree is not definite, not conclusive and not useful for the public is not in the best interests of public health.” As NBC’s Robert Bazell put it, “the situation is a great example of why the public often finds science confusing and frustrating.”
....This is more than merely unsporting: Such a brazen double standard is a warning that what counts as “science” in public health is a mixture of data – good, bad and middling –, methodological limitations, and interpretation. The goal – to save the public either from themselves or external threats – influences what is researched and how that research is interpreted. Given the complexities of the problems and the challenges of measurement (think about how much “evidence” is generated in nutrition from people recalling what they eat), the political need for clear conclusions and recommendations, combined with the academic need for findings to be published in scholarly journals that want positive findings, means that public health messages are often scientifically weaker than they sound."
Friday, June 07, 2013
The Pervasive Myth That GMOs Pose a Threat
The Pervasive Myth That GMOs Pose a Threat | Debate Club | US News Opinion:
"GMOs are nutritionally indistinguishable from their non-GMO counterparts, and in fact, they can be used to enhance nutrition in poorer parts of the world.
(As a side note, anti-GMO activists routinely claim that organic food is healthier, but a systematic review in the Annals of Internal Medicine, which covered more than 30 years of data, concluded that this isn't true.)
"GMOs are nutritionally indistinguishable from their non-GMO counterparts, and in fact, they can be used to enhance nutrition in poorer parts of the world.
(As a side note, anti-GMO activists routinely claim that organic food is healthier, but a systematic review in the Annals of Internal Medicine, which covered more than 30 years of data, concluded that this isn't true.)
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