Monday, July 01, 2013

New map may explain Lee's decisions at Gettysburg

New map may explain Lee's decisions at Gettysburg | The Detroit News:
"Why did the shrewd and canny Lee choose to attack, especially in the face of the Union’s superior numbers?
While historians have long wrestled with that question, geographers and cartographers have come up with an explanation, by way of sophisticated mapping software that shows the rolling terrain exactly as it would have appeared to Lee:
From his vantage point, he simply couldn’t see throngs of Union soldiers amid the hills and valleys."

Five things to know about Muskegon Bike Time and downtown farmers market proposed compromise

Five things to know about Muskegon Bike Time and downtown farmers market proposed compromise | MLive.com:

Inconvenient truths about the manmade global warming Scare

Inconvenient truths about the manmade global warming Scare - Columbia Public Policy | Examiner.com: "The truth about the manmade global warming (MGW) scare is that much of what people know is not true and there is a lot people don't know.
As the computer models fall apart, proponents of MGW have had to resort to outright fraud in some cases. (YOU MUST READ THIS!!!)"

Detroit EM axes council head, union pacts, agency

Detroit EM axes council head, union pacts, agency | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com:
"Contracts for the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Council 25 and the Detroit Police Lieutenants & Sergeants Association will end when they expire in the coming weeks, said Bill Nowling, spokesman for state-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr"

The Civil War

The Civil War | Special Reports | Smithsonian Magazine

Newest foot soldiers for ObamaCare: Librarians

Newest foot soldiers for ObamaCare: Librarians « Hot Air:
"Libraries will be particularly important in conservative states that are not making much effort to promote the health law’s opportunities."
Don’t think of it as conscription, think of it as … repurposing. The more ubiquitous the Internet and e-readers get, the less use people have for libraries and thus the further away from their core function libraries will drift. In theory they’re still about book-lending but credit the feds for recognizing their growing role as places lower-income people can get online for free. Per Gallup’s latest, fully 43 percent of the uninsured have no idea that they’re now stautorily required by Hopenchange to seek coverage. If you’re trying to reach the poor to let them know that they qualify for health insurance subsidies — or, rather, that they don’t qualify — then this is a no-brainer. Coming soon, presumably: Deputizing the postal service, another institution that’s being laid to waste by technology, to start selling policies door to door. Ever heard the expression that the federal government is now really just “an insurance company with an army”? Well, the insurance part of that equation needs an army too.

What's Really 'Immoral' About Student Loans

Glenn Harlan Reynolds: What's Really 'Immoral' About Student Loans - WSJ.com:
"If we want to solve the very real problem of excessive student-loan debt, college costs need to be brought under control.
A 2010 study by the Goldwater Institute identified "administrative bloat" as a leading reason for higher costs. The study found that many American universities now have more salaried administrators than teaching faculty"

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Gettysburg reenactment is a campaign in itself

Gettysburg reenactment is a campaign in itself:
"It's extremely accurate and feels real - the noise, conditions, and spectacle - but you're not confronting the likelihood of you or your friends being killed," said Jon Sirlin, a Philadelphia lawyer who portays a Union officer and chief of staff, one of an expected 15,000 reenactors"

Obama’s Energy Plan: Impoverish America

Obama’s Energy Plan: Impoverish America | National Review Online:
This is harmful and absurd for many reasons. 
First, by shutting down existing coal-fired power plants, it will effectively destroy trillions of dollars of private property. 
Second, since those plants supply about 40 percent of America’s electric power, they will need to be replaced at great cost, which will be borne by ratepayers. 
Third, all proposed replacements for coal are significantly more expensive, so using them will drive rates up further. 
Fourth, increasing the cost of electric power is one of the most regressive forms of taxation possible, since, for example, stockbrokers making $30 million per year will pay nearly the same additional amount as families making $30,000 per year, despite a thousand fold difference in income. 
Fifth, as a form of business taxation, increasing electric rates preferentially targets companies that produce real goods over those that profit through speculation or the collection of legal costs. 
Sixth, by increasing the costs of American goods, the inflation of electricity prices will make U.S. industry less competitive, causing factories to shut down and throwing millions of Americans out of work. 
And seventh, by depressing the American economy, the plan will cause the loss of massive amounts of federal and state income-tax revenues, thereby accelerating the nation’s descent into bankruptcy.

Annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment

Annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment

My "friends" from Obama's organizing unit just sent me this eye opener.

My "friends" from Obama's organizing unit just sent me this eye opener.
It's titled "Is this a mistake?"
Nice to know the presidents political brown shirts are pin pointing those who don't "voluntarily" contribute to Dear Leader's bank account.
Doncha tink?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
James --

I just got a list of everyone who's pitching in to build Organizing for Action -- and it looks like you're not part of it.
Here's the record we have for this exact email address:
-- Organizing for Action member: No

-- Suggested donation today: $5
So here I am, on the Sunday morning of the biggest deadline we've faced as a young organization, and I'm asking you, earnestly and directly:
Please chip in $5 or more to build OFA today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Sunday-Deadline
We have so many big fights we want to take on, and what we do depends on the resources we have at midnight tonight.

I hope you'll help.
Thanks,
Jon
Jon Carson
Executive Director
Organizing for Action -----
If you've made a donation in the last 24 hours that isn't reflected above, don't worry -- it may still be processing. Thanks for your support.

How The NSA Collects Your Internet Data In Four Charts

How The NSA Collects Your Internet Data In Four Charts | Zero Hedge

150 Years of Misunderstanding the Civil War

150 Years of Misunderstanding the Civil War - Tony Horwitz - The Atlantic:
"As the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg approaches, it's time for America to question the popular account of a war that tore apart the nation."

Chamberlain's Speech to Mutineers on Road to Gettysburg:

Bloomberg: Statistically Speaking, NYPD Should Stop More Blacks

Bloomberg: Statistically Speaking, NYPD Should Stop More Blacks | National Review Online:
“I think we disproportionately stop whites too much and minorities too little. It’s exactly the reverse of what they say,” he said. "

Hare-Brained: USDA Reportedly Orders Children’s Magician to Produce ‘Disaster Plan’ for His…Rabbit

Hare-Brained: USDA Reportedly Orders Children’s Magician to Produce ‘Disaster Plan’ for His…Rabbit | Video | TheBlaze.com
Now the Ozark, Mo.-based illusionist is saying the trick’s allegedly on him, as he notes in an email to blogger, Bob McCarty (emphasisadded):
My USDA rabbit license requirement has taken another ridiculous twist. I just received an 8 page letter from the USDA, telling me that by July 29 I need to have in place a written disaster plan, detailing all the steps I would take to help get my rabbit through a disaster, such as a tornado, fire, flood, etc. They not only want to know how I will protect my rabbit during a disaster, but alsowhat I will do after the disaster, to make sure my rabbit gets cared for properly.  I am not kidding–before the end of July I need to have this written rabbit disaster plan in place, or I am breaking the law.
In his email message to McCarty, Hahne also detailed the timeline the USDA reportedly gave him to comply with its order:
  1. The new regulation became effective Jan. 30, 2012;
  2. The written plan must be completed by July 29, 2013;
  3. Hahne and his wife, Brenda, must be trained to implement the plan as written; and
  4. The written plan must be available for review by USDA inspectors by Sept. 28, 2013.

Michael Jackson 'spent $35 million to silence at least two dozen boys he abused'

Michael Jackson 'spent $35 million to silence at least two dozen boys he abused' | Mail Online:
"Michael Jackson paid $35 million in hush money to at least two dozen young boys he sexually abused over 15 years, it has been alleged.
Sunday People has published explosive ‘secret FBI files’ suggesting the King of Pop groomed and molested children from at least 1989, despite his insistence he was just spending time with them.
The damning files claim the deceased popstar was a 'pedophile' who watched porn while assaulting a boy, molested a famous child star, fondled a child’s genitals in his private cinema and groped another child whose mother wasn’t ‘bothered’ by it."

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Letters: Sen. Goeff Hansen could be the deciding vote to expand Medicaid in Michigan

Letters: Sen. Goeff Hansen could be the deciding vote to expand Medicaid in Michigan | MLive.com:
"Gov. Rick Snyder supports Medicaid expansion and the House Republican majority already have worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass it.
Senate Democrats have made it clear that they're ready to vote on Medicaid expansion. 
In fact, they will be in session on Wednesday, July 3, in order to do so."

Ratings Service Moody's Finds Pension Shortfall

Ratings Service Moody's Finds Pension Shortfall - NYTimes.com:
"Moody’s Investors Service, dissatisfied with the way states measure what they owe their retirees, released its own numbers on Thursday, showing that the 50 states have, in aggregate, just 48 cents for every dollar in pensions they have promised.
That is much less than the 74 cents on the dollar that the states now report, "

Why Healthy Eaters Fall for Fries

Why Healthy Eaters Fall for Fries - NYTimes.com:
"LAST Tuesday, Connor Moran, a limit-the-red-meat, increase-the-greens, eat-salad-for-lunch kind of guy, stopped into a Bronx Dunkin’ Donuts for his usual black coffee, no sugar, no cream.
He walked out with a sandwich of egg and bacon between two halves of a glazed doughnut."

Making of the movie "Gettysburg"(1993) Part 1



Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J8gfoFWEz4
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2PRopBeU7s
Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMo1BEVaVbQ
Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhtrkFkt6RI
Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EzsrDbsQEY


The Weekend Interview With Jennifer Gratz: The Woman Who Fought Racial Preference

The Weekend Interview With Jennifer Gratz: The Woman Who Fought Racial Preference - WSJ.com:
"Michigan also allows citizen initiatives, and Ms. Gratz saw an opportunity. I
n July 2003 she told her husband of six months, with whom she was living in San Diego: '' '
I'm quitting my job, and I'm moving back to Michigan.
And I know you can't move to Michigan, so we're going to have to figure out how we can make this work.' . . . He looks at me like:
'We're married.
You can't do this!'
He knows me well enough to know that I was doing this."
In January 2004 "he drove me across the country with a bunch of my belongings, and I moved back to Michigan.""

HERO!

Public pension costs swamp revenues of 10 U.S. states

Public pension costs swamp revenues of 10 U.S. states -Moody's | Reuters:
"Ten U.S. states have public pension liabilities that are at least as big as their annual revenues, according to a Moody's Investors Service report released on Thursday that found the Illinois pension bill was equal to 241 percent of its revenues"

Republican U.S. Rep. Upton Joins Dems to Uphold Mandatory Union-Scale Wages

Republican U.S. Rep. Upton Joins Dems to Uphold Mandatory Union-Scale Wages [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"Just one Michigan Congressional Republican — U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph — joined the Democrats in voting to uphold union prevailing wages on federal construction projects."

Thousands at Gettysburg for 150th anniversary

Thousands at Gettysburg for 150th anniversary - CNN.com:
""For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it's still not yet two o'clock on that July afternoon in 1863.""

Friday, June 28, 2013

Those wanting to opt out of Consumers Energy smart meter program can but it will be costly

Those wanting to opt out of Consumers Energy smart meter program can but it will be costly | MLive.com:
"For those requesting to opt out prior to installation, there will be a one-time charge of $69.39 and for those already with a new smart meter but want it removed the one-time cost will be $123.91.
For all of those in the opt-out program using traditional meters that need monthly reading by Consumers Energy employees, the additional charge will be $9.72 a month, according to the MPSC order."

On the 'enemies list': My ordeal with the IRS

On the 'enemies list': My ordeal with the IRS | The Detroit News:
Union officials demonize corporations for not paying their “fair share,” yet they aren’t paying any share at all."

Windmill/Wind Turbine Explosion

Tammy Duckworth Eviscerates Contractor Who Claimed Veterans Disability

Tammy Duckworth Does Not Suffer Phony Disabled Vets Gladly

Tammy Duckworth Does Not Suffer Phony Disabled Vets Gladly: