Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Florida A&M Rattlers make Trayvon Martin's father honorary captain

Florida A&M Rattlers make Trayvon Martin's father honorary captain - ESPN:
"The Florida A&M Rattlers have named Trayvon Martin's father an honorary captain after a moving speech he gave the team on Sunday, coach Earl Holmes told the Orlando Sentinel."

Bra sizes of female Detroit cops mistakenly emailed to officers

Bra sizes of female Detroit cops mistakenly emailed to officers - Fox 2 News Headlines:
"However, when several female officers with the Detroit Police Department provided their height, weight and bra cup sizes, they never imagined a good portion of the rank-and-file at DPD would see it.
"On the third page, the females were listed.
Unfortunately and embarrassingly, the cup sizes of the females were listed on that third page, and it was really just a clerical error," said Assistant Chief James White."

What kind of a boob got away with this?

WATCH – Cute Baby Girl Sings Along With Elvis

GREAT VIDEO!
WATCH – Cute Baby Girl Sings Along With Elvis: "This 20 month-old baby girl sings along with Elvis’ American Trilogy while in the car with her Daddy."

CuteBabyElvis

How Much Has Detroit’s Police Force Been Cut? No One Knows

How Much Has Detroit’s Police Force Been Cut? No One Knows | Heartlander Magazine:
"Soon after the city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy, many blogs and news sites began running "facts" about the city.
One common "fact" repeated often was that "the size of the police force in Detroit has been cut by about 40 percent over the past decade."

Although it makes for interesting reading, just how much the police department has been cut is not that simple to determine and is another example of the city's dysfunction.

For example, the city's 2003 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report states there were 4,810 uniform police officers that year.
However, the city's 2012 CAFR lists the city as having 3,981 uniform police officers in 2003 and then two pages later has the city with 3,965 uniform police officers in 2003.

And the confusion is more than just an accounting hiccup.

The city's Emergency Manager Review Team report stated that regarding police operations, "operational dysfunction contributes to the city's serious financial problem."

Who Can Deny It? Obamacare Is Accelerating U.S. Towards A Part-Time Nation

Who Can Deny It? Obamacare Is Accelerating U.S. Towards A Part-Time Nation - Forbes:
"Denialism may be too strong a term.[
But there seem to be a lot of people arguing that Obamacare has little or nothing to do with the rise in part-time employment.
Some deny the rise is even happening, while others are content to deny that Obamacare is the culprit. Admittedly, it takes a little detective work, but if we systematically review the available empirical evidence in an even-handed fashion, the conclusion seems inescapable:
Obamacare is accelerating a disturbing trend towards “a nation of part-timers.” 
This is not good news for America."

Pontiac School District’s Financial Crisis Due to Poor Management, not Lack of Money

Pontiac School District’s Financial Crisis Due to Poor Management, not Lack of Money [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"In fact, the problems in Pontiac seem to be solely an issue of local mismanagement and bad union bargaining agreements.
The district spends among the most in the state at $16,400 per pupil. 

While students fled the district, there was a 35 percent increase in average teacher salaries from $56,781 to $76,449 between 2008 and 2011, before dropping to $67,702 in 2011-12.
Despite the claim there were cuts, the district received $14,125 per pupil in 2010-11, up from $13,488 in 2007-08."

Are We Serious About Education?

Are We Serious About Education? | RealClearPolitics
Two recent events -- one on the east coast and one on the west coast -- raise painful questions about whether we are really serious when we say that we want better education for minority children.
One of these events was an announcement by Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., that it plans on August 19th to begin "an entire week of activities to celebrate the grand opening of our new $160 million state-of-the-art school building."
The painful irony in all this is that the original Dunbar High School building, which opened in 1916, housed a school with a record of high academic achievements for generations of black students, despite the inadequacies of the building and the inadequacies of the financial support that the school received.

By contrast, today's Dunbar High School is just another ghetto school with abysmal standards, despite Washington's record of having some of the country's highest levels of money spent per pupil -- and some of the lowest test score results.

Housing an educational disaster in an expensive new building is all too typical of what political incentives produce.

We pay a lot of lip service to educational excellence.

But too many institutions and individuals that have produced good educational results for minority students have not only failed to get support, but have even been undermined.

A recent example on the west coast is a charter school operation in Oakland called the American Indian Model Schools.

The high school part of this operation has been ranked among the best high schools in the nation.
Its students' test scores rank first in its district and fourth in the state of California.
But the California State Board of Education announced plans to shut down this charter school -- immediately.

Oops: Billboards list wrong date for Detroit's Nov. 5 general election

Oops: Billboards list wrong date for Detroit's Nov. 5 general election | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"Many of the 14 billboards gave a September date for the city’s general election. 
The election actually is Nov. 5.
City Clerk Janice Winfrey said the billboards — 11 purchased by the city and three given as a bonus from International Outdoor, which manages the billboards"
Billboards along 8 Mile Road in Detroit, such as this one at Kelly Road, display the slogan 'Your Vote is Your Voice' and announce the date of the general election as Sept. 2 rather than the actual Nov. 5 date.

Detroit foodies promote urban farming as way to fight blight, grow economy

Detroit foodies promote urban farming as way to fight blight, grow economy | Crain's Detroit Business:
"Urban agriculture has been embraced by city planners from coast to coast.
In New York, the city has invested $600,000 in expanding Brooklyn Grange, a rooftop farming business that's planning to open a business incubator. 
Seattle is breaking ground on a "food forest," planting seven acres of fresh produce open to the public."

Muskegon city commissioners settle issue of farmers market use during Bike Time

Muskegon city commissioners settle issue of farmers market use during Bike Time | MLive.com:
"Vice Mayor Larry Spataro said the city made a commitment to vendors when deciding to move the market from its current Yuba Street location.
“This market supports the livelihoods of the farmers,” Spataro said. “They bring a lot of commerce to this community.”

Eric Baerren: Lansing will likely be the next city to decriminalize marijuana

Eric Baerren: Lansing will likely be the next city to decriminalize marijuana | MLive.com:
"It looks very much like Lansing could be the next Michigan community to send the message that they aren't so keen on the War on Drugs.
Petitions submitted this week would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Their mayor, Virg Bernero, thinks it's a good idea, calling marijuana prohibition a failure.
The odds of passage seem very good.

The silence of the race hustlers

The silence of the race hustlers | The Daily Caller:
"And yet, the driver did not intervene.
Oddly, the nation’s most prominent race hustlers have gone silent.
There’s been nary a peep from the “Reverend” Al Sharpton.
There’s not been so much as a rhyme from the “Reverend” Jesse Jackson.
No one has called for boycotts of Disney World or orange juice.
There have been no marches, no picket signs.
Not one person has called the town of Gulfport an “Apartheid State.”

▶ Tsunami in Japan 2011 - Shocking video - YouTube

▶ Tsunami in Japan 2011 - Shocking video - YouTube

Monday, August 12, 2013

25 Situations Only Nonprofit People Can Understand

25 Situations Only Nonprofit People Can Understand:

Obama family's dog Bo is flown by private helicopter to join First Family's vacation in Martha's Vineyard

Obama family's dog Bo is flown by private helicopter to join First Family's vacation in Martha's Vineyard | Mail Online: "Bo, the Obama family's beloved dog, arrived for the holiday in a MV-22 Osprey aircraft"

"Let them fly cake!"  
Bo came too!: Bo, the First Family's Portuguese waterdog, departs a Marine helicopter, as US President Obama and the First Lady landed at Martha's Vineyard

‘We Are All Trayvon’ mural debuts in Florida State Capitol

‘We Are All Trayvon’ mural debuts in Florida State Capitol:
"This weekend, a new mural entitled “We are all Trayvon Martin” was unveiled inside Florida’s Capitol in Tallahassee
It’s a lovely piece of work, featuring a man shooting a hooded figure in the back of the head. 
At 10 feet long, there’s also room for the bleeding visage of Martin Luther King Jr. and the words “we are all Trayvon Martin” in multiple languages.
Apparently, that’s supposed to bring together the peoples of many nations. ...or something."

Fries with that free lunch? The problem with a $15 fast food wage.

Fries with that free lunch? The problem with a $15 fast food wage. | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"Suddenly, each $15-per-hour employee costs at least $19.50 and perhaps as much as $25 per hour (depending on how the employer handles the health insurance issue).
On the other side of the ledger, the employee gets to keep about $12 per hour after payroll, federal and D.C. income taxes, not including any contribution or payment he has to make toward health insurance."

Spanish skyscraper missing elevators in monster goof: ‘Standard for the Future’ or sign of current decline?


 An apartment building under construction is seen in Benidorm November 26, 2012. Spain is considering offering rich investors from countries such as Russia and China the right to settle in return for them buying up property worth 160,000 euros ($200,000) or more in the stagnant housing sector, the country's commerce secretary Jaime Garcia-Legaz said November 19. REUTERS/Heino Kalis
Spanish skyscraper missing elevators in monster goof: ‘Standard for the Future’ or sign of current decline? - NY Daily News:
"What goes up must walk down.
In what will surely go down in history as one the greatest architectural blunders, the town of Benidorm in Alicante, Spain, had almost completed its 47-story skyscraper when it realized it excluded plans for elevator shafts.
Despite its name, the InTempo skyscraper was, seemingly rushed through the blueprint process, and its attempted message of prosperity through the country's economic tumult has become one that is more fitting to the current state of things in Spain as a whole."

Girls commit dating violence as often as boys, studies show

Girls commit dating violence as often as boys, studies show - NBC News.com:
"More girls – 43 percent – than boys – 28 percent – reported committing an act of physical dating violence, said researchers who are presenting their findings beginning Wednesday at the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting.
Slightly more boys – 23 percent – than girls – 18 percent – reported perpetrating at least one act of sexual violence."

Michigan localities plan to sell $28 million of debt next week

Michigan localities plan to sell $28 million of debt next week | Crain's Detroit Business:
"Standard & Poor's today boosted its outlook on the district to stable from negative, with a grade one step above junk. 
Terry Stanton, spokesman for Treasurer Andy Dillon, didn't immediately return a phone message or e-mail seeking comment about the sale."

Many Coast West vendors paid only 8 percent on their bills as first-year music festival dissolves

Many Coast West vendors paid only 8 percent on their bills as first-year music festival dissolves | MLive.com:
"MUSKEGON, MI – The extent of the Coast West Music Festival’s first-year financial failure was driven home to an unknown number of vendors and creditors who will not be paid in full.

A letter to creditors dated Aug. 5 from the board of directors of the Muskegon Festival Group of Muskegon County stated that the non-profit festival will be able to pay approximately eight cents on the dollar to those who are still owed for goods and services provided the festival."

Did President Obama break the law? Revelation of 'sealed Benghazi indictment' was against federal law - for anyone other than the President

Did President Obama break the law? Revelation of 'sealed Benghazi indictment' was against federal law - for anyone other than the President | Mail Online:
"Did President Obama break the law?
Revelation of 'sealed Benghazi indictment' was against federal law - for anyone other than the President

President Obama confirmed the existence of a sealed indictment in the Benghazi terror attack yesterday

Legal experts questioned whether the president could be held in contempt of court for his revelation"

▶ Fox News Follows California Beach Bum Living Off Food Stamps For Years

▶ Fox News Follows California Beach Bum Living Off Food Stamps For Years - YouTube

Many Coast West vendors paid only 8 percent on their bills as first-year music festival dissolves

Many Coast West vendors paid only 8 percent on their bills as first-year music festival dissolves | MLive.com:
"One of the festival creditors is the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, according to its President Chris McGuigan.
Within two months of the July 1-6 event, the foundation provided Muskegon Festival Group a “large” loan to pay festival “deposits” to ensure the festival was able to proceed.

Another debt that won’t be fully paid is the $1,000-a-day rental fee the county charges for use of Heritage Landing. Muskegon County Community Development Director Bob Lukens said the county received the Muskegon Festival Group letter concerning only an 8 percent payment on the $6,000 rental bill but the county has yet to hear about the $1 surcharge it receives for each festival ticket sold."

Scientist: Activists use polar bear's death as photo-op

Scientist: Activists use polar bear's death as photo-op | The Daily Caller:
“This bear was doomed back in April by the simple act of leaving the ice so early and the biologists working the region (putting radio collars on bear) had to have known it: leaving the ice in April was not normal behavior.
I suggest they alerted their colleagues and then kept track of him until he died, so they could get a useful picture of his dead carcass,”

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Why can’t we talk about IQ?

Opinion: Why can’t we talk about IQ? - Jason Richwine - POLITICO.com:
MUST READ!
“IQ is a metric of such dubiousness that almost no serious educational researcher uses it anymore,” the Guardian’s Ana Marie Cox wrote back in May.
It was a breathtakingly ignorant statement.
Psychologist Jelte Wicherts noted in response that a search for “IQ test” in Google’s academic database yielded more than 10,000 hits — just for the year 2013.

But Cox’s assertion is all too common.
There is a large discrepancy between what educated laypeople believe about cognitive science and what experts actually know.
Journalists are steeped in the lay wisdom, so they are repeatedly surprised when someone forthrightly discusses the real science of mental ability."

...What scholars of mental ability know, but have never successfully gotten the media to understand, is that a scientific consensus, based on an extensive and consistent literature, has long been reached on many of the questions that still seem controversial to journalists.

For example, virtually all psychologists believe there is a general mental ability factor (referred to colloquially as “intelligence”) that explains much of an individual’s performance on cognitive tests. 
IQ tests approximately measure this general factor. 
Psychologists recognize that a person’s IQ score, which is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, usually remains stable upon reaching adolescence. 
And they know that IQ scores are correlated with educational attainment, income, and many other socioeconomic outcomes.

When failure carries no cost

Column One: When failure carries no cost:
"The Benghazi story keeps getting more and more outrageous. Last week we learned that some two dozen CIA personnel were on the ground during the attack. The administration has reportedly scattered these operatives throughout the US and forced them to adopt new identities. They have reportedly been prohibited from speaking to the media or congressional investigators, and subjected to monthly polygraph tests.

US personnel wounded in the attack have been hidden from investigators since the attack took place.

This behavior is scandalous, and unprecedented.

Yet, outside of the “usual suspects” in the conservative media and the Republican Party, there is no outrage. The media coverage of this shocking revelation is nearly nonexistent, and where it exists, the reportage is laconic, indifferent.

Here, too, the administration feels comfortable perpetuating its cover-up.
As in the case of Ft. Hood, why come clean if there is no price to pay for lying and covering up? "

This Michigan State football YouTube video is a must-watch

This Michigan State football YouTube video is a must-watch | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com:
(additional link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHfMzpyEJK8 )

Interesting lyrics for a "must-watch" video.
Paula Dean must be jealous:
All of the lights, all of the nights
Turn up the lights in here, baby
Extra bright, I want y'all to see this
Turn up the lights in here, baby
You know what I need
Want you to see everything
Want you to see all of the lights

[Elly Jackson]
Fast cars, shooting stars
Until it's Vegas everywhere we are
If you want it you can get it for the rest of your life
If you want it you can get it for the rest of your life 
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
Something wrong, I hold my head
MJ gone, our nigga dead
I slapped my girl, she called the feds
I did that time and spent that bread
I’m heading home, I’m almost there
I’m on my way, heading up the stairs
To my surprise, a nigga replacing me
I had to take him to that ghetto university
[Pre-Hook: Kanye West]
Cop lights, flash lights
Spot lights, strobe lights
Street lights
Fast life, drug life
Thug life, rock life
Every night
[Verse 2: Kanye West]
Restraining order, can’t see my daughter
Her mother, brother, grandmother hate me in that order
Public visitation, we met at Borders
Told her she take me back, I’ll be more supportive
I made mistakes, I bumped my head
Courts sucked me dry, I spent that bread
She need her daddy, baby please
Can’t let her grow up in that ghetto university
[Bridge: Kid Cudi]
Getting mine, baby
Got to let these niggas know
Getting right
You should go and get your own
Getting mine baby
Got to let these niggas know
Getting right
You should go and get your own 
[Verse 3: Fergie]
Unemployment line, credit card declined
Did I not mention I was about to lose my mind?
And also was about to do that line
K, okay you know we going all the way this time
We going all the way this time
We going all the way this time
We going all the way this time
We going all the way this time
We going all the way this time


Why Obama doesn't dare speak about Detroit

Why Obama doesn't dare speak about Detroit | Fox News:
"You don’t hear the president talking about Detroit.
Maybe the reason Detroit is bankrupt today is because for decades it was governed, in large part, by the Obama playbook:
Soak the rich, choke small businesses, and squeeze the middle class with high taxes (in the case of Detroit that included sky high property, commercial and industrial taxes). "

HELP WANTED: Al-Shabaab Recruiting Jihadists in Minnesota

HELP WANTED: Al-Shabaab Recruiting Jihadists in Minnesota
 "The FBI believes Al-Shabaab is responsible for producing and releasing a 40-minute video that follows three Twin Cities men on the path to martyrdom.
For the past seven years, federal agents have been investigating and prosecuting Minnesota’s so-called “terror pipeline.”
With the country’s largest population of Somali-Americans, the Twin Cities has been fighting the recruitment of young men into Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda training camps overseas. 
Once trained, they engage in Jihad against the ruling factions in war-torn Somalia."