Moody’s warns of bankruptcy in Scranton as city faces $20 million budget gap

Moody’s warns of bankruptcy in Scranton as city faces $20 million budget gap « Watchdog.org:
"Scranton could be headed towards another fiscal crisis like the one that resulted in city workers having their pay cut to minimum wage in 2012, according to a major credit ratings agency."

I've always wondered what the advantages were--------Low Wing Aircraft versus High Wing Aircraft

Low Wing Aircraft versus High Wing Aircraft:
"A quick look at any general aviation airport will show you that all single engine aircraft are either high wing or low wing designs.
For pilots, each design has its advantages and drawbacks."

Coming in January to ObamaCare: Rate shock, part two

Coming in January to ObamaCare: Rate shock, part two « Hot Air:
"A shrewd analysis by Pro Publica’s Charles Ornstein, who also wrote the feature last week about the Obama-loving couple in San Francisco who are now paying more across the board for their new insurance.

His point is simple:
The “rate shock” that people are experiencing right now is almost entirely a reaction to the new premiums on the exchanges, but premiums are only one component of what insurance costs. 
Deductibles and co-pays, the other components, are being overlooked right now by some consumers — as are provider networks, of course, as I’ve noted several times.
Consumers who aren’t paying attention to those things are in for a rude awakening in January, when their coverage finally takes effect and they visit the doctor for the first time.
What happens to support for O-Care when some people find out that their out-of-pocket costs are higher too — and, unlike their premiums, that cost won’t be subsidized under their new, allegedly more “comprehensive” plan?"

Enviro-loonys win another one in England-More than four million more face higher energy bills

More than four million more face higher energy bills as Minister attacks suppliers for acting like greedy banks - Telegraph:
"SSE was the first to announce a winter price rise, of 8.2 per cent.
British Gas followed with one of 9.2 per cent, Npower was next with 10.4 per cent and Scottish Power on 8.6 per cent. E.ON’s increase will leave EDF as they last remaining member of the Big Six to finalise their plans.
Ann Robinson, director of uSwitch, the price comparison website, said: “For E.ON customers this is obviously bad news, but it’s considerably less than the other four so they can maybe take some comfort in that.”
She added: “More than 80 per cent of people were planning to ration their energy this winter before the recent price increases. This winter could be devastating.”"

Study: Local immigration policing efforts caused few exits from U.S.

Study: Local immigration policing efforts caused few exits from U.S. - latimes.com:
"When local police started quizzing people about their immigration status, some immigrants relocated – but they usually did not leave the United States, a new study finds.
A working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that when state and local officials took on the power to enforce some immigration laws by investigating immigration violations on the street, immigrants were more likely to relocate within the country.

But only in Arizona’s Maricopa County, known for the controversial immigration policies of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, were immigrants more likely to abandon the United States entirely, the study found."

It's the culture, stupid-----WELFARE ABUSE: 32 years old Austin, TX welfare recipient says working is stupid.

WELFARE ABUSE: 32 years old Austin, TX welfare recipient says working is stupid. - YouTube: ""

'via Blog this'

Michigan bill would ban employers from asking about felony convictions on job applications

Michigan bill would ban employers from asking about felony convictions on job applications | MLive.com: ""Ban-the-box" legislation introduced in March by Rep. Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit, would ban employers from asking about felony convictions on applications unless the position bans such felons, such as police officers.
Employers could still ask about criminal history during interviews and conduct background checks.
Someone who alleges a violation could sue the employer.
.......Detroit, Kalamazoo, Muskegon County and Saginaw County are among jurisdictions in Michigan that already ban the box."

Obama's Promise of "Competition" in Obamacare: Also False

Obama's Promise of "Competition" in Obamacare: Also False:
"Here’s what the President said in 2009:
My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. That’s how the market works. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75 percent of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90 percent is controlled by just one company. And without competition, the price of insurance goes up and quality goes down.
Heritage expert Alyene Senger has bad news for President Obama: Obamacare did absolutely nothing to fix that.
“In the vast majority of states, the number of insurers competing in the state’s exchange is actually less than the number of carriers that previously sold individual market policies in the state,” "
The result: In more than half of the counties in the U.S., people have only one or two insurance carriers offering coverage on their exchanges.

What’s to like about ethanol? It ruins car engines, it’s bad for the environment, and it raises taxes, gas and food prices

What’s to like about ethanol? It ruins car engines, it’s bad for the environment, and it raises taxes, gas and food prices | AEIdeas:
 "Question: Really, what is there to like about corn ethanol and the RFS?

Answer: Absolutely nothing, unless of course, you’re part of a small group of rent-seeking corn growers and ethanol producers, who rely on government mandates to force people to buy your products. 
Otherwise, corn ethanol is a bad deal for everybody else:
it’s an inferior fuel that damages automobile engines and fuel systems,
it’s bad for the environment,
it has forced US taxpayers to spend billions of dollars in ethanol subsidies,
it requires more energy to produce than it generates,
and it raises fuel and food prices for consumers."

Rahm's Chicago! de Blasio's New York?

Rahm's Chicago! de Blasio's New York?:
"'Chicago, the third-most-populous U.S. city, had its credit rating lowered three steps on more than $8 billion of debt by Fitch Ratings, which cited the city’s growing unfunded pension liability.

Fitch cut the rating on $8 billion of Chicago’s general- obligation bonds to A-minus from AA-minus, the New York-based company said late Friday in a statement. It also took the same action on $500 million of debt backed by the Windy City’s sales taxes.

It’s the second three-step rating cut for Chicago since July, when Moody’s Investors Service lowered its grade to A3, the fourth-lowest investment-quality category, citing pension burdens and the costs of crime.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a 53-year-old Democrat, has proposed raising the city’s cigarette sales tax by 75 cents a pack to help close a deficit of $339 million.' "

Obama's america--The Sick and Horrifying New Game Teenagers Play "For Fun" Called "Knock Out"

The Sick and Horrifying New Game Teenagers Play "For Fun" Called "Knock Out" - Katie Pavlich:
""You just knock them out, hit them with a blow and take their belongings," a teenager with a blurred face says.
Police believe "knock-out" led to the death of a homeless man in Hoboken, New Jersey which is right across from New York City.
"It could be anybody, it could be a mother with their children. 
I know one time they got the UPS guy, it's a macho thing," another man says.
Warning, the following video is extremely disturbing. 
People are shown being violently attacked and left unconscious on the street as teenagers walk away celebrating and laughing. 
It's horrific and a grave indictment of cultural decay.
At least one of the victims shown in the video is a woman and one is a teacher."

Most important read of the day: The Coming Hispanic Civil Rights Movement

Articles: The Coming Hispanic Civil Rights Movement:
"the Hispanic teenage single motherhood rate has now crept up above that of blacks, and the high-school dropout rate of Hispanics nationwide is nearly double that of blacks according to the Pew Hispanic Center Study Between Two Worlds."

.....It cannot be emphasized too strongly that in cities controlled by Democrats, the party is very effective at suppressing change in its own ranks.

The Chicago Machine had confined blacks into highly segregated communities since 1900, and politicians who wanted to represent them had to be Democrats. 

Dr. King marched in northern cities as an outsider because he had to be an outsider.

The 4th Congressional District, represented by Hispanic Luis Gutierrez, is 75% Hispanic.

Chicago now has 14 Wards, out of a total of 50, that are 65% or more Hispanic. 

Mayor Daley II and his brother Bill Daley both courted Hispanic political leaders and promised them jobs in City Hall in return for support for Daley when he first ran for Mayor in 1989. 

Daley II then created a Hispanic submachine, the HDO -- Hispanic Democratic Organization -- and gave them city jobs. 

The Hispanic Aldermen and women will not rock the Machine boat.

Confessions of a Quantitative Easer

Andrew Huszar: Confessions of a Quantitative Easer - WSJ.com:
"I can only say: I'm sorry, America.
As a former Federal Reserve official, I was responsible for executing the centerpiece program of the Fed's first plunge into the bond-buying experiment known as quantitative easing.
The central bank continues to spin QE as a tool for helping Main Street.
But I've come to recognize the program for what it really is: the greatest backdoor Wall Street bailout of all time."

Tom Izzo suggests Kentucky ‘forfeit’ after John Calipari’s ‘unfair’ comment

Tom Izzo suggests Kentucky ‘forfeit’ after John Calipari’s ‘unfair’ comment | For The Win:
"“The issue becomes playing teams (like Michigan State) this early is not fair for my team,” Calipari said Thursday.
“It may be fair for everybody else. But it’s no fair for my team. …It’s just not traditional in the sense everybody stays four years. So it’s not fair when we walk in and everybody else is more experienced.”"

A "glitch" here, a "glitch" there. What difference does it make?------Glitch flubs prices on O-Care exchange

Glitch flubs prices on O-Care exchange | TheHill:
"A technical glitch meant the Washington website sent the applicants' monthly income to a federal hub instead of their yearly income, according to a report in The Seattle Times.
Based on that incorrect information, consumers were told they qualified for higher tax credits and would pay less for their health insurance.
“.....We are still trying to figure out how this happened," exchange CEO Richard Onizuka told the paper."

Medicaid's awful results: Column

Medicaid's awful results: Column:
"Coverage isn't care, notes Roy -- and in the case of Medicaid, coverage may be worse than not being covered.

That's because extensive research indicates that Medicaid recipients actually do worse than people without any insurance at all. 
A University of Virginia study found that Medicaid patients hospitalized for major surgery were actually 13% more likely to die in the hospital than those without any health insurance.
Likewise, the National Cancer Institute found that late-stage prostate cancer, late-stage breast cancer, and late-stage melanoma were actually much more common in Medicaid recipients than in the uninsured.
And a Johns Hopkins study of patients receiving lung transplants found that Medicaid patients were 29% more likely to die within three years."
...Why Medicaid recipients do worse isn't entirely clear, but it's likely because the best doctors seldom accept Medicaid, leaving patients with subpar physicians. 
In addition, Roy opens with the story of Deamonte Driver, a seventh grader with a tooth abscess who wound up dying when it turned into a brain infection, after being shuffled from doctor to doctor for weeks. Uninsured patients probably go straight to the Emergency Room or to a free clinic, while Medicaid recipients may waste precious days, weeks, or months trying to navigate the bureaucracy.

Headline of the day:Michigan senator proposes ban on owning monkeys

Michigan senator proposes ban on owning monkeys | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

ACLU: No Access to TV, Radio for Accused Boston Bomber Is 'Torture'

ACLU: No Access to TV, Radio for Accused Boston Bomber Is 'Torture':
"They asserted that Tsarnaev was suffering “extraordinary and severe” restrictions that the ACLU regards as “torture,” including his lack of access to TV and radio, family photos, joining in prayer with his fellow prisoners, and the refusal of the prison to let anyone see Tsarnaev except his immediate family and his attorneys."

Doctors Will Be Left Paying Tab for Obamacare ‘Grace Periods’

Doctors Will Be Left Paying Tab for Obamacare ‘Grace Periods’: Report | TheBlaze.com:
"The Affordable Care Act entitles consumers eligible for the federal subsidy to three “free” months of health care if they choose to default on their premiums, meaning  doctors and hospitals will be left paying the tab.
If people can’t pay their premiums and instead decide to cancel their policies, they are given a three-month “grace period,” Watchdog.org reports.
..Consumers need to pay a premium for just one month to be eligible for the three-month grace period, according to Section 156.270 of the Affordable Care Act. 
The insurance company then covers claims for the first month while doctors and hospitals are left covering the remaining two months.

Yesterday's news but important-----New Undercover Video Catches Obamacare ‘Navigators’ Advising Potential Applicant to ‘Lie’

New Undercover Video Catches Obamacare ‘Navigators’ Advising Potential Applicant to ‘Lie’ | Video | TheBlaze.com:
"A new video produced by James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas seemingly shows Obamacare “navigators” in Dallas, Texas, advising a man to provide false information on his application to get more subsidies and a lower premium.

Secretly video recording the exchange, a Project Veritas “investigator” tells Obamacare navigators at the National Urban League’s offices in Dallas that he never reports his outside income when filing his taxes, which is likely untrue. The navigators then advise him not to get himself in “trouble” by reporting the income to the IRS now.

“You’re supposed to file a percentage of it,” the navigator, identified as “Mrs. Dorothy,” says in the video. “Don’t get yourself in trouble by declaring it now.”

“Yeah, it didn’t happen,” another navigator, “Lakisha Williams,” adds."

It Took Three 20-Something Programmers a Couple of Nights to Come up With an Obamacare Website Alternative

It Took Three 20-Something Programmers a Couple of Nights to Come up With an Obamacare Website Alternative | Video | TheBlaze.com:
"The three programmers based their site, which took them a couple of nights to create, off code buried by high-priced contractors on the original Obamacare website. 
They simply found an easier and cheaper way to make the experience doable for the average consumer.

“That’s the great thing about having such a small team,” Kalogeropoulos said.
“You sit around a table and say, ‘
OK, how does this work?’
There’s no coordination meetings, there’s no planning sessions.
It’s like, ‘Well, let’s read the document and let’s implement this.’”"

Koleeg makks u smurt-Public University’s Plaque Labels President Lincoln A Democrat

Public University’s Plaque Labels President Lincoln A Democrat:
"CHICAGO – A public university in President Abraham Lincoln’s home state of Illinois is adorned with a plaque that states Lincoln – arguably the most famous and influential president in American history – was a Democrat.
Lincoln was a Republican.
The plaque, located on a historic building that’s part of Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago and installed in 1905, states: “This building is dedicated to public service honoring the memory of Abraham Lincoln   Democrat.”"

The Controversial Way a Conservative White Guy Fooled a Predominantly Black District Into Voting Him Into Office

The Controversial Way a Conservative White Guy Fooled a Predominantly Black District Into Voting Him Into Office | TheBlaze.com:
"One of his mailers even said, “Endorsed by Ron Wilson,” implying he had attained support from a famous former black state representative. 
In fact, in fine print below the endorsement, the campaign clarified that “Ron Wilson and Dave Wilson are cousins.”
“He’s a nice cousin,” Wilson told KHOU-TV. 
We played baseball in high school together. 
And he’s endorsed me.”"

Yes. There is a "rest of the story"-------"Think" "Progress" on guns: Lying, lazy, or both?

"Think" "Progress" on guns: Lying, lazy, or both? | The Daily Caller:

On Saturday, nearly 40 armed men, women, and children waited outside a Dallas, Texas area restaurant to protest a membership meeting for the state chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a gun safety advocacy group formed in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Click and read the REAL story behind this leftist lie: http://dailycaller.com/2013/11/11/think-progress-on-guns-lying-lazy-or-both/#ixzz2kNttN1Dq

Be afraid. Be VERY afraid........From my friends at MoveOn.org

Dear Michigan MoveOn member,
I'm Kate Madigan, a member of the organization Climate Parents, and I started a petition to the Michigan State Board of Education, which says:

Please support the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for the benefit of Michigan students. Our children deserve the best possible science education, and that includes gaining a foundation in climate science. The NGSS will help Michigan students prepare for the challenges and opportunities they will face throughout their lives.

When I became a mom, my desire to help create a better world became more personal and urgent. I've reflected on the biggest challenges my two sons will face. Doing something about climate change rose to the top of my list. 
So I was heartened to learn that the Michigan State Board of Education is considering adoption of 21st-century science standards that include climate science, beginning with a public hearing on November 19 in Lansing.
The board is being pressured to reject the new, world-class science standards by climate change deniers like State Representative Tom McMillin. Rep. McMillin recently introduced a bill to stop the NGSS from being taught because, as he said, the standards "get into controversial issues such as man-made global warming as fact." 

Tell the Board of Education that we want climate science taught in our schools.

At a time when impacts like drought, more intense storms, and heat waves have already begun to take a toll on Michigan agriculture and the Great Lakes, it's more important than ever for Michigan students to gain a strong understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change.
Let's tell the State Board of Education that the Next Generation Science Standards will give our kids the foundation to identify the solutions we need.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!
–Kate Madigan
This petition was created on MoveOn's online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Climate Parents didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

▶ CAUGHT ON TAPE: Obamacare Navigators Counsel Applicants to "Lie" - YouTube

▶ CAUGHT ON TAPE: Obamacare Navigators Counsel Applicants to "Lie" - YouTube: ""

'via Blog this'

North Korea 'Publicly Executed 80 People,' South Korean Paper Reports

North Korea 'Publicly Executed 80 People,' South Korean Paper Reports:
"North Korea publicly executed around 80 people earlier this month, many for watching smuggled South Korean TV shows, a South Korean newspaper reported Monday.

Seriously. Ya can't make this up----Feds to discuss rescue for endangered butterflies in Oakland County...like right next to Detroit.....

Feds to discuss rescue for endangered butterflies in Oakland County | The Detroit News:
"Federal officials are hosting a public meeting in Oakland County this week to discuss placing two butterfly species on the endangered list.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to protect the Dakota skipper and the Poweshiek skipperling.
The Poweshiek skipperling previously was found in Michigan and seven other states, as well as Canada.
It now inhabits only a few native prairie remnants in Wisconsin and Michigan, and in the Canadian province of Manitoba.
Surveys indicate that Poweshiek skipperlings are gone from nearly 90 percent of the sites where they once were found.
The Dakota skipper is found in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and Canada.
Both species are threatened by habitat loss."

ANYTHING to take the focus off the MEAP scores.....Michigan schools to be hailed for cardiac arrest readiness

Michigan schools to be hailed for cardiac arrest readiness | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"It’s being sponsored by the Michigan Departments of Community Health and Education along with the American Heart Association and a group focused on preventing sudden cardiac deaths"

Nothing to see here folks.....Headless, burned body found in vacant Detroit school

Headless, burned body found in vacant Detroit school | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"A decapitated and badly burned body was found by police in an abandoned Detroit school building on the city’s west side Sunday afternoon."