Oh honestly, couldn't you predict this?
He was a former psychiatric nurse and union organiser, was chairman of the Scottish Labour Party in the Nineties and succeeded leftwing Robin Cook as MP for Livingston. Yesterday he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for "fiddling his parliamentary expenses." The former Labour MP Jim Devine is the fourth parliamentarian to face jail over the expenses scandal.
Others include Eric Illsley, former Labour MP for Barnsley Central, was sent to prison for a year for dishonestly obtaining £14,500 in second home claims. Tory peer Lord Taylor of Warwick, 58, awaits sentencing after being found guilty of falsely claiming more than £11,000 Former Bury North Labour MP David Chaytor was jailed for 18 months for falsely claiming nearly £22,000.
The Scotsman calls him a "working class hero." They could have called him arrogant and unlawful, deceitful and morally flawed, a drunk and a womanizer. And a petty thief.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Education Reform Continues
With barely a wimper from the media machine that only covers the battles they hope to influence, Florida passed Sanate Bill 736. The bill passed March 16 provides for teacher evaluations with at least 50% of teacher's evaluations measured by student's FCAT scores. The other half would be given by administrators. The bill also lets districts establish performance-based salary schedules.
There will be a ban on tenure for teachers hired after July 1. Instead, there would be one-year contracts for new teachers. And no layoffs will be based on seniority.
There will be a ban on tenure for teachers hired after July 1. Instead, there would be one-year contracts for new teachers. And no layoffs will be based on seniority.
Santa Anita Race Track
Santa Anita Race Track will be solely owned by Frank Stronach.
Canadian businessman Frank Stronach is stepping down as chairman of Magna International Inc. In exchange for surrendering controll of MI Developments, Stronach will receive Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields in California; Gulfstream and an attached casino in Florida; the Palm Meadows training center in Florida; a 50 percent stake in Laurel Park and a 51 percent stake in The Jockey Club which runs and operates Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course (home of the Preakness Stakes) in Maryland; Portland Meadows in Oregon; the XpressBet account-wagering company; the bet-processing company AmTote; and a half-share in the horserace broadcasting network HRTV.
The racing assets lost $76.7 million in eight months in 2010 while on the books of MI Development and its subsidiary, Magna Entertainment. (Magma Entertainment filed for Bankruptcy in 2009 with debts of $500 million and was dissolved.) Source: The Daily Racing Form (Mar 29)
Before ownership of the track was transferred from Magma Entertainment, L.A. developer Rick Caruso wanted to buy the Arcadia track, where he planned to build another Grove-style mall - like the Americana - at Brand in Glendale) in its vast parking lot. Santa Anita occupies more than 300 acres when stables, parking and other facilities are included.
Stronach became one of Canada's richest people by creating Magna and building it into one of the world's largest auto parts suppliers. In October 2010, Santa Anita Race track removed the controversial and not well liked synthetic track that was installed after the California Horse Racing issued a mandate in 2007 for all major tracks in the state to install synthetic surfaces. A year after the installation Santa Anita removed its Cushion Track and replaced it with the Australia-based Pro-Ride surface. By 2009, the sport's most visible horse, the owner of 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra announced he would not be running the Breeder's Cup because he said he had no intention of "running on plastic." The consensus was in. Further research showed that horses running on synthetic tracks received more hind-leg injuries than on dirt surfaces.
The track is likely to lose a lot more money this year. (Daily News) March 24, 2011 Wagering is down and injuries are up.
Stonach owned Santa Anita since 1998. He paid $126 million for it.
SANTA ANITA COVERAGE from The Daily Racing Form
Canadian businessman Frank Stronach is stepping down as chairman of Magna International Inc. In exchange for surrendering controll of MI Developments, Stronach will receive Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields in California; Gulfstream and an attached casino in Florida; the Palm Meadows training center in Florida; a 50 percent stake in Laurel Park and a 51 percent stake in The Jockey Club which runs and operates Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course (home of the Preakness Stakes) in Maryland; Portland Meadows in Oregon; the XpressBet account-wagering company; the bet-processing company AmTote; and a half-share in the horserace broadcasting network HRTV.
The racing assets lost $76.7 million in eight months in 2010 while on the books of MI Development and its subsidiary, Magna Entertainment. (Magma Entertainment filed for Bankruptcy in 2009 with debts of $500 million and was dissolved.) Source: The Daily Racing Form (Mar 29)
Before ownership of the track was transferred from Magma Entertainment, L.A. developer Rick Caruso wanted to buy the Arcadia track, where he planned to build another Grove-style mall - like the Americana - at Brand in Glendale) in its vast parking lot. Santa Anita occupies more than 300 acres when stables, parking and other facilities are included.
Stronach became one of Canada's richest people by creating Magna and building it into one of the world's largest auto parts suppliers. In October 2010, Santa Anita Race track removed the controversial and not well liked synthetic track that was installed after the California Horse Racing issued a mandate in 2007 for all major tracks in the state to install synthetic surfaces. A year after the installation Santa Anita removed its Cushion Track and replaced it with the Australia-based Pro-Ride surface. By 2009, the sport's most visible horse, the owner of 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra announced he would not be running the Breeder's Cup because he said he had no intention of "running on plastic." The consensus was in. Further research showed that horses running on synthetic tracks received more hind-leg injuries than on dirt surfaces.
The track is likely to lose a lot more money this year. (Daily News) March 24, 2011 Wagering is down and injuries are up.
Stonach owned Santa Anita since 1998. He paid $126 million for it.
SANTA ANITA COVERAGE from The Daily Racing Form
FINALLY
Help for Japan.
The world’s largest concrete pump, deployed at the construction site of the U.S. government’s $4.86 billion mixed oxide fuel plant at Savannah River Site, is being moved to Japan in a series of emergency measures to help stabilize the Fukushima reactors. Source: The Augusta Chronicle.
The world’s largest concrete pump, deployed at the construction site of the U.S. government’s $4.86 billion mixed oxide fuel plant at Savannah River Site, is being moved to Japan in a series of emergency measures to help stabilize the Fukushima reactors. Source: The Augusta Chronicle.
RESOURCES: CALIFORNIA NEWS SOURCES
BEST SINGLE SOURCE for California News is Yahoo News. Los Angeles area news. You can also search Yahoo for California Budget with some surprising results. Like these headlines today.
Los Angeles Times Headline:
Budget talks fold, and California GOP's influence fades further
Bloomberg Headline:
California Budget Stalemate Imperiling Brown's Agenda After Landslide Win
For honesty, you can count on SacBee columnist Dan Walters (archive), whose column today is entitled, "Jerry Brown's State Budget Plan Blows Up".
But sometimes you need to follow the links to find out why calling off the talks was significant. State unions hope for tax plan as budget options dwindle
Best California site is Rough & Tumble that updates all the time. Short, breezy summations. Links to more if you want it.
And if you get bored and want to know more, there's this list of California news sources from NewsLink.
OR browse the continuous feed AP headlines (with links) for California stories they covered.
Los Angeles Times Headline:
Budget talks fold, and California GOP's influence fades further
Bloomberg Headline:
California Budget Stalemate Imperiling Brown's Agenda After Landslide Win
Brown, a 72-year-old Democrat, conceded March 29 that the cornerstone of his plan to balance the budget, asking voters to extend $9.3 billion in higher taxes and fees in a June ballot, was hopelessly blocked by Republican legislators.Or you could just go to the Sacramento Bee Their attitude is summed up by today's editorial that advises "Gov. Jerry Brown and the Democrats should not panic. Instead, they should exercise the power of the majority party."
For honesty, you can count on SacBee columnist Dan Walters (archive), whose column today is entitled, "Jerry Brown's State Budget Plan Blows Up".
But sometimes you need to follow the links to find out why calling off the talks was significant. State unions hope for tax plan as budget options dwindle
Best California site is Rough & Tumble that updates all the time. Short, breezy summations. Links to more if you want it.
And if you get bored and want to know more, there's this list of California news sources from NewsLink.
OR browse the continuous feed AP headlines (with links) for California stories they covered.
TODAY in the news
TOP 10 DYING U.S. INDUSTRIES from IBISworld. (via NPR)
Thankfully, newspaper publishing is No. 3.
LIBYA's (MAYBE) NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Nicaragua said a former Nicaraguan foreign minister who once called Ronald Reagan ''the butcher of my people'' has been appointed to represent Libya at the United Nations after its delegate was denied a visa. He will replace the Libyan ambassador who defected in late February. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, 78, a Catholic priest, might not be able to accept the assignment. He's in the U.S. on a tourist visa, which Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the UN said, did not permit him to act as the representative of a foreign government. ("Colonel Gaddafi's support for the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua dates back to the 1970s, when Sandinistas received guerilla training in Libya.") Hmmm. Sheeze, weren't the Democrats rooting for the Sandinistas back then?
Brockman was the President of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2008 to September 2009, he presided over the 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Wikipedia entry.
ADOLPH EICHMANN - Holocaust figures in a graph from Der Spiegel story on the capture of Adolph Eichmann and "industrialized mass murder." West Germany did not want to find him.
PERU WELCOMES BACK INCAN ARTIFACTS taken from Machu Piccu. BBC News
JIMMY CARTER criticises US Cuba policy in a visit to Cuba. BBC News
If only they would keep him. As Instapundit noted yesterday: "Jeez. And we probably have decades of similar stuff to look forward to once Barack Obama is an ex-president."
DEMOCRATS IN TEXAS want Tommy Lee Jones to run for senate. Houston Chronicle via Sydney Morning Herald.
U.S. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment Rate at 10.0% in March
Money quotes: "Despite the March uptick, Gallup's view of the U.S. jobs situation remains substantially less optimistic than the government's recent unemployment report might suggest." ... "This suggests that recent behavior on Main Street does not reflect the government's rosier assessment."
PORTUGAL FACTS
IRISH BANKS REQUIRE an extra €24 billion recapitalisation. (Irish Times)
This will be the fifth attempt to recapitalise the banks. It brings the cost of bailing out the sector up from €46 billion to €70 billion. Money set aside from the 85bn euro EU-IMF bail-out agreed to in November will be used. (See where the rest of the money comes from in a box at the BBC story.)
You can see why in this unrelated but relevant story. The mews houses in 2008 were priced at over €1 million each – "pretty standard at that time for a swanky two-bed mews in this neighbourhood, with all the must-have designer touches." Now they are back on the market – this time for €380,000.
AND, YES, IRELAND HAS A MILITARY. CIA Factbook page for Ireland. Wikipedia entry for Defence Forces (Ireland).
Thankfully, newspaper publishing is No. 3.
LIBYA's (MAYBE) NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Nicaragua said a former Nicaraguan foreign minister who once called Ronald Reagan ''the butcher of my people'' has been appointed to represent Libya at the United Nations after its delegate was denied a visa. He will replace the Libyan ambassador who defected in late February. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, 78, a Catholic priest, might not be able to accept the assignment. He's in the U.S. on a tourist visa, which Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the UN said, did not permit him to act as the representative of a foreign government. ("Colonel Gaddafi's support for the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua dates back to the 1970s, when Sandinistas received guerilla training in Libya.") Hmmm. Sheeze, weren't the Democrats rooting for the Sandinistas back then?
Brockman was the President of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2008 to September 2009, he presided over the 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Wikipedia entry.
ADOLPH EICHMANN - Holocaust figures in a graph from Der Spiegel story on the capture of Adolph Eichmann and "industrialized mass murder." West Germany did not want to find him.
PERU WELCOMES BACK INCAN ARTIFACTS taken from Machu Piccu. BBC News
JIMMY CARTER criticises US Cuba policy in a visit to Cuba. BBC News
If only they would keep him. As Instapundit noted yesterday: "Jeez. And we probably have decades of similar stuff to look forward to once Barack Obama is an ex-president."
DEMOCRATS IN TEXAS want Tommy Lee Jones to run for senate. Houston Chronicle via Sydney Morning Herald.
U.S. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment Rate at 10.0% in March
Money quotes: "Despite the March uptick, Gallup's view of the U.S. jobs situation remains substantially less optimistic than the government's recent unemployment report might suggest." ... "This suggests that recent behavior on Main Street does not reflect the government's rosier assessment."
PORTUGAL FACTS
- Portugal has about €9 billion ($12.7 billion) in debt coming due in the next three months.
- Analysts at Barclays Capital (BCS) estimate the government has no more than €5 billion in cash available.
- Portugal's gross domestic product of €162 billion is about 30 percent less than the market capitalization of Apple.
- Portugal is the poorest of the original euro zone countries.
- Unemployment is stuck at 11.1 percent, and the economy is expected to shrink 1.4 percent this year.
IRISH BANKS REQUIRE an extra €24 billion recapitalisation. (Irish Times)
This will be the fifth attempt to recapitalise the banks. It brings the cost of bailing out the sector up from €46 billion to €70 billion. Money set aside from the 85bn euro EU-IMF bail-out agreed to in November will be used. (See where the rest of the money comes from in a box at the BBC story.)
You can see why in this unrelated but relevant story. The mews houses in 2008 were priced at over €1 million each – "pretty standard at that time for a swanky two-bed mews in this neighbourhood, with all the must-have designer touches." Now they are back on the market – this time for €380,000.
AND, YES, IRELAND HAS A MILITARY. CIA Factbook page for Ireland. Wikipedia entry for Defence Forces (Ireland).
Education Story of the Day
The Atlanta (Georgia) School District high schools have been placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. The reason? Apparently they heard of board votes taken without proper approval, staged media events to promote the board chairman's personal agenda, a board member using a district-issued charge card for personal expenses, and continuing fallout from an investigation into allegations of cheating on state tests.
Source: Education Week Jan 18, 2011
It's even worse than the Educ Week blog stated.
Source: Education Week Jan 18, 2011
It's even worse than the Educ Week blog stated.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Short
THE CHOICES AREN'T GREAT. A Washington writer Post speculates on where Gaddafi might find exile. Via The Sydney Morning Herald
Could be worse. He could go to Detroit.
HOME PRICES are plummeting. They are down to 2000 levels in Las Vegas. So are home prices in Atlanta, Detroit and Cleveland. But compared to Detroit, the other cities are doing great. In the recently released S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, Detroit ranked last with an index of 66.02. Compare to Atlanta, Las Vegas and Cleveland, all between 99.23 and 99.59.
FACULTY UNIONS IN FLORIDA could be decertified if a new bill passes if fewer than half of eligible employees are members. Unions are scrambling tointimidate members into signing up.
GOING, GOING, GOING... At least they hope so. Baltimore has 30,000 vacant properties. The city owns 4,000 of them. Can't afford to rehab them. Can't afford to tear them down. Can't sell em. Wait. Isn't that the story of Detroit?
OHIO EDUCATION REFORM BILL GOES TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE
Ohio Senate Bill 5 passed both the Assembly and Senate. The vote was House 53-44 and Senate 17-16.
The bill which would permit public employees to collectively bargain only on wages, hours, terms and conditions of their employment.
Could be worse. He could go to Detroit.
HOME PRICES are plummeting. They are down to 2000 levels in Las Vegas. So are home prices in Atlanta, Detroit and Cleveland. But compared to Detroit, the other cities are doing great. In the recently released S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, Detroit ranked last with an index of 66.02. Compare to Atlanta, Las Vegas and Cleveland, all between 99.23 and 99.59.
FACULTY UNIONS IN FLORIDA could be decertified if a new bill passes if fewer than half of eligible employees are members. Unions are scrambling to
GOING, GOING, GOING... At least they hope so. Baltimore has 30,000 vacant properties. The city owns 4,000 of them. Can't afford to rehab them. Can't afford to tear them down. Can't sell em. Wait. Isn't that the story of Detroit?
OHIO EDUCATION REFORM BILL GOES TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE
Ohio Senate Bill 5 passed both the Assembly and Senate. The vote was House 53-44 and Senate 17-16.
The bill which would permit public employees to collectively bargain only on wages, hours, terms and conditions of their employment.
Senate Bill 5 would ban strikes by public employees, provide that city councils rather than third-party arbitrators decide contracts for emergency workers in an impasse, eliminate seniority as a sole consideration for raises or layoffs, cut sick time and vacation benefits, prohibit public employers from paying part of the employees’ contribution to their pensions and make staffing levels non-negotiable.OH YEAH. NO LAUGH TRACK NEEDED. Headline: (Mar. 30) Feds probe Cook County’s troubled job training program. Even less likely to result in any indictment: (Mar 30) City inspector general looking at homicide involving Daley nephew.
Hmmmm
WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...
First Britain worked with Scotland to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. Ostensibly because he was terminally ill. Now Cameron has offered sanctuary for Moussa Koussa, the Libyan foreign minister who as the former head of Libya's external intelligence, was the mastermind accused of planning the Lockerbie bombing.
If we didn't know better we might assume that the British government is most interested in securing any information Koussa might have. Including, but not limited to, British Petroleum deals that were linked to the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Sunday Times: (Oct 30, 2009) Lockerbie bomber 'set free for oil'
FOLLOWING UP - GERMAN ELECTIONS
German elections on March 27 in the state of Baden-Württemberg were a big upset. The Green Party to a historic victory over Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). From Der Spiegel: "The Greens doubled their share of the vote to 24.2 percent, according to preliminary results released by the state electoral commission. They are now likely to govern the state in a coalition with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which secured 23.1 percent of the vote." The CDU got 39 but their coalition partner, the business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP), do not have enough seats between them to form a coalition government.
The Greens and the Social Democrat Party will also form a coalition in Rhineland-Palatinate after the SDU lost their majority. The FDP didn't get enough votes to be represented in the state parliament.
FOLLOWING UP - AUSTRALIAN NSW ELECTION
Labor suffered a wipeout in the election in New South Wales. Labor had been in power there for 16 years. The loss was, as the Sydney Morning Herald said, part of the anti-Labor tide that has been sweeping the country."
First Britain worked with Scotland to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. Ostensibly because he was terminally ill. Now Cameron has offered sanctuary for Moussa Koussa, the Libyan foreign minister who as the former head of Libya's external intelligence, was the mastermind accused of planning the Lockerbie bombing.
If we didn't know better we might assume that the British government is most interested in securing any information Koussa might have. Including, but not limited to, British Petroleum deals that were linked to the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Sunday Times: (Oct 30, 2009) Lockerbie bomber 'set free for oil'
FOLLOWING UP - GERMAN ELECTIONS
German elections on March 27 in the state of Baden-Württemberg were a big upset. The Green Party to a historic victory over Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). From Der Spiegel: "The Greens doubled their share of the vote to 24.2 percent, according to preliminary results released by the state electoral commission. They are now likely to govern the state in a coalition with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which secured 23.1 percent of the vote." The CDU got 39 but their coalition partner, the business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP), do not have enough seats between them to form a coalition government.
The Greens and the Social Democrat Party will also form a coalition in Rhineland-Palatinate after the SDU lost their majority. The FDP didn't get enough votes to be represented in the state parliament.
FOLLOWING UP - AUSTRALIAN NSW ELECTION
Labor suffered a wipeout in the election in New South Wales. Labor had been in power there for 16 years. The loss was, as the Sydney Morning Herald said, part of the anti-Labor tide that has been sweeping the country."
Friday, March 25, 2011
FINDING LIZ'S HUSBAND
John Hass remembers how mob graverobbers in Chicago dug up Elizabeth Taylor's third husband. And who miraculously found the remains.
The Decline of Detroit
From Michael Barone comes this startling picture of Democrat failure.
I was in kindergarten in Detroit in April 1950, when the Census Bureau count for the city was 1,849,568. In the intervening 60 years the city’s population has declined by 1,135,791 people. The city’s population is down 61% in those years. When people ask me why I moved from being a liberal to being a conservative, my single-word answer is Detroit. The liberal policies which I hoped would make Detroit something like heaven have made it instead something more like hell.UPDATED March 25 - The Toledo Blade calls it a "a bleak, urban disaster" With reason.
TODAY in the news
PRODUCTION **FINALLY** STARTS ON HOBBIT MOVIE
It will consist of two movies. Possibly released in late 2012.
Unofficial web site links page
WSJ (Feb 7, 2011) "‘The Hobbit’ Gets a Date" to start filming: March 21.
WHAT A SURPRISE
Three top French chess players have been found guilty of cheating in last year's world championship.
ART FRAUD
At a Mayan art auction in Paris a sculpture that fetched 2.9m euros ($4.2m, £2.5m) at a Paris auction was declared by the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology to be a fake. The other 66 pieces had also been carved recently. Mexico's Foreign Ministry reportedly alerted the French government about the fraudulent artifacts before the auction. (CBS story)
GE PAID NO TAXES ON $5.1 BILLION PROFITS
On top of that, they got a $3.2 billion tax credit. In an interesting twist, President Obama recently asked G.E. CEO Jeffrey Immelt to be his chief outside economic adviser. (Yahoo News - Outlook story by Brett Michael Dykes)
Joins New Economic Advisory Board in 2009
Also on board is Publisher & Chief Executive Officer, La Opinion, Richard L. Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO; Laura D'Andrea Tyson, Dean, Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, among others.
NO REPEAT SURGERIES PLANNED
Brazilian plastic surgeon says he operated on Gadhafi (AP)
PERUVIAN POLICE DON'T BELIEVE van der Sloot
Joran van der Sloot claimed that he killed a young Peruvian woman in a fit of rage when she used his laptop to discover his connection to the murder of Natalee Holloway. Peruvian police claim it's a lie. His lawyer wants to use a rage defense in the murder trial.
BIRTHING TOURISM IN SAN GABRIEL
Southern California has become a hub of so-called birthing tourism. Three townhouses in San Gabriel shut down. (Los Angeles Times) From Pasadena Star-News: "Two weeks ago, San Gabriel officials uncovered the makeshift maternity ward with 10 newborns and about 12 Chinese nationals crammed into the illegally-converted townhouse in the 1300 block of South Palm Avenue, according to documents obtained by this newspaper." The Chinese women came to the United States to give birth to children who will gain automatic U.S. citizenship. The women paid $25,000 - $30,000 each.
NOT GOOD
Nato has named three-star Canadian general, Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, to run NATO's Libya operations. The last Canadian Lieutenant-General who ran operations for the U.N. oversaw the murder of 800,000 Rwandans.
UPCOMING ELECTIONS - GERMANY
May not bode well for Angela Merkel's coalition partners. In two state elections on Sunday, her junior coalition partners, the Free Democrats, stand to lose the most. The party is at risk of stumbling below the 5-percent threshhold in both votes. (Der Spiegel)
WEEKEND ELECTION - AUSTRALIA
Labor is expected to suffer a huge defeat in NSW in Saturday's elections. Labor has held power for 16 years in NSW. On a national level, Leftwing Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard is holding office by 1 seat. An advocate of carbon trading and carbon taxes, the issue has been resented by Australians.
It will consist of two movies. Possibly released in late 2012.
Unofficial web site links page
WSJ (Feb 7, 2011) "‘The Hobbit’ Gets a Date" to start filming: March 21.
WHAT A SURPRISE
Three top French chess players have been found guilty of cheating in last year's world championship.
ART FRAUD
At a Mayan art auction in Paris a sculpture that fetched 2.9m euros ($4.2m, £2.5m) at a Paris auction was declared by the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology to be a fake. The other 66 pieces had also been carved recently. Mexico's Foreign Ministry reportedly alerted the French government about the fraudulent artifacts before the auction. (CBS story)
GE PAID NO TAXES ON $5.1 BILLION PROFITS
On top of that, they got a $3.2 billion tax credit. In an interesting twist, President Obama recently asked G.E. CEO Jeffrey Immelt to be his chief outside economic adviser. (Yahoo News - Outlook story by Brett Michael Dykes)
Joins New Economic Advisory Board in 2009
Also on board is Publisher & Chief Executive Officer, La Opinion, Richard L. Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO; Laura D'Andrea Tyson, Dean, Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, among others.
NO REPEAT SURGERIES PLANNED
Brazilian plastic surgeon says he operated on Gadhafi (AP)
PERUVIAN POLICE DON'T BELIEVE van der Sloot
Joran van der Sloot claimed that he killed a young Peruvian woman in a fit of rage when she used his laptop to discover his connection to the murder of Natalee Holloway. Peruvian police claim it's a lie. His lawyer wants to use a rage defense in the murder trial.
BIRTHING TOURISM IN SAN GABRIEL
Southern California has become a hub of so-called birthing tourism. Three townhouses in San Gabriel shut down. (Los Angeles Times) From Pasadena Star-News: "Two weeks ago, San Gabriel officials uncovered the makeshift maternity ward with 10 newborns and about 12 Chinese nationals crammed into the illegally-converted townhouse in the 1300 block of South Palm Avenue, according to documents obtained by this newspaper." The Chinese women came to the United States to give birth to children who will gain automatic U.S. citizenship. The women paid $25,000 - $30,000 each.
NOT GOOD
Nato has named three-star Canadian general, Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, to run NATO's Libya operations. The last Canadian Lieutenant-General who ran operations for the U.N. oversaw the murder of 800,000 Rwandans.
UPCOMING ELECTIONS - GERMANY
May not bode well for Angela Merkel's coalition partners. In two state elections on Sunday, her junior coalition partners, the Free Democrats, stand to lose the most. The party is at risk of stumbling below the 5-percent threshhold in both votes. (Der Spiegel)
WEEKEND ELECTION - AUSTRALIA
Labor is expected to suffer a huge defeat in NSW in Saturday's elections. Labor has held power for 16 years in NSW. On a national level, Leftwing Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard is holding office by 1 seat. An advocate of carbon trading and carbon taxes, the issue has been resented by Australians.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
EU - Con
From Daily Mail (UK): The great Bill of Rights 'con': How Europhiles play leading role on panel set up to examine EU meddling in UK law
The commission was, the Mail reports, hurriedly set up by the in response to mounting public outrage at a European ruling ordering Britain to give prisoners the vote. The commission will contain some of the UK’s leading human rights lawyers. The composition of the panel, however, is decidedly pro-EU. It even includes a retired EU judge.
It's why eventually voters will turn to extremist parties just to affect change.
The commission was, the Mail reports, hurriedly set up by the in response to mounting public outrage at a European ruling ordering Britain to give prisoners the vote. The commission will contain some of the UK’s leading human rights lawyers. The composition of the panel, however, is decidedly pro-EU. It even includes a retired EU judge.
It's why eventually voters will turn to extremist parties just to affect change.
What man giveth, man can take away
The difference between immutable God-given liberty and man-given "rights."
Crucifixes can be displayed in EU schools
Crucifixes can be displayed in school classrooms across the European Union, the Court of Human Rights has ruled. The decision overturned a previous ruling that the crucifix could breach the rights of non-Catholic pupils.
Immutable: not capable of or susceptible to change
Crucifixes can be displayed in EU schools
Crucifixes can be displayed in school classrooms across the European Union, the Court of Human Rights has ruled. The decision overturned a previous ruling that the crucifix could breach the rights of non-Catholic pupils.
Immutable: not capable of or susceptible to change
Thursday, March 17, 2011
RESOURCE - Japanese Nuclear Power Plant status
Bloggers follow the news the MSM ignores
Hot Air blog is following the arraignment of two high-ranking members of the Michigan Democratic Party in a bogus tea party tea party scheme. The two are Oakland County Democratic Chair Mike McGuinness and Democratic Operations Director Jason Bauer.
MORE ON THE STORY
They are charged with fraudulently placing several candidates on the ballot without their participation which is illegal. In addition to the election fraud charges and forgery, Bauer is also charged with three counts of notary public violation. He allegedly notarized several of the fake candidate filings. The purpose of running false candidates is to pull votes from the opposition.
The grand jury returned the indictments after a three month investigation.
Both resigned in August after allegations arose. Several months ago, Bauer was suspended from the Oakland Democratic Party after it surfaced that he encouraged interns to write bogus "help me" letters from nonexistent residents in support of a medical program backed by a Democratic commissioner.
The prosecutor in the election fraud case. who is a Democrat, said a scheme was devised by a party leader in Lansing to put people on the ballot on the Tea Party ticket. That in itself isn't illegal.
"A [Detroit} Free Press investigation found that Bauer ultimately notarized petitions for a dozen tea party candidates statewide." (Citizen-Times is a USA Today publication)
Salon reports that McGuinness was a liberal blogger. They point to this announcement of his 2008 appointment as Chairman of the Oakland Democrat party where McGuinness is described as a 23-year-old progressive blogger who had worked on several campaigns. "Before that he was president of Oakland University’s 17,000-person student body. He resigned and left school during his second term as president to work for the Democratic Party."
The blog is at MichiganLiberal.com where McGuinness topped a Victory Together slate to lead young Democrats. While he ran as president, his vice president was an organizer with SEIU.
The BlogProf blogged in 2009 on a hit piece that ran in Detroit Free Press article that lambasted the Oakland County Executive who is a Republican. The article is here. You have to read to the very end of page 2 to see he was chairman of the Oakland Democrat party.
MORE ON THE STORY
They are charged with fraudulently placing several candidates on the ballot without their participation which is illegal. In addition to the election fraud charges and forgery, Bauer is also charged with three counts of notary public violation. He allegedly notarized several of the fake candidate filings. The purpose of running false candidates is to pull votes from the opposition.
The grand jury returned the indictments after a three month investigation.
Both resigned in August after allegations arose. Several months ago, Bauer was suspended from the Oakland Democratic Party after it surfaced that he encouraged interns to write bogus "help me" letters from nonexistent residents in support of a medical program backed by a Democratic commissioner.
The prosecutor in the election fraud case. who is a Democrat, said a scheme was devised by a party leader in Lansing to put people on the ballot on the Tea Party ticket. That in itself isn't illegal.
"A [Detroit} Free Press investigation found that Bauer ultimately notarized petitions for a dozen tea party candidates statewide." (Citizen-Times is a USA Today publication)
Salon reports that McGuinness was a liberal blogger. They point to this announcement of his 2008 appointment as Chairman of the Oakland Democrat party where McGuinness is described as a 23-year-old progressive blogger who had worked on several campaigns. "Before that he was president of Oakland University’s 17,000-person student body. He resigned and left school during his second term as president to work for the Democratic Party."
The blog is at MichiganLiberal.com where McGuinness topped a Victory Together slate to lead young Democrats. While he ran as president, his vice president was an organizer with SEIU.
The BlogProf blogged in 2009 on a hit piece that ran in Detroit Free Press article that lambasted the Oakland County Executive who is a Republican. The article is here. You have to read to the very end of page 2 to see he was chairman of the Oakland Democrat party.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Disgusted
Never have I been so ashamed of an administration as this one. In the midst of human tragedy in Japan where as many as 25,000 may be dead, hundreds of thousands - hundreds of thousands that include men and women and children - are homeless and lacking food or water and housing in winter temperatures, the Obama administration's indifference was bad enough. But indifference is the least of what they are doing. Now they are trying to actively undermine the efforts of the Japanese government's efforts to contain the crisis.
These are a few of the headlines.
From ABC News: "U.S. Officials Alarmed By Japanese Handling of Nuclear Crisis"
- One (unnamed official) is the source of the story.
- "They need to stop pulling out people—and step up with getting them back in the reactor to cool it."
Reuters: "U.S. urges citizens within 80 km of Japan plant leave"
- The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo issued the advice in a statement distributed to reporters accompanying Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a trip to Egypt.
New York Times: "U.S. Calls Radiation ‘Extremely High’ and Urges Deeper Caution in Japan"
- "The chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave a significantly bleaker appraisal of the threat..than the Japanese."
Associated Press: "US says plant's spent fuel rods dry; Japan says no"
- officials are also taking increasing criticism for poor communication about efforts at the complex.
- growing unease at the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency's who complain information is too slow
Politico: "WH's Carney To Tapper: "You Have Reporters In Japan"
- White House spokesman's dismissal of requests for information. Find out yourself.
CNBC: "Foreign bankers flee Tokyo as nuclear crisis deepens"
MEDIA EXCUSES OBAMA LACK OF LEADERSHIP. IT'S THE PUBLIC'S FAULT.
ABC News: "International Crises Put Obama in a Bind Subhead: With Jobs and Economy at the Top of Agenda, Public Hesitant to Engage Internationally"
To the administration and the media who adore him, it is politics, money and shameless indifference to human tragedy. To them, it's a damned game.
If this doesn't tell you anything, it should be -- SUBSCRIBE TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Here The online journal is $1.99 a week.
They have restricted themselves to telling the story.
These are a few of the headlines.
From ABC News: "U.S. Officials Alarmed By Japanese Handling of Nuclear Crisis"
- One (unnamed official) is the source of the story.
- "They need to stop pulling out people—and step up with getting them back in the reactor to cool it."
Reuters: "U.S. urges citizens within 80 km of Japan plant leave"
- The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo issued the advice in a statement distributed to reporters accompanying Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a trip to Egypt.
New York Times: "U.S. Calls Radiation ‘Extremely High’ and Urges Deeper Caution in Japan"
- "The chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave a significantly bleaker appraisal of the threat..than the Japanese."
Associated Press: "US says plant's spent fuel rods dry; Japan says no"
- officials are also taking increasing criticism for poor communication about efforts at the complex.
- growing unease at the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency's who complain information is too slow
Politico: "WH's Carney To Tapper: "You Have Reporters In Japan"
- White House spokesman's dismissal of requests for information. Find out yourself.
CNBC: "Foreign bankers flee Tokyo as nuclear crisis deepens"
IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication, spoke with 14 bankers from the bond syndicate and equities desks of Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, Deutsche BankOn Drudge: "ABCNEWS pulling out news team from Japan..." Then, a second later: "ABCNEWS moving news team to Osaka; Anchor Sawyer Returns to NYC..", Morgan Stanley, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch and BNP Paribas who had fled for the safety of Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul through the week or were trying to get out.
MEDIA EXCUSES OBAMA LACK OF LEADERSHIP. IT'S THE PUBLIC'S FAULT.
ABC News: "International Crises Put Obama in a Bind Subhead: With Jobs and Economy at the Top of Agenda, Public Hesitant to Engage Internationally"
To the administration and the media who adore him, it is politics, money and shameless indifference to human tragedy. To them, it's a damned game.
If this doesn't tell you anything, it should be -- SUBSCRIBE TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Here The online journal is $1.99 a week.
They have restricted themselves to telling the story.
TODAY in the news
We should care because????
Fomenting revolution in a country run by a lunatic dictator, they ought to expect this. AP: "4 New York Times journalists missing in Libya" A Guardian journalist was captured and released, but the Guardian has some Muslim friends and they've been verrrrry sympathetic to them. It is interesting to note that the Libyan "protesters" are now referred to as "rebels" in most MSM newspapers.
UPDATE: The New York Times is hoping that their journalists are with the Libyan government.
What you can't legally outlaw, you harass.
DEA seizes death penalty drugs in Atlanta. (On defense lawyer assertion the drug was imported illegally.)
Do what Texas has done. Switch to pentobarbital.
Utah Governor signs immigration law
The law law requires police to check the immigration status of people stopped for felonies. (Reuters) The LDS Church sent the presiding bishop to the signing ceremony, much to the frothing indignation of the Salt Lake City Tribune writer.
Fact Check: Actually, the governor signed four immigration bills today, including three migrant/immigrant worker provision laws. The reporter, however, focused on the law enforcement aspect and the so-called politicalization of the Mormon church while ignoring the fact that a representative of the Catholic Church was also attending.
The law provides that only after an officer has charged someone with another crime and their identification cannot be verified, can law enforcement officials check the immigration status of an individual.
More truthful was this found at the Seattle Times, a AP story summed it up.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that because of 123 incidents (with 9 injuries) on pogo sticks, they ordered a recall of 169,000 pogo sticks. The pogo sticks were made in China. The manufacturer is Bravo Sports, of Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
Fomenting revolution in a country run by a lunatic dictator, they ought to expect this. AP: "4 New York Times journalists missing in Libya" A Guardian journalist was captured and released, but the Guardian has some Muslim friends and they've been verrrrry sympathetic to them. It is interesting to note that the Libyan "protesters" are now referred to as "rebels" in most MSM newspapers.
UPDATE: The New York Times is hoping that their journalists are with the Libyan government.
What you can't legally outlaw, you harass.
DEA seizes death penalty drugs in Atlanta. (On defense lawyer assertion the drug was imported illegally.)
Do what Texas has done. Switch to pentobarbital.
Utah Governor signs immigration law
The law law requires police to check the immigration status of people stopped for felonies. (Reuters) The LDS Church sent the presiding bishop to the signing ceremony, much to the frothing indignation of the Salt Lake City Tribune writer.
Fact Check: Actually, the governor signed four immigration bills today, including three migrant/immigrant worker provision laws. The reporter, however, focused on the law enforcement aspect and the so-called politicalization of the Mormon church while ignoring the fact that a representative of the Catholic Church was also attending.
The law provides that only after an officer has charged someone with another crime and their identification cannot be verified, can law enforcement officials check the immigration status of an individual.
More truthful was this found at the Seattle Times, a AP story summed it up.
Unlike Arizona, which passed a controversial law last year focused exclusively on enforcement, Utah has recognized the need for immigrant workers and their benefits to the economy.Who didn't contribute sufficiently to the administration?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that because of 123 incidents (with 9 injuries) on pogo sticks, they ordered a recall of 169,000 pogo sticks. The pogo sticks were made in China. The manufacturer is Bravo Sports, of Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
Unfunded Teacher Pensions - California
UNFUNDED PENSIONS
March 16, 2011 - Editorial: CalSTRS needs to be candid with teachers (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Why pension funds consistently overstate their expected their rate of return on investments.
Calpers Committee Holds Assumed Return Rate at 7.75% (Wall Street Journal, Mar 16, 2010)
Money Quote: "Pension plans considering the adoption of a more-conservative annual rate of return are faced with having to shift a greater financial burden on to public employers, since typically contributions from employees legally can't be changed."
Bottom line: Not gonna happen in this economic climate.
EXCELLENT RESOURCE: Pension Tsunami, a Project of the California Public Policy Center and their,
EXCELLENT DATABASE: CalSTRS $100,000 Pension Club database
Obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
You don't need to know the employee name. Select either the employer or the community.
TIP: Be sure to look lower right for monthly totals and yearly totals for the employer or city.
TIP: Check out the CalPERS and UC databases as well.
March 16, 2011 - Editorial: CalSTRS needs to be candid with teachers (San Diego Union-Tribune)
CalSTRS’ [California State Teachers’ Retirement System] own actuaries say that to put pension reserves on solid ground, total payments made by teachers, school districts and the state need to be increased by a staggering 77 percent.From Wikipedia: CalSTRS provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits for California's 847,833 prekindergarten through community college educators and their families
Why pension funds consistently overstate their expected their rate of return on investments.
Calpers Committee Holds Assumed Return Rate at 7.75% (Wall Street Journal, Mar 16, 2010)
Money Quote: "Pension plans considering the adoption of a more-conservative annual rate of return are faced with having to shift a greater financial burden on to public employers, since typically contributions from employees legally can't be changed."
Bottom line: Not gonna happen in this economic climate.
EXCELLENT RESOURCE: Pension Tsunami, a Project of the California Public Policy Center and their,
EXCELLENT DATABASE: CalSTRS $100,000 Pension Club database
Obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
You don't need to know the employee name. Select either the employer or the community.
TIP: Be sure to look lower right for monthly totals and yearly totals for the employer or city.
TIP: Check out the CalPERS and UC databases as well.
How come the Boston papers have more on this than the LA Times?
Christian Gerhartsreiter, alias Clark Rockerfeller indicted in San Marino murder in 1985 
March 16, 2011 - Longtime suspect charged in 1985 San Marino killing
It should be an interesting prosecution since everything but parts of the skull were incinerated in 1998, according the the Los Angeles Coroner.
March 15 - “Clark Rockefeller” Charged With 1985 CA Murder (CBS Boston)
March 15 - Prosecutor: Gerhartsreiter Used 'Blunt Object' In Killing (WCVB Boston)
Long list of links to prior stories.
Wikipedia entry for Christian Gerhartsreiter
Large amount of accumulated information.
It should be an interesting prosecution since everything but parts of the skull were incinerated in 1998, according the the Los Angeles Coroner.
March 15 - “Clark Rockefeller” Charged With 1985 CA Murder (CBS Boston)
March 15 - Prosecutor: Gerhartsreiter Used 'Blunt Object' In Killing (WCVB Boston)
Long list of links to prior stories.
Wikipedia entry for Christian Gerhartsreiter
Large amount of accumulated information.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
EDUCATION REFORM - Tennessee
Union protesters in Tennessee arrested.
Protesters stood up during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today and began chants about what they called "union busting" by the state Legislature. Most left after 30 minutes. Most were identified by WKRN as members of the American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees. Seven refused to move. The seven were identified as six members of the University of Memphis’ Progressive Students Alliance and Ash-Lee Henderson, an advocate with Chattanooga Organized for Action. (Names here.)
They were protesting a HB 0130, a bill that would abolish teachers' unions ability to negotiate working conditions with local boards of education. They became irate and outspoken when it became apparent the bill wasn't going to be heard.
A Senate passed a companion bill SB0113 by a vote pf 6 to 3.
The full Senate is scheduled to vote on its version of the bill on Thursday.
According to Education Week, as a result of the 2010 elections, Indiana and Tennessee both switched to GOP-dominated legislative and executive branches." Both have bills pending to curb collective bargaining on anything other than wages.
BAD NEWS FOR ONE TEACHER IN TENNESSEE
The Tennessee Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of Pamela Turner who in 2005 pleaded no contest to sexual battery for having sex with a 13-year-old boy. Initially sentenced to 8 years of probation, she violated the conditions of her parole by sending nude photographs of herself to him and contacting him. In 2006, a judge ordered her to serve the eight years in prison. The decision means she is likely to remain in prison for the rest of her sentence. Which means 2014.
Good News for Bad Teachers as their revocations are not easily tracked
For an idea of how many teachers in the state were arrested or charged or sentenced for sex with students, scroll through the list on Bad Bad Teachers website.
It is hard to track teacher misconduct cases because newspapers don't follow the cases. The Department of Education doesn't make it easy to find out about the teacher either. Educator Licensure Search site is useful if you know the teacher's name but the public can not access information about those teachers under review. The Tennessee Board of Education minutes shows teacher suspensions and revocations but not the reasons. There is no database of the disciplinary actions. TRANSPARENCY INDEX = 2 out of 10
Protesters stood up during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today and began chants about what they called "union busting" by the state Legislature. Most left after 30 minutes. Most were identified by WKRN as members of the American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees. Seven refused to move. The seven were identified as six members of the University of Memphis’ Progressive Students Alliance and Ash-Lee Henderson, an advocate with Chattanooga Organized for Action. (Names here.)
They were protesting a HB 0130, a bill that would abolish teachers' unions ability to negotiate working conditions with local boards of education. They became irate and outspoken when it became apparent the bill wasn't going to be heard.
A Senate passed a companion bill SB0113 by a vote pf 6 to 3.
The full Senate is scheduled to vote on its version of the bill on Thursday.
According to Education Week, as a result of the 2010 elections, Indiana and Tennessee both switched to GOP-dominated legislative and executive branches." Both have bills pending to curb collective bargaining on anything other than wages.
BAD NEWS FOR ONE TEACHER IN TENNESSEE
The Tennessee Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of Pamela Turner who in 2005 pleaded no contest to sexual battery for having sex with a 13-year-old boy. Initially sentenced to 8 years of probation, she violated the conditions of her parole by sending nude photographs of herself to him and contacting him. In 2006, a judge ordered her to serve the eight years in prison. The decision means she is likely to remain in prison for the rest of her sentence. Which means 2014.
Good News for Bad Teachers as their revocations are not easily tracked
For an idea of how many teachers in the state were arrested or charged or sentenced for sex with students, scroll through the list on Bad Bad Teachers website.
It is hard to track teacher misconduct cases because newspapers don't follow the cases. The Department of Education doesn't make it easy to find out about the teacher either. Educator Licensure Search site is useful if you know the teacher's name but the public can not access information about those teachers under review. The Tennessee Board of Education minutes shows teacher suspensions and revocations but not the reasons. There is no database of the disciplinary actions. TRANSPARENCY INDEX = 2 out of 10
Monday, March 14, 2011
Pensions
Pensions in Florida are spectacular - if you are a judge or an elected official.
Their point is, that it isn't teacher pensions who are breaking the bank.
That's one side of the story. However, what a few judges and elected officials take away in pensions dwarfs what teachers make when you add them all up. The Manhattan Institute looked at pensions for teachers and found that Florida teachers, like teachers in New Hampshire and in Arizona, are included in statewide public-employee pension plans. They estimated that 45 percent of state pension liabilities were accrued on behalf of teachers.
Their point is, that it isn't teacher pensions who are breaking the bank.
That's one side of the story. However, what a few judges and elected officials take away in pensions dwarfs what teachers make when you add them all up. The Manhattan Institute looked at pensions for teachers and found that Florida teachers, like teachers in New Hampshire and in Arizona, are included in statewide public-employee pension plans. They estimated that 45 percent of state pension liabilities were accrued on behalf of teachers.
Videos of the tsunami
Astounding new amateur videos of the Japanese earthquake and the tsunami. here
In the News Today
Unshackled by the U.S. State Department, maybe? Well, that would be my guess.
It took an Indian naval ship to free the hijacked boat, the Mozambique-flagged Vega 5. Pirates had captured it in December last year and had since used it as a base for attacks on other ships.
Political Correctness Strikes Again
Midsomer Murders creator was suspended for political incorrectness.
In the 14th season, Nettles has been replaced by Neil Dudgeon, who plays Tom Barnaby's cousin DCI John Barnaby.
Stunning picture of the reactors that have been damaged.
From the Daily Mail (UK). These pictures put the news stories in perspective.
Why we don't want socialized medicine.
Parents wanted the Ontario (Canada) hospital to allow a tracheotomy to be performed on their 13-month old baby in order for them to take him home. He is suffering from a fatal congenital disease that had earlier killed another child. They wanted him to be in comfort while he died. Doctors "refused to do the surgery, saying it was an invasive procedure designed for patients with a prospect of surviving." They highhandedly gave the parents four days to consent. The parents refused. A Canadian Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the Canadian hospital, ordering life support removed. An independent Ontario tribunal, the Consent and Capacity Board, agreed with the hospital.
Today, the baby, accompanied by his father, was airlifted to Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Centre in St. Louis, Mo. The New York group Priests for Life is footing Joseph's entire U.S. medical bill, family accommodations, and costs for the medically supervised private flight from London to Missouri.
They have raised $150,000 (U.S.) to cover the costs.
The Canadian media viewpoint is best illustrated by this quote from an article about the transfer.
It took an Indian naval ship to free the hijacked boat, the Mozambique-flagged Vega 5. Pirates had captured it in December last year and had since used it as a base for attacks on other ships.
Political Correctness Strikes Again
Midsomer Murders creator was suspended for political incorrectness.
In the 14th season, Nettles has been replaced by Neil Dudgeon, who plays Tom Barnaby's cousin DCI John Barnaby.
Stunning picture of the reactors that have been damaged.
From the Daily Mail (UK). These pictures put the news stories in perspective.
Why we don't want socialized medicine.
Parents wanted the Ontario (Canada) hospital to allow a tracheotomy to be performed on their 13-month old baby in order for them to take him home. He is suffering from a fatal congenital disease that had earlier killed another child. They wanted him to be in comfort while he died. Doctors "refused to do the surgery, saying it was an invasive procedure designed for patients with a prospect of surviving." They highhandedly gave the parents four days to consent. The parents refused. A Canadian Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the Canadian hospital, ordering life support removed. An independent Ontario tribunal, the Consent and Capacity Board, agreed with the hospital.
Today, the baby, accompanied by his father, was airlifted to Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Centre in St. Louis, Mo. The New York group Priests for Life is footing Joseph's entire U.S. medical bill, family accommodations, and costs for the medically supervised private flight from London to Missouri.
They have raised $150,000 (U.S.) to cover the costs.
The Canadian media viewpoint is best illustrated by this quote from an article about the transfer.
However, with news that the child was in hospital south of the border came a continuing wave of commentary from outspoken anti-euthanasia advocates —an especially strong political force in the U.S. — including a foundation named after Terri Schiavo, which lauded the baby's "rescue" from Canada.The parents know the child is going to die. They just don't want bureaucrats pulling the plug as if he was an abandoned refrigerator.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Being a teacher is lucrative, too. Well, maybe just their unions.
In Canada, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is looking to sell their 66 percent stake in the Toronto Maple Leafs.
I wonder if they ever got back the $130 million they "invested" in a 7 percent stake in Enron's retail energy business? (pg 138, Power Failure, the Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron written by Mimi Schwartz with Sherron Watkins.) Reported by Los Angeles Times Jan 7, 1998.
I wonder if they ever got back the $130 million they "invested" in a 7 percent stake in Enron's retail energy business? (pg 138, Power Failure, the Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron written by Mimi Schwartz with Sherron Watkins.) Reported by Los Angeles Times Jan 7, 1998.
This doesn't sound good
Some facts gleaned from this March 13 Kyodo News story: "Water injected into troubled nuclear power plant to avert disaster"
Tokai- "cooling system pump stopped operating at Tokai No. 2 Power Station, a nuclear power plant, in the village of Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture."
Lots of information in Time Magazine: "Japan's Nuclear Emergency: How to Stop a Meltdown" including this: "unit 1 was reportedly scheduled to be retired later this month" and why that may affect how fast the rods cool down.
PERSONAL VIEW : I agree with Instapundit and the Sundries Shack and other bloggers that there isn't enough information to go on to get any perspective. (And, I might add, honest people without agendas on the MSM rolodexes.)
One thing we can know. Watching CNN go hysterical, it is beginning to sound like their Katrina Coverage all over again. Whatever the outcome, their lead story will be "disaster" or "disaster averted," not, "THE TRIUMPH OF DEDICATED HUMAN BEINGS WORKING HARD TO OVERCOME VERY BAD ODDS"
Or, a simple, human blessing, "God be with you, Japan".
- There are two plants at Fukushima that are 11 kilometers apart.
- The explosion on Saturday was at the No.1 plant.
- The blast occurred as vapor from the container turned into hydrogen and mixed with oxygen outside.
- The explosion blew away the roof and part of the walls of reactor's container.
- The plant's No. 1 reactor core partially melted Saturday.
- They are pouring in boric acid to prevent an occurrence of criticality.
- The core of the No. 3 reactor at the No. 1 plant may have been deformed due to overheating.
- The core of the No. 3 reactor has also partially melted.
- In No. 3, the tops of MOX fuel rods were 3 meters above the water inside before they began injecting fresh water into the core vessel.
- The reactor will have to be dismantled because of the use of seawater.
- The No. 3 reactor is the sixth reactor overall to experience cooling failure.
Tokai- "cooling system pump stopped operating at Tokai No. 2 Power Station, a nuclear power plant, in the village of Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture."
Lots of information in Time Magazine: "Japan's Nuclear Emergency: How to Stop a Meltdown" including this: "unit 1 was reportedly scheduled to be retired later this month" and why that may affect how fast the rods cool down.
PERSONAL VIEW : I agree with Instapundit and the Sundries Shack and other bloggers that there isn't enough information to go on to get any perspective. (And, I might add, honest people without agendas on the MSM rolodexes.)
One thing we can know. Watching CNN go hysterical, it is beginning to sound like their Katrina Coverage all over again. Whatever the outcome, their lead story will be "disaster" or "disaster averted," not, "THE TRIUMPH OF DEDICATED HUMAN BEINGS WORKING HARD TO OVERCOME VERY BAD ODDS"
Or, a simple, human blessing, "God be with you, Japan".
And he met Joe Biden
The Feds know where some of those guns in Mexico are coming from
They suspect Columbus (NM) Mayor Eddie Espinoza, town Trustee Blas Gutierrez and his wife, Columbus Police Chief Angelo Vega, and eight others of firearms and smuggling charges in a 84-count indictment. Indictment PDF 26 pages
Apparently, Vega was a Lincoln County deputy sheriff and was indicted on charges of extortion and intimidating a witness. A plea agreement reduced those charges to a misdemeanor, and Vega was placed on probation.
In a June 2009 Los Angeles Times story about corruption across the border, there was an accompanying picture of Eddie Espinoza and caption that said that "since his election, Espinoza has been at odds with much of the town and six police chiefs who have either resigned or been fired. Now, there's not a single local cop in town."
October 2009, Vice President Joe Biden invited Hispanic elected officials, Democrats as well as Republicans from around the country to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Week.
March 11, 2011 - ABC-owned kvia story, "Columbus, NM Raid: Firearm Sale Oversight" reports that "At least 12 of those firearms have been traced back to the defendants from Mexico, according to the U.S. attorney's office."
They suspect Columbus (NM) Mayor Eddie Espinoza, town Trustee Blas Gutierrez and his wife, Columbus Police Chief Angelo Vega, and eight others of firearms and smuggling charges in a 84-count indictment. Indictment PDF 26 pages
Apparently, Vega was a Lincoln County deputy sheriff and was indicted on charges of extortion and intimidating a witness. A plea agreement reduced those charges to a misdemeanor, and Vega was placed on probation.
In a June 2009 Los Angeles Times story about corruption across the border, there was an accompanying picture of Eddie Espinoza and caption that said that "since his election, Espinoza has been at odds with much of the town and six police chiefs who have either resigned or been fired. Now, there's not a single local cop in town."
October 2009, Vice President Joe Biden invited Hispanic elected officials, Democrats as well as Republicans from around the country to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Week.
In attendance, among others, was the Governor of Puerto Rico, a Congressman from El Paso and the Honorable Eddie Espinoza, Mayor of the Village of Columbus, New Mexico.Sweet isn't it?
“The magic of the reception was that even though we certainly didn’t all share the same political views, we do share a heritage and a culture and connected with one another on those levels.” Costa said she and Mayor Espinoza discovered they were equally proud of their country, patriotic and both have sons in the military.
“When Mayor Espinoza told me his son was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, I said, ‘Send him down for a home-cooked meal!’ What an opportunity to show the hospitality of Highland Village!” She went on to say, “I was able to share with the Vice President how we are the safest city in Texas and very proactive about transportation alternatives. Mayor Costa is known locally more for her leadership role in Highland Village and Denton County than for her Hispanic heritage. However, “the influx of Latinos, from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and elsewhere into Highland Village and neighboring cities in the last five years has stirred my pride as an American Latina,” says Costa.
March 11, 2011 - ABC-owned kvia story, "Columbus, NM Raid: Firearm Sale Oversight" reports that "At least 12 of those firearms have been traced back to the defendants from Mexico, according to the U.S. attorney's office."
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Your Tax Dollars
Deadbeat President
The city of Springfield (IL) is seeking $55,457 the city ran up for police when the then-candidate Obama visited in 2008 to announce his running mate. They sent the bill before.
LIGHT BULB HYPOCRITE Cue Grover to sing: It's so lucrative being green!!!!
From the Daily Mail (UK): EU's Mr Lightbulb does bit to save energy by leaving on the lamps outside his luxury home day and night for weeks on end
And he got damned rich being a hypocrite. "Mr Piebalgs, 53, earned £1.4 million in salary and perks as the EU Energy Commissioner during his six-year tenure in the job which ended last year as he became EU Development Commissioner." He never made that much when he was a communist and was Director of Education in Latvia.
The city of Springfield (IL) is seeking $55,457 the city ran up for police when the then-candidate Obama visited in 2008 to announce his running mate. They sent the bill before.
LIGHT BULB HYPOCRITE Cue Grover to sing: It's so lucrative being green!!!!
From the Daily Mail (UK): EU's Mr Lightbulb does bit to save energy by leaving on the lamps outside his luxury home day and night for weeks on end
And he got damned rich being a hypocrite. "Mr Piebalgs, 53, earned £1.4 million in salary and perks as the EU Energy Commissioner during his six-year tenure in the job which ended last year as he became EU Development Commissioner." He never made that much when he was a communist and was Director of Education in Latvia.
Nevada Alleged Corruption
FOLLOW UP on Rory Reid PAC contributions.
Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller on Friday formally requested financial documents from the son of Harry Reid (D-NV) Rory Reid in a probe of potential campaign finance violations.
Following up blog entry.
Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller on Friday formally requested financial documents from the son of Harry Reid (D-NV) Rory Reid in a probe of potential campaign finance violations.
Following up blog entry.
Your Tax Dollars
Cue Grover to start singing, "It's very lucrative being green."
Chicagoland (March 11, 2011) Headline: "Waste agency director charged with stealing $1 million". Cook County State's Attorney Press Release. In addition, he moonlighted as a consultant for other communities.
California (March 6, 2006) Two Californians Arrested for Recycling Fraud for using their recycling center to falsely redeem more than $6 million worth of ineligible cans and bottles.
Other CRV frauds from ConsumerAffairs.com
The penalties might not be all that alarming.
(March 4, 2011)
A plea bargain saw most fraud charges against a recycling facility dropped
The company allegedly hauled in an estimated 4.4 million pounds of aluminum cans from Arizona, then illegally claimed reimbursement for the loads from California. It cost the state millions.
REPUBLICANS IN COLORADO "killed a bottle bill championed by school children"
(Feb 24, 2011) Despite "children from two schools [who]testified" Republicans killed the bottle bill. The Republicans acted "under fears of fraud and hidden costs fueled in part by a Seinfeld episode."
File under "Oops, My bad."
He "inadvertently spent $20 million"
Illinois (March 11) The DuPage Water Commission got payback of loans made ten years ago. They needed the payback because - CHECK THIS WORDING OUT - the Commmision has "been plagued by financial woes ever since former financial administrator Max Richter inadvertently spent down nearly all of the agency's $20 million in reserves in late 2009. In 2009 the paper called it a "budget snafu" and "a lapse in money management."
Chicagoland (March 11, 2011) Headline: "Waste agency director charged with stealing $1 million". Cook County State's Attorney Press Release. In addition, he moonlighted as a consultant for other communities.
California (March 6, 2006) Two Californians Arrested for Recycling Fraud for using their recycling center to falsely redeem more than $6 million worth of ineligible cans and bottles.
Other CRV frauds from ConsumerAffairs.com
The penalties might not be all that alarming.
(March 4, 2011)
A plea bargain saw most fraud charges against a recycling facility dropped
The company allegedly hauled in an estimated 4.4 million pounds of aluminum cans from Arizona, then illegally claimed reimbursement for the loads from California. It cost the state millions.
REPUBLICANS IN COLORADO "killed a bottle bill championed by school children"
(Feb 24, 2011) Despite "children from two schools [who]testified" Republicans killed the bottle bill. The Republicans acted "under fears of fraud and hidden costs fueled in part by a Seinfeld episode."
File under "Oops, My bad."
He "inadvertently spent $20 million"
Illinois (March 11) The DuPage Water Commission got payback of loans made ten years ago. They needed the payback because - CHECK THIS WORDING OUT - the Commmision has "been plagued by financial woes ever since former financial administrator Max Richter inadvertently spent down nearly all of the agency's $20 million in reserves in late 2009. In 2009 the paper called it a "budget snafu" and "a lapse in money management."
Sharp Reading
Toby Harnden is the Daily Telegraph's US Editor, based in Washington DC. In addition to his news stories, he has a blog at the Telegraph where he offers some pungent observations.
Today: "American Way: Barack Obama, America's first NPR president"
Yesterday: "Peter King and Keith Ellison: Hypocrisy and fake tears on Capitol Hill"
MY VIEW: I graded Ellison's performance. (And I always found Peter King distasteful for his support of the IRA but I refer you to the article below.)
Feb 15, 2011 - "Mitch Daniels: a serious man for serious times"
MY VIEW: It is interesting to note that in his own view Churchill's cooperation with communist Russia during WWII despite his lifelong hatred of communism was not hypocrisy because...
All Harden's posts are archived here.
James Delingpole is another Telegraph blogger who produces gems like this one:
March 9, 2011 he wrote "Aussie sceptics destroy EU carbon commissioner"
Today: "American Way: Barack Obama, America's first NPR president"
Yesterday: "Peter King and Keith Ellison: Hypocrisy and fake tears on Capitol Hill"
MY VIEW: I graded Ellison's performance. (And I always found Peter King distasteful for his support of the IRA but I refer you to the article below.)
Feb 15, 2011 - "Mitch Daniels: a serious man for serious times"
MY VIEW: It is interesting to note that in his own view Churchill's cooperation with communist Russia during WWII despite his lifelong hatred of communism was not hypocrisy because...
All Harden's posts are archived here.
James Delingpole is another Telegraph blogger who produces gems like this one:
March 9, 2011 he wrote "Aussie sceptics destroy EU carbon commissioner"
The Other Meltdown -- in the Euro Zone
While we are transfixed by troubles with three nuclear power reactors in Japan, there's another crisis growing. In the Euro-zone.
The Euro-Zone consists of those countries in the European Union who share a common currency - the Euro. (Wiki map of the Euro-zone.) Green represents the countries who are obliged to join the Euro but haven't yet. The real eyeopener, however, is the relationship of government debt to their GDP. Wiki table. (Click on the last column to sort by percentage.) It is visually illustrated by in this EuroStat graph. And this map based on the same data.
The real problem becomes clear. The debt vs. GDP ratio of the Euro-Zone area as a whole is worse than Spain or Portugal. Sorted by descending order graph. The panic is compounded by who all that debt is owed to -- other EU countries.
Australian comedians John Clarke and Bryan Dawe illustrate the problem in this spoof quiz show video. Transcript
The Euro-Zone consists of those countries in the European Union who share a common currency - the Euro. (Wiki map of the Euro-zone.) Green represents the countries who are obliged to join the Euro but haven't yet. The real eyeopener, however, is the relationship of government debt to their GDP. Wiki table. (Click on the last column to sort by percentage.) It is visually illustrated by in this EuroStat graph. And this map based on the same data.
The real problem becomes clear. The debt vs. GDP ratio of the Euro-Zone area as a whole is worse than Spain or Portugal. Sorted by descending order graph. The panic is compounded by who all that debt is owed to -- other EU countries.
Australian comedians John Clarke and Bryan Dawe illustrate the problem in this spoof quiz show video. Transcript
Someone will remember what you may want to forget
Persistent information essay by Phil Bowermaster at Transparency Revolution on how "with writing, information became persistent."
Read the whole thing. Very thoughtful.
One of the greatest achievements in human history, perhaps the greatest, is the development of tools to make information persistent. Imagine the world before the invention of writing: knowledge could only be stored in living human brains. It took years and years to build up a viable collection of information in any one mind, and it could all be lost in a moment.The URL tells you where the essay is headed. At one time you could outrun your past. Now the eraser is gone.
Read the whole thing. Very thoughtful.
PolitiFact Bias
Legal Insurrection blogger William Jacobsen has written before about the St. Petersburg Times' PolitiFact bias. He has more.
MY VIEW: You can judge for yourself at PolitiFact. Having visited Wisconsin newspapers in the last month, I see the "Truth-0-meter" often. In that newspaper an in others where I have encountered it, the quick "Facts" often turn out to be nothing more than cover for the subscribing newspaper to flog to try to convince their readers without the inconvenience of having to defend or the cost of having investigate the issue themselves.
But, as in all things, make up your own mind.
The St. Petersburg Times also runs the Poynter Institute to "train" journalists.
MY VIEW: You can judge for yourself at PolitiFact. Having visited Wisconsin newspapers in the last month, I see the "Truth-0-meter" often. In that newspaper an in others where I have encountered it, the quick "Facts" often turn out to be nothing more than cover for the subscribing newspaper to flog to try to convince their readers without the inconvenience of having to defend or the cost of having investigate the issue themselves.
But, as in all things, make up your own mind.
The St. Petersburg Times also runs the Poynter Institute to "train" journalists.
Friday, March 11, 2011
On a scale of 1 to 10, it was a 1.
National Review's Matthew Shaeffer's blog post on the Rep. Keith Ellison’s testimony crocodile tears during Peter King's hearing on Islamist radicalization. [He didn't say crocodile tears but that was my impression.]
Audio of Ellison at the site.
MY VIEW: To be honest, watching the hearings on CSPAN my very first thought was that Ellison was not there to educate the CSPAN audience of the facts so much as convince Muslims of his sincerity. It was more of an audition. It didn't work out very well because he got his facts screwed up. But beyond that, his performance was simply not very believable. It was like watching Rodney ("Can't we all get along?) King. The shifty eyes and refusal to make eye contact and the painfully obvious, desperate effort to look both humble and serious. There was a touch of Louis Farrakhan, too, minus the batting eyelashes and hand splayed across his chest. And the mute thug guards surrounding him. But that would have been too revealing.
I guess even the people who pay the shot expect some performance on cue. They'll be grading him. We'll know how he did in a week or two if he starts sporting bowties.
Audio of Ellison at the site.
MY VIEW: To be honest, watching the hearings on CSPAN my very first thought was that Ellison was not there to educate the CSPAN audience of the facts so much as convince Muslims of his sincerity. It was more of an audition. It didn't work out very well because he got his facts screwed up. But beyond that, his performance was simply not very believable. It was like watching Rodney ("Can't we all get along?) King. The shifty eyes and refusal to make eye contact and the painfully obvious, desperate effort to look both humble and serious. There was a touch of Louis Farrakhan, too, minus the batting eyelashes and hand splayed across his chest. And the mute thug guards surrounding him. But that would have been too revealing.
I guess even the people who pay the shot expect some performance on cue. They'll be grading him. We'll know how he did in a week or two if he starts sporting bowties.
Compton Representative. What do you expect?
Politico wonders if Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Ca) from Long Beach is under an investigation that appears linked to the resignation of a staffer.
Last fall the House opened an investigation on her use of staff in her campaign. At that time the Wave, a Los Angeles community paper reported that she had the highest turnover of staff in the House. And they refer to the "widely circulated" rumor of her management style when she was on the Long Beach City Council. There were other controversies and highhandedness. The deadbeat congresswoman made the Most Corrupt List two years running.
It's not the first House ethics committee to investigate her. In 2009 they investigated her on on charges revolving around her foreclosed Sacramento home. Richardson was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Last fall the House opened an investigation on her use of staff in her campaign. At that time the Wave, a Los Angeles community paper reported that she had the highest turnover of staff in the House. And they refer to the "widely circulated" rumor of her management style when she was on the Long Beach City Council. There were other controversies and highhandedness. The deadbeat congresswoman made the Most Corrupt List two years running.
It's not the first House ethics committee to investigate her. In 2009 they investigated her on on charges revolving around her foreclosed Sacramento home. Richardson was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
TODAY in the news
Boy, am glad I changed to Yahoo for my searches.
That the Marxist-loving useful idiots are in the death pools for the next five years is something a lot of us cheerfully contemplate. The harm they have done to millions that have died or endured the insanity of Pol Pot and Robert Mugabe and the insane wars in Africa that sent millions of people on a fruitless search for refuge ought to haunt the useful idiots for eternity. It won't. That's why they were such useful idiots. It's incompetence coupled with a lack of conscience.
I nominate them for the Walter Duranty award.
HUGE WHIRLPOOLS AFTER QUAKE
Daily Mail (UK) has some fantastic photos of the huge whirlpools that were the result of the earthquake.
If you believe this, you're even dumber than the people of Baltimore.
AFP headline: World's big cities set to become even more crowded.
Who the hell would lend money to Nigerian scammers?
Amazing photos of the Japanese earthquake aftermath. The scenes look like the end of the world.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has announced nominees for a new prize for people who changed the world, including Google founder Sergey Brin, U2 singer Bono and CNN founder Ted Turner.He's still a freeking, parasitic communist and a darling of academics worldwide who, themselves, never met a fellow Marxist they didn't love.
That the Marxist-loving useful idiots are in the death pools for the next five years is something a lot of us cheerfully contemplate. The harm they have done to millions that have died or endured the insanity of Pol Pot and Robert Mugabe and the insane wars in Africa that sent millions of people on a fruitless search for refuge ought to haunt the useful idiots for eternity. It won't. That's why they were such useful idiots. It's incompetence coupled with a lack of conscience.
I nominate them for the Walter Duranty award.
HUGE WHIRLPOOLS AFTER QUAKE
Daily Mail (UK) has some fantastic photos of the huge whirlpools that were the result of the earthquake.
If you believe this, you're even dumber than the people of Baltimore.
AFP headline: World's big cities set to become even more crowded.
The world's big cities are already bursting at the seams but are set to grow even larger, with experts predicting that some 70 per cent of the world's population will be urban by 2050.The event was an overhyped trade show for realtors held in Cannes. (Famous for those other rented-jewelry airheads in show business.
Who the hell would lend money to Nigerian scammers?
Amazing photos of the Japanese earthquake aftermath. The scenes look like the end of the world.
Hmmmm
From the National Legal and Policy Center: Chicago SEIU Local Leaders Probed for Terror (Dated 2/15/2011)
From Andrew Breitbart's Big Journalism blog, "Chicago media omit fact that fbi terror suspect is chief steward for SEIU"
From Andrew Breitbart's Big Journalism blog, "Chicago media omit fact that fbi terror suspect is chief steward for SEIU"
CORRUPTION in New York
You have to understand the mentality of New Yorkers who love nothing more than a scandal. Not because they are repulsed or morally offended but because it is entertaining gossip. The two are not the first NY Legislators who have been arrested in what the Albany Times-Union calls a "cottage industry" for prosecutors.
Today the Febs unsealed a 53-page Federal criminal indictment that charged Assemblyman William Boyland, Jr. (D-55) and State Senator Carl Kruger (D-27), both Brooklyn Democrats. Also arrested was well-know Manhattan-based lobbyist Richard Lipsky and five others. (read the complaint pdf)
They are just two New York legislators in the last three years who have been arrested, indicted or sentenced.
Today the Febs unsealed a 53-page Federal criminal indictment that charged Assemblyman William Boyland, Jr. (D-55) and State Senator Carl Kruger (D-27), both Brooklyn Democrats. Also arrested was well-know Manhattan-based lobbyist Richard Lipsky and five others. (read the complaint pdf)
They are just two New York legislators in the last three years who have been arrested, indicted or sentenced.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Rand Paul video
This is a link to Say Anything blog for a video of Rand Paul and Obama energy bureaucrat Kathleen Hogan.
He does a fantastic job.
BUMPED Originally posted at 11:25
He does a fantastic job.
BUMPED Originally posted at 11:25
DISINGENIOUS HEADLINE OF THE WEEK
From the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.
Assembly passes union measure 53-42 after bitter debate
What debate? They had three weeks to engage in debate. The three hour standoff today was tolerated by Republicans. Protesters had to be carried out of the Assembly before the Assemblymen could even enter to vote.
The paper is owned by Journal Communications. They carried a video about middle school students who walked out of their schools to protest. video External link
It reminds you of the hateful ideology in the Middle East that fuels parents to strap bombs and guns to their children. Do you really want to win an argument like that?
These people might. Others are absurd. video And "some black folks" talk back to liberals. video
Assembly passes union measure 53-42 after bitter debate
What debate? They had three weeks to engage in debate. The three hour standoff today was tolerated by Republicans. Protesters had to be carried out of the Assembly before the Assemblymen could even enter to vote.
The paper is owned by Journal Communications. They carried a video about middle school students who walked out of their schools to protest. video External link
It reminds you of the hateful ideology in the Middle East that fuels parents to strap bombs and guns to their children. Do you really want to win an argument like that?
These people might. Others are absurd. video And "some black folks" talk back to liberals. video
Census figures matter
And changes in the census mean, ah... well...
Madison, Wisconsin is in the news for more than childish protests.
The Census Bureau released the figures on Tuesday to cities and states across the country to help them plan ahead for redistricting. Some cities are not ecstatic.
MILWAUKEE, WI
City's population drops to WWII level (Wisconsin Journal Sentinel)
Washington, DC is thrilled that their population gains that put them past the 600,000 mark for the first time in two decades. The Washington Post hyped it as "a new milestone."
Except, a George Washington student newspaper reports that it was the census policy to count students at colleges for the first time.
For those who didn't want to participate, the student paper says, the university filled out the census forms.
VERIFIED: The count on campuses was new in 2010 and is borne out by this article from the Pew Research Council.
(Be sure to read the comments.)
The Census Bureau released the figures on Tuesday to cities and states across the country to help them plan ahead for redistricting. Some cities are not ecstatic.
MILWAUKEE, WI
City's population drops to WWII level (Wisconsin Journal Sentinel)
The city of Milwaukee's population has dropped to 594,833, its lowest level since the 1940s, according to figures for 2010 released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.WASHINGTON, DC
Census figures for 2000 showed the city's population at 596,974, but the city contested the figures and got them bumped up to a little more than 600,000.
Washington, DC is thrilled that their population gains that put them past the 600,000 mark for the first time in two decades. The Washington Post hyped it as "a new milestone."
Except, a George Washington student newspaper reports that it was the census policy to count students at colleges for the first time.
This is the first census where college students were explicitly told to fill out census forms in the city where they attend college, rather than their parents' houses. In the past, students may have been counted twice, or sometimes not at all, as it was unclear where they should claim residency.The District has seven major colleges and universities.
For those who didn't want to participate, the student paper says, the university filled out the census forms.
VERIFIED: The count on campuses was new in 2010 and is borne out by this article from the Pew Research Council.
(Be sure to read the comments.)
TODAY in the news
MAYBE NEWSWEEK WAS RIGHT. WE ARE A SOCIALIST NATION AFTER ALL.
From the Las Vegas Review-Journal: The road to serfdom is paved with government checks "
Business Daily responded to the TrimTabs Investment report in an Editorial: Is America Becoming A Welfare Nation?
From the Las Vegas Review-Journal: The road to serfdom is paved with government checks "
government handouts that include unemployment checks, Social Security, Medicare, etc., etc. are now 35 percent of all U.S. wages. This up from a mere 10 percent in 1960."In the U.K., it's 44 percent.
Business Daily responded to the TrimTabs Investment report in an Editorial: Is America Becoming A Welfare Nation?
Not because he's suddenly rational
Harry Reid (D-NV) told The Hill he’s ready to compromise on spending.
The reason was reported an hour earlier in The Hill:
"Spending plan vote backfires as Democrats suffer defections"
Eleven Senate Democrats voted against their own leadership’s proposal.
The GOP measure lost by a vote of 44 to 56, while the Democratic bill was rejected, 42-58.
The reason was reported an hour earlier in The Hill:
"Spending plan vote backfires as Democrats suffer defections"
Eleven Senate Democrats voted against their own leadership’s proposal.
The GOP measure lost by a vote of 44 to 56, while the Democratic bill was rejected, 42-58.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Growing Up
It's probably important to note that curbing the power of unions in Wisconsin to collectively bargain anything but wages is just the start of a battle between taxpayers and the Selfish Class.
Most of the Selfish Class have enjoyed extraordinary privileges in the last forty years. The salaries and benefits - and generous working conditions that dictated they work nine months a year and get extra money for every extracurricular activity - were not perks and privileges deserved by any recognized excellence or even competent performance. Shielded by their thuggish unions and poorly served by the universities and colleges that expected little by way of learning by their students or themselves, the Selfish Class anointed themselves with their belief in their own specialness, a vanity which shelters them from self-assessment and, hence, improvement. And maturity.
For decades parents have known their children enrolled in public schools had been ill-served. No better demonstration of who to blame than the union protests in Wisconsin.
At one time the protesters could get away with infantile street performance and tactics that only worked because they were anonymous, unidentifiable as university students who more than likely don't even pay taxes. Shielded by a media that is barely distinguishable from the Democrat party, the taxpayer was not privy to the antics and arrogance of the union officials or the composition of the easily-duped mob who perform on cue like some spoiled French socialists heeding the call to the streets.
No idealists, most of these students recognize that they are fighting foremost for themselves, for the government jobs they had counted on. Jobs with guaranteed job security few taxpayers enjoy. Government employees at the state and local level and teachers in Wisconsin and other states now have to worry about layoffs in a bad economy. Just as taxpayers do.
These protesters aren't fighting for their rights but to preserve their privileges.
It's time to grow up.
Most of the Selfish Class have enjoyed extraordinary privileges in the last forty years. The salaries and benefits - and generous working conditions that dictated they work nine months a year and get extra money for every extracurricular activity - were not perks and privileges deserved by any recognized excellence or even competent performance. Shielded by their thuggish unions and poorly served by the universities and colleges that expected little by way of learning by their students or themselves, the Selfish Class anointed themselves with their belief in their own specialness, a vanity which shelters them from self-assessment and, hence, improvement. And maturity.
For decades parents have known their children enrolled in public schools had been ill-served. No better demonstration of who to blame than the union protests in Wisconsin.
At one time the protesters could get away with infantile street performance and tactics that only worked because they were anonymous, unidentifiable as university students who more than likely don't even pay taxes. Shielded by a media that is barely distinguishable from the Democrat party, the taxpayer was not privy to the antics and arrogance of the union officials or the composition of the easily-duped mob who perform on cue like some spoiled French socialists heeding the call to the streets.
No idealists, most of these students recognize that they are fighting foremost for themselves, for the government jobs they had counted on. Jobs with guaranteed job security few taxpayers enjoy. Government employees at the state and local level and teachers in Wisconsin and other states now have to worry about layoffs in a bad economy. Just as taxpayers do.
These protesters aren't fighting for their rights but to preserve their privileges.
It's time to grow up.
Hmmmm
TOP STORY
WISCONSIN SENATE TO TAKE UP COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CHANGES WITHOUT DEMOCRATS
Vote expected tonight. "A hastily scheduled conference committee stripped out collective bargaining from Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill and sent it immediately to the Senate, which is expected to act on it tonight." By stripping the measure of the bill repair, it becomes a standalone measure that doesn't require 20 Senators to be present. UPDATE: Passed 18-1
Assembly to take it up at 11 am tomorrow.
The live feed was unintentionally hilarious when the Madison University student and union protesters in the capitol chanted, "The people united will never be defeated." Sounding like mindless useful idiots.
INTRIGUING HEADLINE: Georgia scientist pleads guilty to punching girl on ski slopes He's banned for life from Vail.
CONFESSION WILL BUM OUT THE ANTI-CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CROWD
Death row inmate confessed last week to killing Toledo merchant in 1994 robbery.
He insisted for 17 years that he was present but was not the man who pulled the trigger. Kasich had denied clemency request. He is scheduled to die at 10 a.m. Thursday.
PROPERTY TAXES FOR YOU AND ME, BUT NOT FOR...
The Denver Post reports on the agri-land tax breaks intended for struggling farmers.
Tom Cruise has a $18 million home in Colorado. He pays $400 a year in property taxes. Because sheep graze around the mansion - sometimes.
States are closing loopholes in their search for money.
FASCINATING
DNA leads Ohio cold-case team to 2nd serial case
"What we didn't expect to find," Bell says, "was another serial murderer."
THAT STORY THAT SAID watching women's breasts was healthy was a hoax.
WISCONSIN SENATE TO TAKE UP COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CHANGES WITHOUT DEMOCRATS
Vote expected tonight. "A hastily scheduled conference committee stripped out collective bargaining from Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill and sent it immediately to the Senate, which is expected to act on it tonight." By stripping the measure of the bill repair, it becomes a standalone measure that doesn't require 20 Senators to be present. UPDATE: Passed 18-1
Assembly to take it up at 11 am tomorrow.
The live feed was unintentionally hilarious when the Madison University student and union protesters in the capitol chanted, "The people united will never be defeated." Sounding like mindless useful idiots.
INTRIGUING HEADLINE: Georgia scientist pleads guilty to punching girl on ski slopes He's banned for life from Vail.
CONFESSION WILL BUM OUT THE ANTI-CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CROWD
Death row inmate confessed last week to killing Toledo merchant in 1994 robbery.
He insisted for 17 years that he was present but was not the man who pulled the trigger. Kasich had denied clemency request. He is scheduled to die at 10 a.m. Thursday.
PROPERTY TAXES FOR YOU AND ME, BUT NOT FOR...
The Denver Post reports on the agri-land tax breaks intended for struggling farmers.
Tom Cruise has a $18 million home in Colorado. He pays $400 a year in property taxes. Because sheep graze around the mansion - sometimes.
States are closing loopholes in their search for money.
FASCINATING
DNA leads Ohio cold-case team to 2nd serial case
"What we didn't expect to find," Bell says, "was another serial murderer."
THAT STORY THAT SAID watching women's breasts was healthy was a hoax.
UTAH EDUCATION REFORMS
prohibit layoffs by seniority and defines civics education
The House passed SB73 by a vote of 45-28 that would prohibit teacher layoffs by seniority. The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 19-6 on Friday. It is awaiting signature by the governor.
Both Houses of the Legislature have passed HB 220,the Civics Education Bill, that requires schools to teach the U.S. is a compound constitutional republic — not a democracy.
Both Houses of the Legislature have passed HB 220,the Civics Education Bill, that requires schools to teach the U.S. is a compound constitutional republic — not a democracy.
Let's keep the poet cowboy. The rest should go....
After a video sting by James O'Keefe, Ron Shiller, the president of the NPR Foundation resigned. A day later CEO Vivian Schiller (no relation) was ousted. Ms. Shiller, who previously was vice president and general manager for the New York Times's website, fired Juan Williams over the phone last year and suggested he have his head examined.
On the video, Ron Schiller offered harsh criticism of Republicans during a fundraising lunch with two men pretending to be wealthy donors from a fake Islamic organization. Although Libs and NBC pretend otherwise, it wasn't his criticism of the tea party and conservatives, but the fact he was drumming up money from questionable donors.
NPR site main page: Vivian Schiller, President And CEO Of NPR, Ousted leaves little doubt it was a voluntary resignation. Story
Michael Barone on "Why NPR should urge Congress to end its subsidy".
On the video, Ron Schiller offered harsh criticism of Republicans during a fundraising lunch with two men pretending to be wealthy donors from a fake Islamic organization. Although Libs and NBC pretend otherwise, it wasn't his criticism of the tea party and conservatives, but the fact he was drumming up money from questionable donors.
NPR site main page: Vivian Schiller, President And CEO Of NPR, Ousted leaves little doubt it was a voluntary resignation. Story
Michael Barone on "Why NPR should urge Congress to end its subsidy".
TODAY in the news
OBAMACARE WAIVERS HEADLINES
From the Hill: Maine gets first state waiver from healthcare law provision
HotAir headline: Great news: HHS adds 1,328,381 waivers to ObamaCare
Poster: "This smells an awful lot like a Maine Kick-Back, specifically designed to buy the votes of Snowe and Collins on any healthcare votes and the on-going budget battles."
Volokh: Similar requests are pending from Kentucky, Nevada and New Hampshire.
BEST READING OF THE DAY
Barbara Kay: The day Sarah Palin kneecapped feminism
EDITORIAL THAT MAKES SENSE
Editorial: Westboro's victory, in perspective (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Their Data Center index
Find property tax rates for Greater Cleveland (Commercial AND Residential)
A searchable database of towns, communities or school districts, with a breakdown of where the money goes, such as how much of each tax bill goes to the local schools, library, city, park district and other government bodies.
GOT TO LOVE ENTREPRENEURS
Walgreens is selling pharmacy benefits operations for $525 million to focus on their drugstore network which is the largest in the United States.
From the Hill: Maine gets first state waiver from healthcare law provision
HotAir headline: Great news: HHS adds 1,328,381 waivers to ObamaCare
Poster: "This smells an awful lot like a Maine Kick-Back, specifically designed to buy the votes of Snowe and Collins on any healthcare votes and the on-going budget battles."
Volokh: Similar requests are pending from Kentucky, Nevada and New Hampshire.
BEST READING OF THE DAY
Barbara Kay: The day Sarah Palin kneecapped feminism
The feminist revolution began as a necessary reform movement, but unfortunately evolved into a marxism-imbued, revolutionary one. Second-wave feminism’s focus soon shifted from women’s equal rights (which are limited to those defined by law) to women’s interests (which are limitless), as perceived through a victim’s lens.And it gets better. (National Post, Canada)
EDITORIAL THAT MAKES SENSE
Editorial: Westboro's victory, in perspective (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
America, Roberts wrote, must "protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate." That imperative permits Nazis to march in Skokie or Westboro to picket the funerals of fallen heroes. Free speech is sometimes ugly and abused. Neither diminishes its value.PUBLIC SERVICE BY THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
Their Data Center index
Find property tax rates for Greater Cleveland (Commercial AND Residential)
A searchable database of towns, communities or school districts, with a breakdown of where the money goes, such as how much of each tax bill goes to the local schools, library, city, park district and other government bodies.
GOT TO LOVE ENTREPRENEURS
Walgreens is selling pharmacy benefits operations for $525 million to focus on their drugstore network which is the largest in the United States.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Disgraced Republican's Legal Defense
Another politician accused of infidelity is flanked by his wife for the announcement. Ensign said that both God and his wife have forgiven him.
John Ensign (R-NV) is getting a lot of support for his legal defense from
Sometimes you wonder if these bobbing head women aren't actually smiling about the divorce settlement they are anticipating. Or maybe they really are robotic Stepford Wives. They make pitiful role models for young girls who probably should be taught Do Not Grow Up to be a Politician's Wife.
John Ensign (R-NV) is getting a lot of support for his legal defense from
two casino companies – Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts – and the one (Mandalay Resorts) his father used to run. Three members of Sheldon Adelson’s family, Steve Wynn and his fiancé, former Mandalay No. 2 man Bill Richardson and a Sands executive gave all but a few hundred dollars from October through November.John Ralston reports.
Sometimes you wonder if these bobbing head women aren't actually smiling about the divorce settlement they are anticipating. Or maybe they really are robotic Stepford Wives. They make pitiful role models for young girls who probably should be taught Do Not Grow Up to be a Politician's Wife.
Browsing the News
SERIAL KILLER SENTENCED IN OHIO. I was going to suggest that they just turn off his oxygen. Turns out it was an old photo.
List of individuals executed since 1976. Wikipedia
DO BLOGGER HAVE HEADLINES LIKE THIS?
Democrats vow ballot challenge to Ohio union bill When did you ever hear the word "vow" in a sentence?
LOS ANGELES IS BROKE BUT L.A., AEG push ahead on NFL stadium
It would cost $1 billion with $350 million bonds floated by the city. Only one question, can Los Angeles even get someone to loan them money? (Time warning. MediaNews Group routinely hide their stories in their archives, sometimes in less than a few hours. This one isn't controversial so it might stick around.)
SHOULD WE BE AMAZED OR APPALLED? FBI's new fingerprint system is faster - seven minutes to search a database of 70 million sets of fingerprints.
ONE GOOD OUTCOME Los Angeles Community College official faces investigation. The arrangement was exposed by the Los Angeles Times investigation, called Billions to Spend, into the $5.7 billion spent to rebuild the Los Angeles Community Colleges. I predicted there would be no prosecutions but this is still only in the investigation stage and we have the same District Attorney. So I was wrong about the investigation part.
WE CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. The census figures are in: "Once again, Latinos saw the largest increases in population over the decade, making up 37.6% of the state's total population. As a percentage of the total population, whites dropped to about 40%. The Asian population was 12.8% and the black population was 5.8%."
If they are moving to the Southland to avoid the despair in Mexico, they took the wrong tunnel. To be honest, corruption in Los Angeles is equal to, if not more, than that found in any Mexican city.
IN A STUNNING REVERSAL of past policies in Canada, a refugee who was a Tamil Tiger for five years was ordered deported. The man can still apply for a review of the decision to the Federal Court of Canada. So don't hold your breath and don't think you can find out the result. His name, age and identifying details can’t be published
List of individuals executed since 1976. Wikipedia
DO BLOGGER HAVE HEADLINES LIKE THIS?
Democrats vow ballot challenge to Ohio union bill When did you ever hear the word "vow" in a sentence?
LOS ANGELES IS BROKE BUT L.A., AEG push ahead on NFL stadium
It would cost $1 billion with $350 million bonds floated by the city. Only one question, can Los Angeles even get someone to loan them money? (Time warning. MediaNews Group routinely hide their stories in their archives, sometimes in less than a few hours. This one isn't controversial so it might stick around.)
SHOULD WE BE AMAZED OR APPALLED? FBI's new fingerprint system is faster - seven minutes to search a database of 70 million sets of fingerprints.
ONE GOOD OUTCOME Los Angeles Community College official faces investigation. The arrangement was exposed by the Los Angeles Times investigation, called Billions to Spend, into the $5.7 billion spent to rebuild the Los Angeles Community Colleges. I predicted there would be no prosecutions but this is still only in the investigation stage and we have the same District Attorney. So I was wrong about the investigation part.
WE CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. The census figures are in: "Once again, Latinos saw the largest increases in population over the decade, making up 37.6% of the state's total population. As a percentage of the total population, whites dropped to about 40%. The Asian population was 12.8% and the black population was 5.8%."
If they are moving to the Southland to avoid the despair in Mexico, they took the wrong tunnel. To be honest, corruption in Los Angeles is equal to, if not more, than that found in any Mexican city.
IN A STUNNING REVERSAL of past policies in Canada, a refugee who was a Tamil Tiger for five years was ordered deported. The man can still apply for a review of the decision to the Federal Court of Canada. So don't hold your breath and don't think you can find out the result. His name, age and identifying details can’t be published
Wait for those Mariel flights
Maryland has been rewarded.
The other airports are Tampa International Airport and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International; Dallas Fort Worth International; New Orleans Louis Armstrong International; O'Hare International in Chicago; Pittsburgh International, and San Juan Louis Munoz Marin International in Puerto Rico. And an airport in Los Angeles.
Reminiscent of another gift to Cuba from an American president - Jimmy Carter's Mariel boatlift.
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has been authorized to become one of the United States' gateways to Cuba under new policy allowing charter flights to the island nation.The chartered flights might begin before the end of the year. The Obama administration has yet to name the charter providers.
The other airports are Tampa International Airport and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International; Dallas Fort Worth International; New Orleans Louis Armstrong International; O'Hare International in Chicago; Pittsburgh International, and San Juan Louis Munoz Marin International in Puerto Rico. And an airport in Los Angeles.
Reminiscent of another gift to Cuba from an American president - Jimmy Carter's Mariel boatlift.
Mortgage Fraud
Someone should have coupled these stories.
AP: Underwater mortgages rise as home prices fall and from the Mortgage Fraud Blog: Alert to Avoid Loan Modification Scammers.
AP: Underwater mortgages rise as home prices fall and from the Mortgage Fraud Blog: Alert to Avoid Loan Modification Scammers.
Recyling Kills
The Hill reports that Congressional Democrats are complaining that Styrofoam cups in the House cafeteria could contain carcinogens. "The Democrats are upset with the switch to Styrofoam from recyclable materials put into place when Democrats ran the House."
Let's face it, most of us suspect that all that "recycled" lust by Democrats amounts to nothing more than redirecting business to a recycling industry heavily mandated -- by Democrats.
Not without cause. The Green movement began in East Germany (where they were, as the New York Times described, the "darlings of East German leaders.") One of the early founders was Petra Kelly who became inconveniently unpolitical at some point. The Green movement was, I always thought, a way to tell East Germans -- who were then literally choking on Stasi oppression who could see the fresh freedom and prosperity across the wall -- "But look at how the bastards are ruining the planet."
It's been the Left's message every since.
The change to Styrofoam caused a stir among some staffers and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill late last month, when the recyclable material preferred by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was replaced. Lawmakers mostly raised concerns about Styrofoam's impact on the environment.In the U.K. cereal manufacturers are abandoning recycled cardboard for their cereal boxes because of possible cancer risks.
Let's face it, most of us suspect that all that "recycled" lust by Democrats amounts to nothing more than redirecting business to a recycling industry heavily mandated -- by Democrats.
Not without cause. The Green movement began in East Germany (where they were, as the New York Times described, the "darlings of East German leaders.") One of the early founders was Petra Kelly who became inconveniently unpolitical at some point. The Green movement was, I always thought, a way to tell East Germans -- who were then literally choking on Stasi oppression who could see the fresh freedom and prosperity across the wall -- "But look at how the bastards are ruining the planet."
It's been the Left's message every since.