All the Other Stuff

Get Yer Jack Boot On

The 'other' definition of "force" once again rears its ugly head.

Pure-TicketThe logical conclusion to an over applied nanny state is the use of violence to prevent one from hurting oneself.

The Stings are on.  Grants to step up ‘enforcement’ (key use of words here) have been doled out. Click on Detroit says:

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in a mandatory seat belt enforcement grant beginning May 23-June 5.

Take the money, or else.

Indeed.  Click it, or we’ll put a gun to your head to save your life.  As Michigan goes into the high travel Memorial Day weekend, the stage is set once again to punish those who tempt fate by not strapping in.  In Macomb County they want to do it the nice way:

Extra patrols start Monday and continue through June 5 as part of the latest “Click it or Ticket” campaign, targeting motorists who are not wearing seat belts.

“Our primary goal is always to encourage voluntary compliance with the law. For those drivers who do not comply, our deputies will deliver warnings or issue violations as the circumstances dictate,” Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said.

Oh, how friendly.

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My thoughts about restrooms…

There are more pressing issues than who uses what bathroom. Let t he free market sort it out.

I get the feeling that many people are worked up about this restroom issue…*sighs*.  It’s become a huge issue for many people.  It really is a war that the Government started and doesn’t belong in.

North Carolina awoke a sleeping bear that has been around for decades.  I hear many transgendered individuals have been using the public restroom of their sexual identity for decades now…mostly without concern or controversy.  Why is there suddenly attention to this issue?  Ask North Carolina.

My take?  This isn’t an issue that concerns government.  It concerns private property owners and their rights — and the rights of consumers to freely associate/shop where they wish, for any reason they wish.

So, Target allows people to use the restroom of the gender they identify with.  If you aren’t comfortable shopping at Target because of that, that’s fine.  Go shop elsewhere.  You can even tell Target why you will no longer shop there, if you wish.  Want to start a boycott of places like Target?  I support your right to do that as well (note: supporting one’s right to do something is different than supporting them doing it — there is a distinction).

What if you want to boycott businesses that have segregated restroom policies?  I support your right to do that as well.

What I cannot condone or abide is you using the guns of government to force your will onto other private people and businesses.  Any time you pass a law, you are sending out a man with a gun who is willing to steal and/or kill (if necessary) to enforce it.

What about public schools and other publicly owned institutions?  I submit to you the problem isn’t the restrooms, but the public ownership f these institutions.  Bring an end to the practice of publicly owned institutions (schools, libraries, parks, etc.) and you will solve this problem of restrooms on publicly owned property.  If there is a need for these services, the free market will provide for it (either through customer/provider relationships or donations/charity/patron relationships).

Logically, most restrooms have stalls as well as urinals (men’s rooms).  When you’re in an opaque stall, what does it matter to you what’s between the legs of the person in the private next to you?  Can they see you while you’re doing you business?  No, not unless they are peaking under the stall..in which case the store management might want to remove that person (regardless of gender identity).

Some people say, “I don’t want to share a bathroom with some sexual pervert.”  Just because a person has a different gender identity than the one they were born with, does that make them a pervert?  If it does make the person a pervert, would you rather this person go to the restroom of the gender they were born with and be around your sons, daughters or other loved ones?

Food for thought, I just wish people would focus time having debates that matter more like: the debt of the US Government, the Quantitative Easing policies (read: printing funny money) of the US Federal Reserve, endless world policing and war mongering…or any of a number of other issues that will drive our country to certain financial ruins.

You Betcha! (9)Nuh Uh.(1)

Hey, wait a minute…why are we doing this again?!?

If you are gullible enough to buy into Gov. Snyder’s, along with the Michigan GOP’s (working behind the scenes, of course), hype surrounding the “saving” of Detroit through a massive Michigan Taxpayer bailout via the “Grand Bargain“, a little more than a year later you would think things were humming along wonderfully and everything in The D was just swell.

Well, let me be among the first to smash those rose-colored glasses they have been distributing to the masses, knock that cup of Kool Aid in your hands to the ground and show everyone why it all is about to come crashing down…hard…again.

{Continued after the fold}

*** Quick Note: I’ve received a few messages asking me why I referred to EX-Detroit Federation of Teachers President as being “recently reinstated“.

There is an upcoming “hearing” with the American Federation of Teachers next week to consider the matter of his reinstatement. I’ve been told that hearing is nothing really more than a formality at this point, but that he is not currently officially back in his old position.

It should also be noted that the size, scope and frequency of these “sickouts” are next to impossible to orchestrate and coordinate without significant union involvement. So take Steve Conn’s “official” status with the DFT for what you will.***

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Gordie Howe Bridge On A Slow Roll to Oblivion

Canadian Economic Collapse and Extravagant Liberal Party Campaign Promises Doom Governor Snyder's Bridge

The estimated cost of constructing the NITC DRIC Gordie Howe Bridge between Detroit and Windsor has now more than tripled since the Canada agreed to fund the entire cost back in June 2012. Its total cost, including interest payments, is now over four times the 2012 estimate. The recent, sharp collapse in the value of the Loonie – the Canadian currency – is being blamed. But it appears that deliberate lying cost underestimation in 2012 and project creep over the last 30 months play a much bigger role in the eyepopping new cost estimates.USDCAD

Financial markets trade the U.S. Dollar and the Canadian Dollar back and forth as ‘USDCAD‘, which is the equal value ratio of Loonies per greenback. The higher USDCAD is, the weaker the Loonie. USDCAD is now quoted around 1.40 (1.4 Loonies per greenback). The Loonie was 37% stronger back in June 2012 when Governor Snyder and then Canadian Prime Minister Harper worked out their agreement; USDCAD was then about 1.02.

Direct construction costs are now estimated to be C$ 2 billion ($ 1.43 billion USD) higher than the C$ 973 million ($ 950 million USD) estimate touted back in 2012. A 37% increase due to currency adjustments would be only $ 360 million (USD), so we know the 2012 deliberate lie underestimation was in the vicinity of $ 1.64 billion (USD). Additionally, the collapse of the Loonie now requires the establishment of a C$ 1.5 billion ($ 1.07 billion USD) reserve to offset the expected rise in Canadian dollar denominated bond interest rates. The Canadian government bond yield curve has doubled at its short end since the middle of September 2015 in response to the collapse of the Loonie. The Gordie Howe Bridge will be financed at those higher Canadian bond interest rates. The total Canadian government cost estimate is now C$ 4.8 billion ($ 3.43 billion USD).Snyder Harper Image

Harper’s Conservative government was defeated in October of last year after NDP voters abandoned their own party for the elysian promises of Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party. Virtually the same promises our Dear Leader made in 2008 – ‘Hope and Change’ recycled for a northern audience. Harsh reality is already wrecking the promises Trudeau made to win the October election, so will the Canadian government continue to throw money at an unneeded bridge?

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Get a load of the latest Michigan republican party spin

Does anyone even proof this before it gets posted?!?

As if they were not already utterly clueless regarding what they allegedly stand for (Hint: I’ve included a small sampling below of what they have obviously forgotten/willfully chosen to ignore (source)):

I BELIEVE free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.

I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.

You need to see what came in my e-mail this morning on how the “conservative” republicans are trying to cover up the massive stench from their latest batch of stink-burger bills pertaining their road funding “solution” by releasing this nifty little informational graphic so that we can all drink the kool aid all look the other way and pretend that there isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between Michigan republicans and the democrats.

{No, you will not be able to un-see the horror, er, I mean, stop laughing at the patent hypocrisy below the fold}

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Cut River Honor

bridgeNormally, the gratuitous renaming of a bridge or stretch of road is to a loyal longtime bureaucrat.

Sure, there are people deserving of recognition for their work, and for most of the world, it normally happens with a decent (when earned) retirement.  However, being eternally disappointed with the self serving ‘public service employees’ who find one way or another to pat themselves or their friends on the back, it’s a bit of a relief to see someone’s ( a genuine hero) name going on an impressive structure who has actually earned it.

BREVORT — An Upper Peninsula bridge was dedicated to Petoskey native and Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (Navy SEAL) Heath Robinson on Saturday.

Robinson was raised in Petoskey and graduated from the Petoskey High School in 1995. He was killed in action more than four years ago on Aug. 6, 2011, when his Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.

Robinson’s memorial naming was attended by a couple hundred, including family, friends, and multiple veteran honor guards.

Below are some photos from the service on Saturday.

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Nuff Said.

Carl Levin honored for being like Bill Milliken.

sencarllevin-jokerBegin Clip

“Former U.S. Senator Carl Levin will be recognized with the annual Milliken Distinguished Leadership Award at a reception in Traverse City this Saturday hosted by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities. The award recognizes leaders who embody the legacy of Governor William Milliken and the late Helen Milliken ..”

End Clip.

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Smooth move there, Bonehead!

"You resigned dude! I don't know what we're doing here?"

Last night, Fox 2 Detroit aired a very interesting “Let It Rip” featuring host Huel Perkins, a VERY unusually reserved Charlie Langton (I have not seen him this quiet for so long…ever), Charlie LeDuff (who was on his “A” Game last night), and disgraced ex-Michigan Representative (and now candidate for Michigan 82nd District) Todd Courser.

The interview went much better than last week’s “Off the Record” where Tim Skubick uncharactisticly put on the kid gloves and lobbed softballs, while Chad Livengood was strangely absent from the panel.

As I alluded to above, LeDuff got in more than a few good questions for Courser (I won’t spoil them if you haven’t clicked on the link to last night’s show above).

I will save everyone some time by mentioning that the first segment is the only one featuring Courser. The “Let It Rip – On The Road” segment dealt only with the made-up Ben Carson kerfuffle from last week’s Meet the Depressed.

‘Nuff said…for now.

 

 

 

 

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Does EMU Have a Guilty Conscience?

Ivory Tower Finances in Michigan: No Pocket Left Unpicked, Other People's Crumbs for the Students!

Greed Image 2
In June, the EMU Board of Regents unanimously voted a 7.8% increase in tuition for students. Their new tuition rate for Michigan residents is $ 10,417.00 per year. This $ 754.00 annual increase – about four times the rate of inflation – was justified on the grounds that EMU’s tuition was thirteenth among Michigan’s major public universities. Its not like EMU’s past tuition increases had been held below the rate of inflation, its just that they had been more circumspect about raping forcing their students into perpetual debt slavery.

EMU specializes in disciplines which don’t command especially high wages, but they do generally qualify for our fearless leader’s Income Driven Repayment (IDR) debt forgiveness plans. So the EMU President and Regents probably figure that it is long past time time to tap the federal taxpayers for their grand delusions ambitions through their victims students. Who would notice a few millions more in delinquencies in a program which already has $ 187 billion in delinquencies?

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