Posts Tagged ‘Michigan’

Just a Few Things…

As you have noticed, the blog’s look has changed again.  One difference from the others to this one – I wrote the theme practically from scratch.  The basic framework coding is from Whiteboard, and uses a grid-layout from 960.cs.

If you don’t understand any of the above, don’t worry.  It’s bit-head talk.  But I can’t help but be a little bit proud of the handiwork.

And now on to the rest of the post…

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Iran’s presidential elections only show the political turmoil that is associated with that country.  If Ahmadinejad had been defeated by the more moderate Mousavi, I think that this country would sit back and ignore Iran’s nuclear ambitions.  Instead, the public is beginning to see the political power of Iran not only rests with an elected president, but with a non-elected council of imams.

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North Korea is moving toward another missile test firing that will be aimed toward the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands.  With North Korea possessing a nuclear warhead and a missile that could potentially reach a US state, can anyone think that this is anything else but “not good.”  What I see happening is another round of “send us food or we’ll land a nuke somewhere.”

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ABC transmitting from the White House on June 24 is, quite frankly, a coup for ABC.  While ABC is in serious need of ratings, the subject matter of Health Care Reform via Obama without an opposing viewpoint smacks of being more of an infomercial than news.  While ABC is stating that it will control (!) the content of the program as well as the questions, I really wonder if ABC and the White House think that the American public is that stupid to believe that all sides of the subject will be explored by an adoring media.  For instance:

Why is it newsworthy that Obama killed a fly during an interview?  When the people in attendance (including the reporters) hoot, holler, and cheer President Obama for the action, one wonders what else they would (or would not) report on if they are that much in love with Obama’s actions.

And it isn’t too much of a stretch that they wouldn’t report anything bad or not complementary of their “chosen one.”  After all, when Obama points out, in public, the one network that constantly questions his actions and policies, then the realization has to set in that honest, factual journalism and scrutiny are not on the agenda of the main networks and news organizations.

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Cap and Trade for Reducing Carbon Emissions legislation for Global Warming Climate Change are passing through Congressional committees.  While the intent of this legislation is noble, the science inspiring these bills is far from convincing.  What the ultimate outcome will be is that the American citizen will incur higher energy costs – after all, companies and corporations do not pay taxes and penalties because they pass these costs on to the consumer of their products.  And in this economy, that will be devastating.

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Immigration policy changes are on the agenda for next week.  While there are real humans out there, it must be remembered that these people are here in violation of the laws, and the companies hiring them are also in violation.  What part of “illegal” is not understood by our lawmakers and the aliens?

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The unemployment rate for Michigan is over 14%.  The state is almost shovel-ready – to be buried in a deep hole.  Many other states aren’t in any better shape – 10% and up, with the national average rising from 8.9% to 9.4%.  And I thought that the huge Stimulus Porkulus Bill with all of its billions was to prevent this.  Kindly excuse the cynic in me, but “HAH!!”

Detroit’s Mayor Charged

I was wondering if this was going to happen today… From the Detriot News:

In a stunning and historic day, Kwame Kilpatrick was charged with perjury, obstruction of justice and misconduct in office Monday, the latest blow to the Detroit mayor embroiled in a text-message scandal.

Kilpatrick could go to prison if convicted of any of the eight felonies filed against him by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. His former chief of staff, Christine Beatty, faces seven felonies.

“Our investigation has clearly shown that public dollars were used, people’s lives were ruined, the justice system was severely mocked and the public trust trampled on,” said a visibly angry Worthy. “This is as far from being a private matter as one can get.”

This is the latest of problems that Detroit’s mayor has had to face. Parties at the mayor’s mansion, reports of using the city’s credit card for personal trips & expenses, and giving family members jobs without work are just a few of the antics Detroit’s citizens have had to contend with. Then there is the unsolved murder of a stripper that had supposedly performed at one of those mayoral mansion parties, and to top it all off, a $6,500,000 settlement to two former police officers who blew the whistle on the mayor’s activities.

Yes, people make mistakes, but the honorable ones take responsibility for those mistakes. That action shows character and decency. In all the press conferences and a speech from his church(!), Detroit’s mayor showed that he does not have the honor nor decency of a leader, but the morals of a self-serving ego-centric power hungry politician. And you know how I feel about career politicians…

I agree with The Patriot on the following comments from an earlier post:

Is this how Detroit will continue to be seen? This is how Michigan makes the national news. Because the Detroit mayor is a liar and possibly a murderer.

Note to Mayor Kilpatrick: Don’t resign, I want you to be hauled out of the mansion in cuffs as the acting mayor.

Patroit, you just might get your wish.

Union Choices? HAH!

Passing by the Union board this afternoon, I briefly read a notice on how the UAW Leadership would like us to vote in the Michigan Primary coming up in about 12 days. What I read was disgusting, but not surprising.

The Leadership basically wants us to cast our votes for the top three Democratic candidates – HRC, Obama, and Edwards. Rather than voting for any of the other candidates, the instructions were to vote uncommitted, which means that any of the delegates could nominate anyone that they want, even though we didn’t cast our vote for them.

No Republican (or other) Party candidates were listed.

I think that this whole process is insulting, especially coming from the Union Leadership. Not only do they wish to dictate who to vote for, but give them the liberty to nominate someone that you didn’t want in the first place! Have we no minds of our own, or do they think that we are sheep that need leading? And what about even considering a candidate from another political party?

Union membership is declining, probably for good reasons, and this is one of them. Considering the terms of the last contract that our “leaders” signed, it’s no wonder. And then there are the reasons from a prior post titled Unions for Democrats? Why?

Now understand that the next statement is not an endorsement, but it shows that the Union in Michigan is not paying attention to what the times are, but falling in lockstep with the same old BS as before.

Listening to the Sean Hannity show, Mitt Romney was talking about how he is from Michigan, his father was a past governor, that the state is in a one-state recession, that the Big Three must survive, and that he would do what is possible to get this state back on its feet again.

I ask our Leadership: What other candidate for President has publicly made these statements, and has strong ties to Michigan? None. And even though the Democratic Party has shafted the Union on more than one occasion, they refuse to consider alternative parties and candidates.

If the Union refuses to change with the times, they will go the way of the dinosaur. And you know what happened to them…