Even though they are not police offers, animal control officers still work in a dangerous environment.
From the Sacramento Bee: Roy Marcum drove to First Street late Wednesday morning to do what
what he did every day of his 14-year career: He went to care for
animals in need.
It would be his last call. Marcum, a 45-year-old animal control
officer, died just before noon after an assailant, hiding behind the
front door of a foreclosed home in Galt, blasted him in the chest with a
shotgun....
Earlier Thursday, police ended a nearly 17-hour standoff with Marcum's
alleged shooter, Joseph Francis Corey, by taking him into custody at 5
a.m. in the garage of the First Street home. The arrest brought to a
close a saga that involved at least five law enforcement agencies, three
SWAT teams and a whole neighborhood of residents kept from their homes....
An official with the bank called animal control after Corey said he
did not have a place to take his animals. So Marcum went Wednesday
morning to pick them up.
Details about what happened on that front porch were not clear Thursday.
Galt
police officials said Marcum, a locksmith and the locksmith's friend
shared a brief verbal exchange with the suspect through the closed front
door. However, David Dickinson, director of Sacramento County's
animal control, said the front door was slightly ajar when they
approached. He said they tried to push the door open, but found it
barricaded.
Either way, officials agree that the shooter fired through the door.
The
locksmith and his friend suffered minor injuries, but Marcum was
mortally wounded. Paramedics pronounced him dead at a church around the
corner, where he had been pulled by Galt police officers. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/30/5020251/family-colleagues-mourn-slain.html
I've had dealings with animal control officers in the past and they were total professionals.
It's a dangerous job because you are sometimes dealing with dangerous animals, dangerous people and dangerous situations.
RIP Officer Marcum and prayers to the your family, friends and your department.
The Las Vegas Badger is about politics, humor, sports, reality shows in Las Vegas, especially Pawn Stars and anything else interesting. While I live in Las Vegas, my heart is still in Wisconsin. Thanks for visiting the blog and feel free to browse the web site.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Treyvon Martin Update: Case Blowing Up For Prosecutors
From the Orlando Sentinel: It was a strange development in a case that has seen more than its share: Chris Serino, the lead Sanford police investigator in the Trayvon Martin shooting, hired famed Casey Anthony defense attorney Jose Baez to represent him at his upcoming deposition in the case.
It's unclear what prompted Serino to hire a private attorney — eschewing available representation by the city of Sanford, his employer. But one issue likely to come up is his double-talk on whether there was enough evidence to support George Zimmerman's arrest as controversy surrounding the case spiraled out of control last spring.
Serino wrote in a sworn affidavit that there was probable cause to arrest Zimmerman. But he later told the Federal Bureau of Investigation he was pressured to author that document and didn't believe the evidence was sufficient for the manslaughter charge he recommended....
And Serino isn't the only Sanford officer whose testimony could prove troublesome for prosecutors in the second-degree murder case against Zimmerman: High-ranking fellow officers largely agreed in March that there was not sufficient evidence to arrest Zimmerman....
Zimmerman's legal team has since listed several of them, including former Sanford police Chief Bill Lee Jr. and Serino's supervisors, as witnesses the defense plans to call at trial....
A recent court filing illustrates another problem for prosecutors involving police witnesses in the case: Sanford Sgt. Joseph Santiago told defense attorneys at deposition that he was privy to meetings in late February and early March, involving Lee, Serino and prosecutor Jim Carter of the Seminole-Brevard State Attorney's Office, the same agency to which Serino submitted his affidavit.
When Serino filed an affidavit requesting a manslaughter charge, Carter was "very upset," Santiago told the defense, as was Santiago's captain. The consensus among most at daily meetings, Santiago said, was that there was "insufficient evidence" to bring a charge.
Grieco, a defense lawyer and former prosecutor from Miami, said the state will fight to keep Sanford officers from testifying on their opinions of the evidence, but jurors will know that the police chose not to make an arrest.
"I can't remember ever seeing or hearing about a case where you have the police officers firmly believing that they didn't even have probable cause for an arrest [but] then you have a prosecutor's office... believing that they have not only enough to charge, but to convict," Grieco said. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/trayvon-martin/os-george-zimmerman-jose-baez-serino-20121130,0,6861430.story?page=2
Unless there is a brain dead jury and judge, Zimmerman should be found not guilty, unless of course, you have the O.J. jury or a jury from Nye County, NV.
It's unclear what prompted Serino to hire a private attorney — eschewing available representation by the city of Sanford, his employer. But one issue likely to come up is his double-talk on whether there was enough evidence to support George Zimmerman's arrest as controversy surrounding the case spiraled out of control last spring.
Serino wrote in a sworn affidavit that there was probable cause to arrest Zimmerman. But he later told the Federal Bureau of Investigation he was pressured to author that document and didn't believe the evidence was sufficient for the manslaughter charge he recommended....
And Serino isn't the only Sanford officer whose testimony could prove troublesome for prosecutors in the second-degree murder case against Zimmerman: High-ranking fellow officers largely agreed in March that there was not sufficient evidence to arrest Zimmerman....
Zimmerman's legal team has since listed several of them, including former Sanford police Chief Bill Lee Jr. and Serino's supervisors, as witnesses the defense plans to call at trial....
A recent court filing illustrates another problem for prosecutors involving police witnesses in the case: Sanford Sgt. Joseph Santiago told defense attorneys at deposition that he was privy to meetings in late February and early March, involving Lee, Serino and prosecutor Jim Carter of the Seminole-Brevard State Attorney's Office, the same agency to which Serino submitted his affidavit.
When Serino filed an affidavit requesting a manslaughter charge, Carter was "very upset," Santiago told the defense, as was Santiago's captain. The consensus among most at daily meetings, Santiago said, was that there was "insufficient evidence" to bring a charge.
Grieco, a defense lawyer and former prosecutor from Miami, said the state will fight to keep Sanford officers from testifying on their opinions of the evidence, but jurors will know that the police chose not to make an arrest.
"I can't remember ever seeing or hearing about a case where you have the police officers firmly believing that they didn't even have probable cause for an arrest [but] then you have a prosecutor's office... believing that they have not only enough to charge, but to convict," Grieco said. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/trayvon-martin/os-george-zimmerman-jose-baez-serino-20121130,0,6861430.story?page=2
Unless there is a brain dead jury and judge, Zimmerman should be found not guilty, unless of course, you have the O.J. jury or a jury from Nye County, NV.
Two Great Commercials
The People at GEICO sure have a great advertising team:
While the Duluth Trading Company is giving them a run for their money:
While the Duluth Trading Company is giving them a run for their money:
Could Las Vegas/NASCAR Put On A Worse NASCAR Champions Awards Show?
I've watched the first half hour of the NASCAR awards show on the SPEED channel tonight and Las Vegas could not have put on a worst show.
First, Howie Mandel as the host of the show? And his connection to NASCAR is what? He even admitted this is his first year he watched NASCAR. Too many sexual innuendos, especially for kids watching the show. And the interview section with the drivers was just down right stupid.
The first entertainment act was Beatles Cirque du Soleil and it was horrible, just horrible. Guess what show I'm not going to spend $100 a person for?
Finally, the announcer who announced the the front table said the champion's car was the #12 Miller Lite Dodge. Umm, the number of the car is #2. Idiot.
And that is the first half hour.
And the lap around the Strip sucked, compared to past years.
Las Vegas and NASCAR: Your Champions Week has been very lame/pathetic this year. Sorry I promoted it earlier.
First, Howie Mandel as the host of the show? And his connection to NASCAR is what? He even admitted this is his first year he watched NASCAR. Too many sexual innuendos, especially for kids watching the show. And the interview section with the drivers was just down right stupid.
The first entertainment act was Beatles Cirque du Soleil and it was horrible, just horrible. Guess what show I'm not going to spend $100 a person for?
Finally, the announcer who announced the the front table said the champion's car was the #12 Miller Lite Dodge. Umm, the number of the car is #2. Idiot.
And that is the first half hour.
And the lap around the Strip sucked, compared to past years.
Las Vegas and NASCAR: Your Champions Week has been very lame/pathetic this year. Sorry I promoted it earlier.
Scam Artist Should Have Seen This Coming
I don't like coming to the defense of idiots, but in the case of Lindsay Lohan, I'm making an exception.
From the San Fran Chronicle: The woman allegedly assaulted by Lindsay Lohan in a New York club on Thursday morning has accused the actress of hurling a racist insult at her moments before the fight erupted.
Tiffany Mitchell, 28, a psychic, was out with a friend at Club Avenue night when Lohan made an appearance.
Mitchell reveals she had a premonition about Lohan and approached her inside the club to offer her a free reading, but the star turned her down saying, “Give me my space.”
The psychic claims that as she walked away, her friend heard Lohan call her a “[bleeping] gypsy.”
Mitchell’s pal and Lohan briefly exchanged insults and then the troubled actress allegedly lashed out, apparently punching the psychic in the face.
Police were called and the star was arrested for assault.
Mitchell’s husband tells TMZ.com, “We are not gypsies … it was a racist comment. Just because your career went down the drain and your new movie sucks, you can’t go around beating people up.” http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2012/11/30/lindsay-lohan-accused-of-racist-insult-by-alleged-assault-victim/
First, if this scam artist of a "psychic" had a premonition about Lohan, then how come she didn't have a premonition about Lohan hitting her?
But the biggest thing is why this dumb scam artist thought it was ok to go up to Lohan and give her a psychic reading without being asked? Apparently, no one has taught this scam artist a thing or two about having some manners and being courteous to others.
You may not be a gypsie, Ms. Mitchell, but you certainly are a scam artist bitch and I don't blame Lohan from punching you.
From the San Fran Chronicle: The woman allegedly assaulted by Lindsay Lohan in a New York club on Thursday morning has accused the actress of hurling a racist insult at her moments before the fight erupted.
Tiffany Mitchell, 28, a psychic, was out with a friend at Club Avenue night when Lohan made an appearance.
Mitchell reveals she had a premonition about Lohan and approached her inside the club to offer her a free reading, but the star turned her down saying, “Give me my space.”
The psychic claims that as she walked away, her friend heard Lohan call her a “[bleeping] gypsy.”
Mitchell’s pal and Lohan briefly exchanged insults and then the troubled actress allegedly lashed out, apparently punching the psychic in the face.
Police were called and the star was arrested for assault.
Mitchell’s husband tells TMZ.com, “We are not gypsies … it was a racist comment. Just because your career went down the drain and your new movie sucks, you can’t go around beating people up.” http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2012/11/30/lindsay-lohan-accused-of-racist-insult-by-alleged-assault-victim/
First, if this scam artist of a "psychic" had a premonition about Lohan, then how come she didn't have a premonition about Lohan hitting her?
But the biggest thing is why this dumb scam artist thought it was ok to go up to Lohan and give her a psychic reading without being asked? Apparently, no one has taught this scam artist a thing or two about having some manners and being courteous to others.
You may not be a gypsie, Ms. Mitchell, but you certainly are a scam artist bitch and I don't blame Lohan from punching you.
Stupid Criminal News
Memo to criminals who bust out of jail: Don't break silly laws while out on the lam.
From the San Fran Chronicle: A convicted bank robber who walked out of his medium-security federal prison near Santa Barbara last week was caught five days later trying to cheat BART out of its fare at the Powell Station in San Francisco, BART police said.
Authorities said Buchon Buchanan, 40, escaped from Lompoc prison last week and the U.S. Marshals Service issued a no-bail arrest warrant for him.
Buchanan admitted to robbing or attempting to rob 22 banks in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties. He was arrested in San Francisco in 2003, hours after he bought a book titled “The Big Bad Book of American Bank Robbery,” and was sentenced to nine years in prison.
But after he escaped early last week, he found his way back to San Francisco.
He was arrested by BART police Sunday afternoon after forcing his way through the orange fare gates at Powell Station. Officers then discovered he was wanted for escape. http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2012/11/30/federal-prison-escapee-caught-jumping-bart-fare-gate/
Maybe he needs to learn how to walk instead of going on the BART.
From the San Fran Chronicle: A convicted bank robber who walked out of his medium-security federal prison near Santa Barbara last week was caught five days later trying to cheat BART out of its fare at the Powell Station in San Francisco, BART police said.
Authorities said Buchon Buchanan, 40, escaped from Lompoc prison last week and the U.S. Marshals Service issued a no-bail arrest warrant for him.
Buchanan admitted to robbing or attempting to rob 22 banks in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties. He was arrested in San Francisco in 2003, hours after he bought a book titled “The Big Bad Book of American Bank Robbery,” and was sentenced to nine years in prison.
But after he escaped early last week, he found his way back to San Francisco.
He was arrested by BART police Sunday afternoon after forcing his way through the orange fare gates at Powell Station. Officers then discovered he was wanted for escape. http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2012/11/30/federal-prison-escapee-caught-jumping-bart-fare-gate/
Maybe he needs to learn how to walk instead of going on the BART.
Nye County Murder Update: Robbins Asks For New Trial
I doubt the defense team will be successful at the District Court level but...
From the Pahrump Valley Times: Nine days after being convicted of second degree murder, the man who shot and killed his daughter’s 21-year-old boyfriend in 2011 is already asking for a new trial.
Lawyers for Daniel Robbins filed a motion for a new trial on Thursday, arguing that several errors of law were made leading up to their client’s Nov. 20 conviction.
Robbins’ lawyers say they should have been able to show the jury a video of an accidental shooting to better inform jurors of how easily a gun can go off, even in the hands of a police officer.
Also, a jury instruction about the definition of trespassing was not allowed, which the defense says also hurt its case.
Third, the motion suggests prosecutors in the case were allowed to make “numerous untrue and high (sic) inflammatory statements” during their closing arguments, which inflamed the passions of the jury.
“The prosecutor’s misconduct was detrimental to Robbins and led to the adverse verdict against him,” the motion reads, adding, “The accumulation of errors of law addressed above deprives Robbins of a fair trial.”
Robbins was convicted of putting a gun to the neck of Chris Mundy on Aug. 18, 2011 as the younger man sat frozen in a vehicle in Robbins’ Benson Circle driveway. Robbins pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through Mundy’s neck and into the arm of a then-14-year-old witness in the case, Pablo Flores....
“The entire theory of Robbins’ case stems from the trespass of Chris Mundy and Pablo Flores onto Robbins’ property in the middle of the night. Without being instructed on the mere definition of trespass, the jury was left to speculate as to whether or not the actions of Mundy and Flores did in fact form a trespass. This error of law left Robbins defendant (sic) with a gaping hole,” the motion read.
Deputy District Attorney Tierra Jones repeatedly told jurors during the weeks-long trial that anything Mundy or Flores did the night of the shooting had no bearing on the case — neither Mundy nor Flores were on trial for anything, she said over and over. And defense attorneys repeated just as often the mantra that their client was defending his family and property that night, calling Mundy a trespasser and an intruder multiple times throughout the trial.
Regarding the misconduct allegations, the defense motion suggests that no single prosecution statement inflamed the jury, but in their totality the statements denied Robbins a fair trial.
“Initially the prosecutor made statements characterizing Robbins’ actions as ‘coming out of the house with guns blazing.’ This characterization can only be intended to inflame the passions of the jury and as such is highly inappropriate,” the motion states.
Another phrase defense attorneys took umbrage with was when Jones characterized the shooting as an “execution.”
“There was no testimony or evidence that could extrapolate to this conclusion. ‘Execution’ is a type of killing which is not indicated in any way shape or form in this case,” Winder’s motion argues.
Finally, Winder lays out yet another argument in the motion for a new trial, this time alleging juror misconduct. The mother of Flores allegedly encountered a juror in the bathroom of the courthouse.
“It is clear that the mother of Pablo Flores, Tammy, initiated a contact with one of the jurors when she entered the bathroom immediately upon seeing one of the jurors enter the bathroom. This appearance of impropriety is enough to initiate an inquiry by the court and to possibly hold an evidentiary hearing as to what if anything the juror was told by Ms. Flores. … At a minimum failure to do so would result in an infirm conviction of Robbins and clearly would be reversible error,” the motion states. http://pvtimes.com/news/alleging-misconduct-robbins-files-motion-for-new-trial/
I don't think the legal arguments about the trespassing and inflammatory statements in the closing comments will go anywhere at the District Court level, mainly because the judge has shown that he didn't care about these issues during the trial.
But the fact that the mother of Mundy was allowed to confront a juror int he bathroom does raise, even if she didn't say anything, should be grounds for a new trial. The jury should have never been allowed to be in that situation. If the reversed happened and Robbins wife talked to the juror, the prosecution would have cried foul and demanded that Robbins wife be held in contempt for the contact with the juror and a mistrial probably would have been asked for.
And by the way, where did you here first about Mundy's mom contacting a juror? Why, it was here:
Nice to see that someone is willing to print the truth about this situation. Also worth noting, Tammy Flores, the mother of Pablo, followed a juror into the bathroom shortly before deliberation. That should at least be enough for another trial if not something more. http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2012/11/nye-county-murder-update-guilty.html
Eat your heart out, Matt Ward, you worthless and biased reporter.
In the end, i hope that Robbins win's his appeal, though it probably won't happen at the trial court level, he will have to get it from the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, an innocent man is still in jail and justice in Nye County seems perverted.
From the Pahrump Valley Times: Nine days after being convicted of second degree murder, the man who shot and killed his daughter’s 21-year-old boyfriend in 2011 is already asking for a new trial.
Lawyers for Daniel Robbins filed a motion for a new trial on Thursday, arguing that several errors of law were made leading up to their client’s Nov. 20 conviction.
Robbins’ lawyers say they should have been able to show the jury a video of an accidental shooting to better inform jurors of how easily a gun can go off, even in the hands of a police officer.
Also, a jury instruction about the definition of trespassing was not allowed, which the defense says also hurt its case.
Third, the motion suggests prosecutors in the case were allowed to make “numerous untrue and high (sic) inflammatory statements” during their closing arguments, which inflamed the passions of the jury.
“The prosecutor’s misconduct was detrimental to Robbins and led to the adverse verdict against him,” the motion reads, adding, “The accumulation of errors of law addressed above deprives Robbins of a fair trial.”
Robbins was convicted of putting a gun to the neck of Chris Mundy on Aug. 18, 2011 as the younger man sat frozen in a vehicle in Robbins’ Benson Circle driveway. Robbins pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through Mundy’s neck and into the arm of a then-14-year-old witness in the case, Pablo Flores....
“The entire theory of Robbins’ case stems from the trespass of Chris Mundy and Pablo Flores onto Robbins’ property in the middle of the night. Without being instructed on the mere definition of trespass, the jury was left to speculate as to whether or not the actions of Mundy and Flores did in fact form a trespass. This error of law left Robbins defendant (sic) with a gaping hole,” the motion read.
Deputy District Attorney Tierra Jones repeatedly told jurors during the weeks-long trial that anything Mundy or Flores did the night of the shooting had no bearing on the case — neither Mundy nor Flores were on trial for anything, she said over and over. And defense attorneys repeated just as often the mantra that their client was defending his family and property that night, calling Mundy a trespasser and an intruder multiple times throughout the trial.
Regarding the misconduct allegations, the defense motion suggests that no single prosecution statement inflamed the jury, but in their totality the statements denied Robbins a fair trial.
“Initially the prosecutor made statements characterizing Robbins’ actions as ‘coming out of the house with guns blazing.’ This characterization can only be intended to inflame the passions of the jury and as such is highly inappropriate,” the motion states.
Another phrase defense attorneys took umbrage with was when Jones characterized the shooting as an “execution.”
“There was no testimony or evidence that could extrapolate to this conclusion. ‘Execution’ is a type of killing which is not indicated in any way shape or form in this case,” Winder’s motion argues.
Finally, Winder lays out yet another argument in the motion for a new trial, this time alleging juror misconduct. The mother of Flores allegedly encountered a juror in the bathroom of the courthouse.
“It is clear that the mother of Pablo Flores, Tammy, initiated a contact with one of the jurors when she entered the bathroom immediately upon seeing one of the jurors enter the bathroom. This appearance of impropriety is enough to initiate an inquiry by the court and to possibly hold an evidentiary hearing as to what if anything the juror was told by Ms. Flores. … At a minimum failure to do so would result in an infirm conviction of Robbins and clearly would be reversible error,” the motion states. http://pvtimes.com/news/alleging-misconduct-robbins-files-motion-for-new-trial/
I don't think the legal arguments about the trespassing and inflammatory statements in the closing comments will go anywhere at the District Court level, mainly because the judge has shown that he didn't care about these issues during the trial.
But the fact that the mother of Mundy was allowed to confront a juror int he bathroom does raise, even if she didn't say anything, should be grounds for a new trial. The jury should have never been allowed to be in that situation. If the reversed happened and Robbins wife talked to the juror, the prosecution would have cried foul and demanded that Robbins wife be held in contempt for the contact with the juror and a mistrial probably would have been asked for.
And by the way, where did you here first about Mundy's mom contacting a juror? Why, it was here:
Nice to see that someone is willing to print the truth about this situation. Also worth noting, Tammy Flores, the mother of Pablo, followed a juror into the bathroom shortly before deliberation. That should at least be enough for another trial if not something more. http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2012/11/nye-county-murder-update-guilty.html
Eat your heart out, Matt Ward, you worthless and biased reporter.
In the end, i hope that Robbins win's his appeal, though it probably won't happen at the trial court level, he will have to get it from the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, an innocent man is still in jail and justice in Nye County seems perverted.
Another Stupid Idea By UNLV, Politicians
Just a stupid idea:
From the Las Vegas Sun: Nevada's higher education leaders unanimously approved UNLV's stadium proposal on Friday.
With the Nevada System of Higher Education's preliminary approval of a campus master plan, UNLV and its private partner Majestic Realty Co. can move forward with the details of a proposal to build a covered 60,000-seat stadium on its Maryland Parkway campus.
A stadium at UNLV could add nearly $400 million to the Las Vegas economy annually, according to an economic impact report released Friday. The report was written by UNLV's consultants Mark Rosentraub and the University of Michigan Center for Sports Management, and funded by UNLV and Majestic Realty.
The stadium is estimated to draw at least 15 new major events each year, according to the report.
Those events would pump $393.2 million directly to the local economy — $66 million of which would be on campus. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/30/unlv-stadium-would-mean-390-million-annual-boost-v/
They say all these extra shows will be coming to the new stadium. And what new shows are they? Fact is that there are not going to be any new shows coming to a new stadium if it is built. If anything, it will steal events from the casinos and Sam Boyd Stadium.
Further, there are private companies out there to build a new stadium without public money.
This is going to be a big waste of money that will only benefit a few people but at great expense to taxpayers and UNLV students.
It's time for the adults in Nevada to step up to the plate and stop this horrible idea from happening.
From the Las Vegas Sun: Nevada's higher education leaders unanimously approved UNLV's stadium proposal on Friday.
With the Nevada System of Higher Education's preliminary approval of a campus master plan, UNLV and its private partner Majestic Realty Co. can move forward with the details of a proposal to build a covered 60,000-seat stadium on its Maryland Parkway campus.
A stadium at UNLV could add nearly $400 million to the Las Vegas economy annually, according to an economic impact report released Friday. The report was written by UNLV's consultants Mark Rosentraub and the University of Michigan Center for Sports Management, and funded by UNLV and Majestic Realty.
The stadium is estimated to draw at least 15 new major events each year, according to the report.
Those events would pump $393.2 million directly to the local economy — $66 million of which would be on campus. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/30/unlv-stadium-would-mean-390-million-annual-boost-v/
They say all these extra shows will be coming to the new stadium. And what new shows are they? Fact is that there are not going to be any new shows coming to a new stadium if it is built. If anything, it will steal events from the casinos and Sam Boyd Stadium.
Further, there are private companies out there to build a new stadium without public money.
This is going to be a big waste of money that will only benefit a few people but at great expense to taxpayers and UNLV students.
It's time for the adults in Nevada to step up to the plate and stop this horrible idea from happening.
What ever Happened To Freedom Of Speech
From Firehouse.com: Placing toilet paper imprinted with President Barack
Obama's face in a fire station has led to a fire fighter's termination
and he had until 5 p.m. Friday to turn in his badge.
It was Clint Pierce's third instance of posting political paraphernalia on city property and a violation of a direct order to cease and desist from such behavior, according to city records.
"It was clearly a case of insubordination," city spokeswoman Sandra King said Friday. "He had a similar situation of posting political messages on city property and he was given a free pass at that time and told to cease and desist and he did it again and really exacerbated the situation."
Expressions of political views that could be considered offensive or divisive don't belong on municipal property, the city says.
Pierce, 50, had been with the department since November 1993. Despite two telephone message, he could not be reached for comment Friday. http://www.firehouse.com/news/10836513/obama-toilet-paper-leads-to-fla-firefighters-termination
I'm sorry, but at a firehouse, it used to be that you always joked about politics and other things and no one complained.
No, people are such wimps that they cannot take a joke. My guess, if this guy brought in George Bush toilet paper, nothing would have happened.
It was Clint Pierce's third instance of posting political paraphernalia on city property and a violation of a direct order to cease and desist from such behavior, according to city records.
"It was clearly a case of insubordination," city spokeswoman Sandra King said Friday. "He had a similar situation of posting political messages on city property and he was given a free pass at that time and told to cease and desist and he did it again and really exacerbated the situation."
Expressions of political views that could be considered offensive or divisive don't belong on municipal property, the city says.
Pierce, 50, had been with the department since November 1993. Despite two telephone message, he could not be reached for comment Friday. http://www.firehouse.com/news/10836513/obama-toilet-paper-leads-to-fla-firefighters-termination
I'm sorry, but at a firehouse, it used to be that you always joked about politics and other things and no one complained.
No, people are such wimps that they cannot take a joke. My guess, if this guy brought in George Bush toilet paper, nothing would have happened.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Obama Administration Fires 30 Oyster Farmers
But it's for the oysters.
From the San Fran Chronicle: U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told a popular oyster farm at Drakes Bay on Thursday to pack up and leave, effectively ending more than a century of shellfish harvesting on the picturesque inlet where Europeans first set foot in California.
Salazar's decision ends a long-running dispute between the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. and the National Park Service over the estuary at Point Reyes National Seashore where Sir Francis Drake landed more than 400 years ago.
The National Park Service intends to turn the 2,700-acre area into the first federally designated marine wilderness area on the West Coast, giving the estuary special protected status as an unaltered ecological region. To do that, Salazar rejected the oyster company's proposal to extend its 40-year lease to harvest shellfish on 1,100 acres of the property….
Salazar had the option to extend the lease for 10 years after Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., included the provision in a rider on an appropriations bill….
Kevin Lunny, a local rancher who bought the shellfish operation from Johnson Oyster Co. in 2004, said he was shocked when he got a call directly from Salazar on Thursday morning telling him that the 40-year occupancy agreement would not be renewed.
"It's disbelief and excruciating sorrow," he said of the mood at the oyster farm, where 30 people are employed, including seven families that live on the property.
"There are 30 people, all in tears this morning, who are going to lose their jobs and their homes," Lunny said. "They are experts in seafood handling and processing in the last oyster cannery in California, and there is nowhere for them to go." http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/U-S-evicting-Point-Reyes-oyster-farmer-4077624.php
Even liberal CA. Senator, Dianne Feinstein is pissed: "I am extremely disappointed," Feinstein said Thursday in a statement. "The National Park Service's review process has been flawed from the beginning with false and misleading science, which was also used in the Environmental Impact Statement. The secretary's decision effectively puts this historic California oyster farm out of business. As a result, the farm will be forced to cease operations and 30 Californians will lose their jobs."
But, hey, it's just 30 jobs. The Obama administration puts that many people out of work every hour, it seems.
From the San Fran Chronicle: U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told a popular oyster farm at Drakes Bay on Thursday to pack up and leave, effectively ending more than a century of shellfish harvesting on the picturesque inlet where Europeans first set foot in California.
Salazar's decision ends a long-running dispute between the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. and the National Park Service over the estuary at Point Reyes National Seashore where Sir Francis Drake landed more than 400 years ago.
The National Park Service intends to turn the 2,700-acre area into the first federally designated marine wilderness area on the West Coast, giving the estuary special protected status as an unaltered ecological region. To do that, Salazar rejected the oyster company's proposal to extend its 40-year lease to harvest shellfish on 1,100 acres of the property….
Salazar had the option to extend the lease for 10 years after Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., included the provision in a rider on an appropriations bill….
Kevin Lunny, a local rancher who bought the shellfish operation from Johnson Oyster Co. in 2004, said he was shocked when he got a call directly from Salazar on Thursday morning telling him that the 40-year occupancy agreement would not be renewed.
"It's disbelief and excruciating sorrow," he said of the mood at the oyster farm, where 30 people are employed, including seven families that live on the property.
"There are 30 people, all in tears this morning, who are going to lose their jobs and their homes," Lunny said. "They are experts in seafood handling and processing in the last oyster cannery in California, and there is nowhere for them to go." http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/U-S-evicting-Point-Reyes-oyster-farmer-4077624.php
Even liberal CA. Senator, Dianne Feinstein is pissed: "I am extremely disappointed," Feinstein said Thursday in a statement. "The National Park Service's review process has been flawed from the beginning with false and misleading science, which was also used in the Environmental Impact Statement. The secretary's decision effectively puts this historic California oyster farm out of business. As a result, the farm will be forced to cease operations and 30 Californians will lose their jobs."
But, hey, it's just 30 jobs. The Obama administration puts that many people out of work every hour, it seems.
The Obama Economy: Many More People On Food Stamps
From the Washington Examiner: The number of Montgomery County and Prince
George's County residents on food stamps has more than doubled since
fiscal 2008, reflecting a statewide trend since the recession started,
data show.
Food stamp recipients also doubled in Fairfax County, and are up in Virginia by 73 percent and in the District by 59 percent, in the same time period.
In Montgomery County, 6.5 percent of 990,000 residents are on food stamps, and in Prince George's County, 11 percent of 871,000 residents. In all, roughly 13 percent of Maryland's 5.8 million residents are on food stamps.
In Virginia, 11 percent of 8.1 million residents are on food stamps. Of Fairfax County's 1.1 million residents, 4.5 percent are on food stamps, while 22 percent of the District's 618,000 residents receive food stamps.
The growth is being caused by the recession on top of new rules under the federal stimulus package that made qualifying for benefits easier and allowed recipients to stay on the program longer. http://washingtonexaminer.com/food-stamp-enrollment-doubles-in-area-since-recession/article/2514747#.ULhOfWc8VXs
The Obama Economy and easier ways to qualify takes more money out of the pockets of taxpayers (and loans from the Chinese and others) into the hands of people who may or may not need the Food Stamps.
In 4 years, I wonder how many of these people will be off of Food Stamps and other welfare or will they be addicted to the free hand outs? My guess, is that more often than not, most of these people will still be on the Food Stamps.
Food stamp recipients also doubled in Fairfax County, and are up in Virginia by 73 percent and in the District by 59 percent, in the same time period.
In Montgomery County, 6.5 percent of 990,000 residents are on food stamps, and in Prince George's County, 11 percent of 871,000 residents. In all, roughly 13 percent of Maryland's 5.8 million residents are on food stamps.
In Virginia, 11 percent of 8.1 million residents are on food stamps. Of Fairfax County's 1.1 million residents, 4.5 percent are on food stamps, while 22 percent of the District's 618,000 residents receive food stamps.
The growth is being caused by the recession on top of new rules under the federal stimulus package that made qualifying for benefits easier and allowed recipients to stay on the program longer. http://washingtonexaminer.com/food-stamp-enrollment-doubles-in-area-since-recession/article/2514747#.ULhOfWc8VXs
The Obama Economy and easier ways to qualify takes more money out of the pockets of taxpayers (and loans from the Chinese and others) into the hands of people who may or may not need the Food Stamps.
In 4 years, I wonder how many of these people will be off of Food Stamps and other welfare or will they be addicted to the free hand outs? My guess, is that more often than not, most of these people will still be on the Food Stamps.
Flooding Coming To Western Nevada?
From the Reno Gazette Journal: With a pair of drenching rainstorms barreling toward the region,
experts warned Thursday of the potential of serious flooding along the
Truckee River in Reno-Sparks come Sunday.
Forecasts varied in severity throughout the day, but it’s clear that some level of potentially damaging flooding is possible Sunday in the Sparks Industrial Area, downtown Reno, Lockwood, Wadsworth and other flood-vulnerable areas.
“The way it’s shaping up right now, it’s a big one,” said Gary Barbato, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Reno.
Serious flooding hazards are also anticipated along small creeks and streams west of U.S. 395 through Reno and Carson City and at Lake Tahoe. Mud- and rockslides are possible in steep terrain and in areas burned by wildfires.Forecasts issued Thursday night by California-Nevada River Forecast Center said the Truckee River at Vista Boulevard could peak at just over 19 feet about 6 p.m. Sunday, 4 feet above flood stage and at sufficiently serious levels to submerge parts of the Sparks Industrial Area in 4 feet of water. http://www.rgj.com/article/20121129/NEWS15/121129013/Storms-threaten-damaging-floods-Reno-Sparks-area?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE\
I bet they are wishing it would be snow instead of rain, especially the ski resorts.
Good luck to them and hope the weather people are wrong... again.
Forecasts varied in severity throughout the day, but it’s clear that some level of potentially damaging flooding is possible Sunday in the Sparks Industrial Area, downtown Reno, Lockwood, Wadsworth and other flood-vulnerable areas.
“The way it’s shaping up right now, it’s a big one,” said Gary Barbato, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Reno.
Serious flooding hazards are also anticipated along small creeks and streams west of U.S. 395 through Reno and Carson City and at Lake Tahoe. Mud- and rockslides are possible in steep terrain and in areas burned by wildfires.Forecasts issued Thursday night by California-Nevada River Forecast Center said the Truckee River at Vista Boulevard could peak at just over 19 feet about 6 p.m. Sunday, 4 feet above flood stage and at sufficiently serious levels to submerge parts of the Sparks Industrial Area in 4 feet of water. http://www.rgj.com/article/20121129/NEWS15/121129013/Storms-threaten-damaging-floods-Reno-Sparks-area?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE\
I bet they are wishing it would be snow instead of rain, especially the ski resorts.
Good luck to them and hope the weather people are wrong... again.
Hey Republicans!!!
I've been listening here and there about the supposed Fiscal Cliff and all you guys are talking about are the Bush tax cuts.
How come the Republicans are not talking about the Obama Tax Hikes?
Have you heard a Republican talk about Obama's Tax Hikes?
Me neither.
How come the Republicans are not talking about the Obama Tax Hikes?
Have you heard a Republican talk about Obama's Tax Hikes?
Me neither.
More ObamaCare Fun And Games
Remember President Obama saying he was going to cut Medicare?
Well, it has consequences and 50 people in Madison, WI. are losing their jobs because of it.
From Madison.com: About 50 employees at Meriter Health Services are losing their jobs, others will see their hours reduced, and some vacant positions are being eliminated, Meriter announced Tuesday.
A total of 140 full-time positions are being cut, Meriter CEO Jim Woodward said in an email to employees.
The cuts, expected to save about $9 million, are needed because of reductions in Medicare payments beginning in January, Meriter spokeswoman Mary Reinke said.
The changes affect less than 4 percent of Meriter's 3,500 employees, Reinke said.
About 50 people are losing their jobs or likely will decline other positions, she said. Half are managers, some are involved in patient care, and some are in unions, she said.
Meriter will continue pay and benefits until the end of the year for those losing jobs, she said.
Woodward said Wisconsin hospitals will see Medicare payment reductions of $3.6 billion beginning in January. Reinke said Meriter will face a reduction of $7 million to $8 million.
In June, the Wisconsin Hospital Association said that the 2010 health care reform law is bringing $2.6 billion in Medicare cuts through 2019. Reinke said the additional $1 billion is if Washington doesn't prevent the fiscal cliff. http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/about-meriter-employees-losing-jobs-total-of-full-time-positions/article_3534d5d4-38de-11e2-84a1-001a4bcf887a.html
ObamaCare, you just gotta love it, hey liberals?
Killing jobs here.
Killing jobs there.
Killing jobs everywhere.
Well, it has consequences and 50 people in Madison, WI. are losing their jobs because of it.
From Madison.com: About 50 employees at Meriter Health Services are losing their jobs, others will see their hours reduced, and some vacant positions are being eliminated, Meriter announced Tuesday.
A total of 140 full-time positions are being cut, Meriter CEO Jim Woodward said in an email to employees.
The cuts, expected to save about $9 million, are needed because of reductions in Medicare payments beginning in January, Meriter spokeswoman Mary Reinke said.
The changes affect less than 4 percent of Meriter's 3,500 employees, Reinke said.
About 50 people are losing their jobs or likely will decline other positions, she said. Half are managers, some are involved in patient care, and some are in unions, she said.
Meriter will continue pay and benefits until the end of the year for those losing jobs, she said.
Woodward said Wisconsin hospitals will see Medicare payment reductions of $3.6 billion beginning in January. Reinke said Meriter will face a reduction of $7 million to $8 million.
In June, the Wisconsin Hospital Association said that the 2010 health care reform law is bringing $2.6 billion in Medicare cuts through 2019. Reinke said the additional $1 billion is if Washington doesn't prevent the fiscal cliff. http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/about-meriter-employees-losing-jobs-total-of-full-time-positions/article_3534d5d4-38de-11e2-84a1-001a4bcf887a.html
ObamaCare, you just gotta love it, hey liberals?
Killing jobs here.
Killing jobs there.
Killing jobs everywhere.
Some What Personal, But Does Anybody Know Anything About....
My daughter is 15 years old and I don't know anything about the band, so is this a band that is ok for 15 year old kids can go to with an adult chaperone? Am I being an old fuddy duddy or should I have some concerns?
Any help would be appreciated- thanks
Nevada To Give Ilegals Driver's License's
Umm, no.
From the Las Vegas Sun: Immigrants brought to the country illegally as children and granted a temporary reprieve by President Barack Obama this summer will be eligible for Nevada driver's licenses and state IDs, state officials told the Sun this week.
And Gov. Brian Sandoval supports the policy, he said in a statement.
That brought a sigh of relief from immigration advocates.
But at least one Republican lawmaker said the Nevada Legislature should weigh in on the question when it meets in early 2013.
By some estimates, Nevada is home to 20,000 young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children who qualify for the “deferred action for childhood arrivals” — a program informally known as Dream Act-lite after the broader legislation that has failed to pass Congress.
“These individuals will not be treated any differently under Nevada law than any other noncitizen applying for an identification card or driver’s license,” said Kevin Malone, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles....
But not everyone believes issuing driver’s licenses to Dreamers is a good idea.
Driver’s licenses can be used for a wide range of purposes, including registering to vote, said Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden.
“If any individual doesn’t have full status, to me, they shouldn’t have a full driver's license,” Settelmeyer said. “A lot of facets need to be discussed at the Legislature. I, myself, do not prefer to see an agency head make a decision that has such large repercussions.” http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/29/dream-act-immigrants-eligible-nevada-drivers-licen/
Settlemeyer is right, this policy is way to big to just implement by administrative action.
Further, how are these documents going to be any different than regular driver's licenses? Can they be used to register to vote and if so, then this idea is horrible.
Sandoval has quietly slipped off the conservative reservation. He completely bowed down to the Federal government in regards to ObamaCare and is doing everything Obama wants him to do and now this. What was the point of having a Republican governor if he was going to these things?
Oh wait, he is being considered to be a top tier for president/vice candidate in 2016 so he wants to get along with moderates/liberals.
From the Las Vegas Sun: Immigrants brought to the country illegally as children and granted a temporary reprieve by President Barack Obama this summer will be eligible for Nevada driver's licenses and state IDs, state officials told the Sun this week.
And Gov. Brian Sandoval supports the policy, he said in a statement.
That brought a sigh of relief from immigration advocates.
But at least one Republican lawmaker said the Nevada Legislature should weigh in on the question when it meets in early 2013.
By some estimates, Nevada is home to 20,000 young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children who qualify for the “deferred action for childhood arrivals” — a program informally known as Dream Act-lite after the broader legislation that has failed to pass Congress.
“These individuals will not be treated any differently under Nevada law than any other noncitizen applying for an identification card or driver’s license,” said Kevin Malone, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles....
But not everyone believes issuing driver’s licenses to Dreamers is a good idea.
Driver’s licenses can be used for a wide range of purposes, including registering to vote, said Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden.
“If any individual doesn’t have full status, to me, they shouldn’t have a full driver's license,” Settelmeyer said. “A lot of facets need to be discussed at the Legislature. I, myself, do not prefer to see an agency head make a decision that has such large repercussions.” http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/29/dream-act-immigrants-eligible-nevada-drivers-licen/
Settlemeyer is right, this policy is way to big to just implement by administrative action.
Further, how are these documents going to be any different than regular driver's licenses? Can they be used to register to vote and if so, then this idea is horrible.
Sandoval has quietly slipped off the conservative reservation. He completely bowed down to the Federal government in regards to ObamaCare and is doing everything Obama wants him to do and now this. What was the point of having a Republican governor if he was going to these things?
Oh wait, he is being considered to be a top tier for president/vice candidate in 2016 so he wants to get along with moderates/liberals.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thanks To The Obama Economy, Time For A Second Job...Again
A couple weeks ago, it became all to apparent that my finances suck. Living on a teacher's salary and with two kids and a wife, the paychecks just were not making it- they were pretty much spent two day after I was paid.
From a lower paycheck, mainly from increased health insurance costs- thanks ObamaCare and much, much higher living costs conspired to doom me.
Of course, I can cut down on some of my expenses- no cell phone and no Internet/cable TV are the two biggest expenses we have, other than rent and electricity in the summer time. But I do need a phone and if I didn't have the Internet, I would be able to write this blog or find out what is going on in the world. It would have been nice if my ex-wife would have taken responsibility and either paid child support for the kids or take the kids 3 days a week as required by law, but she does neither. But it is what it is and I love the kids, so I will do what it takes to raise them as best as I can.
But my mandatory expenses have skyrocketed in the past couple of years. Gas for the car has doubled, food expenses have at least doubled, utilities, especially electricity have almost tripled, school expenses for the kids are out of this world and my miscellaneous expenses have also gone up. Some of my expenses have gone down- my entertainment expenses are almost $0, going out to eat is almost non-existent and even my beer expenses have gone down(oh, the humanity) Finally, I have to be prepared in case the Obama Tax Hikes go into effect starting in January. If the Obama Tax Hikes go into effect in January, I'll be losing at least $150 a school paycheck to the Federal government.
So, 3-4 days a week, I will be working at an evil Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market store, mostly being a cashier. I've worked at previously at Wal-Mart, as a stocker, so this will be a new experience as a cashier. Just seeing all those happy and smiley faces of the customers will certainly make my day.
I learned a lot when I worked at Wal-Mart- mostly, that it is not an evil giant slave shop that the UFCW union thugs says it is. If you do your job, you will succeed and the benefits the employees get are actually very good, compared to other large private sector employees. I'm looking forward to my employee discount card and Wal-Mart stock sharing options.
So, starting next week, if the blog posts don't come as often, you will know why. So, next time you see President Obama, please thank him for me for me having to work 2 jobs because I will be too busy working the jobs to pay for the Obama Economy we are in.
NASCAR Take To The Strip On Thursday
Tomorrow, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase drivers will be taking a trip down the Las Vegas Strip.
From NASCAR.com: NASCAR Victory Lap, featuring the top 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers from the 2012 season, will once again provide fans a unique experience on Las Vegas Blvd. Victory Lap will start at Miracle Mile Shops, providing fans a viewing area to see the drivers up close and personal and experience the traditional feel of a NASCAR start line. The cars will travel north on Las Vegas Blvd. At the Spring Mountain Road intersection, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion will perform a celebratory burnout followed by drivers 2 through 12 performing donuts around the turn. As the procession heads south, the drivers will perform an authentic pit stop in front of the Fountains of Bellagio. The procession will continue south to the East Harmon Ave. intersection where all 12 drivers will perform a donut for the fans as they head toward the finish line located at Miracle Mile Shops. For fans attending NASCAR After the Lap, the best location to view both events is the East Harmon intersection. http://championsweek.nascar.com/home/#!/event/victory-lap
If you go, and are on the Strip, you won't have to worry about being there too early, however, if you want to see the cars close up at the Hard Rock, get there at least an hour early to get a front row spot to watch the cars pull in at the front of the Hotel.
Thankfully, Juan Pablo Montoya won't be there or this may happen on the Strip:
From NASCAR.com: NASCAR Victory Lap, featuring the top 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers from the 2012 season, will once again provide fans a unique experience on Las Vegas Blvd. Victory Lap will start at Miracle Mile Shops, providing fans a viewing area to see the drivers up close and personal and experience the traditional feel of a NASCAR start line. The cars will travel north on Las Vegas Blvd. At the Spring Mountain Road intersection, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion will perform a celebratory burnout followed by drivers 2 through 12 performing donuts around the turn. As the procession heads south, the drivers will perform an authentic pit stop in front of the Fountains of Bellagio. The procession will continue south to the East Harmon Ave. intersection where all 12 drivers will perform a donut for the fans as they head toward the finish line located at Miracle Mile Shops. For fans attending NASCAR After the Lap, the best location to view both events is the East Harmon intersection. http://championsweek.nascar.com/home/#!/event/victory-lap
If you go, and are on the Strip, you won't have to worry about being there too early, however, if you want to see the cars close up at the Hard Rock, get there at least an hour early to get a front row spot to watch the cars pull in at the front of the Hotel.
Thankfully, Juan Pablo Montoya won't be there or this may happen on the Strip:
Bad Man, Bad Law
From Fox News: A northeast Ohio man accused of making fun of a young girl with cerebral palsy has been sentenced to a month in jail.
Canton Municipal Judge John A. Poulos ordered the maximum sentence for 43-year-old William Bailey, who pleaded no contest Tuesday to reduced misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated menacing.
The (Canton) Repository reports that Bailey was caught on cellphone video at a school bus stop in October making fun of how the 10-year-old disabled girl walks. The video of him seemingly imitating her limp was disseminated online and on local TV news. Bailey denied he was mocking the girl, saying he was reacting to name-calling directed at his 9-year-old son.
The video was shot in October by Hope Holocomb's grandmother at a bus stop, and shows what appears to be both Bailey and his son each walking with a pronounced limp.
Bailey, for his part, declined to talk on camera, but at the time told The New York Daily News that he was injured on the job and was suffering from bruised ribs and twisted back when the video was shot.
His wife told Fox8.com that this is all part of an ongoing dispute and that Hope's family has called her son names. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/28/ohio-dad-gets-jail-for-mocking-girl-with-cerebral-palsy/?test=latestnews
What this guy did was horrible to the little girl, but to call it a crime for mocking someone?
I work with kids who are severely disabled and I also work in a high school. The students I work with are not harassed but let's face it, there probably isn't a kid in high school who hasn't been teased or mocked. Do we send all the kids who tease another kid to jail? And then, do we extend that to adults?
Yes, the guy is an idiot and if he did that to one of my students, I'd be pissed, but I wouldn't call the cops in the hopes of sending the thug to jail.
Where do we draw the line? Will i be sent to jail for calling Harry Reid a coward, being senile or a crybaby? Can I send someone to jail for mocking me? Can I send someone to jail for someone who mocks one of my kids?
I have little sympathy for the thug- he will get this in the end but I don't think it is a crime to mock someone, unless it causes some kind of physical harm, like an assault.
Canton Municipal Judge John A. Poulos ordered the maximum sentence for 43-year-old William Bailey, who pleaded no contest Tuesday to reduced misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated menacing.
The (Canton) Repository reports that Bailey was caught on cellphone video at a school bus stop in October making fun of how the 10-year-old disabled girl walks. The video of him seemingly imitating her limp was disseminated online and on local TV news. Bailey denied he was mocking the girl, saying he was reacting to name-calling directed at his 9-year-old son.
The video was shot in October by Hope Holocomb's grandmother at a bus stop, and shows what appears to be both Bailey and his son each walking with a pronounced limp.
Bailey, for his part, declined to talk on camera, but at the time told The New York Daily News that he was injured on the job and was suffering from bruised ribs and twisted back when the video was shot.
His wife told Fox8.com that this is all part of an ongoing dispute and that Hope's family has called her son names. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/28/ohio-dad-gets-jail-for-mocking-girl-with-cerebral-palsy/?test=latestnews
What this guy did was horrible to the little girl, but to call it a crime for mocking someone?
I work with kids who are severely disabled and I also work in a high school. The students I work with are not harassed but let's face it, there probably isn't a kid in high school who hasn't been teased or mocked. Do we send all the kids who tease another kid to jail? And then, do we extend that to adults?
Yes, the guy is an idiot and if he did that to one of my students, I'd be pissed, but I wouldn't call the cops in the hopes of sending the thug to jail.
Where do we draw the line? Will i be sent to jail for calling Harry Reid a coward, being senile or a crybaby? Can I send someone to jail for mocking me? Can I send someone to jail for someone who mocks one of my kids?
I have little sympathy for the thug- he will get this in the end but I don't think it is a crime to mock someone, unless it causes some kind of physical harm, like an assault.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
That's Right, Blame The 11 Year Old Girl For Rape
| Was This Their Attorney? (No, But...) |
Testimony in this case was over in a single day after Cruse, now 20, declined to testify and his attorney, Steve Taylor, rested without calling any witnesses Tuesday.
During opening remarks and the questioning of the young girl, Taylor stressed how she never shed a tear nor voiced a single complaint about her sexual encounters with any of the 20 males accused of assaulting her two years ago.
The girl, whose name was withheld because she is a juvenile, answered "yes, sir" when Taylor asked if she had been a "willing participant." She also acknowledged never making an outcry until questioned by authorities after graphic sex tapes of her encounters surfaced at Cleveland High School. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Prosecutor-calls-defendant-in-gang-rape-one-of-4071150.php
And then you wonder why defense lawyers are thought to be scum of the earth.
The defense attorney blaming an 11 year old for the gang rape in which she was a victim is just as disgusting as the thug defendants who did this to her.
The only saving grace is that if these thugs are convicted, they will have a very bad time in prison as child molesters are considered scum and the thugs tend to be treated horribly by other prisoners.
Cool
From the New York Daily News: He’s a real globetrotter!
A British man has become the first person to visit all 201 countries in the world without ever setting foot on an airplane.
“I love travel, and I guess my reason for doing it was I wanted to see if this could be done by one person traveling on a shoestring,” Graham Hughes, who lived on just $100 a week during the trip, told the Christian Science Monitor.
The 33-year-old marked the end of his four-year, 160,000-mile journey in South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, on Monday.
“The main feeling today is just one of intense gratitude to every person around the world who helped me get here by giving me a lift, letting me stay on their couch or pointing me in the right direction,” he said.
It took Hughes 1,456 days to complete the epic, low-cost odyssey, which the adventurer filmed to raise money for the charity WaterAid, which works to provide safe water and sanitation in Africa, Asia and Central America. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/man-visit-201-countries-flying-article-1.1209055
If I travel the world or the United States, this is how I would travel- not in airplanes but instead by camper or car. I hate to fly
A British man has become the first person to visit all 201 countries in the world without ever setting foot on an airplane.
“I love travel, and I guess my reason for doing it was I wanted to see if this could be done by one person traveling on a shoestring,” Graham Hughes, who lived on just $100 a week during the trip, told the Christian Science Monitor.
The 33-year-old marked the end of his four-year, 160,000-mile journey in South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, on Monday.
“The main feeling today is just one of intense gratitude to every person around the world who helped me get here by giving me a lift, letting me stay on their couch or pointing me in the right direction,” he said.
It took Hughes 1,456 days to complete the epic, low-cost odyssey, which the adventurer filmed to raise money for the charity WaterAid, which works to provide safe water and sanitation in Africa, Asia and Central America. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/man-visit-201-countries-flying-article-1.1209055
If I travel the world or the United States, this is how I would travel- not in airplanes but instead by camper or car. I hate to fly
An Illinois Senator Speaking Common Sense- If You Believe Him
From the Chicago Tribune: A top Democrat pressured fellow progressives Tuesday to support –
rather than fight – a far-reaching budget deal that includes cuts to
entitlement programs after resolving the upcoming fiscal cliff.
“We can't be so naive to believe that just taxing the rich will solve our problems,” said Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. “Put everything on the table. Repeat. Everything on the table.”
The assistant majority leader’s speech at the influential Center for American Progress comes at a pivotal moment in budget talks between the White House and Congress. Progressive and labor groups have warned President Obama against cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs and to instead focus on raising tax revenue in the administration’s negotiations with congressional Republicans.
In remarks that strayed from his prepared comments, Durbin told the story of a labor leader who questioned his interest in serving on that 2010 panel, asking, “What is a nice progressive like you doing in a place like that?”
Durbin responded by saying it was better to have a seat at the table, a position he reiterated as he tried to prevent a schism among Democrats’ traditional allies while talks continue toward the year-end deadline.
“Progressives cannot afford to stand on the sidelines in this fiscal debate and deny the obvious,” Durbin said.
Already, a coalition of liberal groups is running ads warning Obama against striking a deal with Republicans that would slash social safety net programs while allowing tax breaks for wealthier households to continue. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-durbin-urges-progressives-to-back-entitlement-cuts-in-fiscal-cliff-deal-20121127,0,3123621.story
Durbin is talking the talk but can you trust an Illinois politician and trust him to keep his word?
Me either.
“We can't be so naive to believe that just taxing the rich will solve our problems,” said Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. “Put everything on the table. Repeat. Everything on the table.”
The assistant majority leader’s speech at the influential Center for American Progress comes at a pivotal moment in budget talks between the White House and Congress. Progressive and labor groups have warned President Obama against cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs and to instead focus on raising tax revenue in the administration’s negotiations with congressional Republicans.
In remarks that strayed from his prepared comments, Durbin told the story of a labor leader who questioned his interest in serving on that 2010 panel, asking, “What is a nice progressive like you doing in a place like that?”
Durbin responded by saying it was better to have a seat at the table, a position he reiterated as he tried to prevent a schism among Democrats’ traditional allies while talks continue toward the year-end deadline.
“Progressives cannot afford to stand on the sidelines in this fiscal debate and deny the obvious,” Durbin said.
Already, a coalition of liberal groups is running ads warning Obama against striking a deal with Republicans that would slash social safety net programs while allowing tax breaks for wealthier households to continue. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-durbin-urges-progressives-to-back-entitlement-cuts-in-fiscal-cliff-deal-20121127,0,3123621.story
Durbin is talking the talk but can you trust an Illinois politician and trust him to keep his word?
Me either.
Conservative: Raise Taxes On Middle Class
Seems logical and I am sure most Democrats would agree:
From the Washington Examiner:
In an apparent bid to outflank the left the tax and deficit issue, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute has called for a tax increase on the middle class — yes, something not even the most liberal Democrats have called for. This is all the more startling since AEI is a conservative, free-market think tank. Its list of scholars is a who’s who of right-leaning policy intellectuals.
That case for the tax hike is made by AEI resident scholar Sita Nataraj Slavov in the think tank’s online magazine, The American. Like Willie Sutton, Slavov’s thinking is that you have got to go where the money is. And that’s not the richest 1 or 2 percent:...
Throughout the recent presidential election campaign, we heard President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney blast one another for allegedly wanting to raise taxes on the middle class, which they defined as households making less than $200,000 per year. And we heard each candidate repeatedly promise not to do so. One of the only things the two candidates appeared to agree on was that raising taxes on the middle class is a bad idea.
That might be true if you’re trying to be elected president. But from a tax policy perspective, raising taxes on the middle class is a terrific idea.
Raising taxes on the middle class is a necessity given the enormous fiscal gap facing our country. While that gap will have to be closed primarily by cutting entitlement spending, increased revenue will also need to be part of the solution. And it won’t be possible to get all of the money necessary from those making more than $200,000 per year. As Alan Viard, my colleague at the American Enterprise Institute, has documented, observers across the political spectrum have recognized that tax increases on the top 2 or 3 percent won’t be enough to close the fiscal gap. http://washingtonexaminer.com/conservative-think-tank-scholar-raise-taxes-on-the-middle-class/article/2514493#.ULWfbmc8VXs
If the liberals are true to their word and want to lower the deficit by raising taxes on the rich, then, logically, if you tax the middle class higher, then you would really make a dent in the deficit.
But the liberals are not interested in sound fiscal policy- they just want to tax the rich because the liberals are jealous of people who have money. They want to punish the rich for being successful and they want to steal their money away.
So, if the liberals really want to lower the deficit and not cut spending, then raise the taxes on the middle class and rich.
And the GOP is for raising the middle class taxes, then let the fiscal cliff perish and we would accomplish everything- higher taxes and a large cut in spending.
Of course, if they just cut the wasteful spending in the Federal government, no one's taxes should be raised.
From the Washington Examiner:
In an apparent bid to outflank the left the tax and deficit issue, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute has called for a tax increase on the middle class — yes, something not even the most liberal Democrats have called for. This is all the more startling since AEI is a conservative, free-market think tank. Its list of scholars is a who’s who of right-leaning policy intellectuals.
That case for the tax hike is made by AEI resident scholar Sita Nataraj Slavov in the think tank’s online magazine, The American. Like Willie Sutton, Slavov’s thinking is that you have got to go where the money is. And that’s not the richest 1 or 2 percent:...
Throughout the recent presidential election campaign, we heard President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney blast one another for allegedly wanting to raise taxes on the middle class, which they defined as households making less than $200,000 per year. And we heard each candidate repeatedly promise not to do so. One of the only things the two candidates appeared to agree on was that raising taxes on the middle class is a bad idea.
That might be true if you’re trying to be elected president. But from a tax policy perspective, raising taxes on the middle class is a terrific idea.
Raising taxes on the middle class is a necessity given the enormous fiscal gap facing our country. While that gap will have to be closed primarily by cutting entitlement spending, increased revenue will also need to be part of the solution. And it won’t be possible to get all of the money necessary from those making more than $200,000 per year. As Alan Viard, my colleague at the American Enterprise Institute, has documented, observers across the political spectrum have recognized that tax increases on the top 2 or 3 percent won’t be enough to close the fiscal gap. http://washingtonexaminer.com/conservative-think-tank-scholar-raise-taxes-on-the-middle-class/article/2514493#.ULWfbmc8VXs
If the liberals are true to their word and want to lower the deficit by raising taxes on the rich, then, logically, if you tax the middle class higher, then you would really make a dent in the deficit.
But the liberals are not interested in sound fiscal policy- they just want to tax the rich because the liberals are jealous of people who have money. They want to punish the rich for being successful and they want to steal their money away.
So, if the liberals really want to lower the deficit and not cut spending, then raise the taxes on the middle class and rich.
And the GOP is for raising the middle class taxes, then let the fiscal cliff perish and we would accomplish everything- higher taxes and a large cut in spending.
Of course, if they just cut the wasteful spending in the Federal government, no one's taxes should be raised.
Oh Oh: Reno Radio Station Plans Turkey
Could it be deja vue all over again?
From the Reno Gazette: The annual Turkey Drop to collect frozen turkeys and cash for the Salvation Army will be Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the west parking lot of the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa at South Virginia Street and Peckham Lane.
It is sponsored by News Talk 780 KKOH and the Atlantis. http://www.rgj.com/article/20121127/NEWS/121127015/Turkey-Drop-Salvation-Army-donations-Wednesday-Atlantis?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
Because the turkey drop involves the Salvation Army, the money is going to a very good cause. If i had a choice between the Salvation Army and the Red Cross, I would chose the Salvation Army in a heart beat. I used to work for a Salvation Army homeless shelter (yeah, you know us horrible conservatives, only looking out for the rich and screwing the poor). I could tell that the Salvation Army pays it employees a very low wage, including it's officers and most of the money raised went directly to the people they serve.
The Red Cross, on the other hand, do have many highly paid employees and it seems that more of their money goes for other things- like advertising- than going directly to the people they have to serve.
So, good luck with the turkey drop and hope it doesn't go like this:
From the Reno Gazette: The annual Turkey Drop to collect frozen turkeys and cash for the Salvation Army will be Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the west parking lot of the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa at South Virginia Street and Peckham Lane.
It is sponsored by News Talk 780 KKOH and the Atlantis. http://www.rgj.com/article/20121127/NEWS/121127015/Turkey-Drop-Salvation-Army-donations-Wednesday-Atlantis?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
Because the turkey drop involves the Salvation Army, the money is going to a very good cause. If i had a choice between the Salvation Army and the Red Cross, I would chose the Salvation Army in a heart beat. I used to work for a Salvation Army homeless shelter (yeah, you know us horrible conservatives, only looking out for the rich and screwing the poor). I could tell that the Salvation Army pays it employees a very low wage, including it's officers and most of the money raised went directly to the people they serve.
The Red Cross, on the other hand, do have many highly paid employees and it seems that more of their money goes for other things- like advertising- than going directly to the people they have to serve.
So, good luck with the turkey drop and hope it doesn't go like this:
Bobby Hauck Returning As UNLV Football Coach
From the LVRJ: Until now, Bobby Hauck has been given time to gradually build UNLV's football program.
The building phase is officially over.
Hauck and athletic director Jim Livengood said Tuesday they expect the Rebels to win at least six games next season and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2000.
Falling short of that mark doesn't necessarily mean a coaching change - "I don't believe in going with a hard line," Livengood said - but Hauck certainly hopes he doesn't have to find out.
"I would say in my mind, we probably need to be bowl eligible next year," Hauck said. "I think that's fair."
Getting to six victories won't be easy for a program that has ended with two wins in each of the past three seasons and seven of nine. http://www.lvrj.com/sports/hauck-livengood-expect-significant-improvement-next-season-181120171.html
My guess is that if they fired Hauck, they could not find anyone better than him. Further, a new person would be willing to come to a program that pretty much sucks because of poor training facilities, a so-so stadium, a horrible fan base and a poor recruiting pool in Las Vegas.
So, welcome back to hell, Coach Hauck.
The building phase is officially over.
Hauck and athletic director Jim Livengood said Tuesday they expect the Rebels to win at least six games next season and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2000.
Falling short of that mark doesn't necessarily mean a coaching change - "I don't believe in going with a hard line," Livengood said - but Hauck certainly hopes he doesn't have to find out.
"I would say in my mind, we probably need to be bowl eligible next year," Hauck said. "I think that's fair."
Getting to six victories won't be easy for a program that has ended with two wins in each of the past three seasons and seven of nine. http://www.lvrj.com/sports/hauck-livengood-expect-significant-improvement-next-season-181120171.html
My guess is that if they fired Hauck, they could not find anyone better than him. Further, a new person would be willing to come to a program that pretty much sucks because of poor training facilities, a so-so stadium, a horrible fan base and a poor recruiting pool in Las Vegas.
So, welcome back to hell, Coach Hauck.
Update: Where To Buy Powerball Lottery Tickets In Las Vegas/Nevada
So, you want to try and win $500,000,000 but you live in Las Vegas, so where to do buy the Powerball tickets?
First, don't go to Primm, NV. There is a lottery store there and they don't sell Powerball tickets.
But you can take Hwy 93, south of town and through Boulder City and the Hoover dam and into Arizona. There, you can go to the Last Stop convenience store, which is about 20 miles from the Nevada border, but I suspect there will be huge lines there. The Arizona Lottery says that Rosies Diner, across the street from the Last Stop is selling tickets, but Rosies burned down about a year ago, so you can't buy your tickets there.
So, keep on going another 10-20 miles,and you will get to a town named Dolan Springs and there are several places to buy the tickets there.
Going south, you can continue on to Kingman and you will be able to find a lot places that sell the lottery tickets.
You can also go south into Laughlin and cross the border and you will end up in Bullhead City and there are numerous places to buy your tickets.
You can also find lottery outlets in Kingman and Lake Havasu City.
To the north and going up I-15 through Mesquite, you will find several places in Beaver Dam/Littlefield, AZ.
If you live in Northern Nevada, you can buy tickets in Idaho. And if you live in Northwest Nevada, you can also go to Oregon to play.
So, if you play, good luck and hope your lines are not too long.
And if you win, you can also send a little money to this little blogger!
Dean Heller: Fiscal Cliff No Big Deal
From the Las Vegas Sun:
It’s sad times for online poker in the Senate.
A few months ago, Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller were talking big about the Internet poker bill they would be sure to pass before the year was out.
Now they are hinting, in noticeably deflated tones, that a big poker bill may once again be a political impossibility.
Heller and Reid blamed different political forces of nature Tuesday for stymieing their best efforts to get a bill legalizing online poker onto the Senate’s agenda.
Poker “is an issue that’s on the front burner for me, for Sen. Reid and Sen. Kyl,” Heller said Tuesday. “The front burner for everybody else is this rules package and the fiscal cliff ... it’s just hard getting it to the forefront so that we can make it an issue and get it moving.”
“I said on a number of occasions that to bring an Internet poker bill to come to the floor you need 15, 17 Republican votes,” Reid said Tuesday. “At this stage, we’ve gotten none.” http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/27/hopes-dim-online-poker-legislation/
I think Internet poker is a huge mistake. It will cost Nevadans their jobs in the entertainment and casino industry and it will encourage more gambling and underage problems.
But for Dean Heller to say that this bill is more important than the upcoming tax increases and defense cuts shows that he is out of touch with reality.
It’s sad times for online poker in the Senate.
A few months ago, Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller were talking big about the Internet poker bill they would be sure to pass before the year was out.
Now they are hinting, in noticeably deflated tones, that a big poker bill may once again be a political impossibility.
Heller and Reid blamed different political forces of nature Tuesday for stymieing their best efforts to get a bill legalizing online poker onto the Senate’s agenda.
Poker “is an issue that’s on the front burner for me, for Sen. Reid and Sen. Kyl,” Heller said Tuesday. “The front burner for everybody else is this rules package and the fiscal cliff ... it’s just hard getting it to the forefront so that we can make it an issue and get it moving.”
“I said on a number of occasions that to bring an Internet poker bill to come to the floor you need 15, 17 Republican votes,” Reid said Tuesday. “At this stage, we’ve gotten none.” http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/27/hopes-dim-online-poker-legislation/
I think Internet poker is a huge mistake. It will cost Nevadans their jobs in the entertainment and casino industry and it will encourage more gambling and underage problems.
But for Dean Heller to say that this bill is more important than the upcoming tax increases and defense cuts shows that he is out of touch with reality.
Who Is The 5 Hour Energy Singing Girl?
Ever wonder who does commercials and what their background is?
Well, I was wondering about the 5 Hour Energy girl who plays the guitar while singing about the 5 Hour Energy Strawberry Lemonade drink.
From the Penn live.com: Allison Shiffler perches on a white bench, her blond curls tethered by a pink ribbon that matches the guitar in her lap and the bowl of painted lemons at her side.
Wide-eyed and cheery, she begins to strum and sing a jingle with two parts heart and one part ham. And it’s clear why the query, “Who is the 5-Hour Energy Pink Lemonade girl?” is clogging Internet search engines.
The girl is Shiffler, a Carlisle High School graduate and social worker who lives in Utah. She did the commercial on a whim and now her face has been seen across the country on TV and about 24,000 times on Youtube.
Captivated fans are flooding her Twitter feed and sending her Facebook friend requests daily.
“Oh my. Oh yeah. I’m getting 10 friend requests on Facebook per day and they’re from 100 percent men and most of them are over 40 or 50 or 60. I’m getting tons of messages on Facebook, some of which are really sweet,” Shiffler said Monday from her Utah home.
Others are over-the-top, breathless, idolizing requests which Shiffler said she rejects.
“That is weird. Of course I’m not going to (friend them),” she said.
Besides, Shiffler doesn’t plan to stay in the limelight. She isn’t planning a modeling or acting career.
A Mormon, she spent 18 months on mission trip to Russia which solidified a passion for social work. There, she taught English to all ages along with the usual proselytizing activities.
After graduation last summer from Utah Valley University, Shiffler said she landed her dream job. She works for a state family and children services center. As a child protective services employee, she deals with mentally and sexually abused children.
So, did she get rich on the commercial? No, Andersen paid Shiffler for her work, not 5-Hour Energy.
“For two hours of work it was very generous. I’m very happy,” was all Shiffler would say about her wages.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/11/carlisle_grad_allison_shiffler.html
Sounds like she doesn't have a big head and that she won't let her fame get to her.
And now you know.
Well, I was wondering about the 5 Hour Energy girl who plays the guitar while singing about the 5 Hour Energy Strawberry Lemonade drink.
From the Penn live.com: Allison Shiffler perches on a white bench, her blond curls tethered by a pink ribbon that matches the guitar in her lap and the bowl of painted lemons at her side.
Wide-eyed and cheery, she begins to strum and sing a jingle with two parts heart and one part ham. And it’s clear why the query, “Who is the 5-Hour Energy Pink Lemonade girl?” is clogging Internet search engines.
The girl is Shiffler, a Carlisle High School graduate and social worker who lives in Utah. She did the commercial on a whim and now her face has been seen across the country on TV and about 24,000 times on Youtube.
Captivated fans are flooding her Twitter feed and sending her Facebook friend requests daily.
“Oh my. Oh yeah. I’m getting 10 friend requests on Facebook per day and they’re from 100 percent men and most of them are over 40 or 50 or 60. I’m getting tons of messages on Facebook, some of which are really sweet,” Shiffler said Monday from her Utah home.
Others are over-the-top, breathless, idolizing requests which Shiffler said she rejects.
“That is weird. Of course I’m not going to (friend them),” she said.
Besides, Shiffler doesn’t plan to stay in the limelight. She isn’t planning a modeling or acting career.
A Mormon, she spent 18 months on mission trip to Russia which solidified a passion for social work. There, she taught English to all ages along with the usual proselytizing activities.
After graduation last summer from Utah Valley University, Shiffler said she landed her dream job. She works for a state family and children services center. As a child protective services employee, she deals with mentally and sexually abused children.
So, did she get rich on the commercial? No, Andersen paid Shiffler for her work, not 5-Hour Energy.
“For two hours of work it was very generous. I’m very happy,” was all Shiffler would say about her wages.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/11/carlisle_grad_allison_shiffler.html
Sounds like she doesn't have a big head and that she won't let her fame get to her.
And now you know.
Nevada's Graduation The Lowest, But....
From the Las Vegas Sun: Nevada has the lowest high school graduation rate of any state in the
nation, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Education
Department.
The federal government released the four-year graduation rates for 47 states, Washington, D.C., and the Bureau of Indian Education for the 2010-11 school year. Three states — Idaho, Kentucky and Oklahoma — and Puerto Rico were not included.
Nevada posted a 62 percent graduation rate during the 2010-11 school year. The Silver State’s graduation rate was the lowest of any state but slightly better than Washington, D.C., (59 percent) and students on Native American reservations (61 percent).
The federal data also illuminates striking achievement gaps among Nevada students of different backgrounds.
White and Asian students had higher graduation rates than black and Hispanic students, sometimes by a margin of 30 percentage points....
Iowa had the best graduation rate (88 percent), followed by Vermont and Wisconsin (87 percent), then Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas (86 percent).
Joining Nevada at the bottom of the rankings were Alaska and Oregon (68 percent), Georgia (67 percent) and New Mexico (63 percent).
For the first time, the survey used a common method of calculating graduation rates. Previously, states used different methods to determine graduation rates, which made it difficult to make accurate state-by-state comparisons.
The federal government now requires that states use the “cohort” graduation rate calculation, which tracks how many first-time 9th graders finish high school in four years with a standard diploma. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/27/nevadas-high-school-graduation-rate-lowest-nation/
But sometimes, numbers do lie.
In Nevada, most special education students are counted non-graduates, just like someone who dropped out of school. Nevada has 2 types of a diplomas, a regular diploma or an adjusted diploma (or Type 2 diploma).
Most of the special students in Clark County and the State of Nevada receive the Type 2 diploma because they are not able to pass the state proficiency exams. When calculating the graduation rate these special education students count as not graduating. This automatically drops the graduation by at least 25%.
This also goes for students who are non-english speaking students- their graduation rate is pathetic, especially since the proficiency exams are written in English and these students cannot read, write or speak English.
When you compare these numbers against states that don't have proficiency exams like Nevada, it's not a fair comparison.
So, while the graduation in Nevada is bad, it's not as bad as the number say it is. We could do more as a school district, but also families need to get involved as well. at our school, we have about 2100 students and we had a parent meeting a couple weeks ago and only 7 parents showed up for the meeting. And this is actually an improvement, since last year we could only get 5 parents to show up for the meetings.
But the bottom line is that the numbers do distort the truth at times and this is one of those times.
The federal government released the four-year graduation rates for 47 states, Washington, D.C., and the Bureau of Indian Education for the 2010-11 school year. Three states — Idaho, Kentucky and Oklahoma — and Puerto Rico were not included.
Nevada posted a 62 percent graduation rate during the 2010-11 school year. The Silver State’s graduation rate was the lowest of any state but slightly better than Washington, D.C., (59 percent) and students on Native American reservations (61 percent).
The federal data also illuminates striking achievement gaps among Nevada students of different backgrounds.
White and Asian students had higher graduation rates than black and Hispanic students, sometimes by a margin of 30 percentage points....
Iowa had the best graduation rate (88 percent), followed by Vermont and Wisconsin (87 percent), then Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas (86 percent).
Joining Nevada at the bottom of the rankings were Alaska and Oregon (68 percent), Georgia (67 percent) and New Mexico (63 percent).
For the first time, the survey used a common method of calculating graduation rates. Previously, states used different methods to determine graduation rates, which made it difficult to make accurate state-by-state comparisons.
The federal government now requires that states use the “cohort” graduation rate calculation, which tracks how many first-time 9th graders finish high school in four years with a standard diploma. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/nov/27/nevadas-high-school-graduation-rate-lowest-nation/
But sometimes, numbers do lie.
In Nevada, most special education students are counted non-graduates, just like someone who dropped out of school. Nevada has 2 types of a diplomas, a regular diploma or an adjusted diploma (or Type 2 diploma).
Most of the special students in Clark County and the State of Nevada receive the Type 2 diploma because they are not able to pass the state proficiency exams. When calculating the graduation rate these special education students count as not graduating. This automatically drops the graduation by at least 25%.
This also goes for students who are non-english speaking students- their graduation rate is pathetic, especially since the proficiency exams are written in English and these students cannot read, write or speak English.
When you compare these numbers against states that don't have proficiency exams like Nevada, it's not a fair comparison.
So, while the graduation in Nevada is bad, it's not as bad as the number say it is. We could do more as a school district, but also families need to get involved as well. at our school, we have about 2100 students and we had a parent meeting a couple weeks ago and only 7 parents showed up for the meeting. And this is actually an improvement, since last year we could only get 5 parents to show up for the meetings.
But the bottom line is that the numbers do distort the truth at times and this is one of those times.
Democrat Secretary Of State Miller Wants Voter ID
Ohhh, his Democrat buddies are not going to like this.
From the LVRJ: Spurred by many Nevadans complaining during this year's contentious elections that some people were voting illegally, Secretary of State Ross Miller said Tuesday he will sponsor a bill at the Legislature to require voter photo IDs.
Under his proposal that will be considered by lawmakers in 2013, the photos on residents' driver's licenses would be placed electronically with their voter registration records and in the poll books at election locations. People without any identification, but who are registered, would be required to have their pictures taken by poll workers and sign an affidavit that they are the person they represent the first time they vote.
Miller said Minnesota estimated it would cost $15 million to $20 million to implement a similar program, but legislators rejected the bill. Minnesota has twice the population of Nevada.
"There is a cost," Miller said. "It will cause some delays (in voting), and that will be part of the debate. But it is the way to do it. This will eliminate any opportunity for someone to impersonate some other person when you come to vote. This will eliminate any concerns about voter fraud."
Other than hearing people demand a voter ID program, Miller gave no reason or incidents of fraud that prompted him to propose his bill. http://www.lvrj.com/news/miller-calls-for-voter-id-law-in-nevada-181034791.html
Miller is one of the good guys, Democrat or Republican and he could run for just about any office in Nevada- State of Federal- and win.
He has a good idea and I hope the Nevada state legislators will help him on this issue.
And then watch the Democrats beat up on Miller.
From the LVRJ: Spurred by many Nevadans complaining during this year's contentious elections that some people were voting illegally, Secretary of State Ross Miller said Tuesday he will sponsor a bill at the Legislature to require voter photo IDs.
Under his proposal that will be considered by lawmakers in 2013, the photos on residents' driver's licenses would be placed electronically with their voter registration records and in the poll books at election locations. People without any identification, but who are registered, would be required to have their pictures taken by poll workers and sign an affidavit that they are the person they represent the first time they vote.
Miller said Minnesota estimated it would cost $15 million to $20 million to implement a similar program, but legislators rejected the bill. Minnesota has twice the population of Nevada.
"There is a cost," Miller said. "It will cause some delays (in voting), and that will be part of the debate. But it is the way to do it. This will eliminate any opportunity for someone to impersonate some other person when you come to vote. This will eliminate any concerns about voter fraud."
Other than hearing people demand a voter ID program, Miller gave no reason or incidents of fraud that prompted him to propose his bill. http://www.lvrj.com/news/miller-calls-for-voter-id-law-in-nevada-181034791.html
Miller is one of the good guys, Democrat or Republican and he could run for just about any office in Nevada- State of Federal- and win.
He has a good idea and I hope the Nevada state legislators will help him on this issue.
And then watch the Democrats beat up on Miller.
Chris Christie Even Popular Among New Jersey Democrats
From the Washington Post: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) filed for reelection on Monday. But at this point, it might be easy to look past 2013 and focus a little more intently on 2016.
Christie has seen a massive boost in his popularity in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, with 77 percent of New Jerseyans saying they approve of the governor in a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released Monday. That’s up from 56 percent before Sandy. (Respondents from the first poll were re-contacted for the second one.)...
Christie even gets positive marks from 67 percent of Democrats. Just 17 percent of all registered voters in the Garden State say they disapprove of his performance.
The poll echoes a new Quinnipiac poll that pegs Christie’s approval at 72 percent and a Rutgers-Eagleton poll that shows his favorable rating at 67 percent.
Put plainly: For politicians, it doesn’t get much better than that — especially for a Republican in a blue state. (And the numbers, for what it’s worth, match up with recent internal polling conducted for the state GOP.)
Those numbers should sufficiently scare any Democrats considering running against Christie next year (we’re looking at you, Cory Booker), but they should also help Christie’s name to rise to the top when it comes to the 2016 presidential race. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/11/27/chris-christie-the-most-popular-republican-in-the-country/?hpid=z3
Makes me wonder if Christie would have beat Obama in November. But in 2016, if he gets the GOP nomination, he may be a shoo in.
But, the GOP probably wouldn't nominate him because he is not a country club Republican. Is Christie the perfect conservative? Of course not. Is he a person that could get things done? Absolutely.
Hopefully he will run in 2016 and Christie/Ryan in 2016? Sounds good to me.
Christie has seen a massive boost in his popularity in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, with 77 percent of New Jerseyans saying they approve of the governor in a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released Monday. That’s up from 56 percent before Sandy. (Respondents from the first poll were re-contacted for the second one.)...
Christie even gets positive marks from 67 percent of Democrats. Just 17 percent of all registered voters in the Garden State say they disapprove of his performance.
The poll echoes a new Quinnipiac poll that pegs Christie’s approval at 72 percent and a Rutgers-Eagleton poll that shows his favorable rating at 67 percent.
Put plainly: For politicians, it doesn’t get much better than that — especially for a Republican in a blue state. (And the numbers, for what it’s worth, match up with recent internal polling conducted for the state GOP.)
Those numbers should sufficiently scare any Democrats considering running against Christie next year (we’re looking at you, Cory Booker), but they should also help Christie’s name to rise to the top when it comes to the 2016 presidential race. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/11/27/chris-christie-the-most-popular-republican-in-the-country/?hpid=z3
Makes me wonder if Christie would have beat Obama in November. But in 2016, if he gets the GOP nomination, he may be a shoo in.
But, the GOP probably wouldn't nominate him because he is not a country club Republican. Is Christie the perfect conservative? Of course not. Is he a person that could get things done? Absolutely.
Hopefully he will run in 2016 and Christie/Ryan in 2016? Sounds good to me.
Another Conservative Talker Leaving The Air
Conservative radio talk show host, Laura Ingrahm is off the air, at least temporarily.
From the AP: Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham is off the air - at least temporarily.
She
said Tuesday that she's leaving her distributor, Talk Radio Network,
after more than nine years because her contract is up. Ingraham said she
is in discussions with other distributors about her show, which
currently airs on 325 stations nationally.
Talkers
magazine says the conservative Ingraham is the most-listened to woman
on radio, with an estimated 5.75 million listeners a week. Talkers said
that ranks her among the top eight radio hosts overall.
In the meantime, she said she'll keep her opinions flowing on her website, on Twitter and during Fox News Channel appearances. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PEOPLE_LAURA_INGRAHAM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-11-27-11-50-49
I used to listen to Ingrahm awhile ago, when she was doing the morning shift, on I believe 720, KDWN and she was pretty good. But then KDWN dropped her and now we have Alan Stock, who is not as entertaining and certainly not as good looking.
I was disappointed that she went on Fox TV to do the Bill O'Reilly and become one of his blonde bimbos, because she is much smarter than the other bimbos they have on that show.
She joins Neal Bortz as another conservative who is off the air or soon will be. Michael Savage was off the air for a few weeks when he was having problems with Talk Radio Network.
So, good luck to Ingrahm and hope to hear her soon.
Monday, November 26, 2012
2013 Baseball Hall Of Fame Nominees: Year Of Steroids?
The baseball writers have many players to choose from for the 2013 Baseball Hall of Fame Class. Among others are:
Jack Morris
Jeff Bagwell
Lee Smith
Don Mattingly
Mike Piazza
Curt Schilling
Craig Biggiao.
Then you have some players who have had some serious problems with steroids or others with ethical problems but great careers:
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Sammy Sosa
Mark McGwire
If steroids were not involved with McGwire, Bonds, Clemens and Sosa, it would be a no brainer that they belong in the Hall of Fame.
But because they were accused of using steroids, a legal substance that was not banned when they were playing, they may not get into the Hall of Fame.
The argument for them getting into the HOF is that it still takes talent to hit a baseball that is thrown 100 mph and dancing all the way into the catcher's mitt and they still had to field the baseball, when out playing defense (unless they were a designated hitter). The players also played for a long time and had productive careers.
The argument against them getting them into the HOF: Steroids and they cheated their way through their careers and they were able to extend their playing time because of steroids.
So, should Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Clemens be voted in to the Hall of Fame? You make the call on the poll.
Jack Morris
Jeff Bagwell
Lee Smith
Don Mattingly
Mike Piazza
Curt Schilling
Craig Biggiao.
Then you have some players who have had some serious problems with steroids or others with ethical problems but great careers:
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Sammy Sosa
Mark McGwire
If steroids were not involved with McGwire, Bonds, Clemens and Sosa, it would be a no brainer that they belong in the Hall of Fame.
But because they were accused of using steroids, a legal substance that was not banned when they were playing, they may not get into the Hall of Fame.
The argument for them getting into the HOF is that it still takes talent to hit a baseball that is thrown 100 mph and dancing all the way into the catcher's mitt and they still had to field the baseball, when out playing defense (unless they were a designated hitter). The players also played for a long time and had productive careers.
The argument against them getting them into the HOF: Steroids and they cheated their way through their careers and they were able to extend their playing time because of steroids.
So, should Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Clemens be voted in to the Hall of Fame? You make the call on the poll.
Eat Wroms, Now The Worms Eat You
Darwin Award Nominee?
From the Orlando Sentinel: A West Palm Beach man who collapsed after a cockroach-eating contest last month choked to death on bug parts and his own vomit, the Broward County Medical Examiner ruled Monday.
Edward Archbold, 32, a canvas worker, had stuffed handfuls of roaches and worms down his throat during an Oct. 5 contest at the Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach.
Shortly after winning the prize, an expensive ivory ball python, Archbold began to retch violently and collapsed outside the store. He later died at Broward Health North Medical Center. None of the other contestants became ill, Ben Siegel said.
Medical Examiner Dr. Craig Mallak determined Archbold "died as a result of asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents."
Mallak further cited "findings of airway obstruction by the arthropod body parts." Cockroaches are members of the arthropod family.
Mallak's report noted there were no "lethal intoxicating substances" in Archbold's system. He classified the death as an accident. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/fl-bug-eating-contest-autopsy-20121126,0,5939707.story
From the Orlando Sentinel: A West Palm Beach man who collapsed after a cockroach-eating contest last month choked to death on bug parts and his own vomit, the Broward County Medical Examiner ruled Monday.
Edward Archbold, 32, a canvas worker, had stuffed handfuls of roaches and worms down his throat during an Oct. 5 contest at the Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach.
Shortly after winning the prize, an expensive ivory ball python, Archbold began to retch violently and collapsed outside the store. He later died at Broward Health North Medical Center. None of the other contestants became ill, Ben Siegel said.
Medical Examiner Dr. Craig Mallak determined Archbold "died as a result of asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents."
Mallak further cited "findings of airway obstruction by the arthropod body parts." Cockroaches are members of the arthropod family.
Mallak's report noted there were no "lethal intoxicating substances" in Archbold's system. He classified the death as an accident. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/fl-bug-eating-contest-autopsy-20121126,0,5939707.story
Cool, But....
From the New York Daily News: Veteran astronaut Scott Kelly could set an out-of-this-world record by spending the most consecutive days in space of any American in a single mission.
NASA announced Monday that Kelly, 48, will man an expedition in spring 2015 for one year at the International Space Station with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, 52.
Kelly, a native of West Orange, N.J., is the twin brother of Mark Kelly, himself a retired astronaut and the husband of former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. She stepped down last year after surviving a deadly shooting rampage outside of a Tucson grocery store in 2011.
NASA officials said Kelly and Kornienko will conduct research to help scientists better understand how space affects the human body. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nasa-astronaut-kelly-seeks-break-record-article-1.1208202
This guy is going to live in a tin can for 1 year with another man, sharing everything. I really, really hope they can get along and neither one snores or has some strange habits or body odo0rs.
It reminds me of this song:
NASA announced Monday that Kelly, 48, will man an expedition in spring 2015 for one year at the International Space Station with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, 52.
Kelly, a native of West Orange, N.J., is the twin brother of Mark Kelly, himself a retired astronaut and the husband of former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. She stepped down last year after surviving a deadly shooting rampage outside of a Tucson grocery store in 2011.
NASA officials said Kelly and Kornienko will conduct research to help scientists better understand how space affects the human body. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nasa-astronaut-kelly-seeks-break-record-article-1.1208202
This guy is going to live in a tin can for 1 year with another man, sharing everything. I really, really hope they can get along and neither one snores or has some strange habits or body odo0rs.
It reminds me of this song:
Fox Pulls Plug On Idiot
From the San Fran Chronicle: A Fox News Channel interview ended abruptly Monday after an author accused the network of hyping the killing of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and "operating as a wing of the Republican Party."
The charges were made by Thomas Ricks, a veteran newspaper reporter and author of "The Generals," who was brought on for an interview with anchor Jon Scott about GOP criticism of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice's comments about the attacks.
Ricks said he thought the story of the Benghazi attacks was "hyped, by this network especially."
Scott asked why Ricks would call it hype when four Americans were killed, including the first U.S. ambassador in more than 30 years.
Ricks responded that few people knew how many U.S. security contractors were killed in Iraq and compared that to the attention paid to "what was essentially a small firefight" in Libya.
"I think that the emphasis on Benghazi has been extremely political, partly because Fox was operating as a wing of the Republican Party," Ricks said.
With that, Scott thanked him and turned to a co-anchor, who introduced a commercial.
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/television/article/Fox-interview-ends-after-author-criticizes-network-4067906.php
Fox should not cut him off. Clearly, this idiot, Ricks, behaved like he was smoking crack and meth before going on the air and tried to be as outrageous as he could be.
Something tells me that this moron will be celebrated by some on the left, but hey, who cares. He can act like a 1 brain cell jerk on MSNBC, where his views probably will be adored.
The charges were made by Thomas Ricks, a veteran newspaper reporter and author of "The Generals," who was brought on for an interview with anchor Jon Scott about GOP criticism of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice's comments about the attacks.
Ricks said he thought the story of the Benghazi attacks was "hyped, by this network especially."
Scott asked why Ricks would call it hype when four Americans were killed, including the first U.S. ambassador in more than 30 years.
Ricks responded that few people knew how many U.S. security contractors were killed in Iraq and compared that to the attention paid to "what was essentially a small firefight" in Libya.
"I think that the emphasis on Benghazi has been extremely political, partly because Fox was operating as a wing of the Republican Party," Ricks said.
With that, Scott thanked him and turned to a co-anchor, who introduced a commercial.
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/television/article/Fox-interview-ends-after-author-criticizes-network-4067906.php
Fox should not cut him off. Clearly, this idiot, Ricks, behaved like he was smoking crack and meth before going on the air and tried to be as outrageous as he could be.
Something tells me that this moron will be celebrated by some on the left, but hey, who cares. He can act like a 1 brain cell jerk on MSNBC, where his views probably will be adored.
Movie Sadly Comes True
From the San Fran Chronicle: A 20-year-old state beauty queen died in a gun battle between soldiers and the alleged gang of drug traffickers she was traveling with in a scene befitting the hit movie "Miss Bala," or "Miss Bullet," about Mexico's not uncommon ties between narcos and beautiful pageant contestants.
The body of Maria Susana Flores Gamez was found Saturday lying near an assault rifle on a rural road in a mountainous area of the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa, the chief state prosecutor said Monday. It was unclear if she had used the weapon.
"She was with the gang of criminals, but we cannot say whether she participated in the shootout," state prosecutor Marco Antonio Higuera said. "That's what we're going to have to investigate."
http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Mexican-beauty-queen-killed-in-shootout-4067624.php
When you run with a bad crowd in Mexico, chances are you will not have a happy, fairy tale ending in your life.
The body of Maria Susana Flores Gamez was found Saturday lying near an assault rifle on a rural road in a mountainous area of the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa, the chief state prosecutor said Monday. It was unclear if she had used the weapon.
"She was with the gang of criminals, but we cannot say whether she participated in the shootout," state prosecutor Marco Antonio Higuera said. "That's what we're going to have to investigate."
http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Mexican-beauty-queen-killed-in-shootout-4067624.php
When you run with a bad crowd in Mexico, chances are you will not have a happy, fairy tale ending in your life.
That's Not Funny
It takes a lot for a performer to be sued over a performance, but some guy named Katt Williams is being sued for not being so funny.
From the San Fran Chronicle: A Modesto man has sued comedian Katt Williams, saying hundreds of fans were disappointed by the performer's aborted performance earlier this month at Oakland's Oracle Arena when he allegedly took off his clothes and challenged people to fight.
The suit is the second to be filed in Alameda County Superior Court against Williams, whose onstage meltdown came two days after he was arrested for allegedly attacking an aspiring rapper on his tour bus outside a downtown Oakland hotel. He was later released with no charges filed.
The latest suit was filed Wednesday by Brian Herline, 35, who said he and other fans had expected Williams, who is also a rapper and actor, to perform on Nov. 16.
"Instead, after a short series of bizarre events onstage, in which Williams confronted a heckler, took his clothes off and attempted to fight at least three audience members, the 'act' abruptly ended after 10 minutes," the suit said. "In sum, Williams failed to perform."
Herline said he is seeking class-action certification on behalf of all audience members who "deserve their money back." http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Comedian-hit-with-new-lawsuit-in-Oakland-4067937.php
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To prove to the possum it could actually be done!
Now that's funny.
From the San Fran Chronicle: A Modesto man has sued comedian Katt Williams, saying hundreds of fans were disappointed by the performer's aborted performance earlier this month at Oakland's Oracle Arena when he allegedly took off his clothes and challenged people to fight.
The suit is the second to be filed in Alameda County Superior Court against Williams, whose onstage meltdown came two days after he was arrested for allegedly attacking an aspiring rapper on his tour bus outside a downtown Oakland hotel. He was later released with no charges filed.
The latest suit was filed Wednesday by Brian Herline, 35, who said he and other fans had expected Williams, who is also a rapper and actor, to perform on Nov. 16.
"Instead, after a short series of bizarre events onstage, in which Williams confronted a heckler, took his clothes off and attempted to fight at least three audience members, the 'act' abruptly ended after 10 minutes," the suit said. "In sum, Williams failed to perform."
Herline said he is seeking class-action certification on behalf of all audience members who "deserve their money back." http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Comedian-hit-with-new-lawsuit-in-Oakland-4067937.php
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To prove to the possum it could actually be done!
Now that's funny.
Obamaite To Chicago Mass Transit Users: Screw You
I'm sure the poor people in Chicago who cannot afford to drive will find comfort with Obamaite Mayor Rahm Emmanuel's baby temper tantrum today.
From the Chicago Tribune: Mayor Rahm Emanuel had a message Monday for CTA riders upset about upcoming fare hikes: they’re not really fare increases, public transit remains a bargain and commuters can “make that choice” about whether to drive or take buses and trains.
“Fares stayed the same. Basic fares stayed the same, which you cannot say about gas prices,” said Emanuel in his first public comments since the CTA announced a 2013 budget proposal last week.
While it’s true the standard payment for a single CTA trip will remain $2.25, the mayor’s transit agency plans a 16 percent increase to the cost of a 30-day pass and higher jumps for one-day, three-day and seven-day passes. About 55 percent of CTA commuters use some kind of pass.
The mayor suggested commuters who don't like the new fare structure are free to get behind the wheel, setting aside the fact many Chicagoans who rely on the CTA to get to and from work don't have cars.
“Now you, as a commuter, will pick. You can either drive to work or you can take public transportation, and the standard fare will stay the same,” Emanuel said.
Under the budget proposal CTA President Forrest Claypool unveiled, the 30-day card will go up 16 percent from $86 to $100. Seven-day passes will rise 22 percent, to $28 from $23.
Three-day passes will increase 43 percent, to $20 from $14. And one-day passes will increase to $10 from $5.75. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-emanuel-on-cta-increases-not-fare-hikes-chicagoans-can-choose-to-drive-20121126,0,793097.story
Emmanuel is just a petulant little baby and feels so threatened that someone would dare question him, especially after he was caught into a lie.
But you know what, I would love to have people drive to work in Chicago. More air pollution, more carbon dioxide in the air, more traffic jams and less revenue for the transit system. That will show that little bastard.
Then there is this in the article: Emanuel talked about the CTA increases as he heralded the sewer, water main and street paving work completed this year through his signature infrastructure plan, which was funded in part by water and sewer fee increases the mayor pushed through last year.
To help pay for that work, water rates increased by 25 percent this year, to $2.51 per 1,000 gallons. Next year, they will rise another 15 percent, to $2.89 per 1,000 gallons.
The average bill for a single-family home without a meter went up from $450 last year to $572 this year, according to city estimates. Continued annual increases will raise it to about $920 in 2015.
To be honest with you, I think that is great. you people are the one's responsible for Obama, Emmanuel, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Sr. You ought to be taxed at 100% of your wages for giving the country these jerkoffs.
From the Chicago Tribune: Mayor Rahm Emanuel had a message Monday for CTA riders upset about upcoming fare hikes: they’re not really fare increases, public transit remains a bargain and commuters can “make that choice” about whether to drive or take buses and trains.
“Fares stayed the same. Basic fares stayed the same, which you cannot say about gas prices,” said Emanuel in his first public comments since the CTA announced a 2013 budget proposal last week.
While it’s true the standard payment for a single CTA trip will remain $2.25, the mayor’s transit agency plans a 16 percent increase to the cost of a 30-day pass and higher jumps for one-day, three-day and seven-day passes. About 55 percent of CTA commuters use some kind of pass.
The mayor suggested commuters who don't like the new fare structure are free to get behind the wheel, setting aside the fact many Chicagoans who rely on the CTA to get to and from work don't have cars.
“Now you, as a commuter, will pick. You can either drive to work or you can take public transportation, and the standard fare will stay the same,” Emanuel said.
Under the budget proposal CTA President Forrest Claypool unveiled, the 30-day card will go up 16 percent from $86 to $100. Seven-day passes will rise 22 percent, to $28 from $23.
Three-day passes will increase 43 percent, to $20 from $14. And one-day passes will increase to $10 from $5.75. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-emanuel-on-cta-increases-not-fare-hikes-chicagoans-can-choose-to-drive-20121126,0,793097.story
Emmanuel is just a petulant little baby and feels so threatened that someone would dare question him, especially after he was caught into a lie.
But you know what, I would love to have people drive to work in Chicago. More air pollution, more carbon dioxide in the air, more traffic jams and less revenue for the transit system. That will show that little bastard.
Then there is this in the article: Emanuel talked about the CTA increases as he heralded the sewer, water main and street paving work completed this year through his signature infrastructure plan, which was funded in part by water and sewer fee increases the mayor pushed through last year.
To help pay for that work, water rates increased by 25 percent this year, to $2.51 per 1,000 gallons. Next year, they will rise another 15 percent, to $2.89 per 1,000 gallons.
The average bill for a single-family home without a meter went up from $450 last year to $572 this year, according to city estimates. Continued annual increases will raise it to about $920 in 2015.
To be honest with you, I think that is great. you people are the one's responsible for Obama, Emmanuel, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Sr. You ought to be taxed at 100% of your wages for giving the country these jerkoffs.
Pawn Stars Review: November 26, 2012
Well, I hope everyone in the U.S and maybe abroad had a nice Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Of course, the talk around the water coolers is about winning the Powerball lottery, which will be at least $425,000,000.
Tonight has 2 new episodes of Pawn Stars:
In the first episdoe, the first woman brought in a pair of Papal slippers that was supposedly owned by Pope Leo XIII (13th). http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09169a.htm
She also had the skull cap from the Pope.
The lady got them from her aunt, who was a nun. Time for an expert, Mark from Clark County museum.
Mark Hall-Patton came down and gave his story about the Pope.
Funny- the lady used gloves to handle the Pope's artifacts but Mark went in and just grabbed the shoes without any gloves. Mark's hands were shaking when he was handling the shoes and skull cap.
But Mark could not verify 100% that it belonged to the Pope but was 75% sure they were real.
Rick did not make an offer because he was not 100% sure they artifacts belonged to the Pope.
The second guy brought in a Smith and Wesson Model 2. http://www.model2project.com/
The gun was built after the Civil War. The guy wanted $1000 and Rick offered $700 and then $750. If it had been a Colt, the gun could have brought more. Rick then offered $775 and that was the selling price.
The story line of the show was about how much coffee the Old Man drinks. He actually drinks a pot of coffee before work and drinks 15-20 cups a day. Rick tried to give the Old Man some decaf coffee to cut down on the Old Man's caffeine, but the Old Man noticed.
The next guy brought in a drivers license from Slash of Guns and Roses. http://web.gunsnroses.com/splash
Slash's real name is Saul Hudson. It was a California driver's license. The guy wanted $50,000 and Chumlee said he would call in Rick, (it was the night shift) in the middle of the night. (supposedly) Rick came and offered $1000 and there was no sale. He called the $50,000 an insane price.
The next guy brought in Ava wood cutting saws. They were a precursor to the chain saw, but didn't look a chain saw at all. (more like a table saw) The guy wanted $2500 and Corey offered $500 and the Old Man agreed. The guy came down to $2000 and Corey offered $600 and there was no sale.
In the second episode, Rick and Chumlee went to see a 1956 Chevy race car, used in drag racing. they said it was a Chevy 150 but it doesn't look like any thing like it. It had a boat engine for it's motor. He said the car can get up to 150 MPH. It had the full roll cage. It had a brand new engine and the car had not been tested. The guy wanted $42,000 and time far expert, Danny.
Danny came in saw that the car was certified by the NHRA. They started the engine, they said it ran smooth. Danny loved the car and said it was difficult to say what it is worth. The guy still wanted $42,000 and Rick offered $30,000 and then $35,000. The guy went to $38,000 and Rick offered $37,000 and that was the sale price.
The story line of the night is Corey looking for a new job at another establishment (see last week's episode) because Corey's wants more responsibility in running the store. Corey told them he wanted part ownership of the shop and he wanted 10% of the business. Corey was offered a job with the competition. It was not decided if he would get to be partner.
The next guy brought in a barbed wire 1941collection. There were about 10 different kind strands. http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventions/a/BarbedWire.htm
Rick said there some serious barbed wire collectors out there (ok, where are they?). The guy wanted $50 and that is what he got.
The next guy brought in a U.S. Navy Sextant, used to navigate the big ships inthe oceans. It came from the USS Hector. http://www.usshector.com/history.html
The guy wanted $390. The Old Man offered $200 and Corey offered $250 and the selling price was $265.
The next guy came in with a Thurston sawing in half box. http://www.thurstonmastermagician.com/Live_At_The_Greenlawn_Abbey_01.htm They use the box to cut people in half. The box came with a saw as well.
The guy wanted $3000. Time for an expert, Murray Sawchuck, a Las Vegas magician, who plays at the Tropicana. http://murraysawchuck.com/
Chumlee was volunteered to be cut in half. (Not sure how Chumlee fit in the box) Murray said the box was not Thurston's box. He said the box was not worth anything and so there was no sale.
Here is a video of Thurston sawing someone in half:
Tonight has 2 new episodes of Pawn Stars:
She also had the skull cap from the Pope.
The lady got them from her aunt, who was a nun. Time for an expert, Mark from Clark County museum.
Mark Hall-Patton came down and gave his story about the Pope.
Funny- the lady used gloves to handle the Pope's artifacts but Mark went in and just grabbed the shoes without any gloves. Mark's hands were shaking when he was handling the shoes and skull cap.
But Mark could not verify 100% that it belonged to the Pope but was 75% sure they were real.
Rick did not make an offer because he was not 100% sure they artifacts belonged to the Pope.
The second guy brought in a Smith and Wesson Model 2. http://www.model2project.com/
The gun was built after the Civil War. The guy wanted $1000 and Rick offered $700 and then $750. If it had been a Colt, the gun could have brought more. Rick then offered $775 and that was the selling price.
The story line of the show was about how much coffee the Old Man drinks. He actually drinks a pot of coffee before work and drinks 15-20 cups a day. Rick tried to give the Old Man some decaf coffee to cut down on the Old Man's caffeine, but the Old Man noticed.
The next guy brought in a drivers license from Slash of Guns and Roses. http://web.gunsnroses.com/splash
Slash's real name is Saul Hudson. It was a California driver's license. The guy wanted $50,000 and Chumlee said he would call in Rick, (it was the night shift) in the middle of the night. (supposedly) Rick came and offered $1000 and there was no sale. He called the $50,000 an insane price.
The next guy brought in Ava wood cutting saws. They were a precursor to the chain saw, but didn't look a chain saw at all. (more like a table saw) The guy wanted $2500 and Corey offered $500 and the Old Man agreed. The guy came down to $2000 and Corey offered $600 and there was no sale.
Danny came in saw that the car was certified by the NHRA. They started the engine, they said it ran smooth. Danny loved the car and said it was difficult to say what it is worth. The guy still wanted $42,000 and Rick offered $30,000 and then $35,000. The guy went to $38,000 and Rick offered $37,000 and that was the sale price.
The story line of the night is Corey looking for a new job at another establishment (see last week's episode) because Corey's wants more responsibility in running the store. Corey told them he wanted part ownership of the shop and he wanted 10% of the business. Corey was offered a job with the competition. It was not decided if he would get to be partner.
The next guy brought in a barbed wire 1941collection. There were about 10 different kind strands. http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventions/a/BarbedWire.htm
Rick said there some serious barbed wire collectors out there (ok, where are they?). The guy wanted $50 and that is what he got.
The next guy brought in a U.S. Navy Sextant, used to navigate the big ships inthe oceans. It came from the USS Hector. http://www.usshector.com/history.html
The guy wanted $390. The Old Man offered $200 and Corey offered $250 and the selling price was $265.
The next guy came in with a Thurston sawing in half box. http://www.thurstonmastermagician.com/Live_At_The_Greenlawn_Abbey_01.htm They use the box to cut people in half. The box came with a saw as well.
The guy wanted $3000. Time for an expert, Murray Sawchuck, a Las Vegas magician, who plays at the Tropicana. http://murraysawchuck.com/
Chumlee was volunteered to be cut in half. (Not sure how Chumlee fit in the box) Murray said the box was not Thurston's box. He said the box was not worth anything and so there was no sale.
Here is a video of Thurston sawing someone in half:
This Isn't No Game Show
From the LVRJ: Despite overcoming the 11th hour drama with its teachers union over
merely applying for a Race to the Top grant, the Clark County School
District failed to make the list of 61 finalists for the $400 million
federal program.
The Washoe County School District, Nevada's second-largest school district behind Clark County, didn't make the cut either for the four-year grants, which range from $5 million to $40 million each.
The Carson City School District is the only Silver State applicant still competing for the U.S. Department of Education money to be used to personalize students' education.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Monday that 15 to 25 winners will be announced before the end of the year out of 372 applications received in November. http://www.lvrj.com/news/clark-county-school-district-falls-short-on-race-to-the-top-grant-180924741.html
The Obama administration is treating this Race to the Top money like a game show.
Simply put, if a school district meets the qualifications, then they should be rewarded with the money- not make a competition out of it. Tell us how much money is involved and then the school districts that qualify split the money based on several factors.
And is it a coincidence that the two darkest (skin colors) school districts in the state are denied the money and one of the whitest is still in the running?
The Washoe County School District, Nevada's second-largest school district behind Clark County, didn't make the cut either for the four-year grants, which range from $5 million to $40 million each.
The Carson City School District is the only Silver State applicant still competing for the U.S. Department of Education money to be used to personalize students' education.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Monday that 15 to 25 winners will be announced before the end of the year out of 372 applications received in November. http://www.lvrj.com/news/clark-county-school-district-falls-short-on-race-to-the-top-grant-180924741.html
The Obama administration is treating this Race to the Top money like a game show.
Simply put, if a school district meets the qualifications, then they should be rewarded with the money- not make a competition out of it. Tell us how much money is involved and then the school districts that qualify split the money based on several factors.
And is it a coincidence that the two darkest (skin colors) school districts in the state are denied the money and one of the whitest is still in the running?
NFL's Stevie Wonder Doesn't Suspend Suh
Under the category of really, really stupid, the NFL decided not to suspend Ndamukong Suh for kicking Houston Texan Matt Schaub on Thanksgiving.
From ESPN: Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will not be suspended by the NFL for kicking Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin.
The incident took place in the Lions' overtime loss to the Texans on Thanksgiving Day, when Suh's left foot struck an unsuspecting Schaub as Suh was falling.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said the incident still will be reviewed for a potential fine.
This was not Suh's first run-in with the league's disciplinary office, nor was it his first Thanksgiving incident.
Last year, Suh was ejected from the Lions' Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers and was suspended two weeks after he stomped on the arm of offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith.
Suh said that play wasn't intentional, but the NFL believed it was malicious enough to suspend him.
Although the NFL uses an escalating punishment scale based upon repeat offenses, the league clearly deemed this instance to be accidental. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8680374/ndamukong-suh-detroit-lions-not-suspended-thanksgiving-groin-kick
Obviously, Stevie Wonder was reviewing the video tape because anybody who saw the kick is completely blind.
You be the judge:
From ESPN: Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will not be suspended by the NFL for kicking Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin.
The incident took place in the Lions' overtime loss to the Texans on Thanksgiving Day, when Suh's left foot struck an unsuspecting Schaub as Suh was falling.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said the incident still will be reviewed for a potential fine.
This was not Suh's first run-in with the league's disciplinary office, nor was it his first Thanksgiving incident.
Last year, Suh was ejected from the Lions' Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers and was suspended two weeks after he stomped on the arm of offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith.
Suh said that play wasn't intentional, but the NFL believed it was malicious enough to suspend him.
Although the NFL uses an escalating punishment scale based upon repeat offenses, the league clearly deemed this instance to be accidental. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8680374/ndamukong-suh-detroit-lions-not-suspended-thanksgiving-groin-kick
Obviously, Stevie Wonder was reviewing the video tape because anybody who saw the kick is completely blind.
You be the judge: