Saturday, May 24, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Democrats.............
Protecting people who kill veterans.............
And Senate Democrats have been slow to embrace House-passed legislation that would give Shinseki the authority to fire senior executives.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) questioned whether legislation could address the VA’s problems, noting “most of it has to be done administratively.”
Senate leaders also expressed support for the Cabinet member on Thursday.
“I think he’s doing a thorough review, as he should, of VA medical centers on the scheduling issue,” said Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.).
Richard Griffin, the VA’s acting inspector general, plans to release his own report on allegations that VA facilities concealed the wait times for veterans seeking medical treatment. Critics say that dozens of veterans may have died while waiting for treatment.
Life in "Progress" Country - France edition
France’s state-owned rail network RFF just ordered 2,000 brand new trains as part of an effort to modernize the country’s transit network. There’s just one problem: the new trains are too wide for most of the country’s train platforms.
How did this happen? EU rules required France to split ownership of its railways and the trains that use them. Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) owns and operates the country’s rail infrastructure, while Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF) operates the actual trains.
Unfortunately, the two separate state-owned firms don’t seem to know how to talk to one another. SNCF was in charge of ordering the new trains, but it relied on RFF for specs of the stations the trains would be servicing. RFF supplied dimensions for new stations, though most of France’s stations are older and, therefore, a different size. The upshot of all of this: those new trains won’t fit in more than half of the country’s stations, so France is now working to widen old platforms to accommodate the ordering error—repairs which have already cost more than $100 million.
More......
Life in "Progress" City - Detroit edition
When they pull up to a gas station these days, Detroit drivers are looking beyond the price per gallon at a far more threatening concern: carjackers.The armed auto thieves have become so common here that parts of the bankrupt metropolis are referred to as "Carjack City," and many motorists fear getting out of their vehicles even for a few moments to fill a tank.
More...
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Maybe it's me
A few years ago, I read a great Greg Allman quote where he said "after my sixth divorce, I started to wonder if it might be me".
Maybe our commander in chief will come up with the same reflection some day.
Maybe our commander in chief will come up with the same reflection some day.
Why don't McDonald's employees unionize?
Yesterday, a pack of thugs rushed some McDonald's stores in protest of minimum wage.
I've got a question for these thugs. If working conditions are so horrible there, why doesn't the SEIU set up a union in these shops?
I'll tell you why. They can't.
See, for the SEIU to unionize a McDonald's store they would have to have a number of employees with the longevity to organize the workers and they don't.
Why?
Because freakin' McDonalds is not a destination job. The average tenure of a McDonald's employee is probably less than six months.
Most come in, do their work, earn some skills, get paid, and move on to a more lucrative job. That's the way it works.
I worked at McDonald's as a kid. I started at 5 cents above minimum wage. After a month, I got a raise of 10 cents an hour. Within six weeks, I was promoted to crew leader and made another 10 cents an hour.
It was rough boy, All I did was show up to work on time, clean and ready to go.
Had I chosen to stay I probably would have made more money over time. Instead, I took a more lucrative job at a CPA firm making considerably more than what I could have ever made at McDonald's.
That's the way it works and anyone who doesn't get that really doesn't deserve more than minimum wage because they can't get the concept that they have to provide a service above and beyond their pay to their employer.
I've got a question for these thugs. If working conditions are so horrible there, why doesn't the SEIU set up a union in these shops?
I'll tell you why. They can't.
See, for the SEIU to unionize a McDonald's store they would have to have a number of employees with the longevity to organize the workers and they don't.
Why?
Because freakin' McDonalds is not a destination job. The average tenure of a McDonald's employee is probably less than six months.
Most come in, do their work, earn some skills, get paid, and move on to a more lucrative job. That's the way it works.
I worked at McDonald's as a kid. I started at 5 cents above minimum wage. After a month, I got a raise of 10 cents an hour. Within six weeks, I was promoted to crew leader and made another 10 cents an hour.
It was rough boy, All I did was show up to work on time, clean and ready to go.
Had I chosen to stay I probably would have made more money over time. Instead, I took a more lucrative job at a CPA firm making considerably more than what I could have ever made at McDonald's.
That's the way it works and anyone who doesn't get that really doesn't deserve more than minimum wage because they can't get the concept that they have to provide a service above and beyond their pay to their employer.
Democrats for the little man my butt..........
At what point do we, as a public, finally come to terms that democrats couldn't give a rip about
working people.
Take energy policy. Here's a piece from the AP on the future hikes in electricity rates.
Now ask yourself the question. Who gets hit hardest by these energy rate hikes?
1) George Soros
2) A mechnical engineer
3) a fixed income retiree
4) Lebron James.
5) An auto worker
But heating and cooling costs are just part of the economic hurt being inflicted upon our working folks. There's a residual impact of higher production costs for manufacturers.
It's here in the same article.........
That same principle applies not just between states but between countries. If our production costs go up, that simply means that production get shifted to countries who provide cheaper labor and cheaper energy costs.
Now ask yourself who that hurts more.
1) The Koch Brothers
2) A mechanical engineer
3) A fixed income retiree
4) Kobe Bryant
5) an auto worker
So welcome the next time you drive through Gary, Indiana and see all those mothballed steel plants along the lakefront that used to provide nice jobs to working folks, you can thank the Obamunists.
working people.
Take energy policy. Here's a piece from the AP on the future hikes in electricity rates.
Electricity prices are probably on their way up across much of the US as coal-fired plants, the dominant source of cheap power, shut down in response to environmental regulations and economic forces.
New and tighter pollution rules and tough competition from cleaner sources such as natural gas, wind and solar will lead to the closings of dozens of coal-burning plants across 20 states over the next three years. And many of those that stay open will need expensive retrofits.
Because of these and other factors, the Energy Department predicts retail power prices will rise 4 percent on average this year, the biggest increase since 2008. By 2020, prices are expected to climb an additional 13 percent, a forecast that does not include the costs of coming environmental rules.
Now ask yourself the question. Who gets hit hardest by these energy rate hikes?
1) George Soros
2) A mechnical engineer
3) a fixed income retiree
4) Lebron James.
5) An auto worker
But heating and cooling costs are just part of the economic hurt being inflicted upon our working folks. There's a residual impact of higher production costs for manufacturers.
It's here in the same article.........
As Indiana has reduced its reliance on coal to 84 percent from 97 percent over the last decade, its power prices rose far faster than those of its neighbors and the rest of the country.
That makes things tough on customers, especially big power users like Rochester Metal Products Corp., in Rochester, Indiana. The hulking furnaces it uses to melt scrap iron consume enough electricity to power 7,000 households.
“As Indiana’s price of electricity becomes less and less competitive, so do we,” says Doug Smith, the company’s maintenance and engineering manager.
That same principle applies not just between states but between countries. If our production costs go up, that simply means that production get shifted to countries who provide cheaper labor and cheaper energy costs.
Now ask yourself who that hurts more.
1) The Koch Brothers
2) A mechanical engineer
3) A fixed income retiree
4) Kobe Bryant
5) an auto worker
So welcome the next time you drive through Gary, Indiana and see all those mothballed steel plants along the lakefront that used to provide nice jobs to working folks, you can thank the Obamunists.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
O better be careful
King Obama better be careful these next couple of months because he's about to be the one tossed under the bus for a change.
Why?
Consider this. He offers democrats nothing but a few campaign bucks for this coming election. Yet, there are no amount of campaign dollars that can compensate for the albatross he's hung on the democrats with his Obamacare and now the VA scandals.
If the democrats lose the Senate, who's going to take the heat? Hilary Clinton? Since the One has no ability to run for reelection, those who will be running for president are going to come out distancing themselves from this clown.
The media will also be complicit in featuring the contrasting styles with the new democratic nominees with the competence of the One.
Once the latest, EPA and Obamacare regs come out killing more jobs, there will be hell to pay.
Given how his administration has treated democratic members of congress and members of the media, he won't have a scintilla of political capital to use in his defense.
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Why?
Consider this. He offers democrats nothing but a few campaign bucks for this coming election. Yet, there are no amount of campaign dollars that can compensate for the albatross he's hung on the democrats with his Obamacare and now the VA scandals.
If the democrats lose the Senate, who's going to take the heat? Hilary Clinton? Since the One has no ability to run for reelection, those who will be running for president are going to come out distancing themselves from this clown.
The media will also be complicit in featuring the contrasting styles with the new democratic nominees with the competence of the One.
Once the latest, EPA and Obamacare regs come out killing more jobs, there will be hell to pay.
Given how his administration has treated democratic members of congress and members of the media, he won't have a scintilla of political capital to use in his defense.
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Coincidence?
The Swiss shot down a minimum wage increase...........
I've got some questions about this passage.........
The Swiss have no minimum wage yet the standard of living is higher than France and Germany who do? Is that a coincidence?
The unions say that it's impossible to live on 4000 francs a month and yet I haven't seen a one article about abject poverty and homelessness in Switzerland. In fact, from my understanding, Geneva and Zurich are considered beautiful, clean cities without a tremendous amount of crime. So wouldn't the parks in these cities be filled with loads of homeless bums if this statement were accurate?
Maybe Germany and France should be following the Swiss's lead and not vice versa.
More.....
Unions argued that the measure was necessary because of the high living costs in big Swiss cities such as Geneva and Zurich.
The unions are angry that Switzerland - one of the richest countries in the world - does not have a minimum pay level while neighbouring France and Germany do.
They argue that surviving on less than 4,000 francs a month is not possible because rents, health insurance and food are all prohibitively expensive.
The minimum wage in Germany will be 8.5 euros an hour from 2017.
I've got some questions about this passage.........
The Swiss have no minimum wage yet the standard of living is higher than France and Germany who do? Is that a coincidence?
The unions say that it's impossible to live on 4000 francs a month and yet I haven't seen a one article about abject poverty and homelessness in Switzerland. In fact, from my understanding, Geneva and Zurich are considered beautiful, clean cities without a tremendous amount of crime. So wouldn't the parks in these cities be filled with loads of homeless bums if this statement were accurate?
Maybe Germany and France should be following the Swiss's lead and not vice versa.
More.....
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Yabba dabba dooo
Last year, Mrs. Gekko and I went to a Southside Johnny concert. Between bad acoustics and Southside's age, neither Mrs. Gekko or I could understand what the hell the guy was saying between songs.
At one point, Mrs. Gekko asked me what he said I responded " I think it was yabba dabba doo, yabba dabba doo".
Since then, it has become the catch all phrase for us when someone, like Michelle Nunn, speaks like a crackhead.
who did she vote for? #910
Meet Danielle Shea.
Why is Dani in the news?
I bet ole Danny here has lots of opinions on politics. So who did she vote for in the last presidential election?
Why is Dani in the news?
A drop-out from Quinnipiac University called in bomb threats to the school to try to cancel a graduation ceremony her family expected her to participate in.
According to NBC Connecticut, Danielle Shea, 22, dropped out of school but still collected tuition money from her family. They were at the school to see Shea, who had even bought her cap and gown, graduate.
Shea’s family didn’t see her name on the list of graduates, and she panicked, according to a police news release.
That’s when she called in the first bomb threat to Quinnipiac University Public Safety, saying there was a “bomb in the library,” according to police.
I bet ole Danny here has lots of opinions on politics. So who did she vote for in the last presidential election?
Thursday, May 15, 2014
"Redvilles" v "Progress" Cities
Since the inception of this blog, I have preached the word about the quality of life in our "Red" (conservative) areas v the quality of life in our "Blue" (progressive) areas.
Below is a map of the 2012 election results by county.
As you know, Obama won handily against Romney. Yet, when you look electoral map by county, you can see that most of the country is red except for our large urban areas.
I've been at this blog for 8 years now. And in all this time, not one liberal has been able to refute this assertion on my part. In every single quality of life measure (unemployment, crime, schools, cost of government, etc.), the red areas are better. Really, it's not even close.
There's one quality of life measure that I have failed to consider, income inequality.
Guess what, the red areas reign supreme on that one as well........................
I guess it's the same blind faith that has them believe in the global warming/climate change/chaos.
Maybe if these "progressives" understood this concept, they would understand why conservatives are fighting so hard to keep their safe, clean and productive enclaves from turning into Detroit.
More................
Below is a map of the 2012 election results by county.
As you know, Obama won handily against Romney. Yet, when you look electoral map by county, you can see that most of the country is red except for our large urban areas.
I've been at this blog for 8 years now. And in all this time, not one liberal has been able to refute this assertion on my part. In every single quality of life measure (unemployment, crime, schools, cost of government, etc.), the red areas are better. Really, it's not even close.
There's one quality of life measure that I have failed to consider, income inequality.
Guess what, the red areas reign supreme on that one as well........................
There’s just one problem: the districts where Democrats have the best shot to win Republican-held seats show some of the smallest gaps between rich and poor in the U.S., an indication of just how hard it will be for their message to take hold with voters.
Again, how does a liberal with any conscience see the evidence right in front of them and believe that liberal policies work?
Of the 100 congressional districts ranked as having the greatest gap between rich and poor, not one is held by a Republican whose seat is considered up for grabs this November, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
I guess it's the same blind faith that has them believe in the global warming/climate change/chaos.
Maybe if these "progressives" understood this concept, they would understand why conservatives are fighting so hard to keep their safe, clean and productive enclaves from turning into Detroit.
More................
What a genius
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a response to the liberals demands for an increased minimum wage.
So, for a people who like to portray themselves as Mensa members when they compare themselves to conservatives, they seem to lack an understanding of the law of supple and demand.
So let's do a refresher for all these "progressive" liberal arts majors.
See when the price of something goes up, demand for the product goes down. So when artificially increase the price of labor, employers will seek alternatives to the price increase.
But hey, I must be a honking Nostradamus, for seeing into the future and what?
Who would have thunk it?
So, for a people who like to portray themselves as Mensa members when they compare themselves to conservatives, they seem to lack an understanding of the law of supple and demand.
So let's do a refresher for all these "progressive" liberal arts majors.
See when the price of something goes up, demand for the product goes down. So when artificially increase the price of labor, employers will seek alternatives to the price increase.
But hey, I must be a honking Nostradamus, for seeing into the future and what?
…job prospects in Europe for those so inclined to work in the fast food industry are looking pretty grim right about now. That’s because the fast food giant is poised to add touchscreen kiosks in more than 7,000 of its restaurants in Europe in effort to replace actual, human cashiers.
Who would have thunk it?
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Life in "Progress" City - Indianapolis edition
In typical "progressive" fashion, the response to this video isn't to simply fix the potholes, but to use city resources to arrest the dissenter and still not fix the potholes.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
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