Unless you've been living under a very large rock, you probably noticed a couple months ago when a million a few thousand rabid conservatives gathered around the country for a "tea party" to protest...well...something. The decline of Americathe obviously impending socialism Obama's race...I think. Anyway, tomorrow they're planning on doing it again. I can't speak for anyone else, but I was mystified and mortified when they took several million perfectly good tea bags and destroyed them. This time 'round we're prepared for their insanity and it's time we fight back in a constructive way.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Million Can March. The premise is simple: liberal bloggers are collecting non-perishable food items to donate to local food pantries with a goal of donating one million cans of food by tomorrow, July 4. It's our way of responding positively to the teabaggers' insanity and leveraging the power of community to do something helpful rather than something destructive. After all, if you're going to post blog entries all over creation and gather people together, they might as well be doing something constructive, right?
I don't need to tell you that Michigan's food pantries are in bad shape. Given the smoking crater that used to be Michigan's economy, the need for food aid is rising astronomically and there just aren't enough people who are in a position to help by donating. Now, more than ever, these food banks need help from people who have the means to help.
Some Tips:
Give nonperishable food items. Canned meat, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruits and vegetables, soup, canned pasta dishes (ravioli, spaghetti, etc.), pasta, pasta sauce, boxed potato and rice mixes, boxed pancake/baking mixes, etc.
Some pantries also accept and are in need of baby formula and baby food.
Some pantries also accept and are in need of personal care items: toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, shampoo, etc.
Please do not give away expired or old food. If you wouldn't eat it, what makes you think someone else will?
I'm sure your pickled herring is lovely, but please re-gift it to Uncle Joe instead. Consider kid-friendly foods.
Good morning Michigan. Today is Friday, July 3, 2009. Got any plans for the 4th?
Since it's a big weekend, there are too many things going on for me to list. If you're looking for fireworks, check out Michigan Fireworks. You can search for fireworks by location and date, and it's not just limited to the 4th.
A little bit off topic ... a friend of mine who was a deputy in Branch County used to do water rescue & recovery. She said that they had a drowning every 4th of July. She then proceeded to tell me what it looks like when someone drowns, which is way more than I needed to know. At any rate, consider this your friendly BFM reminder to not drink and ski/swim/drive your boat.
The tip of the Mitt Watershed Council was formed in 1979, to protect the waters in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties.
Today's Michigan trivia:
This now defunct railroad operated in the State of Michigan between 1881 and 1899.
Today in Michigan history:
1919 - The first veterans of the Polar Bear expedition return to Michigan.
The 339th Infantry Regiment, made up of men from Michigan and the Midwest, returned after serving on the Murmask front in northern Russia. Under European command, they continued to fight the Bolsheviks after World War I ended in November 1918 and soldiers from the western European front started coming home. Petitions by family members, appeals by newspaper editors and pleas to Congress, the war department and the president had kept the "Polar Bears" soldiers in the public's attention and eventually helped bring them home. Via Michigan History Magazine
LANSING - Gov. Jennifer Granholm has signed legislation aimed at keeping the North American International Auto Show in Michigan beyond 2010, preferably at its current home in Detroit's Cobo Center.
The new laws signed today call for a nearly $300-million expansion of Cobo and the creation of a regional authority to run and renovate the aging building.
As a backup, a facility in Oakland County - likely Rock Financial Showplace in Novi - has an opportunity to host the show if Detroit rejects the legislation by Aug. 1.
Detroit is likely to accept a new Cobo deal now that Monica Conyers is (thank Christ) out of the picture.
Most people who know me, know I grew up poor, and I know many people who struggle to make it month to month, hoping they can feed their kids. Food Banks are one of those places that help poor people. If you don't know what a Food Bank is, it is a place where those receiving Government Aide can go to get additional food they may need, if they run out of food stamps, or maybe they don't even get food stamps. These food banks serve a very important service to the poorest among us.
I was shocked recently to learn that a local food bank may have to close the door, because of lack of funding. Now it was unclear if the funding was coming from the State or Federal Government, but either way funding had been cut, cut by over $650,000. Now I'm not one of these Nanny State sort of people, who believes the Government should take care of everything, but it seems to me during a time in which so many people are in need, the last thing we should do is cut funding to food programs, and food banks. If Politicians want to make cuts, why not start with their Salary? Why start with taking away from the least among us?
The name "Petoskey" is said to mean "where the light shines through the clouds" in the language of the Odawa Indians (Little Traverse Bay Band), who are the original inhabitants. The Petoskey stone and the city were named after Chief Ignatius Petosega (1787-1885), who founded the community. Petosega's father was a French Canadian fur trader and his mother was an Odawa (Ottawa) Indian.
This Michigan organization was formed in 1979, to protect the waters in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties.
Today in Michigan history:
1942 - Max Stephan of Detroit is found guilty of treason for assisting a Nazi prisoner.
A German prisoner-of-war escaped from Canada to Detroit in April 1942 and was introduced, by a former American pen pal, to Max Stephan, a leader in Detroit's German community. Stephan gave the Nazi POW a several-day tour of Detroit evening entertainment spots then sent him by bus to Chicago.
Convicted of aiding and abetting the enemy in wartime, Stephan was the first American sentenced to execution since George Washington's administration. President Franklin Roosevelt commuted Stephan's sentence to life in prison. Via Michigan History Magazine
Wow. If Wal-Mart keeps this up, I might have to end my boycott of them:
WASHINGTON - Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, joined hands with a major labor union Tuesday to endorse the idea of requiring large companies to provide health insurance to their workers, a move that gives a boost to President Obama as he is pushing for health legislation on Capitol Hill.
"Not every business can make the same contribution, but everyone must make some contribution," Wal-Mart's chief executive, Michael T. Duke, wrote in a letter to White House and Congressional officials, adding that he favored "an employer mandate which is fair and broad in its coverage."
The letter was issued jointly with Andrew W. Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, which represents two million workers, many of them in the health care industry, and John D. Podesta, who ran Mr. Obama's transition to the presidency and leads the Center for American Progress, a Democratic policy organization here.
Of course they want conditions on it to make sure it's cost effective, but it's a good start.
I never thought I'd see the day when unions and Wal-Mart actually agreed on something.
I almost didn't make it to the ceremony, but I'm glad I did. The place was packed. I had never seen so many people attending an event just to support one local politician. I tried to count how many people were there, but lost count at 100.
President Obama, Do The Right Thing in Honduras!
As those of you who follow the news may know, Honduran President Manuel Zalaya was ousted in a military coup. He was flown to Costa Rica and Roberto Michelettti was sworn in as interim President until January 27, 2010, the end of Zelaya's term.
Obama called the action a "coup", and said "We believe that the coup was not legal and that President Zelaya remains the President of Honduras".
Later, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the administration was not formally designating the ouster as a military coup. If the administration were to call the "coup", a "coup", it would demand by law that the U.S. cut off military aid to Honduras. We heavily finance the Honduran military and have trained many of its leaders at the infamous School of the Americas in Georgia. The State Department will ask for $68 million in aid for the Honduran military in the upcoming fiscal year.
It doesn't take the proverbial "rocket scientist" to figure a few things out here very quickly. The first is of course, it was a military coup. The whole world and the President Obama are calling it a military coup. But in a very obvious spin, Secretary Clinton is not calling it a coup, so military funding won't be cut off.
What gives? What gives is Zalaya has been heading in the direction of the rest of Latin America and trying to break free of America's iron grip. In 2008 Zalaya signed on with ALBA, in English, the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas, a political and economic bloc led by Hugo Chavez.
Needless, to say we don't like our de facto economic colonies cozying up to the likes of people like Hugo Chavez, democracy or no democracy. We like Latin American countries that do as they are told to do and put the profits of American based multi-nationals before the welfare of their own people.
Are we about profit and profit only? Or do our actions match our rhetoric and we are all about truth, freedom, and justice ? Does it really matter to America if countries are totalitarian and repressive, as are our good friends and trading partners, Communist China and Saudi Arabia., as long as they cooperate with our international economic interests, as they do ? Or is freedom and democracy our chief concern in the world?
We shall see if President Obama will be different from other American Presidents in the past. In the past we have supported dictators over democracy and profits over people in Latin America. These policies have led to Latin American leaders like Castro and Chavez. Freedom is burning the hearts of Latin Americans as country after country rejects American interference and joins the "pink" revolution.
Do the right thing, President Obama, support democracy in Honduras, call a "coup" a "coup', cut off all military aid to Honduras until the rightful elected president of Honduras is restored, and show Latin America that the U.S. is headed in a new direction in Latin America and we support Latin America in its quest for freedom and democracy.
Latin America will quickly know your true colors by how you react to this situation. Are you too, like the American Presidents before you, about the profits of the multi-nationals, or are you about democracy? They are looking for hope, Mr. President, will you offer it?
Good morning Michigan. Today is Workplace Wednesday, July 1, 2009, and since my workplace is kicking my butt, all I can give you this morning is a Lake Michigan sunrise:
Detroit native Peter Pultorak rode the Michigan rails for 8 years during the great depression.
Today's Michigan trivia:
This Michigan city was originally inhabited and named by the Odawa Indians. The city name is the Indian word for "where the light shines through the clouds."
Today in Michigan history:
1863 - Michigan infantry suffer the greatest loss of any northern regiment in Civil War fighting.
The Twenty-Fourth Michigan Infantry regiment of the Iron Brigade engaged advancing Confederate forces at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War.
In savage fighting, the Twenty-fourth Infantry suffered 80 percent casualties (400 of 500 men) on the first day of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg. Via Michigan History Magazine
Signe Wilkinson:
That's it. Enjoy Wednesday! And don't forget, there's a Congressman standing between you and your doctor.
The politicians and the pundits can do the McCarthyistic cries of "Socialism", or "we need bipartisanship" all they want. But for those of us who know better, we know it all comes down to the money.
So whose in the insurance/pharmaceutical industry's back pocket?
Here's a quick breakdown, courtesy of OpenSecrets.org. All numbers are based on current election cycle.
Now I'll be the first to admit that some of these (like "Health Professionals") were vague, but I included them because further inspection would find that at least some of these groups have taken a stance against a public option. I didn't include hospital PACs because I'm guessing that most of them would be happy if we were all on Medicare just so they know that they're getting their bills paid.
You'll also notice that there's a direct correlation with the Repugs with the cries of "Socialism" and the amount of money they've received from the Medical Industrial Complex.
For the Democrats, some the of the numbers have been disappointing, to say the least. So far all of the Democrats have been on record as supporting a public healthcare option. We'll see if they're still singing the same tune when the time to vote comes.
And if they want us volunteering for them come election time, they better know how to vote.
Walmart, in one of their worst ways of prioritizing prices above qualities to date, turns to a foreign drug supplier, Ranbaxy Laboratories, LTD, who has repeatedly been investigated by the FDA and the DoJ for "inadequate" safeguards against contamination, falsification of records and submitting false information to the FDA.
On top of that, just eight months before the FDA inspected Ranbaxy's Paonta Sahib plant and found significant violations, Walmart awarded the company a "Supplier Award" for improving shipping times and performance.
In a new report on our website, we detail their multi-year spanning violations, DoJ investigation, Congressional Investigation, and list out all of the drugs made at the facility in questions. Additionally, we detail their recent violations below.
Put her in our camp for wanting a Medicare-like public option:
Thank you . . .
. . for contacting me regarding problems with our health care system. Without a doubt, this is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking issues that I hear about from families, and I am grateful for your willingness to share your thoughts and experiences with me.
When it comes to health care, our families and businesses are in a serious crisis. High health care costs are causing cuts in benefits and increases in premiums, adding to the ranks of the uninsured at alarming rates. But the impact of this problem goes beyond individual families. Skyrocketing health care costs make our businesses less competitive in the global marketplace and cost us good-paying jobs.
Addressing the problems in health care is a critical priority for me-one that I view with the same sense of urgency as families dealing with their own medical emergencies. And I am doing everything that I can so that my colleagues in Congress will join me in addressing this issue with the same urgency.
I am honored to serve as a member of the Senate Finance Committee. This committee is responsible for many issues critical to Michigan's future, including our nation's health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program. These programs are the backbone of our nation's health care system and cover over a quarter of our nation's population.
To address the health care problems facing us today, I am focused on a number of initiatives to:
o Provide every American with affordable health insurance that gives real choice to consumers. Everyone should be allowed to choose between their current coverage or options among public or private providers. We need health insurance that covers people when they change jobs and never denies people based on pre-existing conditions.
o Establish an equitable Medicare payment system that does not financially burden our health care providers or does not put Medicare beneficiaries at risk of losing access for treatment.
o Lower the cost of prescription drugs for everyone by closing loopholes in our generic prescription drug approval process. This will create more competition for name-brand drug companies and will save consumers money.
o Offer seniors a comprehensive, affordable prescription drug benefit administered through Medicare. Medicare must be allowed to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices.
o Create public/private partnerships to provide affordable health care plans for uninsured employees working for small businesses by sharing costs between employees, employers, and communities.
o Invest in cutting-edge medical research to save lives and bring good-paying biotechnology jobs to Michigan.
o Allow the re-importation of safe, affordable, FDA-approved prescription drugs, most of which are American-made, from Canada and other approved countries with strict safety regulations.
o Help Michigan's automakers keep their promise to retirees through a manufacturer's tax credit that helps offset the high legacy costs associated with retiree benefits, which are typically not paid by foreign automakers.
o Address the burdensome duplication and paperwork in our health care system by encouraging hospitals, nursing facilities, health centers, and physicians to invest in information technology, saving both lives and dollars.
I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. There is no doubt that the problems we face are complex, but there are real solutions. Now is the time to show the political will to tackle these issues because there is so much at stake. To get updates on this issue, or to share your story about health care, please visit my website at http://stabenow.senate.gov/peo...
Thank you again for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to do so again if I can be of help to you or your family.
Stanley Reimer walked his wife Criste to the balcony of their sixth story apartment, kissed her goodbye and helped her over the edge to her death. Criste was at her wit's end with unresolved health issues. Stanley couldn't come up with $800 a week to buy her medications. They had no insurance. They saw no options.
America is the only industrialized country in the world that doesn't have a universal health care system. The death of Criste Reimer is a blight on the conscience of a nation that fails to provide for people at a time of need.
60% of bankruptcy cases in the United States are related to health care debts and three quarters of these bankruptcy filings are from people who have insurance. America spends more money on health care than any other nation, and yet has a low world ranking in life expectancy, infant mortality, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
For the richest nation in the world to be running a broken health care system that abandons people at a time of need is what I would call a spiritual crisis.
Good morning Michigan. Today is Tuesday 2.0, June 30, 2009.
Before I get started, I just want to remind you that the Democrats are about to capitulate on the public option on health care. The 40 GOPNo Senators are saying NO to the 72+% of the American people who want health care. I believe Lindsay Graham's exact words were "No." And Barack Obama's words were "[crickets chirping]"
I specifically remember a debate during the Democratic primary when Obama told Hillary that the reason she didn't get health care reform was that she didn't know how to work with people. Well, Obama is doing the bipartisan bitch dance like nobody's business, and I don't see him getting any votes.
Just hoping he has a strategy here.
But I said this was a 2.0 day, didn't I? Ok. Well I want to spend this 2.0 day recognizing the awe20meness of the MI Senate Dems. (Not to be confused with the wimpy US Senate Dems) After launching their Facebook & Twitter endeavors in January, they are now up to over 2,000 followers. They use Facebook & Twitter to keep people up to date on obstructed legislation and events of interest. They've also gone 2.0 for the Hire Michigan First legislation, and they've launched a new website petition to secure funds to help unemployed workers.
Between 1854-1927, 12,500 orphans were shipped in to Michigan, from New York City and the Boston area. 14 boys in Dowagiac, in September 1854, on the Michigan Central Railroad. These were the first orphans to come in to Michigan on an orphan train.
Today's Michigan trivia:
This man put his 'pride in his pocket and his hat in his hand,' and rode the rails for 8 years during the great depression. He traveled from his home in Detroit to 'the blueberry harvests' in northern Michigan.
Today in Michigan history:
1953 - America is introduced to the Corvette.
The nation's first sports car with a fiberglass body, the Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan. Impressed with other sports cars, General Motor's design guru Harley Earl began work on the Corvette in 1951. Today, the Corvette remains one of the nation's most popular sports cars. It even has its own museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Via Michigan History Magazine
Signe Wilkinson:
That's it. Enjoy Tuesday! Hope you don't get sick today.
Sometimes you need a reminder of why you fight. Especially when it seems that the Democrats elected to office haven't been doing the best job of representing their party or their constituents. The debate on healthcare being a big example.
The senate has voted to cut the Michigan Promise Scholarship, but it's not a done-deal yet. They also voted to ban taxpayer dollars from funding the new state police headquarters, but the House did not vote on that last night -- so that is still up in the air.
Now the State Police Headquarters hasn't received a lot of love, but cutting the Michigan Promise Scholarship? Are you nucking futs? It seems like any idea that's been presented by Granholm to bring jobs to this state are being cut simply for shits and giggles.
I really do believe that the Republicans don't want the economy to rebound in this state. If you look at the message boards on the Freep and other news sites, everytime we get a new factory producing alternative energy, or notice that the Lake Orion GM Plant is going to stay open to produce a new vehicle, you see the right-wingers acting as though the creation of new jobs is somehow a bad thing.
The truth is that the Repugs have been stonewalling all attempts to create jobs in this state for years. Wizardkitten had documented the stubborness on the part of the Senate Repugs to create a Renewable Portfolio Standard despite the fact that numerous studies had shown that it would have a positive economic impact. They refused to cut the budget to their own offices to keep 100 State Police Troopers employed. And now they're working to keep kids from going to college so that they can prepare themselves for the 21st century economy.
All this is being done simply so they can have a fighting chance in 2010.
The Repugs can be damn sure that we're not giving them that chance.
A month ago, U.S. Rep Thaddeus McCotter, R-Livonia, was chastising Texas Rep. Pete Sessions and others for what he called their "selective sympathy" toward General Motors' bondholders - instead of line workers - as the White House steered GM toward bankruptcy.
On Thursday,Sessions was hosting a health care industry lunch - a fund-raiser - for McCotter, who the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its chairman, Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, have targeted as one of the House's most vulnerable GOPers.
McCotter spokesman Joe Cella said that as head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Sessions is supposed to help McCotter win re-election - whether they agree on everything or not.
I remember McCotter being one of the people who was complaining about the "cashocracy" in Congress. Yet when it comes to making his money, he'll line up behind whoever is paying.
Good morning Michigan. Today is Money Saving Monday, June 29, 2009.
I was looking around for some inexpensive alternative energy stuff, and I came across Colorado Solar Systems. These guys sell portable solar space heaters.
The space heater is hand crafted, and I believe it is built when ordered. It sits in a south facing window, and works like this -
... when the sun is bright the panel collects heat from the sun and gets very hot, 140-170 degrees. When the thermostat inside the panel detects a temperature of 120 degrees or more, the fan will automatically turn on which will draw room temperature air into and through the panel and return the warmer air into the room. When the panel cools to 90 or below the fan will shut off.
I was actually around for inexpensive solar panels that would charge batteries, but I didn't find anything that was affordable. Except for do-it-yourself solar panels, which was a little bit more than I wanted to get into right now. But these space heaters are nice, and could save you some money in the winter.
Iron Mountain was once a mining city when the Chapin Mine was up and running. ...
The original land was very swampy and filled with trees. To get rid of all this water the Chapin Mine Pumping Engine was created.
...
The engine itself rises 54 feet (16 m) above the floor of the room. The designers estimate the weight to be 725 tons over all.
...
The Chapin Mine Pumping Engine (Cornish Pump) was designated as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Monument by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers on June 6, 1987 and has been featured in the History Channel's Modern Marvels Series on the World's Biggest Machines.
Today's Michigan trivia:
Between 1854-1927, 12,500 of these were shipped in to Michigan, from New York City and the Boston area. The first arrived in Dowagiac, in September 1854, on the Michigan Central Railroad.
Today in Michigan history:
1863 - George Armstrong Custer is appointed to command the Michigan Cavalry Brigade.
Raised in Monroe, Michigan, George Armstrong Custer graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1861. Serving as a junior officer for the first two years of the Civil War, Custer-and two other junior officers-were promoted to brigadier general in late June 1863. The unique move was intended to instill élan in the Army of the Potomac's cavalry command, which was often bested by Rebel cavalry.
Custer received command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, which consisted of four regiments of Michigan cavalrymen. Several days later, Custer and his command played a key role in stopping Rebel efforts to break the center of the Union line in the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Via Michigan History Magazine
Due to a 55 year law in our State's books, the Treasurers of Oakland and Wayne counties can't take office under July 1st, more than half a year after they get elected.
Meisner wants the treasurer's office to play an expanded role in helping combat the foreclosure crisis. He wants a county-run land bank that uses federal money to rehabilitate vacant and foreclosed properties.
"The land bank is a tool that the county could add to its already impressive repertoire to protect property values," Meisner said.
Wayne and Genesee counties have used them successfully to turn around foreclosed properties, Meisner said. Oakland County can do the same, though he acknowledged it wouldn't be identical to those counties, where property values are lower.
"We're not similarly situated to Detroit or Flint," Meisner said. "But there are a lot of places that we are like that are using land banks successfully."
He said some higher-end homes could be rented for executive housing or used to lodge, for a month or so, executives considering moving their companies to the county. Some could be used to preserve green space, but Meisner doesn't plan on holding them long-term.
"I have no intention of being a landlord," Meisner said. "The focus has to be on timely disposition of the properties."
Meisner's supporters said that kind of innovative thinking has been a hallmark of his career.
While this means that I'm going to have to get a new house ASAP (property values are low here-good neighborhoods have houses as low as $15,000), it'll be good to see our property values going up and hopefully taking our economy with it:).
Another significant role that Meisner is going to play is the redistricting of County Commissioner Districts in 2010. The redistricting board consists of a judge, the County Treasurer, the County Prosecutor, and chairs of both political parties. With Jessica Cooper as our new Prosecutor, that gives the Dems a much needed edge in redistricting the seats to stop the Republican gerrymandering that has made the Board of Commissioners stay under control of the Repugs, despite the best efforts of former OCDP chair Dave Woodward (under whose leadership had doubled the number of Democratic County Commissioners to 12, one shy of a majority).
If you're in the area and want to watch Meisner getting sworn in, it's happening Wednesday at the Oakland County Commissioner's Auditorium at 1200 N. Telegraph Road in Waterford at 11:30 a.m.
Can I tell you guys a secret? I'm kind of into the survivalist stuff. I'm not hardcore by any means, but I do believe in having emergency supplies in the car, and being prepared for power outages during a blizzard. I also have been trying to be more frugal, due to certain harsh economic realities. (BTW check out my little lettuces .. aren't they cool?
)
But I'm not expecting a complete collapse of society or a horde of zombies at my door. Though zombies could be fun under certain conditions.
Anywaaay ... I look for survivalist and homesteading info on the web, and find that most of the time it leads me to conspiracy theorists or white supremacists. It's a very sad state of affairs. One of the potentially best sources of information for my interests is Jack Spearco's Survival Podcast. Jack taught me things like how to start bowhunting, and how to keep warm if all I have is a shovel and a tarp. The shovel and tarp thing should come in handy if I get lost while bowhunting.
Jack's shows used to be pretty good, but he is increasingly political. I'm sure part of it is because he is a right-winger at heart, and most right-wingers spend their time these days bitching about Obama for make-believe reasons. In the latest show, he's right in the middle of talking about how to start a garden, when he exclaims, "Obama can kiss my ass, I'm driving my truck." Like Obama actually cares if you drive a truck. I hear the tooth fairy also sucks.
Spearco is also driving a wedge between his listeners and the rest of the world. For one thing, he is encouraging isolationist survivalism ... find a bug out location and have a plan to get there when TSHTF. Don't stay and help your neighborhood. For another, he refers to his listeners as a brigade, and all others as sheeple. It's us vs them. THEY will try to stop you from burning carbon. THEY will hurt you. Probably by taxing you, stealing your food, and giving you some kind of flu. Also they will use all the gas. One way or another, your fellow man will kill you. And tax you.
Really if I wanted right-wing political crap, I'd tune in to Hannity. If I wanted goofball conspiracy crap, I'd tune in to Alex Jones.
This is really frustrating to me, in a Dave Ramsey kind of way. I want the good stuff, and there's lots of it in there. I would buy my way into the Brigade if not for the fact that I would then have to look down on all of you sheeple. Good grief, it's hard enough to be humble as it is.
Besides, I refuse to financially support the latest incarnation of "always vote Republican or you will DIE DIE DIE!!!!"
I attended the Flint Sloan Museum Car Show Saturday with my sister. We enjoyed the show and did a little concert promotion. It appears 50% of the Flint boomers I talked with had a personal experience with Mark Farmer. The man must have gotten around Flint. Photos and video follown with a little PR.
Walmart, in one of their worst ways of prioritizing prices above qualities to date, turns to a foreign drug supplier, Ranbaxy Laboratories, LTD, who has repeatedly been investigated by the FDA and the DoJ for "inadequate" safeguards against contamination, falsification of records and submitting false information to the FDA.
