So Munster published its preliminary budget in the paper. It's a confusing mess.
They start by saying the assessed value in town is $1.2 billion, which they calculated by taking 80% of last year's assessment. So far so good.
But then they come up with an overall budget of $30 million, which is 2.5% of assessed value. That seems WAAAAY too high under the tax caps. With so little commercial and rental property in town, I'd expect them to be more like 2% of assessed value or something lower.
Finally, what really confuses is that they only levied $12 million last year, and their "Maximum Estimated Funds to be raised in 2010" is only $24.5 million.
I'm going to have to put a call into the Clerk-Treasurer and have this all explained to me, because I just don't get what they're doing.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Lake County expects to pick up Gary's health department
Consolidation is taking another baby step. Lake County is budgeting $1 million dollars next year in anticipation of taking over the duties of the Gary Health Department.
That leaves East Chicago as the only municipal health department in the entire State of Indiana.
Much is being made of the increased cost to the Lake County taxpayer to provide this service to Gary. One would hope that there are economies of scale to this sort of thing (like getting discounts for bulk purchases of vaccines) and that over the long term we will make out with lower costs.
In general, I think consolidating services at the County is a positive trend. Now, if we could only get rid of the townships and modernize County governance, we could really save some money.
That leaves East Chicago as the only municipal health department in the entire State of Indiana.
Much is being made of the increased cost to the Lake County taxpayer to provide this service to Gary. One would hope that there are economies of scale to this sort of thing (like getting discounts for bulk purchases of vaccines) and that over the long term we will make out with lower costs.
In general, I think consolidating services at the County is a positive trend. Now, if we could only get rid of the townships and modernize County governance, we could really save some money.
Academic ignores the real cause of poverty
Dennis Rittenmeyer, President of Calument College, former Chairman of the Regional Bus Authority, Times editorial advisor, and a neighbor (and huge contributor to Democrats), writes a Sunday editorial that shows he knows nothing about poverty in America:
This, quite frankly, is crazy talk. Why does he mention households making $50k per year. They're not poor! We can argue if a household making $25k per year is poor or not, but by historical or global standards, they're not.
What really got my goat is the very idea that the solution to poverty is to spend more money. The history of welfare in America proves that this isn't the case.
As I've mentioned before, poverty in America in 2009 is a cultural phenomenon, not an economic one. Poor people's problem is not a lack of money, but a lack of control over their own actions.
The poor have what is known as "poor future time orientation". They can't control their own appetites, and don't do a good job of thinking of what their actions RIGHT NOW will do to their futures.
This explains just about every sociological phenomenon seen in the poor:
1) Poor people are uneducated, because they don't see the value in working hard in school now.
2) Poor people don't see the value in work. Working hard now is... hard. Why work when they can goof off?
3) Drug use is the ultimate example of poor future time orientation. Getting high is something that you do immediately, but the consequences are in the future.
I've gone through the census data before, proving statistically that the poor need to work more hours and get married (increasing the number of working people per household). Again, both are examples of poor future time orientation. Why get married when you can get the milk for free, right?
Bottom line? Rittenmeyer's "investments" are just throwing money down a rathole. What's really needed is the promotion of "middle class values" amongst the poor. Good luck with that one.
"Man's inhumanity to man": It is a reference most often used to describe the violence we perpetrate on one another in times of war. But there is another type of violence that we inflict on our fellow citizens in times of peace. It is not criminal, but has equally devastating effects. It also makes us less safe.
I am referring to our seeming inability to understand the plight of those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Census data clearly portrays the extent of poverty in this country. More than half of all Americans live on a family income of less than $50,000 a year. Nearly one-third -- nearly 110 million Americans -- live on less than $25,000 a year.
We know poverty breeds academic failure, poor health, crime and violence. We pay for these problems every day with our tax dollars. For example, our rate of incarceration is increasing, as are the costs to keep people in prison.
...
If we don't invest our tax dollars today in educational opportunities, social services, health care and transportation, our tax bills tomorrow will be even bigger. Are we so interested in pushing our own tax-avoidant agenda that we would participate in lowering the quality of life of our fellow citizens, thereby putting us all at greater risk?
...
Let us hope that one day we will rise above our petty political agendas and set a goal to improve the quality of life for all our citizens. Small increases in our sales or income tax now will help our economy, make us safer and save money in the future.
This, quite frankly, is crazy talk. Why does he mention households making $50k per year. They're not poor! We can argue if a household making $25k per year is poor or not, but by historical or global standards, they're not.
What really got my goat is the very idea that the solution to poverty is to spend more money. The history of welfare in America proves that this isn't the case.
As I've mentioned before, poverty in America in 2009 is a cultural phenomenon, not an economic one. Poor people's problem is not a lack of money, but a lack of control over their own actions.
The poor have what is known as "poor future time orientation". They can't control their own appetites, and don't do a good job of thinking of what their actions RIGHT NOW will do to their futures.
This explains just about every sociological phenomenon seen in the poor:
1) Poor people are uneducated, because they don't see the value in working hard in school now.
2) Poor people don't see the value in work. Working hard now is... hard. Why work when they can goof off?
3) Drug use is the ultimate example of poor future time orientation. Getting high is something that you do immediately, but the consequences are in the future.
I've gone through the census data before, proving statistically that the poor need to work more hours and get married (increasing the number of working people per household). Again, both are examples of poor future time orientation. Why get married when you can get the milk for free, right?
Bottom line? Rittenmeyer's "investments" are just throwing money down a rathole. What's really needed is the promotion of "middle class values" amongst the poor. Good luck with that one.
Is Merrilville a Distressed Unit?
Word on the street is that Merrillville may go before the Distressed Unit Appeals Board in an attempt to bust their tax cap.
Does anyone in their right mind think that MERRILLVILLE is a distressed unit? That's preposterous. They're one of the most prosperous areas of Lake County. Their retailing alone makes them a "premier destination".
I love how in the article the current politicians blame their predicament on past politicians being TOO FRUGAL. If only they had spent more in the past, their tax rate would be higher now, and they'd be taking in more money.
They also lament that they don't have municipal water or sewer systems that they can milk for fee revenue.
All of this is silly. Merrillville needs to make cuts and increase fee revenue just like everybody else in Lake County. Seeing as they have so much traffic on 30, my suggestion would be to increase traffic enforcement. I recommend installing some red light cameras. That will make them money hand over fist. They might also look into photo radar.
Does anyone in their right mind think that MERRILLVILLE is a distressed unit? That's preposterous. They're one of the most prosperous areas of Lake County. Their retailing alone makes them a "premier destination".
I love how in the article the current politicians blame their predicament on past politicians being TOO FRUGAL. If only they had spent more in the past, their tax rate would be higher now, and they'd be taking in more money.
They also lament that they don't have municipal water or sewer systems that they can milk for fee revenue.
All of this is silly. Merrillville needs to make cuts and increase fee revenue just like everybody else in Lake County. Seeing as they have so much traffic on 30, my suggestion would be to increase traffic enforcement. I recommend installing some red light cameras. That will make them money hand over fist. They might also look into photo radar.
Obama's "teachable moment" is based on a lie
Obama is wrong:
This is exactly what I was getting at when I said that non-blacks, outside of the black community, are very unlikely to be victims of homicide in Lake County.
Ironically, strong enforcement techniques like profiling are more likely to BENEFIT the black community, by getting the thugs causing these crimes off the street.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics regularly polls tens of thousands of civilians about their contacts with the police. Virtually identical proportions of white, black, and Hispanic drivers — 9 percent — report being stopped by the police, though in 2005, the self-reported black stop rate — 8.1 percent — was nearly a percentage point lower than the self-reported white stop rate (8.9 percent). The stop rate for blacks is lower during the day, when officers can more readily see a driver’s race.
As for urban policing — where the police have victim identifications and contextual and behavioral cues to work with — blacks are stopped more, but only in comparison with their proportion of the entire population. Measured against their crime rate, they are understopped. New York City is perfectly typical of the black police-stop and crime rates. In the first three months of 2009, 52 percent of all people stopped for questioning by the police in New York City were black, though blacks are just 24 percent of the population. But according to the victims of and witnesses to crime, blacks commit about 68 percent of all violent crime in the city. Blacks commit 82 percent of all shootings and 72 percent of all robberies, whereas whites, who make up 35 percent of the city's population, commit about 5 percent of all violent crimes, 1 percent of shootings, and about 4 percent of robberies.
These figures are not police-generated; they come from the overwhelmingly minority victims of crime in their reports to the police. Such crime reports mean that when the police respond to community demands for protection against crime, information-based police deployment will send officers to minority neighborhoods where crime is highest. When the police respond to a call about a shooting, they will almost never be told that the shooter was white, and thus will not be searching for a white suspect.
This is exactly what I was getting at when I said that non-blacks, outside of the black community, are very unlikely to be victims of homicide in Lake County.
Ironically, strong enforcement techniques like profiling are more likely to BENEFIT the black community, by getting the thugs causing these crimes off the street.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Revitalizing downtown Hammond?
There was a public meeting the other day to brainstorm how to revitalize downtown Hammond.
One of the things to come out of it is that there needs to be more pedestrian traffic downtown to attract people. It's kind of a chicken and egg problem. People want to be where other people are (and certainly don't feel comfortable walking down empty downtown streets).
But how do you get people down there in the first place?
I think Mayor McCheeze is a little disingenuous on this. He had the opportunity to bring BP's office workers from the refinery downtown, but he could not cut a deal because of the poor relations he has with BP:
1) Hammond screwed over BP on some temporary trailers on BP property that BP did not get the proper permits for. It was an inncoent mistake, but Hammond still screwed over BP, which led to bad blood.
2) Hammond also screwed over BP on their new asphalt terminal, which was supposed to be in Hammond. Hammond would not grant BP the permits it needed to build the terminal, and worse, they just delayed and delayed. The terminal would have been across the street from the new Taj-Mahal of a golf clubhouse at Lost Marsh Golf Course, and some people think that Mayor McCheeze didn't want golfers to have to look at the terminal, so he killed it. BP is now going to ship asphalt to a terminal in Chicago owned by a third party. This will cost BP untold millions of dollars.
So BP employees could be working out of the old Calumet National Bank, thus bringing the foot traffic needed to revitalize downtown, but for the ego and backstabbing of Mayor McCheeze.
One of the things to come out of it is that there needs to be more pedestrian traffic downtown to attract people. It's kind of a chicken and egg problem. People want to be where other people are (and certainly don't feel comfortable walking down empty downtown streets).
But how do you get people down there in the first place?
I think Mayor McCheeze is a little disingenuous on this. He had the opportunity to bring BP's office workers from the refinery downtown, but he could not cut a deal because of the poor relations he has with BP:
1) Hammond screwed over BP on some temporary trailers on BP property that BP did not get the proper permits for. It was an inncoent mistake, but Hammond still screwed over BP, which led to bad blood.
2) Hammond also screwed over BP on their new asphalt terminal, which was supposed to be in Hammond. Hammond would not grant BP the permits it needed to build the terminal, and worse, they just delayed and delayed. The terminal would have been across the street from the new Taj-Mahal of a golf clubhouse at Lost Marsh Golf Course, and some people think that Mayor McCheeze didn't want golfers to have to look at the terminal, so he killed it. BP is now going to ship asphalt to a terminal in Chicago owned by a third party. This will cost BP untold millions of dollars.
So BP employees could be working out of the old Calumet National Bank, thus bringing the foot traffic needed to revitalize downtown, but for the ego and backstabbing of Mayor McCheeze.
Financial trouble brewing in Gary and Hammond
The news this morning:
1) Hammond's budget is $13 million short because of the tax caps and the economy. Huge layoffs are on the way.
2) Gary is going to use $350,000 of casino money to keep the Genesis Center operating.
The day of reckoning is coming, and it's coming a lot sooner becasue of this economy. The cities simply are not viable under the tax caps. You can't fund all the things cities need to fund on 2% of assessed value, especially with the depressed housing stocks in these cities.
1) Hammond's budget is $13 million short because of the tax caps and the economy. Huge layoffs are on the way.
2) Gary is going to use $350,000 of casino money to keep the Genesis Center operating.
The day of reckoning is coming, and it's coming a lot sooner becasue of this economy. The cities simply are not viable under the tax caps. You can't fund all the things cities need to fund on 2% of assessed value, especially with the depressed housing stocks in these cities.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Gates, Obama, and Bigot-cut
In my series of unproductive posts about the black male murder rate with Anonymous, who threw the epithet "Bigot" around like a coward, I said that my first recommendation for turning the murder rate around would be to unconditionally support the police.
Police work is difficult, cops often have to make life or death decisions in a split second, and their work is worthy of respect, as are they. Too much second guessing of the police goes on in this country, expecially in the black community.
Well, then we have Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates gettting arrested in his own home because of his being extremely disrespectful of the police, who were there to protect his life and property.
To add insult to injury, the DA dropped the charges, Gates throws around the term "racist" (what a coward), and Obama himself gets into the act in his press conference last night by calling the police "stupid".
This, in a nutshell, is everything that is wrong with the black community. You have a black leader (Gates) acting like a spoiled brat, and you have Obama backing him up against all common sense in the spirit of nothing more than some misguided racial solidarity.
What should have happened? Gates should have complied with the police requests for information. If he didn't like how he was treated, he should have gone down to the police station and taken it up with the officer's supervisor. He is in the wrong on this, and Obama compounded things by taking Gates side.
Police work is difficult, cops often have to make life or death decisions in a split second, and their work is worthy of respect, as are they. Too much second guessing of the police goes on in this country, expecially in the black community.
Well, then we have Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates gettting arrested in his own home because of his being extremely disrespectful of the police, who were there to protect his life and property.
To add insult to injury, the DA dropped the charges, Gates throws around the term "racist" (what a coward), and Obama himself gets into the act in his press conference last night by calling the police "stupid".
This, in a nutshell, is everything that is wrong with the black community. You have a black leader (Gates) acting like a spoiled brat, and you have Obama backing him up against all common sense in the spirit of nothing more than some misguided racial solidarity.
What should have happened? Gates should have complied with the police requests for information. If he didn't like how he was treated, he should have gone down to the police station and taken it up with the officer's supervisor. He is in the wrong on this, and Obama compounded things by taking Gates side.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
New York City DA talks sh1t about Indiana's gun laws
New York's district attorney thinks that states like Indiana have lax gun laws:
Indiana is one of the states where "virutally anyone" can fairly easily get a conceal carry permit. Go to your local police station, submit to a background check, and you get your permit in a couple of weeks.
In New York City and its suburbs, it is impossible to get a conceal carry permit, unless you're the mayor's no good brother-in-law. Only the politically connected need apply.
Morgenthall makes some incoherant arguments about the 10th ammendment and states rights, but the fact is that the second ammendment is the one that applies. There wouldn't be a problem if New York didn't have draconian gun laws that effectively outlaw their ownership. If New York had reasonable conceal carry laws, and had reciprocity with other states, there wouldn't be a need for this federal legislation.
Finally, the good DA talks a lot of sh1t about conceal carry owners in "lax" states. Does Indiana have more crime and more murders because of our law gun laws? If Morgenthall believes that, there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell him.
I'll put Indiana's crime stats up against New York's any day of the week. Yes, there are pockets of violence like in Gary, but overall this is a very safe place to live. Could it be that it's safe BECAUSE of our "lax" gun laws?
In New York, the state imposes careful restrictions on who may carry concealed firearms. With the Thune amendment, New York and other states would be obliged to recognize licenses from jurisdictions which choose to issue them practically for the asking.
For example, in Ohio and Missouri, virtually any resident without a criminal record or prior hospitalizations for mental illness can carry a gun. Under the Thune amendment, that Midwesterner could legally carry the gun straight into New York, despite New York’s more stringent rules.
It gets worse. States like Florida and Texas are willing to issue carry permits to nonresidents under policies just as lax as those of Ohio and Missouri. The Thune amendment would provide a legal backdoor to a New Yorker who does not qualify for a carry permit under New York’s state law. The undeserving local applicant could obtain a permit down South, and then be entitled by federal law to carry his concealed gun around New York.
Indiana is one of the states where "virutally anyone" can fairly easily get a conceal carry permit. Go to your local police station, submit to a background check, and you get your permit in a couple of weeks.
In New York City and its suburbs, it is impossible to get a conceal carry permit, unless you're the mayor's no good brother-in-law. Only the politically connected need apply.
Morgenthall makes some incoherant arguments about the 10th ammendment and states rights, but the fact is that the second ammendment is the one that applies. There wouldn't be a problem if New York didn't have draconian gun laws that effectively outlaw their ownership. If New York had reasonable conceal carry laws, and had reciprocity with other states, there wouldn't be a need for this federal legislation.
Finally, the good DA talks a lot of sh1t about conceal carry owners in "lax" states. Does Indiana have more crime and more murders because of our law gun laws? If Morgenthall believes that, there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell him.
I'll put Indiana's crime stats up against New York's any day of the week. Yes, there are pockets of violence like in Gary, but overall this is a very safe place to live. Could it be that it's safe BECAUSE of our "lax" gun laws?
Do Lake County public employees deserve a raise?
Many deparment heads are asking that their employees recieve raises.
Most Lake County public employees have not had a raise in 3 years.
Do they deserve one? Can the county afford to give them one?
If giving raises means that some employees need to be laid off, is that okay?
The way that the county's finances are going, these public employees are lucky that they even have a job, or that their sallaries are not being CUT. I just don't see how the county can afford to give anyone a raise.
On the bright side for them, at least gas prices and interest rates are down. I went through a patch where I didn't get a raise for 2 years back in '03 and '04. Serial refinancings are what got me through it. My mortgage costs were down significantly. I suggest Lake County public employees look into that.
I recently refied at 5%, down from 6%, and went from a 5 year ARM to a 30 year fixed. There have been certain... benefits... to the financial crisis, I guess.
Anyway, the only good news in that article is that the County "Option" Income Tax is still not being considered.
Most Lake County public employees have not had a raise in 3 years.
Do they deserve one? Can the county afford to give them one?
If giving raises means that some employees need to be laid off, is that okay?
The way that the county's finances are going, these public employees are lucky that they even have a job, or that their sallaries are not being CUT. I just don't see how the county can afford to give anyone a raise.
On the bright side for them, at least gas prices and interest rates are down. I went through a patch where I didn't get a raise for 2 years back in '03 and '04. Serial refinancings are what got me through it. My mortgage costs were down significantly. I suggest Lake County public employees look into that.
I recently refied at 5%, down from 6%, and went from a 5 year ARM to a 30 year fixed. There have been certain... benefits... to the financial crisis, I guess.
Anyway, the only good news in that article is that the County "Option" Income Tax is still not being considered.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Obama responds to Buzzcut
He admits that the jeans were "frumpy".
I've got jeans like that. I like the "jeans falling off your ass" look.
Yes, that's me in Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" video. ;)
I've got jeans like that. I like the "jeans falling off your ass" look.
Yes, that's me in Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" video. ;)
Gary takes a hit in the national media
The garbage standoff is being picked up in the Wall Street Jounrnal.
With the really bad reputation that Gary already has, did we REALLY need this?
I continue to predict that Gary will have less than 50k people after the next Census in '10. Stuff like this just helps make my case.
With the really bad reputation that Gary already has, did we REALLY need this?
I continue to predict that Gary will have less than 50k people after the next Census in '10. Stuff like this just helps make my case.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Rich liberals start to abandon Obama?
Rich libs are worried about the new taxes being thrown about to pay for health care "reform"
I just want to clear one thing up. The tax increase is a 5.4 PERCENTAGE POINT increase, not a 5.4% increase. The top marginal tax rate will go from 39% to 44.4%. That is actually a 13.84% increase.
It ticks me off when journalists show just how innumerate they really are.
Anyway, if I were going to pay for health reform with tax increases, I would just eliminate the deduction for state and local taxes. That way, rich liberals in hogh tax blue states, the ones who got Obama elected, would pay more for the health care "reform". Eliminating the home mortgage interest deduction would also hit high cost blue states more.
I just want to clear one thing up. The tax increase is a 5.4 PERCENTAGE POINT increase, not a 5.4% increase. The top marginal tax rate will go from 39% to 44.4%. That is actually a 13.84% increase.
It ticks me off when journalists show just how innumerate they really are.
Anyway, if I were going to pay for health reform with tax increases, I would just eliminate the deduction for state and local taxes. That way, rich liberals in hogh tax blue states, the ones who got Obama elected, would pay more for the health care "reform". Eliminating the home mortgage interest deduction would also hit high cost blue states more.
What it REALLY costs to collect trash
There was an AWESOME article in the Post-Trib about the cost of collecting trash throughout NWI.
As I suspected, Gary got a good deal from Allied. The contract calls for the Gary Sanitation District to pay $15 a month per household for collection.
As I also suspected, Munster has the highest cost in the region, at $19 a month. The town defends this by saying that they get more services, like leaf collection.
This is probably right. I can put almost anyting out on the curb, and they take it. That has not been the case in other places I've lived. Maybe that's worth the extra cost.
The most shocking thing in the article is an estimation of what Gary paid for municipal trash collection: anywhere from $23 to $41 per month! Man, privatization is a no-brainer!
As I suspected, Gary got a good deal from Allied. The contract calls for the Gary Sanitation District to pay $15 a month per household for collection.
As I also suspected, Munster has the highest cost in the region, at $19 a month. The town defends this by saying that they get more services, like leaf collection.
This is probably right. I can put almost anyting out on the curb, and they take it. That has not been the case in other places I've lived. Maybe that's worth the extra cost.
The most shocking thing in the article is an estimation of what Gary paid for municipal trash collection: anywhere from $23 to $41 per month! Man, privatization is a no-brainer!
Is Buzzcut responsible for the transportation tax referendum
It just came to me out of the blue the other day: you can thank me for the transportation tax referendum.
In article after article, local representatives have expressed that they were not consulted by Rep. Luke Kensley on the need for a referendum. They were all for the transportation tax, but didn't want or expect there to be a referendum.
Clearly, when I went after Kensley in e-mail and on the phone for blackmailing Lake County into implementing an income tax, I rattled him. He didn't like getting yelled at by an irate taxpayer. He was not going to be the one responsible for enacting a county income tax devoted to transportation.
Now that we're going to have that referendum this November, I fully expect it to go down in flames. There is no way that people are going to vote to increase their own taxes. Kensley will be able to say that he gave Lake County a chance to fund its busses and trains, and we turned him down. Most of all, he won't get any nasty e-mails from irate taxpayers.
In article after article, local representatives have expressed that they were not consulted by Rep. Luke Kensley on the need for a referendum. They were all for the transportation tax, but didn't want or expect there to be a referendum.
Clearly, when I went after Kensley in e-mail and on the phone for blackmailing Lake County into implementing an income tax, I rattled him. He didn't like getting yelled at by an irate taxpayer. He was not going to be the one responsible for enacting a county income tax devoted to transportation.
Now that we're going to have that referendum this November, I fully expect it to go down in flames. There is no way that people are going to vote to increase their own taxes. Kensley will be able to say that he gave Lake County a chance to fund its busses and trains, and we turned him down. Most of all, he won't get any nasty e-mails from irate taxpayers.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Lake County Taxpayers to pay the costs of the Hammond City Court
Reported here.
If the Hammond City Council votes to eliminate the City Court, and the functions are transferred to the County, it will cost the county upwards of $2 million dollars per year?!? That's what the Lake County Council has budgeted for that eventuality.
Seems a little bit high, doesn't it? Why don't court fees pay for the courts in their entirety, and then some?
Maybe somebody should run for County Concil on the platform that they're going to jack up court fees. Hmmmmmmm......
If the Hammond City Council votes to eliminate the City Court, and the functions are transferred to the County, it will cost the county upwards of $2 million dollars per year?!? That's what the Lake County Council has budgeted for that eventuality.
Seems a little bit high, doesn't it? Why don't court fees pay for the courts in their entirety, and then some?
Maybe somebody should run for County Concil on the platform that they're going to jack up court fees. Hmmmmmmm......
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Obama is a fraud as a Sox fan
Barack Obama claims to be a big time Sox fan. But as with much about the man, the truth lies elsewhere.
In an interview during the All Star Game (where he threw out the first pitch, and besides not getting it anywhere near over the plate, threw it like a girl), he called the Sox former home "ComiNskey Field" (it was called Cominskey Park, everyone knows that).
I have to admit that I love the trash talk Obama talks about Cubs fans. It was also cool that he wore a Sox jacket to throw out the first pitch (over the protests of MLB, which wanted him to wear an ALl Star jacket).
But he's no Sox fan.
Also, Obama is showing himself to be a big nerd. He can't bowl. He can't throw a baseball. He is allegedly a good basketball player, but I have my doubts.
Finally, did you see the jeans he was wearing at the All Star Game?
Nerd.
I rest my case.
In an interview during the All Star Game (where he threw out the first pitch, and besides not getting it anywhere near over the plate, threw it like a girl), he called the Sox former home "ComiNskey Field" (it was called Cominskey Park, everyone knows that).
I have to admit that I love the trash talk Obama talks about Cubs fans. It was also cool that he wore a Sox jacket to throw out the first pitch (over the protests of MLB, which wanted him to wear an ALl Star jacket).
But he's no Sox fan.
Also, Obama is showing himself to be a big nerd. He can't bowl. He can't throw a baseball. He is allegedly a good basketball player, but I have my doubts.
Finally, did you see the jeans he was wearing at the All Star Game?
Nerd.
I rest my case.
Lugar's going to vote for Sotomayor.
What a joke. Is it too much to ask that all the Republicans in the Senate stay together and vote against Sotomayor?
I'm really not a Lugar fan, and this is a big reason why.
Despite her answers this week, we know that Sotomayor is for racial preferences, and her ruling in Ricci disqualifies her from moving higher up the judicial food chain. Why would a Republican vote to reward her with a lifetime appointment to the most important judicial body in the country?
In fact, I'm surprised that Democrats aren't against her. She gave some pretty conservative answers, totally opposite of her judicial record. So either she was lying, or she's going to be a Souder in reverse. The Democrats must be banking on the former, but isn't that a little risky?
I'm really not a Lugar fan, and this is a big reason why.
Despite her answers this week, we know that Sotomayor is for racial preferences, and her ruling in Ricci disqualifies her from moving higher up the judicial food chain. Why would a Republican vote to reward her with a lifetime appointment to the most important judicial body in the country?
In fact, I'm surprised that Democrats aren't against her. She gave some pretty conservative answers, totally opposite of her judicial record. So either she was lying, or she's going to be a Souder in reverse. The Democrats must be banking on the former, but isn't that a little risky?
"Taxed Enough Party of Lake County"?
There's an organization called the Taxed Enough Party of Lake County, and they protested against "health reform" in front of Visclosky's office in Merrilville. It was in the Times this morning, but not on their website.
How come I'm just learning about this organization now in the Times? They seem right up my alley.
How come I'm just learning about this organization now in the Times? They seem right up my alley.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"Bigot-cut"?
Our favorite Anonymous commenter has his usual blinding insight over my noting the racial component of local homicides:
Anonymous is a coward. Our Attorney General, Eric Holder, says so. Holder famously said that we don't talk about race in this country because we're cowards.
Well, speak for yourself, Holder. I'm not a coward. I'll talk about race. And I won't let small minded liberals like Anonymous intimidate me with calls of "bigot".
Quite frankly, when 71% of all homicide VICTIMS are black males, not talking about it allows the killings to keep happening. Somebody needs to stand up and say, "Why is this happening, and what can be done to stop it"?
God knows, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the NAACP aren't doing anything about it. And neither are liberals like Anonymous.
Bigot-cut strikes again.
Anonymous is a coward. Our Attorney General, Eric Holder, says so. Holder famously said that we don't talk about race in this country because we're cowards.
Well, speak for yourself, Holder. I'm not a coward. I'll talk about race. And I won't let small minded liberals like Anonymous intimidate me with calls of "bigot".
Quite frankly, when 71% of all homicide VICTIMS are black males, not talking about it allows the killings to keep happening. Somebody needs to stand up and say, "Why is this happening, and what can be done to stop it"?
God knows, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the NAACP aren't doing anything about it. And neither are liberals like Anonymous.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Garbage stench in Gary
There's a big fight in Gary over, of all things, garbage collection.
Gary was an anachronism, having city employees collecting garbage on city owned trucks. In this day and age, most municipalities have outsourced garbage collection.
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay tried to go that route, cutting a contract with Allied Waste to collect garbage for $12 a month. That's actually not a bad price, Munster's fee from Allied is quite a bit higher, more like $16 or $18 a month.
Of course, the usual suspects are against the outsourcing. Those were unionized jobs at the city, after all.
And of course, the way that Clay did the outsourcing is an issue. It wasn't done legally, nor did he get competitive bids (but again, the contract he got was pretty good).
So now it has all gone to court, and nobody is picking up garbage in Gary. In the middle of summer, no less!
Needless to say, outsourcing services like garbage collection is a no-brainer. I wish municipalities would outsource more. For example, some municipal water companies are privatized (Gary's is). Wastewater treatment can be outsourced. How about fire protection? Park maintenance? Street maintenance?
Gary was an anachronism, having city employees collecting garbage on city owned trucks. In this day and age, most municipalities have outsourced garbage collection.
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay tried to go that route, cutting a contract with Allied Waste to collect garbage for $12 a month. That's actually not a bad price, Munster's fee from Allied is quite a bit higher, more like $16 or $18 a month.
Of course, the usual suspects are against the outsourcing. Those were unionized jobs at the city, after all.
And of course, the way that Clay did the outsourcing is an issue. It wasn't done legally, nor did he get competitive bids (but again, the contract he got was pretty good).
So now it has all gone to court, and nobody is picking up garbage in Gary. In the middle of summer, no less!
Needless to say, outsourcing services like garbage collection is a no-brainer. I wish municipalities would outsource more. For example, some municipal water companies are privatized (Gary's is). Wastewater treatment can be outsourced. How about fire protection? Park maintenance? Street maintenance?
The face of homicide in Lake County
... is young, male, and black.
The Times is doing a series of investigative reports on homicide in Lake County. With Gary in the county, you might expect the following:
These are disturbing numbers. What is it with black males from Gary and their reckless use of guns? What is the black community doing to address the problem?
On the other hand, those of us who are not black, and don't live in the black community, are pretty unlikely to be homicide victims.
The Times is doing a series of investigative reports on homicide in Lake County. With Gary in the county, you might expect the following:
81% of homicide victims were male.
71% were black.
77% of homicide victims died of gun related wounds.
These are disturbing numbers. What is it with black males from Gary and their reckless use of guns? What is the black community doing to address the problem?
On the other hand, those of us who are not black, and don't live in the black community, are pretty unlikely to be homicide victims.
Buzzcut on vacation
Sorry for the lack of posting. I've been on vacation.
I set a Guiness Book of World Records... record... for the drive between Louisville to Munster. I did it in under 3 hours. I was flying up I-65.
Not bad for a heavily laden 6 year old Chevy Venture.
I set a Guiness Book of World Records... record... for the drive between Louisville to Munster. I did it in under 3 hours. I was flying up I-65.
Not bad for a heavily laden 6 year old Chevy Venture.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Visclosky voted for climate change
I didn't really see any news on how Visclosky voted on the climate change bill, which passed the house with every Democrat vote except 44, of which one was Visclosky. There were only 8 Republican votes for it.
Here's an interactive map showing the votes by Congressional District. Obviously, the Midwest was against this thing.
Here's an interactive map showing the votes by Congressional District. Obviously, the Midwest was against this thing.
Well, it passed.
State budget passed. Doesn't look like there are any tax increases in there, that's good. They are going to allow a referendum to see if Lake, Porter, etc. counties want a 1/4% income tax to go to mass transit. I predict that that will go down to massive, massive defeat.
Too bad it passed, I was looking forward to state government shutting down.
Too bad it passed, I was looking forward to state government shutting down.
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