Aliens & Abramoff

I have to comment somewhat beyond the Michigan scene today...

This week, Jack Abramoff remains free because he is willing to stool-pigeon on Delay and other rule-bending Republicans and the same tainted Congress is demanding that unofficial immigration from SouthoftheBorder be treated as a felony.

To a Native American, nearly all of us are the children of illegal immigrants.

But then, there is the essential idea of America; best expressed on the Statue of Liberty:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

A nation made up of all nations. Until now. Crooked lawmakers make crooked laws. Making someone who comes here to flee tyranny, or just feed their family... making them a felon because they can't wait years or forever, well; at the least its totally hypocritical.

Abramoff? He has to give back almost half of the money he extorted from the Native American tribes, he will serve the minimum possible sentence, and even has to do some community service.

If you are going to be a felon in America, do it as a lobbyist- not a farm worker.

Worse than the Dubai Deal?

If you've ever wondered why we can't cut our foreign oil consumption, read on...

Right now, there are cars which get 40, 50, even 60 miles per gallon buzzing around the roads of Europe, Japan, Australia, even Canada. Yet these cars are not imported, made here, or even allowed on US roads.

I got interested in Smart Cars, produced over the last few years by DaimlerChrysler. They are bitty little things, and considered trendy in super-congested cities like London. You can see them here: http://www.smartimes.co.uk/

Actual owners love'em... 0-60 in 6-8 seconds, stop on a dime, half the fuel needed for US cars, under U$18,000. They meet the strictest EU pollution standards as well as using less fuel. Judging by their very low insurance rates, they are as safe as any small car; and surely safer than a motorcycle. Just the thing for zipping around town , students, etc?

SO WHY again aren't these cars sold here? Why has Chrysler (which we assume is German-run) downsized their workforce for this rapidly growing brand from 1,350 to 750, and put the American versions, including a Diesel SUV, on perpetual hold?

I think this might be the real reason:

For now, investors such as Bader Mohammad al-Saad, managing director of the Kuwait Investment Authority, DaimlerChrysler's largest shareholder, say Zetsche is making the right choices.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aTUk6Iy5.u2k&refer=europe

It isn't in Kuwait's interest for Americans to ever cut their gas consumption, is it...

Some Population Factoids

Before 1930, the population of Earth had never doubled within a human lifetime.

The population of Earth in 1960 was 3 billion, it is now 6.5 billion.

Since 2000, old people started outnumbering young people- globally.

By 2050, the estimated population will be between 9.1 & 11.7 billion people...

source: Scientific American 9/05 pg 50-51

ps at the moment, due to job loss and non-resident home ownership, Michigan's population is technically declining.

Cops Investigate Michigan Radio- Reynolds Resigns

Michigan Radio, the NPR news/talk program service which frequently outdraws the commercial stations, is under criminal investigation by University of Michigan Police. Donovan Reynolds, the guy who tossed out all the old 78s and brought in the BBC, Car Talk, Dianne Rehm, and News & Notes has resigned without explanation. WFUM-TV is also being probed.

No explanations are being offered by anyone involved. This letter has been posted on the website:

A Letter To Our Listeners And Members

You may have heard news reports about Michigan Radio. The University of Michigan has undertaken a review of the radio station, and we cannot comment further until that review is complete.

As a public radio station, we are committed to serve the community through our news and information service. Our mission requires us to act at all times with the utmost integrity. We are able to fulfill our public mission only because of the engagement, the support, and the trust of our members and underwriters.

As things develop, I will communicate further with you. Any additional updates will be available here on our website. In the meantime, I welcome your comments and questions.

Additionally, here are some links to recent news reports. I would caution that these stories are based on currently available information. The University review is not complete.

News reports:
March 4th - Detroit Free Press
March 3rd - Ann Arbor News

Sincerely,
Jon Hoban
Radio Manager

There is some concern that this will cause a drastic programming change. I'd urge listeners to express their feelings on this. Michigan Radio's toll free number is 1-888-258-9866.

HU- AAAH!

First, a big HuAhh to the 145th Michigan National Guard, just returned from 13 months clearing roads in Iraq. The folks here in South Haven, Dowagiac, Grand Rapids, Three Rivers, etc... well, we're all glad your back home. We'll be even happier when the other 1200 Michi-Guardians are back too; overall 3/4 of the State's Guard have served in the Middle East over the last 5 years.

Trash Alert

Governor Granholm is about to sign the Canadian Trash Ban; but a Congressional OK is urgently needed before it can go into effect. Almost one third of the trash dumped in Michigan comes across the border, and the amount is growing 3-5% a year. How trash (and water) became commodities I don't understand; but if you want this Ban to happen, its time to let the
Washington deskset know...

Some RECENT Tax Break Stats

Chrysler Ohio $280 million
Toyota Texas $133 million
Hyundai Alabama $253 million
Honda Alabama $248 million
Michigan, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York average: $844 million

Altogether the US has given up $280 billion in tax 'bribery'...
that's $80 billion more than John Kerry said was the current cost of the whole Iraq War.
http://www.factcheck.org/article253.html
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

Sure seems like something to think about.

Stats from Bloomberg, & found in an odd place:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/03/02/258.html

Bones of Contention

GOP: Michigan total abortion ban next

Chuck Yob and Holly Hughes, Michigan's Republican National Committee reps are mass forwarding this email:

We need your help! There is something you can do right away to help protect the lives of the unborn right here in Michigan.

The South Dakota state legislature has been working hard to define life as beginning at conception. Now it is our turn to carry the torch and bring this important effort to Michigan. We commend Mr. Cal Zastrow for his efforts in collecting signatures to amend the Michigan Constitution to read:

"The right to due process, whereby no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, guaranteed in Article 1 Section 17, and the right to equal protection of the law, guaranteed in Article 1, Section 2, vest at conception. A 'person' for the purposes of the Constitution and laws of the State of Michigan, exists from the moment of conception."

more at: http://www.humaneventsonline.com/blog-detail.php?id=12784


Michigan Man to build Sinless City

In related news, Ann Arbor's millionaire pizza King, Tom Monaghan, intends to build a totally temptationless town. It will forbid such tools of the devil as W magazine and cable TV in its entirety. Oddly, rather than building another suburb of Holland, Monaghan has decided on a Florida site.

more at: http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=4567176&nav=0RbQ


Michigan Home Foreclosures hit all-time highs

96,000 homes in the US are undergoing active foreclosure.
8.5% of them are in Michigan.
8,240 Michigan families are being foreclosed right now...

This is partly due to the states 7-plus percent unemployment, and partly to the draconian shortening of the delinquent property tax period to 1 year from 3 years. 8% of the foreclosures in 3% of the population. In lost homes we are second only to New Orleans, and already far beyond Depression Era numbers.

"This is the worst I've ever seen," said Gary Meyers, a foreclosure specialist with Venturi Realty of Salt Lake City who was present for Wednesday's sales. "I've been all over the U.S., and the most I've ever seen in a day is 30."

Wayne County 3,342
Oakland County 765
Genesee 465
Macomb 448
Ingham 183
Muskegon 168
Kalamazoo 147
Saginaw 145
Jackson 127
St. Clair 107
Calhoun County 102

more at: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/business/13972406.htm

Finally- it took some doing, but I found a bit of lighter news...

How fast is your Outhouse?

The unique 13th Annual Outhouse Race will be held Saturday in tiny Trenary,
Michigan. Be sure to bring plenty of TP and pick up one of the T-shirts!:]

details at: http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/13936412.htm

MI Supreme Court eyes Naked People on Cable

This just in...

Nudity on cable can now be prosecuted under Michigan’s indecency exposure laws. The state’s Supreme Court is letting a lower court ruling stand that found nudity on cable is not protected speech. Bob Peters with Morality in Media says a state indecency law that was originally intended to protect people from indecent exposure in public settings was applied to cable.
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0039674.cfm

This sets an interesting precedent. I'm personally very offended by any number of things on cable. In fact the whole shebang seems much like a electronic narcotic to me.
Where did I put that trial lawyer's 800 number?:]

Weather Report

Some pretty nice frost on the old porch windows, but no snow & the robins are back...

Granholm Speaks Out, and other overlooked news

Michigan's Jennifer Granholm spoke out again today about Washington's deafening silence on our catastrophic auto industry layoffs. She is there attempting to bring attention to a disaster quite as large as Katrina, if somewhat less dramatic. The excellent hour long interview on the Dianne Rehm show has a lot of detail about how The Guv plans to solve the problems of our state.

You can hear it via streaming audio at: http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/

In related news, the shutdowns are reaching out into other states. The Lear Corp. cuts have already cost over 100 jobs in Lebanon, Virginia and that resulted from cuts in Oklahoma...

The cuts at the Southfield-based Lear Corp. factory resulted from the closing of a General Motors plant in Oklahoma where GMC Envoys and Jimmy sport utility vehicles were assembled, said company spokeswoman Andrea Puchalsky.

more at: http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/business/13974700.htm

Global warming saves lives? Due to lack of snow, the annual Michigan Snowmobile Death Toll has dropped to 14 from the recent average of 24...

more at : http://www.miningjournal.net/news/story/0227202006_new02-n0227.asp

In the WIERD NEWS category, Michigan's Traverse City now holds title to the nations most bizarre street name: Psycho Path.

more at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/28/wstreet28.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/02/28/ixworld.html