Top Five Worst Christmas Songs

The consensus is in, there is no arguing with it. The science is settled as Al Gore is fond of saying.

Brought to you by the home office in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Number Five: Last Christmas by Wham.



Last Christmas, she broke George Micheal's heart so this Christmas he is giving it to someone special. Someone special apparently is whoever it is that shuffles his feet in the bathroom stall next to him.

Number Four: Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer.



It's just silly, sad and-- after the second time-- annoying as Rosie O'Donnell, Roseanne Barr and Joy Behar merged into one horrific creature who became your mother-in-law.

Number Three: Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney and Wings.



It sounds exactly like it was made. On a home studio in 1979.

Nothing wrong with home studios today. With a good computer and sound mixer, a person can make a CD quality song or two.

It's not like McCartney couldn't afford to bring this into a real studio and polish it up. The problem is that he didn't and-- being how no one can say "No" to a former Beatle-- we are stuck with this.

Number Two: Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon and Some Shrieking Succubus.



Because there is nothing worse than a celebrity preaching.

The melody is alright, it's the lyrics that gave this song the number two spot.

And the number one worst Christmas Song is: Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid (various artists, AKA, whoever was free at the time and needed a boost in their career or wanted to satisfy the Public Service Announcement condition of their parole).



Because if there is one thing worse than one celebrity preaching it's a chorus of celebrities preaching.

Honorable mention is Faith Hill with Where Are You Christmas. I didn't want to make a top six and a top ten would have been too many videos for one post. Besides, it will leave me open to put 'The Grinch' in the Top Five Worst Christmas movies for next year.

Video: Trailer For The Hobbit

An Unexpected Journey. Coming to theaters in December. Of 2012.



I think most people should look up who exactly the dwarfs are before checking out the the movie. There are 13 of them, it would help to track of who is who.

Three Weeks Behind A Starbucks Counter

If Aimee Groth wanted to know what working at a Starbucks was like, she should have sat down inside of one and watched what exactly they all did. "Leisurely" isn't one of their normal job descriptions.

It's safe to assume she won't be falling back on her experience in the service industry for a 'Plan B'.

I had recently moved to New York City, and I was freelancing at the time. But I had to get a part-time job in order to pay next month’s rent. So one afternoon, I printed off a stack of resumes,and hand-delivered them to nearly 30 Starbucks in Lower Manhattan and one in Brooklyn.

Only one manager called me back: the one from Brooklyn, just a few blocks from my apartment — and the last store I visited. She offered me the job at $10/hour; and if I worked part-time for three months, I'd be eligible for health insurance.

I'd later find out that the store is located next to the busiest transit hub in Brooklyn, which makes it the busiest Starbucks outside of Manhattan. My initial idea of working a leisurely part-time job was completely false. This was going to be hard work. And a lot of it.[Bold mine]

Unearthed: The First Draft Of Steven Bloom's "What's The Matter With Kansas Iowa"

His final and slightly more polished piece is posted at The Atlantic or you can check out what he really thought from his first draft, uncovered by Iowa's own, umm, Iowahawk.

But seriously, save yourself the trouble of the published piece and go read his first draft:

On Iowa's western frontier lies the Missouri River, which girds a huge, sparsely populated agricultural region anchored by Sioux City (pop: 83,000) in the state's far northwest and Council Bluffs (pop: 62,230), across from the Nebraska hub of Omaha. Eskimo Pies, the original I-Scream Bar, was invented by a Danish immigrant in Onawa, a tiny town not far from the Missouri, and today you can visit an Eskimo Pie display at the Monona County Historical Museum there.

This concludes our break into folksy quaintness. Now it is time to resume our deep journalism dive into the psychic chasm of this rustic hell on earth.

In between the two great, garbage-clogged rivers, Iowa is a place of bizarre contrasts. The state is split politically: to the east of Des Moines, Iowa is solidly Democratic; to the west, it's rabidly Republican. Bizarre enough for you? Well. hold on to your hat because Iowa's two U.S. Senators are emblematic of this progressively solid vs.rabies-infested-evil Jeckyl-and-Hyde schizophrenia: Fundamentalist Republican Charles Grassley and Ultra-liberal Democrat Tom Harkin. Grassley is a decrepit 78; Harkin is a youthful 72. How's that for top-notch journalistic contrast?

Music Man Iowa Stubborn - watch more funny videos

Airport Security In The Very Best Of Hands

Top men on the case. Top. Men.

[O]n a flight from Virginia to Florida, Vanessa Gibbs found herself detained by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) over the appearance of her purse.

And just to be clear, it wasn't the content inside the purse that the TSA objected to. No, agency officials took exception with the design of a gun on Gibbs' handbag.

To be clear, this was on the return portion of her round trip. She made the first part of her trip without incident with the same purse.

Graphic Artist's rendition of what the TSA officer may of looked like.

Thanks to Greg for the find and the Barney Fife suggestion.

Friday Night Video Dump: Obscure Indie Band/College Radio Staple Song

"Air" by The Owls.



Or for the even more obscure: Mates of State with Parachutes (Funeral Song).

Friday Night Video Dump: Steven Crowder And The Unfunny Jimmy Fallon

From The Daley Gator.

Friday Night Video Dump: John Carter Of Mars Trailer

Via Darleen at Protein Wisdom.

More John Carter Videos

I'm in agreement with her, this could go either way, good or bad.

Hopefully with Andrew Stanton-- of Finding Nemo and Wall-E fame-- at the helm it should help.

Breaking: Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli To Run For Governor

Interesting:

Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will be announcing his bid for Virginia Governor in the coming days, possibly as soon as the RPV Advance this weekend.

One more reason why the blogosphere trumps the MSM.

Mayor McCheese 1, San Fransisco Board Of Supervisors 0

The government acts, the private industry reacts.

On Thursday, Dec. 1, the city's de facto ban of the Happy Meal commences. San Francisco has accomplished what the Hamburglar could not. Or has it?

In order to include a toy with a meal, restaurants must now comply with city-generated nutritional standards. Those are standards that even the "healthier" Happy Meals McDonald's introduced earlier this year don't come close to meeting.
[. . .]
It turns out San Francisco has not entirely vanquished the Happy Meal as we know it. Come Dec. 1, you can still buy the Happy Meal. But it doesn't come with a toy. For that, you'll have to pay an extra 10 cents.

Huh. That hardly seems to have solved the problem (though adults and children purchasing unhealthy food can at least take solace that the 10 cents is going to Ronald McDonald House charities).

Read the rest to see the obvious elephant in the room. Nothing is said about the parent's responsibility to say, "No" to their kids.

So that leaves only the city to look out for the kids who can't help but eat only at McDonalds. And if McDonalds is able to skirt the law and still offer a Happy Meal then there is only one thing (via Hot Air) to take left to do

Video: A Failure Of Leadership

For anyone else, this would be embarrassing. But this wasn't addressing just anybody.

In order for the modern Democrat Party to be embarrassed, they first much possess a 'sense of shame'. But seeing how they are progressives-- Latin for "Having no Shame Whatsoever"-- they are impossible to embarrass.

Which is how Teddy Kennedy was able physically abuse women with Chris Dodd in a sort of human sandwich but still be considered a champion of "woman's rights".

So any criticism of which more often than not falls onto willfully deaf ears and purposefully blind eyes. Which is sad because it really is a well made video.

Thanks to Viv.

The Righteous Rant Of The Day*

*To borrow a quill from Brer Bob's ink pot,

Today's rant goes to Jeff G. of Protein Wisdom and why being a pundit never means having to say you're sorry.

To recap: those of us who were apoplectic about the debt ceiling deal Boehner brokered to save us from a “default” and a credit downgrade, are now living with a debt downgrade, no real cuts in entitlement spending, a President able to work his campaign message, and significant cuts in defense spending that the Democrats will blame on Republicans whose desire to protect “the rich” by resisting “revenue increases” has made the nation vulnerable militarily.

Please read the whole thing.

What's puzzling to me was the support Boehner received during the budget deal from the rank and file when most everyone else could see what he was walking into.

Video: Bill Whittle And The Bridge In Your Mind

Via Insty.



The 'Bob' Bill Whittle is talking about in the video is more of a tinman than a strawman. It's more common than not when hearing people talk about how they first started up their (successful) business to listen to a similar story.

Wednesday Night Video Dump: Primus And A Bit Of A Blogging Update

As it might have been noticed, there's been a considerable lack of updated posts these last few weeks.

Most of it is real life catching up and sometimes playing politics on a blog falls off to the wayside. It happens when a job (albeit part time) happens and soccer season kicks in for my kids.

Not to worry. In a couple of weeks, the season will be over and the normal incoherent ramblings will begin anew.

Wednesday Night Video Dump: Zo, Herman Cain And What It Takes To Be "Authetically Black"

Alfonzo "Zo" Rachel does have a point. Does it take a crack pipe to be really, truly black? (No, of course not. Listen to the video.)

Wednesday Night Video Dump: The Movie Trailer Is Afoot

The second trailer for Sherlock Holmes 2 : A Game of Shadows is out.

I'm going to throw this out there and guess that it's going to follow the Hollywood rule for sequels. More explosions, more action and more violence.

Which I'm okay with. The first Sherlock Holmes was a popcorn munching kind of movie. Why monkey around with a successful formula?

Wednesday Night Video Dump: Bill Whittle On The #OWS Protests

How the 'precious snowflakes' that are the #Occupy Wall Street crowd are a bunch a sniveling crybabies. But Mr. Whittle lays it out with a little bit more nuance.

Wednesday Night Video Dump: This Herman Cain Video Is Smoking!

Thanks to Da Camp and Smitty.

Good News: The Adult Baby Was Cleared Of Fraud!

He's back to pretending to be a baby again. On the tax payer's dime!

The California man who lives part of his life as an “adult baby” and collects Social Security disability payments says the federal agency has cleared him of wrongdoing and will continue sending checks.

Stanley Thornton Jr. now wants an apology from Sen. Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican who called for the benefit review because the investigation disrupted the final months of life for his roommate Sandra Dias, who playacted as his mother, spoon-feeding him and helping him into his baby clothes until her death in July.

“We recently reviewed the evidence in your Social Security disability claim and find that your disability is continuing,” the agency said in an August letter that Mr. Thornton posted on the website he maintains to document his adult baby lifestyle.
[. . .]
John Hart, a spokesman for Mr. Coburn, said Tuesday that the senator, who is also a medical doctor, is still puzzled by how “a grown man who is able to design and build adult-sized baby furniture is eligible for disability benefits.”

James O'Keefe has shown in the past how easy it is to apply for benefits with SSI in the past so it's not that difficult get approved. Make up some pretend mental trauma like wanting to live like an adult baby and get free tax payer money.

Sen. Coburn better stand firm on this and not write an apology.

SSI is run by Social Security and pays benefits to aged, blind and disabled people who have little or no income. The funds are paid out of general taxpayer revenues, not from payroll taxes.

Anyway, reasons like this keep reminding me that we as a nation are in it's twilight years. If no elected leader can stand up to an adult baby, what hope is there for the tough decisions regarding the budget the that will need to be made soon?

Previously: This Is Disturbing On So Many Levels.

Herman Cain, Your Campaign Commercial Awaits

Sitting there like a ripe, low hanging apple on a branch, waiting to be picked.



Thanks to Erin.

Reading Between The Lines Of JD Samson's Posting At The Huffington Post

AKA, Navel Gazing From A Self-Described "99%er".

JD Samson, who is the East Coast's version of Sam Ronson, has an exercise in sophistry up at the Huffington Post where she wines about having fame and money from making music and losing it all because of poor decisions.

And if you don't know and don't care who Samson and Ronson are, don't worry about it. You'll be better off not knowing.

I am so lucky that I have been able to create art and music and fulfill my passions through my job for the past 11 years. But I'm stupid enough to have put all my eggs in one basket. It is now the only thing I can do to make money. I'm 33 years old and I can't make coffee. I don't know how to use Excel, or bartend, or wait tables, and I'm officially too old to join the police force. I've lost the confidence to go back to school and feel stressed out about impending debt when I think about further education for even one second.

There is really one person to blame for her situation: JD Samson.

By the way, restaurants are always hiring for positions where no experience is needed. Hosting, busing tables and washing dishes can be done with little to no training. And from there it's a short jump to to waiting tables for cash tips.

Seriously? She can't make coffee? I made my first cup over 12 years ago, first try. It was easy. This is more of a case of 'Not Bothering' rather than 'Tried Then Failed'.

I have several jobs within the music industry as of now: bands, DJing, remixing and even writing music for other artists. I'm a workaholic and have my hands in a bunch of different places. But, all these jobs have unstable incomes. I don't get a salary; I don't know how much money I will make next month, next year or five years from now. I don't have health insurance. And I live with the stress of not knowing, not planning and not understanding whether or not I will ever be able to reach my goals of having a family and feeling safe financially. When I say "safe," I mean safe. I mean basics. I mean health insurance that is good enough for me to take care of myself, not just if I need a $10,000-dollar, life-threatening procedure. I mean dental care. I mean saving money in a retirement fund so that I can take care of myself when I'm 80 years old. Clearly, there is a difference between survival and luxury.

If all of this is true, she's made some very bad business decisions about her musical career. If she's signed all of her rights away, she's has no one else to blame for that.

Also, she should have known that the music industry is very unstable. She's right in the fact she needs to be working all the time but she also answered her own question to this later on.

Like so many teenagers, I believed in the "American Dream," that I could move to New York from the Midwest and become an artist. I would achieve both fame and success, and I would never have to think about money. The first half was true. I made art and lived activism, and I achieved amazing amounts of success that I feel incredibly proud of. The second half, not so much. I have been able to live well, eat well, invest in my arts and make my own schedule, but I forgot to save money and think about my future.

Bingo. One would think that she would have ended it right here with an epiphany of being responsible for yourself and self determination. But then liberalism is a mental disorder so it would be dangerous to assume that her comprehension skills are normal.

Plus, she lives in New York City. More on that later.

This summer I tried to rent an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The process sent me into an emotional crisis and awakened me into a whole new realization of our economy, the music industry at large and, more specifically, what it means to be a queer artist in 2011.

I spent days trolling around Williamsburg, looking at shitty apartments with cockroaches lining the doorways, fighting neighbors, rats in the ceiling, bedbugs infesting the linoleum floors, fifth-floor walk-ups and cat-pee-soaked carpets. The rent was exorbitant, availability was scarce, and I was turned down by two different landlords for being "freelance." To be honest, I don't blame them. Not only am I freelance, but I'm lesbian freelance. Double whammy. What was the reason they turned me down? Because it was easier to rent to a rich, trust-fund, straight-guy banker who wants to live in the coolest borough in the world? Because when he met me he saw a tattooed gender outlaw who makes "queer electronic punk music" and isn't sure when the next check is going to come in? Yeah, I don't blame him. He doesn't give a shit about how kids email me all the time thanking me for keeping them from committing suicide. It's not part of his capitalist business practice.

So what is a 'Gender Outlaw' anyway? If she filled that out in the application process, no wonder she was turned down.

Here is the New York City angle again. She wanted to live in the 'Coolest borough in the world'. Those usually cost a bit more than the 'Plain Jane apartment in the average borough'.

I surround myself with amazing and talented people, people who have made it in every sense of those words. They buy apartments, invest in their futures successfully, have children, save money. How do they do it? How can I keep up with them?

Chances are, they aren't as well off as you think they are. But it's still more whining and that epiphany that should have kicked in yet, hasn't.

So I have to ask myself: where did I go wrong? And I can only guess that the answer lies in a combinations of three things: 1) my family is not rich, 2) I am a queer woman, and 3) I am trying so desperately to keep up with my peers that I am living beyond my means.

Really, the only answer that matters is the last one. And the chances of that epiphany happening just keep getting more and more slim.

And as I am a productive, workaholic, processing lesbian, I am the only one responsible for change and growth and my own future. So I consider:

1. My family will never be rich; in fact, as they get older, they will use up their supply, perhaps even leaving me with their debts. Now, don't get me wrong, I am so lucky to have the incredible health and support of every member of my family. I never forget how blessed I am to have such an incredible group of people in my life. In fact, our mutual understanding about how frustrating it can be to try to support yourself with your art is something we can all relate to as a family. And our own personal class struggles are not insular but truly a family affair. Now I understand why they supported my dreams but continually suggested having other interests or skills. My dad, a wood sculptor, turned sand and gravel miner. And my mother, a silversmith, turned elementary-school art teacher.

Shorter DJ: She should have listened better to her parents.

Also, how can one be left debts? Unless she has cosigned with her folks on something then-- generally speaking-- I don't see how it can be done.

2. I will always be a queer woman, a woman who makes 77 cents to the man's dollar, and a queer who makes 23 percent less than the heterosexual. Does that mean that I make 54 cents to the straight male dollar? Wow.

No, she chose to make her occupation in a very, very niche market. A lesbian techno band instead of a techno band that happens to be lesbian. There's a subtle difference but it's there.

3. OK, so here's the emotional part: I'm trying to keep up with artists who have had a similar amount of success as I have had, buying expensive meals, expensive jeans, expensive drinks, and trying my hardest to appear to be making the same amount of money as they are. I'm not them, for whatever above-mentioned reasons, but I just can't pretend anymore. This is my coming out. I'm done feeling bad about myself. I wish I could afford a personal meeting with Suze Orman. She's a lesbian. Maybe she could help me reestablish my financial security.

Know what Suze would say? Stop spending so much!

This is what frustrates me about this article. She's laid out all the reasons why she's broke and she hasn't figured out how to change that yet? Live in expensive areas of the city. Buy expensive clothes and food. But yet she claims she doesn't have a cent to her name? It's her own damn fault.

I'm so lucky to have gained so much from my life and my amazing career, but I'm ready to feel secure. I'm ready to build my future and save money so that I can have a family, so that I can enjoy making art and not trying to create a product out of it, so that I can spend more time being present and less time being a workaholic, frantically searching for the profitable answer. And if I need to, I'm ready to get a job, go to work in the morning, get a paycheck once a week, go to the dentist, get a check-up, bottom out to a boss and appreciate music without being worried that I can't keep up.

We live in a society where people equate success with money. They see me on the pages of Vogue. They see me playing to an adoring crowd. They see me flying to gigs all across the world. And I'm not sure what people imagine, but I'm struggling, too. Over the past couple of weeks, I have realized how many other artists and musicians are in my position, people who are proud of their success but feel unable to continue, based on financial strain. Artists such as Spank Rock, Das Racist and the Drums have featured lyrics on their new records about struggling financially. My band MEN put out a record in February with similar tones. I know the economy is failing, but I think it is important to remember that it is failing for everyone. Even the people you think might have money. So here we go. Another reason to come together. Another reason to occupy Wall Street. Another reason for change.

She claims all of these brushes with fame for her music and band. Well, if that's true, start touring. Make a few circuits in clubs. Hit some other cities like San Diego or LA or San Fransisco. Self promote via Twitter and Facebook where she will be playing at. Something that would bring in some money while she works on toning down her lifestyle.

But no. No epiphany of self-awareness. Just a sophistic ending to say, "because of all of my piss poor decisions I've made in my life, the system must be broken".

Thanks to Scott 'Big Daddy' Edwards for finding this.

Updated: A fiskful of thanks goes out to Bob at The Camp Of The Saints and Smitty at The Other McCain for linking this.

Holy Ink Buckets, Holy Terror Is Published!

Comic book legend Frank Miller's reply to 9/11 is finally hitting the newsstands after 10 years of waiting in the wings.

Holy Terror is finally available.

And not being a powerful and influential member of the media, I didn't receive an advance copy to review. So I'll have to go to the comic book store just like everyone else to pick up my copy.

It's not a Batman tale as Miller had first intended it to be. It's someone named 'The Fixer' instead, sort of a wink, wink, nudge, nudge nod towards Batman's direction. Much the same way Die Fledermaus is Ben Edlund's nod in The Tick's universe.

Former Journolist member Spencer Ackerman isn't happy with it.

Not that everyone didn't already know that Spencer Ackerman is a world class douche nozzle but he illustrates it here yet again:

To bring the point home Miller draws 14 stereotypical Muslim faces around the righteous anti-hero. Naturally, the only way to learn more about the next attack is to torture a surviving terrorist — which Miller illustrates pornographically [Emphasis mine]

If this was Daredevil going up against Hydra, the book wouldn't of raised any eyebrows at all. But since it's about Muslim extremists-- something that most everyone alive today has had an experience with-- Spenny feels the need to take Miller to task.

If anyone should know something about writing violent porn, it's Ackerman:

[F]ind a rightwinger’s [sic] and smash it through a plate-glass window. Take a snapshot of the bleeding mess and send it out in a Christmas card to let the right know that it needs to live in a state of constant fear.

It's telling to see who the left views as their enemy and who they defend.

In Ackerman's case, you can easily tell what he violently wishes for in a pornographic manner.

Bill Whittle: Live Free Or Die

AKA, A modest proposal for New York City which I can get on board with.



Thanks to Insty.

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue: Perhaps We Should Suspend Elections

Nothing but her best intention at heart, I'm sure.

“I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won’t hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover,” Perdue said at a rotary club event in Cary, N.C., according to the Raleigh News & Observer. “I really hope that someone can agree with me on that.”

Perdue said she thinks that temporarily halting elections would allow members of Congress to focus on the economy. “You have to have more ability from Congress, I think, to work together and to get over the partisan bickering and focus on fixing things,” Perdue said.

Politicians are always keen on volunteering to give back power they usurped in times past. Always.

Your vote is the single most powerful tool that you have in our country and Bev Perdue is wishing to take that away from you.

Thanks to Jason.

A Short Round Up Of Reviews From Premier Week

Premier Week came and went this year with not too many standouts.

On Monday, they put the lid on the coffin regarding Charlie Sheen's character on Two and a Half Men. Literary. After the premier, I'm not sure how long that show has left in it. I don't know the viewing numbers but I'm betting it's just a look in to see what has happened and how the show will carry on.

The Sing Off, however, always seems to show some promise and entertaining musical numbers (Yeah, take my man card. I'm not using it).

Didn't see much on Tuesday or Wednesday night.

For Thursdays, Gray's Anatomy is back. It's about the same as it always has been.

Friday, didn't check out anything.

Saturday, I watched the Law and Order: SVU premier. I think the writers aren't even trying anymore. They'll read about one event in the paper, inject some wishcasting in how they envision a liberal world would work and stir.

It started out with a well groomed man in an expensive suit getting ready to leave his hotel suite. It should have been obvious to most anyone that the plot was a redo of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's allegations that he raped a hotel maid. That and all the detectives are incredible pricks to anyone they happen to be questioning.

And I felt kinda obligated to check out Saturday Night Live. It started out okay. Some good laughs with the cold open of the "7th or 8th- Republican Debate".

It tapered done from there. The funniest bit was after the opening monologue with their 'commercial' of Red Flag by Chanel.

Herman Cain Needs Some Bumper Stickers

This would do for now.

Via The Daley Gator.

If It Takes A Village To Raise A Child Then What Does Burning A Village Do?

To someone, somewhere, this all made sense.

“They said if we hesitated they would shoot us,” said William Bakeshisha, adding that he hid in his coffee plantation, watching his house burn down. “Smoke and fire.”
…
But in this case, the government and the company said the settlers were illegal and evicted for a good cause: to protect the environment and help fight global warming.

When the lies pile up.

Now, I remember when this creep came up here and people were defending him. Even, conservatives. I was pretty put down that people would actually be for this deranged a-hole and the fact that the people who owned the house rented it to McGinnis... because they didn't like the Palins for whatever their personal reasons.

As an Alaskan, I would never want some punked out creep renting a house next to me. Alaskans for the most part are very private. We don't like people. No, I am not joking, we just don't like people. We especially don't like people who try to come into our personal space. They can get shot.... and it has happened before. McGinnis was lucky someone didn't try here.

So with that said, how do you think McGinnis is going to get out of the nasty email he sent to a well known Palin-Hater? Jesse is a a-hole... but I think McGinnis is going to be bankrupt soon.

Here is the article I am speaking about.

****WAVING****

And if you ever thought that Obama was a evil Forrest Gump, that would be now!

Video: Peter Schiff Testifying Before Congress About Obama's Jobs Bill.

More background here but Peter Schiff pretty much lays it on the line without buttering anyone's biscuits.

To use an analogy or two.

It's twenty two minutes long but twenty two minutes of economic sanity that needs to be heard.



Thanks to Bill.

Is this redistribution?

UAW workers to get $5K contract bonus; tier 2 to get pay bump
Christina Rogers/ The Detroit News
General Motors Co. will give its hourly workers a $5,000 signing bonus, if they approve a tentative contract agreement reached by the company and the United Auto Workers union Friday night, people familiar with the pact said Saturday.

Under the agreement, GM also has agreed to reopen its Spring Hill, Tenn. plant; base profit-sharing checks on North American profits, rather than on U.S. earnings; and give entry-level workers a $2-$3 an hour increase. Those so-called tier two employees, who are paid $14-$16 an hour, will be boosted to $16-$19 an hour



From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110918/AUTO01/109180320/UAW-workers-to-get-$5K-contract-bonus--tier-2-to-get-pay-bump#ixzz1YKMdO4H6

Anyone else a little ticked off about this other than myself?

What Does Paul Krugman And Plumping Have In Common?

After a hard day of unclogging drains or having just read Krugman's latest column, you need to wash your hands before eating.

Video: Bill Whittle And The Truth Is Out There

He speaks the truth about the. . . Truth.



It's about two weeks old but it's new to me so I'm going with it tonight.

Two Special Elections; Two Republican Victories

In NV-2, it wasn't even close: 57-38%.

In NY-9, the race was a little bit tighter but Republican Bob Turner walks away with a win. Looking at the breakdown of the boroughs, Turner smashed Democrat David Weprin in Brooklyn. About a two to one voting difference, 68% to 32% at this time (a small number of districts are still reporting in but I doubt that number would change much).

This was Anthony Weiner's legacy. This and a picture of his junk he tweeted.

Video: Chuck Woolery Explains Taxing The Rich

It's only a little bit longer than 'Two and Two' but worth it.

Reminder: Special Election In Nevada And New York Tomorrow

This from a couple of days ago about Republican Bob Turner who is running for NY9:

Republican Bob Turner is poised to pull a huge upset in the race to replace Anthony Weiner as the Congressman from New York's 9th Congressional District. He leads Democrat David Weprin 47-41 with Socialist Workers candidate Christopher Hoeppner at 4% and 7% of voters remaining undecided. Turner's winning in a heavily Democratic district for two reasons: a huge lead with independents and a large amount of crossover support. He's ahead by 32 points at 58-26 with voters unaffiliated with either major party. And he's winning 29% of the Democratic vote, holding Weprin under 60% with voters of his own party, while losing just 10% of Republican partisans.

And in Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei is running to represent the people in the NV2. It appears he's ahead in a few polls as well. But in all actuality, their elections depends on one poll, the one that will happen tomorrow so get out and vote.

Not Gone, Not Forgotten

But I did have my power knocked out for the better part of a week thanks to Irene. So my carbon footprint was considerably smaller. No electricity to make toast or coffee with. It was like camping at home.

There were a few things I learned from Irene however:

• Cowboy Coffee can remove chrome off of a trailer hitch. 
• Going green sucked. 
• The only McDonald's that was open experienced an economic boom to the detriment of the closed Burger King, Starbucks, Panera and a few other breakfast places.

But there wasn't any real economic growth in my area from Irene. Just activity.

One area mom told me that she has overblown her budget for food by eating out because it's (a:) easier to do for dinner rather than the hassell of cooking without electricity and the clean up after and (b:) she had to throw out a bunch of food in the fridge because it got too warm and became unsafe to eat.

One more example for the Broken Window Fallacy.

[Had this in the queue but never published it after Hurricane Irene. Apologies for it being a bit dated.]

New Video From Ladd Ehlinger Jr.: Dancing Weiners And The Special Election

Via Legal Insurrection and The Other McCain.

There is a special election on Sept. 13th (this upcoming Tuesday) in New York's 9th district and it looks like Republican Bob Turner is winning in the polls. The 9th was Anthony "No That Wasn't My Penis On Twitter. Oh That Penis? Yes, It Was Me In Fact." Weiner's old district. And it could very well turn red.

Vote for Bob Turner
He Won't Embarrass New Yorkers The Way Weiner did.

Ladd Ehlinger's Latest Video: The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Freedom

Via Smitty from The Other McCain. Gotta love the ending of the ad with this in the fine print:

Disclaimer: Paid for by the Conservative Action Fund. Not Authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. This title card was forcibly placed here by your government against the will of the filmmaker via the McCain-Feingold lay, which is advocated by such useful idiots as Stephen Colbert, who through his satire advocates even more regulation of political speech.

Woman vs Bear.....

Since, I told Dave I would help him out. I thought how about an amusing blog thread, that has a happy ending. Click the link and enjoy the chuckle.

FYI, no it is not me!

Battening Down The Hatches

Blogging will be even lighter than usual this weekend, in case you haven't seen it on the news there is a hurricane coming my way.

And it may be too late for this anyway but here's a list on what to prepare for.

Most my day yesterday was spent preparing for it.

Anyway, there's this for everyone else:



For the record, they're action figures, not 'dolls'.

Video: Andrew Klavan And Rules For Pundits

It's all very good advice.



Thanks to Jim.

Video: Sen. Marco Rubio At The Reagan Library

Wish there were more Senators like him in DC.



Joy has more here.

Thanks to Beth.

Nobel Prize Winner In Economics Equates Today's Earthquake To The Broken Window Fallacy. Updated: Could It Be A Parody?

What would you expect from Paul Krugman?

People on twitter might be joking, but in all seriousness, we would see a bigger boost in spending and hence economic growth if the earthquake had done more damage.

As one of the comments at the link puts it, "Japan's economy should be skyrocketing, then."

Why stop there? Get some flash "Economic Recovery" mobs ready to go smash some windows.

You know who benefits from this? The hometowns of whoever the NBA Championship, World Series and the Superbowl. Riots in the streets, turning cars over and burning couches.

This is the sort of economic recovery Detroit, Michigan revels in.

Kinda Related: You know who can use a good earthquake riht about now? Illinois.

Illinois lost more jobs during the month of July than any other state in the nation, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report. After losing 7,200 jobs in June, Illinois lost an additional 24,900 non-farm payroll jobs in July. The report also said Illinois’s unemployment rate climbed to 9.5 percent. This marks the third consecutive month of increases in the unemployment rate.

Update: Allahpundit at Hot Air has some doubts if it's really Krugman or some parody.

Is it real or just a goof? Kevin Williamson isn’t sure and neither am I, but given that this is the same guy who fantasized recently about the Keynesian awesomeness of an alien invasion, it’s at least a toss-up. All day long I’ve felt relieved that the quake caused only very minor damage, but now suddenly I’m bummed that the Brooklyn Bridge didn’t fall into the river. Maybe we can get DHS or the NYPD to blow it up? That’s a few thousand jobs right there.

Here's the deal. As with the space aliens comment, Krugman has said some stupid things in the past. The line between what's parody and what he really has said tends to get blurry.

Update II: It's fake but accurate:

[H]ere’s the man himself weighing in. It wasn’t his Google+ page. Duly noted, and I apologize for the error. But I hope he addresses the argument in the fake tweet on his blog. If World War II ended the Great Depression, why is it outrageous to think a Keynesian might see an economic boon to a natural calamity?

What a bummer.

5.8 / 5.9, Whatever It Takes

The east coast was hit with an earthquake today. Centered here in Virginia.

No serious damage noted yet. A gas leak in Fredericksburg at last glance.

It struck my house as if an oversize truck was rumbling down the road. Some shaking and rattling inside. Enough to freak out my daughters. Only after I told them we were having an earthquake.

Via Michigan State University's College of Natural Science.

One thing, everyone should be thankful that it was was mild as it was. Hence the fun and frivolity of it all.

According To Instapundit. . .

. . . This is what is causing the latest buzz around the internet.

Paul Ryan: Not Running For President

He's out before he was even in:

After a week of rumors that he was consulting with advisers and family members on a possible presidential run, we have learned from the Ryan camp that the House Budget Committee chair has decided not to throw his hat into the ring.

More at the Weekly Standard:

Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan has decided for a final time that he will not run for president in 2012, THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned. Ryan, who began seriously considering a bid in late May after Indiana governor Mitch Daniels took himself out of the race, had consulted with top Republicans, including Karl Rove and Frank Luntz, as he contemplated his political future. And though many of those he talked with told him he would be a viable candidate in such a fluid race, even as a late entry, Ryan ultimately decided to continue his focus on debt and entitlement reform as chairman of the House Budget Committee.

I think he would have some credibility issues with the base if he ran. Not because of his Roadmap To America but from his record under the Bush years. He voted for No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D and other government programs under George Bush. To now say that he's for fiscal responsibility seems more for political reasons rather than an actual Road to Damascus conversion to fiscal conservatism.

He's better off where he is now.

Another Episode Of Separated At Birth

This week, it's Rachel Maddow and Ben Folds.

Eerie coincidence, doppelgangers or long lost siblings? You be the judge.

More About The John King Shooting

Tom Blumer of News Busters noticed an odd detail or two missing from the Toledo Blade's report on the incident. The fact that the word "Scab" was spray painted on the side of John King's SUV (other reports say scratched but the picture looks like it's been vandalized with spray paint) wasn't mentioned and neither was John King's name.

If you knew nothing else about the event and only relied on the Blade's story, you would think that what occurred was some kind of random act of violence:

Lambertville man shot in arm after man tries to slash his tires

A man was shot in the arm Wednesday night when he interrupted a suspect trying to puncture his vehicle’s tires with a knife, authorities said.

... When confronted, the assailant shot a small caliber pistol at the victim, grazing his left upper arm. The victim was treated at the scene and was to seek medical treatment on his own, sheriff's deputies said.

The suspect was described as being in his mid-20s to early 30s, white, of medium build, and about 6 feet tall. He was wearing a dark-colored T-shirt, jeans, and a dark-colored baseball hat.

He appeared to be in his mid-20s or early 30s.

Note that the victim was not named.

Check out the rest to see how the Blade tried to brush under the rug the motivation of the crime.

Previously:

Man Shot In Arm By Union Member And Back-To-School Shoppers But Mostly Union Member

Video: Failed Comedian And Failed Sportscaster Talk About Herman Cain

Via The Other McCain.



If fisking MSNBC is considered to be punching down then what would hitting Curret TV be considered?

The issues that Janeane Garofalo has with Herman Cain is less ideological than it is her revealing her bigotry.

It's a soft bigotry but it's still bigotry.

Herman Cain, I feel like, is being paid by somebody to be involved and to run for president so that you go like ‘I love that, that can’t be racist. He’s a black guy, a black guy asking for Obama being impeached.’ Or ‘it’s a black guy whose anti-Muslim. It’s a black guy who is a Tea Party guy

Her noted objections aren't about policy but about the color of Cain's skin. She just can't handle a minority whose politics are different from hers. So what does she do? She closes off her mind to that possibility because it's obviously someone else fault why Cain is conservative.

And I feel like wouldn’t that suit the purposes of whomever astroturfs these things. Whether that be the Koch brothers or Grover Norquist or any anything. It could even be Karl Rove. ‘Let’s get Herman Cain involved so it deflects the obvious racism of our Republican party

Ah ha! The usual list of suspects is trotted out. Because to her, a black man can't have independent thoughts but must conform to the groupthink of the collective. Otherwise, someone has 'gotten' to him.

She can't handle it if they stray off of the Democratic Plantation. Hence her bigoted verbal whipping.

Related: Somehow, the animals always seem to know.

What The? Aliens Might Kill Everyone Because Of Global Warming?

So lets alter ever aspect of our lifestyle for some non-existent threat.

It may not rank as the most compelling reason to curb greenhouse gases, but reducing our emissions might just save humanity from a pre-emptive alien attack, scientists claim.

Watching from afar, extraterrestrial beings might view changes in Earth's atmosphere as symptomatic of a civilisation growing out of control – and take drastic action to keep us from becoming a more serious threat, the researchers explain.

This highly speculative scenario is one of several described by scientists at Nasa and Pennsylvania State University that, while considered unlikely, they say could play out were humans and alien life to make contact at some point in the future.

In the very best of hands.

Video: The Teaser For The Amazing Spider-Man

Rebooting the series from scratch.



There are a few things noticeably different from the Toby McGuire Spiderman.

This Spidey will have the normal web-shooters. Not the organic shooters like in the movies before.

The preview showed him saying goodbye to his folks before they died, in an effort to show his detached emotional point of view.

And it's looks like it might be a radioactive spider rather than the genetically modified spider that bit him.

As to see if it's theater worthy yet: The jury is still out.

Heh

This is why Drudge is Drudge.

Update: Linked by The Troglopundit.

Man Shot In Arm By Union Member And Back-To-School Shoppers But Mostly Union Member

The shooter also scratched the word, "Scab" on the victim's car. If it was a smash and grab, they wouldn't stop to key their name on the side of the SUV.

The victim was also a very successful owner of a non-union electrical shop. Tell me again how it isn't supposed to be intimidation?

Last Wednesday, however, the attacks on Mr. King became much more serious when he was awakened late in the evening at his home in Monroe County, Michigan and saw that the motion lights in his driveway had come on. When he looked out his front window, he saw a figure near his SUV and went outside.

As soon as he got outside his front door, King yelled at the individual who was crouched down by King’s vehicle. As soon as King yelled, the suspect stood and, without hesitation, fired a shot at Mr. King.

Luckily for King, as he yelled, he also stumbled. If it weren’t for that, however, John King’s injuries might have been much, much worse. In fact, he might have been killed.

Upon scrambling back into his house, King got to his cell phone and called 911. However, due to the pain in his knees and shoulder from falling, King was unaware that he had been shot in the arm.

Legal Insurrection, Red State and Ace have more.

Ed Schultz Of MSNBC Lies About Rick Perry's Statement

And in other news, the sun is hot and water is wet.

Ed Schultz admitted he was in error in deceptively editing a clip of Gov. Rick Perry, removing the meaning and context of the governor's statement. The deception was first revealed here at Breitbart.tv.

He did not apologize, and he did not explain to his viewers that the deceptively edited clip was used by Schultz to make a false allegation of racism against the Texas governor.

David Gregory: Politicians Know More About The Budget Than The American People

It's not that complex.

You spend less than you take in. The people who do spend more than their intake usually end up bankrupt, losing their homes or getting their kneecap busted by Guido, the local loan shark.



Gregory is making it more 'nuanced' than it appears (and giving the US Government way too much credit). Even people like Felonious Munk understands the debt ceiling. His words, in fact are "How do you approach the ceiling without knowing you're close to the ceiling?"

He calls Bachmann's plan "Reckless" but fails to mention that the bipartisan plan that did pass ended up with the Nation being downgraded by S & P.

But it's easier to spend others people money rather than to stop the spending.

Bumper Sticker Of The Week

The sticker in and of itself isn't that unusual:

The Suburbs: Where they rip out the trees, and name streets after them.

It's the only sticker that was vaguely political on the car.

The kicker was where the car was found. In a suburb of Richmond, Virginia.


View Larger Map

Behind The Scenes Of The New Batman Movie

A couple of videos for this Saturday morning.






More here at the Huff Po.

Friday Night Video: Something To Tug At The Heartstrings Of Any Father

Especially those who have daughters growing up still in the house.

Thanks to my wife for finding this for me.

Video: It's Andrew Klavan Friday. . . Again!

Not that there is anything wrong with that.



Thanks to Beth.

Video: Conan The Barbarian; The First Gorey Scene

As opposed just the first normal, opening scene.

Not for the squeamish because its Conan, he a barbarian, there are lots of of swords and axes swinging and, consequently, lots of legs and arms find their way separated from their bodies. So fair warning.



It's a remake but it looks rent worthy.

At Last: The Video Montage Of Each One Of Obama's Pivot's On Jobs

Where he keeps reaffirming his laser like focus on jobs, jobs, jobs until something shiny comes along.

From the Puff Ho of all places (link to Puff Ho, fair warning but worth a quick read).



You would think that once you lost the Huff Po, you lost the liberal establishment. Not so. Some of the comments are saying that Puff Ho has put on a mustache and gone the way of Fox News.

Some people still insist on tracing the woodgrain.*

Thanks to Viv.

*Exit question: Is Ender's Game too obscure for a sci-fi book regarding the woodgrain reference? It's one of the few references in literature where it illustrates the point I want to make.

Breaking: 11th Circuit Court Ruled ObamaCare Unconstitutional

One less brick in that wall.

An appeals court ruled on Friday that President Barack Obama's healthcare law requiring Americans to buy healthcare insurance or face a penalty was unconstitutional, a blow to the White House.

The Appeals Court for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, found that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage, but also ruled that the rest of the wide-ranging law could remain in effect.

Update: Drew at Spade's place has more.

US Consumer Confidence Low

Special Guest Posting by Captain Obvious:

Confidence among U.S. consumers plunged in August to the lowest level since May 1980, adding to concern that weak employment gains and volatility in the stock market will prompt households to retrench.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment slumped to 54.9 from 63.7 the prior month. The gauge was projected to decline to 62, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey.

The biggest one-week slump in stocks since 2008 and the threat of default on the nation’s debt may have exacerbated consumers’ concerns as unemployment hovers above 9 percent and companies are hesitant to hire. Rising pessimism poses a risk household spending will cool further, hindering a recovery that Federal Reserve policy makers said this week was already advancing “considerably slower” than projected.

“The mood is very depressed,” said Chris Christopher, an economist at IHS Global Insight Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts. “Consumers are very fatigued and very uncertain. In the short term, people are going to pull back on spending.”

Could consumer confidence be low because of policies like this?

The economic stimulus, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, provided $2.4 billion in grants to advanced vehicle batteries technology. From that amount, $300 million in grants went to Johnson Controls to manufacture batteries.

According to the White House, thus far the firm has added 150 jobs because of the grant. That means the government spent about $2 million per job, but only if no more jobs are added.

Attempted Car Jacking Ends On The Correct Note For The Suspect

They use to hang horse thieves, didn't they?

A would-be carjacker died Monday night after allegedly being shot by the car's owner on the city's west side, police said.

A preliminary investigation found the 19-year-old suspect took a man's car at a gas station about 8:30 p.m. near McNichols and Evergreen, Sgt. Eren Stephens said.

The driver, who had a concealed pistol license, then pulled out a gun, Stephens said.
[. . .]
Shots were fired; the suspect was struck at least once and continued driving the victim's car until it hit a tree, she said.

The teen was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name was not released.

Video: "Ted Ceanneidigh" (Pronounced 'Ted Kennedy') Applies For Medicaid Despite Proof Of Steady Income

If anything, James O'Keefe and company have proved how feckless many government employees really are.

This is the sixth video they have done at various locations throughout the country and the results have been pretty much the same. Medicaid employees willing to help the applicant to skirt the law in order to apply (Other videos at the link).

In the latest video, an undercover reporter attempts to apply for benefits Medicaid offices in Biddeford and Portland, Maine.

The reporter identifies himself as “Ted Ceanneidigh” (Ted Kennedy) and says his family has a pharmaceutical and fishing business and he talks about his Corvette. He also says that his assets are in cash and precious metals. Precious metals, he says, are less traceable. The Medicaid case worker coaches him by saying, “If you can’t prove income, you don’t have income.” She also says “Don’t say anything about your Corvette.”

At this point, it's should be obvious this is the standard operating procedure for the people working at these offices. Their job is tied into-- basically-- giving away someone else's money.

If they deny an applicant and then receives a complaint from that applicant, then the employee needs to justify the denial. It's easier to just approve the applicant and go on with your hassle free day. Applicants approved, no problems and their job is done.

I think I internalized part of that from Ace's earlier post about these O'Keefe's video stings but it makes sense in the context of how a bureaucracy like Medicaid works. Trying to give credit for where credit is due.

As Peter Gibbons tells the Bobs from the movie Office Space, "That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired."



There's an abbreviated version at the start of the video followed by the entire, unedited version of the investigation.

Post-Recall Wisconsin From The TrogloPundit On The Ground

There are a couple of things I've learned (or have been reaffirmed) is that it's always a 'Mandate' or 'Voters sending a message' when the Democrat wins.

It's never news with a Republican wins.

Lance has this:

To recap yesterday’s recall elections: Democrats picked off the two state Senate districts they were supposed to pick off. Republicans held onto the four they were supposed to hold.

One side won four purple-red districts and kept the majority. The other won two purple-blue districts and came close to the majority.

Click on over to see what it is being spun as.

Guess Who Made A Lot Of Bread Off Of The Recent Downgrade?

This is a couple of days old and that means it's old news in the Blog-O-Sphere but Ace recycles a bit now and again and that goes, "I want to talk about it now."

Give you a hint. He speaks with a funny accent. Even though he's a naturalized citizen, he still hates this country. And he has a fondness for Dr. Evil type sweat suits.

Ready?

George Soros.

It's all speculative right now, much the same way OJ is still out there, searching for the real killers.

What Do You Know, The Tea Party Was Right About The Debt Deal After All

Doug has this over at The Daley Gator.

In case you didn’t hear- and you would have to have been living in a box for the past 72 hours not to — America’s AAA credit rating was lowered to AA+ status for the first time in history on the fifth of August, and the primary reason for this move couldn’t be more painfully obvious.

Standard & Poor’s downgraded the credit rating of the United States because, even if most Americans don’t understand what baseline budgeting is, credit agencies do, and they aren’t fooled by the media’s insane mischaracterizations of the “historic debt ceiling deal” reached in Congress several days ago.

To begin with, practically every story written about the debt fight over the past few weeks has included some reference to an ‘imminent debt default’ if our government failed to reach some sort of agreement on extending the debt limit yet again. This term — or something like it — was used as a scare tactic by both the Democrat party and the mainstream press, who knew damned well that such a default was NEVER going to happen, regardless of whether Congress and the President came to an agreement on the debt ceiling matter.

The only way the U.S. would have defaulted on its debt-payment responsibilities is if President Obama had decided to not make good on them for purely political reasons. According to the Treasury Department, existing federal revenues were more than sufficient to cover these costs, as well as Social Security, Medicare and military expenditures.

Read the rest because the Tea Party was right and you know it.

Video: Reason TV And The California Open Carry Law

How Fear, Not Fact, Informs the Gun Rights Debate.

California has among the strictest gun laws in the country, and couple of local politicians are seizing the opportunity created by the Arizona shooting to make them even stricter.

While most states operate under a "shall-issue" concealed carry weapons (CCW) permitting regime, meaning that anyone who passes a basic background check can get a CCW, California uses the "may-issue" rule, which means the decision is left to the sole discretion of the county sheriff. The result? Approximately 0.1% of California citizens have CCWs, which is almost 20 times lower than in the average shall-issue state.
[. . .]
Open Carry advocate Sam Wolanyk, who once successfully sued San Diego county when police arrested him for open carrying, says that the focus on lawful gun owners is misguided.

"It doesn't matter if you stacked up 50,000 felonies," says Wolanyk of the Loughner situation. "You can't stop a crazy person from doing crazy things."

Be sure to read the rest

Can The "Tea Party Downgrade" Label Stick?

For the person who follows politics, it shouldn't.

The administration’s knee-jerk responses are somewhat inconsistent: if S&P was wrong to downgrade the debt, and the downgrade was based on a mathematical error, then it is hard to see how the downgrade can also be the Tea Party’s fault. (In the legal world, this is known as pleading in the alternative: when sued for borrowing a neighbor’s pot and breaking it, the defendant answers that he never borrowed the pot; the pot was never broken; and the pot was already broken when he borrowed it.)

Of the administration’s alternative theories, the most ludicrous is the claim that the Tea Party, the one group dedicated to doing something about the nation’s spending and debt crisis, is somehow to blame for it.

Via Insty.

Video: Marco Rubio On The Floor Of The Senate Dismantals John Kerry

Metaphorically speaking, of course.



I know, it's a bit old but yet, there's a timeless quality to it.

Thanks to Ted.

Mary Katharine Ham Shows How To Save Money: The Washington DC Way

When I presented my case to buy an iPad to my wife, I used this exact same argument. She didn't agree. Anyway, I think she might be part of a secret terrorist sect. I caught her balancing our checkbook just the other day.



Via Insty.

Michigan Moves To Kick Freeloaders Off Of Their Food Stamp Program

Via Drudge.

I don't know if this is something that students would riot over. Riots are more of a Michigan State thing and it was over booze. This is over food stamps.

Michigan has removed about 30,000 college students from its food stamp program — close to double the initial estimate — saving about $75 million a year, says Human Services Director Maura Corrigan.

Federal rules don't allow most college students to collect food stamps, but Michigan had created its own rules that made nearly all students eligible, said Brian Rooney, Corrigan's deputy director. As a result, the number of Michigan college students on this form of welfare made the state a national leader. For example, Michigan had 10 times the number of students on food stamps as either Illinois or California, Rooney said.