Saturday, January 13, 2018

"Mount Pleasant man charged with abusing dog"

From Racine County Eye:




A Mount Pleasant man is accused of choking and swinging a dog by its leash. Now the man has been charged with a felony.

Richard Lann, 43, was charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office Friday with mistreating animals and disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments (repeater).

If convicted of both charges, Lann faces up to a year in prison and/or fines up to $11,000.

According to the criminal complaint, officers with the Mount Pleasant Police Department were called at 8:41 p.m. Thursday to a residence in the 3400 block of Sheridan Road for a report of an unwanted party.

A woman told police she wanted Lann removed from the home because he was arguing with her and was drunk. She then told dispatch that he choked her dog and swung it around on a leash. The woman told police that she and Lann had been arguing for more than three hours and had threatened to kill her.

During the argument, Lann picked up her 14-year-old Bichon Poodle by the leash and “choked it for approximately 30 seconds,” according to the criminal complaint.

He then swung the dog and hit it against the door twice. The woman told police the dog was shaking after this. The officer noted in the report that “the dog appeared to be nervous.”

Fearing for her safety, the woman said Lann had threatened to kill the dog almost daily, and has hit and punched the dog prior to this incident.

When the officers spoke to Lann, he sat on the couch and refused to speak to them. Lann was arrested and taken to the Racine County Jail. He had a .24 blood-alcohol level.

Racine County Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch set the cash bond for $500 and a preliminary hearing for 3 p.m. Feb. 15.

https://www.racinecountyeye.com/mount-pleasant-man-charged-with-mistreating-dog/


I hate animal abusers.

"Mistaken ballistic missile warning triggers panic in Hawaii"

This smartphone screen capture shows a false incoming ballistic missile emergency alert sent from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency system on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018.(Photo: Marco Garcia / The Associated Press)


Honolulu — A push alert that warned of an incoming ballistic missile to Hawaii and sent residents into a full-blown panic Saturday was a mistake, state emergency officials said.

The emergency alert, which was sent to cellphones, said in all caps, "Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill."

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Richard Repoza said it was a false alarm and the agency is trying to determine what happened.

The alert caused a tizzy on the island and across social media.

Jamie Malapit, owner of a Honolulu hair salon, texted his clients that he was canceling their appointments and was closing his shop for the day. He said he was still in bed when the phone started going off "like crazy." He thought it was a tsunami warning at first.

"I woke up and saw missile warning and thought no way. I thought 'No, this is not happening today,'" Malapit said.

He was still "a little freaked out" and feeling paranoid even after hearing it was a false alarm.

"I went from panic to semi-panic and 'Are we sure?'" he said.

"Aerosmith - 'Eat The Rich'"

"Downtown Racine ice rink assembled, ribbon-cutting set for Tuesday"

That damn monument just keeps getting in the way.  Put in the middle of the Porters lot.

"Throwing Your Vote in Racine County Pays – The Curious Case of Former State Sen. George Petak , R-Racine"


"Everybody in Racine is familiar with former state Sen. George Petak , R-Racine who threw his vote to legally bind Racine County Residents to pay a never ending sales tax to fund Milwaukee County Millionaire Baseball Owners and Players; then claimed to have left Wisconsin to go to Tennessee so he could dedicate his life to helping orphans and children in foster; except to magically re-appear in Madison Wisconsin, be appointed to high level cushy State jobs at WI DFI (Department of Financial Institutions) and WHEDA (WISCONSIN HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY), get back credits for a taxpayer funded overly generous WI Taxpayer funded State Pension and live the hedonistic lifestyle he always dreamed about; as an unelected State employee at taxpayers expense, of course."

Read more:  https://arrestrecordsofracinewipublicofficials.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/the-curious-case-of-former-state-sen-george-petak-r-racine/

"Man is a Beast of Prey"

Dear County Board -

First described by Otto Spengler is his work - The Decline of the West -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decline_of_the_West
We witness that the Rule of Law, Kindness, and Human  Decency has been violated by those who act under the color of law, and who continue to violate said law to further their own means and goals.

https://concernedracinecountyresidentsjustsaynotofoxconn.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/mount-pleasant-is-served-with-its-first-foxconn-related-legal-challenge-while-forced-evictions-are-rushed-and-cruel/

 Please join Cindy and I is JUST SAYING NO to allowing Governor Scott Walker, Representatives Robin Vos,  Cory Mason & MTP President David DeGroot to violate the Wisconsin Constitution (and their Oath of Office) by granting special rights to Corporate interests, stealing people’s property, destroying multi-generational Farms alongside an entire long established Community, loosening environmental protections, permitting heavy metals water pollution, instituting slave labor wages, providing taxpayer subsidies to multi-billionaire Corporations, and politician overreach.

Sincerely,

Tim & Cindy

"Mount Pleasant is Served With It’s First Foxconn Related Legal Challenge While Forced Evictions Are Rushed and Cruel"

Seven Mount Pleasant property owners have sued the village in federal court over how it is handling property acquisitions for Foxconn Technology Group.

The landowners who filed the lawsuit own property located within the footprint where Foxconn wants to build an LCD manufacturing facility. Expected to generate 10,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent positions, the $10 billion project is the largest economic investment in the state and one of the largest in U.S. history.

The property owners’ attorney Erik Olsen, of Eminent Domain Services LLC, filed the complaint in the federal court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The lawsuit, filed Monday, names the village and Village President David DeGroot as defendants.

Further, the complaint alleges that the Village of Mount Pleasant is: The case shows “violations of the Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to equal protection, private property, and due process,” the complaint states.
  • acquiring the property owners’ land for “the benefit of a private corporation,”
  • that the state has passed legislation allowing the project to skirt environmental impact studies and wetland permitting requirements,
  • that village staff treated landowners differently by offering different purchase prices –  some up to 10 times the value of their property – and
  • it is acquiring property for a non-public purpose.
https://concernedracinecountyresidentsjustsaynotofoxconn.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/mount-pleasant-is-served-with-its-first-foxconn-related-legal-challenge-while-forced-evictions-are-rushed-and-cruel/

Open Blog - Weekend


Please.

Friday, January 12, 2018

"WiGWAG: A stooge's haircut, "butt selfies," and more"

 From the Wisconsin Gazette:

News with a twist


  • Updated
  • 0

Not so fine cut

Police in Madison arrested a hairstylist for giving a man a Larry Fine hairdo that he didn’t request — as if anyone would want such a cut. The 22-year-old victim told police the stylist, who pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, told him to stop fidgeting. Then the stylist clipped the man’s hair in Three Stooges fashion, so to speak.

Evergreen

Police noticed a smell of marijuana in a pickup truck they stopped in Nebraska for traffic violations. Inside the vehicle, a drug-sniffing dog found 60 pounds of pot. But 80-year-old Patrick Jiron and 83-year-old Barbara Jiron of California had a good explanation: They were taking the marijuana to Vermont to dole out as Christmas gifts.

Make America Gay Again

Vice President Mike Pence’s neighbors hung a “Make America Gay Again” banner outside the Aspen-area residence here he was vacationing, The words were written on a rainbow flag hung on a stone pillar that sits at the end of the driveways to both homes. Pence is a notorious homophobe.

Cutting medical waste

The medical license of a New Jersey surgeon was temporarily suspended after he was caught reusing disposable anal catheters on multiple patients. State officials claimed to have evidence that colorectal surgeon Sanjiv Patankar used five catheters to perform 82 procedures requiring them.

Big brother is watching

Russian president Vladimir Putin says he wants to monitor social media in his country ahead of the next presidential election in order to assess how involved his people are with domestic politics. That’s more than a little scary when you consider how his political rivals have a way of disappearing.

Pizza for the alt-right

John Schnatter, the controversial right-wing founder of the Papa John’s pizza chain, is stepping down as CEO. He came under criticism for comments he made about the NFL’s handling of anthem protests. Schnatter, however, admitted no wrongdoing. He blamed “poor leadership” at the NFL for his corporate woes. Meanwhile, white supremacists vowed to make Papa John’s the official pizza of the alt-right.

Never trust a T-shirt

A suspect wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “Trust Me” allegedly stole a car in Fairfax County, Virginia.

She couldn’t stop laughing

A Washington-state-based cannabis producer called Sugarleaf created a strain of weed named “Monica Lewinsky.” Lewinsky was amused. She tweeted out a photo of the hybrid marijuana in a jar, accompanied by a series of eye and hand-pointing emojis.

Hoaxes he takes seriously

Donald Trump is not betting his golf courses on his stated belief that climate change is a Chinese hoax. Managers of his golf resort in Ireland fought over a year for permission to build two seawalls to prevent rising water from eroding part of the property.

That’s a lot of bulls—

Police converged on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s Bel Air home after a suspicious package addressed to him from “the American people” was found in a neighbor’s driveway. But the LAPD bomb squad discovered the contents were nothing more dangerous than a pile of manure. There was also a Christmas card that made negative references to Mnuchin, President Donald Trump and the new $1.5 trillion tax bill.

Food fiascos

Two headlines recently caught our attention: “Burnt bagel blamed for St. Louis airport evacuation” and “Fruitcake package temporarily halts Seattle ferry service.” In St. Louis, authorities said a bagel burned at a Terminal 2 restaurant set off smoke detectors at Lambert Airport, forcing 300 to 400 people to evacuate and requiring passengers to repeat the security check. In Seattle, the bomb squad was called to the ferry terminal after authorities were notified of a suspicious package — a gift-wrapped item that turned out to be a fruitcake — placed under a Christmas tree in the pedestrian waiting area. Now there’s a lesson about Christmas decorations in public places.

Derrieres at ‘Dawn’

Two U.S. tourists were arrested in Thailand for public indecency after taking a “butt selfie” at Bangkok’s Wat Arun or Temple of the Dawn. The men, arrested at the airport in Bangkok, are frequent travelers who were posting “butt selfies” to “traveling butts,” an Instagram account with 14,000 followers. But don’t bother to look, as that particular account has been deleted.

More sophisticated selfies

The Tea Terrace in London is serving Selfieccinos — hot chocolates or cappuccinos with selfies on the froth. Customers send selfies via an app to the barista, who uses a “Cino” machine to reproduce the images onto froth with a flavorless food coloring. Probably it’s only a matter of time before someone sends in a “butt selfie” to top off the java.

From: http://www.wisconsingazette.com/blogs/wigwag-a-stooge-s-haircut-butt-selfies-and-more/article_8a12eb72-f6de-11e7-9445-dff0c0c5cc49.html

"Able-bodied adults will have to work for Medicaid, under plan from Gov. Scott Walker, Trump"

President Donald Trump, accompanied by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (right), speaks at a workforce development roundtable in June at Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee.(Photo: Associated Press)

MADISON - Tens of thousands of needy but able-bodied adults in Wisconsin could have to work to qualify for state health coverage under a plan from Gov. Scott Walker that has won support from President Donald Trump's administration. 

Seema Verma, head of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, opened the way this week for states to require "able-bodied, working-age Medicaid beneficiaries" to participate in skills training, education, job search, volunteering or caregiving.  

Walker and his fellow GOP governors in nine other states have sought to impose work and training requirements on the Medicaid program known in Wisconsin as BadgerCare. But to do it they needed the backing of federal officials. 

“Medicaid needs to be more flexible so that states can best address the needs of this population," Verma said in a statement. "Our fundamental goal is to make a positive and lasting difference in the health and wellness of our beneficiaries."

Walker, whose office had no immediate reaction to the news, has sought to impose both work requirements and drug testing on BadgerCare and other public benefits. Critics say these moves will cost taxpayers more than they save, trigger costly lawsuits and fail to boost the state’s economy the way other investments might.

Four for Fridays!

I hope everyone is being safe today with the bad road conditions. I was suppose to do some errands today but with the bad roads I decided to be safe and stay home. Here are your questions for today.

1) Have you ever gone out and drove your car with icy roads?

2) Have you ever gotten into a bad car accident because of bad road conditions?

3) Did you ever have to call into work because of bad road conditions?

4) What is one really good reason you would go out and drive on icy roads?

I hope ever one has a good weekend!

"Helicopter Door Gunners in Vietnam - The Shotgun Riders | US Army Documentary | ca. 1967"

"I'm Guessing Property Taxes"

What do you think this lawsuit is about?

Racine County Case Number 2017CV001323 Kinzie Racine L.P. vs. City of Racine

The apartments on Jacato Drive, which were rife with safety issues, bed bugs and crime for years, were bought several months ago but the new owners are giving the area a facelift.

And the difference is night and day.

Kinzie Racine LP, a company based in Evanston IL., owns nine apartment buildings at 2408, 2409, 2432, 2525, 2627, 2700, 2707, 2800, and 2801 Jacato Drive. They plan to not only restore and repair the buildings, but rename the rental community “The Maples,” and have also requested to rename the street.

https://www.racinecountyeye.com/jacato-drive-apartments-get-facelift-new-name/

Open Attachment: Kinzie v Racine.pdf    

"The DNR Dodge - Talking Racine"

Talking Racine episode 53 discusses the DNR Knowles Nelson grant received by the City of Racine for a promenade walkway on the failed Machinery Row development. Racine donated it’s own property back to itself so to acquire a $470.000 DNR grant to cover taxes and contractor liens on the Machinery Row project.

Of course having former home-builder and John Dickert's Home girl, Cathy Stepp as head of the DNR greased the wheels and turned heads at the DNR to look the other way - even though they were provided with knowledge that it was a SCAM.

After the City of Racine officials manipulated the Racine Taxpayers in loaning $4.5 Million to a straw man developer on  the failed Machinery Row project and receiving $450,000 on money that was kicked back from the sellers of Machinery Row. That kickback money was placed in a secret account which officials had access to. However City officials needed more money to cover more costs on the failed Machinery Row project. They made it appear developer Blackwell was donating land back to the City so to acquire $470,000 in a DNR Knowles Nelson grant. The money was placed in another account to pay taxes and contractors liens that were not paid.

Read the agreement @ https://talkingracine.com/2018/01/08/talking-racine-episode-53-the-dnr-dodge/

Open Blog - Friday


The same to you, Snoopy Snoop-Snoop.

Thursday, January 11, 2018

"What If Everyone Got a Monthly Check From the Government?"

In an audacious experiment, Finland is giving some residents a “basic income” of $16,000 for two years, no strings attached. Here’s what two of them did with the money.


Juha Jarvinen and two of his children at home in Jurva.
Photographer: Juuso Westerlund for Bloomberg Businessweek
By Claire Suddath

One afternoon in the final days of 2016, Steffie Eronen got a phone call from her husband, Juha. The Eronens had spent Christmas with relatives in Savonlinna, Finland, and Juha had just made the two-hour drive home so he could return to his job as an electrician. The couple live with their 5-year-old daughter in a cozy, two-bedroom apartment in Mikkeli, a quiet, midsize city in the southeastern part of the country. Juha was calling to let his wife know he was home safe, and oh, by the way, an important-looking letter had arrived for her from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland—or, as everyone calls it, Kela.

“Open it,” Steffie said.

There was a pause as Juha tore into the envelope. Then he laughed.
“You got it!” he exclaimed.

“Got what?”

“Basic income,” Juha told her. “You’re in the program!”

Earlier that year, Finland had announced an unprecedented socio-economic experiment. Two thousand residents would receive €560 a month (about $670) for two years, with no strings attached, and the government would study how the money affected their lives. Specifically, Finland wanted to know if the payments, called basic income, freed up people to take part-time or freelance work as they looked for something permanent—stopgap measures that the country’s existing benefits system tends to discourage. To that end, it selected participants who were unemployed and poor.

Steffie, 38, was both of those things, and for months she and her husband had joked that she might make the cut. Chances were slim; the names were being drawn from a pool of about 177,000 people.

“Ha-ha, very funny,” she told Juha over the phone.

No, really, he said.

The couple have been together for seven years and married for four, and they have the kind of affectionately antagonistic banter that develops when two people are raising a small child in a small apartment. They went on like this, Juha insisting and Steffie telling him to stop it, until Juha finally cried “Oh, for f---’s sake!” and hung up. A few days later, Steffie came home and read the letter herself. Over the next two years, Finland was going to give her €13,440 (about $16,000). With it, she could do whatever she pleased.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-01-11/what-if-everyone-got-a-monthly-check-from-the-government

"Michael Moore says he’s going to frack off coast near Mar-a-Lago"

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore threatened to begin fracking off the Florida coast near President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

His tweet appeared to be a response to a new administration proposal to increase offshore drilling for natural gas.

"Our fracking off the coast of Mar-a-Lago begins right after Labor Day," Moore said in a tweet referencing his upcoming TNT documentary series "Live From the Apocalypse." "I’ve already got the rig — a beautiful Halliburton G-0008 fracking system with a monster Caterpillar engine!"

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/367780-michael-moore-says-hes-going-to-frack-off-coast-near-mar-a-lago


Then can we have MTP Village Presidents Residence declared a Toxic Waste Dump by the EPA?

"WEDC launches $1 million advertising campaign in Chicago"

Starting this week, young professionals in Chicago may see a new ad campaign on the subway, at the gym, on their phones or even on their beer coasters pitching Wisconsin as the place to be.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. launched the $1 million marketing campaign Monday — the first of its kind in state history — with a series of ads contrasting cramped subway cars and apartments in Chicago with cheaper rent and faster commute times in Wisconsin.

Gov. Scott Walker has called for an additional $6.8 million to expand the campaign to other cities.
The Assembly Committee on Jobs and the Economy is holding a public hearing Wednesday on the proposal.
The additional funds include $4.3 million for expanding the Chicago media campaign to Minneapolis and Detroit, and $2.5 million for a veterans traveling recruitment effort.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/wedc-launches-million-advertising-campaign-in-chicago/article_e3de7059-1f71-59e0-b936-171778a04a42.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest



A supposed perception that Wisconsin is "filled with farms, bars, and cheese" isn't the problem.
Rather, it's the reality that young people starting their careers and families don't find the prospect of moving to one of the most oppressively red states in the country very appealing. When I travel I'm surprised by how often people express sympathy that I live in Wisconsin. It's often something like, "sorry" and "what's going on there?". People are well aware of what's been happening here since 2011. The WEDC ads are more about creating an image of Walker as a successful governor to boost his campaigns than anything else.

"Timeline: The life and career of Madison's 'Mayor for Life' Paul Soglin"

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/timeline-the-life-and-career-of-madison-s-mayor-for/collection_0757194c-de0e-11e4-b651-53a24819cc8e.html#2

"He's running: Madison Mayor Paul Soglin joins Democratic field to challenge Gov. Scott Walker "

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin is joining the crowded field for the Democratic nod to face Republican Gov. Scott Walker in November.

In an announcement Wednesday, Soglin made official what he has foreshadowed since last summer. Among 17 Democrats eyeing a run for governor, Soglin becomes one of the most widely known and, potentially, among the most formidable.

Whether he gains traction statewide may hinge, in part, on whether Soglin’s longtime leadership of Wisconsin’s capital city and liberal stronghold becomes an asset — or as Republicans contend, a liability.

Soglin made the announcement in an early morning statement, then planned to meet with voters and media outlets across the state this week and next, starting Wednesday in Waukesha.

Speaking to reporters in Madison on Wednesday, Soglin cast himself as Walker’s superior in knowing how to grow the state’s economy.

“I’ve got 25 years’ experience in the private sector,” Soglin said. “What does Scott Walker have?”

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/he-s-running-madison-mayor-paul-soglin-joins-democratic-field/article_a2bd0c55-e8a8-5d84-95bc-9156ab6751e1.html

"Toyota-Mazda plant: Alabama bids to become a major auto hub"

 Dear Village Board,

Alabama got a bargain compared to MTP and Wisconsin.
The Conclusion is inescapable - all the brains have been drained from Wisconsin. Hope you have that plan "B" - Bankruptcy - ready.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama, seeking the fast lane in its bid to become a major auto making hub in the South, has landed a coveted $1.6 billion joint venture plant by Japanese car giants Toyota and Mazda that will eventually employ 4,000 people.
The new plant is to be located in Huntsville, Alabama - already a hub for the region's budding aerospace industry - and will produce 300,000 vehicles per year, a combination of the Toyota Corolla compact car and a new small crossover SUV from Mazda. Production is targeted to begin by 2021.
"This is indeed a great day in Alabama," an upbeat Gov. Kay Ivey said Wednesday, flanked by company executives at a news conference in the state capital, Montgomery. Alabama offered an incentive package worth more than $379 million to lure the plant.
Toyota and Mazda will join Mercedes, Honda and Hyundai which currently operate assembly plants in Alabama.
"This project will really put Alabama at the center of the Southern automotive industry," Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said. "We can't wait to see 'Made in Alabama' in those vehicles rolling down the assembly line."
Alabama was already tied with Tennessee as the fifth-largest producer of vehicles in the U.S. last year, according to the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The state produced 9 percent of the cars made in the country, the center said.
Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motors, said Wednesday that the new facility is something of a homecoming since the company already has one plant in the state. The new Huntsville plant will be just 14 miles (22 kilometers) from Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, which produces four-cylinder, V-6 and V-8 engines for several Toyota models.
The decision to pick Alabama is another example of a long trend of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment since the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states.
To lure the plant, Alabama offered an incentive package of $379 million in tax abatements, investment rebates and the construction of a worker training facility. The total price tag could top $400 million when road projects and local incentives are added.
Canfield, who said he had hopefully waited for the decision with a chilling bottle of champagne, said he believed the state is getting a "pretty good deal" considering the plant will create $5.2 billion over 20 years.

http://www.koaa.com/story/37240537/toyota-mazda-plant-alabama-bids-to-become-a-major-auto-hub

 Sincerely,

Tim & Cindy

"Man steals a TANK to buy his favorite wine at a store. Ploughes into cars & the store front [HD]"

>

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done while intoxicated?

That’s nothing compared with this.

A Russian man rammed an armored personnel carrier into a shop window before climbing through to steal a bottle of wine on Wednesday morning, according to local media and video posted on social media. The incident occurred in Apatity, a small town just south of the Arctic circle.

The man had swiped the vehicle from a privately-run motorsport training ground nearby, driven it through a forest. But as he struggled to turn around in a narrow street, the man - whom witnesses described as being drunk - proceeded to slam the tank into the window of the “Family” convenience store.

"Marijuana Expected To Be California's Largest "Sin Tax" As Jerry Brown Set To Release Surplus Budget"


California Governor Jerry Brown will release his final state budget tomorrow for the 2018-2019 fiscal year which will include, for the first time, tax revenue from weed sales.  As Reuters  notes this morning, Brown and state lawmakers have 'high' expectations for the new revenue stream which is expected to reach $1 billion over the next couple of years.  Meanwhile, if the estimates are even directionally accurate, the pot tax will be the largest "sin tax" collected in California at over 2.5x the revenue collected from the sale of booze.

Brown's final budget is expected to show a $7.5 billion surplus on roughly $125 billion in annual expenditures...
The estimated budget surplus of $7.5 billion is a far cry from the $27 billion hole that was projected as Brown took the reins for his third term in January 2011. He had previously served as governor from 1975 to 1983.
For the current fiscal year, the state budget topped $125 billion in general fund spending and nearing $200 billion when funds from the federal government, bond sales and other sources are considered, state records show. California has the sixth-largest economy in the world and is the most populous U.S. state, spending $53 billion from its general fund budget for K-12 education, $15 billion for state colleges and universities, and $35 billion for health and human services in fiscal year 2017-2018.
...which is primarily spent on education ($68 billion), Health and Human Services ($35 billion) and, of course, the state's massive prison system ($11 billion).
Meanwhile, as the Sacramento Bee notes, Brown's new budget will also reflect efforts to circumvent Trump's new federal tax law by allowing California residents to report their state taxes as if they were "charitable contributions."
Gov. Brown blasted the new tax law while Republicans advanced it, calling it “evil in the extreme.” He charged that the law favored corporations over low-income Americans and seemed to single out his state by striking a popular state and local tax deduction that some 6 million Californians claimed last year.
Brown could use his budget to strike back by signaling his intent to adjust California tax laws in a way that would let residents claim new deductions on the federal returns.
One proposal, already submitted in a bill by state Senate President Kevin de León, would let Californians report their state taxes as if they were charitable contributions, allowing residents to deduct those taxes on their IRS returns. Another more complicated idea floated by tax experts would have California shift its personal income tax to a different employer tax that businesses could deduct.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-01-10/marijuana-expected-be-californias-largest-sin-tax-jerry-brown-set-release-surplus

"10 Tricks That Make You Seem Much Smarter Than You Are"

Open Blog - Thursday


Smell the coffee?  I need to take a bath in it.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

"Immigration agents target 7-Eleven stores in nationwide sweep"

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents serve an employment audit notice at a 7-Eleven convenience store Wednesday in Los Angeles. (Chris Carlson/AP)



U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents blitzed dozens of 7-Eleven stores before dawn Wednesday to interview employees and deliver audit notifications, carrying out what the agency said was the largest operation targeting an employer since President Trump took office.

ICE said its agents showed up at 98 stores and made 21 arrests, describing the operation as a warning to other companies who may have unauthorized workers on their payroll.

“Today’s actions send a strong message to U.S. businesses that hire and employ an illegal workforce: ICE will enforce the law, and if you are found to be breaking the law, you will be held accountable,” said Thomas D. Homan, the agency’s top official, in a statement.

Homan characterized the operation as a new front in the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown and its effort to increase deportations. ICE agents have made 40 percent more arrests in the past year.

“Businesses that hire illegal workers are a pull factor for illegal immigration and we are working hard to remove this magnet,” Homan’s statement said. “ICE will continue its efforts to protect jobs for American workers by eliminating unfair competitive advantages for companies that exploit illegal immigration.”

Read more:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/immigration-agents-target-7-eleven-stores-in-nationwide-sweep/2018/01/10/315dae76-f62b-11e7-b34a-b85626af34ef_story.html?utm_term=.f6845d90a449

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, boys and girls!  How are you doing?  As I write this there's a fog so thick outside I can't see much.  Did you hear about California?  After all of those massive wild fires, they received a ton of rain, which now loosened the soil previously held in place by living plants.  Bam!  Mudslides that are destroying homes and killing people.  Some might say this is the Lord's way of telling California to straighten out.  The whole world is full of weather anomalies.  Yesterday, they had pictures of a slight snow cover in the Sahara Desert.  People can argue all they want about climate change, but I think it's becoming pretty self-evident that we've messed up the planet.  I mean, it's not just us.  It's the cumulative effect from hundreds of years of pollution.  We just happen to be near the tipping point, if we haven't already passed it.

It's become very interesting to watch the various effects of climate change worldwide.  It's also going to be very interesting watching what Foxconn does.  Every day there are new headlines about Foxconn.  I believe that with all the skilled workers the plant may attract will come every manifestation of grifter, drug dealer, and prostitute.  Things are going to change big time in the next decade or so, and change very rapidly.  Hold onto your popcorn and enjoy the ride.

Has anyone seen mayor Mason?  He appears to operate in stark contrast to lying John's way.  Dickert's name was almost always in the news.  Mason?  Not so much.  I kind of like it, but I fear what could be done without our knowledge.  I don't think I completely trust any politician.  Maybe the Journal Times could start a weekly feature recapping the mayor's activities over the previous week.  Maybe they could, but they won't.

I see where the new ice skating rink on Monument Square has had to postpone it's opening because of warm weather.  Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer, and then we plunge back into winter.  I hope the rink works well.  One of my favorite childhood memories is ice skating on the zoo pond.  Let's give this generation the opportunity to break a leg.  What I always disliked about ice skating was the "speeders," the guys who can skate amazingly well and zoom in and out of the other skaters.  Kind of like a sports car taking off in traffic.  Good luck to all of them.

Have you heard about this? The Shepherd Express has a weekly column entitled "Dear Ruthie": https://shepherdexpress.com/around-milwaukee/dear-ruthie/lube-up-the-generation-gap/
She also makes regular appearance around town,  Kind of puts my lazy butt to shame.    

I am not ashamed of my love for the Irregulars and all of my readers.  Bless you.  I hope this year turns out better for you than last.  When thing get tough, remember that I am there.

madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com

Be nice to each other.  We all need help in the worst weather.  What I try to do is avoid it as much as possible.
__________________________ 
Please donate: paypal.me/jgmazelis 
If you don't like PayPal, send me a note at madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com and I'll send you my street address so you can send a check or money order.  Thank you  

"Toddy and Soul"

From the Shepherd Express:


January 9, 2018
4:18 PM



I’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? And yeah, that fat bastard Santa brought me one big honking head cold for Christmas that didn’t arrive ’til just the other day, thanks for nothing. I guess that must mean the knob had me down on his “bad” list. Obviously, Santa is not into the blues ’cause if he were he’d have an appreciation for the 12-bar axiom that “when you’re bad, you’re good”; so the heck with him.

But I’ll tell you one thing, if I’m going to get the shaft sideways up the dupa from Santa, I’d rather it take the form of a head cold instead of a lump of coal ’cause what the hell can you do with a lump of coal in this day and age? At least with a head cold you’re offered the opportunity to practice self-medication, and by medication I’m talking the hot toddy, and by practice I’m talking mixing one hot focking toddy after another until you are able to forge the most compatible of relationships between your brandy, your hot water, your sugar and your spices. Science.

So listen, over the holidays I received a very nice and much appreciated card from a faithful reader, which caused me to reflect on what a very lucky fellow I am after all. We’re into January and the “holiday season” is much considered to be done and done, except by me. No sir. As I’ve said many times, many ways, every day’s just another focking holiday to a guy like me, you betcha. Yes sir, you name the day, and it’s sure-as-hell bound to be some kind of a focking holiday for Mr. Art Kumbalek. Nothing but seashells, balloons, topped with a generous dollop of you got to be jerking my beefaroni, what the fock.

Anyways:
The Year 2017: Sucked, but good.

Watch Out Ahead, 2018: Will suck, even more. Can you believe it? And the only surefire thing I predict is that there will be a sucker born at least every minute.

And that’s all I’ve got to say about that, but know that in more than 30 years of my much ballyhooed annual retrospective/predictive essays, I’ve yet to be proven incorrect everybody says. So, I’d like to break this off right here, right now, and do something nice for myself like crank up the thermostat and mix another hot focking toddy, you bet.

But before I go, I’d like to mention that for Christmas, I received a nice little story from my buddy Little Jimmy Iodine, but I already had it so I thought I’d re-gift it to you ’cause what the fock. Here, try it on:

A woman gets home, throws open the door and jubilantly shouts, “HELLO, pack your bags! I won the lottery!”
The husband says, “I can’t believe it! That’s great! Should I pack for the ocean, or should I pack for the mountains, or Europe?” She says, “I don’t care where you go. Just get the hell out.” Ba-ding!
What, not your style? A little too short, too snug? OK, then try this one on:
There was a very old man. And there he is upstairs, laying in his bed at death’s door—he’s ready to kick. All of a sudden, he smells the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookies coming up from the kitchen. With all the strength he’s got left, he pulls himself out of the bed, leans against the wall and slowly makes his way out of the bedroom to the stairs, grips the railing with both hands and somehow makes it downstairs. Now he’s really spent but he’s got to make it to the kitchen where that delicious smell is coming from. So he gets on his hands and knees and crawls all the way down the hall to the kitchen where he sees a sight that—if he wasn’t still breathing—he would’ve sworn he was in Heaven. There on the table, all spread out on waxed paper are literally scores and scores of those chocolate chip cookies, I kid you not—obviously one final act of love from his devoted wife; so that he would die surely a happy man. He painfully pulls himself across the kitchen floor to the table, his lips parched and parted; the wondrous taste of a chocolate chip cookie already in his mouth seemingly bringing him back to life. His aged and withered hand trembles as he reaches for a cookie at the edge of the table. WHACK! He takes a wooden spatula right across the knuckles and the wife says, “Stay out of those, mister. They’re for the funeral.” Ba-ding!

Like it? It’s yours. So I wish you’s a happy new year, since even at my age I still like to think anything’s possible, what the fock ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.

From: https://shepherdexpress.com/around-milwaukee/art-kumbalek/toddy-and-soul/

"Cindy is in the House"

Dear Village Board,
You have been sued in Federal Court.
HEY - Judge Lynn Adelman is presiding.
Ain't this one of "dose" Liburel Judges MTP VP Dave DeGroot is always threatening ta "kick to tha Kurb?" Kinda like when he bends over - OOPS - co-opertaes w/ City of Racine (D) BIG (D) Mayor Cory Mason and renegotiates Sewer & Water contrracts?

1. If you are going to criticize elected officials then you should examine them all equally not just a select few for it is all that govern
2. If you are are going to call yourself an Activist and promote your services and thrust yourself in the spotlight then you are a Public Figure and are Subject to Criticism
3. Stop pretending to be a Lawyer and Specialist on Statues – You don’t know what you are talking about and you make a Fool of Yourself
4. Support your Cause with Facts and not Half Truths
5. Love Thy Neighbor Instead of Placing Hate Signs in Your Yard
PS – KG you know I didn’t Move to Tennessee you of all people know I am from North Carolina
Cindy’s In the Village!
Not Your Friend
http://letsmakeabettermtpleasant.com/lessons-from-an-activist/
Please join Cindy and I is JUST SAYING NO to allowing Governor Scott Walker, Representatives Robin Vos,  Cory Mason & MTP President David DeGroot to violate the Wisconsin Constitution (and their Oath of Office) by granting special rights to Corporate interests, stealing people’s property, destroying multi-generational Farms alongside an entire long established Community, loosening environmental protections, permitting heavy metals water pollution, instituting slave labor wages, providing taxpayer subsidies to multi-billionaire Corporations, and politician overreach.
https://concernedracinecountyresidentsjustsaynotofoxconn.wordpress.com/
Luv,
Tin & Cindy
Attachments area

"Kelo Decision"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/05/29/the-story-behind-the-kelo-case-how-an-obscure-takings-case-came-to-shock-the-conscience-of-the-nation/?utm_term=.c85337221df0

"Mount Pleasant neighbors sue over eminent domain"

Has the Complaint and the story here:

https://www.racinecountyeye.com/mount-pleasant-neighbors-sue-over-eminent-domain/

"Jensen Lawsuit"

Dear Village Board,
You have been sued in Federal Court.
Attached is the Complaint.

A dozen residents who would lose their homes to the Foxconn Technology Group project have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Village of Mount Pleasant and its president.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2018/01/09/foxconn-related-property-condemnations-prompt-civil-rights-lawsuit/1016377001/

Please join Cindy and I is JUST SAYING NO to allowing Governor Scott Walker, Representatives Robin Vos,  Cory Mason & MTP President David DeGroot to violate the Wisconsin Constitution (and their Oath of Office) by granting special rights to Corporate interests, stealing people’s property, destroying multi-generational Farms alongside an entire long established Community, loosening environmental protections, permitting heavy metals water pollution, instituting slave labor wages, providing taxpayer subsidies to multi-billionaire Corporations, and politician overreach.

Sincerely,

Tim & Cindy

"Foxconn-related property condemnations prompt civil rights lawsuit"


Open Blog - Wednesday


That yellow creature that keeps turning up, its one of my nightmares.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

"Sip & Purr Cat Café Coming to the East Side"

From the Shepherd Express:


January 9, 2018
12:59 PM

New Year, new changes happening on the East Side. This time it isn’t the addition of another trendy ramen restaurant, or an even trendier poké restaurant. Today marked the announcement of Milwaukee’s first ever cat café. Sip & Purr Cat Café announced that they will open at 2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl., in close proximity to Black Cat Alley.

You may be asking yourself, “What is a cat café?” As the name suggests, it is a themed café where you can “relax and enjoy the companionship of cats,” according to Sip & Purr’s website. The café itself will be cat-free, but there will be an adjacent “Cat Lounge” with felines from Lakeland Animal Shelter that will be available for adoption. Sip & Purr will offer coffee, wine, sweets and light food.

Owner Katy McHugh said in a Facebook Live broadcast that she was inspired by an experience she had in Amsterdam, and that she wanted to create a space in Milwaukee where people can “drink wine and pet cats.”

And isn’t that really what we all want to do?

You can watch the full announcement below:


https://shepherdexpress.com/around-milwaukee/sip-purr-cat-cafe-coming-to-the-east-side/

"Foxconn moves to evict renters with minimum notice, then reverses course after inquiry"

Veronica Roussett and her family were among four Sturtevant renters Foxconn initially moved to evict from their homes with the 28-day minimum notice allowed by state law. The company reversed course after being asked about the situation, and now says it will work to let the renters stay for at least 90 days. Roussett is holding her bulldog, Leah.(Photo: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photo by Rick Romell)


"After starting proceedings to evict four Sturtevant families from their homes with the minimum time notice allowed by state law, Foxconn Technology Group reversed course following Milwaukee Journal Sentinel inquires about the situation.

"Instead of the 28 days the tenants originally were granted in hand-delivered notices they got Thursday afternoon, Foxconn now says it will try to let them stay for at least 90 days.

"The events unfolded as Foxconn prepares to buy additional property just outside the area covered by a development contract the company has signed with the Village of Mount Pleasant and Racine County."



The shit is hitting the fan mighty early in the Foxconn fiasco.  All that the Journal Sentinel did was call Foxconn, and they backed down.  See, Journal Times?  Just pick up a phone sometimes . . .

They're wiring my building with optic fiber

AT&T.  I talked with the installation guy and asked him how AT&T got the contract to do the work and not Spectrum.  He said, "We outbid them."  I didn't realize there was a bidding process.

When I asked about contracts, etc., he said he didn't know what or when they were gonna do it.  "Right now," he said, "we're just wiring apartment buildings, no homes."

I can't wait.

"LG unveils radical 65-inch TV"

Dear County Board,

It appears that the march of technology progresses, and that LCD TV's will fast become obsolete.

LG unveils radical 65-inch TV you can ROLL UP like a poster when you're not watching it

  • LG has teased a look at its incredible new 65-inch rollable OLED display at CES
  • It has revealed little information on the new screen before the show begins
  • The giant rollable screen comes two years after LG showed off an 18 inch version
  • The firm will also show ab 88-inch 8K OLED display at the tech show this year
LG has developed a 65-inch OLED screen that can be rolled up like a newspaper.

In 2016, the firm announced the world’s first 18-inch rollable display at CES in Las Vegas – and now, they’ve more than tripled its size.

The incredible new flexible screen will be showcased alongside a staggering 88-inch 8K OLED display at the tech show this year.

The new LG Display is the world’s first 65-inch rollable OLED display.

The design aims to optimize space utilization, allowing the large screen to be packed away in a more compact form when its’ not in use.

This makes for easier storage, while still achieving high resolution.

The key to LG’s radical new display is that it does not require a backlight, according to the BBC.

This gives it the freedom to roll up and be stored away.

LG has yet to reveal more details on the rollable TV, though more information is set to come when CES officially opens up tomorrow.

The firm is also set to show off its new 88-inch 8K OLED display and Crystal Sound OLED technology, which 'makes sound emanate directly from the panel.'

Hope you have Plan "B" ready - BANKRUPTCY!

Please join Cindy and I is JUST SAYING NO to allowing Governor Scott Walker, Representatives Robin Vos,  Cory Mason & MTP President David DeGroot to violate the Wisconsin Constitution (and their Oath of Office) by granting special rights to Corporate interests, stealing people’s property, destroying multi-generational Farms alongside an entire long established Community, loosening environmental protections, permitting heavy metals water pollution, instituting slave labor wages, providing taxpayer subsidies to multi-billionaire Corporations, and politician overreach.

Sincerely,

Tim & Cindy

"LG unveils radical 65-inch TV you can ROLL UP like a poster when you're not watching it"

  • LG has teased a look at its incredible new 65-inch rollable OLED display at CES
  • It has revealed little information on the new screen before the show begins
  • The giant rollable screen comes two years after LG showed off an 18 inch version
  • The firm will also show ab 88-inch 8K OLED display at the tech show this year
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5247729/LG-unveils-radical-65inch-TV-ROLL-like-poster.html#ixzz53fO4U1ps
 

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


 "Are LCD TV's already a thing of the past?"

"Aggressive wild turkeys in Rocky River interfere with mail delivery"

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- A brood of aggressive wild turkeys have interfered with mail carriers' abilities to deliver mail to homes in a portion of the city.

The Rocky River branch of the United States Postal Service notified the city that the turkeys were creating unsafe conditions for the carriers delivering mail to homes on Edgewood Drive, Valley View Drive, High Parkway, Schlather Lane, East Shoreland Avenue and Winfield Avenue, Rocky River Mayor Pam Bobst said.

About 25 to 30 homes haven't been able to get their mail delivered, she said, and the problem has been lingering for about three weeks.

Mail carriers are attempting to deliver the mail, but they have nothing to steer the turkeys away. 

Residents have had to pick their mail up at the post office.

The city can't eradicate the turkeys under the city's ordinance, Bobst said, so a letter was sent out this week to residents asking them to stop putting out any kind of bird food.


“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”  But a turkey will,  Pepper spray the bastards.