My Way News - Detroit mayor: Deficit nears $300M, cuts ordered: "The mayor of Detroit says the city's deficit is approaching $300 million and he has ordered all departments to reduce their budgets by 10 percent.
Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. said in a statement Friday that new problems are being discovered daily regarding the finances and financial reporting practices of the administration of his predecessor, Kwame Kilpatrick."
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$3 billion budget. $300 million deficit. New problems being discovered daily. Thank you, ex-Mayor Kilpatrick.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Rubidoux man mauled to death by own dogs | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California
Rubidoux man mauled to death by own dogs | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California: "Two dogs mauled their 60-year-old owner to death Friday afternoon when he stepped into the backyard of his Rubidoux home to smoke, officials said.
Gerald Adelmund was declared dead at the cream-colored house in the 5700 block of Kenwood Place after deputies pulled him inside, said Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
'This is an unfortunate, very tragic accident,' Gutierrez said.
He said he did not know why the dogs attacked Adelmund or who dragged him into the house.
The dogs were described as a 4-year-old, 107-pound male, part pit bull and part mastiff, and a 52-pound female pit bull, about 6."
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Time for the pit bull lovers to blame the guy they ate. These dogs need to be sterilized--every last one of them.
Gerald Adelmund was declared dead at the cream-colored house in the 5700 block of Kenwood Place after deputies pulled him inside, said Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
'This is an unfortunate, very tragic accident,' Gutierrez said.
He said he did not know why the dogs attacked Adelmund or who dragged him into the house.
The dogs were described as a 4-year-old, 107-pound male, part pit bull and part mastiff, and a 52-pound female pit bull, about 6."
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Time for the pit bull lovers to blame the guy they ate. These dogs need to be sterilized--every last one of them.
Americans less likely to roam :study - Yahoo! News
Americans less likely to roam :study - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (AFP) – Once celebrated for their ability to pack up and move around the country on a whim, Americans are increasingly opting to stay put, according to a report published by the Pew Research Center.
Using polling data and government statistics, Pew found only 13 percent of Americans moved house between 2006-2007, the lowest rate since records began in the 1940s.
According to Thursday's report, roaming has been on the wane since the 1960s -- an era when millions followed beatnik author Jack Kerouac 'On the Road.'
Analysts say the slipping trend is due to an aging population. 'The US population is getting older and most moves are made when people are young,' Pew researchers noted."
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There is more to this than aging.
Using polling data and government statistics, Pew found only 13 percent of Americans moved house between 2006-2007, the lowest rate since records began in the 1940s.
According to Thursday's report, roaming has been on the wane since the 1960s -- an era when millions followed beatnik author Jack Kerouac 'On the Road.'
Analysts say the slipping trend is due to an aging population. 'The US population is getting older and most moves are made when people are young,' Pew researchers noted."
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There is more to this than aging.
Schwarzenegger orders mass layoffs, unpaid furloughs - Los Angeles Times
Schwarzenegger orders mass layoffs, unpaid furloughs - Los Angeles Times: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday ordered mass layoffs and unpaid furloughs for state workers starting in February to address California's growing fiscal crisis.
Under his executive order, 238,000 employees will be forced to take off two unpaid days per month through June 30, 2010. Managers will receive either the furlough or an equivalent salary reduction during the same period."
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Begun, the state and local budget wars have.
Under his executive order, 238,000 employees will be forced to take off two unpaid days per month through June 30, 2010. Managers will receive either the furlough or an equivalent salary reduction during the same period."
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Begun, the state and local budget wars have.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Ford says does it not need short-term loans from bailout
Now that's what I call a car company. I drive a Ford Freestyle that was manufactured in Chicago.
So Bush emerged from his self-imposed stupor long enough to shovel $14 billion down the gaping maws of GM and Chrysler. I wish he would pay a little more attention to his actual job, which is protecting the nation, instead of fumbling around with an economy that he and his advisers have proven they do not understand. Have the Navy sink some Somali pirate boats or bring us the head of Osama Bin Laden. Anything but this doomed corporatism.
County officials say no to paying for road upkeep | press-citizen.com | Iowa City Press Citizen
County officials say no to paying for road upkeep | press-citizen.com | Iowa City Press Citizen: "The matter surfaced in a Dec. 9 letter from the Oak Ridge Lake Estates Homeowner Association to the county about maintenance of 140th Street, which supervisors discussed at an informal meeting Thursday. Homeowner association members requested to transfer the maintenance costs to the county as the population on their road had doubled and neighbors refused to help pay the bill. The issue is that as subdivisions are built, many of the residents prefer a chip-seal road surface over gravel conditions, and make an agreement with the county to pay for it. However, as time passes many want to transfer upkeep costs to the county."
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This is happening all over the place, and it seems that most local governments say, "No, thanks."
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This is happening all over the place, and it seems that most local governments say, "No, thanks."
Cleveland Law Library Weblog: U.S. Bankruptcy Filings Exceed One Million
Cleveland Law Library Weblog: U.S. Bankruptcy Filings Exceed One Million
As the blog post explains, bankruptcy law was "reformed" in 2005 to make it harder for consumers to go belly up. Still, for 2008, business filings are up 49% and non-business filings are up 30%.
As the blog post explains, bankruptcy law was "reformed" in 2005 to make it harder for consumers to go belly up. Still, for 2008, business filings are up 49% and non-business filings are up 30%.
FayObserver.com - Current Article Page
FayObserver.com -Gates Four homeowners sue over planned annexation: "The association and homeowners have vehemently opposed what they consider a land grab by the city, which stands to reap an extra $2.6 million in tax revenue over five years.
Gates Four residents say they have all the services they need, including curbside garbage collection, street maintenance and a small security force.
The community is a mix of stately brick houses, more modestly sized homes and smaller condominiums and town homes. Five years ago, the average tax value per house was $225,135."
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Finally a gated community that puts "gates" right in their name so you know that you need to stay the heck out. And they aren't messing around on this annexation either. They are just saying, "We don't need no stinking municipal services!"
Situations like this can be prevented by incorporating as a municipality. Unincorporated land is always subject to these city land grabs.
Gates Four residents say they have all the services they need, including curbside garbage collection, street maintenance and a small security force.
The community is a mix of stately brick houses, more modestly sized homes and smaller condominiums and town homes. Five years ago, the average tax value per house was $225,135."
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Finally a gated community that puts "gates" right in their name so you know that you need to stay the heck out. And they aren't messing around on this annexation either. They are just saying, "We don't need no stinking municipal services!"
Situations like this can be prevented by incorporating as a municipality. Unincorporated land is always subject to these city land grabs.
More California Towns Face Bankruptcy - WSJ.com: "Isleton and Rio Vista, small towns roughly 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, say they have begun consulting with bankruptcy lawyers as they draw up plans to deal with their mounting budget crises. The towns' leaders say they hope to avoid bankruptcy, but concede the move may eventually be their only option.
'We're strapped for cash and by the end of March or early April we may not have enough money to pay for payroll,' says Hector De La Rosa, Rio Vista's city manager.
California's troubled towns can't expect much help from the state. A state board voted Wednesday to shut off $3.8 billion in financing to hundreds of infrastructure projects to preserve cash, as the nation's most populous state struggles under a budget deficit that officials say could balloon to more than $40 billion over the next two years.
'California's fiscal house is burning down,' State Treasurer Bill Lockyer said..."
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The photo is from Rio Vista, showing a new residential development that stopped construction last month. I don't know if the libertarians are jumping with joy to see municipalities go under. Maybe the fact that CIDs are tanking as well has tempered their enthusiasm.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Estero HOA turns out lights on Christmas | news-press.com | The News-Press
Estero HOA turns out lights on Christmas | news-press.com | The News-Press: "In one Southwest Florida gated community the bright and cheery colors of Christmas are not welcome.
Residents living in Villagio at Estero were told recently that Christmas decorations were against the community’s bylaws and they faced $100 in fines if Christmas lights and other decorations weren’t removed immediately."
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Ho ho ho.
Residents living in Villagio at Estero were told recently that Christmas decorations were against the community’s bylaws and they faced $100 in fines if Christmas lights and other decorations weren’t removed immediately."
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Ho ho ho.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Most dangerous parts of America revealed by 'Death Map' - International Business Times -
Most dangerous parts of America revealed by 'Death Map' -
Good site to check before you move...
Good site to check before you move...
Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion: Illinois Supreme Court Rejects AG Madigan's Motion To Remove Blagojevich
No surprise. It was a pathetic grab for attention.
Treasurer accused of stealing HOA funds | The Citizen Online
Treasurer accused of stealing HOA funds | The Citizen Online: "A Peachtree City man has been charged with 16 counts of fiduciary theft for writing $29,000 in checks from his homeowner’s association to himself and two of his companies."
www.dcexaminer.com >> Opinion
www.dcexaminer.com >> Opinion: Who will bail out Uncle Sam?: "The United States of America is bankrupt. Don’t believe it? Consider this: Federal obligations now exceed the collective net worth of all Americans, according to the New York-based Peter G. Peterson Foundation."
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OK, but the analogy doesn't work. Nations seem to be able to go on indefinitely in an insolvent condition. With the whole world experiencing a recession, maybe the Illuminati will just hit the reboot button.
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OK, but the analogy doesn't work. Nations seem to be able to go on indefinitely in an insolvent condition. With the whole world experiencing a recession, maybe the Illuminati will just hit the reboot button.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
IRS to help homeowners refinance or sell homes - Yahoo! News
IRS to help homeowners refinance or sell homes - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service said Tuesday it will try to make it easier for homeowners in financial straits to refinance or sell their homes.
The plan announced by IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman would speed up a process where financially distressed homeowners may request that a federal tax lien be made secondary to liens by the lending institution that is refinancing or restructuring a loan.
Taxpayers will also be able to ask the IRS to discharge, or remove, its claim to a property in certain circumstances where the property is being sold for less than the amount of the mortgage lien."
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Sounds like a good idea.
The plan announced by IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman would speed up a process where financially distressed homeowners may request that a federal tax lien be made secondary to liens by the lending institution that is refinancing or restructuring a loan.
Taxpayers will also be able to ask the IRS to discharge, or remove, its claim to a property in certain circumstances where the property is being sold for less than the amount of the mortgage lien."
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Sounds like a good idea.
Judge: Parking restrictions "unreasonable" | 10connects.com | Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater
Judge: Parking restrictions "unreasonable" | 10connects.com | Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater: "Odessa, Florida-- A Hillsborough County homeowners' association now faces thousands of dollars in legal fees after losing a lawsuit against one of their residents.
The board of directors representing The Eagles, a deed restricted community in Odessa, was trying to keep A.J. Vizzi from parking his Ford pickup truck in his home's driveway."
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Thanks to Beth Young for sending the link to this interesting situation. It gets a bit complicated becasue there seems to have been a discrepancy between the rules the board was enforcing and the rules Vizzi received when he moved in.
The board of directors representing The Eagles, a deed restricted community in Odessa, was trying to keep A.J. Vizzi from parking his Ford pickup truck in his home's driveway."
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Thanks to Beth Young for sending the link to this interesting situation. It gets a bit complicated becasue there seems to have been a discrepancy between the rules the board was enforcing and the rules Vizzi received when he moved in.
PR16December2008
State loses over $20 million in bond sale: Governor’s arrest shows cost of corruption: "The legal problems surrounding Gov. Rod Blagojevich have already cost the state more than $20 million, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias said today.
The state was forced to delay its plan to borrow $1.4 billion last Thursday as a result of the governor’s arrest and missed the chance to sell short-term bonds at reduced interest rates.
News of the governor’s legal situation, a rating downgrade and market volatility drove up the interest rate by several percentage points on the bonds sold today."
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As the financial situation of a state or local government worsens, their bond rating goes down, and that increases the interest rates they have to pay on the bonds they issues. So there is a slippery slope, and Illinois is on it.
The state was forced to delay its plan to borrow $1.4 billion last Thursday as a result of the governor’s arrest and missed the chance to sell short-term bonds at reduced interest rates.
News of the governor’s legal situation, a rating downgrade and market volatility drove up the interest rate by several percentage points on the bonds sold today."
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As the financial situation of a state or local government worsens, their bond rating goes down, and that increases the interest rates they have to pay on the bonds they issues. So there is a slippery slope, and Illinois is on it.
Man sprays 'toilet-papering' teens with fox urine - Yahoo! News: "WILLMAR, Minn. – A 50-year-old man told authorities he was fed up with teens toilet-papering his house during homecoming week. This year, he decided to defend his property — with a squirt gun filled with fox urine.
Now, Scott Wagar is in trouble with the law. He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in Kandiyohi County District Court to misdemeanor assault and other charges. He was released on personal recognizance."
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How did he get the urine from the fox to the squirt gun? Maybe he cheated and went to the bottled variety.
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