Chester Beats Detroit, Chicago

Five people were shot in Chester, Pa. early yesterday, July 1. It appears none of them are going to die hence the death toll for murders in the city with a population of 29,972 will remain at  16 or 53 per 100,000.

Chester now beats Detroit — no longer a top 10 city  ranking a mere 18th with a population of 681,000 — which had a murder rate last year of 48 per 100,000.

Philly, last year, had 246 murders for a rate of 16 per 100,000.

For those who are convinced that banning guns is the way to safety, it should be noted that murders dropped 18 percent  in Chicago, after the federal courts ruled that the State of Illinois infamous law prohibiting concealed carry of firearms was unconstitutional. One could say that is just coincidence but a similar thing happened in Philadelphia when Harrisburg forced the city to accept concealed carry in 1995 when Philly had 432 murders and in Washington D.C. after the Supreme Court overturned that city’s strict gun laws.

It should be noted that having access to guns is not a guarantee of safety though as Chester residents obviously now have the right to them.

The problem in Chester is a sick and twisted culture. The solution is stop glorifying thugs and start glorifying scholars. It’s to stop  finding excuses for single moms and baby daddies and to start honoring fathers and mothers who insist on having fathers in the home.

But Democrats do like their easy and judgement-free answers even if imposing them actually makes things worse.

Chester Beats Detroit, Chicago

Chester Beats Detroit, Chicago

Ukrainian Freedom Fight Honored By IHF

Ukrainian Freedom Fight Honored By IHF

On this barricade in the Ukraine last January is Father Ighor Fedoryshyn.

The Independence Hall Foundation (IHF) will present its 2014 Defender of Liberty Award to the Ukrainian people–citing their determination to fight for Independence and freedom as their nation comes under siege from an increasingly hostile Russian government led by Vladimir Putin.

The award will be formally presented to Natalie Shyrba, a
representative of Razom for Ukraine, tomorrow, July 4, at the Independence Visitors Center on Independence Mall in Philadelphia.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people as they struggle against all odds to maintain their independence, just as our founding fathers and mothers did in 1776,”  said Foundation organizer, Teri Adams.

“We support the efforts of the Ukrainian people to defend their national integrity and we encourage the United States government and NATO to supply Ukrainian Freedom Fighters with the weapons and other critical supplies they need to defend their nation’s independence.”

Last September, the Foundation named the four victims of the 2012 Benghazi Embassy attack–US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods–as recipients of its 2013 Defender of Liberty Award.

 

Ukrainian Freedom Fight Honored By IHF

Corbett Pension Reform ReReported From Human Services

HB 1353, the government  pension reform being pushed by Gov. Tom Corbett, was re-reported as committed from the Pennsylvania House Human Services Committee, yesterday, July 2.

The bill had been sent to the committee the day before on a 107-96 floor vote in a hope to kill it. All Democrats voted aye joined by 15 Republican backstabbers.

The move was orchestrated by Republican Gene DiGirolamo who represents the 18th District in Bucks County and chairs the Human Services Committee.

Shamefully joining him in the scheme were Delaware County Republicans Steve Barrar of the 160th District and Nicholas Miccarelli III of the 162nd District.

HB 1353 would allow current state employees to keep their sweet defined-benefit pension plans but place new workers in a 401 (k) type defined contribution plan.

Pennsylvania’s pension systems are $50 billion in debt. If the Republican-controlled legislature can’t get this small but necessary step taken towards fixing Pennsylvania’s financial problem any small sliver of hope Corbett has towards re-election vanishes as does fixing Pennsylvania’s financial problem.

 

Corbett Pension Reform ReReported From Human Services

Corbett Pension Reform ReReported From Human Services

 

Five Facts Concerning 2014 Pa Budget

 Commonwealth Foundation has published these five facts concerning 2014 Pa Budget.

By Bob Dick

On June 30, the General Assembly passed a $29.1 billion budget, sending it to Gov. Corbett for his approval. While Gov. Corbett is taking time to review it, here are five facts you should know.

1. Limited spending growth: The General Assembly’s budget represents a spending increase of 2 percent over the prior year’s budget. This is consistent with Taxpayer Protection Act, which calls for limiting increases in state government spending to inflation and population growth.

If fact, the budgets over the past four years have limited spending, with an average growth of less than 1 percent. In contrast, spending increased at double the rate of inflation over the previous 8 years, and has increased by an average of 6.2 percent per year since 1970.

2. No new taxes: Lawmakers did not include any new taxes in this year’s budget, despite pressure from outside groups pushing to increase the tax burden on working Pennsylvanians.

Not only did lawmakers resist calls for a unfair severance tax, which would have hurt farmers like Shawn Georgetti, but they also moved forward with the phase out of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax after years of delaying its elimination.

3. State spending exceeds state revenues: For the seventh consecutive year, state spending will exceed state revenue collections. This is possible due to one-time transfers from other funds and one-time revenue collections.

While the state revenue sheet appears balanced, lawmakers will still have to make tough decisions to deal with our long-term fiscal challenges, which threaten the state’s fiscal health and economic growth.

4. Overall spending, including education spending, is at an all-time high:  Despite the myth being touted by government union executuves, Gov. Corbett and Republican lawmakers did not cut $1 billion from public schools.

In fact, state spending on education will be at the highest level ever this fiscal year. Of course, more education spending does not automatically translate into better student outcomes, absent reform.

5. Missed opportunites: The legislature will not pass meaningful pension reform and liquor privatization before the General Assembly breaks for summer recess. Moreover, they delayed action on paycheck protection for the time being.

But those issues aren’t going away just because lawmakers have recessed for a few months. The importance of addressing the state pension crisis, delivering the alcohol convenience most Pennsylvanians want, and ending the use of taxpayer resources to fund partisan politics will be just as great when lawmakers return in September.

 

Five Facts Concerning 2014 Pa Budget

 

Five Facts Concerning 2014 Pa Budget

July 1936 Once Again Hottest

July 1936 is once again the hottest month on record according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Two years ago it declared July 2012 to have supplanted it.

The change was discovered Sunday, June 28, during a check of NOAA data by climate blogger Anthony Watts.

“The past, present, and future all seems to be ‘adjustable’ in NOAA’s world,” Watts said.

The NOAA had July 2012 at 77.6 degrees Fahrenheit and July 1936 at 77.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

The new figures show July 1936 to be 76.8 F and July 2012 to be 76.77 F.

The change was made about a week after climate blogger Steven Goddard  revealed that the NOAA was discounting contemporaneous records and using computer estimates.

July 1936 Once Again Hottest

July 1936 Once Again Hottest

 

Switchblades Legal In Tennessee

Switchblades Legal In Tennessee

A law making switchblade knives legal took effect in Tennessee, yesterday, July 1.

When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet.

Seriously, beyond playing pretend that one is in West Side Story, there are many times one would find it handy to have knife that can be opened automatically with one hand.

Switchblades, it should be noted, were originally marketed in this country to  farmers, hunters and even women who were told to keep one in the sewing kit.

There is nothing inherently evil about a switchblade knife. All states should repeal the stupid garbage passed during the 1950s juvenile delinquent scare.

 

Switchblades Legal In Tennessee

Infrared Smart Phone

Smart phones can browse the web and carry thousands of songs but what has always been missing is the ability to take a thermal image of your roof.

Well, wait no more. Popular Mechanics reports that a new attachment by FLIR Systems can do just that.

The FLIR ONE  cost just $350 and attaches to an iPhone or Android, according to PM.

Why would anyone need to thermal image something? PM points out that they can not only find poorly insulated parts of a home but hidden wasp nests, tire leaks, and take body temperature at a distance.

Also they are great for bird watching, PM says.

Flir One Infrared Smart Phones

The FLIR ONE infrared smart phone in action.

Aqua Quest Crew Freed, Thank You Congressman Fitzpatrick

Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick Aqua Quest Crew FreedCongressman Mike Fitzpatrick who deserves kudos for getting the Auqa Quest crew freed.

 

An Aqua Quest crew that had been jailed for two months in Honduras is coming home and a Pennsylvania congressman is instrumental in getting them released.

Aqua Quest is a salvage company based in Tarpon Springs, Fla. Their vessel was in Honduras to remove mahogany logs when police boarded it and found an AK-47, two handguns and two shotguns.

The crew’s captain, Robert Mayne, had encountered bandits on previous trips and felt the weapons were needed for protection.

The crew was arrested on the grounds they did not have a permit to carry weapons and one of the ones they carried was prohibited.

One of the crew members was Devon Butler, whose mother Rosemary Carroll lives in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional district which is represented by Republican Mike Fitzpatrick.

Mrs. Carroll contacted Fitzpatrick and he and his staff went to work.

The work paid off last week. Fitzpatrick spent June 22 through June 24 in that country where he met with Honduran administrative and judicial officials and visited the men in jail.

“I . . . witnessed the deplorable conditions in which they were wrongfully held for nearly two months,” Fitzpatrick said. “The strength and courage of these men in the face of uncertainty and danger in a far-away place is an inspiration to me.”

After the meetings the men were freed.

Thank you Congressman.

Hat tip Teri Adams of the Independence Hall Tea Party Association

 

Aqua Quest Crew Freed, Thank You Congressman Fitzpatrick

 

 

Common Core vs Traditional Teaching

Educator Joanne Yurchak has submitted this excellent chart comparing the Common Core standards being pushed by uber-corporatist Bill Gates that is rapidly being adopted throughout the nation, including Pennsylvania.

The chart was produced by  Carole H. Haynes and Henry W. Burke.

Description

Type #1

Traditional

Classical Learning

Type #2

CSCOPE and

Common Core Standards

Progressive,

Radical Social Justice Agenda
Instruction Direct instruction by teacher Self-directed learning, group-think 

Emphasis on:

Subjectivity, feelings, emotions, beliefs, multiculturalism, political correctness, social engineering, globalism, evolution, sexual freedom, contraceptives, environmental extremism, global warming and climate change, victimization, diversity, acceptance of homosexuality as normal, redistribution of wealth

 

 

De-emphasis on:

Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Constitution, national sovereignty, Founding Fathers, American exceptionalism

 
Curriculum Academic, fact-based, skills, research Social concerns, project-based, constructivism, subjective, uses unproven fads and theories
Teacher’s Role Authority figure; sets the plan for the class; academic instruction Facilitator
Student’s Role Learn from teacher; focus on factual learning, develop foundation skills for logical and analytical reasoning, independent thinking Students teach each other; focus on feelings, emotions, opinions; group-think
English, Language Arts, Reading (ELAR) Phonics; classical literature; cursive handwriting; grammar; usage; correct spelling; expository, persuasive, research writing Whole language, balanced literacy, Guided Reading; no cursive writing instruction so cannot read primary documents of Founding Fathers
Mathematics “Drill and Skill,” four math functions learned to automaticity Fuzzy math, rejects drill and memorization of math facts, dependent on calculators
Social Studies Focus on American heritage and exceptionalism, national sovereignty, Founding documents Diversity, multiculturalism, globalization, revisionist history, political correctness
Character Development Pro-faith, self-control, personal responsibility, self-discipline, solid work ethic Secular, moral relativism, anti-faith, victimization
Equality Equal opportunities Equal outcomes
Assessment Students evaluated by earned grades, objective tests Inflated grades, subjective assessments evaluated based upon value system of grader, group grades
Outcomes Objective tests (right-or-wrong answers), emphasis on academic skills and knowledge Subjective assessments; emphasis on holistic, “feel good” scoring 

 

 

 

Common Core vs Traditional Teaching

Common Core vs Traditional Teaching

Detroit Water Cuts Make Motown Starnesville

Detroit Water Cuts Make Motown Starnesville

Detroit Water Cuts Make Motown Starnesville

With 300,000 Detroit residences behind in their water bills, the city’s — note that’s as in something controlled by the Democrat-ruled city — water department has begun to cut off the tap.

Last month, service was killed to 4,531.

The last time the city shut off water was a decade ago.

The “caring” crowd is outraged. The United Nations has chimed in saying the Democrat-ruled city which is on one of the world’s largest fresh bodies of fresh water is violating international standards.

The Los Angeles two days ago, June 28, published a long piece bemoaning the cruelty. The subject of the piece was $5,754 behind in her bill, but never mind that. Oh, the humanity.

We have a solution. The Koch brothers and the country’s saner billionaires should get together and cover up the past debt and give all these victims of government — note that is Democrat-controlled government here — a chance to start over.

They should have one caveat, however: the city must be renamed Starnesville.