End of the World December 21. Film at 11.
Monthly Archives: December 2012
Despite Tax Increase, California State Revenues in Freefall
California State Controller John Chiang has announced that total state revenue for the month of November 2012 fell $806.8 million, or 10.8%, below budget.
Democrats thought they could hammer “the rich” by convincing voters to pass Proposition 30 to create the highest state income tax in the nation. But it now appears that high income earners have already “voted with their feet” by moving themselves and their businesses out of state, resulting in over $1 billion shortfall in corporate and income taxes last month and the beginning of a new financial crisis.
Passage of Proposition 30 set off euphoria and expectations of higher spending for public employees. The California Teachers’ Association (CTA) trumpeted: “California students and working families won a clear victory today as voters clearly demonstrated their willingness to invest in our public schools and colleges and also rejected a deceptive ballot measure aimed at silencing educators, other workers and their unions.”
State bureaucrats immediately ramped up deficit spending far beyond the state’s $6 billion annual tax increase, with the Departments of Health Services and Developmental Services increasing this month’s spending by over $1 billion versus last year. The lower tax collection and higher spending drove the State’s deficit after the tax increase to $2.7 billion for the first 5 months of this fiscal year. State Controller John Chiang reported:
November’s disappointing revenues stand in stark contrast to recent news that California is leading the nation in job growth, has significantly improved its cash liquidity to pay bills, and even long-distressed home values are starting to inch upward… This serves as a sobering reminder that, while the economy is expanding, it is doing so at a slow and uneven pace that will require the State to exercise care and discipline in how its fiscal affairs are managed in the coming year.
The improved “cash liquidity” Chiang referred to turns out to be $24.9 billion of debt.
Read more at BreitBart News
Like there’s snow tomorrow
WILLIAMS—The long range weather forecast indicates a 10% chance of snow tomorrow clearing up by the evening. The chance of snow picks up again Thursday through and Friday with the weather cooling throughout the week.
Soros Remakes America into Narco Nation
As more states embrace legalization of marijuana—a pet cause of George Soros for decades—the British publication The Independent has published a groundbreaking series of articles by journalist Patrick Cockburn on how his son went insane smoking the drug.
Cockburn and his son Henry, who was treated for psychosis and partially recovered, have written an article in which Patrick Cockburn is quoted as saying his son played Russian roulette with cannabis “and lost.”
Henry, who smoked marijuana daily for seven years and was in mental hospitals for about eight years as a result, says, “When I reached a mental hospital, called St Martin’s, I spent three hours walking around the lunch tables trying to listen to my shoes. I thought my shoes were talking to me.”
Patrick Cockburn spent months speaking to the experts in the field and reports on the substantial evidence linking sustained marijuana use with mental illness. One expert, Sir William Paton, professor of pharmacology at Oxford University, reveals “that even limited social use of cannabis could precipitate schizophrenia in people who previously had no psychological problems,” and noted that “smoking a single joint could induce schizophrenia-like symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia and fragmented thought processes.”
Read more at Accuracy in Media
Bill of Rights monument dedication in Phoenix on Bill of Rights day
PHOENIX—The Bill of Rights Day celebration for Arizona will be particularly special this year. With the mast of the U.S.S. Arizona celebrating the remembrance of Pearl Harbor, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer will dedicate a monument to the Bill of Rights at the State capitol on Wesley Bowlin Plaza. Arizona will be the first to complete a monument dedicated to the Bill of Rights through the effort of Chris Bliss of My Bill of Rights.
During this season, the attention of kids and adults are directed more to the material matter that they will receive in ten days over matters related to their natural rights and liberties. Rarely is this season interrupted with ceremonies relating to the fact that on December 15th, 1791, Ten Amendments were added to the Constitution, “… in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its [the National government] powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.”
The Ten Amendments in fact it is the first of the Ten Amendments that protects the sanctity of this season and the right of people to worship God in schools and other public places.
On Saturday, December 15th from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Governor Brewer will dedicate a monument containing the inalienable Bill of Rights engraved on them.
The monument is part of an effort by Chris Bliss of the My Bill of Rights organization to get Bill of Rights monuments placed in civic spaces across the country. The organization hopes to promote awareness of the guarantees of the Bill of Rights through this effort.
In addition, the Phoenix Elks Lodge will host a $22 buffet dinner with cash bar and keynote speaker Russell Pierce. The Cartridge Family band is scheduled to appear and a portrayal of Patrick Henry by Dr. Lance Hurley. To RSVP for the dinner, call 602-942-9281. The dinner begins at 6 p.m.
Alan Korwin, author of several books on gun and self defense laws, will also be in attendance.
See Also: Committee for the Bill of Rights
Watch out for those new apples and blackberries this holiday season.
Santa visits the recreation center and Kiwanis Dinner follows.
WILLIAMS—Santa will be busy in Williams on the 15th and 16th with Santa’s World of Wonders on Saturday and the Kiwanis annual dinner on Sunday. In addition the Save-Meant to Rescue organization will host a wine and beer tasting event to benefit the Williams animal rescue effort.
On the 15th, Santa will visit the Williams Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where there will be games, prizes, treats and family fun.
At 6 p.m. the animal rescue group Save-Meant To Rescue will host a wine and craft beer tasting event with hors d’oeuvres and live music at the historic “Yellow House” near Safeway. Tickets are $30 and are available thru MTR members or call 928-635-1571
The annual Kiwanis Dinner will be held December 16th at Doc Holiday’s in the Holiday Inn. The event will run from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Kiwanis holds the annual event with a visit from Santa and prizes for the kids. Everyone is invited.
Eugene Smith, county resident and Tuskegee Airman, passes away
Eugene Smith, famed member of the Tuskegee Airmen who fought for his proper recognition and honor, passed away on Wednesday, November 21st, at the Harrison County Hospital in Cynthiana, Kentucky.
Eugene Smith had lived in Switzerland County for nearly 20 years, retiring to a houseboat moored at Turtle Creek Marina in Florence. He was very active in the community while residing here, including membership at Patriot Baptist Church and was a regular attendee at the Senior Mealsite in Vevay.
Born in Ohio in 1918, he was a 1939 graduate of Withrow High School in Cincinnati; and then earned his bachelor’s degree from Kentucky State University.
When World War II began, Eugene Smith volunteered to serve his country, enlisting in the Army Air Corps to become a pilot.
That’s where his unusual story of heroism begins.
Because his parents were of mixed origin with Native American ancestry, the doctor who delivered Eugene Smith listed on his birth certificate that he was “colored”, even though he was fair skinned. When he was accepted into the Air Corps and was about to begin his flight training, the Army found that his birth certificate listed his race in that way, so the Army declined to send him to flight school with “white” soldiers.
Read more at the Vevay Reveille Enterprise
First Baptist Church hosts Orphan Care Night
WILLIAMS—The First Baptist Church in Williams is hosting an Orphan Care Night on Friday, December 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Kailey Jensen will make a presentation about adoption and foster care with couples who have adopted children or have been involved in foster care.
The First Baptist Church is located on Grant Street across from Safeway.
Child care will be provided.
Texan of the Year nominations still coming in for Larry Hagman
They started shortly after Larry Hagman died Thanksgiving weekend. They continued through the next week and into this one. Larry Hagman is a people’s favorite for Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year.
A sampling of the emails, starting with one from yesterday:
– From Dorothy Herrington:
I nominate Larry Hagman as Texan of the Year. Not only was he a great entertainer (who could possibly forget “J.R.”?), but he supported the South Dallas Cultural Center, launched the Larry Hagman Foundation, gave thousands to the Dallas Children’s Center, Big Thought, Artreach, Frazier Revitalization, and also organized a program for Dunbar Elementary. He advocated organ donation especially after his own transplant in 1995. The only Larry Hagman most of us knew was that he had such a zest for life, and had this uncanny ability to play his acting parts like no other.
We shall never forget him, and will miss him greatly. I would wonder what he is orchestrating upstairs right now, but am sure all those present are under his spell at this very moment. Oh, that we could see what kind of mischief he is conjuring up, as he twitches those eyebrows. You can bet it is entertaining.
Read more at The Dallas Morning News
See Also: Hagman knew the end was near, his ‘Dallas’ wife says – Houston Chronicle