Six O'Clock News - 100% Auto Free Edition
Other things are happening. I need to remember that.
College education for everyone, reimbursed by state tax dollars. I absolutely love this idea - but am well aware that other budget difficulties and general tax cowardice will prevent it from happening.
State Reps. Alma Wheeler Smith, D-Salem Township, and Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, are proposing a state tax credit that would repay families for tuition costs at any of Michigan's public universities. They also want to make preschool programs for 4-year-olds universal throughout the state.
The programs would also provide be funded by increasing the state income tax to 5.5 percent, up from the current 4.35 percent.
Talk to Andy. Maybe we can squeeze this in the big picture tax plan he is cooking up, but the cold hard truth is: as long as we have a Republican controlled Senate, there will be no progress coming out of the Legislature. "Michigan Sucks" is the Republican 2010 campaign slogan (ask Pete), so why would they do anything to help the state at this point?
A Michigan company that is hiring 250 workers to meet a growing need - Residential Home Health. They provide in-home care to those that prefer to stay in their homes rather than go to assisted living or a nursing home, and hey, who wouldn't. Look for this to be a big business as the boomers age and we run out of places to put them.
The Freep and the DNews are testing an "e-reader" device from Plastic Logic for delivery of the new electronic paper; will be curious to see how that goes. Regular consumer rollout is scheduled for 2010. The papers are also available on the Kindle. One thing about these readers - get the price down. They seem way too expensive for something meant to be convenient and portable (and therefore easily lost/beat up).
Heading down to Detroit for the Final Four? Designated school-specific bars/restaurants have been named, check this Freep story to see where you need to go.
The Tigers released Gary Sheffield. Great plate discipline, but too often injured, and was starting a very slow .178 for spring training, so, bye-bye. Can't afford another slow start. Don't worry about Gary though, he still gets paid $14 million for the year.
"We can't do our jobs," said State Rep. Mike Simpson, D-Blackman Township. Here's a clue: Don't run for office then. You knew the deal going in. I swear to God, if I hear one more legislator use "term limits" as an excuse for bad behavior and lack of effort, I'm going to... uh... yell even louder at them. Somehow. There are plenty of good arguments to use against term limits - this one doesn't win you any support. Trust me on that.
Comerica Bank’s chief economist Dana Johnson predicts that 2010 could be the year Michigan pulls out of its economic "depression". Sure hope he is right; a lot depends on what happens in the national economy. We are not an island, even if the state Republicans want you to think so.
Innovation. West Michigan based Boxed Water is Better serves water in a carton that is made from trees harvested from sustainable forests, proclaiming that it leaves a smaller carbon footprint than regular plastic bottled water. One problem: You can't recycle the cartons (yet - they are working on it). Still, it gets rave reviews on taste, and will donate "10 percent of profits to water relief campaigns and 10 percent to reforestation efforts". Cool idea - but wondering how to carry it if you are running or biking. Round cartons maybe?