[The Citizen] Perhaps someone can explain to me why the Superintendent of Schools of a podunk Georgia County needs to be paid a base salary roughly equivalent to that of the President of the United States.
#4
And the School Boards are overpopulated by teachers....
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
05/07/2020 11:03 Comments ||
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#5
California it’s high one for pension calculations. The example used to be the Oakland bus drivers union that set up a system to give priority for all overtime to drivers a year out from planned retirement. In most cases they worked doubles and e even more and with overtime and weekends, drivers were retiring with a high one year six figure record and getting more in retirement than their normal salaries. The LAPD schemes were even better, in some cases drawing 90% retirement and being hired back for a five year contract to replace themselves at the same salary. CalPers and SEIU at its finest.
#7
City/County of San Diego don't calc OT into your pay for the pension calc - that must be Calpers rules? Also, 90% is the max but achievable early at 3%/yr of service and minimum age 50 allowable retirement age for Safety Employees
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/07/2020 11:50 Comments ||
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#8
One Colorado Springs school district has 43 people who make more than $100K a year, including several making $200K to $300K. All are "administrators". That district is one of the worst in the state.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
05/07/2020 13:21 Comments ||
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#9
...I'd suggest looking at how long the last few superintendents lasted and why they bailed.
The reason I bring that up is that at one point in the early 90s, Cleveland was paying at least three supers at once - these guys would be touted as the system's saviors, they'd get the job, and then sign pay-or-play contracts for 3 or 4 years. And it never failed - they would pi$$ off one or another of the wolfpacks that were fighting over the corpse of the Cleveland school system, and quit/be run out of town...with three or four years left on their contracts. They got to go home and get paid for doing nothing.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
05/07/2020 17:34 Comments ||
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#10
Why should any 'civil servant' be paid a pension more than the average salary of the working taxpayer in their political district?
h/t Instapundit
[Newsweek] - Cases of the novel coronavirus in Sweden have reached at least 23,918, with its death count at 2,941, as of Thursday, according to the latest figures from the country's health ministry.
"We are starting to near 3,000 deceased, a horrifyingly large number," noted the chief epidemiologist at Sweden's public health agency, Anders Tegnell, at a press conference on Wednesday.
Tegnell, who has been leading the country's COVID-19 response and previously defended the nation's decision not to impose a lockdown, this week admitted he was "not convinced" the unconventional anti-lockdown strategy was the best option to take.
...The daily death toll for Sweden is projected to reach potentially as high as nearly 150 by May 11, while up to 1,060 deaths have been projected for this week, according to the latest projection model by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team. The team consists of Imperial College London, the WHO (World Health Organization) Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling within the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and J-IDEA (Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics). Tsk, tsk, tsk.
#2
Ohhhhh Mexico is gonna jack up. Not knocking Vitamin D - I take 4500 units daily, Tijuana and Mexicali and various (densely populated) Border Cities are getting smacked. In Baja, lower cities like Ensenada are stopping entries from outside.
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/07/2020 19:49 Comments ||
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#3
Er, 4500 Vitamin D units daily is a bit much , eh Frank? My doc said that's the weekly limit.
Just (seriously) concerned for your health,
Best
L
[NATIONALREVIEW] One of the most depressing aspects of the coronavirus epidemic has been the failure of the credentialed class — the alphabetic transnational and federal health organizations, the university modelers, the professional associations, and their media enablers. Their collective lapse was largely due to hubris and the assumption that titles and credentials meant they had no need to accept input and criticism from those far more engaged in the physical world — they saw no need to say, “At this time, I confess we are as confused as you are.”
In sum, the ER doctors, the nurses, and the public in general all eagerly welcomed the research of the experts. But the reverse — in which experts would listen to those with firsthand experience — was not true. The asymmetrical result is that we all have paid a terrible price in misjudging the perfidy of China; the rot within the World Health Organization; the origins, transmission, infectiousness, and lethality of the virus; and the most effective, cost-to-benefit response to the epidemic in terms of saving lives lost to the infection versus the likely even more lives lost through the response.
The problem was not just that we were supposed to accept expert, scientific, loud gospel on Monday, which grew muted and doubtful on Tuesday, and in near silence became impossible on Wednesday.
In addition, our experts learned nothing and forgot nothing, and so repeated their entire cycle of credentialed haughtiness on Thursday.
What would someone like Dr. Ioannidis know about calling bullshit on experts whose published research studies are so riddled with errors as to be false 90% of the time?
#4
But wait, Lex! That was 15 years ago. I'm sure it's gotten much better, now!
Posted by: Bobby ||
05/07/2020 11:15 Comments ||
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#5
Actually, thanks to Dr Ioannidis, during the last 15 years there has developed a widespread awareness of the "replication or reproducibility crisis" in biomedical science, also economics and other research areas, to the point that a new field of metascience has arisen.
So there's hope that these bogus causal assertions can at least be spotted and nipped in the bud before they do too much damage.
It's Kurt
[Townhall] As conservatives, we pride ourselves on our unwavering support of the Thin Blue Line, on backing our cops against leftist slander, and yet stupid and evil people in law enforcement are putting that default thumbs-up from normal Americans at risk. It's bad enough when we watch the ridiculous spectacle of Deputy Karren and Deputy Man-Karen yelling at some mom for committing felony play-dating, but then we see how the FBI has flat-out framed political enemies and it's too much. If the LEO community does not police its own ranks and stamp out this nonsense, it might as well take all the goodwill it has earned over the years, douse it in cheap gasoline, and set it on fire.
A big chunk of society, mostly on the left, detests the police. It would be a really poor idea to convert the right to that point of view too. But that's where these trends lead.
Here's the thing - we normals respect our police not merely because they have badges and funny hats but because they take personal risks to protect us from those who would violate our rights. Usually, these violators are criminals. But the category of "People who violate our rights" also includes political hacks and bureaucratic petty fascists. And we reasonably expect to be protected from those creeps too.
"But we might get suspended or fired!" is the response. Well, yeah. That's correct. And that's immaterial.
We flat-out expect cops to run into gunfire to save lives, cowards like that Florida slug aside, just like we expect firemen to run into burning houses. If doing that stuff was easy and safe, they would not get respect and be honored. See, that's the deal. They get pay and prestige, honor and respect, because they do things other people can't or won't for the good of the community. It's like soldiers - the troops don't get thanked for their service because their job is kick-back and safe.
So, we can surely expect them to pushback when some tool with sergeant's stripes or chief stars tells them to oppress us.
For those LEOs who are confused:
When someone tells you to tackle people for misdemeanor failure to social distance, we expect you to say "No."
When someone tells you to fly drones around scolding citizens, we expect you to say "No."
When someone tells you to walk through a church parking lot taking down plate numbers, we expect you to say "No."
When someone tells you to roll the SWAT team, with a complete with a Keystone Kop sniper up top, to confront the peril of a bunch of people protesting to reopen business, we expect you to say "No."
When someone tells you to hassle Jews for praying, we expect you to say "No."
We've seen all these things happen or be threatened since the bat stew virus infected the Bill of Rights, perhaps fatally. And these atrocities have to stop. Good rest of opinion piece at link. And check the linked sources they have.
#2
Sheriffs and gubernators need to call off their dogs now. If violent resistance starts, it will spread rapidly and be hard if not impossible for police to stop.
The only way out is for the authorities to climb down, back off, keep a few sensible precautions about the elderly and let the people get on with their lives. Most will not tolerate this much longer.
#3
This is an unsettled time and I agree with you Lex.
Posted by: CC Reader ||
05/07/2020 12:05 Comments ||
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#4
Those same goofballs who used to clutch their pearls about a nation with "300 million guns" need to put two and two together and recognize that if pushed to the wall, those gun owners will protect their livelihoods and their lives.
Back off, Whitmer et al.-- before the fire starts. Quit playing with matches.
Why does anyone expect, out of millions of such cases across the nation, that there will not be thousands who forcibly resist their own destruction? A betting man would expect violence.
[American Thinker] The timeline is advancing swiftly toward an end state adversely affecting the whole world: WWIII. The tell-tale sign is China's economy, which, without American markets to sell to, is in free fall. As much as we may complain about the shutdown, Americans have it better by far than most of the rest of the world, including Japan and Europe.
With desperation growing in China, Xi will have to do something. Expect it to be military action so that China's 12-million-man army has something to do and the rest of the country has something to focus on and support. War is immensely destructive; it will create a domestic market to partly replace foreign markets no longer available.
China isn't likely to come at us right away. She will begin by absorbing relatively weak adjacent states such as North Korea and moving into ever-rebellious Tibet in strength. After digestion, some fattening, and some training, NoKo's huge Army would be added to the Chinese, making up a total force of nearly 13 million men. The Norks would be willing to push into South Korea on order.
Tibet will almost certainly be helped by India, with her own immense Army and needs, which will also welcome a fight as a means to deflect hard times at home and to direct domestic sentiment against the invader. The next target for Chinese invasion would likely be Vietnam, which has opposed Chinese expansion in the South China Sea for decades and which fought a war with China in 1979. The North Viets are no more afraid of China today than they were of us 50 years ago. They will fight.
By that time, the U.S. will have taken an active interest in China's predations. Right now we have two aircraft carriers on site in the South China Sea and fighting men on Guam and in South Korea. We would immediately beef up our presence and tough talk. Should our guys get involved in hostilities, the Russians will take advantage to sneak into the Middle East in person rather than just by proxy. Xi, needing Russian oil, will send several of his armies to the Middle East in support.
The stage will be set for Armageddon and the most destructive war ever fought.
#4
/\ They did just fine before we came along. They will do just fine after we leave. Do we continue to betray the American people with cheap, foreign slave labor, or do we recognize cheap labor for what it is ?
#6
China will not confront the west as the chance of the chicoms losing power is too strong that route. They will try to retreat from globalism and return to the 70s. I expect Tawian to be awash with Boat People as the PRC clamps down on freedoms and finds it easier to let people leave Cuba style than to lock them all up.
#7
Sorry, but the present leaders of the world lack the testicular fortitude for a world war. They're really like nervous CEOs of giant, ungainly corporations, each walking its own tightrope.
#8
Also, China has become a sort of serial molester for everyone now. It has been tolerated for longer than was necessary. The next people they're going to try to screw are Australia. They're already at it. So we could see a minor conflict in the South China Sea, in the near future.
#12
Cyberwar, yes. Bioattacks, economic war, information war: all of the above.
They don't need to attack anyone militarily. This corona episode has taught them that they need to do is incite panic and the nation's of the West will set about destroying themselves without a single shot being fired.
#14
The only person who wanted war in 1939 was Hitler. Everybody else was unprepared and/or scared to death. That's why it took them so long to respond to Hitler's aggression. So I'm thinking Xi could get away with quite a bit before he finally steps over the wrong line. Then all bets are off. Hitler taught us that appeasement doesn't work but does anybody remember?
Also, it remains to be seen whether Xi is as crazy as Hitler. I think not. Hitler was over the rainbow. Xi strikes me as being cold, calculated and more careful but with strong narcissistic sociopathic tendencies. This is the kind of a guy who would have you whacked for any suggestion of a resemblance to Winnie the Pooh. Could be one of the most dangerous developments was when CCP made him president for life. It might be tough for cooler heads to rein him in.
Then there is the suspicion that Covid-19 is not natural and was not an accident either. We could already be at war.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
05/07/2020 14:08 Comments ||
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#16
I think there's a phenomenon at play here. And with it a strategy presents itself.
Consider the muslim world. Centuries ago they gave themselves a onerous task. To conquer the world became a hereditary and inherent obligation of all muslim society. They were more successful than the Catholics only because of the prevalence of more tribalism than sense and civility in corners of the world. But think about the psychological momentum of a single, unalterable imperative being passed down from generation to generation. Like the tower of Babel, everyone's mental set containing the same imperatives; creating a society which can function as individuals but their default is a 'hive mind'.
This is what Xi and the party have tried to accomplish. The flavour is different, sure. It's coloured with distinctive cultural hues and hubris. But it's what they've tried to achieve.
Now imagine the clash with our liberal, classically oriented societies. Our peoples are not given any aim, any national objective. You believe, and maybe rightly so, that you came into this world to enjoy your life; mayhap you'll do some good occasionally, but their is no general obligation on you to contribute to anything. In fact the State exists to ensure that you're taken care of, if you should turn out to be an unemployable buffoon. And if the State interferes even with your 'fun and frolic', you'll tell it off, yessir !
There is no contest here. A larger population, with the inherent imperatives to make their country great -whatever passes for great there- will not relent. Like the muslims, the Chinese too have built a Babel, and even God knows they're determined to take it... somewhere. Unless they are stopped.
Now, consider how it was stopped in the beginning. A simple parallel of 'various tongues' could translate today as 'individual and group interests
gaining priority over the national interest' ?
This is what our agencies must focus on achieving. Dissent within the Han empire.
#18
^ Maybe not imperra, but certainly set back their efforts for a decade or two.
Introducing a divisive element into any society is a dastardly, twisted thing to do. Worse than an atomic bomb. Personally, I'd take the Fatman over it any day. It's final, teaches you a lesson in humility and turns you from a sword wielding Samurai with hair on your chest into a hairless Pokemon hunter.
But since that can only be used in actual conflict, if China plays aggressor, this is the only thing to do.
[Babylon Bee] A new CNN poll found that 97% of Democrats would have supported a Ted Bundy presidential run if the serial killer and rapist had run against Trump.
The poll confirmed that most Democrats would totally support a serial rapist as long as it meant beating Trump.
"Sure, he was a vicious, brutal rapist, but we have to get Trump out of the White House," said feminist attorney Lisa Bloom. "I believe Bundy's victims. We still have to stop Trump, so I'll support any rapist the DNC nominates. But I believe the victims. And I'm sorry."
People pointed out that Trump is bad and so that anybody who runs against him is good. "Bill Cosby, Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein -- I'd vote for any of these guys in a heartbeat over the bad orange man," said Alyssa Milano. "You would vote for Bundy, right? #MeToo."
"Vote blue no matter who."
A very small minority of Democrats said they would not vote for Ted Bundy, but these people are dumb because they don't realize that only two parties can participate according to the Constitution, and if you don't vote for one bad candidate you're basically voting for the other one.
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/07/2020 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11124 views]
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[NATIONALREVIEW] One of the most depressing aspects of the coronavirus epidemic has been the failure of the credentialed class — the alphabetic transnational and federal health organizations, the university modelers, the professional associations, and their media enablers. Their collective lapse was largely due to hubris and the assumption that titles and credentials meant they had no need to accept input and criticism from those far more engaged in the physical world — they saw no need to say, “At this time, I confess we are as confused as you are.”
[Babylon Bee] A new CNN poll found that 97% of Democrats would have supported a Ted Bundy presidential run if the serial killer and rapist had run against Trump.
