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Politix Posts for January 2013
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for January, 2013:
Chris Christie Tears Fellow Republicans Apart Over Sandy Relief
Three More Fiscal Flashpoints Brewing In Congress
Establishment GOP Seeks To End Republican Woes With Heavy Primary Hand
Longtime Processed Food Critic Says He Was Wrong
Argument Dates Set For Federal Gay Marriage Battles
Supreme Court Refusal To Debate Stem Cells Means Research Can Be Funded
Congressional Copyright Reformer Speaks Out After Being Let Out
Politix Posts for December, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for December, 2012:
Should it Be Legal to Record the Police?
Rick Santorum Says He's 'Open' to Running in 2016
Budget Cuts May Kill Super-Sonic Fighter Jet
Palestine Wins Nonmember Status in the UN
Should Fast Food Workers Unionize?
Congress Considers Ending the Dollar Bill
Senate Bars Guantanamo Detainees From America
Turns Out That Liberals Love Super PACs
Jindal's School Voucher Program Ruled Unconstitutional
If the War on Terror Ends, What Then?
Pentagon's Spy Program Is Set For Massive Growth
Street Artist Protesting Surveillance State Arrested by Surveillance State
Rush Limbaugh and MSNBC Squashing Debate?
Fears Over Chemical Weapons Grow As Syrian War Deteriorates
Legalized Weed Won't Stop The War On Drugs
San Francisco's Nudity Ban Passes Final Hurdle
Police: We Need Everyone's Text Messages Saved For Two Years
Congress Embraces Anti-Vaccine Fears
Apple To Move Manufacturing Back To The US
Michigan, Longtime Union Hotspot, Becomes A Right To Work State
Recreational Marijuana Now Fully Legal In Washington
Republicans Fire Young Staffer for Copyright Reform Memo
Obama's Second Term Agenda Blighted by Spending Cuts
Congressman Wants to Ban 3D Guns
Obama and CEOs Make Up After Bitter Election
To Get Money Poor Families Keep Children From Learning
President Obama Bashes Michigan's Right-To-Work Push
Will Robots Drive Human Unemployment?
Does 'Zero Dark Thirty' Make the Argument For Torture?
Unions Plan For 2014 Offensive After Massive Michigan Setback
Senator Menendez's Intern Is Illegal Immigrant and Sex Offender
Warrantless Wiretapping Law Will Be Renewed
Eric Holder Secretly OKs Datamining On US Citizens
Colbert Donates SuperPAC Money To Charity
Americans Support Gun Control, but Also Oppose It
Drone Pilot Had to Quit After Killing a Child
GOP Wants to Change Electoral College Rules to Win in 2016
Army Seeks Death Penalty For Sergeant Accused Of Afghan Killings
Media Needs To Surpress Information To Stop Mass Shootings
Taxpayers to Lose Billions as Government Exits General Motors
President Obama Will Nominate Kerry For Secretary Of State
Atheists Attack Christmas Ceremony In Arizona
The Obama Administration Sets A New Record For Deportations
Is It Fair to Compare the Sandy Hook Shooting to Drone Attacks?
Senate Kills Anti-Leak Law Because of White House Worries
Democrats Scramble To Find Replacement For John Kerry
USPS Workers Starve Themselves to Prevent Delivery Cuts
Congress's Holiday Gift to America: Going Over The Fiscal Cliff?
FBI Began Investigating Occupy Wall Street Before Occupy Was Even Hip
Politix Posts for November, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for November, 2012:
Independent Conservatives Aren't Enthused About Romney
Oakland Police Chief Trashed Occupy Emails
Do Police Need Warrants to Search Homes With Drug-Sniffing Dogs?
Iowa Bars International Election Observers from Polls
Mr. Burns Makes the Case for Mitt, Gives Voice to Seamus the Dog
CIA: No One Told to 'Stand Down' During Benghazi Attack
Puerto Rico Votes on Becoming a US State
Unions Push Obama to Bring Back Card Check
Don't Post Your Ballot to Facebook, You Might Go to Jail
Regardless of Who Wins, Expect More of the Same
Todd Akin Loses to Sen. Claire McCaskill
Marijuana Legalization Passes in Colorado and Washington, Fails in Oregon
Marijuana Legalized in Colorado and Washington, but Against Federal Law
Election's Biggest Winner: New York Times Stats Guy
Boehner Extends Offer on Fiscal Cliff
Puerto Rico Approves of Statehood, But Is It Teasing?
Did Citizens United Affect the Election?
CIA Director David Petraeus Resigns Over Affair
Occupy Is Buying Loans and Forgiving Debt
Boehner Faces Backlash from Conservatives on Immigration
Stock Market Drops 400 Points After Election
Congress Faces Much More Than Just the Fiscal Cliff
Feds Just Say No To State Marijuana Legalization Efforts
Supreme Court To Review Voting Rights Act of 1965
Bin Laden Raid Came Out of CIA Torture
Petraeus Affair Shows How Easily the FBI Can Read Your Emails
Will New England Legalize Marijuana?
US Takes Hands-Off Approach to Gaza Violence
Petraeus: CIA Knew Benghazi Was A Terrorist Attack From Beginning
Republican Governors Opt for Federal Obamacare Exchange
Obama Becomes First President To Set Foot In Myanmar
Republicans Scheme to Avoid More Todd Akins
Are Republicans Unfairly Targeting Susan Rice?
GOP Begins Selling Immigration Reform To Party
San Fran's Public Nudity Ban Passes, Faces Uncertain Future
Fiscal Cliff Talks Off to a Ropey Start
Jesse Jackson Jr. Resigns From Congress
Internet Privacy Bill Could Allow Government Access to Your Email
Should America Go Over The Fiscal Cliff?
Online Black Friday Sales, Now With More Taxes!
What Fiscal Disaster Feels Like: One Town's $29.5 Million Debt
New Republicans Refuse to Sign Anti-Tax Pledge
GOP Relaunches Bill Giving Green Cards to Science Grads
Has Chris Christie Wrecked His Chances for 2016?
Obamacare's Contraceptive Mandate Challenged by Christian School
Politix Posts for October 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for October, 2012:
Westboro Baptist Church Attendee Seeks Seat on Kansas Board of Education
Debate Sponsors Pull Out Over Gary Johnson's Exclusion
Does Obama Treat Billionaires Unfairly?
Aircraft 'Could Lead to Collapse of US-Japan Alliance'
Should You Vote for the Lesser of Two Evils?
Environmental Protection Agency Wages War on Transparency
NATO Calls Emergency Meeting After Syrian Shells Kill Five Turks
Homeland Security 'Fusion Centers' Waste Millions and Discover Zero Terrorists
Jobs Report Truthers Say Numbers Were Fudged to Favor Obama
Obama's Poor Debate Performance Inspires Conspiracists
Jim Lehrer Was a Great Moderator According to Jim Lehrer
Deficit at $1.1 Trillion for Fourth Year in a Row
Supreme Court Tackles Race, Reselling Goods in Upcoming Term
Groups Push to Keep Creationist Teacher Out of School
Illegal Immigrant Journalist Dodges Deportation
Flustered Paul Ryan Cuts Interview Short
Congress Tells Army to Buy Useless Tanks
South Carolina Voter ID Law Blocked Until 2013
US Sends Military to Jordan as Syrian Conflict Spreads
Does the European Union Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?
Could a Cyber Pearl Harbor Happen in America?
Is Lance Armstrong Still a Hero?
Lindsay Lohan Endorses Romney - and It May Actually Matter
How Libertarians Could Lose Republicans the Senate
J-Lo: A Surprisingly Effective Weapon Against Iran
Online Voters Care More About Positive Info on Candidates Than Negative Info
Leaked Debate Rules Reveal Ultra Stage-Managed Debate
Would Helping Syrian Rebels Hurt US Interests?
Japan Arrests Two US Sailors Accused of Raping Okinawan Woman
China-Bashing by Romney and Obama Not Going Down Well in China
Free Online University Courses Banned in Minnesota
An Improving Economy? Not So Fast
GOP Voter Fraud Scandal Rocks Virginia
FBI to Investigate Killing of Lebanese Intelligence Chief
Kids React to the 2012 Election
Obama's Kill List Will Go on for Decade
Obama Administration Employs Lobbyists, Contradicting Report
Report Claims Forces in Benghazi Were Told to Stand Down During Attack
Harry Reid Hospitalized After Car Accident
Does the Media Give All Politicians an Easy Ride?
Romney Raises Profile of Mali Threat
Director Joss Whedon: Mitt Romney Would Bring On Zombie Apocalypse
Politix Posts for September, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for September, 2012:
Nearly 40% of Congress Member's Twitter Followers Are Fake
California's Growing Addiction to Banning Things
It's not Labor Day – It's National Empty Chair Day
Democratic Convention: the Drunk and the Dubious
NJ Governor Chris Christie Celebrates Springsteen, Sings 'Thunder Road'
Could Drone Strikes Create Terrorists?
Euro Crisis and Jobs Report Create a Perfect Economic Storm
Canada Closes Iranian Embassy, Kicks out Diplomats
Chicago Teachers Threaten First Strike in 25 Years
Cuba: Less Terrorist Sponsor, More World Diplomat?
Should Taxi-Hailing Applications be Banned?
Polls Have Obama Taking the Lead, but Will It Stay That Way?
Tattoos Ruled Protected Speech in Arizona
How a Libertarian Felon Could Determine the Senate Majority
Warrantless Wiretapping Law Set for Congressional Approval
Judge to Twitter: Your Tweets or Your Money
Obama Vows Justice for Deaths in Libya
Congress Is Creating a Farm Crisis Like the Debt Crisis
American Embassy in Yemen Stormed by Protesters
Prisoner Who Died in Guantanamo Was Cleared for Release
Egypt: the United States' Newest Frenemy
America Dragged Into China-Japan Tussle Over Islands
'Grey's Anatomy' Could Feature Pro-Obamacare Themes
Obama Wins Right to Indefinitely Detain Americans
Chicago Teachers Union Votes to End Strike
Fast and Furious: No Evidence Holder Knew About Gunwalking
Does 'Innocence of Muslims' Pass the Free Speech Test?
Presidential Debate Topics Released: Mostly Economic
Russia Forces US Agency to Shut Down
17 Killed in Pakistan Protests Against Film
Obama Grilled Harder on Univision Than on Regular US Media
Iran Attacks US Banks in Cyber War
Should Foreign Science and Tech Graduates Get Green Cards?
Terrorist Group Lobbies Washington, Gets Removed from Terrorist List
Fergie, Seth Green, and Maya Angelou Walk Into a Polling Station...
US-Led Online Piracy Probe Broke New Zealand Law
Paul Ryan: Don't Ask Don't Tell Is Finished
Jill Stein, Green Party Nominee, Wants Medicare For All
Why Some Democrats Aren't Voting Obama
Media Duped by 'GMOs Cause Cancer' Study
Obama and Romney Agree: China a Useful Tool to Bash Each Other
'Innocence of Muslims' Filmmaker Sent to Prison on Probation Violations
Are FBI Informants Creating Would-Be Terrorists?
Fox News Airs Suicide Live on National Television
On the Line: Obama and Romney Talk with Netanyahu on Iran
Feds Watch Social Networks Without Warrants
Should Hate Speech Laws Be Scrapped?
Will Obama's Benghazi Narrative Affect the Election?
In Which Allen West Uses his Opponent's Mug Shot in an Attack Ad
Politix Posts For August, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for August, 2012:
Tea Partier Ted Cruz Nails Texas Senate Primary
Why 'Wimp' Attacks on Romney Are 'Unfair and Sophomoric'
Obama Secretly Authorizes US Backing of Syrian Rebels
Jon Stewart Shreds Harry Reid's Attack on Romney
Romney: Obama's Economy is the Real War on Women
White House Knew Risks of Solyndra, Gambled Anyways
Chick-fil-A 'Kiss In' Follows Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day
Democrats Apologize to Billionaire GOP Donor Sheldon Adelson
Four Reasons the Economy Isn't Recovering
Yale Prof Claims Obama Never Quotes the Bible, But He's Wrong
Activist Faces 21 Years for Recording Public Officials
Obama Aide David Plouffe Received $100,000 from Iranian Sources
Did NASA's Mars Rover 'Curiosity' Create Jobs?
Fear and Quote Screening On the Campaign Trail
Film on bin Laden Raid Gets a Trailer: 'Zero Dark Thirty'
Should Schools Make the School Year 20 Days Longer?
Romney Ad: Obama 'Gutting' Welfare Reform
To Improve Political Debate, Bring Back Crossfire
Are Baby Boomers to Blame for the Entitlement Shortfall?
Should the US Have a Maximum Income?
Paul Ryan the Best Choice for VP Nominee?
Innocent Deaths a Dangerous Subject for Obama Backers
US Debt Rises by $11 Trillion, Fiscal Cliff Looms
Obama Admin Seeks to Repeal Indefinite Detention Ruling
August WH Campaigns Smarter Than Usual
Crony Capitalism Will be the Election 2012 Winner
Democratic Convention to Feature Select Republicans
Should Police Be Allowed to Profit From Confiscated Assets?
It's the End of Medicare As We Know It
GOP Sues Holder over Fast and Furious
Ryan Gets Loved, and Heckled, at First Campaign Stops
Auto Bailout Will Cost $25 Billion
Romney: Obama Is Cutting $716 Billion From Medicare
Judge Refuses to Overturn Pennsylvania Voter ID Law
Why Americans Aren't Going to Vote
Analysts Skeptical of Israel Launching an Attack
How Will Facial Recognition Affect Privacy?
University of Colorado to Segregate Students Based on Gun Permits
The Scourge of Costco: Canadians
White House Eyes Tapping Oil Reserve to Lower Gas Prices
How Should the Media Report on 'Post-Truth' Politics?
Infighting Tears at the Heart of the Obama Campaign
The Robot Apocalypse Has Come for Our Jobs
Turns Out the US is Worse Off Than the Eurozone
Catch 22: A New Recession or a $1 Trillion Deficit?
Doctor Burnout Threatening Patients
Ron Paul Threat Keeps Romney Forces on Edge
Two Dead and Nine Injured in Shooting at Empire State Building
Paul Ryan is No Libertarian, Says Party Nominee
Anderson Cooper Calls Out Democrat for Twisting Romney's Words
Pro-Gay Marriage Lawyers Want Supreme Court to Drop Their Prop 8 Case
'American Taliban' Fights for Group Prayer in Prison
Medical Marijuana Group Endorses Obama
Department of Justice Will Monitor Elections in Joe Arpaio's County
Abandoning the Gold Standard Caused Economic Catastrophe
How Government Investigators Dodge Fourth Amendment Restrictions
Government Can Now Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Millennials Ditching Cars, Using Dropbox
Medicaid Users Should Brace for Dental Cuts
There's a Doctor Shortage, and Congress Is to Blame
Political Conventions Cost Taxpayers $136 million
New York Times Lets CIA Vet Story, Gets Caught
Time to Drop the Electoral College?
Obama Goes to Storm-Torn Louisiana Because Romney Did It First
Politix Posts for July 2012
Here's a short collection of my Politix posts for July 2012:
Team Romney: Individual Mandate Is Not a Tax
Should OxyContin Be Trialled for Children?
Democrat Accidentally Legalizes Fracking in NC
Afghan Refugees to Return Home
Iran Says Missiles Can Destroy US Bases "Within Minutes"
Obama Welcomes America's Newest Citizens
Unemployment at 8.2% as Economy Goes Nowhere
Battleground Michigan: Unions Prep to Amend State Constitution
How the Eurozone Crisis Affects America
Jon Huntsman Will Skip Republican National Convention
GOP Politicians Freaked Out by YouTube Videos of Their Homes
Rick Perry Also Says "No" to Medicaid Expansion
How Big Business Harms Capitalism
Should Liberals Be Upset With Liberal Supreme Court Judges?
Social Networks Reflect Your Political Preferences
Obama: Ties Between Venezuela and Iran Not a Threat
Obamacare Repeal Bill Passes the House
Florida Closed Tuberculosis Hospital During Tuberculosis Outbreak
Reports from Syria: Massacres, Chemical Weapons and Ethnic Cleansing
Bankrupt City of San Bernardino Faces Criminal Investigations
Can Obamacare Be Fixed Without Repeal?
Why the Drone War is Indefensible
When States Refuse Medicaid Expansion, Are They Attacking the Poor?
Obama to Business Owners: 'If You've Got a Small Business - You Didn't Build That'
DC May Fire Yet Another Mayor Over Corruption Scandal
Postal Service Rescue Bill Drowned in Congress
The Fiscal Cliff Cometh, Threatening Double-Dip Recession
Harry Reid Will Reform Filibuster if Dems Win
71-Year-Old Man "Stood His Ground" Against Would-Be Robbers
McCain Slams Bachmann for Saying Clinton Aide Is Muslim Brotherhood Agent
Will California's High Speed Rail Send the State off the Rails?
Bomb Attack on Israelis Could Spur Iranian Conflict
Should Political Campaigns Be Forced to Reveal Wealthy Donors?
In Oregon You Can Strip at TSA Checkpoint, So Long as It's Not Sexual
Democratic National Committee Apologizes to Ann Romney and Her Horse
Taxed by the Mile: Bay Area May Face Driving Tax
Tragic Shooting During "The Dark Knight Rises" Leaves 12 Dead
Details Emerge as Country Recoils from Colorado Shooting
Boston is Now Worth More Than Greece
Government Pretends Docs Leaked on Wikileaks Are Still Secret
You Can Register to Vote on Facebook - if You Live in Washington
The Increasingly Rare, Incredibly Valuable, Undecided Voter
GM Stocks Fall as Low as They've Ever Been
Police Can Impersonate You if They Confiscate Your Phone
Senate Passes Bill to Extend Bush Tax Cuts For Middle Class
How You Can Protest Vote This Fall - Without Wasting Your Vote
Economy Stalls With GDP Growth at 1.5%
Romney's Adventure Abroad and Why He's Doing It
Government Will Keep Megaupload Assets, Even if They Lose Case
Olympians Can Run, but They Can't Tweet
James Holmes Charged with 24 Counts of Murder
Politix Posts for June, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for June, 2012:
David Axelrod: Is Mitt Romney a Qualified Job Creator?
NYC's Bloomberg Wants to Ban Really Big Sodas
Wisconsin Mailing: Hey, Look at Which of Your Neighbors Didn't Vote!
Obama Wins Terrorism, Romney Wins Economy
A Gaffe is Born: Obama Says "Private Sector is Doing Fine"
Romney Follows Obama Onto Gaffe Bandwagon
Why Rand Paul Endorsed Mitt Romney
How Obama Lost the Middle Class
Obama in the City: Sarah Jessica Parker Hosts Fundraiser
Romney Says Little on Immigration, Press Reports a Lot
Obama Asserts Executive Privilege to Seal Docs in Gun-Running Scandal
Team Obama: We'll Be Massively Outspent
Can the Election Affect the Economy?
Romney: Outsourcing Story Is False
Obama vs. Romney: Who Won Over Hispanic Voters?
Union Goes to War With Chair of Democratic National Convention
House Just Voted to Hold Eric Holder in Contempt
Politix Posts for May, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for May, 2012:
Remember That Time Obama Got Bin Laden?
Is Religion Becoming Marginalized?
Obama V. Romney: Even match in Swing States
Former Obama Adviser Calls Latest Obama Ad 'Unfair'
The Debt Ceiling Cometh, Again
Majority Thinks Obama Supported Gay Marriage for Political Reasons
$10 Million in Corporate Money Tries to Rile the Wright Emotions
Obama Might Not Make the Arizona Ballot This Year
Barack Obama's Evolving Family Values
It's Complicated: Silicon Valley Changes Status With Obama
Politix Posts for April, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for April, 2012:
STOCK Act to Stop Congressional Insider Trading
James O'Keefe Video Steals Eric Holder's Ballot
GSA Gambles with Taxpayer's Money, Loses
John Cusack: Obama Continues Bush-Era Mentality
Politix posts for March, 2012
Here's a short collection of my posts for Politix for March, 2012:
Should the GOP Lose Big to Win Big?
Santorum Revives the Culture Wars
What's Holder Hiding in "Fast and Furious" Mexican Gun Scandal Documents?
This American Life Retracts Damning Foxconn Scoop
After Railing on Clowns to the Left, Coulter Takes a Look at Jokers on the Right
#ILikeObamaCare because it is the prequel to The #hungerGames
Obama to Putin: "After My Election I Have ... Flexibility"
Missouri Caucus Gone Wild: Ron Paul Supporters Arrested
Save the date: Bay City mechanic retires on 11-11-11 after 40 years at 11:11 a.m.
BAY CITY — In his 40 years as an auto technician, Mark Voss never thought he’d see computers in cars. He also thought he wouldn’t need reading glasses on the job.
But after four decades of turning wrenches, Voss has seen a lot of changes in the automotive world. He retires today at 11:11 a.m. to coincide with today’s date: 11/11/11. It also happens to be his 58th birthday.
“He’s one of those rare employees that, as a company, you have very few of,” said Joseph Thelen, general manager of Thelen Subaru. “He was the kind of technician who’d come up to the lounge and talk to the customer.”
Thelen said he was lucky to have a such a seasoned mechanic on his team. Voss has six years more seniority than any other employee at Thelen. He said Voss was factory certified for both Mazada and Volkswagen automobiles.
Voss said he started working at Wells Motors in 1971, a car dealership that predated Thelen Subaru. After Wells Motors was bought by Thelen in 1977, Voss decided to stay and work with today’s Thelen Subaru dealership, located at 1112 N. Euclid Ave.
Voss said he felt it was time to retire about two years ago, around the time he had to get his reading glasses. During his tenure, cars have become more technical and difficult to maintain. And with the advent of onboard computers, an idea he scoffed at years ago, he now spends more time reprograming onboard computers and fixing dashboard light warnings on top of his regular repairs.
“I have more and more of that all the time,” he said. “When I started here there was no such thing as a check-engine light. It’s time for the young kids to take over.”
Mechanic Mark Peterson, who started at Thelen Subaru six years ago, has worked next to Voss’ repair bay for the past four years and said he’s enjoyed working with Voss’ jovial attitude.
“When I first came here, Voss kind of — I guess you could say he took me under his wings,” said Peterson, 27 of Frankenmuth. “It was funny because I would always go and ask him questions, and now it’s I am always helping him. For the first year I was always unsure of things and now everything’s gotten so complicated he always comes to me to help him.”
Voss said he’s looking forward to relaxing after today. He said he plans to spend time with his family, further is wood carving hobby and maintain his ’68 Chevrolet Impala.
As a way of thanking Voss for nearly 35 years of service, Thelen said the dealership will foot the cost for a vacation of Voss’ choice.
In related news, Kathy LaLonde and her staff at Little House, 924 N. Water St., in Bay City, invite customers to drop by to celebrate LaLonde's birthday today.
“This Friday, 11-11-11 is my birthday,” she said. “There is chocolate cake, 11 specials and gifts for my customers.”
The ink is going pink: Bay City Tattoo shop to ink ribbons for breast cancer awareness month
Ask people about their tattoos, and you’re likely to get a pretty good story.
Ask Alan Gower and Katie Gower next week, and you’ll get the story of a lifetime.
In a show of support for their mother and her fight against breast cancer, the Gowers plan to have their bodies inked with a pink ribbon Sunday during a 24-hour tattoo marathon being hosted by VooDoo Tattoo.
The event, which begins at noon at 1010 Columbus Ave., is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.
For $20, participants can have one of several pink ribbon styles inked by VooDoo Tattoo’s artists, with half the proceeds benefiting breast cancer research.
The shop also is accepting donations for those who want to avoid the needle.
“It’s always been kinda in the back of our minds to do some sort of fundraiser,” said Paul Gomez, 36, a VooDoo Tattoo artist who says buzz surrounding the event has been extraordinary. “I’m hoping we didn’t bite off more than we can chew with this thing.
“Regardless, it’s going to be a good time. It’ll be a day to remember for sure.”
For Alan Gower, 22, and Katie Gower, 15, the timing of the event couldn’t be better.
Their mother, Shelley Brothwell, 39, of Kawkawlin, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September and is scheduled to undergo a double mastectomy today at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw.
She said she was deeply moved that her children are getting the tattoos in her honor and visited VooDoo last week to sign off on her daughter’s artwork because Katie is not yet 18.
“I’ll be in the hospital while they’re doing it.”
Alan Gower, who has other tattoos, said his pink ribbon is going behind his ear.
“I’m having mine on my shoulder,” added Katie Gower.
Gomez said the shop has stocked up on tubes, needles and pink ink for Sunday’s marathon. He said each ink job should take 20 to 30 minutes.
He said the event hits close to home because at age 15, he lost his best friend to stomach cancer.
“We were kind of inseparable,” he said. “Even at 15 … you understand the concept, but you know, having it right there where it’s right in your face, it’s kinda hard to deal with.”
Amelia Pelletier, coordinator of health initiatives for the Northeast Michigan and Upper Peninsula Chapter of the American Cancer Society, said she thinks the event is a great way to raise money and awareness in the battle against breast cancer.
“I thought it was kind of a neat idea when the guys came up with it,” she said.
Pelletier’s son, Dave Pelletier, 28, of Essexville, is an artist at VooDoo Tattoo and says Sunday’s event coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is observed each October.
Justin Rodriguez, owner of VooDoo Tattoo, said he’s been getting four to five calls a day from people asking about the event. He said many have told him they’re coming in groups of five or more.
“We have a lot of people who say they’re going to be here when we open,” Rodriguez said, hinting this may not be the last tattoo marathon at his business. “I hope this falls into place and this becomes a real great event.”
Amelia Pelletier said the money raised funds breast cancer research, as well as local community programs aimed at early detection and prevention.
That’s important to Brothwell, who says she won’t know the scope of her cancer until doctors operate and even if everything goes well, she’ll still have two more operations over a six-month period for reconstruction.
“It’s a long process I’ve found out,” she said, adding she never wants her daughter to go through what she is experiencing.
“I told her, when she gets older, I’m gonna be pushing her,” Brothwell said. “She’s gotta get breast exams, because I don’t want this to happen to her.”
Katie Gower agreed.
“I’m getting tested when I’m 20.”
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/10/the_ink_is_going_pink.html
Bangor Township church giving free haircuts for returning students
BANGOR TOWNSHIP — Kali Blackmar, 13, of Bay City sits in hair stylist Lynn Camero’s chair in the beige basement of New Hope Baptist Church. She, her sister and her brother have come to get their hair cut before going back to school.
Free haircuts are being given at the church, located at 3360 E. Midland Road in Bangor Township, to students returning to school in the coming weeks. The shearing started Monday and continues through Wednesday.
Camero, 67, said about 15 children have come out each day for a total of 72 haircuts as of Thursday morning.
Rev. Lee Austin, 62, said the idea first came to light when she was getting her hair cut by Sue Wegner, 48, two months ago.
“She was cutting my hair at her house and said her dream was to give everyone in Bay City who can’t afford to have a hair cut a free one,” Austin said. “I said, ‘Sue, if I supply the people you can cut as much hair as you want.' ”
Wegner agreed, and was joined by Camero for the event.
“On the first day we had a family of 12 walk in all at once,” Austin said.
Another free hair cutting session is planned for the first weekend in December.
Miss Cougar International speaks out: So what if cougars like young guys?
Though older men get praised for scoring hot young girlfriends, older women (commonly referred to as “cougars”) are often berated and laughed at for pursuing younger guys.
Since the 1967 release of “The Graduate,” a film centered on a mother seducing an unsettled twenty-something aged man, cougars have been viewed as aggressive females who force themselves upon insecure males.
The 2009 television series “Cougar Town” reinforces the idea that it’s unusual and humorous for a seasoned woman to desire a young, physically fit dude who would not have issues downstairs, but a “cougar-cub” relationship does not need to be seen as scandalous or weird.
Kenneth Martinez, 21, never expected to date a woman 16 years his senior, but he does. The “cub” met his current girlfriend while waiting for a buddy to pick him up at a skate park in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“We talked for like an hour,” Martinez told The Daily Caller. “She gave me her number, then we went out.”
This was not Martinez’s first cougar encounter. He said an older woman had fawned over his appearance before he had even reached adulthood.
“I was not even 18,” Martinez said. “I was just going into a gas station and she stopped me and told me ‘you’re the most good looking kid I’ve ever seen.’ I was like, thanks, you know.”
Amy Luna Manderino, also known as Miss Cougar International 2011, told TheDC that cougar dating is no different than traditional relationships.
“We are just people like everyone else,” Manderino, 40, told TheDC, adding that news outlets and the media have created a “tabloid” image of cougars depicting them as almost predators. (PICTURE: Courteney Cox of “Cougar Town”)
“Sometimes when I do my public speaking I joke that somebody in some board room somewhere decided that you cannot write an article on cougars without one of three keywords, [which are] predator, prey, and prowl,” Manderino said, noting that many people assume cougars are just out to get wild in bed with young guys.
This stereotype, the Berkeley, California resident says, doesn’t present the full story.
“These relationships are so rich in so many other ways besides just the sexual aspects,” Manderino explained. “[I]t is tabloid because it’s titillating and sells newspapers, but I think the real story is how gender roles are shifting in our society.”
Manderino says younger men are appealing because most do not strive to be a macho, alpha male.
“Hyper masculinity says do not go to the doctor, do not admit that you have any pain, do not admit that you have any problems … Do not learn how to cook. You partner with one of these hyper masculine guys and he’s not taking care of himself,” Manderino said.
“One of the things I love to say is the only difference between over forty and under forty is that the consequences of your choices are more visible. The guys that have that kind of lifestyle when they are over forty are the guys you hear cougars complain about,” she said. “The men my age, they are unhealthy, overweight and cannot take care of themselves because we raised them that way.”
But younger men have been taught differently, and today’s mothers are teaching their sons to develop healthier habits.
“There is a whole group of women who are raising men to say, no ‘I’m going to eat healthy. I’m not going to feel feminine because I eat fruits and vegetables. I’m not feminine because I care about the planet. Or that money is not everything to me,’” Manderino said of the men she prefers.
Dating consultant Nicole Johnson told TheDC that cougars should not be considered female creepers for being fed up with the guys in their own age group and trying out males with fresh perspectives.
“I do not believe ‘Cougars’ prey on young men,” Johnson said. “Pop culture’s definition of ‘Cougars’ is unjust; the word ‘prey’ should be used for true predators. I believe these middle-aged women have become frustrated with trying to date and connect with men their age. Because they are disheartened with the men in their demographic, they seek out new romantic options with younger men. That’s not preying, that’s perseverance!”
Currently single, Manderino reiterated her appreciation for the new trait she’s noticed in younger men.
“[These guys] are looking at their fathers and looking at their friends and saying, I don’t want to be that way. I do not want to be violent. I do not want to be all about money. I do not want to have to put down women to feel like a man,” Manderino said. “Women who have a lot of high self-esteem, we don’t want be with men like that.”
A month after first chatting with TheDC, Martinez’s relationship is still going strong. His girlfriend is getting a new car, a 325 BMW hardtop convertible, with all the options.
“She talks to me a lot about her marriage and stuff,” Martinez said. “She’s in a custody battle. Other than that, it’s great. We’ve progressed from hanging out on the weekend to nearly everyday.”
Martinez has also talked with his family about his dating exploits, and for the most part, they don’t mind at all. Martinez said only his mother expressed reservation about his relationship because his girlfriend is still married, although she has filed for divorce.
“They’re kinda sarcastic about it: Cougar this, cougar that, but they’re cool with it,” he said.
Michael Mayday contributed to this report. Follow him on Twitter.
The ink is going pink: Bay City Tattoo shop to ink ribbons for breast cancer awareness month
Bay City — Overwhelming response brought an early end to VooDoo Tattoo's 24 hour breast cancer tattoo marathon. The event, where patrons pay $20 for a breast cancer ribbon tattoo, has had such an overwhelming response that the tattoo parlor, located at 1010 Columbus Ave., had to lock its doors at 7 a.m., turning away participants said employee Shannon Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said all told, the shop inked 271 tattoos.
Half of the proceeds will go towards the American Cancer Society.
Rodriguez said VooDoo Tattoo is beginning to run out of supplies, such as tubes used for tattooing and will need to make a special order to keep working throughout the week. Local businesses came out to help VooDoo tattoo employees and patrons — many of which stood in line for several hours before making it into VooDoo tattoo.
Rodiguez said Grandpa Tony's, D'Angelo's Pizza and Bare Bones BBQ & Pizza donated food for the employees while the American Cancer Society donated cookies, bottled water and hot cocoa for patrons waiting in line.
"We definitely plan to do another one," Rodriguez said. "We didn't know we'd get this kind of response."
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/10/the_ink_is_going_pink.html
Record high: 50 percent of Americans approve of marijuana legalization
For over four decades Gallup has asked Americans if marijuana should be legalized. On Monday, Gallup published their latest findings with 50 percent of Americans approving of its legalization and 46 percent disapproving.
It was the first time a majority has approved of legalizing the drug since Gallup began asking in 1969.
Barry Schmidt, Prevention Specialist at the Bay County Prevention Network warns of the consequences of legalizing marijuana, likening the legalization of marijuana to the repeal of alcohol prohibition, causing an increase in crime.
"The problems with alcohol are just as rampant today, if not more rampant," he said. "With legalizing marijuana, that would cause the same kinds of issues."
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2009 marijuana was found to be the most prevalent illegal drug in use.
Support for legalizing marijuana decreases with age: 62 percent of ages 18 to 29 approve of legalizing marijuana, ages 50 to 64 approve by 49 percent and ages over 65 approve of legalization by only 31 percent. As a whole, the Midwest approve of legalization by 54 percent.
Opposition to legalization was highest at 85 percent in 1969, when Gallup first began asking the question. Since then, approval for legalizing the drug has slowly climbed.
James Denson, 30, who helps to run Earth Oddities, located at 808 N. Euclid Ave., said he's cautious of outright legalizing marijuana. He's said he'd be concerned of court systems clogged by appeals if it were legalized. However, Denson, like 70 percent of Americans surveyed last year, said doctors should be able to prescribe the drug to patients.
"As a whole, yeah," he said. "It'll be a lot easier for the people who need it to get it."
Delta College will be hosting State officials for a medical marijuana Wednesday at 6:30 p.m in the Delta College Lecture Theater. The free event is open to the general public.
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/10/record_high_50_percent_of_amer.html
Bay County hunters monitor whitetail deer population through check stations
BANGOR TP. — Successful deer hunter Brian Wahr of Freeland pulled up to the Bay County Deer Check station Wednesday at 3580 State Park Drive to have the spikehorn buck and doe he shot Tuesday morning checked by state officials.
Wahr said the buck was chasing after the doe, and the female deer already was wounded by a wayward crossbow bolt.
“I just decided to put her out of her misery,” he said.
Wahr bagged his two deer in Ogemaw County, a part of the designated bovine tuberculosis zone in the northeastern Lower Peninsula.
With that knowledge, wildlife assistant Eric Schrouder, 19, pried open both the buck and doe’s jaws and peered at the teeth before slicing and powersawing the heads off both deer. He and Sleeper State Park ranger Kathy Beachy then tagged, bagged and boxed the heads for shipping to a testing center in Lansing.
The state is monitoring the spread of TB among deer in the northeastern Lower Peninsula. The check stations also serve to record the ages of deer brought into the check area.
This year, deer aren’t getting all the attention.
“You didn’t happen to see any feral hogs, did you?” asked Nate Newman, an employee of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wildlife Services. Wahr said he didn’t, but he wished he had.
Newman said he came to the Bay County Deer Check station to see if any feral pigs had been spotted or bagged in Bay County or any surrounding areas.
“Some guy caught 13 of them in Midland ... There’s a ton of them in this area,” Newman said. “We’d like to kill all of them because they’ll eventually take over; they outcompete everything.”
Newman said most feral pigs are escapees from domestic game farms. He said the normally nocturnal pigs don’t require a license to be killed on private land.
Beachy said 32 deer filtered their way through the check station on Tuesday, the opening day of regular firearm season, and about a dozen on Wednesday morning. She said checking heads at the station is voluntary for hunters.
Most of the time, Beachy said, the age of the deer is recorded and a collectible patch is given out.
The agents check a deer’s age by slicing open a side of the animal’s cheek, necessary after rigor mortis. They search for any telltale teeth — like tricuspids, which set in after a year and a half — and teeth wear.
Delano Brubaker, 78, of Lee Township brought his 16-year-old grandson’s buck in to check its age and collect a patch. The best guess for Austin Brubaker’s buck, thanks to some molars coming in at the back of the buck’s jaw, is three and a half years old.
Brubaker said he was with Austin when he bagged his first buck Tuesday morning with a .32-caliber Winchester special. He said the buck was tailing several does when he walked into a shooting lane. By Delano Brubaker’s estimate his grandson bagged a nice six-point buck. Beachy and Schrouder considered it to be a nice eight-point.
“Yeah, he’s a proud little guy,” Brubaker said.
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/11/bay_county_hunters_monitor_whi.html
Tobico Marsh tower nears completion at Bay City State Recreation Area
BANGOR TWP. — The restoration of an observation tower at Tobico Marsh nearly is done.
Ben Berwick of Sugar Construction said Friday his crew was putting finishing touches on the tower after nine days of reconstruction.
“It’s a total renovation,” Berwick said of the tower project. “They’re gonna be built right back up again.”
Berwick said his crew planned to begin work on a second tower at Tobico March sometime this week.
But Pat Race, of the Saginaw Valley Sustainability Society, said reconstruction of the second tower may be on hold due to the discovery of a local eagle’s nest.
George Lauinger, supervisor of the Bay City State Recreation Area, said he couldn’t confirm the existence of the nest.
Race helps to raise funds for the project for Friends of the Bay City State Recreation Area and heads the Save Tobico Towers restoration project. So far, the project has raised more than $64,000, about 76 percent of the funds needed.
The project recently netted three grants totaling $11,000. The group has applied for two more grants in hopes of covering the estimated $84,400 cost.
Race said he was relieved to see progress on the towers’ reconstruction, but more remains to be done.
“I’ll be happy when we can use the towers,” he said.
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/11/tobico_marsh_tower_nears_compl.html