Fake Products and Companies Certified by Energy Star - Popular Mechanics

Just so you know exactly what "Energy Star Certified" really means:

Fake Products and Companies Certified by Energy Star - Popular Mechanics

Other great moments in rapid confirmation occurred for submissions of a nonexistent water cooler (approved in four days), a make-believe commercial HVAC unit (approved in one week), a bogus boiler qualified within one business day of submission and a dishwasher that also made the cut in a single day. But the record-setting Usain Bolt of fake Energy Star products has to be an imaginary computer monitor—the EPA requested expedited info so the machine could make a deadline for a Qualified Products list designed to guide shoppers during the 2009 holiday season. The GAO rapidly fired off some falsified test data, and the made-up monitor was approved and online within 30 minutes of submission.

And it spread like Memefire

Best example ever. Give that Professor a medal.

Anatomy of a Rumor: The Story Behind Chief Justice John Roberts's 'Retirement' - Above the Law - A Legal Tabloid - News, Gossip, and Colorful
Commentary on Law Firms and the Legal Profession: "Today’s class was partially on the validity of informants not explaining their sources. [Professor Tague] started off class at around 9 am EST by telling us not to tell anyone, but that we might find it interesting that tomorrow, Roberts would be announcing his retirement for health concerns. He refused to tell anyone how he knew. Then, at around 9:30, he let everyone in on the joke.
Note the timestamps on the Radar posts. The first one came out at 6:10 a.m., i.e., the Pacific Time equivalent of 9:10 a.m. Eastern time. The retraction came out at 6:36 a.m., i.e., the
Pacific Time equivalent of 9:36 a.m. Eastern — shortly after Professor Tague let his class in on the joke."

Ridiculous Rhetoric

This is getting stupid:

Lawmakers to discuss move to halt digital billboards | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

"Digital billboards are really weapons of mass distraction," Abby Dart, executive director of Scenic Michigan, a statewide nonprofit group that's pushing for the moratorium, said Wednesday.

And condoms in a retirement home are like anthrax. Come on, how can you make that statement when you admit you don't have any statistics?

Agnostics and Atheists Set up the Fan

As in, the shit's gonna hit:

Atheists, agnostics to put ads on buses | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

"Don't believe in God? You're not alone," reads the ads that are to be placed on a dozen buses across the region. They were paid for by the Detroit Area Coalition of Reason, which spent $5,250 on the ads with the help of their national group, the United Coalition of Reason. It's part of a nationwide effort that has targeted more than 20 cities across the U.S. by placing such ads on buses, subways and billboards, organizers said.

I'm a little surprised tho. I've considered myself an Agnostic for some time, but I certainly don't disbelieve in God. At least, some sort of higher power. Oh well, there I go again, defying convention.

I think that it's important particularly for an atheist to examine where their moral framework comes from. Some will adopt the title just to be "counterculture" and have no clue what it actually means.

Detroit Shrinks

I’ve said before that Detroit’s biggest problem is that with it’s current tax base it can’t afford to provide services to the vast area that it encompasses.  The only solution seemed to be to shrink the borders, but how can one do that realistically?

It looks like new Mayor Bing has a plan:

In his strongest statements about shrinking the city since taking office, Bing told WJR-760 AM the city is using internal and external data to decide "winners and losers." The city plans to save some neighborhoods and encourage residents to move from others, he said.

"If we don't do it, you know this whole city is going to go down. I'm hopeful people will understand that," Bing said. "If we can incentivize some of those folks that are in those desolate areas, they can get a better situation.

In theory, it’s a good idea.  In practice I have my doubts:

Among the court challenges he sees ahead include the legality of cutting off city services to particular neighborhoods and using eminent domain to relocate residents. In 2006, voters approved a prohibition on government's ability to take property for economic development.

In general, I’m not a big fan of eminent domain takings, but this may be the most justified case I’ve seen.  If the residents are given enough economic incentive to move, perhaps most of them won’t fight too hard. 

The most damning quote is here:

Bing's staff is using its own data and a survey released last weekend by Data Driven Detroit. The block-by-block study of the 139 square-mile city showed that roughly one in three parcels are vacant lots or abandoned homes.

1/3rd of the city is abandoned, but that’s still area you have to police, and plow, and provide lighting to, and water and sewage and all the other things that make life possible in a city.

2/3rd of the population has to finance that, and that doesn’t take into account the number of people who are currently not paying their city taxes. 

Detroit started as a small hunting camp on the shores of the Detroit River.  It grew from there to the industrial powerhouse that helped win World War II.  Perhaps if it shrinks to a manageable size it can begin to grow again.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100225/METRO01/2250391/Detroit-Mayor-Bing-emphasizes-need-to-shrink-city#ixzz0gYxRtbZG

Education makes great progress

I saw the headline below and thought "is that all?" Spend 5 minutes at failbooking.com and you'll know what I mean.

About 1 in 5 students need remedial help in college | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium

Really Gibbs? Don't know if you should be throwing stones from that glass house. How's the TOTUS lately?

White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium

WASHINGTON (AP) - Even the White House's top spokesman is getting in on the act of mocking former Republican vice presidential nomineeSarah Palin for looking to talking points written on her palm during a speech to "tea party" activists.

Robert Gibbs showed the words "hope" and "change" on his hand as he started his daily briefing with reporters on Tuesday.