Crabbyman

Columbus Dispatch

Holiday tradition ending: Big Penney catalog is last | The Colu...

Sad day indeed, but an understandable business move. I fondly remember going to JC Penney to get a copy of the catalog or borrowing a friend's copy. As a kid, I enjoyed making the world's largest Christmas wish list from the catalog. I'd borrow a piece of grandpa's yellow legal pad and I would start to write down practically every toy from the boys section. Even though I do a lot of ordering online any more, I still love getting a catalog in the mail. I enjoy being able to carry it around with me as I browse and share it with others before ordering. It makes me more likely to order from a store especially with those that do not have a local brick and mortar version.  (Thursday Nov 19 | post #1)

Columbus Dispatch

How would a casino affect Arena District? | The Columbus Dispatch

Watch! The Columbus Blue Jackets...goes bankrupt... Penn Gambling buys the Blue Jackets.. and are rename Penn Blue Chips and their starter league team will be called Red Chips! ..get it? chips? gambling? ...don't boo me so much!  (Thursday Nov 5 | post #11)

Columbus Dispatch

Honda begins production today of Accord Crosstour | The Columbu...

Or here is directly linked pictures: http://www.autowee k.com/storyimage/C W/20090901/CARNEWS /909019996/crossto ur-front.jpg http://www.stoth.c om/wp-content/plug ins/wp-o-matic/cac he/c9516_crosstour 3_lead.jpg  (Tuesday Nov 3 | post #10)

Columbus Dispatch

Honda begins production today of Accord Crosstour | The Columbu...

Dually noted. However, Appple computers are designed in Cali and they are a thing of art. For those who want pictures, here is a photo gallery from a journalist who got to drive one today: http://www.autoblo g.com/gallery/2010 -honda-accord-cros stour-first-drive/ #10  (Tuesday Nov 3 | post #9)

Columbus Dispatch

Honda begins production today of Accord Crosstour | The Columbu...

Hooray for Honda producing much of this car in Ohio! ...too bad the design has the majority of people hiding in fear or disgusted. They need some new designers at Honda of America. The current Civic and (more so) the Crosstour are hideous looking. Makes me think they want a place on the "10 ugliest cars" list next to a Pontiac Aztec. If they wanted a crossover car, they should have brought back a version of the Accord wagon instead.  (Tuesday Nov 3 | post #1)

DispatchPolitics

Ohio led states in preschool cutbacks

Again, bad information. 1. Early Learning Initiative did not replace Head Start. Head Start is still available out there. 2. Head Start is a FEDERALLY funded program, not state funded. The Early Learning program was basically a drain on tax payers. It was very similar to regular preschool services, but cost more than subsidized child care (which is what it ended up being for many parents) and also cost more than regular preschool programs. The program was also based on TANF money which has been decimated in the state budget or required to be used elsewhere by the federal government. Preschool options are still out there for families. It is just the ELI program was highly marketed and providers were overly reimbursed for services. Sadly, the majority of people complaining about the ending of the program are those whose hand was in the money pot.  (Oct 23, 2009 | post #2)

Columbus Dispatch

Pain's inspiration | The Columbus Dispatch

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't these photo sensitive lenses wear down over time? One thing for sure is they react to UV light, not visible light. The sun is always producing UV rays so in effect would the glass always be "tinted" ? From Berkley Labs..."Full coloration of the prototype device from transparency to its darkest state requires about 10 minutes." Also from Berkley on disadvantages to large scale use of the photochromatic glass..."They include the lack of adequate reversibility (switching back and forth from transparency to a colored state), instability of the material over the long term, and high cost." In theory, it is a good idea. However, the current state of photochromatic glass makes this proposition costly and inefficient.  (Oct 19, 2009 | post #8)

Columbus Dispatch

Booster-seat law takes effect next week | The Columbus Dispatch

The people that should do this won't... The parents that are already cautious, will do this. BTW, I personally would not want to go to Wal-Mart (ever) just to get a $12 thing that will be outgrown in a few months anyways. Like the poster above states, why is a person safe if they are 8 yrs old or 57 inches tall? What about the old folk who are under 57 inches tall? Are we saying its safe to drive without seeing but not be a passenger?  (Sep 29, 2009 | post #24)

DispatchPolitics

House overhauls college-aid programs

Ok, this is a double edged sword. I have never known a "middle class" person able to get a Pell Grant. Seems the only people I have ever seen get one was single mothers who are basically going to college to get out of doing anything else and never finish college anyways. They use the grant money along with the scholarship moneys to live off of. Since it can't be counted as income, they can still get food assistance and other assistance and easily live better than a family that has two parents working at minimum wages with a full time work week. I like the organization of the Direct Loan program, but in the end it may hurt those same "middle class" familys get loans for school as the government run programs are even more stringent and picky on how you get the loans and what is required. And the new preschool programs that will be created...are these only going to target the low income individuals again or will it include the working middle class?  (Sep 18, 2009 | post #1)

DispatchPolitics

Budget victims

I again will state that all the same parents can benefit from the public preschool option available to even more families than the ELI program would ever be able to offer or even the HeadStart program (which was actually just expanded even more). Sorry I did not state specific cases or numbers. My numbers come from an ELI provider and the case workers that actually processed the ELI paperwork. I have actual numbers from a local ELI provider. Granted, I live in a county of approximately 60,000 people so we are not a big county, but we are not a small one either. Most bigger counties rates are even higher than ours. Preschool rates (full time) = $115.00 per week ELI rates (full time) = $181.50 per week ELI rates (part time) = $136 per week ELI rates (hourly) = $7.55 per hour Bonus = $1000.00 if they had a child enrolled the first month ELI = $181.50 x 4 = $726 per month ELI bonus = $1000 / 12 = $83.33 per month ELI monthly = $809.33 per month Preschool = $115 x 4 = $460 per month So actually my 150% estimate was low. Actual rate difference is $809.33 / $460 = 1.759x or 175.9% more than regular preschool rates. Considering (for this provider and many others) the teachers were the same between programs and so were the actual programs themselves, it seems like too much wasteActually, it was TANF funding. It was originally funded under another TANF funding stream that required a work/training activity. Well, first they changed the work requirement all the way down to "1 hour per week" requirement but after working the magical political red tape and finagling they were able to make it a TANFII program categorized under "prevention " related (usually for at-risk teenagers who are pregnant). Also, the parents around here were forwarned at least 2 months ahead of time that the program was likely to either cut or reduced significantly so they could make arrangements to make the transition to public prescchool, HeadStart, or regular subsidized child care (if eligible). I do feel sorry for the families with no options. However, like previously mentioned, there are at least 2 other free or reduced price options that are already offered.  (Aug 28, 2009 | post #26)

Columbus Dispatch

21-year-old mayoral hopeful in Ohio off ballot over age rule

Regardless of the character of THIS guy, the whole thing sounds like elitism to me. I don't know all the facts or the whole story, but it seems as though a hasty decision was made to make sure he did not make it to the mayor race again for a while. Even if it was voted on, it was probably one of those days they set up a vote and keep it very quiet so very few know about it.  (Aug 28, 2009 | post #7)

DispatchPolitics

Budget victims

I have been reading a lot of people saddened by the loss of this program. Here is some facts about the ELI program nobody has talked about... 1. ELI providers got paid more per week than similar preschool programs. Something along the lines of 25-40% more. 2. On top of that, ELI providers ALSO got an "attendance bonus" for having the child so many days. I heard something like $500 additional per month. 3. The ELI program was very much like the public preschool program. Parents with children in ELI could be eligible for public preschool in 99.9% of cases. This program was a mess from day 1. First they required a family to work and it was an extension of the subsidized child care program. Then it became it's own program and regulations changed but JFS child care staff still dealt with it. Families could get ELI program free up to 165% FPL AND not have to have any work requirement hence it should have been pushed completely to ODE. The program was full of loopholes. The eligibility was done at local JFS'es but it was paid for by ODE but JFS'es had no clue on attendance or anything past what the families would tell them UNTIL the providers came crying about something that was causing them to not be able to add attendance so they could get their 150%+ rate of pay. Eligibility also allowed a caretaker receiving child only welfare benefits to look the other way on what the caretaker made. They needed to decide whether it was a JFS type of program or an ODE program...not both. Parents that are truly interested in the education aspect of the program (and not the free child care without working/traing requirement) can apply for public preschool. At the end of ELI's life, that is basically what it had become.  (Aug 28, 2009 | post #3)

Columbus Dispatch

Grocers go online

I have been online shopping since the early 1990's (probably about the time I could get my driver's license). I feel comfortable overall shopping online and see how this would be wonderful if I did not have a wife that does the grocery shopping. She would hate this because of the bigger "glitches " in the system. 1.) Coupons - She is an avid coupon clipper. Heck, we get the Dispatch just on the weekends for the coupons. 2.) Picking products - Who is to say the shopper does not pick rotten produce, the wrong product, or an accidentally dented/puncture food packaging? 3.) Cold products - Maybe its just my reading the wording wrong, but they pull the items and just leave them to the side? Does that mean my milk and cheese would be room temperature until I can pick it up? I do have to say, if I was single, I would definitely make use of something like this as I cannot stand grocery shopping and also have the urge to only shop when hungry so I end up buying lots of junk food that I do not need. ..in fact, since I reinforce bad food choices that is why the wife goes grocery shopping alone!  (Aug 19, 2009 | post #7)