Catching up with the News

This morning my local newspaper printed the wrong puzzle grid for the New York Times crossword puzzle.  I put in the first across answer (well, one that fit), but then realized that there were way too many spaces for the down responses.  I thought it might be some kind of rebus. Moving to the next across clue I saw that the numbers of the entire puzzle did not match the numbers of the clues.  Ugh.  Email sent to paper.

So now I have an extra five or so minutes and thought I would sit here and catch up on the news.

First up:  Detroit.  I must say I was really surprised that the jury in the Kilpatrick trial came back with guilty verdicts.  After the mistrial earlier of Bobby Ferguson, I was sure they would be dead-locked again despite the piles of evidence.  But oh ye of little faith, this jury got it right.

Unfortunately, the City is so far down I am not sure how it can rise from the ashes.  And I doubt that the appointment of a 'dictator' is going to make much of a difference.

Speaking of which:  What a slap in the face to every finance person in the entire state that the Governor found it necessary to go Maryland to find an emergency manager to run the City.  Why did Michigan State University waste everyone's time and money training people in the duties of an EM, even if it was under the old public act?

And to compound this folly, the Detroit News discovers that this 'financial genius' who was appointed has tax liens on his home in Maryland for unpaid taxes that he claims he knew nothing about.  The Governor's office says they vetted the candidate and did not discover this.  As I recall they also said they vetted their appointee to the Detroit Financial Advisory Panel who just happened to have ties to the Kilpatrick Civic Fund, which was cited during the Kilpatrick trial as a sort of slush fund for the former Mayor.  You call that vetting?

My suggestion to the Governor's office:  GOOGLE.

In other news, today is the first day of Spring.  It is 21 degrees outside.  Some guy on the radio says this is due to global warming.  I thought that meant it would be warmer?

And closer to home a 75-year old grandmother was found guilty of murdering her 17-year old grandson.  She shot him six times, in self-defense, even while he was on the phone with 911 bleeding and asking for help.  All the excuses aside, including the drug use of the grandson, and blame being placed on the parents who were in Arizona caring for a daughter with cancer, murder is still Murder.  There doesn't seem to be any 'good' excuse for it.  Another jury seems to get it.

Now, I will get my act together and go off to yoga class.  Yesterday my instructor had me demonstrate Warrior III, telling my fellow students that I go to classes four times a week and it takes lots of practice to do it correctly.  I was so pleased with myself that I was doing it in my kitchen last night while waiting for my coffee to brew.

Hope you have a serene and peaceful first day of Spring.