CMA data shows Illinois and California are in the top ten list of sovereign default risks, with Illinois leapfrogging California in terms of increasing risk.



Please consider CMA Market Data as of Wednesday, 23 June 2010.



Sovereign Default Risks







Illinois is ranked a better risk than Iraq, but riskier than Portugal and California.



The countries (or states) are ranked by their cumulative probability of default (CPD), which gives the market's assessment of an issuer's likelihood of default over the life of a CDS contract.



9,111 retired California government workers receive pensions in excess of $100,000



Here is the CalPERS Top Ten list







Bruce Malkenhorst is the top recipient making over half-a-million dollars a year in pension benefits. Is that insane or what?



Please click on previous link to search the entire CalPERS list.



3,090 retired California teachers and administrators receive pensions in excess of $100,000



Here is the CalSTRS Top 10 List







Please click on previous link to search the entire CalSTRS list.



Ironman Competitor Deemed "Permanently and Totally Incapacitated" Collects huge pension benefits.



Dave Orlowski, 54 years young, is fit enough for multiple "Ironman Competitions" but amazingly collects $53,063 disability benefits a year plus full health benefits because the Milwaukee police union deems him "permanently and totally incapacitated for duty."



Please consider Fit enough for Ironman but not for the MPD



Dave Orlowski can swim 2.4 miles. He can bike 112 miles. He can run 26.2 miles.



In fact, the 54-year-old athlete can do all of these one right after the other - several times a year. He completed six Ironman triathlons last year, has done three so far this year and hopes to compete in yet another one in Klagenfurt, Austria, on July 4.



Orlowski can also play a round of golf, as he did recently at a fund-raiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin.



But this is something the guy won't do:



He won't work for the Milwaukee Police Department.



That's because the former homicide detective has been declared "permanently and totally incapacitated for duty."



As an injured ex-cop, Orlowski has been paid nearly $500,000 in tax-free pension checks by the city since 1999. He is currently receiving $53,063 a year from the city Employees' Retirement System, plus full health benefits.

Pension Fraud

Defending the Indefensible

Taxpayers Have Had Enough

Chris Christie, a Beacon of Light