New parking meters in downtown Des Moines do everything: coins, dollar bills, as well as credit and debit cards.
They also cost somewhere between $8000 and $15,000, according to the Des Moines Register.
A regular old coin meter costs only $500.
Ouch! What a ripoff of the taxpayers!
I wonder how well those $15,000 parking meters take a steel-toed boot?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
$4.6 Million For What?
From the Fanhouse:
...Any thoughts of contending for a Big Ten title (in a year where Ohio State and Michigan rotated off the conference schedule) appear to have gone away for Iowa...Ferentz earned $4.6 million in the 13 months leading up to June 2007. He was the highest paid (verifiable) football coach in America this past year.
...a myriad of problems have led to an 0-2 Big Ten start, thanks to a 38-20 loss to Indiana Saturday in Iowa City...
...With the loss, Iowa has now dropped five straight Big Ten games dating back to last season. The 0-2 start in 2007 is not a good omen for them. Iowa travels to Penn State next weekend, then hosts resurgent Illinois. Following that is a trip to unbeaten Purdue and a home date with current unbeaten Michigan State (on the field against Wisconsin right now).
They could win those home games, but they could also start the Big Ten season 0-6.
WTF??????
Ron Van Fossen Back In The Hoosegow Again
Wife-beating Davenport Councilman Ron Van Fossen was ordered to jail for 15 days because his spousal support check bounced.
Van Fossen has to be the biggest embarrassment in local politics in Iowa. Perhaps even more so than West Des Moines councilman Brad Olson, who finally resigned a few days ago.
Van Fossen has previously been to the pokey for violating a no-contact order with his estranged wife. He also spent time in the drunk tank and is facing a sexual harassment suit by a former female co-worker.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Who Speaks On Behalf Of Jetseta Gage? Nobody!
Updated below:
From Radio Iowa:
Fuck the Constitution. James Bentley should have been dragged down a gravel road with a chain around his neck until he is scraped into worm food. He should have been hung from a tall tree by a short rope. He should have already faced a firing squad, the electric chair, the gas chamber, and a guillotine.
Do you think the creators of the 6th Amendment could have envisioned what the Iowa Supreme Court is saying: If you've been caught fucking around with a girl younger than 10 years old and she's given a statement to a counselor on videotape, then by all means go hire your sex offender brother to rape and kill her! Get rid of the witness by any means necessary! Then she won't be able testify against you! How brilliant is that? Did some fuckhead public defender lawyer give James Bentley that advice?
We have these stupid fucking politicians signing goddamn bills into law in the name of Jetseta Gage that mean nothing!
What else do these politicians do? Create some arbitrary and worthless restriction on where sex predators can live. Not only do the cops hate the law, but so do childhood sex abuse victims.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton supporter Tom Vilsack let sexual abusers get their voting rights back. Where are most elections held? Schools!
We get sob stories in the media about the killer.
The media eventually leaves out some important factors in this case because they want to paint the mother as a victim when in fact the mother should be in prison for allowing her child into that environment!
There were people around Jetseta who knew what was going on and did nothing!
Thankfully, nobody blamed Tom Vilsack's DHS for Jetseta Gage's death, unlike the murder of 5 year old Evelyn Miller. Tom Vilsack defended the DHS in the Miller case in the most bizarre and asshole way following a whitewash investigation:
Update:
Think I'm harsh because of all the F-bombs? Read the comments on the Des Moines Register story from today. Ouch!
From Radio Iowa:
The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling blocking the videotaped testimony of a slain Cedar Rapids girl from the trial the man accused of sexually abusing her. The district court ruled that a videotape statement from ten-year-old Jetseta Gage could not be used in the sexual abuse trial of James Bentley as the statements would violate Bentley's constitutional right to confront a witness against him.
Gage was interviewed by a counselor in November of 2004 and during the videotaped interview made numerous statements James Bentley sexually abused her. Bentley's brother Roger was convicted of murder for killing Gage in March of 2005.
Fuck the Constitution. James Bentley should have been dragged down a gravel road with a chain around his neck until he is scraped into worm food. He should have been hung from a tall tree by a short rope. He should have already faced a firing squad, the electric chair, the gas chamber, and a guillotine.
Do you think the creators of the 6th Amendment could have envisioned what the Iowa Supreme Court is saying: If you've been caught fucking around with a girl younger than 10 years old and she's given a statement to a counselor on videotape, then by all means go hire your sex offender brother to rape and kill her! Get rid of the witness by any means necessary! Then she won't be able testify against you! How brilliant is that? Did some fuckhead public defender lawyer give James Bentley that advice?
We have these stupid fucking politicians signing goddamn bills into law in the name of Jetseta Gage that mean nothing!
What else do these politicians do? Create some arbitrary and worthless restriction on where sex predators can live. Not only do the cops hate the law, but so do childhood sex abuse victims.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton supporter Tom Vilsack let sexual abusers get their voting rights back. Where are most elections held? Schools!
We get sob stories in the media about the killer.
The media eventually leaves out some important factors in this case because they want to paint the mother as a victim when in fact the mother should be in prison for allowing her child into that environment!
There were people around Jetseta who knew what was going on and did nothing!
Thankfully, nobody blamed Tom Vilsack's DHS for Jetseta Gage's death, unlike the murder of 5 year old Evelyn Miller. Tom Vilsack defended the DHS in the Miller case in the most bizarre and asshole way following a whitewash investigation:
"...Vilsack reviewed five-years-worth of files kept by Department of Human Services social workers who investigated complaints about the child's welfare. On Monday, Vilsack said the complaints came from family members who had 'an ax to grind' and whose 'credibility' was 'a bit suspect.'"
Update:
Think I'm harsh because of all the F-bombs? Read the comments on the Des Moines Register story from today. Ouch!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Project Got Away
From the Kansas City Star:
...[Matthew] Christopher is a rising star in a crowded but thriving bridal industry. His strapless embroidered gown was on the cover of Modern Bride magazine earlier this summer, and several dresses have been featured in other issues. His gowns are carried in about 70 bridal stores across the country. In 2004 and 2005 he won Distinctive Newcomer award nominations from a bridal industry group.
His dresses tend to have closely fit bodices with soft girlish embellishment such as embroidery, lace insets and ruching. Tops may be strapless or draped into soft cap sleeves or shoulder treatment.
Christopher is known for a surprising mix of fabrics; his skirts are sometimes layers of silk, tulle and lace. The gowns are pretty, traditional and sophisticated without being aggressively sexy. He says he is inspired by anything and everything — a lamp, a road or architectural details.
To get to where he now is, Christopher traveled a serendipitous, sometimes rocky career path. He grew up in a small rural town near Iowa City. Like many designers who came from the Midwest, he was driven early in life to creative design. As a young boy, he says, he was always drawing. When he was 16, he worked in an evening wear shop. And he sewed for his sister and friends, especially during prom season. One spring he made seven prom dresses.
But design was not his only talent. He studied singing for 12 years, and for two summers he added his tenor voice to a group of young people who toured Iowa during the farm crisis. “It was like ‘Up With People,’ ” he says. “They had auditions, and 20 people were chosen.”
After high school Christopher went to the Art Institute of Chicago. After the first year he transferred to Iowa State University “to have some fun,” he said.
But his gaze was pinned much farther away. When summer came he headed for New York, determined to kick-start his career. He was offered an internship with Vera Wang, the bridal gown designer, but said no.
“It was just to be a runner,” he says.
He landed a job instead with Demetrius, another bridal house.
At the end of the summer he went back to Iowa State. The next summer he returned to the city and, together with a close friend, became chef for a member of the Vanderbilt family. Later his friend went on to cook for Meryl Streep for seven years. Christopher returned once again to Iowa State.
After college he began a roller-coaster series of jobs. He was with a ready-to-wear house and became a pattern maker for a one-of-a-kind company. He hit a peak when he was overseeing production in China for another company. But after he completed the first collection not long after 9/11, the company told him it couldn’t afford him.
He was back in New York job hunting when his parents came for a visit with a surprise. Weary of watching him bounce from company to company, they announced, “We’re going to put you in business.”
The rest is history....
That's a great story!
The kid sure hustled, didn't he?
Making prom dresses while in high school! Turning down Vera Wang! Chef for the Vanderbilts! Now he's a bridal gown kingpin with success!
It could have been worse. He could have completed his degree at Iowa State, racked up $30,000 or more in student loans, and then eventually have been selected to be a member of some state government commission, spending his free time whining to the public about his student loan debt.
"You don't spend your days chasing geniuses, do you?"
"They have a hell of a good camera at that store. Very clear pictures"
From Des Moines Register in a Tom Alex story headlined: Two teens charged in failed rooftop break-in
Read the whole thing.
To get the Chevy Chase reference, see this clip from the movie Seems Like Old Times.
“Accidents rarely, rarely, if ever, happen on the water due to alcohol consumption. It’s just a fact.”
Kevin McCarthy, Iowa House Majority Leader
From WHO-TV:
A Sioux City man was convicted today of being intoxicated while operating a boat involved in a fatal accident on the Missouri River.
Thirty-year-old Justin Nguyen faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in November.
Nguyen was arrested after his boat hit a wing dam on the Iowa side of the river on July 22, 2006, flipping the boat and killing 1 of his two passengers
5 months ago Democrat Kevin McCarthy, the Iowa House Majority Leader, refused to advance legislation that would hold drunk boaters to nearly the same standards as drunk drivers.
McCarthy's excuse was:
“Accidents rarely, rarely, if ever, happen on the water due to alcohol consumption. It’s just a fact.”
In 2005, Iowa had 53 boating accidents that resulted in 9 deaths.
McCarthy had no problem getting an anti-flag desecration bill rammed through the Iowa House in the last session. How many flags were desecrated last year and how many of those desecrated flags killed or seriously injured people?
Related: “Accidents rarely, rarely, if ever, happen on the water due to alcohol consumption. It’s just a fact.” (from July)
What Constitutes "Undecided"?
John Deeth reprints a Strategic Vision Poll of the candidates in Iowa and has some good commentary on it.
Deeth seems to think that Romney is going to win in Iowa. I think he's permanently stuck at 30% and will fade by January. You can only buy so much support. Don't forget that Steve Forbes got 30% in 2000. Where is he now?
Look at the rest of the pack on the Republican side. Undecided is polling at 13%, but then if you add up all the lesser possibilities (Huckabee, McVain, Gingrich, Paul, Tancredo, Brownback, and Hunter) and the undecideds it comes to 50%. If you're supporting a loser before the caucuses happen, you're basically undecided.
The Democrats have a three way tie for last place. Hitlery, Edwards, and Obama comprise 67% of the poll. We all know Edwards is going to totally fall apart after Iowa, but don't tell his supporters that. Where will they go?
And what about the Nader factor? Deeth uncovered some stuff on Craiglist that showed a possible Nader campaign was building in Iowa. A lot of Dems are still pissed about Nader and 2000, but I think if the Dems have warmonger Hitlery Clinton at the top of the ticket the Naderites might reconsider all that since she is more crooked than her husband's penis.
Deeth seems to think that Romney is going to win in Iowa. I think he's permanently stuck at 30% and will fade by January. You can only buy so much support. Don't forget that Steve Forbes got 30% in 2000. Where is he now?
Look at the rest of the pack on the Republican side. Undecided is polling at 13%, but then if you add up all the lesser possibilities (Huckabee, McVain, Gingrich, Paul, Tancredo, Brownback, and Hunter) and the undecideds it comes to 50%. If you're supporting a loser before the caucuses happen, you're basically undecided.
The Democrats have a three way tie for last place. Hitlery, Edwards, and Obama comprise 67% of the poll. We all know Edwards is going to totally fall apart after Iowa, but don't tell his supporters that. Where will they go?
And what about the Nader factor? Deeth uncovered some stuff on Craiglist that showed a possible Nader campaign was building in Iowa. A lot of Dems are still pissed about Nader and 2000, but I think if the Dems have warmonger Hitlery Clinton at the top of the ticket the Naderites might reconsider all that since she is more crooked than her husband's penis.
Perry Beeman Bends Over And Lubes Up For Rainforest Chief David Oman
This morning "reporter" Perry Beeman basically reprints yesterday afternoon's Des Moines Register piece on the Earthpork "in-kind" donation of $10 million worth of whatever by "shell company" Maxon Holdings LLC out of some suburban Atlanta broom closet.
Some people have emailed about whether the in-kind match will count. I'm afraid it will. From the post "Weasel Grassley Defends Rainforest Pork Change" here are two scans from the bill that Grassley rewrote after Coralville gave up on the prima donna Oman:
and
The above is to show you that the cutoff date is December 1st, 2007.
A couple interesting developments in the Beeman article. The project's cost is now down to $140 million.
A long time ago, this project was in the $280 million to $300 million range. Eventually it was scaled down to $180 million. Last year the price was knocked down to $155 million. Now it's $140 million.
This could very well be the first construction project whose cost has declined as time has progressed. It's down 50% from original estimates several years ago.
Anybody who has spent 5 seconds in the construction or engineering industry knows those numbers Oman is pushing are total bullshit. Construction costs always go up!
Another oddity is that Beeman says the "federal grant" is now $48 million. WTF? I thought it was $50 million! Oman got nabbed spending $2.9 million of that $50 million a couple years ago. Where did all that fucking money go?
I'll tell you something: the Des Moines Register has gone completely AWOL on this project. They could give a shit about the taxpayers. All they do is reprint Oman's press releases and "copyright" them like it's a real story. Why are the Des Moines Register reporters up David Oman's ass? They can't be bothered to investigate whether or not Maxon Holdings LLC is a real business or some shifty guys working out of a broom closet in Atlanta. Who's really behind Maxon Holdings and all those other shell LLCs anyway? We have no fucking idea.
When the politicians don't stand up against wasting the taxpayer's money and the regional monopoly corporate newspaper can't be bothered to investigate the raping of the little guy's wallet: You're Fucked. All you've got defending your interests are a bunch of asshole bloggers like me. And I didn't even want this job.
Some people have emailed about whether the in-kind match will count. I'm afraid it will. From the post "Weasel Grassley Defends Rainforest Pork Change" here are two scans from the bill that Grassley rewrote after Coralville gave up on the prima donna Oman:
and
The above is to show you that the cutoff date is December 1st, 2007.
A couple interesting developments in the Beeman article. The project's cost is now down to $140 million.
A long time ago, this project was in the $280 million to $300 million range. Eventually it was scaled down to $180 million. Last year the price was knocked down to $155 million. Now it's $140 million.
This could very well be the first construction project whose cost has declined as time has progressed. It's down 50% from original estimates several years ago.
Anybody who has spent 5 seconds in the construction or engineering industry knows those numbers Oman is pushing are total bullshit. Construction costs always go up!
Another oddity is that Beeman says the "federal grant" is now $48 million. WTF? I thought it was $50 million! Oman got nabbed spending $2.9 million of that $50 million a couple years ago. Where did all that fucking money go?
I'll tell you something: the Des Moines Register has gone completely AWOL on this project. They could give a shit about the taxpayers. All they do is reprint Oman's press releases and "copyright" them like it's a real story. Why are the Des Moines Register reporters up David Oman's ass? They can't be bothered to investigate whether or not Maxon Holdings LLC is a real business or some shifty guys working out of a broom closet in Atlanta. Who's really behind Maxon Holdings and all those other shell LLCs anyway? We have no fucking idea.
When the politicians don't stand up against wasting the taxpayer's money and the regional monopoly corporate newspaper can't be bothered to investigate the raping of the little guy's wallet: You're Fucked. All you've got defending your interests are a bunch of asshole bloggers like me. And I didn't even want this job.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Maxon Holdings vs UBG Financial
UPDATED BELOW WITH LOTS OF JUICY DETAILS:
Earlier today, Rainforest chief David Oman announced to the Des Moines Register in a copyrighted story that some company out of Atlanta called Maxon Holdings LLC was going to contribute $10 million of in-kind services to the Earthpork project in Pella, ostensibly as a way to secure the rest of Senator Chuck Grassley's $50 million in pork spending.
A reader just emailed and said that there's hardly anything out in Google Land about Maxon Holdings LLC. Just 37 hits as of this afternoon.
Even a wider search of just "Maxon Holdings" reveals only 134 hits, and a lot of that is wire services picking up the announcement.
Now you'd think some company that can provide $10 million in financial and technical services would have greater visibility on the web than 37 hits on Google, one of which is the State 29 blog!
This reminds me all too much of the infamous UBG Financial story a couple years ago. At the time, the Iowa Speedway was desperate for funding. The Register opened up the hood on UBG Financial and discovered that it was little more than a virtual office located in - that's right - suburban Atlanta!
At least UBG Financial listed the names of the company officers, one of which was discovered to be working instead as a sales manager at a Volvo car dealership!
Maxon Holdings reveals nothing.
I'm not saying that Maxon Holdings is fake or a scam or anything, but it certainly doesn't pass my smell test.
Yet, the Des Moines Register has no problem blindly accepting David Oman's word and issuing a copyrighted story about the matter.
I'm betting that a minimal amount of digging will reveal a whole lot more.
Who's got the shovel?
Anybody in Atlanta want to go over to 5500 Interstate North Parkway Suite 435 and see what's there?
UPDATE:
So I googled Maxon's address and came up with something called New Prospect Capital, a rather crappy-ass-looking web page. There's an email address on there for one Ben Speed.
Google "Ben Speed" and "Atlanta" and you come up with a web page for Benjamin D. Speed at the SPF Group. What? Do they make sunscreen?
Gee, that SPF Group web site sure looks a lot like the Maxon Holdings LLC web site. Same template, different graphics!
Ben Speed has a contact address of SPF Group, LLC., 625 Kentucky Street, Scottdale, GA 30079. And Maxon Holdings LLC is also listed as a contact via Maxon/ Mallory & Evans - Corporate Campus, 625 Kentucky Street, Scottdale, GA 30079
What's at 625 Kentucky Street in Scottdale, GA? Mallory & Evans LLC's web site. Same template as the others! Principals are listed as John Dixon (I thought he was a doctor!) and David C. Garrett III.
All these different LLCs at the same addresses with different web sites on the same template. It's interesting. Not sure what it adds up to right now. Keep digging!
Earlier today, Rainforest chief David Oman announced to the Des Moines Register in a copyrighted story that some company out of Atlanta called Maxon Holdings LLC was going to contribute $10 million of in-kind services to the Earthpork project in Pella, ostensibly as a way to secure the rest of Senator Chuck Grassley's $50 million in pork spending.
A reader just emailed and said that there's hardly anything out in Google Land about Maxon Holdings LLC. Just 37 hits as of this afternoon.
Even a wider search of just "Maxon Holdings" reveals only 134 hits, and a lot of that is wire services picking up the announcement.
Now you'd think some company that can provide $10 million in financial and technical services would have greater visibility on the web than 37 hits on Google, one of which is the State 29 blog!
This reminds me all too much of the infamous UBG Financial story a couple years ago. At the time, the Iowa Speedway was desperate for funding. The Register opened up the hood on UBG Financial and discovered that it was little more than a virtual office located in - that's right - suburban Atlanta!
At least UBG Financial listed the names of the company officers, one of which was discovered to be working instead as a sales manager at a Volvo car dealership!
Maxon Holdings reveals nothing.
I'm not saying that Maxon Holdings is fake or a scam or anything, but it certainly doesn't pass my smell test.
Yet, the Des Moines Register has no problem blindly accepting David Oman's word and issuing a copyrighted story about the matter.
I'm betting that a minimal amount of digging will reveal a whole lot more.
Who's got the shovel?
Anybody in Atlanta want to go over to 5500 Interstate North Parkway Suite 435 and see what's there?
UPDATE:
So I googled Maxon's address and came up with something called New Prospect Capital, a rather crappy-ass-looking web page. There's an email address on there for one Ben Speed.
Google "Ben Speed" and "Atlanta" and you come up with a web page for Benjamin D. Speed at the SPF Group. What? Do they make sunscreen?
Gee, that SPF Group web site sure looks a lot like the Maxon Holdings LLC web site. Same template, different graphics!
Ben Speed has a contact address of SPF Group, LLC., 625 Kentucky Street, Scottdale, GA 30079. And Maxon Holdings LLC is also listed as a contact via Maxon/ Mallory & Evans - Corporate Campus, 625 Kentucky Street, Scottdale, GA 30079
What's at 625 Kentucky Street in Scottdale, GA? Mallory & Evans LLC's web site. Same template as the others! Principals are listed as John Dixon (I thought he was a doctor!) and David C. Garrett III.
All these different LLCs at the same addresses with different web sites on the same template. It's interesting. Not sure what it adds up to right now. Keep digging!
$10 Million In "Services" For Earthpork
Chief Rainforest Con-Man David Oman
Today the Register reports that some Georgia company, Maxon Holdings LLC, of Atlanta, is donating $10 million in "financial and technical services" to the Earthpork Rainforest project in Pella.
Does that count as cash for the matching funds needed so chief Con Man David Oman can get the rest of the $50 million pork money from Republican fake fiscal conservative Chuck Grassley? It better not.
What is Maxon Holdings LLC?
Maxon is an asset optimization company specializing in the financing, ownership, management, and design of facilities and their various mechanical, electrical, and technical infrastructure systems
A press release about the announcement is here:
Maxon Holdings LLC (Maxon), a leading energy and environmental development company, today announced a partnership with Earthpark (www.earthpark.org), North America?s first center for science literacy and the environment. Maxon will provide $10 million of in-kind financial and technical support toward the completion and opening of Earthpark, scheduled to open on Earth Day, 2011. Maxon will give this support through its infrastructure asset financing operations, part of the company?s asset optimization business. Maxon?s contribution will facilitate ongoing support and involvement with educational and RESEARCH efforts in the areas of global sustainability and restorative living practices.
Earthpark also announced at the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative in New York that it plans to utilize eBay Giving Works over the next several years. eBay Giving Works is a program that empowers the global eBay Community to connect with the charitable causes they care about, to support innovative education and research efforts. eBay plans to offer one-of-a-kind experiences for people to Bid on, and hopes eBay sellers will join by Listing their own items on eBay to support Earthpark.
Sell your stuff on Ebay and give the money to David Oman! Woweeeeee!!!!!!
What a scam.
Related: 68 Days Left On Earthpork
Related: Vilsack: "With all due respect to those who support the rain forest, it’s nuts"
Related: Fauxscal Conservative Grassley's $50 Million Pork Has Been Bankrolling Day-to-Day Porkforest Operations
Generation Iowa Wants Something From You
Radio Iowa reports that the Generation Iowa commission, a diverse group of politically-connected Leftists, held its first public forum at Drake University yesterday.
The results were predictable.
It was all "Ask not what you can do for a business. Ask what the taxpayers can do for you."
The assistant to the assistant manager of economic development in Dubuque, 25 year old Aaron DeJong, wants more taxpayer-financed welfare so that loft-style condos can be built in Dubuque for young and hipster urban professionals. You know what he's talking about: the kids with huge amounts of student loans to pay back after getting that ill-advised political science degree.
Chris Woods, the Political Forecast, is namechecked in the story. He wants taxpayers to pick up the tab for every kid who runs up tens of thousands of dollars in student loans in order to bribe them to stay in Iowa:
"...I guess what I'm looking for is what kind of incentives are there that the state can provide for students to stick around in Iowa to pay off those loans."It's called getting a frickin job and paying your dues, man. It's called living below your means. It's called not going to $30,000 a year Drake and then expecting the world to get on their knees because you finally graduated.
What a baby.
Why don't these people just drop their pants and point their dicks at the Capitol and scream, "Please suck my dick, government! I really need to get off!!! I can't get a business to suck my dick using conventional methods of persuasion, so maybe some nameless/faceless taxpayer can work me in the glory holes until.... I..... can.....ughhhh..... get..... this....... debt........ OFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!"
That's basically what they're saying.
Oh, just a second.
Look who's the Chair of the Generation Iowa commission.
It's Kyle Carlson, the Planned Parenthood lawyer who is $200K in hock to the Feds for student loans.
You know, I'd have a little more respect for Carlson if he came out in the Register article and said, "The only decent-paying job I could get as a lawyer in Iowa was working for the abortion industry!"
Instead, Carlson wants the taxpayers to suck his dick because he was irresponsible enough to load up on the student loans.
And now, for your Wednesday entertainment, the Harvard Din & Tonics with "Nice Work If You Can Get It."
And I should also include this classic:
Related: Generation Brain Drain
Speaking Of "Revenue Is Needed"
Updated on Wednesday morning:
Nicholas Johnson has another "Revenue Is Needed" post today, mostly about how state universities sell student data to credit card marketing companies.
I didn't think the matter was anything new ("I'm Shocked SHOCKED To Discover That ISU and The University Of Iowa Pimp Student Data Out To Market Credit Cards"), but then I read a story posted on the Des Moines Register's web site and which will likely be in the Wednesday edition ("Study ranking debt load of Iowa grads flawed").
What the Register ought to be looking at is how financial aid departments at the state universities are pushing student loans onto the kids. It would not surprise me in the least if the modus operandi of these universities is to drain every last borrowed penny out of their record number of students.
I'll bet that the prevailing attitude is: Can't pay for college? Borrow! It's an investment! How many times have you heard that bullshit? Go and borrow $60,000 to become a middle school teacher or $100,000 to become a social worker. It's all right! Oh and, by the way, do you want to sign up for the Bank Of America HAWKEYE card? If you need cash after you graduate, and trust me you will with $650 a month student loan payments, we can get you a cash advance at a nice low teaser rate. Sure is a lot better than getting a title loan on your 12 year old Honda Accord, isn't it?
No wonder all the kids at Iowa's universities are binge drinkers! I'd become a miserable alcoholic if the next 20-25 years of my life were going to be nothing but huge loan payments and working some shitty low-paying job in Iowa that some TA and the Financial Aid dept got me steered into.
As Professor Johnson says, "Revenue is needed....."
Surely there is a way out. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
Update: The Register has another story in Wednesday's edition on these poor kids with all their student loans and how many are forced to leave the state to find higher paying employement. Today's example is a lawyer for Planned Parenthood (!) who went $200K into hock for a law degree at Drake University. That's probably the worst poster boy the Register could have offered up.
Nicholas Johnson has another "Revenue Is Needed" post today, mostly about how state universities sell student data to credit card marketing companies.
I didn't think the matter was anything new ("I'm Shocked SHOCKED To Discover That ISU and The University Of Iowa Pimp Student Data Out To Market Credit Cards"), but then I read a story posted on the Des Moines Register's web site and which will likely be in the Wednesday edition ("Study ranking debt load of Iowa grads flawed").
What the Register ought to be looking at is how financial aid departments at the state universities are pushing student loans onto the kids. It would not surprise me in the least if the modus operandi of these universities is to drain every last borrowed penny out of their record number of students.
I'll bet that the prevailing attitude is: Can't pay for college? Borrow! It's an investment! How many times have you heard that bullshit? Go and borrow $60,000 to become a middle school teacher or $100,000 to become a social worker. It's all right! Oh and, by the way, do you want to sign up for the Bank Of America HAWKEYE card? If you need cash after you graduate, and trust me you will with $650 a month student loan payments, we can get you a cash advance at a nice low teaser rate. Sure is a lot better than getting a title loan on your 12 year old Honda Accord, isn't it?
No wonder all the kids at Iowa's universities are binge drinkers! I'd become a miserable alcoholic if the next 20-25 years of my life were going to be nothing but huge loan payments and working some shitty low-paying job in Iowa that some TA and the Financial Aid dept got me steered into.
As Professor Johnson says, "Revenue is needed....."
Surely there is a way out. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
Update: The Register has another story in Wednesday's edition on these poor kids with all their student loans and how many are forced to leave the state to find higher paying employement. Today's example is a lawyer for Planned Parenthood (!) who went $200K into hock for a law degree at Drake University. That's probably the worst poster boy the Register could have offered up.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Jew-Hating Des Moines Register Blogger: "What’s the big deal about Ahmadinejad anyway?"
Jew-hater David Goodner's blog at the Des Moines Register:
What’s the big deal about Ahmadinejad anyway?
And then:
I’m not saying Ahmadinejad is Mother Teresa reincarnate or anything. But let’s face it: Ahmadinejad, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, even Vladimir Putin, all have less blood on their hands than Bush does.
The international public enemy #1 is the president of the United States of America.
What an utterly ridiculous statement to make.
It's amazing that Gannett and the Des Moines Register continues to host Goodner's blog.
But then that says volumes about what Gannett and the powers-that-be at the Register believe, doesn't it?
Look at what the Des Moines Register believes is less important than sheer Bush-hatred:
From the State Department:
Iranians cannot freely choose their own leaders. The Guardian Council, an unelected body comprised of six clerics and six jurists, exerts broad control over election procedures and candidates. They ensure that only supporters of the theocratic system are permitted to run for the presidency or parliament...
Since his election, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has installed hard-liners throughout the government - including serious human rights abusers. Iran's Interior and Intelligence ministers have been implicated in human rights abuses, including the 1988 massacre of political prisoners at Evin Prison. In June 2006, Iran sent as its representative to the UN Human Rights Council Saeed Mortazavi, the Tehran Prosecutor General responsible for jailing dozens of journalists and linked to the 2003 arrest, imprisonment, and torture death of an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist. Under Ahmadinejad, censorship has increased and hard-line academic administrators are increasingly 'restricting academic freedom....
The Iranian regime severely limits freedom of speech and the press, intrusively monitoring weblogs and blocking access to many Internet sites.Iranians face severe restrictions on their ability to voice grievances through public assembly. On March 8, 2006 and on June 12, 2006 Iranian security forces dispersed peaceful women's rights assemblies in Tehran, beating and arresting many participants. Nine of the women who participated in the June protests are being tried for "acting against national security by participating in an illegal gathering." Five of those women faced trial on March 4, 2007. Thirty women who gathered outside a courthouse in Tehran to show solidarity with the five on trial were beaten and arrested. Iranian authorities also attacked peaceful women's rights protestors in March at a gathering to mark International Women's Day...
- Citizens who peacefully exercise freedom of expression and voice opinions contrary to the regime's can be prosecuted for instigating crimes against the state.
- Insulting Islam, as interpreted by the regime, can be punishable by death.
- Journalists are often threatened, and many have been jailed. Imprisonment can involve torture or deplorable solitary confinement conditions.
- Since 2000 the regime closed more than 100 reformist newspapers and magazines - sentencing many managers to jail.
...In the run-up to the December 2006 elections, all women candidates for the Assembly of Experts were disqualified...
...Iranian authorities sentence women to lashings for appearing in public without appropriate covering...
...Iranian authorities have convicted victims of rape as adulterers, a crime punishable by death....
...In December 2006, the UN General Assembly renewed its call for Iran to legally abolish the practice of stoning. There were continued reports in 2006 that judges imposed sentences of stoning for women charged with adultery...
...The status of religious freedom is extremely poor, particularly for the Baha'i and Sufis. The current regime continues to repress Iran's minority ethnic and religious groups, which also include Ahwazi Arabs, Azeris, Kurds, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians. Religious and ethnic minorities in Iran face varying but significant degrees of social, economic, or cultural discrimination.
Yeah, what’s the big deal about Ahmadinejad anyway?
Geez....
68 Days Left On Earthpork
Bill and Stacy Tabor's letter to the Register today must be a precursor to an upcoming puff piece on Earthpork.
In the letter, Bill and Stacy talk about going to the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, and discovering how evil the United States is for creating so many greenhouse gases and having a large carbon footprint, whatever the fuck all that is. Then they got in their diesel taxi, drove back to Heathrow, and flew a big jet back to Des Moines to tell the yokels.
Bill Taber, of course, is the President of Taber Asset Management, LLC, and a Registered Investment Advisor. He's a past exec at Principal Financial, E.F. Hutton, and also worked at Bankers tRust.
With that in mind, do remember that Earthpork is a project that has been active on the Iowa radar for almost 10 years yet hasn't had a single dime of private investment pledged beyond Ted Townsend's initial $10 million. How many times over the years have we heard from Chief Con-man David Oman that private investors are right around the corner?
Maybe Bill Taber is a potential investor? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!
Oman has 68 days (until December 1st) to come up with legit matching money in order to get the rest of Chuck Grassley's deficit-expanding $50 million dollar political payoff.
Oh, wait, I'm sorry, it's only $47.1 million because Oman already spent $2.9 million of it. Who will be paying back that money when Oman doesn't come up with the dough, eh Grassley?
Just a word of warning here.... if Oman doesn't come up with the matching funds by December 1st, the public will be demanding to know when that $2.9 million will be paid back. If it doesn't get paid back, I want to see David Oman in a Federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison and Chuck Grassley thrown in there with him, too.
In the letter, Bill and Stacy talk about going to the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, and discovering how evil the United States is for creating so many greenhouse gases and having a large carbon footprint, whatever the fuck all that is. Then they got in their diesel taxi, drove back to Heathrow, and flew a big jet back to Des Moines to tell the yokels.
Bill Taber, of course, is the President of Taber Asset Management, LLC, and a Registered Investment Advisor. He's a past exec at Principal Financial, E.F. Hutton, and also worked at Bankers tRust.
With that in mind, do remember that Earthpork is a project that has been active on the Iowa radar for almost 10 years yet hasn't had a single dime of private investment pledged beyond Ted Townsend's initial $10 million. How many times over the years have we heard from Chief Con-man David Oman that private investors are right around the corner?
Maybe Bill Taber is a potential investor? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!
Oman has 68 days (until December 1st) to come up with legit matching money in order to get the rest of Chuck Grassley's deficit-expanding $50 million dollar political payoff.
Oh, wait, I'm sorry, it's only $47.1 million because Oman already spent $2.9 million of it. Who will be paying back that money when Oman doesn't come up with the dough, eh Grassley?
Just a word of warning here.... if Oman doesn't come up with the matching funds by December 1st, the public will be demanding to know when that $2.9 million will be paid back. If it doesn't get paid back, I want to see David Oman in a Federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison and Chuck Grassley thrown in there with him, too.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Gordon Fischer Endorses Obama, Deletes Old Pages From His Blog
A reader pointed out via email that Former Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Gordon Fischer has thrown his support to Barack Obama.
The reader also mentions that Fischer has deleted a large number of blog entires concerning past support of President Vilsack and other past entires concerning Obama.
Deleted, cached.
Deleted, cached.
Fischer did "re-launch" his blog, now without comments, in August. I bet he just wiped the slate clean and started over.
Luckily, this blog captured and quoted a past Gordon Fischer post that has been deleted. It goes a little something like this:
Prediction: Tom Vilsack Will Be The Next President of the United StatesWhat's amazing is the number of news outlets that reprint Fischer's announcement, like he's some sort of Carnac The Magnificent. MSNBC, the Boston Glob, and the Balitmore Sun, for starters.
Flat out.
Now, this will sound like I'm bragging, but I'm really not. I am a quite humble person (frankly, I have many, many, many reasons to be humble). But I do have a solid track record for accurate predictions.
In 2005, before spring training, I predicted the Chicago White Sox would win the World Series.
In 2006, as you can see from this site, I was pretty dead on with my political prognistications.
I will write much, much more over the coming days, weeks, and months, but a few reasons for my prediction (in absolutely no particular order):
1. Tom Vilsack's personal story is simply incredible, and will both help readily distinguish him from the pack, and allow him to connect with working families.
2. He has never run in an election he was favored to win, but has never lost an election.
3. On the stump, when he is on, Tom Vilsack is as good or better as any politician out there.
4. He helped -- in fact, I think he was the single biggest reason -- Iowa turned from purple to solid blue. That's a huge feather in his cap, and one that will attract Dems nationally.
5. Tom Harkin. He is simply amazing, and will be a gigantic help.
6. Ditto Sally Pederson and Jerry Crawford.
7. He is a governor. The last time a sitting member of Congress was elected President? John Kennedy in 1960. With all due respect to the other candidates, that is no historical accident.
8. Not only is he a governor, Tom Vilsack has been a great Governor. Especially on issues like schools, health care, clean air and clean water, jobs, and other issues Dems are really passionate about.
As I said, I'll be blogging much more about this, obviously, but for now, I'm predicting it flat out: President Vilsack.
Iowa Sucks
Born too early to properly cash in: Hayden Fry
According to the Des Moines Register, the 2-2 Iowa Hawkeyes men's football team is dead last in the "Big Ten" when it comes to yards gained by the offense.
How much do they pay Kirk Ferentz? $4.6 million in the 13 months leading up to this past June? He's the highest-paid college football coach in the country. Last year his team had two wins and six losses in the "Big Ten" conference.
The last year Hayden Fry was the head coach of the Hawkeyes, in 1997-1998, he was paid only $264,159 in salary.
But, but, but, but, you've got a pay a lot of money to attract shitty talent to Iowa! That's why former University of Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman, a woman who thought the word cunt was a "term of endearment" when being deposed during a rape case, is one of the highest paid provosts in the country at ISU.
I'm in the high-fidelity first class traveling set, and I think I need a lear jet.
Seymour Farmer Wins Gay-Looking E-85 Chopper
The Wallaces Farmer is reporting that a farmer from near Seymour in southern Iowa won the E-85 chopper raffle. It raised more than $113,000 for the American Lung Association. Looks like none of the raffle money was used to compensate Orange County Choppers, who built the gay-looking, open-chained thing. Just look at that stupid combine-like detail in front of the engine.
Earlier this year, the University of Iowa ran into a problem with a chopper raffle that didn't raise enough cash to pay for the machine.
The winner of the E-85 chopper can opt for a $50,000 cash prize. The Farm Bureau says the value of the chopper, if you choose to accept it, is $100,000, although that amount seems vastly inflated. I can't imagine that it would fetch more than $30,000 on Ebay.
I said I'd be surprised if the chopper obtained more than $50,000 in raffle tickets. The Farm Bureau must have worked their asses off driving it around behind some gasoline or diesel-powered truck around Iowa trying to drum up interest. How much did that cost? This still had to be a huge waste of money.
The whole idea of a chopper raffle, much less an E85 chopper raffle, is so bad on many levels. I can't imagine that many women bought tickets. How many young people could afford the taxes on the prize if they kept the chopper? You can only drive the thing on a limited number of days in Iowa. What if somebody steals or scratches it? Of all motorcycles, choppers are the least efficient, fuel-wise. And the whole point about E85 is energy independence rather than energy conservation and efficiency. Who cares about buying fuel made from a corn field when you're wasting it in such a ridiculous way?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The Maturing Experience
A very rare story from a soldier's perspective about the Iraq War in an Iowa newspaper. This one was in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
It's about time newspapers printed more stories like this rather than relying on the usual crap from the slanted wire services.
It's about time newspapers printed more stories like this rather than relying on the usual crap from the slanted wire services.
I'm Shocked SHOCKED To Discover That ISU and The University Of Iowa Pimp Student Data Out To Market Credit Cards
Clark Kauffman has a story in the Des Moines Sunday Register on how ISU and the University of Iowa use student data to market Bank Of America (formerly MBNA) credit cards to students and alumni.
You know what? The sun rose this morning in the East! Can you believe it? Let's put that down as front page news. I'm sure millions will be shocked, SHOCKED!!!! that such a thing happens. Especially if you've graduated from either of these schools. The number of MBNA card offers I have received over the years might number into the hundreds.
Gee whiz. This is the same bunch of thieves who will push 18, 19, and 20 year students into taking out tens of thousands of dollars worth of student loans and then wonder why everybody is turning into an alcoholic.
It's OK to do all this crap, but let the campus police officers have guns? Quelle horreur!!!!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The Community College Heretic
Concerning the community college instructor in Red Oak who was fired for saying that the story of Adam & Eve shouldn't be interpreted literally, I can't say it any better than George Carlin:
The Publican Campaign
I read this story in the Iowa City Press-Citizen and wondered why bar and tavern owners don't get start a political movement to get the drinking age lowered back down to where it should be: 18.
In a college town, such a movement should be easy to start. Most bar patrons in those places are under 25 years of age and likely sympathetic. In a town like Iowa City, for the time being, under 21s can get into a bar before 10pm, so why not get some of the major publicans together to hash out a promotional campaign?
It could be as something as simple as pointing out the differences between what's legal at 18 and what's legal at 21.
For instance:
- 18 year olds are considered a legal adult.
- 18 year olds can buy cigarettes.
- 18 year olds can buy and drive a car or motorcycle.
- 18 year olds can go to prison.
- 18 year olds can vote.
- 18 year olds have the right to enter into contracts.
- 18 year olds can get married.
- 18 year olds can get divorced.
- 18 year olds can file for bankruptcy.
- 18 year olds can obtain a credit card.
- 18 year olds can start going $100,000 into debt for a college education.
- 18 year olds can enter into the military.
- 18 year olds (in Iowa) can buy a rifle or shotgun and ammunition for it.
- 18 year olds can obtain welfare.
- 18 year olds can buy property.
An interesting question is: would publicans even want to lobby for alcohol rights for legal adults who are 18, 19, and 20 years old? Would it be too unseemly to do it? Would it appear to be a cheap way to get more drinkers into bars? Would there be a public backlash against such a political campaign? You bet there would be. The pro-nanny-state Republicans and Democrats would freak out. Newspapers would mount campaigns peppered by "experts" showing that younger drinkers are more likely to die in drunk driving accidents, as if that isn't already going on. Cities like Iowa City would go bananas because what would all the police officers issuing Possession of Alcohol Under Legal Age tickets do with their time?
But would it curb "underage" drinking? Would it cut down on binge drinking in houses and apartments? Has society changed in the past few decades thanks to education campaigns so that drunk driving has become much more unacceptable?
Obviously you can't experiment on a micro-level like a single college town because of Federal restrictions imposed on states. Such a political campaign would have to gain traction at the grassroots level and have overwhelming support that the Feds would have to make a change.
Why not at least take a chance at swaying public opinion on a small scale and see what happens? If decriminalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes can get approval in certain states, why not alcohol decriminalization for 18, 19, and 20 year old legal adults?
Friday, September 21, 2007
Die-In, Die-Out
Smile, Jew-hater! Lara Elborno, professional protester.
The Daily Iowan is reporting on a "Die In" in Iowa City yesterday by "approximately 100 to 150 antiwar protesters".
John Deeth, who was there and took pictures, said about 75 showed up.
That's up from 33 protesters a couple weeks ago and 45 last year, but it's still a pathetic turnout for a campus with over 30,000 students.
Deeth quotes professional protester and Jew-hater David Goodner in his report. That's always good for a laugh.
The DI sheds a little more light on the purpose of the protest:
Although a major focus was the war in Iraq, another topic stressed was the U.S. financial and military support of Israel.What occupied territory?
UI junior Lara Elborno from People for Justice in Palestine, said in a speech that the United States gives $3 billion to $5 billion to Israel every year. The money is used to oppress Palestinians in occupied territory, she asserted.
Oh yes, I forgot. To the Jew-haters, all of Israel is occupied territory!
It's such a shame, because Lara is kind of a hot piece of ass. Why couldn't she be one of those vegetarians who poses nude to protest the eating of meat and use of leather?
Poor People, Who Earn Up To $83,000 A Year
Senator Chuck Grassley pleaded and begged and cried and bayed and groveled in front of President Bush, asking him not to veto a bill which would provide health insurance to poor families earning up to $83,000 a year and covering children up to 25 years of age.
You see, that's what happens when you live on Planet DC for too long. You start thinking that poor people are earning into the low $80s and that children include 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 year olds.
The Des Moines Register's Jane Norman can't mention the $83,000 a year thing until the 17th paragraph of the story. Norman also quotes Grassley as saying "I'm frustrated for the kids of Iowa" but fails to mention that "kids" in this bill also include 24 year olds.
I don't know what they call this in the journalism world, but in the medical world they call intentionally leaving out such details malpractice.
Tom Vilsack Is An Asshole
Additional updates below:
Watch this:
I'm not at all a fan of Rudy Giuliani, but Vilsack indicating that he and the Hitlery campaign are intending to go nuclear on Giuliani's past marriages and especially any relationship Giuliani has with his kids is insane.
I won't even get into the twisted marriage that Hitlery has with Bill.
But you know the legacy of Tom Vilsack.
Don't forget that Vilsack is a master at slash-and-burn politics. Anytime, anywhere:
Vilsack denigrated the family members of a murdered 5 year old girl who had repeatedly called DHS on her behalf. After the girl's murder, when complaints were lodged about the state agency's non-action, Vilsack initiated the ultimate act of crass political CYA.
Update: Kay Henderson supplies a contrast at the Radio Iowa blog. It's your classic bad cop/good cop schtick. What a nightmare for the Democrats if Hitlery is the nominee.
Second Update: I suppose I should clarify myself a bit here. Anybody's past failed marriages will always be political fodder, but the Hitlery campaign (of all campaigns) casting that stone is especially weird. And dragging Giuliani's kids into it? That's downright wicked. And I mean wicked!
Third Update: Kay Henderson at Radio Iowa asks Hillary Clinton about Vilsack's comments. This is classic Hitlery:
Watch this:
I'm not at all a fan of Rudy Giuliani, but Vilsack indicating that he and the Hitlery campaign are intending to go nuclear on Giuliani's past marriages and especially any relationship Giuliani has with his kids is insane.
I won't even get into the twisted marriage that Hitlery has with Bill.
But you know the legacy of Tom Vilsack.
Don't forget that Vilsack is a master at slash-and-burn politics. Anytime, anywhere:
- On the murder of 5 year old Evelyn Miller, Vilsack said (via Radio Iowa):
"...Vilsack reviewed five-years-worth of files kept by Department of Human Services social workers who investigated complaints about the child's welfare. On Monday, Vilsack said the complaints came from family members who had 'an ax to grind' and whose 'credibility' was 'a bit suspect.'"
Vilsack denigrated the family members of a murdered 5 year old girl who had repeatedly called DHS on her behalf. After the girl's murder, when complaints were lodged about the state agency's non-action, Vilsack initiated the ultimate act of crass political CYA.
Update: Kay Henderson supplies a contrast at the Radio Iowa blog. It's your classic bad cop/good cop schtick. What a nightmare for the Democrats if Hitlery is the nominee.
Second Update: I suppose I should clarify myself a bit here. Anybody's past failed marriages will always be political fodder, but the Hitlery campaign (of all campaigns) casting that stone is especially weird. And dragging Giuliani's kids into it? That's downright wicked. And I mean wicked!
Third Update: Kay Henderson at Radio Iowa asks Hillary Clinton about Vilsack's comments. This is classic Hitlery:
UPDATE: Clinton was just asked on CNN about Vilsack's comments. Her response: "I'm not engaging in any of that," she said during a live interview on CNN. "...You know, there'll be plenty of time for politics." She talked about staying on a "positive agenda" and ended with this: "I'd like to see us stay focused on what matters to the American people."Can you imagine what a Hitlery Clinton administration will be like? There you have it. Right there.
UPDATE II: Clinton just held a conference call with Iowa reporters to criticize President Bush's vow to veto the SCHIP bill.
Henderson: "Senator Clinton, I just saw your interview on CNN in which you said you're trying to focus on a positive agenda. Have you told Governor Vilsack privately that you don't appreciate his negative comments that were made in New York on that television station yesterday in regards to Mr. Giuliani?"
Clinton: "I think he's more than capable of speaking for himself," she replied.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
What Makes You So Special?
Nicholas Johnson has it all wrong about arming university police officers in his blog post today.
Johnson has a variation on the numerous straw man excuses I've heard to not arm campus police, but I'll get to that in a second.
Usually I've been reading people go on about how armed campus police couldn't have stopped Gang Lu at the University of Iowa or Seung-Hui Cho at Virginia Tech, so, well, geez, (shuffle feet), maybe we shouldn't have guns around - period.
Johnson's straw man is regarding a string of assaults on women late at night near the campus over the past several months. Johnson points out that this is in the Iowa City Police Department's domain, not the University of Iowa's.
What does this have to do with arming campus police? Absolutely nothing.
Too many people are under the impression that campus police are rent-a-cops or glorified store security. These individuals are highly trained. They receive the same training as a sheriff's deputy or a state trooper at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy near Camp Dodge. These officers receive over 500 hours of training and are subjected to psychological evaluations such as the M.M.P.I.-2 test.
So tell me, professors and administrators and regents, how come it's OK for a Trooper or a Sheriff to carry a gun but not a campus police officer who has been trained in the exact same way?
Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, and the University of Iowa are all big entities. UI is big enough with students, staff, and professors during the day that, if it were a city all itself, would be in the top 15, population-wise, in the entire state of Iowa. It would likely rank near Urbandale or Ankeny in size. Would you want the Urbandale or Ankeny police to not be armed?
Many other people use the excuse of, "Well, we should identify who the nutjobs are and get them the counseling that they so desperately need."
Well, excuuuuuuse me, but you people identified one particular violent sexual assaulter at the University of Iowa, and then sat around shooting free throws. End result? More violent sexual assault and (finally) a prison sentence for Pierre Pierce. And a university's reputation in tatters.
Want another one along those lines? You asked for it. Let's talk about Elizabeth Hoffman, currently occupying an expensive Provost position at ISU. This is when she was the President of the University of Colorado:
These are the kinds of people who are in charge of our universities. You can't trust that sort of mindset to micromanage security and law enforcement issues on a large campus! Where do these people get the balls to vote on whether or not campus police should be able to carry weapons? Talk about lame. It's like those various city councils who vote to impeach President Bush. It's just so utterly pointless.
You know, some enterprising asshole ought to organize a ballot initiative in Des Moines. People could vote on whether or not the members of the Des Moines Police Department should be allowed to carry weapons on them while working. That would funny.
Actually, I'm in favor of allowing students to conceal carry while on campus. That would freak out the ivory tower crowd even more, even though students having weapons available to them have saved lives.
Johnson has a variation on the numerous straw man excuses I've heard to not arm campus police, but I'll get to that in a second.
Usually I've been reading people go on about how armed campus police couldn't have stopped Gang Lu at the University of Iowa or Seung-Hui Cho at Virginia Tech, so, well, geez, (shuffle feet), maybe we shouldn't have guns around - period.
Johnson's straw man is regarding a string of assaults on women late at night near the campus over the past several months. Johnson points out that this is in the Iowa City Police Department's domain, not the University of Iowa's.
What does this have to do with arming campus police? Absolutely nothing.
Too many people are under the impression that campus police are rent-a-cops or glorified store security. These individuals are highly trained. They receive the same training as a sheriff's deputy or a state trooper at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy near Camp Dodge. These officers receive over 500 hours of training and are subjected to psychological evaluations such as the M.M.P.I.-2 test.
So tell me, professors and administrators and regents, how come it's OK for a Trooper or a Sheriff to carry a gun but not a campus police officer who has been trained in the exact same way?
Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, and the University of Iowa are all big entities. UI is big enough with students, staff, and professors during the day that, if it were a city all itself, would be in the top 15, population-wise, in the entire state of Iowa. It would likely rank near Urbandale or Ankeny in size. Would you want the Urbandale or Ankeny police to not be armed?
Many other people use the excuse of, "Well, we should identify who the nutjobs are and get them the counseling that they so desperately need."
Well, excuuuuuuse me, but you people identified one particular violent sexual assaulter at the University of Iowa, and then sat around shooting free throws. End result? More violent sexual assault and (finally) a prison sentence for Pierre Pierce. And a university's reputation in tatters.
Want another one along those lines? You asked for it. Let's talk about Elizabeth Hoffman, currently occupying an expensive Provost position at ISU. This is when she was the President of the University of Colorado:
In 2004, University of Colorado president Elizabeth Hoffman fanned the flames of a football rape case when, during a deposition, she was asked if she thought "cunt" was a "filthy and vile" word. She replied that it was a "swear word" but had "actually heard it used as a term of endearment." A spokesperson later clarified that Hoffman meant the word had polite meanings in its original use centuries ago. In the rape case, a CU football player had allegedly called female player Katie Hnida a "fucking lovely cunt".
These are the kinds of people who are in charge of our universities. You can't trust that sort of mindset to micromanage security and law enforcement issues on a large campus! Where do these people get the balls to vote on whether or not campus police should be able to carry weapons? Talk about lame. It's like those various city councils who vote to impeach President Bush. It's just so utterly pointless.
You know, some enterprising asshole ought to organize a ballot initiative in Des Moines. People could vote on whether or not the members of the Des Moines Police Department should be allowed to carry weapons on them while working. That would funny.
Actually, I'm in favor of allowing students to conceal carry while on campus. That would freak out the ivory tower crowd even more, even though students having weapons available to them have saved lives.
John Deeth Is Wrong About Loebsack
John Deeth criticizing the Cyclone Conservative's take on Dave Loebsack re-electibility:
...a college professor with a beard succeeded where all those A-list candidates failed. Dave Loebsack brought Leach-voting Democrats home by successfully making the Leach-as-Bush-enabler argument...This is totally delusional thinking.
As I have said before, Loebsack succeeded because:
The Loebsack-Leach race was actually a rather unique situation. The two candidates were very similar on many issues; both were against the Iraq War (Leach voted against it), both were against the Bush Tax Cuts (Leach was the only House Republican voting against them in 2002), and both were critics of many of President Bush's policies. Leach is also pro-abortion and in favor of taxpayers funding stem cell research. Leach wouldn't accept PAC money or out-of-state donations. The only thing Jim Leach had going for him in the past was his lengthy incumbency, name recognition, and chairmanship of the House Financial Services committee, but that crumbled away as he was forced to move into a more Democrat-leaning district several years ago after Iowa was reapportioned.
What's the difference between Dave Loebsack and Jim Leach, other than the letter behind their names? Not much, if you think about it.
What do I think happened?
Two things:
1. Dave Loebsack gave RINOs and moderate independents a reason to vote against a House lifer. It was an anti-incumbency thing.
2. Jim Leach was not the kind of candidate that excited the Republican base. Say you're pro-life, or maybe you think the tax cuts were a good idea, or maybe you're in favor of the war in Iraq. Who are you going to vote for? Well, you don't have anybody to vote for, so you leave the bubble blank. It's as simple as that.
Deeth is right about one thing:
[Loebsack is] doing the leg work in the district, and so far there's deafening silence from the GOP.
Luckily for Loebsack's political career's sake, the GOP in Iowa is a pathetic creature. They can't float decent competition. The party is run by total losers like Jim Ross Nussle and the Crazy Christians. Somewhat-fiscal conservative politicians might as well be an endangered species in Iowa, if not extinct! The last one I saw running around the place was Ed Fallon, and he's a Democrat!
Loebsack's problems will be two-fold. He'll keep pissing off the nutroots by continuing the fund the Iraq War. And he's already become a PAC whore, sucking lobbyist cock like a demon and accepting money from criminals like Norman Hsu.
I'm not at all saying that Loebsack is vulnerable in 2008, but the Democratic Party needs to watch out in order to keep that seat safe. The DNC has said they want to model 2008 races on the 2006 Loebsack-Leach race. They certainly won't be able to do it in Nebraska, a state where RINO Senator Chuck Hagel is retiring early because he was going to get his ass beaten severely in the Republican primary for being a total Washington loser.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Return Of Ben & Jerry's Nutty Red Moonbat Ice Cream
Ben (left) and Jerry, being calorically irresponsible
MSNBC has a story about how Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen is still trying to assemble enough people to caucus in Iowa on the issue of cutting the Defense budget $60 billion a year and using that money on
Last year, Cohen was in Iowa trying to drum up support for his Nutty Red Moonbat flavor. Only a couple of Des Moines Socialists licked.
From the MSNBC piece:
Cohen tells First Read that he and his organization have met with most of the Democratic candidates to discuss cutting Pentagon spending and various weapons programs. "Richardson and Biden have been great on the issue," he says. "Kucinich has been there all along -- but it doesn't look like he can win the nomination." Edwards, he adds, "seems to be on board," but has yet to explicitly back the goal.
What about Obama and Clinton? Cohen says that he met privately with Obama, while his staff in Iowa met with Hillary's people. "Clinton's campaign didn't seem to have interest in getting our endorsement," he notes.
And the Republicans? Cohen says his group has given up trying to work with them. "They're bleeding hearts when it comes to weapons systems. They've never met a weapons system they don't like."
Really?
I think it's fair to say that Ben Cohen is so closed-minded that he hasn't even tried to talk to any of the Republican candidates, otherwise he'd be fully aware of Ron Paul's political positions, many of which Cohen would likely favor.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Rose Vasquez Is A Chupacabra
From Radio Iowa:
The State Board of Regents delayed a decision on allowing campus police officers to carry guns and instead voted to ask their staff to develop a comprehensive security plan for the three state universities that would include the arming of campus police...Considering that the Board of Regents contains such uber-lefties as Ruth Harkin and Michael Gartner, that's quite a stance on the part of Rose Vasquez.
...The only Regent to voice opposition to the idea - Rose Vasquez of Des Moines - says the issue shouldn't be bundled into a larger plan. Vasquez says she's ready to vote on arming officers, saying she's opposed to arming the officers and it won't have anything to do with not beefing up security measures. Vasquez says even after hearing from the directors of the three public safety departments about the threats that face campus police, she did not favor arming the officers.
...Vasquez was the only Regent present to express doubts letting university police officers carry guns...
Vasquez's day job is that of a "diversity analyst" in the human resources department of Principal Financial Group. That's got to be the ultimate teet-sucking job. HR drones are usually little more than sexless/humorless DMV-type chicks in nice clothes pushing those signed sexual harassment policy papers around. But add a spicy last name, a cobweb-ridden law degree into the mix (because, you know, if you were actually a competent lawyer you wouldn't be working as a "diversity analyst" in the freakin HR department of some big-ass insurance company in Des Moines, of all places), and some politically-correct nonsense in the land of All You Crackers and.....
Talk about draining the blood right out of the company. She might as well be a chupacabra.
Heil Clintler!
From ABC News via the AP:
Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that a mandate requiring every American to purchase health insurance was the only way to achieve universal health care but she rejected the notion of punitive measures to force individuals into the health care system.
"At this point, we don't have anything punitive that we have proposed," the presidential candidate said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We're providing incentives and tax credits which we think will be very attractive to the vast majority of Americans."
She said she could envision a day when "you have to show proof to your employer that you're insured as a part of the job interview like when your kid goes to school and has to show proof of vaccination," but said such details would be worked out through negotiations with Congress.
Are you kidding me? How fucked up is that?
That might even be more fucked up than finding out your husband has been fucking around with a very young unpaid intern while on the job, lying about it, and then staying married to the bastard.
What alternative reality is Hitlery living in? She's never held a real job. She's never had to apply for any kind of job the way you or I do. Her husband was the Attorney General of Arkansas when she was hired at the Rose Law Firm. Come on now.
You know, as dirty as Obama is, as phony as Edwards is, and as pudgy as Richardson is, they aren't even a fraction as horrible as Hitlery Rodman Clintler. Democrats, if you want to keep this broad as your front-runner, you're in for a defeat that will make 1994 look like 9/11. I'm not kidding around.
The Iowa Board Of Regents Are Afraid Of Cops Having Guns
Michael Gartner, gun-hater. Except for cops... but not university cops.
The Iowa Board of Regents kicked the can down the road concerning letting cops at Iowa's major public universities carry guns.
Don't forget that last April the Democrats controlling the Iowa Senate defeated a proposal that would have allowed cops to carry guns.
ISU and UI are the only Big 12 and Big 10 schools whose campus police don't carry guns.
Why are today's Democrats in Iowa so fearful of cops carrying guns? They'll go on and on about how the military needs body armor and all that, but when it comes to letting a campus police officer have the same equipment as the sheriff deputies they have trained side-by-side with at the academy, these Democratic politicians shrivel up into a tiny fetal ball and are unable to answer.
And likely they'll put on their bow ties and trim their beards and then look at this video on YouTube of the student getting manhandled and tasered at the University of Florida yesterday after asking John Kerry if he was in Skulls & Bones with President Bush. Gosh, the dilemma of shutting down free speech versus whether cops should taser people who are exercising their First Amendment rights.
Gee, maybe the Iowa Board of Regents should outlaw everything for campus police. Especially tasers! Maybe even automobiles!
The fact remains that the Board of Regents is fully stacked with far-leftist Democrats and gun-haters like Michael Gartner.
Michael Gartner, of course, is the same fella who, when he was the head of NBC News in the early 1990s, ordered reporter Arthur "The Scud Stud" Kent into a war zone without anything (the following is by author Ken Auletta):
Now reluctantly working for Dateline NBC in Rome, Kent's foreign stories were being butchered and dropped altogether and Kent wanted to know why. In his attempts to find out what was happening, Kent wrote several letters to Don Browne, vice-president of NBC news. He was becoming an ever-present thorn in the side of one of the world's largest corporations.
Fed up with Kent's persistent requests for some justification as to why his stories were being dropped, David Verdi, under the orders of Michael Gartner, assigned Kent and his team to Zagreb and then to move immediately into Bosnia.
It was an extremely dangerous assignment. Twenty-seven journalists had been killed in Bosnia the year before. Kent and his team were sent in without bullet-proof vests and helmets. They were provided with no translators or guides, no first-aid gear, no maps and no background files. Kent refused the assignment. NBC's own policy book stated that all hazardous assignments were purely voluntary. Kent also had a contract with NBC which stated that reassignment from Dateline could only be to the senior Europea n posts at NBC's Nightly News.
He was sent letters from Michael Gartner, threatening him with suspension. Kent was eventually suspended and fired. Gartner wasted no time in launching a publicity campaign claiming that Kent had been suspended for refusing a legitimate and safe assignment-to Zagreb, Croatia with no mention that Kent had been assigned to go into Bosnia.
Kent's case never went to trial, but the book takes on a dramatic turn from the world theatre to the boardrooms of NBC where Kent tells his story through depositions. Here, the various people involved in the Kent vs. NBC case tell their side of the story to the defendant and the plaintiff (and their lawyers) under oath.
If the book up until this point is fascinating, it reaches the realms of the un-put-down-able in these later chapters. In just under 75 pages, the upper management of NBC comes tumbling down. An organization, when called to account for what appeared to be lies, irresponsible decision-making, compromised news reporting and sensationalistic tendencies, simply cannot defend itself. Many of NBC's executives come across as-for lack of a better word-morons. Kent's case seems so strong from the beginning that it is hard to believe his opponents manage to run a network.
David Verdi, who was responsible for assigning Kent and his partner to Bosnia, admits that he doesn't know the Serb capital of Bosnia or the Muslim capital. He also admits that no equipment was available to Kent when he was assigned to go into Bosnia. More digging revealed that, contrary to Gartner's claims in the press release denouncing Kent, there was never an assignment to "peaceful Zagreb." (Ironically, Kent ended up in Bosnia anyway, filming an award-winning documentary sold, in part, to the BBC and CBC.)
From beginning to end, it is clear that Kent is in the right and NBC is terribly, terribly wrong. Kent initially asked for $25 million plus a full apology. The cash settlement Kent received remains confidential, but by the end of the book, Kent achieves three consequential achievements. Not only does he clear his name and show that his dishonourable discharge was based on completely false charges, but he has demonstrated something to which everyone who considers news of some importance should pay close attention: NBC news was (and very well may still be) driven by its entertainment division-as appalling a revelation as can be imagined.
And don't forget Gartner's past thoughts about guns. This is attributed to him via USA Today on January 16, 1992:
There is no reason for anyone in this country, for anyone except a police officer or a military person, to buy, to own, to have, to use, a handgun. The only way to control handgun use in this country is to prohibit the guns. And the only way to do that is to change the Constitution.
Also from the April 1991 issue of Shooting Industry:
Headlined "Tell Me a Good Reason for Handguns," the column began with Gartner declaring, "This is another of those columns about guns. I'm against them.Yeah, what a dilemma, eh? Cops should have guns, but apparently not university cops.
"I'm especially against handguns..." After spending most of the column citing Handgun Control Inc. statistics and advocating passage of the Brady Bill with its nationwide seven-day waiting period for handgun purchases, Gartner arrived at his real objective when he stated, "That doesn't seem too much too ask (passage of the Brady Bill).
"Indeed, it isn't enough. In fact, only police and soldiers -- and, maybe, licensed target ranges -- should have handguns. No one else needs one."
What a hypocrite Michael Gartner is.
"That the Register gives a megaphone to such an anti-Semite is appalling"
Wilhelmine Bennett, having a fun afternoon
James Eaves-Johnson, writing to the Des Moines Register about a recent letter by Wilhelmine Bennett:
That the Register gives a megaphone to such an anti-Semite is appalling
The Des Moines Register seems to give a megaphone any anti-Semite, regardless of background.
While Ms Bennett might have gotten her letter published, it's editorial page editor Carol Hunter's job to decide what goes in and what gets shredded. It makes you wonder what's going on inside Carol Hunter's head.
Monday, September 17, 2007
What The Media Is Fixated On
Via Google News results tonight:
About 11,175 for fred thompson
About 10,354 for britney spears
About 8,098 for OJ Simpson
About 6,640 for hillary health care
About 2,927 for hillary norman hsu
About 2,608 for sally field
About 594 for al gore emmy
About 147 for anal sex
About 95 for tom harkin's steak fry
About 67 for hillary tony rodham
About 33 for fisting
About 33 for hillary sandy berger
About 11,175 for fred thompson
About 10,354 for britney spears
About 8,098 for OJ Simpson
About 6,640 for hillary health care
About 2,927 for hillary norman hsu
About 2,608 for sally field
About 594 for al gore emmy
About 147 for anal sex
About 95 for tom harkin's steak fry
About 67 for hillary tony rodham
About 33 for fisting
About 33 for hillary sandy berger
Read My Lips, No New Bureaucracies
The Des Moines Register is reporting that Hitlery is rolling out her expensive Socialist health care proposal today, complete with defensive screetching that "This is not government run. There will be no new bureaucracies."
Read my lips, no new bureaucracies!
The whole frickin plan is nothing but a bureaucracy: tax credits, tax breaks, the supposed same insurance as Congress, and a requirement that you must have health insurance - or else!
The Press-Citizen's version of the story says that Hitlery will get rid of the Bush-era tax cuts for people earning over $250,000 a year, that seemingly endless supply of money earmarked for everything from deficit reduction to Social Security buffering to bridge maintenance - and now Socialized medicine.
What's amazing to me is that these newspaper writers have had time in the past couple of hours to read and thoroughly digest Hitlery's plan. They must be geniuses, or speed readers. Or they're a bunch of lazy douchebags who just reprint the Hitlery campaign's press release without bothering to fact check jack shit.
Hillary Clinton's Paid Staff Are Rude To Other Democrats At Harkin's Steak Fry
A commenter named crdemocrat rambles on and on in response to David Yepsen's blog entry about the Harkin Steak Fry.
Most telling is this:
Once again Clinton’s paid staff (as well as a portion of her volunteers, usually out of state college students) did nothing to endear themselves to Iowans. They wouldn’t shut up during other speakers. I had to tell several of them to shut up during the national anthem. And the paid staff left again (as they did at the Hall of Fame dinner, and again at the Hawkeye Labor forum) after Hillary spoke. However, this time there leaving (a coordinated effort intended to show national and local media, that a large segment of the crowd only wants to hear Hillary) didn’t have the desired effect (and it shouldn’t at the Hall of Fame dinner where it was clear that the 6-8 tables that left after Hillary spoke were all paid Iowa and out of state staffers brought in for the event, anyone in the media that didn’t know these young people weren’t regular Hall of Fame dinner attendee, and were paid staffers is very green)not only because Hillary wasn’t able to buy the right to speak first as she did at both the Hall of Fame and Hawkeye Labor Council events, Sen. Harkin drew the order of speaking from a hat, and Hillary spoke third after Obama and Richardson. There leaving after Hillary would not automatically indicate that they came to see only Hillary, also given the crowd size a couple hundred paid staffers, and college volunteers leaving wasn’t noticed.
The shit doesn't fall far from the asshole.
If Hitlery is the nominee, Democrats like crdemocrat are going to remember these sorts of things and they'll sit on their hands on election day or vote for a Green.
I'm surprised all the Hitlery-related stories aren't making a bigger impact in the news. Can you imagine if the Norman Hsu scandal had tainted somebody like Fred Thompson or Mitt Romney? The media would be going ballistic.
They'd also be going nuts if a former Republican who had been busted for stealing and destroying classified documents was advising a campaign, like Sandy Burglar is doing with the Hitlery campaign right now.
If a former Republican Secretary of State had stood by while millions died, would the press be so fawning on dictator-lover and Hitlery supporter Madeline NotSoBright?
What about the ongoing Tony Rodham scandal? That fat fuck tried to scam over $100,000 out of the estate of carnies after he secured a Presidential pardon for them. When his sister is president, how much money will be get for obtaining pardons from more cocaine dealers?
I can't believe that anybody is taking Hillary Clinton seriously. Do some people have such a hard-on for a woman president that they'd take somebody with as much scandal and damaged goods as Queen Hitlery? She makes Richard Nixon look cleaner than a Jeff Lewis home.
Let's Give The Habitual Criminals More Breaks
The DMR is reporting that the Iowa Department of Transportation is giving habitual driving offenders a break.
Right, that will teach them not to do it again.
The Register's example is a woman by the name of Bobbiette Wachuku. She was recently caught three times driving while suspended, which is amazing to me because I think I've been pulled over three times in the past 25 years.
Johnson County Judge Patrick Ingram dismissed one of two driving-under-suspension charges against Ms Wachuku and changed one to no driver's license in exchange for a guilty plea. She'll get 3 months to pay off her $182 fine and now she's eligible to get her driver's license back.
One look at the Trial Court case search for Bobbiette Wachuku and it's obvious that she's a habitual speeder as well, racking up numerous violations in the past few years. She's only 24 years old.
Now, I ask you this question: How does somebody with numerous speeding tickets with guilty pleas and numerous driving while suspended charges get automobile insurance? I know Iowa has cheap car insurance rates, but with that many speeding tickets it's got to cost a pretty penny. She's got to be close to SR-22 rates.
And why is the State giving Bobbiette Wachuku a break? What is the concept of fines and jail time and a suspension of driving privileges if those charged with enforcing the law just sort of thumb their noses at it? Is this the sort of convoluted logic in state politics that inspires such nonsense as amnesties for income tax deadbeats and giving taxpayer-financed corporate welfare to successful companies to move their headquarters 11 miles in the name of economic development?
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Dumbfuck Alert
From the Cedar Rapids Gazette:
I've got a great idea! Let's go be middle aged, get drunk, and then drive the snowmobiles around in the grass until we hit each other!
A man was injured Sunday when two snowmobiles collided on the grass outside a home in Walker.
Brett Freeman, 47, of Walker, was taken by helicopter to Univesrity Hospitals in Iowa City after his snowmobile collided with one driven by Nicholas Caves, 48, of Alburnett. It happened in Freeman's yard around 6:40 p.m., according to the Linn County Sheriff's Office.
Caves wasn't injured. Both men are charged with operating while intoxicated, and neither was wearing a helmet, deputies said.
I've got a great idea! Let's go be middle aged, get drunk, and then drive the snowmobiles around in the grass until we hit each other!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Exploiting Joshua Omvig, Part 2
Andie Dominick, who has her degree in Creative Writing, wrote Saturday's op-ed ("Suicide after serving: Congress should do more to help veterans") about the suicide of Army Reservist and Iraq War Veteran Joshua Omvig and a suicide prevention bill which passed the House last March that was named for him.
In the second paragraph, Dominick indicates that Omvig committed suicide in front of his mother just a few days before Christmas. What Dominick doesn't mention is that Omvig had previously refused counseling and, the night before he killed himself, got drunk, wrecked his car, and was arrested for drunk driving.
Dominick also wrote in the third paragraph that Omvig's suicide inspired members of Congress to act. Which members of Congress? Just the usual crowd who shit all over the military at any opportunity: John "Abscam" Murtha, Pete Stark, and Jim McDermott, for starters.
By leaving out these key facts in her op-ed, Dominick wants the reader to believe that the Iraq war had made Omvig C-R-A-Z-Y and that Bush's military abandoned him when he needed help. It's no secret that Dominick is a Bush-hater of the sneering variety.
Not only that, but Dominick has a history of writing op-eds that leave out a whole bunch of important facts in order to push an agenda. No wonder the editorial page under the regime of Carol Hunter continues to sucketh.
In the second paragraph, Dominick indicates that Omvig committed suicide in front of his mother just a few days before Christmas. What Dominick doesn't mention is that Omvig had previously refused counseling and, the night before he killed himself, got drunk, wrecked his car, and was arrested for drunk driving.
Dominick also wrote in the third paragraph that Omvig's suicide inspired members of Congress to act. Which members of Congress? Just the usual crowd who shit all over the military at any opportunity: John "Abscam" Murtha, Pete Stark, and Jim McDermott, for starters.
By leaving out these key facts in her op-ed, Dominick wants the reader to believe that the Iraq war had made Omvig C-R-A-Z-Y and that Bush's military abandoned him when he needed help. It's no secret that Dominick is a Bush-hater of the sneering variety.
Not only that, but Dominick has a history of writing op-eds that leave out a whole bunch of important facts in order to push an agenda. No wonder the editorial page under the regime of Carol Hunter continues to sucketh.
Ramona Cunningham Has A New Job
GED recipient and former $368,000-a-year CIETC head Ramona Cunningham with Senator Tom Harkin at the dedication of the "Tom Harkin Learning Center" at CIETC offices in October 20, 2004.
Guess who isn't going to Tom Harkin's Steak Fry this year.
She has to work changing adult diapers. Boo hoo.
It's a stopgap on her way to prison.
And look at this:
(no, it's not THAT Nick Johnson!)
Wellmark's Shell Game With The Taxpayers
The Des Moines Register is reporting that Wellmark is getting nearly $10 million in State and local taxpayer-financed corporate welfare in order to build a new $175 million company headquarters in downtown DSM.
This is the same Wellmark which funds the Wellmark Foundation, the same bunch who recently wanted to buy the naming rights to the University of Iowa College of Health for $15 million.
This is the same Wellmark which funds the Wellmark Foundation, the same bunch who recently wanted to buy the naming rights to the University of Iowa College of Health for $15 million.
DeCosters Busted Again For Employing Illegals
The DeCosters keep employing illegals.
You know, if the government could fine these sleazebags $100,000 for every illegal they employ, this stuff would cease fairly quickly. Ya think?
Speaking of which, did Lt Gov Patty Judge ever give back that filthy $10,000 that the DeCosters donated to her gubernatorial campaign? That's the donation that even Democrat Ed Fallon called influence peddling.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Why Don't People Want To Buy An Overpriced Small House On A Tiny Lot In The Middle Of Nowhere Next To Crazy Welfare Recipients?
The Iowa City Press-Citizen has another story about the brand-new-you're-retro Peninsula Neighborhood and its ongoing woes.
City officials are getting nervous and developers are conveniently blaming lack of sales on an extremely slight decline (2.4%) in the area's market in the past year. Never mind that home sales in the Iowa City area likely went bonkers over the past 5 or 6 years while few at the Peninsula Neighborhood were sold.
It doesn't help that a single family house with about 1400 finished sq ft and a postage stamp-sized yard starts at $257,900 or that mentally-depressed Section 8 types have moved in. You're also a long ways off downtown, stuck way back down a slow road, and nowhere near any amenities. What a totally brain-dead idea this was, especially compared to what you can get in Iowa City in that price range.
In April 2005, I had another post about this debacle. It was right when the developers and the City of Iowa City agreed to create those Section 8 units. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot and the head multiple times.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Bobby, You Are On The Wrong Boat
John Deeth covers former heroin addict RFK Jr's appearance in Iowa City last night.
I agree with Bobby Jr that the press sucks, but he lays the blame for everything at the feet of Fox News, AM talk radio hosts, and 20/20's John Stossel, which just shows you how crazy he is. It's not like Fox News rules the world, although it seems to paralyze his.
I do agree with Bobby Jr in his complaints against Big Agriculture and their "crony capitalism" which has brought us massive hog lots, environmental destruction of our rivers and lakes, and all the eventual problems that corn ethanol processing will cause.
However, the biggest problem I have with Bobby Jr is his ongoing opposition to putting 130 wind turbines more than five miles off the coast of Cape Cod. What a rich hypocrite douchebag.
Related: "But don't you realize — that's where I sail!"
At Least We Now Know Where He Lives
Update 9:43am:
Soon-to-be former WDM Councilman Brad Olson had a felony arrest warrant issued on him for the allegedly stolen truck Olson drove around in from Dewey Ford for the past 3 years.
Olson was arrested and booked in Polk County Jail this morning at 7:48am.
Can't wait for the mug shot!
Olson's had a lot of problems lately.
Update 9:43am: It looks like Olson is already out of the pokey on a $10,000 cash or surety bond, as he no longer appears in the Polk County Jail's database. We'll have to wait on the mug shot.
Soon-to-be former WDM Councilman Brad Olson had a felony arrest warrant issued on him for the allegedly stolen truck Olson drove around in from Dewey Ford for the past 3 years.
Olson was arrested and booked in Polk County Jail this morning at 7:48am.
Can't wait for the mug shot!
Olson's had a lot of problems lately.
Update 9:43am: It looks like Olson is already out of the pokey on a $10,000 cash or surety bond, as he no longer appears in the Polk County Jail's database. We'll have to wait on the mug shot.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
I Am Cornholio
University of Iowa VP for Student Services, Phillip Jones, has banned a corn-on-the-cob eating contest because it promotes "gluttony" or something.
Read the comments on that story.
Gee, and what do evening football games in Iowa City promote, Mr Jones? Environmental awareness after-the-fact?
"This One Will Make A Profit"
Another likely Vilsack failure
Call me a skeptic, but the State of Iowa funding and building a "resort" in the middle of nowhere Southern Iowa off a lake with scant development since Nixon dedicated it back in early 1970s is not likely to make a profit, despite what the DNR says.
"But don't you realize — that's where I sail!"
The Iowa State Daily is reporting that the Story County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional application submitted by Story Wind LLC to lay a field of approximately 100 wind turbines in Story County.
Naturally, there's always a detractor:
Among some of the concerns expressed by both the board and the public were whether the wind farm was going to generate too much noise and light pollution, and how it was going to affect property values in the area.
"This farm is going up half a mile from me and I've never been contacted," said Paul Ogden, of Nevada.
He worried that his seven-acre property was going to suffer from a loss in value because of the large turbines going up in view of his home. He said he invested money in his property and he doubted he was going to find someone who wanted to look at the turbines once he decided to sell.
It's not like a friggin hog lot is moving upwind, Mr Ogden.
There's a Ted Kennedy in every crowd, isn't there?
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Maybe Tractors Should Run On Ethanol
From Reuters:
Fuel shortages in the U.S. Midwest are raising concerns corn farmers may have trouble harvesting their bumper crop this autumn.
Farmers planted the largest corn crop since 1944 last spring after prices hit a 10-year high of $4.37 a bushel in early 2007. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated a record crop of more than 13 billion bushels.
But farmers said supplies of the ultra low sulfur diesel needed for harvesting equipment are running low, particularly in the corn-growing regions of Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa.
In Iowa, fuel shortages are anticipated as retailers report having only about 80 percent of their normal supply, said John Scott, a corn and soy farmer in west central Iowa.
"Worse case scenario is our crop stands in the field until we have fuel to harvest it," said Scott, who has stored about one week's supply of fuel in anticipation of shortages, but not enough to tide him over for the six-week harvest season...
...Experts blame a variety of refinery outages for the short supply, including a wave of maintenance shutdowns coinciding with peak harvest season from mid-September through October.
Doh!
Many tractors can handle biodiesel blends. Here's a web page with some information about various brands and models.
Did You Know Horses Have Nipples?
Angela Hill, writing in the Alameda Times-Star:
IT'S TIME for our biannual trek to visit my husband's family on the farm in bustling Columbus Junction, Iowa...
... Despite what you might think, I love going to Iowa. For a little while. A little, tiny, itty, bitty biannual while. Great for a visit, but not to live there, as it is slightly different from the Bay Area. For one thing, no Peet's. People there drink water flavored with Folgers. They make it so weak, those huge red containers last for years. There is a Starbucks, but it's up Hwy 218 in the Barnes & Noble at the Coralville mall, which is 30 miles away, and the miles are much longer in "I" states...
... Nobody dines on Ed's mommy. The trademark food is a tenderloin sandwich. In fact, first thing, we'll stop at the Hy-Vee (grocery store, equivalent of Safeway), go to the deli where they sell potato salad and that fluffy Oreo-and-whipped-cream dessert stuff, and buy my husband a tenderloin.
This is a pork tenderloin, flogged until it is very thin and the size of a regulation Frisbee. It is then breaded, deep-friedand placed with a tomato and lettuce on a ridiculously small bun which gives it the general appearance of the planet Saturn. Some fold the meat over until it fits, thus making the sandwich very tall instead of wide. Others, with smaller mouths, chew the tenderloin around the edges, finally ending up at the central bun. Either way, this snack of the nation's midsection will add volume to your own...
...Last visit, I rode a horse, if being seated on the back of an antique mare and having Mindy walk her 15 feet to the barn counts. I dismounted gracefully, getting my foot stuck in the stirrup only once and viewing the world upside down — did you know horses have nipples?
Dictator Lover Madeleine Albright Coming To Iowa City For Hitlery
Former dictator cocksucker Madeleine Albright will be in Iowa City on Thursday campaigning for Hitlery Clintler.
Where can you students get some rotten eggs? Somebody needs to pelt that old bag a few hundred times. Maybe run that old pile of crap out of state on the rails.
Madeleine Albright is evil:
Albright was appointed ambassador to the UN, her first diplomatic post, shortly after Clinton was inaugurated, presenting her credentials on February 9, 1993. During her tenure at the UN, she had a rocky relationship with the United Nations Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali. She did not take action against the genocide in Rwanda. Albright later remarked in PBS documetary Ghosts of Rwanda that "it was a very, very difficult time, and the situation was unclear. You know, in retrospect, it all looks very clear. But when you were [there] at the time, it was unclear about what was happening in Rwanda..."Fucking pathetic.
...She was also criticized for defending the sanctions of Iraq under Saddam Hussein, which led to hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths. In 1996, she made highly controversial remarks in an interview with Lesley Stahl on CBS's 60 Minutes. Asked by Stahl with regards to effect of sanctions against Iraq: "We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?". Albright replied: "I think this is a very hard choice, but the price — we think the price is worth it." She expressed regret for this remark in her 2003 autobiography, and when asked about it in 2005 she said "I never should have made it, it was stupid..."
...According to several accounts, the American ambassador to Kenya, Prudence Bushnell, repeatedly asked Washington for additional security at the embassy in Nairobi, including in an April 1998 letter directly to Albright. Bushnell was ignored. In "Against All Enemies," Richard Clarke writes about an exchange with Albright several months after the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed in August 1998. "What do you think will happen if you lose another embassy?" Clarke asked. "The Republicans in Congress will go after you." "First of all, I didn't lose these two embassies," Albright shot back. "I inherited them in the shape they were..."
Monday, September 10, 2007
Cheap Houses Are Being Foreclosed On In Northern Iowa
John Skipper has an odd, cobbled-together article in Saturday's Mason City Glob-Gazette about home foreclosures in northern Iowa.
Skipper mentions two unnamed people: One is a man who has made only one payment on a home he can't afford. The other is a woman contemplating bankruptcy because she has less than $1000 in debt on a credit card plus payments on a home she supposedly can't afford.
Who makes one payment on a house and then stops?
What kind of an idiot contemplates bankruptcy over less than $1000 in debt on a credit card?
Am I supposed to feel sorry here? Are these people even real? They sound made up.
Skipper then goes on to note some advertised sheriff's sales on eight foreclosed properties. The range of the home values were between $45,114 and $98,623. You've got to wonder what happened there. Somebody earning $10 an hour at Wal-Mart can easily qualify for a mortgage in the mid $50s with medium credit and no debt. If you have really good credit and no debt, you can qualify in the $75,000 range.
Skipper naturally assumes that most of these homes were foreclosed on due to subprime mortgages with higher interest rates for bums with bad credit. He provides no proof, of course. Why not go to the mortgage companies and find out?
Skipper mentions two unnamed people: One is a man who has made only one payment on a home he can't afford. The other is a woman contemplating bankruptcy because she has less than $1000 in debt on a credit card plus payments on a home she supposedly can't afford.
Who makes one payment on a house and then stops?
What kind of an idiot contemplates bankruptcy over less than $1000 in debt on a credit card?
Am I supposed to feel sorry here? Are these people even real? They sound made up.
Skipper then goes on to note some advertised sheriff's sales on eight foreclosed properties. The range of the home values were between $45,114 and $98,623. You've got to wonder what happened there. Somebody earning $10 an hour at Wal-Mart can easily qualify for a mortgage in the mid $50s with medium credit and no debt. If you have really good credit and no debt, you can qualify in the $75,000 range.
Skipper naturally assumes that most of these homes were foreclosed on due to subprime mortgages with higher interest rates for bums with bad credit. He provides no proof, of course. Why not go to the mortgage companies and find out?
Who's More Evil?
Even though I had a post this weekend ("Enrollment Up, Debt Up") concerning the usual story by the media about the cost of higher education, I have to comment on the Des Moines Register's Editorial this morning concerning the marketing of credit cards to college students.
So let me get this straight: 69% of ISU grads in 2005 left the campus with an average student loan debt of over $28,000.
But if you're a college student and have a credit card, the average balance on it by the time you graduate is only $2800.
The Register, naturally, tells students to "beware" and parents and teachers to "prepare".
Could that advice be any more lame ass?
Where are the editorials advising parents and students to "beware" of the financial aid department? No, they don't write those kinds of editorials at the Des Moines Register.
Why not?
The Register clearly believes that credit card companies are evil (I'll agree with them on that point - the credit card companies have no business marketing their product to somebody with practically no income....), but considering that students leave ISU with TEN TIMES the amount of debt in student loans than credit cards, isn't the financial aid department TEN TIMES WORSE???
Not likely in the Register's eyes. Education is an investment, you know. Why, that political science, English, social worker, communication studies, exercise science, French language, and art history degree has a ton of job openings in Iowa. Put that headset on, sonny boy, you've got calls to take! And if you leave the state for better job prospects elsewhere, you're a heretic!
Besides, it's the Federal government's fault that those kids took out all those student loans. You can't expect parents to save money over a 20 year time period for kids! You can't expect kids to work rather than hanging out in bars underage or urinating in Nicholas Johnson's back yard on Saturday afternoon. And if Republicans didn't wage war, we'd have a peace dividend and college would be freeeeeeee!
But what's the Federal government's official answer? A slightly lower interest rate while jacking up the amount of money you can borrow by 25%. Yeah, that'll work!!!!!
And here's something to suck on for the morning: Why don't the faculty members at ISU, UI, and UNI vote on banning credit card companies from their campuses? The Register's editorial points out that credit card companies can rent space on the campus for $200 a day. They don't want the cops to have guns, but they'll invite the vultures from the credit card companies to come and prey on the stupid youth. Who authorized that??? It must have been the same bunch of lunatics who hired that cunt as Provost and the atheist to be a religious studies professor at ISU.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Generalissimo Joe Biden
Via Don Surber:
Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware on Jan. 18, 2007: “Mr. President, please change course. Listen to your generals. Listen to former generals. Listen to the Iraq Study Group.”Bush changed course. Listened to the generals. Pushed for the Surge.
Biden on Sept. 9, 2007, on Gen. David Petraeus: “I really respect him, and I think he’s dead flat wrong.”
Joe Biden has a history of looking like a dumbass.
Related from 2006: Joe Biden and Leonard Boswell Host Higher Education Affordability Forum At $30,000 A Year Drake University
Nicholas Johnson's Lawn Got Watered
Wow!
Nicholas Johnson has a post Sunday that leads to a Picasa photo album showing the amount of public urination, broken glass, and trash left behind in his neighborhood following the Iowa Hawkeyes football game last night.
Enrollment Up, Debt Up
The Des Moines Register has a big sob story in the Sunday edition about all the people who took out tons of student loans and, after graduating college, ended up with no job, crappy part-time jobs, or working their tails off in Chicago as a lawyer/slave. At least the patent attorney chick admitted she spent a lot of her loan money on spring breaks and new shoes.
I've commented on this matter many times before ("On Higher Education And Debt"), and this seems to be a recurring story with newspapers in September. The problems are still the same and the solutions proposed by the "experts" (more government money) are absolute crap. Oh, and despite higher debt loads, enrollment continues to go up.
But I will say this: We don't trust 18, 19, or 20 year olds to be able to walk into a bar and buy a beer, but a college or university's financial aid department, the companies that back government-subsidized student loans, and private student loan lenders have no problem whatsoever with signing up the same 18, 19, or 20 year olds and steering them into tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt that will take 10, 15, or 25 years to pay back.
Why is it not OK for Citibank and Chase and American Express to market credit cards to these same kids, but it's OK for the financial aid department to do the same sort of thing?
If your kid does not know what he or she wants to do while at college or university, they probably should not go. There's nothing wrong with community college, a trade school, or even the workforce. Unemployment is ridiculously low almost everywhere in Iowa.
Also, parents, why are you not saving up for your children's college expenses? You have 18 to 22 years from the kid's birth in order to save up cash, invest it in good mutual funds, and hopefully obtain a decent return.
Is $70 a month going to break you? Starting from nothing, $70 a month will get you about $50,000 over 22 years at 8% growth.
Or would you rather saddle the kid with $400+ a month payments for 15 years following their college graduation?
Friday, September 07, 2007
Tap Common Sense: Quit Buying The Des Moines Register
Based on this Register Editorial Board opinion piece urging people to not buy that evil bottled water.
You may have heard the phrase. Register spelled backwards is Retsiger.
Well, I'm proposing a new name for newspapers: Fuson
Fuson is a French term for "funnier than Jerry Lewis".
You may have heard of this thing called the internet. It's a series of tubes. In the tubes are three things: news, blogs, and porn.
You know what news is. Know that if the information is coming from the lamestream media -the self-anointed reporters, broadcasters and photojournalists -they are following strict professional guidelines from Gannett that the loser outlets don't require. The information has been verified as made-up, has been spun by editors, has been fat-checked and proofed by the Democratic Party.
Perhaps you have not heard of blogs, but they are taking over the world.
Pr0n is too. Free Pr0n! Anybody can do Pr0n these days.
But don't buy newspapers like the Des Moines Register. Here are some reasons why:
It's expensive. $195.72 a year for something you can get for free all over the internet, but without all the leftist spin and drivel, or the annoying ads that take up 75% of most pages.
It's no better than any other newspaper. Heck, most of the Register is nothing but regurgitated Associated Press stories that are printed in any other McNewspaper throughout America. What's left other than the editorial page? Occasionally some local news about the usual dirtbags and criminals.
It's bad for the environment. Newspapers kill trees. Lots of trees. Lots of recycled trees, too. They also kill soybean plants by using soy inks. Instead of feeding the starving North Koreans soybeans, newspapers are printing ads in beautiful colors. Many newspapers end up lining bird cages or cat boxes, or are thrown into the garbage, seeping godknowswhat into the landfill and our groundwater. It's enough to make people consider drinking bottled water.
It's unnecessary. We have other news outlets on the internet. There's also TV news. Radio news. Naked News. Who the hell wants to get stains on their fingers from ink? Besides, online you get to comment on all the stories!
Americans should be embarrassed to buy newspapers. What year do these publishers think it is? 1907? Newspapers are a dying industry. There's a reason why every town's newspapers merged decades ago, then the evening edition died, and then people stopped taking the morning newspaper. Who wants to dig through 60 pages of used car ads in order to read some crap about how anybody who is an animal lover and who also criticized Michael Vick is a white supremacist? Why would you spend $40 or more advertising your garage sale when there's stuff like craigslist around? Why would you look in the Des Moines Register's classifieds section for an "escort" service when there are BBWs on AFF who will gladly give you a hummer tonight for free?
You may have heard the phrase. Register spelled backwards is Retsiger.
Well, I'm proposing a new name for newspapers: Fuson
Fuson is a French term for "funnier than Jerry Lewis".
You may have heard of this thing called the internet. It's a series of tubes. In the tubes are three things: news, blogs, and porn.
You know what news is. Know that if the information is coming from the lamestream media -the self-anointed reporters, broadcasters and photojournalists -they are following strict professional guidelines from Gannett that the loser outlets don't require. The information has been verified as made-up, has been spun by editors, has been fat-checked and proofed by the Democratic Party.
Perhaps you have not heard of blogs, but they are taking over the world.
Pr0n is too. Free Pr0n! Anybody can do Pr0n these days.
But don't buy newspapers like the Des Moines Register. Here are some reasons why:
It's expensive. $195.72 a year for something you can get for free all over the internet, but without all the leftist spin and drivel, or the annoying ads that take up 75% of most pages.
It's no better than any other newspaper. Heck, most of the Register is nothing but regurgitated Associated Press stories that are printed in any other McNewspaper throughout America. What's left other than the editorial page? Occasionally some local news about the usual dirtbags and criminals.
It's bad for the environment. Newspapers kill trees. Lots of trees. Lots of recycled trees, too. They also kill soybean plants by using soy inks. Instead of feeding the starving North Koreans soybeans, newspapers are printing ads in beautiful colors. Many newspapers end up lining bird cages or cat boxes, or are thrown into the garbage, seeping godknowswhat into the landfill and our groundwater. It's enough to make people consider drinking bottled water.
It's unnecessary. We have other news outlets on the internet. There's also TV news. Radio news. Naked News. Who the hell wants to get stains on their fingers from ink? Besides, online you get to comment on all the stories!
Americans should be embarrassed to buy newspapers. What year do these publishers think it is? 1907? Newspapers are a dying industry. There's a reason why every town's newspapers merged decades ago, then the evening edition died, and then people stopped taking the morning newspaper. Who wants to dig through 60 pages of used car ads in order to read some crap about how anybody who is an animal lover and who also criticized Michael Vick is a white supremacist? Why would you spend $40 or more advertising your garage sale when there's stuff like craigslist around? Why would you look in the Des Moines Register's classifieds section for an "escort" service when there are BBWs on AFF who will gladly give you a hummer tonight for free?
Iowa Still Has More Dead Motorcyclists Because Of Deer Than Soliders Killed In Iraq This Year
A week ago I pointed out that more people have died because of motorcyclists hitting deer in Iowa this year than Iowa National Guard members killed in Iraq. (an updated list of soldiers killed is located here)
Even if you add the death of Army Sgt. Kevin Gilbertson on August 29th in Ramadi, motorcyclists have managed to jump back into first place after a Wisconsin man, Rodney Alderman, hit a deer near Postville last night and died. He's the tenth to die in a deer-motorcycle accident in Iowa in 2007, already an enormous record. Up until a couple years ago, it was rare to have more than one or two deaths a year because of deer-motorcycle accidents.
Deer-motorcyclist deaths in Iowa in 2007:
10. September 7, 2007: Rodney Alderman, riding near Postville
9. August 27, 2007: Thomas Wilber, riding near Garber
8. August 26, 2007: Marlene Wilber, riding near Garber
7. August 16, 2007: Ted Alitz, riding in Lucas County
6. August 16, 2007: Danielle Kent, riding in Lucas County
5. July 8, 2007: Jeremy Henderson, riding near Toddville
4. June 22, 2007: Michael Tabbert, riding near Schaller
3. ?
2. ?
1. ?
Don't forget that infamous quote by former Iowa DNR head Jeff Vonk, who has moved on to a similar job in South Dakota:
"When you shoot them, they are our deer, but when you hit them with your car, they are your deer," Vonk said with a nervous chuckle at a meeting.Back in 1950, when there were an estimated 10,000 deer in Iowa, there were already reports of damage to agricultural crops. In 2006, following the harvesting of over 150,000 deer, the population was estimated at 340,000.
It is time to stop this bloodbath on Iowa's highways. The DNR needs to allow year-round hunting of deer to decrease numbers below 1980 estimates of 50,000 deer. In other words, 90% or more of the current deer population in Iowa needs to be killed. It is likely that this major culling will save more human lives in future years.
Support the motorcyclists! Kill the deer!
Welcome Back, Krusty Konservative!
Is Krusty back?
I missed the not-comeback post in late July. The other one-off post on September 1st. A followup on September 5th. And a Fred Thompson post from yesterday.
Ahhh, this blogging thing. Sometimes you have to take a break from it.
I missed the not-comeback post in late July. The other one-off post on September 1st. A followup on September 5th. And a Fred Thompson post from yesterday.
Ahhh, this blogging thing. Sometimes you have to take a break from it.
eServ Gets Corporate Welfare And A Property Tax Break For Moving 11 Miles
The Associated Press must be staffed by the clueless when it comes to geography. That's the only thing I can gather after reading this story on WQAD's web site about engineering and consulting firm eServ's plan to move their company headquarters.
The headline to the story is Illinois company moving to Davenport, plans to bring 265 jobs. Whoa, sounds big! In fact, eServ is only moving their headquarters about 11 miles from their current location. Apparently, nobody at the Associated Press understands that Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa are directly across the Mississippi River from one another.
It's not like those eServ employees will be moving into the area. They're already in the area! The employees certainly don't qualify for any relocation and moving tax breaks as offered by the IRS. The company would have to move at least 50 miles away from the employee's old home for that to kick in.
Yet, surprisingly, eServ is getting $1 million in taxpayer-subsidized money from the Iowa Department Of
City of Davenport taxpayers will also be subsidizing eServ's 11 mile move by reimbursing up to a maximum of 80 percent of the property taxes paid on the value of the new facility available to the city through tax increment financing, or TIF, over a 15-year period.
Welcome to Iowa, eServ. Enjoy dodging your property taxes for the next 15 years and taking money from the hard working taxpayers of Iowa for your 11 mile move so that some politician or State employee can pad their resume with more bogus statistics.
"Immigrants in the United States Illegally" Are Mostly Drug Dealers
It must have pained the Des Moines Register to write this story about a bunch of illegal Mexicans who were busted by the Feds after running a major meth, marijuana, and cocaine operation in Des Moines and Urbandale.
The Register uses the phrase "immigrants in the United States illegally" but that's not correct. The correct phrase should be "Criminals in the United States illegally".
Don't forget that many of Iowa's politicians and influential "leaders" want more illegals around so that Iowa can be filled with Mexican drug dealers trying to get your kids hooked on meth.
Who exactly are we talking about?
- Chuck Grassley wants illegals working here with fake Social Security numbers
- Former Cedar Rapids Mayor and current Chamber of Commerce head Lee Clancey wants more illegals.
- Wayne Ford wants illegals to get driver's licenses with fake documents.
- Tom Harkin voted to give illegals Social Security based on past illegal employment.
- Lt Gov Patty Judge accepted $10,000 in campaign donations last year from the crooked DeCoster family, a regular employer of illegals.
- Carol Hunter wants to give illegals a driver's license. So does the rest of the Register Editorial Board.
- Tom Vilsack wanted to import 310,000 slave-wage illegals to the state.
- Ken Larson, the managing editor of the Marshalltown Times-Republican, is in favor of amnesty of illegals.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Thompson Aide Thinks Ethanol Is A Big Scam (SHE'S RIGHT!)
From Fred Thompson aide Karen Hanretty's blog on August 10th:
Imagine there’s no first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus. No need to pander to corn farmers. No politicizing ethanol for votes. No pressure to support hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded ethanol subsidies.Go Fred, go!!!
Two columnists, one conservative-leaning, the other liberal-leaning, have written recently about the politics of ethanol in America. John Stossel, in a May 23 column entitled “The Many Myths of Ethanol,” writes “Surely, ethanol must be good for something. And here we finally have a fact. It is good for something — or at least someone: corn farmers and processors of ethanol, such as Archer Daniels Midland, the big food processor known for its savvy at getting subsidies out of the taxpayers.” He goes on to note that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) voted against ethanol 17 times before she decided to run for president (if you assume she wasn’t planning to run all along).
Peter Schrag, a liberal-leaning columnist for The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee, noted this week that “Since the feds subsidize corn ethanol (a 51 cents tax credit for every gallon of ethanol blended into gas) in addition to the regular multibillion-dollar corn subsidy, and since Congress protects corn ethanol with hefty tariffs to prevent the import of cheaper Brazilian ethanol, ethanol, as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) complains, enjoys a triple subsidy. Some $600 million annually comes from highway funds.”
And that got me to thinking about infrastructure spending and how many roads and highways could be built or repaired each year with $600 million. And that got me to imagining there’s no first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus. Perhaps it’s time to put America first and make Iowa go last.
Let's also talk about how ethanol is nothing but a big scam to take money from the taxpayers and give it to the Big Corn Lobby.
Not only that, but practically all ethanol processing plants do not pay their fair share of property taxes.
Ethanol, or at least E-85, is an expensive ripoff even with the subsidies.
Anyway, this sure is refreshing. It beats Hitlery Clintler voting against every ethanol bill in Congress until she suddenly wakes up and decides to run for President. Pander, pander, pander, pander, pander, slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp!
I can't wait to hear the other candidates whining about this. That'll show what a bunch of ADM lobbyist cocksuckers they really are.
And if Fred Thompson dumps this aide because of that blog entry, well, Fuck Him.
Here's Fred!
You've got to love this Thomas Beaumont piece on Fred Thompson in the Des Moines Register.
The key repeating babbling point for the media seems to be that Thompson took forever in announcing his candidacy.
Did you hear that? Thompson took forever in announcing his candidacy. Did you hear that? Thompson took forever in announcing his candidacy. Did you hear that? Thompson took forever in announcing his candidacy. Did you hear that? Thompson took forever in announcing his candidacy. Did you hear that?
OK! Shut up! We get it.
David Yepsen clearly hates Fred Thompson, what with all the bashing he's been doing lately. Hey, Dave, why don't you go back to carrying water for Chet Culver? Loser.
Meanwhile, the other Republican candidates have been spinning their wheels in Iowa for months, if not years. Romney only paid for his straw poll showing, McCain fired his entire staff, and Giuliani has gotten absolutely nowhere. During this time, Fred went from nothing to around 20% in the polls by merely having his name floated. Obviously, he's doing this Presidential thing all wrong by not wasting millions of dollars and tons of everybody's time in Iowa.
How dare this actor/lobbyist not bore Iowans with the same old stump speech! Gee, and the election is only 14 months away. How are you people ever going to figure out what Fred Thompson stands for in so little time?
You know, I miss Krusty Konservative. I wonder what he's thinking about Fred running?
Best Mug Shot Ever
She was busted for drunken driving, doing donuts in a yard, and trying to grab a police officer's johnson on the south side of Des Moines yesterday morning.
What a classic mug shot.
I think she's cute enough to be a finalist in Iowahawk's next round of Hoosegow Honeys! But boy is she in a lot of trouble.
Find Your Candidate Calculator
John Deeth has a link over to the Find Your Candidate calculator.
I'm a real mess.
My #1 match is Republican Duncan Hunter, who I know little about.
My #2 match, relatively close behind, is Democrat Mike Gravel, another guy who isn't even on my radar.
#3, which is the weirdest of all, is Democrat Dennis Kucinich! He wasn't very far behind Gravel!
#4 and #5, way way way down the list (in very low single digits) was Ron Paul, closely followed by Fred Thompson.
I'm a real mess.
My #1 match is Republican Duncan Hunter, who I know little about.
My #2 match, relatively close behind, is Democrat Mike Gravel, another guy who isn't even on my radar.
#3, which is the weirdest of all, is Democrat Dennis Kucinich! He wasn't very far behind Gravel!
#4 and #5, way way way down the list (in very low single digits) was Ron Paul, closely followed by Fred Thompson.
History's Bunk
All 22 of the history professors at the University of Iowa who showed up to a departmental meeting yesterday (UI has 32 history professors on staff), were united in their opposition of allowing campus police to carry guns.
The University of Iowa and Iowa State University are the only campuses in the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences whose campus police do not carry guns.
It's pretty clear that the toilet needs to be flushed over there in Iowa City. What kind of idiots are they hiring for these jobs? I'm surprised these profs don't vote to deny automobiles to campus police.
The University of Iowa and Iowa State University are the only campuses in the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences whose campus police do not carry guns.
It's pretty clear that the toilet needs to be flushed over there in Iowa City. What kind of idiots are they hiring for these jobs? I'm surprised these profs don't vote to deny automobiles to campus police.
Drunk Drivers Who Kill, But Luckily Die Before Their Light Sentence Is Up
Donald Corwin, the piece of shit who killed two women while driving drunk and who was eventually convicted of OWI four times, died Tuesday.
Enjoy hell, dickhead.
If you've been reading this blog for any time, you know that I have a thing for judges who are soft on drunk drivers who kill. The case of Corwin is significant for me in that it was the first time I realized how many judges in Iowa need to be permanently retired.
In the Corwin case, in late 1997, you had District Judge Gregory Hulse allowing Corwin to be released on an appeal bond after serving only three months. Corwin, because he was a drunk piece of shit, naturally got caught drinking again and was thrown in the klink.
The next summer, Polk County District Judge Ray Fenton cut Corwin's 20 year sentence in half. If anybody should have been run out of town by an angry mob, it was Ray Fenton. What a disgrace. But then most of Ray Fenton's career has been a disgrace, letting off every type of vermin so they can rob and kill again.
Enjoy hell, dickhead.
If you've been reading this blog for any time, you know that I have a thing for judges who are soft on drunk drivers who kill. The case of Corwin is significant for me in that it was the first time I realized how many judges in Iowa need to be permanently retired.
In the Corwin case, in late 1997, you had District Judge Gregory Hulse allowing Corwin to be released on an appeal bond after serving only three months. Corwin, because he was a drunk piece of shit, naturally got caught drinking again and was thrown in the klink.
The next summer, Polk County District Judge Ray Fenton cut Corwin's 20 year sentence in half. If anybody should have been run out of town by an angry mob, it was Ray Fenton. What a disgrace. But then most of Ray Fenton's career has been a disgrace, letting off every type of vermin so they can rob and kill again.
Don't Let Them Kill Us
Pavarotti is dead.
Remember when war was acceptable by the Left? You know what I'm talking about. It was all that NATO and UN-led stuff during the mid 1990s: The Siege of Sarajevo. Ethnic cleansing. Or the totally incompetent United Nations allowing the massacre at Srebrenica.
Here's a real gem from those pro-war days. A couple of the guys from U2 along with Pavarotti singing Miss Sarejevo:
And don't forget Nessun Dorma from the 2006 Winter Olympics:
Remember when war was acceptable by the Left? You know what I'm talking about. It was all that NATO and UN-led stuff during the mid 1990s: The Siege of Sarajevo. Ethnic cleansing. Or the totally incompetent United Nations allowing the massacre at Srebrenica.
Here's a real gem from those pro-war days. A couple of the guys from U2 along with Pavarotti singing Miss Sarejevo:
And don't forget Nessun Dorma from the 2006 Winter Olympics:
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
I Hate Illinois Nazis
Christie Vilsack showed up at some park in East Moline, Illinois, to speak of behalf of Hitlery Clinton (Heil Clintler!), but she got dissed by the Obama-loving union thugs.
Oddly enough it was called the Salute To Labor party (Heil Clintler!).
Gee, can't we all just get along?
I hate Illinois Nazis.
You Animal Lovers Are All White Supremacists
Update:
Kathy Rudy
It's hard to believe that the Des Moines Register could ever print a dumber op-ed than the one written by one Kathy Rudy, an ethicist and associate professor of women's studies at Duke University, and published in today's edition.
Somehow Ms Rudy, and you just know she's a Ms, offers up preposterous notions like the following:
And:
What the hell does black culture have to do with dog fighting and dog murder? Just because Michael Vick gets caught abusing, killing, and using pitbulls for fighting doesn't mean that black culture is being denigrated.
This reminds me too much of current overpaid ISU Provost and former University of Cororado President Elizabeth Hoffman who, when being deposed regarding a rape case involving football players at her school, was asked about the word cunt:
It's amazing that over-educated idiots like Kathy Rudy can manage to function in the world, much less get their get stupid-ass thoughts published in a big monopoly corporate newspaper. It only goes to show what a complete idiot Editorial Page Editor Carol Hunter is.
Update: A reader pointed out that Kathy Rudy was a member of the Duke Gang Of 88 who was involved with the "wanted" poster of those Duke Lacrosse players:
I didn't follow the Duke Lacrosse case closely, but I do know that prosecutor Nifong screwed up and has been disbarred.
You've got to wonder why the DMR reprinted this thing, which appears to have been originally published in the Atlanta Urinal and Constipation.
Second update: Look! Another racist! And she's quoting Kant, who was a white fella, you know.
Kathy Rudy
It's hard to believe that the Des Moines Register could ever print a dumber op-ed than the one written by one Kathy Rudy, an ethicist and associate professor of women's studies at Duke University, and published in today's edition.
Somehow Ms Rudy, and you just know she's a Ms, offers up preposterous notions like the following:
Whether or not dogs are fought more by minorities than white people is actually unknown, but media representations of the last several weeks make it appear that black culture and dog fighting are inextricably intertwined. We need to find ways to condemn dog fighting without denigrating black culture with it.
And:
If we want to build a better world for animals, the animal-rights movement must examine its own racial politics and figure out ways to put minority concerns on its agenda.
What the hell does black culture have to do with dog fighting and dog murder? Just because Michael Vick gets caught abusing, killing, and using pitbulls for fighting doesn't mean that black culture is being denigrated.
This reminds me too much of current overpaid ISU Provost and former University of Cororado President Elizabeth Hoffman who, when being deposed regarding a rape case involving football players at her school, was asked about the word cunt:
In 2004, University of Colorado president Elizabeth Hoffman fanned the flames of a football rape case when, during a deposition, she was asked if she thought "cunt" was a "filthy and vile" word. She replied that it was a "swear word" but had "actually heard it used as a term of endearment." A spokesperson later clarified that Hoffman meant the word had polite meanings in its original use centuries ago. In the rape case, a CU football player had allegedly called female player Katie Hnida a "fucking lovely cunt".
It's amazing that over-educated idiots like Kathy Rudy can manage to function in the world, much less get their get stupid-ass thoughts published in a big monopoly corporate newspaper. It only goes to show what a complete idiot Editorial Page Editor Carol Hunter is.
Update: A reader pointed out that Kathy Rudy was a member of the Duke Gang Of 88 who was involved with the "wanted" poster of those Duke Lacrosse players:
The statement dated from April 6, when 88 members of Duke’s arts and sciences faculty signed a document saying “thank you” to campus demonstrators who had distributed a “wanted” poster of the lacrosse players and publicly branded the players “rapists.” The rush-to-judgment denunciation occurred only four days before the DNA evidence that Mike Nifong had promised would “immediately rule out any innocent persons” instead revealed no matches. (link)
I didn't follow the Duke Lacrosse case closely, but I do know that prosecutor Nifong screwed up and has been disbarred.
You've got to wonder why the DMR reprinted this thing, which appears to have been originally published in the Atlanta Urinal and Constipation.
Second update: Look! Another racist! And she's quoting Kant, who was a white fella, you know.
Herman Quirmbach Doesn't Want Cops To Be Armed
Democratic State Senator and ISU associate professor of economics Herman Quirmbach doesn't want ISU cops to carry guns.
ISU and UI are the only Big 12 and Big 10 schools whose campus police don't carry guns.
Why are so many Democrats pathetically fearful of guns?
We might as well not allow campus police to have cars, lest they contribute to global warming, or some other made up bullshit like that.
25 Years Since Johnny Gosch Disappeared
It's been 25 years since Johnny Gosch disappeared in West Des Moines.
For those who are unfamiliar with the case or need a refresher, here's Noreen Gosch on YouTube (part 1 of 12):
The West Des Moines Police did a really shitty job at the beginning. I'll always remember that. Orville Cooney, the acting police chief at the time, was a complete idiot.
As time progressed, the media began to portray Noreen Gosch as kind of nutty and lot of rumors surfaced. It didn't help, years later, when clueless Des Moines Register reporter Erin Crawford fueled the flames of those rumors. Despite all that, you couldn't help but feel sorry for Mrs Gosch. She lost her son. Naturally, she's going to want every stone overturned. The unintended consequence is that every kooky lead gets amplified in the news.
For those who are unfamiliar with the case or need a refresher, here's Noreen Gosch on YouTube (part 1 of 12):
The West Des Moines Police did a really shitty job at the beginning. I'll always remember that. Orville Cooney, the acting police chief at the time, was a complete idiot.
As time progressed, the media began to portray Noreen Gosch as kind of nutty and lot of rumors surfaced. It didn't help, years later, when clueless Des Moines Register reporter Erin Crawford fueled the flames of those rumors. Despite all that, you couldn't help but feel sorry for Mrs Gosch. She lost her son. Naturally, she's going to want every stone overturned. The unintended consequence is that every kooky lead gets amplified in the news.
Kiwi
Take a group of high school kids ranging in age from 14-17 years old, apparently all from different schools, add a 22 year old (possibly illegal alien) driver with a suspended license, add alcohol, add a Chevy Tahoe, add nobody wearing seat belts, add excessive speeding, oh and add that it's 4:30am on Monday morning.
What do you get?
Three dead and the rest in the hospital.
And, left behind, a 17 year old pregnant girlfriend of one of the deceased living in a mold-infested rental house with her mother. The baby will likely be named Kiwi.
Naturally, the Register finds some unnamed-but-clearly-stupid "city official" who thinks the road where the accident happened needs to be redesigned due to increasing traffic volume.
Yes, I'm sure traffic volume is something to behold at 4:30am on Labor Day morning.
What I want to know is: Could everybody be dumber than rocks in this story?
What do you get?
Three dead and the rest in the hospital.
And, left behind, a 17 year old pregnant girlfriend of one of the deceased living in a mold-infested rental house with her mother. The baby will likely be named Kiwi.
Naturally, the Register finds some unnamed-but-clearly-stupid "city official" who thinks the road where the accident happened needs to be redesigned due to increasing traffic volume.
Yes, I'm sure traffic volume is something to behold at 4:30am on Labor Day morning.
What I want to know is: Could everybody be dumber than rocks in this story?
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Just Us Socialists
I wish that this bearded, pointy-headed type who babbles on in the Waterloo Courier about "social justice" would cough up some examples of black people in Iowa's prisons who are incarcerated for only selling a single joint.
Even if they could, do you think criminal lovers like this guy would bother to mention anything about prior convictions involving illegal gun use, violence, or past felony convictions? Eh, not likely.
Once again, the late Richard Pryor:
Even if they could, do you think criminal lovers like this guy would bother to mention anything about prior convictions involving illegal gun use, violence, or past felony convictions? Eh, not likely.
Once again, the late Richard Pryor:
Hitlery: "It is not rich people who made America great"
Hitlery was in Sioux City yesterday, sucking union cock.
Check out this quote: "It is not rich people who made America great, it is hardworking Americans"
And also:
Later, at a labor rally in Des Moines, she inveighed against the "concentration of wealth, hoarding of power [and] smearing [of] dissenters" for which she blamed the present administration.
Git down on yer knees, bitch, and suck that union cock in Des Moines, too!!!!
Where do the Kennedys, the Hollywood moguls, the Rich fugitive financiers, and worldwide currency manipulators named Soros fall into the picture, Hill?
Would the world have been better if the Gates Foundation wasn't around? What about the Rockefeller Foundation? Andrew Carnegie? The Ford Foundation? Harvard's Endowment? Etc etc etc????
You can see what kind of world Hitlery would like. She would nationalize all oil companies so that the profits would be all hers. She'd make the government run everything. Queen Hitlery!
Government knows best, and Hitlery knows best of all!
Heil Clintler!
Dear Democrats, Are you sure you want this woman fucking your party up?
Let's Give Iowa Prisoners Email Access
Hey, I've got a great idea!
Let's give prisoners email access.
That reporter, William Petroski, sure is advocating it like crazy in his article in the Des Moines Register this morning.
Why, why, why, it's quicker, and cheaper, and the prisoners will pay for it, and, and, and they won't be carrying Crackberries or iPhones around. And, um, um, um, there's a lot of security, yeah, that's the ticket!
Now for this morning's very relevant entertainment: Richard Pryor!
Let's give prisoners email access.
That reporter, William Petroski, sure is advocating it like crazy in his article in the Des Moines Register this morning.
Why, why, why, it's quicker, and cheaper, and the prisoners will pay for it, and, and, and they won't be carrying Crackberries or iPhones around. And, um, um, um, there's a lot of security, yeah, that's the ticket!
Now for this morning's very relevant entertainment: Richard Pryor!
Hillary Clinton: A Woman Fucking A Horse
Thomas Beaumont has a story in the USA Today about Hitlery and Bill Clinton's swing through Iowa over the Labor Day weekend.
Bill Clinton actually uses her failed Socialist health care plan as a plus on her resume: "She knows more about that than anybody running, probably more than anybody in America"
Do any of you Democrats know what you're doing by supporting Hitlery? If she's the nominee, she is going to fuck up the Democrat Party harder than what happened in 1994.
High negatives and crooked donors aside, she would be ridiculously inept as a leader. Can you imagine her as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, a group of volunteers who despise her as much as she hates them?
Hitlery would be much worse getting things through Congress than Bill was. It wasn't until Bill had a Republican Congress that anything actually happened for him other than Midnight Basketball and Gays In The Military. Didn't Bill sign 95% of the Contract With America? Don't expect that sort of thing with Ms Hitlery in charge.
Hitlery would claim executive privilege with everything. She'd shred documents and misplace email. She'd hold secret meetings. You just know she'd make Richard Nixon look like amateur hour. At least she would be smart enough not to record anything, except those scripted interviews with those lameass and irrelevant mainstream newsreaders.
What kind of pardons would Hitlery give out? Would she send brothers Huge and Tony out to solicit money from cocaine dealers and fugitive financiers in exchange for pardons? You're damn right she would. She'd also pardon every 60s and 70s radical. It wouldn't surprise me if she threw a bone at the Mumia crowd. God help us all.
So you Democrats who support Hitlery better wake up. If she's the nominee, your ass will be toast.
And yes, I know that the symbol for the Democrats is a donkey, but that animal is part of the horse family.
With that said:
Bill Clinton actually uses her failed Socialist health care plan as a plus on her resume: "She knows more about that than anybody running, probably more than anybody in America"
Do any of you Democrats know what you're doing by supporting Hitlery? If she's the nominee, she is going to fuck up the Democrat Party harder than what happened in 1994.
High negatives and crooked donors aside, she would be ridiculously inept as a leader. Can you imagine her as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, a group of volunteers who despise her as much as she hates them?
Hitlery would be much worse getting things through Congress than Bill was. It wasn't until Bill had a Republican Congress that anything actually happened for him other than Midnight Basketball and Gays In The Military. Didn't Bill sign 95% of the Contract With America? Don't expect that sort of thing with Ms Hitlery in charge.
Hitlery would claim executive privilege with everything. She'd shred documents and misplace email. She'd hold secret meetings. You just know she'd make Richard Nixon look like amateur hour. At least she would be smart enough not to record anything, except those scripted interviews with those lameass and irrelevant mainstream newsreaders.
What kind of pardons would Hitlery give out? Would she send brothers Huge and Tony out to solicit money from cocaine dealers and fugitive financiers in exchange for pardons? You're damn right she would. She'd also pardon every 60s and 70s radical. It wouldn't surprise me if she threw a bone at the Mumia crowd. God help us all.
So you Democrats who support Hitlery better wake up. If she's the nominee, your ass will be toast.
And yes, I know that the symbol for the Democrats is a donkey, but that animal is part of the horse family.
With that said:
Monday, September 03, 2007
The Grass Is Always Greener Over The Third Hole At Waveland
Looks like Waveland Golf Course in Des Moines has an extra asshole on the third hole, and no it's not a golfer!
What else could possibly explain all the shit bubbling up near the third hole and 16,000 gallons spilling into Walnut Creek?
Despite what had to be a foul smell, the golfers kept playing!
Naturally, the DNR spokesdouche said that the water would be perfectly fine, "Hell, every other river and creek is fucked up in Iowa, what's another one?"
That Walnut Creek only flows right into the Raccoon River, which is just a few turns away from where Des Moines get its drinking water!
But don't panic! They do a bang-up job of providing safe, clean water, even at inflated salary costs. So don't go buying that evil, planet-destroying bottled water just yet.
As you might expect, especially with all that poop flowing rather close to Corey Taylor's home, here's Slipknot with People = Shit.
What else could possibly explain all the shit bubbling up near the third hole and 16,000 gallons spilling into Walnut Creek?
Despite what had to be a foul smell, the golfers kept playing!
Naturally, the DNR spokesdouche said that the water would be perfectly fine, "Hell, every other river and creek is fucked up in Iowa, what's another one?"
That Walnut Creek only flows right into the Raccoon River, which is just a few turns away from where Des Moines get its drinking water!
But don't panic! They do a bang-up job of providing safe, clean water, even at inflated salary costs. So don't go buying that evil, planet-destroying bottled water just yet.
As you might expect, especially with all that poop flowing rather close to Corey Taylor's home, here's Slipknot with People = Shit.
Hitlery Doesn't Want To Talk About Gay Marriage Or Abortion In Iowa
Patrick Healy at the New York Times Political Blog noticed that Hitlery talked about abortion and gay marriage in New Hampshire, but not in Iowa.
Why not, Hill? Don't the Democrats in Iowa want to talk about abortion and gay marriage?
Sunday, September 02, 2007
The Des Moines Register Takes A Hard Right Turn
Jennifer Jacobs has a human interest story in the Sunday Des Moines Register about a black Marine vet who, after defending himself against a gang of terrorists and killing the one with the most Muslim name 10 years ago, stepped up and was able to take custody of his daughter after the mother was charged with child endangerment.
The most important thing that I'm proud of is that this guy, Markus Cade, was packing a weapon for his own self defense and that he used it after being fired upon. Not only that, but the Marines taught him how to fire that weapon properly, unlike the gangbangers who were pursuing him. Even the assistant police chief, William McCarthy, vouches for Cade's character.
It's rare to see a pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment story in the Des Moines Register, but here it is! That Laura Hollingsworth must mean business as the new Publisher!
Sure, Cade isn't perfect to some of the people writing in the comments section. He has two children from a past relationship living with their mother in Atlanta. He has a baby with his current girlfriend and is unmarried. But Cade has earned an associates degree in criminal justice and is pursuing a business degree at Hamilton College, so he's on the right track.
I'll give Cade some slack in being unmarried right now. These days, it's difficult to get married in Polk County, what with all the homosexuals lining up to get hitched. Who wants to take their kids down to the courthouse to see that? "Daddy, why are those two men kissing?"
I could be wrong, but this article seems like a turning point for the Des Moines Register. Pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment, pro-cop, and pro-family, but all wrapped up into what seems like your old liberal do-gooder type of piece. Sneaky try there, Laura and Jennifer, but I can sniff out your right-wing agenda.
The most important thing that I'm proud of is that this guy, Markus Cade, was packing a weapon for his own self defense and that he used it after being fired upon. Not only that, but the Marines taught him how to fire that weapon properly, unlike the gangbangers who were pursuing him. Even the assistant police chief, William McCarthy, vouches for Cade's character.
It's rare to see a pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment story in the Des Moines Register, but here it is! That Laura Hollingsworth must mean business as the new Publisher!
Sure, Cade isn't perfect to some of the people writing in the comments section. He has two children from a past relationship living with their mother in Atlanta. He has a baby with his current girlfriend and is unmarried. But Cade has earned an associates degree in criminal justice and is pursuing a business degree at Hamilton College, so he's on the right track.
I'll give Cade some slack in being unmarried right now. These days, it's difficult to get married in Polk County, what with all the homosexuals lining up to get hitched. Who wants to take their kids down to the courthouse to see that? "Daddy, why are those two men kissing?"
I could be wrong, but this article seems like a turning point for the Des Moines Register. Pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment, pro-cop, and pro-family, but all wrapped up into what seems like your old liberal do-gooder type of piece. Sneaky try there, Laura and Jennifer, but I can sniff out your right-wing agenda.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
David Yepsen Must Be Getting Alzheimer's
In today's column, David Yepsen states that "Gov. Chet Culver said he believes marriage is between a man and a woman."
On October 21, 2006, the Register printed the following:
Democratic candidate for governor Chet Culver said Friday that he would consider allowing some legal rights for same-sex couples in Iowa in the future...
...Iowans might warm to the idea of allowing same-sex couples some rights now afforded to heterosexual couples, Culver said during a meeting with Des Moines Register editors and reporters.
Some of you might say: "Culver said legal rights last October, not marriage!"
What's the difference?
If Republicans in Iowa had any balls, and they don't, they'd be asking Governor Culver to clarify just what he meant by some legal rights for same-sex couples last October vs what he told Yepsen recently.
What's annoying is that David Yepsen is just acting like a messenger boy for Chet Culver, as if Yepsen is suddenly devoid of any memory or fact-checking.
You'd think Iowa's alleged premier political reporter would remember when now-Governor Culver told everybody in the room last fall that he was basically for gay marriage.
I bet Kay Henderson at Radio Iowa wouldn't forget a corker like that one.
The Des Moines Register Editorial Board Are Suddenly Constitutional Scholars
The Des Moines Register's Editorial Board says that Iowa's law banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
I don't know. I look at the makeup of the Register's Editorial Board and don't see many constitutional scholars amongst them.
Rox Laird tries to pass himself off as a law expert, but his degree is only in journalism from ISU.
New publisher Laura Hollingsworth has a bachelor's in communications and spent the last 18 years as a Gannettoid in the advertising department.
Editorial page editor Carol Hunter might have a degree, but her bio doesn't say. She's spent her entire career in the newspaper industry.
Dick Doak has a BS in technical journalism and a master's in economic history.
Linda Lantor Fandel has a bachelor's in political science.
And Andie Dominick has a bachelor's in English and a master's in creative writing.
Nope! No lawyers. No constitutional scholars on the Editorial Board of the Des Moines Register. You might as well have me writing an opinion piece about the constitutionality of the matter, for what it's worth.
I will say this:
What about laws against consanguinity marriages? Couldn't they be challenged on similar arguments that the Register Editorial Board poses for same-sex marriages?
Maybe.
Don't get me wrong. I'm actually for gay marriage. I don't think it hurts traditional, old-fashioned, hetero-only, 50% failure-rate marriage one bit.
But do you want trial court judges making law from the bench? That's my issue with what's going on right now.
I don't know. I look at the makeup of the Register's Editorial Board and don't see many constitutional scholars amongst them.
Rox Laird tries to pass himself off as a law expert, but his degree is only in journalism from ISU.
New publisher Laura Hollingsworth has a bachelor's in communications and spent the last 18 years as a Gannettoid in the advertising department.
Editorial page editor Carol Hunter might have a degree, but her bio doesn't say. She's spent her entire career in the newspaper industry.
Dick Doak has a BS in technical journalism and a master's in economic history.
Linda Lantor Fandel has a bachelor's in political science.
And Andie Dominick has a bachelor's in English and a master's in creative writing.
Nope! No lawyers. No constitutional scholars on the Editorial Board of the Des Moines Register. You might as well have me writing an opinion piece about the constitutionality of the matter, for what it's worth.
I will say this:
What about laws against consanguinity marriages? Couldn't they be challenged on similar arguments that the Register Editorial Board poses for same-sex marriages?
Maybe.
Don't get me wrong. I'm actually for gay marriage. I don't think it hurts traditional, old-fashioned, hetero-only, 50% failure-rate marriage one bit.
But do you want trial court judges making law from the bench? That's my issue with what's going on right now.
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