Time well spent?

The Iowa Department of Administrative Services released guidelines regarding the issue of state employees attending the Governor's inauguration on taxpayer time.

* State employees may attend the swearing-in of Governor Chet Culver at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on official time, with the consent from their supervisor.

* Workers from outside Des Moines can attend on work time, provided the event coincides with their normal work hours.

This comes across as a poor use of taxpayer money, at least 2 1/2 hours of non-work for employees in the area and 8 hours for those in the hinterlands, and an attempt to fill seats...especially when the event was televised.

Take Two....

The Ragister is reporting that, a legislative committee is scheduled to look into the impasse between Mediacom and Sinclair Broadcasting on Thursday.

Sen. Tom Courtney, D-Burlington, the Senate chairman of the Joint Government Oversight Committee, said lawmakers are hearing complaints from constituents after losing KDSM-TV in Des Moines and KGAN-TV in Cedar Rapids from the Mediacom cable system.

"We can't force Sinclair to do anything," Courtney said. "But maybe we'll find out there is something we can do." The hearing is tentatively set for 9:30 a.m. in the Legislative dining room at the Capitol.

Meeting in the dining room? Is this just an attempt to get free donuts?

There is nothing the State can do!

Quit wasting our time, and taxpayer money, with this and meaningless war resolutions!