Miller Time

Most of all the major Iowa Dummycrats have gone public on the latest Sinclair vs. Mediacom dispute.

CONgressman Bruce Braley sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman to protect "my constituents and the public good."

Seriously?

CONgressman Dave No Sack...err Loebsack, Senator CommieTommie Harkin and Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey all wrote the FCC Chairman to do something.

Well stated!

It sounds like Harkin's theme on health care, "I'd rather get something done, even if it's imperfect."

Attorney General Tom Miller joined the fray urging FCC action because, "The loss of transmission of these networks on Jan. 1, 2010, will present an irreparable loss to Iowans...".

IRREPARABLE?

That's some high drama and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Iowans have known this was coming and can still take action to avoid the loss of a mere TV signal so they can watch the Hawkeyes in the Orange Bowl.

Mediacom doesn't carry the NFL Network, carrier of the Insight Bowl in which the Iowa State Cyclones are playing tonight, but a work around was found, WOI TV/5 will carry it, without government intervention.

This is not the first dust up between Sinclair and Mediacom, in January 2007 Iowa Dummycrats in the Legislature wanted to hold hearings on the dispute.

Back then the President of the Des Moines branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Linda Carter-Lewis cited the impact the dispute had on the poor.

Stating the absence of the Sinclair channels is hard on low-income Iowa subscribers in rural and urban areas. Minimal cable service, costing less than $20 a month is their best TV alternative.

Actually the best TV alternative then for the low-income was a one time purchase of rabbit ears, now it would be a one time purchase of a converter box.

Only two Iowa Dummycrats have yet to weigh in.

The Big Lug Nut, will be at the Orange Bowl "rooting them on" and CONgressman Leonard BOZO-well has yet to awaken from his long winters nap.

Still Funny

Headlines like this warm the cockles of my heart and give me a chuckle...

Snowstorm squelches climate change protest

This seems to happen to the Gore-BULL warming crowd on a regular basis and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Six people show up in Salt Lake City, which received 5.4 inches, and the organizer calls it a success.

She got the suck part right.

It's the second time the organizer was snowed out of such a protest to which she says, "There is always the irony element."

And the stupidity element!

Dick-tionary

Somebody must have gotten the toilet paper version of the word of the day for the holidays.

"Systemic" was recently that word and used a couple of times close together.

He must like how he says it and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Let's hope he'll get to the words "allegedly" and "isolated" soon.

When you set off a fire trying to detonate explosives, you've passed "allegedly".

When others know of you actions prior to (Imam), or take credit after the fact (Al Qaeda), "isolated" doesn't come into play.

Duh Plane! Duh Plane!

As they went to commercial, WHO DT's 5 p.m. news teased an upcoming story about the Christmas Day bombing attempt.

Under a picture of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was the caption "Plain Explosive".

It must have been an ERRplane and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Showing Some LUV?

It looks like Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is showing his support for the "LUV Iowa" campaign and the scientific community is united in that fact.

After all he did vote for the Defense of Marriage Act, that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

Unless, he's a hypocrite?

Not Wild About Harry

In October I copied down a Ragister article that featured the State Climatologist, Harry Hillaker.

I was hopeful he'd be spot on when he stated...

"the midwinter months of December, January and February, we often have warmer than normal and drier months, which means less snowfall".

BUZZ--WRONG!

It’s official, Des Moines: This December is the snowiest on record.

Des Moines has recorded 27.7 inches for the month, besting the 2000 record of 26.9 inches.

Des Moines could add to its snowfall this week. There’s a 50 percent chance of snow on Wednesday according to the National Weather Service.

This must be what is meant by epic fail and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Dems Da Rules

Some Dummycrats are bitching about the 60 votes the U.S. Senate has been requiring to end debate on controversial issues.

CommieTommie Harkin says he'll introduce reform legislation next month and claims he did so in 1995.

Checking the records of the 104th Congress under Harkin's name yields no such measure.

I did note in October 2008 (Tommie Two Faced), Harkin's objection to Republican desires to bypass the practice...

To do so, would be "the end of the Senate as we know it" because it would dash the protections that the Senate has always afforded lawmakers in the minority and, by extension, their constituents.

The hypocrite continued

"Now it's the Republicans' turn to be frustrated."

Obama also weighed in with...

"Other countries are going to start running circles around us. We're going to have to return to some sense that governance is more important than politics inside the Senate."

He also said the use of that vote-stalling tactic, which requires 60 votes to cut off debate, has been imposed in an "unheard of" routine fashion.

Then why, in 2006, did Obama-- along with 24 colleagues -- unsuccessfully attempted to filibuster the nomination of Justice Samuel Alito

His position in 2008 while running for President...

“To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.”

Filibuster?

Sounds more like FiliBLUSTER and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Copycat

O. Kay Henderson reports The Big Lug Nut believes the state is primarily in the business to “incarcerate, educate and medicate.”

If the triumvirate sounds familiar, its because Mike Gronstal had this to say at the start of the year...

"There are three things that state government does — it incarcerates, it medicates and it educates, and after that, there's almost nothing else left in the budget."

Opium from the asses and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Should we take that as a sign medical marijuana will be a reality in Iowa next year?

Klassic Kwanzaa

Just like a lot of seasonal classics, this years Kwanzaa theme is exactly the same as last year and the scientific community is united in that fact.

"Principles and Practices of Kwanzaa:
Repairing and Renewing the World"

Get set to sing along as we enjoy the tradition of our fourth annual Kwanzaa Klassic

So this is Kwanzaa

With apologies to the "Twelve Days of Christmas".

"Seven days of a made up Holiday"

On the first day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Umoja(Unity), as in his group United Slaves.

On the second day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Kujichagulia(Self Determination), as in two dead Black Panthers killed by United Slaves.

On the third day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), as in the time Karenga served for the torture of women members of United Slaves.

On the fourth day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), as in the commercialization of a phony holiday.

On the fifth day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Nia (Purpose), as in the words of Al Sharpton, "De-Whitizing" Christmas. It's put there so the brotha's would par-tay.

On the sixth day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Kuumba (Creativity), as in the seven headed hydra symbol of the Symbionese Liberation Army.

On the seventh day of Kwanzaa, Founder Ron Karenga gave to me...

Imani (Faith), as in "People think it's African, but it's not. I came up with Kwanzaa because black people in this country wouldn't celebrate it if they knew it was American...". a 1978 Washington Post quote from Ron Everett now known as Maulana Karenga.


HAPPY KWANZAA!

Joyous Noel

Merry Christmas to you!

Carol Of The Bells

This may be only the second time an Iowa winter keeps me from gathering with my family on Christmas Eve.

Chris and I will stay snug and warm in our own abode as long as the power holds out.

We'll keep a listen for the special sounds of the season ringing in the holiday and take joy in knowing every time a bell rings someone on the right gets their wings.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

For The Birds

McCook, Nebraska is the hometown of Senator Ben Nelson and they still plan to erect a statue at his boyhood home.

Residents don't want the $12,000 statue because they're upset with Nelson's health care vote.

So Nelson screwed taxpayers prior to his erection and the scientific community is united in that fact.

In an interesting concept no taxpayer money is said to have been used.

Mr. Big Stuff

The poster child for "obnoxious", CommieTommie Harkin believes the "Cash for Cloture" Dummycrats used to secure their 60 votes on Obamacare is "small stuff".

The Prince of Pork is damn generous with other peoples money and the scientific community is united in that fact.

"A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it adds up to real money."

Here's a couple of obnoxious quotes from CommieTommie concerning the Dummycrats win.

"We'll get this [bill] passed before Christmas and it will be one of the best Christmas presents this congress has ever given the American people."

The Commie continues...

"With apologies to Santa Claus, Christmas is going to be kind of anticlimactic this year, because we've already gotten the best possible gift, 60 votes in the United States Senate to create a health care system that works for all Americans, not just the healthy and the wealthy."

Not very diverse of you Senator, not everyone celebrates Christmas and not everyone (23 Million) will be insured.

Money Money Money

"Cash for Cloture" is the nickname for the Senate's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

It's much more clever than calling it a bribe, which is what it actually is and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The price tag has risen to $100 Million for Ben Nelson's "Cornhusker Kickback" from the first report of $45 Million.

Dummycrats defended and justified their actions.

David Axelrod, Obama senior White House adviser, “That’s the way it has been. That’s the way it will always be.”

Still HOPEful and believing in CHANGE?

One A.M.

It's One A.M. in the morning, do you know where your Senators are?

Recently 92-year-old Robert Byrd had to leave his Virginia home and travel to the Capitol to cast the decisive vote to end debate on the Pentagon budget and Dummycrats were outraged.

What time did Dummycrats schedule a vote on Obamacare?

The vote, held shortly after 1 a.m. Monday.

Byrd was one of the 60 Dummycrat votes to cut off debate.

One A.M. is One A.M. and the scientific community is united in that fact.

It's a good thing they were off the streets, it's worse that they were at the Capitol passing legislation.

My folks were right, nothing good happens after midnight.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

It's a Christmas miracle...

Democrats grab final vote for health bill

I understand now why the Christmas deadline was so important, Harry Reid had presents to dole out and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Ben Nelson's “Cornhusker Kickback” netted him a permanent exemption from the state share of Medicaid expansion for Nebraska, meaning federal taxpayers have to kick in an additional $45 million in the first decade.

Socialist Bernie Sanders, Vermont, took credit for $10 billion in new funding for community health centers.

Vermont was given additional Medicaid funding, another feather in the cap of Sanders and their other Senator Patrick Leahy.

Kudos to John Kerry as Massachusetts also received additional Medicaid funding.

Michigan's Carl Levin, along with Nelson, carved out an exemption for non-profit insurers in their states from a hefty excise tax. Similar insurers in the other 48 states will pay the tax.

Don't forget Mary Landrieu who proudly announced on the Senate floor the $300 Million "Louisiana Purchase" she secured.

Don't worry, Harry has "presents' for you too...cuts to Medicare (over $1 trillion) and other federal health programs, as well as tax increases (over $1 trillion).

Only 94 percent of eligible Americans may get covered, leaving 23 million people still uninsured and health care costs would be $234 billion higher than now.

The total price tag?

Approximately $2.5 trillion!

Merry Christmas?

More like Bah Humbug!

Warming Interruptus

Irony is the President and the Speaker having to leave the Copenhagen climate change summit early because of a snowstorm in D.C.

It's the second time this year that Nancy Pelosi has had a D.C. snowstorm send her attendance at a Gore-BULL warming event adrift and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I'll Say

Woods Named PGA Player of the Year

On and off the course and the scientific community is united in that fact.

This is is tenth time and soon may rival his number of mistresses.

I guess they're right when they say "it's in the game".

Cliff Notes?

It appears some in the Senate are trying to salve their egos as Dummycrats schedule a final vote for Obamacare on Christmas Eve.

Since he became Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee, CommieTommie Harkin has said the bill will pass before Christmas.

Which he later changed to "by the end of January".

Of course he'll conveniently forget he also said it would pass with a "strong public option" and with Republican votes.

Harkin and the Dummycrats have been hell bent on getting "something done, even if it's imperfect."

That is clearly evident as Harkin now says, "it's a step forward, and we've got to get it done."

Watch out that first step is a doozy and the scientific community is united in that fact (see Precipice).

Bill Press is ready to make that journey with Harkin, "I would follow you off a cliff" and so will the 60 Senate Dummycrat Lemmings.

It's taking the rest of the country with them that worries me.

Full Nelson

Not content with merely threatening to close Offutt Air Force Base, the administration sent a clear signal to Ben Nelson (Dummycrat/NE) to fall in line with Obamacare.

3.5 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Nebraska

Shake, Rattle and Roll!

Now that's the Chicago way and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Precipice

Here's a portion of the President's remarks on his meeting with fellow Dummycrats...

"...we are on the precipice of an achievement that's eluded Congresses and presidents for generations, a achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American."

You'll be touched alright, in the wallet and the scientific community is united in that fact.

...administration economists on Friday predicted the overhaul would accelerate rising costs of health insurance and medical services, and that its proposed Medicare cuts could reduce care for senior citizens.

A report by analysts at the Health and Human Services Department said the bill would increase the nation's annual spending on health care beyond the current $2.5 trillion at a slightly faster rate than if Congress did nothing.

It concluded that new taxes on drugs, medical devices and health insurance plans would trigger higher insurance premiums for consumers.

Keep in mind that the health care bill raises taxes right away, but the vast majority of its benefits do not kick in until 2014.

Precipice can be defined, by the Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, as a hazardous situation.

If you're going to get sick, now may be a good time to do it.

Measure Twice

President Obama announced his clean-energy initiatives, at a Home Depot, that will help create more than 700,000 jobs and allow the U.S. to double its renewable-power generation in three years.

That's according to a memorandum from his Veep Joe Biden.

James Taranto found this in the footnotes...

All of the job estimates used in this document correspond to jobs that last for one year. Of course, some jobs could last longer--in this case the number of distinct jobs would be reduced proportionately. For example, a project that employs one person for two years would count as creating two jobs.

Howie Long appears in a commercial where he states...don't blame the carpenter, blame the tool.

In this case the carpenter, Biden, is the tool and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Al On Ice

The Warm Monger's credibility suffered another big chill when, at the Copenhagen climate change summit, the scientist he quoted about the Arctic being completely ice-free in five years dropped Al Gore like a hot potato.

“It’s unclear to me how this figure was arrived at,” Dr Maslowski said. “I would never try to estimate likelihood at anything as exact as this.”

Gore had characterized this as the latest research and “These figures are fresh."

Later his aides tried to justify it by saying the figure was one used by Dr Maslowksi as a “ballpark figure” several years ago in a conversation with Mr Gore.

That's hardly fresh, or the latest research and the scientific community is united in that fact.

No wonder he's so cold to questions. (see video)

Meanwhile, the forecast for Copenhagen is calling for heavy snowfall, which comes as a surprise with all the hot air gathered there between the politicians and press.

Back in Literland, at the Not So Vast Right Wing Ranch, we'll struggle to reach a double digit high as we sit buried in our 15 inches of Gore-BULL warming.

The latest long range forecast coming out of the climate change summit?

Next year forecast to be hottest on record

Where do we sign up?

Tax Cheat$

The IRS has added hundreds of employees to their high wealth unit to go after rich tax cheats.

Now they need to dedicate some resources to fellow federal employees...

Feds owe Uncle Sam $3B in unpaid taxes

According to Internal Revenue Service documents, 276,300 federal employees and retirees owe $3,042,200,000 from 2008.

That's a slight improvement from the $3,586,784,725 in unpaid income taxes in 2007.

They should be willing and able to make amends with the huge pay increases we noted on Sunday (Who's Fat?) and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Maybe the IRS can start an amnesty program similar to one that ended recently for offshore tax dodgers...

IRS Settles Claims with 14,700 Tax Cheats

That program had the IRS claiming it a historic milestone, they might call a federal employee program a landmark achievement.

The IRS has the best compliance rate per any federal agency and is the only federal agency where employees can be fired for not paying their taxes.

The worst offenders work for the post office, 28,913 employees owe nearly $300 Million.

Maybe the forms got lost in the mail...it could happen.

Executive Office of the President (includes the White House): 50 employees owe $812,917.
U.S. Senate: 231 employees owe $2,469,026.
U.S. House of Representatives: 447 employees owe $5,809,631.

Digest This

It seems to me that there are similarities in the way the media have both been in awe of Tiger Woods and President Obama.

So much so that they have to justify stories not covered, instead of just doing their job of reporting and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Is it me, or has Obama been on 60 Minutes so much this year he could qualify as a correspondent?

Then on the same night Obama has an interview with Oprah air.

In September it was reported that Obama had three times as many television interviews as his most recent two predecessors combined.

Who's Fat?

President Obama says he's taking additional steps to spur private sector hiring.

After a year in which the federal government added jobs at almost the rate of 10,000 per month, it would be nice and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Federal employees also saw the number of civil servants (382,758) making $100,000 or more jump over 46% since the recession started and that's not including overtime pay and bonuses.

66,538 make $150,000 or more (an increase of 119%) and 22,157 make $170,000 or more (an increase of 93%).

That's not including the $41,000 in non-salary benefits the average federal employee receives each year.

Across the board, the salary bonanza has pushed the average federal worker's pay to $71,206, compared with $40,331 in the private sector.

So you can believe the President when he says...

"I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street".

JackASS

Newsbusters has this headline on a story about Jack Cafferty

Jack Cafferty All But Endorses Global One-Child Policy to Fight Climate Change

Cafferty reportedly has four children and four grandchildren.

That's right up there with the Canadian journalist who opines...

The whole world needs to adopt China's one-child policy.

She has two children.

As typical, it's a case of do as I say by those that believe themselves intellectually superior and the scientific community is united in that fact.

What About The Children?

The Liter mentioned in our last post about the O bel related events Obama couldn't be bothered with, including a
children's event promoting peace.

That event was a benefit concert for "Save the Children" where someone placed a cardboard cutout of him onstage.

I hope it was recycled cardboard and the scientific community is united in that fact.

It's not the first time this administration has snubbed kids, in May 100 kindergartners missed a White House tour as the President met with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For those keeping track, 38 I's were counted in his O bel acceptance speech, surpassing what is believed to be his previous high of 34.

Sky High

Norwegians are wanting to know

What's blue and white, squiggly and suddenly appears in the sky?

OBAMA-MAN and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Just swooping in to pick up his O bel and flying off.

Obama was fired up and ready to go, but couldn't be bothered with many of the events peace prize laureates traditionally submit to, including a dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, a press conference, a television interview, appearances at a children's event promoting peace and a music concert, as well as a visit to an exhibition in his honour at the Nobel peace centre.

He also dissed the King by cancelling lunch, hope you liked the change.

Blizzard

It's getting really deep at the Not So Vast Right Wing Ranch, the difference is this time its snow, and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I know this weather always puts someone in the mood for Christmas, so in that spirit we present Minnesotans For Global Warming and their new seasonal classic -- It's A Climategate Christmas.

For the record, Dairy Queen is the only kind of Blizzard I enjoy, usually M&M or Oreo.

Tears Of The Arizona

I located a picture from a 1994 visit to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial.

At the time the picture was taken it had been 53 years since the devastating attack and oil (lower right) from the ship was still bubbling up.

I'm sure it's still that way on this the 68th remembrance of, "A date which will live in infamy."

I had been thinking about those pics since I had seen Hawkeye GOP's post of his visit.

Previously, December 7, 2006, I had posted about my visit.















This photo of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial is posted as a point of reference.

Going Rogue Comic

Hours before her Sioux City book signing, Sarah Palin got off some good lines at the winter dinner of the Gridiron Club in Washington D.C.

Noting that if the election had gone differently, she "could be the one overseeing the signing of bailout checks and vice president Biden could be on the road selling his book, 'Going Rogaine'."

Another zinger had her mentioning the book signing bus tour and the friction between her and the McCain campaign, "The view is so much better from inside the bus than under it."

Showing the ability to be self-deprecating, Palin related how she "came down from my hotel room and I could see the Russian embassy".

Funny stuff?

You betcha and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Good News?

The White House was so excited about the November unemployment rate falling to 10%, from October's rate of 10.2%, that they hugged it out.

Obama called it the best jo bs report since 2007.






Obama also said the figures were “good news”.

Keep in mind that in July, after the unemployment rate dropped to 9.4% from June's 9.5%, Obama said we were "pointed in the right direction" and then unemployment jumped to 9.7% in August and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The president also said, "I still consider one job lost one job too many."

Not I.

To paraphrase Ronald Reagan...

“A recession is when your neighbor loses his job, a depression is when you lose yours.”

And a recovery is when Dummycrats lose theirs!

Hot Stove?

It seems to me that former Major League reliever, and current MLB Network analyst, Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams and the Food Network's Guy Fieri could be brothers and the scientific community is united in that fact.

For further consideration, Williams is from Santa Ana California and Fieri resides in Santa Rosa; Fieri has restaurants Johnny Garlic's & Tex Wasabi's and Williams has his own salsa "Wild Thing Southpaw Salsa"; both are pitchmen.

Suck It Ragister!

The Des Moines Register almost seems proud that nobody answered a question about them correctly on Jeopardy.

Des Moines a 'Jeopardy!' hit, but one answer stumps all

The category, $2,000, was worth more than
the subject of the question and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The question -- "Des Moinesians keep current with this newspaper, founded in a log cabin in 1849."

The answer -- "What is The Des Moines Register?"

What is The Des Moines Register?

Slight of Hand

The Big Lug Nut wants to change the state's budgeting process, but doesn't think figuring out "how we got" into our budget fiasco or "what caused" it is "very productive."

Why is it politicians never want to discuss what got us into a mess to begin with?

It seems to me that you would want to find the root cause to possibly avoid making the same mistake again and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The BLN wants his office and the Legislature to both budget using the Revenue Estimating Conference projections from this month...

"Who can tell me that it makes any sense at all for a governor to use a December number and the Legislature to use a March number? Let's all use the same December number. If we have additional funds, we'll roll those into the reserves in March."

In March of this year the Revenue Estimating Conference stated the net General Fund revenues would be $129.7 million less in FY2009 and $269.9 million less in FY2010 than the Governor’s budgets.

What was the BLN's reaction?

First, Iowa is quickly putting President Obama’s economic recovery plan to work, already investing more than $100 million in transportation projects. Second, we are stimulating the economy with hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to rebuild communities hit hard by last summer’s natural disasters. And third, the legislature and I are working to create I-JOBS in order to make use of Iowa’s financial strengths by investing in infrastructure and supporting jobs throughout the state.

HE SPENT MORE!

Borrowed money, $830 Million, to do it too!

At the time State Senator Paul McKinley said...

"...the revised numbers indicate that revenues are still coming in at near record levels and thus once again underscoring that Iowa does not have a revenue problem – we have a spending problem."

The only thing getting rolled in March were taxpayers.

McKinley continued...

"...we would be much better situated had Governor Culver and legislative Democrats not grown state government by an unsustainable 21 percent or by nearly a billion dollars during the last two years.”

Does this really matter when you also ignore the warning signs along the way Mr. Acted Decisively?

In August, State Auditor David Vaudt urged the Governor and leaders of the Democratic-controlled Legislature to consider taking corrective budget action to avert deeper spending cuts later after tax collections had fallen below projections four straight months.

This is why the BLN doesn't want to discuss what got us into this mess to begin with!