Pen & Paper

How many trees died for State Senator Rob "Boss" Hogg's new 120 page book?

Iowa Sen. Hogg pens book warning of climate change dangers

According to Boss Hogg --  ”America’s scientists have concluded that climate change is real, is primarily caused by human activity, and poses real dangers for our future. It is time for Americans to move out beyond slogans to understand why this issue is so challenging and what we need to do about it. We need to unite to make 2013 the year of climate action.”

Hey Mr. Lawyer, the jury is still out on the Greenhouse Effect, err Global Warming, err Climate Change.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

With each passing year, it is becoming increasingly clear that global warming is not a scientific theory subject to empirical falsification, but a political ideology that has to be fiercely defended against any challenge

The Ragister noted the book is selling on Amazon for $10.95, but we've found it's already been reduced to $9.66.

It's a bestsell-err.

The Liter trusts that Boss Hogg will be utilizing environmentally friendly transportation as he travels the state for his book tour.

Global Warming

Earth's core far hotter than thought

Now THAT'S global warming!

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Parasitic Twins

Following the career path of his idol, CommieTommie Harkin, CONgressman Bruce Braley is on his way to become MiniCommie.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Braley, recently commenting on President Obama's budget proposals, stated -- I think that a budget is a moral document.

He must have heard Harkin, who a month earlier was commenting on the Senate's first budget in four years, saying --  A budget is a moral document.

Iowa State graduates, lawyers and CONgressmen.

They are clones, with one exception.

Braley has outdone Harkin in ratings from the American Conservative Union, Braley has a 0 rating and CommieTommie came in with a big ol' 4.

That shows you how bad Braley is.

Hell, Nancy Pelosi even got a 4.

Rat Farm

If the American farmer showed such poor stewardship as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, we'd all be starving.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Liter has previously detailed how The Pickle has mandated the indoctrination of government employees via such training(?) as 'Pilgrims were illegal aliens' and training(?) that compares “heterosexism” — believing marriage can only can be between one man and one woman — to racism.

Now more details about “The Pigford Shakedown”show how this political hack, The Pickle, turned a potential government court victory into $1.3 billion settlement for Hispanic and female farmers — some of whom never even claimed discrimination in court.

It doesn't end there, over the past five years, it has grown to encompass a second group of African-Americans as well as Hispanic, female and Native American farmers. In all, more than 90,000 people have filed claims. The total cost could top $4.4 billion.

Four Tops

According to Bloomberg BNA, Iowa is ranked fourth in states with the highest top income tax rates.

For those Dummycrats and the Ragister that's not good and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Please tell me again why taxpayers shouldn't see tax credit from the $800 million budget surplus (Dollars And Cents (Sense).

4. Iowa
Top income tax rate: 8.98%
Sales tax: 6%
Property tax per capita: $1,367
Inheritance tax: See note*

The top bracket of Iowa's state income tax reaches 8.98 percent at $67,230 in 2013, a relatively low threshold compared with those in other states. Iowa has one of the highest excise tax rates on table wine and spirits, according to the Tax Foundation and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

*Spouse, lineal-ascendant and lineal-descendant transfer is tax-free; sibling or child-in-law transfer is taxed at 5 percent to 10 percent; all other transfers are taxed at 10 percent to 15 percent.

Iowa trails #1 California, #2 Hawaii and #3 Oregon.

Demon Eyes

Like a rat going down on a sinking ship, CommieTommie Harkin is clinging to Obamacare.

Harkin's colleague, Max Baucus said he thinks it's headed for a "train wreck" and has decided to retire rather than face Montana voters and defend his authorship of Obamacare.

CommieTommie's Comrade CONgressman Bruce Braley has started to hedge his bets by stating -- “unfortunately we don’t know…right now” how ACA will impact Iowans.

In a conference call with reporters, Harkin shared that his panties are in a bunch because $15 billion in a trust fund that was created with the federal health care reform law, and is supposed to pay for wellness and disease prevention programs, has had some funds diverted to pay for the federal health insurance exchange required by the Affordable Care Act.

So Harkin, acting like a spoiled child, is blocking confirmation of top health care nominee to send the president a message.

According to Harkin, the prevention fund was set up in good faith.

That's rich, "good faith" from Dummycrats period, let alone on Obamacare and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Harkin continued -- 

“Everyone went in with their eyes open,” he said. “It’s not fair for this administration to now start to undo what we agreed to do when we passed the bill.”

"Eyes open" on a bill you had to pass so that you can find out what is in it?

Interesting that CommieTommie has a cow over $15 Billion, but not a peep about the more than $700 billion in such cuts (Medicare payments) already adopted under Obamacare.

Hits From The Bong

In an attack of errorism

Glass bong breaks two state windows

The damage was inflicted upon an Iowa Workforce Development office in Des Moines.

Probably an Obama voter not happy with their unemployment benefits and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Captain Mark Logsdon of the Iowa State Patrol was impressed with the damage.

“Somebody had an awfully good arm to not only break through the first window but actually hit some type of glass inside,” Logsdon said. “It’s probably someone who – if they didn’t do a life of crime – would have been pretty successful pitching a baseball.”

Sounds like somebody who would use PEDs to me.

Think Twice

An Associate Editor of the The Washington Free Beacon fumbles the facts in an argument of “Who is the greatest quarterback selected No. 1 overall?”.

Robert Charette is not happy that 30 percent of the respondents in an ESPN poll chose Peyton Manning over John Elway.

According to Charette -- At least Elway made the Super Bowl more than once.

BUZZ--WRONG!

OFFsides and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Manning is pictured in Super Bowl XLIV, his second, a 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Don't Mess With Bill

Actress Jennifer Lawrence flubbed her introduction of Bill Clinton in presenting him with the GLAAD Advocate for Change award.

"Ladies and gentleman, President Gil ... " 

"Of all the things to mess up," she said, shaking her head, "his name!"

Just be glad he didn't mess up on your dress and the scientific community is united in that fact.

It's happened before, Monica's seen him do it.

That's The Way Of The World

Earth Day.

Hurray for the rocks and the dirt and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Heartland?

Chris had the Cooking Channel on yesterday afternoon and a program came on (Man Fire Food) that mentioned being in the heartland of America, Iowa City.

My initial reaction was that the Capitol of the People's Republic is not the heartland, and the scientific community is united in that fact, more like the asshole of America.

The Mrs. went to the University of Iowa and loves Iowa City, so that may have been a little harsh.

After all, the asshole of America is probably Detroit.

Although, Iowa City is probably in the Lower GI.

A place where most of the shit hangs out until it moves on.

I'll Back You Up

Supporting his second candidate of the week (You Said), CommieTommie Harkin at least twice went against his word and is attempting to “hand pick” his successor by endorsing CONgressman Bruce Braley.

As recently as February 7, Harkin reaffirmed a pledge he made in January that he does not intend to endorse a successor. “Right now, I’m not endorsing anyone. I just want to make that statement because I mean it”.

It's not news that CommieTommie can't keep his word (Harkin Lies) and the scientific community is united in that fact.

On January 26, when he announced his retirement, CommieTommie claimed he would not endorse a Democrat successor.“I don’t think that it’s my job to try to pick somebody. That’s up to the Democrats to do”. 

I do have to wonder if the togetherness for this public endorsement is the change in the senator’s schedule that had Harkin cancelling a roundtable on college affordability.

Sex Intelligent?

With the help of the Ragister, a blogger in Urbandale slimes CNSNews.com because they noted a $876,752 government grant to the University of Iowa to study whether there is any benefit to sex among New Zealand mud snails.

In the opinion piece, Iowa View: Ramifications of snail sex study of great human value, we find -- This is not about why or how snails have sex. It’s about why any species has sex.

Well there you escargot and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The CNSNews.com first appeared on March 27 and the rebuttal comes on April 19, so he must have sent the piece by snail mail.

Headline News?

Here's a couple of media mistakes to mention.

This headline in the Quad City Times states

Iowa family to testify at congressional hearing on gun violence

However, in the next to last paragraph of the story, the reader finds

The hearing has not been formally announced and the Thomas family has not confirmed it will participate

Seems like much adieu about nothing and the scientific community is united in that fact. 

At KCCI we learned that someone doesn't know their Southeast from Southwest.

Dive team pulls truck from Gray's Lake

The park is located just southeast of downtown Des Moines at 2101 Fleur Drive.

They go to all the trouble of including the address, 2101 Fleur Drive, but can't figure out on a map that it is West of SW 9th Street.

You Said

During his confirmation hearing for Secretary of Labor, Thomas Perez admitted a more accurate assessment of the job market would consider the unemployed who have stopped looking for jobs and those who have settled for part-time work.

“In that sense, it understates the unemployment rate”

With those factors added in, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found the jobless rate nearly doubles to 13.8 percent.

Perez is taking heat for his time as the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

CommieTommie Harkin came to his defense by saying -- 

“I think the evidence clearly shows that you acted ethically and appropriately at all times”

If CommieTommie thinks you've acted ethically, you might be a scumbag and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Closer to home, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (Dummycrat) asked his colleagues, according to Radio Iowa, to “quit posturing” and lecturing one another.

However, it looks like the total quote is quite a bit less statesmanlike --  

“Now is not the time for lines in the sand. I could put 100 lines in the sand today. There have been a lot of crazy ideas come over from the House and, from their perspective, there have probably been two or three crazy ideas from the Senate. It’s time for people to quit posturing.” 

Do as I say, not as I do doo.

Stand up straight Gronstal, your posture is leaning to the left.

Sweet Adeline?

Secretary of State, former Massachusetts Senator and Boston Red Sox fan, John Kerry gave a shout out to the New York Yankees for honoring Bostonians with the playing/singing of Sweet Adeline.

Dumb, Dumb, Dumb and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Red Sox actually play, and fans sing to, Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline.

But that's what you expect from such a devoted fan who's favorite Red Sox player is Manny Ortiz.

That is so good, so good, so good.

You can't have joke without John Kerry.

As a Green Bay Packers fan, I'll never forget when he referred to Lambeau Field as Lambert Field.
 

Ass Back Home

On Tuesday, former Massachusetts Dummycrat CONgressman Barney Frank used the Boston Marathon atrocity to promote his liberal political agenda saying --

In this terrible situation, let's be very grateful that we had a well-funded, functioning government.

I never was as a member of Congress one of the cheerleaders for less government, lower taxes. No tax cut would have helped us deal with this or will help us recover.

In fairness to Frank, President Obama said on Monday --

on days like this there are no Republicans or Democrats -- we are Americans, united in concern for our fellow citizens.

But, Barney Frank is an asshole everyday and the scientific community is united in that fact.

In addition, it appears the Obama administration has SLASHED budget for domestic bombing prevention by 45 per cent

Ode To Banksy

In a story about what should be done about Iowa's budget surplus, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (Dummycrat) said --

"As a banker's son, I'm never concerned that we have appropriate reserves".

Which means he's against giving you any of your money back and the scientific community is united in that fact. 

Gronstal is full of Gronstal, because previously --

Gronstal said lawmakers are crafting a measure that would restrict those increases and force use of cash reserves."We're dipping into our cash reserves in a fairly significant way," said Gronstal.

And

I would tell you that’s one of the reasons why we did not dip as far into the reserve funds as we could have this year

Also

At the end of this state budget year on June 30, Iowa will have more than $600 million in reserve funds, plus a cash balance of an additional $300 million, Gronstal said.

It's already been shown that Gronstal is tight with his own money, but not yours or mine.

Shame Is The Name

With today being tax deadline day, the President and Vice President have customarily released their tax returns.

President Obama's effective federal income tax rate is 18.4 percent, which is down from the previous year of 20.5 percent, and sounding very Mitt Romney-esque.

Included in Obama's deductions was $150,034 to various charities.

Compare that to Vice President Biden's charitable givings of $7,190 ($2,000 of that donation was in the form of "donated property").

Of the cash given to charities, $220 went to BBHI and $200 was given to The Friends of Bellevue.

A Google search shows The Friends of Bellevue is not a sanatorium for Crazy Uncle Joe, but possibly the Friends of Bellevue State Park Inc.

BBHI is probably the Biden Breast Health Initiative.

$220 for a charity bearing your name shows a complete lack of support and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Veep is cheap in more ways than one.

Especially when you consider he garnered $26,400 in rent from the federal government, but is not planning on donating a portion of his salary like President Obama and other Cabinet members in solidarity with furloughed federal workers.

Inside-err

A staff writer for WHO TV HD made an egregious error while posting this story to the station's website.

THE INSIDERS: Link and Whitaker

The story lists Matt Whitaker as a former Attorney General.

I think they're confusing that with the position he formerly held as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Liter can't also help but wonder, where's the first part of the program?

Seven

This post, our 3,766, commemorates the Liter's seventh year.

For Fiberals it's been more like a seven year ache.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Mmm...CAKE!

I'm Like A Bird

I suppose because he's a child of the '60s, Des Moines Mayor Frank Clownie...err Cownie is an activist.

Now, Bird Brain can be added to his name and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Cownie told a group, of about 30 gathered for a candlelight vigil  to advocate for federal firearms legislation that more than 3,000 gun deaths have occurred in the United States since the attack in Connecticut just four months ago.

“If it were the bird flu, we would all be getting inoculated”.

The 3,000 figure is ambiguous and includes people killed by police officers and suicides.

The bird flu is a pandemic and as of now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they were continuing to rush efforts to create a vaccine for the latest strain.

Fashion

I was watching the news Friday afternoon when they aired a story about a fashion show at Iowa State University (ISU).

One of the organizers stated -- “It takes about $20,000 to put on this show. And, if you look at it and you come Saturday at 7, you will be amazed that that little amount can put on this big of a show.”

I'm amazed, in a big way, that $20,000 is considered a "little amount" and the scientific community is united in that fact.

If $20,000 is such a "little amount", then these college kids need to quit complaining about the cost of their education.

Total cost of an education at ISU is less than $19,000 for instate undergraduates.

Michael You've Got A Lot To Answer For

Looking (picture) and acting every bit of a used car salesman, State Treasurer Michael "Ponzi" Fitzgerald blasted Governor Branstad.

State Treasurer says governor’s health care plan “a bad financial deal”

According to Fitzgerald -- “The governor’s plan is quite frankly a bad financial investment for the state of Iowa”.

Fitzgerald knows first hand about bad financial investment for the state and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The "Ponz" was on the IPERS investment board that lost over $300 Million to $500 Million, four years ago, that invested in funds managed by two New York brokers who have been arrested on federal criminal and civil charges in an alleged investment scam.

Fitzgerald is considered the architect of the Big Lug Nut's $1.7 billion dollar I-JOBS borrowing scam.

The Treasurer and his staff were so inept that they failed to deposit enough money in a reserve account for I-JOBS bonds and had to add $25 million of taxable bonds to its planned sale of $155 million of tax-exempt special obligation bonds to bolster its debt-service reserve on Build America Bonds and fend off a possible downgrade.

Plus, Fitzgerald and his staff failed to file a claim for $4,581 that had sat in his own Great Iowa Treasure Hunt for 9 years.

The "Ponz" and his people could also not locate the Iowa Beverage Division, Mari Culver, Iowa Supreme Court Justice Brent Appel and Iowa Court of Appeals Judge Larry Eisenhauer.

Credit

Mike Tramontina co-authored an opinion piece that ran in the Ragister.

Iowa View: It's time to help Iowa's hardworking families with the EITC

The EITC is the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Tramontina has been described as a lifelong bureaucrat, having served in the administrations of The Pickle and the Big Lug Nut.

Under Culver, ouch, Tramontina was head of the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) when the film office fiasco developed.

Which means Tramontina continues to be very generous with taxpayer dollars and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Tramontina defended Iowa's then tax credit policies, even after the film scandal broke and caused his exit from state government.

Aliens Exist?

Set phasers to stun.

Six former members of CONgress will take part in congressional-style hearings to help convince the federal government to acknowledge the existence of extraterrestrials.

The group will be led by Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Detroit Democrat and mother to former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

The Liter wonders why no Dennis KOOK-cinich or Bill "Nacho Funny" Richardson.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Each member of the panel will be paid about $20,000 plus expenses. 

Give A Little More?

Two things to think about as we head towards April 15th.

The federal Treasury expects to collect a record $2.712 trillion in taxes on Americans and U.S. business this year, shattering the 2007 high of $2.5 trillion in taxes.

And

Government Spending Per Household Exceeds Median Household Income

Ides say that's a spending problem.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

That's why Dummycrats need tax increases.

The Big Money

It was reported last week

White House Budget Staff Members Receive Furlough Notices

I say let them go and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Their work has been late four out of five years, the legal deadline is the first Monday in February, and Obama is the first President to present three consecutive late budgets.

Now that it has been released, it seems nobody likes it -- Big Business, Big Labor agree: Obama’s budget sucks

Therefore, that staff is just sucking the tit of the taxpayer.

World Leader Pretend

Being the Leader that we are, and the scientific community is united in that fact, the Liter first raised this issue in April 2008 (Get the vote out).

Do schools and elections make a bad mix? 
Miller: In-session schools as polling places a security risk

Years before the Sandy Hook Elementary School murders, our concern was kids were walking the halls unsupervised and the doors were open to all kinds of riff-raff.

Emily

Congressman Tom Latham is the target of Emily's List and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

Emily and her list have put Latham "On Notice" for two reasons --

First, because of an amassed appallingly anti-woman, anti-family record. 

Second, there is major Democratic female talent waiting in the wings.

As I showed last week (Serious?), it ain't Staci Appel-sauce for brains and the scientific community is united in that fact.

They stand a better chance, slim to none, with State Senator Janet Peterson (Dummycrat/Des Moines).

Emily hasn't had much success in Iowa as they backed Becky Greenwald, Rozanne, err Taxanne Conlin and Christie Vilsack

As for the DCCC, they bought a billboard in a part of Des Moines where people have to focus on the narrow streets as they drive to a better part of Central Iowa.

Solarstorms

The current cycle of Solar Storms is expected to reach its peak later this year.

Wondering what causes these solar storms?

I'm betting someone in the media will blame global warming, probably the same person who believes it causes meteors too.

What an asteroid and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Things Aren't So Beautiful Now

Tom Miller signed off on this letter.

Iowa AG urges Congress to act on immigration reform

The letter, CC'd to Eric Holder and Janet Napolitano, was also signed by the best-looking attorney general in the country.

That puts it in the hands of the good, the bad and the ugly.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Signers also included the Attorney General of Guam, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

How hard is it to protect the borders of an island?

Keep Your Hands To Yourself

The emanation of this story is less than comely and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Bill expanding definition of a ‘sex act’ passes Iowa Legislature

It reached this climax only after it was discharged by various legislative committees.

The bill amends the definition of sex act to include “ejaculation onto the person of another.”

The story notes who the bills "handler" was, but misses the opportunity to state it is in the hands of the Governor.

Kim

The consensus at the Not So Vast Right Wing Ranch is the leader of the Nork Dork's, Kim Jong Un looks like 2 Broke Girls actor Matthew Moy.






















And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Serious?

Like pigs to the slaughter, some Iowa Dummycrats are wanting Staci Appel-sauce for brains to run for Congress against Tom Latham.

Proving my apple sauce for brains theory, and the scientific community is united in that fact, Staci said...

“I’m still very seriously considering it”.

Ed Skinner, described as a party godfather, believes Appel is the person who can beat Latham.

Dummycrat strategist Jeff Link said, “It will take a candidate of Appel’s caliber to make this a competitive race”.

Color these Dummycrats delusional as it will be about as competitive as their three previous high quality female candidates; Becky Greenwald (who lost to Latham by 21 points in 2008), Rozanne, err Taxanne Conlin (who lost to Chuck Grassley by 31 points in 2010) and Christie Vilsack (who lost to Steve King by 8 points in 2012).

Appel thinks her Iowa Senate accomplishments(?) of extension of health care coverage to Iowa children, the 4-year-old preschool program, a ban on smoking in restaurants and bars, and an increase in the minimum wage.

Don't forget Staci, you wanted an end to Federal Deductibility, your scheme to award Iowa's Electoral College votes to whichever candidate receives the most popular votes nationwide, regardless of who carries the state, the debt you saddled taxpayers with because of the borrowing scam known as I-JOBS and your sponsorship of the bill (SF193) that helped create the IDED tax credit film office fiasco.

The Ragister's Jennifer Jacobs filed this story and her original report (preserved by me) said "Appel took out a 10-year Republican incumbent, Julian Garrett, an Indianola attorney and farmer who had represented the district for nearly a decade".

Someone later cleaned up the report-errs as it was an open seat (incumbent Doug Shull had sought election as State Representative against Mark Davitt) which Garrett had not previously represented.

Science

The onetime Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is holding what is described as a major forum on the Greenhouse Effect, err Global Warming, err Climate Change at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy.

According to Arnold -- The science on climate change is in, the debate is over and the time for action is now

How very Al Gore of him and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Schwarzenegger is, in all actuality, a parody of himself.

 Listen to me now, and believe me later

Second Chance

A prisoner at the Fort Des Moines Work Release Facility decided not return on Tuesday.

Fort Des Moines inmate escapes after treatment session

I mention it because it was the SECOND TIME for Osvaldo Guerra Jr., as he didn’t come back on March 6, 2012.

Either a policy needs to change, or the person administering the policy does because that's one too many times for the same prisoner.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.