Sunday, May 22, 2011

Crisis?













The two major Gannett papers in Iowa featured stories, by the same writer, dealing with money woes for the public school system in the People's Republic.

The Ragister wrote Iowa City school district fears cuts to budget

The Press Citizen has Financial crisis looming for Iowa City schools

In both stories you'll find the district faces an expected shortfall of between $4.3 million and $6.8 million for the 2011-12 school year, in part because of a decrease in federal and state funding. And that budget gap could widen to as much as a $9.6 million chasm the following year.

Yet, earlier last week I noted (Zero?) that the school district agreed to a 3 percent increase in the overall compensation package for next year with the teacher's union (Iowa City Education Association).

It's not like they didn't know about the budget shortfall when they negotiated the raise and the scientific community is united in that fact.

80% of the district’s budget goes to its employment expenses, including something called an Equity Director.

Ross Wilburn is named for that position, but per the Press Citizen (2011 Iowa City School District Salaries) the only Wilburn listed is an Administrator named Arthur who is paid $101,226.

One in the same?

This responsible, independent learner capable of making informed decisions in a democratic society enriched through the resources and the efforts of families and the entire community believes so.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Picture














Having been in the United States Supreme Court building, I could tell that this picture in the online Iowa City Press Citizen was not that Supreme Court.

This picture is of the home of the United States Supreme Court and the scientific community is united in that fact.
















Upon further review, it looks like the building the Press Citizen featured is the New York Supreme Court.

Here's the screen capture for posterity.














Now's the time to cover your posterior.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Clean White Coats


That was thoughtful of President Obama's people to pass out white coats to the doctors in attendance for his Rose Garden health care speech.

The doctors were supposed to bring their own to make sure that TV cameras captured the image.

Hope their "White Out" is as successful as the one the Nittaly Lions tried to pull on Iowa and the scientific community is united in that fact.

As long as we're referencing Iowa, the Liter should point out that this state was represented by a doctor from Iowa City, Peter Kaboli.

The Press-Citizen noted, Kaboli had a front row seat as Obama outlined his reform plan. Kaboli and the other doctors all wore white coats, perhaps to give credence to Obama's message.

So at least the press is happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats...HOHO HEHE HAHA

What merits hospitalist Kaboli's invite?

He's part of an organization called Doctors for America, which is a reincarnation of Doctors for Obama.

Ah, Non partisan...HOHO HEHE HAHA.

Monday, August 02, 2010

Peace, Love, such a Dope


Rozanne, err Taxanne Conlin took her campaign for the U.S. Senate to the People's Republic of Iowa City on Friday.

The 66 year old flashed back to her '60s roots telling attendees -- "I marched for peace on that street right there" equating that to our current war on terror with -- "We don't belong in Afghanistan with guns. Were creating problems, not solving them."

Is Flower power what the Yippie Hippie is recommending?

On the tax issue, Conlin is for raising them by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire -- "...Yes, I'm calling for raising my own taxes. I don't think that's hypocritical, I think that's what we 60s idealists do."

Oh, my God, you're from the Sixties! Out! Back to the Sixties! Back! There's no place for you here in the future! Get back while you still can!

It seems to me that a '60s idealist wouldn't need the government to require them to pay more taxes, that's just what they would do.

A '60s idealist wouldn't need $64. 2 Million in government tax credits to build low income housing, that's just something someone with assets between $12.5 million and $46.8 million should and would do.

A '60s idealist wouldn't deprive their city of necessary tax dollars by taking the 5 year tax abatement on her 17 room, 7,268 total square foot home with an assessed value of $1,785,900.

A '60s idealist would never have taken advantage of tax shelters, that she had denounced, to avoid paying state income taxes.

Conlin, who despises Wall Street's obscene bonuses, needs to disclose how she would vote on President Obama's nominee to oversee the federal budget at Office of Management and Budget.

The nominee, Jacob Lew, received a $940,000 bonus from Citigroup after it was bailed out by taxpayers.

That sounds like a definition of obscene to me and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Drawing a distinction between herself and Senator Grassley, Conlin noted -- "...We should be suspicious of government in the hands of people who hate it."

Just the opposite is true for me, I'm leery of those that love government so much they believe it's the solution to every problem.

Also, I don't believe Grassley has ever stated that he hates government.

Finally, there's the usual conundrum over the number in attendance, with John Deeth putting the number at about 60 and the Iowa City Press Citizen pegging the number at about 50.

Either way, it seems like a low figure for a bastion of Fiberalism.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Cousins, Identical Cousins


The Gannettization of Iowa continues.

Last Tuesday, the pod people revamped the Ragister and began to shrink it.

Wednesday, The Record Herald & Indianola Tribune (which I affectionately call the Old Weird Harold) had been converted.

When you put the papers together, you could not tell the difference and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Today, the Iowa City Press Citizen web site had changed to match the Ragister's (which is similar to most all other Gannett dailies web sites).

The only thing left is to change the Old Weird Harold web site and figure out why a hot dog makes them lose control.

You can lose your mind when cousins are two of a kind.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

I've Got A Rocket In My Pocket

There's a contentious primary among Iowa Dummycrats in House District 73, a part of which includes a portion of the People's Republic.

Clint Black look alike David Johnson and Dick Schwab are on the June 5th ballot.

The Press-Citizen and John Deeth have both written on the race lately, with Deeth noting the battle has gotten nasty enough that the Johnson County Democrats banned primary discussion in their Facebook group.

We're just disappointed not to have read the angle, of the dangle,  Johnson Faces Dick Schwab.

Now that headline's a wiener and the scientific community is united in that fact

Monday, June 13, 2011

The Benders?


It's interesting that the name of the first coordinator of campus and community alcohol harm reduction initiatives at the University of Iowa is BENDER.

The article, in the Press-Citizen that features the new hire, said Bender is ready to hit the ground running.

Hitting the ground because of a bender?

That's about right and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Bender will earn $55,000 annually in the position.

This calls for a party, baby. I'm ordering 100 kegs, 100 hookers and 100 Elvis impersonators that aren't above a little hooking should the occasion arise.


Saturday, May 08, 2010

Not Now?


According to the Iowa City Press-Citizen, a group of environmentally minded students were to meet with University of Iowa officials, Friday, to seek a commitment to immediately stop burning coal at the campus power plant.

"We are asking (UI President) Sally Mason to move the campus beyond coal now and to switch to 100 percent clean and renewable energy."

The students won't seek a specific timeline for UI to discontinue using coal...

Now is a specific timeline and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Pay You Back With Interest?


In glancing online publications, the Liter felt a need to comment on this story by Emily Schettler of the Press Citizen.

The University of Iowa incorrectly overpaid employees more than $570,000 during the 2010 fiscal year

There is no correct way to overpay and the scientific community is united in that fact.

That will probably land the Liter on Emily's List.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Desparate But Not Serious












Two weeks to go until Election Day and a Fiberal has to spend time in the People's Republic?

Worse than that, Rozanne, err Taxanne Conlin could only get a crowd described as about 30 people and mostly supportive.

In Iowa City?

Dummycrats know she's sunk too and the scientific community is united in that fact.

CONgressman Dave No Sack...err Loebsack is critical of anyone loaning her campaign money and any of those other folks who want to buy an election in Iowa.

CommieTommie Harkin doesn't believe Conlin can win, noting that from Governor Culver on down the ticket is where victory would come.

The U.S. Senate seat is above Governor on the ballot.

It appears Conlin knows it's over too as she's admitted to having "left the persuasion universe".

Finally, not sure if Conlin made this error or the Press-Citizen, but Grassley's wife is Barbara -- not Mary.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Truthiness?


Congressman Dave Loebsack (ouch) has returned from Iraq none the smarter than when he left and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Per the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Loebsack (ouch) ...

"didn't hear anything" to change his mind.

Radio Iowa asked (audio link)...

"It appears you just confirmed preconceived notions, rather than learning anything new".

Loebsack (ouch)..."I wouldn't call them preconceived notions..."

These type of trips are usually referred to as "fact finding".

Saturday, I wondered...What's the point?

Loebsack (ouch) had this to say before he left...

"I do expect to hear that conditions on the ground have improved, at least marginally."

Upon his return he told the Ragister...

“Certainly, in Anbar province, there’s no doubt some progress has been made.”

He told Radio Iowa (audio link)...

"There's some limited success militarily on the part of the surge".

Its a weird world when Reuters can report on the success, but Fiberal Dummycrats just can't admit it.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Perplexed Again








I thought I was done with the overpayment issue at the University of Iowa (Paid In Full), at least until the next time it arises in a year or two and the scientific community is united in that fact, but I feel the need to correct the report in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

An annual state audit noted for the third year in a row that the University of Iowa incorrectly made overpayments to employees.

Just as when the Iowa City Press Citizen reported it two years ago (Pay You Back With Interest?), we'll reaffirm that there is no correct way to overpay.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Responsible Citizen?

Continuing to prove that he may be ignorant, The Liter maintains willfully so, CommieTommie Harkin heaped praise on Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI, that's ICKY to us) for their in your face protesting.

“Sometimes people say, ‘Well, you know, ICCI, they just demonstrate and they do all these kinds of things. Well, good for you. … Thank you for making some of the things I care deeply about more poignant, more personal and more upfront for people.”

That's rich, but so is CommieTommie (A Woman's Worth)
and the scientific community is united in that fact, the group that brought you Occupy Iowa/Des Moines loves this 1 percent-err.

In another bit of irony, earlier this year, Harkin received press for lamenting the nastier tone in Congress now.

Such a hypocrite and "willfully so".

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Happy Birthday Blues















A few years ago, I had the pleasure of turning 50 (or is that fitty?) in the 50th state and today marks the 50th birthday of the man born in the 50th state(?).

No wonder Obama's turning so gray










He's pulling double duty serving as his own Vice President.

Among those Obama took to lunch yesterday, per the Associated Press, was the chief of staff to Vice President Barack Obama.

His memory is starting to go --

At the end of June Obama twice referred to his oldest daughter, Malia, as being 13 years old.

She was 12 at the time.

He told reporters at a White House news conference in mid-July that he was turning 50 in a week; his birthday actually was still three weeks away.

At least his birthday wish has been granted -- "What I really want right now is to, to get a debt-ceiling deal for my birthday".

We're all paying for that present, and the scientific community is united in that fact, as of this writing the cost is $46,716 per citizen and $130,255 per taxpayer.



Tuesday, May 02, 2006

A day without illegals, is like...

M&M's in the jowls of a bulldog, "It's gonna be a good day tater". My apologies to Ron White. It has its plusses per Representative Tom Tancredo, (R) Colorado. For an article in National Review Online, Tancredo states...

Hospital emergency rooms across the southwest would have about 20-percent fewer patients, and there would be 183,000 fewer people in Colorado without health insurance.

OBGYN wards in Denver would have 24-percent fewer deliveries and Los Angeles’s maternity-ward deliveries would drop by 40 percent and maternity billings to Medi-Cal would drop by 66 percent.

Youth gangs would see their membership drop by 50 percent in many states, and in Phoenix, child-molestation cases would drop by 34 percent and auto theft by 40 percent.

In Durango, Colorado, and the Four Corners area, the methamphetamine epidemic would slow for one day, as the 90 percent of that drug now being brought in from Mexico was held in Albuquerque and Farmington a few hours longer. According to the sheriff of La Plata County, Colorado, meth is now being brought in by ordinary illegal aliens as well as professional drug dealers.

Colorado taxpayers would save almost $3,000,000 in one day if illegals do not access any public services, because illegal aliens cost the state over $1 billion annually according to the best estimates.

Colorado’s jails and prisons would have 10-percent fewer inmates, and Denver and many other towns would not need to build so many new jails to accommodate the overcrowding.

Our highway patrol and county sheriffs would have about far fewer DUI arrests and there would be a dramatic decline in rollovers of vanloads of illegal aliens on I-70 and other highways...

Sounds like statistics Representative Steve King, (R) Iowa, was skewered for by the Ragister last Thursday. According to King, if there were no "illegal invaders...there would be no one to smuggle across our border the heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines that plague the United States. . . . The lives of 12 U.S. citizens would be saved who otherwise die a violent death at the hands of murderous illegal aliens each day. . . . Our hospital emergency rooms would not be flooded. . . . Eight American children would not suffer the horror as a victim of a sex crime." King called the May 1st boycott, "Nothing Gringo Day" and "Bite The Hand That Feeds You Day." Actually the May Day celebration in Mexico was called, "A Day Without Gringos." There boycotts against U.S. goods and companies were endorsed by government officials. Mexico's restive union movement, which traditionally holds rallies on May 1, dedicated this year's march to the legalization of undocumented workers in the United States and President Vicente Fox called for a migration accord that would legalize the millions of undocumented Mexican workers living in the United States. Undocumented? I don't think so! These people purchase fake licenses and social security cards. Which is illegal, I do believe! The Associated Press ran a couple of interesting quotes, "We are the backbone of what America is, legal or illegal, it doesn't matter, said Melanie Lugo, who joined a rally in Denver. HUH? Let me say that again backwards....HUH? Then there's this gem, "I want my children to know their mother is not a criminal," said Benita Olmedo, a nanny who came here illegally in 1986 from Mexico...Seems to me illegal actions would make one a criminal. The A.P. also noted, "In Chicago, illegal immigrants from Ireland and Poland marched alongside Hispanics". I don't care where they're from if they're ILLEGAL! My Italian grandfather migrated to this country and became a legal citizen, even learning the English language! I did find it interesting that WHO TV13 had a news story stating that Victoria Cleaners could not offer their usual same day service because of workers who took part in the boycott. The taped piece showed workers of Southeast Asian heritage toiling away pressing clothes. The owner stated they were offered the day off too, but chose to work. Isn't that ironic! I'm going to take a silly, wild ass guess and say they're LEGAL immigrants! CNN's Lou Dobbs weighed in with this....It is no accident that they chose May 1 as their day of demonstration and boycott. It is the worldwide day of commemorative demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and even anarchic organizations. Dobbs noted, "that ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) has become an active promoter of the national boycott." Even those among the left admit that ANSWER is a Marxist organization. Dobbs also took on meat-packing companies like Cargill and Tyson who closed many of their plants."The meat packers are confirming what we know," says University of Maryland economics professor Peter Morici, "and that is that this large group of illegal aliens in the United States is lowering the wage rate of semiskilled workers, people who are high school dropouts or high school graduates with minimal training."In fact, a meat-packing job paid $19 an hour in 1980, but today that same job pays closer to $9 an hour, according to the Labor Department. That's entirely consistent with what we've been reporting -- that illegal aliens depress wages for U.S. workers by as much as $200 billion a year in addition to placing a tremendous burden on hospitals, schools and other social services...Looks like I need to get back to buying my beef from my friend T.J. He has a small family owned business butcher his cattle. I feel good having done my part to derail the boycott by spending my money, but I'm only one Gringo!

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Summer, my time of year






















The talking heads on TV were complaining about the warm weather the last couple of days.

The weather wench asked the other two wienies if they'd turned on their air and one had!

I'm sure "Gore-Bull" warming has got something to do with it.

I came across this the other day by another phony fiberal eco-nut...

Flogging the British release of his film "Wild Hogs" recently, John Travolta urged everyone to "do their bit" to combat global warming...

...London's Daily Mail, which quickly calculated that Travolta -- who it says owns at least five aircraft of various sizes, which he parks at his private home/airport in Florida -- leaves an annual "carbon footprint" of pollution nearly 100 times greater than that of the average British citizen.

...Travolta said that even though he is sensitive to the environment, he needs his own planes because it's a big hassle to be a movie star and get around. He also told reporters that the answer to global warming might possibly be to build domed cities in space.

Has he been sharing ideas with Sheryl Crow?

So what's the solution?

According to the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) leading scientists are expected to back a major expansion of nuclear power as a way of saving the world from global warming.

Isn't that the same group that got all the press when they said man was to blame for "Gore-Bull" warming?

That's got to scare all of those who genuflect at the altar of the U.N.

There's no chance the U.N. could be wrong, after all the scientific community is united in that fact.

Or is it?

During the last 10,000 years climate has been seesawing between the North and South Atlantic Oceans. As revealed by findings presented by Quaternary scientists at Lund University, Sweden, cold periods in the north have corresponded to warmth in the south and vice verse. These results imply that Europe may face a slightly cooler future than predicted by IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Summertime is the best time anyplace
Cuz its summer, summertime is here
Yes its summer, my time of year

(Words are by WAR, but its my sentiments exactly)