U of I. Security to Begin Packing Heat

No, you won't be seeing any displays like this on the Iowa River any time soon but the Iowa Board of Regents has voted to allow Campus Secutity to begin carrying firearms. Now if we can only convince the legistlature to allow citizens the ability to do the same.

Regents Policy: Here
Pictured: USS Iowa, firing its 16 inch guns.

Bill Clinton's Real Agenda

If Bill Clinton is truly the brightest, most astute, politician ever to grace us with his presence how could he make such obvious gaffs that could hurt his wife's chances to get his butt back into the White House? Or perhaps he really is brilliant. Always willing to buy into a good conspiracy theory, Victor Davis Hanson may be on to something here about old Bill.

"Things Not What They Seem; Hard Call" The $64,000 question—which is the greater incentive for him: to get Hillary Clinton elected so he can get back into the White House; or to subtly and insidiously cause her problems, so that history records there was only one Clinton, not two, and especially not one who was the first woman, might do a better job, and thereby overshadow Bill.

Triangulating on his own wife. Brilliant!

WWI Tribute Video

I am in the middle of a term paper on the developement of the aviation industry during World War I and came across this very well done tribute video.

Police Brutality?

I am reminded of the story about the guy from California driving through the south, and while passing through one town he did the California roll at a stop sign. When the local sheriff pulled him over and asked if he knew that he ran the stop sign he responded that he did slow down. The officer proceeded to pull the guy from the car and began beating him about the head and shoulders with his billy club and asked "Do you want me to stop or just slow down?"



A common theme from the readers at Hullaballo, and summed up by digby.
" Police in the country are now allowed to torture speeders by the side of the highway in order to get them to comply. The only difference between this officer slugging the speeder in the stomach and putting 50,0000 volts of electricity in him is that the latter doesn't leave any marks. The intent, the pain and the goose-stepping authoritarian message are exactly the same."

The first time I viewed this I may have agreed. Then you really have to question what the gentleman in the SUV was thinking, he certainly was an ass from the initial encounter. He did not follow the officers orders and quite frankly the fact that he walked beyond the officers control with his hand in his pocket and then tried to return to his vehicle was enough to warrant the officers response. Sorry, I don't have much sympathy for people stuck on stupid. I do have sympathy and admiration for those that put thier life on the line dealing with the dregs of society while pulling down 40K a year.

It sucks getting a ticket, but take it from a person that used to get one every trip through Iowa and has had the experience of looking down the working end of an officer's 45 one dark night, if you keep your hands on the steering wheel and answer the officers questions respectfully, you will probably drive away with a warning instead of 50,ooo volts lighting up your day.

Flotsam and Jetsam: Nature Running Wild

One of the things I miss about living in Alaska was the fact that wildlife was literally as close as your front door. Quite often moose would make camp in the front yard and chew the crab apple tree down to the nubs in the winter, and in the summer there would be the occasional bear strolling through the neighborhood. This video was sent to me by a friend in Anchorage. See it here
Thx Nette!




When I first saw this photo I was sure that sleg dog was on the menu. See the whole story here.

Thanks to Maggies Farm.


"The roughly 18-point buck he shot and killed was dragging with it a dead 10-point buck. The two deer had fought and their antlers had become irreversibly joined."They are locked," Willmsen said. Nice job Jim!

Thanks to the Gazette. Story and video here.

Earmark Reform

The democrats became the majority with a promise to change the way Washington operates but so far they have been long on promises and short on action. I know the obstructionist Republicans have foiled them at every turn.............Sorry, fell out of my chair laughing.

My one pet peave that they could resolve with support of the republicans would be earmark reform. Bringing home the bacon is a time honored perk of power that has grown so large and the handouts so outragous that it is time to end this corrupt practice.

On the side bar I have placed a petition for the reform efforts of Senator Jim Demint. Please take a second and fill it out.

Thank a Vet

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
3071
Whereas it has long been our customs to commemorate November 11, the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause of peace; and Whereas in the intervening years, the United States has been involved in two other great military conflicts, which have added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this Nation; and
Whereas the Congress passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926 (44 Stat. 1982), calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies, and later provided in an act approved May 13, 1938 (52 Stat. 351) , that the eleventh of November should be a legal holiday and should be known as Armistice Day; and
Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that commemoration and in order that a grateful Nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this Nation, the Congress, by an act approved June 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 168), changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day:
Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America , do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954 , as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.
I also direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag of the United States on all public buildings on Veterans Day.
In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.
Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of October in the Year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-ninth.
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Some catching up to do.

Busy Busy Busy.... I was able to get the last of the windows replaced before the weather turned frosty. The fire wood project turned into a family affair as most of the wood I was able to scrounge this summer was too long to fit the splitter. While I ran the saw to shorten them up the wife ( bless her heart) loaded logs into the splitter and our daughter ran the power handle. A good time was had by all.
Lucky Find....The woman that lets me live with her got it in her head that the next project on my list would be to remove the 1970's carpet in the bedrooms and install laminate flooring. Knowing the best way to get a job done around here is to do it herself she pulled back the carpet in one of the rooms and low and behold the bedrooms of this shack have hardwood floors. Except for the fact that the last carpet installer had a party with the hammer tacker in our daughters room, which required a couple hours on hands and knees pulling staples, the floors are in great shape. Another job well done.
Continuing Education....Made it through mid terms with flying colors and with the exception of one American History paper that earned an 83, I have aced the first half of the semester. The remainder of the term will be focused on two research papers and a couple book reviews. Piece of cake between now and finals.
A conspiracy of objectivity....I wrote a few weeks ago that the liberal indoctrination in college you hear so much about has been surprisingly absent here at the U, but since I wrote that I have decided that it not that it doesn't exist but instead it flows just below the surface and occasionally, subtly, bubbles to the top. "Is there any comparison between the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798 and the Patriot Act" Our TA asks with a slight grin. When no one offered to bite on her obvious hook she tried to move on. Not being able to leave it lie I thrust my hand in the air in an Arnold Horshack moment and asked if she thought there was a parallel... Since she brought it up. "I can't answer that, that's it for today" she replied dejectedly. LOL
In the World Civ discussion we were to discuss the psychology of a historical figure. The first name suggested by the TA was George Bush with the same little grin of the last TA. Again no one would bite.
It's VJ Day you moron !!!!! In what has to be the latest in politically correct historical revisionism the Professor in my World Civ lecture said "World War II ended in two stages VE day Victory in Europe and VA day" VA I says what the hell is VA? Evidently reading my mind she then added "Victory in Asia" HUH??? Who the hell ever called it VA day? Even a Google search doesn't turn up a VA day although an equally insidious VP day shows up in Wikipedia (Victory in the Pacific). Lets try to keep a little historical accuracy in how the people of the times interpreted the events whenever the evidence is clear and leave the PC crap out of it.
She also went on to state that the Russians were the victors in Europe and the US was the victor in the Pacific. Although I would argue that is hardly accurate at least it is debatable.
Editorial morons.... I just want to thank the editorial decision makers at the Cedar River Rag for taking the opportunity to run an anti war, bush bashing polemic on Veterans Day! I have already reduced my subscription to week ends only and that's just a heartbeat away from severing the final tie to the newspaper bidness.