Flotsam and Jetsam

The Seldovia Gazette: Michelle Obama Statue Wins Chainsaw Carving Competition

From the folks that want to run health care and the automobile industry. Audit: Millions Spent on Failed Job Projects

DES MOINES (AP) - State auditors say a taxpayer-funded program that pays job training costs for new companies put millions of dollars into projects that failed. State auditors released a report on Tuesday on the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program, which is run by the state's community colleges. The program has borrowed $38.5 million on behalf of businesses who promised to move to Iowa or expand their operations in the state. The audit shows that the companies either closed, went bankrupt or failed to create more than 15,000 planned jobs.

On the road to dystopia.

Life at the Salmon Shack

Finally... Schools out for Summer. I'm sure it is typical with most students, particularity the non-traditional type such as myself, to hit the proverbial wall. It happened to me this semester and for the first time I exchanged the mad dash to the deans list for a casual stroll down give a shit lane. I am beginning to see the light at the end of this tunnel however. I will return this summer to my old Alma mater Tall Corn College and Technical Institute to finish up the foreign language requirement and then only 10 hours separates me from the college degree.

The first task of the summer was log day. Every year I spend considerable time locating free BTUs to run through the wood stove but this year our neighbor took down a tree in his front yard that should see us through another cold Iowa winter. The woman that lets me live with her, bless her heart, helped out on the splitter and I then spent a day stacking. This job usually occurs in the heat of August so it is a relief to get it out of the way during our unusually cold spring.

A flock of Robins has taken up residence in our rickety wood fence which is now going to delay the fence replacement project. Darn the luck.

Rights of Passage:

The First Shiner.

Turning Six
Pierced Ears

Obama ready to confront the North Koreans

From Andy Borowitz

One day after North Korea launched a successful test of a nuclear weapon, President Obama said that the United States was prepared to respond to the threat with "the strongest possible adjectives."

In remarks to reporters at the White House, Mr. Obama said that North Korea should fear the "full force and might of the United States' arsenal of adjectives" and called the missile test "reckless, reprehensible, objectionable, senseless, egregious and condemnable."

Later in the day, Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the North Korean nuclear test "supercilious and jejune," leading some in diplomatic circles to worry that the U.S. might be running out of appropriate adjectives with which to craft its response.

Homeland Security Party Grants, Who Knew.

What ever happened to the days when neighbors would get together for a potluck and bar b que, without the need for the federal government supplying the entertainment and the hot dogs. This from the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

The Northwest Neighbors block party will not be held today because money from a grant needed to fund the event didn't arrive in time.Greg Stokesberry of the South West Neighborhood Association said the event, slated for today (Saturday, May 23) from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., was to be funded by a grant through the Department of Homeland Security. But he said the city hasn't received the grant yet, and thus hasn't distributed funds to support events like Saturday's planned block party."They're telling us it should be here by June 1," Stokesberry said.The event was to include live entertainment, an inflatable midway, food and more.Stokesberry said other similar events are planned around Cedar Rapids through the summer, and all are slated to receive funding from the Homeland Security grant.

I just can not fathom how block parties are in any way related to the job of Homeland Security or any other government agency for that matter.

Memorial Day 2009

We walked among the crosses
Where our fallen soldiers lay.
And listened to the bugle
As TAPS began to play.
The Chaplin led a prayer
We stood with heads bowed low.
And I thought of fallen comrades
I had known so long ago.
They came from every city
Across this fertile land.
That we might live in freedom.
They lie here 'neath the sand.
I felt a little guilty
My sacrifice was small.
I only lost a little time
But these men lost their all.
Now the services are over.
For this Memorial Day.
To the names upon these crosses
I just want to say,
Thanks for what you've given
No one could ask for more.
May you rest with God in heaven
From now through evermore.

C.W. Johnson

Once again the artistry of Ray Sorenson and his yearly Memorial Day painting of Freedom Rock in western Iowa. This is the 10th anniversary of Ray's project. Photo courtesy of FREEDOM ROCK

A news item this week about the organization "Bugles Across America" brought back memories of my time assigned to the base funeral detail while stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco. As I recall we were blessed with a bugler from the 6th Army Band that could hang onto a note during taps that would send a shiver up your spine and tears streaming down the faces of bereaved. When congress decreed that all veterans were eligible for military burial many places were forced to use a recording of TAPS. Retired bugler Tom Day felt that this practice was unacceptable and founded Bugles Across America.

Texas Fury

Thx: Steve

The Ultimate Moose Gun

Governor Palin will be receiving a custom made Alaska Themed M4 .50 caliber Beuwulf.



Click to Enlarge.

What a difference a regime change makes.

The Stormtroopers snap to attention when the CiC enters the room. Via: McClatchy Watch


Ok Stormtrooper may have been a little strong but you add this video with the accusations that the White House threatened investors with personal destruction at the hands of the press and you begin to see them in a different light. You could almost say that they might be in the bag for the new president but you surely couldn't prove it.

Well maybe you could...

The good folks at PEW Research have conducted a study that finds that the coverage of the Obama regime has been slanted in favor of the President by a margin of 2 to 1 over the Bush coverage during the same time in his presidency. He even out performs Bill Clinton.

The Road to Dystopia: As Darkness Settles Over America

While perusing the "dark side" of the blog o sphere I came across the above photo at the DailyKos site and my immediate impression was one of impending darkness.

It was 1984 when we were last recovering from an economic downturn similar to our current events. We were only 4 years removed from the Carter induced malaise/embarrassment of the late seventies but because of Ronald Reagan's steely resolve and an unparalleled conservative optimism we experienced a resurgence, a new dawn so to speak, which he called "Morning in America". It was a transformation that unraveled 40 years of failed progressive policies, ended 30 years of Cold War politics which eventually brought freedom to millions, and ushered in 25 years of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity.

Barrack Obama and his fellow travelers consider themselves the new revolutionaries and they see an opportunity for a counter transformation. They too want to unravel the old order and usher in a new age. How do they tout this transformation? With a metaphor of an eclipse, a darkness being cast over light. Unwittingly their metaphor is all too appropriate to our current moment in history.

After all Reagan is famously remembered for confidence in America's Exceptionalism and our system's ability to weather any storm. As he once said "Let us remember our heritage and, with it, our destiny – the destiny of this shining city on a hill, this beacon of freedom for all the peoples of the Earth." Liberals reject our heritage and exceptionalism. They reject the successes of capitalism despite the proven failures of the alternative. They reject liberty in exchange for social justice. Sadly under this assault America's light is indeed being eclipsed.

Sweet

Well Put Miller

Alaska Near Death Experience

A Taylorcraft perched precariously in the edge of a 1500 foot cliff in the Talkeetana Mountains in Alaska. From the Anchorage Daily News.

On April 19, Soplanda attempted to land near 6,000 feet on an unnamed peak east of Bald Mountain in the Talkeetnas to explore ski and snowboarding opportunities on some adjacent slopes. Unfortunately, the snow atop the peak where he touched down was crustier than the young pilot expected.

The skis on the airplane, instead of grabbing soft snow, went sliding across hard snow. With cliffs ahead, Soplanda tried to steer the aircraft to the left to stay on top of the peak.

It almost worked.The right ski, however, went over the cliff, the plane tilted at about a 60-degree angle, and there it stopped.

To top it off some brave soul climbed out on the plane to rig it for recovery. Y0u got to be tough in the north country. Hate to second guess but sometimes its nobler to push the go handle rather than try to save a bad landing.

The Air Farce One Flyover Debacle

Much is being made about the presidents plane buzzing New York and causing panic among the public. But there seems to be something missing in the reporting of this incident.

1. Where was the plane that the photographer was in? The video I have seen shows only the 747 and the 2 F16s. Who was taking the pictures?

2. This incident strikes me as joy ride by someone in the Obama administration. Did Michelle want to take the kids out for a spin? As they say in airplane lingo. How many souls on board? and Who were they?

3. If this was an actual photo op for Air Farce One, Which cost the taxpayers over $300,000...
SHOW ME THE DAMN PICTURES!

Obama the Post Turtle

As you can see posting has been pretty non existent the last couple weeks. The spring semester is finally drawing to a close and I have been furiously procrastinating on the last few papers and projects. Then this little piece landed in the inbox.


While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his performance as our president.

The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle''.

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'.

The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. 'You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, and he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with'.

Thx: Rick

Flotsam and Jetsam

Via: Hotair
...
Cuba; April 17th 1963. An Anniversary of Heroism and Shame
...

Liberal tight asses. Why isn’t Joe Biden more generous with his OWN money than he is mine?

MSM Catches up with the the Blog "O" Sphere

It only took about a week but CNN rolled out one of its sarcastic man in the street segments to put a humorous spin on the "Obama bows to his King" foopah. White House Propaganda Chief Robert Gibbs response is indicative of administration tactics for dealing with such things. Think back to the Blogonovich scandal(seems like eons doesnt it) "We took a look at it, there's nothing to see here folks, move along now my ignorant peons we have the world to save."



Contrary to White House spin the evidence shows this was no two handed shake between Shaq and Billy Barty which seems like a very lame excuse coming from the smartest president eveh. Certainly there were more plausible explanations like...

"Wow, that king has a grip like a vise, next time I'm goin for the knuckle bump."

Or, "Oh God!, excuse me your excellency while I puke."

Perhaps they could have said he was just checking out the kings shoes:

Obama: "Yo, for sheazy ma neazy! Where you get them fly-ass kicks!"

The King: "Payless, fa sho.

Obama: “I just bought a pair of Air Force Ones. Now these are some tite ass kicks my brother!"

The King: "Obviously you are oblivious my hip gangster from Harvard. You are off the chain, so to speak; my fuckin grandma has sweeeter kicks then that and she be dead.

(Hip smack talk stolen from Urban Dictionary, for obvious reasons)

What a difference a regime change makes.

Who can forget those wonderful days of yore when a president could pledge $35 million for tsunami victims and still get a reaction like this.
From the DU

His Chimperial Highness says he's going to send 35 million bucks to the affected areas, and all the flying monkeys are crowing about what a brave and generous leader he is. But his coronation ceremony next month will cost about that, and will perhaps exceed it. (30 million).

Today the US announced aid to quake stricken Italy.
From Brietbart

The United States said Monday it would donate 50,000 dollars in emergency aid to Italy after a powerful earthquake killed at least 100 people.
"We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the earthquake. Our embassy in Rome will provide 50,000 (dollars) in emergency relief funding," State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters.

Our new Chimperial Highness spent 170 MILLION for his inauguration then pledges a measly 5oK for Italy. Unlike the writer at DU I know there is no correlation between inauguration costs and disaster relief but the point is I can find nary a peep denouncing this display of tight assedness. Oh, the hypocrisy.

The Prince Bows to the King.

I am not one to latch on to conspiracies but my paranoid friend tells me that I am starting to sound like him. If that's the case, lets jump in with both feet, shall we.

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On the heels of Obama's now famous bow to the King of Saudi Arabia last week, this paragraph leapt off the page while I was reading yesterday.

"Because of the demands of the war the government postponed decisions on how "..." laws and standards were to be introduced and applied. From the first days of the "..." rule, though , certain objectives were established. Primary among them was the achievement of the "..." principles of social justice and the equitable distribution of wealth. In the economic sphere the attempt to achieve these goals resulted in an expansion of the role of the state at the expense of private enterprise. The government nationalized the banks and insurance companies as well as large industrial complexes."

This paragraph is not about current events in the US but the days following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and the missing word is "Islamic". This parallel should not be surprising given the communistic bent of the Iranian revolutionaries, but there is more to the Obama Islam connection.

His 2007 statement "My Muslim faith..." during an interview was generally dismissed as a slip of the tongue, but is it really a sign that his connections to Islam run deeper? As I told my friend the other day, Obama's pronunciation of Pakistan is oddly middle eastern given he grew up in Hawaii with midwestern grandparents. Can this be explained away as a desire to connect to the Islamic world or is it because of the time he spent there in the 1980s?

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Now we have the bow. I have a hard time dismissing this as a slip in protocol when we know that there a closer and more personal connection to the King of Saudi Arabia. It has been widely reported that Obama's entrance into Harvard was greased by one Khalid al-Mansour an advisor to the King. Mansour was also an influential fundraiser during the campaign. Did the overseas dollars that the campaign refuses to discuss flow from the Saudi Kingdom? The bow suggests that this conspiracy may be rooted in a little bit of fact.

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Excerpt from; Cleveland, William L. "A History of the Middle East", (Westview Press, 2009). P 436

Flotsam and Jetsam: Iowa Roundup

Unruly Iowan Anarchists Ejected From Iowa State House

Hundreds of Iowans were removed from the Iowa House chamber Tuesday night after a rowdy crowd consistently applauded and booed speakers.House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, cleared the crowd about 8:30 p.m. His directive came halfway into a two-hour hearing about a plan to end Iowans' ability to subtract what they pay in federal income taxes from their income when figuring their state taxes.The crowd was largely against the proposal.The decision to clear the chamber brought about loud protests from the crowd as people were escorted out by Iowa State Patrol troopers.

My fellow Iowans are mad as hell and they're not going to take it any more. Little disappointed that there wasn't more "hell no we wont go." But this may have been just the warm up for this...

The Des Moines Tax Day Tea Party
Wednesday, April 15, 10 AM - 2 PM
State Capitol Building (West side)
Help us take our country back!

"You'll find that this place is not the real world, I mean, this place is Disneyland on the Potomac." Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley

The Road to Dystopia

GM CEO resigns at Obama's behest

The Obama administration asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed, a White House official said.
On Monday, President Barack Obama is to unveil his plans for the auto industry, including a response to a request for additional funds by GM and Chrysler. The plan is based on recommendations from the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, headed by the Treasury Department.

The White House confirmed Wagoner was leaving at the government's behest after The Associated Press reported his immediate departure, without giving a reason.

General Motors issued a vague statement Sunday night that did not officially confirm Wagoner's departure. "We are anticipating an announcement soon from the Administration regarding the restructuring of the U.S. auto industry. We continue to work closely with members of the Task Force and it would not be appropriate for us to speculate on the content of any announcement," the company said.

The administration needs to explain under what authority the Executive branch can take this action. When President Truman tried to take over the steel industry the court in YOUNGSTOWN SHEET & TUBE CO. V. SAWYER found that the President had overstepped his bounds.

Even if it be true that other Presidents have taken possession of private business enterprises without congressional authority in order to settle labor disputes, Congress has not thereby lost its exclusive constitutional authority to make the laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers vested by the Constitution "in the Government of the United States, or any Department or Officer thereof."

I am afraid that I don't have the words right now to express my outrage at this development. Just days before the One jets to Europe to meet the Queen and dazzle the Continent he takes over a major manufacturing entity. If this doesn't send the peasants into the street with pitchforks then I have to believe we have reached the point of no return on our road to dystopia. Heaven help us.

The Wisdom of Our Founders

"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

Let There Be Lights!

When I got home Friday evening the lady that lets me live with her asked if we were going to turn off the lights for Earth Hour. I had to say, and pardon the pun here, I was in the dark about the whole Earth Hour phenomena. But I can say that about most inane attempts at enlightenment by social consciousness groups with way too much time on their hands.

So in my typical knee jerk reaction I replied,"Hell no I'm not turning the lights off in fact I'm going to turn on every light I own and if I had a spotlight I would shine it into the lens of the Google Earth satellite. It would be so bright in my little corner of Iowa that Google would need to wear shades. I want to show that we are the light of the world and under no circumstances would I imitate the places on Gods green Earth that are only filled with dark matter!"

Fortunately there are those out there that express those same sentiments but in a more rational style. From The Competitive Enterprise Institute

The Competitive Enterprise Institute plans to recognize “Human Achievement Hour” between 8:30pm and 9:30pm on March 28, 2009 to coincide with Earth Hour, a period of time during which governments, individuals, and corporations have agreed to dim or shut off lights in an effort to draw attention to climate change. Anyone not foregoing the use of electricity in that hour is, by default, celebrating the achievements of human beings.

We salute the people who keep the lights on and produce the energy that helps make human achievement possible.

More Mt. Redoubt. A View from the Gates of Hell

Saturday Morning Video

Iowa's usually staid Chuck Grassley as been on a roll the last couple weeks. Last time he suggested that Wall Street should do the noble thing and fall on their swords. Yesterday he is talking smack with a fellow senator. Or maybe it wasn't a joke at all. Atta boy Chuck.


I got to get one of these.