OH GOODIE, A POLL!

My fellow Americans...the state of our union is seriously messed up thanks to lazy journalism and ill-informed opinion skewers...

I don't have too many problems with the poll done by the Des Moines Register this week. It's typical of them to have the annual survey on the current President's performance. The poll is meaningless of course, but interesting if you look behind the stats like I do. Several thoughts before we get to the meat of the story.

I feel a bit strange answering a question about someone's job performance unless they work with me day in and day out. I don't have the President working day in and day out with me or for me. I know that's what a lot of big-Government Democrats would like to have happen, but my life/happiness/direction has never been determined by who is President. There are so many factors to consider when answering a question like, "Do you approve or disapprove of the way George Bush is handling his job/economy/war/whatever."

In a very general sense, the President is just one small piece in many factors that affect all of those situations. The answers people might give are notoriously subjective. If you place a call to someone and they just so happen to have lost their job...or they're out of work...they're going to want to shift the blame to something (other than themselves, of course). It's the same with the war. Based on the available news content, we're getting our asses kicked in Iraq. But that's not the truth...and I'm a more patient American than most. I'm smart enough to know that 23-hundred dead Americans are militarily insignificant when you've got a full fighting force of over 2-million. With women...who are far more moody and needy...you can get a completely different answer when you ask the same question 20-minutes apart.

My main problem with the poll is the final question...

-Do you consider the wiretapping of domestic telephone calls and e-mails without court approval an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to investigate terrorism?

In a paper that regularly goes after politicians for push-polling their constituents, this is a lazy leftist self-fulfilling prophecy of a question. Piece by piece...here's why:

"Do you consider the wiretapping"

Even the word "wiretapping" can be a politically charged word to use. It suggests a bunch of G-Men disguised as repairmen hanging on telephone polls listening to your call to Aunt Nelly. We are a wireless nation now...and there are things far more advanced than the old rotary phone. There are different cell phones (disposable and otherwise), satellite phones, High speed internet, voice over internet, encryption software, Blackberry's, and email. Even the 'tapping' part of the word suggests that there's something automatically wrong with what they're doing.

"of domestic telephone calls and emails"

These are not strictly 'domestic' telephone calls and emails. These are primarily foreign calls from an identified country of origin to a domestic source on a watch list of terrorists. These are not Sunday afternoon phone calls to your brother stationed in Germany. The government has determined several countries to be highly likely to contain a large percentage of terrorists. These are the "rogue states" you hear so much about. For those of you who remember the Clinton administration, the words were changed from "rogue states" to "states of concern" for a brief politically-correct six months. When a call from an identified terrorists suspect is placed to a home in Iowa...the government wants to listen in. I think that's fair.

"without court approval"

The President doesn't need court approval to conduct foreign intelligence. It's that simple. Anyone who thinks otherwise should ask themselves if they want the President of their party to have to go to some court (and since it's foreign, maybe a UN-sponsored court) everytime they want to spy on a foreign terrorist. Now before you go and get your undies in a bunch and want to rip me a new one for not bringing up the FISA act (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act)...the act itself says, "...FISA does not regulate the use of electronic surveillance outside of the United States. For instance, electronic surveillance of electronic communications like e-mail is only governed by §1801(f)(4) if the surveillance device is installed "in the United States." When e-mail sent by a U.S. person to a foreign person is intercepted outside the United States, that interception does not meet this definition...." So there. All they have to do is put a listening post outside the United States and voila!

"an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to investigate terrorism"

We are not 'investigating' terrorism...we are trying to kill them. There's a big difference between investigating them for criminal acts (which we didn't do a whole lot with in the 90's) and trying to gain intelligence on their tactics and operations. One is meant for a courtroom...the other is meant for a grave. I doubt too many at the Register were worried about the passengers on Flight 93 bum rushing the cockpit based on flimsy evidence that an attack was underway. Thank God they didn't twiddle their thumbs worrying about the legal consequences.

So here's the proper way to ask the question when you want an unbiased unskewed poll:

Do you think gathering intelligence from foreign-based telephone calls and e-mails without court approval an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to fight terrorism?

That's how I'd ask it...but again...I don't have a fancy journalism degree.

GREG ALAN, CUB REPORTER

Once again it has apparently fallen upon me to inform you. I really "don't get" the news media. They're either purposely lying or leaving out information because they have an agenda, or they're using the news to pump the ratings for one of their argue shows later in the evening.

Big Oil is at it again. And again the news media leaves out a very easy to find, but very important fact.

DISCLAIMER: I am not paid by any oil company. I couldn't tell you individually if I had any oil company stock, but I probably have less than most people. I don't know anyone in the oil companies, nor do I plan on using my radio show to profit from the oil companies. I know no more about the oil companies than I do about women. In fact, probably less. I pump my own gas and constantly search for the lowest price in town just like you do. So again...I have no stake whatsoever in making a big deal out of this other than to make sure some journalists get their heads out of their arses and do their jobs...because frankly, this is getting silly to have to do this over and over and over again.

I'm going to do something that is probably illegal. I'm going to re-publish the entire article from the Yahoo (reprinted in the Quad Cities Times among others)...but encourage you to do like I did. Check it out for yourself. My comments are included in the text of the story...

Exxon Mobil posts record 4Q profit of $10.71 billion
The Associated Press

(this same story is running all over the wires...Yahoo, Google News, AP, CNN, etc...I just picked the easiest one to re-publish)

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Exxon Mobil Corp. posted a record quarterly profit for a U.S. company on Monday — $10.71 billion in the fourth quarter — as the world’s biggest publicly traded oil company benefited from high oil and gas prices and demand for refined products.

(This should be good news, right? but note the entire basis of the article is about the AMOUNT of money they made...not their profit percentage. I'm sure they'll put that amount in here, don't you?)

The company’s earnings amounted to $1.71 per share, up from $8.42 billion, or $1.30 per share, in the year ago quarter. The result topped the then-record quarterly profit of $9.92 billion Exxon posted in the 2005 third quarter.

The recent quarter included a $390 million gain related to a litigation settlement. Excluding special items, earnings were $10.32 billion, or $1.65 per share. The result topped Wall Street’s expectations. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial predicted earnings of $1.44 per share. Exxon shares rose $1.46, or 2.4 percent, to $62.75 in premarket activity.

Quarterly revenue ballooned to $99.66 billion from $83.37 billion a year ago but came in shy of the $100.72 billion Exxon posted in the third quarter, which was the first time a U.S. public company generated more than $100 billion in sales in a single quarter.

("balooned" is a rather interesting word choice, don't you think? Of course, if I were the "hate corporate America" type, I'd probably be pretty steamed by now that they're making so darn much money. I wonder though...how much that represents in a percentage? I'm sure they'll tell us in a bit. Let's keep reading.)

By segment, exploration and production earnings rose sharply to $7.04 billion, up $2.15 billion from the 2004 quarter, reflecting higher crude oil and natural gas prices. Production decreased by 1 percent due to the lingering effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which battered the Gulf Coast in August and September.

("Rose sharply" is another interesting phrase. Makes me think something fishy is going on here. Still wondering what the profit percentage is for the year, though...hmmm. Maybe the company didn't put that on their press release.)

The company’s refining and marketing segment reported $2.39 billion in earnings, as higher refining and marketing margins helped offset the residual effects of the hurricanes.

Exxon’s chemicals business saw earnings, excluding special items, decline by $413 million to $835 million, as higher materials costs squeezed margins. For the full year, net income surged 43 percent to $36.13 billion, or $5.71 per share, from $25.33 billion, or $3.89 per share, in 2004. Annual revenue grew to $371 billion from $298.04 billion.

That's it. The story is over. No mention of what percentage profit the amount of 10-billion represents. Neat trick, huh?

Let me tell you why this is important: Because the American people have been trained with years and years of sloppy journalism. That the number is more important than the percentage. When we talk of taxes...especially tax cuts for "the rich"...we talk of the AMOUNT of a cut a person making 2-million a year is getting. We don't do much math on our own in our own heads...so we practically keel over when we hear 50-thousand dollar tax cut...instead of the percentage that that represents (.025 percent). Believe me, I've heard people say it..."Jeez, that's one hell of a tax cut...I only got a 1-percent cut and he got a tax cut as big as my entire salary."

So what does 10-billion dollars in profit represent? 11-percent...for the industry as a whole, they saw profit margins of 9.5-percent.

If you find time and want to surf around a bit, you can find percentage of profit margin reports on virtually any company...and a whole lot of them are a lot more than 11-percent.

And to think I could do that without a degree in journalism. I dunno...maybe they're jealous because their profit margins are averaging...WHOA!!!...11-percent. That's funny. Maybe I should have said Newspaper Publishing profits BALOONED 11-percent...

OH DEER, PART III

I hate to do this to you again today, Wade Wagner...but consider the following:

Deer attacks elderly couple - An elderly Princeton, Iowa couple was injured Wednesday when they were attacked by a wild deer, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department reported. The Princeton residents were listed in serious condition Wednesday night at an area hospital.

Barbaric...isn't it?

A TALE OF TWO WAL-MARTS

A very curious thing happened this week...two new supercenter Wal-Mart stores opened in the area...and nobody complained much. During a brief period last year before Christmas, the group Wal-Mart Watch came up with a catchy tune inspired by "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and said we should all oppose Wal-Mart and stop them before they take over the world.

Now that the height of holiday shopping is over, those same people are...

well...not doing anything about it anymore.

Take for instance Marion, Iowa...population 28-thousand.... Again because the Cedar Rapids Gazette makes you pay for your news, they don't have an on-line version. Apparently, Laborers Local 43 of Cedar Rapids, protested the new Wal-Mart Supercenter on the east edge of Marion during the store's grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony. About 20 people attended the protest.

No fiery letters to the editor...no scary story of how all the local hardware stores were going to shut down...no sad sack stories of employees who were being taken advantage of...not a peep.

Then in Independence, Iowa...population 5,900...same thing. Not a peep. Only this time, not even a protest by out-of-work or on-break union thugs. There was a story in the Waterloo Courier about the opening...but again, from a decidedly different standpoint than we got back before Christmas.

Joan Steele's shopping choices weren't the most desirable. The rural Aurora resident had to drive to Waterloo or Cedar Rapids, unless she wanted to hit several spots in Independence. And if she had her three children with her, going from the grocery store to the Wal-Mart discount store and then on to other stops was a chore.

Now, she can stay in her own town and do all of her shopping closer to home. Less money spent on gas, less time and effort, good for her...right? Good for the economy? Why not?

Another shopper...

Barbara Puff of Oelwein was happy with the new store's selection of cheese and spices. Prior to the store's opening, she traveled to Waterloo about once a month to stock up on such items. Some of the features of the new store include a one-hour photo lab, a pharmacy and a Murphy USA gas station. The Wal-Mart Supercenter employs about 200 with 125 being new hires.

Again, with gas prices the way they are, isn't the opening of a more convenient location GOOD for people like Barbara Puff? Or you do you "little guy" protectors still want to tell Barbara to stay in Oelwein and shop in her hometown grocery store at significantly higher prices?

You might also notice that the city has 125 fewer unemployed people too. But again, according to Wal-Mart Watch...they're not getting health care so it doesn't matter, right?

Wal-Mart is also good at generating PR. But for some of you Wal-Mart complainers, you may want to follow up and see if this part of the story is just a one-time deal or a continued local community involvement.

During the grand opening ceremony this morning, Wal-Mart officials presented donations to 16 organizations totaling slightly more than $15,000. Recipients included Cedar Valley United Way, Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging and the Youth Sports Foundation.

I'm sure it's faked for the papers. Oh, I know...it's small potatoes to a big corporation like Wal Mart. How much did Local 43 give based on their entire membership salaries again?

Finally, there's the outlook for Independence. If we're to believe Wal Mart Watch, Independence and Marion about about to die. The towns will now be destroyed with the loss of mom-and-pop stores throughout their Main Street areas. Not according to their city manager:

Alan Johnson, Independence's city manager, is looking forward to the additional benefits that typically accompanies a store opening. "There's a lot of economic development that typically follows a Wal-Mart and we're starting to see some of that," he said. Greg Halverson, director of the Buchanan County Economic Development Commission, said the supercenter should increase traffic flow to that area of town.

Sounds to me like they're pretty pleased. I'll keep my eye on the some of the following businesses to see if they're announcing a "going out of business sale" soon...

Roy's Feed & Seed 117 3rd Ave SE Independence, IA
Davidson's Fashions 213 1st St E Independence, IA
Eschen's Clothing 211 1st St E Independence, IA
Candle and Scents 207 1st St E Independence, IA
Hartig USA Drug 200 1st St E Independence, IA

That's just a sample of some of the more than 200 businesses (storefront or otherwise) in Independence. If we're to believe the union types...they'll all be shut down in a year. Wanna bet?

OH DEER, PART II

Remember all that talk about how dangerous bow hunters were yesterday? If Wade Wagner is still paying attention to what people are saying about him, he should put his "barbaric" comment in the context of the following:

Bill would allow 8-year-olds to hunt

Yes, the state of Wisconsin is at it again. The same state that actually considered a "domestic cat hunting" proposal - apparently believes that they need more hunters to help thin the herd of deer.

The state Assembly already approved [Representative Scott] Gunderson's bill on a 74-19 vote. The measure still needs approval from the state Senate and Gov. Jim Doyle to become law.

What do you want to bet it never reaches his desk? They say the Senate is the "more deliberative" body of the legislature...for good reason.

A child age 12 to 15 now can hunt with a parent or guardian. Under Gunderson's bill, parents or guardians could designate an adult mentor who must stay within arm's length of the 8- to 11-year-old child, and the two must share a weapon.

Are you sure you want loaded weapons SHARED by two people at ARM'S LENGTH?

The answer to your question is YES...Representative Gunderson is a Republican.

OH DEER...

Since the Cedar Rapids Gazette doesn't make available their entire paper on the internet (they made the smart business move to make you pay for it a long time ago), you'll have to trust me in the paraphrasing of this Monday's paper and the story about the end of the deer hunt in Cedar Rapids.

Fact - 298 deer killed by bow hunters
Fact - 116 hunters participated in virtually all areas of the city
Fact - In September, the Urban Deer Task Force said the program would be a success if they bagged 100
Fact - 453 deer crashed into vehicles in and around Cedar Rapids in 2004
Fact - 332 deer crashed into vehicles in 2005...a drop of 121
Fact - not one hunter was injured
Fact - not one civilian (for lack of a better term) was injured by wayward arrows
Fact - only a few complaints were recorded by the Urban Deer Task Force

Quoted and transcribed from the story, former City Council member and Parks Commissioner Wade Wagner...

Wade Wagner, who voted against the hunt last fall as a City Council member said last week that he received "several calls" from people complaining of deer fleeing with arrows in them and of hunters straying close to or onto private property where they were not wanted.

Wagner, who has called the bowhunt in the city "barbaric," said he doesn't think the task force has had accurate numbers.

As for the hunt, he said, the city's regulations allow hunters to be too close to homes. His biggest worry, though, is the liability to the city should a fleeing deer stuck with an arrow, crash into a car and kill people.

Wade, Wade, Wade...deer have been crashing into cars and killing people to begin with...before any deer were running around with arrows in their arses! Isn't 453 deer killed by vehicles in the previous year a little barbaric too? And fewer were killed by cars this year than last year! That's why the hunt was approved! What is it with you deer-loving weirdos?

Earlier in the story, there's this...

Opponents say...the city does not have a deer problem; that the deer numbers are inaccurate; and that deer will self-regulate their own population if left alone.

Yeah...I'm sure deer do math in their spare time. They're animals...they can't count and they can't determine for themselves what a healthy population would be. Nor can they stop themselves from reproducing. It's instinct.

Any dolt can look up the population of deer in Iowa and see how it has seen a 300-percent increase over the past 20-years. If you are a dolt...I've included the handy chart from the Iowa DNR for you. Pay attention to the "goal" figure (represented by the dotted line across the middle). We need to kill more deer...

A conservative reading of that chart puts our population at somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000. Oh...one other fact deer lovers should consider.

Fact - 88 deer were donated to food pantries for the needy
Fact - 199 were kept for personal consumption

Isn't that a good thing?

DON'T CRY FOR ME, WINONA

I'm amazed I have three posts today. I guess it's the change in schedule that allows me to do some things on the blog that I wouldn't normally do on the air.

Milk Spill Floods Winona Street - from WCCO radio in the Twin Cities. Hold those tears because you're going to get dehydrated after reading this part. Pardon me if I can't tell if those tears are from laughter or sorrow:

"...the truck leaked about 1,000 gallons of milk which flowed into the gutter and storm sewer. Considered a hazardous material, the milk had to be cleaned up by a special crew that tried to remove as much milk as possible from the storm sewer..."

Lemme guess...1,000,000 cats...10,000 loaves of bread...5,000,000 cookies...

Hazardous material?

'OLE-WHINE

It's seems that 2-thousand foot zone of protection from sex offenders around schools and licensed day-care facilities still isn't enough for some people. In sleepy little villages all over the state (beginning with Ely pop: 1,149), city council members are creating their own 2-thousand foot zones. Oelwein (pop: 6,692) has gone off the deep end according to a story in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.

"Some other cities have said, 'Move out of our town, don't live here," but that's the extent of it,'" said Oelwein City Administrator Steve Kendall of the city's proposed law that would fine registered sex offenders $750 for going to public places "where children congregate."

That's right...anywhere there are children and the congregate. Malls, outside the convenience store, downtown, scooping the loop, uh...

"...Setting foot in city parks, schools, swimming pools or the library would carry a fine for registered offenders unless they have children and are taking them to the area. The council unanimously passed the first reading of the ordinance last week and will hold another reading next week and in early February..."

I'm assuming those children they're talking about would be the ones they have help birth themselves. I don't suppose there would be a loophole big enough for Clinton to walk through..."it depends on what the meaning of 'have children' is"

Sure, it's a little strange. It may even make sense to some people. I'm just wondering how they're going to go about enforcing it. Random ID checks of adults around children? Force sex offenders to wear a special hat? How do you tell who's a sex offender and whether or not they're violating the law when you're an Oelwein cop cruising around for a look-see?

Nevertheless...it's an idea worth considering. Right Iowa Legislators?

Although Oelwein's law would be the first of its kind in the state, a committee was formed by state legislators late last year to consider adopting a similar statewide rule. The Legislature is expected to address the issue this month.

Right. And the usual forces are lining up to oppose it. Right again. And they're right to do it.

Iowa Civil Liberties Director Ben Stone has raised concerns that the Oelwein residents will be calling the police every time they see a registered sex offender and that they might be fined for just walking or driving past the places on the list, something Kendall called "totally erroneous." Fines would not be given for walking or driving past the listed public places, he said, but would be distributed based on "officer discretion."

HOOVERVILLE, IOWA

I haven't been to Des Moines in a while. I went last summer when we took our daughter to the Blank Park Zoo, but I should have added this latest attraction to our list of sites to see:

Des Moines city leaders want to remove dozens of makeshift homeless camps that can be seen by users of new recreational trails near downtown. Officials emphasize they will first target the homemade huts that have been abandoned, then work with homeless advocates to relocate people who live in other camps.

Homeless camps? In Des Moines? Who-da-thunk-it?

The city has traditionally employed a hands-off approach unless the campers cause trouble...[the] city has fielded recent complaints but declined to identify the individuals or groups that asked for the cleanup.

Maybe that's why I never heard of the issue. If the city is going to take a "hands off" approach, what did they expect? That it would simply go away after a while?

Police Chief William McCarthy said any concern on the part of trail users is a matter of false perception rather than real threats to personal safety. He said no homeless person will be forced to move until a reasonable solution is agreed on by the city and advocates. Glenn Orr, 23, lives in one of the camps and plans to provide input on the best way to move them. Orr has been without a permanent home since he was 18 years old. "We're only down here because we literally have nowhere else to go," he said Thursday.

Actually, you're probably there because they've been taking a "hands off" approach to you being there. How is one 23 and homeless since the age of 18? Iowa's job numbers are good...4-point-5 percent. Boy, would I love to listen in to a call from a citizen to the police chief...

Citizen: "Uh, there are a bunch of bums camping out in a shantytown, like right near where I bike...is that legal?"...

Chief: "Thanks for calling sir, we know about it, but we're taking a hands off approach. They're harmless. Don't worry about it...just ignore them and they'll go away. But make sure you let us know if you spot one in the library molesting anyone in the bathroom."

Howard Matalba, a homeless-outreach worker with Iowa Homeless Youth Centers, noted that the riverfront area is already an unofficial "tent city." An established temporary site with running water would help many homeless people get on their feet and be more sanitary, he said. People who live in the camps fashion tents and huts out of scrap wood, metal and discarded clothing. Some of the camps have furniture, kerosene stoves and fences to keep out unwanted visitors.

Typical of so-called "homeless advocates"...give them running water? How about instead of making their stay more comfortable, you help move them out? Besides...the area described is near Gray's Lake...which is made from water if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't doubt there would also be an effort to provide them with more scrap wood and metal to make their homes more safe. Maybe they could have a city-sponsored initiative to have people drop all their scrap wood, metal, and unwanted clothing at their tent city and let them sort it out. Fences? They've got the wherewithal to build fences? And they can't hold down a good enough job to find a real home?

PRESIDENT ALAN REPLIES TO OSAMA

In an audio tape allegedly of Osama yo-mamma Bin Laden, he claims to want a truce with the United States. Any takers?

Personally, after reading the excerpts from the alleged tape, I don't quite understand what he is willing to give up in a negotiation. Remember, this isn't the first offer of truce by the bastard. Prior to the US elections in 2004, he said that he would spare any state that voted for Kerry a "guarantee of their security." He also offered a truce to Europe in April of 2004.

If anyone is paying attention, here's my reply:

OBL - "The new operations of al-Qaida has not happened not because we could not penetrate the security measures. It is being prepared and you'll see it in your homeland very soon.."

That's what you said in 2002, dork. Go ahead, make my day. Seriously, this would be considered a threat, no? I wonder if any Democrats want to engage in a little pre-emptive unilateral reaction...or do they just want to wait for an attack and then act.

OBL - "We do not mind establishing a long-term truce between us and you."

Fine...what do you say to a meeting on the USS Missouri?

OBL - "This message is about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how to end those wars...It was not my intention to talk to you about this, because those wars are definitely going our way...But what triggered my desire to talk to you is the continuous deliberate misinformation given by your President [George] Bush, when it comes to polls made in your home country which reveal that the majority of your people are willing to withdraw US forces from Iraq."

Thank you, Cindy Sheehan, CNN, NYTimes, Washington Post, ABC/CBS/NBC, et al. Maybe you can get Cindy to camp outside his cave until me meets with her.

OBL - "In response to the substance of the polls in the US, which indicate that Americans do not want to fight Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their land, we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stick to..."

I've got some land in Florida for you when we're done negotiating.

OBL - "We are a nation that Allah banned from lying and stabbing others in the back, hence both parties of the truce will enjoy stability and security to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by war...There is no problem in this solution, but it will prevent hundreds of billions from going to influential people and warlords in America - those who supported Bush's electoral campaign - and from this, we can understand Bush and his gang's insistence on continuing the war."

Stabbing in the back...no. Wiring bombs to children...yes.

OBL - "If your desire for peace, stability and reconciliation was true, here we have given you the answer to your call."

Too bad some weenies in America are suing to stop wiretapping of calls to overseas terrorists. Otherwise, we'd trace your call with a nice big bunker buster.

OBL - "I would like to tell you that everything is going to our advantage and the number of your dead is increasing, according to Pentagon figures."

Yeah...according to the story, the tape was made in December and it's just now being aired. Things must be really going well for you to only need a month to get it on the air. Still...it's only audio. Why no videotape this time bad boy? Couldn't get good lighting?

Still, if anyone takes this seriously and we negotiate in any way a truce - I guess we know anti-war protesters can actually do more than just smell up the place and litter. Yeah...I'm in a growly mood. Sorry.

Take it from me. This tape and report smells bad. I bet he's dead and buried already. Good riddance. Enjoy the virgins scumbag.

A RIP IN THE SPACE/TIME CONTINUUM

Couldn't help myself for being an average dude who pays attention to such things. Two seemingly unconnected stories today could cause the political heads to spin, so to spare them the chance of casting us all in a worm-hole of mixed-up logic, I'll explain...

1. LAWMAKERS PUSH PUBLIC SMOKING BAN - an article that suggests Iowa needs to ban smoking in virtually every public place...bars, restaurants, every workplace, even outdoors in public. The only area where smoking would be permitted would be private homes. I guess even smoking outside in your yard would be problematic, so don't even think about bringing that cigarette outside.

IRONIC TWIST #1: By banning it in all public places, they are forcing smokers to conduct their habit ONLY in the privacy of their own homes. So harm your own kids...and smell up your own home. Just don't do it in your own backyard.

IRONIC TWIST #2: Governor Vilsack also wants to increase taxes on cigarettes in order to pay for a new health care program for workers in small businesses. An 80-cent increase. In order to maintain the revenue that would be needed to keep the program running, you need people to smoke. It would seem to be not a good idea to begin limiting (by a huge first step) the areas in which smokers can light up.

2. LAWMAKERS CONCERNED ABOUT VIDEO LOTTERY MACHINES - I won't bother you with the number of articles, but many seem to be worried about the new TouchPlay games available pretty much everywhere...including the one I saw in the lobby of a Chinese Buffet. Governor Vilsack has implemented a 60-day moritorium on the placement of any new machines. Meanwhile, Rekha Basu (Des Moines Register columnist) likens them to a drug and the state of Iowa a pusher.

IRONIC TWIST #1: Rekha happens to be in favor of raising the cigarette tax to pay for new health care programs...why the objection to raising the number of places people can gamble?

IRONIC TWIST #2: Rekha uses terms like "pusher" and "narcotized" in describing the good guys and bad guys of the debate.

Careful now, your head is about to explode. In her column today, she says...

"The state expects to make $30 million on TouchPlay machines this year. But who are policymakers kidding when they claim this isn't a problem? They're just as addicted and just as much in denial as the problem gamblers: addicted to the gambling revenue, in denial about the lives damaged."

Remember - she's in favor of raising the cig tax by as much as a dollar per pack. The increased cost would help more people decide to quit. I don't personally have a problem with that...whatever works. Now, prepare yourself...her final two paragraphs:

"...the paradox of a government, which is supposed to protect its citizens, feeding off some people's destitution. We don't let dope pushers off the hook just because their customers failed to show restraint. So why is it different when the pusher is state government?"

IRONIC SOLUTION! Raise taxes on lottery machines...lottery tickets...and the "take" from video machines. Less winners...less players.

Don't kid yourself...you CAN raise taxes on a thing like lottery tickets. I bet you didn't even know there was a sales tax on lottery tickets, did you?

I'LL GET AROUND TO IT

I have finally fixed the archiving of the blog. For the past few months it has been driving me crazy because it kept you dear readers from reading some of the past posts. It should be operating correctly now...so surf away. Pay particular attention to July of 2004. Interesting stuff. I'm frankly kind of impressed at what I wrote.

I had to renew my web domain this week, which caused a slight hiccup in receiving emails and such. That is fixed now and working properly. I see I have quite a few people with a host of questions that I'll get around to answering soon. Maybe not as completely as you want, but I'll do my best.

I'm going to be designing some new bumper stickers and things on the Greg Alan Store, so check in about 2-weeks for those. The coffee mugs will be re-designed for a more general interest purchaser. By the way, the money I collect isn't much...only about 3-dollars per item, so it's not like I'm making out like Bill O'Reilly...just a smidgen here and there.

Thanks again for following me to the afternoons. I have heard from a number of people that they're no longer able (because of their schedule) to listen to me. That's okay. I understand. It's a different audience, and I'm sure some that were not able to listen to me in the morning now have the opportunity to hear my brilliance. (exaggeration, by the way)

To answer one question that a lot of people are asking - NO. I did not choose to move to the afternoon. It was a decision made by those with more power than me. It's okay...it's taken some adjustment (child care, for instance), but everything is fine and I'm sure I'll do well. It's not like I've never done afternoons before. Besides, it gives me a little more time to develop longer-term issues and discussions.

Thanks for stickin with me and the kind notes y'all have been sending to my email at work and here on the website.

YAY! I GET TO SLEEP IN

Hopefully many of you read carefully the previous post. Yes, I am moving again. Yes, today is my last morning show.

BUT...I'll be moving to the afternoon show with our current hosts departure. Beginning Monday, 4pm.

More detailed details coming soon...

MOVING IS SUCH FUN

Tomorrow is my last morning show. I'm moving again.

Some of you will interpret that one way - or another...but hopefully you'll remember the lesson of the West Virginia coal mine story.

BTW: To a commenter (is that a proper word?)...the website to track LIVE airline flights and other things is http://flightaware.com

It's about a 6-minute delay, but it's kind of interesting.

WHEW, Part II

Did I mention I hate moving?

I really love/hate this business.

UPDATE: Said announcer in charge of this here blog is bursting at the seams to spew all kinds of news, information, and general things most people won't care about...but venting is what blogs are supposed to be all about, right? As honest and forthcoming as I have been so far, in order to protect my family and my own personal future, I cannot do that in one area. I cannot even tell you what area that is, but you may understand why very soon. I wish I could say more to people other than my wife (even family members don't know), but I can't.

I hope all five of you understand. Please bare with me for a while...

BTW: Thanks for the punctuation reminder.