Always cite this insightful site

Brent is impatient for a new post. The postman provided this:



That's what I like about blogging; you can fix embarrassing typos. Unless, of course, they really think people will be incited by Chuck Grassley. That's sort of like being whipped to a frenzy by a bowl of Cream of Wheat.

Iowa Pork!

Congressional appropriations bills have more pork that the Iowa State Fair. Here is a link to Iowa "earmarks" in the pending "Labor, Health and Human Services" appropriations bill. No doubt all of the spending reflects urgent national priorities, including:

$250,000: Des Moines - Blank Park Zoo for exhibits, programming and equipment.

Compared to Earthpork, maybe that's a bargain...

$250,000: Des Moines - Des Moines Area Community College, for training dislocated workers, and for career exploration and preparation for high school and community college students.

$250,000? That won't pay a single jobs training executive for one year!

$200,000: Cedar Falls - University of Northern Iowa to expand the National Institute of Technology for Inclusive Education We Build Communication Access Through Technology (WeBCATT) program

The acronym WeBCATT is worth $200,000 by itself!

$100,000: Des Moines - Community Kollel, for K-12 education programs

Who says pork can't be kosher??

$80,000:Cedar Rapids - National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library for upgrade of permanent collection.

Mmmm. Koloches!

Chet Culver spotted with Cliff Barnes

Gubernatorial Candidate Chet Culver was photographed with famous oilman Cliff Barnes (via State 29). Can we assume that J.R. is in the Nussle camp?

Don't let the door hit ya!

Archie Brooks resigned today from the Des Moines city council(hat tip: the Political Madman). Better 13 years too late than never.

From the Des Moines Register's copyrighted story:

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said Brooks did the right thing.

"Nobody wants to be a detractor of the good things he has done," Cownie said. "It was his decision and something I'm sure he thought long and hard about. I think in his mind, he's doing the right thing. I think his decision is appropriate."

Archie has made many notable contributions to the community - from forgetting about whether he had ever dated Ramona Cunningham to forgetting about whether he had approved colossal bonuses to her to forgetting about trying to smear whistleblowers. And who can forget his threatening small east-side businesses to clear the way for well-connected interests economic development?

But the highlight of his career in public service will always be turning off the city's emergency radio system during the disastrous 1993 floods in a snit over being ordered to close the building where he worked. Yes, Mayor Cownie, let's remember all of the good things. What a guy.