Sunday, April 29, 2007
HILLARY, THE EARLY YEARS

'I AIN'T NO-WAYS TIRED....

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Written at 4/29/2007 07:12:00 PM by Tim Zank.
0 Opinions Linkage
Friday, April 27, 2007
Blogsurfing: Best of the Web





















Yes, that's a boy dog...and it looks like he's smiling. That is a smile, right?

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Written at 4/27/2007 08:18:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
President Bush was For Timetables Before He was Against Them
As I'm sure everyone already knows, the lot of GOP Senators claiming that timetables for the Iraq war are unreasonable are the same ones that voted FOR them in Somalia and Bosnia. Of course in Bosnia we ended a civil war without the loss of a single US soldier in combat.

As for Somalia, here's Sen Feingold's take:
That was clearly understood in October 1993, when 76 senators voted for an amendment, offered by Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, to end funding for the military mission in Somalia effective March 31, 1994, with limited exceptions.

None of those 76 senators, who include the current Republican leader and whip, acted to jeopardize the safety and security of U.S. troops in Somalia. All of them recognized that Congress had the power and the responsibility to bring our military operations in Somalia to a close, by establishing a date after which funds would be terminated.

Of course we already understand that many Republican Senators are simply loyal Bushies who can't think for themselves even after this president has nearly destroyed their party. But what about the disaster-in-chief himself? It turns out that he too supported timetables:
"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is." (4/9/99)

"I think it’s also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn.” (6/5/99)

But NOW that his foreign policy has proven to be a complete failure he can't IMAGINE why anyone would support timetables for withdrawal:

“It doesn’t make any sense to have a timetable. You know, if you give a timetable, you’re — you’re conceding too much to the enemy.”

To use "buckshot" Cheney's line - "THERE IS NO DOUBT" that this president will go down as THE worst in the history of this country...

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Written at 4/25/2007 05:16:00 PM by Jeff Pruitt.
5 Opinions Linkage
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
FIREARMS REFRESHER COURSE

SHAMELESSLY BORROWED FROM www.idude.org


An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
Colt: The original point and click interface.
Gun control is not about guns; it’s about control.
If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
“Free” men do not ask permission to bear arms.
If you don’t know your rights you don’t have any.
Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
The United States Constitution (c) 1791. All Rights Reserved.
What part of “shall not be infringed” do you NOT understand?
The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
79,999,987 firearm owners killed no one yesterday. (Based on 80 million)
Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.
Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
You don’t shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
911 - government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
Assault is a behavior, not a device.
Criminals love gun control — it makes their job safer.
If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
Only a government that is afraid of its citizens, tries to control them.
You only have the rights you are willing to fight for.
Enforce the “gun control laws” we ALREADY have: Don’t make more.
When you remove the people’s right to bear arms, you create slaves.
The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
“A government of the people, by the people, for the people…”

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Written at 4/24/2007 08:39:00 AM by Tim Zank.
7 Opinions Linkage
Friday, April 20, 2007
ANOTHER GREAT FANTASY SHOT ALL TO HELL!

Man I just hate it when a really famous, hot, bright, talented and all around sexy woman turns out to be a flake.


Sheryl Crow is touring with TV producer Laurie David in the hopes of raising awareness and finding a solution to global warming.

Here's one of her ideas (courtesy of Huffington Post):

"Although my ideas are in the earliest stages of development, they are, in my mind, worth investigating. One of my favorites is in the area of forest conservation which we heavily rely on for oxygen. I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required. When presenting this idea to my younger brother, who's judgment I trust implicitly, he proposed taking it one step further. I believe his quote was, "how bout just washing the one square out."

Sadly, I just can't look at her the same way anymore, and I don't think I'd want to sit next her to her for any length of time either. Pppppewwwwww

Click on the link above and read the rest at HuffPo, it's hilarious......

Written at 4/20/2007 07:31:00 PM by Tim Zank.
12 Opinions Linkage
HARRY REID SURRENDERS FOR US!

Good news! The war is over!

Harry said we lost it, so I guess everybody can come home now! What a guy!!


I'm sure our soldiers ducking bullets right now will be thrilled to know they lost. Probably not as thrilled as Al Queda, Islomofascists, Iran, Syria, Robert Rouse, The Democratic Party, Alec Baldwin (truly a sympathetic guy if ever there was one), John Good, Hezbollah, Hamas, Nancy Pelosi, The Reverend Fred Phelps, Al Sharpton, Chris Matthews, etc, etc,etc.


You know, Harry has always been a whining, cranky, lying, crooked old pantywaist, but I never had him pegged for a full blown America hating traitor, until now that is.


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Written at 4/20/2007 08:51:00 AM by Tim Zank.
1 Opinions Linkage
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Most ethical majority evuh swimming in special-interest money

WE PROMISED PART # 6
The chairman to receive the most PAC money was Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, who reported raising $486,669 from PACs, compared to $7,500 during the same period two years ago. Rangel’s PAC donors compromised more than half the money he raised and represent a broad array of industries including health care, finance, transportation, agriculture, technology, retailers and organized labor…
The most ethical ever huh? Jeff, you must be very proud!!

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Written at 4/19/2007 07:45:00 PM by Tim Zank.
6 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"This Harrison Square project is insane. I think it would be a better idea to have an indoor water park or something like that where twenty-somethings and 4-year-olds can all co-mingle in bathing suits. That sounds like a recipe for downtown success!"


~Name withheld (See ISOR for clues)

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Written at 4/19/2007 04:13:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
1 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"Harrison Square? Don't count on my support until public intox is legal and I can carry my own bottle of gin into a baseball game."


~Carol Selchovski

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Written at 4/19/2007 11:07:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Hell Yes.
John McGauley on Harrison Square: Keeping his "pimp-hand" strong!

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Written at 4/18/2007 08:40:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
6 Opinions Linkage
BU Student Arrested After Massacre Threat Messages



CBS) BOSTON Police have arrested a Boston University student who allegedly threatened a woman he dated and claimed he would pull a Virginia Tech-style massacre at her school.20-year-old Andrew Rosenblum was arrested early Tuesday morning at his parents home in Needham, Mass., hours after he allegedly sent threatening instant messages to the unidentified 19-year-old woman. Boston police say she is a student at Wheelock College.According to a Boston police report, Rosenbaum wrote:"i'm gonna (expletive) bring a gun to your school and kill you and (another female student) and everybody you love. It's gonna be VT all over again.""Seriously I'm just that demented," he continued, according to the report. "killing people can change people's lives forever," and "the best is in the end when I pull the trigger on myself, too."The woman called Boston Police after reading the messages late Monday night. Needham police arrested Rosenblum at his home and took him to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.He will be arraigned in Roxbury District Court Wednesday.Rosenblum is enrolled at two classes at Boston University, according to the Boston Herald, and had also contributed twice to a video game review show on an MTV Web site. According to the police report, the woman told police she went on three dates with him before breaking up with him.
HOW MUCH YOU WANNA BET THIS SHITHEAD GETS PROBATION? THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY STOP ANOTHER LOSER FROM SNAPPING. WE DON'T NEED GUN CONTROL, WE NEED MORON CONTROL.

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Written at 4/18/2007 05:38:00 PM by Tim Zank.
2 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"As feminists, we can't support Harrison Square. Baseball is just a symbol of cock-man-oppression! It's all about the phallic bat, and the balls! We've had enough phallus and balls! We would like to propose a Womyns' History Museum. The cock-man-oppressors owe us that!"

~Angela Piker and Agnes Beech, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/18/2007 03:30:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
2 Opinions Linkage
WE PROMISED WHAT??? PART #5
From The Evans-Novak Report:

Earmark Reform: After claiming the moral high ground on ethics and passing a bill almost unanimously that requires transparency in earmarks, the Senate's Democratic leaders have a political problem. How can they abide by their promises of earmark reform without having to abide by them?
Ever since the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska captured the public's imagination last year, Democrats have been on record against legislators' stealthily slipping in their favorite spending projects. But most senators, from both parties, really want to keep earmarks. An ingenious effort to reconcile those conflicting political desires created a remarkable tableau Tuesday in the U.S. Senate.
First-term Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) rose on the Senate floor shortly before noon to ask unanimous consent for immediate enactment of a rule requiring full disclosure of earmarks. But the Democratic leadership was forewarned. Eleven minutes before DeMint took the floor, Robert Byrd's (D-W.Va.) Appropriations Committee tried to pre-empt DeMint by announcing "an unprecedented policy of transparency and accountability." Byrd's reform would have no teeth, no enforcement mechanism to prevent earmarks from slipping through. Moreover, it would not affect any earmarks on direct spending bills, such as water and transportation bills. It would not have prevented the "Bridge to Nowhere."
The fact is, no one had anything except earmarks to lose by adopting DeMint's rule change. Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) objected to passage of the DeMint rule, offering the excuse that the ethics bill would somehow be slowed down if an important item like the DeMint rule were implemented on a piecemeal basis. In fact, senators covet their earmarks and fear passage of a rule change.
DeMint's insertion of the earmark rules into that bill was significant, but it remains useless until a bill actually passes both Houses. The ethics bill passed the Senate with the DeMint rule on January 16. DeMint rejoiced at "the intent on both sides of the aisle to make sure there is more disclosure." But the bill won't reach the House floor until this summer, and there is no guarantee that the earmark provision will survive conference. Meanwhile, a water bill is already moving, and hit has more then 800 earmark projects.
Senators of both parties like to be on record against earmarks while still enjoying them. The problem is that DeMint and his fellow Republican first-termer, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), just won't let the issue rest. Amid thundering silence from the GOP leadership after Durbin's objection, Coburn reminded the Senate that Congress does not have a higher favorable rating than the President. "The reason we don't," he added, "is the very reason we just saw."
The non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) heard a new message from the new masters of Capitol Hill. CRS on February 22 issued a directive that it "will no longer identify earmarks for individual programs, activities, entities, or individuals." That deprives DeMint, Coburn, and other reformers of their primary source of intelligence on earmarks.
DeMint first attempted to bring up his rule change on April 12 under unanimous consent. Freshman Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), on duty for the Democratic leadership, objected. Menendez claimed, reporter John Stanton wrote in the Roll Call newspaper, "that despite numerous news stories and notifications from DeMint that he intended to seek the UC [unanimous consent], Democrats had not been given adequate time to review the proposed amendment." DeMint announced he would try again Tuesday, and he was not alone. Besides Coburn, he was joined by Republican Senators Michael Enzi (Wyo.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.) and John Cornyn (Tex.). That gang of five might be called the Senate Republican reform caucus.
That leaves the door open for earmarks on authorization bills, like the "Bridge to Nowhere." "So," Coburn told the Senate after Durbin's objection, "we will play the same game but one step further back."

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Written at 4/18/2007 03:23:00 PM by Tim Zank.
0 Opinions Linkage
Vince Robinson gets it right
Vince Robinson of Diversity Media Group, Inc./Ink Newspaper penned an excellent response yesterday to Nathan Gotsch's Harrison Square Doomsday Prediction on Fort Wayne Observed. I thought that in the midst of all of these testimonials I've been running, it might be a good idea to post an opinion from the other side of the debate, and Mr. Robinson has graciously agreed to let me do so with his statement.

Says Mr. Robinson:

To suggest that there is concrete evidence that the general voting public is adamantly opposed to either Harrison Square or the FWCS building project - or well-versed in the intricacies of the financing packages - is misguided at best and intellectually dishonest at worst. Recent history provides a perfect example. When the Allen County Public Library announced plans for a multi-million dollar expansion a few years back, the opposition was immediately visible, vocal and vociferous. The library’s trustees were arrogant and wasteful, they argued, and our libraries were already good enough. Believing that their views represented the majority, opponents led a remonstrance against making improvements to the library system. But they were wrong. Voting with their signatures, the majority did want better libraries and didn’t mind paying for them.

Personally, I’m leaning in favor of Harrison Square and leaning against the FWCS project based on the vision and track record of the elected officials at the helm. Do I really believe that a baseball stadium is the cure for downtown? No. But no one ever said it was meant to be. The hotel, condos, retail shops and stadium are only the first in a number of steps necessary to revitalize the city’s core. I don’t pretend to understand the ins and outs of CRED financing and TIF districts – but I know that Fort Wayne city leaders obviously put these financial tools to good use in projects like Southtown Centre without raising my property taxes. Is there good reason to doubt that they can do the same with Harrison Square? Not really.

With Fort Wayne Community Schools, on the other hand, do I believe the superintendent’s claims that the district needs $500-million in repairs? Sure, it’s possible. Do I agree with the district’s argument that the buildings should be considered apart from concerns over academic achievement, contrary to the suggestion of critics? I don’t like the district’s stance, but this is in fact a maintenance issue, not an educational issue.

But do I trust the stewardship of some of the same long-time trustees who presided over the physical collapse of so many school properties? Definitely not. I have yet to hear an elected school board member take responsibility or even talk about accountability for this mess. That is reason for doubt.

I might yet be convinced to support the FWCS bond issue, but it’s going to take leadership that inspires confidence. Leadership - not polls, referendums and ad hoc committees – but leadership that can articulate a vision and move this community in a positive direction.


This is the first instance in which I have heard anyone make a compelling argument against the FWCS bond initiative without going down the whiny (but popular) "it's gonna cost us sooo much money" path. Vince also takes an aggressive posture with respect to fixing the mechanism which failed to maintain the schools in the first place...which is something that has been bugging many people. I don't need to provide too much commentary, Mr. Robinson's words really summarize the debate(s) quite nicely.

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Written at 4/18/2007 08:26:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
2 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"No, I'm not in favor of Harrison Square. My employee discount lets me do all of the shopping I really want after I clock-out every night without paying to park in some confusing garage. I think this project is a horrible idea. My neighbor Linda told me that it was gonna cost us like - $60 Million or something, and, well, I just can't afford that. Especially for something that I'll never use. I'm not sure how I'd ever get all 8 kids to a Wizards game without choking one of them. Plus, Jim would blacken my eye again if I ever used his Skoal money for hot dogs and nachos. He'll be home from the plant in a little bit, maybe you should just interview him instead of me..."


~Janie Fugate, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/18/2007 08:03:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
WELL THAT DIDN'T TAKE LONG
This from MSNBC's version of Rosie O'Donnell:


"At least one of the weapons used by the shooter is believed, as we said, to be a nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol, which would be like this one, with a clip designed to hold more than 10 shots. Clips like those were banned under the Assault Weapons Law of 1994, but Congress and President Bush allowed that law to expire more than two years ago."
That's bullshit and he knows it.


Keith Olberdeuche, well known for his absolutely asinine comparisons, his completely hysterical conspiracy theories, and of course his obvious lack of gonads, was quick to place the blame for the Virginia Tech shooting on the doorstep of Congress, and of course the President.

Like most rabid liberals, Keith knows the shooter is the victim here. If only congress hadn't let that law expire, this would never have happened. Hell it's my fault, it's rugers' fault, it's his 2nd grade teachers fault, it's the steel makers fault, it's the barber who cut his hairs' fault.

Sweet mother of God, don't these pussie mother fuckers ever put the fucking blame on the moron that did it? For Christs sake, is NOBODY to blame for what they do?

I don't give a shit if Olby hates GW, that's fine, but to use the death of 32 college students to take a swipe at him is reprehensible, immoral, mean, callous, and just plain wrong. Forget about Imus, he was careless....this shitbag is EVIL.
Written at 4/17/2007 05:38:00 PM by Tim Zank.
13 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"If Budweiser is good enough for Dale [Earnhardt] Junior, it's good enough for me. The last thing Fort Wayne needs is any more of those fancy-schmancy brew pubs, with their copper kettles and their 'No Smoking,' and those @$$hole yuppies sipping dark beer with their pinkie-fingers sticking out. Hell, those places don't have NASCAR Nights OR spittoons! I'm sure as $#!t not gonna go downtown to have some guy in a suit with his expensive Great Clips haircut looking down his nose at me!"
~Cletus Simon Bruford, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/17/2007 04:25:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
6 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!
"Revitalize downtown? It's hard enough finding motivated, competent employees to staff our downtown drive thru without having to worry about some big-ass crowd of baseball fans standing at our walk-up counter. What do they think this is, St. Louis?"


~Greta Young, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/17/2007 02:33:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
1 Opinions Linkage
Kaduk gets smacked on the nose!
Mike Sylvester figuratively smacked me on the nose in a combox over on Change Fort Wayne yesterday for my assertion that the proposed ballpark is to be a multi-use facility. Granted, the tone of my statement was probably such that I deserved to be treated as hostile, so I took no real offense, but I didn't want the conversation to remain buried in the aforementioned combox, but rather drug to the surface for our amusement and enlightenment here.

Here's what I said:


The proposed stadium IS a "multi-use facility." If I hear another person make this moronic stipulation ("I'd be for HS if it were a "multi-use" facility...")...I'm gonna blow my stack.


Listen up, illiterates:


1. Baseball

2. Football

3. Concerts

4. Fireworks

5. Other (TBD)


How is this NOT multi-use??????C'mon, even the kids on the short bus know that the prefix "multi" means "more than one."What the hell is wrong with you people?


And then Mike, sensing my obvious frustration with this repeated mischaracterization of the stadium had this to say:


Andrew Kaduk:


I will say it for you in plain English, the baseball stadium they have planned is not a multi-use facility and anyone who thinks it is needs to have their head examined.What on Earth are you thinking?


I agree it will have baseball... That is a given.


It is NOT going to have football games and anyone who thinks it is does not know much about Fort Wayne, High School Football, or the revenues that High Schools make off High School Football.How many High Schools are going to PAY MONEY to HBC to have a game downtown so that the Parking Garage and HBC can take the revenue the High School and their boosters are used to making off of ticket sales, parking, and concessions at their home games?


Are you insane?Concerts, Memorials Stadium was supposed to have concerts too Andrew. In fourteen years they have had TWO. Thinks about this, Memorial Stadium has a ton of nearby parking. The new stadium will be smaller and could actually only handle SMALLER crowds... That is sure to attract concerts...


Fireworks. You think shooting off fireworks is multi-use? Please.


Other TBD... Right. I have some land in Iraq you can buy cheap...Come on Andrew...You can do better then that...


Mike Sylvester


Ok, Ouch. I deserved that. But here's why I think Mike is stoned on this topic:


1. Mike Sylvester is a Libertarian

2. Libertarians believe private enterprise do the best job of running things

3. Hardball Capital is a for-profit, privately held company.


Therefore, Mike has to be inclined to believe that Hardball Capital is capable of making better use of their facity than has the Coliseum of Memorial Stadium. But yet, he's not so inclined. Why, Mike? Why is it that you feel that Hardball is so woefully inept that they would not realize the profit potential in hosting as many events as possible in the new stadium? Would it not stand to reason that each day their turnstiles go un-spun, they fail to realize certain profit opportunities? Hell even I can see that, and I'm just a dumb blogger.


As far as the football thing goes, it doesn't take a surgeon, or even an MBA candidate to see that with a little crafty dealmaking, win-win uses of the facility could be arranged between Hardball and area schools. A little optimism and some elbow grease could feasibly go a long way here...which I'm sure is what Hardball intends to do if given the opportunity. They are proving their interest in making partnerships with this community, so why is it so hard to think that given the chance, they would opt not to re-neg on this?

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Written at 4/17/2007 09:19:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
10 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!
"My truck antennas scrape the ceiling in parking garages. I hate that. Plus, the parking spots are too small. I hate that too. Anyway, baseball is a game for pussies. Real men ride bulls."

~Abner Craft, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/17/2007 08:37:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"I won't go downtown for anything. My cats get depressed when I'm out of the house for more than 15 minutes at a time. That's why I don't mow my lawn."
~Casey May Myers, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/17/2007 08:31:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
1 Opinions Linkage
Monday, April 16, 2007
Testimonial!
"I just can't imagine for the life of me why anybody would want to buy one of these fancy down-town con-doh-minyums. Ha. How do you own a house with no land? It don't make no sense. How will they use their lawnmowers? Who ever heard of owning a home without having a lawn to mow? Who thinks of this stuff, those damned liberal hippies? Besides, if they don't own land, they won't even be allowed to vote!"

-Elmer McConnell, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/16/2007 02:32:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
5 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"Well I just can't imagine anyone living downtown, you know, because they don't have a Wal-Mart down there."
-Edna May Girardeaux, Fort Wayne

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Written at 4/16/2007 01:35:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Testimonial!

"We was up to Richards (restaurant) this morning having our coffee, and it was just amazing how many of the other folks in there just think this whole 'Harrison Square' project is just a complete waste of time and money. Ethel, Verne, Harold...all of 'em. That liberal mayor fellow just boils our blood. We've owned our current home here in Fort Wayne since 1952 and we've never had no fancy 'downtown stadium' so why would we ever need anything like that now? What we really need are two or three more good union plants that manufacture cars and trucks. That'll get Fort Wayne back on top of its game. If this ridiculous baseball plan happens, we'll be selling our home in Fort Wayne. We'll spend all 12 months in Sarasota next year instead of the mere 8 months that we have each of the last 20 years."
- Wilbur and Constance Berdensen, Fort Wayne (since 1918)

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Written at 4/16/2007 09:49:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Local Liberal Now favors Bush Strategy

DATELINE FT. WAYNE:
In what appears to be a stunning turn-around politically, local peacenik and avenger of all things religious and republican, John Good has posted a short video at http://u-blog-press.blogspot.com/ depicting the end of civilization in World War III.
The most moving piece of the video is at near-end with a quote from Dwight Eisenhower declaring the only way to avoid World War III is to PREVENT it.
Naturally, I was taken aback at John's realization and tacit approval of Bush's pre-emptive strike policy, but I must say I am heartened by his support! I am a little confused by the title though.
Anyway,
Thanks John, you're a great American!
Written at 4/15/2007 02:31:00 PM by Tim Zank.
8 Opinions Linkage
Friday, April 13, 2007
Just a quick show of hands...
How many of our fine readers/contributors feel that the Federal Government has grown far beyond the scope of its Constitutional boundaries?

Furthermore, how many of you all think that the Federal Government has officially reached a level of size and activity that reasonable oversight is simply beyond the ability of the Country (read: citizens), and most certainly beyond the point where internal (read: self-policing) oversight is sufficient and/or wise?

Just curious...I've been thinking a lot about it lately. I'm not coming up with anything profound, but it does bother me rather badly at times.

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Written at 4/13/2007 04:15:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
28 Opinions Linkage
Thursday, April 12, 2007
BIG AL IS ON A ROLL

SHARPTON VOWS MORE: 'It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. We must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and not permitted in terms of the airwaves'...
ANY CHANCE THIS PRICK WILL START BY CENSORING HIMSELF?

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Written at 4/12/2007 08:32:00 PM by Tim Zank.
4 Opinions Linkage
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
(Community + Math) / Politics = Does not compute
We'll start with a little research! Here we go.

According to Money magazine, Fort Wayne fell a little shy of their "Best Places to Live" list in 2006. Ok, to be fair, I don't think it was even in the running for an honorable mention.

I took the liberty of using the Money Magazine city comparison tool to find out what The Fort might be missing. I'll give you a hint: The answer is not "bars."

Fort Wayne: Reading test scores fell 16% below the state average, math skills fell short of the state average by almost 11%. 75.8% of students in Fort Wayne are enrolled in public schools, 24.2% are enrolled in private schools.

Now, let's compare that to the winner of the Best Places to Live: Small cities, Fort Collins, CO. On average, Fort Collins students score 18.6% higher than the state mean testing scores, and 21.7% higher on standardized math tests. This is all accomplished with 94.1% of students enrolled in public schools.

Now, FWCS seems to think the obvious solution is a dumptruck load of money...estimated at about $800 Million...to fix buildings. One is forced to wonder if structural extravagance is the key to achieving the Fort Collins results...?

Let's quickly compare a few more categories:

State income tax:

Fort Wayne: 3.4%
Fort Collins: 4.63%

Job growth (2000-2005):

Fort Wayne: 0.59%
Fort Collins: 6.13%

Personal/Property crime risk (national average is 100, lower numbers are better):

Fort Wayne: 118
Fort Collins: 77

Personal/Property crime (incidents per 1000):

Fort Wayne: 192
Fort Collins: 91

So much for the "Fort Wayne is a very safe place to live" concept. As a matter of fact, Fort Wayne failed miserably in this category versus each of the "Top Ten" cities on this list.

Our high and low temperatures are about the same, but they have 25% more "clear" days than we do every year, and they also have about 30% better air quality.

We are drastically higher in both cancer and cardiac mortality rates...

We also have 33.3% more members of our population who have failed to even complete a single college course. Yes, you heard that right: 53.7% of Fort Wayne's population has never completed even one college, junior college or technical course.

So with all of these things in mind, especially the education items, should it be attempted to put a price tag on the future of FWCS? The school board thinks this to be the case, and the price tag that they have come up with translates loosely to about $800 Million. Jeff Pruitt thinks that's a really bad idea...and so does Nelson Peters. These are fairly rudimentary objections, based mostly on ROI calculations. More to the point: If you build a better dog house, will the dog suddenly become your dream-pet? I suspect not.

So here are a few questions:

1. If not construction, where should FWCS spend some money?
2. How much?
3. Is there a benchmarking process by which the public may monitor the results to determine the success/failure of the investment?

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Written at 4/11/2007 09:38:00 AM by Andrew Kaduk.
20 Opinions Linkage
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Blogsurfing: Best of the Web
This edition of Blogsurfing: Best of the Web is brought to you by a commenter who posts by the handle of "MadBob," excerpted from comments section of the blog FraudWasteAbuse:

MadBob says:

"Evidence is not the plural of anecdote."


No, MadBob, I suppose it's not.

Bravo! I love it when old sayings get to see the light of day in such perfect application.

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Written at 4/10/2007 08:32:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Monday, April 09, 2007
Bill ties climate to national security


"See, I needed to make some shit up, cause, I've been anointed, er I mean appointed, as Chairman of the newly created House Select Committee on Energy Dependence and Global Warming" remarked Representative Markey, long known for his penchant for stupid shit.

More garbage legislation and bureaucracy creation from Markey and his bi-partisan pal Chuck "I've lost my fucking mind" Hagle. They've all lost their minds.

Click on the title above to read specifics courtesy of the Boston Globe.

Sheesh.

Written at 4/09/2007 09:12:00 PM by Tim Zank.
4 Opinions Linkage
SENILE OLD CRACKER APOLOGIZES TO RACE BAITER



SMACKDOWN AT AL'S!
Click on the title above and watch the Imus/Sharpton trainwreck. It's an absolute shame anyone gives either one of these morons the time of day.
h/t wcbstv
Written at 4/09/2007 05:13:00 PM by Tim Zank.
3 Opinions Linkage
What's Next For Fancy Nancy?
click on the headline above....

This is hilarious!
Written at 4/09/2007 05:13:00 PM by Tim Zank.
0 Opinions Linkage
Sunday, April 08, 2007
BRITS ARE SAFE & WARM AGAIN!
I found this while surfing around and thought it was quite humorous.
For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, check out this blog:







“It was horrid, Mumsy! One minute, we were sipping tea on the starboard side and the next, there were these swarthy, malodorous fellows on deck brandishing harpoons and demanding our surrender! ‘Come with us!’ they grunted. ‘We will go if we can bring our tea!’ I said bravely, quickly realizing that Tehran is notorious for frail chamomile tea. The lead fellow hesitated, so I gave him this look, Mumsy. The one you could never say no to! And it worked! We were quickly on board this rather natty speed boat headed for shore. They taught us this nifty little diddy that went “Allah Akbar, Iran can’t be too far!” and I even got to sit on the driver’s lap and steer!”
Written at 4/08/2007 05:33:00 PM by Tim Zank.
1 Opinions Linkage
Saturday, April 07, 2007
More Harrison Square stuff
Just a couple of things for your reading satisfaction this fine Easter:

1. You, Fort Wayne public, elected your city leaders. If you didn't vote, you are just as guilty as those that did. You elected them to make decisions for you that impact not only your lives as Fort Wayne residents, but also your pocket books. You put a lot of faith in these folks by putting them in charge of your city. The fact that you took the bait and gave them the reigns of power means that they are probably smarter than you, but that not withstanding, cut them some slack...they might even know what they are doing.

2. Attention residents of Aboite: Yes, you were annexed by the evil blob called Fort Wayne. No, this has not made you the center of the known universe. Hell, you're not even the geographic center of the city. This means that you don't get to be the center of attention anymore. Get over yourselves, and realize your vote/voice is not any more important than someone who lives Southeast. For decades you were able to have your cake and eat it too: Far enough outside the city to avoid blight, traffic and city taxes...meanwhile using your fair share of city amenities, infrastructure etc. Well, now you've had to ante up, but that doesn't mean you get more of an audience or weight for your opinion than anybody else.

3. Matt Kelty is not entirely incorrect in his musing about downtown development. The "hardware store" idea has been laughably misrepresented. Let me help: If we are expected to believe that people will live downtown, those people will need easy, if not instant access to some very basic staples. Groceries, hardware (not necessarily a menards, but a small True Value would work), parking that doesn't require miles of walking to reach, and something to do for fun that doesn't force them into driving 5 miles north or west. Ok, was that so hard?

4. Last but not least, I would like to address the absurd notion that nobody will go downtown...no matter what's down there. This is just about the most ignorant sentiment floating around out there right now. If this were even remotely true, I think we'd have to cancel:

Germanfest
Greekfest
Three Rivers Festival
Ribfest

Need I say more?

Furthermore, people don't flock to Johnny Appleseed park throughout the year, but when there's something to do there, PEOPLE SHOW UP!!! Novel concept, no?

For fun, let's apply the contradictory logic to this argument and see how it works:

"That's stupid! If we waste all this capital to throw an outdoor party where we sell overpriced admission, make people pay to park, charge exorbidant amounts of money for draught beer and only offer people has-been, washed up B-list musical talent as entertainment...nobody's gonna show up. Nobody will do that. If I want to hear music, I'll drive to Indy to see a concert...I don't want that here in MY town."

However, people show up every year to:

1. Pay to park
2. Hear awful has-beens sing
3. Drastically overpay for beer
4. Endure the humidity, rain, heat or whatever

And you know what's really funny about it? They're expecting half a million people to go downtown and enjoy the above-mentioned list of things this summer.

So, all ye naysayers...don't tell me that people won't go downtown if there's something to do down there...because they WILL. They prove it every year.

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Written at 4/07/2007 11:46:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
2 Opinions Linkage
Back to business

According to whatever TV station I was watching at Buffalo Wild Wings today, it appeared that Duke's Lacrosse team has taken a short break from raping scumbag hooker/strippers...just long enough to play some lacrosse.

I'm sure they'll be back to the old grindstone tomorrow, though.

So many hooker/stripper/junkies, so little time.

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Written at 4/07/2007 10:10:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
PART 4 "THE MOST ETHICAL PARTY IN HISTORY"
REPRINTED FROM METROACTIVE
SEN. Dianne Feinstein has resigned from the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee. As previously and extensively reviewed in these pages, Feinstein was chairperson and ranking member of MILCON for six years, during which time she had a conflict of interest due to her husband Richard C. Blum's ownership of two major defense contractors, who were awarded billions of dollars for military construction projects approved by Feinstein.
As MILCON leader, Feinstein relished the details of military construction, even micromanaging one project at the level of its sewer design. She regularly took junkets to military bases around the world to inspect construction projects, some of which were contracted to her husband's companies, Perini Corp. and URS Corp.

Perhaps she resigned from MILCON because she could not take the heat generated by Metro's expose of her ethics (which was partially funded by the Investigative Fund of the Nation Institute). Or was her work on the subcommittee finished because Blum divested ownership of his military construction and advanced weapons manufacturing firms in late 2005?
The MILCON subcommittee is not only in charge of supervising military construction, it also oversees "quality of life" issues for veterans, which includes building housing for military families and operating hospitals and clinics for wounded soldiers. Perhaps Feinstein is trying to disassociate herself from MILCON's incredible failure to provide decent medical care for wounded soldiers.
Two years ago, before the Washington Post became belatedly involved, the online magazine Salon.com exposed the horrors of deficient medical care for Iraq war veterans. While leading MILCON, Feinstein had ample warning of the medical-care meltdown. But she was not proactive on veteran's affairs.
Feinstein abandoned MILCON as her ethical problems were surfacing in the media, and as it was becoming clear that her subcommittee left grievously wounded veterans to rot while her family was profiting from the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. It turns out that Blum also holds large investments in companies that were selling medical equipment and supplies and real estate leases—often without the benefit of competitive bidding—to the Department of Veterans Affairs, even as the system of medical care for veterans collapsed on his wife's watch.
As of December 2006, according to SEC filings and www.fedspending.org, three corporations in which Blum's financial entities own a total of $1 billion in stock won considerable favor from the budgets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs:
Boston Scientific Corporation: $17.8 million for medical equipment and supplies; 85 percent of contracts awarded without benefit of competition.
Kinetic Concepts Inc.: $12 million, medical equipment and supplies; 28 percent noncompetitively awarded.
CB Richard Ellis: The Blum-controlled international real estate firm holds congressionally funded contracts to lease office space to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It also is involved in redeveloping military bases turned over to the private sector.
You would think that, considering all the money Feinstein's family has pocketed by waging global warfare while ignoring the plight of wounded American soldiers, she would show a smidgeon of shame and resign from the entire Senate, not just a subcommittee. Conversely, you'd think she might stick around MILCON to try and fix the medical-care disaster she helped to engineer for the vets who were suckered into fighting her and Bush's panoply of unjust wars.
Funny how this happened over 2 weeks ago and no mention on MSM........Good thing the MSM isn't biased at all.....
Written at 4/04/2007 10:16:00 PM by Tim Zank.
12 Opinions Linkage
Hell Yes.
Big phat hat-tip to my little sister for alerting me to this fine compilation.

Watch it all...the aliens are all the way at the end, but each clip is fantastic.

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Written at 4/04/2007 07:37:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
1 Opinions Linkage
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
WELL, AT LEAST NOW SHE LOOKS THE PART

You have to admit, this outfit on her just screams Jihad Chic!
Nice of her to dress the part while shoving a long, dull blade between the ribs of her countrys' armed forces.
This battle-axe is 3rd in line to the presidency?
Allah help us .

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Written at 4/03/2007 10:05:00 PM by Tim Zank.
24 Opinions Linkage
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES
General Assembly
Gambling crackdown toughened
Poker games targeted
By Niki Kelly
The Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS – Key Indiana senators sent a strong message Monday when the Senate Rules Committee voted unanimously to crack down on illegal gambling in the state.

Click on the Title above, read the rest of this article, then explain to me how in the f*#& our legislators keep getting re-elected. With the Hoosier Lottery in every store and a bingo parlor on every corner, how does ANY legislator have the unmitigated gall to propose a crackdown on ANYTHING?????

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Written at 4/03/2007 09:15:00 PM by Tim Zank.
1 Opinions Linkage
Sunday, April 01, 2007
A suggestion for Hardball Capital, Graham Richard, Sam Talarico Jr., et al
Hey fellas. I have a recommendation if you think that Fort Wayne might not yet be ready for any risk-taking or breathtaking change. Actually, I have really had somewhat of an epiphany with respect to the whole downtown rebirth plan...because I have actually started hearing people say "we like Fort Wayne just the way it is."

You see, up until now, I was under the impression that pretty much everyone was on-board with the thinking that something needed to be done to improve Fort Wayne's ability to progress and succeed. I was also under the impression that the basic argument was more or less one of planning and execution, as opposed to one of overall denial of the problems that currently define the Summit City. Well, evidently that's not the case. Somehow, there seems to have been born a contingent that basically says "Fort Wayne's just fine..."

Well, I don't buy it. Fort Wayne's not just fine...it's suffering...but telling you this is like preaching to the choir. Anyway, if you meet too much resistance from these bizarre stiffnecks who obviously either don't get out much, or don't get out at all...here's an idea that might allow you to pursue some profits and development without the hassles of pushing any avant-garde agendas or any of this fancy new Six Sigma terminology...(FYI, the geek-speak is really a turnoff, even for me...I get enough of that shit at work).

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Written at 4/01/2007 08:49:00 PM by Andrew Kaduk.
0 Opinions Linkage