No, it's not Weird Al's belated parody of Prince's "When Doves Cry" ("Maybe I'm just like my mother/she's got a hundered eyes...") It's the return of....

the jet powered Slug Bug!
Let's impeach the president for spying
On citizens inside their own homes
Breaking every law in the country
By tapping our computers and telephones
Prominent, respectable (sic) Evangelical Christians have told me, not for quotation, that millions of their co-religionists cannot and will not vote for Romney for president solely because he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If Romney is nominated and their abstention results in the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton, that's just too bad. The evangelicals are adamant, saying there is no way Romney can win them over.
Let's impeach the president for lying
And leading our country into war
Abusing all the power that we gave him
And shipping all our money out the door
He'?s the man who hired all the criminals
The White House shadows who hide behind closed doors
And bend the facts to fit with their new stories
Of why we have to send our men to war
Let'?s impeach the president for spying
On citizens inside their own homes
Breaking every law in the country
By tapping our computers and telephones
What if Al Qaeda blew up the levees
Would New Orleans have been safer that way
Sheltered by our government'?s protection
Or was someone just not home that day?
Let's impeach the president
For hijacking our religion and using it to get elected
Dividing our country into colors
And still leaving black people neglected
Thank god he's racking down on steroids
Since he sold his old baseball team
There's lot of people looking at big trouble
But of course the president is clean
Thank God
Rep. Steve King of Iowa has written a blistering broadside against the planned National Day Without Immigrants. He sent out a column to newspapers in his congressional district that dubs the May 1 event 'Nothing Gringo Day' and 'Bite The Hand That Feeds You Day.'"" What would that May 1st look like without illegal immigration? There would be no one to smuggle across our southern border the heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines that plague the United States, reducing the U.S. supply of meth that day by 80 percent. The lives of 12 U.S. citizens would be saved who otherwise die a violent death at the hands of murderous illegal aliens each day. Another 13 Americans would survive who are otherwise killed each day by uninsured drunk driving illegals. Our hospital emergency rooms would not be flooded with everything from gunshot wounds, to anchor babies, to imported diseases to hangnails, giving American citizens the day off from standing in line behind illegals. Eight American children would not suffer the horror as a victim of a sex crime."
The threatened boycott fails to conjure the image of a Norwegian refusing to buy his May 1 lutefisk at the corner Fareway.
Pump prices have risen by one third over the past year and in some parts of the US have topped $3 (£1.68) a gallon. Among the ultra-rich of Beverly Hills, the cost of fuel has even slipped over the $4 mark.
This is, of course, still far less than the equivalent of about $8 being paid by British motorists, but such comparisons hold little sway in the US where, for many, the unfettered freedom of the individual to drive across wide-open spaces is almost part of the Constitution. By contrast, public transport has, historically at least, been regarded as un-American.
The album will first become commercially available as a digital download beginning May 2, "and we plan to get it into retail stores as soon after that as we can get them manufactured," Bentley said.
He said the label anticipates getting the album into retail outlets between May 5 and May 15. "Neil wants this album out there as soon as possible," Bentley added.
Each date of the four-part event will be named after a Republican president, beginning today with George W. Bush Day. Festivities will continue on Tuesday's Dwight Eisenhower Day, with a D-Day dodge-ball competition between the College Republicans and University Democrats.
In honor of Ronald Reagan's love for jelly beans, on Wednesday, students will hand out the colorful candy. Finally, Thursday will feature the Richard Nixon house party. Originally scheduled as a bar crawl, concerns about underage drinking led the group to change the event...
The majority of the world's piracy is not constituted by teenagers downloading the latest hit single. Rather, organized piracy is where the real threat is at, and in countries abroad, American (and other) products are being pirated for both fun and profit.
Wisconsin remains on the board because Tommy Thompson has once again threatened to enter the race. Mostly, however, I bet he just doesn't want his indecision to be overshadowed by Brett Favre's.
I attended law school in Vermont, a state that entirely banned billboards because of the unpleasant 'visual pollution' of boards blocking the scenic view of trees. Contrast that with what is going on right now here in the Florida legislature: a bill is rapidly speeding towards passage, with little opposition, that would prohibit state and local governments from planting any trees in right-of-ways within 500 feet of billboards if the trees would obstruct the view of the signs.
“The roof of the courthouse took the brunt,” facilities manager David Kempf told the Johnson County Board of Supervisors at its morning meeting, estimating roof repair to cost $375,000 to $425,000. The slate part of the roof will have to be completely replaced, as well as work to repair copper damage.
The Leonard Boswell for Congress campaign is hosting a
fundraiser with former Virginia Governor Mark Warner on Thursday, April 20th
at 5:30 p.m. in Des Moines...
It is a mess around us - amazing how quickly they are cleaning it up. They are planning to level a couple of the buildings behind us - the Happy Joe's building and the one next to it (where Tony's is located). They are still assessing whether the corner building has to come down as well. Crazy!!
"Neil just finished writing and recording – with no warning – a new album called Living With War. It all happened in three days."
Young has long worked under the "strike while the iron is hot" mentality, often working in creative spurts and never forcing it. Well, it seems the iron must have been burning bright for him to create a complete album in three days!
Details are sketchy at best, but the featured song, "Impeach the President" contains Bush's voice accompanied by a choir chanting "flip/flop."
"Rather than creating mythical arguments for giving tax cuts to a select portion of Iowa citizens, policymakers should return to the basic principle of fairness: As long as you live in Iowa and benefit from the services provided by the state, you pay your share, based on your ability to pay."
Iowa City Councilor Connie Champion said the city could use the money for additions to its infrastructure, such as additional staffing for the fire department.
"Iowa City desperately needs another stream of income," Iowa City Councilor Bob Elliott said.
The money would benefit the schools by bringing in money for building and technology needs.
"I thought this was a very necessary discussion," said Elliott after the meeting. "I would not like to see the rest of the money go out of the county."
Although many voiced approval of the shared penny option, Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan said he is concerned with the fact that the tax is regressive.
A regressive tax, often a fixed rate, takes a harder hit on people with lower incomes since it is a larger percentage of their income.
"We've got a lot of people in this county with serious needs," he said. "(More than) 70 percent of the poor people are kids. ... They are the ones getting hurt the most."
"His relationship with Iowa at best has been lukewarm, and in some quarters it appears to have been hostile," said Johnston Republican Dave Roederer, Bush's 2004 Iowa campaign director.
Samek said he had no problem charging a deposit, but the time frame for refunding it was not likely to have much effect on bill collection.
"Trying to put a month thing on it is not going to benefit anybody. If someone is going to try to jew us out of a water bill, whether it's 18 months or 12 months or 36 months, it's not going to make a big difference," Samek said. "They'll figure out a way to do it."
"Iowa City School District officials considered the one-cent sales tax option for building improvement needs in 2002, but opted for a bond referendum after labor unions and the Johnson County Democratic Party criticized it, calling it "regressive" against low-income residents. A $39.9 million bond referendum passed in February 2003 with 70 percent of the vote.
The district also could pursue a 'shared penny' option, in which it would share the revenue from a one-cent sales tax with another government such as Iowa City or Johnson County. The different options will be discussed at a joint government meeting of district, city and county officials at 4:30 p.m. today at Iowa City Council chambers."
Most Iowa City and Coralville city council members prefer a 1 percent local-option sales tax that shares revenue with the cities if the Iowa City school board decides to pursue a tax, Gazette interviews revealed.
Council members said they don’t know what voter support exists to add a local tax to the state’s 5 percent sales tax. Johnson County’s last attempt failed in 1999 when 74 percent of voters rejected it.
‘‘I believe, because cities are in such straights with their budget, there will probably be general interest in further exploration,’’ said Iowa City Council member Regenia Bailey.
Iowa City Council member Mike O’Donnell said he hopes feelings have changed. He said he’d support splitting local sales tax revenue between schools and local governments.
Iowa City Council member Dee Vanderhoef said cities would have to identify clearly how they’d spend the tax revenue to have any chance of success with voters. Vanderhoef said she is undecided on the local tax and wants to see the outcome of a bill in the Legislature to impose a statewide local sales tax for schools — a tax already collected in every county but Linn and Johnson.
"I know there have been some personality clashes. I know there are some people who weren't happy with me as a leader. Some felt I was too conservative," Iverson said Monday. "I'm much more conservative than Senator Lundby."
While the leadership change could steer Senate Republicans toward party moderates' positions on some issues, Lundby and Senate Republican Co-President Jeff Lamberti of Ankeny emphasized that members of their caucus wanted a leader who would take them in a new direction. They are looking to Lundby to forcefully represent them during current negotiations over next year's state budget, and to give them the best shot at controlling the Senate again.
Russ Feingold is coming to Iowa on April 28 and 29th. I don't have all the information yet, but will post it as soon as I know. Here is what I got. The event on the 28th will be in Iowa City/Cedar Rapids and the event on the 29th will be in Ft. Dodge following the 4th District's Convention. The night will be a fundraiser for Dr. Seldon Spencer, who is running for Congress against Tom Latham, and Feingold will be speaking at the event.
Lt. Governor Sally Pederson
Secretary of State Chet Culver
Representative Ed Fallon
Iowa Federation of Labor President Mark Smith
Dr. Andy McGuire
State Representative and gubernatorial candidate Ed Fallon (D-Des Moines) announced Monday that the strong support his campaign is attracting means that he will not run as an independent if he loses the Democratic primary on June 6...
"There was widespread speculation that, finally, that time had arrived. Favre called a news conference, as he does every year, at the site of his golf tournament - this year, at a casino in the Mississippi Delta some 400 miles across the state from his hometown of Kiln. A spokeswoman for his family said a 'scoop' was expected.
Instead, Favre spent about 15 minutes discussing his indecision - and his golf game.
'The fact that we're sitting here today at this press conference, to me, is a joke because I don't have anything to tell you,' Favre said. 'Somebody assumed that I would.'"
Alluding to Mr. Swann's longtime role as an on-field reporter for ABC-TV at college football games, he dismissed him as "a sideline commentator."
"'He wasn't even qualified enough to get in the booth,' he said, 'And as a lifelong Steelers fan, I can tell you that John Stallworth was a better receiver.'"
"Senate Democrats unveiled an income tax cut for Iowans making less than $60,000 a year in a package that would also sharply reduce taxes for most who are getting some form of pension income.
'This proposal will, in essence, end the middle-class tax penalty,' said Senate Democratic Leader Michael Gronstal of Council Bluffs.
Elements of the plan include:
• Ending the ability to deduct federal tax payments when calculating state tax liability, a move that would bring a windfall of about $430 million a year to the state. Taxes would increase for anyone who makes $100,000 a year or more. Those making more than $250,000 a year would see a 38 percent increase.
• A roughly 10 percent income tax cut for those who make $60,000 a year or less.
• Exempting Social Security income from taxation, and exempting pension income for all who make $100,000 or less.
• Doubling the state's earned income tax credit to 13 percent of the federal credit.
The plan was offered as an alternative to a Republican-backed proposal calling for a $300 million phaseout of taxes on Social Security and other pension income.
Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Clarion rejected the proposal..."
Anti-terrorism detectives escorted a man from a plane after a taxi driver had earlier become suspicious when he started singing along to a track by punk band The Clash, police said on Wednesday.
Detectives halted the London-bound flight at Durham Tees Valley Airport and Harraj Mann, 24, was taken off.
The taxi driver had become worried on the way to the airport because Mann had been singing along to The Clash's 1979 anthem "London Calling," which features the lyrics "Now war is declared -- and battle come down" while other lines warn of a "meltdown expected".
When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun?
"Ms. Braverman is a perfect teacher for the gifted, since she herself likes to do 12 things at once. While the buses headed north on the New Jersey Turnpike, the students eating their bagels, Ms. Braverman put on the video she always shows for this field trip, 'An American Tail.' ('The story of Steven Spielberg's family's journey to America, except the characters are cartoon mice,' Ms. Braverman explained.) The thing the children love about Ms. Braverman is that as many times as she has seen that video, she still thinks it is hilarious when the mouse says the streets in America are paved with cheese."
Perhaps (the Touch Play debate) is merely the start of a larger drama about to unfold - a drama where Iowans finally awaken to the scam served up by elected officials of all stripes who have told them gambling is the latest form of economic development.
Decide now that gambling is really a bad bet. Gambling's negative economic impact, coupled with a dark moral character, may sufficiently be manifested to persuade Iowans to recriminalize it all. That's my hope.
In a year when national political observers expect there to be only a couple of dozen truly hot races, two of Iowa’s three (sic) U.S. House races are on the watch lists of news organizations, such as Congressional Quarterly, and a third — the 2nd District — shows some promise of heating up, they say.
The race for the seat Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle has held since 1990 is considered to be one of the three hottest U.S. House races in the country...
'I know that some in the party have differences with Joe. I'm gonna go ahead and say it. It's the elephant in the room.'